THE DHS
DISPATCH
Wisdom through learning : Akona to matauranga kia mōhio
25 MARCH 2020
DHS TRIATHLON
JAPAN DAY RYDA ROAD SAFETY TRAINING
GEOGRAPHY TRIPS
UGLY SHAKESPEARE
FINAL DISPATCH FOR TERM ONE 2020 CELEBRATING THE AWESOME EVENTS HELD AT DHS
CLICK HERE
DHS WEBSITE
Principal’s Comments Extraordinary measures for an extraordinary time. Thank you to our community as we were required to quickly transition to being closed and in self-isolation. We will endeavour to keep you up-to-date with developments as they happen, with the first point of contact for school information being the school website. Further general information is available on the websites of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and NZQA for NCEArelated information. Early learning services, schools, kura and tertiary education providers will close from midnight on Wednesday 25 March for four weeks. New Zealanders who are outside of essential services must stay at home and stop all interactions with others outside of those in their households. School holidays will start early, from 30 March to 14 April inclusive. Over this holiday period, teachers will not
be updating the distance learning work but will be preparing for distance learning in the weeks that follow. The preparation we had done prior to closure has enabled teachers to be well placed to provide distance learning. It is important to note that teachers’ focus will be on providing regular periods of learning in order to keep students engaged in a learning routine, rather than replicating a normal curriculum. These activities will support student well-being by enabling students to continue to feel part of a community of learners. See the link on the front page of the website for how to access this learning.
available to assess work. Teachers will use this flexibility as is needed and there are options available should the self-isolation need to continue beyond the current four weeks. NZQA is working with schools to provide support to generate grades derived from a student’s learning programme. Although we are in self-isolation, modern technology will enable us to continue to communicate and learn. It will not be business as usual; however, we are committed to supporting each other through this time. James Morris
Our senior students may be concerned how the closure of the school will affect their NCEA assessments. The nature of NCEA is that there is a range of options
DARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL FUNDRAISING Entertainment Books Order online HERE
Pre-order your Entertainment Membership today and support Darfield High School Students
Any questions, contact DHS School office or email: cc@darfield.school.nz
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Dhslibrary.nz Audio & ebooks
Dhslibrary.nz
Audio & ebooks Getting the app..
DHSlibrary has a selection of eBooks and audio books. You can read/listen to these : online via your Chromebook or laptop. OR Offline using the app on your phone or tablet .
DHSlibrary has a selection of eBooks and On your phone or tablet: audio books. can Go to ‘dhslibrary.wheelers.co’ You read/listen to these : app’. Visitorthe app online Choose via your‘get Chromebook laptop. store that suits your device. OR OfflineSearch using the on your phone forapp “eplatform” and or tablet download. .
You can borrow up to 2 books at one time which return automatically at the end of the loan period (4 weeks)
You borrow up to 2 books at one time can Log in with your school which return automatically at the end of username and login. You can now the loan period (4 weeks)
You can also change how your eBooks are displayed: font, style, size, spacing and background colour. These can all be changed under your settings. This may be helpful, especially if you have dyslexia.
You can also change how your eBooks are Select ’Read’ or ‘Listen’. displayed: font, style, size, spacing and If you wish These to listen or read background colour. canto, all be changed under your settings. This may be your book offline, just follow these helpful,simple especially if you have dyslexia. steps:
To borrow books, you just need your school login and password. For example: 18smithj dhs*****
To books, just(it need borrow Borrow theyou book willyour then be school displayed login and password. For example: in ‘My Loans’) 18smithj dhs*****
Getting started.. Go to dhslibrary.nz and click on the audio & eBook link. If you are on a laptop or chromebook, simply sign in and start browsing.
& eBook link. If you are on a laptop or In thesimply menu sign (in the topstart right chromebook, in and corner) select ‘download’ or ’store browsing.
If using your phone or tablet, then follow the instructions over the page...
browse and ’loan’ Audio or Ebooks
To listen/read the title offline, Gettingclick started.. on the book cover image of Go to the dhslibrary.nz and click on the audio book.
offline’.
If using your phone or tablet, then follow instructions Once these are downloaded, the over the100% page...
you are good to listen anytime, anywhere!
DHS
SCHOOL NOTICES Keep up-to-date with developments as they happen, on the school website at: www.darfield.school.nz PTSA AGM cancelled until next term. University Scholarships for Year 13 Students MoneyHub, a consumer finance website, has published a guide to hundreds of scholarships for any student planning to start university in 2021. The comprehensive list includes scholarships offered by every university as well as those specifically available to local students. A list of privately-funded, Maori, Pacific and International university scholarships completes the list. Applications close throughout the year, with tens of millions of dollars available. MoneyHub has also published a list of tips for scholarship success. For more details and to find suitable scholarships, visit the MoneyHub Scholarship page. ISSUE 3 / DHS DISPATCH
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WELL-BEING AND DIGITAL SAFETY Kia ora koutou This current climate means that we will all be spending more time online. The digital world offers plenty of exciting opportunities for learning as well as connecting with others. We also know that our young people regularly encounter challenges online, such as social exclusion, bullying, inappropriate behaviour and pornography. It is so important that we remember that the Prime Minister’s message, “We will get through this together, but only if we stick together. Be strong and be kind”, also extends to our online spaces. Let’s work together to provide a safe and enjoyable online learning environment for all our young people. And remember that, if you need help, our pastoral deans and school counsellors, Mrs Louise Hamilton (lh@darfield.school.nz) and Ms Jayne Mallinder (ma@ darfield.school.nz) are here to support us via email and google hangouts. You can also report online harm to Netsafe. Digital Safety To support our students, it is important they are reminded about our DHS digital citizenship agreement which supports them in being safe online. • • •
Avoiding conversations that are unkind, mean or bullying Checking that the information you use is correct. Checking that the research is correct by using reliable sites. When in doubt, asking your teacher or your parents. Building positive relationships by not sending hurtful or inflammatory messages to other people, or forwarding messages that are unkind or inappropriate.
Well-being Lastly, we can support our young people by ensuring they do the following: • • • • • • • •
Have a shower and get up at the normal time for school. This will wake you up and get you ready for the day. Get some fresh air and sunlight, even for 10 minutes, as this will benefit your overall well-being. Make good choices online. One device at a time. Stay connected; a video call to a friend will help you through the isolation period. If you have space, set up a designated area to set up your school work. Then you can settle into your work without distractions. Balance your time spent on devices. Make sure you get some fresh air and do something fun with your family. Put your health and your family first.
Be Calm, Stay safe and Be Kind! Ngā mihi nui Sam Forward Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning
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Click Here
DARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE CALENDAR
KEEP UP TO DATE Check out the school online calendar to keep up to date with events and cancellations
Be Calm Stay Safe and Be Kind! CLICK HERE
DHS FACEBOOK ISSUE 3 / DHS DISPATCH
CLICK HERE
DHS EVENTS CALENDAR
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DHS WEBSITE 5
STUDENT SUCCESSES Celebrating the successes of our students is important. There are a number of areas that students excel in. Whether this is part of or outside of the DHS community, please feel free to let us know, so we can celebrate their achievements with the whole community.
Darfield High School's Years 7 and 8 Girls Cricket team played Ashgrove on Friday 6 March. The girls batted first and made 127 runs. Yssa Cullen made 44, Maddy Judd made 16. Ashgrove made 78 runs in reply. This qualified the girls in the Canterbury playoffs.
Darfield High School and Ashgrove School, Years 7 and 8 Girls Cricket teams.
Kirsty McCarthy-Dempsey competed in three events, in her first major senior competition, the NZ Athletics Nationals. She competed in the Under 18's. Well done Kirsty! She placed sixth in Discus throwing 35.53 metres and fifth in Shot put, with a personal best throw of 12.01 metres.
Jessica Townsend, on Tallyho Neptune, has had a very successful season this year, winning all the titles: National Cat B Show Hunter, South Island title, Otago Southland Show Hunter Cat B Series, Sandpit Equitation Series and Canterbury Championship Pony Points Series. To finish, up at the Horse of the Year, she won two series titles, The New Zealand Cat B High Points Series and also the New Zealand Pony Equitation Series.
Link to Article: Gem of a Pony Bags Two for Doting Rider
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What is Showquest? Showquest is a performing arts platform for schools, consisting of a nationwide series of events produced by Rockquest Promotions Ltd with the support of the Ministry of Education. Showquest supports schools and students from Years 1 – 13 to showcase Music, Dance, Drama, Art, Technology and Culture. To be a part of Showquest, schools enter a team of students who create, produce and perform an original theatrical production consisting of studentdesigned and created content, which is presented in a choreographed, themed mini-spectacular. Teams either enter in the Junior Section or Open Section. The Junior Section allows Primary & Intermediate Schools (years 1-8) to compete against each other. The Open Section includes High School students. Primary & Intermediate Schools are welcome to enter the Open Section if they wish! The mini-spectaculars also feature soundtracks, live music, themes, choreography, dance, lighting and optional video and Wearable Art. They will be performed in front of an audience of whanau, friends and general public at a professional venue in your region. On Thursday 12 and Friday 13 March, we held the 2020 auditions for ShowQuest. This year, we will be competing on 14 or 15 July. We are basing our performance on domestic violence and the two main types of it, physical and psychological. We hope to educate the audience on the difference between the two types and how they affect the victims. We hope that our performance will encourage those experiencing any type of domestic violence to ask for help.
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Source: www.showquest.nz The ShowQuest committee and I were very impressed by the hard work of the approximately 140 students who came to the general auditions on Thursday, and everyone should be very proud of themselves for their efforts. On Friday, we held the auditions for lead roles. Congratulations to the following students who have been selected for them: Caitlin Knowles, Liam Morris, Brooke Stevenson and Blakely Bruce-Sheppard. This year, we have a large cast of 94 students and we cannot wait to start working with everyone. Jess Galletly and the ShowQuest Committee
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Lunchtime activities with Sensei Hayakawa-Buist The Canterbury Rugby Union brought the Ranfurly shield to the DHS. The Years 7 and 8 Students were lucky enough to see it up close.
Lunchtime sausage sizzle raising funds for a Year 11 English trip to Quinney's Bush.
Morning Visitor
Year 8 Te Reo Students practising their flax folding skills, making fish and roses
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MOSQUE COMMEMORATION
ASSEMBLY
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As part of our swimming sessions we have been learning to float on our backs, and we are getting quite good at it. Some people have been working on swimming lengths; others are swimming widths. We practised diving for the weighted rings and bars all over the pool and we're becoming experts at finding them again. Some of us learnt about survival swimming by flipping on our backs for a rest before swimming again. A few of us also learnt about treading in deep water, but we had to keep our heads above so we could still breathe. We really liked our swimming sessions at the pool.
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DHS LIBRARY
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LIBRARY
Bob Docherty and Kyan Vercoe. Kyan won a copy of the book Lost by Alex Shearer. Bob reviewed this book, and it was reserved by 30 students!
Once again, book and literacy promoter, Bob Docherty, entertained Years 7, 8 and 9 students with tales and excerpts from books that they might enjoy. He covered a wide range of genres, from horror to humour, dystopia to dramatic action. There was something for everyone and the library processed over 300 reserves from our students.
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2020 Student Librarian
2020 Student Librarian
Ella Flynn-Miers
Felix Jennings
"I have made a lot of new friends because we share interests and we love the same books. Being on duty with different people is great because you get to know them really well."
2020 Student Librarian
" I like being a librarian because I get to talk to lots of people and I love reading. It's fun all round being in the library"
" I like reading - it gives you something to do, improves your vocab a lot and also really helps with creativity"
Jemma Cook 13
Reminder to talk to your children about NOT sharing drink bottles. Germs that cause bacterial meningitis are very common and live naturally in the back of the nose and throat of about 15% of the population. They can be spread between people by coughing, sneezing, kissing and sharing drinking bottles but they cannot live for more than a few seconds outside the body. Therefore they cannot be picked up from water supplies, swimming pools, or public places. Meningitis is more common in children and adolescents due to the sharing of drink bottles. Please remind your children of the risks of doing this.
GUIDANCE , HEALTH & WELL-BEING Sense and Sensitivity: Helping Kids Stay Calm amidst COVID-19
Anxiety is a natural response to something that has the potential to cause us harm. It makes sense that news of a global pandemic and some of the world’s most powerful nations going into lockdown is anxiety-inducing, especially for children who have less experience than us grown-ups at processing bad news and making sense of traumatic events. The reality is, COVID-19 is an unprecedented event on a global scale, and a bit of anxiety in adults and children alike is to be expected. COVID-19 has landed us in an unprecedented season in our family life. We can arm ourselves with as much hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes as the supermarket shelves will supply (so not much, potentially) but, perhaps more importantly, we can arm ourselves with the tools to support our kids—and ourselves—emotionally, fending off worry and combatting anxiety with wisdom, calm and connection. Still plenty of these resources available to all, even those who’ve self-isolated! For more information on how to respond to your children, read the article (link below) and more at The Parenting Place. https://www.theparentingplace.com/health-wellness/sense-and-sensitivityhelping-kids-stay-calm-amidst-covid-19/ If you have any concerns around your child's possible anxiety, please feel free to talk to either Louise lh@darfield.school.nz or me ma@darfield.school.nz. Jayne Mallinder School Counsellor and HOD Health 14
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DHS , COUNSELLORS
Our aim is to support the well-being and safety of all students at Darfield High to enable our young people to achieve their full potential. We are professionally trained counsellors, registered members of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, and we work according to the NZAC Code of Ethics. We maintain confidentiality unless there is a serious and imminent risk to safety. Some of what counsellors do: √ Provide a safe, confidential environment for students and family. √ Listen to concerns. √ Assist students to make the changes they want. √ Teach skills for living (eg anger management, problem solving, decision making, motivation, effective communication). √ Assist with alcohol/drug concerns, stress, planning and setting goals, family break-up, relationship difficulties, grief and loss, coping with change, fear and anxiety, or any other concern. √ Act as advocate for the student at suspension hearings. √ Refer to outside agencies for extended support if necessary. You will find us in the Student Services Block (D Block). Students can self-refer by filling out a request or emailing, or just popping in to ask for an appointment. Parents are welcome to contact us and staff often refer students to us. Issues may be large or small! Don't wait for a crisis. If unsure, come and chat. We are here to help. Jayne Mallinder, Mon-Fri, ma@darfield.school.nz, ext 734 Head of Guidance Louise Hamilton, Mon-Wed, lh@darfield.school.nz ext 737
Jayne Mallinder
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Louise Hamilton
Need Support and Assistance? Please reach out and speak to trained mental health professionals. 15
Results from this years Darfield High School's Triathlon are on page 18. Well done to all those students who participated!
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DHS
TRIATHLON
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DARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL TRIATHLON 2020 RESULTS
INDIVIDUAL
Senior Boys Years 11-13 1 Johnny Millar 47.05 2 Matthew Ashworth 47.30 3 Vaughan Smart 48.59 Senior Girls Years 11-13 1 Emily Waters 44.19 2 Caitlin Rayne 44.25 3 Zahara Sutton 49.53 Intermediate Boys Years 9 and 10 1 Casey Taylor 29.00 2 Brody Warrington 30.48 3 Austin Pedler 31.07 Intermediate Girls Years 9 and 10 1 Isla McPherson 29.27 2 Charlise Miller 32.20 3 Kiana Buechele 34.40 Junior Boys Years 7 and 8 1 Lewis Lee 25.32 2 Jack Molloy 26.59 3 Hamish Henderson 28.10 Junior Girls Years 7 and 8 1 Lucia Tully 27.07 2 Tia Miller 28.55 3 Zoe Parker 29.43
TEAMS Mixed Years 11-13 1 Harry Williamson/Oliver Sutton/Nathan Carter
29.25
Intermediate Boys Years 9 and 10 1 Camden Waters/Sam McConnell/Oscar Stevenson 29.48 2 Aden Warrington/Oliver Flower/Jordan Yaxley 29.55 3 Oscar Lochore/Mason Thompson 32.33 Intermediate Girls Years 9 and 10 1 Kirsty McCarthy-Dempsey/ Megan Chillingworth/Jessica Stewart
51.21
Junior Boys Years 7 and 8 1 Ryan Thomas/Riley McNae/Tobi Moore 2 Jake Sarginson/Blake Booth/Sean Bromley 3 Kaleb Punter-Minns/Isaac Pokaihau-Rogers
25.56 26.07 32.14
Junior Girls Years 7 and 8 1 Sara Hefferon/Emy Wilson/Skye Collins 27.36 2 Maia Daly/Georgie Wright/Riley Slaven 30.02 3 Hannah Molloy/Niamh Wilding/Michaela Cameron 30.45 Mixed Years 7 and 8 1 Loki Churchwood/Madeline Gough/Levi Docherty 2 Jack Guy/Mackenzie Carmichael/Thomas Galletly 3 Brin Sissons/Fox Wilson/Kaia Davis
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35.30 36.16 44.34
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In the novel, one character, Captain Beatty, said “Classics cut to fit fifteen minute radio shows, then cut again to fill a two minute book column, winding up at last as a ten or twelve line dictionary resume.” I found it quite interesting, because people seemed to consume media faster over time and, with that, the texts and media got shorter and shorter to meet this trend. Texts that are very long are that way for a reason—to extend an idea, a theme, a message, or a mindset—but, as they get condensed down into very small formats, that meaning can be lost. Especially in this setting, people would forget ideas and messages very easily because these condensed classics did not hold the impact they needed, similar to blurring an intricate painting until it is just a blob of colour. This trend may have arisen from the fact that, for most of us, our lives seem to get busier and busier. We don’t feel like we have enough time to do one thing for very long until we move onto the next task we must do, like a robot. And even if we don’t have tasks to do at the moment, we’ll still feel rushed because we are used to this busy lifestyle, and have adapted to it accordingly. Our brains have adjusted by giving us shorter and shorter attention spans so we can easily focus on different things in small amounts of time. This can even reach the media, where we’re so used to consistent and fast paced entertainment that we get bored
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Fahrenheit 451 very easily. So, eventually, great classics, poems and novels, end up as meaningless, distilled “ten or twelve line dictionary resumes” as Beatty said. Even though we should adapt some of the things from the past to the state of the future, like shortening books so they are easier and faster to consume, other consequences might arise. Because we’re getting fewer ideas and less meaning from the texts, we may learn fewer things and, eventually, nothing at all—besides a small slice of entertainment and life in a few words. People will eventually come to the state where they don’t know about ideas, messages, themes, a gateway into another life, or even a piece of existence we never looked at before. This loops back around to a less meaningful and fulfilling life, where attention spans are short and are not able to pick up ideas that can drive, encourage, or inspire someone. A fair example of this in the real world is the oversimplification of very important matters, such as current US President Donald Trump resorting to Twitter, which forces the user to post short fire 30 second long messages. With such an important role with complicated subjects to deal with,
this is a large threat to giving people the full story or more information on what he’s talking about, because it’s so over-simplified. We are not getting the ideas or meaning intended behind the text because it is so shortened. This factor could also be used maliciously, in the territory in which people can get the wrong ideas—they can also wrongfully quote and spread misinterpreted themes and ideas in the text published. And, because people may misinterpret texts, they can dislike and shun these works, such as in the novel itself when they ban books completely because of the information they hold. In the end, they are condensed to mere “dictionary resumes”. In conclusion, as our lives get busier, our attention spans will also shorten, to where we consume media that is less meaningful and is quick to consume, because our lives are busy. Books lose their meaning as they are summarised, and can be interpreted in different ways and used for ill intent. Lauren Booth Year 12
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Rock Climbing 20
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Over the last four weeks in Year 13 PE, our class has been learning different leadership styles that we could apply when leading Year 7 students in two rock climbing sessions. Before taking the Year 7 students, we took part in some rock climbing sessions to further our knowledge of the sport. This allowed us to be confident in teaching the practices of safe rock climbing. For example, we learnt how to complete a buddy check on our harnesses and how to belay correctly, which we could then pass on to the Year 7s.
The main leadership styles our class used were transactional and transformational leadership. We could then reflect on what leadership styles we found most effective in the context we were given. Transactional leadership is when there is a right and wrong way to do something. When using this with the Year 7s, we had to come up with a reward and consequence system to apply to the lesson, and see whether this would make a positive or negative impact on the group. This leadership style in particular was much harder to apply; it involved having to be more strict and harsh to the Year 7 students, and many of us didn’t want to be. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, was a much nicer leadership; it involved inspiring and motivating the students and allowing them to complete the goals they wanted to achieve in our lesson. On the whole, having the opportunity to teach the Year 7 students rock climbing has been really fulfilling and a great chance to learn a bit more about ourselves and what kind of leaders we are. Casey Roessink and Stefanie McKenzie
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Last Thursday we attended a RYDA course. This course is designed to make students aware of the dangers related to driving a car on the road. The RYDA course also teaches us how to be aware of what we need to do to be safe and prevent any possibility of causing harm or risk while driving a car. We were taught the safety features of a car and how they affect the driver in the event of a crash. We were also taught how your mood can affect the way you drive and how other people can also affect your driving. We had a guest speaker who told us his story of how his cycle was hit by a truck and his life changed in a second. He was clipped by a truck and was put underneath it. He was given a 1% survival rate but he was still here today giving us his story. Overall, this day taught us a major lesson on how cars can impact someone’s life within seconds and how we need to be more aware of things happening around us. Campbell Barrett Year 12
The RYDA website is a great source of information. Check out the student resources section for info, quizzes, games and tests. rse.org.nz/ryda
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R Y D A
otary
outh river
wareness
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Aoraki Mt Cook On 8 March, our class loaded into the vans and headed on our way to the wonderful Aoraki Mt Cook. After four hours of sitting in the vans and annoying Mr Quinn with our singing, we arrived to a situation we hadn’t exactly expected: cold, grey and wet. Before we settled into our accommodation, we had to collect data from the river. This needed two people from each group to volunteer to go into the freezing cold water. Luckily, the river wasn’t very deep, so only the brave went under. The next day started bright and early with us heading on our way to the plane ride which, in the end, was cancelled. We were all feeling pretty sad about this as it was one of the activities we were most looking forward to. Mr Quinn and
Miss Petersen then told us that, instead of the flight, we were going for a three-hour walk on the Hooker Valley Track, which made us super excited. Even though some of us weren’t so pumped for the walk, we all had a great time chatting with friends and taking in the great views. Three long hours later, we were relaxing in the Hermitage giving our legs a rest before we went on a boat ride. We then went to the Tasman Glacier and Lake and got all suited up in life jackets and spray jackets. We were able to go right up close to icebergs and our guide did not hesitate to get us soaked! We also were lucky enough that we could see the Tasman Glacier: it was so clear that we could see the different shades of blue within it. The boat ride was great fun and definitely a highlight of the trip for most people.
The next day was by far the hardest. Having to walk up 40 mins of stairs to the Red Tarns scree slope proved to be a challenge. We were sore from the Hooker Valley walk the day before and really didn’t have much energy, but we were all determined to get to the top. We all made it up and then got the data we needed to complete our internal. However, even though it was difficult, the views were amazing and definitely made it worth it! Then we jumped back in the vans just in time for the rain to hit, and headed back to Darfield. Overall, this trip was amazing and we would like to say a big thank you to Miss Petersen and Mr Quinn: you made the trip great and we wouldn’t have been able to go without you. You taught us a lot and we all made some great memories. Niamh Guy and Sophie Clarke
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Kaikoura and Hanmer Springs This year's Geography trip to Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura was an amazing adventure. We started our first day with the beautiful drive to Kaikoura; we saw a couple of dolphins and seals splashing around in the ocean on our way. When we arrived in Kaikoura, we settled into our cabins and had Lisa from Whale Watch tell us all about the whales. We then headed off to go whale watching and saw a couple of amazing sperm whales and lots of Hector’s dolphins. Dinner that evening was at The Whaler, where people got to choose from a range of yummy options. The next day, we packed up early and made our way down to Hanmer Springs. One of the first things we did there was
Dinner at The Whaler
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surveying people, which was a great experience as we got to meet lots of people from different places. Later that evening, we had a talk from one of the Hanmer Springs Hot Pools lifeguards, which was very interesting. One of my favourite parts of that day was heading off to the hot pools and relaxing there. We packed up early the next day and headed off to the township of Hanmer Springs to do more surveys. Sadly, our fun trip was coming to an end and we all loaded back onto the bus and drove home. This was such an amazing trip, learning so much about the Alpine Pacific Triangle, and a great team bonding trip as well. We would highly recommend joining this trip next year. Hailey Barker
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Japan Day is a fun and easy way to experience Japanese culture. It was held on 1 March and was open to anyone to come and enjoy. One of my favourite parts of the day was the food; I had a Japanese dish called (soba) and it was (delicious). I also got to try my favourite matcha tea as a snow cone. I also enjoyed watching all of the cosplayers dress up as their favourite anime or game; they all looked stunning and I was impressed by their efforts. I had learnt a lot about Japanese culture, such as Doraemon's favourite food, dorayaki, which is like two pancakes with red bean paste in between.
They also had art stalls set up and everyone’s drawings looked utterly amazing. DHS also participated in the calligraphy performance. The calligraphy performance is a DHS Japanese tradition; it is done every year on Japan Day by students learning Japanese and students from Japan. The calligraphy performance is a group of people writing Kanji (Japanese words) onto a large piece of paper with music in the background; dancing is also included in the performance. This year, the song chosen was which translates to Let it Go. The kanji that I wrote was translated to flower, and the full thing that we wrote was “Let it go, Snow world, Windy field, To sky light, Flower snowflakes, Like yourself” (from right to left).
I think everyone had a lot of fun while doing the calligraphy performance and it was a great bonding experience for Japanese students and students learning Japanese. Japan Day is one of my favourite days of the year and I hope to share the experience with more people next year. I would like to thank Mrs Staddon and Hayakawa-sensei for coming along and looking after us. We are truly grateful. Tierlina Payne
JAPAN DAY
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JAPANESE PEN PALS
Last year, 7CC had a video call with a school, Yachiyo shoogakko (Yachiyo Primary School), in Akitakata, Hiroshima, Japan. They were learning English and they were all the same age as us. The Japanese students talked to us about things they like, about their district and about traditional games, and so on. 7CC also had a face-to-face with their class, student-on-student. We told them our names and asked their favourite something in English and some Japanese. While we were on the video call with them there was a thunder and lightning storm, and the Japanese students were very concerned for us. In the next video call, they asked us if we were ok or not; of course we were all fine but it was very nice of them to worry about us. They sang a song for us and I (Jack) sang a song called The Rainbow Connection, which the Japanese students liked very much. After two video calls, we had about two periods to complete Christmas cards. We all wrote Christmas cards to them and they sent New Year cards back! It was a great chance to talk with people the same age, and teach them English and learn Japanese from them. It would be nice to keep in touch. Lucia Tully holding the Happy New Year card sent from Mrs Inoue, an English teacher in Japan.
Thank you to Mrs Cartman for allowing us to communicate with Japanese students during her class time. Jack Guy and Annabella Rooney
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On Monday 16 March, we were lucky enough to have the Ugly Shakespeare Company come to our school to present their rendition of one of Shakespeare’s classic plays, Othello. Performed in front of the senior Drama classes, the performance followed the traditional tale of the evermanipulative Iago and his pursuit for power and revenge. However, having been adapted to incorporate more modern and relevant situations (such as an off-the-side talk show and subtle nods to New Zealand’s own drama culture), their take on Othello was one that kept our audience hooked from the get go. Audience interaction, a generous flow of comedy and the occasional dance break put a light-hearted spin on what would otherwise have been one of Shakespeare’s more tragic works. Yet it was this high energy atmosphere that gave us a performance we would not forget. I personally found it to be an absolutely amazing experience, with the actors delivering such a funny yet intriguing adaptation of Othello that there never once seemed to be a dull or boring moment. Their ability to improvise and adapt their performance to incorporate the various reactions of our audience was also a highlight; it gave us a sense of connection to the actors without us having met them beforehand. The atmosphere in the room was truly amazing, with the actors turning what is usually a confusing and at times hard to understand play into a funny, understandable and relevant play that pushed the boundaries of Shakespeare’s work without leaving its foundations far enough to become foreign. Despite the comedy and modernisation of the play, the actors were still able to demonstrate key themes that the play focused on (such as the traditional ideas concerning the consequences of jealousy and the greed for power, as well as more modern ideas, such as the racist and sexist issues that the play deals with). However, it was not just me who thoroughly enjoyed the Ugly Shakespeare’s adaptation of Othello. Here are some quotes from other members of the audience who found the performance just as enjoyable as I did: “They had the whole audience captivated and the element of including audience participation really added to the story as we felt we were all involved with what was happening.” Bena Pearson (Year 13) "It was so inspiring and gave us insight into what we can become as actors." Jess Galletly (Year 13) “The Ugly Shakespeare Company brought an amazing show to the students of Years 11, 12, and 13 Drama. They performed an amazing take on William Shakespeare’s Othello." James Stewart (Year 12) “It showed some very good techniques and it was a good laugh.” Becky Bruce (Year 12) “It was a fun and goofy way to learn drama techniques and how to make a performance realistic. I had a lot of fun... not just because I was missing period 5.” Tierlina Payne (Year 11) “Very professional and the workshop was very helpful.” Katy Molloy (Year 12) “The guy we did the workshop with gave really good tips and was very motivational about getting up and doing our piece.” Aidan Strowger (Year 12)
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UGLY SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
After watching the amazing performance, the senior Drama classes were also all given the privilege of attending a workshop hosted by the actors. This workshop focused primarily on drama techniques and the development of Shakespearean characters. We started by warming up with a quick round of “What are you doing?”, a fast paced improv game that requires you to quickly act out the action or character that the person before gives, before switching places with another.
Once we were all warmed up, we moved on to learning about walking styles and how they can help our character development. We started by walking around the room at our own comfortable pace and, over time, we were given instructions to adapt our walking style, such as “walk fast as if you're going to miss the bus” or “walk from the top of your toes first to the back of your heel.” Despite the hilarity of nearly crashing into every person in the hall while chasing a non-existent bus, this task helped us to understand the importance and significance of minor details in characters.
By changing the way we walked, we were able to portray different characters and their emotions, such as how a confident character would have a tendency to stomp their feet and take larger steps (thus demonstrating power), compared to how an unconfident character would take smaller and lighter steps (demonstrating vulnerability and a lack of confidence). From here, we were given our final task of acting a scene from the adapted version of Othello that we had watched earlier. When we did this, we were asked to incorporate the ideas of capturing our character’s intention, and everything we had learnt in the workshop, into our characters. This could have been as simple as changing a character's posture to demonstrate confidence levels and status in a character, or it could have been deeper things, such as playing with the character’s body language and gestures to indicate what the character is feeling. Overall, the workshops and performance were a fun yet educational experience that I will look back on fondly. Not only did we enjoy our time watching such a phenomenal performance, and getting to know the actors behind it, but we also enjoyed the inspiration and skills the actors gave us to help improve our own performances. For anyone who has the opportunity to see the Ugly Shakespeare Company perform a modernised adaptation of a Shakespearean play in person, I would absolutely recommend it. Emily McCallum
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WRAPS Butter Chicken Wrap 1/2 Wraps (Ham, Chicken or Vege)
RICE DISHES
PRICE $5.00 $4.00
CANTEEN EXPECTATIONS
PRICE
Teriyaki Chicken on Rice (Cold) $5.50 Butter Chicken on Rice (Hot) $5.50 Rice Balls (See Selection) $2.50 Sushi (See Selection) $4.00
SANDWICHES
PRICE
Sandwiches (See Selection) $3.00
ROLLS Rolls (Ham, Beef, Chicken or Vege) Crispy Chicken Roll Garlic Bread Plain Garlic Bread Cheesy
BURGERS
PRICE $5.50 $3.60 $2.20 $2.50
PRICE
Cheese Burger $4.00 Chicken Burger $5.50
FRESH BAKED Muffins (Blueberry, Banana, Apple)
LOOSE CHANGE
PRICE $2.00
PRICE
Mrs Higgins Brownie Bites $2.00 Fruit and Jelly Cup $2.00 Caramel Slice $3.00 Chocolate Slice $3.00 Juicies $2.00
DRINKS
• Use good manners—please and thank you. Use appropriate language • Be patient; respect each other’s place in the line > No queue jumping > Don’t give money to others in the queue to get things for you > Give others space—no pushing • Come in the entry door and go out the exit door. Keep clear of the exit • Don’t hassle others for money
Respect for self
• Eat lots of healthy food—fruit, wraps • Eat high sugar and high fat foods in small amounts—lollies, chips, pies • Count your change before you leave
School rules
• No credit may be given to students • Lollies will only be sold during the last 20 minutes of lunchtime
PRICE
Hash Brown $1.00 Hot Dog $3.50 Chicken Tender $2.00 Wedges $3.00 Popcorn $2.20
TREATS
Respect for each other
PRICE
REMEMBER
TO PLACE ORDERS AT
INTERVAL FOR
LUNCHTIME PICKUP
See Selection
DHS CANTEEN MENU
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25 MARCH 2020
√ Using Water Wisely √ Fire Restrictions √ Selwyn Gets Ready √ Keep up to date
Keep up-to-date with developments as they happen, on the Darfield High School website:
D E N O P T S O Booklet PInformation 8.30am
Family Pass
www.darfield.school.nz Information Booklet
Creative courses for High School students in years 9 – 13 Creative courses for High School students in years 9 – 13
ebsite for our w r u o t u o k c e Ch courses g in n r a le te o m re CHRISTCHURCH CAMPUS CHRISTCHURCH CAMPUS
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Autism April Autism Awareness Month
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects cognitive, sensory, and social processing, changing the way people see the world and interact with others. The condition affects approximately 80,000 New Zealanders.
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May take in everything in the environment all at once and may find it challenging to ignore sounds, smells and visual stimuli May have very specific food and taste preferences
Communication • • • • • • • •
Maybe verbal or non-verbal Prefers simple instructions Highly visual communicator Can prefer communicating without language Enjoys communicating about their interests Can find comfort in making verbal sounds May find expressing their needs challenging May repeat your words and body language Thinker
• • • • • • • •
Understanding
Autism
Excellent memory Prefers routine and consistency Prefers written or visual to verbal direction An original perspective to problem solving Can recall details that others miss Values high quality of work, close to perfection Enjoys fixing and arranging things Has exceptional knowledge and attention to detail with their interests and things that capture their attention
WEBSITE
• Darfield High School • PO Box 5, Darfield, 7541
• 7 McLaughlins Road, Darfield • 03 318 8411
• admin@darfield.school.nz • www.darfield.school.nz