PRIZE-GIVING 2012

At Prize-giving on Thursday night all of our class were recognised for their achievements, their progress and their efforts in 2012.

Some of our class were selected to receive special awards and we have photographed them so that you can share in their success!!! Well done guys, you make us very proud!!!

 Jesscia won the Year 3 Academic Prize

 Toby won the Year 3 Evans Bequest for Diligence

 Mac won the Year 4 Academic Prize

 Rylee won the Year 4 Evans Bequest for Diligence

 Lucy won the Room 4 'Little Red Hen Award' for citizenship

Abby won the trophy for most improved swimming skills.

Well, another school year has come to an end and we are exceptionally proud of the achievements of all of our students this year. It is exciting to be a part of your progress, your learning and your development. We look forward to another year with our year 3 students next year as they become leaders in our room. We wish all of our Year 4 students all the very best as they move on to Miss M's class over in Room 7. (Remember to visit us often!!!)

We wish all of our students and their families a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!!!

See you in 2013

Camp - Retro-organics Dairy Factory

Thursday 29th October, 10.30am

Our first stop on camp was to the Retro-Organics Dairy Factory near Wyndham (after a couple of cars got lost!)  We visited here because we have been studying and learning about dairy farming with Mrs May.  Mrs Greer, one of the owners, told us all about how her and her husband began the dairy factory and explained about the cheese and yoghurt making processes.  We were able to look through the viewing windows at all of the equipment, but unfortunately it wasn't operating during our visit.

We were lucky enough to try three of the different cheeses that they make - cumin flavoured, garlic flavoured and haloumi.  Lots of us loved the haloumi, which is the only cheese that holds it's shape when cooked.  Mrs Greer also let us try two of her yoghurt flavours.  Mmmmmm.

What a great start to camp!

Because it was raining, we were allowed to stay and eat our lunch at the dairy factory before heading off to the marae in Invercargill.

I liked tasting the yoghurts -Max

I really liked the haloumi and the garlic colby but I wasn't so sure about the cumin cheese - Lucy W

I didn't really like the first cheese - Toby

Camp - Murihiku Marae

Thursday 29th November - 1.30pm

We were lucky enough to have a formal welcome (powhiri) onto Murihiku Marae.  We were all feeling a little nervous as we waited down by the archway for the kaikaranga to call us on.  After the welcome call we walked slowly up the entrance, pausing to show respect to the dead.  After taking our shoes off we were allowed into the wharenui where we took our seats for the remainder of the powhiri. 

The tangata whenua spoke first, telling of some of the history of the area and his people.  Then there was a waiata to support his speech.  Following that, Mr Harrex did a whaikorero on behalf of our school.  He did a FANTASTIC job, using a lot of Te Reo.  After his speech he put down the koha (donation) and we sang "Tutira mai nga iwi" to support his speech.  We all sang loud and proud.  Lastly, we all got to hongi with our hosts.  Most of us were very nervous about this part of the process but it wasn't too bad.  Some of the children even got kissed on the cheek!  After the powhiri was over, we were welcomed into the wharekai (dining room) for a powhiri kai, which was delicious.

The powhiri was a bit boring but we didn't disrespect the Tangata Whenua - Lucie

When we were walking through the gate up to the wharenui it was hard to hear the lady calling - Max

I got a kiss from a lady during the hongi - Mac

The powhiri speeches were interesting - George

Mr Harrex did pretty well speaking in Maori - Regen

Here we all are standing beside our favourite piece of art work inside the wharenui.

The tukutuku patterns were very interesting - Connie

I had to sleep by some koru patterns - Paris

The carvings were cool but I think it would have taken a long time to make - Toby

I liked the big brown carving at the back, especially the tongue poking out - Max

All of the carvings were very creative - Alex

They put alot of effort into the art work - Jay

The kai at the marae was scrumptious.  We were served a delicious dinner of chicken, corned beef, potatoes, carrots, corn and salad, followed by jelly, fruit salad and ice-cream for dessert. Mmmmmm.  We did wonder how we would swim after that with such full bellies!

Dinner was really awesome, especially the chocolate cake - Kurt

The kai was really nice.  I thought it was going to be Maori food - Abby

All of the food was scrumptious - George

I liked the chocolate cake the best, even though I only had one bite because I was full - Max

I liked the supper before going to bed - Emma

I thought it would all be Maori food but it wasn't - Rubie

All 36 of us slept in the wharenui (apart from Mr Crawford who very wisely slept in the mattress room!)
It was a bit tricky for some of us to get to sleep, as there was a lot of rustling of sleeping bags as people tossed and turned.  There were also some unusual noises in the night!  Eventually we did all finally go to sleep - with the help of Mrs O and Mrs May sitting in the room until 11.30pm!!!!

It was really hard to get to sleep with a room full of people - Hamish

It was very stuffy and hot and hard to get to sleep - Alex

The paua eyes freaked me out - Alex

It was easy to sleep with no people snoring - George

It was weird sleeping under the tangi window - Regen

It was hard to get to sleep surrounded by carvings - Max

When the sun shone through the window I woke up early - Kate

Camp - Velodrome

Thursday 29th November - 3.30pm

Melissa from the Southland Velodrome met us and told us lots of interesting facts about the velodrome such as:

• It is 6 years old and is the only indoor velodrome in the Southern Hemisphere
• It has 55km of track!
• 360,000 nails were used to construct the track
• It is Olympic-sized and is one of the fastest indoor tracks in the world at sea level

Unfortunately you have to be about 10 years old before you can ride the special fixed wheel bikes (with no brakes).  Lots of us would have loved a turn on the track!

We were all amazed at how steep the track was at the top and were waiting and watching and hoping to see a cyclist ride up to the top... but it wasn't to be.

 After looking around at all of the memoriabillia, some of our class decided to run laps around the top of the velodrome.  Then it was time to head back to the marae.

I was surprised that there were 360,000 nails in the velodrome - Mac

I liked watching the cyclists and how they could go really fast - Kurt

I was impressed how a German person made it - Blake

Next time I want to see the cyclists going right up the top - Paris

Camp - Splash Palace

Thursday 29th November - 7.30pm

Splash Palace was most definitely the highlight of camp for most of Room 4.  The children all loved whizzing down the hydroslide and having fun playing in the pool with their teachers and the camp parents.  The inflatable boats were certainly a hit!  This proved to be a wonderful way to fill in a camp evening, with a late night to be had by the time we got back to the marae, had supper and headed off to bed.

It was really fun on the hydroslide - Jessica

Banging into Jenaya on the hydroslide gave me a really sore egg on my head - Rubie

The lights in the dark spots of the hydroslide were awesome - Jenaya

The pool was really warm and I loved when the waves came - Lucy W

I really loved the boats the best, especially when it was tipped up by the adults - Toby

The waves tipped the boat over when I was in it - Max

I really liked going in the deep end - Lucy S

Camp - Bill Richardson Truck Museum

Friday 30th November

Our first visit on Friday morning was to the Bill Richardson Truck Museum.  WOW it was HUGE!!!!  They have over 280 trucks there, which are all in fantastic condition.  One man spends an hour and a half, three days a week just dusting them all.  We all liked different trucks, with many of us stopping to pose for photos along the way.  We were also interested in the other various machinery and petrol bowsers on display.  This visit certainly appealed to the boys!  Unfortunately the truck museum curator was sick so wasn't there to tell us some of the stories behind the trucks.

Camp - Tuataras and lunch

Our visit to see the tuataras at the Southland Museum was more than we expected!  Lindsay, the tuatara curator, got one of the tuataras out and let us all touch it.  We had to be careful to keep our hands away from it's head!  Lindsay held it on his hand for a while, while he talked about tuataras and answered our great questions.  We were surprised to find out that there were 90 tuataras at present in the Southland Museum.

Our final stop for camp was at Queens Gardens where we ate 'chip butties' in the band rotunda before heading for home.  It was a lovely relaxing way to finish camp.  Some of us even had quick explore of Queens Park before getting in our cars for the trip back to Lawrence.

Thank you so much to all of the parents who gave up two days to transport us to and from camp, as well as around Invercargill.  Mrs O and Mrs May have made a note for next time to make sure we have plenty of maps and street directions for all of the drivers - so no-one gets lost!