Author Archives: Anna Reid

Kōwhai News Term 4 Week 4

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Kia ora e te whānau,

The term is rapidly disappearing, and we are now gearing ourselves up for two weeks of swimming lessons, which is very exciting! 

Please remember to pack some extra food for the day, as swimming can make the children very hungry. Children with long hair will need to have it tied up, and please make sure all clothing, towels and swimming gear are clearly named. We will have a fairly quick turnaround when getting changed, so it would be helpful to practise getting dressed and undressed independently at home. You can also revisit the social story clicking on this link to help your child feel prepared and confident about our upcoming swimming lessons.

The Tin Forest

During this time, we will be spending each day in our homegroups and following a slightly different programme centred around the wonderful picture book, The Tin Forest, by Helen Ward. This beautifully illustrated story explores themes of imagination, hope and the environment, with strong links to recycling and caring for our world. We will be using the story as inspiration for a range of writing activities, including persuasive posters, information leaflets, postcards, diary entries, wishes and setting descriptions. In Maths, we will be tackling a variety of enriching puzzles and number problems, developing our ability to work systematically, look for patterns and find solutions. We will also continue to strengthen our basic facts knowledge. There is plenty of exciting learning ahead as we head towards the end of the year!


Volcano Art

After learning about volcanoes, we put our creativity to work by creating our own erupting volcano artwork. We began by using oil pastels to create a colourful sunset background, blending different colours to bring our skies to life. We then used collage techniques to build our volcanoes and create dramatic eruptions, adding layers of colour and texture to show the flowing lava, smoke and ash. The finished artworks look fantastic!




Tree Planting

Jordan's homegroup were very lucky to have the opportunity to take part in a tree planting activity on Tuesday. The children worked alongside Year 5 and 6 students, first filling black bags with potting mix before carefully planting a selection of native tree seedlings. Everyone worked together brilliantly and the children were fantastic, getting stuck in and working like real troopers! It was a great opportunity to work with older students while learning more about planting native trees and caring for our environment.

Student Council Fundraiser

Here is a message from the Student Council:

The Student Council are continuing their mahi to raise money for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, as part of our Shaun the Sheep art project.

This term the Council is running a sponsored Fun Run on Friday 27th November between 12:00 and 12:40pm. (Note the date change: we have moved it forward a week.)

The concept is to sign up, then gather a few sponsors for the number of laps of the school field your child will run in 30 minutes. Walking is OK too! Parents are more than welcome to run with their child / children on the day, if they are free and willing.
 
We are planning to gather some spot prizes for lucky participants. This is an optional event.
 


Discovery


Here are some photos from Discovery, which the children continue to enjoy. They love having the opportunity to explore a range of activities, use their imagination and get creative as they bring their ideas to life.













Have a great weekend!

From the Kōwhai team

Kōwhai News Term 3 Week 6

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Kia ora e te whānau,

It’s hard to believe we are already in Week 6 of Term 3! Life in the Kōwhai hub continues to be busy, with plenty happening each week. There is never a dull moment, but all of the exciting opportunities are certainly keeping us on our toes!

Life Education

We are excited to welcome Harold and the Life Education bus to Beckenham in Weeks 8 and 9! Each homegroup will have two sessions, with the overall theme focusing on relationships with others.

The first session will explore peer pressure and strategies for managing it, while the second session will focus on understanding and coping with change. We are looking forward to some valuable learning and discussions with Harold!



Kapa Haka Performance


In Week 10, Kōwhai will be performing at assembly and we are currently putting in lots of practise to perfect our songs. If you would like to come and see the children perform, Celebration Assembly will be in the hall at 10am. We look forward to seeing you there to support our tamariki.

Dance

Since the beginning of the term, we have been enjoying weekly dance lessons, with each homegroup learning a different dance to a different song. We are hoping to showcase our dances in Week 10, although we are still finalising exactly what this will look like and when the performance will take place. As soon as we have more details confirmed, we will let you know. The children have been loving their dance sessions and are very excited to show off their moves!

Large Ball Skills


Following on from our focus on small ball skills last term, we have now started developing our large ball skills. The children are working on their passing, catching and dribbling, building their control and confidence with a large ball. They are also learning the basic techniques and rules of invasion games, including how to work as a team, maintain possession and move into space to score. We have had one session so far, and the children are loving it!

Beckenham's Got Talent


It’s that time of year again when we get to brush up on our skills and showcase our talents! The children are currently busy practising their acts in preparation for auditions in Week 8, which will take place during Discovery time. Three acts will then be selected to perform in the finals on the last day of term. We are all very excited to see the wonderful talents our children have to share!

Discovery


Our Discovery Time sessions have continued to be a favourite part of the week, giving the children the opportunity to explore, create, problem-solve and learn through a range of hands-on activities. The children have enjoyed getting stuck into activities such as playdough, chess, pom-pom making, drawing, building and creating. These sessions encourage children to follow their interests, develop their creativity and perseverance, and work collaboratively with others. It has been wonderful to see the children using their imaginations, trying new things and proudly sharing what they have created!











Have a great weekend!

From the Kōwhai team






















Kōwhai News Term 2 Week 9

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Kia ora e te whānau,

We are quickly approaching the end of the term, and it is a very busy time in the hub. Student reports will be available today, and Learning Conferences will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday. If you have not yet booked a conference for your child, there is still time to do so. If you need any assistance with booking, please contact your child's homegroup teacher, who will be happy to help.

Welcome, Kathryn!

We are delighted to welcome Kathryn Sutherland to our team. Kathryn joined us this week and has taken over Georgia's homegroup. She has spent the past week getting to know the children in her class, as well as the wider hub. We are thrilled to have her on board and look forward to her contributions to our team.

Descriptive Writing

In writing, we have been focusing on descriptive language, using our senses to describe what we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. We have been learning how to make our writing more engaging by including a range of adjectives and are beginning to explore similes, using them to create vivid images for our readers.


Midwinter Breakfast

Next Wednesday, the PTA will be hosting a Midwinter Breakfast. If you and your children would like to join in, breakfast will be served from 8:00 am. There will be plenty of warm, delicious porridge for everyone to enjoy!


Funky Hair Day

On the last day of term, the Student Council will be holding a Funky Hair Day to raise funds for Starship Hospital. Children are invited to come to school with a fun and creative hairstyle and bring a gold coin donation to support this worthwhile cause. Please note that students are still required to wear their school uniform.


Staying Safe Online: Scams

People in New Zealand are losing millions of dollars to scammers each year - and this is just the figures reported to Netsafe so the actual figure is likely much higher!
It's important that you and your tamariki know what to look out for to avoid scams. Netsafe have put their best advice together to help you stay safe online and stay away from scams.
Read their scam tips here.


Word Cup Fever

As many of you may already know, the FIFA World Cup kicked off last Friday. The children and teachers in the Kōwhai hub have been enthusiastically following the tournament, tracking match results on our World Cup board and discussing the games together. We have also enjoyed watching some of the matches before school in the mornings. It has been a fantastic way to share in the excitement of this global event and has sparked lots of lively conversations throughout the hub.



Have a great weekend!

From the Kōwhai team


Kōwhai News Term 2 Week 3

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Kia ora e te whānau,


The weather is turning cooler, and the days are becoming shorter. However, there is plenty going on at Beckenham in the Kōwhai team!

Cross Country

Last Friday, May 1st, we held the long-awaited cross-country run. We couldn't have asked for a better day. The sun was out, and the excitement was high!


Our Kōwhai students took on the challenge of a 700 meter course, completing two full laps of Beckenham Park. It was fantastic to watch them compete and their grit and determination were clear to see. Our Beckenham kete values were on full display, with tamariki showing We Love Challenge and We Get There Together. The cheering and sportsmanship from the sidelines was lovely to see too.


A big thank you goes to Kate McGregor and the Sports Team for their organisation behind the scenes, the day ran like clockwork. 


Finally, a huge thank you goes out to all the whānau and caregivers who joined us on the day. Having a cheering squad in the sunshine made all the difference for our tamariki. 













Inquiry Learning: Writing Our Pepeha

This term for our Inquiry learning, we have been focusing on writing our pepeha. A pepeha is a traditional Māori way of introducing yourself. It is used to tell others who you are and where you come from. 


Thank you to all of the parents and caregivers that have worked together with their tamariki to fill in the blank parts of their pepeha form that was sent home. 


At school, we have been working hard to write our pepeha, to understand the different elements, and finally to practice saying it aloud to others. It is wonderful to see the tamariki learning and sharing about themselves.





Eating At School

This is a friendly reminder for all tamariki to remember to have a nutritious breakfast at home each morning. We are noticing an increase in the number of children who are coming to school and are eating from their lunchboxes before school starts. 


Each day, we are actively reminding the children that there are times when we eat at school. We encourage the children to wait until the allocated times to eat, which are morning tea and lunchtime.


Staying Safe Online

The HDCA for Parents and Whānau

The Harmful Digital Communications Act (or HDCA for short) is an act passed by the Government back in 2015 to help people dealing with serious or repeated harmful digital communications. It covers anything digital like text, emails or social media content.


The most useful thing for parents to understand about the HDCA is the way the 10 communication principles define what is good or bad behaviour online.


If you’re ever concerned about your young person (or you just want to brush up on your knowledge!) visit Netsafe’s Guide to the HDCA. 



Kind regards,


The Kōwhai Team

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto













Kōwhai News Term 2 Week 1

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Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome back to Term 2! 

We have an action-packed term ahead, starting with our whole school Cross Country event next Friday and our annual Readathon fundraiser. The Kōwhai children have settled in really quickly to the new term with our well-established routines, enabling a smooth start.

Cross Country

Next Friday, we will be holding our whole-school cross country event, which students have been preparing for since the end of last term. Please ensure your child comes dressed in suitable clothing and footwear for the day. Thank you!

Schedule:

  • Year 4 Boys – 11:00am
  • Year 4 Girls – 11:07am
  • Ferndale – 11:14am
  • Year 3 Boys – 11:21am
  • Year 3 Girls – 11:28am

We look forward to seeing you there to support and cheer on the children!









Readathon

Next week, our annual Readathon fundraiser begins. Your child/children should have brought home their sponsorship form today. Please take some time to discuss the Readathon with your child/children. You might like to help them set a daily reading goal and encourage them to gather sponsorship from family and friends. Over the following 14 days, you can record their reading progress together.

It’s also been suggested to set aside a regular time at home to 'Stop, Drop and Read' which is a wonderful way to get the whole family involved. Thank you very much for your support!

Nut Free Zone

A reminder to all that our hub is completely nut free. This includes any spreads in sandwiches that contain nut products (nutella, peanut butter), any muesli bars containing nuts, slices or biscuits with nuts in them, and any other products that might make their way into lunch boxes that have traces of nuts within them. If you are unsure, please read the back of packets to double check the ingredients. Thank you for your support with this. 

Hand Washing

As the winter months approach, we are placing a strong emphasis on washing hands after break times and before eating morning tea and lunch. We have been discussing how this helps keep everyone healthy in the weeks ahead. Through this, we are demonstrating that We Get There Together, We Make A Difference, and We Care!

Fleeces

This is just a reminder that as it gets colder, please can you ensure that your child/children are bringing a school uniform fleece to school every day so they can enjoy learning and playing outside in the colder months. Thank you!

Team Hui

Every Friday at the end of the day in the Kōwhai hub, we come together for a celebratory Team Hui. During this time, we recognise our learning and achievements, present certificates, share any important notices, and enjoy singing together. It’s a wonderful way to wrap up the week, and the children have really loved gathering and singing as a group.

Cyber Safety

Random Chat Online

How do random chat websites work? And what are the risks for tamariki using them?
Random chat websites, like Chatroulette, pair users randomly through text or webcam conversations. The appeal is getting
to talk to someone new that the user would never meet. But these websites are designed for adults and often allow nudity
and other inappropriate content from users.
If you’re concerned that your young person might be exposed to these sites or you want to introduce parental controls, you
can find out more on Netsafe’s Random Chat Websites page. 

Have a great ANZAC holiday weekend!

From the Kōwhai team