Bush School Update: 

Whaea Nicole is passionate about outdoor education and hands-on, environmental learning. We have had a Wednesday Bush School operating for a number of years now. It sparked interest from the previous Minister of Education, Jan Tinetti, and Ministry of Education officials. Our ERO (Education Review Office) partner loved what Nicole was doing and saw tremendous benefits accruing from this programme.

This year, we have increased levels of Classroom Release time for our teachers - it still doesn't match what secondary school teachers get, but it is an improvement and a step in the right direction.

For a number of years, we have had Music and Māori programmes provided by Music Maestro Mark McLay and Matua Aaron McGreal for children to engage in while their teacher is on Classroom Release. This year, we have added Specialist Art to our CRT programme - led by gifted art teacher Philippa Davis.

We have also moved Whaea Nic to full-time Bush School. Wednesdays are for her special group, as always, but the other four days a week, she provides Bush School and Enviro Garden programmes for children to cover the additional Classroom Release now being provided.

This is another brilliant opportunity for our children to expand their learning beyond the traditional and beyond the four classroom walls. It is teaching them incredibly important values, skills, attitudes and dispositions that they will hopefully carry throughout their lives.

At left is an image of the collaborative base children in our Ngahere are working on.

Their number one bush school rule is 'Respect', and they demonstrate this by not breaking down other people's work; they can add to it but not mess with it. 

Our Bush School children have had many discussions about how to strengthen walls and supports and use natural materials to shelter from the rain. 

A reminder to parents that it's a good idea for Bush School students to keep a spare pair of long pants in their bag for bush school, especially if they are loved by the mozzies.

Whaea Nic is very dedicated to outdoor learning and to creating and crafting. Last holidays she attended an outdoor crafting workshop where she worked on a piece of Pohutukawa timber that she had been gifted.

Nic began the long process of chiselling and carving a taonga that represents the four elements of earth, wind, water and fire.

In time it will become a special trophy to be awarded to a year six at their end of year graduation ceremony. Kudos to Nic for her passion, commitment and kindness.