Year 6 camp was to be a grand one. Overnight tenting at Bowentown camp-ground, a hike over to Shelley Bay, swimming, snorkelling, BMX biking and a touch of fishing before a graduation dinner at the Flat White Cafe at night.
The next day we intended to cycle down to the Waihi Beach Surf Life Saving club, where we were to join the rest of the school for a Beach Education programme.
Well........ it didn't work out quite like that!
Oh how it rained!
We did get to swim.
And we did get to eat!
No matter, we had a good time anyway!
Down at the Surf Life Saving Club the lifeguards and the rest of the school was waiting.
After lots and lots of practice it was all go at Waimata on Friday afternoon. Running, jumping, hurling, throwing, and putting the 'shot', everyone had a go at everything.
The sprints were very competitive. They were followed by the relays. It was a race between 6 teams with big and little all mixed up. Even Zavai, who has only been at school a couple of days, gave everything a go!
Our last event of the term was the Talent Quest. This was attended by many family members and it was great to see some new faces among them. (Mind you, who wouldn't want to see these children perform!)
On the recorders, Alanah and Taylar, Equa and Kimi were intrepid musicians. The ballet dancers Taine, John and Blake were in perfect synchrony accompanied as they were by Whaea Kate on the piano.
Our duet, Taylar and Landau on the other hand sang without any accompaniment at all! Well done girls. Sarah and Brieanah ad libbed their way through a romantic fairy story with hand made props and Taine was the lone magician.
The overwhelming stars were the dancers. The girls from room 2, choreographed by themselves and performed beautifully and the two acts from Room 3 put together with lots of personal talent fostered by Mrs Roycroft and Mrs Hose.
We should have entered these acts in the Waihi Beach Talent Quest. We would have been winners for sure!
Our Disco.
Almost everyone from Waimata was here and many of our friends and family as well. The hall was all decorated with streamers and balloons and Tina brought amazing stamp on lights which were laid out on the floor.
The dancing started at 6pm and went on until almost eight. There were prizes for the best costumes, best dancers and last in, for games like spin the bottle. We did the limbo and the Mexican hop. When we got hot or short on energy there were cool drinks and snacks to revitalise us.
What fun!
Our latest inquiry was around how climate and physical location affect what food countries produce and what the people eat for breakfast.
We divided into groups, Spanish, Mexican, German, Filipino, French and Japanese. We located our country on a map of the world and researched what we would eat for breakfast. The teachers helped us prepare the breakfast and we helped them to eat it!
Then a week later we all met for breakfast at school. But this one was a real kiwi breakfast; boiled eggs, toast, weetbix, stewed fruit and, of course, Fonterra milk! It was kind of fun sitting down to eat breakfast together in Room 5.
At Waimata we
receive free milk to supplement our diet and ensure healthy bones.
Fonterra Milk for Schools is meticulously planned to provide for more than just
physical health however. We are shown how to fold each empty carton,
along with the straws and to place them in a bin provided and collected by
Fonterra. The contents are collected and sent to Thailand. There
they are recycled and converted into a number of commodities, one of which is roofing
tiles. This opens our children's eyes to the possibilities of
recycling. Leadership and responsibility is fostered through
the selection of monitors to deliver the milk to classrooms, manage the
storage of the milk and the recycling.
You might have thought you were in France, Germany, the Philippines, Japan or Mexico if you arrived at Waimata School on Wednesday 31st of July for Breakfast!
We divided into groups and prepared the style of breakfast that people from different countries would traditionally eat. There was French bread with maple syrup, tortillas, miso soup, fried rice and yummy cheese, sausage, brown bread and fresh fruit from Germany.
We learned that the climate in each country affects what is produced there and this in turn affects what people eat.
Lots of lovely fruit grows in the warm countries near the equator.
We may be small, but when it comes to paddling our waka, 'we sure pack a punch!'
We had a good time at the Community Celebration. All the schools and some of the Early Childhood centres were there to watch and to perform. We sang Toia te Waka and while it may not seem like it in this photo, Mrs Hose class represented the ocean in their blue and green t shirts and their waving tinsel. Taine beat the time with a taiaha and Landau led us in. The boys had rakau and the girls did the poi. We may not have been the best kapahaka group there but "hey, we had a good time!"
Blake Thomas receiving his awards from Susan Tinsley
Sir Peter Blake inspired all New Zealanders to dare to dream and to have the drive and determination to make their dreams come true. At Waimata School we all wore red socks or other red
items on Red Socks Day,to celebrate Sir Peter Blake's life and contributions.
Then at our final assembly for the term, Blake Thomas was presented a Sir Peter Blake Young Leaders Award; a medal and a certificate, in recognition of his leadership within his school and the community. Waihi Westpac bank manager, Susan Tinsley presented these to Blake.
Blake plays many sports, with good attitude and fair play. He represented the Waihi Cluster in athletics last year and swimming this year.
He is a great singer and enjoys performing in our school productions. Blake is not a afraid to take up a challenge, (such as speaking in maori at our visit to the Otawhiwhi marae) Most importantly, Blake makes his own decisions and demonstrates a strong sense of justice.
Well done Blake. We are proud of you
A
high light of our past week was the Ultimate X Country which Whaea Kate
organized for the senior students. It
was literally raining cats and dogs when we arrived at the Smeaton farm, but
excitement was running high. We kids followed brother Malcolm’s quad bike
through long wet grass, up hills, down hills, across the paddocks, through the creek and back finally to the
cow shed where we hosed off the mud
and changed into the dry clothes
(If we had remembered to bring them!) Back at school, revived with a hot Milo topped with marshmallows, we were all still bubbling with a sense of excitement and great achievement.
Thank you Whaea Kate. That was ULTIMATE!
On Wednesday 13 of June we travelled down to Bowentown where we spent the day on the Otawhiwhi Marae. While many of us had been on a marae before; for almost of all of us Otawhiwhi, was a whole new experience. How sad when it is so close to home!
We were a little nervous at first when we gathered at the gate of the marae. Our teachers had taught us "girls in front, boys behind. no sun glasses, hands out of pockets, hoodies off and keep your head down". Eventually we heard the strange and yet beautiful call of the karanga beckoning us on to the paepae. We walked slowly as we had been taught and when the karanga stopped we stopped too. This was so we could take time to think about all those who had gone before us but who are no longer alive; our tipuna.
We took off our shoes and sat down on the right hand side of the wharenui. This time it was boys and men in the front and girls and women in the back row. An old man, a kaumatua, stood to talk to us in Maori. We heard the words Waimata, kura and tamariki so we knew he was welcoming us . When he had finished the others; the tangata whenua,,who sat beside him, stood and supported him with a waiata. It was beautiful!.
We had invited Thor Ribena, a friend of the school, who speaks Maori, to stand and speak for us. He did so well. Then we stood and sang Titiro Mai Nga Iwi to support him. We did really well too and I think the tangata whenua were surprised by how well these manuhiri (that was us) could sing. Thor delivered our gift or koha then it was time for the hongi!
We had practised it at school and Ms B said it might make us nervous "but no nonsense". We didn't need to worry. Some of the tangata whenua pressed noses but some shook our hands and others just gave us a high 5.
Morning tea, when it came was wonderful. The tables were all laid out like a big birthday party. We were very hungry. I think it was because we had been concentrating so hard on the formalities and making our teachers proud of us.
Once our pukus were full, a different type of learning began. We were divided into four groups, littlies with biggies which is the Waimata way. We learned how to weave flax, make string patterns, sing the Matariki waiata and identify the meanings behind the tukutuku patterns and the carvings in the wharenui. The whaea who taught us were very caring and patient. We learned so much from them! Lunch time came way to soon.
.
After lunch Thor took the boys down to the waterfront to learn the haka and Kararaina, the kaiako from the kohunga; the lady who did the karanga; taught the girls a poi dance.
Sadly it was time to say good bye. Thor spoke, again in Maori, Ms B spoke but not in Maori and then our very own Blake got up and thanked the tangata whenua in their own language. The boys all supported him with a rousing haka and the girls did their poi dance .
What a finale to a great day. Thank you to the whanau at Otawhiwhi!.
On Friday 7th of June, Taine and John cleaned up their competition at the Waihi Cluster Inter- School X country at Morgan Park.
Taine, a year 5 boy and John a year 6, both won decisive victories over contestants from five other schools. Both are expected to go on to the North Cluster Event.
Watch this space!
Oh what a team, . We may not be the tallest , or the biggest, but "we sure pack a punch". Our defence is great, and Lorraine our coach has us how taught us great ball handling skill.s More importantly we know how to play as a team.
We are simply Magic!
On Friday May 31st we ran our school cross country. Many of our parents came along to support us. It was a long run for the Room 3 kids, longer for the Room 2's and then Room1 seemed to be lost in the kiwi fruit orchard for ever!
We had been training each morning at school for a long time but we had never actually run through the kiwi fruit until Friday. It was very shady in there and the kiwi fruit vines hung low in our faces. Some of the senior kids had to bend over so that they didn't hit their head!
It was hard work but fun. Next step.... the inter school cross country this Friday at Morgan Park!
All But the Teachers!
Over the past two weeks everyone but the teachers had a go at roller blading. The Miners in line Hockey Club at Waihi invited the children from all the schools to come along to the Event Centre and have a go at skating and even a little roller hockey.
Everything we needed was provided; Roller blades, knee pads, elbow pads, even butt pads.
Dave, a neat guy with a funny accent from Canada, taught us how to fall over, get up, bend our knees, keep our feet shoulder width apart and lean forward when we got the wobbles.
There were lots of other helpers there too, mostly students from the college who play In line hockey, and their parents. We were well looked after!
After a lot of tumbling and falling, laughing and groaning, most or us were gliding carefully around the rink and a few were racing! Who knows some of us may make skating or in line hockey a career one day.
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| Purple Heroes |
We found whatever purple clothing we could and dressed up for the day. The teachers even sprayed their hair purple! Many of us bought a gold coin donation and that money was given towards epilepsy aid. It's fun to be a little kinky sometimes and all in a good cause.
We went to the Hop!
Here we are at the Hop!
Wednesday 20 March and yes, the whole school went to the Waihi Warm Up party for the Beach Hop. We were the only school to perform and by far the best! Mrs Roycroft and Mrs Hose, Whaea Kate, Mrs Davis and even Mr Wells, danced and sang along with us each day as we practised our rock'n roll songs: "Let's go to the Hop", "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Green Door".
We were all very excited, and a little bit nervous as we arrived at the Memorial hall and saw a large crowd gathering to watch us. But then the music started and we were on a roll! Everyone sang, lots of us danced and some played the percussion.
The audience joined in and clapped and clapped when we were finished.
The Lazy Days of Summer!
Friday 8 March. We spent almost all day at Sapphire Springs. Swimming, playing cricket and picnicking.
Lots of families came and shared the day with us. It was awesome. Why can't every school day be that much fun!
The last few weeks have been strenuous for Waimata children; each morning they have been out training for the school triathlon and in the afternoons... why, they have been out training for the swimming sports!
The school triathlon was well supported by the school community (and the swimming sports were a bit of a hit too). We sent seven students through to the Waihi Cluster Swimming interschool event and four of them made it into the top three in the finals and may go through to represent Waihi in the North cluster event.
Go Waimata!
Waimata School's Christmas float showcased our gift for the future... Children who show empathy, respect, a strive for excellence, and a concern for the environment.
We wish our family and viewers a Merry Christmas and a successful end to 2012.
On Wednesday 13 December the Year 5 and 6 students all left for Opoutere where we stayed in the youth hostel, high above the Opoutere estuary. It was just a short walk across a bridge which was wonderful for bombing off at high tide and through the pine forest to an amazing long sandy beach with wild surf.
We spent three action packed days, kayaking, swimming, collecting shell fish, climbing the mountain, fishing and bombing off the bridge. Some people loved to do the cooking, others hated doing the dishes! But Whaea Kate and Ms B said they were really proud of the way we all pulled together and supported each other.
Our only complaint about camp was that it was far too short!
