Sharing our Learning
Koru Team
What an exciting time we have had! In Hub 1-4, the year 1-2 children have been playing games to get to know each other, which has helped us learn each other’s names and find out about what we enjoy. We have taken part in many pair and small group activities, to really get to know each other.
We have also been collecting ‘me bags’ with family photos and special stories about our family history. We will be sharing these over the coming weeks, and learning more about the cultures at Beckenham School. We will also be sharing our passions or areas of expertise, such as a love for reading, gym, drawing, scootering etc….and we are looking forward to teaching our skills to each other in class! Not only the teachers can teach - we can too! Peers play an important role in developing children’s confidence, social understanding and learning about the world.
The children in Hub 10/11 have made a wonderful start (back) to school. All have settled beautifully and easily to the new spaces and routines. Throughout the Junior school our focus at the start of each day is on learning through engaging in Discovery Station activities. The learning that is taking place at this time is complex and multi-layered, involving not only academic learning, but also learning within the New Zealand curriculum’s Key Competencies: Thinking; Relating to Others; Understanding Language, Symbols and Texts; Managing Self; and Participating and Contributing.
Vygotsky (a developmental psychologist who developed a sociocultural theory of child development designed to account for the influence of culture on a child's growth and development) tells us:
“Play is a powerful vehicle for learning, thinking, generating ideas and communicating. Play thus creates potential spaces in which ‘a child always behaves beyond his (or her) average age, above his (or her) daily behaviour; in play it is as though he (or she) were a head taller than him/her-self.’
School Notices
Is your pre-schooler enrolled at school yet?
We are aware that many of our current families have pre-schoolers at home and we are assuming you want them to be at Beckenham School with their siblings when they turn five. To assist us with forward planning, PLEASE would you arrange to enrol your preschooler as soon as possible, especially if they are turning 5 this year or next . It makes a big difference to us to be able to plan in advance.
If you have friends and neighbours who live in the area whom you know are either considering or are planning on enrolling their pre-schoolers at Beckenham, please urge them to also make contact with us and enrol. We are very happy to meet with prospective parents to show them around and discuss how Beckenham School can support their child with their education.
Enrolment information and forms can be found on the school website
here.
Ballot for Out Of Zone Enrolments
The ballot for Out of Zone Enrolments closes on Wednesday 1st March. If you, or your friends, are wanting to enrol a child and you live out of our school zone, you need to submit your application for a place via the ballot. Information about the school zone and ballot forms can also be found on the school website
here Dropping off at school in the mornings and collecting in the afternoon:
As we now have our Year 5-8 students needing to be at Eastern Tce before 8:30am to catch the bus to Champion St, we realise that their younger siblings may be arriving at school slightly earlier than 8:30am also.
Please can you ensure that children are not dropped off at school before 8:15am. Teachers will not necessarily be in classrooms before this time and cannot be responsible for the safety of your children before then. Thank you for your help with this.
At the end of the day, we expect that all children have been collected by 3:15pm. Please remind your child that if they are ever in the situation where they are waiting for you, and you don’t turn up for some reason, that they need to go to the office where we will help to locate you, or the person who is responsible for picking them up. It is very important that all of our children understand this procedure, so that, in the unusual event of them not being picked up, we can be made aware that they are still waiting at school.
Desperately Seeking SJ Warburton.
The school has received some payments from an ‘SJ Warburton’ and we are having trouble connecting these payments to a particular student - can anyone help? Please contact Tracy at accounts@beckenham.school.nz
And Desperately Seeking the owner of the Decorated Wooden Box
This beautifully decorated wooden box was found in the office foyer this week...is it yours?
Please come to the office to claim it.
CSM Band Programme @ Beckenham School
For those of you with children in the CSM Band programme (Year 5-8) this year, lessons begin next week.
The Training Band children (all of those new to the programme) will have a lesson next week on Tuesday (or WEdnesday for clarinet) at Champion St. There is NO TRAINING BAND NEXT WEEK. Training Band starts on Tuesday 21st Feb at 8am at Hillview Christian School Gym. There will be a special bus arriving at Hillview at 9am to take the band students to Champion St.
Concert Band children start both their lessons AND band next Tuesday, 14th Feb. Lessons are all at Champion St on Tuesday (or Wednesday for clarinet). The Concert Band students will be dropped off at Hillview Christian School by their bus at around 2:55pm on Tuesday and the band rehearsal will be finished at 4pm. Families need to make their own transport arrangements from Hillview at 4pm.
CSM Recorder Lessons @ Beckenham School
Yesterday, Rosamund McDonald, the CSM Recorder Tutor, visited to demonstrate the recorder and encourage children to consider taking up recorder lessons this year.
Lessons begin next Thursday, 16th February. If you would like your child to learn recorder, they need to be in Year 2-4 (Year 1 children can look forward to learning next year). The enrolment form is
attached through this link and you can contact Rosamund with any questions by emailing
rfamcdonald@googlemail.comASB Home Loan offer
If you, or someone you know, is in the process of getting a home loan through ASB, by mentioning Beckenham School, ASB will donate $500 to our school.
This offer is valid until 30 June 2017.
Staff Profiles
We plan to profile our staff each week in our newsletter this year, to help you to get to know us all. We realise that often parents get to know just the teacher(s) who their child has contact with, and the rest of our team might be vaguely familiar, yet unknown, faces.
Caitlyn Downing
Kia ora! I am in my third year teaching at Beckenham and my first year teaching in the Year one and two team, Koru. I am originally from Greymouth where I grew up with my family swimming, kayaking, hiking, biking, basically anything and everything outdoorsy. This is still a huge part of my life. I have now lived in Christchurch for seven years with my boyfriend, Jake, who is also a West Coaster. We love spending our weekends watching movies and hitting up the new Adventure Bike Park.
Nicky Dunlop
I’ve been teaching for around 27 years now, 80% of this in Year 7 & 8; I love this age-group. I spent 14 years teaching at St Martins, followed by 6 years at St Margaret's College, coordinating their primary classes. I came to Beckenham in 2009 and love working in this friendly and supportive community. My husband , Grant, is CEO for Workbridge and works in Wellington 4 days a week. Our boys Tim and Jack are in Year 10 at Cashmere High this year. As a family, we love camping, skiing, biking and watching movies on Friday nights. In my down time I love to curl up with a good book, create things and keep fit with a spot of jogging or walking. While I enjoy teaching all subjects across the curriculum, I’m in my element when teaching maths and art. Another passion is using ICT as a tool for learning. The last four years have been by far my best years in teaching. I love working collaboratively and seeing how engaged the students are in their learning. I'm enjoying working together with two fabulous teachers to facilitate exciting learning with our Year 7/8 children.
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOL OF MUSIC OPEN DAY
SATURDAY 18 FEBRUARY 9.00am-12.30pm
62 FERRY RD (CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL COLLEGE)
Whether you are 2 or 92, the CSM has something for you-foundation classes, lessons, orchestral, wind, jazz and rock instrumental ensembles, choirs and theory classes.
Come and see the school in action any time between 9am and 12.30pm.
Check out our website for specific ensemble times
http://www.csm.org.nz/ensemble-timetable
Rugby Club
2017 Junior Registration Dates
Junior registrations Boys and Girls (Under 6 to Under 18) will be held in the Sydenham Lounge at the Cashmere Club, 88 Hunter Terrace, Cashmere.
Wednesday 1 March 2017 from 4pm to 8.00pm
Sunday 5th March 2017 from 10am to 2pm
Please complete a new registration or update your existing online registration information and pay your subscription at www.sydenhamrugby.co.nz
Birth certificates are required for all new members..
Jackets and jerseys will be fitted on registrations days and shorts and socks will be available to purchase at this time.
Also this year the CRFU is looking at running Girls only grades
8 and under all girls Rippa Rugby
10 and under all girl’s tackle grade
If you are interested in playing Girls Rugby we can arrange for one of the Sydenham Senior Women’s players to come and talk to the children. Please contact the club to arrange a time.
Act2 Drama Group
Registrations are now being taken for your child aged 6-13, or yourself aged 13 and over for our 2017 Drama Stars Program.
This course commences Friday 17th February and runs weekly for six weeks.
Juniors 5-5.50pm, Seniors 6-6.50pm.
Venue is the St Albans Community Centre, 1047 Colombo St, St Albans, Christchurch
This program teaches all the essential skills, techniques and tips of drama. It involves our students in all on-stage and back stage elements of a production, where they run the show!
Auditions are held during week 3 for the Drama Stars for their very own 4 performance production.
Every student who auditions gets a role.
They will then attend twice-weekly rehearsals, culminating in a well polished production at the end of the April school holidays. Cost is $75.
For registrations or query’s please call Fay on 0210431108 or email act2dramagroup@gmail.com
Cashmere Technical Football Club
Cashmere Technical FC
Registration is now open for Cashmere Technical FC. Please register online at www.ctfc.co.nz Registration will close on 12th March. Trial dates for 10th Grade and above are on our website
14th CHCH Boys’ Brigade:
BB is an action packed programme geared for Young Kiwi guys.
Boys’ Brigade is a fun filled Christian based programme for boys aged 5-19 yrs old. We operate in three sections, Anchor 5-7 years, Team Adventure 8-10 years and Company Xtreme 11-19 years old. Activities include Crafts, games, camps, outdoor pursuits, leadership training, life skills and lots more. We meet on a Friday night at Beckenham Methodist Church Hall, 52 Martin Ave, Beckenham. New members welcome for 2017, interested contact Stephen 337 2296, admin@14thbb.org.nz or visit www.14thbb.org.nz Accept the Challenge.
O'Callahan Dance Studio
Boutique school nurturing and developing young dancers.
Now taking enrolments for 2017! Classes in Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary Lyrical and Acro.
Medal test, exam and performance opportunities.
Contact Ciara for more information on 027 335 2759 or ocdancestudio@hotmail.co.nz
Find us on Facebook - O'Callahan Dance Studio
