Welcome to March! Principal's Message - Karamea Area School

Dean Rainey Principal                                                               Week 6 - Term 1 2021
principal@karamea.school.nz
Office – 7826 717
kgrey@karmea.school.nz

Welcome to March! Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou,

Wow! Just like that we are at the end of Week Six. As a wise person said today “as the area of our
knowledge grows, so too does the perimeter of our ignorance”. This echoes Aristotle's statement of the
more knowledge we acquire, the more we realise we don’t know.

Life is about learning and enjoying the process. For us this means learning about change; learning to grow;
learning in consultation with the past, while learning from those who have come before us.

   •   Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: ‘I walk backwards
       into the future with my eyes fixed on my past’

It amazes me how our learners energetically embrace change and
maximise the use of our provisional facilities. They do this easily
utilizing our wide-open spaces during break times with blankets,
bean bags, walkie talkies, lego, and sports equipment to socialize
and thrive while learning through these diverse play experiences.

Since our last newsletter we have hosted dignitaries, community
members, alongside our school whanau for a Turning of the Sod.
This ceremony was another first, and a huge milestone in the
construction process. Current students will look back at this occasion and tell of their accounts of how “they
were there when the new school was built”.
It was delightful to hear the unfeigned heartfelt commentary resonate from our Board Chairman Tom
Murton about the process that has led up to the changes we are currently experiencing, and about the effort
behind the scenes that will in turn benefit many generations to come. Post ceremony, our senior students
did a fantastic job farewelling and acknowledging the process, and those who also came before with a
powerful haka! If you haven’t seen this already, it’s on the schools facebook page from last week.

Our 2021 annual swimming sports had excellent community attendance, with the addition of some really
competitive racing which shows that aquatics is thriving. Swimming is such a life skill, and today as I write
this I’m still dripping wet from surfing with the Year 7&8 students. Out of the 14 students that went surfing,
all students managed to get up on their feet and ride a wave. Cowabunga dudes!

It is always such a pleasure to walk around campus and observe the learning that’s going on. Students and
teachers have made the most of the learning opportunities that have presented themselves for 2021.
Learning opportunities like; 1) getting involved with the safety aspects of the new build and providing
solutions to problems e.g. non-skid carpet on the toilet block decking, 2) measuring the perimeter of the old
school's footprint 3) being able to observe/grasp the opportunity to climb aboard the 20-tonne digger, and
inquiring as to how the controls might work, 4) Hosting Westport North School to some invitational games
on the field.

Next week sees the culmination of a lot of sports and performing arts as the students' preparation comes to
fruition for the Top of the South area schools competition in Reefton. They make us, and Karamea very
proud with their mana, determination, and work ethic that’s been demonstrated over the past few months

preparing for this event. As the old adage goes; success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. From my
observations of students, and staff over the term there has been plenty of perspiration…
Our community spirit, and work ethos becomes contextualized even more so after watching the America's
cup over the past week. We as a tiny nation in the South Pacific sure do punch above our weight
internationally, and in many different arenas. This comes from grass roots events like these. Go team!

Aroha nui,
Dean Rainey

                             FRIENDS OF THE SCHOOL FUUNDRAISER

                         Firewood for sale Blue gum and Birch (Hardwood)
                Tandem trailer $250.00 per load, payment at time of delivery please.
                  Delivered stacked or dumped as required. 27th March anywhere
               between 10am - 5pm. 6 - 10 loads are expected but place an order and
                                     we will see how far we get.
                  Please leave your name, address, contact phone number and the
                      number of loads wanted with the school office (7826717).
                                  Thank you for placing an order.

Sports News

KAS primary would like to welcome Sala Skinner who has taken over for Jordan Hill as the new sports
development officer. Sala will be joining us on Fridays running sports programmes for our Year 0-6
students. This programme has been running here at KAS for the past 2 years and has been very successful
with our students. Working on hand eye coordination and fine motor skills as well as touching on a variety
of sports including cricket, soccer, basketball, and hockey.

Paul Murray and Robert McCrostie are running Tennis lessons on Wednesdays after school 3:15-4:30pm
for children ages 8 and up. Unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been playing the part for a few weeks but,
lessons will be on for the remainder of term 1. Please feel free to contact the office for more information.
We would like to thank Paul Murray for also coming in and teaching Nikau students a few skills out on the
courts this term. We are hopeful this will pick up again during Term 4 later in the year.

The Buller District Swimming Sports in Westport was held on Monday the 22nd of February. This
competition is for those students that are Years 5-8. This year Matilda MacMillan, Trevor MacMillan, and
Millie Forbes all represented KAS in the competition. It sounded like it was a great day and all did very well
with their swimming.
Trevor MacMillan has qualified to compete in the West Coast Swimming Competition which will be held
Wednesday, March 24th at the PERC in Westport. We wish Trevor all the best for another great race!

We held our own KAS Swimming Sports Competition on Monday, March the 8th. It turned out to be one of
the best swimming sports I have been to. It is great to see our students shine in and out of the classroom
and putting in an awesome effort on the day. We had a super turnout of parents and community members
to support the students as well. A big thanks to Jason and Juliette at the Four Square for donating
sausages and bread for our TOSI fundraiser. The students showed their skills on the BBQ and made us
very proud! Awards will be given at the next school assembly as well as an update on House Points for
2021.

This term our Year 7&8 students have started Surfing lessons with Little Wanganui Surf & Sups Mark
Cloughley. It has been a tough start with the swell and weather not playing the part but things have finally
kicked off. The kids had a great day out for their first lesson with all getting up on their boards. We are
hopeful the next few weeks will have the kids out there learning to ride the waves and build their confidence
in the water. I would like to thank Michelle Maiava and Dean Rainey for taking the kids out for this. We are
very lucky to have such a beautiful place for the kids to learn how to surf which is so good for the mind and
the body. Surfing will be something we will be looking at for Terms 1 and 4 for our secondary students.

The Top of the South Island (TOSI) Tournament will be held Sunday, March the 22nd to Friday, March
the 26th at Reefton Area School. Our TOSI team have been working incredibly hard this year with all that
will be on offer during tournament. Sports being played include Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Touch,
Netball, Indoor Netball, Ultimate Frisbee, Ki O Rahi, Golf, Outdoor Bowls, Rogaine, Badminton, Playball,
                                  Archery, Multisport, and an Obstacle Course Challenge. There will also be
                                  challenges with Art, Tech, Food, Photos, and the Wearable Arts. Students
                                  will also perform a Skit, Waiata, and Haka.

                                This event is a chance for those with a passion for sport to go through to
                                Nationals and those with a passion for the arts, tech, food, and drama to
                                showcase their skills. It is also a great way to reconnect with each other
                                after the summer break for the year ahead. The senior students have
                                shown commitment and the drive to set themselves with high standards
                                this year. I hope they will continue to do so throughout the year. All the
                                best to the TOSI team for a memorable experience this year at TOSI.

                                                                                         Deborah Wagner
                                                                                       Sports Coordinator

KARAMEA AREA SCHOOL - UPCOMING EVENTS
22/03/2021-26/03/2021 TOSI Tournament in Reefton – Go Karamea!
24/03/2021            West Coast Primary Swimming Sports
24/03/2021            Rata class trip to Little Wanganui Rock Pools
30/03/2021            Celebration Assembly hosted by Kowhai – 2:15pm
2/04/2021             GOOD FRIDAY
5/04/2021             EASTER MONDAY
6/04/2021             EASTER TUESDAY
7/4/2021 – 9/04/2021  Year 5 and 6 Sailing Camp
13/04/2021            Celebration Assembly hosted by Secondary – 2:15pm
16/04/2021            End of Term 1
3/05/2021             Start of Term 2