Important Dates:
Weekly Newsletter
5 March 2010
Dear Parents/Caregivers
Kia ora koutou
Camp has
just concluded. It has been a very successful week. For senior students camp is
one of the year’s highlights. We had good weather again and the staff at El Rancho were great.
At camp we
hope to expose students to new and challenging activities. They can hang out
with their peers. And of course have a great time. The photos this week are
from camp.
The theme
for the camp was “The Amazing Race Meets Survivor”. Using a wide variety of
reality TV programmes we formed an amalgam of activities. An Immunity Idol was
hidden during the camp. The campers who found the Immunity Idol won points for
there team. All activities earned points to find the team that would be the
Ultimate Survivor. See next week’s newsletter to find out which group was the
Ultimate Survivor.
On Tuesday
we started the programme with rock climbing and archery. The students had items
placed on the rock wall that they had to touch or wriggle as they climbed the
wall. At the top of the wall was a tambourine. Gabrielle and Miriam
showed they are adventure junkies as they enjoyed the sensation of climbing and
swinging.
At the
archery Rose hit the target with two
arrows. Cam
was another accurate archer.
On Wednesday
we started the day with a Master Chef style cooking competition. Teams had to
make a savoury and a sweet dish. The team of Peter, Mohammed and Hayden showed excellent culinary
skills. The team of Gabrielle and Kasey did the savoury and sweet on one
plate.
Later in the
morning we had rides in a trailer being towed by a tractor. Rose and Genevieve were very contented in the trailer.
After lunch
there was a treasure hunt. This involved pulling items suspended from ropes. Locating
snakes in the bouncy castle. Finding treasure; a soft toy, in a large bucket of
balls. Fishing with nets for aquatic animals in a paddling pool. Fishing for
fish using a magnetic fishing line. And finally finding lollies in a bowl full
of porridge.
The
communication device challenge involved all students looking at baby photos and
trying to establish which photo matched the named staff member. The teams had
to communicate their answers using communication devices.
Late in the
afternoon we did boating. Cam is in his element while in the boat. Te Kauri, Kayla, Ryan and Thomas showed they were keen to use the
dinghies. Both the boating and the trailer rides are activities that all our
students can participate and enjoy.
Alan Devine
brought his Blo Kart, or land yacht. We used this on a field with longer that
desirable grass. Hayden, Time, Jake and Peter were able
to able to have a go at land yachting on Wednesday when there was more wind.
There did have to be people pushing to gain the initial momentum. On Thursday
afternoon we had another go at land yachting. The wind was less and this
involved the students being pushed in the Blo Kart by staff. Cam was very keen and
steered the land yacht around the field. Mohammed
was very happy in the Blo Kart.
In the
concert Room Eight did an item that showed different cultures of the world.
Room Two used the song, There’s a Hole in Bucket to show how to fix the bucket.
Room Four made the audience assume silly positions during a humourous skit. A
number of parents and sisters and a brother came to the concert. Time, Genevieve and Jake were
judges at the concert. They used their communication devices to give both
positive and negative comments about the acts.
On Thursday
we started the day with the Wildlife Challenge. This involved interacting with
rabbits, guinea pigs, a dog, horse, goat, lamb and chicken. Kayla and Genevieve were happy to pat the animals.
Then we went
to the water slide. We used a sling, rope and pulley to pull the students to
the top of the slide. This is another activity where those students who enjoy
the more extreme parts of camp show their delight. Ryan, Time and Kasey are keen water sliders.
After lunch
we finished the communication device challenge. Thomas, Miriam and Rose used their communication skills
positively. And then we had more Blo Karting.
In the
evening the Jungle Dance was held. Time
was DJ and used his communication device to operate the DJ equipment. Our
students know how to have good time.
If your
child has returned home with extra items please return these to school. If your
child is missing an item, please inform your child’s teacher.
Camp can
only work with dedicated staff. I would like to thanks all those people who
have made a great effort in ensuring camp was a success. Kimi Ora School is the
only special school in the country that gives all students the opportunity to
attend camp. In the next few days we will set the date for the 2011 camp.
Meanwhile at
school a regular programme ran for the students who are our future campers.
Enjoy your
weekend and we look forward to seeing all the campers back at school on Monday.
Don Stevens
Principal
Weekly Newsletter
17
February 2010
Dear Parents/Caregivers
Kia ora koutou
The photos this week are
of Hayden cutting up potatoes grown
in the school garden. He made them in a potato bake. Room Four’s grooming
session had students applying deodorant. Joshua
and Jake are pictured. We also have
a photo of the preparatory work being conducted at Naenae.
THE CUP
Last week Rosie
won The Cup for greater independence.
The week Alexia
won the The Cup for quickly settling into her new class.
A number of parents came
to the consultation meeting about the Special Education Review. The Board of
Trustees will be making a submission. I encourage all parents/caregivers to
contribute to this process by either making an individual submission, or
contribute to the school’s submission by discussing your point of view with me.
CAMP
Work towards making this
year’s camp another great success is well underway. For the senior students
going to camp I have attached a copy of the camp organisation and the camp
programme. The leader of your child’s group will contact you by phone prior
to camp.
The theme of camp started
as The Amazing Race meets Survivor; elements of other reality television
programmes have been added to the activities of camp. We have components of
Master Chef and Man versus Wild.
Classes are preparing
items for the camp concert. The judges this year are Jake, Genevieve and Hayden.
I know that both students
and staff will have a great time at camp. It is a highlight of the senior
school year.
Tomorrow approximately
thirty past students and some of their parents will be holding an informal
reunion at the school. These students of the 1970s and 1980s have initiated and
organised this event. In my role as the current Principal I will be attending.
Don Stevens
Principal
Weekly Newsletter
12
February 2010
Dear
Parents/Caregivers
Kia ora
koutou
The
photos this week are of Anika who is five and is based in our Junior Class,
Room One. John Wharehinga, kaumatua Naenae
Intermediate School,
and Te Teira Davies from Naenae
College blessed the new
base school site. Hannah, SLT, Jess, Teacher and Staff Rep on the BOT, and
Roslyn, Administrator are pictured outside the site office.
Thanks
to John and Te Teira who blessed the site. This involved korero and waiata. The
korero ensured the land was blessed and able to be used by the school. Attached is a story from the Hutt News about
the blessing. The scheduled completion date for the building is the 3rd
December. Both John and Te Teira will bless the building once it is ready for
occupation.
It was
exciting to arrive on the site on Friday to see fences, a portable site office
and a workers’ hut. It has taken a long time and a considerable amount of
energy and effort to arrive at this point. We are going to end up with a
fantastic school. The staff during 2009 spent many hours and days examining the
version of the plans. The team has designed a school that will benefit our
students and the students of future generations.
The government is currently
conducting a review of special education. This can be viewed at: http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/Consultation/ReviewOfSpecialEducation/DiscussionDocument2010.aspx
I have also attached a precise of the review. A
hard copy of the review can be ordered from the website. If you would like a
hard copy and do have internet access, send a note to your teacher, and I will
arrange for a copy to be sent home. The Ministry of Education is seeking
feedback to the ideas contained in the document.
Kimi Ora School will be hosting a morning tea, at
10.00am on Thursday 18th February. This is an opportunity for you
offer your ideas on this document. Your ideas will then be submitted to the
Ministry of Education.
Thank
you to those families who have returned their child’s medical and information
forms. If you are still to do this please do so asap.
Don Stevens
Principal
Weekly Newsletter
5 February 2010
Dear
Parents/Caregivers
Kia ora
koutou
Welcome
to the 2010 school year.
We
welcome new students to Room One; Charlie
Walker and Anika Godfrey and their
families to Kimi Ora School. We look forward to working with you. Both Anika
and Charlie are aged five.
Today
student information forms, medical forms and civil defence forms have been sent
home. Please return these promptly. The medical form information is also used
for the senior camp. If there are any changes to your child’s medication please
advice the school.
If your
child is going to absent, or there is a change in your taxi requirements, this
must be communicated with the taxi company and also the school. Ros in the
office deals with students’ taxi requirements.
During
the holidays developments continued with our building project. Tomorrow we
bless the site of the new base school. Maycroft Construction the builders move
onto the site on Monday 8th February. An invitation to the blessing is attached. I
realise this is late notice, however this was only finalised yesterday. The
scheduled completion date is the 3rd December. Students will be on
site at the beginning of the 2011 school year.
The
Board of Trustees govern Kimi Ora School. The following parents are members of
the BOT. If you wish to discuss any issues about Kimi Ora School you may wish
to contact a member of the BOT. Anne McKegg is Chairperson of the BOT.
Anne
McKegg
Rose’s Mum
479 6773
Warren
Anderson Thomas’ Dad
934 6501
Parvin
Ravla
Alexia’s
Dad
383 7778
Ron de
Wit
Peter’s
Dad
528 8369
Carol
Corlett
Anna’s
Mum
237 7034
If you
wish to contact me you can do this at any time, at school or at home. My home
phone number is 475 6008.
Don Stevens
Principal
