Message from the Acting Executive Principal

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu
Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future

As we end the school year, it is time to celebrate all the achievements of 2023. We have had it all this year, from flooding to cyclones to teacher strikes, but we have also had some fantastic achievements across our Kura.

As a school, we have so much to be proud of! In the rush and busyness of life, it's always important to stop and appreciate the year that has been. There is so much for us to celebrate and be thankful for if we allow ourselves to stop, reflect and be proud of what we have achieved.

The yearbook is such a gift as it gives us a snapshot of all the great things that have happened throughout the different parts of the school throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand, during 2023. Thank you to our enthusiastic and motivated staff who work alongside our talented and hardworking ākonga. I hope you enjoy reading through the yearbook and sharing the success stories as much as I did.

On a personal level, I have been in the role of Acting Executive Principal for a while now. I am currently working with the Commissioner on a strategic framework that will be the foundation for the school's strategic plan, which the Ministry of Education requires us to have in place by March 2024.

Ko Taku Reo will be using this framework to guide us in our work while using 2024 to conduct effective and genuine consultation with students, whānau, the wider community and our staff to ensure that our purpose, our why, and our strategy are in place and agreed on by 2025. This might seem like a long time for this process, but as you can appreciate, as a national school, to consult authentically and purposefully, we need time. We don't want to rush this; we want to ensure all voices are heard throughout this process. We look forward to positively connecting and consulting on a strategy for our Deaf and hard of hearing students that will lift academic achievement and provide language enriched learning while supporting our students on their identity and wellbeing journey.

Deaf Education holds a very special place in my heart, and I look forward to working with our learners and their whānau on this ongoing journey. I am sure you will enjoy this summary of our students' achievements throughout the year, and I trust that the holiday season enables you to spend time with the people most important to you. To those of you who are leaving at the end of this year, we wish you well in whatever your next adventure brings. For everyone else, see you back in 2024! 

Noho ora mai
Dr Denise Powell