Our School Powhiri - A Warm Welcome!

Kia Ora, last week we had our first school Powhiri.  Everyone had to sit down for ages but it was all worth it in the end.  At the start Mrs Robinson greeted the Maori visitors to Gulf Harbour School.  Our Te Reo teacher Whaea Anna was a great help for the Powhiri. We sang a waiata. The song we sang was called ‘He Honere’. Then Hayoto spoke with great dignity, after that we sang another waiata. This one was called ‘Te Aroha’.

Then it was the visitors (Manuhiri) turn to speak, after that we sang one more waiata this one was called Tutira Mai Nga Iwi. They did an awesome job at singing the waiata. Everyone did a great job on the day.

Thank you to all the students and parents who participated  on that day. After the Powhiri the parents had morning tea. They said our singing was awesome!

By Laura & Ellie

Edited by Anna

Super Animal Card Craze!

Hey you listen up, Countdown have made some collectable cards that are spreading throughout the coast and everyone is collecting them. They are animal cards! Most kids have brought the cards to school and have been trading them.

Some kids have the entire collection. Some kids are still trying to get them all. There are 108 cards to collect.

The cards have been a big thing our school. The cards are called Super Animals. We will list 9 animals and the different categories...

1. Free tailed bat - Fastest.

2. Honey badger - Toughest.

3. Southern cassowary - Deadliest.

4. Green tree frog - Smartest.

5. Monkey eating eagle - Fiercest.

6. Narwhal - Weirdest.

7. Tokay gecko - Sneakiest.

8. Oil bird - loudest.

9. Black tailed trainbearer  - Showiest.

...and there are a lot more. The cards are a huge addiction to kids.

Some of the animals on the cards are herbivores. Which means they eat plants and some are meat eaters. Get into the latest craze!

By Nicole and Tammy

Swimming Sports

We got off the bus and were buzzing with excitement. Everyone wanted to run to the pool and jump in but we had to controlled ourselves and wait. There were competitive and non-competitive events. It was amazing how many people did the competitive ones, but it would have been awesome if all Year 5-8s competed.

There was Medley, Freestyle,  Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly. Not that many people did Butterfly. Well done to the people that tried doing butterfly it is stroke that is tough (well for us it was!). We have some great swimmers.

There were some fun non competitive activities that the kids enjoyed. There was a motorbike race that students did to the other side to the pool (using noodles). They also had a horse race and lots of other non-competitive things too.

People had lots of things to say after swimming sports. Here are a few comments.

“Swimming sports is really fun I think we should it every term!” - Jemma  

“It was so awesome everyone had a great time,” - Liam

“It was such fun!” - Renee

All in all, we had a great day! Congratulations to everyone involved! (More pictures below)

By Isi and Hollie