In hub 13 during maths time we have been learning to solve addition problems up to 10 using materials. In these photos, we are tracing around our hands to make a template and show our working for a particular equation this way. Some of the children are starting to use imaging by holding their hand behind their backs and counting fingers without looking and others are working in their heads and then verbally explaining their thinking.

Kia ora whanau,
What a lovely warm week we're having, and lots of fun and excitement as we head towards our Beckenham School Centenary weekend!
The following are some events and notes of interest through to the end of this week and for the week to come:

Keeping ourselves safe -
Our local constable, Constable Ross, will be visiting each class throughout next week. Please keep an eye out for any home learning coming home in relation to our Keeping Ourselves Safe programme. It would be fantastic if this was completed and then sent back to class each day, as this home learning  may be referred to in class the following day.

Beckenham School Centenary - 
If you haven't indicated that you are going to be away this weekend, would you please drop your children off at 11 a.m. this Saturday (this is slightly earlier than previously mentioned) to their classroom where teachers will mark them as present on a roll. The children will then go with their teachers to perform outside Hub 3 and 4. Following the performance, would you please collect your child from the veranda outside Hub 3 and 4. Please speak with your Point of Contact teacher as you take your child so that we are able to tick them off on our rolls and know that they are safely in your hands.
Also please remember that classrooms will be open between 12 noon and 1 p.m. to view the beautiful art works which are on display.

Lost property -
A lot of unnamed items have been left at school from dress up day last week - if you are looking for anything in particular you will find unclaimed items in the lost property box located in the office.

This Friday - 
We have our school open day on Friday and there are going to be a lot of ex-pupils walking through our classrooms to view teaching and learning in our Modern Learning Environments. Would you please remind your children of this? We will be wanting to keep our classrooms neat and tidy - it would be fantastic if you could check your child's bag and take out any unnecessary items to support your child with managing their belongings.

Pride assembly -
Our next PRIDE assembly will be held on October 30th at 10 a.m. Any parents are welcome to attend whole school assemblies.

Athletics -
We will be starting our Athletics programme in Week 4 (on Wednesday, November 4th). Please send your child along in appropriate footwear for 'running, jumping and throwing' each Wednesday through to the end of Week 8 (Thursday, December 3rd - not a Wednesday, however this Thursday is our proposed date for showing parents some of the activities we have been involved in).

Please note that a letter will be emailed out next week to let you know about any important dates through to the end of the year.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as are able at school on Saturday!

Best wishes!
Te Whanau Koru

Kia ora whanau,

With Spring in the air, and longer, lighter days, we are looking forward to fewer bugs and ills, which will mean fewer children away sick. The last few weeks have been particularly tough on the wee ones (and some staff members, too) - it's been wonderful to have more children back at school over the last day or so!

Self Managers:
Congratulations to all those children who are developing independence and managing their school bags (carrying, packing, unpacking and keeping tidy throughout the day) and organising their reading folders and library folders! These are skills that it's important to be developing right from the first day at school!

Home Learning Reminders:
Please support your child/children by listening to their reading every night at home.
If children have word packs in their reading folders they can be practising their high frequency words every night and slowly adding a few more in as they master the words they already have. Please ensure that word packs are kept in reading folders, so we can also use them during class time.

Mutukaroa:
Please return resource packs either to Rowe or to your Point of Contact teacher when you are finished with them. This should be around the time your child is 5 and a half. These resources take a lot of time and effort to make and we would love to be able to pass them on to new children arriving at school.

Friendship List:
There will be an email coming out via eTAP soon - this will contain a link to a Google Doc into which you can add your contact details for our Te Whanau Koru Friendship List (if you are willing). This way you will be able to make contact with other Te Whanau Koru families more easily.

Sickness:
There are many nasty and extremely contagious bugs going around at the moment - please keep your children home until they are 100% well. There have been cases of strep throat, chickenpox, colds, flus and stomach bugs. Below is a Ministry of Health link which has a guideline on how long your child will be contagious, if they have had chickenpox, stomach bugs and many other bugs.

https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/school-exclusion

Gymnastics:
We appreciate all the help we get during this time. If you would like to help please let your child's Point of Contact teacher know or just show up, as we would love to see you.

Zac from the Christchurch City Library visiting:
Zac, who is a librarian with the Christchurch City Library, will be coming in this Friday during the afternoon. Children will have the opportunity of listening to a variety of stories.

Spellathon Cards:
These are due back on Monday 17th. Please keep practising with your child until Thursday, so that your child is well prepared for testing on Friday, August 21st.

Tackling Technology Parent Evening:
This will be an information evening held at school from 7pm - 8.30pm, Monday, 17th August. Although this talk is geared to the parents of older students, it could very well be helpful for the parents of younger children.

SPCA Fundraiser:
Please keep an eye out for a letter  which will be emailed out at the start of next week. A hard copy of this letter will also be sent home in reading folders.

Thanks from the Te Whanau Koru Teachers
Gail, Cath, Andrea, Jo, Rowe and Amanda