2013 Intermediate School Prospectus 2013 - Kowhai Intermediate ...

KowhaiintermediateKowhaiintermediateBi-Lingual EducationMaoriKo te putake o nga tikanga Maori, ko te reo. Thevery essence of Maoridom is the language.Kowhai offers quality Maori medium education inWhanau Pounamu. There are three Maori classes–full immersion and bi-lingual–providing an holisticapproach to learning that reflects Te Ao Maori.Te reo Maori and tikanga Maori are integratedinto all Pounamu’s subject areas. Students havethe opportunity to understand, speak, read andwrite in te reo Maori, applying the language intheir everyday environment. Enrolment in theseclasses is by interview.SportsKowhai has a strong and successful sporting traditionand students are offered the chance to trial formany different sports each year. We compete againstintermediate schools in the central Auckland area andif well-placed in a sport, go on to compete in regionalAuckland intermediate sports competitions.Sport is played at two different levels: class and housesport emphasises supporting each other and gettinginvolved; interschool sport emphasises competitiveness,skill and strategy–fair play is expected atall levels.Interschool sports played: athletics, cross country,swimming, cricket, softball, volleyball, touch,basketball, netball, soccer, rugby, sevens, hockey,tennis, league, table tennis.The school has two large fields for soccer, rugby,cricket, softball, athletics and other field sports.It has full-size netball and basketball courts andmany other hard court and grassed areas for informalgames and sports. Our large hall is usedin winter for gymnastics, table tennis, badmintonand other indoor sports. We have teachers withspecialist knowledge of coaching various codesand from time to time we bring in coaches totrain students in various sports.Sports CampA week long sports camp is held each year. Up to50 of our top sports people travel to Totara Springs inMatamata to compete against other intermediateschools in a wide range of sports. Sports Campprovides extension for fit, keen and talentedstudents to test themselves competitively.Swimming PoolThere is a six lane, 25 metre, competition swimmingpool at Kowhai. This indoor heated complex is ajoint venture with Trent Bray Swim School. Kowhaistudents have year-round access to the pool,supported by top quality aquatics instruction,overseen by Trent Bray.In Term 1 the swimming programme is devoted togetting non-swimmers and poor swimmers to a safelevel of competence in the water. In Terms 2 and3 all classes have a programme tailored to individualswimmers’ needs. In Term 4 there are targetedgroup swimming programmes.Club and competitive swimmers at Kowhai use thepool all year for training with Trent’s instruction.SamoanThe Samoan bi-lingual class at Kowhai is calledGafoa le Ata (the break of dawn). An initiative ofthe Samoan community, the class aims to raise theachievement levels of students through the use ofSamoan language and culture. This is a fulltimebi-lingual class catering for Samoan students, wheretheir Samoan heritage is acknowledged and broughtinto the learning.Both Pounamu and Gafoa le Ata classes areintegrated into all other educational programmeswithin the school, such as Talent Development,music, technology, swimming and all other sports.Up to seven girls netball teams play on Saturdaysand boys and girls play basketball in a midweek competitionat Unitec. A running club and a fitness clubmeet before school throughout the year for studentsinterested in maintaining their fitness at a competitivelevel. The school annually enters a team in theNZ Police physical competency training challenge.For fun and developing house spirit, a Top Teamsgames day is held once a year.School teams often practise before or after schoolwith supervision.Kowhai is current overall champion having wonover half of the events at the last sports camp.Outdoor EducationThere are many opportunities for students toengage with the world outside of school.Studies often involve field trips. On AdventureDays, students can try new challenges, such asmountain biking, sailing and other outdoorexperiences. There is a camp for the wholeschool at either Carey Park or Totara Springs everyeven year and on the odd years the school hasa marae experience, usually at the NgatiWhatua Orakei marae. Every second year, aski camp occurs at Mt Ruapehu. Students stay ina hut on the mountain. 25 to 50 students attendski camp. For all camps there are fundraisingopportunties to help bring down the cost.Performance ArtsSmall group music lessons are available at amodest cost from outside tutors in brass andwind instruments, guitars and percussion. Ourmusic and dance and drama teachers train rockbands, instrumental groups, vocal groups and dancegroups. These provide extension for students whoshow particular talent in performance arts.Performance opportunities occur each year,including regular school assemblies and the annualVariety Show. Students take part as actors,dancers, singers, musicians, set designers, make-upartists and stage crew. Every second year, theschool enters J-Rock, the stage challenge event forNew Zealand schools.prospectusprospectus