Waitangi - Cutural Day 2015

The Cutural Day on Waitangi Day is always celebrated at St Mary's School. There are a lot of children from different cultures. They had to get dressed in costumes of where they or their parents or grandparents come from and also brought food to share at lunch time. It was a special day for everyone.


The awesome Year 7-8 students of Room 5 in 2015.


Waiting for the school assembly...











Mr O'Neill began with a Maori welcome.


These Year 8's led the prayers.


Children of New Zealand descent are the biggest group at our school.


The Filipinos are the second biggest group.


Children with Maori heritage ......


The Samoan children.....


Those with European roots.....


Children with Scottish blood were holding the flag of Scotland.


Children with Indian parents.....


A Chilean student.....


They have East Timorese blood.....


From Zimbabwe.....


Our one and only South African girl.....


This is an array of delicious and colourful food from different countries.


The food was shared and enjoyed by everyone - what a treat.





It really was a great celebration of each other's rich culture. Ka ki te ano!

"Tinikling"

In Term 4 we are learning about dances. Aside from the hip-hop dance have been learning the popular Filipino bamboo dance called "Tinikling". All of us are so eager and excited to keep on trying the steps without getting caught by the bamboo poles until we can get the rhythm of the dance.



















We finally got the technique of the dance. We're quite ready to perform it at the assembly on Monday November 17 including the hip-hop dance We're happy with our accomplishment - being able to perform a Filipino dance. It was fun, fun, fun.

Athletics 2014

Athletics was held at Catholic Cathedral College. There were various events we had to do: high jump, long jump, shot put, discus and running. We took the bus and everyone enjoyed the beautiful day in the huge playground.
































































Running was done in the afternoon. We all had fun participating in different events.

Christchurch Schools' Music Festival 2014

The Christchurch Schools' music festival which started in 1939 is held very year for the last 75 years. This year is significant and the theme "War and Peace" pays homepage to the events of the First World War in 1914 and the Second World War in 1939.

Room 5 performed on Wednesday October 29 at Horncastle Arena with thirty other primary schools on the first night. There were 12 songs which included "Do you Hear the People Sing" from Les Miserables, "In Flanders Fields", "Maori Batallion", "Imagine" bay John Lennon and other meaningful songs.



Here we were waiting for our bus when we went to the rehearsal at Horncastle Arena.

















We arrived early on the night of the performance.


We're waiting for our performance to start.


The logo of this year's music festival was won by a student who illustrated a soldier and representing war and a dove for peace with musical notes floating in the air.


Some of us could be seen performing.....


We're proud of Lexi who was selected for the Senior Choir.


The massed choirs.....

It was absolutely an incredible night, joining with other children singing songs and listening the performances of the orchestra, the Junior Choir and the Senior Choir. It surely was a great learning experience for us.