We've started school for 2014 and it's rained

Clouds rolling in (Kate McDonald)

It’s been a busy few weeks here! March already!

Had grand plans for a ‘1^st week back at school blog’ and a ‘look it rained’ blog but it seems time has got away from me and I am combining everything into one!

Sunrise on the water (Kate McDonald)

The 2014 school year has started off quite smoothly. So far we’ve had Meet & Greet and the swimming carnival. We also went to town the Central West Swimming Trials and then last week we spent 4 days in town as part on the annual Home Tutor Workshop.

Longreach pool (Kate McDonald)

Whilst we’ve been pottering about the rain came to find us. 4 days straight it was grey and wet. It’s so nice to see some green again. The dams are full, there’s a nice lot of green pick about. The channels have water in them and there are some new calves in the paddocks. Hopefully this is a good season and we get some follow up rain to compliment what we’ve already received.

 

Meet and Greet was in early Feb and we went up and had a lovely day meeting who will be our teachers this year. Jack was very upset that our indestructible animal Elly was in fact under the wrong house tree in the school garden but she has since been moved! That afternoon we had the swimming carnival and Boree Box Jellyfish were loud and proud. Boree was also successful in winning the carnival for 2014. We also came home with 1 runner-up age champion and 2 best dressed prizes which was pretty cool. Still on swimming, we returned to Longreach the next week for Liv to compete in the Central West Swimming Trials and she represented her school very well.

  

In the school room we started the year by decorating our books for the year. We grabbed magazines and adorned our books with our favourite things-horses, motorbikes, boots, hats, pigs, dogs and birds. Have just completed unit 1 and are ready for unit 2. We have learnt about Ancient China, being persuasive in our English writing, fractions, positive and negative numbers, how to tell the time, different separation techniques, Anzacs, Queensland Day, Australia Day, Easter, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year. I wonder what unit 2 will teach us?!

The rain brought puddles, mud, but most importantly green grass! Creeks are flowing, bridges went under and amongst all this we were getting ready to town for the annual Home Tutor Workshop. For a couple of weeks before we had been making hat racks, earrings, hair clips and soft toys to sell at the school markets. Nothing was going to stop us from getting to town! Then we found the water. We had to wait for a fair while for it to drop but it was worth the wait and we got there in the end.

Had to wait for the water to drop (Kate McDonald)

 

Water everywhere (Kate McDonald)

 

 

The road to town (Kate McDonald)

Pigs! (Kate McDonald)

The kids spent 3 days with their teachers and I listened to some pretty inspiring professional development about teaching reading and writing. Magic 100 Words is a program I’ve brought back to the school room. Bright colours, words, cards, games all aimed at improving reading. Worth a shot I reckon. The markets were a success, we got to do some retail therapy and eat out (frozen cokes and Chinese food was pretty popular) and we all got to spend some time with our friends and just chat.
Even made it into the local news....Check out the link
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-10/outback-distance-education-workshop-queensland/5308554?&section=news

Markets (Kristy Sparrow)

 

Longreach (Kate McDonald)

So far we’ve had 2 birthdays at the station. Very exciting and some awesome cakes produced as a result!

 

 

I have started my uni work. Cropping in South-East Asia is my first assignment. So far have spent 2 days reading and researching and have started getting ideas down onto paper. Hopefully it all comes together alright.

Till next time, have fun J

 

Black tiger (Kate McDonald) 

 

Goanna sunning itself near the school room (Kate McDonald)

 

Patiently waiting at the shoeing school (Kate McDonald)