GCSN - Greater Christchurch Schools' Network

15/09/2025

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is officially here! 🥳🖤🤍❤️ Whether it's your very first kupu (word) or you're building towards a full kōrero (conversation), you are part of this journey, and you are part of keeping our reo alive.

Here are some easy phrases you can use this week, and we'd love to hear you give it a go! This week is for EVERYONE, no matter what your reo level. Together, we are making te reo Māori heard, spoken, and loved in every corner of Aotearoa 🌿

Kia kaha te reo Māori - give it a go! 💪 ✨

Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Check out www.reomaori.co.nz 🔗

Kia Kaha te Reo Māori | Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori

14/09/2025

E kainamu mai ana Te Wiki o te Reo Māori! 🔥 Let’s make it bigger than ever 🎉

This year we’re celebrating 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and our website is packed with FREE resources to help you mark this special milestone:

✨ Posters & social media banners
✨ Zoom + Teams backgrounds
✨ Email signatures & profile icons

Perfect for your whānau, kura, or workplace 💥

Check them out here: https://www.reomaori.co.nz/te_wiki_o_te_reo_maori_50_years_resources_2025 🚀 Download your favourites and be part of the 50th anniversary celebration! 📌 Save this post and pass it on to anyone preparing for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.

Kia Kaha te Reo Māori | 50th anniversary | Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori

11/09/2025

Come to our next Friends of Imagination Station event! Next Sunday, 21st of September, we are having a spooky halloween themed build day open to the public. Come make some great builds to go in our display cases for October. Event starts 1pm in the Creative Space on Hapori the first floor of Tūranga Central Library.

10/09/2025

Yup, we're still going with those 50 wero! 🔥 Now, during Te Wiki, we're challenging you to only use reo Māori greetings! So, get to practicing now so you're all set for next week 🙂‍↕️ We've got some handy resources on our page to help you out!

For Te Wiki this year, we're running 50 Wero Reo Māori - 50 Reo Māori Challenges for you to complete throughout the week. But hey, never hurt anyone to start early... reo revitalisation is all year round after all 😉 Check out www.reomaori.co.nz 🔗 for more.

Kia Kaha te Reo Māori | Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori

08/09/2025

If you are year 9 or 10, come along on our Holiday Hangs Sept 29-Oct 1. Only $100.

03/09/2025

Term 4 Masterclasses! Book now to secure your spot :) Open to all year 7-13 students.
https://www.schoolforyoungwriters.org/masterclasses

24/08/2025

16/08/2025

Here's a little nudge to help with your entry into GCSN’s Top of the Pods Competition 🌟
Schools can borrow GCSN’s podcasting kit in the picture below for *free* to record and produce their content!

Entries close on 10 October, with a showcase and prize-giving function on 22 October at the Tūranga Library, Ōtautahi. All podcasts will be broadcast on Plains Media, and prizes include $500 of gear from Rockshop NZ, a merch masterclass, and more.

Book the kit: email [email protected] or call 03 365 7997 / 027 360 7568
More info and registration - https://bit.ly/totp2025

Shout out to Rockshop NZ, RØDE Microphones, NZ On Air, Christchurch City Libraries, and CAMA - Community Access Media Alliance for their support.

14/08/2025

Today I ordered a repeat of my child’s medication online. I then booked an appointment for my child’s physio. I used my banking app to pay a bill, and I googled “What happened to Daphne and Celeste?”. I clicked an alert from my son’s school app reminding me to give my permission for a field trip - through the app. I clicked into my library app to see if a library book I’m waiting on had arrived. And then I went to a meeting in town where I used a parking app and then used Maps to find the right office.

Most of us take our access to the internet for granted - if you’re like me, you’re online way, way too much. Access to the world online is just a given. Except it isn’t. Not for so many vulnerable communities in Aotearoa.

I was shocked to hear 20% of people in Aotearoa face barriers when trying to get online. The digital divide in our country is unconscionable.

One in five New Zealanders can’t lack meaningful digital access.

Just think - you not only can’t do your mahi, but you can’t connect with your whānau, with your community…

That’s why on Friday 22 August I’ll be stepping away from tech for two hours for No Tech Day.

If you want to join me, share what you noticed when you went tech free by using and tagging

Are you keen? 💻🛜🙅🏻‍♀️

13/08/2025

Calling all young storytellers! 🎙️

GCSN, Christchurch City Libraries, and Plains Media are inviting tamariki and rangatahi in Years 5–10 to enter this year’s podcasting competition. Get your crew together (up to 12 per team) and create either a full podcast episode (5–20 mins) or a shorter snippet (under 5 mins) exploring this year’s big question:
“How can we make the future a wonderful place?”

🗓 Entries close Friday 10 October
📻 Every podcast gets aired on Plains Media!
🎉 A live showcase and prizegiving will be hosted with the finalists on Wednesday, 22 October at Tūranga Library.

Prizes include:
- $500 of podcasting gear from Rockshop NZ for the winning school
- A merch masterclass with Christchurch City Libraries
- Lucky dip prizes like pool passes, RØDE merch + more!

👉 Register and find out more: https://bit.ly/totp2025

Shout out to Rockshop NZ, RØDE Microphones, NZ On Air and CAMA - Community Access Media Alliance for their support.

23/07/2025

Do you have students that love to write? Have you checked out our Term 3 masterclasses? We still have places at Gail Ingram's masterclass, details below.
https://www.schoolforyoungwriters.org/masterclasses

23/07/2025

Top of the Pods 2025 is now open! 🤩

GCSN, Christchurch City Libraries, and Plains Media are calling all young storytellers in Years 5–10 to enter this year’s podcasting competition. Work in teams of up to 12 to create a podcast episode (5–20 mins) or a short snippet (under 5 mins) exploring the 2025 theme: “How can we make the future a wonderful place?”

Entries close Friday 10 October, and every podcast will be broadcast on Plains Media! The campaign wraps up with a live showcase and prizegiving at Tūranga Library on Wednesday 22 October.

Prizes include: 🏆 🏆 🏆
- $500 of Rockshop NZ podcasting equipment for the winning school
- A merch masterclass with
- Lucky dip prizes: pool passes, RODE Mics merch & more!

Register and learn more: https://bit.ly/totp2025

Supported by Rockshop NZ, RØDE Microphones, NZ On Air and CAMA - Community Access Media Alliance