In 2024 our Year 13 students will be going off on their traditional leadership and orientation camp at Borland Lodge. This camp is focused on developing students’ skills in leadership, time management, resilience, working with others, and goal setting. The students will look at the various leadership opportunities for them in 2024 and set goals for themselves across academic, cultural, sporting, and social areas. Whilst we encourage all students to attend it is not compulsory and students who are not able to attend will be expected to be studying at school.

Dates: Wednesday 7 February 2024 – Friday 9 February 2024

Departure: Students are to arrive at school by 9:30am on Wednesday. Buses and vans depart at 10:00am

Return: Students are estimated to arrive back at school around 2:00pm on Friday

Transport: Students will be transported to and from camp by bus, and vans. The vans will also be used on site to shuttle students to and from camp. Vehicles will be driven by either SGHS staff members or Adventure Southland Instructors. Students are not to drive themselves to and from camp.

Venue: Students will be sleeping at Borland Lodge and activities will be at or nearby. Borland Lodge is at 347 Borland Road, Monowai. Phone: 03 225 5464 Email: manager@borlandlodge.co.nz

Costs: full payment due by Monday 5 February 2024. $175.00 per student – this covers transport, accommodation, instructors, necessary equipment, and other incidental costs. This does not include food costs.

Please Note: School procedures is full payment must be received by the due date for your child to be eligible to attend camp. If the payment and permission form is not completed by the due date your child will be withdrawn from attending camp. Once payment has been made and camp has commenced there will be no refunds.  Please Note: All payments will be allocated to any unpaid fees and charges on your child’s account first.

Food: Students have been briefed on the need to provide and prepare their own food whilst on camp. They have been instructed that the most effective and cost-efficient way to do this is to share amongst a group of their own choosing. The camp has the following amenities for food preparation. There are two large kitchens and dining/lounge areas. Both kitchens are fully equipped with two new commercial ovens, walk-in chillers and chest freezers. These two kitchens provide utensils and crockery for 100 and 200 respectively.

Activities: Students will take part in a range of activity rotations each day, as well as some whole year activities. These may vary depending on weather or other situational requirements. Activities include:

• Low Ropes Course
• Climbing/Abseiling
• River Swimming
• Cooking Challenge
• Leadership Development
• Developing House Chant

Equipment Required

Please click HERE for the gear list for guidance on what students should bring. Please take specific note of those activities (abseiling/climbing and river swimming) that have specific gear requirements.

This event contains risks, including drowning, falling, significant impact injuries, and hypothermia. This will be managed through planning and communication, including use of personal protective equipment, instruction on safe techniques, and the choice of sites that give students a suitable level of challenge. This event is jointly managed by Adventure Southland and school staff who will manage risk and hazards according to the school’s safety management plan. Adventure Southland instructors are qualified and trained in the activities they lead and they follow best practices for all activities, as well as adding a critical layer of risk management. While risks can be maintained to acceptable levels they cannot be totally eliminated.  Some risk is retained for its learning and experiential value.

If you have any questions about this activity, including about the school’s safety management systems, please feel free to contact me. My email is luke.nickholds@southlandgirls.school.nz wish to come in to school to see our safety management systems or have any questions, feel free to contact me.

It is important for safety reasons that students follow instructions given to them by all staff and follow all appropriate school rules. Behaviour by students that is deemed dangerous and puts themselves and/or others at undue risk will result in them being removed from camp at your cost and restricted access to future opportunities

Please complete permission and payment form below by 5 February 2024