Maori Achieve

Please contact Ms Suzanne Downs regarding Maori Achieve.  She can be contacted on 06 835 1069 ext 707 or emailed at sdowns@nghs.school.nz

Maori Achieve is a programme that works towards increasing the achievement of Maori students across all areas of the school.   Aspects of the programme include:

• Mentoring of Maori students.   This programme has involved using mentors from the staff and from 2009 will also have senior Maori students trained as mentors for Junior Maori students.   The guiding philosophy will be on the ‘tuakana teina' (big sister, little sister) relationship.
• Developing Maori Student Leadership.   The school has a Manu Taki who is the prefect with the role of Maori leadership.   She is supported by the Kahui Maori, a group of Year 12 and Year 13 Maori students who are elected to this role by the school.
• Careers work with Maori students.   Specialised workshops are offered to Maori students at all levels of the school.
• Professional Development for staff.  In 2008 work was done on powhiri, Maori art forms and on integrating kaupapa Maori into learning.
• Gathering data.   Data is collected every year so that the school can report on issues such as Maori student retention and Maori student achievement.
• Whole school development.   This is a continual development of Maori aspects of the school.   In 2008 one important new change was to have a powhiri to welcome Year 9 and new teachers into the school.  Planned for 2009 is the development of a school haka.
• Community relationships.   In 2008 there have been two hui with parents and whanau looking for ways to move forward together.