North East Valley Round Off Term 2 Graduations

NEV Term 2 graduates with Dunedin South MP Clare Curran

Well it has been an awesome term for Computers in Homes in Dunedin this term with 53 families graduating. Not least of all the families at North East Valley, who were joined by their families, and Dunedin South MP Clare Curran, Principal, John McKenzie & Deputy Principal Sheryl Staynes. We all swapped some stories from these 2 classes who all started off the term as total strangers but were all firm friends by the end. We enjoyed some songs from the senior school and once all those precious machines were safely packed into cars we all shared an afternoon tea in the staffroom. Interest was high with parents who had missed out this term. I was stopped 3 times by people wishing to enrol for the classes starting in Term3. So well done to you all at North East Valley and its looking like we will be replaying the whole term again in Term 3.

Graduations Galore !!!

Pine Hills Happy Families

The Friday may have started with a cool frosty feeling to it but by 9am Pine Hill had started their graduation, in conjunction with their school assembly, and the smiles and warmth that was felt in the hall was amazing. The gradutaes along witht heir children (and their school mates) were eagerly checking out the new machines. We were entertained with some singing and presentation of class awards. Then Computers in Homes graduated their students. Children accompanied their parents onto the stage and the pride they showed in their parents was so evident. Following the graduation we shared some light refreshments with all children & staff. However it wasn't long before parents couldn't contain themselves any longer and people and machines started disappearing out the hall and into the back of waiting cars.

Brockville School Assembly

Brockville Graduates

Hugs from Proud Families at Brockville

Later in the morning and the sun had finally come out and our team was on its way to Brockville for their graduation. This was a much bigger assembly but just as welcoming and excited as our earlier graduation. Participants were awarded their certificates and flash drives by Principal Ben Sincock and once again were accompanied by their proud children. A couple of graduates couldn't make the assembly and their children came forwarded and accepted their awards on their parents behalf. Graduates shared a light lunch with our CiH team but once again couldn't wait to be on their way home with their machines under their arms.

Some of the Forbury Graduates

The remaining Forbury Graduates

Still More Forbury Graduates

Last but not least our team rolled into Forbury and our biggest graduation for the day with 23 people graduating. Although we arrived to a rather sombre school, after receiving news of closure, it didn't take long for it to be overlooked for a while. Deputy Mayor Chris Staynes arrived to award the graduates with their certificates & flash drives. The noise levels increased tenfold during this ceremony with all three classes seeming to support each other with clapping at cheering as each name was called. Once again all graduates were accompanied by their children and even some grandchildren. Later we all shared an afternoon tea with this group seeming to take longer to disperse, as cellphone numbers and e-mail addresses were swapped, and promises of keeping in touch.

Hugs for Mum From Proud and
Happy Pine Hills Children

Relocated Christchurch Family
 Carolyn with her happy chidren

Pine Hill Graduate David with his family

Pine Hills Chairperson
celebrates with her son.







Dunedin Gears Up To Graduate Eight Classes



Machine Assembly Lesson at Forbury

Forbury Mastering the Assembly

Machine assembly

Forburys Tuesday Class doing "The online Survey"

PineHills Final Lesson "The Online Survey"

Over the last couple of months Dunedin has settled into a peaceful lull as the 8 classes running at Pine Hill, Forbury, Brockville & North East Valley Schools all worked towards their graduations. This Monday class at Pine Hill show how every available machine was put to great use. During the last week the programme has stepped up a couple of gears with nearly all of the 60 graduates completing their required 20 hours of training, paid their $50, and now have faced THE ONLINE SURVEY. I'm pleased to say all seemed to have come through unscathed and all successfully assembled a machine at their final lessons this week. With just the Friday class at North East Valley and the odd straggler left, they can all take a well deserved week off and prepare for their graduations. All you keen Blog watchers keep your eyes peeled on this space for your grad photos. You never know whose face is going to appear. For all you keen eyed bloggers- Here is the proof your machines have arrived in Dunedin- NOW BRING ON THE CELEBRATIONS !!!!

Busy Times Ahead for Term 2

Brockvilles Saturday Class

Monday Class @ Forbury



NEV's Saturday Class

NEV's Friday Night Class

Dunedin Computers in Homes team are in for a very busy term with 4 different schools participating, making a total of eight classes a week. Poor Tony & Liz are having to travel from one side of town to the other, never mind holding down a 'real' job. Sorry guys no time for a family life till at least July. Our project technician will also be polishing off his diary as the graduations draw near. But we are a great team and although only being together for 6 months we have formed a great team spirit and we all get a real buzz from seeing the pleasure families get from the project.

Some of Pine Hills Saturday Class

Pine Hills Monday Class

This week saw the launch of the first 2 classes at Pine Hill with classes being held on a Saturday morning & Monday afternoon. We also see the start of classes at Forbury, these being held on a Tuesday evening & Friday afternoon. Brockville will also begin this Saturday with their classes held on Saturday afternoons. The final school to join this terms classes will be north East Valley, who came on board late but have rallied round and after their parent evening next week, will be holding 3 classes a week on Monday afternoon, Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning. Well done to John & his staff. Keep eyes peeled for photos of each class. I will post them as quickly as possible and don't fret Forbury I will return now I've sorted my camera.

Some of the Second Intake for Forbury

NEV finally underway

Ha and you all thought you were getting away with it. Check them out so far.

College Street Make it Graduation #2

The Spoils

College St Group

A Very Happy John

It was an excellent night for the graduation of College Street participants. Each being accompanied by numerous & supportive family members. There was a list of dignatories including, His Worship the mayor Dave Cull, Deputy Mayor Chris Staynes, 2020 Founding Trustee Barbara Craig, Principal Gary Tenbath, and Jimmi (surname unkown) but school office administrator. After a short speech from all the certificates were given out by tutors Tony & Liz. The hardest part was trying to get the group together for a photo. Participants and children weren't even interested in the food, they just formed a steady stream of people with machines parts under their arms as they headed for their cars & home 'to plug them in'. Well done to you all and it was great seeing the sense of acheivement displayed.

Principal Gary Tenbeth

2020 Trustee Barbara Craig

His Worship Dave Cull

2011 Graduations Begin

Tuesday 5th April saw 23 participants celebrate the culmination of ten weeks training with them graduating and getting their much await computers. There was a large number of people ready to celebrate with them. The function was attended by Cr Chris Staynes (Deputy Mayor), Di Das (National Coordinator for Computers in Homes), and Glenda Jack (Principal Calton Hill) along with alot of excited family members. Once the formalities were completed we all shared a wonderful selection of food, that was arranged by tutors Leeanne & Jess. However you couldn't keep the children from wanting to gather their parents computer and take it home for a test run. So we started to see a steady stream of families with all array of computer equipment heading for the door. Well done to you all. I have since caught up with at least 10 of these participants and all are rapt with their machines and are working alongside their children to maximise its use.

Graduations are on Their Way

For all of you participants who regularly follow our blog, even coordinators get homework, and here is mine. We had to have recently updated our blogspot and because you are all due to graduate over the next couple of weeks I thought 'Heck what am I going to do' so here we go what better than letting you all see the evidence that your machines have all arrived, even if I now have trouble getting into my front door. They are now waiting 'patiently' for Louis to do his thing and configure them for your Internet accounts and then they are all good to go. Well done to you all and in the meantime I suppose you could keep gazing at your spoils. To those who have completed their online surveys at Calton Hill, Well done & thanks, told you it wasn't SO BAD. To those of you at College Street, who are still to do it, I will see you all next week.

Rain Doesn't Deter Second Class

It might have been a rather cold ,wet and dismal Saturday in Dunedin today, but that didn't deter the second class of participants turning up. All bright and happy and fizzing to get started we had to drag them out of the class just to have their photo taken for this blog. Then after that having to slow down and listen to me for approx 15 minutes, I think they were all pleased to see the back of me and roll their sleeves up and get down to a bit of learning. It will be awesome to monitor the 2 classes at College Street and watch their progress as they work towards their joint graduation on 12 April at a school assembly. Watch this space.

College Street Launches in Dunedin

Last week saw the launch of another school joining the Computers in Homes family. We held a very quiet meeting in the staffroom last Thursday for prospective participants. Much to Gary's (Principal) dismay only four people turned up. It was decided that classes would be held on Monday evening & Saturday morning. True to my predictions, and Garys doubts the first class rolled aroung with an amazing ten people turning up for the start. Unfortunately we only have seven machines but in true CiH spirit some of them have chosen to come to the Saturday class. The participants were again a little camera shy but we did get them to have a group photo taken for this blog. Wait till the graduation we won't be able to keep them out of the spotlight. All of the people present were also keen to try out the Census 2011 online as part of their lesson on the 7th March. Well done to you all for being so prepared to try something new.

Class Number 2 begins at Calton Hill

Wednesday night proved to be a very busy night at Calton Hill, with a total of 13 new participants arriving to begin their training for this term. We had managed to borrow machines from some of the childrens classes to enable each participant to have a machine to themselves. There was alot of energy in this class with alot of interesting questions asked of me. Tutors Jess and Leeane were pleased with the response from the local community and are looking forward to the next nine weeks of training. I even received the odd e-mail or two proving that participants were eager to be set up with an e-mail address and begin their journey. Roll on the 5th April when they will all graduate.

Calton Hill leads Off 2011

It might have been the first day of school for most of the children at Calton Hill but 8 of their parents started back at school this term as well. They are taking part in one of the two classes the school is holding for Computers in Homes this term.It will see 20 parents graduating on 5th April and being able to take home their computers for the next school holidays, and the kids will have a couple of weeks to give their Internet a test drive before schools begins again. Although all were a little camera shy I did manage to catch a few while they were busy setting up their e-mail accounts.