Kahikatea News Term 3 Week 3

Posted on by

Kia ora e te whānau,

We all had such a great time at the disco today! Thank you to all of the parents/caregivers who came along and joined in with the fun, and to our wonderful PTA for organising such an enjoyable event.

Keeping Ourselves Safe

The Kahikatea team will be participating in the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme during Weeks 6 and 7. Your child's homegroup teacher will teach six sessions and Constable Meg will teach two sessions.

What will children learn?
They will learn:
- to work out when their safety is at risk
- how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people
- who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused
- to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse
- that it is important to make and follow personal, family, and school safety rules

Children will have some short activities to work through at home with you. Thank you for your support with this.

Please click on this link for more information about Keeping Ourselves Safe.

 

Lunchboxes

Just a reminder to please not send lollies, chocolate, or drinks other than water to school. Our food-at-school policy aligns with national food and nutrition guidelines. 

"Good nutrition is essential for the healthy growth and development of children and young people.  Children and young people eat much of their food each weekday at school. Good nutrition affects students’ behaviour, learning, concentration and energy, as well as their physical health. When students eat a nutritious diet, they find it easier to learn. Teachers report improvements in students’ attendance, attention, behaviour and levels of concentration in schools where healthy eating is accepted practice." (Ministry of Education Healthy Food and Drink Guidance 2020)



Friendships

With inclusion being our word of the week, it might be worth checking in with your child about their friendships at school. In Kahikatea, we always encourage our tamariki to make new friends and get to know other children in the hub and at school. That way, they don't feel like they have to stick to one friend every playtime. Below are some videos you and your child can watch and discuss together.



Gymnastics

The Kahikatea tamariki have been enjoying doing gymnastics at Olympia! We have seen our school values of 'We Love Challenge' and 'We Love Learning' on display during each session. Next week will be our last week of gymnastics. Here are some photos from our sessions.























































Have a lovely weekend!

The Kahikatea Team

Kōwhai News Term 3 Week 3

Posted on by

Kia ora whānau,

We've enjoyed another fun fortnight at school. Find out more below!

Wellness

A big thanks to families for sending children with warm clothes, jumpers, jackets and gumboots on our wetter days. We continue to monitor temperatures, air flow and ensure frequent hand washing at school, to help everyone stay well. Thanks also to families for keeping unwell students home.

Maths

Our students have embraced learning about fractions over the last three weeks. We are really impressed with their abilities to have a go at new, often challenging learning, and to justify their thinking through mathematical discussions. Key learning focuses include: 

  • Know words and symbols for fractions: ¹⁄₂, ¹⁄₃, ¹⁄₄, ¹⁄₅, ¹⁄₁₀ and fractions greater than 1 
  • Find halves, quarters, thirds and fifths of sets by equal sharing
  • Find halves and quarters of shapes using objects
  • Order fractions and explain which is bigger
Feel free to work on these at home too.

This is one of the problems that some of us have worked on recently: 

I picked up a handful of M&M’s. 
1/3 of them were red. 
What might a drawing of the M&M’s look like?

Photos from a class who completed a 'fraction friend' activity...







Gym Trip

We loved our trip to the Christchurch School of Gymnastics, and are looking forward to returning next week! The instructors were kind, and the activities were varied and included swing ropes, trampolining, swing bars, balance beams, rolling, foam pit, rock crawl and more.







Keeping Ourselves Safe

Our students will soon be teaching Keeping Ourselves Safe (KOS), a safety programme from the New Zealand Police. These lessons will be taught by your child’s homegroup teacher, with support from Constable Meg Moynihan, our local Police School Community Officer.

What will children and young people learn?

  • to work out when their safety is at risk
  • how to keep safe when they meet and mix with other people
  • who and how to ask for help if they, or someone they know, is being abused
  • to go on asking for help until someone does something to stop the abuse
  • that it is important to make and follow personal, family and school safety rules

What part do parents, caregivers and whānau play?

Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe. You can also talk with your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe and help them with any KOS activities they bring home. Visit the whānau section of the NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe website for more information and frequently asked questions.

If you require more information about the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme or wish to discuss the learning, please speak with your child’s homegroup teacher in the first instance.

Discovery Fun









Kauri Whānau Update: Term 3, Week 3

Posted on by

In this post:

  • Tech expectations
  • Ski Google Form
  • Koru Games
  • Cantamath projects
  • Beckamath
  • Calendar Art

Tech on Tuesday

We've noticed that recently students are arriving late on Tuesday mornings. In order to get to Christchurch South Intermediate on time for Technology, students need to be at school for the roll at 8.30am exactly. Those that arrive late risk not being marked present, or may miss the bus entirely. As the Kauri teachers are on classroom release, they are not available to supervise any students who are late to school. Students will be given work to do and will be supervised either in the office or in another hub for the morning.

Ski Day

Thanks to all whānau who have filled in the google form for Ski Day. If you have not yet, please do so as soon as possible so we can organise gear for any students who may need it. You can find the google form here.

Koru Games

Jenny is looking for volunteers to take the Hockey team on Wednesday September 20th at Koru Games. If you are willing and able to help out, please email her.

Cantamath Projects

Thank you to all students and whānau that brought in their Cantamath projects - they all look fantastic. We will still be accepting submissions on Monday, so don't panic if you were away or are still hurriedly finishing things off! 

Beckamath

Last week we held our annual Beckamath competition. Students worked in teams of four to answer problem solving maths questions the fastest. It was an excellent afternoon of competitive maths and running.

Many thanks to Nicky for organising the questions, Nick for running the technology, and the Year 6 students who did an excellent job as markers.


Calendar Art

There are some amazing works of art that have been produced over the last three weeks. Ending our days with quiet art time has been a lovely way to start the term!





Pōhutukawa Update, Term 3, Week 3

Posted on by


 

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

We hope that you are all keeping warm and well. We've been having a lot of students experiencing illness this week; it's certainly the season of coughs and colds. Thank you for continuing to keep tamariki at home who are feeling unwell. We can't wait to see everyone back again fit and healthy. Please read on for some updates from the team from the past 2 weeks. Enjoy your weekend, everyone, kia pai ngā rāwhakatā.

Road Patrol

For our Year 6's, being a member of the Road Patrol is one of the key ways they can show leadership in our senior school. It is also a wonderful way to hone time-management skills, and perform a valuable service for both our kura and the community; rain, hail or shine! It's great to have our new squad now on patrol before and after school until the end of the year. Thank you for your support in ensuring they are aware of their days on patrol. "Nā matou he rereke te ao, the world is different because of us."

Winter Sports

Disappointingly, due to the inclement weather Winter Sports was cancelled... again! Winter Sports will now continue until Week 6, instead of Week 5. Luckily on Wednesday the sun was out, and all of our students practiced netball, football, and hockey as you can see from the photos. They are getting some amazing coaching and tautoko, support from our Year 8 student leaders on Wednesday afternoons. A huge mihi, thanks to the parents who are helping out on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. We simply couldn't do it without your help and support.

Four Square

It's been great to have some new playground markings in our Courtyard and to see many of our students having a ball playing an old favourite: four square. There is also a painted chess board, which will be good to have up and running when we have chess pieces that are fitting for a life-size game! Constructive playground games like these never get old, and it would be fantastic to have a conversation with the tamariki at home about some games they could play at break times.

Readathon and Calendar Art

We trust the students have shared their Readathon sheets and goals they have set with the PTA Readathon and making the most of the impetus to do some more reading at home. We're looking forward to the Readathon culminating next Friday with Book Character Day; always a colourful and creative day. Also, students have been excited to start their Calendar Art by getting started with some sketches and ideas. More to come!

School Newsletter, Friday 28 July, 2023

Posted on by

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

With Week 2 now finished, Term 3 is well underway! 

Thank you all for your patience with the muddy and wet state of our front entrance area on Sandwich Road. We have been in urgent communication with the council about the leak that has sprung up once again next to the crossing, and I see that yesterday the area was fenced off, so hopefully they have managed to sort that issue.

Richard Scott (Board of Trustees) and I recently met with representatives from the City Council to discuss options at our front entrance to extend the bike storage area and to make improvements to the 'grass' that is currently 'mud' at the main entrance. These conversations have proved to be very positive so far, so we are hoping to be able to get permission to make some positive changes here in the very near future.

Readathon

Hopefully everyone is well underway with their reading and their collecting of sponsorship. There are two more weeks of the Readathon, culminating in Book Character Day on Friday 11th August where children (and adults) can come to school dressed as their favourite book character. The PTA and the school appreciate your support of this fundraiser as it is a major part of the PTA's annual fundraising, and all PTA funds are used to support the school in a range of different ways.

Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Important Dates

NB You can find our Community Calendar on our school website. You can choose to embed this calendar into your own digital calendar and stay up-to-date with events and information.

Tue 1 Aug - 7:00 - 8:00pm - Year 7/8 Open Evening
Wed 2 Aug - Keeping Ourselves Safe - Parent information session 2-3pm Staffroom
Fri 4 Aug- PTA Discos - see below for details
Fri 11 Aug  - Book Character Day - final day of Readathon
Fri 11 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 18 Aug - School Closed - Staff Only Day
Wed 23 Aug - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Wed 23 Aug - 7:30pm - PTA meeting - Staffroom
Fri 25 Aug - Final day for returning Readathon Money
Fri 25 Aug - 10am Celebration Assembly 
Fri 8 Sep - 10 am Celebration Assembly
Thu 14 Sep - am - Year 8 entrance testing at Cashmere High
Fri 15 Sep - School Photos
Wed 20 Sep - 5:30pm - BOT Meeting - Staffroom
Fri 22 Sep - 10am Celebration Assembly
Fri 22 Sep - final day of Term 3

Term Dates: Click here to view 2023 & 2024 term dates

Citizen of the Week

Maya Pauley - Year 7

Maya, you are such a bouncy and enthusiastic ray of sunshine in the Kauri Hub. You love to embrace challenge and ask questions to ensure your success across the curriculum. Thank you for being such a kind and caring individual who looks out for others and makes a difference. Tino pai Maya!

School Notices

Keeping Ourselves Safe programme and Parent Information Session

From 7th August the New Entrant to Year 6 teams will be teaching the personal safety programme by New Zealand Police - Keeping Ourselves Safe. Years 7/8 will be doing a combination of the 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' and Choices' programmes. We cover this programme every two years as part of our Health curriculum. 
Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe.
You can:
  • attend a meeting at school to find out more about Keeping Ourselves Safe on Wednesday 2 August at 2.15 pm in the staffroom
  • find out about abuse and what to do if you think a child you know is being abused
  • talk to your child about what they have learnt in Keeping Ourselves Safe.
  • set safety guidelines with your family
  • help young children with the Keeping Ourselves Safe activities they bring home
  • give the same safety messages as the school is giving
  • look at the whānau section of NZ Police Keeping Ourselves Safe for more information and frequently asked questions
More information about the programme can be found on our school website

Help Needed

Are You a Welder?

We have a basketball hoop outside Koru that needs to be modified so our students can use it.
If you have welding skills that you are able to offer us we would love to hear from you.  A small piece of metal will be required to make the modification - we are happy to pay for this.
Please contact Tony Lee, our caretaker, or Jacky in the office.

Flag Fixer - sewer needed

As you will be aware we fly a flag every school day as part of our acknowledgement of the different nationalities and cultures represented within our school.
Some of these flags (14 in total) are beginning to show signs of wear and tear, specifically around the holes where the flagpole string goes.
We are looking for someone who is able and keen to sew a small patch over the holes that no longer have an eylet / metal ring on them.  This will enable another sewer, who has already volunteered, to put a buttonhole in this area and thus extend the life of the flag.
Please contact the office if you are able to offer your help with this flag fix-up! office@beckenham.school.nz, or 3371404.

Staff Profiles

At the end of Term 2, we welcomed Denise Colville to our staff, working as a Teaching Assistant in the Koru, New Entrant Team. Denise is a trained teacher from Germany and we are delighted to have her skills in our team, as she waits for her New Zealand teacher registration to be confirmed.

Student Council News

This term the Student Council are running "Kete Value Fridays". Each Friday there will be activities for the students to take part in. 



  • Last week we made Thank You cards and bird feeders to show We Care
  • This Friday the activity that we are running is an obstacle course on the left side of the hall presuming the weather is suitable. This will represent We Love Challenge. 
  • Next week (Week 3) is going to be We Love Learning, and we will teach origami. 
  • We won't run an activity in Week 4 because of Book Character Day. 
  • Week 5 will be We Make a Difference, the activity we will run is a school rubbish raid. 
  • In Week 6, for We Get There Together, we will run a doodle wall. 
Please encourage your child to participate - We Get There Together!

PTA News

It's Disco Time!

Get your dancing shoes on, as the PTA Disco will be happening next Friday, 4th August.
Entry by Gold coin donation.
NE/Y1/2 children will each be given a scoop of popcorn and there will be no other snack sales available.
Y3-8 Discos will have the option of purchasing popcorn or chips, priced between 50c and $2



Community Notices

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

Information regarding new Metro bus fares.

On 1 July the fares on Greater Christchurch public transport, buses and ferry, changed. The 50% fare discount funded by the government has now ceased. Environment Canterbury have now implemented a new fare structure with some exciting changes.

Single zone – all metro buses are a single zone. The same fare is now charged wherever you board or disembark in Greater Christchurch.
Cash fares are $4/adult and $2/child (under 19)
Metrocard bus concessions are $1. These apply for people under 25yrs as well as people with a Community Services card, a Total Mobility card or who attended a partnering Tertiary provider. For more information see - https://www.metroinfo.co.nz/travel-and-fares-info/new-fares-from-1-july-2023/
 
What do your students need to know?

Your date of birth on your Metrocard activates the ‘Under 25’ concession. If a student paid child fares on their Metrocard pre-July , they will receive this  concession automatically.
All other Metrocard benefits such as free transfers and capping remain
 
What about free fares for under 13 yrs that the Government announced?
Canterbury has not yet implemented free fares for under 13yrs. We will be providing an update of the timing of this when details are confirmed.