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Senior School Blog

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Senior School Blog
November 1, 2024

Grandparents Afternoon

The whole school celebrated Grandparents afternoon on Thursday 24th of October. There was a great turn out of grandparents and significant people who turned up…
Diane McIntyre
Love27
Senior School Blog
October 18, 2024

‘Water’ Wonderful Trip

On their return to school, the Year 5 and 6 students were treated to an exhilarating experience to welcome the new term, as they visited…
Diane McIntyre
Love26
Senior School Blog
September 20, 2024

Team 5 is Looking Mitey Fine

As we hurtle our away through another jam-packed term at New Zealand’s number one primary school, Team 5 has been sure to build on last…
Diane McIntyre
Love26
Senior School Blog
August 9, 2024

Going For Gold

As the bright lights of the Paris Olympics continue to warm the wintery living rooms of many New Zealanders, the inquisitive learners of the Owairoa…
Diane McIntyre
Love26
Senior School Blog
July 27, 2024

HPPA Rugby Tournament

There has been a lot of sporting activity in the Senior School over the last few months. We have teams going out for Hockey, Football,…
Diane McIntyre
Love24
Senior School Blog
June 27, 2024

ISTEAM

In the Senior School during our Maths lessons, we've been focusing on understanding money, its value and how to handle change. To make this more…
Diane McIntyre
Love24
Senior School Blog
May 31, 2024

Senior School Science

The Senior School have had an exciting Semester One of science learning about light and space. They enter the science room each week eagerly anticipating…
Diane McIntyre
Love24
Senior School Blog
May 17, 2024

Parent Teacher Conferences

The Senior School has been getting ready for the conferences. We have been working hard on publishing our writing, having great pieces of art to…
Diane McIntyre
Love24
Senior School Blog
May 3, 2024

Tales from the Trenches

With writing achievement and literacy pedagogy consuming current political focus, some of Owairoa’s Senior School teachers recently displayed how engaging their learners in written tasks…
Diane McIntyre
Love24
Senior School Blog
April 12, 2024

Kura Kino Kē! Cool Schools!

In the Senior School we will be running a Peer Mediation Programme done through The Peace Foundation. This programme promotes peaceful conflict resolution in primary…
Diane McIntyre
Love24
Senior School Blog
March 28, 2024

Rock Climbing

Towards the end of Term 1, students in our 10 Senior School classes spent a challenging day at Extreme Rock Climbing in Panmure. The anticipation…
Diane McIntyre
Love22
Senior School Blog
March 15, 2024

Welcome to Sea Week

This year’s theme was - “Ko au te moana, ko te moana ko au – I am the sea, the sea is me” Over the…
Diane McIntyre
Love23
Senior School Blog
March 1, 2024

Lunar New Year

The beginning of the 2024 school year coincided with the celebration of the Lunar New Year. As part of the 12 year cycle, this year…
Diane McIntyre
Love22
Senior School Blog
February 9, 2024

Welcome to the Senior School

Ngā mihi o te Tau Hou! Welcome Back to 2024! We have welcomed two new teachers to the Senior School this year - Ms Johnson…
Diane McIntyre
Love22
Senior School Blog
November 17, 2023

McIntyre Centre Market Days

Up in the top block, on three separate Fridays, you will find a flurry of market activity. In the weeks prior, during ISTEAM days, learners…
Diane McIntyre
Love21
Senior School Blog
November 3, 2023

CanYou Hear Us?

In Science, seniors have been learning all about sound. During ISTEAM they have been using this knowledge to research, design and construct a musical instrument.…
Diane McIntyre
Love20
Senior School Blog
October 20, 2023

MOTAT’s Toy Workshop

It was a day filled with nostalgia and innovation as the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) paid a visit to our school, collaborating with…
Diane McIntyre
Love20
Senior School Blog
September 22, 2023

Fun on a Friday

Senior School learners look forward to Friday afternoons. It’s not just because the weekend is on its way … it’s because after a busy learning…
Diane McIntyre
Love20
Senior School Blog
September 8, 2023

Senior School Thrives on International Day

On a brisk winter's day, Owairoa Primary School came alive with a vibrant tapestry of cultures as it hosted its annual International Day event. The…
Diane McIntyre
Love20
Senior School Blog
August 18, 2023

Games That Form Friendships

In the Senior School, International Students have been arriving and leaving, over the past school weeks. Learners have been working alongside each other on their…
Diane McIntyre
Love18
Senior School Blog
August 4, 2023

Poets Line Up To Shine

In the Senior School throughout Term 2, there existed groups of excited learners who had chosen a poem to showcase for the Senior School Poetry…
Diane McIntyre
Love18
Senior School Blog
June 2, 2023

Seniors Measure Up

Since ancient times children have needed to learn how to measure things, and it is still an important mathematical skill our young Owairoa learners are…
Diane McIntyre
Love18
Senior School Blog
May 26, 2023

Playground Paradise

Excitement is brewing in the Senior School as the much-anticipated new playground nears completion. After what feels like a long journey of fundraising and community…
Diane McIntyre
Love17
Senior School Blog
May 12, 2023

Alright Lets Write About It

Writing, and using our pens or pencils to do it, has always been an active and key aspect of our learning in the senior school.…
Diane McIntyre
Love16
Senior School Blog
May 5, 2023

Winter Sports Season

Winter is here, and with it comes the start of the winter sport season at Owairoa Primary School. Our school has always been enthusiastic about…
Diane McIntyre
Love16
Senior School Blog
March 24, 2023

Senior School Responsibilities

As our Owairoa learners grow older and move up to senior school, they start to become more aware of their responsibilities and the impact they…
Diane McIntyre
Love15
Senior School Blog
March 10, 2023

Getting to Know Each Other

After the long summer holiday, Senior school classes have enjoyed meeting up with friends, being introduced to new classmates and getting to know their teachers…
Diane McIntyre
Love14
Senior School Blog
February 24, 2023

We Think Sailing is Knot Too Shabby

Our incredibly lucky learners from the Senior school were fortunate enough to get out on the water and participate in the BBYC Junior Sailing Programme.…
Diane McIntyre
Love13
Senior School Blog
February 10, 2023

Ngā mihi o te Tau Hou!

I would like to extend a special welcome to all the new families joining the Senior School this year and welcome back all our returning…
Diane McIntyre
Love13
Senior School Blog
December 9, 2022

Everybody Can Be Great Because Everybody Can Serve

2022 has brought opportunity across the senior school for our students to engage in school-wide duties and activities. It has been a few years since…
Diane McIntyre
Love12
Senior School Blog
November 25, 2022

Ready, Set, Go

Last Thursday, senior students excitedly ran into school in their mufti sportswear, eager to begin their day. In class, they impatiently waited for their turn…
Diane McIntyre
Love11
Senior School Blog
November 15, 2022

Rocking The Shirts

Every year in the spring there is a shift in the atmosphere amongst the year 5/6 classes. Year 5 students listen and learn about a…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
October 28, 2022

Chinese Language Week

Chinese Language Week was celebrated from 25th September through till 1st October. Many Senior classes read stories and learnt about the Chinese Language during the…
Diane McIntyre
Love12
Senior School Blog
September 27, 2022

ePro8 Isteam

Classes across the senior school have been taking turns with the exciting EPro8 construction equipment kit. The challenge: to research, plan and then construct a…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
September 14, 2022

Girls’ Football Team

The All Blacks may not be firing on all cylinders recently, but that certainly wasn’t the case when the Owairoa Girls’ Football team visited William…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
September 2, 2022

Seniors Speak Out

The absence of a Covid lockdown has meant that this year students in the senior school have enjoyed listening to their classmates deliver their oral…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
August 18, 2022

Cross Country Superstars

After countless postponements due to poor weather the Cross-Country finally went ahead! To the excitement of many students, the new course was around the freshly…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
July 29, 2022

Students Surveying Students

Returning to the new block in Term 3 has felt like coming back to a familiar place. So, what do some Year 5/6 learners think…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
July 5, 2022

Drama Gone Viral

In Week 8 the Seniors School students and the Year 4 classes were lucky enough to attend a theatrical performance by the touring group Go…
Diane McIntyre
Love11
Senior School Blog
June 22, 2022

Books, Books and More Books

Term 2 in the Senior School began with a focus on the lifelong skill of reading. In Y5/6, students are expected to use their reading…
Diane McIntyre
Love9
Senior School Blog
June 10, 2022

Great Habits of Leadership

On Thursday 2 June the sixteen new 2022 Owairoa House Leaders were fortunate enough to spend the day with Garth Collins, learning leadership skills and…
Diane McIntyre
Love9
Senior School Blog
May 23, 2022

Excitement and Anticipation

An air of anticipation and excitement has been developing across the Senior school classes. For quite some time Senior students have watched the construction process…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
May 13, 2022

ANZAC Service

On Thursday 14th May, the Year 5 and 6 students attended an ANZAC Service by the Flagpole at the front of the school. It was…
Diane McIntyre
Love10
Senior School Blog
April 13, 2022

A Whale of a Time

In-depth inquiry is a skill senior school students develop and utilise to enhance their learning. The WWF initiative – the Whale Tales Trail – has…
Diane McIntyre
Love7
Senior School Blog
March 29, 2022

Senior Science

Science lessons for Year 5 and 6 students have been ‘shocking’ this term. They have been learning about Electricity and Magnetism and how electrical current…
Diane McIntyre
Love7
Senior School Blog
March 15, 2022

RISE Above It

With Term 1 progressing, senior students have formed a strong rhythm as they engage in their learning routines. They are enjoying working hard and playing…
Diane McIntyre
Love7
Senior School Blog
February 28, 2022

Super Start

The Senior students have started this year with excitement after a long break. Meeting their teachers and making new friends has been a thrilling experience…
Diane McIntyre
Love8
Senior School Blog
February 11, 2022

Welcome Back Everyone

What a wonderful start to the school year! It is good to be back and have the Senior school once again filled with the energy…
Diane McIntyre
Love8
Senior School Blog
December 10, 2021

Reconnecting and Making Memories

The year may be drawing to a close but for our Senior students, socialising with their friends is at the top of their minds.  Days…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
December 3, 2021

Girl Power!

Midway through Term 4, Owairoa excitedly reopened its doors and welcomed back its students, ready for half a term of face-to-face interaction, enjoyment and learning.…
Diane McIntyre
Love8
Senior School Blog
August 13, 2021

Off to Intermediate

It is that time of year again when the Year 6 children start to think about what Intermediate School they will be attending.  The excitement…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
July 30, 2021

It’s Coming Home…

The England men’s football team may have left a sour taste in the mouths of many over the school holidays, but that certainly wasn’t the…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
July 2, 2021

Remarkable Author Visits Owairoa

Des Hunt is a remarkable New Zealand author who has written many books in his nearly 80 years.  Last week our senior students were able…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
June 21, 2021

Let’s Get Outdoors

On Thursday 20 May, Owairoa took part in the global movement called Outdoor Classroom Day. Research tells us that learning in nature is good for…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
June 3, 2021

Positive Puberty

This week our Senior school students have been participating in our Positive Puberty programme with Educators from Nest Consulting.  As this was the first year…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
June 2, 2021

Enlarger Than Life

Learners in Room G5 realised that ‘bigger is better’ this week, as they experienced a lesson in how to enlarge shapes and images. As part…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
May 7, 2021

Sailing Away

Our senior students have been lucky enough to spend some time on the water at Bucklands Beach as part of our Education Outside the Classroom…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
April 9, 2021

Seeds of Doubt

The students in the Senior School have been busy laying down the roots of their Science learning this year by experimenting with the germination process…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
March 26, 2021

Celebrating Our Stars

The end of lockdown and long summer days mean Summer sports are still in full swing.  The disappointment of the Softball Field day being cancelled…
Diane McIntyre
Love5
Senior School Blog
March 16, 2021

You Are Gold

With all hopes of an uninterrupted 2021 at Owairoa shattered with almost immediate effect, it was one of our newly appointed House Leaders who felt…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
February 26, 2021

Into Learning with a Hiss and a Roar

With the slight hiccup of a 3-day lockdown the Seniors have started the year with a hiss and a roar.  Extra curricular activities have started…
Diane McIntyre
Love6
Senior School Blog
February 10, 2021

A Senior Welcome to 2021

Welcome back everyone. I would like to extend a special welcome to all the new families joining Owairoa this year and welcome back all our…
Diane McIntyre
Love4
Senior School Blog
December 7, 2020

Schools out for Summer (well nearly…)

It’s been a very busy week for the Senior School students at Owairoa kicking off with Prizegiving on Monday evening. With our usual venue, Elim…
Diane McIntyre
Love2
Senior School Blog
November 16, 2020

A Whale of a Time

The school year might be creeping closer to a conclusion but that has not managed to prevent the creative juices from flowing in the Senior…
Diane McIntyre
Love2
Senior School Blog
November 2, 2020

An Explosive Lesson

Middle and Senior School classes were fortunate to enjoy a visit from two Auckland Museum Geologists this week. Students discovered that Auckland is built on…
Diane McIntyre
Love2
Senior School Blog
October 19, 2020

Stepping out of the Comfort Zone

Over the course of the term the Senior School has been working hard as all nine classes have shared a focus on speech writing. Making…
Diane McIntyre
Love2
Senior School Blog
September 4, 2020

Born to be Wild

With the untimely return of Covid in the community, Owairoa unfortunately had to cancel its highly anticipated jungle themed Book Week, but this did not…
Diane McIntyre
Love4
Senior School Blog
August 14, 2020

We’re ‘Over the Moon’ to be Learning About Space…

Science lessons for Year 5 and 6 have been ‘out of this world’ since Term 3 started. The students have been learning all about the…
jadecreative
Love3
Senior School Blog
July 24, 2020

Kicking, Running, Shooting and Passing

Term 3 is always one to look forward to for many students at Owairoa as it is the beginning of the winter sport season! Mr…
jadecreative
Love2
Senior School Blog
June 26, 2020

Choo Choo, Full ISTEAM Ahead…

With the school running as close to ‘pre-Covid’ normal as possible, the seniors have ploughed straight back into their wacky, wonderful ISTEAM programmes. Room 25…
jadecreative
Love3
Senior School Blog
June 12, 2020

Back at School and Raring to Go!

Since the Level 3 restriction was lifted, Owairoa is open for business! The senior school has been really enjoying being back in the classroom and…
jadecreative
Love2
Senior School Blog
May 29, 2020

Citrus Keeping Us Smiling

On our return to school after the lockdown period, students and staff were met by an abundance of citrus fruit ready to be picked, at…
jadecreative
Love3
Senior School Blog
May 22, 2020

Delightful Distance Learning!

Over the past eight weeks New Zealand has changed radically! The country went into lockdown and we experienced life as we have never experienced it…
jadecreative
Love2
Senior School Blog
March 9, 2020

Keeping Science Simple!

Over the past 5 weeks the Owairoa Senior students have been engaging in scientific experiments. The investigations have ranged from good hygiene practice of washing…
jadecreative
Love4
Senior School Blog
February 21, 2020

Ahoy There!

Monday marked the first day of sailing, as Room 22 and Mr Bradley embarked on an exciting trip to Bucklands Beach Yacht club. There was…
jadecreative
Love4
Senior School Blog
February 14, 2020

Exciting Times Ahead for 2020

Welcome back to 2020. We have welcomed two new teachers to the Senior School this year – Miss Hewlett in Room 27 and Mrs Obbes…
jadecreative
Love4
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