Kia ora e te whānau, 

Welcome back to a busy term 3! It has been so wonderful seeing our lovely tamariki (children) back at school with an eagerness to learn and bright smiling faces! 

We would like to welcome Jordan into our Kōwhai team, who will be teaching Rowe's class on Monday to Thursday's, for the remainder of Term 3. We are so excited to have him as a part of the team, and we know you will all make him feel welcome. Jordan will start on Monday of next week (Week 3). 

Ferrymead:

On Week 9 of last term, our Kōwhai hub went on an amazing outing to the Ferrymead Heritage park. Our tamariki had the chance to experience how different everyday things have changed over time, dressing up in outfits from the past, experiencing what a classroom was like, walking through an "olden days" shop, and having a tour around the different areas of the Ferrymead Heritage Park. This was such a fantastic experience! Have a look at some of the photos below:

Cyber Safety:

Parent/Caregiver Evening: Behind the Screens – Internet Safety Tips for Home

Raising kids in the digital age isn’t easy and you’re not alone. Should your child have Discord? What are V-Bucks? Is it safe to let them keep their phone overnight? Join us for a practical, entertaining evening hosted by Attitude that will help you feel more confident about parenting in the online world.

You’ll leave with smart tips, tools you can use straight away, and a better understanding of how to guide your child through the digital space without panic or overreaction. Come find out if you're a Firewall Parent, an Open Source Parent, or a Bluetooth Parent—and why it matters.

When: 7–8pm, Wednesday 30th July 2025.

Where: Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Hall.

Who: This event is for parents/caregivers only.

Cost: Free to attend. A small koha (donation) is appreciated to help support the cost of this event.

Please complete this form to let us know if you are attending.

We hope you have a safe and lovely weekend!

Ngā mihi nui,

The Kōwhai Team

Kia ora e te whānau,

What an awesome and busy first 4 weeks of the term it has been! We have celebrated Book Character Day and our Whole School Cross Country, and we also had an awesome performance from the Strike Percussion group. Our tamariki have been doing an excellent job in their Literacy and Maths groups, and we have really been enjoying our Miro Art and our Technology unit. 

Book Character Day

Last Friday, 16th May, we celebrated the end of our Readathon through our Book Character Day. We loved seeing the children embrace the theme, and come in some amazing costumes! We managed to get a whole hub photo with our wonderful Principal Cade. I wonder if you can spot "Where's Wally?"

Cross Country

Today, our tamariki competed in our Whole School Cross Country. Our tamariki have been practising for this day for the last few weeks. It was absolutely fabulous to see our tamariki showing our school kete value 'We Love Challenge' by giving the race a go, trying their best, and accomplishing their running goals!

Pizza Friday

We have begun our Pizza Friday afternoons. These have been going really well, and our tamariki who have been chosen have really enjoyed spending time with our teaching assistants to celebrate their amazing work of showing our school kete values each and every day. Just a reminder that if your child is chosen, they will be sent home with a letter on the Wednesday which will give some extra information about the day. The school will provide the ingredients for the dough, and then we ask each child to bring their own topping or toppings of their choice. These will be kept in the staff fridge until they are ready to be used. This has been a fun and educational way to celebrate success in our hub, and we can't wait for this to continue!

Strike Percussion Performance

Ferrymead Trip - Parent Help

On Tuesday 24th June and Wednesday 25th June, the Kōwhai team will be heading to Ferrymead Heritage Park for a school outing. This expedition relates to our school-wide curriculum focus of "Change". We will be looking at how different things have changed over the last 100 years. More information will be coming out at the end of Week 5 (next week). 

We can confirm which day each homegroup will be going, if you are able to be a parent help on these days.

Tuesday 24th June: Anna M, Anna R, and half of Hazel's Home Groups

Wednesday 25th June: Rowe, Georgia and half of Hazel's Home Groups

Please note: If your child is in Hazel's Home Group, a letter will come home to let you know what day your child will be attending our outing. 

If you are able to be a parent help, please email Georgia (georgia.mckenna@beckenham.school.nz) to let her know you are able to attend. Thanks for all your support!

Reminders

• Winter bugs: We are encouraging our tamariki to cough and sneeze into their arms, and washing their hands constantly. This will help stop the spread of winter bugs that might arise. 
• Head lice: Just a heads up that we have a case of head lice in the hub so please be vigilant of scratchy heads! If your child has long hair, we recommend that they have their hair tied up to prevent the spread of head lice. Thank you!
• Lunchboxes: We love seeing the delicious lunch boxes that our tamariki are provided with! We have had a few students who finish their food early, leaving them still a little hungry at lunch time. We are asking if you could have a chat with your child, and see if they need an extra snack in their lunches, to help sustain those growing bodies!

Cyber Safety

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. 

Kia pai ngā rā whakatā! Have a great weekend!

Ngā mihi nui,

The Kōwhai Team