Week 4 Term 4: Totara House: Thanksgiving Assembly (November 04 - November 08)

Totara House Thanksgiving Assembly 2024

*An excerpt from my Dean's message at Totara House Thanksgiving Assembly (Friday November 1 2024)

As we come to the final weeks of our academic year at school, I believe that it is important that we take time to reflect on the year that has been. Cambridge Insights defines that act of reflection and explains that “It allows us to create a pause between our thoughts and often emotional responses and actions. Reflection helps us gain perspective, come to terms with events, learn from our experiences and enjoy moments of gratitude. So, reflection is about our lived experience”

Today I want to encourage everyone in Totara House to meet me in this time of reflection. To be present with me in this time of reflection. To think about your year, your learning, your experiences at school (good or bad). Everything that you have done, accomplished, everything that you faced and that challenged. I encourage all of the students and staff in Totara House to think about these moments that are a part of our lives, that are a part of our year. As we sit here today and reflect on these moments, events and experiences - let us be grateful that we have made it through those challenges, that we survived those tests, that we walked through our own grief and loss, that we have been blessed with opportunities to learn and grow together.

Totara House Leadership Team 2025

‘Discipline’, ‘Commitment’ and ‘Passion’ are the Totara House values for 2024. This year Totara House have worked together in our strive for excellence towards being more disciplined in school, committed to achieving our goals in school and doing it all with aroha and passion. It has been an awesome, challenging and rewarding experience to journey through this with the House Leaders who have done an amazing job in leading their House this year. They have all led this house with integrity and mana and for that I am truly grateful and humbled.

Totara House Thanksgiving Assembly 2024

We have come together this year and collectively shown our house values on the field, on stage and in the classroom. I have enjoyed working with you and see you thrive in the Totara values of discipline, commitment and passion as we have shown in our Athletics Day, Samoan Language Week and Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori Language Week campaign for 2025. What I have learnt as your Dean from working closely with you is that something that we value and that we are committed to is togetherness. The spirit of togetherness in that we will all pull together and work together. I am grateful for this and I applaud each and every one of Totara House students for your contributions to our House this year. Thank you all!

I would like to acknowledge the Totara House Mentorship team:

Ms Ferguson - 9TFn

Mrs Rani - 9TRn

Mr Krishna - 10TKr

Ms Ngyuen - 11TNg

Mr Niko - 11TNi

Ms Kolo - 12TKl

Mr Koch - 13TKh

Ms Tuitupou - 13TTt

I thank you all for your commitment to the house, their mentor classes and our values. I am forever grateful to work alongside a great team of mentor teachers. 

Totara House Thanksgiving Assembly 2024

I am grateful for the Totara House Leadership team for 2024. I am thankful to have worked and journeyed alongside a team of gifted, talented, patient and understanding students who have led their house with compassion and dignity. I want to acknowledge Daliz Betham, Stephney Fifita, Anaysha Puaga, Feao Tameifuna and Troy Tuari. Thank you for your love, commitment and service to Totara House 2024. You have led from the front, the side and behind. Your leadership was wrapped around Totara House and you made this year an enjoyable, memorable and exciting year for the young people. You were called to serve and sometimes that service meant that you had to step out of your comfort zone. I am so proud of what you have accomplished and contributed to the House. You all worked together to make sure that each student in our House felt safe, that they matter and that they belong. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As we close 2024, I want to wish all of the Year 13 students in 13TKh and 13TTt in Totara House the very best for this new season in your journey. Thank you for your contribution, service and love that you have poured into Totara House since 2021.