Discovery Syndicate: May 2015

Thursday 21 May 2015

EOTC WEEK SAILING

I grip the rough rope as the frothy sea splashes up on me. "Let go of the rope!" the instructor yells, to be heard over the wind. Now I grab the tough, leathery sail. I sit down, one hand touching the cold rail, the other hand running through the fresh, salty water.

I see the sails flapping in the wind. The monotonous low-pitched sound of the of the ropes winding through the pulleys is drowning out every other noise.

Suddenly, without warning, the boat tilts almost 90 degrees. My heart is a pneumatic drill. Adrenaline is rushing like a flowing volcano. The butterflies in my tummy are more like rhinos trampling on my insides. But I am on top of the world. Then the boat flips the other way, and I am almost knocked out by the heavy metal boom. I'm thrilled to the absolute limit.

After the boat settles down, the instructor asks "Can you please steer now?"

"Great," I mutter. "Now I have to steer." As I make my way to the center of the boat, where the steering rod is, I realise a Bluebridge ferry is hot on our tail. Just my luck. Now, not only do I have to steer a yacht with no experience, but I also have to scuttle away from a huge ship. I grip the rod with all of my might and do exactly what the instructor tells me to.

"Do you take sailing lessons?" The instructor asks.

"No, why do you think so?" I reply.

"Well you are a very precise at steering".

Huh, I think, maybe this isn't so bad after all.

By Sol Beckman (Year 6, YT Class).

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Gymnastics Lesson 20/5 HR

Good Flip

Our Monkey's

In action getting ready for cartwheels and flips.

Preparing for candle roll.

Awesome Flip

Sunday 17 May 2015

Discovery School

Discovery school is an amazing school made up of four syndicates and run by Mrs Carmen Jennings the Principal. Discovery school has got over 400 students and has some amazing opportunities to look forward too.

When you are a year 1 2 3 and 4 you go on many trips to places for your topic, EOTC weeks (education outside of the classroom) and trips at the end of the year to celebrate. You also get these opportunities when you are a 5 6 7 and 8 student. When you are a Year 5 you get to go on a camp called Camp el Rancho. You also get a EOTC week when you are a Year six.

EOTC Week is when you go to a different place everyday for a week, for example, rock climbing, swimming, ocean sports, performances and plays and many more.

When you are a Year seven or eight student you get to go to technicraft every Wednesday. During this time you get to go and do a bunch of activities from 9:00 o’clock in the morning to 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon. There is a range of things to do like woodwork, cooking ,sewing and lots more. They also get a chance to go to the Brandon Intermediate fairs that some of the Year seven and eight students attend.

There are also lots of other activities at Discovery School that our school council organises. Stuff like sausage sizzles, fun days, bake sales in our school hall, book day, dress up days and disco’s.

Sports is important too at Discovery School. We also have sports days like cross country, swimming sports and athletics day. From these sport days some of the students get to attend the Paramauana events for cross country, athletics and swimming sports.

Some Academic activities Discovery School has is an opportunity to do ICAS tests. You can sit a range of test out of Spelling, Maths, Science, English, Writing and Digital Technologies.

There are many art opportunities too. Last year most classes made a painting to put around the school. There are also many clubs including art clubs, running clubs, drawing clubs, chess clubs, gardening clubs and many more.

All the students learn Te Reo Maori in their classrooms and we perform a Kapa Haka performance at the end of every second year. We also practice Kapa Haka

songs and actions with our teacher Papa Murray every Thursday. At the end of the year we also do a performance called planet WOW were all the kids make their own costumes then do a performance in front of their parents. Discovery school is an amazing school and it has got very friendly students and teachers. I hope everyone enjoys Discovery School like I do.

By Caitlin Stewart