KORERO FROM MIRANDA

Kia ora Rototuna e te Whānau,

We have had a great start to the year with everyone settling into classes and into their learning. Our senior students have had the opportunity to trial for selection at the Central Zone athletics and swimming sports. We have also had information presentations from Otago and Waikato Universities for students considering these options for next year. In Puna Wānanga, there are some amazing student-driven projects working with community stakeholders including; Hamilton City Council, Seed Waikato, Waikato Regional Council, Creative Waikato, Magical Bridge Trust, Rainbow Place and the Salvation Army.

In all of this activity, there is a real opportunity for our young people to show levels of care and caring thinking for each other and our community. Caring thinking is one way of deepening our learning through understanding different people’s points of view and what we can learn by considering the same situation in different ways. This type of thinking is extended in Puna Wānanga as part of the design thinking process, 'walking in someone else’s shoes.' It helps our students understand what a situation might be like from someone else’s perspective and the challenges that may occur for that person. This enables our students to identify opportunities to improve a situation and develop solutions that overcome these challenges to make a positive impact in someone’s life.

Emotional intelligence and empathy (caring thinking) is one of the top 10 skills and dispositions that employers and tertiary providers are looking for and it is important we take opportunities to develop these while your young person is at school. 

Check out the rest of the newsletter for more details about our updated cellphone policy, alumni tutoring and an update from one of our recent graduates who won a scholarship with BizVenture to Japan!

Until next time,

Ngā mihi,

Miranda