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10 Queen Margaret Calling :: ISSUE 62 :: October 2018 Queen Margaret College is teaching te reo Māori for the first time in the school’s history. A small class of Year 9 students are studying the subject as a language option this year. From 2019, all Year 7 students will learn te reo Māori as part of their languages carousel course. Year 8 and Year 9 students can choose to take the subject as part of the School Language Acquisition programme and current Year 9 students can continue their studies in Year 10. Head of Middle School Rena Day says the decision to introduce te reo Māori was brought about by many factors, including feedback from students and parents who wanted the opportunity to learn the language at school. “Our Languages Department worked with Karena Kelly fromVictoria University of Wellington to develop a te reo Māori course”Rena says. This year the inaugural te reo Māori class is learning the basics of the language. All Year 9 students also experience tikanga Māori and the richness of Māori culture through a stay at a Marae during EOTC week. A he PōWhakanui (celebration evening) was held in May for families and the school community to celebrate the beginning of te reo Māori being taught at QMC and its inaugural students. Students presented their mihi introducing themselves in te reo Māori and received taonga (gifts). Each student received a carved bone heru (comb). A HE PŌ WHAKANUI TE REO MĀORI NOW OFFERED AT QMC LEARNING MIDDLE SCHOOL