Kia Ora Koutou

Monday was Down’s Syndrome Awareness Day and to mark this occasion Luka and his family bought Pop Gun Streamers and Bottles of Bubbles for us all to share. This we did with great joy as we took time out to recognize and celebrate the wonderful gifts that Luka brings to our learning community. His love of life, his ready smile and his perseverance when learning new skills is an example to us all.

Families living with the challenges and multiple blessings of Down’s syndrome know that these special people are capable of leading full and purposeful lives. That the only boundaries they encounter are those placed upon them by us as a society.

We are so glad you have come into our lives Luka, you are indeed a valued member of the Tuakana Team!

This week was the final week in the first rotation of skills training at Kirkwood Technology Centre. Your ‘Tween’ should be arriving home with some ‘taonga’ they have designed and crafted – or in the case of the Cooking Group, already eaten. Check out the photos for evidence of some highly engaged learners where the focus is on ‘skills for living’. As I visit each of the teams hard at work in the technology rooms I am always so impressed by the feedback I get from the staff about the manner in which our students conduct themselves at Kirkwood. Aroha mai tamariki!

If you haven’t seen an ICAS Exams notice yet please ask your child for it or go through their bags. These were handed out on Tuesday this week. We encourage participation in these exams as we believe they help students develop exam strategy that will be useful as they move through the education system. They also provide valuable feedback for you ,as parents, in relation to their annual progress, relative to their peers, across New Zealand.

Finally, a reminder that payment for the Paddle Boarding is due before we leave on our EOTC next Thursday or Friday. If you are unable to pay for this event please contact the office or one of the Tuakana teaching team. As half of the team will be remaining at school each day, we can accommodate any children who are unable to participate quite easily.

Happy Easter koutou! Eat lots of hot cross buns and chocolate, get out and explore this beautiful city of ours and have some fun with your gorgeous tamariki!

Ngā mihi nui

Lisa McWilliam