Week 7 Term 1: Totara House: Dedication Assembly Term 1 (March 10 - March 14)

Totara House @ our Dedication Assembly Term 1

At the beginning of every school year, for the first House Assembly Totara House has their annual ‘Dedication Service’. Our assembly today is centered around ‘Dedication’. We will be dedicating our services, our leaders, our year groups, our teachers, our plans and hopes for 2025 in prayer.

The purpose of the ‘Dedication Assembly’ is to dedicate all the moving parts in our Whanau Group in prayer asking for wisdom, understanding, knowledge and the ability to raise our akonga in our House. This is the first House assembly for 2025. It is important that this time is prioritized to bring both kaiako and akonga together. In the spirit of togetherness I am encouraging us to collectively dedicate our House this year to our set of values, beliefs and principals that we want our students to grow up with this year.

Totara House @ Dedication Assembly Term 1

The core values that I believe are at the center of who we are as a house are Kotahitanga which translates to unity and the idea that as a House we have and create a shared sense of unity and belonging. Secondly Manaakitanga - this is a core value that embodies hospitality, respect and care for others.

This term as a whanau group and as a house, we will discuss what values we want Totara House to represent. Our value system is our way of holding each other accountable and to give ourselves a moral compass to align ourselves with. This is an important time to come together and be still and to reflect on what we want for Totara House. What we hope for Totara House in 2025, the plans we have for our Whanau Group, the mentorship and leadership who will be leading our house. Finally it is an important time to think about what our House represents.

Totara House Leadership sharing @ Dedication Assembly Term 1

This is our opportunity to support and awhi our Totara House Mentors and Totara House Student Leadership team and the work, leadership and service that they are going to commit to Totara House for 2025. As we enter the new year, starting strong as a team is what we are going to look at doing together. What this looks like is setting rituals and routines that get students ready to learn by fostering a sense of safety, belonging, community, and self-efficacy. Starting strong is defined as “Those that start strong often have a strong vision, a passion to create something new, or a passion to fix an existing problem”

What does this look like?

Setting goals

Being intentional about what you are doing

Doing your best

Doing the right thing

Setting goals

Totara House @ Dedication Assembly

Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 5 says “Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what you grow in them.” This term we are setting our foundation, we are getting settled in school, we are establishing ourselves, prioritizing our time and setting our goals. We are in the process of mapping and building our ‘house’ together. Every ‘House’ needs a door. The purpose of a door is to provide security, an entry and an exit into a space. The door in front of our house is an opening, entrance and opportunity to learn and grow together. This term, let us walk together through the door and take in the opportunity to learn, grow and build relationships with each other as a House. We give our plans, hopes and dreams to GOD and ask Him to protect, provide and guide us this year.