School Camps

With just two weeks of school left for 2012 we are feeling the pinch of this being an eight week term. Teachers are very busy with camp activities. Room 6 have just returned from a very successful camp in Wellington and Room 3 had a great overnight camp at school on Friday evening. Rooms 4 and 5 are gearing up to head off to camp on Monday and staff and children alike are very excited.

Camps take a great deal of preparation. For anyone who has been camping with their family you will know how much preparation is involved in camping. If you keep this in mind you soon realise how much organisation is involved with a school camp. All of the school staff work tirelessly before and during camps to make them the best learning experience possible.

As always our camps would not be a success if it were not for the support of our school families who help the children prepare for camp and offer to assist in camps when needed.

Camps - A Resounding Success

Every year a great deal of planning goes into making our camps a challenging and satisfying experience for all involved. Our Year 3 children had a wonderful time staying in tents overnight on the school grounds. Our Year 4 - 6 children experienced three days in Hamner.

I had the pleasure of taking our Year 7 and 8 students to Arthur's Pass where we stayed in the Arthur's Pass Outdoor Education Centre. This was a wonderful facility located in the heart of Arthur's Pass Township. Each day was action packed with activities such as: visiting Flock Hill Station - where we saw sheep dogs in action. We also learnt about wool sorting and just how important wool is to our economy. We also walked Bealey Spur, crossed the Waimakariri River, and participated in orienteering and stretcher making.

The parents at camp saw the children having so much fun on the 'blind trail' that the parents asked the children to blindfold them and lead them through it. Great fun was had by everyone.

We were very lucky with the weather. In fact one day we walked in sunshine and ended up having a snowball fight at our destination.

Education Outside The Classroom takes a lot of organising but the rewards are well worth it.

Thank you to all of our parents who supported our camps.