Celebration season: it’s been a busy few weeks, here’s what we’ve been up to.

Kia ora whānau, famili, aiga, and family of all those Kōwhai related, my name is Mr Marco Guglietta and I am the Kōwhai House Senior Dean. It’s been a very busy start to Term 4 with students preparing to go on exam/study leave, tidying up our final assessments and lots of celebratory events to end the year.

Within my role as Kōwhai Dean, I have been working alongside our students to ensure they are all prepared for their exams. At the end of Week 4, our senior students were dismissed for exam/study leave and I strongly encourage all of them to use their time wisely. These exams could be the difference in getting subject or overall endorsements as well as being great practice for university exams should students look to pursue tertiary education.

Friday the 4th of November was the day we said farewell to our Year 13s with a few tears and lots of smiles. It has been a privilege and a real pleasure to see them grow and mature during their time with us at Te Aratai College and I’m sure I speak on behalf of all staff when I say I can’t wait to hear of all the success stories that will come in the near future. On Wednesday the 2nd of November, the Year 13s were a part of history when we held our first Hui Whakapūmau celebration. The vibe in Te Puna that night was awesome and it was so cool to see our students so proud of their accomplishments and for them to get the individual recognition they all deserve. On either side of Hui Whakapūmau, we had our sports awards and our senior academic prize giving which were both massive successes. Once again, it’s fantastic to see our learners be acknowledged for their achievements, both in the classroom and beyond.

To staff and the remaining junior students, I encourage you all to continue to finish the remainder of Term 4 strong. With the weather warming up, get outside and make some wholesome connections, and have mana-enhancing conversations with someone new. 2022 has been a massive year for Te Aratai College, you’ve all persevered through some difficult periods and I am proud of all your efforts. I urge you to push on through the final weeks of Term 4 and come back in 2023 refreshed and ready to go once more.

Mr. Marco Guglietta (Mr. G)

Kōwhai Snr Dean: gug@linwoodcollege.school.nz