Get Active to Get to School!

 Every Wednesday we are encouraging & celebrating everyone who comes to school in an active way! 

That can be walking, biking or on your scooter. 

Live too far away?  

You could also get dropped off and join one of our WALKING SCHOOL BUSES! 

This Wednesday we had MAX the Pukeko come along in the morning to encourage everyone to get active getting to school!  

WHY Walk to School?

> Great exercise

> Social

>  Less cars = safer roads

> Less cars = better for the environment & less car fumes 

AND you can WIN prizes in the Wednesday Challenge too! 

We were very excited to see so many students walking to school on Wednesday. 

We have had a 34% increase in walking school bus journeys this term compared to Term 1! 

We are about to start a second walking school bus from Angelo Avenue - near Pakuranga Highway end. 

If you are interested please get in touch: b.long@howickprimary.school.nz

Year 2/3 Adopt a Park

On Tuesday afternoon, a group of very enthusiastic Year 2 and 3 'Enviro students' visited William Green Domain for a planting afternoon.

We began with a quick tour of the park, identifying native trees and collecting rubbish.

Despite the changeable weather, which shifted from rain showers to sunshine, we successfully planted over 100 native trees and plants without getting too wet!

Our planting coordinators, Anna and Levi, demonstrated how to dig proper square holes for planting—we even discovered plenty of worms along the way!

With the support of our fantastic parent helpers, the students worked incredibly hard. We planted a variety of native grasses, cabbage trees, and flaxes, ensuring they were firmly in the ground so the pūkeko couldn't pull them out.

Native Tree Planting with "Trees For Survival"

     On Wednesday a group of enthusiastic year 5 / 6 enviro students set off to plant over 800 native trees & plants on a farm in Hunua. 

For the last 9 months we have been watering and nurturing these plants ready for this day. 

We watched a planting video beforehand and some of us had been last year so we knew what to expect. 

Kirsten, from Trees for Survival, did a great job of starting us off planting and making sure the pukeko weren't going to pull the seedlings out! 

It was a sunny but slightly chilly day when we started planting. But with the help of our fabulous parent helpers and even the bus driver we soon had them firmly planted in the ground. 

Together we planted 835 natives! 

We planted: manuka, karamu, mahoe, ti kouka, harakeke and 2 different types of sedge grass. 

Afterwards we enjoyed relaxing on the lawn, playing in the sunshine and collecting 

grapefruit to take back with us. 

Thank you to Maxine and Hamish, the farm owners, for a delicious lunch and for showing us your beautiful horses. 

Moth Plant Pod Celebrations!

At last the day had come; the day we find out where we had placed in the annual 

MOTH POD COMPETITION! 

For the last few months not only had our awesome team been out weekly collecting pods and roots but the whole school community. This year we had a record of 56 students and staff that brought pods and roots in for our school team! 

  

Moth pod is an invasive weed with a very long vine that wraps around trees and strangles them. The flower sap kills butterflies and bees before growing into a pod that contains hundreds more seeds. 

We were very keen to go and remove as many as we could find! 

Our goal: 10,000 pods and roots... Actual number: 15, 909 

nervously waiting to find out the result... 

The prize giving this year was at Bucklands Beach - a beautiful setting. 

We were very excited to finish SECOND school behind Howick College! 

We received some prize money and everyone in our team received an awesome pin badge. 

We also received certificates for being first at the halfway point and being the school team
that pulled out the most seedling plants. 

awesome pin badge

Safety Around Schools!

 Yesterday morning our awesome TRAVELWISE students were out promoting safe driving speeds around our school. 

We had some 'slow down' and 'watch your speed' signs the students were holding up. 

All vehicles should be doing 30 kph or under around schools so we had the speed radar checking speeds! 

WELL DONE parents and drivers using Willoughby Avenue - everyone was sticking to the speed limit. 

However, parents do need to remember not to stop on the double yellow lines - this is unsafe and can incur a $100 fine! 

It was great to see students walking to school or being dropped off a little further away and walking. This helps reduce car traffic around the school gate. 

We are now well into the WEDNESDAY CHALLENGE - a weekly nationwide challenge where students walk, bike or scooter to school and earn points and prizes for their class. Well done Room 1 - you are the winners this week. 

We are also excited about a SECOND walking school bus that will soon be starting up from Angelo Avenue - near Pakuranga Highway.  Get in touch if you are keen to join or can help us out. 

Minimising our waste in MANY ways!

We are passionate about reducing our waste to LANDFILL! 

Today we we watched the awesome 'Savvy & the Stolen Recycling' show by A Fool's Company. 

The play was really funny and a great reminder to recycle...

* HARD plastic with 1 - 2 - 5 on it  and plastic bottles

* Cans

* Glass

* Cardboard - like pizza boxes

Another way we are reducing our waste is by trying hard to have a wrapper free lunch. 

It has been great to see some students who, back in term 1, found this a challenge and have now started having a wrapper free lunch every day! 

💚 lots of healthy fruit and food bought in bulk

💚More fruit and popcorn and chips from a BIG packet

💚Mandarins, grapes and treats from BIG bulk packets 

We also have some enviro superstars that have set up their own 'rubbish patrol' at lunchtime! 

Well done Eden, Annie, Kimberley and team!