Our Special Sculpture

A special sculpture is beginning to take shape in our Resilience Garden.

The sculpture was designed using ideas put forward from students in every class in the school. 
Local artist, Shaugn Briggs, met with some student representatives to discuss the ideas we had come up with and look at the drawings each class had submitted.

He also discussed some of the safety aspects and design elements that have to be taken into account, like not having a design that is top heavy or with a thin piece of stone holding it together that might get broken.

From all these ideas the final design was decided upon. 

The design represents helping hands, Rise Up Christchurch and the koru heart represents the bond we have developed with each other and the aroha and support we have been given by others and endeavour to give each other.

Shaugn went to a quarry near Oamaru and selected the right piece of Oamaru stone for our special sculpture. He then organised for it to be delivered to our school.

Once in place, Shaugn secured the stone and drew the design onto it.

Over the last two weeks, many students from classes throughout the school have had turns at shaping, carving, smoothing and sanding the sculpture.

It has been hard, dusty work, but also lots of fun to see the sculpture taking shape in our Resilience Garden.

              

 

 

 

 

The sculpture is really starting to take shape.

  

Samoan Language Week - MAFUTAGA TU’U FA’ATASI

This week was Samoan Language Week. We celebrated the week by learning some Samoan phrases, decorating our classrooms with siapo patterns and playing Samoan music at bell times.

On Wednesday afternoon the Pasifika group from Shirley Boys High performed for us in the school hall. They were very entertaining and lots of fun.

On Friday we celebrated with Mafutaga tu’u fa’atasi

To help us celebrate, all the students from Rowley Ave School visited us.

We welcomed them with a powhiri, then after morning tea the juniors did a rotation of activities inside, while the seniors participated in sporting activities run by the Toa Sports people. We had lots of fun mixing with our Rowley friends.

 

The Salvation Army provided a packed lunch for everyone and we also got to taste a range of traditional Samoan food, including  Chop Suey, Curry, Rice, Pork Buns and Panikiki.

 

                

To finish off the day the Woolston Kapa haka and Pasifika group performed, followed by Rowley School and then a special performance by the Christchurch Cathedral College Pasifika group. Even the Toa Sports boys gave us an item.

It was a great day! Lelei Tele