ACES Weekly Update

Tēnā koutou katoa parent(s), caregivers, whānau and external providers,

In this week's issue, we rock your earbuds with a taste of Sonya and Tori's Identity Project and their creative approach to learning. We meet Tim from Maungawhau campus and get some unique insight into his world.

We take a walk down memory lane to a newsletter in 2023 where our leader Karyl caught up with former ACES student, Peter Niumata and the Real-World Impact ACES had in his life. We hope to share similar success stories of ACES students and Kaiako that have moved onto bigger, brighter things and capture their reflections as we head into the 25 Year Celebration of ACES in November.

Finally, we provide important information and panui on upcoming dates.

In the recent ACES JAMS project, Sonya & Tori curated a collection of songs that reflect their personal identities, offering a mix of classic and hidden R&B gems. The project, designed for a fun drive with windows down and the music up, it's a perfect blend of upbeat tunes and soulful vibes. The team behind the mix, including ICE, Sonya, and Tori, worked together to create the perfect soundtrack for cruising around 🚗💨 You can listen to the playlist on ICE RADIO by following the link above.

Tori approached this project with a clear understanding of her musical identity. She chose songs that deeply resonated with her and made thoughtful changes to ensure each track reflected her personality, even making sure the songs were clean. Throughout the process, Tori demonstrated excellent teamwork by contributing to the group’s collective music mix and engaging in meaningful discussions about the significance of her song choices. Through this experience, Tori not only expanded her knowledge and critically reflected on the role music plays in shaping personal identity but also displayed resilience and leadership. She collaborated well with others, showing respect for their ideas while staying true to her own. This project helped her set and achieve personal goals while developing key skills like communication, thinking, and social collaboration, all while demonstrating the core values of ACES.

Sonya also approached this project with confidence and a clear understanding of her musical identity. She carefully selected songs that reflected her, and also changed some that weren’t clean demonstrating a strong connection to her choices. Throughout the process, she engaged in meaningful discussions about why each song mattered to her, articulating her thoughts well. Additionally, Sonya showed great teamwork skills, contributing to the overall vibe of the mix while respecting the creative input of others.

Well done ladies on creating the first of many ACES JAMS built for the drive—windows down, volume up, and pure R&B vibes. Sonya & Tori have curated a fine selection of classics and hidden gems, setting the perfect tone for your next cruise.

With ACES entering it's 25th year of impact in the community, we will begin to reflect back on powerful stories of young men and women who were given a second chance through ACES' providers (under the previous model). Young Peter Niumata was one such student. After a rough start at school, Peter found his pathway through the wider ACES community into construction and is now many years into running a successful construction company of his own.

The ACES team will be working to re-connect with many past Alumni and will provide more information in upcoming editions soon! (Nga mihi nui kia a koe Natasha Guiry for the original article!)

Kia ora, My name is Timothy Clapson, and I'm a Tutor at our Maungawhau Campus. A born and bred westie, I was raised out in Massey and attended the #1 educational institute out west, Massey High School, where the students Seek the Heights!

What I love about my job as a tutor is the small smiles I see on our students' faces when they finally understand a part of their learning. Just seeing how proud of themselves they are, but also seeing them taking an interest and love learning again always brightens up my day.

Natasha Guiry (Tash), I know there is so much behind the scenes she does for our tutorial teams. I think it would be awesome to be her for a day so I could truly appreciate everything she does for us and the many hats she wears to help support all the teams at ACES.

2. If ACES were a type of weather, what would it be and why?

Definitely a Sun shower. Sometimes the rain comes in and you get wet! but you know the sun is always going to come back out!

3. What song do you secretly love to sing along to when you’re alone?

Maoli - Every night, Every Morning. One of my students played the song to me last year, and it became my go to pretty much instantly!

4. If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why?

Making Coffee, I love Coffee but I'm terrible at making it!

5. Which ACES Value would you say helps you power through those challenging days at work?

Trust - Our team at ACES, is strongly connected with each other. I know that any time I'm struggling, the team always has my back and is willing to support me in whatever way they can. That's one of the best parts about working at ACES, the Team Culture for sure.

If you are a local Auckland business keen to connect or advertise, we are looking for the right Partner to join ACES on our learning waka. Contact me on 021 913576 or thelo@aces.school.nz for a confidential chat.

• 9 April (Wednesday) is NO HALF DAY and Tuakana / Teina will be at the Campus.

• 10 April (Thursday) is a HALF DAY finish at 12.30pm.

• 11 April is Tutor Only Day.

• APRIL School Holidays 12 April (Saturday) - 27 April (Sunday)

• Term 2 (9 weeks)

• 28 April (Monday) to 27 June (Friday).

• 28 April (Monday) Tutor only day

• 29 April (Tuesday) Open Day

• Public holidays:
  King’s Birthday – Monday 2 June.
  Matariki - Friday 20 June.

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