Moving to COVID Alert Level 2 at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto

Kia ora e te whānau

As you will have probably heard via tonight's news, we are moving to Alert Level 2 at 11:59pm tonight due to new community cases of COVID-19 today in Auckland.

Whilst this is never a situation we want to be in again, we have been here before and we have very successfully navigated this situation as a school and wider community. We've Got This!

The Secretary for Education has already emailed all principals around the country and the following ways of operating apply to Alert Level 2:

1. Schools are open to everyone, and all children must attend.

At Alert Level 2 the disease is contained but there is still risk of community transmission. It is safe for children and staff to attend school as there will be appropriate measures in place, including for children and staff vulnerable to severe illness.


2. Learning will be onsite with distance learning offered in some circumstances.

Distance learning will be provided for those required to self-isolate, those individuals who health authorities have asked to stay away while waiting for a test result, or those choosing to remain at home because they are vulnerable to illness.
If you believe that your child fits the above criteria, please let the office know and we will contact you regarding home learning options.

3. Schools are not classified as gatherings and a range of events and activities can go ahead.

For most day to day activities at schools, the rules for gatherings do not apply. Under the COVID-19 Public Health Response Order, schools are exempted from physical distancing requirements when people are there to receive, provide, or support education services.
However as soon as an event or activity brings people onsite who are not there for education purposes, including students, parents and caregivers, then the rules for gatherings do apply. This includes performances such as school plays, cultural events and sporting activities.
This means that we will return to our protocol of parents dropping and collecting children from the gate rather than coming onto the school site. 

We will have staff at the main gate, and at the Park entrance to school so that you can hand children over to them, rather than coming onto the school site.

KORU - NE children - will finish at 2:30pm during Alert Level 2 to ensure that they can be collected at the MAIN GATE before the main rush of caregivers arrive for the 3pm pickup.


4. Schools will close for cleaning and contact tracing if there is a confirmed case who was infectious when at school.

Your Director of Education will work closely with you and health authorities should this occur. Please contact your Ministry regional office if you hear of a confirmed case in your school community but haven’t been advised about it by health officials.

5. Face coverings are not required at school or on any school transport.

This includes charter buses hired by the school to transport students and staff. Anyone who chooses to wear a face covering in any setting should be supported to do so.

6. Sick people must stay at home.

They should seek medical advice if they have COVID-like symptoms and get tested if advised to do so. If that person displays relevant symptoms of COVID-19, tests positive for COVID-19, or has been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, they must self-isolate.

7. You must have a contact tracing system in place.

If you have to come onto the school site, please ensure you sign in at the office as usual, AS WELL AS using your COVID app if you have one

8. Fundamental public health measures continue to apply at every alert level:

  • Physical distancing (not touching and not breathing on each other at Alert Level 2)
  • Hand hygiene
  • Cough and sneeze etiquette
  • Regularly cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces.


Stay in Touch

If you need to contact your child's teacher - email will be the best option at Alert Level 2. You can find all of the teacher and Admin email addresses HERE
If you need to contact Jacky in the office - email office@beckenham.school.nz or phone 337 1404
To contact Rachel in accounts, contact accounts@beckenham.school.nz or phone 337 1404

We will continue to keep updating you as more information comes to hand.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy and the Team!




We have copied information from the Covid19.govt.nz website below for your reference.


Education information at Alert Level 2

At Alert Level 2, early learning centres, schools and tertiary education facilities are open for all age groups.
If an educational facility is connected to a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, it legally must close temporarily, if advised by the public health unit, to allow for contact tracing.
Children or young people legally must stay home if they:
  • are unwell
  • have COVID-19 symptoms
  • are self-isolating
  • are waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test.
Distance learning will be available for any students not able to attend school.

Children, young people and teachers do not need to wear face coverings at school. This is because the risk of infection within the school environment is low.

Early learning services and schools

All early learning centres and schools are physically open including for years 11 to 13. Distance learning will be available for those who cannot attend school, for example where people are self-isolating.

Early learning centres and schools are safe environments for children, young people and staff. Additional public health control measures are in place to prevent the spread of disease and to support contact tracing.

Shared parenting at Alert Level 2

From the COVID19.govt.nz website:

At Alert Level 2, parenting arrangements can be as normal.
Household bubbles do not need to be maintained, and you can connect with friends and family in a safe way.
It's safe to send your children to schools, early learning services and tertiary education. Appropriate measures will be in place.

Travelling for parenting purposes

Children can travel freely for the purpose of parenting arrangements. There's no restriction on distance for domestic travel.

Children still should not move between households if they show cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms, are awaiting a test or are required to self-isolate. Make sure you travel in a safe way and follow public health measures.

Public transport is available to everyone at Alert Level 2. Keep in mind that there’s less capacity on public transport because of physical distancing so if you can, consider travelling at off-peak times or walking or cycling. You should not travel on public transport if you’re unwell.

Legal advice and Family Court

Lawyers and other legal services are available during Alert Level 2 — physical consultations will need to follow public health measures.

You can find a list of legal aid lawyers on the Ministry of Justice website or you may be eligible for assistance from a Community Law Centre.

If you have a dispute on shared parenting the Family Court may be able to assist.


If you were doing Family Dispute Resolution check with your provider. These services will be available under Alert Level 2 but the way they are delivered may change, including doing some of the programme by phone or online.

Call 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787) if you need other information about Family Court.

Pōhutukawa News (Swimming Sports and Huxter) – Week 2, Term 1, 2021

Kia ora e te whānau, it was great to catch up with many of you at the PTA picnic this evening. Here are a couple of notices regarding some upcoming sports events. (Please note the entries for swimming sports close on Monday!)

Swimming Sports

Here is a link to an information slideshow about our upcoming Swimming Sports, to be held on the afternoon of  February 25th. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vbhbd7jLy4F8aMK09Bdz0hxBCMuTuSDnnDVic8qyt74/edit?usp=sharing

We spoke with all of the students as a team about the day and have explained to them how they can go about entering. We have also encouraged them to speak with you before choosing which events to enter if they are unsure. The information on this Slides presentation outlines this same information and should clarify any questions you may have. 

The students can access the entry form (a Google Form) by logging on to 2021 Pōhutukawa Google Classroom. Please let us know if you do have any questions, we are happy to help.


Hanmer 4 Hour Mountain Bike Relay

We would like to promote the above event to keen mountain bikers. Children compete as a team to complete as many laps of the course as they can in 4 hours. Children 11 years old and younger ride a mellow loop that goes through the Heritage Forest. Children 12 years and older ride an intermediate level track, (it’s worth noting that this course is the same one that adults compete on and so it is a little busier). Whānau are responsible for entries and for supervising children at the event. There are already a number of children entered and we will have a Beckenham te Kura O Pūroto base area set up for all our teams to use. If you enter this event, please let Jenny Diggle know so that we can share information and coordinate plans for race day.

https://www.hanmerevents.co.nz/48mtb

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 1 Week 2: Lots of Important Info!

 In this post:

  • Swimming sports - parent help request
  • Technology and slideshow
  • Leadership week messages and slideshow
  • Hanmer 4 Hour Mountain Bike Relay
  • Tent request
  • Photo gallery
Early next week we will put out a post with heaps of information about Wainui Camp.

Swimming Sports

Our swimming sports are on Thursday Feb 25th and we are in need of some parent help. Please check out this form to let us know if you are available.

Technology

Tech starts on Tuesday, Feb 16th.  Children need to be at school by 8:30am every Tuesday in order to catch the bus. They are allowed to bring some loose change to spend at the canteen. Below is the slideshow that we have gone through with the children.


Leadership Week: Feb 15 - 19

What you need to know:

Year 7s:

Wear mufti to school for their leadership day on Wednesday Feb 17.

Year 8s:

Thursday 18th - Friday 19th of Feb: two day leadership camp, with a sleepover at school on Thursday night.

We would like families of Year 8 children to send along food donations, by Wednesday Feb 17, as follows:

  • Te Maunga (Nicky's home-group) - a packet of breakfast cereal
  • Te Awa and Te Tai (Megan and Jenny's home-groups) - a bag of fruit (6 portions)
  • Te Ngahere (Caitlin's home-group) - some baking

The cost per child for attending the Year 8 leadership camp is $25.00. Please pay this at the office as soon as possible. This is a cost that is separate to the school donation, as it involves an overnight camp. We also need the children to bring $2.40 for bus fare (or a Metrocard if they have one), as we are catching the public bus into town.

Gear list: Your child needs to come to school on Thursday dressed in clothes suitable for physical activity, i.e. track pants or shorts, t-shirt, polypro if cold, a warm top and sports shoes, suitable for running. The following needs to be packed in an overnight bag:

  • Sleeping bag, pillow and something to sleep on, e.g. sleeping mat, stretcher or lilo (please let us know if you need help sourcing something to sleep on)
  • PJs
  • Toilet gear
  • A face-mask for wearing on the public bus
  • A change of clothes for the next day, again suitable for physical activity
  • Bus fare: $2.40

These things should be packed in a day pack:

  • Packed lunch and refillable drink bottle
  • Sunhat
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Optional: camera, cell phone (these will be collected in)

Please make sure asthmatic children have inhalers with them and that medication is in a labeled bag. This needs to be handed to the home-group teacher as soon as your child arrives at school.

If you need to contact us outside of school hours or on Friday when we are at Spencer Park, please contact Nicky on 0276229403




Hanmer 4 Hour Mountain Bike Relay


We would like to promote the above event to keen mountain bikers. Children compete as a team to complete as many laps of the course as they can in 4 hours. Children 11 years old and younger ride a mellow loop that goes through the Heritage Forest. Children 12 years and older ride an intermediate level track, (it’s worth noting that this course is the same one that adults compete on and so it is a little busier). Whānau are responsible for entries and for supervising children at the event. There are already a number of children entered and we will have a Beckenham te Kura O Pūroto base area set up for all our teams to use. If you enter this event, please let Jenny know so that we can share information and coordinate plans for race day. 

Tent Request

We need to take a tent on Wainui camp that can sleep 8 people. If you can help us out, please contact Nicky.

Photo Gallery

Passion photography, exploring camera angles.


Te Tai challenging themselves with the lap-sit.


Loving challenge at lunchtime.

Cooking passion: chicken noodle salad - yum!

Science badge passion


Art passion


Team Kahikatea Term 1 Week 2

 Kia ora whanau, 

Thank you for coming to our Learning Conferences! It has been wonderful getting to know your child/children and hearing all about their strengths and learning goals for this year. 

Communication 

There are many ways to contact your child's homegroup teacher and we encourage whanau to be proactive if there is any information you need to share with us. In the first instance,  please your child's homegroup teacher.  Alternately, each morning one of our teachers will be at the hub door to meet and greet your child/children and they can answer any questions you may have or pass a message to the homegroup teacher.  Teachers are in hubs from 8.30am and after school until 3.15pm should you need to meet face to face or  you can email your homegroups teacher to schedule a meeting time . 

Supporting your Child's Independence

We are thrilled to see so many of you are supporting your child/children's independence by dropping them off and letting them come inside by themselves in the morning to complete their daily routines. 

At the end of the day it would be helpful if you and your child had an agreed "meeting place". This could be the library steps, the hall steps, the flag pole or some other agreed spot or area outside the hub.  Thank you! This will help enormously with the congestion at the end of the day.

Can you help us on Fridays, 2-3pm?

Are there 1-2 parents available to help on Friday afternoons 2-3pm? We would love to take groups of children down to explore the ponds, but need additional adults to do so safely. Please email Charlotte at charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz if you are able to help. 

Here are some pictures of our gorgeous tamariki engaged in Learning Through Play: 




















































Ferrymead Trip Wednesday 24th February

Kahikatea Trip to Ferrymead

Kia ora whānau,

We are very excited about our upcoming trip to Ferrymead Heritage Park on Wednesday the 24th February. This trip links strongly to our theme of ‘Change’ and a main focus will be on heritage toys/ games, and their development over time. Our tamariki will be divided into five groups and participate in the following workshops:

  • Heritage games
  • Homemade toys
  • Science of toys
  • Maori toys and games

We will also go on the tram, have a tour around the village and dress up in old fashioned clothing. On the day of the trip, your child/children will need to:

  • Be at school by 8:45am
  • Bring a substantial amount of food in their lunchbox
  • Bring a full drink bottle
  • Have sunblock applied before arriving
  • Ensure their sunhat is at school (if unsure, send a spare)
  • Bring a light waterproof layer if it appears overcast
  • Wear comfortable shoes

Helpers: 

We will need approximately 2 whanau helpers for each group. This will involve helping to oversee small groups of learners, supporting food breaks and joining in with activities. 

For health and safety reasons we are unable to accommodate siblings/preschoolers. We do have some room for whānau who need to come with us on the bus, otherwise there is ample parking at Ferrymead. 

Please make contact with your child’s home group teacher if you are able to help us on the day. 

The cost of this trip is covered by your school donation. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Team Kahikatea

Amber Donovan amber.donovan@beckenham.school.nz

Charlotte Verity charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz

Lisa Collier lisa.collier@beckenham.school.nz

Katie McFarlane katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz