SHIFTING TOWARDS A HAUORA/TRAUMA HEALING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Kia ora koutou / Dear parents/caregivers - Following on from my theme of last week, “It takes a village to raise a child”, I would like to share with our community the progress we have made over the past few months in the space of “hauora/trauma” healing. We (staff) have been gradually developing our neurosequential understandings relating to brain functioning, brain development and traumatology in everyday educational settings. Below I have listed several of these developments and initiatives that are leading us towards a hauora/trauma-healing culture:

The Board

From the outset the Board has supported a very specific strategic direction to ensure our school builds and embeds a responsive and reflective culture that proactively seeks ways to support the diverse needs of our students. The board continuously reviews the impact of these programmes and initiatives not only to ensure that sufficient funds are channelled towards this strategic direction, but also to ensure that the funds are being accounted for.

Collaborating with Kerepehi School

We are fortunate to collaborate with Kerepehi School to ensure that our Hauora Framework is responsive to the diverse needs of our students and community.

Developing our understanding of neuroscience

We have been reading a wide range of literature, viewing videos and participating in online seminars to upskill ourselves. The readings are often complex, challenge one’s beliefs and demand time to reflect. And so it needs to be as the way the brain responds to various stress points is complex, and varied. And the way we (adults) respond and support our students is also unique to every student. Every student deserves a different approach, and time to reset to allow him/her to engage in learning in a safe, inclusive learning environment.

The Board has also approved a Teacher Only Day (TOD) for Monday, 7 November 2022 to allow all staff (teachers, regular relievers, learning support staff, administration, ground staff and IT technician) to attend a Neuroscience and Trauma based workshop in Te Aroha.

School Visits

Some of our staff have visited 3 schools in the Hawke’s Bay and Wellington regions the past few months. These schools and communities are all very different to our school context, but it was an invaluable experience to see the wide range of programmes and initiatives in place to address the many challenges the students and communities face daily.

Play-based Therapy

The uniform shop was moved from the “dental clinic” to make way for Debbie Mills, who has created a safe space for students who need support above those our staff can provide. The support ranges from a “quick intervention” to a more “on-going” response. The Board has also allocated a sufficient amount of funds to support whanau who wish to access this service.

There are a few ways students can be referred to Debbie for this support:

• We will be putting a link on our school website in due course for parents/caregivers to make confidential referrals. This will also be where you can find a link to Debbie's website. 

• Parents/Caregivers can get in touch with the child’s homeroom teacher, or Bianca Williams, who will assist with the referral process. (Please see our staff list for contact details)

• Staff will discuss with parents/caregivers if such a referral will benefit the student.

Please note: No student will be referred or access the services without parental/caregiver consent.

Te Punganga

Te Punganga is a special, safe and inclusive space that has been set up for all students. The activities in this space range from learning programmes, to board games, arts & crafts, quiet space for reading, or simply a safe space for a student to “check in” or, if needed, to re-set. Please click on this link to read more about this space.

Student Voice

Last term the Yr 4-8 students completed a “ youth resilience” survey under the following three core areas. 

Staff will be unpacking the information once we receive the report

We will love your help too!

We are seeking volunteers who would like to share their area of passion and interest with a small group of students. If you love working with students, and are interested in booking 1 - 2 sessions a week, we would love to hear from you. Yes, simply call us at 07 8677305 if you wish to make a difference for our students.

Please feel to contact me about anything that may come to mind about this article, or if you are able to assist in any way.

Ngā mihi nui

Neil