Monthly Archives: May 2023

Kauri Whānau Update: Term 2, Weeks 4

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 In this post:

  • Winter sports reminder
  • Ski Trip reminder
  • Cheese rolls
  • Writing competition
  • Cashmere High Open Day

Winter Sports

Sports starts this coming Thursday. Please make sure that students have all the gear they need, and a full lunch box and water bottle on that day. Check the Hero notices for information specifically around specific sports if your child is in a competitive team.

Ski Trip

Thank you to those who have already signed up to volunteer for our ski day in Term 3. We have booked our ski day at Mt Hutt for Monday, August 28. This day has a very early start, meeting at school at 5:45am! We return by 6pm. At this stage we are looking for more parents/caregivers to help on this trip. We are after both experienced skiers, who can help on the snow, and people on foot to support around the base area. Please fill in this form if you are keen to join us.

https://forms.gle/nEdrGA6xtijwLNKXA

Cheese roll fundraiser, parent help needed.

Alongside the ski trip is the need to fundraise! Over the past few years we have made and sold cheese rolls. This system works well (with the children as the main workforce) and we have made lots of money in the past. Wednesday, June 7th will be our production day. Please read this form to see if you can help and fill it out if you can contribute in some way. Thanks team - 'We get there together!' 

https://forms.gle/3TXuict9rvtubsku5

Of course we can only make cheese rolls if they have been ordered - it's great to see that nine families have ordered via the google form so far. This can only mean that we are soon to be inundated with paper forms filled with orders! Speak to your tamariki about the prize in play for those that sell the most! Orders close on Monday May 29th, so get selling!

https://forms.gle/ybLFKpvZiy43rBx78

Writing Competition




Cashmere High School Open Day




Kauri Whānau Update: Term 2, Weeks 2 – 3

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We've had a couple of full weeks to fill you all in on. In this post:

  • Cross Country
  • Life Changer
  • Ski Day
  • Cheese Roll Fundraiser
  • Code Club visit Tūranga
  • Math Clubs

Cross Country

The heavens opens and poured down on us, just as we gathered for the start of the 2023 cross-country. With the decision made to go ahead, we were impressed with the grit and determination shown by the vast majority of the team.  Everyone had different measures of success. We were so impressed by those who managed to run the full course without stopping and those who maintained a regular run - walk - run pace. A special congratulations to the top 3 finishers in each section:

  • Year 8 Girls: Ella C, Zoe (tied for first), Charlie
  • Year 8 Boys: Cahlen, Dan, James
  • Year 7 Girls: Harriet, Isabella and Bonnie
  • Year 7 Boys: Jack, Finn, Rowan

A huge thanks to parents who came along to help with the running of the event.

LifeChanger

Starting in Week 2, we have been taking part in LifeChanger sessions with visiting facilitators from Auckland. LifeChanger empowers young people to live thriving, resilient lives by developing their social, emotional and resilience skills. The children have been engaging really well with the learning, and we have two more to wrap things up in Week 4.




Ski Day

We have booked our ski day at Mt Hutt for Monday, August 28. This day has a very early start, meeting at school at 5:45am! We return by 6pm. At this stage we are looking for parents/caregivers to help on this trip. We are after both experienced skiers, who can help on the snow, and people on foot to support around the base area. Please fill in this form if you are keen to join us.

https://forms.gle/nEdrGA6xtijwLNKXA

Cheese roll fundraiser, parent help needed.

With our ski trip coming up next term, we need to raise some funds. Over the past few years we have made and sold cheese rolls. The system works well (with the children as the main workforce) and we have made lots of money in the past. Wednesday, June 7th will be our production day. Please read this form to see if you can help and fill it out if you can contribute in some way. Thanks team - 'We get there together!' 

https://forms.gle/3TXuict9rvtubsku5

Also important is that you can order cheese rolls via the form below:

https://forms.gle/ybLFKpvZiy43rBx78

World Vision Junior Youth Conference

Grace, Stella, Scarlett and Alyssa attended the World Vision Junior Youth Conference on Thursday of Week 2. The girls had a great day learning about the amazing work that World Vision does and came back feeling very inspired. The 40 Hour Challenge is coming up so stay tuned to hear from our leaders in the coming weeks about this great cause. 

A huge thank you to Katie for taking the girls to the conference!


Code Club visit Turanga

On Wednesday, a number of students from the Friday Code Club passions group had the opportunity to head into Turanga. Find out all about what they got up to via the link below to the video they created.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ACM_5NRukVM5AcoPmFR_qHr0L8ZavE47/view?usp=sharing

Maths Clubs

Maths Clubs are proving to be popular on a Thursday morning. A reminder that we have two Maths Clubs this term, both taking place on Thursdays from 8.20 to 8.50am. Nicky will be running an extension club in the Breakout Space, and Bridie will be running a Times Tables club in Kōmanawa for those who want to improve their multiplication facts knowledge. All students are welcome.


Kahikatea News Term 2 Week 3

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Kia ora e te whānau,

We had a great week with our tamariki despite some challenging weather and the Cross Country and School Disco being postponed. We would like to thank you for your understanding. 


Nuts / nut-based products at school

This is another reminder that the Kahikatea team has students with nut allergies, one of these is life-threatening. Therefore, we are asking that nuts and nut-based products are NOT brought to school by your child. Nut-based products include items like Nutella, peanut butter, muesli bars containing nuts etc.

The team is also aware that some children may have other dietary requirements. Please talk with your child’s Homegroup teacher if this is the case so that they are aware and we can create a specific plan to support your child if need be.

Our policy at school is that children only eat their own food and not share. Teachers are reminding children about this, along with reminders about handwashing and putting food wrappings in their lunch boxes to take home.

If you have any questions please contact your child's Homegroup teacher.

Thank you for your support as 'We Get There Together'.


Music unit

The children have been super excited and engaged with our Music unit, which has focused on various elements of music, and different types of musical instruments. Most tamariki have designed and made their own instrument and today finished these by decorating them. Children who have been absent due to illness will have an opportunity to work on this next week.

On Monday, there will be a percussion performance called 'Strike to School' at our kura. We will get to see how people use body percussion and handmade instruments to create music.









Cross Country
We have re-scheduled our Junior Cross Country event to be on Tuesday 16th May. Children will gather on the park at 2pm and the races will start shortly after, starting with Year 4 and finishing with Year 0/1. 

Please feel free to come along and support your child/ren if you are able. Tamariki may wear their house tops on this day. Please ensure that they are wearing appropriate footwear.

Thank you for your support!


Learning Through Play
This term, we have continued to explore and engage in different activities for Learning Through Play, including water play, body movements with music, chalk art, drawing using Arts for Kids Hub videos, and so on. The children have had lots of fun!
















Have a lovely weekend!

The Kahikatea Team

quynh.nguyen@beckenham.school.nz
lisa.collier@beckenham.school.nz
krystal.hunt@beckenham.school.nz
amber.donovan@beckenham.school.nz
katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz














Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Newsletter, Friday 12 May 2023

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Coronation Tree Planting

The sun came out today, just as the whole school assembled outside to observe the ceremonial planting of our 'Coronation Tree'. The tree is a very petite kōwhai, that we hope will grow into a tall tree that will become a home for many different animal and bird species. 
Two of our students - the youngest and one of our eldest, helped Tony to plant the tree, in honour of the Coronation of King Charles III last weekend. When you next come into school, ask your child to show you where the tree is planted.



Learning Conferences 14 & 15 June

These are coming up in Week 8 of the term, on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th May. 

Reports will go live on HERO at the end of Week 6, and these conferences will be an important opportunity to learn more about your child's learning progress and achievement.

School will close at the earlier time of 2pm on both days (not 1pm as indicated in a previous email). Children who are usually booked into BOSCO on those days will be able to attend from 2pm. We will provide supervision for children between 2-3pm IF NEEDED... please fill in the second form after booking your Learning Conference.

Each family need to fill out BOTH forms below, please:
First, please book a Learning Conference for each of your children by clicking on this link.
Then, please fill out this form, to let us know what you want to happen for your child at 2pm. We need this form filled out for EVERY child, please.

Celebrating Learning through Passions

This year we have been fortunate to have Kate Allen from Digital Futures NZ working with some of our Year 7/8 students on a Coding passion. This group of 6 ākonga participated in an afternoon at Tūranga with other schools to share and be creative around using digital storytelling to explore the story of Kupe and the Voyagers who first came to Aotearoa.



Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Tue 16 May - Junior Cross Country 2-3pm
Fri 19 May - Celebration Assembly 10am, All welcome
Tue 23 May - Zone Cross Country - Y5-8 qualifiers, Hansons Park 9am-12noon
Wed 24 May - School photos!
Wed 24 May - PTA Mtg 7:30pm - Staffroom
Thu 25 May - Board Meeting 5:30pm - Staffroom
Thu 25 May - Winter Sport begins for Y5-8 students
Fri 2 Jun - Celebration Assembly 10am, All welcome
Mon 5 Jun - School Closed - Kings Birthday Weekend Public Holiday
Thu 8 Jun - Cashmere High Open Day 12noon - 4pm
Wed 14 Jun - Learning Conferences - School Closes at 2pm
Thu 15 Jun - Learning Conferences - School Closes at 2pm
Fri 16 Jun - Celebration Assembly 10am, All welcome
Wed 21 Jun - Whānau Matariki Hui, followed by PTA Hāngi
Wed 28 Jun - Board Meeting, 5:30pm, Staffroom
Wed 28 Jun - PTA Mtg, 7:30pm Staffroom

Term Dates

Citizen of the Week

Grace English - Year 8

Grace, we are beyond impressed with your give-it-a-go attitude in class. Nothing is ever too much trouble for you and we love the way you support your classmates. Grace, you live our values 'we care' and 'we make a difference' in the way that you lift other people up. Thank you for being such an awesome role model. Tu meke Grace!

School Notices

Junior Cross Country

We have re-scheduled our Junior Cross Country event for this coming Tuesday 16th May. Children will gather on the park at 2pm and the races will start shortly after, starting with Year 4 and finishing with Year 0/1. Please feel welcome to come along and support your child/ren if you are able. Tamariki may wear their house shirts on this day. Please ensure that they are wearing appropriate footwear.
At the end of your child's race, please stay and encourage them to support the other runners. 

Thank you so much for all your support.

Ngā mihi nui,

Koru, Kahikatea and Kōwhai teachers

CCC Annual School Travel Survey

The Christchurch City Council annual School Travel Survey is now live! This 5-10 minute survey will improve understanding of school travel patterns across Christchurch. This will help with improving safety, especially for those using active transport. The survey is open to all school communities (students, parents/caregivers and one staff member per school), until 5pm Wednesday 31 May 2023. There are 10 $50 supermarket vouchers up for grabs. 

The survey can be found here.

'Kiss & Go' Drop Off Area

A huge "Thank you" to all those who have supported the 'Kiss & Go' zone. This area is for whānau to pull in and drop off or pick up their children kerb side and then leave. We have noticed cars moving on more quickly which has freed up the space for drop offs, making Sandwich Road move more freely. A great help on a rainy day!


The area works best when it is just the children getting in or out of the car (on the kerb side).  If whānau need to come into the school please park elsewhere on Sandwich Road or the surrounding streets.

Staff Profiles: Koru Team (so far this year!)

Elizabeth Drummond (Teacher and co-Team Leader)

Elizabeth has been teaching at Beckenham Te Kura for many, many years now and calls our school and its community her 'home away from home'! She has mainly taught at the New Entrant level and feels passionate about ensuring that the newest children to school, love coming to school as much as she does, knowing that when this is the case, all aspects of a child's learning are able to blossom and develop, without obstacles or impediments.

In her spare time, Elizabeth loves spending time with her family, her dogs, her friends, and good books.

Stacey McLachlan (Teacher and co-Team Leader)

Stacey has been a teacher for many years and joined Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto as a teacher in the New Entrants team in 2018. This year she is enjoying sharing the role of co-team leader with Elizabeth in Koru. Stacey loves welcoming and getting to know all the new entrant tamariki and their whānau to our Beckenham community each year. In her spare time, Stacey loves spending time with family and friends, going on walks, reading books and relaxing with her husband and two children.

Georgia McKenna (Teacher)

Georgia started at Beckenham in 2022, working in the New Entrants team, and supporting our newest tamariki in transitioning to school life. Georgia's favourite part about her job is seeing our youngest tamariki blossom into mature, independent and inquisitive human beings. She loves working in a team environment, and enjoys seeing tamariki strive for success, and encouraging them to be the best versions of themselves they can be. 

Sonya Watson (Teaching Assistant)

Sonya is a past student of Beckenham School and grew up in the loop. Sonya has a strong background in women's mental health supporting mums, dad's, caregivers and families with postnatal distress/depression and anxiety for over 10 years in Canterbury. Sonya has a passion for wellbeing within families and has spent time educating many health professionals about mental health and the importance to listen and support effectively. Sonya brings experience after working at Ferndale base School before starting at Beckenham. The last couple of years in Kowhai and this year with our wonderful Koru children. Sonya enjoys camping with her husband Devon and 2 children Lily and Jack. As a family they spend a lot of time at basketball. Sonya also enjoys gardening, cooking and getting creative. 

Elizabeth, Georgia, Sonya & Stacey

PTA News

The PTA were very disappointed to have had to postpone the Disco that was supposed to be held today. We don't want to see an influx of Covid due to an event so it seemed the sensible decision to make. We also didn't have enough parents volunteer to help run the discos, so, even without the Covid factor, we may have still ended up having to postpone. Please keep an eye out for the new date, and, if you can offer to help at that time with supervision, your support will be very much appreciated!

Community Notices

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



Kōwhai News Term 2 Week 3

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Kia ora whānau,

We are now well into Term 2 and we are quickly getting used to being spread over two venues. We are really enjoying the space and the children are adapting brilliantly to the new routines involved in this change.

We welcome Kathryn to the team this term. She is teaching maths and literacy for the rest of the year so we are better able to cater to the rising number of children in Kōwhai.

Inquiry

This term, our inquiry focus is on migration and specifically the migration to Aotearoa, learning about how Kupe and his people navigated their way to New Zealand using the stars and the ocean currents as their guides. This will culminate in the children creating a model waka of their own using a choice of media.

Percussion Concert

On Monday, there will be a Strike To Schools percussion performance at the school and in preparation for this, we have been watching lots of clips of various percussion performances and joining in with some of them too. The children have been very enagaged with this and are all very excited about the upcoming event.


Cross Country

Unfortunately, Cross Country had to be postponed last minute on Tuesday as there was a sudden downpour of rain! Our postponement date is next Tuesday 16th May, starting at 2:15 with the Year 4 children going first, followed by the Year 3 children. You are welcome to come along and support your child in this event. Fingers crossed that the weather holds out!

Covid

We have had a rise in the number of Covid cases at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto so if you would like your child to wear a mask at school, please feel free to encourage this. We continue to ensure that the classrooms are well ventilated and that the children are washing their hands regularly. If your child is at all unwell, we do advise that you keep them at home. Thank you so much for your support with this.

Polar Fleeces

Please make sure your child brings a named polar fleece to school. If your child does happen to bring the wrong fleece home, can you please return it to the homegroup teacher as soon as possible. Thank you!

Discovery

We are in search of construction material for Discovery. Smaller boxes such as toothpaste boxes and cereal boxes would be ideal. If you have anything else that you think would be suitable for creating, please do bring it in.





Coronation Tree Planting Ceremony

Today we had a tree planting ceremony in honour of the coronation of King Charles. The youngest and the oldest child at Beckenham planted a Kōwhai tree in the junior playground and everyone at the school attended. It will be exciting to see it grow over the years!






Have a great weekend!

Ngā mihi, 

The Kōwhai Team