Category Archives: Weekly Newsletters

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 31 May 2024, Week 5

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

A reminder that school is closed this Monday the 3rd of June, King's Birthday.

Mid Year Report and Learning Conference Information

Reports are being published at the end of next week, 7 June, and will be available to view on HERO. Following this, Learning Conferences will be held in Week 7 on Tuesday 11 June and Wednesday 12 June. 

Conferences will start at 1.45pm on both days. To support the availability of staff for these conferences we ask for children to please be collected from school on both days at 1.30pm. Supervision will be available until 3pm for a small group of children. More information about this will come out to you via Hero next week. These conferences will be an important opportunity to connect with your child's teacher and learn more about your child's learning progress and achievement. Your child attends the Learning Conference with you.

Please book a Learning Conference for each of your children by clicking on this link and enter the code usvg6 and follow the instructions. 

If your child is in Steve Cooke's Home Group please book by clicking on this link and enter the code 6ab6s. Steve's conferences will operate slightly differently as he has a professional commitment to facilitate learning for teachers from other schools on those days.

We recommend not booking time slots back to back, in case meetings run over the allocated time.

If you need any assistance to book a conference, please contact Jacky in the office on 03 337 1404 or office@beckenham.school.nz

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Fri 7 Jun - Celebration Assembly, 10:00 - 10:30am, in the Hall
Fri 7 Jun - School Disco (details below)
Tue 11 Jun - Learning Conferences
Wed 12 Jun - Learning Conferences
Fri 21 Jun - Celebration Assembly, 10:00 - 10:30am, in the Hall
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura, 5.30-7pm
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staff Room
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Green Room
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed) 
Fri 5 Jul - Celebration Assembly, 10:00 - 10:30am, in the Hall 
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Mon 22 Jul - First day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week (W4)

Caoimhe Ryan - Year 6

Caoimhe, we love your cheery greetings to the teachers each day, and you are always willing to lend a helping hand to your team. You have a love of learning that is an inspiration to others, and you're always determined to do your very best work. When you put your heart and mind to something, Caoimhe, you are unstoppable! Kei runga noa atu koe.

Citizen of the Week (W5)

Lewis Potter - Year 8

Lewis you are such an enthusiatic and focussed learner, you have a hunger and thirst for knowledge which translates across all curriculum areas. You are an excellent example of someone who pushes and challenges themselves constantly. You are an awesome role model and problem solver. We love having you in our Kauri team!

School Notices

Uniforms

Our school uniform has been designed so that many items are easy wear and available to be purchased at most clothing stores where cost and quality is your choice. We appreciate your support in ensuring tamariki are wearing the correct uniform items to school.

The full uniform can be found on our website, linked here.

Please would you also check the names on your child's jerseys as we have a few missing but named uniform items that may have accidentally been collected and taken to the wrong one home. 

Spare Uniform 

As we head into winter we are noticing the inevitable increase of muddy shoes and clothes as students come back from play and lunch, having played sports and games on the Park (or in the puddles!). If your child is coming home with very muddy or wet clothes, please consider supplying them with a spare pair of school shorts and a spare school top for them to change into once they finish their play. 

PTA School Disco (held in the School Hall)

We’re looking forward to the PTA School Disco taking place on Friday 7th of June in the School Hall... get your dancing shoes and a gold coin ready! The PTA will have chips and popcorn to buy. A named drink bottle of water is recommended.

N/E, Year 1 & 2     2:00-2:45PM
Year 3 & Year 4     4:00-4:45PM
Year 5 & Year 6     5:10-6:10PM
Year 7 & Year 8     6:30-7:30PM

Thank you Lilly-Ann for our awesome Disco posters!

Cyber Safety Information

As our tamariki spend more time online, it’s important parents and whānau help them stay safe. Now is a great time to talk to your tamariki about how we use the internet and digital technology safely.

Netsafe has created the Online Safety Parent Toolkit so parents and whānau have all the information they need to talk about online safety.

If you or anyone in your whānau needs support, or expert incident advice, you can contact Netsafe through the options below:
  • Email help@netsafe.org.nz
  • Call toll free on 0508 NETSAFE (0508 638 723)
  • Online report at netsafe.org.nz/report
  • Text ‘Netsafe’ to 4282

Book Character Dress Up Day

Book Character Dress Up Day last Friday marked the end of our Readathon. Book Character Day is highly anticipated and enjoyed right throughout the school, with staff and tamariki invited to dress up as their favourite book character. The costumes did not disappoint! 

Our colourful Kōwhai crayons!

PTA News

Thank you for getting involved in this year’s Readathon. It has been wonderful to see the tamariki proudly bringing back their forms and sponsorship. I hope some good reading habits have been embedded! We raised a grand total of $4557.30 which will help us towards our fundraising goals of supporting school bus trips and updating the kapa haka uniforms. Thank you to Paper Tree St Martins for helping out with the voucher draw. 

The PTA meet monthly and our next meeting is on Wednesday 26th June so if you think you would like to get involved in helping with fundraising and other fun events around the school then get in touch at pta@beckenham.school.nz

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA

An insight into the PTA experience from the PTA Chairperson

"In 2016, when my daughter started school, I joined the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) with the aim of giving back to the school community that had been so warm and welcoming to our family. 

As a member of the PTA, I quickly became involved and was soon elected as the Chairperson of the organization. Working alongside a fabulous group of like-minded and passionate parents, we dedicated our time to volunteering and providing support to our school whānau. 

As the Chairperson, I led the PTA in developing and implementing initiatives that would benefit our school community, such as fundraising events, community programs. 

Through my involvement in the PTA, I gained a deeper appreciation for the importance of community involvement in education and the positive impact it can have on everyone involved."  Jason Orchard, PTA Chairperson

BOT Update

In Term 2 we are reviewing topics in the Employer Responsibility Policy section. If you would like to review these policies, and give feedback on the content or implementation, please follow the instructions below.
  1. Visit the website https://beckenham.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
  2. Enter the username (beckenham) and password (pride).
  3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
  4. Read the policy.
  5. Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
  6. Select the reviewer type.
  7. Enter your name (optional).
  8. Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
  9. Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

This review closes on July 5th 2024, please get your feedback in before this date.

Community Notices

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

Andrea's Sewing, Alterations and Repairs

School Uniform Fittings and Alterations, Repairs
Full Suits and Formal Dresses Fittings and Alterations 
Enquiries Welcome 

My contact details are Ph 0274665646
I am located at 37 Mathers Road Hoon Hay 
My current hours are 8am till 5.30pm  Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri.  (Closed Wednesday)

FREE Event for Students: Swimming Have-a-Go Carnival

Canterbury West Coast is excited to announce our second dedicated "Have-a-Go Carnival" event for 2024 on the 16th June at Taiora QEII Recreation & Sport Centre.

The event is open to any swimmer (of any age) who is not currently registered as a club or competitive swimmer with Swimming New Zealand and is capable of swimming 25m without assistance.

Participation is free, and registration is available on our website. Swimmers are welcome to swim in 25m, 50m, kick, and relay races!

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 17 May 2024, Week 3

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou,

Support Staff Day 

On Friday we celebrated our support staff - Teaching Assistants, Admin Team, Caretaker and Librarian. We are grateful for their mahi (work) and the aroha (love/compassion) they show our tamariki. They appreciate what each child brings to our kura (school) and value their uniqueness.
So we say THANK YOU to our amazing support staff team!                


               
Friday was also Pink Shirt Day. As a nation, this is a day to celebrate diversity and promote kindness and inclusion.

"Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!"

We invited tamariki to wear something pink if they wanted to and what a sea of pink there was in the playground! Homegroups started the day talking about the origins of the day and how it relates to our Kete Values and our daily life, both in and out of school

Upcoming Staff Only Day

Please note that Friday 31st of May has been confirmed as a Staff Only Day. The school will be closed while our Teachers and Teaching Assistants attend professional development with our Kāhui Ako (a learning group made up of other schools and early childhood providers in the local area).

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Wed 22 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 24 May - Book Character Dress Up Day
Wed 29 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Dylan Batchelor - Year 6

Dylan, you are a good friend and importantly, you are an upstander and a role model in this area. Your love of learning shines through every day. It is exciting to see that you are always keen to increase your knowledge and skills. Ka rawe Dylan.

Zeke Hood - Year 8

Zeke, your determination and focus, paired with your willingness to tackle challenges head-on and seek guidance when necessary, sets you apart. You've shown initiative by taking ownership of your learning journey, and it's evident in the progress you've made. Your curious spirit shines through in your active participation and thoughtful questioning. Additionally, your friendly manner makes you a pleasure to collaborate with. Keep up the fantastic work, Zeke!

School Notices

Spare Clothing

Just a reminder as we approach wet weather, that a spare change of clothes is something you may want to pack in your child's bag if they are likely to need it.

Beckenham Out of School Care Organisation (BOSCO)


BOSCO provides before and after school care, as well as school holiday programmes.

We currently have space in the mornings and afternoons.

WINZ subsidy approved.
Located within the school grounds.

Any questions you may have please feel free to email or call
office@bosco.org.nz
027 645 6632

Lunch Ordering

Tuesday | Thursday Lunch Ordering

Monday | Wednesday | Friday Lunch Ordering
If you need a Lunchonline account... it’s simple, all you need to do is register an account at:  www.lunchonline.co.nz
  1. Login/Place an Order
  2. Create an account 
  3. Add member/s include name, school and classroom number
  4. Under Lunch Orders select student name – Start order and place your order 
  5. You will be directed to the make a payment page
  6. A pop up will confirm ‘your order has been successful’ or check ‘Order History’ tab
  7. Any queries please call us on 0800 LOL LOL (0800565565)

Community Notices

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

AUT Survey

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 3 May 2024, Week 1

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to Term 3! It has been lovely catching up with everyone this week and hearing about holiday experiences.

Staffing Updates

A few staffing updates to share.

Teaching Assistant
On Monday we welcomed Tim Cleland to our staff. Tim has a background in outdoor education and has volunteered at Beckenham over the past few years. It's great to have him join the team. Tim will mostly be working in the Kauri team.

Charlotte Verity - Year 3-4
Congratulations and farewell to Charlotte! Charlotte has been appointed and has accepted a Teaching Position at another school in Christchurch. Charlotte will take up this position in Week 8 and her last day at Beckenham will be Friday 14 June.
We will be sad to see her go and we wish Charlotte all the very best with this new career adventure.

Temporary cover for Sue Leadbetter & SENCO duties
Sue is currently on sick leave after having had back surgery this week. She is feeling good all things considered, and is now in recovery mode after a successful surgery. We wish Sue all the best for her recovery and look forward to welcoming her back in a few weeks.

Whilst Sue is on leave Laura Williamson will join the SLT team in a SENCo support role. 

Team Blogs

The school newsletter and team blogs alternate each week. The team blogs are a great way to see what your child's team have been focussing on and learn about what is coming up. Sitting with your child looking at the photos and sharing the news provides a conversation starter to hear more about what your child has been learning and doing at school. We encourage you to take the time to sit with your child each fortnight and talk through the learning and events. 

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Tue 14 May - School Cross Country 
Wed 22 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 24 May - Book Character Dress Up Day
Wed 29 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Ophelia Holton - Year 4

Ophelia, you are an extremely kind, caring and enthusiastic member of the team. You are self-motivated, trustworthy and a wonderful team player. You show all of our school values every single day. Thank you for always being such an outstanding role model. Well done, Ophelia!

School Notices

Food Allergy Guidelines

Across our school, we have a number of children with different food allergies.

To support the wellbeing of these students we have the following guidelines in place which we ask you to follow
  • All students should only eat lunches and snacks that have been provided by their caregivers.  
  • Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes provided by caregivers should be clearly labelled with the name of their child.  Home group teachers and caregivers will decide where the children’s bottles and lunch boxes will be kept during the day to ensure no cross contamination occurs.
  • Parents are asked not to bring food into school to be shared with other children.  Whilst we understand that there are times you want to celebrate special events for your children with their friends at school, e.g. birthdays or being awarded prizes, by bringing food and treats for them to share, we have a policy of children only eating the food that their whānau have prepared and sent with them.  We have a number of students with food allergies and also need to respect the wishes of some families who want to monitor what their children are eating and prefer their children just to eat food they have prepared. From time to time, there may be an event that teachers have organised that will involve food (cultural or learning activities) and they will have advised families in advance that this will be happening.  
  • At the beginning of each year caregivers will need to check the expiry dates on any medication to be held at school.  
  • On the first day of school, caregivers will need to bring their child’s medication to the school office.  Caregivers will need to sign a medicine authority form (School Docs).  The responsibility of monitoring the expiry dates of medications rests with the parent.
  • Caregivers may be asked to come and talk to staff about their child’s specific health needs and ways we can support them at school.
We will inform you during the year if specific guidelines for your child’s hub change. 

Our full allergy policy and guidelines are available on the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto website under “Information - Policies - SchoolDocs, then search ‘allergy’. (Username: beckenham - Password: pride)

If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them in the first instance with your child’s home group teacher.

Coffee Car Update

A message from Amber & Gyaltsen: "The Wheel Coffee car is now up for sale! We will no longer be selling coffee on Monday and Friday mornings. 
We sincerely appreciate all the support from the staff who have been regular customers and the Beckenham community. 

Kindest regards, Amber & Gyaltsen"

On that note - if anyone in our community has connections with a Coffee Van or Cart, who may wish to work with us to continue providing a school gate 'pick me up' service a couple of times each week, we would be interested in hearing from you. 

Welcome Assembly

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Welcome Assembly today. Together we welcomed new students and staff, who have joined us since our Term 1 Welcome Assembly, into our Beckenham whānau.

Reminder Period Products Available Here

Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata: Period products in schools, aims to provide access to free period products for children and young people in all state and state-integrated schools and kura across New Zealand.

In 2020, Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata started with a trial phase in 15 schools and kura across the Waikato, to understand more about providing period products in schools and kura.

In February 2021, the Government announced the expansion of the initiative to all state and state-integrated schools and kura across New Zealand on an opt-in basis. Schools and kura have been able to access products for students since June 2021 with funding secured until June 2024.

Providing free ikura products in all state and state-integrated schools and kura aims to:
  • reduce barriers to school attendance and sports involvement
  • improve child and youth wellbeing
  • reduce financial strain on families and whānau, and
  • promote positive gender norms and reduce stigmatisation of menstruation.
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto opts in to this program. If you have any questions about the availabilty of product, please email or speak to the Office.

Scholastic Issue 3 Out Now

Issue 3 ordering closes - Friday 28 June 2024. Please click the link below to view, and place orders:


PTA News

PTA School Disco

The PTA will be running the disco(s) on the 7th June and the PTA needs you. We are running 4 x Disco (timing below) for the tamariki on the 7th June, these are based on their home groups.

We need 10 x Helper per disco to make sure the tamariki are safe.

If you can help at just one or all of the disco that great. Without your support, we can't run the disco.

The timing of the disco are:

NE - Year 1&2 2pm -2.45pm

Year 3&4 4:00-4:45

Year 5&6 5:10-6:10

Year 7&8 6:30-7:30

If you want to help please contact: Jason Orchard 027 4444-888 [PTA Chairperson] or email us at pta@beckenham.school.nz with when you can help out and some contact details.

Readathon 2024!

Look out for the readathon sponsorship forms coming home from school. This is a great opportunity to help encourage your children’s reading as well as raising some money for the school. The readathon runs for two weeks and we will be collecting forms and sponsorship money and giving out bookmarks during the week of 20th May. There will be spot prizes on Book Character day - Friday 24th of May! 

Keep in touch with the PTA

To stay up to date with the PTA, please check out our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA Facebook page, linked here. Or come along to one of our meetings - all welcome.

PTA meeting dates can be found in the fortnightly School Newsletter, or on the school calendar - linked here. These meetings are usually held twice a term on a Wednesday night 7.30-9.30pm. 

Sports News

Cross Country

Our whole school cross-country event takes place on the afternoon of Tuesday the 14th of May. The children have been out practising this week, developing perseverance and resilience; it is wonderful to see how they encourage each other. You are invited to join us to spectate and cheer on our tamariki. We start with Year 8 races at 1:30pm. 

Children race in their year groups. 

The courses vary. The older the children, the longer the course. Years 0 to 4 have courses set on Beckenham Park. Years 5 to 8 have a course that includes Beckenham Park and a loop of Eastern Terrace, Fisher Avenue and Norwood Street. 

Children run in their house top or their school polo. Please make sure that your child wears suitable running shoes. Trainers are ideal. 

If you can help out on the Year 5 to 8 course as a marshal, please fill in this form. 

Winter Sport

We are still looking for adults to help with winter sport. 
We are in particular need of adults to help with Year 5/6 and Year 7/8 football and Year 5/6 and 7/8 hockey. 
If you can help out on Thursday afternoons starting on Thursday 30th May, please fill out this form. If there are people within your whānau who have the time and enthusiasm to help, please pass on the invitation. 

BOT Update

Dear Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School Community,

We have an update to share with you regarding our school leadership. As you know, at the start of this year, our Principal Sandy Hastings, entered a secondment as Leadership Advisor with the Ministry of Education. Sandy has decided that the time is now right to step away from her permanent role at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto.

Since joining us in May 2011, Sandy has played a pivotal role in guiding our kura through numerous challenges and achievements. Her dedication and leadership have left a lasting impact on our community, and we are incredibly grateful for her years of service.

We will find a special moment to bid farewell to Sandy, celebrate her contributions and wish her all the best for the future. In the meantime, as a Board, our attention will now turn to the process of recruiting a new Principal before the end of the school year.

Thank you for your continued support.

Regards,

Marcel Frei
Presiding Member of the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees

A message from Sandy Hastings:

Having started as principal at Beckenham in May 2011, just after the major February earthquakes, the role has included much more significant change management than I could have ever anticipated. The first two years included managing our way through aftershocks. We experienced the loss of the school library through a fire (2012), and have gone through several years of rebuilding (2015-2018) including the addition of two new roll-growth classrooms (2021) and significant landscaping and playground improvements. Alongside this physical change, I have had the privilege of working with 33 Trustees including seven Board Chairs (Presiding Members), seven Deputy Principals, and over 145 staff. It has always been a privilege to work alongside and lead with these people and our community through changes that also included 13 years of pedagogical shift and changes in government educational priorities. During 2018 our staff supported one another and our ākonga through the tragedy that was the Mosque shootings, and then, in 2020, changed gear to navigate our way through a pandemic. In 2015, we also celebrated the Centenary of the school which was an important milestone.

At the end of last year, the opportunity to take up a secondment in the Ministry of Education as a Leadership Advisor felt like a timely and appropriate opportunity for me, to share much of the learning that I have had over nearly 19 years of principalship with my colleagues in the wider Canterbury and Chatham Islands region. I have now been in the role for a term, and I have been given the opportunity to continue this role for another year, which I have accepted. At the end of that time, I will review what my next steps might be. In the meantime, I am also about to become a grandmother for the first time, to twins who are due to be born sometime in the next eight weeks, and will be coming to live in our home. This has also contributed to my decision to formally step away from the role of principal, to allow me to be more present and available in my new family role.

I have enjoyed, appreciated and loved my time at Beckenham, serving the school community and working with the most amazing people to try and always put our tamariki at the very centre of our decisions, and ensure that each of them achieve the very best possible outcomes. I would like to thank every one of our Board members, staff past and present, and the whānau of the hundreds and hundreds of children who have been through Beckenham during my tenure there, for their support, and for the challenges and opportunities, that have enabled me to grow both professionally and personally. I wish all of you, every success for the future.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings

Community Notices

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






Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 5 April 2024, Week 10

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Staffing update
Congratulations and thanks to Amber Donovan. Amber will be the Acting Team Leader for the Kahikatea team for the remainder of 2024, while Katie McFarlane is the Acting Deputy Principal. Amber is excited to support the team in this role.

Next week is the last week of Term 1 and then it is the April school holidays (2 weeks). The Beckenham team wish all the tamariki and their whānau a safe and restful holiday ready for the start of Term 2 on Monday 29th April. 

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Fri 12 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Mon 29 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 3 May - Welcome Assembly, 9.15-9.30am, Hall
Tue 14 May - School Cross Country TBC
Wed 22 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Wed 29 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Jensen Greig - Year 6 

Jensen, your kind and caring nature is noticed on a daily basis. You have a love for learning new things and for sharing your vast array of awesome knowledge. You bring laughter and fun to the Pōhutukawa hub. Your ability to talk things through sensibly is admirable. Ka mau te wehi!

Citizen of the Week

Briana Kokkinidis - Year 8

Bree, you are such a deep thinker and we so appreciate the richness you add to discussions in our hub. You are full of sparkle and creativity. Organisation, empathy and courage shape you into the wonderful person you are. Ka rawe, Bree!

School Notices

Cheese Rolls

Thank you to everyone who ordered cheese rolls! This fundraiser supports the various Education Outside the Classroom activities planned for Year 7 and 8 this year. Thank you also to the high functioning team who made the rolls, a tremendous effort! We hope you enjoy eating them.

Parking

3min area on Sandwich Road

A reminder please, that the stretch of road adjacent to the Admin building on Sandwich Road is a 3 minute drop-off zone from 8:30-9:30am and 2:30-3:30pm, on school days. This means drivers are not able to sit in their cars from 2:30pm waiting for children, or to park cars in this area and go into school. If you arrive early and wait for children, or if you need to get out of your car and come into school, please find an alternative place to park. Having this area just for drop-offs means that the traffic on Sandwich Road moves smoothly before and after school, and this is much safer for our children.

Eastern Terrace

Please be considerate to bus drivers, and other road users by ensuring you are not parking in the signposted areas that are reserved for bus parking during certain hours. 

BOSCO School Holiday programme

Monday 15th April – Friday 26th April

Closed for ANZAC Day

For all bookings, please follow the steps on bosco.aimyplus.com
New families will need to register as a new parent following the simple steps.
Any issues or questions please don’t hesitate to call or email.

To see an enlarged version of the above Holiday Programme Schedule, please click here.

Remembering the ANZACs

Next week the student council will be selling ANZAC biscuits, with all money going to the RSA. Children bring a gold coin donation on Thursday morning to order their ANZAC biscuit from in front of the hall before school. They will receive their biscuit on Friday in time for morning tea. A lot of fun was had deciding on the perfect recipe! A gluten free option will be available to order. There will also be a poppy badge making activity at lunchtime on Thursday for those who would like to take part.

PTA News

Keep in touch with the PTA
To stay up to date with the PTA, please check out our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA Facebook page, linked here. Or come along to one of our meetings - all welcome.

Meeting dates can be found in the fortnightly School Newsletter, or on the school calendar - linked here.
These meetings are usually held on a Wednesday night 7.30-9.30pm.

Community Notices

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

ACTT's Mandarin Parenting Seminar

Arts Centre April School Holiday Fun Programme

Methven Scarecrow Trail: Saturday April 13 – Sunday April 28, 2024

The Methven Scarecrow Trail is a hugely popular and fun family event run in the April school holidays. It is suitable for all ages!

Every year, members of the Methven community build scarecrows to a particular theme and these scarecrows, usually around 30+ in number, are scattered around the town for families to find and try to identify the name of the character.  This year's theme is Children's Movie - Animated Characters. Families or small groups purchase a Trail Map/Entry form from the iHub Information Centre and there are sponsored prizes for the most correct entries and for the most popular scarecrows.

Don't forget to like the Scarecrow Trail FB page if possible - this is where we post messages and the results - https://www.facebook.com/MethvenScarecrowTrail/

Starting May 1 free bus fares for 5-12 year olds no longer available

Upcoming fare changes mean 5–12 year olds need to top up their Metro card.

As of 1 May, 5-12-year-old's will no longer travel for free on the bus following the government’s changes to its Community Connect concessions scheme. This is a nationwide change, decided by the new government. Children 4 years old and under will continue to travel for free without a Metrocard. 

Children 5-12 will now need to top up their Metro cards in order to pay the $1 bus and $2 ferry concessions as part of the half-price Under 25 concession from May 1. The Council had already planned for the continuation of the Under 25 concession in its 2022/23 Annual Plan, as part of its flat fare trial.   

All other Metro concessions for Greater Christchurch will remain the same including Community Services Card holders, tertiary students, and Total Mobility customers.

All Greater Christchurch Metro fares can be viewed here.   


April School Holiday program being run by 'Thrive in Sport'

Here is the registration link for people interested in attending.
https://form.jotform.com/Bell_Matt_matt/SHPApril24






Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāmere (Friday) 22 March 2024, Week 8

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

In the assembly this week we had a celebration for how 'We Make a Difference'. The support the tamariki are showing each other in so many ways across our kura is humbling. What a team!

As a kura (school) we have been receiving communications from the Ministry of Education about attendance. As a country, low and non-regular attendance is a challenge being faced by schools. To give it some context we have included some of this communication below. 

If a student misses one day of school every two weeks, they miss a whole year of school by 16 years of age. As a parent or caregiver, you, alongside our school, play a key role in building strong habits of regular school attendance.

All students are legally required to attend school every day and it is a shared responsibility to make sure students attend and engage in learning from when they first start school. As we enter 2024, every day of school matters.

You must let the school know if your child is going to be absent for a day or intends to be absent for a portion of the school term for whatever reason, like a tangi or medical procedure.  Family holidays or taking time off for extracurricular activities (not organised by school) are not acceptable reasons for being absent.

If you would like to talk about your child's attendance and how we can support please contact your child's Homegroup teacher in the first instance.


In the spirit of We Make a Difference, we are sharing this incredible photo that one of our whānau took from a plane, with Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto front and centre in the foreground. Can you find it?

We Make a Difference in an emergency. Each term we practice how we evacuate the school safely in the event of an earthquake or fire. We will have an evacuation drill before the end of the term.

Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith - Tumuaki (Acting Principal)

Important Dates

(you can also find the Community Calendar on our website here)

Wed 27 Mar - Canterbury Swimming
Wed 27 Mar - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 27 Mar - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Fri 29 Mar - Good Friday (kura/school closed)
Mon 1 Apr - Easter Monday (kura/school closed)
Tue 2 Apr - Easter Tuesday (kura/school closed)
Fri 12 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Mon 29 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 3 May - Welcome Assembly, 9.15-9.30am, Hall
Tue 14 May - School Cross Country TBC
Wed 22 May - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM
Wed 29 May - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 31 May - Staff Only Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 3 Jun - King's Birthday (kura/school closed)
Tue 25 Jun - Matariki Evening at Kura
Wed 26 Jun - BoT Meeting, 5.30-7.30PM, Staffroom
Wed 26 Jun - PTA Meeting, 7.30-9.30PM, Staffroom
Fri 28 Jun - Matariki (kura/school closed)
Fri 5 Jul - Last day of Term 2

Term Dates: Click here to view  2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Siunipa Latu - Year 8 

Siunipa, you have a gift for motivating and encouraging others through your positive energy and words. You have a strong set of personal values and your actions at kura exemplify teamwork, respect and integrity. Siunipa, you enthusiastically participate in learning across the curriculum and embrace opportunities to share your knowledge and skills with others. Tino pai tō mahi, Siunipa! 

Citizen of the Week

Terence Lee - Year 4

Terence, you are an exemplary role model in the Kōwhai hub, approaching each day with a positive, can-do attitude. In all areas of your schooling, you are self-motivated and consistently strive to do your best, no matter how big or small the task. Ka rawe, Terence! 

School Notices

Last Chance for Cheese Rolls

Year 7 & 8 are fundraising for outdoor education days by making cheese rolls. These delicious cheese rolls are made with the traditional Southland recipe! Please click on this link to place your order.  The form must be submitted, by Friday March 22nd.

Many thanks for your support. Orders will be made up on Thursday, April 4th and will be ready for collection after school. If you would like to supply your own container (and we very much hope you do), please clearly name it and drop it off in the collection box outside the hall from Monday, March 25th. 

Easter Holiday Clarification

There have been some questions from whānau about why school is closed on Easter Tuesday. All schools, primary and secondary, across the country are closed on Good Friday, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday, and always have been, for as long as anyone can remember. We're not sure what the historical rationale for this is - it is just always the way it has been. When schools used to have three, 13 or 14 week terms a year, Easter always fell during the first term, and the 5 day weekend was a very welcome break during a long term.

When schools moved to four, 10 week terms a year in 1996, the Easter break has mostly fallen within the school holidays at the end of the first term. However, in some years - 1997, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2021 and now in 2024 - Easter has fallen during the first term, rather than during the holidays.

You can see the Ministry of Education guidance around setting School Terms and Holiday Dates here.

Road Patrol

Our wonderful Y6 Road Patrollers had a refresher training course this week, this was run by Constable Meg. Constable Meg was very impressed with how much they had retained. They had great timing and nice loud, clear commands. A wonderful display of team work, 'We Get There Together' and 'We Make a Difference'.
Thank you to our Road Patrol Team for keeping everyone safe!

Christchurch Schools' Music Festival Representative Group

If your child is an instrumentalist or singer interested in auditioning to be part of one of the representative groups for the 2024 Festival, applications are open now and will close on Monday, April 1st.

The representative groups are Senior Choir (Years 7 & 8), Junior Choir (Years 5 & 6), Orchestra (Years 5 - 8), and Concert Band (Years 5 - 8).

The Festival team are looking to select the very best singers and musicians from across Christchurch for the Representative Groups of the Music Festival, so tamariki have to pass an audition to get in, even if they have been in a Representative Group previously.

More information about the groups and auditions can be found via this link.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Ngā mihi
Thomas 
thomas.woodfield@beckenham.school.nz

Student council ANZAC Biscuits!

This term the student council is planning activities and messages to commemorate ANZAC day. We are going to be making ANZAC biscuits that children can order with a gold coin on Thursday 11th April, and collect from their teacher on Friday 12th April at morning tea time (one biscuit per person), gluten-free options are available. The money that we collect will be given to the RSA.

BOT Update

Our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees met at the end of February, and said a huge thank you and bid farewell to Sampson Karst, our Appointed Whānau and Iwi (Ngāi Tahu) Trustee. Sampson has served our kura on our Board since 2019, and his presence and expertise have quietly made a significant impact on outcomes for whānau and ākonga. Tēnā rawa atu koe!

Term 1 Policy Review

In term 1 we are reviewing topics in the Governance and Management, Parents and Whānau, and Documentation and Self-Review Policy sections. 
Who reviews our policies and procedures?

All reviews are open to board, staff, students, and the school community (parents/caregivers/whānau).
Anyone can review any policy/procedure that has a review button. The board is responsible for board-level overarching policies. 

To start reviewing, click on a topic name above, then click the Start your review button. If a link is inactive, our school doesn't have the topic.

When we review our policies with SchoolDocs, we are reviewing each policy for its content as well as how well the school implements it. To share your comments and rate its implementation, click the "Start your review" button, or see detailed instructions below.
  1. Visit the website https://beckenham.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
  2. Enter the username (beckenham) and password (pride).
  3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
  4. Read the policies up for review.
  5. Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
  6. Select the reviewer type.
  7. Enter your name (optional).
  8. Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
  9. Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

Community Notices

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

Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington has a Cybersafety Parent Workshop on the 27 March and would like to extend the invitation to the wider community. Tickets are available via Eventfinda and are $5 each.

Want to play rugby this winter? 

Join Sydenham Rugby Club - a family oriented club.

Registrations can be done on the club website - sydenhamrugby.co.nz 

A sizing morning/weigh in will be held on the 24th March at the Sydenham Rugby Club (Sydenham Park, Bowling Club).

Any questions please ring the office 332 8875 or email srfc@xtra.co.nz

AKOTECH CodeCamps April School Holidays - EARLY DISCOUNTS

Our holiday camp allows children from the ages of 7-12 to develop 21st century skills in a fun and action packed environment. Create and train your own AI Avatars, make games, code robots & go to work for a simulated Tech Gaming Studio to build games for a big pretend client.  

Develop confidence & initiative through design, creativity, solving problems, presenting & collaboration. Create your own games, worlds and apps to make our world a better place.

We also have Literati Lab just for girls

Venues: Canterbury Uni & STAC
Dates: 15th - 18th & 22nd - 26th April 
Book Now at www.akotech.nz

EarlyBird Save Up to 21% Until 22nd March
Siblings Save 6%

Needing extra academic help?

Spaces available at locally owned & operated Burwood Education Centre (www.nztutoring.org). We have been working alongside schools in assisting struggling Year 2 - 11 students in Maths / English / Reading / Spelling / Comprehension & Extension Tutoring over many years, resulting in greater student confidence and improving educational results. Call Paul on 027-460-3765 for a free student assessment. 

Cashmere Technical FC



Registrations are closing for the 2024 season on 31st March - please register via this link now.

High School Old Boys Junior Rugby Club


Calling all last minute registrations for players Year 1- 8! Come join us at HSOB Rugby
Places available in all teams 
Jump online and register prior to 30 March to receive a boot bag and Training T-Shirt. 

Register here: