We are nearly there! Only a few days to go. Please read the important details below. In this post:
Corsair Bay trip.
Year 8 pool and pizza party
Leaver's assembly
Year 7 final day and classes for 2022
Corsair Bay:
At the end of this post, there is a social story that we shared with the children today. It would be good to review this at home.
For this trip to Corsair Bay tomorrow (Thursday) your child needs:
to wear school uniform
sunhat
sunscreen
water bottle and lunch (they can arrange a shared lunch with friends, and this would need to be nut free)
mask for on the bus
togs and towel (best to wear togs under their uniform)
a warm jacket
optional: wetsuit, book, game (non-electronic), drawing book, sunglasses
Phones will be left at school. We will be leaving school at 11am and will be back by 3pm.
Year 8 Pool and Pizza Party
On Monday Dec 13th we are hosting a pool and pizza party for our Year 8s. This will be held at Liz May's home in Cashmere. The best way to get there is to park on Dyers Pass Road by Cashmere Primary and walk through the school, down past the tennis courts. Liz will put a sign by the back gate. The street address is 79 Dyers Pass Road. They have a lovely outdoor pool and also access to the school playground. Drop off is at 4pm and pick up at 6pm sharp.
Leavers' assembly - check Hero for details.
Last day for Year 7
The Year 7s finish for the year at 12:40 on Wednesday, Dec 15th. That morning they will find out their classes for 2022. We have had a bit of a shuffle around and many will find that they are with a new home-group teacher and with a different group of children. Much thought has gone into putting groups together so that the children have at least one person they relate well with and that the combinations are as harmonious as possible. Throughout the week there are many times when the children work with different teachers and combinations of other children: maths, literacy, passions, technology, etc. We have been talking about embracing change positively at school and would appreciate you also setting your child up for success.
We also plan to have some water play that morning, with a slip and slide and water fight. Togs, sunscreen and a water propelling device (drink bottles are great) would be the order of the day.
Kia ora whanau, Here we are in Week 8, and the last two and a bit weeks have been just full to bursting with fun and exciting events.
Kete Certificates
We love seeing our tamariki being celebrated at assembly for their successes with our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto values. In these past two weeks, kete certificates for our Beckenham Te Kura values of We Love Learning, We Make a Difference and We Get There Together have been awarded. Congratulations, and well done to our wonderful tamariki on their achievements!
Our Latest Newbie A great, big Beckenham Te Kura welcome to Maya, who is our latest new member of the Koru hub. Maya is settling in well and quickly making new friends in her home group.
A Very Special Visitor
On Thursday, we were treated to a very special visit in the form of a cute and very sociable 3 month old Miniature Schnauzer puppy named Biscuit. She was so very cute and well-behaved, showing off her ability to sit, stand and drop on command. What a very clever puppy! The children were super excited before her visit and brainstormed a list of many very interesting and clever questions to ask her owner, Jan. This is just a tiny selection of the questions they prepared for Jan:
How fast can she run?
Does Biscuit like biscuits?
Can Biscuit shake hands?
Book Character Day
Last Friday, 3rd December, was our gold coin dress-up day. Children chose to dress as their favourite book character, or dress in colours of the rainbow to support LGBT and diversity. We were totally blown away by the range of fabulous and creative costumes.
Learning Through Play
Our learning focus has been on the warm and sunny season of Summer, (although the weather has other ideas). The children have been taking advantage of the warmer weather to include some outside play alongside other Learning Through Play activities indoors.
We have been reading lots of stories and sharing ideas together about the many fun and enjoyable activities we can enjoy in the summertime. Camping and toasting marshmallows, building sandcastles at the beach, eating ice-creams and picnics in the park are just a very few of the popular things our children love to do!
Being SunSafe and Sunsmart is also super important at this time.
Follow this link Sunsmart-Level 1 sponsored by the Cancer Foundation, tofind some fun and informative videos you can watch with your tamariki in order to encourage them to stay safe in the sun this summer. Remember to slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat to stay safe when playing out in the summer sun.
Structured Literacy
The children just love literacy times and enjoy showing the results of their awesome efforts and fantastic progress.
Teddy Bears' Picnic - Next week, Monday 13th December, the children are invited to bring a Teddy from home for our end of year Koru celebration. From 1.30pm, the Koru tamariki will be heading out to the big field for a picnic lunch and some fun activities with their Teddy Bear friends. Please note this change of date, as the weather isn't looking so flash for tomorrow, which was our original date.
Learning conferences. We would like to extend a huge thank you to all the families who booked a time to come and have a chat with us at our recent learning conferences. These learning conferences provide a wonderful opportunity to have valuable conversations about the rich learning journey, and next steps, for our tamariki.
A short reminder Please send a named bag to school with your child tomorrow. It will be very useful for your tamariki to be able to take home items belonging to them, such Literacy and Numeracy books. Any unused pages in these books may be useful at school next year, or they could be great be for some fun activities and writing practice at home over the school holidays.
We're looking forward to some fun final days of the school year! Thank you for all your support on the home front. We really appreciate this.
Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou,
The Koru teachers: Tracey, Nicola, Chelsea, Elizabeth and Stacey
As the country has moved to the new Covid Protection Framework (Traffic lights) this week, it has created quite a lot of confusion around what schools are supposed to be doing for both schools and their communities.
Ministry of Education guidelines have requested that schools continue to operate at Level 2 guidelines until the end of the 2021 school year. They have also requested that non-curriculum events (including performances, picnics and prizegivings) that bring parents onto the school site do not happen at Level 2.
To comply with these guidelines, just as many other schools have done, we have recorded our Kapa Haka performances this week and will be sharing those with whānau shortly. We have also planned to make our Year 8 graduation an event that parents will be able to participate in by watching on-line, rather than in person. We do understand that this is very disappointing for whānau who had expected to be able to attend these events in person. We also know that more whānau will be able to enjoy these events through having them online, as there will be no restriction on the number of family members who can watch on-line.
We will be moving to the COVID Protection Framework (Traffic Light system) from the start of 2022, at whatever colour of the traffic light system we are at at the time.
Reminder: School finishes for the year on Wed 15th December at 12:30pm
Teams and Staffing for 2022
Now that we have our staffing for 2022 confirmed, we are able to share our teaching teams for next year.
Koru (NE/Y1):
Elizabeth Drummond (Team Leader)
Georgia McKenna
Stacey McLachlan (release, no home-group)
Kahikatea (Y1/2):
Amber Donovan (Team Leader)
Katie McFarlane
Krystal Hunt
Emma Hayes-Smith
Lisa Collier (release, no home-group)
Kōwhai (Y3/4):
Anna Reid (Team Leader)
Nick Bruce
Rowena Barker
Charlotte Verity
Quynh Nguyen
Laura Williamson (release, no home-group)
Pōhutukawa (Y5/6):
Steve Cooke (Team Leader)
Gayle McNaughton
Rae Marsh
Anna McNeill
Georgie Jones (release, no home-group)
Kauri (Y7/8):
Nicky Dunlop (Team Leader)
Megan Culver
Jenny Diggle
Caitlin Worsfold
Sarah Junghenn (release, no home-group)
Congratulations
This week we celebrated with one of our Year 3/4 teachers, Quynh Nguyen, as she received her full teaching certificate, after having successfully completed her first two years of teaching.
Quynh Nguyen (Y3/4 teacher)
Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Thu 9th Dec - Corsair Bay Year 7/8 Thu 9th Dec - Beckenham Cycle Safety Programme (Y6) Fri 10th Dec - Beckenham Cycle Safety Programme (Y6) Fri 10 Mon 13th Dec - Beckenham Cycle Safety Programme (Y6) Tue 14th Dec - Beckenham Cycle Safety Programme (Y6) Tue 14 Dec - Year 8 Graduation (livestreamed event) Wed 15th Dec - Last Day of School for 2021 - School Finishes at 12.30pm
Mia, you are an absolutely awesome member of Kōwhai! You have an infectious 'can do' attitude and set a wonderful example to others as you cheerfully work hard in all areas of school life. Mia you are a considerate, caring, enthusiastic friend, who naturally incorporates our key values in everything you do. We love having you at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto, Mia. You are a fabulous friend and learner.
School Notices
2022 Term Dates
Staff Only Days
Thu 27, Fri 28 January & Mon 31 January Staff Only Day during Term 1 – date to be confirmed Staff Only Day during Term 2, date to be confirmed
Staff Only Day during Term 3, date to be confirmed
NB: Learning Conferences all day Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 February. Supervision will be provided for families who have requested it. Classes start Thursday 3 February.
Term 1
Tue 1 February – Thu 14 April
Waitangi Day Mon 7 Feb – School Closed
Good Friday – Friday 15 April – School Closed
Term 2
Mon 2 May to Fri 8 Jul
Queen’s Birthday Mon 6 Jun – School Closed
Matariki Fri 24 Jun – School Closed
Term 3
Mon 25 Jul Friday 30 Sep
Term 4
Mon 17 Oct Thu 15 Dec
Labour Day Mon 24 Oct – School Closed
Canterbury Anniversary Fri 11 Nov – School Closed
Helping others this Christmas
This week, we are collecting items to donate to the City Mission. This is a small way that we, as a community, can show that 'We Care' and 'We Make a Difference'. COVID has made this year a tough year for many, and the City Mission need our help more than ever.
Donations can include non-perishable food items such as tinned fruit and veges, rice and pasta, tea and coffee, toiletries such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo and nappies, along with Christmas treats such as chocolate. These small gifts will go a long way to helping brighten the Christmas of others.
Please bring donations to the office or to the collection point on the library verandah each morning.
Kapa Haka
Our students really enjoyed putting their best performances onto video this week to share with their whānau. The video will be shared with whānau of kapa haka students this coming week.
Writing Achievements
Kate, one of the budding young writers in Kauri Hub, saw incredible success earlier this year when she became a published author for the first time. Kate wrote a fractured fairytale on the classic 'Little Red Riding Hood' which saw her published amongst other talented young writers in New Zealand. What a fantastic achievement!!
Another one of our talented students, Katya Atlas, submitted a memoir in the writing competition 'Write On'. The true recollection of her meeting her sister for the first time impressed judges so much that she was awarded 'distinction'. We couldn't be happier for her!
Kōwhai kids’ art project!
Kōwhai students have been learning how to use tape to get crisp edges with their painting, how to blend colours, and select inspiring patterns or quotes!
Sports News
Sports Uniforms
The only children who still require a sports top are the Year 3/4 mini ball teams. Please, could you check at home for any sports uniforms that your child may have and return them to the office as soon as possible.
Miniball
Please see below for the draw for the final Miniball game on the 8th of December and the good news is that there can now be spectators at the games!
4:00 - Beckenham Whanaungatanga vs Prebbleton Pacers
6:00 - Beckenham Hiringa vs Mt Plesant Magicians
7:00 - Beckenham Hakinakina vs TCGS Tigers
Xmas Theme - As we welcome back our spectators and family members we encourage your players to 'dress up' in a Christmas theme. This may include face paint, xmas hats, decorations or anything with christmas attire. Players can't wear hats when playing or anything they normally wouldn't wear but can wear it when seated on the bench or before/after games! Santa will be there giving out goodies to anyone in the stadium so look out for him!
PTA News
Calendar Art
Thanks to everyone for supporting calendar art - hopefully you have all received your orders which went home from kura today. Please contact the PTA via Facebook, or our email if there are any issues.
Salami Orders - collection this coming week
For everyone who ordered salamis, please remember pick up is this coming week.
Thursday 9th December:
9.00 - 10.00 am
2.30 - 3.30 pm
5.00 - 6.00 pm (Evening Collection option)
Friday 10th December:
9.00 - 10.00 am
2.30 - 3.30 pm
Pick up location will be out the front of the school on Sandwich Road - approximately where the Coffee Cart parks.
Weetbix Kids TRYathlon
The Weetbix TRYathlon is on (fingers crossed!) next year, Sunday 6th of March in the morning at Jellie Park. There will be a gazebo for the kids to hang out in and a BBQ cooking well deserved sausages on the day. It’ll be a great day family day out and something to look forward to for next year!
If you have a child aged 6 or older who is keen to get involved you can easily register them online at https://tryathlon.co.nz/locations/christchurch/ and join our school group by searching “Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto”.
Keep in touch with the PTA
To stay up to date with the PTA, please check out our Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA Facebook page, linked here. Or come along to one of our meetings - all welcome.
Meeting dates can be found in the weekly school newsletter, or on the school calendar - linked here.
These meetings are usually held on a Wednesday night 7.30-9.30pm.
The PTA bank account is 12-3148-0244558-00.
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
Act2 Drama Group
Follow Snow White as she falls in love, escapes death, and meets 21 dwarfs..... what could possibly go wrong?
A funny and witty performance suitable for all ages.
Bugsy Malone
Gangsters! Cream pies! Singing! Dancing! And Splurge guns...
For summer entertainment, come see the Elmwood Players hilarious family musical BUGSY MALONE!
Based on the hit 1976 film originally starring a preteen Scott Baio and Jodi Foster, and featuring a catchy, swinging score by the composer of The Muppet Movie. Two gangs, comprised completely of children, square off in a 1920s rivalry of Capone-ian standards. Dandy Dan's gang has gotten the upper hand since obtaining the "splurge" gun. Now, Fat Sam and his bumbling buffoons are in real trouble! Bugsy Malone, a one-time boxer, is thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster limelight when he becomes the last chance that Fat Sam's gang has of surviving. All Bugsy really wants to do is spend time with his new love, Blousey, but that just isn't in the cards for our hero. Bugsy Malone is a classic musical comedy not to be missed.
You might even get splurged yourself!!
At Elmwood Auditorium over the Summer School Holidays in January.
It has been a busy few weeks in Kahikatea! Reports went online at the end of Week 5, and we loved connecting with whānau at Learning Conferences in Week 6. There were a few questions during these conferences about accessing reports. Please let your home group teacher know if you need any support with this.
Transitions
Over the last couple of weeks we have started transition visits for our learners. We enjoyed participating in Learning Through Play with Kōwhai learners, in their hub, and we also connected with Koru learners, who visited us. Lots of laughs were had and connections made.
A Teddy Bear Picnic!
Next Thursday 9th December we invite all our tamariki to bring one favourite Teddy Bear from home. At lunchtime we will head out to Beckenham Park to sit under the trees and enjoy a picnie with our Kahikatea friends and their teddies.
Your child can bring:
A Teddy
A picnic blanket
Some extra food in their lunchbox for a busy day!
A drink bottle
Eels
We were lucky to have some learners from Pōhutukawa, Rose and Ashlyn, visit us to teach us about eels. They spoke passionately about why eels are special, the different types and what we can do to help them. They also provided this video link if you want to hear more about eels. The learners all had a fun activity sheet to do afterwards.
Notices/ Reminders
We are now doing a stocktake of all of our books. This includes our structured literacy texts ('Pip and Tim' books) and school library books. Please return these as soon as possible with your learner. No more books will be coming home before the end of the year. Many thanks!
We are noticing learners taking their shoes off at school and are strongly encouraging them not to do so. We have had some incidences of bee stings, and minor cuts and scrapes with bare feet. Please remind your child about the importance of wearing their shoes at school.
Book Character and Rainbow Diversity Day
Wow, what an amazing response to our dress up day. We loved the variety of characters and colours of clothing in the hub! Thank you for your donation to the Child Cancer Foundation and Qtopia.
We read books, and spoke about what we liked about different characters. Here are some comments:
"I love how Elsa has frozen powers."
"Army characters have tanks and save other people."
Jenny, Megan and Caitlin's literacy groups will be starting a film study tomorrow where they will be taking an in-depth look at cinematography elements, themes and characterisation. The films include Home Alone, Lion, and Soul Surfer. Each student has voted on which film study they would like to be a part of and the groupings will be decided as per their interests and a need to balance group sizes. If you have any questions or concerns about this study, please email through and we are available to discuss.
Relationships and Sexuality
We are currently in the midst of the 'growing and changing' subtopic of our relationships and sexuality learning. This topic covers changes at puberty, conception and the reproductive systems. The next topic, which we will get into later this week or next week, is around keeping safe. This includes looking at the consequences of sexual activity and contraception, cyber-bullying, pornography and seeking support.
Corsair Bay Trip
Next Thursday (Dec 9) we are off to Corsair Bay for a day of fun. Children need to come to school in uniform. We leave school at 11am and will be back by 3pm. Children are to bring with them:
Sunhat
Sunscreen
Swimming togs (wetsuits are optional)
Towel
Jacket
Water bottle
Lunch (children are welcome to arrange a shared lunch with friends if they would like to)
Picnic rug (optional)
Year 8 Leavers' Assembly
On Tuesday, December 14th we will be celebrating our Year 8s and their time at Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto. This assembly will be live-streamed to whānau, starting at 11am. After the assembly, the PTA is putting on a lunch for our leavers. Year 8s are to come to school in their tidiest clothes. School finishes for Year 8 after the luncheon.
Celebrations
Last Friday at assembly we presented awards for art, music, ICT and Māori culture. Below are the citations for these awards. We also enjoyed listening to the ukelele group. Thanks to our media team who are capturing these presentations and performances on video so that they can be shared with whānau.
Music: Luca Hume-McBeath
Luca, to watch you share your love of music with people around you, is to truly know you are in the presence of something special. Your ability to captivate your audience and create an atmosphere in which everyone can escape reality is second to none. It has been incredible to see your confidence in yourself grow as an artist and to watch you embrace the absolute rockstar that you are. Whether it’s a laid-back tune on the acoustic guitar, or belting out Nirvana on the electric guitar, the possibilities are endless for you and I can’t wait to see you continue to shine over the coming years.
Art: Rosie Day and Otis Yeoman
Rosie, I speak on behalf of all of us when I say we were completely blown away by your Learn Create Share project this year. Through the design of your own comic book characters, you brought the book to life! Thank you for your contribution to our school community through your involvement in planning and designing our sports shed mural. It is such a joy to see you evolving as an artist as you bring originality to your work through precise detail, intricacy and a sprinkling of beautiful colours. Continue to find beauty in the world around you as you inspire, explore and create.
Otis, you are a talented artist. Whenever you have a pencil in your hand, your hand is driven to sketch and create. From realistic pencil portraits to comical characters, you apply observational skills and attention to detail to create awesome works of art. Your artwork has been published in Toi Toi and recognised in competitions. Most memorable of all is perhaps the Kobe Bryant portrait that was featured in Te Tai’s collaboration art piece for our last school fair. Your impromptu illustrations that accompany your group’s serial story each afternoon bring joy to many.
ICT: Joshua Welch and Brooklyn Allan
Josh, it is so amazing to see you shine when it comes to using technology. You have willingly poured your time and effort into creating fantastic settings at our school which are enhanced by the use of ICT production. We loved watching you be so involved in our ShowQuest production and it was a highlight to see you in your element balancing the lights, volume and video; you were a superstar! You approach every task with a cool, calm and collected manner and your ability to problem-solve until everything is just right, is brilliant.
Brooklyn, you are in your element when it comes to ICT. You reliably and efficiently set up the ICT systems for all manner of events. The number of times that you have come to the rescue and troubleshooted a problem that no one else could fix is far too many to quantify. Who can forget the NCEI meeting when the microphone wasn’t working. There was a hall full of adults but it was you who saved the day and got the technology working again. You were an integral part of our ShowQuest rehearsals and performances. Thank you for all your contributions to ICT at our kura.
Te reo Māori: Jayda Taylor and Marcellus Scott
Jayda
E kore te kūmara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka. The kūmara doesn't speak of its own sweetness. It doesn't need to!
You are without a doubt a leader by example. Your movements are graceful and full of meaning. Your face is expressive. Your voice is sweet and strong. Your mahi poi is phenomenal and your pukana would melt metal, yet you still retain graciousness and dignity in your role as a rangatira in our rōpū. You lead by example, without needing to call attention to all the talent you have. This humbleness - hūmarie - gives you such mana within our group and beyond.
Mana is something you only hold through your whakapapa and in how others see you, and you, Jayda, have it in spades.
You are te hā ā kore mā ā kui mā - the breath of your tupuna.
Poho kererū mātou katoa i a koe e hine.
Mauriora!
Marcellus
Passionate, enthusiastic, and bursting with energy, ideas and joy in your mahi kapa haka, you have enjoyed your role as leader in Te Whānau Mahitahi this year.
As a leader you have been able to inspire others in many ways.
Your head is full of possibilities and you show the rōpū that contributing our ideas is important.
You completely engage yourself in haka, waiata, mau rākau, mahi poi and everything we do, and demonstrate to others the value of taking risks and learning by doing. What an asset this is - both as an inspiration for others, and for you as a person and a lifelong learner.
Because of you, the confidence of others has grown. What an amazing gift Marcellus.
