End of Year Activities

Now we're all back at the chalkface, we have to plan for the remainder of the year.  Apart from fairly major events like NZEA exams, junior reports etc. we have to arrange some exciting attention-getters for our last couple of days.
For some reason, this seems traditional in Kiwi schools, where the juniors go in little trips on the last couple of days of school.  One of our PE teachers has (been) volunteered to co-ordinate the event.

Nuova Lazio Bush Walk (These are not Elephants in the background.  NL has a very large Polynesian population) 

Last year, and for the 5 years prior to that, we used to do three things.  One group of teachers would take the kids to the swimming pool, one group would take the kids on a walk through the bush to a posh suburb over the hill, by the sea, and one group would hide, and hope everyone would just leave them alone to finish their planning for the next year.

Oh Shit!

I was always a proud member of the third group, utilising a technique I developed in the Army.  If you walk around with a couple of pieces of paper in your hand, and a worried frown on your face, chances are that people will actually get out of your way.
   A problem shared is a problem grown out of all proportion.
The real reason for this hide and seek escape and evasion is fear.
If I'm a member of the party that goes to the pool, and one of the kids drowns (It might happen.  I've got a little list, they never will be missed.) what happens to the teachers nominally in charge.  I can see the Coroner in his court asking incredulously "Are you saying Mr TSB (the Scotsman, not the arena) that you were in charge of over 150 children involved in a swimming activity and you have no certification in life-saving or even resuscitation or first aid, or that you cannot even SWIM?"

This would end badly.

If I'm a member of the group that goes bush, and one or more of our little angels goes missing (I've got a little list) I can again see the Coroner in his Court asking unbelievingly "Are you saying Mr TSB (the Scotsman, not the arena) that you were in charge of over 150 children involved in tramping through thick bush, and you did not have a map, a compass or even a GPS device, and that no-one was qualified to lead such an expedition, nor had any map reading certification, nor any sort of outdoor education certification apart from yourself who failed his map reading course whilst a British Army Officer?"

That would end very badly.

The Kiwi Number 8 wire approach is all very well, until someone gets hurt, and then the insidious culture of litigation, infecting every part of the world from the USA , would invariably end up with you in the dock.  Thanks but no thanks.

Hiding is obviously the best option.