Camp Letter #1 • 5th February 2024

Kia ora e te Whānau,

We are very excited to let you know about the plans we have made for our biannual Year 5 & 6 camp. We will be holding two camps, as 2024 sees large numbers of students in our senior school. Each camp will be a 3 day, 2 night camp at El Rancho Camp in Waikanae. El Rancho is a purpose built facility which has been used for school camps for many years. There are lots of wonderful activities that will enable our students to live out our school values and dispositions in a new and exciting environment. Please visit El Rancho’s website to get a sense of where we are going and what we will be involved in: www.elrancho.co.nz

Every camp letter your child brings home will be numbered at the top so that you can keep track of the notices you have received. If you miss any, they will also be posted on Seesaw.

Camp 1 will be held from Monday 13th May to Wednesday 15th May, 2024. Camp 2 will be held from Wednesday 15th May to Friday 17th May, 2024. Akomanga 2, 3 & 4 will be on Camp 1. Akomanga 1, 5, 21 (Year 5’s only) & 22 will be on Camp 2.

Camp is often a highlight of your child’s senior years at Central Normal School and we encourage all students to attend. It gives your child an opportunity to challenge themselves with new and exciting activities, to build special relationships with others and to build lifelong memories.

The full cost of camp is approximately $240 per student. The camp is fully catered and this cost covers meals, accommodation, travel and activities. We are pleased to be able to use the Government Donation Scheme to cover some of these camp costs. We are also in the process of applying for a trust fund to cover the cost of the buses. The cost to you will therefore be $120 per student. If you wish to begin payments for camp by making regular contributions, please see Tina or Niki in the School Office. Camp fees must be paid in full prior to camp beginning or arrangements made with Elly or Catherine. We do not want money to be a reason that your child does not attend.

Taking 150 students on camp is a huge undertaking and we can not do it without your help. We need approximately 30 parents to come with us as camp parents.

We are looking for parents who are able to:

• be a cheerleader for the tamariki.

• be a role model.

• supervise tamariki (approximately 6) while they participate in a range of activities.

• run certain activities (with guidance from El Rancho & CNS Staff).

• help with duties (clean bathrooms, prepare dining room, serve dinner etc).

• help settle tamariki at night.

• encourage tamariki to look after their belongings.

• help with the clean up on the final day.

• be available for the whole camp experience.

• be ‘present’ for the duration of camp (and not be distracted by other commitments).

Please note:

• parents who are selected as a camp parent will need to provide appropriate identification to the school office by March 1st so that we can start the police vetting process.

• parent helpers do not share cabins with children, but will be in a cabin adjacent to the children and will share a cabin with other adults.

If you wish to be considered as a camp parent, please complete this online form: You can either scan this QR code, or use this link: https://forms.gle/4geB9iQxyBXhwsTR6

Camp Parent Applications are due by Friday 16th Feb at 3pm. We will be selecting parents after this date, notifying you by Wednesday 21st of February. We will then get the Police Vetting Forms (for camp parents) filled in and submitted as soon as possible.

Further information about camp will be sent out soon.

If you have any immediate queries, please feel free to contact me. cpallesen@centralnormal.school.nz

Ngā mihi,

Catherine Pallesen

Deputy Principal