Braveheart Christchurch

Our very own Rangimarie Parata-Takurua was aknowledged for all her work behind the creation of Te Pā..

"I discovered a thriving 'school' tucked away in the backstreets of Linwood. On the face of it what make this school different is the way it embraces Maori culture.

However when you walk around the school it feels like there are other forces at work - the students all make eye contact with you, smile and say hello.
And when i popped inside the new entrants class there was an indescribable energy in the room - it was abuzz, but there was also a deep sense of calm. Gail, who toured me said 'you can feel it cant you' and i could.
Maybe its because they all start the day by eating breakfast together (and again at lunchtime) and that fast foods, processed foods and lollies are considered contraband.
Maybe its because everyone is encouraged to treat each other with kindness (yes, that caught my attention) and to apologise if they cause harm to anyone else.
Maybe its the large portrait photos of every student on the wall which reinforced the importance of treating every person as an individual.
Maybe its the way everyone is welcomed as if they are part of the extended family - like the bubbly mother we met, who Gail told me after had been taken under their wing after her husband took his life and left her with three children to bring up on her own.
And the way the staff role model all these behaviours.
Or maybe its just the way all the students are encouraged to be themselves, to be proud of their heritage and who they are, to follow their dreams, to try things and most of all, have fun.
Google spent millions on research to discover what makes for a successful team (but) Rangimarie and her team didn't need the research - they just followed their hearts.
When I suggested that this approach could be applied in any community and was not exclusively Maori, Rangimarie smiled and said 'I know'.
Awesome work Rangimarie, keep fighting for what you deserve from the ministry, and keep experimenting - youre creating a new breed of Maori entrepreneurs."
- Simon Challies, Braveheart Christchurch.

He mihi tino nui ki a koe, Rangimarie! Our Pā is considered "innovative" and "groundbreaking". Let's continue on our own paths... "The Future is so bright".