17 October 2025

Last week in the newsletter I nodded to the physical space that our children, staff and yourselves get to enjoy each day. The architecture certainly speaks to a place of belonging and by its very nature conjures a particular 'magic'.

Only last week I brought a family through the school who were in awe of the beauty and how the philosophy plays out in reality - all beautifully aligned.

Building on this sense of place I have been reflecting on the notion of 'community school'. It's a term that is bandied about and probably mentioned on many schools' websites, but I do think a true community school brings a lot more than simply being a building in the middle of houses where people happen to live!

A true community school is like a breathing hub of the community - a place where an individual's success is intertwined with the wellbeing of the whole. At its center the word community (from Latin communitas, meaning public spirit) is a social unit - a group of people who share a place, common values and a deep sense of belonging in a sociological sense. I guess schools also represent a shared future - all having a vested interest in the growth and success of our children. Together we can not only improve learning but also build 'healthier communities'

To truly thrive we must bring our unique strengths to the communal table! "Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou,ka ora ai te iwi" - with your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.

This acknowledges that everyone - our children, yourselves, our staff - all have something essential to offer; a 'piece of the puzzle' I guess.

Being a teacher in a true community school is more than a job. You become a main ingredient. People who go into the profession with a wild thought that it sounds like an ideal "job"- great holidays and all of that jazz - don't last. The reality is that to be a successful teacher in a successful school the commitment it takes truly transcends the transactional notion of a "job". Great teachers can truly, profoundly shape the life trajectory of a child. We don't ever forget them. (We also remember the others unfortunately - no matter our age!)

We are fortunate that all of our teachers know all of our children. When children swap spaces it isn't such a big deal at our school and they stay in the same areas for some time. Saying farewell to John at the end of the year means it's also time for some manoeuvring of teachers to provide new opportunities and professional stretch.

We will see Annie make a move sideways into Autahi with Beth, and Carl move around the celestial heavens into the Māhutonga Matariki space with Rose. Suz had a big role across our Kāhui Ako (12 schools) as an Across School Lead for many years. Due to the disestablishment of the Kāhui Ako at the end of the year, Suz will return to full-time class teaching and both she and Hayley remain planted in Tautoru, with Gabrielle teaching one day a week. We will also appoint another part-time teacher to provide teacher release across the school.

Our children get such a great deal when it comes to care and commitment. We are also in appreciation of all that our Business Manager, Steph, Office Assistant, Kate, and Learning Assistants, Clo and Kirsten, do - a huge amount often unspoken and unseen and NOT unappreciated!. They are the true glue!

Thank you all for making our school a place of hope, growth and collective thriving.