SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
Dear Parents/Caregivers
On Tuesday 22nd August, we are holding our annual cross country along with Te Pakihi o Maru (Oamaru North) School at the Oamaru Racecourse. This year, Te Pakihi o Maru are organising the cross country and we are helping them. I will be the staff member in charge of our school.
Help
- In order for this event to run safely we require 16 parents/caregivers to help out as marshals from both schools. Please email me at pbrien@stjoseph.school.nz or let the office know if you can help.
- Without your help, we cannot run this event safely and smoothly.
- We also require a large number of picnic rugs and tarpaulins for our students to sit on, so please give them to your class teacher if you have any.
- The course is run on the paddocks south of the race track and is the same as North Otago Cross Country.
- Buses will transport the children to the grandstands and they will walk to the start of the course.
- The entrance for parents will be through the main southern entrance and you walk along the southern side of the track to the start of the course.
- Car parking is in the southern carpark and no cars are allowed on the track.
- Supporters can watch the races from the viewing area as they are not allowed to walk around the track with the children.
- Please note there are no dogs allowed at the race course as there are stock grazing in the paddocks. The stock will be moved to other paddocks before our race.
Racing
- All children will participate in the cross country and if they are unable to run it, they can walk it.
- The first race starts at 11.00 am and the last one about 11.48 am.
The children will run in their gender and year levels with Te Pakihi o Maru School and the juniors will start first with the Yr 8’s running last.
- The races will be approximately 2-5 minutes apart and some year levels and genders may be combined if there are not enough children in that year.
- The whole school will be travelling out by bus at 10.20 am.
- The course could be muddy or wet and will have animal droppings on it.
- There is also a very shallow creek the Yr 3-8 children will either jump or go through it.
What to bring
Children are to wear their PE gear to school including school polar fleece and bring the following:
warm trousers (navy or black) and school jacket
a spare pair of socks and shoes and a hand towel
plastic bag in case you have to put dirty socks and shoes in it
extra food and drink for the day as they will take their school bags with them to the event
Medication e.g. inhalers and give them to their class teacher.
Timetable
Below is a timetable of approximate times for each race and some races may start earlier than stated. (Parents/caregivers please come out earlier to watch your children, otherwise you may miss seeing them race). Girls race first then the boys. Races will be combined with both schools.
Yr 0 & 1 - girls 11.00 am
Yr 0 & 1 - boys 11.02 am
Yr 2 - girls 11.07 am
Yr 2 - boys 11.09 am
Yr 3 - girls 11.20 am
Yr 3 - boys 11.22 am
Yr 4 - girls 11.27 am
Yr 4 - boys 11.29 am
Yr 5 - girls 11.34 am
Yr 5 - boys 11.36 am
Yr 6 - girls 11.41 am
Yr 6 - boys 11.41 am
Yr 7/8 - girls 11.46 am
Yr 7/ 8 - boys 11.48 am
The postponement date is Thursday 24th August. If it is postponed, we will send a message out in the morning and it will be school as usual.
The top 6 children from either St Joseph’s or Te Pakihi o Maru school in years 4-8 will qualify for the North Otago Cross Country on Monday 28th August and will be given a note home.
If you have any queries regarding the cross country, please contact me. Thank you
Paula Brien
Staff Member in Charge
pbrien@stjoseph.school.nz
