Category Archives: Weekly Newsletters

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 8 Sep 2023

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori Next Week

Kapa Haka
Christchurch South Library has invited our Te Whānau Kapa Haka Rōpū to perform as part of their programme of events celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori next week. 

We have a performance slot starting at 5p.m. on Tuesday the 12th. 

We would love to see some of our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto whānau there to support our tamariki.

The performance will last between 15 and 20 minutes and will be a diverse showcase of the waiata and haka that the group has been practising. 

Strum Strike Blow

On Wednesday night Beckenham Ukelele and Recorder students took part in the amazing "Strum, Strike, Blow" performance at the Wolfbrook Arena, along with over 800 other students from Canterbury schools.

A special thanks to those whānau who helped make this a success with transport support for rehearsals, and to Roger and Josie, who have put a lot of time and effort into supporting musical opportunity and talent within our kura.

I will be away at the annual New Zealand Principals' Conference from Monday to Wednesday this coming week. 
Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB: You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.

Tue 12 Sep - Te Whānau Kapa Haka Performance at Christchurch South Library, 5pm
Wed 13 Sep - Year 5-8 Choir - Music Festival Rehearsal
Wed 13 Sep- Year 8 Student and Parent Evening at Cashmere High, 6-7pm
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 7:30pm - PTA Meeting
Thu 21 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - Final day for PTA Calendar Art orders
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - 1:45pm Beckenham's Got Talent!
Fri 22 Sep - Final day of Term 3
Mon 9 Oct - First day of Term 4

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Clara Shaw - Year 4

Clara, the positivity and enthusiasm that you bring to Kōwhai Hub every day is infectious! You are someone who leads by example, displaying our school Kete in all that you do. Your caring nature, sense of humour, and willingness to help out whenever you see a need makes a difference to our hub. Tēnā rawa atu koe Clara, keep shining!

School Notices

Keep New Zealand Beautiful Clean up Week; 11th - 15th September 2023

Who wants to be a Plogger?
Plogging is a combination of 'jogging' with 'picking up litter', merging the Swedish verbs 'plocka upp' (pick up) and 'jogga' (jog) gives the new Swedish verb 'plogga', from which the word plogging derives.

Everyone will get a chance to plog next week when it is Keep New Zealand Beautiful Clean Up week.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at lunchtime there will be buckets and tongs available for any and all ākonga and kaimahi (students and staff) who want to plog and get Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto 100% litter free!
See you by the flagpole!

Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori - Māori Language Moment

Te Āo Māori is celebrated and embraced every week within our kura, from waiata to karakia in the mornings, the way our tamariki embrace Mātauranga Māori each day is truly inspiring. Here are some new and exciting opportunities happening at kura, and some ideas for your whānau to explore together.

Tapu Ae!

We have a freshly painted Tapu Ae court in the Parenga/Pūkaki courtyard. Thank you so much to Gayle and Jenny for the organisation. 

This game is a hit with the kids, and relatively easy to teach and learn. 

We are just waiting on the middle path (te ara) to be painted, but the game can definitely still be played on the court as it is. 

Here is a link to a clip about how to play:


Resources

There are many different ways to upskill and embrace learning in ways that suit the way you learn, below are some great resources with different ideas for you and your whānau to explore together. Thanks to Steve for sharing these resources, and Tapu Ae details with us. We Get There Together, and this includes our learning journeys!
A simple yet great resource is Te Aka (The Māori Dictionary), where you can find the translation and meaning of a word by entering it in English or te reo Māori. Te reo Māori is a spoken language, and Te Aka offers a button to hear how a word is pronounced. This is a great way to learn the correct pronunciation of a word if you are unsure. Try it out using our hub, or kura names!


Cashmere High School Q&A Evening 

Please remember to RSVP here if you are a whānau with a Year 8 student headed for Cashmere High School in 2024, and plan to attend the Q&A session with CHS Principal, Joe Eccleton.

If you have any queries please contact Bianca Edmonds, Principal's PA - pa@cashmere.school.nz

Staff Profiles

Nau mai haere mai ki te Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto kaimahi... Anita Baker

We have welcomed another new face to our Beckenham Staff, and we are very excited to introduce Anita Baker who joins us on our Teaching Assistant team, supporting ākonga across our kura.


I’m Anita, a mum of 2 young boys. I love running, baking, coffee, and keeping fit. I’m looking forward to supporting the kids at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto.

Sports News

School Duathlon Results

All children who participated in our school duathlon deserve to be very proud of their achievements. The course is a test of endurance and requires competitors to show perseverance and a love of challenge. It was really impressive to see how competitors supported and encouraged each other throughout the race. 

Year 5 Champions: Ben Stoney and Laura Stoney 

Year 6 Champions: Lily Miller and Kawa Taylor

Year 7 Champions: Jack Sayer and Isabella Guise

Year 8 Champions: Ella Coleman and Cahlen Stace

Canterbury Duathlon

On Monday, a group of children represented our kura at the Canterbury Duathlon. This course is even more challenging than the school duathlon with a 3km run and a bike of up to 9 km. The highlight for many is riding their bike along the Ruapuna Raceway.

I think this might have been our most successful Canterbury Duathlon yet!

For context, there are around 100 competitors in each race. We are super proud of all our competitors. Here are the results from the top 30. 

Lily Miller - 1st in Year 6 girls
Ben Stoney - 4th in Year 5 open
Laura Stoney - 6th in Year 5 girls
Izzy Clarke - 15th in Year 5 girls
Ella Coleman - 16th in Year 8 girls
Zach Guise - 20th in Year 5 open
Isabella Guise - 20th in Year 6 girls
Annabelle Smith - 21st in Year 7 girls
Kawariki Taylor - 26th in Year 6 open

Huxter Mountain Bike Relay Race


This event has been a very popular event in previous years for children who love biking. It is open to Year 5 to 8 children. Transport to this event and supervision during the event needs to be organised by caregivers. There will not be a teacher from kura at this event. 

If you wish for your child to be entered in this event, please fill out the following form linked here. The entry fee of  $25 for a team or $15 for an individual needs to be paid to the office upon registering your child.

PTA News

Readathon Fundraiser

A big thank you to everyone for the fabulous reading, costumes, and support for the annual Readathon.  We raised a magnificent $5160!  We will be able to buy lots of new books for the library, as well as some new games for the hubs. 

Upcoming Events

Don’t forget the Community Picnic, on Friday 24th November from 5pm.  We’ll have a Sausage Sizzle, Bouncy Castle, and ice blocks.  Looking forward to seeing you all there!

The Weetbix TRYathlon is coming around again and we have created a School Group. Click on this link to join the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto group when you enter the TRYathlon.  You can also join our School Group, without the link, by using the School Group search functionality when entering online.


Notes from the organisers:
Sign up now for the OPENING WEEK SPECIAL, be sure you use the code ‘GIVEITATRY’ to unlock this VERY SPECIAL $25 discounted price. Limited entries, ONLY 100 entries per event at this price will be available so make sure you get in quick!

If someone you know requires financial assistance to enter the TRYathlon, should it be subsidised entry fees or funding for necessary equipment, then you can apply to the Weet-Bix TRYathlon Foundation for assistance. Visit www.tryathlon.co.nz/foundation for details.

BOT Update

Please note the next Board of Trustees meeting date has changed from Wednesday the 20th September, to Thursday the 21st of September. To be held in the Staff Room at 5:30p.m.

Community Notices

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


Cashmere High School Music presents Off to Oz a farewell concert for the Music tour to Sydney.

Tickets available from eventbrite

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 1 Sep 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Looking ahead to 2024...


It is that time of the year when we are thinking about the needs of our school for 2024. Our roll determines our staffing, so, like every school, we need to have as much clarity around our numbers as possible.
If you currently have a child in Year 6, please fill out this survey so that we know about your intentions for your child for 2024. We expect that most Year 6 children will be returning, and we do ask that ALL Year 6 families fill this survey out.

Enrolling pre-schoolers for next year...!

If you have a pre-schooler in your home, it is never too early to get them enrolled! We are very happy to hold your child's enrolment in our system well in advance as this ensures that we are planning with the best possible information about our predicted numbers.
Please see Jacky or Reihana in the office for an enrolment form, or download an enrolment form from our website.


Please pass this on to anyone with a 3-4 year old in our neighbourhood... we are working on our staffing for 2024 and we really do need to know who to expect!

Ask them to contact our office for an enrolment form - office@beckenham.school.nz
or download an enrolment form from our website.

Relief Teachers

If you know a fabulous teacher who may be interested in becoming a Preferred Reliever at our school, please have them check out the vacancies information on our website. 

We are always looking for quality relievers to add to our relievers list. For any information or pātai (questions) on this process, please email Reihana: reihana.dougherty@beckenham.school.nz

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB: You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.

Wed 6 Sep - Strum Strike Blow - Wolfbrook Arena, 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Fri 8 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 8 Sep - PTA Calendar Art order forms sent home
Wed 13 Sep - Year 5-8 Choir - Music Festival Rehearsal
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - Final day for PTA Calendar Art orders
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - 1:45pm Beckenham's Got Talent!
Fri 22 Sep - Final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Abigail Blencowe - Year 6

Abie, thank you for being such a caring and conscientious team member. You take pride in your school work and quietly go about the business of making a positive difference to our team through your actions. You show integrity in all that you do. We notice this, and we appreciate it - and you - very much. Kei runga noa atu koe!

School Notices

Head Lice

We have had a few instances of head lice reported across different hubs.  Please check your children for evidence of head lice and treat them accordingly.  
If you are unsure of how to check and treat for head lice please contact Zoom Pharmacy on 0508 966 622, zoompharmacy.co.nz/mas or mas@zoompharmacy.co.nz.  This service is free both for consultation and for some medications, including head lice.

Kauri Speech Competition

In an enriching term of speech crafting, children in the Kauri hub have written captivating speeches that have enthralled us all. Last week we had our speech finals, held in front of whānau and the entire hub. It was great to hear so many wonderfully diverse and articulate speeches. Securing victory for year 8 was Christopher McCracken-Shannon, followed by Cian Scott and Ella Coleman. In year 7, Harriet Parawa emerged as the winner, with Finn Brietmeyer and Bobby MacDonald in second and third respectively. A huge thank you to our judges, Jo Smith, and Lucy, a former Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto student. Congratulations to all the speech finalists and a big thank you for all the effort Kauri students put into writing their speeches.

Year 7/8 Ski Trip

Our ski day had a rather damp start as we gathered in the school car park in driving rain at 5:50 am on Monday. We reached the Mt Hutt car park two hours later under a brilliant blue sky and surrounded by sparkling snow. It was going to be a great day! The children whisked through ski hire and into their two-hour lessons. Their perseverance and great listening paid off. By 11 am they were armed with the skills they needed to go it alone. It was a day of digging deep, embracing challenge and reaping the benefits. Lots of fun was had skiing with friends, being guided down new slopes by our wonderful adult team of helpers and simply enjoying the ambience of being in the mountains. By 4pm everyone was bundled into buses and cars for the journey home, where stories were shared and a bit of napping took place. It was an awesome day and we can't wait to do it all again next year!

Staff Profiles

Introducing Laura Cortes

We have been incredibly fortunate to have Laura join the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto kaimahi this term, as a Teaching Assistant, supporting our tamariki across the school.    

A bit about Laura... "I'm Colombian, a nature lover, avid dancer, and traveler. Media producer by profession, plus 5 years working as a Learning Assistant. Excited to join this school and city, ready to share my passions and skills."

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 Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 25 Aug 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Keeping all of our children safe is a shared responsibility of us at school, of all of our families, and of our wider community. We need to work together to help them develop the skills and strategies they need to engage in safe and positive relationships with others, and to know how to deal with challenges safely and constructively.

Reporting harmful online content or behaviour

If your children use online social media platforms, would you please talk with them and remind them that posting photos or videos of other people, without their consent or knowledge, is not OK. We are also doing this at school. This is particularly important if the purpose of the post is to make fun of, ridicule, or diminish the mana of another person. Our children have enough to manage in terms of learning how to negotiate appropriate face-to-face interactions, without having to deal with the knowledge that people are talking about them in negative ways online. This is behaviour that can cause lasting and serious harm, particularly for our young people.

A reminder again that anyone can report any concerning content that they see to the platform itself, and also to Netsafe by clicking here.

Thank you all for your support in this. We Get There Together! If the adults in our community are aligned in the conversations and expectations that we all have of our children, that will be hugely supportive of all our tamariki.

Consent for Kids - Keeping Ourselves Safe (KOS).

As part of the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme that is being taught across the school, there are discussions happening about consent. Our children need to be empowered to say 'no' to touch, behaviour, or words that worry or confuse them or that they don't want.
This video has been used for some of the classes and you might find it useful to watch. It's under 3 minutes long.



Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB: You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.

Mon 28 Aug - Year 7/8 Ski Trip (5:50am start time)
Wed 6 Sep - Strum Strike Blow - Wolfbrook Arena
Fri 8 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 8 Sep - PTA Calendar Art order forms sent home
Wed 13 Sep - Year 5-8 Choir - Music Festival Rehearsal
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - Final day for PTA Calendar Art orders
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - 1:45pm Beckenham's Got Talent!
Fri 22 Sep - Final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Scarlett Aitken- Year 8

Scarlett, you have made exceptional growth as a leader within the Kauri hub this year. You have continuously taken on increased responsibilities and been involved in many ways. You have shown improvement in class due to your focus and determination to improve, especially in mathematics! You are a remarkable team player with a positive attitude which we see on the basketball court. Ka pai tō mahi!

School Notices

Scholastic Book Club - Issue 6 Out Now

Please click the link here to view and order from the Scholastic Book Club

Sports News

Duathlon

Thank you to everyone who played a part in organising and running our school duathlon this week. It was really appreciated the way we pulled together to make this event happen. There were lots of moments for children to feel success through participation, leadership and camaraderie. 

BOT Update

Policy Review

From time to time we ask you to review one of our policies that come up on our review cycle. A policy for whānau review is the Māori Educational Success, and the Inclusive Education policy. You will find it under Current Review on School Docs at this link. 

The login details are:
Username: Beckenham  Password: pride 

Instructions for reviewers:

Follow the link to the policy.
Read the policy.
Click the 'Start Review' icon at the right-hand top corner of the page. A new screen will appear.
Select your role (board member, staff member, or parent/caregiver) from the drop-down list.
Enter your name (optional).
Submit your ratings and comments.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can easily provide you with printed copies of the policy and the review form. 

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

Community Notices

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

Enrol To Vote

The General Election is on 14 October 2023. To vote, you need to be enrolled and your details need to be up to date.

It's easy to enrol, check or update your details online: vote.nz/enrol

More information and additional resources are available on the Electoral Commission's website here: https://vote.nz/2023-general-election/resources/resources-to-share-with-your-community

Beckenham Tennis Club



Luminaires Charitable Trust brings to the stage
Beauty Within the Beast
A tale as old as time, with a twist or two

A not very princessy Princess Charlie becomes caught up in a battle between the Fairies of Winter and Spring, resulting in Charlie being cursed to be a Beast for all time unless true love can be found. 

In the Village of Tawdryville, Beauty and her energetic siblings farewell their Papa who is called away to last minute business. Papa gets caught up in the fairy battle and is forced to take shelter in a seemingly empty castle.

And so, the classic tale of old plays out with many comical twists along the way. Featuring a hilarious youth cast of fairies, hobgoblins, bickering sisters, talking cutlery and much more! Will the fairies ever resolve their differences? Will Beauty’s love and friendship be enough to help the Beast become Charlie again? 

Tickets $11-$25 McCombs PAC, Cashmere High 

During the next school holidays Thursday 5th - Sunday 8th October




Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 18 Aug 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Our staff had a big day on Friday, working with two different teams from the Ministry of Education. In the morning, we were working through a Ministry of Education programme called 'Understanding Behaviour and Responding Safely'. In the afternoon, we were looking at the overview or introduction part of the new Curriculum Refresh.


Over the next 4 years, each of the eight areas of the curriculum will be refreshed. 

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB: You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.


Wed 23 Aug - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Wed 23 Aug - 7:00- PTAG=AGM following by regular meeting - Green Room
Fri 25 Aug - Final day for returning Readathon Money
Fri 25 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly 
Mon 28 Aug - Year 7/8 Ski Trip
Fri 8 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - 1:45pm Beckenham's Got Talent!
Fri 22 Sep - Final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Lily Hale - Year 4

Lily, you are a shining example of someone who lives our school values on a daily basis. Your effective self-management skills, the kindness you show for your peers along with your willingness to help out around the hub make you a positive role model in the Kōwhai team. Ka pai tō mahi, Lily!

School Notices

Head Lice Treatment - free through your pharmacy

Head lice is able to be supported through the minor ailment services, under Te Whatu Ora, Community Pharmacy Minor Ailments Service.

This means pharmacies can now provide a free consult and offer free treatment for a number of conditions, including head lice.

Our Beckenham Elmer Update 



Our school has signed up to participate in "Elmer's Ōtautahi Elephant Trail" and many of you will have seen our 'undecorated' Elmer sitting in the office. Like the penguin and giraffe trails of previous years, the Elmer project will result in a temporary sculpture trail around Christchurch, then the artists will have their elephants returned to them to display in their local environment. Money will be raised for the Laura Fergusson Trust as a result of the trail.

Students have had input into the choice of a name for our Elmer, and what that name is inspired by

Name: Rainbow Bloom

Inspired by: Growing to your full potential and showing your true colours.

Brief description of sculpture: Rainbow Bloom represents our school values, especially 'We Get There Together: Mā tātou katoa te waka e hoe'; inclusivity and how it is OK to be different. Above Rainbow’s diversity socks are a selection of flags from the nationalities at our school. Our school's cultural narrative has strong ties to the Ōpāwaho River, so we have represented this on their trunk. We want Rainbow Bloom to bring a smile to people's faces, even when it is the toughest of days. 

The next step: drafting our design on Elmer!

Kahikatea and Kōwhai Gymnastics

The Kahikatea team enjoyed six sessions of gymnastics at Olympia during Weeks 2, 3, and 4. Tamariki had a great time exploring the various apparatus, including the beam, vault, bars, and trampoline. It was wonderful to see the progress children made during these sessions. A huge thanks to the parents who came along to support us with this!


The Kōwhai team also had a wonderful time during their trips to the Christchurch School of Gymnastic over the past weeks. The instructors were very kind and helpful. The children had lots of fun and completed lots of challenging activities including swing ropes, trampolining, swing bars, balance beams, rolling, foam pit and rock crawl. It was lots of fun!

Before School

Please remember that classrooms are open to children from 8.30am. 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 tamariki off before 8.30am BOSCO provides before-school care. 
Please contact them for more details 
Website  https://www.bosco.org.nz/
Phone 027 645 6632
Email office@bosco.org.nz

Enrol To Vote

The General Election is on 14 October 2023. To vote, you need to be enrolled and your details need to be up to date.

It's easy to enrol, check or update your details online: vote.nz/enrol

More information and additional resources are available on the Electoral Commission's website here: https://vote.nz/2023-general-election/resources/resources-to-share-with-your-community

Sports News

School Duathlon

We are looking forward to our school duathlon next Wednesday afternoon (23rd of August). A group of children will be showing their love of challenge by running and biking around our winter duathlon course. Nau mai te wero! Races will start at 1:40 and finish by 3:00. 

I have attached the course map (linked here) for your reference. 

Ngā mihi
Jenny

Congratulations to...

Coleman and Mirren, who recently competed again for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and managed to secure another gold medal each. This was a huge milestone as it was an in house competition against their friends and also their competitors who are a whole belt grade above, so very tricky. We are super proud of them managing a gold and showing their progression and love for the sport. It's also great experience for their Gold Coast championships in November.

Ka mau te wehi Coleman & Mirren! Fantastic work.

PTA News

We are holding our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 23rd August at 7pm in the staff room. This meeting is open to all. It will be followed by our regular monthly hui, all welcome and the more the merrier! 

Thank you to everyone who has returned their readathon cards and sponsorship! Don’t forget to return those readathon forms next week to collect a fabulous bookmark, as well as go in the draw to win a Paper Tree voucher. We will be around before school again next week (Monday to Thursday). The voucher winners will be drawn at assembly on Friday 25th August so get those forms back to us please!

You are welcome to pay online to the PTA Bank Account: 12-3148-0244558-000

BOT Update

Policy Review

From time to time we ask you to review one of our policies that come up on our review cycle. A policy for whānau review is the Māori Educational Success, and the Inclusive Education policy. You will find it under Current Review on School Docs at this link. 

The login details are:
Username: Beckenham  Password: pride 

Instructions for reviewers:

Follow the link to the policy.
Read the policy.
Click the 'Start Review' icon at the right-hand top corner of the page. A new screen will appear.
Select your role (board member, staff member, or parent/caregiver) from the drop-down list.
Enter your name (optional).
Submit your ratings and comments.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can easily provide you with printed copies of the policy and the review form. 

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

Community Notices

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

Beckenham Tennis Club



Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter Rāmere (Friday) 11 Aug 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Whilst it was still frosty, it was lovely to see the sun yesterday, to lift the experience of Book Character Day! I know that teams are likely to share photos through their team newsletters... below are three Witches in a Cherry Tree...! it was really great to see so many children and families engaging with the fun of Book Character Day, and I know that the PTA collected in lots of fundraising forms from the Readathon yesterday too. Please keep these coming in over the next two weeks. The PTA will have a prize draw for each year level, at Celebration Assembly in two weeks, so you have until 9am Friday 25th August to get that fundraising back in.

School Closed - Friday 18 August

Remember that SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED this coming Friday, 18th August for a Staff Only Day. Our staff will be undertaking two pieces of Professional Development with support from staff from the Ministry of Education. The first part of the day will be UBRS training - Understanding Behaviour and Responding Safely. The second part of the day will be looking at the new Curriculum Refresh document 'Te Mātaiaho' and unpacking this together. 

Te Mātaiaho | the refreshed NZ curriculum is designed to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and be inclusive, clear, and easy to use.

It has been developed over the last two years in collaboration with the education sector, ākonga and their whānau, communities, and a wide range of interested organisations and communities.

The final draft of Te Mātaiaho is expected to be released in Term 3, 2023, and it will include the three refreshed learning areas which have been released so far: te ao tangata | social sciences, English, and mathematics and statistics.

The other five learning areas are being refreshed, and will be released in 2024 and 2025. Schools and kura have until 2027 to begin using the complete refreshed curriculum.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB: You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.

Mon 14 - Thu 17 Aug - Cantamath Display viewing in Kōmanawa - from 3-3:30pm
Fri 18 Aug - School Closed - Staff Only Day
Wed 23 Aug - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Wed 23 Aug - 7:30pm - PTA meeting - Staffroom
Fri 25 Aug - Final day for returning Readathon Money
Fri 25 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly 
Mon 28 Aug - Year 7/8 Ski Trip
Fri 8 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - 1:45pm Beckenham's Got Talent!
Fri 22 Sep - Final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Finn Breitmeyer - Year 7

Finn, you exemplify our school values in your daily actions at kura. You bring such enthusiasm towards your learning through inquiring questions, insightful contributions and focused mahi. You are a strong team player on the sports field and a loyal friend to many. You bring reliability to your leadership positions and earn the respect of peers and staff alike. 

School Notices

Student Council Talent Show...

On Friday22nd September, the the last Friday of this term, the Student Council will be hosting "Beckenham's Got Talent!" Leading up to this, each hub will hold a mini-final, where 2 finalists will go through to the school event on the last day of term! Since Kowhai have more children than the other hubs, they will have 3 finalists. Only 5 people per performing group. Please encourage your children to practice an act with their friends. Let the talent begin!!!

A big thank you... 

... to all the whānau who completed our recent science survey. We had an amazing 84 responses! Your thoughts, along with the student surveys, staff surveys, observations of student learning and analysis of teacher planning, will help inform our current review and development of science learning at our school.
Charlotte Verity

School Duathlon

Our school duathlon will be on Wednesday the 23rd of August. It will take place in the afternoon. 

This is an optional event for Year 5 to 8 students. It involves both running and cycling and is considered an endurance event. If your child has an interest in these kinds of events and is looking for a challenge, they can enter the event through a Google form, which will be shared next week. 

The running component is approximately 2 km and the cycling is approximately 1 km. 

Each year we ask for parent help to support us with the running of the event. This usually involves marshalling on the course. There will be a Google form going out via Hero to gather the names of people who can help out. 

Learning across the Teams

DigiFest - engaging with Aotearoa NZ Histories through Technology...

Our Kāhui Āko (local cluster of schools) have put together an opportunity for groups of learners and staff to engage with new parts of our curriculum using technology. This week, groups of Year 5-8 learners went to St Mark's School with teachers and worked with digital technology facilitator, Wilj Dekkers, from ImpactEd.


This coming week, on Tuesday and Wednesday,,. groups of children from Years 1-4 across our Kāhui Āko will be engaging with digital technology at Beckenham in our hall, again supported by Wilj. This is a wonderful opportunity for our teachers to engage in professional learning with other teachers, and to learn alongside our tamariki.

Cantamaths - Year 7&8

This term, as part of their Mathematics learning, our Year 7&8 students have been engaging with Cantamath individual challenges. These were all completed this week, and have been set up in Kōmanawa for viewing next week. There are some AMAZING investigations, games, mathematical artworks and explanations of complex mathematical thinking that have been produced. 

All whānau are welcome to visit Kōmanawa, with their children, to enjoy the display over the coming week, after school each day from Monday to Thursday. If you have children in Year 5 & 6 this year, we particularly encourage you to visit with them as they will be participating in this programme next year.

PTA News

Congratulations on all the great reading that’s been going on over the past two weeks.  Come and choose a bookmark to reward your hard work! The PTA will be at school on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings before the bell to collect sponsorship money and give out bookmarks. You can also pay sponsorship money directly into the PTA account.    

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

Community Notices

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

Chinese Art competition 2023

This art competition is a joint venture by the Christchurch branch of the NZ China Friendship Society and Harcourts Gold Spitfire. It follows on from the highly successful initial competition last year. The theme of this year’s competition is ‘Happy Chinese New Year’. We are running the same competition this year but with more sections and more prizes (see the poster above). 

AKOTECH CodeCamps October School Holidays - FREE PRIZE & 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 drones & go to work for a simulated Tech Gaming Studio to build games for a big 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, which includes AI Art & Animation. 
Enter our competition to win a FREE 4 day pass to one of our CodeCamps

St Margarets College: 25th - 28th September & 5th - 8th October
Book Now at www.akotech.nz
Competition: www.codecamp.co.nz/competition
EarlyBird Save Up to 21% Until 25th Aug
Siblings Save 6%


Seeking orchestra musicians - Luminaires Charitable Trust

We are on the search for great volunteer musicians to play in our orchestra.
Luminaires Charitable Trust is a fairly new entity in which we focus on supporting young people in the performing arts. Our shows to date have been Spamalot Young@Part (July 2022) and Heathers the Musical, Teen Edition (April 2023). We are currently in rehearsal for an original children’s show, Beauty Within the Beast, which plays October 5-8th at the McCombs Performing Arts Centre at
Cashmere High School.
The story tells of a battle between the fairies of winter and spring, in which a young non-binary princess gets caught up in their war and is transformed into a beast. And so the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast is told with many twists along the way.
The score is an original score written 25 years ago for a predominantly youth orchestra. Therefore we are open to a mix of young players as well as adult musicians.

The orchestra is comprised of Flutes I&II, Oboe, Clarinets B flat I&II, Bassoon, Trumpets B flat I&II, Trombone, Tuba, Percussion (chimes, triangle, tambourine, cymbal, woodblock, maracas), drum kit, tuned percussion (xylophone, glockenspiel, tubular bells, chime bars), piano and strings.

We would sincerely appreciate you passing this onto anyone you think may be interested.
We ask that interested musicians please email luminairescharitabletrust@gmail.com outlining your preferred instruments and a brief outline of your experience by Sunday 20th August.

Nga mihi nui,
Franc Bol (Producer / Director)
021666921


The General Election is on 14 October 2023. To vote, you need to be enrolled and your details need to be up to date.

It's easy to enrol, check or update your details online: vote.nz/enrol

More information and additional resources are available on the Electoral Commission's website here: https://vote.nz/2023-general-election/resources/resources-to-share-with-your-community