Pūrākau o ngā kura Term 4 2023

Pūrākau o ngā kura

Te Tai Tokerau

Blomfield serving the school community

Ako Cafe is more than just food. It is a place for learning, growth and students to discover their potential.

The power in kaiako collaboration in Kaikohe

Te Arahura sports event created a space for community connectors and teacher confidence to grow.

Student-led mahi turns bike trail dream into reality

Oruaiti School gave their tamariki total agency to transform one and a half acres into a legitimate, fourtrack mountain bike trail.

Term 4 2023 Editors Note

Welcome to Pūrākau o ngā kura Term 4 2024 featring stories highlighting the work and commitment of schools and local communities throughout Te Tai Tokerau. As you can see on the contents page to the right, this edition features stories within Mahinga kai me te wai - Food and water environment, Tama tū, Tama ora - Quality Physical activity and Nā to rourou, nā taku rourouCommunity Connections. The kaupapa are linked to broad categories but within each space many can be linked to different categories as the stories encompass many different aspects and perspectives.

Kaupapa within the food and water environment includes Blomfield School sharing with us how the reinstalment of the Ako Cafe initiative is positively impacting akonga learning. Within the quality physical activity section, the power in kaiako collaboration in Kaikohe celebrates the Te Arahura kahui ako bringing back the successful sports event experiences previously known as the Fire Brigade Cup and how this event assisted with developing teacher confidence along with providing space for community collaboration. Oruaiti School share their experience on embracing tamariki leadership with students having full agency over transforming the school environment into a space that reflects them and their community. Then in the community connection space we hear from Morningside School on how they have actively used communication as the forefront of the schools focus.

Many of you will see some familiar faces throughout this collection of stories with the Healthy Active Learning kaimahi who are supporting the schools featured at the end of the stories as a way to connect the team with the spaces. We also hope it will help you connect with our team if you wish to know more, you know who to ask. In the last section you will see a short introduction from the Te Tai Tokerau Healthy Active Learning team.

Read on for the stories from your schools. Healthy Active Learning Te Tai Tokerau.

ME TE WAI - FOOD AND WATER ENVIRONMENT

Te toto o te tangata he kai, te oranga o te tangata, he whenua, he oneone –While food provides the blood in our veins, our health is drawn from the land and soils

Blomfield serving the school community

Ako Cafe is more than just food, it is a place for learning, growth and students to discover their potential.

At Blomfield Special School’s Central campus every Wednesday morning something remarkable happenstheir Ako Cafe comes to life. This initiative, initially started by former Blomfield Food Technology Teacher Amie Pinson and subsequently then driven by Teacher Aide Sandy van Doorne in 2022, is transforming the lives and wellbeing of both students and staff. It is an example of Blomfield’s mantra “Discover Potential” coming to life.

When Ako Cafe opens its doors, it’s not just coffee and tea being served, it’s a unique learning experience for everyone. Students handle everything, from food preparation and cooking, taking orders, delivering items to tables, through to perfecting the art of creating coffee and tea. Listening to the voices of the students is also integral to the success of the cafe. All this takes place under the watchful eye of Blomfield’s supportive and devoted school staff. Ako Cafe’s success lies in its sustainability and adaptability. Staff members are barista trained, passing on these skills to their students and ensuring smooth operations. If a staff member or student is absent, there is always someone else there to cover them.

In April 2023, Anna Alison was employed by Blomfield as the Food Technology Teacher. Anna’s role entails working alongside students one on one, to teach them valuable

life skills relating to food technology. Under Anna’s guidance, the burden of preparation for Wednesday morning’s hour-long cafe session is eased. Each Tuesday, the planning and preparation of food to be sold in the cafe the next day takes place. All food and drink sold at the cafe costs just $2 per item and the profits from the funds raised each week accumulates and allows the students to have a special day out at the end

of the year to reward them for their efforts throughout the year.

Ako Cafe is more than just food. It’s a classroom for life skills, teaching hygiene, communication, teamwork, wellbeing, fun and much more.

Mahinga

Students even assist with grocery shopping each week, crafting a list and, with support, collecting the ingredients needed for the cafe. What started as an idea is now a permanent fixture at the school. The name ‘Ako Cafe’ was deliberately chosen to signify its reciprocal learning approach and space. In a truly collaborative effort, students, working alongside Hard Materials Teacher Caleb Piggott, have created cafe items such as cutting boards, a money box, food covers, and a cafe sign to put in this special place.

Principal Sally Wilkinson expressed her joy at the socialisation opportunities Ako Cafe has brought. It has not only strengthened bonds between students and staff but has also created valuable job opportunities for graduates. Sally’s advice for anyone considering a similar initiative: “Start small and manageable.”

Sally’s endorsement is echoed by the school’s Assistant Principal, Edward Jones, who proudly acknowledges Ako Cafe’s success, with all staff and students benefitting from the wonderful mahi behind the initiative.

The future of the Ako Cafe is exciting, with plans to link pathways for student leavers to workplaces. Additionally, the school is gearing up for a new gardening project, with plans for students, working alongside Caleb, to build raised garden beds which

will grow produce for use in Ako Cafe as well as other school projects. It will also teach students about where food originates from, adding another layer to this special project. This entire initiative is best summed up by Caleb, who commented “I think of our students as not special needs but of special abilities.” Ako Cafe is testament to his wise words.

The Healthy Active Learning team wholeheartedly embraces this kaupapa, as it reinforces the importance of overall wellbeing for students. Ako Cafe’s commitment to teaching life skills, promoting physical activity, and fostering healthy eating. It complements and amplifies the values of Healthy Active Learning, creating a supportive environment where tamariki not only realize their potential but also thrive mentally, socially and physically.

kaimahi supporting this school

The power in collaboration

Te Arahura: developing teacher confidence, connecting with external providers and providing space for community connection.

Te Arahura was a one day sports tournament where tamariki took part in one of four different sport code options as a way to expose them to different opportunities. The codes on offer this year were Soccer, Rippa Rugby, Netball and for the first time – Ki-o-Rahi. This tournament was the first event since 2018, previously known as the Fire Brigade Cup. The tournament was organised by a leadership group of the Kaikohe based Kahui Ako named Te Arahura and includes students and staff from Horeke School, Kaikohe Christian School, Kaikohe East School, Kaikohe Intermediate, Kaikohe West School, Mangamuka School, Northland College, Ohaeawai School, Okaihau College, Tautoro School, Umawera School and Waima School.

Kaikohe East School took this opportunity to incorporate a sport rotation for the term. Over weeks 1-5 during Term 3, teachers were allocated a sports code to coach, running skills, drills and games for students on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for 45 minutes. Students rotated

through the sports codes, getting exposure to the four different sports. At the end of week five, students selected which code they would like to sign up to for the Te Arahura tournament event.

During weeks 5-10, the teams were finalised and worked on their specific code with support from their teacher/coach to prepare to compete against other Te Arahura schools on tournament day. The goal for Te Arahura was to give tamariki opportunities they would not receive outside of school, grow teacher confidence in providing these opportunities and connect with other outside organisations that can possibly support them with this event and in the future.

In preparation for tournament day, a number of different schools involved had been delegated a sports code that they were in charge of, including logistics of registration, timetabling, draw distribution, field or court set up, organising umpires and making sure games and breaks all ran on time. Students from Northland College

Tama tū, Tama ora

and Kaikohe Christian School assisted with some coaching and training leading up to the event but more importantly were an integral part by umpiring on the day. They were able to receive NCEA credits for learning how to umpire and then applying it at an event.

Teacher confidence

Teachers have reported a significant boost in their confidence when it comes to offering these opportunities. Whaea Lucinda, who teaches at Kaikohe West School and reached out to Sport Northland for support, expressed how her appreciation and understanding of the role educators play in supporting one another has evolved. She noted, “In school, I get to share these opportunities, and there has been professional growth. I feel much more confident now.”

Another teacher, Whaea Bev from Kaikohe East School, initially felt out of her element when asked to demonstrate soccer at the beginning of the term. She admitted that hockey was more her sport. However, after being shown some effective skills and drills games, Whaea Bevs confidence grew. Whaea Bev learned that she didn’t need to be an expert in soccer to teach the skills and drills. She realized that her knowledge from hockey could be translated to soccer, resulting in a remarkable transformation.

By the end of the term, Whaea Bev had a full squad playing soccer and radiated confidence. Whaea Stevie, the Deputy Principal at Kaikohe East, and the Te Arahura event organizer, along with Whaea Bev, expressed their gratitude for the boost they received, enabling their teachers to become coaches. They emphasized that without

these teachers stepping into coaching roles, many different sports codes couldn’t be offered.

Whaea Bev summed up her experience by saying, “I never felt alone, and that boost in confidence was a game-changer.” Having the support from the codes to provide ideas and motivation was an integral part of the success of these codes gaining participation from students and teachers feeling confident to coach them.

way. After the sports rotations, she took the opportunity to take what they learnt outside with Bodean back into the classroom to break down the differences in the sports and test the knowledge of her kids. She took what they were learning outside the classroom inside to solidify those experiences and learnings.

Informed engagement with external providers

Support for this endeavour has been provided by several entities, including Northland Rugby Union, Northland College and Kaikohe Football club, along with members of the Healthy Active Learning team from Sport Northland.

An outstanding example of this external collaboration was Bodean Rogers from Northland Rugby Union working alongside proactive schools to prepare for the event. Whaea Stevie from Kaikohe East School approached this in a unique

The collaborations between schools and external providers led to well informed decision making and everyone being on the same page when it came to the day. Everyone was prepared and everything ran smoothly ensuring it was a positive experience for everyone.

According Whaea Tiny a lead sporting coach at Kaikohe West School, the lead-up to the event was “THE BEST.” This approach equipped teachers with the tools to coach while also affording the kids opportunities to engage in sports, which, for many, are otherwise unavailable outside of school. Success of team sports hinges on having dedicated coaches and noted that without parents available to provide coaching support, the responsibility

Tama tū, Tama ora

falls on the teachers. Credit is due to those schools who proactively sought assistance from external providers to support building teachers’ capabilities and confidence, thereby ensuring their students can actively participate in team sports.

Community connections

Students were actively involved throughout the entire process. During Ki-o-Rahi sessions, the Healthy Active Learning team observed that, despite the sessions being quite challenging, not a single child dropped out. Instead, they displayed determination and persevered. Even those who typically shy away from physical activity eagerly participated, having the freedom to select their preferred sports codes.

Whaea Bev, kaiako at Kaikohe East School succinctly captured the essence of this initiative by saying, “It’s not just about the game; it’s about being part of the community and fostering social connections.”

Te Arahura was a great day with a great turnout of schools, students and teachers, seeing kids

get active in their codes across the different sporting courts and pitches. There was an impressive turnout of supporters with many parents and whānau showing up to support their children and for some, it was their first time watching their children play a sport. There were student umpires and coaches who put their hands up to help their teina for this tournament, without them it would have been a lot more difficult to fill the umpire positions or even come up with different teams with less coaches available. The day saw some reconnection between schools and kaiako and a lot of great feedback and ideas for the potential this day has for years to come. It was exciting to see kaiako enthusiastic and to see their hard work turn into a successful day at the end.

Stacey Tipoki Komene Marino

kaimahi supporting this school

Embracing tamariki leadership

Not many schools and kura have one and a half acres of spare land at their disposal but Oruaiti School did. They gave their tamariki total agency to transform it into a legitimate, four-track mountain bike trail.

An enviro class of Year 5 and 6 students at Oruaiti School in the Far North is working on the finishing touches of an 18-month mountain bike trail project, which has seen tamariki lead and manage the entire process from design to build.

Principal Diane Bates says they received funding after winning the 2021 Prime Minister’s Award for Sustainability and Education so they asked the students what they would like to do with the money.

“As it was the students who helped us win the award, we wanted the funding to go back to them, and go back to something for our local school environment,” says Diane.

She says it’s been an empowering learning opportunity that has seen tamariki blossom.

“The students have done all the work, from planning, to contracting and even hauling logs, so it’s neat to see it all come to fruition,” she says.

“They are incredibly articulate and able to communicate in such a way that everyone who works on the project is impressed because the students are so confident in themselves and their ability,” says Rob

Curriculum links incorporated throughout

Planning started at the beginning of 2022 and most of the students learning time has been spent working directly or indirectly on the project. As part of the project management, students made phone calls to various contractors including construction and fencing companies, and digger operators.

Enviro class teacher Rob Arrowsmith says the confidence the students demonstrated in dealing with stakeholders was impressive.

“My job is to guide them, and make sure we stay on track – excuse the pun!”

Below: First site meeting with Ryan the track builder. Right: Sam sharing his ideas with Ivan the farmer.

Tama tū, Tama ora

Students helped put two more culverts in to make the bike track exit and the Grade 1 pump track.

Diane and Rob say curriculum links are all deliberately integrated throughout the project, and include reading, writing, maths, science, te reo Māori, and art.

“Some ākonga might struggle with learning in the classroom but when they’re trying to measure square metres and work out how much the contractor is charging per square metre, the learning they are getting in such a real way is amazing,” says Diane.

In the classroom, each day’s lesson was prepared based on the success and ‘next steps’ from the previous day.

“They’re overseeing all aspects of the project, which is accelerating their learning,” says Rob.

“We work together to plan our next steps, and everything we do is pre-agreed by them. It’s all about mastery and ownership.”

For example, students were asked how they would fit 40 bikes in a 20-foot shipping container. Through measuring out a template, and problem solving, they discovered they could store some on the floor, and hang some vertically on the walls.

Community effort

The trail, which is set to open to the whole school and community early 2024, has four tracks: beginner (pump track); advanced (250 metres); expert (200 metres); and extreme (200m), which range in skill and ability from Grade 1 (easiest) to Grade 4 (extreme).

The trail names all have a unique story, the names developed alongside Ngati Kahu all have a connection to the school and local area. There are also Pou being made for each trail, with help from the local men’s shed, and each Pou has been designed and created by the students, with the support of the local iwi.

Students have secured 10 bikes, which were gifted by Programmed Facility Management (PFM), and received funding for another 23. The Oxford Sports Trust also gave students funding for container storage.

As the wider community is getting behind the project – with local farmer Ivan Turner offering his digger and skills, and Ryan Lovett overseeing the track design – Diane says the school plans to eventually open up the track for the community to use.

“We’ve got the space and the school is in a perfect position, so it’ll be great to give the community access too,” she says.

Earthworks being completed to prepare for the bike track.

Weather won’t hinder plans

The bike trail hasn’t been without its challenges, with bad weather earlier this year delaying the start of earthworks.

“We’ve been quite fortunate though, with timelines and contractors’ availability,” says Rob.

He added that the challenge was keeping up the momentum throughout the winter months, as much of the finishing work was needed to be put on hold due to the slippery clay ground.

While much of the land for the trail has been cleared, students have begun planting mānuka and will continue planting this year.

The children will be able to use their new track for an entirely new form of learning – technical bike skills.

“As well as acquiring mountain-bike skills, they are learning patience and respect for each other and the equipment,” says Rob.

Student voice

“Because the hard work was worth it.”

“Stepping up a level and having fun.”

“We helped the environment.”

“Testing the bike track was fun and purposeful.”

“We ran the bike park project.” “We do it as a class.”

“Everyone helped to make a difference.”

“We challenged ourselves to be successful.”

“When you have been in Rob’s class you realise anything is possible if you work hard enough and persevere when it is tough.”

“The feeling of achievement.”

“Learning outside. Because it is hands-on.”

This story was originally published in the Education Gazette. https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/student-ledmahi-turns-bike-trail-dream-into-reality/

Earthworks being completed to prepare for the bike track.

Tama tū, Tama ora

Lewis Wallace

Gina Harris

kaimahi supporting this school

Playful Community Spirit

Te Kōhanga Reo o Matawaia’s 40th Anniversary Celebration incorporates play throughout the community event.

A strong supporter for Matawaia including Marae and Kōhanga Reo. Married with 6 tamariki, and 19 mokopuna, which I feel is where I get my passion for supporting tamariki and their happiness. I’ve worked in education with tamariki for most of my working life, which includes Kaikohe and Matawaia Kōhanga, Ngapuawai Purapura, TKR National Trust and currently work at Motatau Kura. Love my jobs both paid and voluntary I thrive and love seeing whānau happily engaging in whanaungatanga activities like interschool sports, celebrations of all kinds in and outside of Kura.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Matawaia commemorated a significant milestone on October 13, 2023, as they marked 40 years. The celebration took place at Matawaia Marae/ Kōhanga, situated in Kawakawa, bringing together past and current generations for a day of connection, celebration and play.

The event aimed to engage members of the community, with a primary focus on current kōhanga tamariki aged 0 to 5, followed by former students and their whānau.

A notable feature of the celebration was the incorporation of soft play equipment, turning the event into a multi-generational playground. This

addition not only encouraged play but also enabled whānau of all ages to engage and interact with each other modelling the tuakana-teina concept.

The play equipment was strategically placed in the forefront of the performance area which allowed a clear view for free play to happen while the activities of the day were taking place. Once the time came for the cake cutting and kapa haka performances, the soft play equipment then transformed into a seating area where all ages were able to sit around and enjoy the performances. Community connections were prominent and great to see throughout the day as community members were standing, sitting and utilising the soft

play equipment. Adults would come together and engage in conversations and reminisce about the time they spent as a kōhanga ākonga, kaimahi or whānau of Matawaia while watching their tamariki and mokopuna play. Throughout the day whānau supervised and encouraged tamariki to engage in free play activities including face painting, colouring, painting stations, bouncy castle, photobooth, Tākaro Tribe, kapa haka, whanaungatanga, bubbles station, kai and the soft play equipment. Parents have a vital part to play to ensure safe, enjoyable and purposeful interactions for our up and coming rangatira for the future.

The varied reactions of attendees mirrored the diversity of the community. Children exhibited curiosity, surprise, and excitement, reflecting the simple joy of play. Parents inquired about the origin and potential accessibility of the equipment.

The versatile shapes the children could create from the soft play equipment, such as seats, slides, towers, bridges, and rainbows, added to the enjoyment.

The idea of using the soft play equipment emerged from a Mud Run event hosted by Maromaku School, which Motatau School attended. A conversation with one of the Sport Northland School Connectors led to the discovery of play equipment that could be utilised on the day.

“Sport Northland has helped us in other sporting events as well and our experience has been awesome. We received great communication and support on this occasion as well,

and I believe that if these items were advertised as accessible to others there would be great demand for them. We included Sport Northland on our sponsorship pānui and also on Ngāti Hine FM radio station to say thank you for playing a key part in making our day such a success” says Cilla Brown.

The Healthy Active Learning team celebrates this kaupapa as a great way of celebrating community connection.

Communication with school community at the forefront

Morningside School put communication with the school community at the forefront of all they do as they believe connection with the local community supports tamariki achievements.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique challenges for schools worldwide, including Morningside School. In 2021, with a new principal Tom Clarkson, the school undertook a transformative journey focused on enhancing communication alongside its community. This was driven by the need to adapt to evolving regulations and restrictions, which made face-to-face interactions difficult along with wanting to connect with the community.

With Morningside School wanting to be solutionsfocused they began to use alternative methods of communication. A communication plan was developed to foster meaningful connections and engagement.

Recognizing the power of social media, particularly Facebook, as a tool for engagement they understood that an engaging online presence could bridge the gap between the school and the community. Their approach is to share content that matters to whānau such as student achievements and success stories.

The school empowered its teachers to post these stories, fostering a sense of trust and engagement with all teachers having access to the schools Facebook page. The emphasis here was on positivity, as they sought to celebrate success at every turn. “Some of our whānau have free social media packages for their cell phone network, this is a critical factor for our connection and the success it has had” says Morningside School principal Tom Clarkson.

Financial constraints are a recurring issue for schools, creating the need to be innovative and think outside the box. With some recent property modifications, Morningside ended up with some handrails that could be repurposed. At the time, tamariki had a real buzz for soccer. The solution was to find a welder by posting on the school’s Facebook page and to create some goals that tamariki can use. “I was blown away by the support we had and we received about 6 offers of help within 30 minutes. A great example of the community supporting us” says Tom.

Above: Tamariki taking part in the school Garden to Table programme.

With communciation and connection in mind, as restrictions eased after covid, this allowed an opportunity to weave back in face-to-face connection opportunities. To strengthen connections and boost attendance, Morningside School has developed a diverse range of opportunities. These included regular assemblies, Matariki Kapa Haka festival, and community consultations related to their strategic planning. The school used sports as an avenue for community engagement, offering a variety of opportunities from Saturday sports to beach education days. The school’s leadership camps, garden-to-table sessions, and themed language weeks further enriched their connection strategy.

Tom’s advice to other schools is to have a clear communication plan in place. Effective communication is indispensable for nurturing a positive and collaborative environment between

the school, teachers, parents, and students. The communication plan at Morningside School delineates key elements, including timing, choice of platforms, and best practices for engaging with the school community. Along with the importance of being persistent in efforts to foster strong relationships with whānau, especially in challenging times.

Along with opportunities to be part of the planning process that the school undertakes, the school provides an open-door policy for the community to come in for tea and scones and give space for whanaungatanga with no expectations or need of information from them.

Sam Tracey

Above:: Beach Education experience at Ruakaka

kaimahi supporting this school

Te Tai Tokerau Healthy Active Learning Kaimahi

School Connector

Far North

No Hokianga ahau kei Ahipara tōku

kainga inaianei

Healthy Active Learning Facilitator Lead Whangārei

Komene Marino

School Connector Mid North

Ko Komene Marino toku

Ingoa. E ngakau nui ana ki a Ihu Karaiti. Ko te Āo hakinakina tōku kai I te ao, I te po. He kura honongaahau ki Te Tai Tokerau

Whangārei

No Rotorua ahau kei Whangārei tōku

kainga inaianei

Ann Morrogh-Yates Healthy Active Learning Facilitator Far North

Healthy Active Learning Support Te Tai

Healthy Active Learning Lead No Kirikiriroa ahau kei Whangārei tōku kainga inaianei

School Connector

Kaipara-Whangārei

No Dargaville ahau kei Baylys Beach tōku

kainga inaianei

Healthy

Facilitator Whangārei-Kaipara area

Whangārei-Kaipara area

Amy Murray

Ashleigh Ellis

Tokerau

Deanna Saxon

Healthy Active Learning kaimahi Te Hiku o Te Ika

Erin Steel

Gina Harris (Matiu) School Connector Mid North-East

Jen Fielden

Joel Quitta-Moses School Connector Hokianga

Leesa Andrewes

Lewis Wallace Healthy Active Learning Facilitator Mid-North

Natalie Wilcock

Active Learning

Paora Simon School Connector

Sam Tracey School Connector

Peter Robinson

Healthy Active Learning Facilitator Whangārei

Stacey Tipoki School Connector Mid-North

Healthy Active Learning

What is Healthy Active Learning?

Healthy Active Learning is a joint government initiative between Sport NZ, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand, and the Ministry of Education to improve the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity.

Scan for more information on Healthy Active Learning and stories from schools across Te Tai Tokerau.

Sport Northland

97 Wetsern Hills drive, Kensington, Whangārei.

www.SportNorthland.co.nz

Vision:

Purpose:

All Northlander’s moving more for enhanced wellbeing

To enrich Northlander’s lives by inspiring and enabling more movement