Kia ora, e te whānau,

We warmly welcome our new tamariki into the Koru team, and to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto! Luca, Zoe and Ruby have all started school in the last fortnight and have settled beautifully into the team. We appreciate the wonderful help of our 'golden oldies' who are truly amazing at providing wrap around support, thereby demonstrating our school value, 'We Care'.

Life Education:

This week and next, the Life Education van, along with educator, Kirsty, and her support crew, in the form of Harold the Giraffe, are based at school with us. The Koru team have two lessons with Kirsty and Harold, the first of which was on Monday, and the second, today. Our broad focus is on Living Things, with questions relating to:

• Where does our food come from?
• Why do we need to eat a variety of food?
• What do all living things need to stay alive? 

• What do living things need to survive (food, water, shelter, sunlight)?
• How do plants and animals grow and change?
• How can people care for plants, animals, and natural places?

Harold's 4 favourite letters!

Harold, being a little bit mischievous

Harold, singing his song about friendship

Some living things work together as a group

Working together as a group

Enjoying time with one of our Friday big buddies

Ordering numbers to 20

Sketching different types of plants around our school grounds

Making giraffe shapes with our hands

Big Brothers Big Sisters is an organisation that helps children and young people build confidence, resilience and positive relationships, through mentoring.

The programme matches young people with caring adult or older-youth mentors who spend regular time together, talking, sharing activities and simply being there. These supportive relationships can make a real difference to a young person’s sense of belonging, self-confidence and ability to navigate life’s challenges.

A few items of note:

Kia Ora e te Whānau, 

Science Topic

For the second part of this term we are learning about different living organisms and what they need to grow. We had a robust conversation last week about how we defined a living thing.  We found out that not all living things have eyes and mouths. Last week we planted a bean seed each and are now waiting for it to pop through the soil. We will be tracking its growth over the next few weeks. We also planted a bean seed to keep out of sunlight (in a cupboard) and one that we are not going to water. Do you think they will grow? As part of this topic we will be having a couple of lessons with the Life Education Educator and we'll get to meet Harold the Giraffe, how exciting!

Beckenham's Got Talent

Does your child love to sing, dance, play music or like to entertain in any way? If so, then Beckenham's Got Talent is for them! This is a school wide show where children will audition in their hubs and, if selected, perform in front of the school on the last day of term. If your child is interested in giving this a go then get practising at home and let your child's homegroup teacher know they are keen.

Up coming dates:

• 4th September school will be closed due to a Staff Only Day
• Life Education Van (Harold the Giraffe) will be at school in weeks 8 and 9
• End of Term 3 - Friday 25th September

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,

Stacey, Kendall, Elizabeth and Nicola.

 Kia Ora e te Whānau, 

Cricket

Beckenham PTA Disco

How wonderful to have the disco to look forward to on Friday, the 21st of August! We are very excited and can’t wait to see the children all having a boogie.

Disco Times: Koru and Kahikatea: 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Please feel free to send your child to school wearing their disco outfit at the start of the day. If you feel that their outfit may get damaged, please send it along in a named bag. The teachers will help your child to change into their dancing clothes after Big Play.

Teachers will collect gold coin donations at the start of the day. Please note that no food will be sold at the disco; however, your child will receive a small container of popcorn. If you would prefer that your child doesn’t have the popcorn, please contact your child’s Home Group teacher and let them know.

Please contact your child's Home Group teacher if you have any questions about the disco.

Photo Gallery

Reminders: 

Up Coming Dates: 

Kia ora, e te whānau,

A very warm welcome (back) to you all, and we especially welcome the families of our newest tamariki. The children have settled beautifully, and we are truly impressed with the way the older children are showing such care and kindness towards the children who had their first day at school last week. 

We have a busy term ahead, and will be keeping you up to date with our whiteboard notices, as well as through our blog posts. Also, please make sure you read our school newsletters as they are sent out to you via Hero. Another way to keep up to date is by checking our school website where you can find our school calendar. Here you will find all the details you will need to know, about what's coming up in the days, weeks and months ahead.

What's coming up: 

On Friday, August 7th, a 'Scooter-athlon' is being held at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto. This will involve Koru team tamariki running a short distance, scooting around a course which will be well-marked for the children and finishing with another short run. Teachers will take their Home Groups out to walk the course, prior to the event itself. There will be several marshalls at points around the course, to ensure that children follow the correct route. The running parts of the course are in the park, and the scooting part is around the edge of our junior playground and also includes the courtyard area on the river side of the hall.

If you happen to have a spare scooter and helmet, we would be very grateful if you were willing to lend them for use during the event. Please see your child's Home Group teacher if this is the case.

If your child would like to participate, however doesn't have a scooter and a helmet, please let your child's Home Group teacher know and we will endeavour to match your child with a spare scooter and helmet.

Please note that this is a fun event and there is no compulsion for children to participate.

Those children participating will do so in house groups:

• 2:25 p.m.: Fisher and Heathcote
• 2:35 p.m.: Tennyson and Waimea

What a Brilliant Term 2! 

We've had an absolute blast this term! Our Koru Hub has been filled with laughter, deep learning, and wonderful moments of collaboration. It's been incredible watching our tamariki strengthen their friendships and work so beautifully together. Looking ahead, we are thrilled to welcome our third home group to the Koru team next term. Thank you for a fantastic term!

A massive thank you to everyone who joined us in the Hall last Wednesday for our PTA Midwinter Breakfast! It was wonderful to see so many cosy pyjamas and smiling faces sharing a morning meal together.

We want to extend a special shout-out to:

• Our Generous Community: Thank you to everyone who brought along a canned food donation to support those in need.
• The Incredible PTA and Volunteers: An extra-large thank you to the amazing team who arrived in the dar, early hours to set up the hall and whip up bowls of delicious warming porridge!

Digitech

On Thursday, we were incredibly fortunate to be able to welcome Kate Sutherland from Digital Future Aotearoa to spend the morning with us.

As part of our Matariki learning, we explored our kura from a different perspective and reflected on the places that are special to us. We began by wondering what our school might look like from above, like a bird in flight, before comparing our ideas with a real aerial view through a drone flight over the kura and park.

Tamariki noticed familiar places in a whole new way and shared their ideas about where we learn, play, and care for our environment. Back inside, they added their own reflections to aerial images of our kura, as well as creating their own bird's eye view drawings, celebrating Tūrangawaewae, our place of belonging.

We also explored digital citizenship and the responsibility that comes with being a safe and ethical drone pilot. We learned to look out for manu (birds), kurī (dogs), and people in the park, while Kate shared some of the Civil Aviation rules that help keep everyone safe.

It was a wonderful morning of noticing, wondering, reflecting, and connecting with our kura through a different lens.

Term 3 information:

Matariki - Wednesday 22 July

Matariki is the start of the Māori New Year and a time of reflection, connection and planning for the year ahead. We would like to celebrate at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto, with you and your whānau on Wednesday, the 22nd of July, 5:30 - 7:00 pm. There will be a welcome and performance in Māpuna, the Hall by Te Whānau Mahi Tahi. Then Matariki workshops and activities in the Hubs for whānau to make, play and experience together. Pōhutukawa and Kōwhai Kapa Haka will perform in Māpuna, the Hall, to finish the evening. 

Scooter-athlon - Friday 7 August

Next term, our Koru Team will take part in an exciting Scooter-athlon on Friday, 7th August, from 1:30 - 3:00 pm. This is the first time this event will take place at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto! Whānau are invited to come along and cheer on the tamariki. The Scooter-athlon will follow a run - scooter - run format. Students are encouraged to wear their House T-Shirts, bring their own scooter and helmet, wear closed-toe shoes, and follow safety rules. The Year 7/8 students will act as marshals to help run the event safely. Please note: if it is raining, the Scooter-athlon will be postponed. Any changes will be shared via Hero. Please let your homegroup teacher know if your child does not have a scooter, or if you have a spare one you are happy to lend. We can't wait to see the tamariki scoot, run, and have fun - nau mai te wero - We Love Challenge!

We look forward to seeing you all next term,

Kendall, Nicola, Elizabeth and Stacey