The Māori representative on the Parklands Board of Trustees, Larry Bailey, and Principal Brian Bailey, advised by Sue Pryde, Resource Teacher of Māori, became convinced that Parklands school should be offering more than token attention to Taha Māori. They initiated discussions with the Marae, staff, parents, and the Board of Trustees, about the feasibility of setting up Māori Language classes at Parklands.

Aunty Mere Kingi, local Teacher of Māori, a person vital to the development of Te Reo amongst young children in the local Kohanga Reo, and adult learners on the marae, was approached about coming to Parklands. Her position was to be funded from the new Māori Language school grant, plus assistance from Ngai Tahu.

Aunty Mere was employed full time at Parklands as a Kaiawhina,(facilitator) - withdrawing groups of children from all classes for half hour language sessions.
The special Māori Language funding was going to be limited to schools which were willing to establish bi-lingual units within the school, so Aunty Mere and staff were asked to express interest in teaching in a whānau situation. Following a visit by the Principal and interested parties to the Whānau at Nelson Central school, teachers Neil Bowdler and Karyn McKerrow showed real enthusiasm and the idea of two rather than one class was floated.

Two Whānau classes opened (Neil and Karyn). A Kaiarahi Reo (Language Leader) position was transferred from Lower Moutere school to Parklands. The incumbent, Janet Puha went on leave to do teacher training at the Christchurch College of Education. Aunty Mere took this Kaiarahi Reo position

Tania Corbett appointed (the Marae was involved in appointment process} and Neil moved to the junior syndicate but remained as first choice reliever for the Whānau. Extra funding enabled the BOT and Marae to appoint two excellent Kaiawhina, Aaron Tamepo and Rowan Reihana, both from Nelson, to assist in all Whānau activities. Their assistance in raising the standard of Kapahaka was very evident.

Tania Corbett, Karyn McKerrow and Aunty Mere Kingi continued. In 1996, Te Whānau 0 Pakarana won ten of the possible eleven trophies at the Top of the South kapahaka competitions.

Karyn McKerrow took maternity leave and Dean Rush was appointed.

Tania and Dean and Aunty continued. Classes were now operating unofficially at level one immersion. Denise WiRepa joined the Whānau as a Teachers' Aide

A Runanga Matua hui (December) at the marae agreed to shift our focus to total immersion within the Whānau.

Classes changed from ‘bilingual’ to ‘immersion’. The Resource Teacher of Mā:ori, Sue Pryde, shifted from Motueka South School, to Parklands. The Whānau moved to Rooms 13, 14 and 15, and the new dedicated home was blessed.

Need for third (transition class) was acknowledged. Sweetie Tamepo started in R15 with her “Potiki Class.” The roll reached 60. Sarah Coup relieved for the last four weeks of the year in the tuakana (senior) class, while Tania was on leave.
During the summer vacation a new space was created between rooms 14 and 15, funded by the Board of Trustees. It became the RTM’s office, staffroom, parents’ meeting room, Aunty’s office and a resource storage space—all in one.

The BOT funded an extra teacher for one year. Teachers were; Sarah Coup, Leanne Campbell, and Tania (Dean moved on). That year the top three students at Motueka HS were ex-Parklands and Whānau, the head boy, head girl and BOT student representative. One of our students, Leada Elphick won the Nelson district Auahi Kore speech competition, and went on to the National contest. Tania and 8 Whānau students visited Japan. Anawaniwa (similar to Rainbow reading) started.

The Whānau moved into prefabs at the rear of the School while the Whānau rooms were refurbished. They were blessed again in term 4. Denise Wi Repa moved to the Kohanga Reo as Kaiako. Leada won the Auahi Kore Speech again and went to the finals.

Pania and Kendyl both won sections at the district Auahi Kore and went to the Nationals. Leanne Campbell was appointed to the Greenwood Kindergarten. Anthony De Thierry was appointed to the potiki position. Term 1, Tania Corbett went on leave, and her class was taught by Talia Little, while Sarah Coup was acting Senior Teacher. Denise came back to Parklands as kaiawhina and part-time teacher.

Various teachers’ aides and kaiawhina have contributed to the growth and well-being of the Whanau. Many have been encouraged to further their own education in formal teacher-training, Teacher Aide papers and other fields: Denise WiRepa, Aaron Tamepo, Koko Takimoana, Rowan Reihana, Tamai Ruawai, Shane Rata, Brendan Miritana, Glory’s sister, Kerrilee (who worked with Cody), Ronald, Nick Te Puni, Robynne Moore, Kaaren Niwa.

Many members of the Whānau Whānui have worked for the Whānau as BOT representatives: Lesleigh Grey, Lloyd Preston, Eric Lander, Alice Adair, Tania as staff rep, Gavin Barnett, Colin Truman, Dawn Piggott, Rochelle Archer Whitwell.

The Parklands staff as a whole have been hugely supportive of the Whānau and its ongoing development.

The Ministry of Education-backed transfer of the RTM position was made because of the direct support of the Whānau.

There has been on-going and continuing involvement with the Marae. The whole Whānau works with the Marae to manaaki manuhiri at Te Awhina.

Several ex-pupils of the Whānau have gone on to excel in various fields. Manu Korero speech competitions, hockey, dance, university study, (Matthew Truman, Amelia Opie, Amanda Inwood, Bronwyn Phillips, Leada Elphick, Scott Barnett, Sean Barnett, BJ Barnett, Carrie Lawrence

Several trainee teachers have completed teaching practice within the Whānau (Di Gordon Burns, Alf, Anthony, Kaaren)

Ihuko Komiya (Japanese teacher) spent several months in the Whanau.

The ERO visits have produced glowing reports of the education which Whānau students receive

The Whānau has hosted visits from several classes of third-year teacher-trainees from the Christchurch College of Education. These visits have an on-going positive ripple effect throughout the district, as do the other School visits to the Marae in which the Whānau host the visitors.

Powhiri have become a “normal” part of Parklands’s protocol, following the lead of the Whānau.