'He piko, he taniwha.'

Student Council 2018

​Kia ora everyone,

Welcome back after the holidays, I hope that families were able to spend some quality time together and enjoy the opportunity to get some much needed rest and recreation time after our big first Term.

Our Term 2 focus centres on Our Place- 'Matariki'. Not much is known about 'Matariki' in Mid Canterbury, but staff look forward to focusing on learning more with the children about the New Zealand New Year and the special cluster of stars that appear low in the early morning sky which signal new beginnings in our special place in the world. We look forward to a Term centred around Cross Country, Winter Sports exchange, Art Classes, Leadership & The Young Leaders Conference, Enterprise and Book Week celebrations. Be sure to keep an eye on the school calendar for these key dates and for more information on the events mentioned. I am looking forward to working with our Student Council for 2018.

My congratulations to Olivia McCambridge, Sky Hodgson-Toia, Ella Irwin, Sam Totty, Lucy Honeywell and Olivia Keane who were recognised and acknowledged at our end of Term 1 Assembly. This year the students have chosen to elect a sustainable leadership Student Council - represented by three, Year 6 students, and three, Year 5 students. They will meet with me each Friday for regular leadership workshops and learning sessions over the course of 2018 and will also attend a Young Leaders Conference in late May. These students represent the student voice of our school which is both a privilege and responsibility - they will reflect on their aspirations, skills and ambitions at the individual level and pursuant in representing the student voice to help shape the direction of our school in 2018. They are certainly enthusiastic and keen to make the most of their role in the school this year.

At Morning meeting today the weekly whakatauki chosen by Olivia and Ella to begin the term was: “Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi” Without foresight or vision the people will be lost. This was said by the first Maori King. He understood the need for working together in unity, and for the need for there to be unity of people through shared values and a shared vision. He came from the Waikato where there was a saying, "on every bend of the river, a taniwha". This meant, many peoples, many leaders. Something similar in meaning might be another more familiar saying; "Too many Chiefs, not enough Indians." It's impossible to get things done when everyone is trying to push out their own waka only. We need to work together on shared projects. I thought that was a great reflective talking point to be chosen as our whakatauki to begin Term 2. Especially given Matariki was traditionally a time for people to become more reflective and introspective - something to do with the effect of the seasons - and to use this time as leaders to create a new vision for the future, to dream big.
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Term 2 is also a term when our BOT and Staff combined, plan to host an evening together with families to share our vision for 2018 and beyond within the Lauriston School Charter. This will be an invaluable way that we can share with you our strategic direction for the school, the plan that was first shared with you last year, and which is already in action now. This will be a timely way for our community to come together and share our progress moving forward together as a school, and for staff to share their teacher inquiries and goals with you connected with our school Charter Goals and annual targets, and indeed with the areas of development in the school that the LSS agreed to fund around Play-based learning and ICT which are also connected powerfully with our school's strategic vision. We aim to meet with our school community towards the end of Term 2, so please keep an eye out for more information about this evening. The School Charter is currently available on the school web site: http://www.lauriston.school.nz/our-charter.html.

​Have a good term 2 everyone.

Nga mihi nui Colin