Matariki Celebrations 

Term two 2022 was a really busy term for us as we prepared for a very special Matariki celebration.  We had our first powhiri post Covid Lockdowns and restrictions as part of our Matariki celebrations.  It saw us welcome up to 130 tamariki with their whānau, some of our new kaiako and our manuhiri who joined us for the day.  Seeing our tamariki both lead and experience a St Leonards Rd School welcome was very special indeed.  We were all extremely proud of our Te Reo Māori and Samoan Bilingual Units who led us in the powhiri supported by Whaea Tania and our Kaumatua, Papa Ngaro.  

Our Matariki day began with powhiri in our hall and then outside to bless and unveil our mural.  We then went on to bless the first planting in our Rongoa Garden.  This was followed by morning tea and then back into the hall to enjoy classes sharing their Matariki Items and first off the rack were our bilingual units.  

It was a full day honouring Matariki, coming together as whānau to reflect on our mahi these past few years and celebrate our completed turtle mural and planting of our Rongoa Garden.  Our hearts were full for multiple reasons; seeing our hall full of families, hearing our tamariki singing waiata and performing their matariki items for their whānau was something we have not been able to do for more than a year and it was so good to bring life back into our kura on a very special day of celebration.  

2023 was an exciting for our kura.  It was the first year we had the full pathway from Y0-Y6 in our Māori and Samoan bilingual units.