Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou,
Today we say thank you to all of the people who have volunteered this year: on trips, putting away books, gardening, PTA, Board of Trustees, sport coaches... the list goes on. The help that each of you has provided this year has helped us to provide so many experiences and resources for the tamariki (children).
This time of year always brings a time of busyness. As a kura (school) we begin our end of year celebrations, and at the same time begin the work to prepare for 2025.
Part of the mahi (work) in preparation for 2025 is the organising of Home Groups. Below is a list of the Home Group Teachers for 2025. We also have a number of teachers filling various roles across the school.
Staffing Update Beginning Term 1 2025
Koru (NE)
Katie McFarlane - Team Leader
Stacey McLachlan & Elizabeth Drummond
Kahikatea (Y1/2)
Sarah Junghenn - Team Leader
Amber Donovan
Talia Garrick
Kōwhai (Y3/4)
Anna Reid - Team Leader
Rowena Barker
Hazel Ritchie
Georgia McKenna
Anna McNeill
Pōhutukawa (Y5/6)
Chris Gaut - Team Leader
Megan Culver
Rae Marsh
Gayle McNaughton
Nick Bruce
Kauri (Y7/8)
Hugo Weaver - Team Leader
Jenny Diggle
Sarah Angelo
Chloe Wilson
Across School Teaching Support
Nicola Reddecliffe - Literacy support Y0-2 and Classroom and Team Leader release
Lisa Collier - Across School Teacher, release, Literacy Support Y0-2
Megan Harris - Classroom and Team Leader release
Laura Williamson - Classroom and Team Leader release
Georgie Jones - Literacy and Numeracy Support
Nicky Dunlop - Release Teacher
Congratulations to Quynh Nguyen who has been appointed to a Junior school teaching position on the west side of Christchurch.
Showing appreciation at the end of the year
We are aware that gift-giving is one way that some people choose to show appreciation and that this is particularly so at the end of the school year, and for those who celebrate Christmas.
We talk with the children about the importance of showing appreciation in an ongoing way through words and actions, rather than necessarily through the buying of gifts. Our teachers talk with the children about the value of making and writing cards or small gifts when special occasions do occur. In that same spirit, we do appreciate hearing that what we have done has been appreciated, and we do not expect parents or students to buy gifts for staff.
We are also aware that some groups of children may to organise gift-giving activities between friends at school (i.e. "Secret Santa"). Please let your children know that this is not something we do at school, and that this needs to be something organised outside of school. Our goal is to ensure that our school activities are inclusive of all children and their whānau beliefs and values. Please ask children to keep activities such as this to friendship groups outside of school, where you know one another’s families.
Below are the dates of the remaining events at kura (school). a reminder that school finishes at 12.30pm on Tuesday 17 December.
Ngā mihi nui
Jo Smith (Acting Principal / Tumuaki)
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Tue 03 - Tue 10 Dec - Year 5 and 6 Cycle Safety
Wed 04 Dec - PTA Meeting, 7:30-9:30PM
Wed 04 Dec - Kauri production 7pm, gold coin donation towards Kauri fundraising
Thur 05 Dec - Kauri production 7pm, gold coin donation towards Kauri fundraising
Thur 05 Dec - House Games (wear your House shirt to school)
Fri 06 Dec - Celebration Assembly 9.45am (NB change of time)
Wed 11 Dec - BOT Meeting, 5:30-7:30PM, Staff Room
Fri 13 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly, 9.05-9.50am, in the Hall
Mon 16 Dec - Year 8 Graduation 11am
Tue 17 Dec - Last day of Term 4, School finishes 12.30PM
Term Dates
Citizen of the Week
Maeve Hurford - Year 3
Maeve, you are a kind and caring student who epitomises each of our school values daily. You are a fabulous role model to others and make our school a great place! Ka pai, Maeve!Isaiah Kwong - Year 8
Isaiah, you are a shining example of kindness and care, always looking out for others and embodying our school values in everything you do. You are a true role model and inspire your peers with your passion, responsibility and dedication to making our kura a better place. Ka pai Isaiah.
PTA News
PTA Monthly Hui (Meeting) 4th December 7.30pm
All welcome to our final hui of 2024! Please note the change of date from the usual 4th Wednesday of the month. We’d love to see some new faces and appreciate some extra voices and hands to help with our fundraising activities in 2025! Don’t hesitate to get in touch via pta@beckenham.school.nz
School Notices
Scooters
Now that the weather is warmer we are seeing more children biking and scootering to school. Lots of the scooters are or look the same. Please make sure the your child's scooter is easy for them to identify in some way (named, sticker), this will help with collection confusion - when someone accidentally takes the wrong scooter home, leaving their one at school. Please also ensure that their helmets are clearly named.
Panforte
Calls for last orders this Sunday 1 December - this panforte is proudly made by a family from school, and 10% of sales goes towards the school.
It's a great gift, packed with fruit and nuts, preserved with north Canterbury honey, we can cater for gluten free, it won’t melt, lasts for ages and is a great option for people who are going camping, tramping and fishing these summer holidays and of course its super delicious!
Rubbish in the Playground
Plogging!
Our wonderful Jacky lead and inspired us on our "Plogging" journey. We hope you may be able to help us with this. Plogging refers specifically to the activity of picking up rubbish while jogging / walking. Its name is a portmanteau of the Swedish term Plocka upp, meaning "to pick up" and the English jogging. The Office has some large tongs and buckets in the office, if you would like to take your child to do some plogging at drop off or pick up time. Our school environment, and eventually the world, will thank you for it!
The most common items found were wrappers, drink containers, lids and straws.
Here is how you can help students continue their efforts at home:
Notice and make a point of picking up rubbish as you walk past it, if you can (yes - do wash or sanitise hands after)
Consider bringing litter free lunch items to school, Wrappers can be removed and left in bins at home. Many families already do this as a way to help our environment.
Volunteer at a local clean-up, run by the Council.
The Student Council are also running a competition to design a mural for our red bins. These bins are placed around the school to support the little pieces of rubbish that might be around. We still encourage rubbish free lunchboxes.
Gardening Club Updates!
Lost Property
Please check the library for lost property before the end of the year!
The lost property rack is full of unnamed, multi named or illegible named school tops and unnamed hats.
Congratulations to our Year 8 award winners...
Sportsmanship
Annabelle Smith
Annie, you are a fierce competitor. You show dedication, resilience and grit at every sport you turn your hand to. What this award recognises is your outstanding ability to balance your competitiveness with inclusivity, humility and respect. As you strive for excellence on the sports field, you never lose sight of your values. You play with integrity and pride, demonstrating awesome coachability and diligence. Whatever the outcome, you show as much joy for the accomplishments of others as you do for your own. Congratulations, Annie!
Sportsmanship
Austin Reddecliffe
Austin, you are passionate about sport! You are a fabulous role model for our younger tamarki - making such a difference to lunchtime games. Hockey, netball and basketball your jam. Austin, you show fantastic coachability, listening to instruction, carrying out drills as explained and working to implement the techniques covered. Your level head ensures you are an eager and fair referee. You seized the opportunity to fill in for other basketball teams and when on the court you ensured everyone was included in the game and supported to do their best.
Science Cup
Lewis Potter
Lewis, your enthusiasm for all things scientific is obvious for all to see. You thrive on discovering new facts about how things work. You have an impressive general knowledge base and this enriches our class discussion by bringing valuable perspectives to our learning environment. Lewis, your eagerness to share your knowledge with others is fantastic; you are always there to back me up or help me out with an explanation. During our science lessons, your genuine interest and involvement shine through. You consistently demonstrate a deep understanding of concepts and a keen interest in exploring new ideas. Keep nurturing your curiosity and continue sharing your passion with others. Congratulations Lewis!
O'Sullivan Cup for Excellence in Art
Maggie Zhao & Cortana Mee
Cortana, you demonstrate an exceptional talent in art, in particular drawing. With a pen or pencil in hand, you are in your happy place, ready to bring your ideas to life! Your creativity, attention to detail, and enthusiasm for drawing really set you apart. Cortana you have been involved in many art projects and were an art leader this year. You approach each artistic project with dedication, showing strong potential to grow as an artist. Keep up the inspiring work, Cortana!
Maggie, your passion for art shines through in everything you do. As an Art Leader this year and last, you have demonstrated both leadership and a strong commitment to the Visual Arts. Your talent as a skilled drawer is evident in your work, with each piece showcasing both precision and creativity. Your involvement in school art projects, such as the Elmer project, reflects your collaborative spirit and dedication to bringing artistic ideas to life. Maggie, you continually inspire others with your creativity and attention to detail. Congratulations on this well-deserved award!
Special Contribution to Music
Freyja Schøler
Freyja, thank you for your contribution to music as part of the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto community. Your participation in the Music Festival Special Choirs (Year 5-8, earning your 4-year medal this year), School Choir (Year 5-8), Kauri Production as a vocal soloist in 2023, and Kauri Choir has consistently shown self-confidence, a commitment to excellence, and a genuine love for music. Thank you for the positive impact you've made through your musical pursuits.
Literacy Cup
Elsie O'Beirne
Elsie, your writing across the curriculum demonstrates skill, confidence, and a wicked sense of humour that truly brings your work to life. You approach each task with a distinctive voice and creativity, whether shaping stories or exploring ideas in other genres. Your ability to connect with your audience through humour and thought-provoking content sets you apart as a gifted writer. Furthermore, you’ve shared your talents as an outstanding co-leader of the writing group this year, showcasing both your leadership skills and your enthusiasm for the written word. Congratulations on this well-deserved award, Elsie!
Mathematics Cup
Bobby Macdonald
Bobby, you are a passionate mathematician who gets absorbed by complex problems. You thrive on challenge and sweep others along with your enthusiasm. For two years in a row, you have qualified for the final challenge in Otago Problem Solving, represented our kura in the Cantamath Problem Solving Competition and achieved Excellence awards in the Cantamath Project Competition. Bobby, the strategies you share for solving complex problems are at a sophisticated level and leave many of us scratching our heads. Thank you for supporting others with their learning. Congratulations Bobby!
Social Science Cup
Alex Mussell
Social studies is the study of people—individually, in communities, and as societies—examining their behaviours and interactions with one another, as well as with the technological and natural environments around them. It’s often the focus of Inquiry-based learning.
Alex, you bring a wealth of prior knowledge to our social studies lessons. Your insight into how individuals and groups operate is impressive, and you have a strong understanding of significant historical events. You connect this prior knowledge to new concepts with ease.
You are naturally inquisitive, always motivated to understand the world around you. Your ability to synthesize information with creative thinking leads to interesting and thoughtful ideas about how we can make the world a better place. The world needs curious, deep-thinking, solution-focused people like you! Congratulations, Alex!
Janne Rowson ICT Award
Mitch Welch
Mitch, you are in your element when you are given responsibility. One of the ways that you have shown leadership at kura this year is through your role as ICT Leader. You have performed this role exceptionally well, demonstrating responsibility, initiative and problem-solving. You can follow protocols when things are running smoothly and you have the technological knowledge to get things back on track when things aren’t working how they should. In addition to running ICT for assemblies, Sandy’s Farewell and other special events at kura, you ran the tech desk for our ShowQuest Performance at the Town Hall. Mitch, this award recognises your passion, knowledge and leadership in ICT and thanks you for your contributions to our Kura. Congratulations, Mitch.
Special Contribution to Māori Culture (tama)
Bobby Macdonald
Bobby you have been so valuable in our group this year and you absolutely deserve recognition. Our group was small but you would shine in a group ten times the size. You embrace challenges that might terrify others. Your 100% commitment to additional responsibilities add so much to our performances. Thank you for being such a humble, dedicated, positive, smart and thoroughly likeable member of Te Whānau this year. We will all miss you heaps!
Special Contribution to Māori Culture (kōtiro)
Madeleine Dougherty
Maddie, this year it's been such a pleasure for everyone to work with you. You are the first to go the extra mile to support our group kaupapa in any way you can. It's clear how much you value learning and being part of a team, as well as a leader and role model. On stage you have presence and sparkle that are a delight to see, and off stage your kindness and inclusivity as a leader has been just amazing. What a star you are Maddie. Ngā mihi nunui.
BOT Update
Policy Review
Visit the website https://beckenham.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
Enter the username (beckenham) and password (pride).
Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
Read the policy.
Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
Select the reviewer type.
Enter your name (optional).
Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
You're invite to our next clean-up in Ōtautahi!
It's been a while but we are finally back with another public clean-up in Ōtautahi, this time around New Brighton Beach and the estuary on the 30th of November.
Thanks to our awesome partner Trumpet (Tiptop Ice Cream); ice creams, giant games, clean-up equipment and good vibes all come free with the day!
Sign up at
this link and feel free to share it round!
New Zealand Traveller Declaration
Going overseas this summer? Everyone travelling into, or returning to, New Zealand must complete a New Zealand Traveller Declaration.
The New Zealand Traveller Declaration collects travel, customs, immigration and biosecurity information and aims to improve the safety and security of New Zealand. It replaces the paper card you used to fill out on the plane.
To make your arrival easier, do your digital declaration before your flight to New Zealand. It’s free to complete.
If you’re travelling as a family or group and completing multiple declarations, the
NZTD app allows you to copy your travel details into another declaration, making it easier to complete multiple declarations for the same journey. The submitted declarations are then all easy to see within the app.
Many thanks for your support.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration team
New Zealand Customs Service
Calling all fathers! University of Canterbury Survey
Take our survey on what it’s like to parent in the 21st century. Every completed survey goes into the draw to win a $100 gift card. Ethics approval obtained by the University of Canterbury Human Ethics.
Follow the link below for more information or to complete the survey:
Sasha Johnstone (she/her)
Research Assistant
University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Summer Writing School for Teens 2025
We are delighted to be offering our 9th Summer Writing School for teens and once again we have some stellar tutors ready to inspire, guide and mentor young writers.
Please share this opportunity with your keen young writers.
January 13-17 2025 Ara City Campus, Ōtautahi Christchurch
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