Final Classes for 2015 Well Underway

Well it seems like only a short time ago that we were starting 2015 with great gusto. We have two classes well underway to graduation in December. One class is being hosted by Silverstream School but also includes families from nearby St. Marys School, all out at Mosgiel. This class is over the halfway mark and have all selected their machine options and Internet options. This class wanted a low key no fuss graduation after their final class on the 9th December at 7pm. We will be inviting their families to come and share this with them. Photos will follow. We have a second class being hosted at Carisbrook School and this is a little newer than the other one. While participants have indicated their machine choice I will be visiting during the first week of December to complete their Internet selection. These keen people have been doing two classes per week to allow them to graduate before the Xmas break. Their graduation will also be a low key no fuss event on 10th December following the catch up class. We will invite family members to come along and share this with them. Again photos will follow. Below is half the Carisbrook class during one of the earlier classes.

September Graduation at Carisbrook

September Graduation 2015-Formal on PhotoPeach Well another big graduation was held recently at Carisbrook School. It saw some thirty families getting the rewards for their hard-work over the past 10 weeks. At least 90% of the graduates made use of the subsidies for the Internet using UFB and for those who have not got the cabling yet they took up the Naked DSL connection in the meantime. All except three also took the option of having a laptop machine as opposed to a desk top and most stated convenience as their main reason for their choices. We also had some 15 people graduate from Stepping UP, although only a couple of dedicated Silverstream people turned up to receive their certificates. With most classes finished there quite a few have indicated a wish to go onto KiwiSkills, with the views to gaining or bettering their employment. Feel free to check out some of the photos below. September 2015 Graduation on PhotoPeach

Graduation Time for Port Chalmers School

Today saw the graduation of nine families from Port Chalmers School. All the celebration was shared with their children and grand children. Thanks to principal Vikki Nicholson for making it possible for these kids to get out of class to be part of the event. It was great to catch up with this wonderful class and to hear that they will all be back next Thursday to start their Stepping UP classes. I managed to get a chance to talk to each participant and get to hear about their excitement to learn. In one participants words. She is so excited to get her machine and her UFB install tomorrow morning that she probably won't be able to sleep tonight. Check out the photos below and see some very big smiles. Well done to you all. You're a great set of role models to your families. Port Chalmers Graduation 2015 on PhotoPeach

Starting Again in Dunedin

Classes are back underway in Dunedin. We have a class at Port Chalmers that is held on a Thursday morning and they are due to graduate on 17th September. They have selected their type of machine and their Internet connections. This had proved rather difficult as some aren't even appearing on the radar for a connection. Still fingers crossed. We will do our best for you. We have three classes running through the CTC at Carisbrook. These are on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. They will graduate on 16th September. Al have now completed their machine choice and their Internet connections. I have included some photos of some of these participants completing their paperwork. We also have another class running out at Silverstream and this will start mid September and graduate by the end of November. This class is made up of families from a number of schools in the Mosgiel area. Another busy term that is well under way. Paperwork Classes on PhotoPeach

No News For Awhile

We have had no posts put up over the past couple of months due to ill health. During this time we had a huge graduation in May. This was a combined set of classes from both Silverstream School and Carisbrook School. It also included the Stepping UP graduates as well. I love these celebrations but was unable to attend this one. Thanks must go to Libby Cleverley, Silverstream Principal, and Di Das, National Coordinator for Computers in Homes, and the CiH team in Dunedin for making this happened for everyone. The biggest thanks must go to all the graduates, who accepted my absence but still went ahead to have an amazing time. I have caught with alot of them now and all seem happy with their machines and have had no hassles with them. All are now enjoying their machines and Internet connections. Here are the photos for you all to have a browse through. Graduation May 2015 on PhotoPeach May Graduation-Take 2 on PhotoPeach

We welcome Silverstream School onboard

Well we have ventured into another school in Mosgiel. Silverstream School held their first parent Info / Registration meeting on Wednesday 18th February. There was a good turn out of families with further registering an interest in taking part this term. We have a definite two classes running this intake. Starting Week 5 (2 March) we will be holding classes on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8.30pm and another class scheduled to start on Monday 3.30-6pm if we have the numbers. One of the big questions asked was if we could include grand parents. All families have been assured that we are happy to see this happen and Principal Libby Cleverly indicated the school would be happy for this to happen. So we are expecting these spaces to fill up quickly over the next 10 days. Thanks to Tony (our technician) the POD was installed last week in preparation. Families were taken over to see the space provided and get their bearings before they start. Thanks to Silverstream community. You were all very welcoming and we are hoping for a lengthy relationship here.

2015 Starts with Huge Numbers

Well 2015 is well underway for us in Dunedin. We are currently installing a new POD of machines at Silverstream School in Mosgiel this coming weekend. A parent info evening and registrations will be held at the school staffroom next Wednesday 18th February at 6pm. Classes will begin during the following week. We already have a waiting list of 12 families from the end of 2014 and are looking to add another 18 families. This will give us evening classes at Mosgiel running on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8.30pm. We also held a family info and registration evening at Carisbrook School where families from Dunedin city area had the chance to come onboard. we have a huge waiting list here but were able to take on board another 30 families for training starting next week. These classes will run on Monday & Tuesday evening 6-8.30pm and Friday 3.30-6pm. These families are taking part in a new pilot scheme for 2020 during the start of 2015. At graduation time they will have the opportunity to select either a desktop or laptop as their preference for hardware.This will give us a total 112 families for the 2014-15 year. We also had 2 enrollments from The Correspondence School, who are now looking at doing their modules online. Thanks to those families who travelled for 3 hours (round trip) to be included. Check out a class of likely prospects at Carisbrook.