ISSUE 4 | FRIDAY 15 APRIL | 2016

Equestrian Success

Page 10

Year 9 Camps

Page 6

Mike King Visits

Page 5

Shave for a Cure

Page 18

Let's talk

about

Depression!

Cross Country

Shave for a Cure!

Enjoy your term break! School

begins again on Monday 2 May

15 April 20162

“When I look at a group of teenagers all I see is potential,” words spoken by Mike King at a talk organised for parents by the Darfield High School PTSA. Over 100 parents listened as Mike shared his lifelong struggle with both depression and addiction. His approach to discussing these issues was to mix humour with a dash of tragedy and a truckload of honesty but, the underlying message for parents/adults was clear, don’t tell young people what to do, show them. Mike also encouraged parents to spend time with their children saying, “You cannot expect teenagers to live in your world, you must take steps to live in theirs".

The next day Mike came in to speak to the students. Originally, the school had organised for only the older students to attend but, at the request of Mike and the parents present at the evening talk, the sessions were opened up to all Darfield High School students. . You know that you have a speaker who is relating to students when he can keep a hall full of teenagers engaged for well over an hour. Not only engaged, but bubbling over with questions, leaving no doubt that the students both enjoyed and were challenged by Mike’s presentation. Judging by the amount of discussion generated, his words have hit home.

Ties During the winter terms, Term 2 and 3, students are required to wear a school tie with their uniform. These are available from both Darfield High School and The Warehouse.

Sports Socks If your student is playing a winter sport in the following codes, they will need a pair of Darfield High School socks: Rugby and Hockey. These are available from the school office only.

Hats Students are permitted to wear a plain navy beanie or the DHS beanie with crest. This is for outdoor wear only.

Uniform News

Everyone Has Issues! Mike King talks about Depression

Important: Calendar DatesAs the year progresses, many of the dates in the school calendar, given to students at the beginning of the year, have changed. You can cross reference the dates against the calendar on our school website: http://darfield.school.nz/about-us/profile/or with the What's On calendar at the rear of each newsletter. Here you will find the most up-to-date information.

http://keytolife.org.nz/

In 2016, the 40 Hour Famine challenges you to live out of your backpack for an entire weekend, the same way thousands of refugee children have had to. At a moment's notice, many children have had to pack their lives into a backpack.

You will be using only what you can fit inside: all the clothes and bedding you need to keep warm and dry, the food you need, an adequate water supply, something to remember home by, and maybe something to keep you entertained. You may want to live in a cardboard box or sleep on the floor for the weekend and do away with electricity. How about getting together in a group and sharing what you have got?

Sounds like a challenge? You bet!

THE 2016 40 HOUR FAMINE: WHAT'S DIFFERENT?This year, we will be supporting children and families affected by conflict in Syria. Through no fault of their own, thousands of children have had to leave their homes and find safety in a refugee camp in a foreign country. They left friends, family, school and all their favourite things behind. That's why the money raised in 2016 will be used to fund World Vision's child-friendly spaces in Jordan, a country next to Syria that is now home to thousands of refugees.

These spaces restore hope, encourage community, and enable kids to be kids again. These are safe and welcoming places where they can play again with other children, do fun things like art and sport but, most importantly, can start to attend school again. This will ensure they are better equipped to one day rebuild their country. World Vision will provide teachers and counsellors who can help kids talk about some of the hard things they experienced and help them to feel safe and loved.

THE BACKPACK CHALLENGE: ONE WEEKEND, ONE BACKPACK

PRINCIPAL’S AWARDS

These students receive a

certificate and a $10 voucher

Around School

DHS DISPATCH welcomes any news or photographs you have from events our students have attended outside of school. We love to hear about and share successes and interesting stories.

Please email: sheryl@darfield.school.nz

Black and white paper copies are available from reception or Student Administration. Colour and back copies can be ordered by emailing the above address. Please enquire for cost.

Advertising: If you would like to advertise in our newsletter, please email for more information.

7 McLaughlins Road PO Box 5 Darfield 7541 New Zealand

admin@darfield.school.nz

www.darfield.school.nz

Phone: +64 3 318 8411

Fax: +64 3 318 8543

Copyright: You are welcome to reproduce material from the newsletter after gaining permission from the school. All reproduced material must be appropriately acknowledged.

This symbol means there is an album on our website relating to this article. Photos may be downloaded for personal use only. There is a download icon at the right of each photo.

3Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

Principal’s Comments and AwardsMost adolescents today are busy. For many, the older they get the busier they get. School contributes to this high activity life by making available a wide range of opportunities: sports teams, class trips, school camps, music tuition, overseas trips, drama, leadership courses, fundraising events, leadership roles, social events, music groups, etc. All of this is in addition to the ‘normal’ work of school, such as classwork, homework, assignments and assessments. And all of this is in addition to the sports, socialising and other activities students do that are not associated with school. And, for many senior students, all of this is in addition to doing a part-time job to raise funds to do all of these activities and save for future study.

These things that students are busy with can be of great value. They enable them to learn a range of important skills, have worthwhile experiences and are hopefully enjoyable, too. However, trying to ‘do it all’ can come at a personal cost. This cost may just be the opportunity cost of not being able to do something else. It is difficult to do everything in your life to the best of your ability and, inevitably, compromises have to be made. Sometimes, this means not doing academic study as well as it could be done.

For most students who do not achieve their academic goals at school it is their choices about where to commit their time that are most critical. The short term benefit of doing a particular alternative activity today

can come at the long term cost of greater academic success. It can seem easier to say

‘yes’ to an extra task to help someone out now, than put in the time needed to get to an Excellence level assignment. It can feel easier to spend an extra hour at work to please the boss than doing an extra hour of study. Study done before assessments is invisible, as the results are seen only when the assessment is marked. Then it is easy to blame lack of success on the difficult test, or the subject, or the teacher.

Our most successful students can be the ones who feel the pressure to perform the most. It is not surprising that students can get stressed, feel guilty about letting somebody down, miss assignments, or get unwell. Parents and the school have a shared role in working with students to help guide them through making sensible decisions about time management. Helping them be able to say ‘no’. Helping them to recognise when they are not coping. Helping them to plan and prioritise their day, and week, and term, and year.

Our children want to please their teachers and their parents (even though some are good at hiding this). We want them to learn the value of hard work and make the most of their opportunities. However, we need to make sure that this pressure to succeed is balanced with the need we all have for quiet time, family time and down time.

James Morris

Spotted at the Cross Country Congratulations, you three have won an Around School prize. See Mrs Watson early next term.

Brooke Winter-Reid

Aidan Brackmann

Zahara Sutton

Grace Moana

Natalia Little

Hannah King

Tiaan Johns

Maia Adams

15 April 20164

School class and sport photographs are now on Thursday 5 May. This is the first week of Term Two and has changed from the date advertised in the school calendar.

All students need to be in their correct, clean uniform, with polished shoes, and must be wearing a blazer and tie.

School Photographs

Congratulations to Greer Oliver, who has just been awarded a Kate Edgar Scholarship for her Masters, at Auckland University.

In 11 July 1877, Kate Edgar (Evans) graduated with a BA in Latin and Mathematics from the University of New Zealand. She became the first woman in New Zealand to gain a university degree and the first woman in the British Empire to earn a BA.

Ex Student News

On Sunday 6 March, the Year 10 Japanese class, as well as some seniors, made our way aboard a bus to Riccarton Park, for the Japan Day event. The first thing we noticed was the number of people arriving at the event, it seemed very popular.

We walked inside to see where we would be performing and, as we still had a few hours until we performed, we watched a boy perform some traditional dancing, which was very enlightening. We chose a time to meet back at the performing area, and went off to look at all the sights. There were many, many different things to look at so we walked around for an hour and a half. I saw some people pounding rice for rice cakes and saw a kendo exhibition, which was really fun. There were even places where you could join in, we saw some young children learning about sumo wrestling and people being shown how to make traditional kites.

After we walked around a bit we headed inside where there were shops, and even an anime room! It was nearly 2 o'clock so we went back to the performing area and prepared for our performance. We dressed in happi, and practised our dance, before going inside to watch the other performers, we had some time left so we quickly rushed back outside to find some Hi-chew, (Japanese

lollies) and some of my favourite kitkats—green tea flavour. We were nearly supposed to be on so we went back inside mentally preparing ourselves for what was going to happen next, we took some photos of the group and then watched the last few seconds of the group before us, before lining up ready to begin. It all happened quite fast and before we knew it, the audience was clapping and we were heading to the back again.

We performed Yuki Ya Konko, a traditional Japanese song that talks about snow falling, dogs playing and cats sleeping by the fire. We chose a few of the main ideas, such as yuki (snow), Arare (hail), Inu (dog) Neko (cat) to show these main points. We had a lot of fun performing and writing our Kanji symbols, I learnt how to write hana (the start of my name, that means flower) and I am quite proud of how it turned out.

After the performance, we had a few minutes to go and grab some sushi and green tea before boarding the bus and heading back home. It was a really fun day and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I suggest going to Japan Day in the future even if you don’t perform as it was a great way to learn about the culture and try food that you can’t buy in New Zealand. Hanako Wilson

I am at Darfield High School this year, working as a Commerce teacher and I have the pleasure of teaching Level 1 Economics and Commerce. I am also teaching junior Commerce and Year 9 Social Studies.

I am Canadian but I have been working throughout New Zealand for the past 10 years. Previously, I was working at Queen Charlotte College and Golden Bay High School, where I started my teaching career.

I enjoy playing basketball, doing outdoor activities, and am an avid snowboarder, but I haven't been able to get out on my board for a few seasons.

Welcome to:

Mr Matt Benassi

Mr Peter FinniganHi my name is Mr Peter Finnigan. I am a teacher of Technology and Mathematics. I am very happy to be associated with you and teaching at Darfield High School

5Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

During Term One we introduced a new House competition: making a short video of the impact of not caring for our environment. Today is the last day to hand in your video and it will be interesting to see what everyone has created.

During Term Two, there will be a poster competition to remind students about doing the right thing. The focus will be on positive behaviour and will promote doing the right thing for DHS and the school environment.

Like we have done last year, we will be bringing back the token system. Staff will be handing out tokens to students sitting in litter free areas, putting litter in the bin, or doing the right thing in classrooms at lunch. Tokens go into a box and are added up each term to see which House wins the points for that term. There will be a House draw for prizes for those that have their names in the box.

So get involved guys and may the best House win!

New House Competitions

Classes were interrupted last week as the fire alarms sounded and our procedures for evacuating in case of a fire were evaluated.

Students quickly gathered in the courts, rolls were taken and local Deputy Chief FO, Mike Richards, explained how to improve on anything amiss.

Fire Drill

Darfield High School Year 12 students will be attending the award winning one-day RYDA Road Safety Education Programme. RYDA is designed for 15–17 year olds as they begin to drive, or ride, in cars driven by their peers. The programme focuses on attitude and awareness with the aim of equipping young adults to stay safe on our roads. This programme is not just for drivers, but young people as passengers too.

RYDA delivers six interactive sessions aimed at exploring crucial aspects of travelling safely, combining the efforts of local road safety experts/educators and recovering survivors of road crashes. There is an activity booklet to be completed on the day.

In one session, students will be outside requiring appropriate clothing and or accessories for the weather.

Students will also watch an emotional video of a fatal car crash. Any student who is not comfortable to watch the video will be invited to leave the room whilst the video plays.

RYDA Road Safety EducationDate: Tuesday 3 May 2016

Venue: Rugby Clubrooms and the Community Centre

Time: The programme will start at 9.30 am and finish at approximately 2.10 pm

Dress: Students are to wear complete school uniform

Bring: Students are to bring lunch and beverages to last the day as there is no food available for purchase, and no water tap on site.

Students need to bring a pen as there is a booklet to be completed through the day

Details of the programme can be found at www.rse.org.nz.

On Thursday 31 March, a small group of Year 11–13 students competed in the heats for the University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival, held at Papanui High School. Darfield had two student-directed pieces entered.

The first performance was a five minute comedic scene from Taming of the Shrew, directed by Jasmine Nash and performed by Adam Walker and Gus Thomas. Secondly, an intense five minute scene from Hamlet, directed by Lexi Sutherland, and performed by Sophie Bucknell, Natasha Young, Caleb Banks and Sydney Riley. Jasmine’s Taming of the Shrew won the award for the 'Best Comedy Duo' and Lexi’s Hamlet won the 'Best Vocal Performance'.

Hamlet made it through to the Regional Finals and that was held on Sunday 3 April at the Court Theatre in Christchurch. Here, they competed against the top performances from the three heats and had the opportunity to see some phenomenal pieces. The group won the award for the “Best Dramatic Intensity” and really enjoyed treading the boards of the Court Theatre.

Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Competition

Right: Lexi Sutherland (Director), Natasha Young (Queen), Caleb Banks (King), Sophie Bucknell

(Ophelia), and Sydney Riley (Laertes)

Photo by Georgina Rees

15 April 20166

Caving and Climbingat CraigieburnHi everyone, this is our write up of our Y9 camp experience.

It was 21 March, all of our gear was packed up in the vans and everyone was in one of the three vans, so we set off. We were all laughing heaps as we drove through the school and waved goodbye to the other students. Along the way we stopped at the Sheffield Pie Shop and the adults got pies and coffees, which we all thought was majorly unfair. The drive was very scenic, with amazing views of the mountains and lush green fields, which provided loads of photo opportunities.

For a start, the radio was playing quietly and there was only a murmur of chat but, by the end, the radio was blasting loudly and we were all talking noisily. We played games and talked and laughed the whole way there, it was a blast!

Along the way, we pulled over at Castle Hill to let everyone catch up and we all got excited thinking we were rock climbing there, but we continued on driving and arrived at Cave Stream, where we got out and had morning tea. Once we had finished eating, we were split into our two groups and taken to our activities.

Kate : My group was the first to go Cave Streaming so we got dressed and then got a briefing from the wonderful caver, Kerin. We headed down the path to the Cave Stream opening, then we all had to wait for other groups to go, but it was a good opportunity to go in the water. Of course, I was the first one to slip on the rocks and get wet but I laughed and so did everyone else. We all got in and started to walk through the cave. We would stop every once in a while to look at the rocks inside the cave or let people past. We all got to the end and were upset that it ended so quick but we all really enjoyed it and it was most people's first time so they loved it. However, as we were climbing out, silly me again, my head torch fell off my helmet into the water below, so thankfully Kerin dived down and got it for me, big thanks to him! We got out and joined the other group for lunch then switched activities.

7Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

Zara Woodward and Kate Caldwell share their Year 9 Camp adventures

Zara: My group went rock climbing first, which was lucky, we didn’t have to climb in wet clothes like the others. To get to the rocks we were climbing, we had to walk down the hill and then climb up the other side where Mr Dickens and Bobby were waiting with all the gear.

Kate: We finally got to the lodge and everyone was very relieved and happy to settle into our rooms, eat and bunker down into bed. We had spaghetti bolognese for dinner (again!), which everyone complained about (good humouredly though).

We woke up the next day groggy and tired (the girls talked heaps in the night, oops) and headed to breakfast. We had a rule that if you were caught wearing no shoes you would have to do five burpees, so everyone was making sure they had shoes on! We had our delicious breakfast and got ready for the day's activities.

Kate: My group was first to go kayaking; we got the kayaks out and pulled them to the shore where we played a game with the paddles then got in. We started to get out on the lake and were trying to stay together but it was like bumper cars. Then we travelled across to the reeds heading AGAINST the wind and played two games with the balls. We returned to the shore and got out where we met the other group for lunch and switched activities.

Zara: My group was first to learn about wild pines, go possum trapping and look at the native Mistletoe. The other group left in two of the vans to go kayaking while our group took Bobby’s truck and the last van.

We all returned home with an hour of free time, so we played some games, went for a quick nature walk and hung out in the cabins. Mr Dickens called us in for dinner and we got our sausages and salad then packed up the room and played Mafia, a card game that Mr Dickens taught us. It was really fun and when you got out Mr Dickens said, “you're goooooooneee” in the funniest way, we all laughed and went to bed ready for the next day.

15 April 20168

From 4–6 April, 9BV went up to Castle Hill and stayed at Forest Lodge. Mr Chalk, Miss Graham, Tom, and Danielle were the teachers and Year 12s that went on our camp.

The first day was the hardest as it was raining; it took us at least an hour and a half to get on the road. We travelled in three vans and our van was the best and the loudest. We had the music on high and amazed our driver, Anita, with our amazing vocals. We even got her singing with us.

Arriving at Cave Stream at about 12.30 pm, we split into two groups: one going rock climbing and abseiling, and the other went through the caves.

Rozlyn's and my group went rock climbing first up which was good, because the sun was coming out and it was dry. Stefanie was the first to abseil and made it look easy! Going through the cave was good too—it's not as bad as everyone said.

The second day we were up at 7.30 am but in some people's case 6.00 am. The group that

went rock climbing first went and did possum trapping; the other group kayaking. It was hot when it was time to switch activities, so kayaking was really good and we didn't get so cold.

That night, after dinner, we had a 9BV Got Talent, where we had 20 minutes to prepare and practise and then perform in front of everyone. The winners were a group of girls who performed the Cup Song.

On the last day of camp, we had a three-hour walk, but before we left, we had to pack everything up at the lodge and do a massive clean up. All our bags were loaded into a trailer and while we were out hiking, our van and gear were driven to the end of the track. The walk wasn't that hard, but two people were stung by wasps.

We stopped for lunch and made it to the bus at 2.00 pm, helped unload and pack everything in, boarded the bus and enjoyed our trip back to school.

Mika and Rozlyn

Year 9 Camps continued: Year 9 Camps were held over three weeks and here is another report from students in 9BV

9Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

Make a difference. Become a school trustee.Nominate yourself or someone you know today.

Learn more at www.trustee-election.co.nz

Being a school trustee is an important role that needs people with a range of skills and experiences, who will make a positive difference to our children’s learning. Make a difference and nominate yourself or someone you know by filling out a nomination form available from your school.

TRUSTEES

Futures

INFORMED

Confident

YOUR RETURNINGOFFICER IS:Trudy McKayDarfield High SchoolPO Box 57 McLaughlins RoadDarfield 7541033188411, Trudy@darfield.school.nz

Nominations are invited for the election of five parent representatives to the Board of Trustees.A nomination form and a notice calling for nominations will be posted to all eligible voters.

Additional nomination forms can be obtained from the school office.

Nominations close at noon on 6 May 2016 and may be accompanied by a signed candidate’s statement.

The voting roll is open for inspection at the school and can be viewed during normal school hours.

There will also be a list of candidates’ names, as they come to hand, for inspection at the school.

Voting closes at noon on 20 May 2016

Trudy McKay Returning Officer

Darfield High School Board of Trustees ElectionThe Stage Challenge raffle has now been drawn. We would

like to thank all those who sponsored us by donating prizes—we really appreciate the help in getting us to this competition.

Congratulations to the following winners :

Porters Pass: N Dance

Porters Pass: R Mason

Orana Park Pass x2: L Wilson

Orana Park Pass x2: C Townsend

Orana Park Pass: G Carmichael

Orana Park Pass: Thomas Family

Bloom: C Boyes

Gnomes Voucher: M Gray

Darfield Bakery Voucher: E de Rooy

Darfield Bakery Voucher: B Hoy

Darfield Bakery Voucher: A Tasker

Darfield Bakery Voucher: C Hadley

Darfield Bakery Voucher: W Parsons

Willowbank Wildlife Pass: O Gullery

Darfield Garden Centre Voucher: P Olliver

The Oaks Voucher: O'Callaghan

The Oaks Voucher: P Dorsey

Johnny Fresh Voucher: Galletly Family

Johnny Fresh Voucher: Thomas Family

Food Hamper: McNeill Family

Beauty Hamper (Pink) C Wilson

Beauty Hamper (Blue) L Gilmour

Beauty Gift Set (Gold) E de Rooy

The Sewing Room—Notebook Set: J Cider

Darfield Gift Centre—Candle: Wilson Family

Stage Challenge Raffle

Mufti Day Friday 6 May

Fundraising for the Fiji Disaster Relief

15 April 201610

Above: Darfield Maroon Team

The conditions were picture perfect out at Macleans Island for the Canterbury Interschool Dressage Competition. With 31 teams competing, the event has grown over the years and the top prize is well sought after.

Our two teams had a fantastic day with the Darfield Blue team, consisting of Lily Barrett-Power, Georgia Allison, Niamh Rayne and Rosa Millar performing exceptionally well in both the morning and afternoon tests, to take out the coveted prize for the top team. A special mention to Lily Barrett-Power who won both of her tests on her beautiful Fresian mare, Izabella M, and the cup for the highest level one score. Lily is certainly one

to watch for the future. Georgia Allison also had a wonderful day; riding a young and inexperienced horse, she gained individual 3rd and 4th placings.

The Darfield Maroon team consisting of Laura Gough, Katherine Hadler, Mikayla Jarvis and Caitlin Aubrey also had a super day which bodes well for the future of dressage at DHS. Many of the riders had young, inexperienced horses, or were quite new combinations, so their placing of 11th overall in such a large field was super.

Both teams displayed superb sportsmanship and certainly did the school proud.

Well done!

Above: Katherine Hadler.

Above: Georgia Allison

Above: Lily Barrett-Power

Above: Niamh RayneAbove: The winning team (Darfield Blue) and their trophy

Equestrian:

Canterbury Interschool's Dressage Competition

11Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

The Senior Market Days will be held in the School Hall at lunchtime on Wednesday 4 May and Thursday 12 May. This is an important part of the students' assessment so please come and support them by purchasing their products. The public are encouraged to come and support these, and other students, participating in the market day on Wednesday 4 May from 12.30–2.30 pm.

Any pre-sales and enquires please email Mrs Hoy on bh@darfield.school.nz

New View Photography Sick and tired of your usual cell phone camera? Want something a little awesome that will change your photography skills and selfies for your phone? Come buy a cell phone fish eye lens for $6. For $6 this will also come with a Micro and 180 degree lens. This will buy you multiple amazing camera lenses for your cell phone or laptop. Visit New View Photography (Chelsea, Jess, Georgia and Tessa) on the Year 12 Market day at lunch in the hall and you can experience and trial these lenses before buying them yourself.

market day

GIGGi Come play bumper balls with us and your friends!! On Thursday 5 May come visit Gus, Isaac, Georgia and Georgie on the main rugby field and if wet in the gym to have a go in a giant inflatable ball. 8 minutes for only $5. Make sure to come see us on Wednesday 4 May to buy a ticket and be guaranteed a fun time. Girls make sure to wear shorts underneath your dress and shoes are compulsory for all.

Pens and co Are you in need of some new pens, are you needing to refill your pencil again. Well then come and see us on our market days. Our pens will cost you only $1.50 for one or $4 for three.

This and That| Want to decorate your device? Come see This and That to buy some laptop stickers or headphone winders! All stickers are $1.50 each!! Headphones winders are $1 each! SPECIAL DEALS: 5 headphone winders for $3.99!! 5 stickers for $4.99!! Don’t forget, come see Maddie on our market days!

KC’s Cases Need a new iPhone 4,5,6 case or a new Samsung Galaxy s4,s5,s6 case? We are selling both! During lunchtimes students will have the opportunity to purchase a decorative or plain coloured cases (e.g. red, yellow, green, and blue) for the price of $5.00. Come say hi to Tane, Chris, Kayla and Devin on 4 and 12 May if you are interested.

Examples of some decorative cases to the right.

CharlmeezWant some new fabulous fashionable jewellery at a reasonable price? Then come see Caitlin, Stephanee, Hannah and Lee-Ann on our market days at the very start of Term 2! Get yourself some charms/pendants for $1.50 each, necklaces and bracelets for $2.50 each or you can purchase our special deal of a bracelet and 2 charms for $4.99!!

Jess Osborne, Georgia Shinn, Chelsea Wilson, Tessa Mitchell

Bracelets for Charity Howdy Friends :) Are those normal bracelets just not spicing up your life? Do your normal bracelet brands not donate 100% of their profits to charity? I think not. Bracelets for Charity (Cam, Vincent and Holly) are selling handmade bracelets that are made from Number 8 wire that will be sold for $5 a pop. ALL of our profits from the market days will be

going towards Ronald Mcdonald House charity, so you won’t just be supporting a small business but also backing a major charity.

15 April 201612

Congratulations to all those who had animals, vegetables, artwork, craft, or cooking entered in the Malvern A & P Show. There was a great turnout on the day, the weather was fabulous and it was lovely to see so many students having fun.

Pictured are a tiny selection of items on display from our students.

Malvern A &P Show

For this task, Year 10 students in Ms Evans' Mathematics classes were asked to estimate the surface area of their body ie, the amount of skin they have. Each group was given some chalk and measuring devices to help with their calculations.

On average, a human body has 1.8m2 of skin. The students were amazed at how accurate their estimates were.

How Much Skin Do I Have?

13Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

Poetry Week: Miss Daisy brings PolySwaggLast Thursday, Darfield High School hosted the wonderful Daisy Lavea-Timo, a performance poet and English teacher. The day consisted of students being able to write their personal values into poetic work and express it in a unique way that suited their individuality.

She showed us a few inspirational videos to help us get a better idea of what we could do, along with a powerful performance of her own called Polyswagg. Two of the videos we were shown were Sarah Kay's, Point B, a TED presentation, and Daniel Beaty's, Knock, Knock on Def Jam Poetry. Both of these send powerful messages, and were personal to the presenter.

These really got us inspired, so we (a group of students from Years 7 to 13) participated in a few written activities, such as Where I’m From. In this activity students had to vividly describe, in one to two sentences, what their chosen location “Looks like, smells like, tastes like, sounds like, and feels like”. This could have been about the home they live in now, or in the past.

Later, we were given a few more activities and some time to edit our chosen poetry so that

we could present it. For students like me, this was an exceptional opportunity to gain more confidence in front of peers and pursue my capabilities of performing.

As a result of Daisy’s visit, some of the students have been thinking about creating a poetry club where students can learn more from each other and expand their already diverse skills, leading to a better understanding of each other and the society we live in. We would like to thank Daisy Lavea-Timo for coming to present to us. We have been inspired to do more and work harder to communicate our values, to be individual and to present our work with confidence.

Iva Vukovic

Well if anyone thought poetry was boring, they should check out the following on youtube:

• Lemon Andersen: Please don't take my Air Jordans

• Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter

• Daniel Beaty: Knock Knock (Def Jam Poetry)

• Miss Daisy: PolySwagg

Jack Gillians, 7HB

15 April 201614

Day One On Sunday 20 March, the Year 12 Geography class headed off to Mt Cook for a full-on three days of Geography and banter. We arrived at Glentanner Lodge and were soon off for our first collection of data, where we measured depths of a straight and s-bend in Lagoon Stream.

We carried on to Mt Cook Village Hermitage, where we watched a short 20-minute movie about the formation of Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. After a busy day, we headed back to the lodge and had free time, which

Tarns and GlaciersGeography at Mt Cook

consisted of most of our class heading down to Lake Pukaki. Some were crazy enough to go swimming, some took photos and others played a newly formed game of Dackey - a cross between Donkey and Hackey! We then headed back to camp for a bbq dinner and then some continued to play Dackey, and some headed off to bed.

Day Two The next morning, we were up bright and early and drove back to Mt Cook village to meet Ranger Ray, who was to take us up the Red Tarns walk to do our scree slope

data collection. On the walk up, a lot of us discussed how amazingly high we got in such a short amount of time. After a decent climb, we reached the Red Tarns. While we were up there, we were incredibly lucky, because as we were up at a higher elevation, the sun came out, the cloud moved, and we got an amazing view of Mt Cook! We then completed our measuring, ran down the scree slope and back down the hill.

We then had a quick lunch break and walked into the Tasman Glacier Lake for our boat ride! Our class really enjoyed this part as we went

By Georgia Cottrell

15Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

out in boats on the lake in order to get closer to the glacier and got so close to icebergs we could touch them. Following this, we returned to the Hermitage for some free time and then carried on to the Department of Conservation Visitors' Centre where we met Andrew, who gave us an in-depth explanation about glaciation and how perspectives of the South Island High Country have changed over time. This was a beneficial experience for our geography knowledge; however, it was commented on that we looked half asleep as we were all so tired after a full-on couple of days! We all had an early dinner before heading to bed!

Day Three Again, we were up bright and early, and headed back to Mt Cook once again to meet Ranger Ray to walk to the Hooker Glacier. We were all feeling a bit sore after walking the Red Tarns track but, walking to the Hooker Glacier, we saw some amazing scenery and it really put some geography concepts and ideas into perspective for all of us. Some members of our class were crazy enough to run the track and then, on arrival at the Glacier Lake, they went swimming, in a surface temperature of around three degrees! We then headed back to the vans and made our way home. On the way home everyone was a bit tired; however, it was all a good laugh. We would like to say a huge thanks to Mr Quinn, Miss Petersen and Annemieke Thomas for accompanying us on this trip and making it possible!

15 April 201616

International Pool PartyTo kick off 2016, we held our first pool party to welcome our new students and welcome back our returning students. It was great to have so many of our host families and cultural ambassadors come along too, and we all enjoyed a Kiwi BBQ together in between swims. This term we have 23 long-term international students from Japan, China, Korea, Brazil, and Germany.

Visiting Tour GroupsIt has been a busy start to the year, hosting visiting groups from Yubetsu Town (Hokkaido, Japan), Setagaya Gakuen School (Tokyo, Japan), and Kiwi Centre (Bangkok, Thailand). It has been wonderful to share some New Zealand culture with each of these groups, and they have all really enjoyed their time spent both at Darfield High School and in our community. Thank you very much to our host families, DHS student buddies, and DHS staff for helping us to host them.

INTERNATIONAL: A Quick Look Back at a Busy Term

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Cultural AmbassadorsLast year we began Cultural Ambassadors as a group for DHS students who are interested in learning about other cultures, getting to know international students, and helping us to host visitors from different countries. In March we held a lunchtime seminar looking at communication with non-native English speakers, and different strategies that can help.

We are really pleased with the way Cultural Ambassadors has grown, and we now have 16 students from a range of different year levels. They have successfully helped us to host a BBQ where DHS students could meet our new internationals, have joined our international club activities, and warmly welcomed our visiting tour groups by being excellent buddies.

International ClubThis is a new initiative we have started running every Thursday after school. We play sports, play card and board games and, once a term, do some Kiwi cooking and watch a DVD. Our Cultural Ambassadors are invited along, but we’d love to have some more Kiwi students joining in too. Please talk to Miss Rawson or Miss Hely if you are interested, and have a look at the schedule on our international noticeboard.

15 April 201618

Yesterday, our annual event, Shave for a Cure, was held at school during lunchtime. The event raises money for the Leukemia and Blood Cancer Foundation and the team at Darfield wants to make a difference to the lives affected by these cancers.

Students and family could come along and watch for a gold coin donation and money is also raised by donating to the official website. An auction was held at the school so the highest bidder had the privilege of shaving the person they had bid on.

We had 24 taking part in this event and it was really entertaining for students to come along and cheer their friends on as they went under the clippers.

Principal, Mr Morris, was one of the first to sit in a 'shave chair' and according to daughter, Kate, "about time!" referring to his longer-than-usual hairstyle.

While winners of each Shave auction were able to shave off their person's hair, we were lucky to have Lisa Smith and Courtney Booth, from New Image Hair Studio, come along and tidy up the heads of everyone so they looked very smart. We appreciate their time and help.

If you weren't able to take part in the Shave, you can still donate some money to one of your friends, or to the school directly. Donations can also be made online—just go to the Shave For a Cure website and search ‘Darfield’ in the schools section and our name should pop up!

Thank you to everyone who took part in any way and to Mr Adams for overseeing this event at school.

Eddie Searle, Brittany Muiznieks, Olivia Shinn and Courtney Townsend.

Adrian Nolan Hamish Evans Cameron Carter Micah Innes Reuben Davis Callum Jones Cameron Mills Jack Robertson Max Whyte Christopher Moffat Beowulf Scott Alex Jones Duncan Riddle Hamish Keating Kieran McKay Ryan Neal Harrison Buck Matt Caldwell

Over $8,300 raised so far!

Why are they doing this:

Mr Morris: "Staff have always been great supporters of the shave, so it was my turn to step up and be shorn for the team."

Harry Williamson: "I'm doing Shave for a Cure because I think its a great way to co-operate in charities and is something quite unique. I would like to help in any way I can to help those with leukemia and blood cancer."

Kelly Rod: "I have done this for the people out there who are suffering from Leukaemia Blood Cancer. I may not understand what it is like to have cancer but at least if I do shave my hair it may make a difference in someone else's life."

Joshua Rod: "I am doing this amazing cause because I see people in need. I just need to help them because no one should go through all this pain."

Jeremy Bourhill: "My hair has always been long and I wanted to try it short and it's kinda heavy."

Hayden deBurger: "For a good cause and for fun."

Others taking part in the event were:

Find the album on our Gallery at http://darfield.school.nz/

Year 12 and 13 students from ten local high schools volunteered at Halswell Quarry with the UC Student Volunteer Army recently. The activity was part of the SVA UCan Volunteering and Leadership programme, which aims to empower high school students to make a difference in their communities.

While the day turned out to be cold and drizzly, Maddie O'Callaghan, Rachael Phillipson, Hannah Marchant, and Chloe Fraser were still very keen to be involved. The project goal was to contribute to the maintenance and vitality of a community park. On this day, the park was the Halswell Quarry and the students, assisted by local park rangers, were to plant natives, work on trail walks and also to introduce some colour and interest with creative works. The students worked hard but there was still a lot of fun had and afterwards lunch was provided and they were encouraged to come up with their own projects to work on.

Army of Volunteers

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Recently, Tom Freeman competed in the NZ SS Triathlon, held this year in Queenstown at Lake Hayes. Tom participated in the Open Water Championships. Tom’s outstanding effort got him a first placing in the Under12 section, which means he is First in New Zealand!

Tom said, “I was a little surprised when I won the 1st place because there were a lot of good swimmers there”.

“I really want to go next year to defend the title, it’s in the North Island though, so hopefully I can”.

He said he has been swimming twice a week for fitness which helped training for the event.

NZ SS Triathlon

Above: Tom Freeman with his medal

On Wednesday 23 March, the Level 2 Science class went to the Christchurch International Antarctic Centre to discover how technology can make exploring the continent easier.

Part of the trip involved the storm room, where students learnt how layers can be used effectively to protect against the chilling effects of wind. The ice water challenge was also popular, with a couple of students managing to keep their hand in the sub-zero water for five minutes.

The ideas learnt during this visit and over the following weeks will be used to explain why similar clothing technology is useful for survival in New Zeland alpine environments.

Brrr...

We were lucky to have ex-student, Tim Logan, visit us during assemblies recently to talk about his holiday adventures. For three weeks during December, Tim was helping DOC staff on Wellington Islands working with endangered New Zealand wildlife, catching chicks, weighing them to see how they are growing and putting bands on their legs.

The Islands are a predator-free zone and DOC have been bringing important animals back here to breed and colonise. Tim was working with takahe, of which there are only about 250 left, and shearwaters, but there are lizards, penguins, tuatara, tui, parakeets, kaka and kiwi also on the island.

Above: Tim with a shearwater chick

Catch-up with Tim Logan

Junior ChoirChoir practice for Years 7 and 8 students is held in H10 on Monday lunchtimes, 1.30–2.00 pm. Please see Mrs Galletly for further information about being involved and having the opportunity to take part in the Christchurch Schools Music Festival, held during October.

There are also opportunities for talented singers and instrumentalists from our school to audition to be a member of one of the festival Special groups—Senior (Year 7 and 8) Choir, Concert Band and Orchestra. These groups perform items at the festival each night, sometimes in conjunction with the massed choirs.

This year’s theme is All creatures, Great and Small!—a catch-all that will indeed catch a wide variety of animals that inhabit this planet that we share. Musical Director, Patrick Shepherd and his team have devised an interesting and varied programme which seeks to both educate and entertain as well as showing off the talents of the choirs, concert band and symphony orchestra. Nearly four thousand school children from around Canterbury will participate!

Questions and queries: email Mrs Galletly on ga@darfield.school.nz

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A Year 9 English event held this afternoon. Students battle it out for the coveted trophy! We will bring you the results early next term.

Not many get the better of Mrs Morgan, but during lunchtime today, Joshua Hendriks challenged her to a game of Chess. She was oh-so-confident beforehand but, "done and dusted within seven minutes", Joshua walked away smiling!

Chess Champion!

2016 Cross Country Results

Find the album on our Gallery at http://darfield.school.nz/

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Age Winner Runner-Up

Year 7 Boys Callum Summerfield Brody Simpson

Year 7 Girls Anna McKenzie Rozena Sutton

Year 8 Boys Ethan Rose William Brown

Year 8 Girls Caitlin Knowles Teresa Barnhill

Under 14 Boys Johnny Sims James Roulston

Under 14 Girls Paige Hunter Caitlin Rayne

Under 15 Boys Jackson Proud Rhys Clatworthy

Under 15 Girls Maddie Anthony Emma Pennells

Under 16 ½ Boys Harry Bampton Jeroen Breunisse

Under 16 ½ Girls Georgia Shinn Niamh Rayne

Over 16 ½ Boys Isaac Proud Nathaniel Dysart

Over 16 ½ Girls Karta Hewitt Caitlin Soal

TERM TWO

WEEK ONE Tuesday 3 May

• RYDA Driving Course for Year 12s

• Peer Mediation Training

Wednesday 4 May

• 1st XV vs Greymouth in Greymouth

• Senior Market Day (Commerce)

Thursday 5 May

• Canterbury SS Swimming Sports

• School Photos

Friday 6 May

• Rural College Practical Day

WEEK TWO - PRODUCTION WEEKTuesday 10 May

• Canterbury Primary School Duathlon Championships

• Careers Expo

• Opening Night, Bugsy Malone, 7.30 pm

• BOT Meeting, 7.30 pm

Wednesday 11 May

• 1st XV vs Westland at DHS

• Senior Market Day

• Matinee Bugsy Malone, 10.00 am

Thursday 12 May

• Christchurch Careers Expo (to 14th)

• Canterbury Secondary Schools Road Racing Championships

• Bugsy Malone, 7.30 pm

Friday 13 May

• Canterbury Secondary Schools Weekly Basketball Competitions Begin

• Jazz Band at CPIT, Period 5

• Bugsy Malone, 7.30 pm

Sunday 15 May

• Year 13 Biology Trip to Kaikoura (to 17th)

WEEK THREEMonday 16 May

• Year 12 Outdoor Ed (all day)

Tuesday 17 May

• Stage Challenge

• ICAS Computing

• PTSA Meeting, 7.45 pm

Wednesday 18 May

• Winter Sport Begins

• Rugby 1st XV College Day

Friday 20 May

• Year 13 Rural College Practical Day

School and Community NoticesTerm Dates 2016Term 1:

• Monday 1 February to Friday 15 April

Term 2:

• Monday 2 May to Friday 8 July

• 25 April: ANZAC Day

• 6 June: Queen’s Birthday

Term 3:

• Monday 25 July to Friday 23 September

Term 4:

• Monday 10 October to Friday 16 December

• 24 October: Labour Day

• 10 November: Staff Only Day

• 11 November: Canterbury Anniversary Show Day

Contact Between Home and SchoolWe have found that up-to-date information is vital in case of an

emergency but also for general day to day contact. Have you changed your address recently? Changed cell phones? Place of

work? Or would you like to update/change the emergency contact for your student? Also the second parent address for reports

being sent.

If any of the above changes apply, please advise Jill, Student Administrator, by: phoning 318 8411/ext 3;

emailing jill@darfield.school.nz or write it down and ask your student to deliver it

to the Student Office

DARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL WEBSITE

TaekwondoTuesdays 3.30–5.00 pm

Gym 2Darfield High School

Email sh@darfield.school.nz

15 April 201622

HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES APRIL 2016 Trampoline and Gymnastics Holiday “Have A Go“ programmes.

Come and spring, roll, swing, bounce and balance - try something new. $13 per session At QE11 Park Gymnastics 1-2 pm Weekdays

At 18 Watts Rd, Sockburn Gymnastics 1-2 pm Trampolining 12-1 pm Weekdays

Bookings Essential Ph 3886616 (QE11) and 3434950 (Watts Rd) We also have a OSCAR holiday programme- WINZ subsidies apply enquire now

C h ristchu rch sch ool o fG ym n astics

23Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

School UniformsWe have a small range of uniform items in stock for sale at school. Fittings are by appointment only. It is preferable parents refrain from coming to reception for uniform items from 8–9.30 am as this is a very busy time. For purchases, please contact Sue or Elaine in Admin.

Out of stock items will not be replaced; we are discontinuing the Uniform Shop at school. Please ring to check we have the item you require in stock. All Darfield High School uniform items are for sale at The Warehouse, Rolleston.

If you have second hand uniform for sale and would like details of it to be added, or updated, on our database, please email sue@darfield.school.nz or elaine@darfield.school.nz. Please note, we do not keep second hand uniform at school.

Uniform Shop Hours for Students

Monday: 11.00 –11.25amThursday: 11.00 –11.25am

Second Hand Uniforms WantedThere is a great demand for clean and tidy second hand uniforms. If you have items you would like to sell or donate, please email elaine@darfield.school.nz, or sue@darfield.school.nz with details: sizes, items, girl’s or boy’s, price, and your contact details. This information will be added to our database and if someone is looking for an item, we will pass on your contact details.

Note: we do not keep second hand uniform at school.

Uniform Reminders:Jackets for cooler weather: students are permitted to wear either a plain navy or plain black jacket with their uniform to keep warm on cooler days. Jackets and DHS scarves are for outdoor wear.

Socks: Ensure that your child is wearing the correct socks to school. For both girls and boys, knee-high black socks are required.

Jewellery: The only jewellery permitted is a wristwatch and one gold or silver stud in each ear. No other jewellery is to be worn.

Blazers: Blazers are to be worn on Tuesdays. Parents, please remind your students to bring their blazers on Tuesdays for Assemblies.

Found: Many uniform items have been found around the school. Please name all items of your students' clothing and check that they have not lost anything.

Mainland Futsal Holiday ProgrammeAge: 7–12 year olds.

Dates: 26, 27, 28 and 29 April 2016

Times: 9.00 am–3.00 pm

Venue: Cowles Stadium

Cost: $35 per day ($120.00 for four consecutive days) 10% discount of second child when registering two or more siblings.

Limit: Limited to sixty participants

Mainland Football Outdoors

Age: 7–14 year olds.

Dates: 20, 21, and 22 April 2016

Times: 9.00 am–3.00 pm

Venue: ASB Football ParkCost: $35 per day ($90 for three consecutive days) 10% discount of second child when registering two or more siblings.

Come into the office and sign up to do the 40 Hour Famine!

Ski registrations for Wednesday afternoon skiing, at Porters Ski

Area during Term Three, will open from Monday 9 May.

15 April 201624

25Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

CAREERSE X P O TUESDAY 10 MAY

9.00 am–3.00 pmDHS SCHOOL HALLPARENTS WELCOME

Launch your career!

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27Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

Phone: +64 3 318 8411

Fax: +64 3 318 8543

PO Box 5

Darfield 7541

New Zealand

Address: 7 McLaughlins Road

Email: admin@darfield.school.nz

Web: darfield.school.nz

28Issue 4 / DHS Dispatch

DARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL 10-13 M

AY @ 7.30PM

Music and Lyrics by Paul WilliamsBook by Alan Parker

Ticket Prices:Adult $15Student $12Children $5

(10 and under) Family $40

(2 Adults, 2 Children)

Tickets available at:

or from School office. Door sales available

darfield.school.nz

Performances: School Hall

Wednesday 11 MayMatinee: 10 am

Friday 13 May 7.30 pm

Thursday 12 May 7.30 pm

Tuesday 10 May 7.30 pm