Linka Bruce, Mr Jack Anderson 2023
Principal: Jack Anderson
M.A EdLM (2nd Hons)
PRINCIPAL UPDATE: 05 July, 2024
Tēnā koutou e te whānau
As we move beyond the halfway point in the year, our students continue to make the most of the opportunities offered whether they are academic, sports, arts, or culture. There have been some exciting activities taking place during Term Two and you will read about them in this newsletter.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we closed the school for two days this term due to flooding and a power outage. Unfortunately, this happens too often here in the Far North but when it comes to health and safety, we respond accordingly. Like yourselves, we also value learning time for our students so we are going to hold some of our teacher-only days outside of the school term when possible, beginning with these holidays.
During the holiday break, our teachers will return to school for a teacher-only day alongside teachers from Matauri Bay School and Te Kura Kaupapa o Hato Hōhepa Te Kāmura. This day will strengthen collaboration between our schools and continue to progress our Kahui Ako Achievement Challenges. Part of my mahi in the Kahui Ako is to gather local stories that support strengthening our localised curriculum.
I am slowly making my way around Te Tai Tokerau and collecting some valuable stories along the way. From time to time, there are differing stories that are told of the same event, the same person or the same place. For example, I have been told three different stories of how Whangaroa was named. One story tells of the four rivers that feed into the Whangaroa Harbour, another story refers to the Whanga which is a large stingray, and another story refers to the length of the harbour.
When it comes to storytelling, it is also important to acknowledge when the story was told and by whom the story was told. For example, four people can stand on four different sides of a mountain and they will all have different stories to tell, yet those stories are all of the same mountain. In addition, different moments in time can lead to different stories. Therefore, all stories are valuable and it is important we apply the same respect to them all.
I would like to hear any other stories of how Whangaroa was named or if you can add to those stories I have been told, or you have another story to share, then please come in and have a cup of tea and a chat with me or contact the main office.
Nāu te rourou
Nāku te rourou
Ka ki te kete
Ngā mihi nui
Principal
Jack Anderson