Rototuna High Schools are at the heart of our community, dedicated to serving the best interests of around 2,400 young people across our campus. We ensure that our students leave school ready to navigate the world with dignity, purpose, and a wide range of opportunities. At Rototuna, we empower our learners to be connected, collaborative, and community-minded individuals, inspired to achieve their full potential.
KŌRERO FROM KAREN
Kia ora e te whānau,
Over recent weeks, our community has come together to celebrate a number of important events, reflecting the richness and diversity of our kura.
In Week 7, we welcomed our Pasifika whānau to a Pasifika Fono, a talanoa space to connect, listen and share how we can continue to value and support our young people. The evening was MC’d by Cultural Council leader, Fine Tuivailala, and included performances from our ākonga. We were privileged to hear from teacher Olivia Reed and Waikato University Business student Maiah Ioapo, who spoke about the importance of strong school–whānau partnerships and maintaining high academic expectations for our Pasifika learners. Please read further in the newsletter to see what has been happening since our fono; a trip to Polyfest and a new partnership with the University of Waikato!
We also came together this week to celebrate Eid, with a student-led event across both the Senior and Junior High Schools. MC’d by Hiba Navneet and Bianca Chandra, the celebration included performances and presentations that shared the traditions and significance of Eid, including the breaking of Ramadan. We were honoured to hear from parent and Board of Trustees representative Inas Ellouh, who spoke about the significance of Eid as a time for family and community. She shared a powerful message about the discipline and resilience and charitable acts shown during Ramadan, reminding our young people that if they can navigate these challenges and develop these dispositions, they are also capable of transferring these into their academic lives, becoming the best versions of themselves, always.
These events provide opportunities to come together to build a connected and inclusive school and highlight the strength of our community.
Looking ahead, we have Spirit Week next week, with the theme Stronger Together. The week is dedicated to activities at break times led by our Student Councils and student leaders, designed to bring our community together and create opportunities for connection and participation. As part of this, the Papamoa Sports Exchange will take place, always a highlight, as our students come together for a friendly ‘clash of the codes’.
It is also timely to celebrate tremendous sporting success within our kura. We are incredibly proud of Year 13 student Noah Loto, who has achieved outstanding success representing New Zealand at the Oceania Wrestling Championships in Apia, Samoa. Noah won gold in the 92kg division, silver in the Under 17 category and an additional gold in Oceania Beach Wrestling, under 90kg division. An exceptional achievement, we look forward to seeing what Noah does next!
In the rest of this newsletter, you will find updates on Progress Reports, our upcoming production of Lord of the Flies and a Polyfest Experience. We also celebrate the incredible community work happening in Puna Wānanga, share positive news regarding student attendance and provide important reminders about uniform requirements and being good neighbours within our local community.
With Easter approaching, we wish you a safe and enjoyable Term 1 break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 2.
Ngā mihi nui
Karen
