Camp Gone!

Wow. A busy whirlwind of a week has raced by.
It was great, jam packed with activities and events which kept the kids and parents and teachers full on.

The children's behaviour was wonderful and the parents were an excellent bunch that assisted in all ways. A special thanks to Heather for the organisational planning aspects over the year!! ( yes manual time is very useful)

Not all camps have substancial follow up, but this one has led itself to further opportunities for the kids looking into art deco, earthquakes.... recent NZ history..

I've discussed redefinging the delivery of our Toko curriculum to things that really matter!!! Do we need pubertal change,,, I mean don't parents do this stuff ???? How to cross the road, sun safe, .. I just think we could really develop learning to learn so much more... what is it kids are interested in and what is it they want to know about.. What are the talents we could be developing if we didn't have to do some fragmented delivery of a 'balanced' curriculum'?????? This is particularly so in the senior school but also with younger children I'd like to see more children driven curriculum choices!! A chance for creative teachers?
So that's about that for now! Read a few of the kids entires. They are just a taste of what we did.

Tyla

It looked easy at first but when you played it was hard. I got my putt and knocked my ball as far as it would go. It rebounded of the edge, around the hole and on to the pile of rocks. I wondered over to it and had another attempt. It flew directly up and then straight back down. Oh man, this is way to hard. From that moment on mini golf was now an enemy and i had to defeat it. After several hits i managed to get it into the hole. People qued up behind the mat and all shot. A hole in 4, way better than mine. Dumb, everyone was beating me. Finally, An easy one, hole number 18. Everyone started giggling as i shot it into the hole. Cool, a hole in 1. As i approched the hole Ayden shouted "did you just shot the ball into that hole?" "What do you think!" I lifted my hand down the hole. What, where's my ball. I looked down to notice that the pipe had no ball stopper. Oh man, just my luck. A hole in one with no ball stopper. Up to the reception i went. "My ball went down hole 18 and it went down the drain. Not a problem. She handed me a new ball. I went to some new holes and managed to get some luck. And from then on, it was a new hobby.

Samuel and Horsetrekking

Today was a clear summer day.The bus parked at a horse trekking business there was 12 horses of all colours and sizes scattered around ready to be saddled up. "Today " the man spoke "We are going to see the wind farm on those ranges".
Soon we were off, half of the teachers,parents,children and I were on the cart. The other half were riding along behind us.We rode and rode up a windy track that seemed to linger on.
As we got higher the veiw got greater and greater you could see for ages.The horses were sweeting but there was no affects on there proformance. Suddenly there were the blades from the wind turbine aperearing from behind the hill with each step from the horses pulling the cart more appeared from behind. Finallay we ploded over the lip of the hill. There we were on top of the hill looking at 112 wind turbines streatching over the ranges into the distants.All facing the same way and identical.we gased at the wind turbines while eating lunch and then we had to go.It my turn to ride a horse i picked one and hoped on. Bad choice, the horse farted and realy realy piggy.I just managed to get back i had to take millions and milions of deep breaths.I was now onto my way to Napia.

Caleb and Poop!

Wednesday 9th November

Today’s diary

Ha Ha Ha Ha today was a funny day because he had these birds fly over
Top of us and a whole lot of people got poooped on. They had to use a hankey to clean of the poos BUT they weren’t the gannets other wise it would be all sloppy. The gannets only lay one egg at a time.

LASER FORCE
Miss savage beat all of us in laser force.

Day 2 Celia again

Set off this morning at 9 after many early birds getting up at 6 and being ready to leave at 7! Our bus driver Dennis skillfully manouvered us to the top of the Napier hill to the lookout much to the disgust of some local Napier walkers who even covered their faces from the buses exhaust as we passed. The day was perfect and the view spectacular. Off to Marineland where the sealions were in fine form showing us lots of tricks. Found a great playground to lunch at and the kids pushed it to its limits. The afternoon was rockclimbing and kayaking with a difference. The kids lashed their kayaks together with ropes,the knots were something!! and then went to battle on the pond across the causeway -lots of splashing and fun had by all . Great food and all of swimming except the blogger and the boss.

Celia's first 2 days!!

Well we are having an action packed time with a very memorable horse trek to a wind farm on the Woodville side of the gorge. Highlights included the wheels of the wagon carrying half of us being very wonky-in fact a few of us opted for a walk, sorting out the kicking and nipping horses- a few tense moments, watching the motorbike kids look very nervous and make funny noises as the horses move and also watch all the kids as they gained their confidence and became king of their steed. The veiw was spectacular and I got the best horse to ride home. Everyone was unscathed and happy at the end. A cool time.

Camp Tomorrow

Hi Everyone....
Like last year we are going to have a camp blog. Low key.
A taste of what the children are up to while over in Napier!!!each day someone different will let you know of the cool day they have had!
We may have a few parents entries to....
Thanks to all the parents that are coming on camp. We will have a great time!
Richard Bradely