St Francis Xavier Survey School Grounds

It was a busy week with 79 St Francis Xavier School junior scientists and their grown-up helpers searching the school grounds for resident invertebrates and their predators. Shaking bushes, sieving through soil, investigating pitfall traps, and scanning through bark and leaf litter. The children found at least 13 different types of invertebrates. Back in the classroom to analyse their survey data, the children discovered that while not many invertebrates had been observed in their surveys, spiders were found most frequently. Otago Museum educators Sam and Sof encouraged the children to think about the amount of available green space for invertebrate habitats on the school grounds and if this could have contributed to the low invertebrate numbers being observed? University of Otago researcher Yolanda chatted with the teachers about what improvements could possibly be made, given her work to improve urban biodiversity and children’s connection with nature in urban areas.

While the tracking tunnel containing ink pads and baited with peanut butter was left out overnight to identify the presence of any nocturnal predators it failed to detect any footprints. The children did identify and count lots of different bird predators. Orokonui Ecosanctuary educators Tahu and Taylor enchanted the children with stories about New Zealand’s amazing native fauna and the special role the ecosanctuary plays in protecting them from their introduced predators. The children loved their teachers Miss Henderson and Ms Ryan dressing up as a kiwi and a peripatus and did an excellent job creating a STRONG ‘fence of defence’ protecting them from roaming predators on the other side. Visiting Orokonui Ecosanctuary next year to see the fence and experience our native species will be very exciting. In the meantime, the children have been writing stories about peripatus, creating amazing artwork and investigating facts about this intriguing species.

Many thanks to the wonderful St Francis Xavier School grown-up volunteers, University of Otago graduate students James and Charlotte, and Otago Museum educators Kate, Emily and Kallia for helping with the project.

You can follow news about our PSP Curious Minds project "If we build it, will peripatus come?" on Facebook or via Twitter.

Polyfest 2018

The children have been practising really hard for our school performance at Polyfest. We will be performing at the Edgar Centre on Tuesday 11 September in the evening. The children are performing at approximately 7.15pm but the programme may run earlier or later than advertised. We have been so lucky to have Erolia Rooney who has choreographed and led the performances along with our talented staff.

The children will travel down to the Edgar Centre by bus from school. We would like all children at school by 6.00pm in their clothes as listed below. The children will need to be picked up after the performance from the Edgar Centre. We would invite and encourage all parents of children to come along to watch. There is a $2.00 entry fee for parents.

• Boys are to wear a T-shirt which they will remove and sports shorts.  

• Girls are to wear white short sleeved blouse and shorts. We would also like their hair in a bun if possible. Please send along a hairbrush or comb.

• All children will wear a lava lava that will be provided but we will take this back before they head home.

We understand that this will be a late night for some children so school will open officially at 10am on Wednesday 12 September, however staff will be here for supervision at the normal time.

If you need support with any transport either to school in the evening or down and back from the Edgar Centre please let us know as soon as possible. If you child is unable to attend please contact Carmel or the classroom teacher.

We are really looking forward to a fantastic evening and watching our children shine on stage.

TERM 3
September
September  7     Shared Prayer Room 1  
September 11     School Photos
September 11     Polyfest Performance
September 14     Otago Cross Country
September 14     Assembly
September  17    Inaugrual School Reunion Meeting 7pm
September 18     Yipadee Show 9.15am
September 18     BOT Meeting
September 19     First Reconciliation 7pm
September 21     Shared Prayer Room 5
September 23     First Communion 9.30 am
September 23     School Mass
September 25     CHOICE Day Year 5 and 6
September 27     Inquiry Evening / Calendar Sales Evening
September 28     Assembly