Whānau Time Message:
Each fortnight we come together as a school to enjoy time together as a school family, celebrate learning and build and celebrate the special culture that makes us who we are.
Our overarching theme for this year has been to revisit, review, refine and celebrate the individual components that comprise our school culture, philosophy and way of learning, growing and being.
We have been focusing on one aspect per fortnight, every Monday Morning as a staff, and every second Friday as a full school at Whānau Time.
The Sequence We Are Following Is:
Our Vision - Ā Tātou Tamariki, Ō Tātou Whenua, Ka Ora Te Apōpō
- Our Children, Our Land, For Our Future
Our Mission - Love to Learn to Lead
which we expand to - We Love to Learn,
So We Can Learn to Lead,
So We Can Lead With Love
Our Whakatauki - Toitū te Marae a Tane-Mahuta
Toitū te Marae a Tangaroa
Toitū te Tangata
Flowing through these is the message of HOPE
We focused on three meanings for HOPE that connects to the elements above:
HOPE - Help One Person Everyday
- Help Our Planet Everyday
- Help Our Pacific Everyday
Next, we look at our Pōhatu Tūmu - our Foundation Stones:
Whanaungatanga
Whakamana
Whakapono
Manaakitanga
Turangawaewae
We welcomed Matariki at our last Whānau Time and began with a short film from the Nature Speaks series - I Am The Sky.
In celebrating Matariki, we shared the connection between Matariki and caring for the people and the land - the sea and the sky.
At right, we have some special 'protectors'.
The Guardians of the Galaxy. Yes. Their job is to care for and protect our Galaxy.
At right, we have the Guardians of the Super Rugby Trophy. Their job for seven years has been protecting and keeping this trophy safe.
The Guardians of the Guardians protect the Galaxy. At the heart of our galaxy, we have our earthly home - mother earth - Papatuanuku.
Just like we tell stories of the Guardians of the Galaxy - Māori tell stories of the Guardians of our Earth - The Kaitiaki of Papatuanuku.
One of those Guardians is Tane-Mahuta - guardian of the forest and all that lives in it.
His job is to care for the native bush, the trees, the plants and all the forest creatures.
Another Guardian is Tangaroa - his job was to look after the ocean and all the plants and creatures that live in it.
And one last Guardian to share is Tawhirimatea - Guardian of the wind, sky and air.
His job was to protect the sky and air and all creatures who lived there.
The stories of these Kaitiaki teach us to beguardians too - to be superheroes of our galaxy - protectors of mother earth.
Because Matariki is a time for huddling together - because June is such a cold month - it’s a great time for telling and listening to stories. Stories such as the story of Papatuanuku, our Earth Mother and Rangi, our Sky Father.
Stories of their children, the Guardians of things that live in the earth, sea and sky.
The nine whānau of Matariki shine in the night sky and remind us of a New Year and New Beginnings. And New Promises to care for the earth and water and each other.
Just as our whakatauki teaches.
And in caring for the land, sea and each other - we all will thrive.
Matariki is a great time to make a New Year’s resolution to all do our bit to help look after the land, the waterways and each other.
And since it’s the holidays, we can ensure we look after not just our Papatuanuku mother but our mothers at home too.