KORERO FROM FRASER

Our final message for the term, and it has been another challenging one with COVID and winter illnesses. With a little over a week to go it feels like we should make it across the line without further disruption to learning. I am repeating myself but I want to offer another thank you to the positive support from you all over the course of another disrupted term. With a good chunk of winter to still get through next term, it would be very optimistic to expect no further disruptions but I am holding out hope. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Last week we celebrated Matariki at school with the whānau of students in our Kapa Haka groups and ‘Te Kai a Rangatira’ module with a dinner prepared in part by the students in our ‘Kai & I’ module. This was an amazing evening with over 200 whānau members, some travelling from far and wide along with representatives from our local hapū, Ngāti Wairere. The students involved all had the opportunity to share their learning on the night through performances, presentations or through the kai we enjoyed. We aim to make this an annual event to enjoy with students who are involved in these groups and classes.

The Matariki evening felt like the first real occasion we have had post COVID to welcome whānau on a larger scale to share and celebrate learning and the occasion of Matariki. A huge thank you to Mel Moore who initiated the idea and then worked with a team of staff to pull it together. The students present on the evening were a massive credit to their whānau, their teachers and truly exemplified what it means to be ambassadors for our school so a big thank you to them as well.

Next week you will receive our new, revised end of semester report following a lengthy process of review and consultation. At the end of the week we look forward to seeing you all for our I.E.Ms also. Last week I spoke to all of the students at assemblies about how important I.E.Ms are. They provide an opportunity for students to review their learning from the semester, summarise and celebrate their learning and identify next learning steps ahead of Semester 2. This is a powerful learning process when the students really delve into their learning and are supported and acknowledged by their advisors and whānau. I thank all of you who are already booked in and are looking forward to taking part in our I.E.Ms as you are a very important part of this learning process.

I hope you all have an amazing term break when it arrives.