A Wonderful Start to the Year

I hope everyone had a lovely Waitangi Day.

What an incredible first week it has been! I feel truly blessed and honoured to be part of such a warm and welcoming community. The Mihi Whakatau was an unforgettable experience, filled with heartfelt moments and a genuine sense of belonging. It was wonderful to see so many parents present, sharing in this special occasion. Your presence added to the warmth and spirit of the event, and I felt deeply welcomed.

A special highlight was the performance by our school Kapa Haka group, who were beautifully supported by the entire school. Their passion and pride shone through. It was equally amazing to have my previous principal, Sylvia Fidow, and the West Rolleston Kapa Haka group join us, adding to the richness of the occasion. A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Leslie for his dedication and effort in organising this wonderful event.

We also had the joy of welcoming 2 new staff, Miss Laura Campbell, who is in Porowhita, and Jo Weatherley who is supporting in Pikorua, along with welcoming 12 new children and their families into our community. We look forward to being part of their journey at Tai Tapu school.

Throughout the week, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the learning hubs, engaging with the children, and doing my best to learn as many names as possible. It has been inspiring to witness the enthusiasm and eagerness of our students as they embark on their learning journeys. It has also been so nice having parents and children come up and introduce themselves. I truly appreciate these moments and look forward to getting to know everyone better.

A huge shout out to our amazing staff for all the mahi they have put into planning the start of the year. Your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and it's clear in the smooth and positive start we've had. It is also great to have some warm weather and to see classes already enjoying our amazing swimming pool.

Beyond the pool, it's been wonderful to see the students in Porowhita busy planting in small pots and they are also planning to make some delicious rhubarb and peach crumble using produce from our school garden. Seeing our garden being incorporated into students' learning experiences adds another layer of hands-on, meaningful learning to the start of the year.

We are also excited to announce our Back to School/Meet the Teacher event, which will be held on Tuesday, the 18th of February from 4pm to 6pm. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with teachers, and other families, and enjoy a relaxed evening together. Feel free to bring your own dinner down to school and have a picnic. We will have Pedal Mania here and the pool will be open, Ash will be there with the coffee van, and we will have a free sausage sizzle for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you all for making this first week so special. I look forward to the exciting times ahead as we continue to learn, grow, and thrive together as a community.

Nga mihi

Amanda Clarkson