Kia ora Kōwhai whānau, meet your new Dean.

Kia ora whānau, famili, aiga, and family of all those Kōwhai related. My name is Mr Marco Guglietta and I am the new Kōwhai house Senior Dean, taking over from Ms Jane Schroeder at the beginning of Term 3. I have been teaching at Te Aratai College and Linwood College since the beginning of 2021 in the Physical Education and Health department. I have a passion for accelerating the motor skills development of students and seeing them grow their understanding of how the body reacts to physical activity.

It is a privilege to be in a position where I can support your child through pastoral care, learning support and helping our senior students prepare for the transition between school and full-time employment or tertiary studies. My aim as Kōwhai Senior Dean is to provide high but clear expectations for our learners in order to set them up for success in the next stages of their lives. A whakataukī that resonates with me is: “Ehara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini” - my strength is not as an individual but as a collective.

With the first three weeks of Term 3 flying by, Kōwhai house is in for a busy 7 more weeks. Assessments will be coming thick and fast as well as course selection for 2023 coming up. Students can speak to their kaiārahi, dean or with our amazing career advisors if they need help with their senior course selection for next year. It’s important for students to think about which subjects would best suit their career pathway in order for them to learn the necessary skills and knowledge to enable success.

It’s so important that our students are able to manage their time during this period of the year when a large bulk of credits are on offer. Not only must they balance their school work and assessments but also other commitments such as sport and part-time employment, let alone finding time to socialise with friends, which is just as important for their wellbeing.

To staff and students, I encourage you all to continue to engage in mana-enhancing conversations and build up those around you during what is going to be a very busy Term 3. I look forward to checking with all learners to see how their NCEA results are going and continuing to maintain high expectations around attendance. Keep learning and understanding at the forefront of what we aim to achieve here at Te Aratai College.

Please contact me if you have any queries, concerns or celebrations.

Mr. Marco Guglietta (Mr. G)

Senior Kōwhai Dean

gug@linwoodcollege.school.nz