Kia ora mai koutou!
Where has the term gone!!! Next week is the last week!
We are trying not to join the ‘cancel culture’ BUT are also really focusing on keeping safe.
Regarding Filipino Language and Culture Week that was shortened due to lockdown, we hope to have a celebration day still. We have penciled the date Friday 29 October (Week 2 of next term). We cannot see level 1 happening this term so apologies for the wait.
Pāhiketepaoro / Basketball
We have finals next week for our year 7/8 team and a last game for our year 5/6 team. Well done to you all for your improvements over the term. A huge thank you to Penny for organising two teams and her family turning up two nights a week for almost two terms to help do subs and coaching. It is a huge commitment and we are blessed with your involvement. It would not happen otherwise! Ngā mihi mutunga kore ki a koe Penny!
Pā Whutupaoro / Touch
I saw 7 or 8 teams on the sheet in the office, this is huge. However, not many parents offering to help. It is great fun people! Unfortunately many of our teaching staff have professional development to attend in Burnside on Thursdays so we really need those parents standing on the sidelines to rally together and help teams.
Mahi Kāhui / Kāhui Work
Due to the load of work that I have leading our group of schools (15 schools), I will often be offsite for a full day in a week. Mr Isherwood or Clara Mapley will be Acting Principal in these situations.
New Parents Meeting / Mihi Whakatau
Wednesday 20 October 8.50am-11am
If you are new to the school and have not been formally welcomed and/or attended our Mihi Whakatau, you are invited. This will start with a Māori based welcome for your child and family, following this a meeting about starting school. We highly recommend you attend.
Manu Kōrero – Kaupapa -Pūrākau / Māori Based Speech Competition – Theme – Storytelling
Wow, this was the first Manu Kōrero we have run and it was pretty awesome. Students from each room told local stories as best as they could. Starting with the juniors, some used pictures to help them remember and used as many Māori words as possible, through to the seniors who used only te reo Māori. It was quite a formal occasion. There were lots of prizes and happy children afterwards. The photos are on Facebook and a link is at the end of the post (which now works, apologies). Derty Bull Creative (Niko’s Dad) made us some awesome certificates with English on one side and Māori the other, it also had a design based off a tukutuku panel of Aoraki / Mt Cook. This was particularly cool because most children chose that traditional story. Options were the local versions of some traditional Māori stories: Papatūānuku and Ranginui, Aoraki, Kī o Rahi (not local, just a cool story) or a story from their own iwi. Well done to all who gave this a go. The ‘English’ speech competition is next week with various topics.
Josh Halkett and Clara Mapley
Although you may be unaware of it, but these two work for our Kāhui as well as the school. Through this work, they have used their many talents for the good of all of the 15 schools. They are ridiculously talented in what they do (but they won’t tell you that). Together, they have created three of the most amazing resources I have seen. We have made sure what they do for the schools directly assists our school too, so don’t worry. If you haven’t seen the pictures in our entrance way, have a look, they were all drawn by Clara on an Ipad!!!! I will also add her latest to this. It is not just the art, but the content, purpose, thought and creativity of the work. I am so thankful for their help! Tino nui taku mīharo ki a kōrua!
Āhaku mihi kau
Dallas Wichman
