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. By moving our newsletter to once a fortnight, we can also share our Whānau Time focus in each newsletter.

Last Friday, We Looked at How Leaders Take Responsibility:

We take responsibility for our WORDS

We take responsibility for  our CHOICES

We take responsibility for the OUTCOMES of our Choices

We take responsibility for MAKING IT RIGHT

I shared a video clip of one of my favourite Warriors from times past, Sione Faumuina. Sione features on 'Match Fit' and shared his story.

Sione Faumuina was a gifted rugby league player. But he started to make some poor choices - drinking and partying too much and getting into trouble. 

Below:

Sione talks about how he learned he had to own his choices and the responsibility to make them right.

In the second part of my presentation, I shared seven other ways to be a Leader at WHS and in our lives.

From last Friday onwards, I am adding a new final segment at the end of each of my Whānau Time presentations.

This segment is based on our school Whakatauki - a treasured saying that guides us to make good choices and do good things.

Our whakatauki says 

Toitu te Marae a Tane-Mahuta            If the land is well 

Toitu te Marae a Tangaroa                    and the sea is well,

Toitu te Tangata                                       the people will thrive.

Our theme this year is Tūrangawaewae - Our Home - and the extra bit at the end of each of my whānau time talks this year will look at an aspect of our Home and why it is important.

Last Friday, we looked at Home.

In case you are interested, in preparation for sharing this series of videos at Whānau Time, I shared Jane Goodall's video - see below - with our staff at a recent Monday Morning Staff Meeting.

This short video by Jane Goodall explains why we need to focus on ensuring a thriving planet - what the challenges are - and why there is HOPE.

I explained that this video sets the scene for the videos I will share each fortnight at Whānau Time - HOME, Nature, Soil, Water, Ocean, Coral Reef, Ice, Wave, Forest, Flower, Redwood, Mountain, Sky and similar. This was a way of preparing staff to see and support the significance of those videos.