School Camp Planning

School camp teachers are our Heroes.

Without the effort teachers put into school camps many students would miss out on an important part of their education.

We built the lodge to make it much easier for teachers to access and teach about Northland’s native forest and other outdoor activities.

We recognize planning a school camp can be a daunting task. Issues such as venue, menus, recipes, cost, health and safety, adequate supervision, transport all have to be considered and dealt with before the actual teaching and activities begin.

Designed with school camps specifically in mind

Operating for 30 years, the Tangihua Lions Lodge facilities make planning and running a school camp significantly easier. On this site there are suggested menus and activities, rosters and timetables.

Once you have decided on a venue, try to make it a regular event. This will make future trips much easier. You and your helpers will know what to expect. Parents with several children will have been there previously. It is a good camp site (especially in wet weather) so word of mouth will ensure goodwill and enthusiasm amongst staff and students, a major factor in the organising.

For a suggested schedule of school camp activities click here

Accommodation

On each side of the main dining area there is one five and one twenty bunk room, sleeping a total of 50 people. Normally it is boys to the left of the main room and girls to the right – parents in the five-bed room, students in the 20 bunk room. The five-bed room has been designed with parents and teachers in mind. It is separated from the larger bunk room by a 3/4 wall which gives some privacy but also allows for monitoring of activities in the other room.

It is common to have some groups camping in the surrounding clearings. Numbers can be boosted to 80 without putting a strain on the lodge’s resources.

There is also the auxiliary lodge with two king single beds, one with a trundler bed underneath plus a single bed. There is room for additional people to sleep here.

Across the enclosed deck area from the bunk rooms are the male and female ablution areas which each have 4 showers and 4 toilets plus a separate disabled shower/toilet. The auxiliary lodge has a small bathroom with shower and toilet.

Parents or adults at School camps

In order to get the required ratio of supervisors at school camps, parents are often called upon. Most parents find this not only to be a lot of fun but a rewarding experience.

There will be many skill sets available amongst the parents. Food preparation and the ability to be in the background keeping things ticking over are the two most needed. We suggest parents take a look at this website.

Parents, while participating in many interesting activities, get to know the teachers and the students. Meeting informally and chatting with teachers and other parents and seeing how the class interacts is always an interesting and rewarding experience.

A newsletter with information for parents, sent out prior to permission slips, is a good idea. A meeting of parents prior to the camp will allay some fears and is often a quicker and easier way of dealing with any issues that may arise than talking to parents individually. Often parents know about the camp or have been there and this “word of mouth” really helps.

Study Guide for parents – Your role as a camp parent

Note: this is at the discretion of the teacher in charge

Ensure the safety of your group

• Keep students around you at all times
• Do not let them join another group under any pretext
• Keep an eye on the weather
• Check that sunsense is observed

To act as a resource person

• Direct students’ observations
• Encourage tentative answers
• Do not ask or expect conclusive answers
• Get differing opinions
• Answer questions only when necessary and use the study guide
• Ensure children look, learn and leave the bush as found

To assist children in recording observations

• Encourage pride in craftsmanship and joy in knowing work is their very best
• Note down questions you cannot answer for further research
• Note down interesting comments and thoughts for further exploration

To act as mediator

• Encourage students to settle their own differences as a group
• Ensure the students follow the line of command: GROUP LEADER – CAMP PARENT – TEACHER IN CHARGE
• Encourage leaders to lead
• Encourage democratic decision making

a pdf version of parents at camp – teacher’s discretion

What to take in School camp

Click here for the list

Individuals need to bring:

• Personal food (if needed)
• Sleeping bag, pillow slip
• Toilet paper, towel, tea towels
• Pens, pencils, insect repellent
• Overnight camping gear if camping out

Clothing

• Adequate changes of clothes
• Warm jacket
• Strong shoes or boots
• Wet weather gear
• Swimming togs and towel
• Hat and sunscreen
• Any required medicines (inform staff, all medicines must be handed to staff with clear instructions)

The group will need to supply:

• Food, drinks
• First aid kit
• Kitchen cleaning equipment
• Dishwashing liquid
• Whiteboard pens
• Other teaching aids
• Camp out utensils (if required)

Bedding

Sleeping bag and pillow case

Clothing

• At least 4 tops/shirts
• Shorts
• Long pants
• Singlet
• Warm jumper
• Raincoat
• Socks
• Hiking/walking shoes
• Hat
• Jandals/casual shoes
• At least 4 sets of underwear
• Togs
• Pajamas
• Shower towel
• Swimming towel
• Tea towel
• Toiletries
• Plastic bag for dirty clothes

Day pack (simple school bag)

Drink bottle, lunch box

Extras

Torch, book, sunblock, insect repellent, camera, sunglasses

NB: Name everything! No cell phones, no lollies!

Security and safety

Missing students can be as big a problem as unwanted visitors. The lodge gate can be locked and the access road is 3 km from Omana Rd.

There is not really anywhere for students to go. Teachers will have standard rules, here are some pertinent to this site:

• Use a buddy system
• No running, jumping, or tussling indoors
• No leaving the grassed lodge area without an adult
• Kitchen is out of bounds unless on duty
• Fire is a risk – no bush fires or BBQs (a large hotplate is provided)
• Leave bush areas, including bivouac zones, as found

Wet weather

Planning for wet weather is essential.

Have a Plan B that is quick to implement and pack away. The lodge has undercover areas and a drying room (for clothes, not students).

Indoor activities like art, map work, talks, and games can keep the group engaged. The lodge remains accessible in bad weather, but take care with streams when tramping.

Time out

Time out for staff is important. The LCIF lodge, separate from the main lodge, is ideal for stepping back.

The disabled bathroom or one of the adult bunk rooms can be used for student time out if needed.

For further information

Phone Michelle: 0275500611 or email tlionslodge@gmail.com