Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou
What an amazing turnout we had on Saturday for the working Bee! Thank you to everyone who was able to make it, young and old, to help bring our school back to its beautiful best! We know that many who wanted to attend had other commitments and we plan on having more working bees next year, to continue this great work.
Staffing and Teams for 2018
In the last newsletter I was able to give some information about staffing appointments for 2018. I am now able to confirm the full staffing picture for 2018.
Michelle Maule, our Deputy Principal, has been invited by the Ministry of Education to join their Learning Support Team on a 6 month secondment in Terms 1 & 2 of 2018. This is a wonderful recognition for Michelle of the level of expertise and knowledge that she has developed in the area of Learning Support and an opportunity for her to both share and increase her expertise and skills. The Board and I are 100% supportive of her taking up this opportunity and wish her very well for this secondment.
Sue Leadbetter will step up into Acting Deputy Principal role for Term 1/2. During this time she will support Koru team and will take a start up NE class in Term 3 & 4 when Michelle returns.
Amber Donovan will be the Acting Team Leader of Koru team for Terms 1 & 2.
Cath Barrie will continue on part-time as SENCO (including ESOL) and will lead the Learning Support team.
Jarred Skelton has resigned his permanent full-time teaching position to pursue both his acting career and to explore business opportunities. However, he doesn't get away that easily! We have re-engaged him for 2018 for a part-time position, 2 days a week.
Amy Buick is taking a year's leave in 2018 to travel.
Teams for 2018 will be as follows:Kauri (Y7/8): Nicky (Team Leader), Jenny, Hannah Elliott & Jarred Skelton (part-time)
Pōhutukawa (Y5/6): Tracy Inwood (Acting Team Leader), Nick Bruce, Gayle McNaughton, Katie Chapman
Kowhai (Y3/4): Paulette Newton (Team Leader), Mike Matulewicz, Anna Reid, Rebekah Stoop, Susan Walsh
Koru (New Entrants - Y3): Amber Donovan (Acting TL), Caitlyn Downing, Rowena Barker, Elizabeth Drummond, Charlotte Verity, Dorinda Hampton and Kristika Burridge (Part-time Reading recovery and Team Leader release)
I am thrilled that we are able to confirm such a strong and stable staff who are so dedicated to our school and our tamariki.
Ngā mihi
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Wed 22 NovJunior School Athletics. 10:30am - 3:00pm
Thu 23 Nov"Identicals" Mufti Day run by the School Council. Gold coin donation please.
Strings Promotion - 2-2:30pm. Trial of instruments for interested children from 2:30-3:00pm
Wed 29 NovCSM Blow test on the school hall from 9-11am.
Canterbury Primary Schools Triathlon at Pegasus.
Thu 30 NovSports Exchange with Carisbrook for years 7 & 8.
Wed 6 DecCanterbury Athletics in Ashburton
Thu 14 DecKoru Team: Rehua Marae Trip
Kowhai visit to Transitional Cathedral 10-10:45am
Mon 18 DecYear 8 Leavers' Assembly
Term Dates
Click here to view 2017 and 2018 term dates.
Citizen of the Week
Nathan Salgado - Year 8
Nathan, what a fantastic evolution you have made in the Kauri Hub over your last two years at Beckenham School. Your focused approach to learning has seen you achieve excellent results and you have harnessed your skills and passion for sports, particularly basketball, displaying outstanding teamwork. You are a caring friend to all members of the Kauri whānau. It has been such a pleasure to see your wry sense of humour surface. We celebrate your generous nature and thank you for your contributions to making our school a better place to learn. Tino pai Nathan!
Jonathan Le Comte - Year 8
Jono, you are a supportive and loyal friend within our hub. You are willing to take on risks and challenges without your friends by your side, demonstrating true dedication and real strength in character. You have demonstrated fantastic commitment to sport over the year, showing that you love challenge on the running track and football field. You are a quiet achiever and modest, but also a deep thinker who often surprises us with your insight. The maturity you display within our learning environment makes a positive difference to others. You are a calm, effective leader and have a fun loving approach to life. We love having you as part of our Kauri Whanau. Sharing our Learning
Kauri Team
Kauri Whānau are loving being back at Beckenham. We had our leadership wings a little clipped when we were at Champion Street and now that we are back, we’re making up for it! We have now had two house games afternoons, run by the house captains and their deputies. After the first session, the students debriefed their experiences and were given feedback by staff. Reflective thinking was at the fore as they planned for the second event. A few wrinkles were ironed out and the second games afternoon was a roaring success, with the students in the drivers' seats, being supported by staff in roles the students had asked them to fill. The second debrief session was very buzzy, as the students enthusiastically reflected on what made positive differences. They are looking forward to the next house games event on December 1st.
We are starting to look ahead to student leadership in 2018. Earlier this term Year 7 students applied for and were then interviewed to decide who would be appointed as house captains and student council executive members in 2018. Eleven students were appointed. This happened early so that they could attend ‘Be Inspired’, a leadership afternoon put together by Christ’s College for Year 7 leaders.
Cam Calkoen, the keynote speaker for ‘Be Inspired’ talked about the importance of resilience and perseverance in leadership. Cam, who has cerebral palsy, was told as a child that he would live his life in a wheelchair. He told how his parents played a pivotal role in his upbring, always encouraging him to push his limits. As a 14 year old he decided to take part in a 100m sprint event at school, which was the start of a sporting career that took him all over the world. He said that all of us are faced with challenge in our lives, but that our attitude can enable us to turn dreams into reality. The mantra of the day: dream big, achieve more. After the presentation the children were split into groups and took part in a range of practical activities that facilitated the unpacking of various leadership skills and styles. An afternoon tea sat out on the sports field finished off the afternoon.
In term one next year, all of our students will learn about leadership, as all have the opportunity to step up as leaders in the senior school.
The Trials of Alice in Wonderland
On Monday and Thursday afternoons this term our Year 7 & 8 hub is buzzing with activity as we work towards our performance of ‘The Trials of Alice in Wonderland’. This year we are taking a different approach, by working with a script, instead of an improvised show. Singing, acting, sewing, designing, drawing, painting, constructing ... we are immersing ourselves in creativity. We are embracing our values, ‘we get there together’ and ‘we love challenge’. Our performance hits the stage in less than a month Monday December 4th and Thursday December 7th, starting at 7pm. Mark it in your calendar, as we’d like everyone to have the chance to see this entertaining show.
Congratulations and good luck...
The Kauri Improv team 'Home Improvement' competed in heat 3 of the South Island Junior Theatre Sports Competition on Sunday 12th of November at St Bede's Performing Arts Centre. It was a fun night of improv with our team coming up against Year 7-10 students from St Margaret's, Christ College, Medbury, and Riccarton High. Our students represented Beckenham very well, displaying a high level of skill and cohesion, while supporting all of the other performers on and off the stage. They came out as the champions on the night.
This stella effort means that Beckenham will be competing in the finals on Sunday 3rd December (details yet to be announced). If you love to laugh and would like to support our team, it would be great to have lots of friendly faces in the crowd cheering them on.
Well done again to all involved and good luck in the finals!
School Notices
No Hot Chocolate in Classrooms please
If you want to buy your child(ren) hot chocolate drinks in the morning from Nic's Coffee Cart, PLEASE only do this if your child has enough time to completely finish their drink before classes begin at 8:55am. We do not want children bringing hot drinks into the classroom, nor do we want milky drinks spilt on the carpets. Many thanks for your support in this.
Lost Property
We have a 'mountain' of lost property on the verandah outside the office at the moment, all of which is un-named. This includes uniform and non-uniform items, and lunchboxes.
If these items are not claimed in the next week, they will all be either sent to charity bins, or (in the case of uniform items) given to the 2nd Hand Uniform shop.
House Shirts
A reminder that these can be purchased from the office and worn on Fridays or other days designated as a House Shirt day (such as athletic sports days). We have noticed a few children wearing house shirts on other days (such as today) and ask that parents reinforce the above policy please.
Sports News
Zone Athletics
Hansen Park was a hive of activity this Monday as children from our 6 local schools competed in our zone athletics event. We were so impressed by our children’s ability to self-manage and get themselves to the right place at the right time ready for their event. The children gave their heart and soul in their events and achieved some impressive results. The top two placings from each event qualify for Canterbury’s on Wednesday the 6th of December in Ashburton.
Long jump: Olivia Cochrane (1st place 13 year old girls)
High jump: Nina Callaghan (2nd place 11 year old girls) Vita Gear (1st place 12 year old girls) and Kaia Joergensen (2nd place 13 year old girls)
Discus: Shakira Radnoty (2nd place 12 year old girls)
50m sprints: Hebe Butland (1st place 9 year old girls)
80m sprints: Nadia Russell (2nd place 10 year old girls)
100m sprints: Tilly Harris (1st place 11 year old girls) and Olivia (1st place 13 year old girls)
1000m: Hebe Burland (1st place 9 year old girls) and Jesse (2nd place 9 year old boys)
1200m: Alex Braun (1st place 13 year old boys), Kaia Joergensen(1st place 13 year old girls) and Amelia Cunningham(2nd place 13 year old girls)
Relays: Kaia Joergensen, Amelia Cunningham, Olivia Cochrane and Rosie Zinzan-Dickie (1st place 13 year old girls)
Staff Profiles - Kat Cotter
I am lucky to be working this year in the Pōhutukawa hub supporting all the teachers as a release teacher. This is my second year working in the year 5/6 team and I am really enjoying the diversity in our amazing students. Originally from the UK, I have lived in Christchurch now for 9 years and still enjoy discovering new parts of New Zealand with my family. I have 4 year old twins who keep me on my toes. I enjoy being outside especially at the beach. I have really enjoyed becoming part of the Beckenham team and supporting our ESOL children to become a valuable part of our Beckenham community.
Elizabeth Drummond
Kia ora whānau! From as early as I can remember, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I specialised very early on in my teaching career, in teaching children with learning needs and physical disabilities, after which I taught for some years here in Christchurch at Hammersley Park School, and then for four years in London's East End. I have now taught at Beckenham School for nearly 22 years and absolutely love our community and environment. I adore seeing our wee 5-year-olds growing up, and have recently had the pleasure of catching up with some (now) ex-Beckenham 20 year olds as they 'shoot hoops' out in the courtyard near the East Hub. What a delight!
Recently, Andrew and I were married, and we have just returned from our honeymoon, in Italy, where I discovered that I have a new favourite (equal) place on the planet - Venice! My other favourite place is Lake Alexandrina, where Andrew, my son, Will and his wife, Jo, and I spend as much time as we can. My spare time 'passions' include reading (avidly!), the theatre, my family (my parents, 3 brothers and their wives, and my 9 nieces and nephews), music and dancing.
Beckenham School is my 'home away from home' and I treasure the relationships I have here with colleagues, the children and their families. Andrew jokes that he loves seeing me every day as I dance out the door each morning on my way to my 'other home'!
Sandy Hastings - Principal
I have had the great honour of being the Principal at Beckenham School since just May 2011, just after the earthquake that caused significant damage to the school. The earthquake, and subsequent library fire in 2012, considerably changed the journey that I thought the school would be taking in my first six years as its principal. I had no idea we would spend at least three years of that time in a major building programme! While it has been an exciting and rewarding journey to be on, we are all very much looking forward to not being a building site and to being able to move freely around our much improved site again.
I am mum to Becky (21yrs and recently moved to Auckland) and Sam (Y12) and wife to Bruce. In my spare time (yes - I do have some) I love to sing. For 17 years I was a member of the Christchurch City Chorus of Sweet Adelines (Barbershop signing) and last year I switched to become a member of the Christchurch Pops Choir, which is conducted by one of our parents, Ravil Atlas.
Tonight I am heading to China, with the Christchurch Pops Choir, for a very fleeting visit to the island of Hainan, where we have been invited to perform at the opening ceremony of the Hainan International Choral Festival!
We arrive in Haikou, the main city of Hainan, tomorrow morning, and stay there for four nights, before returning home on Wednesday evening! Right at this moment I'm not sure if it's craziness or passion for musical adventure that is my motivation, but I am very much looking forward to the experience!
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
$10 First Aid for Carers
Caring for someone on a voluntary basis can be hard work.
To thank you for your dedication and to support you in your role, Red Cross is offering a $10 First Aid course for carers in the greater Christchurch area. The course includes a free First Aid kit.
Who qualifies?
Volunteers who regularly have groups of children in their care: sports coaches, pre-school volunteers, etc.
Volunteers and family members/ whānau who are caring for someone who cannot manage everyday life without help or support (a person with a disability or a long-term physical or mental illness, an elderly person, etc.)
More information
A limited number of courses are available so enquire soon. Bookings can be made until Friday 15 December 2017 and must be attended by 30 June 2018. Conditions apply. Terms & conditions available on website below.
For more information:and to book a course go to
redcross.org.nz/corporate-bookings/carers10 Coupon code for bookings:
PROMO2017redcross.org.nz 0800 RED CROSS
Archer Home Market Day
There will be a variety of stalls offering exciting gift ideas for Christmas. Pleass join us at our Leisure Centre, 166 Colombo Street, Sydenham, on Friday 24th November from 1-4pm. Kerbside parking available on Percival Street.
