Special Events / Activities

Aurora Leadership

The Aurora Leadership Programme in Gisborne and Wairoa is a leadership development initiative designed to empower emerging student leaders. In Wairoa, the Aurora Education Foundation delivers a programme for gifted and talented Year 5–8 students, providing workshops and community-based experiences that build leadership, confidence, and civic engagement.

Through connections with community, political, and sporting leaders, students develop key skills such as initiative, collaboration, communication, and service. Opportunities such as fundraising projects encourage students to step up, give back, and develop a strong sense of social responsibility within their community.

Start of Term Big Breakfasts

Start-of-term Big Breakfasts foster a strong sense of community by bringing together students, whānau, staff, and supporters in a relaxed, inclusive setting. This shared experience helps rebuild connections after breaks and ensures every learner feels seen and welcomed from the first day. For everyone returning to school, the informal atmosphere provides a gentle transition into the routine of the term.

Matariki Celebration

Matariki reminds us of the importance of coming together to share kai, stories, and aroha. Our shared breakfast is a meaningful opportunity to pause, appreciate one another, and look ahead with hope and unity for the year ahead. One of the highlights of this celebration has been the planting of harakeke (flax) at the community hall, symbolising the strength of our connections and the support we offer each other as we grow toward a bright future together.

ANZAC Commemorations

Content & Images yet to be supplied

Eviroschools

Guardians of the Ruakituri

Ruakituri School has developed a strong, reciprocal relationship with the Guardians of the Ruakituri, fostering an environmentally responsive learning community through shared purpose and action. This collaboration has been rooted in informal dialogue and mutual commitment to sustainability, local knowledge, and community wellbeing.

Key initiatives have emerged directly from joint engagement, including:

Co-developing the Community Strategic Plan, where students contributed creative ideas and artwork, ensuring youth voices were embedded in community decision-making.
Constructing and painting the school’s front boundary fence during collaborative community working bees, strengthening communal ownership of shared spaces.
Donating the school’s old playgroup equipment to Erepeti Mare, enhancing resources for another local community hub through collective effort.

The partnership is characterised by regular shared learning experiences and hui held at the community hall, with the school also serving as a community hub. These interconnected spaces support ongoing relationship-building and cultural exchange. The collaboration continues to enrich student learning by connecting curriculum to real-world environmental and social contexts, while deepening ties between whānau, staff, and local stewards of the land.

Art Project

Supporters and Sponsors

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