Good luck to the Year 8's

Athletics

The excitement is mounting as Athletics Day looms!
Today we went down to Card Reserve with Room 3 and Room 4 to practise throws, sprints and long jump.  We then practised high jump in the afternoon at school.  I was very impressed with the huge amount of effort every Room 5 student put into their athletics today, and I can't wait to see what they can do at the Cluster Athletics on Monday.  Hopefully the weather conditions are as perfect then as they were today.

St John's Visit

Daniel from St John visited St Teresa's in Week 4 to teach the students about first aide.  In Room 5, this lesson was around performing CPR.  The students learned about the steps to go through when you see someone is hurt.  These steps are the DRS ABC.

Danger: Check for dangers before rushing to someone's aide.  If we skip this step, we could injure ourselves and no longer be able to help the other person.

Response:  Check to see if the person is responsive by asking if they can hear you.  If you do not get a response initially, gently shake the person's shoulder while asking the same question.

Send for help:  Send someone to get the help you need - whether it be an ice pack, a plaster, or an ambulance.  Always make sure they come back to you so know they have done what you asked.

Airway:  Tilt the injured person's head back, lift their chin, and gently open their mouth to ensure their airway is open and clear.

Breathing:  Check to see if the injured person is breathing by listening for breaths and watching for the rise and fall of their stomach.  Do this for 10 seconds.  If the injured person is breathing, place them in the recovery position and monitor them until help arrives.

CPR:  If the person is not breathing, begin CPR.  Place one hand in the center of the person's chest (using their armpit as a guide), and the other hand on top.  Press down with the heel of your hand 30 times (to the song Row, Row, Row Your Boat twice through).  After that, give two breaths while blocking the injured persons nose, then continue compression.

Room 5 practiced giving CPR on a manikin, and learned about the dangers of performing compressions to a person who is not injured, and is still alive.  This could confuse their heart and cause it to stop.

Plug, Wrap, Lift:  The students then learned how to treat someone who is bleeding profusely by plugging the hole, wrapping it tightly, and elevating it.  This will help reduce the flow of blood until the ambulance reaches them, or they can get to the hospital.

The students then had the opportunity to look around the ambulance.

Room 5 really enjoyed this experience.  They practiced each of these steps for CPR, and learned about the importance of following each step in sequence.

They now feel more confident to help if they were with someone who was injured.

Thank you St John's for providing us with this great learning experience.

Term 4

Well, this term has started with a hiss and a roar!

In week one we visited BJ Bear and Mr Kennedy the Magician at Featherston School, who were promoting the A & P Show; we had a Powhiri to welcome all of our new students and their Whanau to our lovely school; and Room 5 returned to Technology on Wednesday at the new time slot of 9-11am.

On Thursday the 15th October, we celebrated the Feast Day of our patron Saint, St Teresa of Avila.  She was born on the 28th March, 1515, so this year marked her 500th birthday.

To celebrate, we started the day with Mass in the quad, led by Father Bruce England and Father Stefano Lee.

Our celebrations continued after morning tea with tabloid sports, organised and run by our house leaders, followed by a barbecued sausage feast cooked by the Student Councilors, and ice creams donated by the Featherston Library for the student's participation in the Winter Warmers Programme.

All of the students in Room 5 had an important part to play in the effort to make this important day a success.  They all stepped up and showed the kind of leaders they can be, from the cooking of the sausages, to the leading and managing of their houses.

Well done everyone!

Click the photo below to access the slideshow of our Feast Day.

Friday House Sports

The students in Room 5 were able to show their leadership skills during Friday's house sports events.  The house leaders and deputies set-up and ran a variety of games and activities, while the other Room 5 leaders took their houses from one activity to another.

It was great to see the older students caring for, helping, and encouraging the younger ones.  This highlighted the school's commitment towards developing a sense of unity across the age groups.

(click images to enlarge)

Booktown Boogies Down

As predicted, most of the final week of Term Three was focused on practicing, preparing for, and performing our production "Booktown Boogies Down".

The students all worked really hard to ensure everything was in place for the production, and that nothing was forgotten.  At both the matinee and the evening show, the students performed their very best and did exceptionally well - so well, in fact, that Mrs Muth received several cards and emails congratulating the school and the students on such a successful production.  Well done everyone.

This production (written by our very own, talented production writer Carrie Watson), was inspired by Featherston being named New Zealand's first "Booktown", gaining membership to the International Organisation of Booktowns.  This is a great achievement for Featherston, as membership is only awarded to small rural towns or villages, in which there is a large concentration of second-hand and antiquarian bookshops.  Most Booktowns have developed in places of historical interest or scenic beauty - which Featherston has an abundance of.

To read more about what becoming a Booktown means, and to find out about the upcoming Booktown festivities, please visit this website.

To view Room 5's production photo show, please click the image below:

And of cause we can not forget the two entertaining court jesters...