Introduction
Welcome to the year of "reset":
After 3 years of absolutely interrupted learning, we entered 2023 full of hopes of "normality".
In reality, we began the year interrupted by floods and affected by anxiety about the weather! We quickly discovered that we were going to have to work really hard to:
Get all our learners "back in the house".
Reset routines of behaviour and learning
Reset pedagogical practices that had felt absolutely embedded in the past
Build community confidence about the safety and value of coming to school.
We've been suported in this endeavour by a fabulous Board, great teaching staff and a community that genuinely wants the best for the tauira we share.
It's been a real pleasure to "stand up" again, many of the enriching programmes we ran prior to COVID and to get back to having excellent and well attended events.
The reader of this report will see as we unfold the academic story of this year, that we face very real challenges with the condition of the children who have returned to school, both with their wellbeing and with their academic progress.
We are grateful indeed, to have been fully staffed with a very positive staff culture where our members are and have been absolutely dedicated to getting the best results possible for our tamariki and rangatahi.
We are pleased that we've been able to hold positive partnership meetings with our whānau and mana whenua to plan the way ahead.
And as always, mihi ki te Atua to tātou kaihanga, ko te Atua to tatou piringa to tatou kaha!
As you click through and read the detail of our achievements, you will see that this has been a successful year. I offer sincere thanks and congratulations to our Board of Trustees; Fatima, Ana, Senio, Boaz, Kaue and Kelsey our Staff Rep. You've been a real blessing!
We will be using the data we get from our own school and from Manaiakalani, for continued advocacy with the crown to continue our efforts for better equity for our people.
We've had a disappointing year in terms of advocacy to the crown producing resourcing results, but have had some great experiences taking these needs to the charitable and commercial sectors.
We are in a stable financial position.
the Ministry of Education once again, "protected" the staffing of the Manaiakalani Schools again, in view of the TRC Development.
Along with the CoL Teacher Inquiries & Manaiakalani Research Team analysis, our Pt England Teacher Inquiry into Practice has continued to guide us into the focus we must have for 2024
We have excellent observation and survey results from the Manaiakalani Research Team, and are in a great position, along with our other Manaiakalani colleagues, to set goals and plan for the future.
To the Management Team, Toni, Garth, and Kent, thanks again, for a great partnership that is focused on improving outcomes for our tauira.
To the Office Team, Leigh, Monica, Donna and Roz, well done and thank-you for keeping on keeping on and being so loving and kind to the whānau and learners of our rohe.
To the Specialist Staff, you've had a challenging year, having to be in class relievers at the drop of a hat, as well as getting your own important programmes running well again. Thank-you.
To the Team Leaders, Class Teachers and Support Staff, you also have had some real challenges with the condition of the children as they returned to school and have pursued your craft diligently and with love and grace. Well done.
As we continue to pursue our mission and purpose, we will reduce disparity, raise equity, deliver excellence and hold a long view of Wellbeing which must result in capital building citizenship. (This bears repeating!)
I continue to thank God, our Board, Staff and Community for the opportunity to continue to serve as your principal
During 2023, as well working to build capacity across the Manaiakalani Network of 120 schools, I've been privileged to discuss our ideas for partnership in capacity building with:
the NZ Ministry of Education
Ngāti Paoa
Charitable Funders
KPMG
ANZ
I selected the video below because it is a commentary on our year and is a beautiful example of the Learn, Create, Share pedagogy in action and symbolic of our focus for 2023
Our Manaiakalani Kahui Ako has had a very positive year with great Teacher Inquiries being carried out, a wonderful shared Teacher Only Day, a fabulous Summit held in the Bay of Islands, an outstanding Film Festival at Hoyts, Sylvia Park, an excellent Wānanga toward the end of the year and our final "Bursts and Bubbles" presentation of the CoL Teachers' Inquiries.
I do wish to thank Jenny Oxley, Fiona Grant, the Manaiaklani Research Team and Rebecca Jesson for their continued contributions to the growth of our Kahui Ako. It 's lovely being able to share these learnings and what made them possible, with others across these motu.
I offer grateful thanks to the Manaiakalani Programme Team, Dorothy, Fiona, Anne, and Dave and to the incredible fundraising machine of Pat, and Jenny. This great work is available online HERE
Our humble thanks goes to all of you, our friends and supporters, and as ever, to God.
Kia ora and Malo lava!
Russell Burt