Year 4 camp

Jared, Natalie and Lucy organised and ran the Year 4 camp. Thanks so much. It takes a lot of work outside of the classroom and away from your families and friends. Parent helpers were much appreciated too as we can't do these extras without people taking time from work and other commitments. I always look forward to looking for the children that shine on camp that we might miss in the classroom. I wasn't disappointed as we saw some of our shy and retiring children become the bold adventurers.
I love the sounds of children and staff laughing as they face new challenges and take the time to have fun together.
A special thanks to Mike who set up Team Challenges in Centennial Park so the children had to work as teams to complete the tasks. Maata and I had a great deal of fun in the supervisory capacity!!!

"I'm a Chubby Bunny," can't be a good expression when ones mouth is full of large marshmallows.

There's trouble when the teachers decide to set a terrible example and fight each other with shaving cream. 

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Hangi Bill's 20th anniversary celebration

When your caretaker says that he wants to celebrate 20 years at our school by organising the hangi himself and by respecting tikanaga as closely as possible, you sit up and listen.
We fed 430 people with a huge variety of kai: wild pork, venison, lamb, beef, pork, mussels, eel, salads, paua, veges, paua patties and my favourite steamed puddings and ice cream. Everything done in the hangi except the ice cream. The children did the vege preparation and the majority of the steam pudding preparation. This was part of their learning for the term about pre-European settlement in New Zealand and some of the events leading up to and beyond Te Tiriti o Waitangi. if you have not tasted Bill's hangi baked steamed puddings you have not lived.
The children learned a lot by hands-on, get in and do it and observe the traditions. This was the focus of their learning in the day and the had the opportunity to see it all come together in context.
Our beautiful staff serve the community with the kai and that means so much for all of us in terms of how we view our community and our partnership with them.

Children's Garden Show at The Horticultural Centre

The children's gardens have been created with the assistance of Trish Harrison and Cath Pratten. The theme was reuse and recycle. Maata added her Pinterest  treasures and the children made wind chimes from old keys and garden implements. She also sourced old teapots for the bird feeder. Everything in the garden is either pre-loved or recycled to a new purpose. The children and parents have had an opportunity to flourish alongside the plants. I am astounded by the levels of creativity and magic. West Spreydon School community really does mean just that. Thank you to everyone who created living magic with the children. You have my gold medal.