Author Archives: Reihana Dougherty

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Wednesday 15 November, 2023

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

School is closed tomorrow for a Staff Only Day and on Friday for Canterbury Anniversary Day. 

Tomorrow our teachers will be spending the day familiarising ourselves with the draft English and Mathematics Curriculum refresh documents that have been recently published by the Ministry of Education. During the afternoon, teachers will be working in the 2024 teaching teams for the first time, looking at initial planning for next year.

Our teaching assistants will be spending the day at Te Waka Unua School participating in Ministry funded professional development in Digital Fluency. This will significantly support them in the work that they do to support teachers and learners across our school.

I hope that you all have a safe weekend and are able to take some time to relax over the long weekend.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Thu 16 Nov - School Closed, Staff Only Day
Fri 17 Nov - School Closed, Canterbury Anniversary Day
Mon 20 Nov - Mon 27 Nov - Year 6 Beckenham Cycle Safe
Wed 22 Nov - PTA Meeting, 7.30pm
Fri 24 Nov - Celebration Assembly, 9:10-9:50am, in the Hall
Fri 24 Nov - PTA School Community Picnic, 5.00-7.30pm, Beckenham Park
Fri 1 Dec - Student Council - Celebrating Diversity and Culture Day (non-uniform)
Fri 1 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Thu 7 Dec - BOT Meeting, 5.30pm, Staffroom
Fri 8 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Fri 8 Dec - 12:15-3pm, Kahikatea Team trip to Isaac Theatre Royal, Southern Ballet
Mon 11 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Tue 12 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Fri 15 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly, 9:45am, in the Hall
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Graduation, 11am-12pm
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Leavers' Lunch 12:30-1:30pm
Tue 19 Dec - Last Day of Term 4, School finishes at 12.30pm

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Hamish Zinzan - Year 8

Hamish, you do a fantastic job of displaying our kete values on a daily basis, with your friendliness and sense of humour shining through the Kauri hub. You willingly take on and persevere through challenges in and outside of the classroom, clearly demonstrating your love of learning. Hamish, it's been a pleasure to see all your hard work result in such great growth in your learning this year. Tau kē koe!

School Notices

Year 8 Whānau Hui for Ākonga Māori

Cashmere High School has formally invited our Ākonga Māori and their whānau to attend the CHS Year 8 hui to welcome them to their kura. It's a great opportunity to meet some of the CHS ākonga and kaiako before they are welcomed with a pōwhiri next year. 

Date/Time: On Thursday 30th November at 5:30pm
Where: Wharenui, Cashmere High School

Year 5-8 BYOD Programme

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto has an optional Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme for students in Years 5-8. This programme is very popular and has been in operation since 2014. 

If you want to find out more about our BYOD programme, please watch the video on our BYOD website. If you have any questions, please view our Frequently Asked Questions page, email your child’s homegroup teacher or email Nick, our ICT lead teacher.

If you choose to get a device for your child, we generally recommend that it is a Chromebook. You can see our standard BYOD offering from PB Tech here. All models on the linked page are suitable for learning. It is also fine to get a device from another supplier if you prefer. If you choose to use PB Tech, please use “beckenham” as the promo code to get a discount.

End of Year Reports - now live on HERO

End-of-year reports are now available through the Hero portal. The end-of-year report reflects aspects of your child's learning for the second part of the year. 
 
Please take the time to sit with your child and share their report with them, celebrating their learning and reflecting on their next steps.
 
To find your child's report open Hero, click on their name and then click '2023 report'. 
If you need any help accessing the report through Hero please contact your child's Home Group teacher or come into the office for assistance.

Drink Bottles



We have very generously been donated a number of metal drink bottles.  If your child needs a drink bottle please send them to the office with a note and we will provide them with one to keep.
Please ensure you name these drink bottles as there may be quite a few that look the same!

Health Update

A reminder that we still have a steady number of cases of; conjunctivitis, vomiting, tummy bugs, and flu/COVID across the school.

If your child is sick, please keep them home, and practice good hygiene.
Staying at home if you are feeling unwell helps to reduce the spread.
If your child has been vomiting, they need to stay home for 48 hours since their last episode/event.

Congratulations to...

Christopher McCracken-Shannon
Years 7&8 Speech Cup Winner (Beasley Cup)

Christopher wrote a wonderful speech on modern learning environments. He presented it with wonderful gestures and great confidence in front of the Kauri hub last term. Congratulations, Christopher.

Rose Bethwaite
Radcliffe Award for Special Contribution to Drama

Rose, your delightful sense of humour brings positivity and charm to captivate and entertain your audience, all while staying within the guidelines of Theatre Sports. This truly highlights your dedication and talent in this field. Your relaxed demeanour and sharp wit make you a true master of improvisational activities. Congratulations Rose.

Lilian Shelku
Literacy Cup

Lilian, you produce exceptional work in literacy. You have a natural talent and can write beautifully across numerous genres. You have a flare for weaving in fitting language features and using your extensive vocabulary to your advantage! You have sophisticated and thought-provoking ideas that you develop throughout your writing. You put a lot of thought into your speech this year and wrote a fantastic piece that you presented well in front of the class. It has been a joy to see your confidence improve and develop over time. Congratulations on this well-deserved award, Lilian!

Staff Profiles

Just as we recognise the strengths of our tamariki, it is also exciting to share in the success of our kaimahi, who all bring their individual strengths and interests which enrich our kura greatly. Thomas Woodfield has done this with his contribution to our Music & the Arts this year, and it is very exciting to share with our whānau some of his extra-curricular endeavours! Thomas is the Musical Director of this choir, and the concert below will be a great event!

PTA News

Let the PTA help you out with your holiday shopping! We've curated a collection of yummy treats that everyone on your list will love and helps raise funds for our school! 

Order forms have been sent home in children's bags or you can order online using this link: Christmas Goodies Fundraiser.  Spare paper forms in school office. 

We have the following delicious range:

Honey from Beebro: 100% NZ Honey - $15.00 each 
Authentic, small-batch honey direct from the farm. Beebro will donate $1 for every jar of honey sold to Mike King's Nutters Club, a nationwide radio show and mental health support group. Three varieties to choose from. 

Naked Baker Fudge Gift Boxes - $6.50 each 
Delicious, creamy fudge available in four flavours and packed in lovely gift boxes. 

Naked Baker Christmas Tarts - $6.00 pack 
A six pack of crispy pastry available in two tasty varieties Traditional or Berry. 

Orders close at 6pm 22 November 2022. 

We will be collecting forms from the flagpole before school Mon-Wed 20-22 November. 

Collection of your yummy treats will be on 8 December at the school hall. 

The PTA thank you for all your support this year

We are also selling delicious panforte again, now in four yummy flavours.  Order panforte here and collect at school on 8th December.

Community Notices

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

BNZ Breakers

The school holidays are nearly upon us – keep the kids entertained by taking them to an action-
packed game of basketball.
The BNZ Breakers have 8 Auckland games remaining this season and every single game promises
plenty of fun, giveaways, and entertainment for the whole family. Choose the dates that suit you
and get behind the BNZ Breakers. Tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.co.nz

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 10 November, 2023

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Short Week ahead

Please remember that this coming week is a three-day school week, with a Staff Only Day this Thursday 16 Novermber and Canterbury Anniversary Day this Friday 17 November. 

Board Parent Mid-Term Election 2023 - 3 Vacancies

Instruction on how you vote electronically has been distributed by email to eligible whānau. If you have any problems with this process, please contact our Liaison Officer for the Board Election at reihana.dougherty@beckenham.school.nz

Please take the time to read the candidate statements, and cast your vote. Your participation in this process is hugely appreciated, and essential in the appointment of our representatives to our Board, that represent our school community.

Please note that voting closes this coming Wednesday 15 Nov - 4pm

Staffing Update

We are able to share with you now the staffing plan for 2024 (noting that this is always subject to change if individual staff circumstances change between now and the start of the new school year).

We congratulate Bridie Harris on winning a new position at Elmwood Normal School. We have really loved having Bridie on our Year 7/8 Team this year, and we wish her all the very best going forward.

Thomas Woodfield has decided to relinquish his leadership role next year, so we are very pleased to announce that Sarah Junghenn will return to the Year 7/8 team next year as the team leader.

Elizabeth Drummond is 'retiring' from her full-time, permanent teaching role at the end of this year, after over 25 years. We are very fortunate that Elizabeth has agreed to come back during next year in a fixed-term role, to start a New Entrant class as those numbers increase.

Teams for 2024:

Koru NE Team
Stacey McLachlan - Team Leader (no home group)
Georgia McKenna - Home-group Teacher
Elizabeth Drummond - Home-group Teacher (Term 2?)

Kahikatea Year 1/2 Team
Katie McFarlane - Team Leader & Home-group Teacher
Amber Donovan - Home-group Teacher
Ella Rainbow - Home-group Teacher
Quynh Nguyen - Home-group Teacher
Lisa Collier - Literacy Support across the school (no home-group) 

Kōwhai Year 3/4 Team
Anna Reid - Team Leader and release teacher (no home-group)
Rowena Barker - Home-group Teacher
Nick Bruce - Home-group Teacher
Krystal Hunt - Home-group Teacher
Anna McNeill - Home-group Teacher
Charlotte Verity - Home-group Teacher

Pōhutukawa Year 5/6 Team
Steve Cooke - Team Leader & Home-group Teacher
Megan Culver - Home-group Teacher
Rae Marsh - Home-group Teacher
Gayle McNaughton - Home-group Teacher
Laura Williamson - release teacher

Kauri Year 7/8 Team
Sarah Junghenn - Team Leader & Home-group Teacher
Jenny Diggle - Home-group Teacher
Nicky Dunlop - Home-group Teacher
Thomas Woodfield - Home-group Teacher
Georgie Jones - release teacher

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Wed 15 Nov - 4pm Voting Closes - Board Elections
Thu 16 Nov - School Closed, Staff Only Day
Fri 17 Nov - School Closed, Canterbury Anniversary Day
Mon 20 Nov - Mon 27 Nov - Year 6 Beckenham Cycle Safe
Wed 22 Nov - PTA Meeting, 7.30pm
Fri 24 Nov - Celebration Assembly, 9:10-9:50am, in the Hall
Fri 24 Nov - PTA School Community Picnic, 5.00-7.30pm, Beckenham Park
Fri 1 Dec - Student Council - Celebrating Diversity and Culture Day (non-uniform)
Fri 1 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Thu 7 Dec - BOT Meeting, 5.30pm, Staffroom
Fri 8 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Fri 8 Dec - 12:15-3pm, Kahikatea Team trip to Isaac Theatre Royal, Southern Ballet
Mon 11 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Tue 12 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Fri 15 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly, 9:45am, in the Hall
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Graduation, 11am-12pm
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Leavers' Lunch 12:30-1:30pm
Tue 19 Dec - Last Day of Term 4, School finishes at 12.30pm

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Soren Durrant - Year 4

Soren, you are an outstanding role model in the Kōwhai hub. You quietly get on with your work and show great focus on any task at hand until it is complete. You are extremely respectful to your peers and teachers alike and you are a loyal and caring friend, always looking out for others' wellbeing. Thank you and ka pai tō mahi, Soren!

PTA News

Let the PTA help you out with your holiday shopping! We've curated a collection of yummy treats that everyone on your list will love and helps raise funds for our school! 

Order forms have been sent home in children's bags or you can order online using this link: Christmas Goodies Fundraiser.  Spare paper forms in school office. 

We have the following delicious range:

Honey from Beebro: 100% NZ Honey - $15.00 each 
Authentic, small-batch honey direct from the farm. Beebro will donate $1 for every jar of honey sold to Mike King's Nutters Club, a nationwide radio show and mental health support group. Three varieties to choose from. 

Naked Baker Fudge Gift Boxes - $6.50 each 
Delicious, creamy fudge available in four flavours and packed in lovely gift boxes. 

Naked Baker Christmas Tarts - $6.00 pack 
A six pack of crispy pastry available in two tasty varieties Traditional or Berry. 

Orders close at 6pm 22 November 2022. 

We will be collecting forms from the flagpole before school Mon-Wed 20-22 November. 

Collection of your yummy treats will be on 8 December at the school hall. 

The PTA thank you for all your support this year

We are also selling delicious panforte again, now in four yummy flavours.  Order panforte here and collect at school on 8th December.

Weetbix TRYathlon

Don't forget we have a School Group set up for those of you who are looking to take part in the Weetbix TRYathlon that is coming around again. Click on the link below to join the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Group when you enter the TRYathlon.  You can also join our School Group, without the link, by using the School Group search functionality when entering online.

Community Picnic

And don’t forget the Community Picnic, on Friday 24th November from 5pm.  We’ll have a Sausage Sizzle, Bouncy Castle and ice blocks.  Looking forward to seeing you all there!

BOT Update

Policy Review

Your feedback on the content (the policy) and implementation (how we follow the policy) promotes discussion with staff and the Board, which helps to evaluate our processes and make changes as needed.

Thank you to all of you who have provided feedback so far on our Term 4 Policies up for review. To do this, follow the instructions below. 

  1. Visit the website https://beckenham.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
  2. Enter the username (beckenham) and password (pride).
  3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
  4. Read the policy.
  5. Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
  6. Select the reviewer type.
  7. Enter your name (optional).
  8. Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
  9. Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

We had 65 responses on our Term 3 policies, which have been shared with the Board of Trustees, and SchoolDocs for review.

School Notices

School Uniform

Please click this link to see information on our school uniform.

Please note that Crocs and jandals are not part of our school uniform.

The tamariki are doing a great job remembering sunhats this term. Ka pai!

Science in Junior Discovery

Some of the akōnga from Koru and Kahikatea have jumped at the opportunity to learn and do science over recent weeks, during their Learning Through Play or Discovery sessions. 

As part of her science course, Charlotte (Kōwhai team) has been visiting the hubs and sharing science activities, like rocket building, parachutes and loopy fliers. Our focus has been on thinking and being like scientists by observing, sharing ideas, making predictions, testing out our ideas, creating a fair test and even recording our findings. These are key skills in the Nature of Science component of the current science curriculum. Other teachers have been super supportive and responsive to this, and enjoying learning new ways to bring science into Learning Through Play.

Real Estate Signage Needed!

We're after donations of old real estate boards (corflute) to use for Kapa Haka waiata and outside projects. If you are in the real estate industry and can help, please contact Charlotte at charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz. Thanks!

Community Notices

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

Want to add to a Zentangle Collaborative Art project ?

Saturday 25th Nov - Sydenham Rm South Library 10 - 3.30pm
Sunday 26th Nov - Penney Rm, Risingholme Learning 9am- 5pm (carpark ar 99 Hawford Rd)
This Community Art project, using Zentangle patterns to complete a large canvas. All materials and inspiration provided, Come along and add your creativity.

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter Term 4 Week 4 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

It was a huge privilege and joy to attend the Christchurch Schools Music Festival on Friday night at the Christchurch Town Hall. Our 66 Year 5-8 tamariki who participated had an amazing time, both in their singing, and in enjoying the unique experience of being in the town hall and singing with an orchestra and a pipe organ! Huge thanks to Thomas Woodfield who led the choir this year, sharing his talent and skills to support the choir to be amazing and make the most of this experience. Thanks also to Megan Culver and Margot Holcroft who supported Thomas and the choir.
You can hear an extract of the final number, Elton John's 'Rocket Man' by clicking on the YouTube link below.

Trading Cards (and other precious belongings)

We have noticed an increase in students bringing trading cards to school. We understand these cards are valuable to the children. Unfortunately, due to the tendency of these cards to go missing, or making trades they later regret, we ask that students leave trading cards at home This includes having trading cards on the grounds or at the gate before and after school. It is much easier for everyone if cards are kept as an out-of-school activity. Thank you for your support with this.

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Wed 8 Nov - BOT Meeting, 5.30pm, Staffroom
Fri 10 Nov - Zones Athletics, Hansen Park
Fri 10 Nov - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Wed 15 Nov - 4pm Voting Closes - Board Elections
Thu 16 Nov - School Closed, Staff Only Day
Fri 17 Nov - School Closed, Canterbury Anniversary Day
Mon 20 Nov - Mon 27 Nov - Year 6 Beckenham Cycle Safe
Wed 22 Nov - PTA Meeting, 7.30pm
Fri 24 Nov - Celebration Assembly, 9:10-9:50am, in the Hall
Fri 24 Nov - PTA School Community Picnic, 5.00-7.30pm, Beckenham Park
Fri 1 Dec - Student Council - Celebrating Diversity and Culture Day (non-uniform)
Fri 1 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Thu 7 Dec - BOT Meeting, 5.30pm, Staffroom
Fri 8 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Fri 8 Dec - 12:15-3pm, Kahikatea Team trip to Isaac Theatre Royal, Southern Ballet
Mon 11 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Tue 12 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Fri 15 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly, 9:45am, in the Hall
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Graduation, 11am-12pm
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Leavers' Lunch 12:30-1:30pm
Tue 19 Dec - Last Day of Term 4, School finishes at 12.30pm

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Billy Hudson - Year 5

Billy, your self-confidence has grown so much this year. You manage your learning appropriately and challenge yourself on a daily basis. You are full of a wealth of knowledge that you happily share with classmates. You show our school values 'We Love Learning' and 'We Love Challenge' often. Ka pai tō mahi, Billy!

School Notices

Congratulations to... 

Leo Cronin-Wilson
Maths Cup

Leo, you have an unquenchable thirst for mathematics. You possess a gift that sees you making amazing connections with numbers. You share these insights with great enthusiasm, baffling us all with your cleverness. This year you qualified for the Final Challenge in Otago Problem Solving and were part of the Year 8 Cantamath problem solving team who finished 12th out of 90 teams. Your vibrancy brings an extra sparkle to our weekly maths club. Congratulations Leo. 

Noah Palmer
Maths Cup

Noah, you are such an enthusiastic mathematician! Challenging problems motivate you and you have a thirst for new knowledge. You have been a regular at maths club over the past two years and even when overseas, continued to engage in maths competitions. In 2022 and again this year you were one of three from the Canterbury region to be awarded an Outstanding award for your dynamic models. This year you qualified for the Final Challenge in Otago Problem Solving and were part of the Year 8 Cantamath problem solving team who finished 12th out of 90 teams. Congratulations Noah.

Cian Scott
Social Sciences Cup

Cian, you possess such a wealth of knowledge about sociology, geography and history. Over the past two years, your insightful questions and observations have enriched our class discussions, sparked interesting debate and taken us off on many fascinating tangents. Your enthusiasm to understand the world around you is contagious. Your deep thinking and curiosity is your superpower. Jacob Bronowski, famous mathematician and philosopher once wrote, students ‘are not here to worship what is known but to question it.’ Question it you most certainly do and the world is a better place for it - and it makes our lessons far more interesting. Congratulations, Cian.

PTA News

The Great 2023 PTA Christmas Goodies Fundraiser


Orders are now live for our 2023 Christmas fundraiser.  

We have a delicious range of honey, fudge and Christmas tarts. Look out for an order form in your child's bag or you can order here today!

Orders close at 6 p.m. on 22nd November and will be available for collection by the hall on 8th December.

Panforte Fundraiser

Panforte deals are also available again, the 1kg is the same as last year.… and this year we have 3 additional flavours in the panforte mini range.

Order Online here: https://pilgrim.net.nz/shop/
Don't forget to order before December 1st, and use the code 'BECK'.
Orders using the code will be delivered to school for collection on Friday 8th of December, with 10% of sales going to our kura!

PTA Secondhand Uniform Shop

Our Second Hand Uniform Shop is open on Tuesdays from 2.45 to 3.15pm and Fridays from 8.45 to 9.15. We’ve recently had an influx of senior jackets so pop in if you have a child entering year 7 next year!

Community Notices

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

3rd November (10% discount) - https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspx?sh=BRECRN23&ep=DISCOUNT10 

30th November (10% discount)  - https://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/Show.aspx?sh=BREADL23&ep=DISCOUNT10

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto – School Newsletter Friday 20 October 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

We have been watching with horror, the events that have been unfolding in Israel and Gaza over the past two weeks and recognise that this conflict is likely to continue to take a significant toll on lives in that region for some time to come. Our thoughts go out to all of you who have whānau, friends and colleagues in this area. 

Considerations for home-group placement for 2024

As we start to put together home groups for 2024, we know that you may hold particular information or insight that you want to share that will support the placement of your child for next year.
While our teachers hold a lot of knowledge and understanding around the needs of our children, we are keen to also know if there is anything particular you think we should be aware of as we make these decisions.
As you will appreciate, putting home groups together is a hugely complex puzzle where the needs of all children need to be carefully considered. This means that we are not asking for 'requests' for teachers or for friendship groups as we would never be able to meet all of those. What we are seeking, is to be made aware of anything important you think we need to consider that we might not be aware of. We will add your thoughts to ours, and do the best we can to make sure that everyone's needs have been considered in our process.
If you have anything you want us to know, please email me (not the teachers) so that I have all the information in one place. I will need this information by the end of Week 4 - Friday 3rd November.
email: principal@beckenham.school.nz

Challenging Online Behaviour out of school...

Outside of school hours, a number of children in our community are continuing to experience online bullying behaviour on social media platforms including TikTok and Fortnite, and this is causing extreme distress to both the children and their families.
Families have many steps that they can take if their child is being bullied or threatened online.
Depending on the nature of the incident, will depend on where you might go for support:

Self-Reporting Content
Report harmful accounts to the platform directly. By reporting in-app, platforms are able to see previous engagement with the accounts and other contextual information. Reporting through these channels is often the fastest way to get content reviewed and acted on.
For Tiktok: You can report a video or account to TikTok for abuse by following the instructions here. 

Report to the Police any incidents of immediate concern, especially around threats of physical harm.

Netsafe deals with online harm advice, and have several helpful resources:
We encourage you to continue to engage with your child around their online behaviour, and to ensure that you are able to monitor and support their interactions in this challenging space.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki

Important Dates

Mon 23 Oct - School Closed, Labour Day
Wed 25 Oct - PTA Meeting, 7.30pm
Thu 26 Oct - School Athletics Day
Fri 3 Nov - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Fri 3 Nov - CHCH Schools Music Festival Beckenham Performance Night
Wed 8 Nov - BOT Meeting, 5.30pm, Staffroom
Fri 10 Nov - Zones Athletics, Hansen Park
Thu 16 Nov - School Closed, Staff Only Day
Fri 17 Nov - School Closed, Canterbury Anniversary Day
Mon 20 Nov - Mon 27 Nov - Year 6 Beckenham Cycle Safe
Wed 22 Nov - PTA Meeting, 7.30pm
Fri 24 Nov - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Fri 24 Nov - PTA School Picnic, 5.00-7.30pm, Beckenham Park
Fri 1 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Thu 7 Dec - BOT Meeting, 5.30pm, Staffroom
Fri 8 Dec - Celebration Assembly, 10am, in the Hall
Mon 11 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Tue 12 Dec - 7-8pm Kauri Production, in the Hall
Fri 15 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly, 9:45am, in the Hall
Mon 18 Dec - Year 8 Graduation, 11am-12pm
Tue 19 Dec - Last Day of Term 4, School finishes at 12.30pm

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Alicia Colquhoun - Year 6

Alicia, we have seen such positive growth in you as a learner this year! You put a lot of thought and effort into all of your work and you are showing more confidence in sharing your ideas with others. You are a kind, caring person and inclusive of all. We look forward to seeing you blossom in all that you do. Ka pai tō mahi, Alicia!

School Notices

Important Health & Safety Reminder

Please ensure all school gates are shut behind you until 3pm. Please do not use items to hold the gates open, and if you notice a gate has been propped open by something, please help us by closing this.

The gates surrounding our school have been added to ensure the safety of our tamariki. 

Well done to...

Jenna Sitompul
O'Sullivan Cup for Excellence in Art

Jenna, you have a great talent for drawing. Your style is full of fun and vibrancy with strong lines and great use of colour. You have been involved in many art projects over the past two years, including the design of our House murals and supporting the painting of Elmer. At the start of this year, you co-created our art club which a lot of students enjoyed participating in. You also designed a fabulous Cantamath motif in your trademark style. Thank you for all of your artistic contributions and for inspiring others. Congratulations Jenna.

Jemma Sunderland / Timon Spill
Janne Rowson ICT Award

Jemma, your leadership is on show when it comes to using technology to support the school. You willingly give your time and effort into making sure that events run smoothly through the use of ICT. You find solutions and troubleshoot any problems - especially when they unexpectedly come up in the middle of something! When we had our tree planting ceremony for the coronation of King Charles III, you worked hard to ensure that the outdoor speakers were set and that the music would work perfectly. You approach every task with the desire to get things right from the outset. Thank you for your ICT contributions. Congratulations, Jemma. 

Timon, you naturally excel when it comes to technology. You can always be counted on to reliably and efficiently set up ICT equipment for all manner of events, whether whole school or for a small group. In particular, your consistent dedication and invaluable contributions have made you an integral part of the ICT crew for production. Timon, you approach every task with a calm and focused attitude and you willingly problem solve. Your trustworthiness, proactivity and expertise make you a natural go to person whenever there is a need for support with ICT. Thank you for your ICT contributions. Congratulations, Timon.

Elijah Hakeagaiki, for his results, and contribution to his team at his recent rugby league tournament.
Elijah had a great break at his league tournament. They had an awesome time, played 5 games, and won all of them. He was very proud to do his haka before every game and also to support the other teams that were there. 



Scholastic Lucky Book Club - Issue 7 Out Now!


Issue 7 is out now, please follow the link below to look at the catalogue online, and to order. Orders close Friday 1 December.

Staff Profiles

Welcome to another of our new Teaching Assistants, Karen Glithero, who started with us this term.
Karen will be working primarily supporting students in the Kahikatea Team. 

PTA News

This coming week we have our monthly meeting, on the 25th of October at 7.30pm in the staff room - it’s always great to see new faces!

Almost one month until our Community Picnic, we’re looking forward to seeing everyone on Friday the 24th November.

AND! Look out for our 2023 Christmas Goodies fundraiser, we’ll have Christmas cakes and honey this year, which should make fabulous presents. More info coming soon! 

BOT Update

Board Parent Mid-Term Election 2023 - 3 Vacancies

Instruction on how you vote electronically has been distributed by email to eligible whānau. For those without valid email addresses - you have been mailed voting papers for a paper vote. If you have any problems with this process, please contact our Liaison Officer for the Board Election; at reihana.dougherty@beckenham.school.nz

Voting closes at 4:00 PM Wednesday, November 15th.

Thank you to all of our candidates who have expressed interest in supporting the governance and success of our kura. Please take a look at the candidate statements below:

Community Notices

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

Sunday 5 November - Commemorative Events for Parihaka



Warm greetings from our Parihaka Network Trust. The New Zealand History Curriculum offers wonderful opportunities for sharing the Parihaka story. Our Trust is here to help. Our mission is to 'promote Parihaka philosophy, ideals and beliefs of peace and reconciliation through non-violence.' 

This coming Sunday 5 November, we are providing three opportunities for people to connect with the story of Parihaka. You may wish to share this with your teaching staff or school community and share the Facebook link below.

5 November 2023
  • 10.30am - Parihaka Commemorative church service @ St Mary the Virgin, Church Square, Addington, followed by silent walk to old Addington Prison for karakia and laying of flowers.

  • 2.30pm - Silent Hikoi starting at Lyttleton Rose Garden: a pilgrimage walk from the old gaol around the coastal track to Rāpaki and the Parihaka Memorial*

  • 5pm - Memorial service at Rāpaki Church and karakia at the Parihaka Memorial, followed by light refreshments 
*wet weather alternatives will be posted on Facebook www.facebook.com/ParihakaOtautahi/ and Instagram www.instagram.com/parihakaotautahi/ 

Swimming Canterbury West Coast

After a successful events in March and June, Swimming Canterbury West Coast is excited to announce our third dedicated "Have-a-Go Carnival" event for 2023.

The event is open to any swimmer (of any age) who is not currently registered as a club or competitive swimmer with Swimming New Zealand and is capable of swimming 25m without assistance.

Participation is free, and registration is on the day. Swimmers are welcome to swim in 25m, 50m, kick, and relay races!

For more information, head to our website:
Facebook Event: t.ly/tdhZA

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 22 Sep 2023

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

What an amazing end to Term 3 with the talent show! Beckenham has a lot of talent. Each team got to experience a variety of performances in their hubs, and from there 2 acts were chosen to represent each of the teams. 

Thank you to the Student Council for their organisation of the show and to all the performers for sharing your talents with us - We Make a Difference.

BOT Update

SchooI Board Parent Mid-Term Election 2023

Board of Trustees Nominations

Our school will be undertaking a mid-term parent election for 3 School Board vacancies.
This process will start with the issuing of nomination papers to our caregiver community today, 
Friday 22nd September 2023.



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 11 th October at 12 noon. Election day is Wednesday
15th November 2023.


Our school needs to have people on the Board who reflect the wonderfully diverse community that makes up our school population. This means that we need as many different world views sitting at our board table together, to enable us to have a deep and rich understanding of the needs of our tamariki and the best ways to support them to be successful.

We look forward to your participation in this process. 

Wishing you all a safe and relaxing two weeks. See you on Monday 9th October for Term 4.

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB: You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.
 
Fri 22 Sep - Final day of Term 3