Camp Capers

Snippets from Outdoor Education

Mountain biking moments

Rainforest Express expressions

How may steps????

How clear was the water?

Pancakes. Yum!

Archery aimers.

Tied in knots.

Targets or dinner plates?

Orienteering maps...

Safety session

Nine more sleeps!!!

There is excitement in the air. We are all looking forward to our 3 days of either Outdoor Education or Camp.

Parent helpers for camp have a meeting at 8a.m. on Tuesday in room 26 and Year parents have an Outdoor Education information meeting at 8:15 on the same day in the Library.

There will be final information relating to both sets of activities being sent home at the beginning of the week.

These pictures were taken on the morning Mrs Jamieson and Mrs Shears checked out one of the venues near the Nihotupu Dam - this is where we will carry out the water testing.

Week Three 2012

We have had a great start to the school year and it was wonderful to see so many families at our first ever Meet, Greet and Eat evening.

You have received a number of newsletters already, especially related to the Year 6 Camp and Year 5 Outdoor Education. It is important you read through these carefully and return the permission slips, parent help forms and medical forms by the dates required. If you have any questions at all please do ask class teachers or Kirstie Rogerson for camp and Jenni Jamieson for outdoor education. If it easier to email your questions please include your phone number so we can give you a ring if that is the best way to respond.

Welcome to the Senior Team 2012

Only four more sleeps and we will all be back at school...children and teachers.

Your teachers have been very busy over the last week preparing for the new school year. All the teachers had a very informative day yesterday at a staff development lecture where we learned about Brain Power. Today we were all in school working together to plan our programmes for the initial weeks of the year.

On Tuesday when you arrive at school, children, you will move straight to your new classrooms. If you are unsure about anything please talk to one of your friends and I am sure they will be able to assist or there will be teachers out and about ready to take care of you.

The teachers in our team are
Room 29 - Miss Quigley
Room 28 - Miss Cope and Mrs Stewart
Room 27 - Miss Rogerson
Room 26 - Ms Sowerby
Room 24 - Miss Cook
Room 23 - Miss Downham
Room 22 - Mr Vartha

We all look forward to meeting and working with you this year.

AWARDS Assembly recipients 2011

Trophies Awarded 2011

Outstanding Personal Qualities – Bowden Cup
Boy Tevita Ahokovi
Girl Ella Buchanan

Roderick Jones Memorial Cup Cameron Sly and Jessica Shilton

Lotu-Liga Cup for Community Service Jacqueline Alexander and Adam Curtis

Excellence in Arts Ezra Stitt
Literacy Cup Georgia Maoate

Tu Meke Award (trophy) Tevita Ahokovi
(pounamu) Ellice Pate

Kia Kaha Award Emma Burns

Speech – Y6 Jacqueline Alexander
Speech – Y5 Jack McConnell

Stumpers for Boys Joshua Edmonds
Stumpers for Girls Lauren Baker and Carrie Long
Class Stumpers Team Room 28
Lauren Baker, Ella Buchanan, Emma Burns, Fusi Ligaliga

Mathematics Bull Cup Achievement (Y6) Joshua Edmonds and Lauren Baker
Kwok Cup Achievement (Y5) Stephen Stuart

Music (orchestral) Dominique Ambros
Music (choral) Georgia Johansson-Latham & Ella Buchanan

Rugby Tevita Ahokovi & Ryan Gordon
Rugby – Coaches Choice Cup Samuel Folaumoetui
Soccer Myla Sullivan
Netball Samantha van den Hurk
Hockey Kendall Vaughan

Athletics Sunny Zou and Vahko Mestvirishvili

Excellence in Sport Kendall Vaughan

Padder Tennis
Boys Doubles Winners Daniel Lee and Hikaru Iizuka
Girls Doubles Winners Eileen Katoa and Patrice Mu
Mixed Doubles Winners Patrice Mu and Tevita Ahokovi

Cross-country
Year 5 girls Emelda Braun
Year 5 boys Jack McConnell
Year 6 girls Kendall Vaughan
Year 6 Boys Tevita Ahokovi

End of Year for the Year 5 and 6 Team

There are two very important events coming up before the end of the 2011 school year. Please mark these dates in your diary and ensure your child is available. Please also use the details within this notice to make yourself available as appropriate. Both these special assemblies will take place in the school hall.


Awards Assembly
The awards assembly (or senior prize giving) is to be held on Tuesday 13 December, from 7.00 to 9.00pm. This event particularly focuses on the Year 6 children, however the Year 5 children are involved and expected to attend.


Because of the hall size we will have to limit numbers. Each Year 6 child will be given two tickets and each Year 5 student will be given one. Entry to the hall will be by ticket only and these tickets will be sent home on Friday 02 December. This will be a wonderful and formal occasion. The Year 5 and 6 children will all wear their uniforms.


Leavers’ Assembly
The leavers’ assembly is being held the following day on Wednesday 14 December, from 9.30 to 11.00am. Again, this event focuses on the Year 6 children but the Year 5 children are involved and expected to attend.

Parents of Year 6 children only are invited to attend this occasion. There will not be tickets issued for this assembly but we ask that adults only attend.


At the end of this assembly the Year 6 children will have a special luncheon, to end their celebrations.


We look forward to sharing these special occasions with you to show case the successes of the 2011 year and to farewell our most senior children before they head off to the next stage of their education.

ALL BLACKS MUFTI DAY!

Don't forget to wear you Black & White for this Friday's Mufti Day (18th November) And this time don't bring your gold coin! Please bring a bottle for our Food Festival Bottle Bank instead! Some ideas for what to bring are: sauces, jams, preserves, lotions, perfumes, shampoos, body wash, bubble bath, drinks etc. Make sure they are new and unopened ready for our Festival next year.

See you then!

Auckland Normal Intermediate Update

Friday 04 November 2011


This letter is to confirm with you that your child who is going to be attending Auckland Normal Intermediate in 2012 sat their entrance test at our school yesterday morning. This was arranged by Auckland Normal Intermediate because a number of our children were going to be either missing the test or missing the APPA Choir rehearsal on Tuesday 8 December.
Therefore this means that the children are not required at Auckland Normal Intermediate on Tuesday 8 November. However they will be visiting Auckland Normal Intermediate on Tuesday 15 November from 9a.m – 11a.m for their orientation. It is each family’s responsibility to ensure that their child is delivered to Auckland Normal Intermediate and then dropped back to Royal Oak Primary School.

Poetic Ponderers of Room 27...

With the unassisted recounts and expositions done and dusted, we have taken the time to unleash our poetic licences...
Please feel free to read just some samples of our 'Poetic Ponderances'...
Can you spot the language features used??

Beast.

A beast with eyes of menacing intention, Fur of distinctive down.
The teeth like shattered razors. He slips away, a brunette vapour."
Ben Teterroo.

Phantom.

A beast with eyes of glowing horizons. Fur like platted hair ruined and worn.
The teeth like snakes fangs ready to penetrate. He slips away in the blink of an eye.
Jamie Lawlor.

Envy.
A beast with eyes of envy-green. Fur matted like a tatty rug.
The teeth stained like yellow rust. He slips away, a ghost in the night.
Anon.

Dark Soul.

A beast with eyes of diamonds. Fur like silky feathers.
The teeth like crystals so radiant. He slips away, a dark soul.
Tesi Naufahu.

Winged warrior.

A beast with eyes of evil,
Wings,ragged and torn,
talons as sharp as swords,
He flies away, a shadow
Ashley Paul.

Cherry Blossoms.

Dresses up in pastel colours of milky pink.
Blooms soundlessly while Springtime passes away.
Swaying side to side when a breeze comes to visit.
Autumn is the day they start to cry.
Yuka Sawai.

Wind.

Wild whipping wind howls as it strides through the crowded street.
Shouting angrily at the mortal man.
Invisible to all in its path.
Dezil Jojo.

Happiness.

Happiness is sublime and fabulous.
It is marvell0us like the ALL BLACKS.
If it was a colour, it would be yellow like the sun.
If happiness was a smell it would be the scent of childrens' sweaty odour.
If it was a sound it would be the trickling of childrens voices having fun.
Tafa Destiny Wells.

Green.

Green jealousy is pitch-black cheese rotting in the fridge.
Green is the colour of sad frozen blueberries.
Green is the voice of screeching violence.
Green is a feeling that is not enjoyable.
Green is being all alone at home.
Joy Filipo.

Humilation.

Humiliation is depressing and rather discomforting.
It lies loitering, awaiting the grieving soul.
It emerges looming in shades of blue making things mournful.
In an isolated world humiliation is embarrassing.
It torments and depresses.
It is a feeing of regret that all the time in the world cannot change.
Sophia Jones.

Sadness.

A cold feeling that pulls you down.
Depression hiding inside of you.
Nails in your heart that haunt you.
Eternal blue sorrow and gloom rushing through you.
Sitting in solemn silence waiting for it to end.
Sadness is the sound of weeping people.
Sadness is curled up in a corner ready to pounce at someone.
Dylan Kharpal.

Wales v Ireland

After a Saturday at school for our second day of Professional Development Miss Quigley and Miss Downham were heading off to watch this quarter final match together.

By the time you view this entry you will probably know who the victor was and therefore who you need to congratulate and who you need to commiserate with...As I write this it is half time and the score is 10 - 3 to Ireland. Go Ireland and Wales.

Face Your Fears

What an awesome teacher? Three cheers for Miss Quigley.

OOPs...I tried to publish a video but it must have been too scary to upload.

Chocolate Prize!!! Clip and Climb Experience

Room 29 earned the right to go to Clip and Climb because they met the requirements of our chocolate selling competition. We are very grateful to Clip and Climb for providing this opportunity for our children free of charge...thank you.

Class Montages

Wow- Look at the video below to check out the amaaaaazing class montages!! They are available to view in each classroom and during the Art Festival. You can place a bid on them up until the last Wednesday of school.

Room 24 Calendar Art

Go Tonga, Go Tonga

What an experience! Twenty children, five adults...all with one purpose to welcome the Tongan Rugby World Cup Team to Auckland. A sea of red and white spread before us as we sat on the stage waiting to greet the team. We were entertained by a range of Tongan musical items as well as dance. When the team arrived the crowd were ecstatic...As the mayor greeted the team he had all the 20 ROPS children on the stage, such a special time.

These are some initial photos but there will be more once Miss Coote has down loaded hers.

Adopt-a-Second-Team

If you haven't been in and around school recently you mightn't know that we have Tonga as our team for the Rugby World Cup. The school looks extremely festive with bunting, posters and balloons decorating the entrance to the school and the library.

We have been invited to take a group of children to the airport to welcome the Tongan team. This group is being picked up on Monday morning and taken to the airport. There they will be face painted before they take their seats in a grandstand to view the entertainment and welcome for the team. Opportunities for meeting the team and having photographs taken will follow.

After we leave the airport we plan to take this group straight to Greenwoods Corner to take part in the local welcome.

What an amazing opportunity for our children! Look out for television coverage, maybe we will be in the background in the news on Monday night.

Zone Speech Competition

At the zone speech final today, Jacqueline was a fine representative of our school. She passionately spoke about her belief that there should be no animals in the circus. Mrs Bruce and Mrs Jamieson as part of the audience at the competition held at Three Kings School were very proud of Jacqueline's effort. Although she wasn't placed her content and delivery were excellent.

The judges at this competition were celebrities Kate Hawkesby and Mike Hosking.

Report writing

Monkeys

A monkey is a clever, playful mammal with a tail. It usually lives in groups for safety. There are 130 different monkeys in the world.

 

Species

There are over 130 different species of monkey. Some examples are: Capuchins, Columbus, Owl monkey, Baboon, Tamarin, Saki monkey, Oranatan, Little Squirrel monkey, Japanese macaques, Mona monkey, Red tailed monkey, Gorilla, Spider monkey and many more.

 

Habitat

Monkeys can be found across Africa, Asia, Central and South America.

Monkeys are also rarely found in Australia. Some monkeys are found in mountainous terrains. But they are most commonly found in forest, grassland, even swamps

 

Appearance

The average length for a monkey is 140 to 160 millimetres(Plus Tail). Monkeys come in all sizes, from big Baboons, too tiny Tamarins. Old world and new world monkeys are very different all though they have similar features such as the nose, cheeks and rumps. Some monkeys have lots of fur and while some have very little fur.

 

Monkeys are one of the most popular animals in the world. Monkeys are also one of the most intelligent creatures in the world. Monkeys are also closely related to humans.

 

By Joshua D'Silva

 

 

 

Californian Condor

 

Californian condors are black coloured vulture like birds. They are one of the heaviest birds that can fly.

Appearance:

They have a huge wingspan of 3 meters wide. Black feathers cover the adult condor's body. They have an orange featherless neck and head. Adult condors weigh 10.4 kg and are 127cm in length.

Habitat:

The condors live in rocky scrublands, coniferous forests, and oak savannahs. They are often found near cliffs or large trees, which they use as nesting sites. They live in southern California. Only 300 survive today, mainly in captivity. They can live up to 50 years in captivity.

Diet:

Californian condors are scavengers. They fly up to 250km in search of carrion (dead or rotten flesh). They prefer to feast on large mammals such as deer, goat, and sheep.

Condors are known to fly at speeds of 90km/h. They have been sighted at heights of 4600m.condors were on the verge of extinction in the 1980's, with only three left in the world. Now they are protected. They are magnificent animals.

By Anandu

 

Extreme Trampoline

What a great hour the children from Room 21 and our lucky draw winners had.

Yes, Extreme Trampoline provided a voucher for 35 children to spend an hour experiencing the fun and skills involved in trampolining. Room 21 children all brought back their Rugby Cup Athon sponsorship money and as well they collected the high.est average amount, thus they were rewarded with this trip.

Fun Ho

Today the Senior Team learned the history of the Fun Ho toys that were produced in New Zealand for over 50 years. Mr and Mrs Dreadon shared their extensive collection and we certainly now know about the value of such a collection. Because of their construction they are still in perfect condition even though their paint shows some wear and tear.

It was fascinating to see all the intricate parts and to discover the graders, tip trucks, tractors etc had simple mechanisms that made them work.

How toys have changed!

Sausage Sizzles are back for Term 3

Sausage Sizzles are back!

The first one for Term 3 will be:

Monday 15th August (Week 3) and they will then take place every second week.

Fly Over

Today is the day Miss Bowden retires after 44 years in education. Who is Miss Bowden you ask? She was the principal at Royal Oak Primary School for 10 years. To celebrate her retirement she was taken by helicopter to visit her previous schools. When we received a phone message we hurriedly made our way outside and formed the word BYE on the back courts. Everyone waved and those teachers who remember her felt quite emotional knowing what a great contribution she has made to the lives of so many children.

Competition winner from Room 22

A fabulous person in our class entered a competition to win tickets to Walking with Dinosaurs this week.
She needed to write a piece (100 words or less) about what the best dinosaur was and why.
Enjoy reading her fabulous piece!!! She won 5 tickets and attended the show this weekend. Well done!

Why I would like to be a Pterodactyl

Face it, the pterodactyl is the best living dinosaur there EVER was. Pterodactyls are the only flying creatures in their time, and they could fly wherever they liked anyplace, anytime. Imagine anger welling up inside a furious T-rex as a pterodactyl swoops out of his jaws with ease. Or what about a swamp? Research shows that no dinosaurs were ever able to swim. Ha! Water is no match to the mighty pterodactyl. Why, they could fly straight over it. So, for me, a gliding, agile, fearless pterodactyl sounds like a lot more fun than a huge, hulking land dinosaur.

Speech Finals

The Year 5 and 6 Speech finals are to be held on Tuesday 12 July in our school hall. They are timed to start just after Break one which finishes at 11:30. All the senior children will be in the audience and parents are most welcome to attend.

Year 5 and 6 Update!

Year Five and Six have been so busy this term!

We've been getting CREATIVE and EXPRESSING OURSELVES! From being Rock Stars, to taking to the stage as actors, to dancing, right through to capturing every moment on film, as photographers. Not to mention, meeting top class Rugby Players during our RugbyAthon! Phew!

. . . But as is life at ROPS, we are not about to slow down now. Instead we are getting to know our old friend, Harold, with a visit from the Life Ed Van.

Parent Helpers Needed!

The Rugby Cup Athon needs your help!

On Thursday 23rd June the school will be having a sports and quiz day and we need parent helpers to assist us, support us and enjoy the day with us.

Please contact your child's classroom teacher or return your parent helper form if you are able to help out.

Native Bird Poems

Room 26 have been studying New Zealand Native Birds this term. The Newspapers in Education had a 6 page mini-paper which got us all hooked into the plight of some of our endangered native birds and what conservation groups are doing to try and help save them from extinction.
We followed up our reading and activities with an individual inquiry into one of New Zealand native birds. After finding out lots of information each Room 26 child wrote a poem about their chosen bird.
Attached are a few of the poems and a full selection is available to read both in the School and Class Libraries.
We hope you enjoy them

Room 26

New Zealand Native Bird Poems by Room 26

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Soaring, darting, flitting,

My grassy- green plumage

Protrudes out of the clear sapphire sky,

Lands in the burnt umber, trunk

Nesting peacefully ,

Taking off, darting through the trees,

My beady eyes scan the trees for juicy berries.

My outstretched wings

Slowly retract

Coming to rest against my pear-shaped body.

As I descend to my home

By Adam

Kea

My midnight button eyes peer,

Searching for predators.

I continue strolling,

Claws gripping the forest floor.

Sun reflecting

Off my ruffled plumage

Creating golden streaks

Down my olive and khaki body.

My emerald tail

Dragging along behind me.

Suddenly I spot

A bunch of ripe berries,

Perching on a jagged branch.

Shuffling swiftly over

plucking them off

As a delectable taste

Bursts into my mouth.

Completely satisfied…

By Eden

A Day as a Pukeko

Glancing, glaring, scanning, skimming,

Red sunken eyes peeking .

Elongated wings, ruffled, black, indigo,

White.

Out stretched scarlet legs, strutting graciously,

Murky habitat cloaks me

Sad and gloomy ,

Glum.

A predator lurks, it moves, it stalks.

A screech , a yell , an exasperating howl

Nuts, seeds, bugs, grass surround my webbed feet.

Jagged claws ready to pounce .

Awkwardly lingering then heading back home,

I fly, I swoop, I soar, I fall,

A clumsy landing.

Squatting down , my beak tucked against my breast

Asleep at last .

By Jacqueline

NZ Fairy Tern

A copper beak emerges

from hiding within the sand.

Then out comes a pearly head

that is not at all bland.

A silver body comes as well,

hopping out of it’s hiding place.

Two ruby legs, a creamy tail emerge,

prancing around with lots of grace.

When all of it has been revealed

You will know it as a New Zealand Fairy Tern!

By James

Elegant bird

A paua blue streak flows down its wing.

Reaching down to the tip of the tail.

Midnight black surrounds its breast.

Orange cheeks like an embarrassed mortal.

Moulted speckled feathers lay quietly in its nest.

White tipped striking tail feather stands out in the variety of green bush.

The huia was a sedentary bird living on the forest floor.

Debilitated flying was the weakness of this beautiful bird.

Curved beak points to the forest floor.

It was the largest species of New Zealand wattle bird.

You’re probably wondering where you can find it…

You can no longer see this unique bird.

By Kaitlyn

Kakapo

Kakapo, all silver and lime, you’re like a cheetah hurtling through the forest.

A female Kakapo, with charcoal eyes, manoeuvres its way to see the male dance.

Kakapo, gleaming with colours, waddles its way through the overgrown forest.

A Kakapo strides through the forest looking for fruit and seeds.

Pecking at seeds the Kakapo tries to get some food.

Out of the nest a mother wanders through searching for some food for her young.

By Kate

Chatham Island Black Robin

Swooping down

To grasp his prey

He attacks voraciously.

Gobbling the helpless wetas and grubs

The robin glides away

And perches himself on a branch.

Eyeing up wriggling worms

The sooty black robin

Darts down

Deep in the forest.

Approaching the worms

He scoops them up

Like a spoon.

He swallows

And twirls

Into the luminous sun rise.

By Kendall

Kea

Spreading your wings

You leave the branch

Where you perched for the long black night.

You spot a field

Of white, woolly shapes

And you dive towards the ground

Ripping flesh

From the helpless sheep.

You gobble your prey voraciously.

Hearing a shot

Ring out over the land

You rise swiftly into the crisp air.

All that remains of your presence

Is one amber tail feather

Floating downwards

Settling on the grass.

By Sarah

Brown kiwi

So vulnerable left in the forest, just a tiny chick.

Strange animals boomed calls to each other, knowing I was here, like they were tracking me.

Feet padded closer to me.

I deftly sprinted into my burrow

Digging in deep and hoping I was camouflaged.

Large hands grasped me, stroking my small back comfortingly.

I kicked and kicked my captor but it was nothing against him.

A gleaming needle was pierced through my skin, injecting a strange liquid into my body.

I soon woke in a strange capsule.

No bizarre creatures surrounded. No signs of attack. No footprints. I wasn‘t hurt. I look around. I soon realised I was under a wing.

Looking up to find a familiar pair of loving brown eyes staring at me.

My mother, I was found.

By Renee

Kea

Its beady eyes, voracious to devour food.

Scanning the area for its lunch.

Suddenly a rabbit zooms past,

Trying to act invisible.

Soaring through the air, wings outstretched,

Beating its wings, the Kea swoops.

Snatching the prey, pecking, and gobbling.

Rabbit’s vanished,

And the Kea’s apple-green belly protrudes.

Its plumage glowing.

Standing as still as a statue,

The fierce bird waits for more prey.

by Daniel

Chatham Island Snipe.

Ashen eyes glancing

Elongated creamy legs

Arrays of plumage

Feet rustle the leaves

Bolting, sniffing out its prey

Gulping down insects

by Joshua