Tena koutou,

Kahikatea Treaty

We have developed our Kahikatea treaty for 2021. We have been discussing each point with our home groups. Please feel free to read this with your child/ren!

Literacy

Teachers have been busy completing key assessments in preparation for beginning our new structured literacy programs.  We appreciate that many of our parents are keen to see books and materials coming home and will let you know very soon when you can expect to see reading folders and materials  coming home. 

During these first school weeks we have been exploring fundamental literacy activities and developing phonological awareness (skills in identifying and manipulating units of spoken language). We have been exploring oral language and the structure of writing through creating shared texts. In addition, we have enjoyed a variety of texts, including non-fiction and poetry. We have explored The Treaty of Waitangi, Chinese New Year, and the history of toys, through texts and hands-on experiences. We have also been loving our library time! 

Here are some pictures showing our learning: 

Request for materials

Many of the tamariki enjoy making masterpieces during our learning through playtime. If you have any of the following items, please send them along to school, and we will make good use of them!

- Small boxes, e.g., cereal, muesli bar, toothpaste, washing powder

- Plastic containers (clean), e.g., shampoo, washing liquid, soap

- Corks

- Buttons

- Fabric

Ferrymead Heritage Park 

The sun shone for us last Wednesday as we set off for Ferrymead Heritage Park. We had an amazing day of exploration and learning. Each group had the opportunity to learn about the following:

• Heritage games
• Homemade toys
• Science of toys
• Maori toys and games

We even got to have a ride on the tram! 

For our inquiry, the tamariki have been making connections between old and new toys, how toys work, the use of different materials, and have had many oral language opportunities to share about their favourite toys. 

A huge thanks to our wonderful parent helpers. It is because of your generous support that we can do such fun, engaging and memorable trips.

Click here to see our thank you video!

Wellbeing

We have weekly wellbeing sessions in all teams. Over the last few weeks in Kahikatea, we have been learning about the importance of:

• Making new friends
• Self-confidence
• Teamwork skills/co-operation

We have been reading stories, watching info clips, and also sharing our own stories about the importance of these competencies.

You might like to talk with your child about these things, and share your own stories about how you have made friends, challenges or benefits of teamwork, or what you say to yourself to feel confident in tricky situations.

Useful guides to help Christchurch parents to support their children with emotions and wellbeing: https://www.allright.org.nz/tools/parenting-guides

Library

Each home group has the opportunity to visit the library once per week. Our library day is MONDAY. Please ensure that your child has their library folder at school every Monday. Children are allowed to issue two books and must have their library folder to transport these home. 

Sunhats at School

We have been noticing that many children in our team often don't have a hat at school. In Kahikatea, all children keep their hats in their home group hat tub at the end of the day. This is to ensure that every child has a hat during Term 1. If you would like to wash your child's hat, please do this over the weekend, and return it back to school on Monday. We prefer that hats do not go home at any other time.

Parent Playground Roster

A big thank you to Katherine Christensen for offering to organise our parent playground roster. It will be wonderful to have extra adults out in the playground during lunch play to ensure that our tamariki are safe and happy.

Lunch play runs from 12.40 - 1.20 each day. Being on the parent playground roster is a wonderful opportunity to observe the dynamics of your own and other children playing in the playground, as well as being involved in the school community.

If you are interested, please contact Katie with the following information:

• Your full name
• Contact number
• The names of your child/ren
• Day/s of the week available

katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

That's all for now! Katie, Amber, Charlotte and Lisa

katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

amber.donovan@beckenham.school.nz

charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz

lisacollier@beckenham.school.nz

 Kia ora whanau, 

We are all very excited to be going on our trip tomorrow! 

There has been a lot of organization going on behind the scenes by all our teacher to help make sure we have a safe and happy trip. 

Please take a look at this Social Story with your child BEFORE tomorrow. It has been shared with them at school already, however it would be helpful for them to take another look! 

Ferrymead Trip Social Story

ALSO: 

Please apply sunblock before sending your child to school tomorrow. 

Everyone needs to have a drink bottle filled with water. 

Parent helpers: meet Lisa in our theatre at 8.30am. 

Thanks everyone! 

 Kia ora whanau, 

Thank you for coming to our Learning Conferences! It has been wonderful getting to know your child/children and hearing all about their strengths and learning goals for this year. 

Communication 

There are many ways to contact your child's homegroup teacher and we encourage whanau to be proactive if there is any information you need to share with us. In the first instance,  please your child's homegroup teacher.  Alternately, each morning one of our teachers will be at the hub door to meet and greet your child/children and they can answer any questions you may have or pass a message to the homegroup teacher.  Teachers are in hubs from 8.30am and after school until 3.15pm should you need to meet face to face or  you can email your homegroups teacher to schedule a meeting time . 

Supporting your Child's Independence

We are thrilled to see so many of you are supporting your child/children's independence by dropping them off and letting them come inside by themselves in the morning to complete their daily routines. 

At the end of the day it would be helpful if you and your child had an agreed "meeting place". This could be the library steps, the hall steps, the flag pole or some other agreed spot or area outside the hub.  Thank you! This will help enormously with the congestion at the end of the day.

Can you help us on Fridays, 2-3pm?

Are there 1-2 parents available to help on Friday afternoons 2-3pm? We would love to take groups of children down to explore the ponds, but need additional adults to do so safely. Please email Charlotte at charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz if you are able to help. 

Here are some pictures of our gorgeous tamariki engaged in Learning Through Play: 

Kahikatea Trip to Ferrymead

Kia ora whānau,

We are very excited about our upcoming trip to Ferrymead Heritage Park on Wednesday the 24th February. This trip links strongly to our theme of ‘Change’ and a main focus will be on heritage toys/ games, and their development over time. Our tamariki will be divided into five groups and participate in the following workshops:

• Heritage games
• Homemade toys
• Science of toys
• Maori toys and games

We will also go on the tram, have a tour around the village and dress up in old fashioned clothing. On the day of the trip, your child/children will need to:

• Be at school by 8:45am
• Bring a substantial amount of food in their lunchbox
• Bring a full drink bottle
• Have sunblock applied before arriving
• Ensure their sunhat is at school (if unsure, send a spare)
• Bring a light waterproof layer if it appears overcast
• Wear comfortable shoes

Helpers: 

We will need approximately 2 whanau helpers for each group. This will involve helping to oversee small groups of learners, supporting food breaks and joining in with activities. 

For health and safety reasons we are unable to accommodate siblings/preschoolers. We do have some room for whānau who need to come with us on the bus, otherwise there is ample parking at Ferrymead. 

Please make contact with your child’s home group teacher if you are able to help us on the day. 

The cost of this trip is covered by your school donation. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Team Kahikatea

Amber Donovan amber.donovan@beckenham.school.nz

Charlotte Verity charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz

Lisa Collier lisa.collier@beckenham.school.nz

Katie McFarlane katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

Kia ora Whānau, Welcome to 2021! 

We'd love you to please view our introduction video before your conference this week.  

Please bring your child's stationery with you to the conference. You are welcome to wait inside the hub  and your child's homegroup teacher will come to greet you. 

Kind regards 

Katie, Charlotte, Lisa and Amber 

Team Newsletter