I am the land and the land is me

This term, we have been immersed in an inquiry all about compost; what it is, how it works, and why it matters. We began with a provocation to spark curiosity, a deep dive into our school rubbish. We quickly realised how much organic waste could actually be composted. We explored the science of composting next. Through our 'compost in a jar' (thanks for all the jars by the way!), we created mini compost systems, carefully layering greens and browns and observing changes over time. To make good compost, you need a mix of 'greens' (fruit/veggie scraps, clippings etc) and 'browns' (dry leaves, shredded paper, cardboard). The greens give moisture and nutrients, and the browns add air and help stop it getting stinky. When everything is balanced, the compost pile warms up. Over time, the scraps break down into dark, crumbly soil which can then go back into the garden to help plants grow strong and healthy. We then mapped the journey of compost using diagrams. For those ready to go further, some extended their thinking through research-based tasks like designing idel compost systems or investigating worm farms. We learnt that healthy soil is the foundation for everything we grow and that getting it right takes time, care, and patience. We are really looking forward to applying this knowledge to our soon-to-be renovated school composting system..keep your eyes peeled!

Drama and storytelling

On the first night of camp we had to provide our own entertainment. But instead of turning on the TV we had an opportunity to learn some Drama games to create our own travel show.

Drawing on Carl's many years of theatresports we took the time to learn a game called Slideshow. The premise of the game is that teams of 4-5 players present a series of still slides to the audience. One player has their back to the rest of the team who get themselves into interesting positions that the first player then needs to justify as they share a story to explain the other players 

It was a whole heap of fun but the best part was the way that everyone got involved and got up on stage in front of an audience to play. Drama games like this help to build confidence and encourage risk taking. Performing together also helps to build trust and positive relationships with our fellow players.

We shared this game at assembly this week and when I suggested it as our item I had so many volunteers who wanted to perform for our school community. We will continue to learn new activities like this and find more opportunities for all our learners to engage with performance and teamwork.

Camp Kaitoke 2026

Our Seniors have just returned from an unforgettable few days at camp, and what a week it was! The Year 5 and 6 students spent two nights away together, while the Year 4s joined us for a big day in the middle. Camp is such a special part of school life and is a chance for students to learn outside the classroom, challenge themeselves, and grow in ways that are hard to recreate back at school. The Camp programme was packed with activities designed to stretch students both physically and mentally. There was hut building, team logic challenges, crate stacking, rock climbing, abseiling, the giant swing and the ever popular super fox. One of the best parts of camp is seeing the kids discover what they're capable of. For some, that meant stepping off the platform for the giant swing. For others, it was perservering through a tricky team challenge. These moments are when reselience grows, when students realise they can keep going even when something feels hard. Challenge through choice! There was also time for the simple joys of camp life, cricket matches every afternoon during 'free time', and the annual campfire with John, Steph, and Beth joined us for singing and toasting marshmallows. Camp might be over for another year, but the memories and lessons will be sticking around.

The Importance of Sharing Writing

 As we are getting back into our routines for the new year, one of the many aspects of our writing programme has been about sharing our writing. As we develop as writers, it is important for us to understand that our writing isn't always just for ourselves and that often it needs a reader or an audience.

This provides opportunity to celebrate the effort that goes into the process of writing. From idea generation to transcription and from careful crafting and editing, writing is a complex process. It's important for us to celebrate the effort that our learners put into crafting exciting tales or informative processes. 

Sharing our writing also opens the door for feedback from our peers and audiences. We look together for things we enjoyed about a piece of writing and talking about things that could be even better.

We share writing through this blog, on our walls, at school assembly, on Seesaw and by reading to the class. You can also ask your child about their writing, especially when they have posted it Seesaw, to find out more about what we have been learning about. Maybe even write something together to enjoy the process of writing.

Here are some of the children sharing their writing in Matariki this week.

Our Bus Depot mural

When we were invited to create a mural for the new Bus Depot in Miramar, we knew this was more than just a painting project! It was an opportunity for our students to leave a visible mark on their community and quite literally weave their voices into the landscape. Our amazing Learning Assistant, Cloe, ran the project which began with a sketch of the elements that felt unmistakably 'ours': pohutakawa in bloom, hills upon hills, winding roads, and bright blue bays. Once the design was mapped, the real work began. Large-scale painting brings its own challenges: scale, blending, patience, consistency...the kids learned that murals require collaboration at a whole new level. The negotiated colour choice, they adjusted spacing, they re-painted sections that didn't quite align. We are so excited to see our mural presented alongside a work by Tautoru and AUtahi, as well as many other schools on the peninusla. Keep your eyes peeled and in the meantime, have a look at the incredible up close detail in the pictures below!

An exciting start to 2026

 Wow! What a great start we have had to the year in Māhutonga Matariki. 

The feedback from our parent information evening last night was that kids were excited about coming back and navigating all the new and similar experiences that a new year brings. That's our experience as well with good vibes and lots of engagement marking a great first week and a bit.

Take the treehouse as good example:

Everyone is filled with awe at beautiful new space to work in which doubles as a good incentive for showing positive learning behaviours and positive relationships with others.

We've even begun exploring the world of botanical art that will add a whole new layer of colour and zest across the spaces.

For a new teacher coming into this space, I have been blown away by the Kindness, Teamwork and Leadership that our Worser Bay Learners have launched back into the new year with.

We are looking forward to connecting with you all next week in our goal setting meetings (If you haven't booked already then check back in the newsletter for details).
The learners have been reflecting on the things they can do and what their goal is to help them achieve even higher.