Open Culture

Warrington School was awarded a Special Award at the NZ Open Source Awards in Wellington last week. This was in recognition for the school promoting Open Culture. Our award was for the “Ubuntu room”, a place where Open Source in NZ schools began in 2006. Computers were installed with the Ubuntu operating system, this was so successful that more computers were sourced for the school, families and wider community. Ubuntu and open source software now runs all our computers at Warrington. Our open culture initiatives also include the innovative use of WikiEducator for school documentation, a Creative Commons policy allowing teachers to share their intellectual property and our community radio station, Blueskin Bay FM. 

Last week's camps had wonderful weather, superb environments, food, water and fire. The perfect ingredients for some outdoor education magic. It sounded like the Waianakarua camp was a huge success with paella at the river and exploration of the elephant rocks making me quite jealous. The annual trip to Rabbit Island saw camp fire cuisine taken to new heights. Years of weeding has begun to make a difference with small natives in abundance around the camp-site.

With the arrival of some summer weather we are encouraging students to cover up with sunhats and the wearing of appropriate clothing for playing outdoors. Some children are also taking further responsibility by bringing sunblock.

Senior students have been busy building a trolley as part of their technology project. Isaac and June have been testing the design and both agree that the trolley should be horse-powered rather than human powered. More trolleys are in the planning stage for an end of year time trail derby.

A community garden is now established in the paddock with potatoes planted and plans for further plantings of beans and pumpkins.

Happy sportshed bliss

From Petanque in the carpark gravel and basketball up the driveway to croquet on the lawn,  Warrington children have adapted well to the changes of restricted playing areas.
Hearing the clip-clopping of plastic stilts and seeing tennis balls whizzing skywards were signs the sports shed was finally reopened.  During our first whole school meeting we discussed the use of the sports gear and established some sensible rules. Everyone was pleased to hear that the bouldering wall and sandpit will be open straight after the holidays.
The large ti kouka cabbage tree has been shifted into it's final resting spot behind the rebound wall.  The green fingered Room 2 children are watering it everyday as well as tending their own shoe gardens.
Our eco-hut builders were keen to create a subterranean hobbit hole in the space left by the cabbage tree roots but after finding fresh cat poo,  gave up on this spot. They have also decided they would probably not need Board of Trustee resource consent to make a hut at the back of the school.
Room 1 students are slowly transforming Blueskin Bay FM.  It now has it's own web page blueskinbayfm.co.nz and students' shows are available via podcast.  Next term shows from the other classes will be uploaded. BBFM - 88.2 is still beaming live 24/7 and to assist in keeping it advert free,  Stephanie and Lichen were chauffeur driven on a successful sponsorship hunt.

Beach sports and blizzard sports

After warm afternoon sports sessions on the beach it was hard to imagine driving through blizzard conditions for students on their way to the Edgar centre. Thankfully all sports were played indoors. This year's inspiring sports were taikwondo, wrestling and petanque. 

Cat numbers are down with over 15 cats captured in the school traps - children can get back into gardening and bird populations should hopefully recover. See the school noticeboard on toxicplasmosis - a nasty disease found in cat excrement. Well done to all the responsible room 2 students who have baited the traps with frozen cat meet lumps.

The motions passed at our combined class meeting were:
Hot lunches will stay but everyone will need to have their named lunches placed in the hallway box by morning tea - any late lunches will not be heated. At lunchtime they will be placed on a tray outside room 2.
Sponsorship of our Timorese child was to continue.

Sausages are gone - but students would like an adult or two to assist with running a sausage sizzle - gas barbecue in school shed.
If you can help please let the office know.
So no sausages next week - we sold our last one on Monday.
Another foodie reminder, that cutlery needed for lunch eating, needs to be brought from home. 

Also at our meeting it was decided that a new ecohut was to be built. Two different sites are being discussed for suitability but the general style is hobbit hole. 

We have been fortunate to be able to walk to Anna's garden where we have viewed the beautiful daffodil display and to feed Steven, Janet and Coco the calves.

Monday Book Club with Librarian Kate - please bring your books from home.

Spring cleaning, sausages and discos

It's almost officially spring. The fruit trees are beginning to blossom and the field is dry enough for football. We had a great afternoon at the cross-country - fabulous sun and stunning performances.

The school is having a spring-clean. We sorted out the technology shed and have created herb beds. We demolished the vandalised eco-hut and are designing a new one.

At a combined room 1 & 2 class meeting (sorry cricketers), students formed two committees to look into whether we should keep hot lunches and sausages, and continue the sponsorship of our East Timorese child. A further group are designing a replacement eco-hut.

As none of the local authorities are willing to deal with escalating cat numbers the school is working towards a solution with the use of live capture cages. Older children have been taught how to set the cages with pet food and report the presence of caught cats. Homes are needed for child friendly cats.

Market this weekend … come and have a look at our new gardens, playground development and spend some time and money with friends.

Thank you to our Year 8's - Naomi, Ruby, Shea and Stephanie for organising this year's disco. The group used their entrepreneurial skills and hard bargaining to negotiate the lights, smoke, sound and food on $100. The red carpet was a nice touch.

Olympic Art

The recent arrival of a digger and loader into the school was a sign that the playground project was bouncing along. The diggers are readying the court surface for artificial turf.  Fingers crossed Warrington's wonderful sports facility will be ready for our brand new sports gear and a spring opening.

BBFM radio has been beaming live from the school for the last 2 years and is having a makeover by senior students and BBFM volunteer Jo. It is moving towards a more digital presence with students establishing the systems required to run a radio, both live and over the internet. Student shows once recorded will soon be podcast, while a blog will eventually lead listeners to an online stream over the recently installed ultra fast broardband.

Our recent school visit to the art gallery and city library were a great success, students were given tours and explanations before exploring by themselves. The included Olympic themed art works, highlights the natural talents of Warrington students. 

An invitation for parents to come and have an informal discussion with myself and Ant our chairperson about the curriculum, democratic education and anything else that comes to mind. Next Thursday 7.30 at school. I will also share a tip on how parents can assist children in becoming better readers.

We might even make you a cup of tea!