Pike River Coalmine Disaster

Our class has been following the Pike River Coalmine disaster, and on Thursday we heard on the news that there is little hope that the miners will be rescued alive.

We had a special assembly and lit candles and watched a special clip on the data projector about the miners, the coalmine, the rescuers and miners families. Our school raised $150.00 to send to the Mayor of Greymouth to help the miners families. Children from the classroom spoke about the disaster and Rowan and Luke read the letter they wrote to Mr John Key, the Prime Minister of NZ.

Everyone in the school lit a candle. The school hall looked lovely with all the lights along the stage.

More spotty pots by St Vincent Room

Paper Mache Bowls

We have just finished our paper mache bowls and they are beautiful.

It was very tricky to get the wet bits of gluey paper to stick to the vaseline,

which we had smeared all over our bowls. After 3 layers of paper mache,

we chose a base colour and then the fun bit, decorating.

We did spots, like native art in Australia. Lots of spots, lines of spots, korus of spots,

circles of spots and random spots.

Cabin Passengers

Cabin passengers were given better beds and food on The Clifford. Isaac and Shone got to dress up as the Toffs.

Monday Leadership Course.

Each Monday, Aaron, Imogen, Jazmin, Louis, Rowan and I go out to Clifton Tce. School to play games and to find out about new games to play at lunch time. We are showing kids back at school the new games. The schools that are there are Hira School, Clifton Tce School and APS. Helen Clark teaches us fun games that usually include sports. Our parents do the transport out and bring us back. At the end of the year we are going to have a swim in the Clifton Tce. Pool.

Brearna and Louis

Zulu Wars

Charge!

"For Queen and country", we all yelled as we charged across the sun baked grass.

"Zulu, Zulu" screamed the Zulu warriors as they raced towards us, holding their zulu shields and spears. But it wasn't for real...we got to play soldiers and native warriors in our own playground. Alf's Army visited us and after we learn about The Battle of Rorkes Drift in 1879, we got to make spears, swords and our own shields. The army shields were decorated with lions and flags. The zulu shields looked really wild in animals prints, zebra and leopard.

Then the fun bit....out to the paddock and the battle commenced. Military nurses raced around reviving the fallen and dead, who managed to staggered to their feet and fight another fight!!

Learning to tie reef knots.

Left over right and under, right over left and under!!!

Jane taught us how to tie knots. It was quite a challenge.

The Clifford

‘‘Land ahoy,Port Nelson’‘, shouted one of the crew. We have seen land came across the Tasman Bay. I was relieved that we were almost there, because we had been on board for four months.

It was terrible on the boat during the storms, the waves were crashing against the boat so you couldn’t get to sleep. You also had to share a cabin with the rest of your family even if there was five people in the family. We are in cabin class, so it’s not so full of people. We were in the cabins so it was more comfortable than in the steerage.

On the main deck there were always lots of people. the people from steerage brought their mattresses up and dried them when it was sunny. Little boys ran around and lots of chickens crowing all day. The first night on the Clifford every one was being sick. The people next to us just had a baby, they named it after the boat, Clifford. The baby started crying it didn’t stop crying until an hour had gone past. You couldn’t even hear yourself talking with a new born baby crying as loud as it can.

The next day it was exiting because it was the first day of school and I was ready to meet some new friend’s to play with. There is a lot of subjects to do at school. The teacher is real nice. Mostly when it is play time my friend’s and I always play with Clifford the baby.

When my family gets on shore we are going to build a house and I ‘m going to keep some chickens and my own dog.

By Eden Rutherfurd.

My name is Corbin and I live on a special boat at the Nelson Marina. I've just come back from sailing across the Pacific. I saw some pretty nice places. Next I want to go to India and Africa. I love curry. My friend Nico loves curry too. On the Raven we made curry for our dinners. Now we living on Nico's boat, she's called Tank Girl. She's the only boat with a yellow hull in Nelson. Corbin

The Seagull Man

Last Thursday, Ralph Hetzel, the Seagull Man came to show us one of his Southern Black Backed Gulls, that he had made. The seagull was made from clay. The "Seagull Man originally came from America. He sailed around the Pacific Ocean in a yacht to New Zealand. Before he came to New Zealand he stayed at some of the islands of Rarotonga, Tonga and Fiji. This is where he saw lots of Southern Black Backed seagulls. When he decided to make his home in Nelson he used the seagulls for his inspiration and started making ceramic seagulls to go on his roof. Visitors to his house asked him to make seagulls for them. Now he sends seagulls all over the world. Look out for them all over Nelson. The real ones and the ceramic ones! I think the ceramic ones are fabulous. They are quite cartoony because their eyes are in the wrong place.

Written by Alex Thompson of St Vincent Room at Auckland Point School.

Nelson crew saves 45 after boat founders

On the 11th of August at 4.40am a Korean fishing trawler was fishing for southern whiting on the Chatham Rise, near the Chatham Islands but for some reason the trawler was sinking! So the trawler sent out a "mayday" "mayday" to the closest ship. So the Atlantis came speeding to the rescue and tugged the Korean fishermen from the trawler to safety . Then the 45 sailors had to stay on Atlantis but they didn't get to sleep in cabins and the cook was probably so stressed. But they got them all to safety in Christchurch. The Atlantis crew are our heroes.
Written by Imogen Scholfield

the miss spotty dottys

One day my BFF came for a sleep over but her Mum and Dad didn't realise that she had the chicken pox. So my Mum looked at the spot on her head and said that she had the chicken pox. Our parents decided we could go over to Imo's instead. "It is a secret"they told us and we started screaming our head's off. About an hour later Imogen's Mum ordered pizza. When we were finished our dinner we found out the secret it was instead of Imogen sleeping at my house I went to her house so I got my things ready and left. When we woke the next morning she was covered in spots. Two weeks later I got them too. But Imo got them much worse than me!! written by Eden

On Thursday we are having a day where past student and teachers can come and share their memories with us. Some kids are going to welcome them at the gate. When they come into the hall we are going to sing two of our Kapa Haka songs to welcome them. After that we are going to sing the national anthem for them .We are also going to sing some other songs for them. We are going to show them around the school. We will ask them about what they did at our school. They are getting a cup of tea and scones for afternoon tea.Written by Alex Thompson

A.P.S. vs Hira

Our class had been practicing non stop for the huge game against Hira. In the first half Zykiel was goalkeeper, I played central midfielder. A.P.S. were very unlucky because it was seniors vs juniors.

Zykiel conceded 2 goals. Vincent our defender played as a terrible forward but our real forwards played excellently. The problem for us was their midfield because whenever we got a break they easily tackled us. In the second half Luke played not so well in goal and conceded 3 goals. The

ref called a goal when one of their players kicked the ball, Luke saved it but then they tapped

out of his hands I called out "no goal" but too late he'd already called the goal. In the last minute

of the game Hira took a corner. I accidently lashed my foot out and it skimmed my foot, our

defenders moved away from the ball and it ended up in the back of the net. the final score in our game was 5-0 to Hira. Rowan and I

probably deserved man of the match in our team. Rion would've got man of the match in the

big kids team and they won 1-0. After both of the games I talked to the principal of Hira called Toni.

By Louis

A.P.S through the decades after noon tea

This Thursday some senior citzens who are coming to our school. They are going to come to visit their old school. Some kids are going to stand at the gate and guide the senior citzens in. Then we will all sing the national anthem and then we'll sing two kapa haka songs. We'll guide a senior citzens to most of the places around our school, like the swimming pool, the new kindy, the dental clinic, the classrooms and the Edible Gardens. Then everyone will sit down and we will sit down with the senior citzens and talk. We will ask if they want a cup of tea and anything to eat. We'll ask them questions about what it was like at A.P.S in the past. Some our our visitors will be old pupils and some will be old teachers and some might even be young.

Written by Imogen Scholfield

APS VS HIRA

On Friday Hira School came to our school to have a game of soccer. We walked on the field with confidence and got in our positions. When the Ref blew the whistle they passed a lot but Louis got the ball.He took a run down the field and Rowan came by so Louis passed to Rowan. He only had the goalie to beat so he had a shot but the goalkeeper saved it. In about 6 minutes it was halftime and we had a feed of oranges. After half time I went in goal and the positions changed. When the Ref blew the whistle Rowan did his middle kick. When I got the ball I took a big run and shot but it was a shame that I missed (if I got the ball in the goal it would have made us do a bit better). The final score was 5-0. Hira won. After our game we had sausages and a drink and then walked back to the field and sat on the sideline to watch the big kids play their game. They did very well. I think that Rion was the star player. He did very well in goal. When the big kids finished their game we asked Hira School if they wanted to vs both of our teams but they had to go, so we went back in class. We hope we get invited out there to play sport sometime.

By Luke

Visitor from South Africa

Imogen invited her neighbour who is visiting Nelson from South Africa to join us for a day. Carmen enjoyed it so much she came back for a second day. She is going to live in Angolia in September.We googled Angolia and studied maps to find out about this African country.

Some facts we found out.....

* It has the richest oil fields in the world

*There has been a civil war in Angolia for 27 years.

*Angolia is trying to rebuild after years of war.

*Angolian kids love soccer.

*It is very hot in Angolia.

In the photo we posed with Carmen on the climbing wall and tower.

Auckland Point through the decades

Our school is learning about A.P.S. through the decades and we are inviting people to come to our school and share with us about when they went in the olden days to our school. There will be scones and tea. We will do the haka and sing some songs for the visitors. We will ask the customers questions about when they were at A.P.S. We would like the customers to bring photos for us to see and you can describe whats going on. It is on August the 26th at 1.30pm. by Luke Coleman

Kapa Haka Performanceat Theatre Royal

On Saturday afternoon some of the children went to the Theater Royal for a rehearsal. Matua Madson played his guitar. We sang five songs in Maori. That night it was A.P.S childrens turn an to go on the stage and we sang God of Nations and then four waitia . When we had finished we got changed. We got same lollies and a drink of juice. I really enjoyed it. From Rowan.

Off to Otaki

Issac is off to Otaki for a month. He has a camera so we are looking forward to getting some photos of the flight up to Wellington, his new room, his new friends and some of the exciting things they do at Otaki Health Camp.

Auckpork Pig

Soup Day was on Friday, so our class trooped off to the school gardens to choose some vegetables to flavour our soups.

We were shocked to discover that a pig had been rooting through the bark paths surrounding our Edible Gardens. A pig at school! We live in Nelson, near State Highway 6…No!

The next morning brought fresh evidence of our porcine visitor.

But pigs in the city? …NO!

“A large hedgehog”, suggested Ricky

“Rats!” said Alex.

It’s nocturnal and a carnivore and as it had rooted under a seat it was small, the children decided.

Time to call in the experts. A quick call to Nelmac and their expert, Dave Newton arrived.

“Yes a pig”, he agreed, after much head scratching and close inspection of the widespread newspaper and bark.

We brainstormed. What next? Matt’s dad goes pig hunting. Regan has a gun and a pack of pig dogs. Louis’s dad catches weka in a ‘catch em alive’ trap for release. Poisoned bait! But pig dogs in the city? Guns in the city? Poison in our playground? We think not.

Perhaps someone out there might have a solution.

So far our night visitor had only ripped up our bark paths, but we had worked hard to build our Edible Gardens this year and been watching and waiting eagerly for our crops to be harvested.

We rang the Nelson Mail, our local newspaper and told them our story.

Martin and Charlie, a photographer and a reporter arrived and interviewed us.

Matt wrote to his dad ,asking him if he could sort our problem. Louis’s dad was contacted regarding the traps. Regan ruled out pig dogs in the city. And we all knew that guns aren’t allowed in town.

Friday Soup Day however, was a great success. We harvested our vegetables and made Beetroot and Cumin soup, Leek and Potato soup and Dinosaur Bone soup (vegetable and pasta). Other classes produced tasty soups for us to sample.

Saturday night’s copy of the newspaper carried a photo and article under the headline “Porcine visitor……”. Louis’s family staked out the school yard with a homemade noose and chicken bones. No luck! Dogs were heard on the bank behind the school on Saturday morning.

Monday morning, we all arrived back at school almost expecting that our vegetables would be totalled.

But nothing…just rows of leeks, carrots, onions, beetroot, cabbages, broccoli and kohi glistening in the frost.

And then it was solved. Martin De Ruyter, the photographer from the Nelson Mail arrived with a photo.

‘Pig Captured’ said the headline.

It was a morning full of visitors, because next came Allan, the pig captor extraodinaire. And he gave us the sequel to the story. It turned out it was Allans 30^th wedding anniversary and he had arranged to meet the SPCA ranger for the pig handover in one of the city malls, where Allan was to pick up his wife. He raced into her shop and announced that the pet she had always wanted was in the truck and he had got it for their anniversary. Upon seeing it, she screamed and gave the little pig such a fright the laundry bag containing the pig jumped out of the container and onto the truck deck.

So pig was handed over and after Allan had made a quick trip to the duty doctor for a tetanus shot and collected anti biotics for his bitten finger, they were able to go and celebrate.

Three children visited the SPCA at lunchtime to see the little pig and photograph it. Summer, a receptionist took us up to the dog enclosure and there in a dog basket almost covered with straw was our pig. It woke up and we were able to see just our tiny she was. No more than 60 centimetres

We named her Auckpork Pig.

We hope she is claimed and has the opportunity to live out her days somewhere peaceful and with plenty of worms.

Several people had rung the school to report seeing the pig before it turned up at school, on traffic islands, running up the footpath and near a main road. We’ve all written stories about how she came to visit our school, but only Auckpork Pig knows the real story and she isn’t talking!

By The St Vincent Room Kids at Auckland Point School

School stilts

Isaac, Matt and me made stilts. We used old seats. We made them for all the kids. Gabel helped us design our stilts. Grace helped us and Gabel paint them. I think they look really good.

By Steven

Interesting masks

Some big people from the Teachers College came to talk about and show us their masks. I really liked this one because it was made of flax. The student told us how he made it and what it was about. Whaitiri

Save Now
Rob the champion fish filleter.

Our adopted ship brought us a big box of frozen fish from their last tow.

When we went down to visit Enterprise our Skipper Lee gave it to us.

When we got back to school we opened it up and inside were frozen fish.

We talked about them. We drew them and we learnt lots about them. The fish were

Ghost shark

Hoki

Hake

Arrow squid

Star grazer

We needed to know how to get the fillets off the bones. We wrote to Rob the champion fish filleter from Guytons. We saw a story about him in the newspaper. By Brearna.

Regula, Teacher from Switzerland

We have been fortunate enough to have had a teacher from Switzerland working with us in St Vincent Room. Regula teaches in Davos in southern Switzerland near the Italian border. She speaks English fluently, having been to NZ many times to work on the skiing fields up north. We hope when the new school year starts in Switzerland, that we will be able to email her class and exchange news. They are to introduce English into their curriculum this year at Regula's class level. We cooked and shared a fondue meal, a first for most children. The cheese and chocolate fondues were a great hit. Apple and bread were used to dip in the cheese fondue. Marshmellows, apple, kiwifruit, banana and pineapple were the treats, we dipped into the chocolate fondue. Regula taught the children how to make a special Swiss Christmas breadman. The children were delighted with their efforts as the photos show.

Founders Park

As a thank you for making the ANZAC Poppies, Debbie Daniel Smith took us to Founders Park to visit The Maritime Museum. On a wet, windy and very cold Friday, we met up with Debbie, Mike Whittle and Gordon Murphy in the Windmill at Founders. Mike and Gordon are both experts on Maritime history of Nelson. Gordon is an old boy of Auckland Point School and his uncle donated the collection of ships in bottles to the Museum. He also told us about life at Auckland Point School during WW2. Apparently there were air raid shelters in the middle of our playground (where the netball court is now). Mike drew the children's attention to a figure head high up on the wall, and told us the amazing story of the Gibbs family. You could have heard a pin drop, as he wove this tale of shipwreck, despair and survival. After a visit to the Museum, we were treated to morning tea, prepared by the restaurant. So we all sat around a roaring gas heater in the Grainary and munched on cheese scones with lashing of jam and whipped cream!

Planting Spinifex at Back Beach

We were invited to take part in planting of grasses at the Back Beach in early June. One of our favourite Nelmac workers was there. We helped Steve plant the magnolias in the Moller Fountain Reserve last year.

A bus collected us at the school gate and with several parents to assist us we arrived on the most perfect sunny Nelson day (after 2 weeks of rain!) Steve and his helper Pete had laid out the grasses and after inspection of the erosion and a talk about the need to reclaim the dunes, the children began their task. There was great excitement at unearthing enormous huhu grubs in the sand. They were found on buried logs. Each one was placed in the basket with our morning tea, for later inspection and sketching!