Kahikatea Newsletter Week 5 Term 1

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Tena koutou,

It has been a fun-filled couple of weeks in the Kahikatea Team. We have really enjoyed continuing to build relationships with your wonderful tamariki.

Here is an overview of our weekly timetable: 


Kahikatea Treaty

We have developed our Kahikatea treaty for 2021. We have been discussing each point with our home groups. Please feel free to read this with your child/ren!


Literacy

Teachers have been busy completing key assessments in preparation for beginning our new structured literacy programs.  We appreciate that many of our parents are keen to see books and materials coming home and will let you know very soon when you can expect to see reading folders and materials  coming home. 

During these first school weeks we have been exploring fundamental literacy activities and developing phonological awareness (skills in identifying and manipulating units of spoken language). We have been exploring oral language and the structure of writing through creating shared texts. In addition, we have enjoyed a variety of texts, including non-fiction and poetry. We have explored The Treaty of Waitangi, Chinese New Year, and the history of toys, through texts and hands-on experiences. We have also been loving our library time! 

Here are some pictures showing our learning: 















Request for materials

Many of the tamariki enjoy making masterpieces during our learning through playtime. If you have any of the following items, please send them along to school, and we will make good use of them!

- Small boxes, e.g., cereal, muesli bar, toothpaste, washing powder

- Plastic containers (clean), e.g., shampoo, washing liquid, soap

- Corks

- Buttons

- Fabric


Ferrymead Heritage Park 

The sun shone for us last Wednesday as we set off for Ferrymead Heritage Park. We had an amazing day of exploration and learning. Each group had the opportunity to learn about the following:

  • Heritage games
  • Homemade toys
  • Science of toys
  • Maori toys and games
We even got to have a ride on the tram! 

For our inquiry, the tamariki have been making connections between old and new toys, how toys work, the use of different materials, and have had many oral language opportunities to share about their favourite toys. 

A huge thanks to our wonderful parent helpers. It is because of your generous support that we can do such fun, engaging and memorable trips.




































Wellbeing

We have weekly wellbeing sessions in all teams. Over the last few weeks in Kahikatea, we have been learning about the importance of:

  • Making new friends
  • Self-confidence
  • Teamwork skills/co-operation
We have been reading stories, watching info clips, and also sharing our own stories about the importance of these competencies.

You might like to talk with your child about these things, and share your own stories about how you have made friends, challenges or benefits of teamwork, or what you say to yourself to feel confident in tricky situations.

Useful guides to help Christchurch parents to support their children with emotions and wellbeing: https://www.allright.org.nz/tools/parenting-guides


Library

Each home group has the opportunity to visit the library once per week. Our library day is MONDAY. Please ensure that your child has their library folder at school every Monday. Children are allowed to issue two books and must have their library folder to transport these home. 


Sunhats at School

We have been noticing that many children in our team often don't have a hat at school. In Kahikatea, all children keep their hats in their home group hat tub at the end of the day. This is to ensure that every child has a hat during Term 1. If you would like to wash your child's hat, please do this over the weekend, and return it back to school on Monday. We prefer that hats do not go home at any other time.

Parent Playground Roster

A big thank you to Katherine Christensen for offering to organise our parent playground roster. It will be wonderful to have extra adults out in the playground during lunch play to ensure that our tamariki are safe and happy.

Lunch play runs from 12.40 - 1.20 each day. Being on the parent playground roster is a wonderful opportunity to observe the dynamics of your own and other children playing in the playground, as well as being involved in the school community.

If you are interested, please contact Katie with the following information:

  • Your full name
  • Contact number
  • The names of your child/ren
  • Day/s of the week available

katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz


That's all for now! Katie, Amber, Charlotte and Lisa

katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

amber.donovan@beckenham.school.nz

charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz

lisacollier@beckenham.school.nz







Kauri Bus Update

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Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

Our Kauri camp busses are running behind schedule. The children will be back at school by 3:15 with busses arriving on Eastern Tce.

Ngā mihi

Reihana Dougherty

Kauri Whanau – update

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Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

We just want to let you know that we have contacted Wainui to check how our Kauri whānau are this morning.  Everyone is together at the camp, on high ground, and involved in packing up activities. The children will be back at school by 3:00.  If there are any changes in arrival time school will contact you to let you know.  

Kindest regards
Sue Leadbetter

School at COVID Alert Level 2 – Quick update, Sunday 28 February, 2021

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Kia ora e te whānau

As you will all be well aware by now, and to quote Dr Siouxsie Wiles, we've hit 'another loop-de-loop on the COVID rollercoaster' and we are now operating again at Alert Level 2.

At Alert Level 2, school remains fully open for teaching and learning.

I'm conscious that we may have some new families who have started in the past couple of weeks so I'm re-sending the information from last time with ONE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE - the end of day finish times:
NE (Koru) AND Y1/2 (Kahikatea) children will finish at 2:45pm. This will allow for them to be collected and move away from the front gate area before the rest of the school is released. If you have children in both the junior and Y3-6 parts of the school, the junior teachers will hold your child in the hub until 3pm and bring them out then.

Year 3-6 (Kōwhai and Pōhutukawa) children will finish at 3pm as usual.

Year 7/8 children and staff are going to Wainui on camp tomorrow morning, albeit with additional contingencies built in for their health and safety.

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. Please remember that social distancing is important at Alert Level 2. This is particularly important at pick-up time in the afternoon so please try not to congregate in groups at the gate. If your child is able to travel independently, please encourage them to do so. If you can wait for them on the other side of the crossing, and spread out a little, that helps too. 


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

The Director of Education will work closely with us and health authorities should this occur.

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 at school will 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. We 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.

Note that our drinking fountains will be unavailable at Alert Level 2, so every child does need to have a named water bottle at school every day.

Stay in Touch

If you need to contact your child's teacher - email is 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.

We've got this!

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy and the Team!