The Reynoldz

Dani's class is very curious about New Zealand, so we are posting some more information for them and anyone else who wants to know.

Keegan wanted to know how the kids get to school.

Where Dani's cousin Haidyn lives in Wellington, there are no school buses like we have in the states. The kids use city buses that are designated to go to school. They also walk or their parents drive them. Here are some pictures of the buses. They are electric, see the cable above.

Ian wanted to know a little bit more about where they eat lunch and have gym.

There are many kinds of schools. Some have separate buildings for each grade, others are larger and everything is in one building. Some have lunch rooms and gyms. However, most of the gym time is outside at the playground. One of the schools in the neighborhood is called Seatoun, which is a large school. This has grades Kindergarten to grade 8.

Kindergarten is for 3 and 4 year olds. (similar to preschool at home) grades 1 to 8 are for ages 5 to 12. (1st grade to 7th or elementary and middle school for us). Children start NZ grade 1 (which would be our kindergarten) the day after their 5th birthday.

Haidyn prefers the smaller school she started at last year called Worser Bay School. (this is the one we showed earlier) At Haidyn's school, the children eat outside at picnic tables on nice days and on rainy days they eat lunch in their classroom. Every morning at about 10am they have a snack-time break which they call "morning tea". (they do not drink tea though =)

After grade 8 NZ children go to college. College is actually what they call high school. Most colleges are separate for boys and girls. After College is University (which is college to us).

At Worser Bay School all teachers are called by their first names, like Hillcrest. Haidyn's teachers are Shelly and James and the Principal is Jude. (Shelly is from Canada) At other schools like Seatoun School the children use their teachers surname. (Last name).

Gina wanted to know who the leader was in New Zealand.

New Zealand has a Prime Minister, her name is Helen Clark. Here is the web site to her biography.

And Colette..... as for if any laws are different. In New Zealand, they drive on the opposite side of the road. One difference is that in the states, you can take a right turn on red. (Right lane, turning into the right lane). In New Zealand, you would be in the left lane and turning left into the left lane. But you can't do this on a red light, you must wait for a green light. Oh, when you pass people walking on the sidewalk, you pass on the left side. We keep bumping into people.

All the other laws are the same, no stealing, speeding, etc...

They also still abide by the Treaty of Waitangi, which is an agreement signed in 1840 between the settlers from England (Crown) and the Maori people. It recognised the prior occupation by Maori people of New Zealand. It enabled the peaceful acquisition of land for settlement purposes and ensured that immigrants could come and live here in peace. It allowed the Crown to set up a government to establish laws. In return the Crown were to guarantee and actively protect Maori tribal authority over their lands, fisheries, forests, villages, treasures and culture and extend to them the status and rights of British citizens. So in Dani's cousin's school they all learn the Maori language and culture. They sing songs in Maori and English. (http://aotearoa.wellington.net.nz/back/project.htm)