Excitement started to simmer when the anticipated announcement to whānau was shared that Ka Ora, Ka Ako will begin from term 3 2021. 

Ka Ora, Ka Ako joins two previous initiatives, the removal of school donations and the providing of stationery, in progressing Onerahi School’s goal of a truly free and inclusive education system for all whānau and ākonga.

In the early stages of this process, Onerahi were keen to keep whānau informed every step of the way and an important step in this process was to ensure tamariki were at the table, having their voices and opinions heard and their questions answered.

Tastings from potential local providers were set up and a group of inquisitive students from across the school were eagerly involved in the process. Tamariki sampled kai and gave feedback straight to the suppliers, which was collated from their feedback forms. They had recorded their ratings and thoughts during their hui. Other than making sure it tasted delicious and it was nutritious and gave variety, one important piece of the puzzle was to ensure measures were taken to consider waste and the impact on our environment.

Right from the get-go, updates were shared through multiple means - Facebook, class dojo, school newsletters and whānau were encouraged to be involved and their input was welcomed.

Danny Hamilton, Deputy Principal explains “our students were engaged, asked relevant and often challenging questions, and showed an awareness of the need to care for our environment. This process has been a real example of how student learning is always a priority when undertaking any new endeavour at Onerahi School.”

The next step was for the school to decide on the supplier or suppliers that would be joining them. They would consider their interviews, as well as feedback from the student team that sampled menus. The following week, Onerahi School shared who will be supplying them with daily nutritious kai (Lunch by Libelle),information on how this would work each day going forward and a detailed form to return to school ensuring any dietary needs tamariki have would be met.

The end of term arrived, and the holidays came and went. Free healthy lunches began at school on the first Monday back in term 3 and the menus of what would be served for the first two weeks were linked and shared. The comments made on the Onerahi School Facebook page demonstrated that whānau were excited and appreciative of Ka Ora, Ka Ako. “Highlights are seeing tamariki taking risks and enjoying meals that they may have previously avoided.”

Of course, Onerahi staff, whānau and community were there to support tamariki along this journey.  Like any new initiative there were things to consider and the realities of rolling it out and promoting this fantastic opportunity with tamariki all held important roles. Teachers wove lessons of kai and nutrition into their everyday discussions and problem solving around the environmental impact is part of their ongoing inquiry.

Lunches are now delivered direct to classrooms each day for tamariki to enjoy. Logistics, timing and wastage were challenges, now, after some time using the Ka Ora, Ka Ako free lunches programme they now have the “process running smoothly, and bellies are filling up nicely”. Timely reminders will be ongoing like if there are any changes to your child's dietary needs, please inform your classroom teacher.

Next steps will be to continue to gather student voice along the way and ensure whānau feedback is gathered and shared with their chosen provider. Ongoing updates, success stories and experiences will be shared. The programme will be evaluated whilst it is running. This will include feedback from the school, students, and suppliers about what the lunches are like, how they are delivered, and if they have an impact on students’ learning and achievement. This information will help to decide whether to continue beyond 2021, and what an ongoing programme might look like.

Sharing kai has always been an important part of our society. Collective impact matters! Ko te kai he rongoā, ko te rongoā he kai! Nā tō rourou, me taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.