Not School Photo 2011

Hi everyone

Just a reminder that our meet-up this week is combined with our annual "Not School Photo", at Rotary Park. We have held this each year as a record of the children currently belonging to the SHEAF group, and it would be great to see your family there. Bring your camera, lunch and dogs - there is a dog exercise area adjacent. Please let me know if you will be coming, so we have an idea of who to wait for. If it is raining, postponement date is 14 December.

Homeschool declaration and allowance forms due

Friendly reminder that homeschool declaration and allowance forms are due back at the Ministry of Education on Friday 25th November (NEXT WEEK).

If you haven't got your form yet, give the MoE a call - they may have a wrong address, or for some reason may think your child isn't being homeschooled anymore. Definitely worth following up :)

P.S. It pays to make a copy of the forms for your own records before sending them back - in case of them going astray in the post.

Wednesday meet-up - Botanic Gardens

Wednesday meet-up will be at the playground at the Botanic Gardens. Meet from 12.30, bring your lunch

Pottery class Nov 18th - Full

Claire says the pottery class for Friday 18 November is full now, but if you would like to put your name down as a reserve, please email her.

Pottery class Nov 18th

Also I have talked to the fabulous Marion Familton about having a
one-off pottery morning this term. She is not able to do Wednesday so
we have made a tentative date of Friday the 18th November for 2 or 3
hours in the morning. We will try and do something that we can complete
in one morning. Let me know by e-mail if you are keen and I will
confirm details. I think last time we did pottery she charged $10 per
child. This will probably be held at the Otago potters co-op rooms in
South Dunedin. There will be a limit on numbers for this one. If this
is something you are keen for your children to do but the date doesn't
suit let me know also and we can talk to her about organising something
for first term of next year.

Contact Claire to book in

want to stay in Dansey's pass during our Duntroon trip?

Here's Claire's info:

I rang the park and they have several cabins available on Wednesday
night so we are going to stay there after we visit the Elephant rocks.
We have a two bed cabin for $60. Is $36 for one adult and then $12 each
for the children. They also have a bunk house available which sleeps 8
(I think) which is $48/night for 2 adults; $10/child, $15/extra adult or
$30 for a single adult, if a couple of families wanted to share works
out a bit cheaper. Have to bring sleeping bags but everything else is
there. Here is the link to their website:
http://www.danseyspass.com/3701.html

Contact Claire if you're interested!

Elephant Rocks update

From Stacey - I can HIGHLY recommend the Vanished World fossil centre in Duntroon, too - it's $5 entry, but worth it. It might be worth making a booking as a school group, too - they have actual bits of sandstone in a work-room that you can brush away and expose actual fossils in. Totally cool. Even without making a booking, it's a good wet-weather alternative.

From Jan - There are toilets at the elephant rocks now, so no need to make special detours en route.

Also the rock drawings at Takiroa had a rock fall last year so you cant get too close to the drawings, but there are some others that are closer to the elephant rocks that can be easily viewed. However they are up a steep hill / steps so buggies are out for getting to them.

Also, Claire has suggested staying the night at Dansey's Pass, please email her if you are interested

Reminder of details:
meet at Elephant Rocks, Duntroon 11am (need to leave Dunedin about 9am)

Contact Nicola if you're planning to go so we can keep track of each other en-route.