Welcome
Welcome to your Term 4 issue of our Haoura Pānui. It has been an interesting year with many unprecedented challenges. Teachers and students have shown huge amounts of resilience as we navigated new ways of working. Many of us have taken away a number of the positive outcomes we could never have imagined coming from such a situation. Kia Kaha whānau, the end of 2020 is in sight.
Kahui Ako Leadership
Te Maru o Ngongotaha Kahui Ako has developed and strengthened over the past 3 years under the leadership of Kahira Morris. We wish Kahira well as she goes on to new ventures within education and thank her for the work that has taken place particularly in CR&RP, putting relationships and the wellbeing of our students at the forefront.
The successful applicant for the Lead Principal role for 2021 Debbie Holmes has been appointed. I very much look forward to continued work within the Kahui Ako going forward. Our principals are currently reviewing and reprioritising the achievement challenges to ensure that our mahi going forward continues to benefit all twelve of our schools.
Wellbeing in Schools Partnership
Since the last pānui I have been contracted by Lakes DHB to work alongside them 2 days per week on the Wellbeing in Schools Partnership (WISP). WISP is a pilot project with key personnel from Ministry of Education, Lakes District Health Board, working alongside Learning Support Co-ordinators in Te Maru o Ngongotaha Kahui Ako and Rotorua Central Community of Learning. We are developing a process which aims to support the workforce in providing healthy, ready to learn tamariki and rangatahi.
WISP is not a service, has no actual physical space for working, does not deal with individual student 'clients' and is not for the purpose of referral, so has been a difficult concept to understand. What it is, is a partnership where a concern can be looked at together with both health and education at the table. The aim of the WISP is not to 'fix' but for the adults to learn together in order for there to be better outcomes for students. We have a demo website underway which Learning Support Coordinators are ironing out alongside us. www.wisprotorua.com
Thank you
A huge thank you to Carey Bennett who has been taking photos in each of your schools for the website. These are in the process of being uploaded to both the WISP and the Te Maru o Ngongotaha Kahui Ako websites. Thanks also to all the schools who have made the time for these localised photos to be taken in your schools. We really appreciate being able to show the flavour of each our amazing kura.
Cultural Wellbeing
The following definitions for Hauora and Wellbeing come from the TKI site.
Well-being
The concept of well-being encompasses the physical, mental and emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of health. This concept is recognised by the World Health Organisation.
Hauora
Hauora is a Māori philosophy of health unique to New Zealand. It comprises taha tinana, taha hinengaro, taha whanau, and taha wairua.
Schools are doing a huge amount of work in this space and provide enormous amounts of hauora support for students and their families. Defining hauora and what that means for you, your school and your students is important in us being able to determine of we are doing this well and what else we need to do to ensure that we are catering to the needs of our tamariki and rangatahi. Which areas are we focusing on more? Which areas need more attention and what does that look like across the school? in the classroom? for individuals?
A key point in our Kahui Ako hauora achievement challenge is "As a Community of Learning I Kāhui Ako, we realise the importance of physical, emotional and cultural wellbeing to ensure the engagement of all students and also their learning."
Take some time to reflect on wellbeing, cultural wellbeing, hauora and what your definitions and understandings of these are. As we realign our achievement challenges these questions and your personal experiences will help us to continue moving.
Trauma Informed Practice
On the 28th October the Werry Workforce ran a presentation day for Health and Education workers on Trauma Informed Practice. The beginning of the day focused on adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and how this can affect school readiness in children. While we know that many of our students have experienced trauma and might have a quite high ACES score what came across as really important to me was that even for young children understanding what they have been through and that they are the way they are is the start of the journey of change.
A really practical example which stood out to me was the power of what rhyme, rhythm, repetition, music, chanting and moteatea can do for students to self regulate and calm themselves.
There were many other gems throughout the day, but this one stood out as so simple, we can all do it! For more information, please use these helpful links and notes.
Mental Health, Education and Hauora Resource
This year 7-11 resource can be easily adapted for any year level and has recently been delivered in schools. It is grounded in the achievement objectives of the Health and PE learning area.The lessons cover many topics, including, wellbeing models, diversity, mindfulness and friendships.
Draft Calendar 2021
The draft calendar for the Te Maru o Ngongotaha Kahui Ako has been shared with principals for approval. The completed version will also be shared with you once these dates have been finalised. PLD dates are yet to be confirmed and added to this document.
Digital version of Te Maru o Ngongotaha Calendar - please note times, dates and venues may change. A digital version makes this easier to keep track of.
Take care in the last weeks of the term. Make sure to prioritise yourself by eating well, sleeping well, spending time with your whānau and using the recovery points system as you make your way through the final busy hurdles of the year.
Debbie Holmes
Deputy Principal - Kaitao Intermediate
ASL - Hauora