A Message from the Board of Trustees:

Kia ora koutou,

It's been a privilege to take on the leadership role for the Queenspark Te Hua Mānuka school board in the latter part of 2025 and to send this message out to our community before we break for the summer holidays.  I’d like to acknowledge the outgoing board members of Tania Morgan-Smith, Chris Wheeler, Celia Wevers, Anthony Calderone and Kylie Murcott. The skills and thought leadership provided by this team over the past three years has been invaluable. With a new board cycle underway we now have a new group of enthusiastic board members made up of Luke Adams, Felicity Boyd, Erika Hendy, Nicola Thorne and myself as parents along with Stacey Hewson as the staff representative Rebecca Taylor as our board secretary, and Ross Willocks as our Principal.

Each time we come together as a board we take time to reflect on and celebrate the amazing things happening across our school. This year has been full of incredible student achievements from academic success and sporting triumphs to the vibrant contributions of programmes like Shining Lights, Tagata Mai Saute, and Kapa Haka, as well as student groups representing us at events throughout Ōtautahi. These moments of pride are only possible because of you our wider school community of parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and whānau who support your tamariki to arrive ready to learn and thrive. Thank you for everything you do to make Queenspark Te Hua Mānuka such a special place.

Alongside celebrating student successes, the board has been focused on several key projects this year. We’re thrilled to see some fantastic improvements come to life including new signage and a digital display, the sensory garden, and the refurbishment of the staffroom block. Ongoing maintenance and enhancements across the school have also helped keep our environment looking great and supporting learning. These changes are part of our commitment to creating spaces that reflect our values and provide the best possible experience for our tamariki and staff.

As the year draws to a close, I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has given their time and energy to support our school community. From organising fundraising events (special thanks to our dedicated PTA team for everything they’ve done) to volunteering at discos and trips, helping in the library, assisting with road patrol, reading with students, and backing sports and arts activities your contributions truly make a difference. It takes a whole community to create these opportunities, and ours is exceptional because of you. We understand how challenging it can be to step away from work commitments, so please know that every effort is deeply valued and appreciated.

On behalf of the board, I wish you a safe and happy holiday season. Enjoy the break, travel safely, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Ngā mihi nui

Phil Gourley