International & Regional Engagement

Hospitality Paddock to Plate 

On Tuesday 14 March, our Year 11 Hospitality class caught the bus out to Windermere to learn about mushroom propagation and fresh produce. Once we arrived, Ms Howarth welcomed us and led us down to the garden beds where she explained to us how we would be growing our own mushrooms. She first demonstrated how to mix the wet cardboard and dishwashing liquid together and then add the grain which had been used as a food source for the mushroom mycelium to feed and grow on. Once mixed, while wearing gloves we placed it into zip lock bags and removed all air before sealing the bags. We poked two holes in the bag and covered them with medical tape. Eventually the mushrooms will push the tape away and grow up through the holes. Once they have grown, we will harvest and cook with them in class. 

After we had a go at planting our own, we picked a few items from the garden and took them up to the BBQ. We cooked eggplant, onion and zucchini, along with fresh eggs and some bacon. Everyone took turns cooking and we all ended up with delicious egg, bacon, onion and vegetables. After cleaning up and holding the baby chicks we walked back to the bus and headed back to school.

We all had a great time and enjoyed our time out of the classroom.

By Chloe, Emma, Charlie and Jess, Year 11 Hospitality 

Junior School Round Square

Year 6 have been increasing their understanding of what it means to attend a Round Square school. Students have been working in their House groups with staff mentors to plan activities for younger year groups, to research their House’s history, to lead assemblies, to run House Musters and maintain notice boards. It has been a term of growth and character building with a lot of fun thrown in!

Gordon House chose to explore the IDEAL of Adventure this term. Students organised three lunchtime sports activities (basketball, touch football and dodgeball). This required them to email Mr Jones regarding borrowing sports equipment, discussing how do look after younger students if they are playing with older, bigger students, announce to the rest of the Junior School that sports were an option and umpire.

Brown House has picked the Environmentalism IDEAL this term. As part of this, students have organised a Windermere Clean Up day. Here, students in Year 6 are taking students in Year 4 to the farm where they will clean up areas of the farm that need some TLC. Students were required to contact Ms Howarth for permission, create an invitation for Year 4, think of an educational activity to do with Year 4, as well as a budget for the sausage sizzle lunch. 

This term Douglas House has combined work in the Environmentalism and Adventure IDEALS by developing the concept of the Douglas Greenhouse. Students have been discussing options with Mrs Haydon in the Senior School about suitable plants and growing methods to use in the greenhouse so that they can continue to grow vegetables during winter. Once these systems are in place, the aim is to invite other Junior School students to join Douglas House Year 6 in maintaining and harvesting the 'fruits of their labour'.

In Term 1, McLachlan House is running Junior School Assemblies and assisting in the Drop Off Zone in the morning before school as part of the Service IDEAL. For assemblies they have shared preparation and presenting duties. As part of their Service to the Junior School there is a weekly roster for our Year 6 students to assist the staff member on duty in the morning at the Drop Off Zone. They greet our Junior School students with a cheery welcome and assist our younger students gather their equipment and head off to their classrooms.

Term 2 will see each House take on a different IDEAL and build on their character strengths and leadership skills. It has been an exciting start to the year and staff cannot wait to watch and support students in their next adventure.

Douglas House: 

McLachlan House:

TWIG

Following on from the excitement of the Windermere Open Day, the Junior and Senior TWIG groups celebrated all their successes on Thursday afternoon. The senior students guided the junior students through the making of some 'super special, top secret recipe brownies'. Following this, a scavenger hunt in the Ag Plot saw the students looking at and learning about some of the vegetables growing at school, as well as finding a few treats! To round out the afternoon, a shared afternoon tea of sausages made at the Open Day was enjoyed by all, accompanied by lots of conversation. It's always such fun when both TWIG groups get to catch up and learn together. 

Duke Of Edinburgh Awards

Proposed Adventurous Journey - Gold & Silver Award - December 2023

Kinross Wolaroi School is excited to announce a proposed Adventurous Journey to Trek the Milford Track in Fiordland, New Zealand. Rudyard Kipling, English novelist and author of The Jungle Book once described Milford Sound as the 'eighth wonder of the world’.

I am excited for those students who choose to participate in this Adventurous Journey offering. This trip is available to students who will be 16 years of age and older and who have signed up to the Silver and Gold Award in 2023.  I strongly encourage all students who I have shared Duke of Edinburgh International Award information with, to read, consider and register to participate in this worthwhile program. 

Paddock to Plate 2023 – Year 8

The Year 8 excursion to Windermere Farm was a unique and memorable learning experience for the students. They had the opportunity to see first hand how food is produced and processed before it reaches their plates. Mr Callaghan, TREE Coordinator led the excursion and taught the students about the different processes involved in food production.

One of the highlights of the excursion was the opportunity for the students to harvest vegetables that they had planted during 2022, when in Year 7. The students were amazed at the size and quality of their vegetables and were thrilled to be able to use them to cook a delicious recipe of their choosing. 

The experience of planting seeds, nurturing them, and then harvesting and cooking the vegetables taught the students about sustainability, healthy eating, and taking pride in the food they consume. It was a valuable lesson that they will carry with them for years to come. It was an awesome day. A big thankyou goes to Mr Liam Callaghan & Ms Jo Howarth for providing our Year 8 students with this opportunity.