Kia ora koutou. Term 4 has started at a cracking pace and it is hard to believe that we are already in week 5. The school has made the most of the return to normal routines and we have been able to 'catch up' on activities disrupted by Covid earlier in the year.

Taiopeka, Samoan and Cook Island Groups perform at the Intermediate Celebration Evening.

Well done to all who competed on Athletics day!

Last week, over 100 Tahuna students competed in the South Zones Athletics. They competed in a range of field and track events against many other schools within the southern region of Dunedin. Tahuna had some excellent results, with many students advancing on to Otago Champs next week! We wish them the best of luck for this competition and it is great to see them training hard.

The move out to Mamaku Point this year was a huge success! More students were able to experience what Rakiura has to offer and the facilities were a big upgrade from previous years. Here is what a couple of the students had to say.

Halfway through term four and so much more still to come.

Wednesday afternoons are all about futsal and there has been heaps to celebrate.

It was great to finally make it out to camp with our class after camps were postponed earlier in the year due to the Covid 19 Pandemic.

This year we have a great group of kids and a knowledgeable and enthusiastic parent doing some awesome work in our horticultural area. There is a fantastic article in the Star this week celebrating the work that Caius and his team have been doing with the support of Ross, his Dad. Amelia at the Hermens Group LJ Hooker has very kindly funded new garden beds and also shelving for the tunnel houses. Thank you Hermans Group.

Year 8 students from 4C, 5C and 6C have worked independently this week to design, bake and decorate animal themed cupcakes. Students have then sold them at lunchtime. A great learning experience with some amazing finished products. Well done!

In case you have missed what has been happening on the other side of the fence.......Caius and his fantastic team of year 7’s and 8’s have started a gardening elective which is going amazingly well. During their lunch hours for the past couple of months they have been dedicated to planting seeds, raising seedlings, watering, caring for mini vegetables, harvesting small crops, and donating their time to help those that are less fortunate.

Earlier this term, Room 9 were one of the two lucky Tahuna classes to head down to Tainui School to experience the aqua bus. We learnt a lot about our waterways and the importance of looking after them. Read on to hear about what we did or learn some interesting facts!

600 students meditate on the sound of Taonga Puoro.

On Monday Tahuna hosted a massed marimba celebration for 190 students from 10 Dunedin schools, filling the hall with music and mallets.

Mr Lousley and 5 Tahuna Y7 students have teamed up with Northern Territories, Queensland and New South Wales education departments in i-see to create opportunities for international collaboration.

It was a sunny afternoon when we arrived at camp Berwick and an excited vibe buzzed between the students like some invisible energy net. There was a faint warm breeze in the trees that lined the oval shaped camping ground and water gurgled peacefully in the stream near by, that ran past the confidence course on the other side of the tree line, that separated the tents from the rest of the forest. Our class dumped their bags and we went for a tramp around the dark lake, the wind glanced off its ominous surface and I could feel the goat sprits calling me to its depths! Now that’s a whole other story! The afternoon and night flew by in a blur full of team building activities, confidence course, flying fox, a midnight hike and a rope in the forest activity. These activities challenged us to work together as a team, show bravery and confidence as well as work together as a team. Back at camp I was sleeping with Hunter and Josh and together we put up or tent for the night. I could tell it was going to be an awesome camp. By Matthew Hammond

Once a year our Tahuna strings, woodwind and brass players join with other Dunedin schools to form a massed orchestra.

Students from the classes in Onerāhi Primary receive gifts from Dunedin

Jacob Shaw has done an amazing job at the Super 11's BMX trials. He is one of four boys that have been selected to represent the South Island. Here is a recount written by Jacob explaining his experience.

16 students headed down to Balclutha to compete in the Otago Primary Schools Triathlon. The results will blow you away!

Room 9 completed their Long Beach Rock Climb and what a successful day!

By Blake and Owen

Lyvia and Eila have been part of our small, dedicated group of Road Patrollers this year.

Nau mai, Haere mai ki te wiki o te reo Māori

At our end of term assembly, not only did Sophia receive her Gold Citizenship badge, but was announced as our well deserved recipient this year, by Allen Anderson, Manager of the South Dunedin Westpac Bank.

The temperature fluctuates, but what remains unchanged is our excellent students and outstanding mandarin academic performance.