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Pōhutukawa Update, Term 4, Week 6

Posted on 22 November, 202415 December, 2024 by Steve Cooke

Ngā mihi e te whānau, warm greetings to you all,

We hope you all enjoyed the long weekend, and with Show Day now behind us it means we are well past the halfway mark of the term, and find ourselves with less than 4 school weeks left in the year! You will have received your tamariki's end-of-year school report, and we hope you have had the opportunity to sit down and read through this together with them. As you will know, the General Comment from their homegroup teacher is written directly to your child and is a summation of the highlights and the successes of their year with us. It's also a wonderful opportunity to read and reflect on 2024 as well as look ahead to next year, be they staying in Pōhutukawa or moving on, and start to think about and discuss together some goals and aspirations they may have for 2025.

With all of that being said, it's very important to note that we are not yet at the end of the year and our message to the students continues to be that we have a lot of fantastic things to look forward to yet! You can read about them below, as well as some other important information. Thank you for your continued support, and good luck to all of our athletes competing at the Canterbury Athletics on Wednesday. Nau mai te wero, bring on the challenge!

Transition Visits

As busy as it is at the end of the year, we are also preparing our students for next year with 'Transition Visits'. Next week we will be giving the 2025 Year 6's a chance to be with our incoming 2025 Year 5's as a cohort and have a Learning Through Play session together. As well as this, our outgoing Year 6's will be spending 2 mornings in the Kauri team to learn about their programme and will spend a morning with next year's Year 8 students. These visits are a valuable chance for the tamariki to reconnect with some of their friends, and ask some questions they may have about 2025. We encourage you to talk with your tamariki about these visits and start the conversations about 2025 if you feel they're ready. Any momentum we can build now to set everyone up for a successful start to next year is gold. Mā tātou katoa te waka e hoe, we are all rowing the waka together.

Navigating the Journey

Our Navigating the Journey programme continues to roll along, we are into Growing and Changing - Te tipu me te huri o te tangata now, and our key concepts are again attached. Thanks as always for your continued support in continuing the discussions we have at school at home, too.

Cycle Safe Programme (Year 6 only)
During weeks 8 and 9 (December 2 - 10) our Year 6 students will be involved in the Cycle Safe Programme provided by the Christchurch City Council. Cycle Safe is a cycle skills education programme for schools. Students learn the benefits of cycling and how to ride with confidence and be road-wise. All Year 6 students will participate in this course and the instructors cater to all cycling abilities. Your child should have brought home a permission slip for you to sign and return to school.

Next week we will be sending some more information home about which days your child will be participating.

You can find out more information about the programme here https://ccc.govt.nz/transport/getting-around/getting-to-school/resources-for-schools/cyclesafe/ If you have any questions about the programme, please get in touch with your homegroup teacher.

Pioneer Basketball Opportunities

Pioneer Basketball have 2 Upcoming 3x3 Tournaments and a Girls Overnight Program.

Pacers 3x3 Girls Year 5-8 Tournament

- 6th December 4pm - 6:30pm

- Individual entries

- @ Pioneer Stadium

Pacers 3x3 Boys Year 5/6 Tournament

- 13th December 4pm - 8pm

- Individual entries

- @ Hillmorton High (New Gym)

TCP Girls Sleepover (WEBSITE LINK)

- 21st-22nd January 12pm-12pm

- Individual entries

- @ Cracroft Girl Guide Center

Any questions or for further information please email Ollie Wilkinson at ollie@pioneer.nz.basketball

Ngā mihi o ngā rā whakatā, enjoy your weekend everyone,

The Pōhutukawa team

Koru Team News: Term 4, Week 6 (22/11/2024)

Posted on 22 November, 202422 November, 2024 by Georgia

Kia ora e te whānau,

As we start to get to the end of term 4, we look back on and celebrate the awesome year we have had in the Koru team! The tamariki have settled into school beautifully, formed wonderful connections with their peers, and have adjusted well to school life. These last few weeks of term will be rather busy, but full of lots of fun!

We welcome Jasper, Kanoa, Olena, and Max who have started over the last few weeks, to our Koru team. They have all made a positive and happy start to school! Well done, tamariki!

Life Education

This blog post is focused on our time in the Life Education classroom that we have had over the past few weeks. We had two sessions which focussed on Big Emotions and the Qualities of a Good Friend. In these sessions, our tamariki met Harold the giraffe, and spent time with Helly, the educator in the special Life Education van. In our Big Emotions session, our tamariki learnt about the different emotions we feel and some strategies we can implement to try to move out of being in a 'stuck' feeling back into a 'stay' feeling. In our Qualities of a Good Friend session, our tamariki focused on "growing" a friend, and discussing the different attributes a good friend needs. We also heard some funny jokes from Harold, as well as having an awesome Disco party to finish our last session.

The sessions were really enriching and engaging for our tamariki. Below are some photos of our time in the Life Education classroom.

Reminders:

Our last day for school this year is Tuesday 17th December. School will finish at 12:30p.m. on this day.
Reports have gone out on Hero, so please check this out if you have not done so already. A reminder not all children will be receiving an end of year report.
We're loving this warmer weather! Thank you so much for sending your children to school with sunblock and their hats. Remember - no hats, no play!

Staying Safe Online: Online Grooming

As young people become more independent online, they can connect and communicate with people they don’t know.

Often this is a positive experience, but sometimes your tamariki could be being groomed or talking to someone who isn’t who they say they are. Netsafe’s advice explains how unwanted contact works, including grooming and what whānau can do to educate kids.

Check out the link here.

Have a lovely weekend, and we look forward to seeing you all on Monday!

Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,

Georgia, Stacey, Elizabeth and Nicola

Kōwhai News Term 4 Week 6

Posted on 22 November, 202422 November, 2024 by Krystal Hunt

Kia ora Kōwhai Whānau!

We are having a fabulous Term 4.

A reminder that all students need to have a hat at school each day or they will not be able to play in the sun.

Thank you to all the families who have clearly named their hats. This makes them so much easier to be returned to the correct person should they go missing.

Word of the Week

Our word of the week is RESILIENCE. Resilience is the ability to bounce back after challenges and through tough times. It is a skill that we frequently revisit with the students as they tackle new challenges daily at school and in life in general.

Nau mai te wero! (We Love Challenge)

Swimming

Last week was our final week of school swimming for the term. Our students had a great time learning new water skills and how to be safe both in and around water. The life jackets and inflatable boat were a big hit with the students.

Poetry

During our literacy lessons, students are currently exploring different types of poetry. Poems are a great way to express yourself in written form and the topics and types of poetry are endless. We are having so much fun exploring this genre.

Maths Learning

Here's a notice, think, wonder picture to get your math brain activated.

In regards to the picture:

- What do you notice?

- What do you think?

- What do you wonder?

- Where is the maths / what maths could you explore from the picture?

Cyber Safety

Staying Safe Online: Online Grooming

As young people become more independent online, they can connect and communicate with people they don’t know.

Often this is a positive experience, but sometimes your tamariki could be being groomed or talking to someone who

isn’t who they say they are. Netsafe’s advice explains how unwanted contact works, including grooming and what

\whānau can do to educate kids.

Check out the link here.

Thanks!

Team Kōwhai,

Anna R, Rowe, Nick, Anna M, Krystal and Tracey

Kauri Whānau Update: Term 4, week 6

Posted on 21 November, 202421 November, 2024 by https://www.beckenham.school.nz/index.php/category/kauri

In this blog post:

Production
Victoria Park Walk
Year 8 Pool Party
Cass Bay
Leavers Farewell

We have an extremely busy time ahead; here are some important dates and information for you.

Production: Held in the school hall Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th December-7pm!

We are busy gearing up for our production-'A walk through Aotearoa, New Zealand History.' This production has got our tamariki fizzing; it is student-led, and everyone has been very engaged. We are currently busy learning lines, dances, songs, and making props.

More to come from homegroup teachers about what students will need for costumes.

Students will need to be at school by 6:30pm both nights.

Victoria Park Walk:

We are carrying out our annual hike up to Vic Park on Monday the 9th December. Thank you to all of the parents who have said they can come and help. If you would like to accompany us please fill in this parent helper form HERE.

We will leave school at 10am and leave Vic Park to return at 1:30pm.

I have attached the SOCIAL STORY link, which has all of the relevant information. We will start to go through this with our homegroups over the next couple of weeks.

Year 8 Pool Party:

This is also happening on Monday, 9th of December, and is for our Year 8 students only.

We are going to meet at Waltham Pool from 4-6pm; students need to make their own way there and home.

Students' need to provide pool entry of $3.80 and $2 for the use of the hydroslide if they choose.

We will provide a sausage sizzle on the BBQ.

They will sleep well on Monday night!

Cass Bay:

We are heading to Cass Bay on Thursday, 12th of December. We will leave school by bus at 11pm and return at 3pm.

Students are encouraged to wear their togs underneath their activewear so that they can quickly get changed at Cass Bay.

Students need a big packed lunch; they can organise to share a lunch with friends. Please make sure all sharing food is nut-free.

They also need a sunhat (compulsory) sunscreen, any medication such as inhalers, a towel, and a warm jacket.

Optional: A book, card game, water shoes, long-sleeved rashshirt are a great idea, and shoes for around and on the rocks.

Phones are to be left at school as normal.

We will be working through a social story around this trip over the next couple of weeks.

We still need a few more parent helpers for this trip; we're not quite there with numbers for our student-to-adult water ratio. Please use the above form linked in the Victoria Park walk blurb if you can come!

Leavers' Farewell-Year 8 parents only:

This is to be held on Monday, 16th of December, at 11am in our school hall. It is followed by a luncheon. This is the final day for our Year 8 students.

Please indicate on this FORM whether you are able to attend and if you have any dietry requirements.

Thanks for reading to the bitter end; there is a lot of information, and I will keep sharing it until closer to the time.

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Schoolwide Newsletter, Rāpare (Thursday) 14 November 2024, Week 5

Posted on 14 November, 202414 November, 2024 by Reihana Dougherty

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Reminder that Friday is a Public Holiday and school will be closed.

Monday is a Curriculum Day (Staff Only Day) and school will also be closed for all tamariki.

BOSCO will be open on Monday to support - if you wish to sign your tamariki up for BOSCO on this date, please head to bosco.aimyplus.com to make a booking.

The end of year summary reports are now available through the Hero Portal. The end of year report reflects aspects of your child's learning for the second part of the year. Please take the time to sit with your child and share their report with them celebrating their learning.

To find your child's report open Hero, click on their name and then click "2024 report".

Please see the Hero post from Katie for more details.

It has been an incredible last couple of weeks with all sorts of happenings around kura. Enjoy the long weekend and we look forward to seeing tamariki back on Tuesday.

Ngā mihi nui
Sue Leadbetter and Katie McFarlane

Important Dates

Upcoming Events

Fri 15 Nov - Canterbury Anniversary Day (kura/school closed)
Mon 18 Nov - Curriculum Day (staff only - kura/school closed)
Wed 27 Nov - PTA Meeting, 7:30-9:30PM, Green Room
Wed 11 Dec - BOT Meeting, 5:30-7:30PM, Staff Room
Fri 13 Dec - Final Celebration Assembly, 9.45-10.30am, in the Hall
Mon 16 Dec - Year 8 Graduation
Tue 17 Dec - Last day of Term 4, School finishes 12.30PM

Term Dates

Click here to view 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Isabella Frei - Year 7

Isabella, it is fabulous to see your confidence blossoming. You are such a switched on learner who has great ideas to share. You are a fine role model showing all of our school values and it has been so great to see you stepping out of your comfort zone and try new challenges. Keep shining, Isabella!

Ashreya Naidoo - Year 6

Ashreya, your delightful sense of humour makes you fun to be around! Your enthusiasm and committment to being the best you can be, in everything you do, is truly inspiring. You are a wonderful example of a student who uses all our school values daily. Ka rawe, excellent!

School Notices

Recycling Station

Kia Ora,

I am Hanna and I’m in year 7.

A few weeks ago my family and I went for a walk in the Red Zone. In the Red Zone, there is a fantastic recycling station. I would like to help them collect as much recycling as possible. There is going to be a box for plastic lids (any colour lids with a 2 or 5 on) or aluminium lids and caps that will be put in the reception for students, teachers, and parents to drop their recycling into.

At the end of the month, I will take it home, sort it, and drop it into the recycling station at the Red Zone. The people at the Red Zone will then melt down the plastic and turn it into jewelry. The jewelry will then be sold and the money will go to buying new plants in the Red Zone.

Ngā mihi nui,
Hanna

Pilgrims Panforte

Sports News

Athletics

On Thursday the 26th of October we enjoyed our whole school Athletics Day out on Beckenham Park. The park was a hive of activity all day, starting at 7:45 am when a crew of dedicated senior students arrived to help set up. A huge thank you to this amazing group of tamariki, (children).

The event kicked off with the mid-distance run, an optional event for children in Years 5 to 8 who were keen to take on the challenge of a longer distance run. This year saw a record number of our tamariki, (children), take on this challenge!

The seniors spent the rest of the day rotating through discus, shot put, sprint heats and high jump. The junior tamariki came out at various times in the day to participate in their rotations of run, jump and throw events. Our youngest tamariki from Koru were supported by some buddies from the Kauri Hub.

Throughout the day, cheers could be heard drifting across the park as the children celebrated each other's achievements. We were so impressed by the childrens' skill, effort and encouragement of each other.

At the end of the day, the whole school came together to watch children give it their all on the track for the sprint finals and house relay. There were some incredibly determined faces and some very close races.

Thank you to all the staff for their mahi in this event and to the parent helpers who gave up their time to make the event possible.

On Monday 83 tamariki from Pōhutukawa head to South Zone Athletics at Hansen's Park. We wish them all the best.

"Humble in victory, Gracious in defeat"

PTA News

Bingo Night

What an awesome night! Hope everyone had as much fun as we did!!

Thank you to everyone who came along to Bingo Night or bought raffle tickets, "Jack and Kitty" for entertaining us and all the parents who supplied supper plates and helped on the night.

We raised $7,229.84 towards Kapa Haka uniforms.

Congratulations to our lucky raffle winners:

Foodie Hamper - Andrea Norton

Family Fun - Christelle Burger

Tekapo Getaway - Caitlin Munro

Calendar Art

Art work has arrived for orders received in October, your child should have bought home this week.

If you missed the cut off and still want to order some art work we have a final ordering day.

Orders close MONDAY 18th of November at 9.00am.

Use your childs unique ordering number and you will be able to access your child’s art work (on www.kidsartworks.com).

Weetbix Tryathlon

Entries are open for the Weetbix Tryathlon on 23rd February 2025 at Jellie Park. Early bird entries get a discount so sign up today.

The TRYathlon is all about giving it a TRY and is a rewarding and fun day out for you and your child. Every child gets a t-shirt and medal. We have the school gazebo set up where children and parents can meet and each year the PTA usually have an offering for the children.

Children 6 years old on event day can complete in the Splash & Dash

Children aged 7-15 years old on event day, can complete the TRYathlon as an individual or in a team of two.

Our school has created a School Group which you can join when you enter from home. Search for Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto when prompted. By linking to our school group it will give us the chance to win some great prizes.