Have something to share? Get in contact with one of our Across School Leaders – we would love to hear from you!
[email protected] Te Ao Māori
[email protected] Hauora
[email protected] Future Ready
[email protected] 21st Century Learning
[email protected] Structured Literacy
A Golden Jubilee for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori
This year marks an important milestone: the 50th Anniversary of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori!
Born from the fires of activism, Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori began as a singular Māori Language Day in 1972. The vision, fueled by an unwavering desire to bring back te reo, extended into a full week by 1974, officially cementing its place as a national movement in 1975.
From 14–20 September 2025 (Week 10), it is our moment to recommit to te reo Māori. Together, let’s commit to making te reo Māori part of our everyday life both at home and at kura, for our tamariki. Every kupu / word matters.
Keep an eye out for the merch as The Warehouse is going to drop celebratory hoodies soon. Apparently, there will be a range of new colours this year.
For more info:
Or follow at https://www.facebook.com/tewikiotereomaori/
14-20 o Hepetema | 14-20 September 2025
Kia Kaha te Reo Māori
Survivor Challenge – Orewa College
Survivor-type challenges help students develop key life skills such as teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking, communication, leadership and delegation, resilience and perseverance and decision-making skills. This year, Orewa College celebrated its 18th season of Survivor!
After 11 gruelling weeks of challenges, tribal councils, idol hunting, alliances, backstabbing, and everything else that makes this game so thrilling, they finally got a winner from each class.
This unit has been running for over 18 years at Orewa College, and with each passing year, it gets bigger and better.
New challenges and new twists are introduced, but the core of the game remains the same: eliminating players one by one until a winner emerges.
Survivor is a unique experience where students have the opportunity to experience group problem-solving like never before. It is a social experience where they have the chance to discover more about who they are and what hidden strengths they have to offer.
Whether you were voted out first or made it to the end, Survivor Orewa has something for everyone. It is one of the biggest projects the Outdoor Education team undertakes, but it is all worth it in the end.
The Writing Expert
Some interesting questions and answers from Dr Helen Wall, the writing instruction expert
What’s one small tweak teachers can make to boost student writing?
Have students think, write and check for every sentence. They need to compose the sentence in their mind, write it and check it straight away – making tidy corrections (using a rubber) ‘on the go’. This is much more manageable and leads to much better sentences than the ‘just write’ approach to drafting.
What’s one literacy misconception you wish more teachers knew about?
Teaching sentence structure should not be a boring exercise in labelling subject, verb, coordinating conjunction, etc. Instead, it should be joyful and creative. We can use sentence combining as the key, research-informed method. This involves providing students with two sentences on a topic and asking them to combine the sentences in different ways, reflecting on the impact of the change.
What’s an “aha!” insight you hope every teacher gains from your PD?
We must prioritise the teaching of handwriting for three main reasons:
- Handwriting is to writing what phonics is to reading – it’s that important. Students need to be able to form all letters easily so that this skill does not occupy all of their thinking while writing.
- Being able to handwrite well is essential to confidence and leads to greater motivation to write.
- When we teach handwriting, we are building the brain’s architecture for learning to read. Only handwriting activates the brain’s orthographic mapping pathway. Typing does not. Working with letter tiles does not.
To find out more click on the link below:
Resources and Blogs by Dr Helen Walls
Also, make sure you have read, if you haven’t already done so, the revised Teaching Handwriting in NZ guide by the Ministry of Education. This supports the regular and explicit teaching of handwriting in our classrooms and has been updated for the first time since 1985.
Teaching Handwriting: Updated NZ Curriculum guide
Click on ‘Materials that come with this resource’ at the top of the page to see the full guide.
Unleashing Creativity: Our Tinkercad Toy Bears!
Over the past two weeks, our learning projects have been an incredible journey into the world of Tinkercad! We dove headfirst into this awesome design platform, honing our skills and mastering new techniques by creating some seriously cool toy bears.
Across these two sessions, our students didn’t just learn; they truly “tutu’d” (played and experimented) in the digital sandpit of learning. They showed off amazing resilience, tackled challenges with brilliant problem-solving, and collaborated effectively with great communication.
Check out some of their fantastic designs below!
Lights, Camera, Educate! Google Vids Education Film Festival!
Get ready to showcase your brilliance, educators! The Google Vids Education Film Festival is officially extending its acceptance of submissions, and this is your chance to inspire the next generation of storytellers.
If you’re an educator with access to Google Vids (available to those with an Education Plus or Gemini Education license), we invite you to unleash your creativity and submit a short film. Imagine your work being featured in a Google blog post, reaching educators around the globe!
Don’t miss out – get your vid in by September 19, 2025!
We’re looking for innovative and impactful videos in the following exciting categories:
- Best Classroom Storytelling: Whether it’s a heartwarming story of a student’s progress or a class project’s impact on the local community, submit a Vid that captures the essence of your classroom.
- Video Explainer: Submit a vid that illuminates a challenging topic for your students, making it clear, concise, and engaging.
- Professional Development: Submit a vid that empowers teachers with new strategies, insights, or skills to improve their practice.
- Student Assignment Template: Submit a vid that can be used as a template for a student project or assignment.
This is more than just a festival; it’s an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible things happening in education. We can’t wait to see your submissions!
Healthify, He Puna Waiora
Did you know that Aotearoa, New Zealand, has a user-friendly website called Healthify, He Puna Waiora? The website provides information and support.
The website also provides alerts for any current medical situations e.g. Measles, newsletters, where to get medical help, common symptoms, and translated health information.
This website is something that all New Zealand adults could have available on their phones for quick reference.
Check out the website here: Healthify NZ:
The Website has four main areas of information and support for all New Zealanders. It includes: Health A-Z, Medicines A-Z, Hauora Wellbeing and Care & Support. The hauora/wellbeing section is tailored to New Zealand’s unique culture, addressing the four areas/pillars of Hauora/Wellbeing in Te Whare Tapa Whā. The care & support section gives information and contacts for a wide range of healthcare providers.
Care and Support is grouped into the following areas:
Facebook Group
Exciting news! Kāhui Ako ki Orewa has launched a vibrant new Facebook community designed to ignite connection and collaboration among us all. This is your opportunity to dive into a dynamic space where we can share our incredible teaching and learning journeys, and celebrate the innovation happening across our schools. Ready to be inspired and connect with fellow educators? Click here to explore and join our fantastic community and let’s amplify the amazing work we do!
Hui Dates
Thursday 7th August – ASL @ Wainui School – WSL @ Orewa College
Friday 15th August – Ministry of Education TOD @ Silverdale School
Thursday 21st August – ASL @ Dairy Flat School – WSL @ Orewa College
Thursday 4th September -ASL @ Orewa Primary – WSL @ Orewa College
Thursday 23rd October – Kāhui Ako Māori Leaders Hui @ Marae – 9am
