Wow Whanganui Whanau what an awesome evening

On 19 May we had a very special graduation for 54 graduates from 5 schools:

Tawhero School

Castlecliff School

Keith Street School

St Marcellin School

Whanganui Learning Centre

This was the biggest graduation we have ever had and it was fantastic!  Over 250 people came.

Thank you so much to all our principals and managers from WLC

Thank you to Hamish McDouall, Deputy Mayor for the wonderful job you do

And thank you to our wonderful team and Committee for all that they do.  Here is our evening

Whanganui Computers in Homes Graduation May 2015 on PhotoPeach

Inspiration in Marton April 2015

Sometime we visit schools which are simply inspirational and James Cook School in Marton is one of those schools.  You can really feel the encouragement and support for the students.  Thank you so much for the inspiration.  This is the beautiful way they presented the PC's to their whanau.

Thank you so much to everyone - the principals, the Mayor Andy Watson who is always so supportive, Nevin Kuki the local Minister who opened our evening so beautifully and MP Ian MP Ian McKelvie.  Also congratulations to all our graduates and a thousand thank you's to Angela Coleman and Damian Turner-Steele for everything they do for us.

Marton Graduation April 2015 on PhotoPeach

Finding what you want on the Internet

It seems to me that the hardest thing for new users of the internet have is searching for information effectively.  We live in a world of endless bits of information.  If you type recipe into the Google Search you get 373,000,000 results.  That's a lot of recipes to search through to find a recipe for Marshmellow Easter Eggs to make for Easter.

So we have to learn to be specific about what we want.  For example if you search for "School holiday projects" you will get 77,800,000 results - if I search for "Drift wood craft projects from primary school children"  I get some very specific results including this

https://www.pinterest.com/sasmalin/primary-school-art-project-ideas/

You can also search within things like Pinterest by subject.  Try this - go to Pinterest.com and search on Education.  There are heaps of boards on many topics including Special Education.

So you can see - the more specific you are - the more likely you will find what you want. When we think about what we want and become more and more clear about what it is we want to do, know or explore then searching becomes easier.

As you get more experienced you could do a search on "Advanced Internet Searches" which will help you understand how

The next challenge is working out what reliable sources of information are on the internet.  Try doing a search on Youtube.com "reliable sources of information on internet"   I found this clip to show students how to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DzD856cplY   - if you don't like this one search again and find one you like looking at.

If you have curiosity, patience and the internet then you can literally learn anything.

Enjoy your internet journey.

P.S.  Warmest welcome to the 80 plus students currently doing Computers in Homes in Whanganui, Marton and Raetihi in our region.  Welcome to your technology journey.  May it expand your world. Our first graduation is in Marton on 21 April and our massive Whanganui graduation is on 19 May and our Raetihi graduation will be early June.

Our next classes start in September and I will be letting you know soon where those classes will be.

Also check us out on facebook under Computers in Homes in Homes Wanganui - been posting education links there lately.

Class of 2015

On Tuesday we started our year with 12 wonderful women in the Marton ICT Hub.  This will be out last Computers in Homes class in Marton until 2016.  Everyone is really excited.

Next week we start our first class in Raetihi Primary School for the Whanganui Region.  Historically Raetihi was not in our region but in 2015 our boundaries changed and we now work from Marton to Ohakune to Patea and everything in between (especially Whanganui).  So if you are keen to have Computers in Homes at your school and you are in our Region then let your principal know to contact use.

In mid March we have classes going at:

a) Tawhero School starting Tues 10 March 9.30am to 12pm

b) Keith Street School starting Wed 11 March from 9.30am to 12pm

c) St Marcellin School starting Wed 11 March from 5.30pm to 8pm

d) Castecliff School from Thursday 12 March 9.30am to 12pm and possibly 6 - 8.30pm

If you are keen then register with the schools.  There are a few places left.  Then you too can be part of our marvellous celebrations.  This photo is from a graduation in Marton last year.

Happy New Year and New Timetable

What a beautiful start to the new year with this wonderful weather.  Our team are busily preparing for the coming year.  There have been some changes to the timetable so here is the new timetable. Below the timetable I have put the criteria again to remind you about how we roll.  Let's work together and make 2015 a great year.


Planned courses starting 2015

In Whanganui

Whanganui Learning Centre      Wed 18 Feb 9.15 to 11.45am            232 Wickstead Street

Tawhero School                         Tues 10 Mar 9.30am to 12pm        Totara St, Gonville

Keith Street School                    Wed 11 Mar 9.30am to 12pm or Tues 5.30pm to 8pm - Central

St Marcellin School                    Wed 11 Mar 5.30pm to 8pm - Totara St, Gonville

Castlecliff School                       Thurs 12 Mar 9.30am to 12pm and/or 6 - 8.30pm - Polson St

Enroll at the schools directly please during school hours.  

Courses run for 8 weeks and you must do ALL 8 weeks.

In Raetihi

We are also doing classes in Raetihi Primary School starting either late Feb or early Mar please contact the school for details.

In Marton (last one for 2015)

Marton ICT Hub                       Tues 24 Feb 6 to 8.30pm       Marton 33 Lower High Street

Our Criteria

Note:

·         Grandparents raising grandchildren or doing daily after school care fit our criteria as well.

·         Tablets and smartphones and work laptops don’t count as having a computer but laptops or computers in the home do.

What you get:

1. 20 Hours free training on using a computer
2. Quality reconditioned PC loaded with MS Office 2010 and Windows 7
3. Subsidised internet for 12 months
4. Serviced computers for 12 months
5. Free ongoing training is available

Programme for 2015 What a wonderful year is coming.

Here is where and when we are starting in 2015

WANGANUI

Whanganui Learning Centre starting Wednesday 18 February 9.15 to 12pm

Keith Street School starting Tuesday 3 March 9.30am to 12pm

Tawhero School starting Tuesday 10 March 12.30 to 3pm


St Marcellin School, Tawhero starting Wednesday 11 March 5.30 to 8pm

OTHER AREAS

Marton ICT Hub starting Tuesday 24 February 6pm to 8.30pm

Raetihi Thursday 26 February 12 - 2.30pm and 5.30 - 8pm

Contact the school to register your interest but check our criteria and what you get below first!  Our goal is to enable all NZ children to access technology so we only work with families with children. Computers in Homes is about making sure our kids have access to technology so they can be all they can learn at home. As parents we need to keep up with technology so our kids don’t get left behind.

What you get is:


a) Quality reconditioned PC with MS Office 2010 and Win 7

b) Subsidised internet for one year

c) We look after your PC for 12 months

d) Training for 20 hours plus more if you need it

Huge Celebration in Whanganui in November 2014

On 12 November we gathered to celebrate the graduation of 27 Computers in Homes and 30 Stepping Up graduates.  We could not have had worse weather with hail, storms and wind but our wonderful families and guests braved the elements and came to celebrate our families success.  Despite the weather it was a celebration of colour, flowers, computers and relationships.  Thank you to all those who come.

We haven't had a combined celebration before - but we certainly will again.  It was great to all come together to celebrate.  This time we gathered to celebrate Aranui School, Wanganui Intermediate, Born and Raised Pasifika and Whanganui Learning Centre graduates as well as Stepping Up.

Aranui School

Wanganui Intermediate School

Born and Raised Pasifika

Whanganui Learning Centre

Here is the slideshow of our evening

Graduation Celebrations In Whanganui on PhotoPeach