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The start of something extraordinary

Koru the Kiwi welcomes Palmerston North schools to Kiwi Swim Safe programme

Koru the Kiwi was recently in Palmerston North where he was able to visit and welcome two new schools to the Kiwi Swim Safe programme.

Our Lady Lourdes School and Opiki School both recently took the opportunity to join the programme run by Swimming New Zealand which gives teachers support, knowledge and skills to deliver quality learn to swim programmes for their students.

Both schools recently took part in professional development sessions with SNZ Education Advisor Sarah Gibbison where teachers were able to practise dry land skills to better equip them for swimming time.

At Our Lady Lourdes school Koru and Sarah were also lucky enough to join them during their ‘Swimming Spectacular’ where the students were able to display what they had learnt from their swimming in the first term to family and friends.

With the weather sending student indoors in the afternoon Sarah and Koru went around and visited each classroom and shared swimming stories.

At Opiki School Sarah and Koru made a surprise appearance at the school assembly before going around and visiting the junior school classes.

At the assembly they discussed what it took to be an Aquablack and to go to the Olympics and there was also a dry land swimming race across the hall between Koru and Acting Principal Richard Lawton.

When Sarah and Koru got to the students in their classrooms they were able to hand out their Kiwi Swim Safe swimming certificates.

Sarah and Koru look forward to continue working with these schools and seeing their students swimming abilities grow.

CAPTION: Koru the Kiwi visiting students at Our Lady Lourdes School in Palmerston North.