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Kia Ora koutou,

As the month of June has flown by at Active Explorers Papakura, we have found ourselves immersed in the Matariki cluster and discovering the names of the stars and the meaning for each one. As this journey went on we learnt that some stars took hold of the Tamariki interest more than others. Their personal favourite being "Urarangi" which is associated with wind The study into Urarangi was child lead as we investigated where wind comes from, how we can make our own and did experiments such as, what can float with wind and what is to heavy. It also saw us take some kites out across the road to see if Urarangi could help us get them high into the sky, unfortunately he was asleep that day and let our kites fall to the ground.

It was tumeke (fabulous) to see the children take on their own interest and lead their own learning.

They were able to experiment, make sense and build an understanding of how the world works around them through fun, laughter and play. The discussions that they would have and the theories that they share with their follow e hoa (friends) was remarkable and sparked such good korero (talk) as they worked together to discuss their findings.

This year we really wanted to change the way we saw Matariki and embrace it for what it is about and for us that was Whanau, community and the ones that we love. With Jammies for June being the perfect opportunity for us to try and help give back to the community.

Jammies for June is a charitable trust initiated by Dame Valerie Adams who recognizes the impact the winter months has on children's health and how a lot of Tamariki around south Auckland do not have things to keep them warm through the night. The initiative being to provide one brand new pair of pyjamas to each child who ends up in hospital this winter. With the support of our Whanau, we were able to raise 40 brand new pairs of Jammies for our local hospital.

We also started a collection of pre-loved clothing from our families that Tamariki may have grown out of. With this we took it down to our local Marae who pass it out to families in our local community in need. With this initiative we were able to get two boots filled with clothing, which was a huge welcome from the Marae who were excited about the different size options.

Our favourite parent event every year is the Matariki one, with families joining us for waiata (songs), stories and to share kai (food). This year we asked Whanau to bring in food to share with everyone, something from their culture or that symbolises them. It was great to see a range of food from fry bread to chop suey and different curries. I think this made it more special has we took on board every bodies culture to make our own culture here at Active Explorers Papakura. Being able to watch all of our different whanau mix and mingle sharing who they are and what makes them special was a highlight for all.

At our Matariki event we wanted to celebrate the star of Pohutukawa and honour those who had pass before us. Sharing stories on their lives, the way they had blessed ours and taking time to make sure their memory could be passed onto our ancestors and loved ones. We created a Pohutukawa tree in our foyer and encouraged Whanau to write notes for their loved ones on leaves that we could add to our tree. These encouraging stories to be shared and memories to be sparked.

This Matariki has been a real special one for us here at Active Explorers Papakura, helping us embrace the importance of community and giving back. It has helped us guide our local curriculum forward as we focus on being Panekirentanga, a place that excels in excellence for our whanau and community. This Matariki also helped children guide their own learning and make sense of the world around them as they lead experiment, held discussions and questioned everything. Relationships were brought into the spot light with old and new ones being nurtured and grown as we open our doors for all. We cannot wait to see what other opportunities lie ahead for us as we welcome in the new year.