Kia ora, mālō e lelei, olá, hallo, namaste, salām, tālofa, g’day and hello to all members of the Te Aratai community.

This term there is a clear link to our school value of Turangawaewae,‘a place to stand.’ This value connects to our sense of belonging. For all students, they will spend a large portion of their time at school and should enjoy the rewards and responsibilities that come with this.

Recently, we have reiterated the expectations that students must remain on school grounds, in timetabled classes throughout the day, as we have a duty of care to know where students are at all times, and to best ensure their safety, wellbeing and engagement with learning.

With the sunny and warm weather becoming more frequent students are making the most of it by enjoying breaks and other activities outdoors. With the warm weather also comes a renewed focus on expectations regarding students’ uniforms. This also comes under our uara banner of Turangawaewae - ‘be proud to wear our uniform’.

It is an exciting time of year with the celebrations of our senior students along with our Pasifika and sports awards. Many of our Year 9 ākonga have been acknowledged and celebrated at these, and we are extremely proud of their commitment and achievements.

As the seniors have left and exams have begun, we are starting the processes to begin our planning for next year and starting to meet our new ākonga. With the new students and whānau coming on-site, it is time for our junior students to demonstrate our school Uara; Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga, Rangatiratanga and the aforementioned, Turangawaewae.

This time of year reminds me of the whakatauki, ‘Ka mua, ka muri’ which translates to, walk backwards into the future. This is a time for reflecting on the successes of the school as we approach the end of the school year and await all the opportunities that 2024 will bring.

Ngā mihi nui,

David Draper and Heather McLean