Mālō Lava Thorndon School Community,
Welcome to the 2026 school year! It has been awesome to see our students return, filling our spaces with energy as they establish their new "Ways of Being." We extend a warm welcome to the new families joining our Thorndon Community. As shared at our Mihi Whakatau, our journey together is a commitment to honoring your mana so that we may all grow and flourish together.
In these fortnightly pānui, I will share updates through the lens of our Culture, our Learning, our Systems, and our Partnerships. As well as this I will provide you with a snippet of progress.
Culture: Kawa of Connection
Our teams have been establishing their Kawa of Connection. By centering Manaakitanga, each team’s unique Kawa is designed to honour the inherent mana of our children, creating a respectful and safe foundation for every student’s learning journey.
How we learn: Tātou, Tātou
Over the last two weeks, we have seen our students show great Maia (courage) as they dive into the Learn, Create, and Share process. Within our specialised Mountain, Village, and Sea spaces, students are collaborating and taking brave steps in their learning.
Systems and Programmes: Music and International Languages
We are excited to see Auahatanga (creativity) come to life through two key programmes:
Te Whare Pūoro: Rawiri, Susie, and Priya are already helping students compose and discover beautiful "moments of music."
International Programme: We warmly welcome Wenting, who is guiding our Mandarin Language programme, bringing a rich global dimension to our school culture.
Partnerships: Community Events
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the "Meet the Teacher" evening—your presence strengthens our connection. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events:
Community Trip: A day of fun and connection at the Wainuiomata Pool.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: A dedicated time to discuss your child’s progress through our Tātou, Tātou methodology.
Your unwavering support is the heartbeat of our success. Looking ahead, we will be calling on your Auahatanga and collective spirit for the Thorndon School Fair and our milestone 2027 Thorndon School 175th Jubilee. More information about these aspects coming soon.
Have an awesome weekend and go Moana!!
Ia Manuia,
Etuale Togia.
