Newsletters
Blind and Low Vision
Education Network NZ
Te Kōtuituinga Mātauranga
Pura o Aotearoa
Homai Campus
NEWSLETTER TERM ONE 2010
Kia Ora, Ni Hau, Talofa Lava, Kia Orana, Malo e lelei, Salam Alaikum, Namaste, Ni Sa Bula, Fakalofa Lahi Atu and Greetings.
2010 began with a short and very busy term.
The students in the school, the James Cook Satellite Unit and in the Kickstart Transition Programme have all been working hard towards their IEP and ITP goals, with their programmes focussed on their specific learning needs.
The new Kickstart students have been settling in to their refurbished building with both staff and students finding the new rooms and teaching space to present exciting challenges. Technology continues to be important throughout the school. With assistance from Sue McGaghey, our ICT teacher, Kickstart students have set up g-mail accounts. A blog has been set up with some students already posting articles. These have been accessed by students who were off site and comments posted on the site by them.
Tui 1 and 3 students have been fortunate on a Tuesday morning to have had the assistance of four Novices who have been helping in the classroom within their programmes and on their EOTC ativities. We are fortunate to have such caring volunteers.
The BLENNZ Homai Campus is being rebuilt over the next year. This large project encompasses all the BLENNZ services on the Campus. This next term we are looking at what buildings will be left on the site and how we will fit in all the services. This will mean that many of the staff and students will all move to new areas at the end of term two.
Students will be following this rebuilding process during the next few terms as buildings are raised, work places are relocated and play areas altered.
Nominations are being received for the next Board of Trustees elections. These close on the 23rd April.
We wish you all a safe and happy holiday and look forward to seeing everyone on April 19 at the start of Term 2.
Barbara Whitley
Senior Manager School and Residential Services
Manuka Hostel
We started the year with six students in Manuka Hostel, two girls and four boys.
It has been a very busy term, the after school programmes have included; exercise/ fitness, arts and craft, group sessions and library. We have focused on healthy eating with the students making a range of interesting school lunches.
Three of our students recently participated in “Round the Bays” and did extremely well; they thoroughly enjoyed this National event.
Artist Pauline Harper, a past Homai student, donated two beautiful tactile paintings to Manuka Hostel at the beginning of the year. The students are very grateful and have written their thanks to Pauline.
Rana has taken a senior role in the Maori Culture group at her school and performed in the ASB Festival.
Rana, Kamalita and Joshua have completed Immersion Courses here on Campus.
Have a safe and relaxing break from all the staff and students in Manuka Hostel.
Kickstart new building 2010
A report by Anna Love and Hannah Josephson
2010 started in the new Kickstart house. The house has a large deck that looks out on to Oak Valley. The house has two stories, a lift and two kitchens which are shared between us ten students.
There is also a computer room downstairs with a couch and lounge chairs. This is also used as a meeting room. There are two wheelchair accessible bathrooms for future students who are in wheel chairs. The staff have their own offices down stairs with their own staff room. Sometimes we use their staff room for cooking.
We have pots of herbs outside and soon we will have our own vegetable and flower garden.
This year there are ten students in the Kickstart programme. We are 18 – 20 years old from all over the North Island.
We are all fortunate to move into this new building as it is warmer, easier to clean, and more accessible for blind and low vision students.
Rimu Room 6
This term the students have all worked very well. They have enjoyed looking at simple machinery which can be demonstrated in the playground. The students have enjoyed exploring a variety of equipment and relating the way they work, to the principles of basic machinery studied in the classroom.
Rimu Room 7
During this term the students in Room 7 enjoyed exploring ways of keeping cool on the very hot summer days. Favourite activities were eating ice blocks and cold watermelon, playing in the water feature, and in shady places. Most of the students have been responsible about wearing hats and staying in the shade where possible. We have had a great term.
Tui 2
Music Therapy
Once a week we have a Music Therapy class with Ajay the Music Therapist. We sing, play instruments, learn to take turns and to keep the beat, among lots of other things.
We always have fun. This term our Theme has been ‘Summer’. One of our favourite activities was a beach song; where we used a fan to represent the wind, a container of sea salt for the smell of the sea and a spray bottle of water for the sea spray. All the students enjoyed taking turns especially with the spray bottle.
TUI UNIT
Tui 1 and 3 had a good term. Each Thursday morning Tui 1 and Tui 3 students come together to participate in a Sensory Motor Group. This group is facilitated by the Therapists, including the Music Therapist who plays the drum and guitar. All students enjoy participating in the parachute activities. Their faces indicate quiet concentration as they lay underneath the parachute and anticipate the movement and sounds. They respond with vocalising and smiling as they experience the soft, whispering sounds or loud rippling noises, depending on how quickly the parachute is moved.
Students also
enjoy sitting and bouncing on the large gym balls. They practice fast and slow
movements as they listen to Ajay play the drum and the guitar. The students
benefit from the
RESIDENTIAL - OAK HOSTEL
Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Talofa lava, Malo e Lelei and Greetings to you all.
Term One has come to an end and it has gone by quite quickly. Students in Oak have had a great term.
All students have been working on their goals and their IEP’s are coming up at the end of this term. We will discuss new goals or extend on the goals already in place. The students will start working on these in the new term for the next two terms.
We have definitely made the most of the beautiful weather in Auckland this summer. Students have been out every weekend this term. These outings have included the Auckland Zoo, Pasifika, ASB Secondary and Fijian Festivals, summer night Movies in the Parks. Also we have been to different Parks for lunch and listened to the summer bands.
We were also fortunate to attend the Waitangi celebrations where the students saw and heard Stan Walker (Australian Idol) sing and perform.
Students enjoy getting out and about in the community and next term when the weather is a little cooler we will do more indoor activities.
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Nichole and Jason Max on the arrival of their gorgeous little baby girl CAITLYN ALYSSANDRA MAX, Born – 22nd December 2009, Weighing in at 6lb 3oz.
James Cook Satellite Class
The James Cook Satellite Class celebrated Pacifica month with a Samoan theme and feast. Planning, shopping, decorating, food preparation and service were all done by the students. The students invited Olita from the RNZFB as their special guest and the celebration was a great success. Jacob and Kamalita hosted the meal with a welcome and a grace said in Samoan.
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