Thank you to everyone who attended our first Whānau Hui of the year on Monday evening. It was wonderful to see so many whānau come together.
Whānau Hui provides a space for students who whakapapa Māori and their whānau to connect, share whakaaro, and discuss matters relating to the success of our Māori students and the presence of te ao Māori within our kura.
At this first hui, we were pleased to introduce our Te Ao Māori Prefects for 2026, Jonny Hunter and Jonty Ellis. We are excited to see these two young men step into leadership within this space. Jonny and Jonty will help lead the Māori Student Council and act as strong voices for te taha Māori within our school. Alongside the activities and roles they are already involved in, whānau will work throughout the year to further develop these positions and explore how they can best support and strengthen te taha Māori within our kura.
It was also exciting to hear from members of our Strategic Leadership Team, Dr Columbus and Mr Hunter, who shared highlights of the many successes of our Māori students in 2025, as well as the newly refreshed values and direction of our kura. A reminder to whānau to keep track of the achievements and opportunities students are involved in throughout the year. These records are valuable when applying for scholarships such as the Mana Pounamu Award. Nominations for this scholarship usually open around the end of Term 1 or the beginning of Term 2.
We look forward to our second Whānau Hui, which will take place early in Term 2. At this hui we will continue our kōrero around whānau engagement, our relationship with mana whenua, and we hope to welcome guests from our Māori liaison teams at Otago Polytechnic and Ōtakou Whakaihu Waka.
A reminder that Whānau Hui is open to all students who whakapapa Māori and their whānau. There is no expectation that attendees speak te reo Māori or have prior knowledge of tikanga. The purpose of this group is for us, as a kura, to learn how we can best support our Māori students while upholding our commitment to partnership, protection, and participation under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
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