School Council Report 2025

By: David Owen | Posted: Friday December 5, 2025

At our final school assembly for 2025, Riker and Ra presented the School Council's annual report on behalf of their fellow school councillors.

Many thanks to Riker and Ra for speaking to a packed audience to outline the work done by this year's School Council.

Below is a copy of their speech which gives a good idea of what the School Council has worked on this year:

  • Kia ora koutou,

  • I’m Riker

  • And I’m Ra and we’re here to share a little bit about the work the Tahuna School Council has done this year.

  • Earlier this year, we sold poppies to raise funds for the R.S.A. and a group of students attended the Dawn Parade and Andy Bay Posy Laying Ceremony. The School Council funded the cost of wreaths which we laid at each ceremony on behalf of Tahuna

  • We hosted Cam Calkoen for a whole school assembly and councillors attended a workshop with Cam along with our House Leaders

  • We met several times with Shelley to offer feedback about the School Canteen

  • We attended fortnightly Council meetings where we prepared for all the things which the Council did this year - we also discussed any issues and concerns and we campaigned for improvements to the school. 

  • For example, we’re very grateful that the adventure playground is undergoing a full renovation early next year and that the lunchtime Clubs programme will likely be expanded next year

  • We organised discos in Terms 1, 2 and 3 - funds raised at these help to fund our work

  • We ran Casual Fridays to support a wide range of charities - this included The Mental Health Foundation through Pink Shirt Day, the Cancer Society through Daffodil Day and the Ōtepoti Dunedin Whānau Refuge’s kai pantry through a very successful Food Drive

  • We met with staff from the Whānau Refuge to find out a little bit about the work they do to support those in need

  • Together with our House Leaders, we ran the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge and raised around $8000 for its work

  • While we supported various organisations outside of Tahuna, we also helped fund projects within the school

  • We contributed $1500 towards the cost of our new hockey goals

  • We funded the purchase of new ki-o-rahi rips and belts

  • We funded a new shared lunch kit so that classes having a shared lunch can use the bowls, plates and cups knowing that they’ll be causing much less waste

  • We funded the purchase of new lights for school discos

  • We made donations to support groups of Tahuna students who attended the Aerobics Nationals and HipHop Nationals

  • We also made a donation to the Mamaku Point Conservation Trust on Rakiura Stewart Island and we supported the James Hargest Sports Exchange

  • So, thanks to all of our School Councillors for their commitment and their mahi this year and remember that every single time you use our football goals or play ki-o-rahi, your contributions have helped make those things possible

  • As always, we’ve continued to give a voice to students’ ideas and concerns through the year. This has ranged from suggestions for new projects to ways to look after our school through to improving facilities for our students and much, much more.

  • We’d like to thank Mr. Clarke for his support of the School Council’s mahi. We’d also like to thank Jason, our caretaker, for all his work following up on our requests. His efforts are very much appreciated

  • So, we end another busy and successful year, where Councillors have represented their classes well and have been a productive voice in the life of Tahuna

  • Thanks from both of us and the whole of the 2025 Tahuna School Council