Kia ora koutou e te whānau,

A special welcome to Keira who started in Room 1 at our school on Monday. You will have a wonderful time at our school and will make lifelong friends.

We also had a Mihi Whakatau on Monday to welcome our new families. Thank you very much for choosing our school for your child's educational journey.

This week we are celebrating Cook Island Language Week.

This year’s theme for Te ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language Week is 'Ātuitui’ia au ki te au peu o tōku kāinga Ipukarea, which means, "connect me to the traditions & culture of my homeland".

This year, the  theme will focus on deepening Cook Islands people's connection to their traditions, cultures, and ultimately, the dialects of their many islands through their familial ties, cultural traditions of their enua, vaka, and the songs, dance, and pe’e (chants) of their family. To all our whānau of Cook Island descent have a wonderful week of celebrating.

So much has been happening on the sporting field as a national and for our school. I have even observed many of the traits our Football ferns displayed of determination, playing as a team, and being tight on a defensive level with our own students. Thank you to all our wonderful whānau who support, coach and manage our school sporting teams. You are all wonderful - Thank you!

Last Thursday, I was invited to Parliament before dawn for the gathering of  Mana whenua across our Wellington region and Government officials for the blessing of Te Kāhui Mouri - a collection of pou, mouri markers and pare that serve as a visual representation of mana whenua Te Ātiawa, Taranaki Whānui and Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

These pou restore the mauri of the area after the occupation last year. It really was a very special privilege to represent our school. The pou are stunning carvings intertwined with copper and brass.