Tawhai School

Last year after a successful funding application to the Hutt Valley District Health Board, Tawhai School started a garden. Avalon Intermediate had a garden and inspired Tawhai to have one too.

Young farmers

It would also be a good thing for the children to learn about. After the garden was quickly built, Tawhai students went straight into growing seeds inside. In the past we have grown tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, silverbeet and onions. In the spring we will restart growing all the vegetables that we have decided on. In the future we will hopefully keep growing vegetables so they can be either sold or used by Tawhai children and their families.

Over the years Tawhai School has changed a lot but some teachers just don’t want to leave.  I interviewed Mrs Wheeler about her long service at Tawhai School.

Mrs Wheeler started teaching here in 1985 and has taught in seven different rooms; 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and also the library for two terms when her classroom burnt down.  Mrs Wheeler said that in 1985 there were six teachers and the principal Mr Wainwright taught a year six class, but had some time off each week to work in the office.  The only rooms were 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 14 and 15.

She said her favourite time at Tawhai was when in 1985 Haley’s Comet passed over New Zealand and Miss Fox and the staff had a very innovative idea.  A parent worked at the Weather Bureau and kept them updated to when a cloudless sky would happen.  They had to postpone the event several times until finally the message went home; “It’s on tonight” At 4:00 am the teachers, parents and children came to see Haley’s Comet.  Then it was back inside to view science displays in the classrooms and have breakfast cooked by the students.  By 8:00 am the school day was over and the children went home back to bed.  What a truly memorable school day!

     One of the biggest happenings at Tawhai School was the fire that damaged rooms 1 and 2 and caused rooms 3 and 4 to be demolished.  Mrs Wheeler remembers moving into the library to teach while a new room entered through the back gate over to room 8.  It arrived on my birthday; a great present but… as the bell rang and the children were dismissed for the day they stood around watching the classroom being lowered-it tilted forward towards them causing damage to the floor and it had to be rebuilt!  A huge fright for all of us.

     Mrs Wheeler says I have always loved teaching, especially at Tawhai because of the wonderful children I teach, their friendly, caring parents and the truly magnificent, memorable staff.

Tawhai’s Shakers are a Year three and four netball team. So far this year they have been undefeated and it doesn’t look like they are going to be beaten. They recently took part in a tournament where they played against some older children. Even though they were beaten they gained valuable experience.

They are coached by Jacinta Glynn and have regular lunchtime and after school practices. Their games are played at either Silverstream, Pinehaven or Trentham. Tawhai also has two other netball teams. The Tornadoes and the Hoopsters. They play at Taita courts. The Tornadoes have had their share of wins and loses. The Hoopsters have won 8 and lost 5 games.

Unbeatable Shakers

The basketball team are called the Sparks and are going to start their season soon.

In term 3 Tawhai School offered 10 year 4, 5 and 6 students an opportunity to be taught chess by a N.Z champ Lev Isaakovich Aptekar. Lev was born in Kiev, USSR in 1936. A trainer of young people wanting to play chess.

At the moment Lev is teaching a class in rm 16. Lev has a group of 1o people each Friday from 9:ooam until: 1o:ooam. In the first class Lev told the 1o students the moves and rules. In the 2^nd class Lev taught the 1o lucky students from some positions in 1 move. Lev is an excellent teacher and an outstanding chess player.

Chess Master teaching the kids

He has won many big chess games not only in N.Z but he has also been overseas to play some very important matches. The chess sessions are teaching the 1o chosen ones a lot and all 1o students are having an awesome time.

On Thursday 13 of August Skoolstars was recorded in the hall. Skoolstars is when each class in the whole school is given the opportunity to sing and dance to a song provided. Room 8 was interviewed about their experience in Skoolstars. They sang Rocking Robin and loved shaking their bottoms at the end of their performance.

School Stars from Room 4

Room eights favourite part was performing it and most of them weren’t even nervous! Their teacher Miss Bhana thought they did fantastically and she’s very proud of them. Neve Te One said “it was awesome dawesome’’ and she’d love to do it again next year.” Then Ronan from Room Four was interviewed,Ronan’s class sang I’m a Believer and everyone had loads of fun. His favourite part was using the inflatable guitar. Over all everyone enjoyed themselves. Well done to everyone.

The extension class have recently received some training

in the ICT topic of Managing our school website.

They are now going to begin taking on more responsibility with gathering information and sharing it on here. Watch this space.