Dear Parents and Friends of the School

LAWRENCE AREA SCHOOL

Community Newsletter

14 August 2014
No 10
Just as we think we are headed for spring winter rears its ugly side - wind and snow certainly disrupted
school late last week. Thank you to parents for accommodating the disruptions.
Kind Regards John Auld
SNOW DAYS ...... Delays and Closures
From 7:00am on parents can find information online and radio:
Lawrence Area School facebook page
http://lawrenceareaschool.edublogs.org
Big River Radio 107.1 fm
We also set in place through our bus drivers a phone
tree as well as directly contacting town families.
Please contact Kate and inform her of any changes
to phone numbers, especially cell phones, and/or any
issues
A new face at school. Mr Tim Samson started as HOD Technology at the
term. Tim has an extensive background in both teaching and industry.
Currently based in Balclutha Tim previously lead technology at Catlins
Area School.
Tim is very keen to promote carpentry and associated skills and is wanting
to introduce a BCITO to NCEA students in 2015.
Tim has been incredibly busy reshaping the technology room, upgrading
and improving facilities. He would be happy to show interested parents
and friends of the school his ideas and plans and would be appreciative
of any good ideas, offers of help etc.
Otago ITM Rugby Team Members visit school:
Seven members of the Otago rugby team called
in at school on their way to a three day training
camp in Alexandra. One hundred plus students
joined them in the sun, Wednesday lunch time.
Captain Charley OConnell introduced himself,
with his fellow players following suit.
They answered a myriad of questions from students,
auto graphed rugby balls and tops, competed
against students in a relay, then played some
tag games on the courts. Before leaving they
went to class answering in depth questions on
training, nutrition, goal setting etc with Miss Hyslops
NCEA physical education students. This was most
appreciated.
We wish them well for the season, and promised
parochial support for the blue and golds
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NCEA RESULTS:
Senior School.

Year 10 food and nutrition students will be selling cupcakes on
Tuesday 26
th
August at interval to raise money
for RSPCA.
For a gold coin donation you can support this
worthwhile cause and have a yummy cupcake
for morning tea.

DIDNT WE DO WELL!! DIDNT WE DO
WELL!! DIDNT WE DO WELL!! DIDNT
WE DO WELL!! DIDNT WE DO WELL!!
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WE DO WELL!! DIDNT WE DO WELL!!
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Food & Nutrition
Congratulations to:
Eden Wilson
and
Autumn Forbes
who gained Excellence in a
recent assessment.
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Merit and Excellence Marks - Speeches
Congratulations:
Level One:
Taylor Whitehead - Excellence
Autumn Forbes - Merit
Cheyanne Robertson - Merit
Level Two:
Merran Casse - Merit
Hannah Blackmore - Merit
History Level 1 TCS
Congratulations to:
Autumn Forbes
Merit in Achievement Standard
91001

Yr 11-13 NZQA FEES
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NZQA Fees are due befort the 8th September. $76.70 needs to be paid to the Office before this date.
Students Yr 11-13 have been given the forms to apply for Financial Assistance and a letter that discusses the
paying of Fees. Please contact school if you have not got either and we will arrange for a copy to be sent
home.
Year 7 Fabric Technology
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Year 7 Pillow Covers.
The Year 7 students used the essential basic skills they have
learnt on the sewing machine to design and make a pillow cover
for a standard size pillow.
They needed to show that hey are able to thread up a machine
correctly, ensure they setting are correct and show continual
awareness for the safety of themselves and others at all times.
The finished pillow cover must have two successful corners,
straight stitching, 10mm and 15mm seams with reverse and each
seam must be neatened with zig zagging.
They all completed a pillow cover and were extremely proud of
their efforts.
Rain drizzled randomly from the anxious looking sky as I drove leaving glistening patches on the ground. Sighing, I paused at
another red light. Traffic was dragging me painfully behind schedule. Despite the moon hanging in the centre of a murky, guarded
sky the airport was swarmed with people. I jogged over to the staff wing, charged through sign in and burst onto the plane. I
received glares from the air hostess who had clearly been in a frenzy of activity covering my absence. The attendant closest to me
watched with steel in her eyes as I established the safety precautions to the travellers. She was aware of my inexperience as I
stumbled through the announcements timidly. My hands were trembling and my teeth chattering as we sat for take-off.
Finally we were rolling down the airstrip, gathering speed until I could feel the aircraft lifting lazily off the ground. During our
ascent my stomach felt like it was boiling over. Our captain confirmed our altitude of 35 000 feet. I stood and gave another safety
demonstration. One of the sulky assistants up front actually threw a small smile at me when I produced a chorus of laughter from
various rows with a joke. My nerves began to ease.
My actions were shadowed by the attendant sharing my end; ignoring any need to appear inconspicuous, she followed me with stiff
apprehension like a tired parent would follow an infant. She never spoke, just hurled deprecating looks at me. We hit turbulence
and a yelp fell from my mouth. She raised an eyebrow.
I smelt the smoke first. Completely unsure, I was grateful to have a more experienced attendant to rely on. Angling my gaze
slightly, I struggled to catch her reaction. There was none. She stared monotonously ahead with that scowl etched on her features.
Cautiously; I leaned over to her. I felt the glare shift onto me as I fought to form words.
Do you smell that smoke? I stuttered under my breath. Thats when the glare broke.
What? What is it? Surely nobody on board is smoking, she whispered in quiet disbelief. A quick scan of the seats disproved the
smoking theory, which only led to more uncertainties.
Without processing my thoughts, I was striding down the aisle towards the crew cabin. Upon entering and seeing the distressed
looks on my colleagues faces, an iceberg was lodged in my stomach.
Whats happening? I almost shouted.
One of the older attendants spoke, The captain is having electrical issues with the controls, we have to divert. We have no chance
of making it to Beijing but its only 1 hours to the nearest airport.
Troubles? I can smell smoke back in my seat! What do we tell the passengers?
Tell them exactly what I told you; explain that they are safe and that it is our paramount responsibility.
I stumbled down past the seats, carrying this news. Electrical issues can imply anything; if the altimeter was damaged the plane
could fly to an extreme altitude. If any of the navigation equipment was damaged the plane could travel in any direction, deserting
us randomly with no fuel. The other attendant was her shaking her head gravely as I explained. Her face was ashen as she stood to
communicate this news to the passengers. It was a relief to me that I wasnt going to deliver this stressful news, still, I was terrified.
Cries and gasps rose from the seats. There were many questions, protests and a few scattered profanities.
The lights flickered for a second, and then we were left abruptly in the darkness. Screams peeled at my ears.
Everyone stay calm! I ordered trying to sound unalarmed myself. I immediately went into safety mode; handing out torches,
blankets and water. One woman had fainted and I quickly retrieved some smelling salts. the cabin was strung with terror and
uncertainty.
There were so many questions I couldnt answer. So many people searching my face for security. It quickly became too
overwhelming and I ran to the staff cabin, of course all the attendants were out, but I was too anxious to go back. I sprinted to the
cockpit. It was unlocked, which was abnormal. But I ran blindly on Red lights flashed continuously from the controls. They spelt
death.
The pilots faces were a conformation.
We need to prepare for an emergency landing; we are not in range of any land. The altimeter and fuel distributer have gone into
overdrive.
I nodded dumbly and ran from the cockpit. The sounds of despair were deafened by my thoughts, reeling through my mind
without direction. My actions were almost robotic; I picked up the speaker and advised the passengers to prepare for landing.
They all had hot fear gleaming in their eyes, breathing deeply into oxygen masks.
The plane shifted heavily, I staggered back to my seat. The attendant beside me wrapped a belt around my torso, giving me a
tearful smile. Sobs jumped from my throat as I felt the plane waver then drop. The air in the cabin had vaporized; we all froze for
the impact.
It was like hitting a concrete wall. The whole world was being torn. Metallic and human screams mixed excruciatingly. the whole
plane shivered and twisted. I saw shadows of objects as they were fired around the cabin. My vision became blurred but just as the
last images faded, I glimpsed the perfect moon sewn on the same guarded sky, framed in the window beside me.
DIDNT WE DO WELL!! DIDNT WE DO
WELL!! DIDNT WE DO WELL!! DIDNT
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THE PLANE - by Autumn Forbes Yr 11
Annual LAS Cross Country
Gabriels Gully
Friday 15th August
All Parents and Friends of the school are invited to attend.
Students need:
* Physical education uniform
* Sensible footwear ( NO bare feet are allowed)
* A full water bottle & snacks
* Warm clothes to put on
afterwards
* Lunch ( to have prior to
leaving school)
* Students will be
transported to/from
Gabriels Gully
* It is expected that
All students must
stay until the completion
of the final event
* Students must sign
out upon leaving at the
end of the event

Gabriels Gully is quite muddy
a change of footwear is recommended
Order
of
Events
Age
5 & 6
Age 7 & Yr 3/4
Yr 5/6
Yr 7/8/9
Yr 10/13
Start
Time
1pm
Wednesday Nite Basketball: The round robin games have been completed. The
standard this season has been especially high with many individual stand-outs.
Westies played 7, won 7 - outstanding player Isaac Hay
Green Gorillas played 7, won 6 - outstanding player Chris
Soup Dragonz played 7, won 5 - outstanding player Mitchell
Scott Slammmers played 7, won 4 - outstanding player Adam Dickey
Townies played 7, won 2 - outstanding player Eloise
School Amazing played 7, won 2 - outstanding player Tyrone
School Brillanze played 7, won 1 - outstanding player Max
Bernes Belles played 7, won 1 - outstanding player - Matthew Tuhaka
Semis and finals are now to be played
Representative Honours:
Congratulations goes to the following students who have made rep teams:
Rugby:
Jake Lyders - Otago Under 48kg
Jaxon Benington - Otago Country Under 38kg
Kyle Whitehead - Otago Country Under 38kg
Huge congratulations to
Kylie Lyders who was placed 3rd in step 6
at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Aerobics Championships recently held in
Auckland.