He Pito Mata
He Pito Mata
17 February 2025
17 February 2025
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From the Principal
From the Principal
Mānawa mai te mauri nuku
Mānawamai te mauri rangi
Ko te mauri kei ahau
He mauri tipua
Ka pakaru mai i te pō
Tau mai te mauri
Haumi e! Hui e! Tāiki e!
Inhale the spirit of the land
Inhale the spirit of the sky
The life force within
is of our ancestors
It breaks out of the night
The mauri is acknowledged
Let us be bound as one!
Ngā nui o te pō e ara e! E moe e te ira tāne. E moe e te ira wahine. Ka ara ake he rā anō i te whitinga mai o te rā. He pō ka uri, he pō ka tango. He pō ka pō e!
Tihei Mauri Ora!
A very warm welcome back to the start of the New Year at Ōtaki College. It is really pleasing to see staff and students building relationships through the House orientation programme which has also provided us with opportunities to onboard students to the SchoolJoy platform, Edublogs and an introduction to our 7 key competencies as part of Deep Learning.
At our first assembly it was heartening to see the school hall packed to capacity with our students all looking stunning in uniform and enthusiastically taking part in proceedings.
This year we hope to see a real lift in attendance rates which will be critical for all students around their academic achievement, although we have already seen in early days the impact that Covid can have on both staff and students, which is not ideal. I would like to thank whānau of Year 7&8 students for looking after their children on the recent two days when they were rostered home.
Ngā Ringa Whero - Heads of School Team
Ngā Ringa Whero - Heads of School Team
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the 2025 Ngā Ringa Whero, who have already been very active with leadership training, and as active cupids for Valentines Day!
Ngā Kākākura
Ngā Kākākura
Keita Broughton-Alp
Logan Boyer
Ngā Ringa Tauawhiawhi
Ngā Ringa Tauawhiawhi
Harriet Georgetti
Haki Ropata
Kaingārahu
Kaingārahu
Olivia Fogden
Logan Hughes
Mareikura Kaka
Kita Kanavatoa
Yilin Lyu
Whare Rākau (College Houses)
Whare Rākau (College Houses)
Each of our Whare Rākau will be supported by a designated staff member to continue to build on ongoing activities to keep the house competitions going throughout the year. We are looking forward to a really exciting year to see who takes the trophy out at prizegiving.
Teina House Captains:
Reign Tangaroa
Charlotte Munro
Kaycee Jago
Tuakana House Captains:
Logan Boyer
Keita Broughton-Alp
Olivia Fogden
Isabel Hogan
Rose Reynolds
Jeana Bevan
Pou Whirinaki (Staff House Leader):
Seunga Frost
Teina House Captains
Deryn Watkins
Rereahu Schnieder
Mia Woodroofe
Carys Watkins
Tuakana House Captains:
Koya Taiapa
Te Ao Marama Nikora
Pou Whirinaki (Staff House Leader):
Saph Taylor
Teina House Captains
Rex Thorn
Rylee Francis
Hesne’ Jordann
Elizabeth Turu
Brianna Jackson
Brie Kanavatoa
Tuakana House Captains:
Malachi Epiha
Kita Kanavatoa
Pou Whirinaki (Staff House Leader):
Emma Fothergill
Teina House Captains:
Rosina-Aio Rikihana-Tukerangi
Braxton Bevan-Jervis
Arekatera Rikihana-Tukerangi
Tuakana House Captains:
Mareikura Kaka
Harriet Georgetti
Caitlin Henderson
Henry Kiwara-Greig
Pierre Lange-Gerrard
Pou Whirinaki (Staff House Leader):
Katera Rikihana-Tukerangi
2024 Everiss Scholar
2024 Everiss Scholar
It has been an exciting time for Maddie Simpson, our Everiss Scholar, who has been enjoying the hospitality of Robert Gordon's College staff and students. Maddie has had some amazing times in Edinburg along with a wreathlaying ceremony at the Carlyle Everiss memorial in the town of Cowie, which was commented on in the Scottish press. You can read the article here.
We are looking forward to catching up with Maddie after the London leg of her adventure and I am sure she will be sharing some of her experiences in an upcoming Newsletter.
SS Otaki Commemoration
SS Otaki Commemoration
On Monday 10 March we will again be holding our annual SS Otaki Commemorative Service with the theme of the 80th anniversary of WW2. This anniversary is especially significant as it will be the last milestone anniversary that our WW2 veterans will attend. In light of this, the merchant navy, who played a significant role during this war will also be supported by Navy, Army and Air Force personnel. It will also be honoured with an Air Force flyover at noon that day. We welcome College whānau to attend, along with other members of our Ōtaki Community to mark this significant event.
In Closing
In Closing
I look forward to keeping you up to date throughout the year and, as always, pass on that if you have any issues or concerns please feel free to contact me on my mobile 027 4328829 or email afs@otakicollege.school.nz Equally we love to hear about the successes of our students so do not hesitate to contact me in regard to that as well.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.
My success is not mine alone, but it is the strength of many.
College Notices:
College Notices:
Important Dates to Diary
Important Dates to Diary
Fri 21 Feb - Athletics Day
Tue 4 Mar - Swimming Sports
Mon 10 Mar - SS Otaki Commemoration
Tue 1 Apr - Photo Day
View our full calendar here.
2024 College Magazine
2024 College Magazine
Can be purchased from the office for $15.00.
Congratulations to our PB4L Prize Draw winners:
Congratulations to our PB4L Prize Draw winners:
Week beginning 17 February
Kauri: Thomas Cook
Mataī: Carys Watkins
Rimu: Harrison Roper
Tōtara: Samuel Auld
Additional Items Available in the Canteen at 2nd Break
Additional Items Available in the Canteen at 2nd Break
Full list can be viewed here.
Skool Loop - no longer in use
Skool Loop - no longer in use
Please note that we are no longer using Skool Loop. Absences can be reported to the office via the Kamar Parent Portal, by ringing or by texting the College mobile. Please contact Principal's Secretary, Viv White, if you need any assistance logging onto the Parent Portal.
News and Events
News and Events
2025 Pōwhiri
2025 Pōwhiri
It is always such a positive way to start the year welcoming new staff and students to the College at our annual pōwhiri, supported by our College Kaumatua, Rawiri Rikihana.
Kia Kaha Buddies
Kia Kaha Buddies
We have an amazing group of 19 kia kaha buddies this year. The students came in for a training day before the school year began. They will be working alongside our Year 7/8 Homeroom classes once a fortnight. When the buddies discussed what a role model needed to be, their feedback included " being approachable and friendly", "being supportive, kind and fun", "being confident and inspiring". We look forward to watching the tuakana/teina relationship develop in 2025.
On the Sporting Calendar
On the Sporting Calendar
Community Notices
Community Notices
Background of OOHMA
Background of OOHMA
The lessons are held at Ōtaki College on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30-5:30 and are part of a community out-reach to all primary and intermediate children in the Kāpiti and Horowhenua area. This has been supported by the NZ Ministry of Education since the 1950’s and the programme was established to assist primary and intermediate schools to further their students’ education through out-of-school professional tuition not normally available within the staffing of schools. The programme provides a national allocation of approximately 56,000 hours for music and art classes in New Zealand each year. Approximately 90% of funded classes are in music, with the remainder in visual and performing arts. The OOHMA programme is intended to promote equity and give access to lessons to those who can’t normally afford them.
At Ōtaki, the lessons are offered as a taste to our young people (we start at around age 7 or 8) and to get kids enthused and excited about playing music with some basic good fundamental tuition and encouragement to play together in front of each other and whānau. Usually we offer Drums, Guitar, Keys and sometimes Vocal coaching. The lessons are in groups held for 30mins over the allocated time every week. We finish early in term 4 with a party and have a relaxed fun showcase in term 3. All the children are in year 8 of school or under and we also have many home schooled children who access lessons through this.
The lessons are taken by local experienced and talented musicians who perform regularly and who have worked in the industry as live players. We have a focus of encouraging confidence to perform songs together and work towards being able to play together. This year we are pleased to welcome aboard Jess Murphy who has high qualifications as a jazz piano player and teacher and she is also a gigging musician (she’ll be ably assisted by our senior Pierre Lange-Gerrard). We have the amazing Ramon Oza teaching guitar again this year, and Anje Glindemann teaches drums and co-ordinates the course.
SLP Main A4 Flyer - Ver Oct 24 .pdf
Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award equips rangatahi for promising futures by challenging young people to develop skills and tools to improve themselves – and their communities.
For information about the Duke of Edinburgh's Award at College contact Carrie Yaxley on carrieyaxley@gmail.com or Kent Pollard on kpl@otakicollege.school.nz.
Otaki Scouts Bring a Buddy Month.pdfReport abuse