Manaaki Stars
Background
In 2020, our kura and community worked together to affirm the vision for our young people. That vision is summed up in the words: our people, our place. Following this mahi, we worked together again to set down the values and skills that we would like our rangatahi to be leaving school with and so our student growth profile was written. The Growth Profile has five characteristics: skills for life, thinkers, active, relational and self-aware.
We considered that simply writing down the desirable characteristics of a Mt Hutt College graduate would not automatically ensure that akonga had those skills and attributes, so in 2023, we ran a pilot with Year 10 students. The results were encouraging so this year we expanded the programme to include Years 9-11, and next year, we will be including all students at all levels across our kura. Your students have experienced learning towards the growth profile this year as Manaaki Stars.
Description
The Manaaki Stars learning programmes are designed to present students with opportunities to learn about, practice and show progress towards the Growth Profile. Activities such as the 10CT recycle a bicycle initiative provide students with an authentic way to show the Active skills of being involved, a team player and community contributor. Relational skills are not left to chance when the lessons focus on real life scenarios such as two friends try out for the netball team but only one is selected. In the senior school, learning about peer support, being safe young drivers, and your rights and responsibilities when signing an employment contract are a few examples of the learning that Manaaki Stars focuses upon.
A whole school audit showed us that across all our curriculum areas, subject learning also provides opportunities for students to demonstrate proficiency in aspects of the Growth profile. The obvious ones are the Skills for Life of literacy and numeracy and the problem solvers and critical thinkers that are part of Thinkers. But the less obvious ones are deliberately targetted as well such as the Self Aware skills of being committed and having a growth mindset.
The manaaki stars programme highlights the significant importance of the connection between home and school. We all want our young people to develop their independence with a foundation of aroha, empathy, resilience and integrity. This is learning that cannot be left to chance.
Looking Ahead
Our next step in the development of the Manaaki Stars programme is to be able to record and share with whānau, the progress each student is making towards meeting the criteria of each aspect of the Student Growth Profile. This will include badges and Kamar summaries of achievement as well as portfolios that your rangatahi can share with you.
We look forward to your support as we refine and strengthen this programme.
Carolyn Fordyce
Deputy Principal