Principal's Patch

Kia ora e te whānau

With less than two full weeks of the school year remaining, this newsletter has a LOT of important information and news in it. Please do take a moment to read it through.

2019 home groups

On the last day of term, children will be told who their 2019 home group teacher will be. During that morning all the children will be taken to their 2019 learning hubs to meet their new team of teachers. You will get that information in a letter that day with your child's report. Also in that envelope will be the information you need to book your start of year learning conference and a 2019 stationery list. Some of you will also get a letter about your child's attendance if it has fallen below 85%.

2019 enrolments

We have a record start-of-year roll for 2019 and are continuing to turn away all out-of-zone ballot applications, other than siblings. If you do know people who live in-zone and are planning on enrolling their children to start school during 2019, please encourage them to get their enrolment forms in before the end of the year as this helps us immensely in our forward planning.

Congratulations to Michelle Maule

As many of you will be aware, Michelle Maule, our Deputy Principal, has been working on secondment with the Ministry of Education this year, in the Severe Behaviour Team. Michelle advised us yesterday that she has been successful in winning the position of Cluster Manager for the Te Paeroa RTLB (Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour), Cluster 34.


Whilst we are very sad to see her moving on permanently from Beckenham, we are very proud of her achieving this wonderful promotion. This is the cluster of RTLB who cover our school, so we are extremely excited that Michelle will have continued contact with us, in her new role. This position will give her the opportunity to use her skills and capabilities to make a difference for staff, families, and children in many Christchurch schools, rather than just in our school.

A celebration of the end of the Building Project - this Thursday 13 Dec

Year 7 & 8 Production

Throughout the year the Year 7 and 8 Hub have been participating in an inquiry under the conceptual understanding, ‘People must act to sustain what is valued’. Continuing with this theme, our production is based around the human race being accused of destroying planet Earth. This is an original production; the script was written by Duncan Moulin-Gower and the children have been very involved in the conceptualisation and choreography of the show, as well as in the creation of some rather impressive props. Lawyers, witnesses, and groups of singers and dancers will help you, the jury, to decide whether or not the human race should be held accountable for the destruction of our planet.


We invite you to come along for an evening of thought-provoking entertainment in "Court For Thought". Performances will be this coming Monday 10th and Wednesday 12th December, starting at 7:00 pm. Admittance is by a gold coin donation at the door. Everyone welcome.

'We make a Difference' in our local community...

This morning I had the great pleasure to observe a small group of our Year 2 and 3 students speak to the Spreydon/Heathcote Community Board about their solutions for cleaning up the Beckenham area and preventing litter from entering our Ōpāwaho River system. Supported by their teacher, Charlotte Verity, the children represented their classmates and our school so well and their idea of having signage around the Beckenham area to encourage people to keep the area litter free was well received.


Many of you will have also noticed that the public toilet block by the Beckenham Ponds on Eastern Terrace has been getting a major makeover! A group of Year 7/8 students, as part of their 'passion learning', have been working with a local artist, Ira Mitchell-Kirk, to paint a wonderful mural on the toilet walls. There will be a formal 'unveiling' of the mural this coming Thursday 13th December, at 2:30pm for those who would like to attend. Thanks to the Spreydon/Heathcote Community Board for agreeing to the project and contributing $250 funding for the paint.


Ngā mihi

Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

Citizen of the Week

Sophie Macdonald - Year 4

Sophie, you are an outstanding role-model learner in the Kowhai team, where you always put in 100% to all you do! You are always eager to learn new things and have a genuine interest in space, wildlife, and the environment, where you love to share your learning with others. You always show that you care for others by always being a courteous and kind friend making you a delight to be around. Thank you for all your wonderful contributions that make our hub a great place to be. 

School Notices

Gift giving at the end of the year.

We are aware that gift-giving is one way that people often choose to show appreciation and that this is especially common as we head towards the end of the year and Christmas. We are also very aware that not all of our families celebrate Christmas and teachers are talking with children about the different ways that families celebrate cultural and religious festivals and traditions.

This year at school we have talked about the value of showing that 'We Care' through words and actions. Our teachers are talking with the children about the value of making and writing cards, and of doing or making something special to show appreciation or goodwill that doesn't involve buying 'presents' and where the focus is on the joy of giving and the kind thoughts that are being shared.

In line with this thinking, staff very much value a card or email of appreciation from parents and students and they do not expect gifts.

Many children often enjoy giving their friends a card at this time of the year, and sometimes add a candy cane or other treat with the card. To keep in line with our school values and healthy food policy, please refrain from sending sweets to school. If your child is wanting to give sweet treats to their friends, this can be arranged between families out of school hours. This will enable our tamariki to keep their focus on their learning for the last two weeks of school.

Uniform 

A quick reminder that our school uniform supplier is Mainland Uniforms who are located at 189 Peterborough Street.  They stock the full range of our uniform, including the senior jacket.  Layby facilities are available and there is ample parking at the shop.
When you have a spare moment or two over the holidays please check that your child's uniform items are clearly named!

Thank You Morning Tea

A thank you morning tea, where we say a huge THANK YOU to all those parents, caregivers, grandparents, volunteers and everyone else who has helped out in some way at our school, has become a welcome tradition at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto.

If you have volunteered, provided a helping hand, read books, donated books, been on a school trip, helped out with cooking in a hub or any other one of the myriad of ways that support our school community during 2019, then this invitation is for YOU.

Come and have a drink and bite to eat at the school hall from 10:30am onwards, this Friday 14th December. This morning tea follows the final Celebration Assembly which is from 9:30-10:30am in the school hall. You are also very welcome to also attend this assembly.


There is no need to RSVP, please just turn up on the day.

Sports News

On Wednesday, 11 children from Year 5 to 8 completed at the Canterbury Athletics Event, held at the new sporting stadium, Nga Punawai. It is a massive achievement to get to this level of competition and we are so proud of the way you represented yourselves and the school at this event. A huge congratulations to Tilly Harris, who competed in the 100m sprints and long jump. She finished 2nd in sprints and 1st in long jump. Tu meke Tilly!

Congratulations to...

Harper Ford - 

We received these wonderful comments in a letter this week from Pioneer Basketball:
"I am writing to commend one of your students, Harper Ford, who volunteered as a referee in our junior club competitions this year.  The programmes that our club provides for local families would not be possible without the valuable input from young people such as Harper.  Harper is an excellent role model for the children that he works with."
Well done Harper!

Debating Success

On Monday evening, our three debate teams from Year 7 and 8 participated in the second round of our competition against St Martin’s School. The motive up for debate was, ‘There is never a reason or excuse good enough to go to war’. On this occasion, we had one team taking the affirmative and two teams negating. Many strong arguments were raised in each of the debates, mostly focusing on short-term harm versus long-term gain. In the end, Hannah, Chis, and Adam secured a win, making the final score over the two round series 4 wins and 2 losses to Beckenham. The debate process has been a fantastic opportunity for the teams to develop their research, writing, presenting and collaborative skills.

Community Notices

Edible Garden Awards 

...recognise and celebrate those who are growing their own food, and all entrants receive a certificate.
Spreydon-Cashmere Edible Garden Awards 2019
The Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board is holding Edible Garden Awards for 2019 in partnership
with the Canterbury Horticultural Society.
Entry is free and open to individuals, groups, organisations, schools, early learning centres, communities, and businesses in the Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board area.
Enter your garden, or nominate someone else's garden (with their permission).  All entrants are recognised for their efforts.  In addition, there are Special Awards for:

• Sustainability
• Organics
• Use of rainwater
• Outstanding yield

Gardens will be assessed in March 2019.  Entrants are encouraged to take photos of their garden
throughout the summer for inclusion in the photo presentation at the award ceremony in April 2019.
Entries close 5pm, Monday 11 February 2019
Enter online at: Spreydon-Cashmere Edible Garden Awards 2019

My very humblest apologies to two of our staff members for 2019 who are part of  our teaching teams... 

Dorinda Hampton missed out on being in a photo on Monday, and was subsequently missed out by me when sharing the teaching teams with you!

Dorinda will be teaching in Kōwhai (Y3/4) and in Pōhutukawa (Y5/6) - providing release in both of those teams.

Rae Marsh is one of our new teachers who will be in the Pōhutukawa Team - I mistakenly named her as Rae Smith in the Pōhutukawa Team photo.

Ngā mihi nui

Sandy Hastings

Principal - Tumuaki