Atawhai | Holy Cross School Papatoetoe

Atawhai Literacy Degree Graduation

26 July 2017 · by Miss Foster

During Term 2 Atawhai Syndicate completed their Reading and Literature Degrees. Students had to read a certain number of books and complete activities to achieve Bachelors, Masters, Honours and PHD. We held our Graduation Ceremony in the last of Term 2 with lots of parents coming to celebrate their students’ achievements. Atawhai paraded around the school like Graduates do at the end of their University Degrees and tossed their hats into the air. Our students worked extremely hard to complete these. Well done!

Environmental Sustainability (ES)

16 May 2017 · by Mrs Pancha

Over the last two terms, all Year 5 and 6 classes from both syndicates have attended workshops for ES, with Miss Foster and Mrs Pancha, during across syndicate rotations. In Term One the focus was on learning to appreciate our experiences IN outdoor natural environments. This lead to learning more ABOUT these environments and some environmental issues. In Term 2, the children are engaged in doing many activities FOR the benefit of the environment. You may have noticed some improvements to our living school environment. The photos show some of the activities initiated by the children and teachers. We have collected seeds and seedlings, prepared our Mercy Vegetable Garden for winter planting, used compost from our school compost bin and worm bin to nourish the veggie beds. Many children said they even enjoyed the weeding!

Soaking the punnets

Planting the seedlings

Watering newly planted seedlings

Our next project…watch this space

Watch this space to see more photos of our children’s actions for improving the school’ outdoor environment. Hopefully they will be motivated to use their new skills at home too.

Room 17 Wearable Art Hats

14 October 2016 · by mrsndavey

We have been making beautiful hats. Most of them have an element of our cultures in them. They were fun to make and challenged our creativity.

Atawhai News Term 4

12 October 2016 · by Mrs Siluuga

Click here for this term’s newsletter.

Room 18 Swimming

31 August 2016 · by Mrs Siluuga

Room 18 has been swimming each Thursday – learning and extending our skills while having great fun.

The Black Hole

16 August 2016 · by Miss Skipper

Room 19 have been writing endings for a mysterious story. Have a look at the video, The Black Hole. What do you think happened next? Check out these snippets of writing on offer from Room 19. Do you want to read more?

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I can’t breath! I started to panic and bang on the door! But no one was there. I started to suffocate when a bright light shone into my eyes.I took a massive breath with relief.

It was my boss, I thanked him and kissed the floor. I was so relieved until my boss said . . . ” You’re fired!”

Sonya

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It was dark. I was scared. I was banging so hard that you could hear my banging from downstairs. How stupid am I to do this?

I was breathing so hard. Why did I do this? Not even a little kid would do this. I am obviously going to get caught now.

I was squished into this small box panicking. I was sweating like a pig. My heartbeat was fast.

Marina

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I panic in fear, it’s getting warmer. I take a deep breath in and out to calm myself but it was hopeless. The black hole, did it fall or close? Either way I’m stuck.

Jazmyn

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I’m stuck. The safe keeps me inside. I shouldn’t have done this, now I have to wait until the boss gets his money. Now I bet I’m going to get fired and go to jail. My life is ruined.

I’m starting to get squashed. My neck hurts. I’m starting to think that I’m going to be like this forever. I knock on the metal, shouting “Help! Help!”

I hear someone doing the code, the safe opens.

“Put your hands high. Where I can see them! You’re going to jail!”

Jedidiah

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My phone, where is it? How could I be so dumb? I left it on my desk. Will I have to hunger until somebody finds me? I bang on the belly of the safe. No!!!!

Francisco

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I heard a paper drop quietly behind me. I stopped in my tracks and cried in disbelief. I was stuck!

It was dark and smelled of money. Money. I love money oh how rich I ‘d be if I had money. Now look where I’ve ended up because of money.

The walls start to close in on me. I can’t breathe, I can’t think. What do I do?

Grace

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Bang Bang Bang, my hands sweat. I’m scared. I panic, cry, yelp, yell, scream! How could I be trapped, this is crazy! It’s hot. It’s dark. It’s scary.

My deep breaths fill the safe. I feel like I can’t breathe. I can’t do anything but panic. My neck curve, back aching – panic. Will panicking work?

Tayla Benet