Terms 3 & 4 are the most rewarding and also the most challenging for our Senior students. Their hard work in the first half of the year begins to bear fruit as assessment work becomes credits towards their Level 2 or 3 qualification...

...but there are also portfolios to complete, and end of year exams to prepare for- not to mention making plans for next year! It's at this time that a team within the kāhui (Naomi Milner, Sarah Parder, Jasmine Lambert, and overseen by DP Ros Jackson) is beginning to explore how the educational aspirations of our Māori and Pasifika students within these year groups can be further supported. An essential element of this project is opening a dialogue with ākonga and their whānau. Two recent events have been fortuitously timed to allow these conversations to begin.

At the end of August, a get together over morning tea was held for all Pasifika students attending Te Puna Wai o Waipapa. The hopes for this gathering were that students could make new social connections and establish a forum for sharing ideas and suggestions. It was a pleasure to attend and an important starting point for working more closely with our fantastic Pasifika students.

In early September I was invited to attend a hui of Te Urungi, a student, whānau, and kaiako representative council initiated by our Māori Department, to discuss what mentoring could look like for our Māori ākonga. This was a robust kōrero and many helpful suggestions were offered by whānau and the Yr10 and Yr13 student representatives present. We'll continue working together as this kāhui project unfolds.

With what remains of this year, academic mentoring will be offered to a range of Yr12 and 13 Māori and Pasifika students as another layer of support in reaching their educational goals and pathways within and beyond our kura.