Swimming Carnival - 23 February 2011

In Canada, Bishop Lloyd Middle School goes on an annual skiing trip to Table Mountain, but here in Australia Harvey Senior High School has their annual Aqua Spectacular. It is an all school swimming carnival with races, water games, fun participation events, some competitive and others not-so-much. The temperature all week was around 35 degrees, so most staff and students agree that the pool was a better place to spend the day than the classroom. It was so much fun - one of my favourite days so far:-)

Aqua Spectacular 2011 - Can you smile underwater?

Splash and Dash - swim 50m, run 300m, swim 50m.

How many year 10 boys can balance on this Hot Dog?

Cheer on your House teammates!

Dryland training for the Splash and Dash.

Wildlife Spotting



Western Grey Kangaroo

For the weekend of February 18/19 we went wildlife spotting and touring the local back country in a 4x4 ute.  Friday evening we drove our little Suzuki up to the Harvey dam and the road that follows the river behind it.  From 6:30 to 7:30 pm we saw over 50 kangaroos of all shapes and sizes.  The wind was calm and warm and such a nice summer evening to end the work week. On Saturday a fellow teacher wanted to show us a free camping spot 45 km inland along the Murray River.  He was our tour guide traveling in his Toyota Landcruiser The road is partly paved, but once we hit
the top of the range it was mostly gravel.

Emu family

The highlight of the trip was spotting a family of emus grazing in the sun at the bottom of a dry ravine.  It was such an awesome surprise - I didn't think they were native to the Southwest.  The forest is a beautiful spot to explore - we crossed an old trestle bridge (on foot); a bauxite mining conveyor belt that went for many, many, kilometres; a running river and river valley; and the Bibbulmun Trail (a 1000km hiking trail from Perth to Albany).

First Days Of School

Caleb started Harvey Primary School in year 1 and Jackson is in Kindy.  Both are in their age appropriate grade levels and have already made some friends.  Caleb goes 5 days a week and Jackson goes full days on Mondays and Wednesdays.  They are so cute in their uniforms!  Our boys are really enjoying being at school and always have something to talk about when they come home.  Collin started work at Harvey Senior High School on January 27 for some locally based inservices and meetings, but also had a one day orientation in Perth for exchange teachers. The students' first day was Wednesday, February 1 - back from SUMMER holidays!  Sorry, no photos... we have temporary difficulties with the digital card reader.  We'll also have more to report about what teaching is like in the upcoming weeks.

My classroom is the third door from the right.

Mr. Walker going to school.

Caleb is in year 1 at Harvey Primary and Jackson is in Kindy.  (We bought a new card reader, so alas the photos are up!)