Final Blog post from the Koru team

 

Kia ora e te whānau,

It feels very hard to believe that here we all are, at the very end of the 2022 school year. Your children have all settled so beautifully into life at school this year, and their learning has been impressive, to say the least. 

It's been very exciting for us as teachers, and you too, we're sure, on the home front, to witness the social, emotional and physical progress, as well as the academic learning that the children have all made since starting at school. What a wonderful group of tamariki they are! We're going to miss them terribly over the long summer holiday, and will be looking forward to seeing them back again (mostly as members of the Kahikatea team), with their beautiful smiles at the start of next year.

Several of you have requested support with your children's continued learning over the summer holiday, and although the Learning At Home site is no longer accessible through the Beckenham te Kura website, we have found a way of providing you with the link to the site which you were able to access throughout the Red and Orange Traffic Light settings. We do hope that you find this helpful with its range of links, from Phonological Awareness activities to Structured Literacy activities, from Maths to waiata, and there's also an area on the dropdown menu called 'Stories' where your child is able to choose a picture book read by one of the Koru teachers!

Here is the link which takes you directly to the Koru Learning At Home site. We really hope that you find this valuable, as well as lots of fun too!

Final few days:

Many thanks to those parents who have offered to help with some of the cleaning, sorting and tidying tasks that we have listed on the whiteboard outside Hangere this week. We really appreciate your support at this very busy time of the year! There are still a few jobs we'd love some help with:

  • cleaning and packaging our Skip and Bouce whiteboard sets
  • sorting, tidying and cleaning the games and equipment shelves in both Hangere and Kōmanawa
  • sorting, tidying and cleaning in the kitchen area (tote trays, cupboards and drawers, etc.)
  • sorting the Lego table and the Duplo container
  • cleaning and sorting the sandpit toys
  • sweeping, cleaning, sorting and tidying in the shed
Not too many jobs there, as you can see!! Please let one of the teachers know if you're able to help with any of these tasks - we'd be ever so grateful :)

Please do ensure that you check that you have all of your child's belongings, before leaving on Thursday:

  • all clothing, including sunhat, polar fleece and socks (we have several pairs and single socks, as well as T-shirts and polar fleeces)
  • their lunchbox and drink bottle (there are often drink bottles left behind on the last day)
  • your child's folders, which will include their books and art works from throughout the year.
If, by chance, we don't see you before the end of the year, we do wish you all a very safe and happy summer holiday. It has been an absolute pleasure to have had you and your children as members of the Koru team in 2022!
All best for 2023, and we'll catch up with you in the new year, either in the playground or if you're able to pop in and say 'hi' that would be wonderful too.

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,
Elizabeth, Georgia, Nicola, Tracey and Stacey

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 2 December 2022

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

These past two weeks have been a real celebration of our tamariki and their talents.

We were privileged to enjoy two fantastic concerts last week, and they showcased some of our amazing, talented students. Thank you to the String instrument students and Ensemble, and also Ferndale Kapa Haka. You were both outstanding! 

Thank you to everyone who came along to our Whānau Rōpū Hui & Kapa Haka performance on Wednesday. Whakawhanaungatanga (the process of establishing relationships & relating to each other) is an important part of having a strong school community, and culture. It was really good to have so many whānau here to share kai and support our tamariki performing.




Our tamariki were treated to a wonderful final dress rehearsal of the Year 7/8 production yesterday afternoon. Completely written and choreographed by the students int he Year 7/8 team, this production will be extremely popular with whānau as it takes you on ' A Walk Through The 80s'! There will be two performances next week - on Monday and Tuesday evening, starting at 7pm. Entry by gold coin donation.

It's hard to believe that we are in December already, and that we have just one and a half weeks of school remaining. Please remember that school finishes at 12:30pm on Thursday 15th December.

As many families begin to prepare for the Christmas season, those who would like to add a small bit of Christmas bling to their uniform next week are welcome to do that!


Supporting transitions for all our tamariki

Children who will be moving into new teams for next year are currently in the process of having transition visits to their new buildings, and are meeting the teachers who are in each team at the moment. On the final morning of the year, all of the children will find out who their home group teacher is for the following year, and then each group will go together and spend time with their new teacher/team. Children will bring home a letter on that day, that will have information for you about their new team, their teacher, and about how to book a Learning Conference for the start of 2023. 

School starts next year with two days of Learning Conferences on Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 1st February, then classes begin on Thursday 2nd February.

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki (Principal)

Important Dates

Mon 5 Dec Year 7 & 8 Production (7.00 - 8.00pm in the Hall)
Tue 6 Dec -  Year 7 & 8 Production (7.00 - 8.00pm in the Hall)
Thu 8 Dec - BOT Meeting (5.30 - 7.50pm - Rūma Kaimahi/Staffroom)
Fri 9 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly (9.45-10.30am)
Wed 14 Dec - Year 8 Leavers Graduation - 11am - 12noon, followed by Leavers' Lunch
Thu 15 Dec - Last day of Term 4 - School closes at 12:30pm

Term Dates

Citizen of the Week

Luigi Vallero Reid - Year 8

Luigi, you are such a personable and friendly character. You make a difference by enriching discussions with your deep thinking and broad knowledge. Luigi, you shine as an advocate for diversity. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and encouraging inclusion in others. Our kura is a better place for having you in it. 

School Notices

A Walk Through the 80s!

Next Monday and Tuesday, Year 7 & 8 take to the stage to share their many and varied talents as they present: 'A Walk Through the 80s'. We would love you to join us for what promises to be an entertaining evening. Gold coin donation at the door. 

Community Dental Service - December/January Holiday Clinics

Congratulations to our Y8 Award Winners...

Mathematics Cup: Fergus Macdonald

Fergus your passion for all things maths is quite contagious. You love nothing better than a rich problem to immerse yourself in and you are always keen to share your solutions. You have created two amazing Cantamath projects and earned an excellence award this year with your dynamic wave model. You were part of the team that won the local Cantamath competition in Year 6 and also achieved an impressive result this year. You have qualified for the Final Challenge in Otago Problem Solving in Year 7 and again in Year 8. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and supporting others with their learning too. Tu meke, Fergus!  

Radcliffe Award for Special Contribution to Drama: Katya Atlas 

Katya, your love of everything theatrical is commendable. You earned the respect of your team members and became a role model in Theatre Sports. You were creative, witty and effortlessly ‘improv’d’ your way to an incredibly competitive second place. When you perform, your talent, energy and smile light up the room. Your connection to drama outside of school keeps you busy and always performing. You come by your talent honestly and I imagine we will see your name up in lights one day! As William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage.” Well, Katya, the world is yours!  

Special Contribution to Music: George Smith and Tahere Taylor 

George, you are a wonderfully talented bass and guitar player, who shows dedication to refining your skills and a real enthusiasm for performing. Watching you jam along, having the time of your life, and being totally immersed in the music brings so much joy. Isn’t that what music is all about? Your development has gone from strength to strength this year and you embrace opportunities to perform and share your music with others. This has included performances with The School’s Music Festival, accompanying guitar with Te Whānau Mahi Tahi, and our Kauri production. Thank you for sharing your music with us. 

Tahere, we love listening to you play guitar and sing our hub. Your voice is a real show-stopper and your technical ability on the guitar is enviable. Tahere, you approach music learning with gusto and focus. Your ability on the guitar has progressed in leaps and bounds this year and is a testament to the time you dedicate to practicing at home. Your music contributions have included performances outside of kura, accompanying guitar with Te Whānau Mahi Tahi, and our Kauri production. Thank you for sharing your music with us.   

Social Sciences Cup: Quinn Clarke  

Quinn, throughout your primary school years, you have shown great enthusiasm for learning about our world and the people and cultures within it. As a junior, you would take great pride in being able to identify the flag that was flying each day. Fast forward to your senior years and you continue to demonstrate impressive knowledge and insight in the subject of social sciences. You bring a blend of curiosity, understanding and deep thinking, which enables you to drive a rich discussion on a range of topics including electric cars, world leaders and a range of real-life and hypothetical social issues. You have maintained your enthusiasm and dedication to Kapa Haka into your senior years, demonstrating a commitment to learning about te ao Māori.   

Taylor Cup for Sportsmanship: Lola Harris

Lola, your dedication and mahi on the sports field has been rewarded with impressive results over the years. While there is no denying your ability as a sports person, it is not what you’ve achieved but how you’ve achieved it that we are recognising today. Lola, you play sport with the utmost integrity and humility. When it comes to proving your capabilities on the sports field, you let your playing do the talking. Kāore te kūmara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka. The kūmara doesn't speak of its own sweetness. It just is. Instead, you use your voice to build others up. You are bursting with compliments to your team and recognition for your opponents. Lola, you lead by example. Your actions set the tone within a team for others to rise to. Lola, you have proved over the years that when it comes to good sportsmanship, you know no other way to be than exceptional. It has been a privilege to share your sporting experiences with you. 

Taylor Cup for Sportsmanship: Quinn Clarke 

Quinn, you have demonstrated an insatiable enthusiasm for sport throughout your primary school years. You are a talented and versatile sports person. At every event and every game, you play to win, striving to give your best and do your bit as part of a team. This tenacity shows respect to your teammates and to your opposition, while your honesty and level head shows respect to the rules of the game. When things don't go your way, you keep your head high, embrace the challenge in front of you and continue to support those around you. A favourite quote of mine says that the sign of a good sportsperson is when ‘they walk off the court and you really can’t tell if they won or lost (because) they carry themselves with pride either way.’ This describes you perfectly. It has been a privilege to share your sporting experiences with you.  

Contribution to Māori culture: Niamh Wolt

'Me he korokoro tūī' – Like the sweet throated tui bird.  
‘Te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere. Te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.’  
- The forest belongs to the bird who feasts on the miro berry, the world belongs to the bird who feasts on learning' 
 
Niamh, these two whakataukī about manu exemplify your mahi this year as a performer and one of our kapa haka leaders.  There is no doubt you are a performer, whose voice, presence and gracefulness have made you an amazing role model for others, and a delight for others to watch and listen to. You express and honour the kaupapa of our various waiata and haka with a voice that is strong, clear and beautiful.  When sweetness is needed, you are a sweetie! When a challenging presence is required you are fierce.  You don’t miss a beat, fully engaged, listening, watching, thinking, learning and absorbing as we practise, and totally “in the zone” when we perform. Not only have you brought these amazing things to Te Whānau as a performer, you have been dedicated, positive, organised, dependable and humble in your leadership role. 
Ngā mihi, wahine toa!  

Contribution to Māori culture: Tahere Taylor

“Ko Mauao te maunga, ko Tauranga te moana”  
Your maunga wears the reflected light of the dawn, but you, Tahere, shine with a light that comes from within.  Everyone can see it – the kaiako, the tamariki and the wider whānau here at Beckenham.  
 
Your feet, like a maunga, are grounded firmly within te ao Māori. Throughout your time at Beckenham you have been able to share the mātauranga that comes from this, in the classroom, the sports field, and on stage. This is where we have seen you shine. Your contributions have been numerous. Your commitment. Your leadership by example. Your hearty voice, your ferocious haka, your pukumahi. Te ihi me te wehi. Playing the guitar to manaaki our rōpū. Your humbleness. Listening, responding and looking for ways to enhance the mana of others. Your presence had such a valuable impact on the mauri of individuals, and the group as a whole. 
The mana and esteem in which you are held by both adults and children is indisputable. Keep shining. Haere tonu e hoa. 
 
Ko ngā pae tawhiti whaia kia tata. Ko ngā pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.  
The potential for tomorrow is determined by what we do today.

Sports News

Canterbury Athletics 

A huge congratulations to the tamariki who represented our kura and zone at Canterbury Athletics on Wednesday. We had an impressive 21 athletes qualify for this event across a range of disciplines. The children lived out our school values as they competed against very strong competition. A huge congratulations to everyone on an awesome achievement. 




Mountainbike Passions Rōpū

PTA News

Community Notices

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

Community Helpline

1737 - free text and phone counseling 24/7 
Youthline – 0800 376 633 or free text 234 
Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202
Anxiety New Zealand - 0800 269 4389
What's Up – 0800 942 8787 (5–18-year-olds).
thelowdown.co.nz –or email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626


Brain Play teaches online after-school science & technology classes to Kiwi kids aged 5 - 13, from right across the country! Online topics this term include 3D printing, coding, animation, STEM experiments, LEGO & more. Free trials available for new students. Check out our timetable on our website and use the form to get in touch - https://www.brainplay.co.nz/

Have a Go Session!

On Sunday 11th of December we would like to hold a ‘Have a Go’ session. If you know anyone who might be interested in giving surf a go please invite them down to our normal session from 9.30-11am. I have also included a flyer if you know of any schools, community groups or facebook pages that might be interested in sharing the event.

Kelly Sports Summer Holiday Programmes

Bookings for our upcoming Kelly Sports Summer Holiday Programmes at Hillview Christian School are now available online. 

The focus of our Programmes is to ensure kids are active throughout, with a great mixture of games and activities to suit everyone. WINZ Subsidies are available for families that qualify and we have options of Half Day sessions, School Day sessions and Full Day sessions available.

To register and for more information please visit www.kellysports.co.nz/christchurch-east or contact Adelma on chch@kellysports.co.nz for more information.


Koru Team News Term 4 Week 1

 Kia ora, e te whānau,

What a lovely first week back at school, following the holidays! The children, as always happens after a holiday break, have loved reconnecting with teachers and friends. We warmly welcome our new children and their whānau: Ana, Asher, Ava, Aya, Charlie, Ethan, Finn, Poppy and Rome. It's wonderful to have you all at school with us, and well done to all for settling so beautifully into school life. 

A very warm welcome also to our new children, and their whānau, who joined us towards the end of last term - Finley and Freddie. It is so lovely to have these children in the hub with us as well. They too have both settled in beautifully and our 'golden oldies' have been really amazing at making everyone feel very welcome.

Nut-free lunches, please:

A reminder that in the Koru team we are nut-free. We recognise that some children may have dietary requirements which mean that nuts do need to be included in some lunchboxes, however we do ask that, as far as possible, your children's lunchboxes remain nut-free. This also includes coconut. Many thanks for your support with this.

Our school-wide 'Word of the Week':

Your children may have discussed with you that each week at Beckenham te Kura o Pūroto, throughout the school we have a 'Word of the Week', which, in the Koru team, is embraced by one and all, and guides our Learning Through Play. Our 'Word of the Week' last week was 'upstander'. An upstander is 'a person who speaks or acts in support of an individual or cause, particularly someone who intervenes on behalf of a person who may have been hurt by someone else.' An upstander is the opposite of a bystander.

Coming up, we have other such 'Words of the Week' as: honesty (which will be our focus throughout the week ahead), inclusion, respect, kindness, resilience, empathy, determination and cooperation. These concepts are so important for our wee ones, and we are always incredibly impressed with the way the children put these words into practice, as well as reflect on and discuss specific instances of their use.

Hats required:

Most children are remembering their hats each day, and are doing very well with looking after their hats when indoors. We are asking the children to keep their hats in their bags while they are inside. This way, the children should, in theory, always know where their hats are!

The week that was:

Don't you just love numbers?! Ready and awaiting their next number challenge!




On some days, the sandpit is definitely the place to be! Check out the collaborative and problem-solving skills on display in these photos.












Dolls for sale!

Practising for Athletics Day: the gumboot throw requires a fine combination of skill and style, as you will see in the photos that follow.














We look forward to seeing as many family members as possible at our Athletics Day on Wednesday. Please note that the Koru team children will be participating in their events from the start of the school day through to the morning tea break at 10:30 a.m. It's crucial that your children have sunblock applied before they arrive at school and that they have their hats and named water bottles. 

Please note that we have sunblock at school in the hubs, if, on any morning, you would like to apply more sunblock or perhaps have run out at home.

We do trust that you've all had a wonderful long weekend with your families, and we look forward to those wide smiles and sparkling eyes at school again in the morning.

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,

Elizabeth, Georgia, Nicola, Tracey and Stacey

Koru Team news, Term 3 Week 7

 Kia ora koutou,

We hope that this finds you at the end of a lovely weekend with your families, and we look forward to seeing your wee ones with their beautiful, wide smiles, tomorrow morning!

Our focus in this post is on Maths, and in particular on the Maths strand area of Probability. In the first week of the previous fortnight, we focused on developing the language of probability, introducing such terms as 'always', 'perhaps', 'certain', 'possible', 'impossible', 'will', 'might', 'won't', 'will', 'maybe', 'never', 'yes', 'no'. The context for this learning took the form of familiar stories such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Gingerbread Man, Cinderella and Maui Catches the Sun, and the children were asked such questions as 'Do you think Little Red Riding Hood will see a tree on the way to Grandma's house?' and 'Do you think Red Riding Hood will see a hedgehog in the forest?' 

Whatever the children's decisions, they were always asked to justify their thinking.

During the second week, we learnt more about probability by playing card games, such as Memory, using sets of animal cards (including various numbers of animals, at the most, ten cats, ten dogs, six mice and one pig). As we played the games, we thought about how likely it is for 'an event' to happen, for example, 'What are the chances of picking up two cats as opposed to picking up two dogs?' The children were asked to think about such questions as:

  • What card do you think you will turn over next? (given the cards that have already been turned over)
  • Why do you think that?
  • Which cards do you think will be last?
  • Which are the hardest pairs to find?
  • Which are the easiest pairs to find?

In this game, Feeding Greedy Cat, which cat will get the most fish, the blue cat or the red cat?

Was there a lucky colour in your game?

In this game, was it better to be in the team collecting the same cards or the team collecting the different cards?

Which card do you think you'll turn up next? And why do you think that?

Is it certain, possible or impossible for Cinderella to see a hot air balloon on her way to the palace?

Will the gingerbread man always, possibly or never see a tractor on his way to the river?

What are the chances that the first card you turn over is a dog? Why do you think that?

Which card will you choose to turn over next?

Which are the hardest pairs to find? Which are the easiest pairs to find?

Are you collecting pairs that are the same or pairs that are different? Is it better to collect pairs that are the same or pairs that are different?

Which coloured cat is going to get the most fish?

Is there a 'lucky' colour? Was the same colour 'lucky' every time you played the game?

Our Probability focus gave the children an in-depth look at uncertainty and chance, in a variety of situations. They were given the opportunity to acknowledge and anticipate possible outcomes, always justifying their thinking each step of the way. What a lot of fun we had in Maths throughout this last fortnight!

...and one final message - many thanks to you for the continuing support you are giving your children with their learning, by helping them to practise their heart words, their sound cards and their reading at home with you. The difference this makes is invaluable and we certainly appreciate it enormously.

All best for the week ahead!
Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,
Elizabeth, Georgia, Nicola, Stacey and Jeanette

Koru News Term 3 Week 1

Kia ora, e te whanau,

What a lovely first week back at school following the holidays, this despite some very inclement weather! The children have loved reconnecting with teachers and friends. We warmly welcome our new children and their whānau: Kura, Theo, Ciaran, Arlo, Jessica and Mia Rose. It's wonderful to have you all at school with us, and well done to all for settling so beautifully into school life. 

A very warm welcome also to our new children, and their whanau, who joined us towards the end of last term - Julia, Amani, Beau, Sailor, and Harriet. It is so lovely to have these children in the hub with us as well. They too have all settled in beautifully and our 'golden oldies' have been wonderful in making everyone feel very welcome.

It became apparent, and you will have read this in a recent Hero message from Sandy, that we have experienced a glitch in Hero which has meant that some of our communications have failed to reach you. We are therefore resending this Blog post, as it contains many gorgeous photos and lots of news about what the children were up to towards the end of last term.

Elizabeth and Nicola's home groups were lucky to be able to rebook their Junior Park Explorers outing to the ponds, after their initial trip was postponed. This visit took place in the second half of Term 2. Our educator, Pete, did a fabulous job of being both captivating and informative with our group. We learnt lots about our native birds, the role trees play in our ecosystem, and where bugs like to live.

Making our bird call to find our friends with the same bird call.
Yay, we've found our bird friends and linked 'wings'.
Searching for birds around the ponds with Pete.
We had to be really quiet on our bird search. When we spotted a bird we used this signal to point it out.
"I've found one."
Using magnifying glasses to search for bugs under the trees.
"Look, I've found a bug!"
We played a fun game where we learnt about what happens to birds and bugs when they lose their homes.
We enjoyed dressing up!
Each bird and bug had to go home to their tree each night.
Oh no!! This home, to many birds and bugs, is being cut down!

Some children have since returned to the ponds area to place some logs of wood on the ground in order to create some new bug habitats. We are looking forward to checking on them over the next weeks to see if any bugs have moved into the new homes.
Using a rake to scrap back the fauna to find an ideal place for the log.
Covering up the log.
"I wonder who will adopt this home?"
"This looks like a good place."
Using the leaf matter to cover the log up.
Using our bird signal to show he has spotted a bird.
"I've found one, too."

We are very lucky to have Whaea Cath joining us on Friday mornings. The children love her bringing her guitar in, and we have been singing some of our favourite waiata, and learning some new ones with her too. What a treat!
Singing the action song, 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' in Te Reo Māori.
Learning the Matariki song.
Singing the Baby Shark song in Te Reo Māori!!

One of our school-wide PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) focuses has been 'cooperation'. We have been practising this skill in a variety of ways during our Learning Through Play time.
This group has been showing cooperation in building this 'guinea pig enclosure'.
Cute little guinea pigs!
We loved the cooperation the tamariki displayed when designing and building their enclosure! 

Each day, after our little play time we join in with an interoception activity. Simply put, interoception is the sense that allows us to answer the question, "How is my body feeling?" (for example, hot, cold, thirsty, hungry, full, tired) at any moment. This is a great opportunity to calm and reset as we prepare for the next learning block.
In this activity, we lay down, breathed in and scrunched our toes, then breathed out and relaxed our toes.
We then identified, by pointing to where we felt the 'stretch' in our bodies.

As our numbers continue to grow, Nicola's Home Group is using Kōmanawa first thing in the mornings and also throughout the afternoons. The children still unpack their bags and use the cubby holes outside Hangere. Their lunchboxes, drink bottles and literacy folders are still stored in Hangere. Each morning, after unpacking their bags, Nicola's Home Group children then go over to Kōmanawa to find an activity to start off their day. Teachers will be outside Hangere before 8:55 a.m., to help children, by continuing to remind them about this.

A couple of final reminders:

    We are aware that in the Koru team we have a student with an all-nut allergy. Therefore we are asking that if nuts/nut-based products aren't necessary for your child's lunchbox, please consider not including them.
      The team is also aware that some children have other dietary requirements and that their diet may need to be nut-based, so will need nut products to be included in their lunch box.
        The teachers will continue to remind the children that at school we eat our own food rather than share with others, along with reminders about handwashing and putting food wrappings in lunch boxes to take home. These reminders will also include asking children to wash their hands after eating nuts, in order to remove any potential residue. 

        Readathon:
        Let's get involved in our Readathon over the next two weeks, and at the same time, support our school by gathering some sponsors. Have fun with this, everyone!

        We hope you are having/have had a lovely relaxing weekend together. Keep warm and dry, and we'll see all your little ones back at school tomorrow. 

        Ngā mihi mahana, and take care,

        Elizabeth, Nicola, Georgia, Stacey, and Jeanette