Monthly Archives: February 2018

Update for Wednesday 21st February 2018

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Cyclone Gita and impact on School

Kia ora koutou

At this stage, we are planning to be open for school as usual tomorrow morning.

Whilst the Christchurch City Council has put a State of Emergency in place, each school Board of Trustees has the responsibility for making the decision about whether a school opens or closes.

We are conscious, when we do close the school, of the impact on families who need to continue with as much normality as possible, and we don't make this decision lightly.

A big consideration in deciding what to do will be the state of Eastern Terrace on the eastern boundary of the school in the morning. When that road is closed and flooded, there is a significant impact on children's ability to access the school safely on foot, and the impact on traffic is also severe.

We will assess the situation again in the morning and send out a text.

If you decide that it is safer to keep your child(ren) at home tomorrow, please let the office know by leaving a message on the school answerphone.

Ngā mihi

Sandy and the team

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 1 Week 3

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We are well into the swing of things now in the Intermediate Hub, with literacy and maths programmes underway. Please read the important messages below. Our aim is to keep messages brief for quick reading. Feel free to email us if you feel you need more information.

Kete Award Scheme: 

It was exciting to read a child's first blog post and award points last week. A number of families are paying for maths and science badges by Friday this week, so these can be ordered. The link to the scheme is on our blog. It is great to see the children living our values by getting involved in this scheme.

Swimming Sports:

This Thursday we have around 40 of our children heading to Wharenui Pool at 11:30am for our swimming sports. Jenny will send a separate message with information and instructions for the day. 

Math Club:

It was great to see so many keen mathematicians at 8:20am last Wednesday. This club with continue every Wednesday at this time.

Technology at South:

If you need to drop your child at South Intermediate on a Tuesday morning, it is very important that you let us know (text of email) each day, so that we can mark our roll correctly. Our bus arrives at 8:45. Please do not drop children off at South before 8:40. 

Writing:

Last week we had our first writing motivation: Fear Factor. The children are now writing a descriptive piece about fear. The focus is on the quality of the writing (varying sentence starters, using short sentences for effect, use of similes and metaphors and developing ideas within paragraphs),  rather than the quantity. We are discouraging them from writing a 'story'. This piece of writing is due next Friday. We will be reading all writing and providing feedback each weekend. If your child has not completed enough writing, we will send them an email and copy you in, asking them to work on this at home. Of course, any child is welcome to continue working on their writing at home if they would like to. On their document they have a link to 'Literacy Links' which is a website we have created to support them with their writing. They also have an exemplar in the books at school and a planning sheet. 

HPV Forms:

Earlier this term all Year 8 children brought packs containing HPV forms home. Please make sure these forms are completed and returned to the school office this week.

Looking for someone with design skills:

Do you work or dabble in art, design or advertising?  Would you be interested in helping design our wellbeing definition? This will be central to our student wellbeing strategy this year....and beyond! Please contact me if you can help. Many thanks, Charlotte (charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz)

Police Competency Test:

Today we will be telling the children about the PCT competition. This is a team competition open to Year 7 & 8 children. They literally complete the Police Competency Test, so a moderate to high level of fitness is required. This half day competition is on March 27 and includes other activities based on the police force. We will aim to put in two teams of 4 and will need a parent helper per team. Sign up sheets are up in the hub this week. Next week we will run trials to select eight children, four girls and four boys. 

Photos from Fear Factor...

Feb 2018: Special Bulletin – Farewell to a dear friend of the school

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With the fondest memories of a dear friend and colleague

Kia ora koutou

As many of you may have read on the school, or neighbourhood Facebook pages, we heard the very sad news last week of the passing of Caroline Radcliffe, a very dear and loved colleague and friend of the Beckenham School community.


Caroline began her association with Beckenham School when she attended here as a child herself. She then sent her four daughters to the school, and then began working here in the office as the school secretary, a position she held for 30 years.

Caroline was the welcoming face that greeted everyone who came into the school, managing to get a laugh and a smile from even the most serious.

Along with her wicked sense of humour, she was renowned for her fabulous sense of style. She always looked immaculate, and ran many fashion shows at Beckenham as fundraisers.

Her bright lipstick and immaculately polished, extra-long nails, were legendary!

On her last day at Beckenham, we had a special "Glam up your nails" day - in honour of this gorgeous lady and her nails!


Caroline retired from Beckenham in October 2012 and moved to Blenheim with her husband Mike.

She passed away on Tuesday of last week, with her family around her.

A memorial service for Caroline will be held at 2pm this Friday 23rd February, at Lamb and Hayward, Wairakei Road. To all attending this service - you are encouraged to "Glam up your nails and lips" in honour of Caro.

At school this Friday, we will be encouraging those who remember Caroline, to 'glam up their nails' and put on their brightest lipstick, as a salute to this special lady. This will particularly apply to our staff and our Year 6, 7 & 8 children who were just 5, 6 & 7 year olds at the time that Caroline retired.

We will be flying our New Zealand flag at half mast on Friday, in memory of Caroline.

Koru Term 1 Weeks 1 & 2

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Welcome Back!

Learning Conferences

It was wonderful to have such a large turnout to our Learning Conferences held earlier this Term. We appreciate your time to connect with us at school - setting our children up for a great start to the year.

Fill your Cup

We have enjoyed seeing the cups return, overflowing with some wonderful sharing. it is not too late to bring your cup - it is a great way to get to know each other.

Paint shirts 

Do you have any old, large shirts or t-shirts at home? We are hoping to have a collection of paint shirts for art. Please send in any spare old shirts that you don't need to be returned. Please don't name. Thanks.

Your Help 

Do you work or dabble in art, design or advertising?  Would you be interested in helping design our wellbeing definition? This will be central to our student wellbeing strategy this year....and beyond! Please contact me if you can help. Many thanks, Charlotte (charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz)

Reading 

We are excited about starting our reading programme from Wednesday next week. (New Entrant may be arrange differently). We have working through shared big books or poems to familiarise the children with our reading protocols and allow for assessment. Please enjoy reading these with your child, supporting them as they need. Your child will start bringing take-home books at their level after week 3.

Home Learning

We are in the process of a school-wide review of our Home Learning protocols. In the meantime your children will bring their reading book and Home Learning Book home every day in their reading folder. There is a tip sheet to help with the reading as well as a reading log that you can complete. 

Discovery Learning - Play Based

Our tamariki have embraced learning through discovery. They are getting to know other children in their group as well as to feel settled as they start the school year.
The following link provides some great information for parents and caregivers about our children's play-based urges (schema).  Nature Play

Would you like to come and share an aspect of your profession or an interest during Discovery Learning, e.g. yoga, art or an outdoor activity? Sessions run between 9.15 and 10.15, and we can support you with materials and resources. Please email Charlotte if you are interested. Thankyou.

Enjoy these photos of our children - doing what they do best!

We need your help!

Koru West Wing would love to start up a wood working play area. If you any tools like hammers, saws, hand held drills, nails, screws and screwdrivers - we would love to gather these in to create the area. Also any off cuts of timber and plumbing that are spare at your place. Dorinda will be collecting these donations.







































Fairness

We have had wonderfully rich talks about this picture - see what things your children notice - it's really fascinating! What 'box' does your child need to learn?

Kōwhai Newsl Week 2 Term 1

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We have had an amazing first two weeks back at school. The weather has been perfect, the children have been enthusiastic and the teachers have enjoyed getting to know the students in Kōwhai hub. As always, there is a lot happening, and a lot to look forward to during the first term.




 Problem Solving in Maths
We have begun teaching our problem style approach in maths this week.  This has required the children to work in co-operative whānau groups with 3-4 children. We have had an emphasis on what effective group work looks and sounds like and it has been exciting to see the children participate in rich mathematical discussions as they share or question the ideas that are shared when solving the problem. 
Here are examples of some of the group thinking.












Life Education / Inquiry Learning
Next week, it is our turn to visit the Life Education van. Each class will have two lessons with the focus being on friendship, showing empathy and how we communicate with others. These are all important concepts to explore, especially at the beginning of a new year at school and supports our current class teaching around feelings and emotions.



 Buddies
We began buddies last week with some of the children in Kauri Whanau. Most of the big buddies had 2-3 children. The focus of our sessions has been to get to know each other with the creation of fortune tellers and buddy posters. 
Literacy
This week we began our writing programme and we have been highly impressed with the quality of writing being produced by the children in our team. This often occurs when parents read books regularly to children as this exposes them to wonderful language.  It also enables them to hear how reading should sound as well as promoting a love of reading. Keep up the great work! 
The focus next week is on establishing our reading programme across the team. We will be developing the necessary routines for reading where the children will read in a variety of ways: reading by themselves, reading to a buddy, listening to reading, playing reading/literacy games and even visiting our new school library! FYI-Home Learning will begin in week 4 with books being sent home then. 
Learning Conferences
We would like to say a huge thank you to all the families who were able to attend a learning conference at the start of this term. As a teaching team this has enabled us to learn more about your child and how we can meet their needs this year. We really enjoyed meeting you all and are looking forward to the year ahead with your whānau.  We are always available through email and are very happy to meet  to discuss anything that arises. If you haven't done so yet, please take the time to fill in the google form which was sent out in the last newsletter via this link.  This feedback is really valuable for us as a school.

 Discovery Learning

Each day we begin with Discovery Time. This time provides the children with the opportunity to work together and to learn through play and exploration. It has been great to see the children problem solving, exercising their creativity, working together and developing their communication skills. We have learnt many things about the children through our conversations and observations which will be reflected in our teaching approaches with them. Here are some photos of the children in action.



 Wellbeing at Beckenham te Kura o Pūroto
Do you work or dabble in art, design or advertising?  Would you be interested in helping design our wellbeing definition? This will be central to our student wellbeing strategy this year....and beyond! Please contact me if you can help. Many thanks, Charlotte (charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz)


School Fair
The P.T.A. is working very hard to organise the school fair. Please mark your calendars- Friday 23rd March 2018 will be our first TWILIGHT FAIR since 2014. The P.T.A. are calling all Artists, Musicians, business owners & generous soles…..as they are on the hunt for donations of prizes, vouchers, cash, food, services & acts to help us to create an amazing Twilight Fair

If you are a business/person that can help, please click on the link for more detailed information: https://goo.gl/forms/UXBCuV3Z4iURxLhB3
All funds raised from the Twilight Fair will be added to the PTA ‘OUTDOOR SPACES’ FUND.
Dates for the Diary:
Wed 21 Feb - Walk or Wheel Safely to School
Wed 14 Mar - Kowhai Top Team Afternoon (We do need parent help for this event)
Fri 16 Mar- Storylines Festival- Visiting author to our team

 That's all for now. Have a wonderful weekend ahead!
Kōwhai Teaching Team