New news

Wow this planking competition has gone viral! It all started with Mr de Thierry deciding the whole school could engage in a safe, responsible, creative planking comp that would require kids to use problem solving & thinking skills, cooperative strategies and technological skills. Now we've been on the front of the Daily Post, in the Herald and there's even a couple of internet references happening! TVNZ Close Up programme has rung the school as well! Who knows what will happen next! Watch this space!

Thanks Tom for the newsy email and photos....OMG those lollies look good! We decided you have invented a new craze called Plonking because your photo with the fountain showed you lying on your back instead of a planking photo! It was great to hear from you & catch up on your exciting travels in Europe! Yes we are jealous!

No student teacher after all...thanks for the reminder Mikaela! The pace is crazy anyway with Tech products needing to be finished, extensions really getting extended and just the usual busy, busy, busy! We have 2 wonderful new (Year 7) students from S2...Joel & Tapeka have really impressed me with their eagerness to learn and work! They fit in really well so I'm a bit sad we only have them for a few more days!

Congrats to Emily & Josh McD for representing us at the mountainbiking! Both came back without broken bones and sound like they did very well! RIS Has Got Talent has really blown me away...so much talent! Today was the turn of Hamish & Eric (Keyboards), Rhyan, Bailey & Emily all sang & there were lots of new performances from the other Rutherford classes. (R2 rocked it the other day so time to let some others shine!) Congratulations to Chantelle, Mikaela, & Keegan & Michael who didn't perform...phew!

Do you realise there is only 4 weeks of the term left! Eeek! I better go and do some more work! Ciao

Mid Term mentionings...

Middle of the term already. Things are crazy as usual. Have just started out CSI Forensic Science Integrated Topic which seems to have raised a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Could be some budding criminologists in R2! I've had a good play around with our blog, check out the great planking slideshow! Haven't quite got any good video to upload yet but it's next on my list! Coming up for the rest of the term are...Statistics for Maths, Persuasive for Writing, Science & information reports for Reading, RIS News pages, Chinese Library section opening ceremony, Student Teacher for 5 weeks, Mid year reports, Specialist prize giving, RIS has got talent, Cross Country and whatever else we can dream up!

Stay tuned for updates from students very soon!

On Friday the 20th May R.I.S took part in a 10 hour realay to fundraise for shade sails for our school. It was a long day but heaps of fun

Term 2 Already!!!

Welcome on board Rhyan and Mikaela! Must be time you girls got everyone on this waka!
Busy, busy, busy!!! Almost can't believe that Term 1 is over and we are already well into Term 2! Integrated Topic on Natural Disasters is still very topical with events happening around the world. Presentations are looming and with the focus being on science they should prove to be an interesting assortment of concepts! I'm hoping for many ooh, aah moments as I watch things move, shift, ooze and erupt! Explanation writing has gone very well. Some fascinating science concepts have been skillfully explained, many students have produced a wide range of well crafted pieces in a variety of contexts...writing more frequently will be a focus for Term 2 so both the quality and quantity of writing can increase. Narrative texts have been very entertaining and quite graphic as they were linked to the topic. Congratulations to everyone who met the deadlines! Maths was great last term, lots of very intense and clear learning discussions and a very big improvement with strategies, knowledge, understanding and ability to explain. Really good job everyone! (Especially Mrs Bowen, our student teacher, who did an amazing job of the maths planning and teaching!) Reading has been wonderful, lots of rich talk and focused attention to learning which has been a very cool thing to see. Reciprocal Reading continues to be the learning challenge in this area, particularly with our involvement in the National Reading Seminar being held in Rotorua during the next school holidays. Now we are all looking forward to the 10 Hour Relay, running assemblies, media tasks, Aims Games, Student Engagement victories, finishing assessment tasks, getting into learning extensions and ... hmm... what else??? I don't think there is time for anything else!

Yippee it's 2011 and a whole new bunch of fresh faces, brains and thoughts to investigate, explore and challenge! Very exciting! Week 1 has already been and gone with many revelations, surprises and impressive moments from individuals. We are well into the work and everyone is beginning to look around and see what it is that they can get involved in this year. Hopefully they will all find at least one new challenge to engage in! Week 2 is Swimming Sports on Monday, Homework for the first time and some serious application to routine work systems! Looking forward to seeing how well everyone copes with an increase in pressure and work expectations. Congratulations to Emily for being the first follower of this blog...how awesome is she????? Anyway, time to pack togs and towel for Monday!