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As I write this I am preparing to handover the leadership reins at Karanga Mai to Ruth Robertson, the new Director. And as you might expect, I am moving on to my new role as Director of Education for The Prince Trust NZ with mixed emotions. Over my 3 years at Karanga Mai I have gathered a heap of great work stories, a significant amount of personal learning, awesome relationships with colleagues, huge pride in student successes, and enormous respect for the young parents I have met along the way. I have felt so privileged to be a part of this learning community and I will carry all that learning, all those memories, and all the feels with me onto the next chapter in my life. I want to thank everyone I have met throughout the past few years for your support, your challenges, your heart, and your trust in me. Karanga Mai is in great heart and has a strong culture of care, community, and aspiration that will remain no matter who sits in the hot seat!

My parting act is to launch our initiative to start the Karanga Mai Academic Scholar-ship Fund to assist students transitioning from Karanga Mai to tertiary education. I dream of seeing students at prizegiving receiving acknowledgement for their successes and leaving with a koha from our wider community that supports them to buy a laptop, text books, or fund transport to get to their next learning destination. Collectively, I believe we can make this happen. I am pledging a minimum of $250 annually and I respectfully ask those of you that have the means to do so, as an individual or a business, to commit to a regular annual donation too. Together, our small contributions have the ability to make a huge difference to our young parents. Please contact Jayne via ypc@kaiapoi.school.nz for more details. See you at prizegiving! E noho ra koutou katoa

E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi,

he toa takatini.

My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.

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Introducing our new Kaiwhakahaere:

Kia ora koutou

Wow, what an amazing few weeks it has been since I starting in the role as Kaiwhakahaere at Karanga Mai. The Kaiapoi High School community decided to change the title from “Director” to “Kaiwhakahaere” as it is more appropriate for our setting.

Thank you to Rachel for all the mahi that she put into Karanga Mai, we wish her well in her new and exciting role with the Prince’s Trust.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. For the past eleven years I have been teaching at Kaiapoi High School and have had experience in a number of roles; teacher, Rimu House Dean, Assistant Head of Faculty, Specialist Classroom Teacher, Principal’s Nominee and Assistant Principal. My main teaching area is Health and Physical Education, however I have also taught Science, Chemistry and Food and Nutrition in the past. I have six year old twins and live with my husband and our naughty Beagle. Outside of work, I am a keen cyclist, enjoy gardening and spending time with my family.

I am passionate about education, and have been impressed with the students and how they juggle parenthood and their studies. The staff at Karanga Mai work tirelessly to support our students and I would like to thank them for the support they have given me as I have transitioned into the role. The whole learning community has been really welcoming and I am enjoying being around such a special group of people.

There have been a number of highlights during the second half of the term, including; a visit from author Melanie Drewery, paddle boarding at Lake Roto Kohatu and soap making!

Welcome back to our social worker Christine who has quickly shown what a puipuiaki she is! Christine is back with us four days a week and we also welcome her two sons Wiley and Torin who are attending at the Early Learning Centre.

I’m looking forward to working with all of you and to another busy and exciting Term.

Ruth

Term One Achivements: congratulations to the following students:

Excellence Grades were achieved by: Harmony Noble - Financial Literacy L2 and Jasmine Peters - Maths L3.

Most credits achieved in Term 1: Legend Wharerau - Level 1, Lee Tolson - Level 2, Brianna Johns-Mills - Level 3.

Best attendance Term 1: Jasmine Peters, 83%

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Term One Happenings ...

A beautiful summer’s day was spent at Rapaki Marae, where students, teachers and whānau were treated to a traditional powhiri, followed by a brief history of the Marae, and after lunch a spot of paddle boarding in the stunningly beautiful bay.

Friday recreation activities; making beeswax food wraps & body exfoliant. Storytime in ELC with author Melanie Drewery & students donating toys to the Linwood Mosque .

… News from the ELC

A warm talofa lava to you all…

2019 sees me back on-board after the arrival of a little brother for Wiley. Torin Saolotoga was born October 27 and is already melting hearts at our amazing Early Learning Centre. I feel very grateful to be able to share my own journey through motherhood with our girls, swapping tips and sharing laughs as our little ones grow along-side one another.

Whilst I was still on maternity leave for the first half of the term, we were fortunate not to miss the marae trip to Rapaki this year. Rapaki is a special place that has always resonated with me and what a beautiful sun-filled day it was. I enjoyed learning about the Marae’s origins and incredible carvings throughout the whare whakairo.

More recently I joined our students on an impromptu trip to the Linwood mosque, a week after our city was dealt a devastating blow at the hands of a terrorist. The girls donated some amazing kids’ items to go to families affected by the tragedy, and I felt humbled to stand with them in a show of solidarity.

Next term I look forward to welcoming the colder months (no, really!) with some exciting themed weeks aimed at inspiring our students, particularly in the areas of careers and health. And as always, our annual Matariki celebrations will be eagerly anticipated as a time to come together and mark the beginning of the Maori New Year, honour our loved ones and of course, share delicious kai.

Until then, enjoy the Easter break, stay safe (and warm!)

Many alofas, Christine

Need to contact the school? Here are our details:

Karanga Mai Young Parents’ College & Early Learning Centre, Robert Coup Road, Kaiapoi 7630 Admin E: ypc@kaiapoi.school.nz Ruth E: r.robertson@kaiapoi.school.nz Phone: 03-3278386

Welcome to: Harmony Heitia-Brett & Te Amorangi Katana Rimene Legend Wharerau Diana Teiva & Romyn Waimarie McDowell & Te Rangimarie Jasmine Hall & Aniyah Farewell to: Brianan Thomsen & Chase

Comings & Goings...

Important Dates in Term 2:

Week 1: Enterprise Workshop, 1st & 2nd May

Week 2 & 3: Careers Weeks

Week 5: Hauora Week, (World Smoke Free Day 31/5)

Week 9: Deadline Week

Week 10: Matariki Week (Wha nau night 3/7, Kimihi Visit 4/7)

Christine and baby Torin

Would you like to be part of improving the future of our students?

Become a contributor to the

Karanga Mai YPC Academic Scholarship Fund

by committing to a regular annual donation for transitioning students into tertiary education.

This fund will support our students to buy laptops, text books, or fund transport to their next learning destination.

Together, our small contributions have the ability to make a huge difference to the on-going education of our young parents.

Please contact Jayne via ypc@kaiapoi.school.nz for more details.

Te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere; te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōna te ao. The bird who partakes of the miro berry owns the forest; the bird who partakes of education owns the world. Tēnā koutou! Nau mai tauti mai e te whānau. As we launch into 2019 we farewell Rachel Hawthorne director of the YPC and wish her all the best on her new journey. Tohaina ō painga ki te ao, share your gifts with the world. We warmly welcome Ruth Robertson to the Karanga Mai whānau, we look forward to the gifts and talents she has to share with us. Marlena Bunnage has been appointed as Kaiako Kaiarahi Assistant Head Teacher in the ELC. We have also welcomed many new whānau and tamariki to the centre this year from both the YPC and the wider community. We hope Karanga Mai is a place where tamariki feel a sense of ukaipō, a place that is special to them and their whānau. A place that they can think of as their own, to belong, believe, discover and grow.

As Karanga Mai Early Learning Centre ticks along with it’s kaupapa, in the background we have a community of people we would like to mihi to for all their tautoko. Particularly Tahu Stirling, our centre kaumatua and Taipari Mahanga, ngā mihi nunui kōrua.

We would also like to thank Christchurch Landscape Supplies for our bark, Tuahiwi Kaiapoi Community Board for our clothesline and speaker, and Fonterra for our resources grant, ngā mihi mahana kia koutou kātoa.

Life and Learning

To start the year off we completed a review of our centre philosophy. In doing this we took into account our ways of knowing, being, and doing, whānau aspirations, and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Our philosophy outlines the fundamental beliefs, values, and ideals that are important to the people involved in our service. It identifies what is special about our service. Our next step has been making visible the teaching and learning that upholds our philosophy.

This term tamariki talks have continued for our young parents, we have had whānau fun sessions, community waiata, excursions to Waikuku and Rapaki marae, childrens author Melanie Drewery came to visit, and various community gatherings such as, celebrating the life of Kerri Sullivan with a tree planting and blessing.

Nau mai haere mai ngā heihei... the addition of our chicks to our Karanga Mai whānau this term has supported our focus on kaitiakitanga, providing numerous opportunities for the children to learn about caring for living things. Our tamariki bring them kai, talk to them gently saying “Morena Chicks”, and have accepted them with aroha into our whānau. They have genuine concern for our Chicks, they have even named them various names such as Buzz, Toy Story, and the list goes on! Our tamariki like to mimick being chooks from time to time too. We love our chooks even if they are a bit hard to round up at the end

of the day!

For more on this check out our display boards, story park postings and the learning stories written documenting each childs learning and contribution to life at Karanga Mai.

We have many great plans and adventures on the horizon so be sure to watch this space! As term 1 draws to an end and the weather cools down, we reflect on matariki in the up and coming months and how we can prepare and nurture our ‘garden beds’ so our community can flourish!

Need to contact the Early Learning centre? Here are our details:

Karanga Mai Young Early Learning Centre, Robert Coup Road, Kaiapoi 7630

Email : karangamai@wellbeingnc.org.nz Team Leader Jacinta McInerney P: 03-3278315 M:0278165388