Amidst the Omicron difficulties we have the bright star of Te Aratai College.

Tēnā koutou, Talofa lava, Kia orana, Malo e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Bula vinaka, Namaste, Malo ni, Halo ola keta, Mauri, Fakatalofa atu, Namaste and Kumusta. Greetings to everyone at LCŌ and our wider LCŌ community.

Te Aratai College

Paintings and photographs are coming off LCŌ's walls, big boxes are appearing and some shelves and cupboards are becoming emptier. We know what this means but last time it was Aldwins Rd to Avonside Drive. This time it is the reverse. 

We acknowledge how fortunate we have been to have been at LCŌ with its beautiful grounds, geese, ducks and stroppy magpies, and the occasional possum and zillions of redzone rabbits. Furthermore, we have been able to be away from the disruption, mud, dust, and, in the early days the asbestos, of a large scale building site.

So, while Omicron has its bite, petrol prices hike, and the situation in Ukraine makes one weep, this time our packing is for a homecoming as we return to our original school site of 68 years and our brand-new, purpose-build Te Aratai College.

Opening events, tours of the school, and timelines

There has been a lot of thought and discussion about the formalities and celebration for our return. These are opening events, tours of the school for whānau, open nights for partner primary schools, ex-students events and so on, all at the same time as keeping learning at the heart. All this has of course been complicated by Omicron but I am refusing to let this dominate both the wairua and kaupapa of our return.  

Over the coming fortnight, we will publish what the events and timelines are.

Relationships for Learning: Mauri Ora - flourishing wellbeing

Schools run on whanaungatanga - relationships. Relationships, and in particular for schools, learning-focussed relationships, are everything. Successful schools develop positive partnerships and have strong circles of relationships. Students, whānau, staff, our partner primary schools in Tamai and Aupaki - our two Kāhui Ako, the wider community from social agencies to businesses. We all work together for success. 

Two whakataukī illustrate this:

• Mā pango, mā whero, ka oti ai te mahi: With red and black the work will be complete
• So’o le fau i le fau: Join hibiscus fibre to hibiscus fibre.

Learning is a blend of activities

Learning is therefore a blend of individual and collaborative activity. Sometimes we learn best by sitting quietly and "being in our own head." Other times it is asking others how to do something and working it out together—learning through collaboration. Physical activity can also be a key part of learning. The Romans knew this with the Latin phrase: Solvitur ambulando, loosely translated, It is solved by walking.

Collaboration

The principle of collaboration is of vital importance to our students as they prepare for the global world in which they will live their lives. The global world requires effective interaction with others and a receptive attitude to other cultures, values, identities and perspectives. Does this differ from when we adults were at school? Absolutely it does, and not before time.

The bad of days of "School Cert"

Some of us will remember when we were at school the focus was on IQ, and IQ alone – our Intelligence Quotient. And remember for those of us in the days of School Certificate, 50% of us who sat School Cert had to fail. The markers scaled the results to ensure this. 

However, some years ago, and quite rightly so, attention moved to include people’s EQ – our Emotional Intelligence. This is because we all know people who are very brain-smart but for various reasons cannot operate with other people. And sadly we also see some students, fortunately a minority, who find it hard to work well with others, even down to foundational levels of good manners and being on time and other reliability indicators.

Growth Mindset

We also know through neuroscience that IQ-smartness is not fixed but can grow. Within our "brain-plasticity" new neural pathways can be formed, or, in plain English, effort makes us stronger. I am delighted that a word that my grandmother used in the 1960s is back: “grit.” For those of you who would like to know more about this please see Dr Carol Dweck’s “growth mindsets.”

This is the LCŌ-Te Aratai College of 2022 and beyond. A strengths-based education, founded on belonging and diversity, for pathwayed personal excellence through growth and grit.

Finally, schools can be complicated places, especially at present. If for any reason you would like to talk to me about anything please contact the office so we can arrange this. My door is open.

Ngā mihi ki a koutou -

Richard Edmundson Tumuaki-Principal