Electives week will run in Week 8 of Term 4 (5 - 9 December) this year. This is a great opportunity for your child to try out new experiences, learn some different skills and have some fun. Please discuss the options available with your child before they choose.

An electronic form for choosing electives will be sent to your child next Monday and will be open until 3pm Friday 11 November. It will also be on the school website. Making selections early will give you plenty of time to pay for your child's elective before Elective week. Please note, students will not be able to participate in their chosen elective if payment has not been made.

We ask that Year 8 students select a different elective from last year. If they were in APW, Horse Riding, Golf or Body Shop last year, they will need to choose something they haven’t done. This is to ensure as many students as possible an opportunity to try out these popular electives. As much as we would like to put everyone in their first choice, there are a large number of students to place. So, please make sure your child considers their 3 choices carefully as they could be placed in any of the three.

To assist us in running this programme, please ensure any outstanding invoices (other than the annual donation and DPE cost) are paid before choosing your child's elective; non-payment may prevent them from being placed in higher cost electives.

If you have any queries please email Clare at c.forrest@raroa.school.nz 

ELECTIVES 2022

APW 1 & APW 2 (Absolutely Positively Wellington) - Mr Price, Mr Berthelsen, Mr Mansfield, Matua Tadhg - $125

Experience all the amazing activities on offer around Te Whanganui a Tara in the greatest elective of all time.

Art Gallery - Whaea Bridget & Mrs Dowman - $10

Do you like creating and making food? In this elective you will be part of a team creating an art gallery that incorporates an opening on the Friday. You will make 2D, 3D and digital art on Procreate that will be displayed and food that will be part of the opening.

Ball is Life: Everything Hoops - Mr Boekhorst - $10

This elective is for those who love to play the game of Basketball. As you might expect we will be doing drills, improving our skills and competing against each other in a range of games on Te Manawa and at Nairnville Rec Centre. As well as this, we will be tracking metrics like height, wingspan & vertical jump (and more), Watching NBA and WNBA games , and learning more about the history, style and pop-culture that surrounds one of the most popular sports in the world.

Body Shop - Mrs Dunn & Ms Herbert- $60

Do you fancy making your own products - soap, shampoo, moisturiser, lip balm, shower bombs, etc.? Then come and join us in the Body Shop elective. It's great fun, great learning, including understanding some chemical reactions. You take home the products that you have made. You get to package them too. Great for Christmas gifts.

Football Academy - Mr Morris & Mr Bailey - $30

A week of futsal type games, skills sessions and a couple of football based outings.

For the Love of Horses - Ms Stanley - $125

We will spend this incredible week at the Wellington Indoor Riding School. Time will be spent learning the basics of ground work, along with tacking up, mounting and basic horse care. This will progress to riding lessons, finishing the week with a fun activity on Friday. This is an awesome chance to spend time with these amazing creatures. Students will be grouped for lessons, allowing us to cater for students who already have previous riding experience, along with those who have never sat on a horse before.

Get Crafty! - Miss Mark - $30

Unleash your inner creative passions and skills in this elective through hands-on craft projects! We will make a range of mini crafts like dream catchers, keyrings, pom poms, felt material stuffed animals, paint personalized decor, embroidery, and more!

Give It A Go - Mr Hawea & Piki - $85

This week will definitely be something different. You will be pushed out of your comfort zone but you will feel so good after. This Elective has Springboard diving, introduction to WWE wrestling and High Ropes. We’ll also slow the pace with some chilled out active recovery sessions, including pool time, Kilbirnie rec centre and lawn bowls at Johnsonville Lawn Bowl Club. This Elective does require parent help - so please ask your folks if they can possibly give up some of their time during the week. Tēnā te ngaru whati, tēnā te ngaru puku - get comfortable in the uncomfortable.

Golf Academy - Mr Wright - $125

Week-long golfing experience. Learning the intricacies of the game from driving, iron play, wedge play and putting. You will get professional coaching and get to play at Boulcott’s Farm Heritage Golf Club.

Mini Musical - Miss Carroll - $60

Become a triple threat with singing, dancing and acting. This is your opportunity to take the stage and perform an array of songs in a mini musical production. Taken by one of Wellington’s famous performers, Jade Merematira and our very own Natasha Carroll there will be the opportunity to rehearse a musical and then perform it at the end of this exciting and fun packed week!

Mountain Biking - Whaea Harriet & Matua Kai - $125

Do you love mountain biking? Do you want to spend your week shredding different hills in Te Whanganui a tara? Hooning down Makara, jumping around the pump track at Miramar, sending it down Rangituhi - we’ll do it all! We also have the opportunity to learn new skills and break into groups with the amazing instructors at WORD. Disclaimer: to choose this elective, you need to have your own bike, helmet and be comfortable with going down grade 3 tracks.

Pasifika - Creative Arts - Miss Fa’alogo - $20

Get a ‘Taste of the South Pacific’ through Arts & Crafts, Dance and Song. We will spend some time learning how to make Lolly leis and Kerisimasi/ Christmas decorations, learn the language of other Pacific nations, learn simple dance routines inspired by Pacific musika (music) and of course sharing kai/ food!

Play, Create, Construct - Mrs Collins - $50

Your week will be full of variety and fun; including creating cute miniature plants, food, jewellery and objects from polymer clay, painting and decorating clay pots, and making Christmas decorations to add to your tree. You’ll get to take home something to share, something to keep and something to gift.

Science Lab - Miss Allan & Miss Edge - $70

Do you want to be a zoologist, osteologist or astronomist for the week? Are you curious about the chemistry of sweet treats? Ever wondered what is really living in Khandallah Park stream? Activate your scientific mind as we explore the marvellous world around us through a range of practical activities and experiences!

Stranger Things - Mr Gillies & Mr Boucher - $20

Uncover secrets of a government lab, portals to another world and sinister monsters. Enter the Upside Down in 1980s Rāroa - if you dare! Experience involves D&D, BMX missions, Telepathic Special FX, Underworld Make-up, Science of the Upside Down….and more.

Stay & Play - Board Games - Mr Johnston & Mr McLaughlin - Free

Board Games have come a long way since Monopoly and Cluedo. Come along to this elective to experience a huge range of game styles and experiences. Settle the island of Catan, Fight other submarines in Captain Sonar, find the imposter among us in Resistance and Fake Artist or fight off 4 deadly viruses in Pandemic (too real?). You’ll learn new games, try out different strategies, meet new people and you may even find your new favourite game!

Surf & Skate - Miss Westlake & Mr Porteous - $125

Keen to spend a week catching waves or picking up new skateboarding skills? Then this is the elective for you! Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience, we’ve got an action packed week planned including surfing and rollerskating lessons, swimming pool trips and skateboarding sessions at school!

Toned Down APW - Miss McKenzie & Mrs Temple - $70

Does the APW elective sound like fun, but you’re not sure if you are up for the high levels of adrenaline? Then this elective is for you. We are all about getting out and about in the Wellington area and trying out some fun things that our city has to offer. Think, swimming pools, sports, tramp park, a zoo trip and more.

Waterworks - Mr Martin & Miss Mollison - $100

This Elective is EPIC!! You will be off-site for the week as we take trips to all the major water parks in the Wellington region where we will be wave riding, high diving, inflatable jumping and hydrosliding. It’s awesome fun. Don’t miss out!

We Can Be Heroes - Mr Steele & Mrs Howie-Price - $110

We are PUMPED to be spending the week exploring loads of the different heroes we've got living amongst us in Aotearoa. Walk a day in their shoes in this elective! Want to become a sporting hero? We've got a day at ASB Arena! Being a hero of the movie world more your style? We'll hit up Weta Workshop to learn their magic! More of an everyday hero? We've got firefighters coming in and will be learning lifesaving skills at Te Rauparaha pools! We’ll check out the heroes who preserve our wildlife at Staglands and maybe even head to Wakanda at the movies.

Writers’ Retreat - Mrs L-P - $10

Do you ever wish you had more time to just write about whatever you want? This elective is all about getting away from the noise and distractions, and just writing. Every day you’ll be offered a new writing prompt, which you can choose to try out, or just work on your own projects. We will also visit Katherine Mansfield House and explore the literature sculptures on the waterfront.