Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 28 April 2023

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to the start of Term 2. And just like that, daylight saving is over, the mornings have a distinctly 'crisp' feel to them, and the need for gumboots and rain/warm jackets is upon us!
If you have got out your children's gumboots and jackets and find that they don't fit any more, please consider donating them to the PTA second-hand clothing shop. If you need gumboots or jackets, check out the PTA second-hand clothing shop! 

While we are talking about the need for gumboots, we are thrilled to be able to confirm that the drainage issue under the green slide has finally been resolved. A HUGE thanks to Hamish Denny and the team from Drainworkz for sticking with us and being the reliable contractor who came through and got this job done, after so many others had let us down. Our appreciation also goes out to Richard Scott, on our Board, who has patiently and tenaciously followed this project through to ensure it was completed. The final stage now will be the addition of a rubber surface, at the bottom of the slide and this is on order, expected by the middle of the term.

Our Year 3/4 Kōwhai team have transitioned beautifully into their new way of working across two buildings. Whilst not without some initial challenges, the extra space is being appreciated by staff and students alike.

House Murals

You will notice that four new Murals are being hung on the fence. These murals were begun last year and completed in Term 1 this year.

In 2022 a selection of possible house mascots for each House were designed and the children across the school voted on which mascots they liked the most. A Year 7/8 passion group then took the winning concepts and turned them into designs for these murals. Each mural depicts one of the four house mascots. We think they look amazing!

Union negotiations around Principal Collective Agreements.

You will have probably heard through the media that Primary Principals across the country are 'working to rule' at the moment, whilst they continue to negotiate their collective agreement. As is often the case with the news in the media, this is partially true. There are now two unions that represent principals. The union that I belong to has settled their collective agreement and we are not taking any industrial action. Principals who belong to NZEI, the other union, are the ones who are taking action as they have not yet settled their agreement. 

Teacher Collective Agreement Negotiations

At the moment, NZEI (the single union for teachers) has an offer on the table that Primary Teachers around the country are considering. They will be voting on this offer in a couple of weeks.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Term 2

Mon 1 - Wed 3 May - Year 5/6 Camp - Living Springs
Tue 9 May - 1:30-2:40pm - Whole School Cross Country
Fri 12 May - PTA Discos - save the date!
Tue 23 May - Zone Cross-Country - Y5-8, Hansen Park
Thu 25 May - Board meeting 5:30pm Staffroom
Mon 5 Jun - School Closed - King's Birthday
Wed 14 Jun - Learning Conferences (school closing at 1pm)
Thu 15 Jun - Learning Conferences (school closing at 1pm)
Thu 21 Jun - Whānau Hui and PTA Hāngī
Wed 28 Jun - Board meeting 5:30pm Staffroom
Fri 30 Jun - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Mietta Turnbull - Year 4

Mietta, you are such a fantastic role model in the Kōwhai hub. You show 'We Get There Together' always by lending a helping hand to both your peers and the teachers. Mietta, your enthusiasm knows no bounds and you are always willing to show that you care by offering your help to others. You use initiative in your learning and you are a fantastic communicator. Tino pai Mietta! 

Staff Profiles

Kahikatea Kaiako

Katie McFarlane (Team Leader)
Katie started teaching at Beckenham in 2015 after spending four years at home with her small children. She has worked in Kōwhai, Pōhutukawa, and is now the Team Leader of Kahikatea. She feels privileged to be a part of each child’s learning journey - he taonga te ako. In her spare time, she loves spending time with her husband, two children, and four fur babies.

Lisa Collier
Lisa has been teaching for 12 years and joined Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto in 2021. She is a trained speech and language therapist with a passion for literacy. Lisa is in the classroom three days a week and working in a lead literacy role for the other two. She is also doing further study in the structured literacy area. Lisa has three children, in primary and high school, and spends her spare time watching them dance!

Quynh Nguyen
Quynh started at Beckenham in 2021 and has been enjoying working with the tamariki at our kura. She was working in Masterton before coming back to Christchurch after the pandemic. When not at work, Quynh enjoys zumba dancing, swimming and doing fun activities with her friends.

Amber Donovan
Amber has been working here at BTKOP for the past 12 years. She enjoys the variety and fun of teaching the youngest children and getting to know so many fabulous people within the Beckenham community. Amber lives locally and she has a big garden which her cat and dog love to play in. Amber enjoys spending time with her family and friends and taking walks with her dog Bodhi. 

Krystal Hunt
Krystal began her teaching career in 2013 in Australia. Her family moved to NZ in 2021. She began teaching at BTKOP in the Kahikatea Hub last year. Krystal is passionate about helping every child develop a love of learning and reach their full potential.  She has two small children of her own and loves spending time with her family. She enjoys a good cup of tea, and crocheting amigurumi.
Kahikatea Kaiako (Teachers) - Katie (T/L), Lisa, Quynh, Amber, Krystal

School Notices

Dogs On Site

Please do not bring dogs onto the school site between 8:30am and 3:15pm without prior arrangement. If you have a dog outside the school site at pick-up or drop-off time, please make sure it is on a lead for both the safety of the dog, and of other children. Some children have not yet learned how to behave safely when approaching unfamiliar dogs. In addition to this please ensure your loved pets are away from the gate while waiting outside the school, to allow all children and adults to come in and out comfortably. Thank you.

Winter Wellness


As we head into winter, winter illnesses, such as colds, flu and other respiratory illnesses, along with predicted Covid waves, become more common.

As a school, we are conscious of doing all we can to support our tamariki, whānau and community to be as well as possible.

As a school, we will continue to:
  • Ventilate spaces and keep them warm
  • Regularly clean surfaces
  • Teach/remind tamariki to cough or sneeze into their elbow
  • Teach/remind tamariki to wash and dry their hands regularly, especially after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing, and using the toilet
  • Mask wearing will continue to be optional for those who would like to 
  • Contact whānau if a child is unwell while at school for them to be collected
As whānau, please continue to:
  • Keep your child at home if they are unwell
  • Encourage them to cough or sneeze into their elbow
  • Encourage regular hand washing
  • If someone in your home has covid, your child can still come to school as long as they are well, symptom free and have tested negative. Continue to monitor them for symptoms
For more information/tips have a look at these sites

Before School 

A start of Term reminder that classrooms are open to children from 8:30 am. This is to allow teachers time to prepare for the day. Prior to 8.30am there is no supervision of children. 

If you need to drop your child/ren off before 8:30 am BOSCO provides before-school care. 
Please contact them for more details 
Phone 027 645 6632
Email office@bosco.org.nz

General School Timetable

Hours for Students

08:30 AM – 08:55 AM Students arrive at school and prepare for the day
08:55 AM – 09:00 AM School starts at 8.55, the morning roll is taken.
09:00 AM – 10:30 AM Learning time
10:30 AM – 10:50 AM Play time
10:50 AM – 11:00 AM Kai (food) time whilst learning (e.g. listening to a story)
11:00 AM – 12:40 PM Learning time
12:40 PM – 01:20 PM Play time
01:20 PM – 01:40 PM Kai time (Lunch eating), the afternoon roll is taken.
01:40 PM – 03:00 PM Learning time
03:00 PM                 School ends, home time.

Office Hours

The school office is open from 8:30 AM to 3:45 PM during term time.

Food Allergy Guidelines

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

To support the well-being of these students we have the following guidelines in place which we ask you to follow:
  • Students with severe food allergies 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 labeled 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 the food they have prepared. From time to time, there may be an event that teachers have organized 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 check the expiry dates on any medication to be held at school.  
  • On the first day of school, caregivers will bring their child’s medication to the school office where it will be stored in the Hauora Room. Caregivers will sign a medicine authority form (School Docs Username: beckenham Password: pride).  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 and ways we can support them at school.
  • Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes provided by caregivers, should be clearly labeled by the caregiver, with the name of the child.
  • 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’. (linked here)

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

Three-point turns on Sandwich Road

Sandwich Road is a busy place on either side of the school day. To keep everyone safe please continue along the road and around the block, rather than doing three-point turns or U turns. 

Community Notices

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


School Newsletter Thursday 6 April 2023

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou


Happy Easter to everyone in our community who celebrates this as part of their family values and beliefs.  For some whānau, Easter is a very important part of their Christian faith and holds a significant place in their calendar. For some, Easter has a variety of family traditions that include hunting for eggs in the garden or around the house, spending important family time together, and lots of indulging in chocolate and Hot Cross Buns. Whatever your whānau do over the long, Easter weekend, we wish you a safe and hopefully relaxing break!

Staffing Update

We have welcomed a number of new students into the school during Term 1, and have more students enrolled to start in Term 2. We are seeing a particular growth in our Year 3/4 team, which was a big team to begin with. Therefore, from the start of Term 2, our Year 3/4 Kōwhai Team will be spreading out and using both their hub and the Pūkaki hub as key learning spaces. We have also been fortunate to have allocated some funding to appoint Kathryn Moore as a part-time teacher to support the Year 3/4 team. Kathryn will be in from 9:30am-12:40pm Monday-Thursday and will be taking Numeracy and Literacy groups in the Kōwhai Team. Kathryn is well-known to our school as one of our current preferred relievers.

Kathryn Moore - Year 3/4 teacher

Reminder - Term 2 starts on Wednesday 26th April

We have a Staff Only Day on Monday 24th April and Tuesday 25th April is ANZAC Day.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Term 2

Mon 24 Apr - Staff Only Day (School closed)
Tue 25 Apr - ANZAC Day (School closed)
Wed 26 Apr - First day of Term 2
Fri 28 Apr - 9:15am - Welcome Assembly
Mon 1 - Wed 3 May - Year 5/6 Camp - Living Springs
Tue 9 May - 1:30-2:40pm - Whole School Cross Country
Fri 12 May - PTA Discos - save the date!
Tue 23 May - Zone Cross-Country - Y5-8, Hansen Park
Thu 25 May - Board meeting 5:30pm Staffroom
Mon 5 Jun - School Closed - King's Birthday
Wed 13 Jun - Learning Conferences (school closing at 1pm)
Thu 14 Jun - Learning Conferences (school closing at 1pm)
Thu 21 Jun - Whānau Hui and PTA Hāngi
Wed 28 Jun - Board meeting 5:30pm Staffroom
Fri 30 Jun - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Harriet Parawa - Year 7

Harriet, you are a superstar in our team. You are a motivated learner and always try your best at everything that you do. You consistently demonstrate a positive and caring attitude and are a great friend to others. You have excellent self-management skills, are a positive role model and a ray of sunshine. You are extremely reliable and are always willing to lend a helping hand. We love having you in our team. Well done!

School Notices

Whānau Junior Playground Support Roster

We have a wonderful group of whānau, parents and grandparents, who come along to school during lunch play to support our tamariki in the junior playground. We have had a couple of time slots become available for Term 2. The benefits of being on the 'parent supervision roster' include the opportunity to be a part of the school community, and getting to know other whānau, parents and your child's friends. Please email Katie if you would like to offer your help for Term 2. katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

'Kiss & Go' Drop Off Area

A huge "Thank you" to all those who have supported the 'Kiss & Go' zone. This area is for whānau to pull in and drop off or pick up their children kerb side and then leave. We have noticed cars moving on more quickly which has freed up the space for drop offs, making Sandwich Road move more freely.

The area works best when it is just the children getting in or out of the car (on the kerb side).  If whānau need to come into the school please park elsewhere on Sandwich Road and surrounding streets.


Sports News

Swimming Finals

Well done to Emma Vaile, Olivia Yeates, Lily Miller, Lilly-Anne Bone and Izzy Clarke who went to the Canterbury Swimming finals last week. All students represented our kura with pride and should feel very happy with their achievements. Tino Pai!

Community Notices

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


THE MAKE STUDIO 

Craft & Wellbeing workshops for children & families. 
Encouraging creativity and sparking mindful connections through craft.
Based from a friendly little studio in Cashmere.

April school holiday workshops for children aged 5-12 years:

Hot Air Balloon sculpture Wed 12 April  10-1pm  $50
Craft a whimsical hot air balloon from papier mache, complete with a little flying friend. Express your imagination and learn new skills.

Tree House Miniature Thurs 13 April  10-1pm  $50
Design your own treehouse using twigs and found objects, perfect for Lego people and other small toys.

Autumn Nature Table  Fri 14 April  10-1pm  $50 
Celebrate Autumn & connect to the change of season. Make your own beautiful little ritual table topper with crafts such as a snow globe and candles.

Tea Making & Tasting  Mon 17 April  2-3.30pm  $25 
Make your own special blend of tea from herbs & flowers, and package it up beautifully to take home & share. We will talk about connecting to our senses while nourishing ourselves with something yummy!

Party Puppet Tues 18 April.  2-3.30pm   $25
Make a bright festive puppet that moves, using beads, straws and cardboard. This fun craft creates a joyful dancing character to take home. 

Self Portrait Poster  Weds 19 April   2-3.30pm   $25 
You will make a self portrait good enough to frame. We'll talk a little bit about our 'inner worlds' while having fun expressing who you are.

Bookings & enquiries via email hello.themakestudio@gmail.com
Instagram @the.make.studio 
Facebook @theMakeStudioChristchurch

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 31 March 2023

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Today it was "Welcome to the Beckenham Zoo' as we had every imaginable creature turn up at school, complete with smiles, for the Student Council's Dress as an Animal Day. Our amazing Student Council get the top spot in today's newsletter after having organised a stunning day of 'We Make A Difference' today for the SPCA.


A HUGE thank you from our Student Council to everyone who contributed to the SPCA fundraiser today. We were overwhelmed by the volume of donations, including blankets, towels, sheets, newspapers, food and money that was given. We will be dropping this all to the SPCA tomorrow, including just over $600 in cash! Wow! And all of the animals in the Beckenham Zoo had a fun day too! 

Frida, Grace and Rose - Beckenham Student Council

Next week is the final week of Term 1 - with the last day being Thursday 6th April. 

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Term 1

Thu 6 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Fri 7 Apr -  School Holidays begin (School closed)

Term 2

Mon 24 Apr - Staff Only Day (School closed)
Tue 25 Apr - ANZAC Day (School closed)
Wed 26 Apr - First day of Term 2
Mon 1 - Wed 3 May - Year 5/6 Camp - Living Springs
Fri 12 May - PTA Discos
Mon 5 Jun - King's Birthday (School closed)
Fri 30 Jun - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Banuja Hettiweediya Mudiyanselage - Year 4

Banuja, you are an excellent example of someone who tackles challenges head-on and approaches all that you do with a positive attitude that shines. 'We Make a Difference' is a kete value you demonstrate daily through your passion for helping others along with the proactive approach you take to helping out around the hub. Ka pai tō mahi, Banuja!

School Notices

Financial Statements

You will have received your student's financial statement today.

This is just a reminder that donation payments (including camp donations) are able to be submitted for the Donation Tax Credits from the IRD. This scheme entitles you to claim back 33% of your donation payments, if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Payments made to us today, 31st March, can still be submitted as part of your application for the financial year ended 31st March 2023.

If you need any assistance logging into Hero to view your statement or wish to find out more about setting up payment instalments, you can refer to our website https://www.beckenham.school.nz/ and follow the “Finances and Annual Donation” link in the “Information” dropdown menu.

Payments may be made in part or full to the school bank account - ASB Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees 12 3148 0131641 000 using the child's name as a reference.

The school office also has Eftpos facilities available.

If you have any queries, please email accounts@beckenham.school.nz

Lost Property

A reminder to all whānau to check the Lost Property before the end of term and take your items home.


Whānau Report Feedback - Thank You!

Thank you to those who took the time to complete the 2023 Whānau report feedback survey recently.  We appreciate the time and consideration that you put into this. We are currently working through the feedback.

'Kiss & Go' Drop Off Area

You may have noticed the 'Kiss & Go' signs on the fence at the drop off and pick up area on Sandwich Road (by the bike stands). This area is for whānau to pull in and drop off or pick up their children kerb side and then leave. 

The area works best when it is just the children getting in or out of the car (on the kerb side).  If whānau need to come into the school please park elsewhere on Sandwich Road.

Thank you to all those who have supported the 'Kiss & Go' zone. We have noticed cars moving on more quickly which has freed up the space for drop offs, making Sandwich road move more freely.

Three-point turns on Sandwich Road

Sandwich road is a busy place on either side of the school day. To keep everyone safe please continue along the road and around the block, rather than doing three-point turns or U turns. The road works have moved on from the immediate school block, so access is much easier.

BOSCO

Update for BOSCO whānau:

The government will be making some changes to the childcare assistance grant that will commence on 1st April 2023. What this means is that more families are likely to qualify for this financial assistance under the new guidelines. This is a good opportunity for families who require before and after school care of their children to see if this could help them.

BOSCO provides before school care from 7:30am – 8:30am and after school care from 3:00pm – 6:00pm.

Should you have any questions regarding this please do not hesitate to contact Juanita at office@bosco.org.nz.

Dental Van Visit

One of our Community Dental Service vans will be making a visit to your school soon.
  • Only the children who currently require a check-up will be seen at this visit.
    Please do not be concerned if your child is not called for a check-up this time.

  • The dental therapist will provide a regular check-up and preventative care which may include:
    Cleaning/Scaling (to remove plaque from teeth)
    Dental x-rays (to check for decay in teeth, or presence and position of teeth)
    Fluoride Varnish (painted on teeth to help prevent decay)
    Fissure Sealants (coating put on teeth to prevent decay) if required.

  • If your child requires any other dental care, they will bring home a ‘Care Plan’ which will explain what dental care and appointment times are required.

  • When you receive the ‘Care Plan’ please contact our Call Centre as soon as possible as you will need to arrange a time to bring your child to one of our Community Clinics for this dental care.

  • Please contact our Call Centre if you want further information on the Community Dental Service, to enrol your child or if you have any specific questions about your child’s dental care (a dental therapist will call you back)

  • Year 8 students: all year 8 students enrolled with the Community Dental Service are transferred from the Community Dental Service to a FREE private dentist from year 9 until their 18th birthday. To help with this transition please ensure you have informed your child of their family dentist (not orthodontist). This will enable us to transfer your child onto the correct dentist for year 9 onwards. More information will be sent home after their year 8 check-up.
To contact our Call Centre: phone 0800 846 983 / email commdental@cdhb.health.nz

PTA News

Hot Cross Buns

Orders for hot cross buns are all in and we're looking forward to delivery day on Wednesday 5th April, just in time for Easter!

Donations

This recent wet weather has resulted in lots of wet feet - do you have old gumboots (especially in larger sizes to fit 11+ year-olds) that you could donate to the uniform room? We will gratefully receive them and save them for a rainy day!

Community Notices

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

Nathan is returning to Christchurch for one night only to present a NEW PRESENTATION.

When:  Tuesday 4th April, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Where:  Te Aratai College / CHRISTCHURCH
Presentation:  Understanding Your Brain: Building Resilience & Maximising Learning (note: this presentation caters for parents/carers and educators who care for children of all ages.  It is also relevant for us grown-ups!)

More info/tickets available on Eventfinda NZ or by clicking on the link below:


Early bird tickets are still available. Get in quick!




We are very excited to announce the NZSO are returning to the Christchurch Town Hall for Open Doors on Saturday 20 May. Our musicians are going to be running several fantastic events – there will be something for everyone!

Tamariki Time – 10:00-10:45 (Avon Room)

Tamariki Time is a free concert designed for the smallest members of your whānau. Suitable for pre-schoolers or students up to the age of 8 years. This 45-minute concert features various short and instrument demos that your kids will love! Including pieces from the Nutcracker, songs from Encanto and an exciting storytime performance presented by Chris Lam Sam. Have a listen to his catchy Octopus song before the performance!

There is a relaxed attitude to noise and movement during the concert and a chance to get up and move to the music. If you are interested in coming along, register you attendance here.


Relaxed Concert – 11:30 – 12:15 (Avon Room)

Our Relaxed Concert is a free accessibility concert designed for audiences with sensory needs who may feel uncomfortable in a traditional concert environment.

There is a relaxed attitude to noise and movement during the performance, minimal lighting effects, and a 'chill-out' space is available.

The 45-minute concert features a wide variety of short pieces and instrument demos that will grow your knowledge of the orchestra! We will also perform one of our popular Storytime books live presented by Chris Lam Sam, including his popular Octopus song!

If you are interested in attending our session, please register your attendance here.

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 24 March 2023

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

This week is the start of Ramadan which is a really important celebration for Muslim people and their families. Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar and is observed worldwide by Muslims as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.

We can show support to our friends who are Muslim by asking them about how they observe Ramadan - because each family will probably do something a bit different.

It is important to us that we can support all of our tamariki with the values and beliefs that are important to their families. If your family have a faith, values and beliefs that you want us to understand better, please make contact with your child's teacher(s) or one of our team in the office and we will be very keen to learn more.

Last week we were fortunate to have Jeff from the ASB GetWise programme working with our tamariki, from Years 3-8. 



GetWise is a financial literacy programme for children and it was really heartening to see the children engaging with the programme.
ASB have a website with excellent resources for whānau to support you with helping your children about money and to enable them to develop skills that will last them for life.

Being in a 'House' at Beckenham

Once a child has started at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto, they will be allocated a ‘House’ to belong to. Children from the same family/whānau are put into the same house. Usually, a child will stay in this house for the duration of their time at Beckenham, except if they are made a leader of another house when they are in Year 8.


Each house has its own colour, and there are House Shirts that are an optional part of the school uniform, that can be purchased and worn on Fridays, or sports/special event days as advised in the newsletter.

Each house has its own ‘chant’ and tamariki learn this so that they can participate in the house chant at sports and special events, and in Celebration Assemblies, if it is their house that has won the House Points for that fortnight.

You can find the House Chants here, and there are also videos that you can share with your child to help them learn their house chant

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Term 1

Thu 30 Mar - Board Meeting - Staffroom 5:30pm - Visitors welcome
Fri 31 Mar - ANIMAL DRESS-UP DAY for the SPCA (New date)
Thu 6 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Fri 7 Apr -  School Holidays begin (School closed)

Term 2

Mon 24 Apr - Staff Only Day (School closed)
Tue 25 Apr - ANZAC Day (School closed)
Wed 26 Apr - First day of Term 2
Mon 1 - Wed 3 May - Year 5/6 Camp - Living Springs
Mon 5 Jun - King's Birthday (School closed)
Fri 30 Jun - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Frida Corin - Year 8

Frida, you have grown as a leader and learner within our kura. You are compassionate and thoughtful. When you step up to lead, the respect and trust that your peers have for you is clearly evident. When it comes to learning, you embrace opportunities to improve by responding to feedback and giving your best effort. Thank you for all that you bring to our Kauri whānau.

School Notices

'Kiss & Go' Drop Off Area

You may have noticed the 'Kiss & Go' signs on the fence at the drop off and pick up area on Sandwich Road (by the bike stands). This area is for whānau to pull in and drop off or pick up their children kerb side and then leave. 

The area works best when it is just the children getting in or out of the car (on the kerb side).  If whānau need to come into the school please park elsewhere on Sandwich Road.

Return of the coffee car

The Coffee Car will be on Sandwich Rd on Mondays and Fridays. A reminder to parents who purchase a hot chocolate for their child, that they will need to drink it before the final bell at 8.55am. 
The coffee car will be at school before 8am and leave at approx 9.10am. 

Thanks!

Community Dental Service - Holidays Notice

Congratulations to...

Hayley Rose Ruyters. On the 16th to the 18th of March at Horncastle Arena, Hayley Rose competed in Nationals for Marching. On the Friday they qualified for the champions in March, on the Saturday they competed and came 1st in technical, 2nd in display and were the under 12 championship team.

Student Council News 

Animal Dress-up Day for SPCA, Friday, March 31st

Beckenham tamariki love animals and so the Student Council has decided to support the SPCA. This coming Friday, 31st March, there will be a dress-up day! Your child/children can dress up as their favourite animal! We would love it if you could help your child to donate one of the following options:
  • Old newspapers
  • Towels, sheets, duvet covers, or blankets (especially polar fleece blankets) – but please NO duvet inners, pillows or pillow cases, mattresses, bean bags, or electric blankets
  • Dishwashing detergent and washing powder
  • Unopened pet food that the SPCA can give out to the community – particularly wet kitten and puppy food
  • Or a gold coin donation!
The student council will be in front of the hall before school starts on Friday, to receive your donations. We can’t wait to see your child in their costume! Thank you for your support.

PTA News

Hot Cross Buns

Orders for hot cross buns are all in and we're looking forward to delivery day on Wednesday 5th April, just in time for Easter!

Donations

This recent wet weather has resulted in lots of wet feet - do you have old gumboots (especially in larger sizes to fit 11+ year-olds) that you could donate to the uniform room? We will gratefully receive them and save them for a rainy day!

Community Notices

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

Sydenham Rugby Club

Sydenham Rugby registrations have started and are looking for players in all grades.  We would love to have you join the Sydenham family.  If interested you can register at https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/175943

CodeCamp April School Holidays

CodeCamp allows children from the ages of 7-12 to develop 21st century skills in a fun and action packed environment. Develop confidence & initiative through design, creativity, solving problems, presenting & collaboration. Create games, apps. 
Waimari School: 17th - 20th April. 
Book Now at https://codecamp.co.nz  

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 17 March 2023

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

We felt very honoured to have the new Police Pride patrol car visit school this week, with Youth Aid Officer Nic, and School Education Officer Jo. 



Some information about the car:
It is the 4th Pride vehicle in the police fleet, and the first in the South Island.
  • There are 3 “Values”  Police vehicles currently in use in NZ: Te Reo Pirihimana, Pride and the Pasifika (Va’a or boat).
  • Police are committed to Diversity and to acknowledging the important relationship between Police and our diverse communities.
  • The Pride car is a visual representation of the value of Diversity.
  • Rainbow (LGBTQI+) communities need our focus and support when it comes to Crime and victimisation:-
    • Rainbow children in school are 3 times more likely to be hurt or bullied
    • 1 in 6 Rainbow children/youth no longer feel safe at school and almost 2/3 of those surveyed thought about suicide
    • 1 in 8 Rainbow people have had to move towns or cities to feel safer
    • NZ Crime and victim survey found 68% of bisexual adults experienced crime and sexual violence compared to the National average of 28%.


Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki / Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Term 1

Wed 22 Mar - PTA Meeting - All Welcome (7:30 – 9:30pm in The Green Room)
Thu 23rd Mar - Whānau Workshop - Structured Literacy 
Fri 24 Mar - Kahikatea Ferrymead Trip
Fri 24 Mar - ANIMAL DRESS-UP DAY for the SPCA
Thu 30 Mar - Board Meeting - Staffroom 5:30pm - Visitors welcome
Thu 6 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Fri 7 Apr -  School Holidays begin (School closed)

Term 2

Mon 24 Apr - Staff Only Day (School closed)
Tue 25 Apr - ANZAC Day (School closed)
Wed 26 Apr - First day of Term 2
Mon 1 - Wed 3 May - Year 5/6 Camp - Living Springs
Mon 5 Jun - King's Birthday (School closed)
Fri 30 Jun - Last day of Term 2

Citizen of the Week

Xavier Parsons - Year 6

Xavier, it has been a pleasure to witness the growth in your confidence, and progression in your learning this year. You are happily embracing learning challenges, and demonstrating an inquisitive mind. Your persistence means that anything is possible! Tino pai tō mahi, Xavier!

Student Council News 

Animal Dress-up Day for SPCA, Friday, March 24th

Beckenham tamariki love animals and so the Student Council has decided to support the SPCA. This coming Friday, 24th March, there will be a dress-up day! Your child/children can dress up as their favourite animal! We would love it if you could help your child to donate one of the following options:
  • Old newspapers
  • Towels, sheets, duvet covers, or blankets (especially polar fleece blankets) – but please NO duvet inners, pillows or pillow cases, mattresses, bean bags, or electric blankets
  • Dishwashing detergent and washing powder
  • Unopened pet food that the SPCA can give out to the community – particularly wet kitten and puppy food
  • Or a gold coin donation!
The student council will be in front of the hall before school starts on Friday, to receive your donations. We can’t wait to see your child in their costume! Thank you for your support.

Health & Safety

Gates and keeping tamariki safe

We have some new gate signage going up around our school. Please ensure that all gates are kept closed during school hours, to support the safety of all of our tamariki.

Dogs on site

Please do not bring dogs onto the school site between 8:30am and 3:15pm without prior arrangement. If you have a dog outside the school site at pick-up or drop-off time, please make sure it is on a lead for both the safety of the dog, and of other children. Some children have not yet learned how to behave safely when approaching unfamiliar dogs.

School Notices

Christchurch Schools Music Festival - Representative Group Applications now open



If your child (Year 5-8) is a capable singer or instrumentalist, they may be interested in auditioning for a place in one of the special Representative Groups for this year's Christchurch Schools' Music Festival. These groups are the musical equivalent of a Canterbury Representative Sports Team

The groups are: Junior Choir (Y5/6), Senior Schoir (Y7/8), Orchestra and Concert Band. 
Applications are open now (and close on Thursday 6 April). To find out more, and to apply, click here.

Missing Helmet



This helmet was removed from the bike stand area on Sandwich Road on Wednesday - probably by someone who mistook it for their own. If this helmet has made its way to your home by mistake, please return it to the office. 

Whānau Education

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Whānau Workshop - Structured Literacy across all year groups

What: Literacy Parent Education Event on Structured Literacy from Year 1 to Year 8
Presented by: Emma Nahna (Sound Foundations for Literacy)
Where: Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Hall
When: Thursday 23rd March 2023, 5:30pm-7:30pm
Who: All whānau/ caregivers across the school are invited. 

We are fortunate to have the wonderful Emma Nahna, Speech-Language Therapist and Literacy Consultant, coming to run a whānau workshop this term. Emma is extremely knowledgeable and an engaging speaker. Her mission is to support educators and parents “...to grow every child into a successful reader and writer.”

Emma will be running a whānau workshop on Thursday 23rd March at 5:30pm for our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto whānau. The first hour and a half will cover the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of structured literacy across the school and how you can support your learner at home. The last half an hour of the session will emphasise the importance of continuing to follow a structured literacy approach into the senior levels of the school, and will delve into morphology (the study of the forms of words)  and syntax (the arrangement of words to create sentences).

Please RSVP here.

Sports News

Canterbury Triathlon

Well done to Archie Chapman, Lily Miller, Zach Guise, Isabella Guise and Lukas O'Connor who represented our Kura at the Primary Sports Canterbury Triathlon held on Tuesday 14th March.
A special mention to Lily Miller who placed first in the Year 6 girls category out of 65 participants!

Zones Swimming

Last Friday 10th March a group of students represented Beckenham te Kura O Pūroto at the South Zones Swimming sports. This was held at Whārenui Aquatic centre. The group represented the school with pride, they were supportive of one another, gave it their best shot and most of all had fun!
Congratulations to Izzy Clarke, Lilly-Anne Bone, Lily Miller, Olivia Yeates and Emma Vaile who will continue onto the Canterbury Competition to be held on March 30th at the Selwyn Aquatic Centre.

Community Notices

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

Unity Picnic & Peace Train



Sunday 19 March
11:30 am  2:00 pm
Botanic Gardens
Lay your picnic mat on the grass and mingle with others around you, while the kids jump on the peace train. There will be storytelling, music, crafts, and, most importantly, FREE Popsicles for the first 51 kids!
Organised by CCC and Sakinah Community Trust

Canterbury Polyfest



After a two-year COVID-19 induced hiatus, Canterbury Polyfest returns. This celebration of Pacific language, culture and identity through song and dance is the largest in the South Island is on this Saturday. There are 26 secondary schools ready to take to the stage at North Hagley Park’s events area. There will also be 60 stalls including wonderful pacific food. The performance order and any updates can be found here.
DATE: 18 March 2023
Venue: Special Events Area, North Hagley Park, Christchurch
Time: 8.3am to 5.30pm 
GOLD COIN ENTRY

Helplines: 

1737 - free text and phone counselling 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