School news

Otamatea High School Cross Country year 7 - 13 – 2024

Date:             Tuesday 11th June 2024
Venue:           Maungaturoto Country Club 
Venue:           Start/finish across the road from the School Bus Turning Bay on Country Club.

Please note race start times may vary slightly if races finish early or run longer than anticipated.

9.20am       Year 8 boys and year 11- 13 girls  
9.40am       Year 8 girls
10.30am      Year 9 and 10 boys
11.00am       Year 9 and 10 girls
12.15pm       Year 7 boys
12.45pm      Year 7 girls and year 11-13 boys

Entry Conditions:  Year 7-9 is a compulsory entry (no entry form needed). Year 10-13 an entry form was required (normal medical & parental dispensations apply to all year levels)

House Points Competition: All 3000m runners who finish in under 27 minutes will receive 2 house points. All 5000m runners who finish in under 40 minutes will receive 2 house points. All runners over the above times will receive 1 house point. The first 12 boys and girls will be awarded extra points, determined by placing. 

Running Uniform:  Year 7-11 need to wear normal PE uniform. Year 12-13 wear suitable sports clothes.

Return to school:  All students will be in normal classes before/after their assigned races. Please ensure students bring a towel to dry themselves after their race as the course will be muddy on the day (school showers will be open to use after each race)

Best Viewing:  The skate park will give you viewing of a large portion of the races.

FMC Scholarship tramp Five Passes, Mt Aspiring National Park March 27 to April 3

In September of 2023, Sophie Lawson applied for an FMC scholarship to her planned route...the Five Passes, along with Noah, Chloe, Sophie VH,Stephen, Andrea, Anna and Robyn. Sophie won a $1000 scholarship!!
This was a first for Otamatea High School and credit must go to Sophie for taking up the challenge offered to her.  
Planning, preparation and practise began in earnest as a high level of fitness skill and endurance was needed for this challenging off track seven day tramp under canvas.
Due to weather conditions, the start was delayed by one day. Fine skies saw the group head up the Routeburn Track and head up to the Sugarloaf Pass (1290m).
The scenery was stunning and Pass one was complete. Camp site that night was at Theatre Flat. With half an hour of daylight, tents and dinner were sorted.
Day two saw us wake to a heavy frost. We had been caught out...socks and boots were frozen! The river was the only easy way to defrost them so we could get them on.....the pain was intense and there were many tears and many wondering what they'd got themselves into.
We headed for the sun and regrouped. The rest of the day was straight forward and we reached Park Pass (1176). With number two under our belts we headed for a campsite near Hidden Falls Creek. That night we used the satellite phone to get a weather update as we were going to be more remote tomorrow.
Day three saw us head off through the beech forest to Cow Saddle (1025m) past interesting ultramafic rock.
With Pass three complete, we headed for the fourth pass which was the highest ...Fiery Col (1546m).
We had a slow arduous climb upwards onto rocky terrain splattered with pockets of snow. This was definitely a high point for the group. The views were stunning! From here we headed to find a campsite on the Olivine Ledge beside some tarns. We were treated to an amazing sunset that night.
Day four saw us heading towards the Fohn Lakes. The temperature was in the high twenties as we arrived in the early afternoon. We set up our tents, had a refreshing swim and began to explore the area. Some young keas came down to rest on a rock near our camp site. They were very entertaining!
We played five crowns as the sun set. Once the sun had gone it became bitterly cold so into the tent and sleeping bags we went.
Day five saw a beautiful sunrise, but by 9am inversion fog had filled the valley. By the time we got up onto the ridge to head to our final pass, Fohn Saddle (1506m), we were using a map and compass in the misty, cold conditions. With our final pass complete we spent a long two hour bush bashing descent into the Beans Burn valley and our way to a campsite beside the river.
Day six saw us follow the Beans Burn river to its confluence with the Dart River. Further down the Dart we set up camp at the Rockburn campsite. The trip was dissected under starlight and we all agreed that this was the "best adventure yet"
Day seven saw us leave under headlight at 6am to rendezvous with our transport at the Lake Sylvan Carpark...with a very real river crossing to finish with as the swing bridge had been washed away.
Grateful thanks to FMC for the opportunity to apply for a scholarship and to award one to Sophie in 2023. The adventure that we went on was a great culmination of using all the skills we had gained through the DOE programme and has shown us what we are capable of achieving in the future.
 

Fencing Course Level 2 Primary Industries

On Thursday the 23rd May the Level 2 Primary Industries class completed a two day fencing assessment course run by the Northland Regional Council around Maungatapere. The two days were held over the space of several weeks and in between students did a significant amount of practice of the fencing skills that they learned on day one. As well as gaining valuable skills and experience in fencing, students were also able to gain 13 practical and theory credits for their Level 2 NCEA. The students were excellent representatives of our Kura and the head fencing tutor said that they were the best bunch of students he had had all year.

Kapa Haka

On Wednesday our Kapa Haka group - Ngā Uri o Ngā Waka performed to our year 7 & 8 students and Maungaturoto Primary school. Our kapa haka group then performed at Mangawhai Beach School for the second performance and their last performance took place at Rodney College who were joined by Wellsford Primary School and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāringaomatariki. 

 

Clay target shooting results

On Wednesday 5th June, 5 students travelled to Kaikohe Clay Target Club.
Our Otamatea students did us proud with the following results

Connor Alcock placed first in senior boys high gun and first in  senior boys points score.
Aaron Westlake placed first in senior boys single rise.
Ava Jade Morrison placed second in the girls single barrel.

Year 12 Cooking

Sienna Burkill and Jessica Ewen year 12 bacon and egg assessment

Year 12 cooking crispy chicken wraps - Hira Taurua and Morgan Jansen