Camps
2024 Year 6 Camp Information
Year 6 Camp
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Whānau
The Year 6 camp at Welcome Rock, Garston, is scheduled for Week 4 of Term 1 2024. This is an amazing experience in which our Year 6 students have the opportunity to participate in a range of activities in a beautiful part of our country. This includes camping overnight in tents, cooking in groups using camping equipment, cross country orienteering, hiking, learning about farm life, market garden production, gold mining, and learning about the local history, landscape, flora & fauna. Due to the rising costs of using a bus service, all transport will be via parent and staff vehicles.
All Year 6 students will be combined to make one camp. Activity groups will be mixed to support friendship groups and provide an even ratio of girls:boys. Year 6 students that are unable to attend the camp, will still be expected to attend school on these days and an alternative learning programme will be provided in their buddy classes. If your child is unable to attend, please contact the classroom teacher as soon as possible.
Camp Date Confirmation:
- Wednesday 21 February, Thursday 22 February, Friday 23 February
Camp Postponement Dates (Due to adverse weather)
- Wednesday 28 February, Thursday 29 February, Friday 1 March
The camp is supported by at least four RPS members of staff including the Assistant Principal and the farm owner of Welcome Rock - Tom O'Brien. We also invite expressions of interest from parents wishing to come along to support. We do need parents to drive 4x4 vehicles or AWD, so if you are able to or have a 4x4 or AWD vehicle that you wouldn't mind using to help support the camp that would be extremely helpful (fuel costs will be reimbursed). Please indicate on the form if you are able and willing to use your 4x4 or AWD vehicle.
Along with being transported to and from Garston, during the camp your child will be transported along a 5km gravel road in a 4x4 or AWD vehicle. The vehicles are used to climb the Nevis public road from state highway 6 to the Nevis Road Southland end gate ski hut. These vehicles will be driven by staff members, the Welcome Rock farm owner and our parent helpers. As part of our Safety Action Plan, the school ensures that all drivers are fully licensed, and that the vehicles have a current Warrant of Fitness and Registration. The other reasons that students may need to be transported in vehicles is if due to inclement weather, we need to return quickly from the Slate Hut back to the Nevis Road Southland end gate ski hut, or in the case of a medical event.
The suggested camp donation is $140 per child. The Year 6 Camp is dependent on receiving donations, to ensure it can go ahead. If any families would like to contribute towards the camp donation for another child please contact the office to do so. As a school we have focused on keeping costs to a minimum and will be fundraising as a Year 6 group over Terms 1 and 2.
We are seeking a parent committee to help with a fundraising event. A possible fundraiser for this camp is a Quiz Night. If you are interested and able to support in this capacity, please indicate this in the form below.
All funds raised will contribute directly towards the 2024 Welcome Rock camp. The cost of this camp is approximately $8,000. Our aim is to fundraise the entire cost of the camp. Once the amount fundraised is final, we are able to either reimburse families, or add this amount back onto your child's student account.
Donations for this experience are eligible for a 33.3% income tax credit from Inland Revenue (IRD). Receipts can be download via the HERO app
Donations can be made as follows:
- HERO App
- Internet Banking ASB bank account number 12 3405 0009955 02. (please specify your child's name and Year 6 Camp in the descriptor).
- Payment made by EFT-POS (no credit or paywave) at the School office
If you would like to discuss this camp and suggested donation do not hesitate to make contact with the classroom teacher or Sandra Challoner in our school office. This will be in total confidence.
To assist in the camp preparations, we ask that parents of Year 6 students complete the following Google Form no later than 3pm Friday 9 February. This will allow us to confirm parent helpers as soon as possible.
A specific Gear list has been attached with this information and we will send a hard copy home with students this week. There will be a camp gear check on Friday 16 February. On this day, all students are required to bring to school the items highlighted in yellow. This is to ensure that all students are well equipped for the camp and the elements, as weather conditions can change dramatically.
There is a parent meeting to share more information about the logistics of the camp should you wish to attend. This information session is in Whenua 2 on Thursday February 15 at 5:30pm. All parents are welcome.
If you are successful in applying as a parent helper for the camp, you will be required to attend this information session as well, and stay on afterwards for the specific parent helper safety briefing.
Kind regards
Kathryn McRae: kathryn.mcrae@remarkables.school.nz
Matt Williams: matt.williams@remarkables.school.nz
Megan Ide megan.ide@remarkables.school.nz
DATE REMINDERS
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9 - Complete google form before 3pm on this day
MONDAY FEBRUARY 12 - Parent helpers notified if they are successful in being able to support the camp
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 15 - Parent Information meeting 5:30pm in Whenua 2, Parent helper briefing will follow
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16 - Mandatory gear check - students bring gear to school
MONDAY FEBRUARY 19 - At 3pm, the call will be made to go ahead with regards to weather, or move to the postponement dates
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21 - Camp Departs
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28 - Postponement departure date