Upcoming Events
- NCEA Level 1 Last Day of Classes – Friday 7th November
- RAMs Training – Friday 7th October 8:30am
- NCEA Level 1 Exams Start – Monday 10th November
- 4.2 Starts – Monday 10th November
- Staff Only Day – Thursday 13th November – School Closed for Instruction
- Show Day – Friday 14th November – School Closed
- Transition Day New Students – Wednesday 26th November
- Graduation – Friday 28th November 7-10pm
- Formal for Y7-9 Students – Friday 5th December
- Last day of Classes 2025 – Wednesday 10th December
- Annual Picnic at the Botanical Gardens – Thursday 11th December – 9am-12pm
- Summer Holidays – Friday 12th December – Monday 26th January
- Term One Begins – Staff Only Day – School Closed for Instruction – Tuesday 27th January
- IEMs – Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th January
- Staff Only Day – School Closed for Instruction – Friday 30th January
- Mihi Whakatau – Monday 2nd February – Mihi Whakatau – 9am. Year 1-6 all students in HB 10:30am – 3:00pm. Years 7-13 NEW students in HB 10:30am – 12:20pm. Years 7-13 ALL students in HB 1:00pm – 3:00pm.
- Term One Classes Begin – Tuesday 3rd February
- Waitangi Day – School Closed – Friday 6th February
- Last day of Classes Term 1 – Wednesday 1st April
- IEMs – School Closed for Instruction – Thursday 2nd April
- Good Friday – School Closed – Friday 3rd April
- School Holidays – Saturday 4th April – Sunday 19th April
- IEMs – School Closed for Instruction – Monday 20th April
- First day of Classes Term 2 – Tuesday 21st April
Message From Anita
Kia ora e te whānau,
There have been a lot of changes introduced in education over the last few weeks, including the release of a number of curriculum documents for consultation.
Below is an open letter composed by Niki Stephenson, Jenny Ward, Nicole Cunningham and Alex Clark. I am sharing this as my Director’s Message because it beautifully summarises the vision our school has for an inclusive and student-centred Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery.
Open Letter to Minister Erica Stanford
#TheStanfordCurriculum. This is #NotOurCurriculum
Kia ora e te Minita Stanford,
As educators deeply committed to the wellbeing, identity and future of the young people of Aotearoa New Zealand, we wish to express our lack of confidence in your proposed curriculum reforms.
This letter comes from a group of experienced teachers; collectively we have over 100 years of experience working in a variety of schools across a range of educational settings. Currently we teach in a designated special character school that places students at the centre of directing their learning to ensure the enthusiasm and love for learning is retained. We have serious concerns about how we are going to be able to fulfil this legally gazetted designated character within the scope of the curriculum documents you have blindsided us with.
As educators we firmly believe in honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and are committed to a fair and just Aotearoa New Zealand that honours the principles of Partnership, Protection, and Participation. The latest version of the curriculum is a disgrace, reducing the essence of Te Mātaiaho – a curriculum co-designed to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and centred in te ao Māori knowledge – to a skeleton of a curriculum frame that lacks depth and acknowledgment of the founding document of our country. The disappearance of Te Tiriti from our curriculum documents, not to mention its removal from the Education and Training Act, is harmful in so many ways.
The new curriculum and its ‘knowledge based’ foundation has replaced a curriculum that valued critical thinking, creativity, and authentic learning, all skills needed for our 21st century learners, in favour of a content heavy, standardised test-based model. This type of assessment favours only a few and does not recognise or respond to the students with anxiety or those with external pressures. This approach to learning is also out-dated and regressive. Not to mention, the fact that the sheer number of objectives per academic year is physically impossible to teach and therefore assess.
In addition to this is the outrageous notion that one has to teach a prescribed programme for a year group. Where is the understanding that within that year group there is so much diversity among students in their academic level, social and emotional intelligence, interests, personal experiences, and prior learning? One size does not fit all, which you would know had you spent any length of time in kura and seen what teachers have to be every day. Not just teachers, but social workers, psychologists, counsellors and oftentimes parents in order to have the children ready to learn. We do not see the children from our kura reflected in your aspirations.
The Education and Training Act requires you to make reasonable efforts to consult children and young people, which you have not. This is insulting to the people we serve as educators. This government is also in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and as national and global educators, we are ashamed of this huge oversight.
Furthermore, changes have been made without proper consultation with New Zealand academics, teachers, educators, parents and students. There may have been tweaks that would have improved outcomes for all tamariki but there is a growing body of research from the OECD, UNESCO and New Zealand’s own academics that has long recognised the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum as world-leading for its flexibility, inclusiveness, and future-focused design.
In short, these reforms will harm our rangatahi, reducing their learning to memorisation rather than understanding, compliance rather than creativity, and standardisation rather than diversity. The reforms value performance based achievement over transformative equity. Miniata, you appear bent on producing cookie cutter teachers with your prescriptive curriculum that tells us how to teach and in turn, cookie cutter kids based on the factory model of education the likes of which we saw as a result of the Industrial Revolution. How do these ‘knowledge rich’ (whose knowledge incidentally, Miniata?) Stanford curricula prepare our tamariki and rangatahi for a future world in which knowledge can be accessed in an instant and where we cannot begin to imagine the jobs and careers they need to be prepared for?
Our kura is the lead school for the Climate Action Campus in Otautahi Christchurch. It is the first campus of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand, where students from any school can know about, understand and take action against climate change. Some of our tamariki spend three days a week there, here is what they say:
“We learn about the environment and how to help it. We help in our own way – we don’t have to all do the same thing.”
“We care about the environment and act on our beliefs. We are resourceful, reuse things and help save the world!”
The emotional intelligence of the tamariki who attend this campus three days a week is visibly more advanced as a result of spending time in nature, working on projects that interest them and feeling like they are making a difference.
We believe our young people deserve a curriculum that reflects our bicultural and multicultural nation, encourages deep, authentic and personalised learning, builds skills for an uncertain future, and respects the professional expertise of educators.
#TheStanfordCurriculum does none of this. It is **#NotOurCurriculum.**
Minister Stanford we call on you to pause this reform, to listen to the teaching profession, and to rebuild trust in genuine partnership with educators, iwi, and communities.
Until then, we stand together and say clearly:
We reject #TheStanfordCurriculum. It is #NotOurCurriculum.
Messages from Senior Leaders
Message from Niki
Kia ora e te whānau,
I am finding it hard to comprehend that we are on the home stretch for 2025! What an incredible year it has been. The tamariki have learnt, visited some interesting places, had some cool experiences and grown in ways that are wonderful to observe. We have such a wonderful bunch of tamariki!
Here is the form for 2026 Y1-6 HB selections and the blurbs. Please make sure you fill the form in by Wednesday 12 November.
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to our playground fundraising this year. Through all of our efforts and the work of Heather Locke applying for grants, we have a whopping $95,000 to begin work on the playground. We are hopeful that we will be successful with some further grants and that the playground can be completed early next year. As it is, Jared is going to begin work on the playground the day after school finishes, on the 12 December. It is incredibly exciting to anticipate this long-awaited and much-needed addition to our kura. THANK YOU!
A huge thanks also to everyone for supporting the Y4-6 camps at Mount Hutt this year. Melva did an amazing job organising the camps, and LAs and whānau were helpful, adaptable and accommodating. These camps are such wonderful experiences for tamariki and adults alike, so thank you for helping them run smoothly.
And finally, further gratitude from me for your support of all we do here at Ao Tawhiti. It wouldn’t be the amazing place it is without your care and chats.
Enjoy the rest of the term, and have a wonderful summer break.
Niki
Measles
Measles is circulating and is very contagious. There is now measles in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu, Nelson and Wellington, and the Ministry of Health are expecting further cases across New Zealand. The Ministry of Health have asked that we share the following information with our whānau:
- Watch out for symptoms – fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes, and a blotchy rash:
Measles – Health New Zealand - Anyone with measles symptoms must stay at home and should seek urgent advice by ringing their doctor or Healthline on 0800 611 116.
- Anyone who is closely exposed to a measles case must stay at home. Heath New Zealand will provide individuals with advice on a case-by-case basis (including when they can leave quarantine at home).
- Health New Zealand is actively working with the schools that currently have measles cases.
- People are considered immune to measles after having 2 doses of a measles vaccine from 12 months or older, or if you have had measles before. For more information on measles immunity visit the Health NZ website. Measles immunity – Health New Zealand
- Families and whānau can check their own and their child/childrens’ immunisation status through My Health Record:My Health Record – Health New Zealand
- Anyone born between 1969-2004 may have only received one vaccine dose and might not be fully protected. It’s safe to get extra doses. A free vaccine can be booked online or via the vaccination helpline on 0800 28 29 26.Book my vaccine – Health New Zealand
News/Notices
Letter from Mel Fisk
Kia ora koutou,
After twenty years at Ao Tawhiti, I’ll be stepping back from my role for the rest of this year to focus on some significant medical treatment and my recovery. While I’m hopeful about returning in Term 2 next year, there are still a lot of unknowns ahead for me to navigate. I certainly hope I will be back here again next year!
This school has been a huge part of my life, for a long time. I’ve shared so many years of laughter, learning, and growth with incredible students, colleagues, and whānau. Stepping away from that, even for a while, feels strange and sad, but right now my energy needs to go into getting healthy and well.
I have full confidence in the team who’ll keep things running smoothly and in the care they’ll continue to show our tamariki. I’ll be cheering from the sidelines and staying connected where I can.
Thank you to everyone, to all the students, families, and staff, for the years of support, conversation, exploration and curiosity we’ve shared. This place, and most of all the people who make it, mean more to me than I can say. I feel an immense grief to be leaving right now in these circumstances. I really hope I will be back here with you all in 2026 in some capacity. Whether or not that comes to be, I know I will carry this place and the children, colleagues and whānau I have worked alongside in my heart and my soul, wherever I am, always.
Ngā mihi nui,
Mel Fisk
Cookie Time Fundraiser and Gift Pack Auction
We currently have fundraisers running to support the build of our new playground!
These fundraisers can be shared beyond our community, so please spread the word with friends, whānau and colleagues. We so appreciate your support in getting this playground built for our tamariki!
Cookie Time Christmas Cookie Fundraiser:
Orders open now till 17th November. Cookies will be at kura for pick-up on the 8th December. $23 per bucket – great for Christmas treats or gifts!
Order online here: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLScN0iJvLXB…/viewform…
Paper order forms are available at reception for you to take home or to workplaces
Gift Pack Fundraiser – Online Auction:
All Auction Rules are listed on the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1333744921720014
Just comment underneath the image of the gift pack you would like to bid on!
Final bids are due 2nd December 8pm
Ivy’s Haiku Lesson
I started off my lesson with an example of a haiku that I wrote. Then I explained the structure of a haiku. We went outside in pairs with clipboards and collected nature words that we saw. Next we gathered on the court to write our haiku poems. By Ivy
Medications at Kura
Please register any personal student medications with the school office.
We have a secure medication administration process in place. When your student needs medication, at school, please chat with us. We will complete a medication form and create a plan to ensure safe storage, communication, and administration.
While it might be convenient for students to carry medications including over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen and antihistamines, we require all medications to be securely stored in the first aid room. This helps prevent accidental medication ingestion or misuse.
By following this policy, we can create a safer and healthier learning environment for all students. Thank you for your support.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact office@aotawhiti.school.nz
Student Volunteer Army Awards
We have a growing number of students who are working on recording their service and volunteering with SVA Service Awards NZ.
Why it is worth recording your service:
“Being able to remember and talk about your volunteering in a scholarship, university, or job makes a CV complete. It shows who you are, what you stand for, and why you’re worth choosing instead of the next person.”
— Sam Johnson, SVA Founder
This month we have a number of students achieving a new level:
Member Level
Matilda Stewart
Thomas Petch
Rosetta Manning
Mary Matheson
Marsaili Cinnelly-cook
Bronze Level
Sophia Ross
Knox Hikuroa
A super special congratulation to Jake McClimont who is Ao Tawhiti’s Top Volunteer in 2025. Amazingly Jake has volunteered for 180 hours this year.
Top Volunteer 2025
Jake McClimont
We have set up a number of staff ready to support students to sign up and enter their service. These include Jess Dewhurst, Suze Lamont, Bridget Scott as well as myself Kay Hayes.
Kay Hayes
The Giving Tree
We will have a tree up next to reception soon accepting gifts for the Giving Tree – City Mission will pick up on the 8th of December
FYI – Upcoming Roadworks Colombo Street
Breakfast Club
Breakfast club on Wednesday mornings would love some more parent support – we get ready from 8am and washing up continues to around 9.20, so if you have even 15 minutes to help out we would be delighted.
Everyone is welcome for toast, pancakes and cereal in the L4 cafe area.
Many thanks to all the lovely helpers this year – its been great fun, and our students have appreciated your efforts.
More information from Miriam (miriam.denney@aotawhiti.school.nz or Cinty (jacinta.gable@aotawhiti.school.nz)
Miriam Denney
Study university Philosophy while at Ao Tawhiti
Every year we offer a university Philosophy course at Ao Tawhiti. It is taught at school and students gain credit towards a university degree. There is no cost involved. The course is Phil110 – Science: Good, Bad, Bogus. It’s an introduction to the philosophy of science and skeptical thinking. We examine conspiracy theories, urban myths, and pseudoscience. It’s lots of fun and very interesting. If you’re interested, please email Brent or sign up to 78PHL next year.
Brent Silby
ProActive Physio at Ao Tawhiti
We have a physiotherapist on-site at kura every Thursday morning. Not only convenient; appointments with him will save each student/staff member $43.00 at the initial assessment and $35.50 per follow up visit.
Contact the office to book. office@aotawhiti.school.nz
Thank you to Christchurch Attractions!
A huge thank you to Christchurch Attractions, who have kindly donated an Annual Tram and Gondola pass for a family worth $240 for our online fundraiser!
Find the fundraiser information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1333744921720014
Congratulations Setu!
A huge congratulations to our wonderful staff member Setu Mosegi, whose dance crew Euphoria recently won gold at the Hip Hop Unite championship in the Czech Republic!! https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/culture/from-garage-studio-to-gold-christchurch-hip-hop-crew-wins-gold-on-world-stage
Top of the Pods Competition – Homebase Students Shine!
On Wednesday, October 22, eight students from Homebase Mangō-Taniwha and their families attended the Top of the Pods Competition at Tūranga.
The students created and submitted two types of podcasts for the competition:
- Book-Based Podcasts: Students submitted podcasts based on books they love, created with the help of the Tūranga and the GCSN (Greater Christchurch Schools’ Network) podcasting programme.
- Theme-Based Podcasts: The students also worked at kura to enter four additional podcasts based on the set theme for 2025: “How to make the future a better place.”
All attendees were super excited and pleasantly surprised by the many awards the groups received.
Award Winners and Special Mentions:
3rd Overall in the Competition: Kingston and Charlie who won bags of awesome merch!
Top Emerging Podcasters: Poppy and Izzy, who also received a $100 voucher from the Rock Shop for their podcast.
Specific Awards:
Charlie and Finn “The Podcast Bros” Acknowledged for ‘Great Host Dynamic’ & ‘Banter Between Hosts’
Poppy and Izzy “The Amazing World of Harry Potter” Acknowledged for being ‘Polished and Production Ready’
Kingston and Jake “Let’s make the world a better place” Acknowledged for ‘Great Use of Sound Effects’
Emily and Elena “Bookish Banter” Acknowledged for ‘Best Historical Content’
Emily and Audrey “World Respect” Acknowledged for ‘Standalone Snippet’
It was a fantastic evening for all involved. The aim of this project is to develop all the necessary podcasting skills so that in the future, the students can regularly create and make content. As Jenny, their Homebase teacher, states, “We want to be digital content creators, not just consumers.”
We also received this wonderful feedback from Helena the Top of the Pods Organiser who wrote;
“On a personal note, I really enjoyed listening to the podcasts your teams created and would not have guessed it was the first time for so many of them. I hope the showcase showed them they had no reason to be nervous! Also, you have some absolute personalities in that group who took to podcasting so well! I hope for some of your tamariki this won’t be the last podcast they create as they definitely have voices to be listened to.”
Jenny Ward
Te Tuna Tāone
We have been learning with Jenny from Te Tuna Tāone. We made a website to save the eels and make people think that they need to save the eels. We want to encourage people not to hurt the eels – by pollution.
https://sites.google.com/aotawhiti.school.nz/tuna-eels-aotawhiti/home
From Harvey & HB Toroa
Camp HB Tawaki & Toroa
Homebase Tawaki and Homebase Toroa went on camp to Mount Hutt Retreat in week three this term.
On the first day, we drove to camp and when we got there we were a little late. Then me and my dad went to take our things into our cabin.
Next I did archery. Archery was pretty good – I got to hit the target at least once. It was pretty good weather for it, not windy and quite sunny. At the end my Dad tried too – he did pretty well!
Then I went to do abseiling, and I kind of wanted to have a go but then I didn’t actually want to. For me, it was a little too scary.
After that, I went to have dinner and then we had a camp ire. We roasted marshmallows and chatted and had a good time. Then we went to bed.
On the second day, it was rainy and wet and very windy! We mostly stayed inside and did some things like board games and card games but then later, after lunch, the rain and wind stopped. Then I went outside and played for a bit on the playground. Also, I used my football and played with my friends in the field. After that we did a water slide. We had a huge line that was pretty slow! We had to wait a long time for a turn, but it was fun and exciting – I got to go three times! The second time I went on my knees and I’m pretty sure I inspired people to slide down in a different way (not just on their tummy). But later the line started to get shorter and shorter, so it went quicker.
After that we had dinner and went to bed.
On the third day I woke up a little later than everyone else, and most people were already dressed. I had a chill morning. I had hot chocolate with my breakfast. Then I got dressed and people started getting everything out of their cabins and some people who were finished started cleaning in the main room. Then after that the kids started playing outside and everyone started leaving. I was one of the last ones to leave.
It was an exciting, pretty good camp, I liked that we could do the activities and the only thing that was kind of annoying was the storm on the second day. But it was a good camp – I would recommend that people go there.
By Elvin Bartel
Y 7/8/9 Camp
Christmas Collection for Te Tahi Youth
Te Tahi Youth are an amazing organisation that supports our young people here in Christchurch. THey offer mentoring, employment support, youth work, medical support, mental health support, counselling and much more.
Last year in the lead up to December, Te Tahi Youth took up the banner of Giving Tuesday – A global movement that’s about communities coming together to support those who need it most. In their first year TTY managed to assemble over 100 gift packages for young people in need. This provided them with essential items to help them to conquer each day, and they also made sure everyone got their share of chocolates and treats to make them feel special during the holiday season.
Te Tahi Youth are reaching out to the Ōtautahi community once again to join them this year to make 2025’s Giving Tuesday even bigger and better!
The Ao Tawhiti community would like to support them. Te Tahi Youth support a lot of our young people here at school and we would like to give back.
We are collecting the following items for this years collection drive.
-Hygiene products (Deodorants, Body Wash, Shampoo)
-Easily prepared meals or snacks (Cup-a-soup, Noodles, Muesli bars, snack packs of chips)
-Treat size chocolates – often available in a 8 or 12 pack (Because everyone deserves a little something special)
From Monday 1oth November until Monday 8th December there will be a collection bin outside Bridget’s Counseling office on Level 2. Please give what you can to this worthwhile cause.
Thanks for your time, and your support
Bridget Scott
Student Absences
Thank you for always keeping the school informed if your student is off sick, learning from home, or not attending for any other reason.
There are multiple ways you can record an absence;
- send a message through SchoolApps – an App available on Apple or Android. Simply subscribe to Ao Tawhiti via the app.
- leave a voicemail or speak to us directly on 03 377 7773
- send an email to office@aotawhiti.school.nz
Please make sure you notify the office via one of the above options in order to prevent being sent an absence message, regardless of whether or not your student’s LA is aware of their absence.
Other Notices
Dyspraxia Support Group
The Dyspraxia Support Group is a charitable, non-profit organisation, committed to providing support, practical advice, and educational programmes for those who support and care for children, youth and adults affected with Developmental Dyspraxia/DCD. This neurological disorder affects at least 6% of the population.
If you wish to learn more regarding our child and youth programmes we hold in Christchurch or just learn about dyspraxia/DCD, please feel free to contact us.
Email: dyspraxai.centre@xtra.co.nz
Website: http://www.dyspraxia.org.nz
