Kia ora whānau,
How are we already in Week 8?
It has been a very busy few weeks here in Kahikatea, and we’re excited to share some of the highlights with you.
Colour Run
Our Beckenham School Colour Run was a huge success! Together, we raised an incredible $16,733 toward a brand-new playing turf that will be used for netball, hockey, soccer, pickleball and more. Even better, everyone had an absolute blast!
It was the perfect day for running, laughing, and getting absolutely covered in rainbow dye. It was wonderful seeing the tamariki giving it their all and finishing with big smiles, colourful shirts, bright faces and… even brighter hair!
Here are some pics from the event!
Chicks in the Hub
With our chicks hatched, we were lucky enough to welcome 19 fluffy visitors into Kahikatea for several days. The children loved watching them, helping to care for them, and keeping the hub calm and quiet while they settled in. Many of our tamariki even had the chance to gently hold the chicks!
Dance, Dance, Dance!
Every Tuesday this term, we’ve been lucky to have Legacy Dance Studio working with us. They’ve been teaching us a fun new routine, and we are getting pretty good!
Here are some photos of us busting our moves.
Peer Reading
We’ve recently begun a new reading routine focused on building fluency through peer reading. Students are buddied up and take turns reading a non-fiction passage aloud before swapping. This encourages self-correction, buddy feedback, confidence, and exposure to a range of texts. We are already seeing great engagement and can’t wait to see the progress that follows!
Reading Books
A friendly reminder to please keep returning reading books to school. These may include Little Learners Love Literacy, Ready to Read Phonics Plus, or Junior Journals.
Next week will be the final week for reading books. On Thursday, your child will bring home a book if they have their folder. In Week 10, they will bring this book back but will not take a new one home.
We’ve noticed a drop in the number of reading folders coming to school on Thursdays. Please help your child remember, as repeated reading practice is so important!
Dress-Ups Wanted!
At the end of the year, we will be doing a refresh of our dress-ups, as they are very well-loved and used very regularly! Over the holidays, if you come across any dress-ups your child no longer uses, we would be grateful to add them to our collection.
As we head toward the end of the year, tiredness definitely starts to set in. Enjoy the sunshine, take time to rest when you can, and have a wonderful weekend.
Ngā mihi nui,
The Kahikatea Team — Amber, Kendall, Sarah and Talia