Principal's Page

Kia Ora Friends - Our Warmest Greetings

Strange as it may seem to some, we have come to the end of the Māori Calendar year and can now celebrate Matariki, our Māori New Year in Aotearoa. 

Matariki is a time for gathering together with friends and whānau, sharing reflections and memories, and planning for the year ahead. 

January 1 is a common time for setting new plans, goals, and New Year's resolutions. I love that Matariki arrives around the middle of our traditional year. New Year's resolutions rarely last through the year. But a chance to reflect, revisit and renew goals six months down the track from January is a brilliant opportunity to keep us on track and successful. 

Matariki is about much more than just goal setting, though. It is a time to remember those dear to us who have passed on, and to reconnect with those dear to us still with us.

At our recent Matariki Celebration Whānau Time, I shared the following thoughts with all our children:

This month is the time of Matariki. It is a really special and important time. The stars of Matariki appear in our night sky at this time, signalling the arrival of the Maori New Year. 

The word Matariki means - Mata Riki - Little Eyes. To Maori, the stars of Matariki resemble seven eyes in the sky, or seven tamariki.

New Zealand began celebrating Matariki as a National Holiday only three years ago, but Māori have been celebrating Matariki and using the stars of Matariki to guide them for hundreds and hundreds of years.

We can also use Matariki to guide us, helping us to stop, reflect, and remember.

We can also use Matariki to remind us to pause and remember the loved ones we have lost who have passed on. 

And to remind us to appreciate and be grateful for all the people who mean the world to us.

We can pause and reflect to celebrate what we’ve achieved and to look ahead to what is possible.

At Western Heights, Whānau means everything to us. Matariki reminds us to be brilliant, kind, caring and helpful big brothers and big sisters, and to be awesome friends with everyone in our school whānau.

At Western Heights, we talk about our vision for our school in terms of a whakatauki:

A tatou tamariki, o tatau whenua, ka ora te apopo - our children, our land, for our future.

Matariki provides a strong connection to our vision because it is a time for preparing the soil ready for planting. It teaches us to be Kaitiaki - guardians and protectors of our land, our environment, our beautiful school.

Long ago, our ancestors, when they were young boys and girls like you, looked to Matariki and dreamed of what one day might be.

As we pause and reflect at this time of Matariki, we too can dream of what we might one day become and achieve.

So, at this time of Matariki, let’s take this time to think about:     

•    Who do you love and miss?    

•    What are you proud of?    

•    What dreams do you have for the year ahead?

Matariki is our chance to start fresh, together.

This is my final newsletter for Term 2. 

As has been the case every year, term, month, week, and day, it has been an honour and a privilege to serve this school community as part of an awesome, dedicated, diligent, and dynamic staff team.

We are blessed with an outstanding team here - every one of them does their best for our precious and beloved students every day. I cannot ask for more than that, and thus I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them.

Your support means the world to all of us, and I thank you, as always, for that.

Finally, I thank you for entrusting the most precious treasure in your life to our care. Your children bring us joy and pride - the odd challenging moment too, but that is all part and parcel of being parents, which is what we all are.

Have a refreshing and rewarding holiday with your whānau. Stay warm and dry, and we will look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, 14 July.

Champions Again:

Just in case you missed it...

 As always, if you have questions or concerns about anything school-related, email me at macash@mac.com, and I will get back to you asap.

PS - no complaints from Blues or Chiefs supporters, though, please.

My very best regards to you all,

Ash Maindonald

Principal.