Term 2 Week 8 Newsletter


Reading at Home
Thank you for supporting your child by maintaining regular reading at home. Each day your child needs to self-select a book and put it into their reading folder. If you are concerned about your child's reading or you would like any ideas about supporting your child to read at home do not hesitate to speak with your child's teacher.

Slippers/Warm Socks/Winter Clothing/Glasses
The days are getting much cooler and it's really good to see students dressed appropriately for the weather. Please do remember to name your child's jackets as these inevitably come off when they enter our lovely warm hub. If your child would like to wear slippers or thick socks, do name these too.
We have an increasing number of students who wear glasses and we know it's so important that they develop the routine and discipline of managing this by themselves. If your child is suppose to wear glasses for specific learning tasks - reading, for example, please let us know.

Learning Conferences
Kind thanks to you all for taking the time to meet with us last week for learning conferences. These are such valuable meetings to celebrate with your child all their progress and to identify next steps.

Disco and Swimming Photos....enjoy!

























Week 5 Kahikatea

We are so happy to have finally started swimming lessons. Thanks to all our lovely whanau who are supporting us during this time and to the many, many hours of work Charlotte has put into planning and organising such a valuable learning experience for our tamariki. Arohanui Charlotte!
Lessons continue this week (except for Wednesday 29th May) and then on into next week too.

Here are some photos of today's fun:














And, from our Celebration Assembly on Friday 24th May...

Our Cross Country Winners








Swimming Notice



14 May 2019
Dear Whanau,
Swimming Lessons at Aqua Gym
The Kahikatea children are booked in to have swimming lessons at Aqua Gym.  
Children will receive a 30 minute lessons over two weeks.
The swimming program will run from Monday 27th - 31 May 2019 and 4 - 7 June 2019.
Charlotte & Jules’ groups will go from approx 11.30-12.50pm.
Anna and Amber’s groups will go from approx 11am-12.20pm.
Aqua Gym requires all children to wear a swimming cap for their lessons.
All children will be required to wear suitable swimming costumes: either shorts or togs.
Lessons and transport are $110 per child.
A request for your contribution have been added to the Term 1 accounts.
Please email Sandra (our finance manager) at accounts@beckenham.school.nz
or call her on 03 337 1404 if you want to discuss setting up a small, regular payment.
If you any questions regarding our swimming program please contact your child/children's point of contact teacher.
Kind regards,
Amber, Jules, Lisa, Anna, Charlotte, Nicola and Jeanette

Cross Country

Cross Country 
On Monday 6th May we are having our school cross country! Your child/children are welcome to wear their house shirts on Monday. They will need to wear appropriate footwear.
Our Year 1-3 children will be out on the field from approximately 2.05pm.


Kahikatea Newsletter Term 1 Week 8

Swimming
Our lessons start on the 27th - 31st May & 4th - 7th June 2019.
Group 1: 11-12.20am Amber & Anna's Group
Group 2: 11.30-12.50am Jules & Charlotte
Swimming Helpers Term 2
Lunches
There are three breaks in our school day for children to eat. Morning tea, Brain break and Lunchtime. The reason for Brain break is because there is a delay between morning tea at 10.30 and lunch 1.20. Some of our children need a little bit more food to ensure they have enough for their lunchtime eating. Each food break is monitored by teachers and we do remind children not to eat all their food at Brain break.
Cross Country Practice
We will be running each day to prepare for Cross Country on Monday 6th May (postponement date is the 7th May). Please ensure your child/children has a named water bottle and that they are wearing appropriate footwear everyday.
Home Reading
Please use the reading log to record the books your child/children read at home.
Reading everyday makes a HUGE difference to how quickly children acquire early reading strategies.
Many early readers will still need to look at the pictures in the book- this is important because the pictures hold meaning. When your child is looking at the pictures and having a go at reading they are engaging in an appropriate early reading strategy. Praise them. When they are ready you can support them to look at the words, matching their finger underneath each word as they read along. Eventually the finger pointing is replaced by 'pointing' with their eyes.
Innovation Inquiry: Boat Building
This week children were encouraged to build boat! The key stages we went through were:
* Plan
* Gather materials
* Build
* Test
* Making changes or innovations to improve our boats