Author Archives: Reihana Dougherty

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Newsletter, Rāmere, (Friday) 5 August

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora e te whānau

The big and obvious change around the school this week has been the final stage of our fencing project. We did note, back in Term 1, that this latter stage of the fencing would be happening, however, the speed at which it was suddenly installed caught all of us a little by surprise this week! 

We appreciate that there are mixed feelings within our community about the fencing and gates, and that understanding the purpose of this change is really important. 

From the time that we put in the Treemendous area down on the Eastern Tce boundary, it became evident that fencing at that end of the school was necessary. As we explored this option, we recognised that, over recent years, we have increasing numbers of students joining the school who have needs that require a higher level of monitoring and support to enable them to remain safe in a school environment. The school is positioned with significant potential hazards on it's doorstep with the ponds and the river, as well as the roads. At the start of this year, the Ministry of Education determined that the needs of our students had reached a risk threshold, resulting in the Ministry funding and procuring this full fencing project. 

We are working through the obvious challenges that having tall fences and gates now provide, and we are putting in place new processes for managing and supporting our children to access the park safely at break times, and to support adults and students to access the school when they need to. As part of this, we will need to get an intercom installed at the front gate so that anyone who can't unlock the gate to enter the school during school hours can buzz into the office and request that the gate be unlocked. 

The main gate on Sandwich Road will be open from 8:30-8:55am each morning. If you are dropping children to school after 8:55am, you will need to make sure that you open the gate for them (and remind them to come and sign into the office).  As always, please don't send children to school before 8:30am.

We are very aware at school of making sure all of our children are safe and that they understand that the fences and gates are there to promote the safety of all, especially our newest and our most vulnerable children. Your help in reframing any concerns your children may have about the fences in a positive, caring and inclusive way is very much appreciated.

We are reminded of the words attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: 

"The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members."

We do know that it may take a little while to get these new processes working smoothly. If you have any questions or concerns, we would appreciate you letting us know. 

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Fri 12 Aug- Staff Only Day (School Closed)
Thu 18 Aug - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm in te Rūma Kaimahi)
Fri 19 Aug - Book Character Day (dress up)
Wed 24 Aug- PTA Meeting (7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room)
Wed 7 Sep - School Photos
Wed 7 Sep - Board Election Day
Mon 19 Sep - Staff Only Day (School Closed)
Thu 22 Sep - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm in te Rūma Kaimahi - Staffroom)
Fri 23 Sep - PTA Disco (TBC)
Wed 28 Sep - PTA Meeting (7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room)
Fri 30 Sep - Last day of Term 3
Mon 17 Oct - First day of Term 4

Term Dates

Click here to view the 2022 term dates. 2023 Term Dates will be confirmed at our next Board of Trustees meeting, and will be published later this month.

Citizen of the Week

Maximus Olykan - Year 3

Max, you are a ray of sunshine in our team. You always give new learning tasks a go with a can-do attitude and are super engaged with them. You are a fantastic role model to other students, and show kindness and empathy whenever you help a classmate with their work. Ka mau te wehi, Max!

School Notices

Reminder - Staff Only Day - this coming Friday 12 August - school closed.

Tuning Into Kids - Parenting Workshops

Mana Ake are offering a 6 session parenting programme during Term 3 called "Tuning into Kids - Emotionally Intelligent Parenting". These groups will be starting in the next 2 weeks with the potential for spaces to still be available at the discretion of the facilitators. To register, email the facilitator of the course that you wish to attend. 

There is still space in the programme running on Wednesdays in Linwood, so if you would benefit, please contact the facilitator to find out more.

If you are interested in attending a "Tuning in to Kids" course, but these dates or locations don't suit please email: manaakefeedback@cdhb.health.nz. 

Here’s some feedback we received last term from a parent:

“From this programme, I learnt a lot. I pay more attention to the emotional intelligence education of my daughter than before, and understand her emotional changes better. Good emotional communication makes our relationship much closer than before. And I'm happy to see that my daughter was using the way I learned in the course to help her friends with their emotional problem.” – T2 2022

You can also check out the Mana Ake Website.
Parents going to this site can be assured of finding up-to-date and quality information on wellbeing and parenting skills. The website provides information on what Mana Ake does and how they work. Special mention to the ‘contacts for housing support’ section found under ‘challenges families face’ as we keep in mind how our current social landscape displays.

Lunch Orders Update

Characteristics of Gifted learners

Last term's newsletter discussed some of the different categories that can be used to support the definition of giftedness. As with all learners, students who have been identified as gifted come with both areas of strengths and growth. Not all gifted students have had opportunities to demonstrate their gifted learning aptitude. Some gifted learners may have significant learning and social difficulties that can mask their true potential. Some gifted young people may mask their giftedness and develop alternative identities which are perceived as more socially acceptable.

Below is a table showing clusters of characteristics that gifted learners may demonstrate. This research was undertaken by Don McAlpine and Neil Reid through their work with New Zealand teachers.

Headlice

We have had a few cases of headlice reported in the Junior School. Please check your child's head for eggs and live nits.  If you find any evidence of headlice please treat your children before sending them to school. Thank you!

Sports News

Congratulations to our Volleyballers...

... who are the new Year 7/8 Canterbury Champions! They participated in the Canterbury Volleyball championships at Hillview Christian School on Monday 1st August. 

PTA News

Readathon Fundraiser

We are halfway through the Readathon! Hopefully, all your wee bookworms are enjoying reaching their daily reading goal. Don't forget to talk to Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents to see if they want to sponsor us. 

There is a Book Character dress-up day on Friday the 19th of August, this is usually heaps of fun- so start raiding the dress-up box now! 

PTA Uniform Shop

Just a reminder that the uniform room is open every Monday and Friday. We welcome donations - drop them at the office or bring them along to the Uniform room when we are open, Monday & Friday 2:50-3:15pm

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Junior Indoor Sports



If anyone has any questions they can contact Action Indoor Sports on;
Ph 03 3666601
Email football@actionindoorsports.com

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Newsletter, Rāmere, (Friday) 29 July

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Welcome back to Term 3!

It was certainly a more challenging start than hoped for, with Sandwich Road being closed on Monday, and then the significant rain that once again fell and made the everyday actions of getting to school and going about daily life much more tricky! However, we made it through with lots of smiles and joy at seeing nearly everyone back to school again!

We held two Welcome Assemblies on Friday. In keeping with our current indoor gathering setting of maintaining smaller numbers in the hall, we held a Year 5-8 Assembly and then repeated the welcome for the NE-Year 4 students, with the flag parade, Te Whānau performance and Blake and Liv from Year 7 capably leading both assemblies. Along with the 6 New Entrants and a Year 3 student who started on Monda6y, we also welcomed another 6 New Entrants who started during the last term, along with a Year 1, a Year 2 and a Year 6 student. Along with New Zealand and Māori heritage, these students have cultural links back to China, Pakistan, the UK, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Nepal, India, and Syria. The rich diversity of our community continues to be grown and we welcome all of these new students and their families to our school community. This new intake of students takes our roll to 496.

We are also pleased to welcome two final year Speech Therapy Students from the University of Canterbury to our school for their final practicum placements this term. Lilly and Sarah will be working with many of our Kahikatea learners over the course of the term, in varying capacities. 

ShowQuest - 3rd in New Zealand!

Further to the exciting news last term that our Year 7/8 ShowQuest team had won the Regional Finals, we have just found out today that they placed 3rd in the National Finals! This is an outstanding achievement! We acknowledge the dedication and passion that each of these students brought to putting this performance together. Special thanks to Jenny and the team of whānau who supported them.
To watch our amazing students performance, click on this link and watch the 2022 National Finals. The Beckenham performance starts at 1:25:10


COVID Update
As we are all well aware, COVID continues to impact our community and our wider health system, Winter illnesses and influenza are also taking their toll. Public health advice urges all of those who are able to, to get our COVID boosters. Both adults and children are able to get flu shots, and keeping up-to-date with all your children's regular childhood vaccines, including Measles, continues to be very important.
At this stage, based on the information we have received from you, it appears that 48% of our students and 64% of our staff have now had COVID. Please continue to let us know if your child(ren) has tested positive for COVID.

Rain... gumboots... slippers... umbrellas... coats...

We are certainly experiencing plenty of winter weather at the moment! We encourage children to wear gumboots to school on wet days, and bring a pair of slippers in their bag for inside. Umbrellas and coats are also very helpful in wet weather! Please ensure all items are clearly named so that we can help them make it home again!

The Commonwealth Games: 28th July - 8th August

Many of our tamariki have shown a lot of interest in the Commonwealth Games that are currently being held in Birmingham. We encourage you to engage with the games with your child and you can follow the NZ team through this link: https://www.olympic.org.nz/


Board of Trustees - Nominations close this coming Wednesday

It is not too late to put your nomination in to stand as a Trustee on our Board. See the information further below for details.
Our school needs to always have a board that is diverse and has a strong focus on inclusion, well-being and success for all of our tamariki. What that means is - we need you!

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Wed 3 Aug - Board Nominations Close
Fri 12 Aug- Staff Only Day (School Closed)
Thu 18 Aug - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm in te Rūma Kaimahi)
Fri 19 Aug - Book Character Day (dress up)
Wed 24 Aug- PTA Meeting (7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room)
Wed 7 Sep - School Photos
Wed 7 Sep - Board Election Day
Mon 19 Sep - Staff Only Day (School Closed)
Thu 22 Sep - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm in te Rūma Kaimahi - Staffroom)
Fri 23 Sep - PTA Disco (TBC)
Wed 28 Sep - PTA Meeting (7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room)
Fri 30 Sep - Last day of Term 3
Mon 17 Oct - First day of Term 4

Term Dates

Citizen of the Week

Liam Ottley - Year 8

Liam, you are an exceptionally personable, positive, and hardworking member of the Kauri team. You bring joy to others with your fun-loving and caring nature; we love the interesting facts, riddles, and jokes that you share with us. You show a love of learning through your curiosity, and complexity of thought. Always quick to lend a hand and show consideration towards others, you make a positive difference every day. Thank you for all that you bring to our Kauri whānau. 

School Notices

School Board of Trustee Election 2022 - 3 Parent Representatives

Our kura is undertaking a parent election for our School Board, and we need nominations to fill the 3 Parent Representative seats available.

By now you will have received your nomination papers by email, or post, if you are on the Parent Roll.
Nomination papers are also available at the school office. The school will send these
on to CES for processing upon receipt from candidates.

Alternatively, if you are interested please complete the online nomination form on our election website: beckenham.boardelections.nz

The Board of Trustees is responsible for governing the school and setting its direction, including curriculum, staff, property, health and safety, finance and administration. The board makes decisions that the principal and teachers then put in place.

More information about our Board is available on our website, linked here.

Nominations close this Wednesday 3rd August at 12 noon - don't miss out!

We look forward to your participation in this process. If you are considering applying yourself, and have any questions, please feel free to email our Board Secretary, Reihana, at pa@beckenham.school.nz with any queries you may have!

Term 2 Reports - Will be turned off on Monday on HERO

From 9am on Monday morning, the ability to view Reports on HERO will be turned off. This allows our teachers to continue updating information about student achievement for the next term and a half. Reports will be turned on again in November when the end of year reports will have been added. If you should need a copy of your child's report in the interim, please contact the office and a pdf of the report can be downloaded and sent to you.

Y7/8 Open Night - Tuesday 16 August 7-8pm

Congratulations to...

Hamish Zinzan, who competed in the orienteering Schools South Island Year 7/8 Championship grade and placed 3rd in the Sprint and 3rd in the Long! Ka rawe, Hamish! Excellent!

Lunch Orders 

Sushi Meets Dumplings

Order here for Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday lunch delivery services.

Lunch Online

Lunchonline is a lunch delivery service that our families are able to access for their children, which is available on Wednesdays (Subway) and Fridays (Sushi Factory). Please ensure that you update your child's details on their database so lunches can be matched up with your child more easily when they are delivered.

To access this, you will need to set up an account with LunchOnline here.

Food Allergy Guidelines

Across our kura, we have a number of children with different food allergies.

To support the wellbeing of these students we have the following guidelines in place which we ask you to follow:
  • Students with severe food allergies should only eat lunches and snacks that have been provided by their caregivers.  Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes  provided by caregivers , should be clearly labelled with the name of their child.  Home group teachers and caregivers will decide where the children’s bottles and lunch boxes will be kept during the day to ensure no cross contamination occurs.

  • Parents are asked not to bring food into school to be shared with other children.  Whilst we understand that there are times you want to celebrate special events for your children with their friends at school, e.g. birthdays or being awarded prizes, by bringing food and treats for them to share, we have a policy of children only eating the food that their whānau have prepared and sent with them.  We have a number of students with food allergies and also need to respect the wishes of some families who want to monitor what their children are eating and prefer their children just to eat food they have prepared. From time to time, there may be an event that teachers have organised that will involve food (cultural or learning activities) and they will have advised families in advance that this will be happening.  

  • At the beginning of each year caregivers will check the expiry dates on any medication to be held at school.  
  • On the first day of school, caregivers will bring their child’s medication to the school office where it will be stored in the Hauora Room.  Caregivers will sign a medicine authority form (School Docs Username: beckenham Password: pride).  The responsibility of monitoring the expiry dates of medications rests with the parent.
  • Caregivers may be asked to come and talk to staff about their child and ways we can support them at school.
  • Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes provided by caregivers, should be clearly labelled by the caregiver, with the name of the child.
  • We will inform you during the year if specific guidelines for your child’s hub change.  
Our full allergy policy and guidelines  are available on the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto website under “Information - Policies - SchoolDocs” then search ‘allergy’. (linked here)

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them in the first instance with your child’s point of contact teacher.

Scholastic Lucky Book Club

Issue 5 is out now - along with a great free book offer! Thinking about our environment and the amount of paper waste that occurs, we are no longer issuing Scholastic Book Club brochures to students. You can however view the Scholastic Book Club brochure online and place your order as usual.
You can access the brochure here via the link below.

https://www.scholastic.co.nz/parents/lucky-book-club/

Visit scholastic.co.nz/LOOP OR download the "BookClubs - LOOP" app to order.

PTA News


Exciting news! It's Readathon time again! This will be our main fundraiser for the year, so please support us if you can. 
The cards will come home in the children's bags today and the reading starts Monday! Please feel free to gather sponsors from family and friends but children are not expected to door knock.
The children have two weeks to read as much as they can, then we will collect their cards and any money they have raised 15-19 August. Everyone who returns their card (with or without sponsors) will get a bookmark and go in the draw for a book token. 

On the last Friday (19th August) will be the annual Book Character Dress-up Day, so get your thinking caps on!

We also wanted to take this chance to say thank you so very much for the support for our hangi and celebrating Marariki with us. We raised $800 but mostly for us it was great to be able to start something that will hopefully become part of our annual traditions. 

And finally thanks to all the utter peanut butter butterers who helped us make $1148 profit on our Fix and Fogg fundraiser that we can donate back to support the school!

Follow us on Facebook or email us at pta@beckenham.school.nz to keep up to date.

BOSCO 

Book in at BOSCO for the upcoming Staff Only Day

We will have a Space themed day at BOSCO! A day filled with SPACE activities: word searches, making rockets on a string, and finger puppet aliens!

Contact Juanita at office@bosco.org.nz if you want to make a booking for Friday, 12th August.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

BMX - Have a go day

Boost Your Learning

Does your child require further support, over and above what can be offered at school? 
Would your child benefit from bespoke and nurturing learning sessions from a highly experienced teacher designed to accelerate learning and boost confidence? We would love to help. We are a team of dedicated teachers, specialising in English and Maths support, for primary, intermediate, and college students. Visit www.boostyourlearning.co.nz for more information or contact Jenny 021 223 3349 to book a free consultation. 

Wellbeing Bingo 

Wellbeing Bingo is a fun activation developed by the Active Canterbury Network to encourage Cantabrians to re-establish and develop new activity habits. Starts Monday 1 August 2022 and runs for 5 weeks, until Sunday 4 September 2022. Cards are available from various locations across Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri with a full list of locations on the Active Canterbury website, cards can also be downloaded from the site.
Giveaway prizes include gym vouchers, free classes, pool passes, outdoor experiences, sports gear and more!

There will be 5 weekly prize draws, and a final prize draw.

All Right?

Winter's longer nights and shorter, colder days can be a challenge but there are things we can all do to take extra special care of ourselves:
  • Take a wintry stroll – being out and about in nature is great for your mental health. Why not rug up warm, go for a walk, and take some time to admire something beautiful on the way.

  • Head indoors (with friends) – winter is the perfect time to have some friends over to share some baking, have a potluck tea, or play a game of cards. Catching up with mates is one of the best things you do for your mental health.

  • Have a good boogie -  In a 2013 study, researchers showed that listening to upbeat or cheery music significantly improved participant’s mood. 

  • Keep discovering -  Whether it’s finding a new favourite author, learning a new instrument, or mastering your te reo, learning something new stimulates your mind.

  • Share some kindness - Even the little things we do can make a big difference to someone’s day. Doing something nice for a friend, or a stranger, doesn’t just benefit them - being kind produces serotonin and oxytocin, two ‘feel good’ chemicals that help you feel happier, calmer, and more energetic.

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 8 July 2022

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

I write you this final message for the term from home, as I have been in isolation this week due to having caught Covid. Unfortunately, it was from a social situation outside of school where no masks were being worn and those kinds of situations continue to be our biggest challenge in keeping Covid numbers down. I have been fortunate to have had a relatively mild dose, however, anything that keeps you away from work is disruptive to life in general and adds to the workload of colleagues and general pressure in the workplace. With Jacky also having been away for the past two weeks, I would like to particularly thank our two Deputy Principals - Jo and Sue, and our two office staff, Reihana and Rachel, for the extra load they have carried in our absence.

I believe that we have done the best job we can at school of trying to keep everyone safe from Covid and general illness, and the continued practice of wearing masks and staying away when symptomatic of any illness is keeping our attendance pretty high under the circumstances. We will continue with mask-wearing until further notice, in a continued effort to keep everyone well.

You can see our current Covid numbers in the graph below. We had a spike in Weeks 8 and 9, however, numbers are currently tracking down again. We do hope that you are all able to stay Covid-free during the holidays. If any students do test positive during the holidays, PLEASE continue to let us know, either by texting me on 021 899 429 or by emailing principal@beckenham.school.nz
We are still reporting daily case numbers to the Ministry of Education. At this point in time, 37% of our students have reported having Covid, along with 43% of our staff.


Thank you to everyone who attended learning conferences this week. I know that it was a huge week for our teachers with two very long days on Monday and Wednesday and that they really appreciated the time to meet with you, one on one. I want to thank them all for the professional and tireless way that they undertake these conferences and the commitment that they have put in, this week in particular. For those of you who missed a conference on Wednesday due to the teacher being away, please keep an eye out in your email for a new booking option for early next term.

I wish you all a safe and healthy two weeks of school holidays. I know that our staff are very much looking forward to a break to relax and rest, and I hope that you are able to get some time as a family to do the same.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings - Tumuaki

Important Dates

Friday 8 July - Last day of Term 2
Monday 25 July - First day of Term 3

Term Dates

Citizen of the Week

Madeleine Dougherty - Year 6

Madeleine, you are such a joy to have in our hub! You are a kind and hardworking student, always ready to help those in need, whether it be with learning or jobs around the hub. Your love of learning shines through daily and you never shy away from a challenge.  Ka rawe, Madeleine.

School Notices

Community Dental Service - July 2022 Holiday Clinics

The Community Dental Service will be providing limited appointments during the school break at;
  • Woolston Community Dental Clinic, 11, Hopkins Street, Christchurch
  • Hornby Community Dental Clinic, 2 Hei Hei Road, Christchurch
You can access these appointments by calling our Contact Centre on 0800 846 983, noting that priority is given to children with immediate dental needs.

For any dental advice please call the Contact Centre on 0800 846 983 or email commdental@cdhb.health.nz

Parent Supervision Roster

We have a wonderful group of parents who support active supervision in the junior playground each day during lunch play. If you are interested in being added to the roster for this, please email katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

Gifted Learners News

Over the next 2 - 3 years we will be working on the next part of our Strategic Plan around our inclusive practices - diverse learners and specifically focussing on our gifted learners.

During terms 1 and 2 of 2022 Senior Leadership has been working alongside the RTLB service and have begun to explore how the NZCGE (New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education) can support us in our review and planning process.  We have been gathering information and reflecting on where we are with our programmes, understandings and knowledge.

In week 4 of term 3, we will share a survey with our school community and add the information gathered to the big picture of gifted education at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto.  During terms 3 and 4 we will look at our definition of giftedness and the way we identify our gifted learners. 
We would like to share regular updates in the school newsletters, so stay tuned.


It is widely accepted that gifted education is not just for students who need academic extension in the traditional areas of Reading, Writing and Maths. 

Tracy Riley, a leading scholar in Gifted Education from Massey University and an advocate for gifted learners, and her colleagues identified the following 6 areas of gifted learning:
  • Intellectual / Academic
  • Creativity- problem-solving, innovative thinkers
  • Visual and performing arts
  • Social/ Leadership- inter and intra-personal skills
  • Culture-specific abilities and qualities- traditional arts, pride in cultural heritage, language, and service to culture
  • Physical / Sport
Different cultures have different understandings of what it means to be a gifted learner. Māori believe that there is an inherent expectation that a person’s gifts and talents will be used to benefit others. 

In the next newsletter, we will share an overview of the different characteristics that a gifted learner may present with.

Congratulations to...


"Sustainable Ōtautahi Christchurch, Speaking 4 the Planet" finalist - Ashlyn Taffs

Don't Just Sit There Help!
By Ashlyn Taffs 2022

The ocean has become a tumbling commotion,
Our land has become a bland brand.
Our planet is shifting into a gadget too fragile to lose.

There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean.
Don’t just sit there, help!

Last year, it was reported that 60 percent of Aotearoa New Zealand's rivers carry pollution above acceptable levels.
Don’t just sit there, help!

Don’t just sit there watching the news believing things are getting better.
Because they’re not. But they can.

In 2020, volunteers removed more than 2381 tonnes of plastic from beaches around the world in a single day.
Don't just sit there, help!

If all 8 billion of us picked up at least 10 pieces of rubbish a day
Then 80 billion pieces of rubbish would be gone just like that.
Is 10 pieces of rubbish really that hard to pick up?
Don't just sit there help.

Last week, when I walked my dog
I picked up a whole bag of rubbish in 25 minutes.
Don't Just sit there, help!

Don't just say I’ll start tomorrow.
Don’t just sit there watching that wrapper float away.
Don't just walk past that used face mask.
Don't just think ‘Someone else will deal with it.’
Don’t just sit there, help!

Do start today.
Do pick up that piece of rubbish.
Do pick up that used face mask.
Do be that person to deal with it.

Please. Don't just sit there, help!

Sports News

Zone Swimming

Last Monday, tamariki from our kura represented us at the South Zone Swimming Sports. Our zone is known for being a competitive one, especially when it comes to swimming. Our tamariki absolutely held their own in the water against the strong competition. For many, this is a testament to the mahi put in outside of school at swimming schools and clubs. 

The award that I personally hold most dear, is the unofficial one of Most Enthusiastic Supporters! I'm always impressed at how loudly and enthusiastically our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto tamariki cheer on their fellow competitors, and this year was no exception. There may have been a few lost voices that afternoon as a result!  

A huge congratulations to everyone who participated. 
Jenny Diggle

Canterbury Cross Country

Last Wednesday, a group of runners represented our kura at Canterbury Cross Country, held at Ngā Puna Wai. 

Congratulations to all our runners who qualified for this event. 

Lily Millar placed 10th in Year 5 Girls
Jack Sayer placed 3rd in Year 6 Boys

Cross Country Challenge Y0/4

On Tuesday the tamariki who placed within the top 6 of our school cross country event had the opportunity to participate in the cross country challenge at Hillview, involving many other neighboring kura. The children all put every effort into doing their best and were a credit to the school for their efforts and good sportsmanship.

Top 5 results:

Year 0/1 Boys
5th place - Hunter Olykan 

Year 0/1 Girls
3rd place - Freya Green 
4th place - Maeve Hurford

Team Award went to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Y0/1 Girls 

Year 2 Boys
2nd place - Alex Pauley 

Year 2 Girls
5th place - Chloe Sayer

Year 3 Boys 
1st place - Max Olykan 
5th place - Haydn O'Connor

Team Award went to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Y3 Boys

Year 4 Girls
1st place - Laura Stoney



PTA News

Keep in touch with the PTA

To stay up to date with the PTA, please check out our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA Facebook page, linked here. Or come along to one of our meetings - all welcome.
 
Meeting dates can be found in the weekly school Newsletter, or on the school calendar - linked here.
When they are on, these meetings are usually held on a Wednesday night 7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room at kura.

BOT Update

School Board of Trustee Elections 2022

Nomination round

Our kura will be undertaking a parent election for 3 School Board vacancies. This process will start with the issuing of nomination papers to our caregiver community by Friday 15th July 2022. 

We have employed CES to undertake the election process on our behalf. This year with legislative change, our nomination form and full instruction on how to place your nomination into our own School’s Election website will be emailed to you if we have your email address in our database or you will receive it by post if we don’t have your email in our database.

Nomination papers will also be available at the school office. The school will send those on to CES for processing upon receipt from candidates. 

Nominations close on Wednesday 3rd August at 12 noon.
Election day is Wednesday 7th September.

We look forward to your participation in this process. If you are considering applying yourself, and have any questions or wonderings, please feel free to email our Board Secretary, Reihana, at pa@beckenham.school.nz with any queries you may have!

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Studio One Performing Arts, your local dance school, is currently giving Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary and Acro lessons in your area. The school’s director is teacher, choreographer & ex-ballet dancer Patricia Paul A.R.A.D. (London). Ballet lessons from 3 years through to Advanced, and all levels in Jazz and Contemporary starting from age 7. For all enquiries please phone 372-9191 or email info@studioone.co.nz

From Bellies, Babies to Tweens market is for families to buy and sell pre-loved maternity, baby, kids & tweens (up to 13yrs) items all in one place. Families coming to buy can score huge savings on items needed for growing babies and kids, while families selling can earn a bit of extra cash. Families buying or selling are also doing their bit for the environment by recycling these items rather than letting them go to landfill.

Market Day: Sunday 24th July, 9am-12noon at Pioneer Stadium.
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram or email fbbtmarket@gmail.com


Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāpare (Thursday) 23 June 2022

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Mānawatia a Matariki!

What a very special time we had at school last night for our Matariki Whānau Hui! Thank you to everyone who came along to join in the celebration. It really was very special to have you all back in the hubs and in the hall, sharing together in learning about and celebrating Matariki.


A huge thank you to our amazing PTA for taking on the challenge of preparing the hāngi on site for the first time. Whilst there were some challenges with the cooking, we appreciate so much the huge effort that went into this, and we look forward to future hāngi having learned a lot from this one.
Thanks also to Steve Cooke who co-ordinated last night's event, and to all of our staff and senior students who stayed and supported the activities to make this such a great community night.

To hear the beautiful song by Six60 called "Pepeha" that the children sang last night, that we tried to join in with, click here.


To continue learning about Matariki, and the meanings behind each of the stars, click here.

And to hear a Ngai Tahu perspective on Matariki from Ngai Tahu Astornomer, Victoria Campbell, click here. 

Wishing you all a very safe Matariki long weekend!

Ngā mahana nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Friday 24 June - Matariki - School closed
Wednesday 29 June - BOT Meeting (5.30PM - 7.30PM in te Rūma Kaimahi)
Wednesday 29 June - PTA Meeting (7.30-8.30PM in the Green Room)
Monday 4 July - school closes at 2pm for Learning Conferences
Wednesday 6 July - school closes at 2pm for Learning Conferences
Friday 8 July - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Charlotte Ryder - Year 8

Charlotte, your integrity, focus and diligence as a learner makes you an absolute joy to have in Kauri hub. This year, it has been wonderful to watch you develop into an inspiring leader, one who is both inclusive and welcoming to all. In addition to this, you embody sportsmanship through your respectful interactions, coachability and your drive to be the best you can be. Thank you for all that you do for our kura. 

School Notices

Winter Conditions

The past two days we have experienced heavy frosts. Please be aware that this makes the footpaths around the school and road crossing very slippery. Please talk with your child about walking with care on frosty mornings when coming to school. Thank you.

Learning Conferences

Learning Conferences will be happening during the last week of Term 2, on Monday 4th and Wednesday 6th July, from 2:15pm - 6:30pm. To book your conference, go to http://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/abad8 

Reports will be available the week prior to Learning Conferences. This will be an opportunity for you to meet with your child's home group teacher and discuss their progress and next steps.

BOT Update

School Board of Trustee Elections 2022

Nomination round

Our kura will be undertaking a parent election for 3 School Board vacancies. This process will start with the issuing of nomination papers to our caregiver community by Friday 15th July 2022.

We have employed CES to undertake the election process on our behalf. This year with legislative change, our nomination form and full instruction on how to place your nomination into our own School’s Election website will be emailed to you if we have your email address in our database or you will receive it by post if we don’t have your email in our database.

Nomination papers will also be available at the school office. The school will send those on to CES for processing upon receipt from candidates. 

Nominations close on Wednesday 3rd August at 12 noon.
Election day is Wednesday 7th September.

We look forward to your participation in this process.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Elements Nature Based Play 

Have your children active & imaginative amongst nature. Think huts, trees, tools, arts n crafts, plenty of time and space. Elements has a great mix of planned experiences and play throughout our programmes. For July School holidays Elements are offering themes such as ‘Robin Hood’, ‘Wild Adventures’, ‘Magic &; Spells’ & ‘Farm n Fire’, at Riccarton, Redcliffs and a Westmorland farm. Ages 5-13yrs or ‘stay n play Kidsfest’ for 2-7yrs.

See our website https://www.elementsnature.co.nz/  or facebook page https://www.facebook.com/elementsprogrammes/ to see what we get up to. Bookings are through https://elements.aimyplus.com 
For more info email elementsprogrammes@gmail.com

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 3 June 2022

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Talofa tagata uma!

Learning Conferences coming up in Week 10 on the 4th and 6th of July

Teachers are currently writing reports in HERO and these will be made available to you on Friday 1st July. Learning Conferences will happen the following week, and school will finish at 2pm on Monday 4th and Wednesday 6th of July to allow time for these.
A booking system for learning conferences will be in next weeks newsletter.

Messaging Teachers

If you need to get a message to school about a child's absence (or any other important message) please ALWAYS contact the office either by email or by phone. Please do NOT text teachers as they may be away, or may not check their phone and then your message doesn't get through.

office@beckenham.school.nz
03 337 1404
Text only - 02102794107

Winter footwear options

With winter here, we encourage children to wear gumboots to school (especially on particularly rainy days, and to have a pair of slippers or an extra pair of socks in their bag for wearing in the hub. 

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Term 2 Dates

Monday 6 June - Queen's Birthday - School closed
Wednesday 22 June - Whānau Hui & Hāngī
Wednesday 22 June - PTA Meeting (7.30-8.30PM in the Green Room)
Friday 24 June - Matariki - School closed
Monday 4 July - school closes at 2pm for Learning Conferences
Wednesday 6 July - school closes at 2pm for Learning Conferences
Friday 8 July - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Lillie Neame - Year 8

Lillie, you are a ray of sunshine within Kauri hub! You wear a smile wherever you go and as a learner, you show fantastic determination and drive. Not only this, but you are also an incredible friend to so many and we admire the way you are so inclusive of everybody around you. Pai tō mahi Lillie.  

School Notices

Toys and trading cards at school

We have noticed an increase in children bringing both toys, and trading cards (especially Pokemon cards) to school recently. We know that all of these items are extremely precious and that if they get lost, or accidentally given away or misplaced, it causes very real distress.

Our policy ​has always been to ask that toys (including trading cards) are left at home. 


Talking with your child about 'stranger danger'

For many years the rule for children has been "Don't talk to strangers". The messaging to children has changed over the last few years to focus on "Adults who can help us". As part of the Keeping Ourselves Safe Programme (New Zealand Police), there is a lesson with the children about Adults Who Help. The lesson covers:
  • Children need to learn who they can trust to help them if they are scared or worried about something, or if they feel unsafe. 
  • This person may well be someone they know, but they may also need to ask someone they don’t know for help. 
  • It is also important that children, and the people they live with, work together to develop safety rules and strategies that will help children keep themselves safe.   
As a whānau, these conversations are important to have with your children. The Kiwi Families website (click here for the link) has a page to support caregivers on how to talk with your child about strangers. This page may help you decide what are the key things you want your child to know if they are interacting with someone they don't know. ​

Sushi Meets Dumplings Lunch Order

Lost Property

Please take a look at the below images to see if they belong to your child. These items are in the Lost Property. This is out on the Library Deck during school hours.

In addition to this, we have a large watch collection building in the office from this year and last, as well as glasses - both prescription and sunnies. Please feel welcome to pop in to the Office to check if we have yours/your tamariki.

Kupu Māori o te wiki

whakapono: believe

PTA News

DJ Needed



The PTA would absolutely love to chat to any of our school parents who would be keen to volunteer their evening to help us DJ the school disco on Friday 5 August. Sound system & play-lists will be provided- we just need the support of an enthusiastic & knowledgeable parent to make this happen! We would be very grateful for the help.
Please email PTA@beckenham.school.nz

Hāngī Fundraiser (Matariki)


The PTA is having a hāngī immediately following the whānau hui at kura (school) on the 22nd of June at 6.30pm. Matariki is the start of the Māori new year and a time of reflection, connection and planning for the year ahead.
We would like to celebrate with you and your whānau with a hāngī and sharing kai (food) together. 

YOU NEED TO PRE-ORDER HĀNGĪ ($15 each). Be quick as portions sold fast last year. We only have 120 servings available.
 Please order through the link below:

Our traditional hāngī will come in their own individually wrapped trays and will all be cooked together in a big kai cooker. We will have the traditional hāngī which includes meat, vegetables, and stuffing. We are also offering a gluten-free option and a vegetarian option. These portions can usually feed an adult and a child.

Thank you for your support!

BOT Update

School Board of Trustee Elections 2022

Nomination round

Our kura will be undertaking a parent election for 3 School Board vacancies. This process will start with the issuing of nomination papers to our caregiver community by Friday 15th July 2022.

We have employed CES to undertake the election process on our behalf. This year with legislative change, our nomination form and full instruction on how to place your nomination into our own School’s Election website will be emailed to you if we have your email address in our database or you will receive it by post if we don’t have your email in our database.

Nomination papers will also be available at the school office. The school will send those on to CES for processing upon receipt from candidates. 

Nominations close on Wednesday 3rd August at 12 noon.
Election day is Wednesday 7th September.

We look forward to your participation in this process.

"I am enjoying my time on the BoT. It gives me an opportunity to give something back to the community. It offers me an insight as to how the school is run. I have had the opportunity to offer a different perspective and have had the chance to hear others' perspectives as well. I have learnt a lot and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I encourage other parents to consider if this is something they could also do." - Matthew Macdonald, Current Board Chair

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)

Cashmere High School Open Day – Cancelled

Due to staff absences we are unable to host our Open Day 9 June 2022. This is very disappointing for us as our Open Day is a wonderful opportunity to welcome our community to Cashmere High School.

We are investigating ways in which we can provide families with information about our school.



Clothing Sale - at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Hall




Swords, spam, cheerleaders, spam, singing, spam and did I mention spam - a lot?

The best Kidsfest activity this July is the hilarious kids version of the broadway hit musical MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT YOUNG@PART.

Specifically adapted by Eric Idle for kids to perform to kids, this wonderfully wacky adventure of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  There’s outstanding singing, dancing, prancing with coconuts, French taunting and of course the Knights of Ni! As the Knights journey on their search for the holy grail they come to realise that the grail is about finding that thing that truly feeds your soul. From swords to cheerleaders there’s something for everyone in this one hour adaption.

You’d be crazy to miss it!.  Tickets $15. At Nasda Theatre during Kidfest these July Holidays!

Bookings https://events.humanitix.com/spamalot-young-part


Marching Canterbury

Don’t knock the sport of Marching, until you try it!

We cater for all ages 4yrs- 30yrs+ We are currently looking for more members to join our teams.

Marching encourages teamwork, discipline, and friendship. It’s great for coordination, posture and brain development. If you would like to see what we are all about and give it a go, get in touch with us at Publicitymarchingcanterbury@gmail.com or Kylie Dowers 021930434.

We have teams in all areas of Christchurch.