Pōhutukawa Team Newsletter – Term 2, Week 4, 2017

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Science

As part of our Science/Art/Health interchange, many students in the Pōhutukawa Team have been identifying and learning about organs and systems of the human body. As part of this topic, the children have been dissecting hearts, eyes, kidneys and other organs to find out about their structure. The children have also been involved in a research project on the system or organ that they were most interested in.


A future surgeon in the making.

Rhythm Interactive

Recently, we were visited by Rhythm Interactive - a special drumming group that tours New Zealand. As part of the show, each student was given their own drum to play. The students had lots of fun learning to keep in time with the beat. Here's a video of the drumming in action:


Hockey

As part of our winter sports programme, we have had guest teachers from Small Stix Hockey come to school every week. During each session, the students have been learning about and practising lots of different hockey skills such as; passing, trapping, dribbling and tackling.



Dance

Next week, the children will start to learn a new dance routine as part of our dance/fitness programme. We will be showing off our dances as part of the Year 5 - 8 Showcase on the evening of Thursday, 6 July. More information to follow. We look forward to seeing you there!


Kowhai Newsletter Week 4

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Trip to Hillview Christian School to view JRock

This coming Monday, 29th May, we have been able to book the Hillview Christian School gym so that our amazing Year 7/8 students can share their superb JRock performance with the rest of the school. With our own hall out of action, only two classes managed to see it in dress rehearsal last week. At this stage, the forecast is clear and this will see the entire school walking down to Hillview and back leaving at 9.10am and returning by 10.30am. 


Reading- Developing Fluent Readers
In Year 3-4, our reading focus shifts from learning to read, to reading to learn. Our team reading programme is centred around developing reading fluency which will enables children to have greater comprehension of what they read, and as a result are able to use ii for learning.  
Fluency is the ability to read  a text accurately, quickly, and with expression and because fluent readers do not have to concentrate on decoding the words, they can focus their attention on what the text means. 


Fluency is a significant indicator of reading comprehension. When children can read fluently, it means that instead of using brain power for decoding (working out words), they can turn their attention to the meaning of the text. And it gets even better! When students reach higher levels of fluency, they’re able to tap into meta cognitive strategies. This means that they can visualise, question, and interpret what they are reading, and they can think about their own feelings and opinions while reading text. This is the highest level of reading comprehension.

Across our team, this term we are actively promoting reading fluency. The books that your child either brings home to read from school or is a book at home that they are reading, we want this to be able to be read fluently. In our Hubs we talk about finding a 'Good Fit Book' this is a book that is of interest and fun and easy to read so our reading sound like talking. If the reading is robotic, then the book is too hard. Reading at home should be enjoyable for both you and your child!

Buddy Writing Programme


In Hub 7,8,9 some of the children have been apart of our buddy writing programme. This is where a writing tutor helps a tutee with their writing. We have seen the children interacting so positively during writing. Some children who started off only writing ten words are now writing fifty words or even more! Our tutors are enjoying being the teacher and encouraging others to write. 





Home Learning
Thank you to all the wonderful parents who actively support this component of our class programme. As a school, we believe in the importance of developing a love of reading, being numerate and able to spell most high frequency words. We are very aware of the many families who have commitments with their children after school each day and have tried to make our home learning as simple as possible. It should only take about 15-20minutes each day to complete.
Reading - 10 minutes (fun easy read!)
Spelling - 5 minutes
MMM - 1 minute


Kowhai Trip to the City


Looking through the kaleidoscope in New Regent Street

Last Wednesday we had a wonderful trip to the city and the Margaret Mahy playground.
The aim of the trip was to learn more about our changing city, especially the transitional artworks that have become a feature since the earthquakes. We completed a scavenger hunt as we made our way through the city, visiting the Bridge of Remembrance, City mall, Cathedral Square, the Dance-o-Mat and New Regent Street, noting down many of the artworks that we saw on the way. Finally we finished our trip at the Margaret Mahy Playground where we had lunch and a great time.
Over the next few weeks we will be creating our own temporary artworks to feature around the school during the rebuild. You can find our first artwork hanging from the fences in front of the hall.

Thank you so much to all the parents who came on the trip with us. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Dancing at the Dance-o-Mat!

Margaret Mahy Playground

Margaret Mahy Playground


Toys, Pokemon cards  and Fidget Spinners
Over the past week, we have noticed a variety of 'toy' style items coming to school. Across the team, we have reminded the children that the only items that are to come to school are those that are required for learning (lunch, water, Home Learning folders and warm jackets/jerseys). Toys (including small animal soft toys), fidget spinners and Pokemon cards are not allowed at school.  If a child wants to trade Pokemon cards, this can be done after school with a parent bringing in the cards after 3pm. We would love your support with this, as these items can interfere with classroom learning. Thanks so much!


Thank You!
A huge shout out goes to the parent helpers who came with us on our exciting city trip this week. You were all absolutely amazing and we could not have gone on this trip without you.  It was great to see so many Dads on the trip too! this children had a fantastic time exploring the city and seeing the art works that have been put up to add colour and create interest for locals and visitors alike.

Have a wonderful weekend ahead!
Kowhai Teaching Team





Kauri Whanau: Term 2 Week 4 Weekly Update

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The first three weeks of this term were pretty full on, culminating in our J-Rock performance day last Thursday. What an awesome day we had. The feedback we have received about our performance was extremely positive: words like awesome, beautiful, professional and sooooo proud. For a twelve hour day, the children managed themselves extremely well; we were proud of them on many fronts.  We look forward to sharing this performance with all families at our showcase on the last Thursday evening this term. 

The children had fun applying makeup.

Morning rehearsal time.


J-Rock performance for school: 

On Monday next week, May 29, we will be sharing our J-Rock with the rest of the school. All children need to bring their costume box back to school this week. Thanks to those who have already done so. We will get the costumes to Hillview. On Monday morning, we would like the children to wear their black base under their red shirt and school jacket. We will meet by the ponds as usual at 8:30, and walk to Hillview. 

Passion Friday (Shoe Art):

A third of the children in our team are involved in shoe art for Passion Friday this term. If your child is in this group, please speak with them and ask if they need to source anything to help create their transformed shoes. School is able to supply some of the materials, but the children are expected to try and find the majority of what they require. Most of what is needed can be found around the house. If you have any old newspapers, we would love it if your child could bring these in for using to paper mache their creations.


Zones Cross Country:

The forecast is looking good for our South Zones Cross Country at Halswell Quarry this Wednesday. The children will catch their bus at 8.40 from Sandwich Road and then be transported back to Champion Street once the event is finished. Please make sure all children have a warm layer or two a change of clothes, their drink bottle and any personal medication that they may need, (such as ventolin). We will have our school gazebo up and our school flags flying. The event will go ahead no matter the weather. We would love to see you there.

Event Timings:
9.55
10.50am Year 7 girls - 3km
11.00am Year 7 boys - 3km
11.10am Year 8 girls - 3km
11.20am Year 8 boys - 3km



Winter Sport:

There were many happy young sports players after Friday’s games. All the Year 7 and 8 teams, who played a competitive match, won their respective games. We love to see our Beckenham Kete on display in a sporting context.
To avoid disappointment, please ensure that your child brings all the necessary equipment to school on Friday. If your child is missing required safety equipment, we cannot allow them to play (this is in accordance with Primary Sports Canterbury rules). We can lend out equipment when necessary, but need to know about this in advance (not on Friday). All children should bring their sport uniform, a warm layer (jersey or jacket) and a drink bottle (there is often not a drinking fountain in close proximity to the court/field).

Football: shin guards, football boots
Hockey: shin guards, mouth guard

Here is this week’s draw for your reference:

Netball
Beckenham Black v Lyttleton B Hagley Courts 12
Beckenham Red v Aidanfield CS 1 Hagley Courts 9


Football
Beckenham Black bye
Beckenham Red v Banford Jets South Hagley 7

Hockey
Beckenham Black v Sumner Nunweek 1b

Passion Friday at St Albans ABC Preschool:

One of our passions this term is to help out at the preschool, which is two minutes walk from school. Our children are loving spending time with the little people, supporting them with their play based learning.

Beckenham School Newsletter, Friday 19 May 2017

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Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

Another busy fortnight at school saw our Year 7 and 8 students participating in the JRock / Stage Challenge at the Horncastle Arena on Thursday evening. They drew the first performance spot of the night and set an amazing standard for the performers who followed. Those of us lucky enough to be in the audience were immensely proud of them all. Every single one of our Year 7/8 students was involved and there on the night. That is one of the strengths of being a Year 7/8 at Beckenham - everyone takes part. We really do Get There Together.  Special thanks to the teachers in Year 7/8, Jenny, Jarred and Nicky, who supported the students, and to the parents who helped with food on the night.

Parent Seminar coming up: Tips for 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.

 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

Building Update

As you will have probably noticed, our West Hub is looking very close to being ready. I was fortunate to have a look inside again this week and the ceiling tiles and wall coverings were nearly all in. The joinery units are mostly in, and carpet is due to go down this coming week. The last major pieces of work will be the installation and commissioning of the underfloor heating system and the final landscaping pathway work around the outside of the building.


The East Hub is also moving along quickly and both are on track to be ready for our Y1-4 classes to move into them for the start of Term 3.

The new Bike Stand are is working well. Special thanks Fahey Fencing who have loaned us the temporary fencing for no charge. When we get the permanent fencing installed, we will be looking to have two gates, an 'in' and an 'out' gate, to improve the flow of traffic at peak times.

Sandy Hastings
Principal

Important Dates

Upcoming Events (also available on the Community Calendar)

Wed 24 May
Zones Cross Country at Halswell Quarry. Bus leaves Sandwich Rd site at 8:40am

Kowhai Trip to the City

7:30 - 9:30pm PTA Meeting, School staffroom. All welcome.

Fri 26 May
Winter Sport - all games start 1:15pm

Mon 5 Jun
Queen's Birthday - school is closed.

Wed 7 Jun
7:00-8:30pm Parent Seminar - Tips for Supporting Children with Anxiety
Free seminar - Beckenham School Staffroom

Thu 8 Jun
5:30-7:30pm Whānau Hui

Term Dates

Click here to view the 2017 term dates.

Citizen of the Week

Olivia Cochrane - Year 8

Olivia, we are so proud to have you as part of Kauri Whanau. The enthusiasm and effort you display for learning, ensures that you consistently strive to give your very best. 'We Care' is a value that shines in you. Olivia, you display empathy towards others, helping and guiding wherever you see the need. You show our value 'We Get There Together' by working productively with a wide range of people, always being aware of what is required and ensuring the group stays on track. Thank you for the fabulous contribution you are making in the Intermediate Hub!

Maia Davis - Year 6

Māia, you personify the value of 'We love learning', with your positive and enthusiastic approach towards all areas of your learning. You demonstrate that you are a fantastic team player through your clear leadership skills, and by being able to view things from different perspectives. You are actively involved in areas outside of the classroom and participate with commitment and energy. Your kind and caring heart is appreciated by everyone in Te Whānau o Pōhutukawa. Keep shining Māia - you are amazing!

Sharing our Learning

Kauri Team - Year 7 & 8

There are a number of advantages of choosing to spend Year 7 and 8 in a full primary school. One of the advantages is the opportunity to participate and contribute, as with fewer children at the same level, more have the chance to get involved. J-Rock is a prime example of this.


Yesterday the Year 7 & 8 team spent an awesome day at Horncastle area, taking part in J-Rock / Stage Challenge. This was the culmination of a term’s worth of learning, choreography, practise, refinement and the pursuit of excellence.  For many schools, participation in this dance event is optional. At Beckenham we expect everyone to be involved. As Maddi said, ‘Some people might say they don’t want to do J-Rock, but when they do it, they would be proud of themselves and they would want to do it again’.  Aside from our lighting technician and our backstage hand, every child stepped out under the lights, in front of a huge audience, and shone on stage. Boy were we proud of them. 

Initially enthusiasm levels weren’t that high, but by the time we were ready to perform, 99% of the children were loving it. As Portia said: ‘It was great; one of my best times at Beckenham.’ Today the children reflected on their experience. They had lots of gems to share: 
‘Don’t say you’re scared, just give it a go and you will have a great time.’ Joe
‘I liked how supportive everyone was, including other schools.’ Rosie
‘It put people out of their comfort zone and made then more confident.’ Sadie
‘We used synergy a lot, to help others.’ Boston
‘It improved my teamwork and leadership skills.’ Bella
‘It was a really cool atmosphere. I liked that we could share everyone’s ideas.’ Olivia
‘Everyone got a chance to be a star.’ Isaac

We are looking forward to sharing our performance, which focuses on our school’s whakapapa, with the rest of the school and our parent community, later in the term.

School Notices

Safety around the buses

We have noticed a small number of caregivers who are dropping/collecting children from the buses who continue to park on the 'no parking' zone opposite the buses. This results in the children crossing the road between the buses, putting them at extreme risk of being hit by a passing vehicle.
We do our best to put systems in place and we rely on everyone to follow those systems to keep all to keep all of our children safe.

Unknown Person

Our school account is receiving regular deposits from an individual identified as Y. E. Rozier.  If this is you, or someone who is paying on behalf of your child, could you please get in touch with Vicky in accounts, Ph: 3371404 or accounts@beckenham.school.nz.

Lunchonline - Daily lunch ordering and delivery system

Thank you to Lunchonline for the service that they provide every day for our families who wish to order lunches. We were one of the very first schools in Christchurch to sign up to this lunch supply system and they and their two suppliers in Christchurch (Sydenham Bakery and Pita Pit) have done a fantastic job of providing lunches ever since.

When we moved to two sites, the orders for each site naturally halved in number and our two suppliers have provided unflinching support through that, committing to keep on delivering around half the quantity to two different sites for the duration of our building programme.


To register for Lunchonline, go to their website www.lunchonline.co.nz and click on 'Families' then choose 'Create an Account'. Provided you put in your order by the 8:30am cut-off, the lunch will be delivered to school ready for lunch eating time at 1:15pm that day. You can order for future days, and you can also place a repeating order for a particular day(s).  A recent update to their menu means that you can now order a kids size pita or a regular size pita for the students who require something a little larger.
Each term, Lunchonline sends us a cheque for commission from the total orders that our families purchase. In term 1, this came to $85.36
This money goes into our curriculum funds and may be used for a wide variety of curriculum costs.



Staff Profile

Anne Chin - Learning support/Librarian

Kia ora koutou. I have been at Beckenham since 2001 as part of the support staff. I love working in the school library (in its many different locations) and engaging with the students.

Community Notices

(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)


Team Hutt

Team Hutt is an outstanding provider of Alpine Ski Race Programs in New Zealand and offer programs from under 8 years of age through to full time athlete programs at FIS level. For the 2017 season they are offering 15 different programs, incorporating more Junior Team Hutt programs, and for the first time a Masters Training program.
Team Hutt’s programs have an emphasis on introducing children at the junior levels to the sport of ski racing (developing a passion and love of skiing) and full programs provide the opportunity for children to advance their alpine skiing skills to a competitive level - right through to the international FIS level. Team Hutt is run by the Canterbury Alpine Sports Trust, a not for profit trust where all funds are re-invested into supporting the alpine programs, and is directed and led by experienced and world class coaches. For more information or to apply for a programme please visit www.teamhutt.com. The first of their programs start on Friday 16th June.

Children's Yoga for 4-6 year olds.

​Would your Child be keen to learn Imagi
nation Yoga?
We have some spare spots at the Huntsbury Community Centre Class, Tuesdays 3:30-4:15pm
Excellent for mind-body-social awareness, managing emotions, developing confidence and self-expression.
From their perspective it's a weekly, super-fun imaginative movement adventure!
Many Children benefit from this nurturing, creative & non-competitive environment.
Contact Lou on 0226 250 321 or hello@siouxiesolar.com
siouxiesolar.com/imaginationyoga


ALICE IN WONDERLAND AUDITIONS!!!

Sunday May 21st 4 - 6 pm at St Ninians Church Hall,
9 Puriri Street, Riccarton.
Catchup auditions on Saturday May 27th 10 - 11 am
Wanted - young performers 7 - 17!
Rehearsals will be weekends May, June. beginning of July!
Show is July 11 - 22 at Elmwood Theatre, Christchurch
Enquiries and registration to Helen at hellnhighwater@gmail.com 
See the Imagine Youth Theatre Facebook Page.
Further information if people want  more detail

Canvas Bag Drama School opens in South Brighton!

Is your child dramatic? Do they love dressing up and acting out stories?
From Term 2 Canvas Bag Drama School will be running 2 classes for children at St Luke’s Church Hall, 212 Pine Ave. To kick-start the opening of our South Brighton Campus we are offering a free trial for the first class.
Don’t delay, places are limited!

Thumbelina: 5 -7 years (Thursdays 3.30-4.30)
Starfleet Class: 8-12 years (Thursdays 4.30 –5.30)

Our classes combine a structured fun-filled social environment with extensive use of improvisation and role-play to develop positive feelings of self-worth and the ability to confidently express thoughts and feelings.
Classes are run by a qualified drama teacher - Gina Fowler
Please enquire at info@canvasbag.nz. or 021 222 7273 or check out our web page for more information.
www.canvasbag.nz

​

Last Minute J-Rock Reminders

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Thanks to all the families who have filled in the end of night pick up form. Just 10 to go. Please click and respond if you have yet to do so.

The children have worked exceptionally hard over the past weeks to create, refine and perfect their performance. We are very proud of them all. For a number, just being on stage is a huge deal, with some anxiety involved. These children will probably get the most out of the experience. Tomorrow is a huge day, so an early night would be appreciated.

Reminders (some of these items are new, so please read carefully):
  • Children are to come to school in their black base, with their school jacket over the top. I have most of the costumes in my car. Some children, mostly those with just one costume, have theirs at home to bring tomorrow. A number of children need a red school shirt for their performance. Please ask and make sure they pack this.
  • Bring: a full water bottle, a large lunch including morning and afternoon tea, a small game or book, as there will be lots of downtime to fill. Optional; rug or cushion to sit on. 
  • Dinner is an American hotdog, a muffin and a piece of fruit. If you think your child will need more, please pack extra food in their lunch box. Vegetarian and gluten free are also being catered for. A big thanks to the team of mums who are helping to feed the troops.
  • Electronic devices may be brought, however there will be times when these will be left in our changing area, unattended. During our performance, we will lock all children's phones in a staff car. It is up to you as to whether you are happy for your child to bring their device. 
  • Today we talked with the children about makeup. The children are welcome to bring this. A small mirror would also be handy. No pressure if they haven't got any; I'm sure their will be plenty of sharing happening. 
  • Girls' hair: Old school children in pigtails or plaits. All other girls with long hair in a high ponytail, except Maddi who will need a bun, which we can do late afternoon.
  • At the end of the evening, please come into the arena foyer to sign your child out. We have been asked to bring the children to the foyer in groups of ten, so it may take a few minutes for your child to show up. 
If you need to get a message to your child during the day, you can send Nicky a text 0276229403.

I think that's it. Can't wait for tomorrow! Kauri Whanau rock!!