Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

I had the pleasure this week of joining Hub 1 on their Art Gallery and Botanic Gardens trip. The children were shown a small number of works at the gallery and engaged in a lot of discussion about those works before returning to the gallery classroom to create their own works. The small group I was with were shown a exhibit that included sculptures of sloths, made from recycled fur coats and gloves. They were quite fascinated with these creatures, and we had a go at making our bodies into the shapes of the sculptures. We took our volunteer guide slightly by surprise, but no sloth were hurt and a trip to the gallery was made just a little bit more memorable!

Preparing for New Learning Spaces

Our teachers are continuing to develop their practice and processes around collaboration as we work towards moving into our new learning spaces. Last week, the 5 teachers from the Y3/4 Kowai team spent a day together, visiting another school that has recently moved into learning spaces very similar to ours, spending time in our new building and then meeting to develop the systems and processes that will be important to have for the successful transition from our current spaces to our new spaces. They are considering the ways that our children learn, and ensuring that there will be consistency from all the members of the teaching team in the expectations and messages that are given to the children.

The West Hub continues to progress with lighting, plumbing, wall and floor coverings and joinery nearly all in. The underfloor heating system is being commissioned this coming week.

Our Year 1/2 teachers from Hub 10/11 had a similar day on Thursday, and the Koru teachers from Hubs 1-4 will have a similar day coming in the next couple of weeks. We appreciate that having a reliever in the class for day is not quite the same as having the teacher with whom the children are familiar, and we believe that giving the teachers sufficient time for this preparation is very important and will result in the best outcomes as we move forward.

Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki

Citizen of the Week

Ruby McNiven - Year 5

Ruby, you are an outstanding role model at Beckenham School. You are a confident and self-motivated learner who seeks opportunities to reflect on your learning and extend and challenge yourself in all areas of school life. The support you give those around you is highly appreciated as you quietly help them to achieve success. Your caring, friendly and helpful nature brings a sparkle to our hub. We are very proud of you Ruby!

Bobbi Gover - Year 2

Bobbi, you are a shining star who radiates 'We Love Learning' and 'We Get There Together'. You are a brilliant self-manager who always ensures learning is your top priority. You are constantly looking for ways to share your knowledge with others. You are kind and caring to all the children in our hub. You support them by role modelling how to do the right thing and listening to them when they need your help. Thank you, Bobbi, for being you!

Sharing our Learning

Pohutukawa Team Highlights

Identity 
Our conceptual learning is focused around understanding that identity highlights the uniqueness and similarities within living things, communities, structures and places. This term, we have developed this understanding further through Science, Visual Art and Health.
As we started our journey last term into the concept of identity, an interest sparked around DNA when we were learning about our whakapapa. This term, we are delving deeper into that through crime scene investigations, individual traits, inheritance and genes. Here are some examples of drawing a dog, created from a unique DNA code:

We are learning about visually communicating our ideas in relation to our identity. This area has been explored through Picasso style cubism portraits. Here are some examples of our ideas:


During Term 1 we developed our understanding around how people’s feelings, beliefs and actions contribute to our own and others’ sense of self-worth. This term, we are building on this concept through focusing on ways to act responsibility to support ourselves and others in negative situations, particularly bullying. We are exploring this through identifying types of bullying, the impacts it might have and what we can do to stop it. Here is one of our groups practising their role play based on a bullying scenario:

Writing
We have been working on making changes to our writing to make it more interesting for the reader. These changes have focused around varying sentence lengths and adding detail such as alliterative adjectives. Here is an example that James has written based on a writing motivation around discovering a dinosaur. We added detail to it collaboratively as a writing group.

Velociraptor

I opened a rattling door and stumbled across the box lying at my feet containing a heavy pistol and some tiny tranquilising darts.
Then I heard a rattling noise. Thud thud! I looked up into the glaring eyes of a 5 foot tall scaly velociraptor! It hissed and snarled at me but fortunately it was in a cage. Then I did what most people would do, I picked up the pistol and pulled the trigger. The dart flew through the air. Whoosh! It hit the velociraptor. It fell to the ground. At night the raptor’s eyes opened wide and its teeth opened. Click! The raptor ran down the street. I woke up then I charged after it. The raptor sprang into the air like a kid on a pogo stick and chomped a man on the leg. He collapsed to the ground dramatically dead. Then I remembered the darts! I pulled the trigger and the dart struck. Once again the raptor fell to the ground. Later, the animal control squad came along. Phew!  

By James Coleman

School Notices

Children's Safety

Absences:

If your child is going to be absent from school for whatever reason, please make the office your first point of contact.  There are an increasing number of caregivers who are contacting the teachers directly, who are then having to forward that information onto the office for the roll to be marked accurately.  There are a number of reasons why the office should be the first point of contact for notification of absences, the primary one being not all teachers manage to read their emails before the school day starts, so will not get the information regarding an absence until later in the day.  Teachers are also not always in classes at roll time due to being on teacher release, class trips, study days or being unwell. 

Phone: 3371404, txt 02102794107 for the office.  Or email office@beckenham.school.nz

Your assistance in this would be greatly appreciated.

Scholastic Book Orders:

Unfortunately due to an error on the website orders for the latest Scholastic book issue, some of the ordered books will be delivered to school.  This is not our preferred option and has previously been removed from the website by Scholastic.  It will NOT be available on any future issues.  The only option is to have the books delivered to an alternative address, e.g. your home address.

In an effort to reduce the amount of mail going through the office and the amount of wasted paper we will no longer distribute the paper flyer for each Scholastic book issue during the year.  Instead there will be a link in the newsletter to inform you that the next issue has opened and you can now order online.  Obviously you are able to visit the scholastic website at any time and order books, we will merely be placing a courtesy reminder when they have a new issue of books.

For those of you who have ordered books in the latest issue, and ticked the deliver to school option, you will receive an email when the books have arrived.

Last chance to book for this week's Parent Seminar - Supporting Children with Anxiety

Canterbury District Health Board School Based Team are excited to present a workshop offering strategies for parents who want to help their child who is struggling with anxiety.

This coming Wed 7th June 7:00-8:30pm

Does your child suffer from anxiety?
Do you want to know more about anxiety?
Dow you want to find out more about how anxiety looks in children?
Do you want to find new ways to help your child?

Venue: Beckenham School in the staffroom (Room 13 behind the garage).
This is a FREE seminar. Please contact the office or Michelle Maule (Deputy Principal) to book a space; office@beckenham.school.nz or deputy.principal@beckenham.school.nz

Congratulations to...

Juliette Gray who, back in April, competed in the Alana Haines Australasian Awards (for Ballet),  held every 2 years and biggest comp in Australasia held in Wellington. 163 juniors competed and Juliette was one of the 11 finalists and received the Audience Choice Award and the Auckland week scholarship - a week’s scholarship (including flights) to the Auckland Ballet Academy. There was only one other South Island competitor in the final 11 and the top three places all went to Australian students who are full-time at ballet schools. Congratulations Juliette - you are a dedicated dancer and your persistence and determination have paid off.

Staff Profile - Sue Leadbetter

PTA News

We hope you've all had a chance to see our Thermometers on Sandwich Road and Eastern Terrace. These are designed to show you the growth of our fundraising efforts for the schools Outdoor Spaces. We are excited to see that red line continue to grow and grow with all of your support.

We have a busy time ahead with some FUN fundraising events to get us all through the winter including this year's first disco, a very special evening planned for all you Ladies out there so stay tuned and our popular Quiz Night is back.  All the information for all our events will be advertised either via our PTA Facebook page or on the PTA News board at the school entrance.  Keep checking for details.

Have you purchased your Entertainment Book for 2017/18? - it's not too late to take advantage of some really amazing deals - or perhaps give one away as a gift.  There are just so many opportunities to save money when using your Entertainment Book here in Canterbury and as far North as Nelson. So purchase one today and start to enjoy some fabulous restaurants, cafes and activities.  You can place your order either at the school office or by clicking on the link below;

https://www.entertainmentbook.co.nz/orderbooks/134x257


Thank you to all of you who helped us shift some stock from our Uniform Room - the green container in the car park.  Many of you got some amazing deals in our Mad May Uniform Sale. Remember our Uniform Room is open every Monday before and after school.

As always we would love to hear any of your ideas to help us build upon our current calendar of fundraising events and you are all welcome at our monthly meetings.  To keep up to date with all the happenings don't forget to join our Facebook page at Beckenham School PTA.

Community Notices

Cashmere High Family Fun Day Fair: Kiwi families helping Syrian families...

We are running a family fun day at Cashmere High to raise money to build child-friendly spaces in refugee camps for Syrian kids

DATE: 17 June
TIME: 10am-2pm
LOCATION: Cashmere High School Front Field
PARKING: Some parking available on-site - please enter through Rose Street Gates

What's on:
- Face painting
- Bouncy castle
- Bake sale
- Stalls from local businesses
- Games for kids
- Sausage sizzle
- Raffle

All funds to go to the World Vision 40 Hour Famine

Our goal is to raise $10,000!

https://www.worldvision.org.nz/fundraising/team/cashmere-high-school/40-hour-famine

Starfish Swim School

Bookings for the July holiday program are now open!
10th-14th July.  Cost is $62.50 for the week.
For further details email: info@starfishswimschool.co.nz

GKR Karate 

GKR Karate will be running a Children's Safety Awareness Workshop with an aim to arm our children with education and skills to look after themselves!

Cost of the workshop is $15 per child - available to non-members and GKR members.  Please share this great event and let everyone know about it. Let’s work together to build a safer community for our children.

Save this date and book your kids spots by contacting Anthony via text on 0210308376 or email akaiaruna@gkrkarate.com.


https://www.facebook.com/events/299199960526483/?ti=icl

Female Footballers Desperately Needed!!

Halswell United is in need of more girls aged 13-15 years to play in our U15 team.
This team has a fantastic female coach, they train on Thursday afternoons and play Saturday mornings 9.15am. It would suit new players and players that wish to return to the game.
For further information, please contact Craig Crawford: 021 325 611 or email: huafcgm@gmail.com

Oranga Tamariki

Christchurch children urgently need Foster Carers. If you are interested in finding out more information on how you could help, either as a foster carer, emergency carer, respite carer or a home for life role, please contact 039632149, lorraine.boswell@mvcot.govt.nz.