This term we welcome Whaea Melissa Tauwhare to the team. She will be teaching in Whaea Rachael and Whaea Vicki's class Monday - Thursday 9.45am - 12.45pm to support with the growing roll. 

We also welcome back Nannie Liz Crofts who was working with our Whitireia tamariki last term. She will be working on Tuesday's 9am - 3pm. 

We feel extremely fortunate to have these two taonga working with us supporting the kaupapa of Aroha ki te Tānagata, te tuahiwi ki te whāi ao! 

This term you will also notice a stronger push to bring whānau into kura to learn about what is happening and how you can support both at kura and in the kainga. 

Next week the junior school has invited whānau to a hui to discuss the learning in a junior programme and expectations between home and kura. We also have a Creative Project hui for whānau who are interested in a Rāranga programme that has been running with a group of 20 tamariki. 

We will also be having a 'Living in a Digital World' whānau hui for whānau who are interested in learning more about how we might parent in a world of technology. 

Kate is also going to be running wānanga called Reading Together. This is a programme designed to support whānau reading at home with their tamariki. 

Cool eh! 

Our annual optional ski trip is this term for Year 6-8 tamariki and we will also be continuing on with our Fun Day Friday mahi. Please let us know if you can help with this. 

Our big news is that we will not be having the kapahaka festival this term. We have pushed it to Term 4 to give us more time to prepare but also because we are struggling to secure a suitable venue this term. Our tutors are working hard to create an excellent programme of kapahaka as always. 

Our other big news is that we now have two different options for those people that want to learn Te Reo Māori! 

Matua Kiwhakiwha and his kaitautoko have been working hard in the holidays to come up with a way that we may be able to cater for learners better.

On Thursdays we will run reo Māori class in Tūranga between 1pm and 3pm. This will be run by trained tutors who are excited to commit to this time. Please remember a gold coin koha. These will start this week. 

On a Wednesday evening we will run classes between 5pm and 7pm at the marae. These will also start this week and require a gold coin donation. 

Because of COVID the tutors will be recapping over what was learnt to give others the opportunity to join in and not feel behind. 

This is an amazing opportunity e hoa mā to learn our beautiful language. Karawhuia! 

As a team we are excited about this term and hope you are too! 

Arohanui

Mel