Kia ora, and warm greetings from Waiporoporo house.

Crazy only begins to describe how the last few weeks have been. From sourcing sanitizer to just saving sanity. We have acted quickly, lived cautiously and we tried to learn freely. Linwood and Waiporoporo whānau, we have done well.

To our learners first and foremost always, nothing could have adequately prepared you for our new way of learning, but you have done it. I salute your dedication to engaging online when just a few clicks away is the next Tik Tok video or Insta post.

To all LCŌ staff, “Uitstekend!” What a team. Our strength is in our tenacity.

To our caregivers and greater whānau in the community, you have remained present. Sometimes, on the receiving end of a barrage of emails or texts; thank you for being available and understanding.

As we move forward strongly we know things won’t be the same, because they never are. We know our best plans won’t work out 100%, but somehow things work out. So, let’s plan, let’s get processes in place to manage our lives, but then take a step back and slow down. Let’s take a breath, remain present and live completely.

I leave you with this quote from Pema Chödrön

“All around us the wind, the fire, the earth, the water are always taking on different qualities... We also change like the weather. We ebb and flow like the tides. We wax and wane like the moon. We fail to see that like the weather we are fluid, not solid. And so, we suffer… What we fail to see is that we can use everything we do to help us realize that we’re part of the energy that creates everything… If we learn to sit still like a mountain in a hurricane, unprotected from the truth and vividness and the immediacy of simply being part of life, then we are not this separate being who has to have things turn out our way. When we stop resisting and let the weather simply flow through us, we can live our lives completely.”

Stay safe always,

Ngā mihi

Garth Lewis

Waiporoporo House Dean

Garth Lewis: lew@linwoodcollege.school.nz

Waiporoporo kaiārahi:

Alan Fielding • fie@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Christa White • whi@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Emma Bradley • bd@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Jodine Hardwicke • jha@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Lukas Davidson • lda@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Paul Hoffman • hof@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Samantha Boyce-Da Cruz • bdc@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Serge Ruiz • rui@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Siegrun Koop • koo@linwoodcollege.school.nz
Susie Cottrell • cot@linwoodcollege.school.nz