It was fabulous to welcome the children back to our hub last week. After the initial excitement of reuniting with everyone, the children have quickly settled back into learning.
Technology
Technology classes at Christchurch South Intermediate continue in level 2. The key difference is that the canteen is not running.
Choir
Choir also continues in level 2. The choir meets at 8:15 am on Mondays.
Speech Finals
We were impressed with how adaptable the children were to presenting their speeches via Zoom or videoing themselves. Finalists were named at the end of last week. Our team speech competition will take place this coming Friday, September 17, between 11:00 and 12:40.
Year 7 finalists are Lola, Tahere, Fergus, Quinn, Freya, Billy, Richelle, Lachy, Stella and Oliver.
Year 8 finalists are Fergus, Mila, Tabea, Mahli, Thomas, Marcellus, Zoe C, Rory, Lane and Andi.
Unfortunately, parents cannot be part of the audience while we are at level 2.
Cashmere High School Testing
Year 8 testing at Cashmere High has been rescheduled to take place on Thursday, September 30th. Those who have children enrolled will receive details from Cashmere High. The children make their own way to and from testing and are expected back at Beckenham by 1:20pm.
We were so thrilled to see all the children back at school yesterday and today. In fact, yesterday we only had 17 children absent out of 508 - a better attendance rate than usual for this time of the year! We had seven new children start school yesterday and today - a very special welcome to them, and their whānau.
Thank you to all of our whānau who have supported the dropping off and collecting of children at the gate each day. This will continue whilst we are at Level 2. The children were well prepared yesterday and even our newest students managed this very successfully. As of today, all of the Chromebooks that we loaned out have been returned - thank you very much for that.
Whilst we can't have whānau on site at the moment, it doesn't mean that you can't talk with your child's teachers. If you would like to talk to a teacher, please email the teacher or email the office (office@beckenham.school.nz) and they will be happy to call you back.
With only three weeks left of this term, teachers will be doing quite a bit of assessment over the next three weeks, in preparation for report writing from the start of Term 4. We expect to have reports out to you (via HERO for the first time) at the end of Week 5, and we will be offering Learning Conferences during Week 6 (23rd and 25th November).
Best wishes for the first weekend at Level 2 - whatever that allows you and your family to do!
Poppy, you are an enthusiastic learner. You always show initiative and are willing to give it a go with everything you have been asked to do. You are also kind and caring to other members of Kōwhai hub as you make sure no one ever feels left out. We are so delighted to have you in Kōwhai this year, ka rawe!
The Gifted Learner Awards can be used to challenge learners to try something new, or extend them in areas they're already involved in and passionate about.
Applicants can include tamariki in early learning through to high school students.
Applications can be for an individual or a group of learners, and can provide funding of up to $2,500 per individual or $5,000 per group (to be used within a 12-month period).
APPLY TODAY: (Applications close at 4pm on 30 September 2021)
Click this link to see some things you can do for your Māori Language Moment. It could be as easy as greeting everyone you see with 'kia ora', starting your Zoom call with "mōrena", or playing te reo Māori songs in your workplace all day. How you do it is up to you, but you can get started with some ideas linked here! (https://www.reomaori.co.nz/ideas)
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
Beckenham Tennis Club
Action Sports Summer Season
If anyone has any questions about Indoor Netball or Indoor Football, they can contact ACTION on:
The Gumboot army is anyone who would like to raise money for Gumboot Friday – I am Hope charity.
Gumboot Friday – I am Hope is a charity started by Mike King, to raise money for counselling sessions for the tamariki of Aotearoa, aged 4-24 years old.
Sunday 24th October - Little River Family Fun day! “Top town” gumboot competition, food, stalls, raffles and more! Find the event on Facebook at Little River Gumboot day. Two of the activities are design a gumboot and decorate a gumboot. It will be a great outing for everyone! If it doesn’t go ahead due to COVID, all prizes will be raffled and auctioned off on our FB page.
5th November 2021 – Gumboot Friday Take 2! We would love for you to get involved by encouraging your tamariki to wear gumboots and make a donation.
Vegan Expo Christchurch
Haere-Roa (UCSA, 90 Ilam Rd)
10am – 4pm
Sunday, November 7th
Enjoy great vegan food, watch top veggie chefs display their cooking secrets, learn about plant-based living and enjoy celebrating cruelty-free, pro-planet lives with Christchurch’s vegetarian and vegan community. Whether you are vegetarian or not, you will love the variety of foods and entertainment on offer, which includes a special kid’s zone, bouncy castle and activities.
Eftpos and plenty of free parking will be available.
Please note: The Expo will only go ahead if we are in Covid-19 alert level 1. If the event has to be cancelled, refunds will be issued to anyone who has purchased tickets.
It has been wonderful to be back at school for the past two days! Our hub has been a hive of activity since the children arrived on Thursday morning. Here are some photos of our wonderful children in action.
We hope that you have a lovely weekend, and we look forward to another week of fun and learning next week as we venture into Week 8!
A shorter than usual newsletter this week, mostly to let you know that we, like most of you, are missing being at school and have all of our fingers and toes crossed that we will be moving to Alert Level 2 soon.
A very warm welcome to four new families who have had children start during lockdown! A very unusual start for these children, but we hope that they have felt welcomed and we very much look forward to meeting them at school when we move to Alert Level 2
.
We have three bubbles of children learning at school at the moment, with the rest of our tamariki continuing with learning at home. The staff have been really impressed with the engagement of so many children, and enjoy catching up with learning, whether it has been via a group zoom (Years 3-8) or from phone conversations, emails and individual zooms with some whānau.
Communications
Electronic communication has been a critical part of staying connected as a school community through lockdown. From time to time, we send out surveys or quesstions to you that require a response to enable us to plan and prepare at school.
We are now sending ALL of our communication out via our HERO platform. You can log onto HERO through your internet browser on your home computer, or via the app on your phone or handheld device.
Downloading the HERO app will allow you to have push notifications sent to your phone whenever an important communication is sent out. Search for "HERO by Linc-ed" on the google Playstore or Apple Store.
Once you have downloaded the app, you can log in using your email address as a 'new user' (note that the email address needs to be the one you have given us to use at school.
Stay safe, and stay in touch. You can still call the school via the office cellphone during school hours, or email office@beckenham.school.nz or email any of the staff via their school email (firstname.surname@beckenham.school.nz)
Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there...
Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Whilst we are working through Alert Levels, confirming dates of upcoming events is not possible.
Isla, you have such a passion for learning and we love how you approach new challenges with an open, inquiring mind. Always let this shine, Isla! He taonga te ako, the treasure is learning. Thank you for being a kind, compassionate person who is always thinking of others, and ready to lend a helping hand. Tino pai, Isla!
School Notices
Ministry of Education - Gifted Learner Awards
WHAT ARE THEY ALL ABOUT?
The Gifted Learner Awards can be used to challenge learners to try something new, or extend them in areas they're already involved in and passionate about.
Applicants can include tamariki in early learning through to high school students.
Applications can be for an individual or a group of learners, and can provide funding of up to $2,500 per individual or $5,000 per group (to be used within a 12-month period).
APPLY TODAY: (Applications close at 4pm on 30 September 2021)
Public Health: Everyone aged 12 years and over can now be vaccinated
Everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand aged 12 years and over can now book their free COVID-19 vaccination.
The Ministry of Health advises that two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are necessary to protect each other, our whānau and our community against the Delta variant of the virus.
Reservations can be made through bookmyvaccine.nz – when booking appointments remember to stay local and book as close to home as possible.
If you have questions or need help booking, call the COVID Vaccination Healthline 0800 28 29 26.
It may be able to book directly at your local general practice, community pharmacy or hauora provider. For more information visit Healthpoint or Karawhiua.
PTA News
Readathon Fundraiser 2021
Well with the Covid lockdown sprung on us this year, our annual Readathon and the money our amazing school of readers usually raise is looking a little different.
Our usual practice of collecting money and offering bookmarks to the children as they return their cards to the PTA hasn't been able to take place. As we are yet to know when we will return to school and what that may look like, we would love to see all your wonderful donations made online. Once we are back to school we will look at getting bookmarks distributed out.
Bank accounts details are:
12-3148-0244558-00
Ref - Readathon
A very big thank you from the PTA to those of you who have already sent your money in.
We hope you are all having a safe lockdown and are all finding moments to lose yourself in a good book.
Extra Learning Spot
'The Rascally Cake' (by Jeanne Willis)
Dr Murray Gadd Phd, reads 'The Rascally Cake' (by Jeanne Willis). A fun writing lesson primarily for Year 2-6 students, though some Year 7-8 students might enjoy it as well. This lesson promotes procedural writing, and starts with a book.
'Diary Of A Worm' (by Doreen Cronin)
Dr Murray Gadd PhD, reads "Diary Of A Worm". Another fun writing lesson primarily for Year 2-6 students, though again some Year 7-8 students might enjoy it as well. Every lesson starts with a book.
How the Kiwi Lost its Wings
A shadow puppet performance, based on the story by Alwyn Owen, which tells of how the kiwi came to be the most beloved bird in Aotearoa.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Animated Film
In the internationally acclaimed The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a tiny caterpillar eats and eats…and eats his way through the week. Taken from The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories collection. Based on Eric Carle's picture book. Click here to watch.
