Beckenham Te Kura O Pūroto Newsletter Friday 23 February 2018

Principal's Patch

Kia ora koutou

The term is now well underway and we are all settling into the school routines again. We have had a busy start to the term with the Life Education classroom visiting - unfortunately there was a miscommunication between the educator and the trucking company and it was removed two days early - we are expecting to have it back to finish those two days later in the term!

Teachers as Learners

Our teachers have all been focusing on their teaching of maths with coaching happening this last week as part of the professional development focus we have in mathematics this year. Our children were wonderfully supportive as the teachers became the students and were 'coached' during the lesson they were teaching by our mentor, Liana from Massey University. I have joined the teachers in this learning as I am teaching a maths group in Year 7/8 this year! It is exciting for me to be spending regular time in the classroom again as a teacher, and great to be learning alongside the other teachers in our school.

Children being dropped at school prior to 8:30am

I have been aware of many instances over the past couple of weeks of children being dropped at school well before 8:30am - sometimes as early as 7:50am.
Please remember that school is not open until 8:30am. If teachers are here before 8:30am it is because they are trying to do planning and preparation for the day ahead. We are not a childminding service and cannot take responsibility for looking after children until we open at 8:30am. Please make alternative arrangements for your child's care prior to 8:30am if you need to be elsewhere.

School Twilight Fair

Our PTA are working so enthusiastically towards making our upcoming Twilight Fair a huge success. Please make sure you have the date in your calendar - Friday 23rd March - and do read the regular Fair updates (including the one further below in this newsletter) to find out how you can get involved.

Our new Library reopens, 6 years after the Fire...

What an exciting week it has been for our school this week as our new, refurbished library finally opened in what used to be the Room 1 junior classroom.


That we have had a library for the past 6 years is completely due to the passion and tenacity of our Librarian - Anne Chin. She has almost single-handedly packed the library into banana boxes at the end of each year and, without complaint, moved it to another space in the school. This week, without any great fanfare, she let the children know that the library would be open, for classes to visit during learning time, and also, at both morning tea and lunch breaks. From the first day, it has been buzzing! Every break time it is full of children who are enjoying having space to enjoy the nearly 10,000 books that it holds!



Thank you Anne, for your determination and commitment to our children and for sharing your love of books with us all!

Ngā mihi
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal

Citizen of the Week

Ben Newton - Year 6

Ben, you are such a kind and thoughtful student. You are always willing to lend a hand to anyone. You show a lot of empathy when relating to others. Continue to be a stunning role model in Pōhutukawa!

Congratulations to...

Tracy and Phil Inwood (Tracy is the Team Leader of the Pōhutukawa Team)

For 18 years, Tracy and Phil Inwood have been fostering children through what was Child, Youth and Family Services and is now Ministry of Children, Oranga Tamariki, in Christchurch.
During this time, they have cared for over 200 children in a variety of ways: short term, long term, emergency care and for respite. Tracy and Phil believe that if their family can help these children in need, then they should. Their whole family usually becomes involved, with their own children being called upon for babysitting and big brother/sister duties. Phil is a fabulous male role model, being very active outside with the children and always there for support. Tracy sets the routines, making sure that all teeth are brushed after breakfast, and before bed!
On March 9 Tracy and Phil will travel to Wellington, where they have been invited to the Beehive to receive an "Excellence in Foster Care" award from the Minister of Children, Hon. Tracey Martin.
Tracy and Phil are delighted to be recognised for their contribution to the community, and are very grateful for all of the support they receive from their colleagues, friends and family.

School Notices

Kauri Hub - Smoothie Fundraiser this coming week

Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival -  Auditions for 2018 Representative Groups

Our best musicians need to be part of this!

Applications for individual singers and instrumentalists to audition for one of the Festival’s Representative Groups – Junior or Senior Choir, Concert Band, Orchestra – are now open.  This is the opportunity for singers and instrumentalists to achieve at the highest level of performance and to excel in their chosen area of artistic endeavour.

We want to make sure that our talented singers and instrumentalists put in an application.

Please checl out the festival website www.musicfestival.school.nz where all the information, and an application form, is available.  There is information on the website that will answer every question of a parent or potential participant.

Audition applications close on the last day of Term 1.

Our Pōhutukawa Choir, under the direction of Katie McFarlane, are already registered to participate at this awesome festival!



The Community Dental Service approached Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto regarding visiting during 2017. After discussion with your school, it was agreed that we will delay our visit due to building work on school grounds

We will be visiting your School during the 2018 school year where we will see all students who are due for their examination.

If there are urgent concerns about your child’s oral health prior to our 2018 visit, please call for an appointment at a clinic convenient to you.

To make an appointment you can contact our Call Centre:

Phone – 0800 846 983 or email – commdental@cdhb.health.nz

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Team: parent representatives needed

The Wellbeing team involves staff, BOT, parent and student representatives from Years 3-8. The team work together to develop wellbeing initiatives for the whole school, such as student movies and our ‘We Care’ day. Each year we look for a couple of parents or whānau members to join us for the year. Meetings are once or twice per term, during lunch time (skyping or facetiming your presence in would be fine if you can’t attend in person). If you would like to volunteer or know more, please email charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz by Sunday 25th February.   

Walk and Wheel Wednesday - 28th Feb

Sports News

Swimming Sports

Our Year 5 to 8 tamariki demonstrated their love of challenge this week during our school swimming sports. Wharenui pool was a hive of excitement as children cheered on their peers in a variety of events. A huge congratulations to all the children who chose to compete. We love to see you challenging yourself and taking advantage of the opportunities available to you. Thank you to the parents who helped out with the running of the event.

Our swimming sports champions are:
Year 5 boy: Cooper Reddecliffe
Year 5 girl: Zoe Clarke
Year 6 boy: Thomas Lyall
Year 6 girl: Abigale Cockfield
Year 7 boy: Ben Evans
Year 7 girl: Charlotte O’Connor
Year 8 boy: Joel Kingham
Year 8 girl: Tily Harris

The Hanmer 4 Hour Mountain Bike event

Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto would like to promote an upcoming mountain biking event in Hanmer Springs that may be of interest to you.

The Hanmer 4 Hour, run by Hanmer Events, is a super fun event, suitable for children looking to get into competitive mountain biking. Competitors work as part of a team with the aim of completing as many laps of a set course as they can over four hours. The course this year is a mixture of forest trail and non technical single track. 12 year olds may compete as an individual in the under 17 category. There is a separate course for Super Junior Teams (aged 8 - 11 years) that uses tracks in the Heritage Forest. These children need their own Tail End Charlie (an adult to keep up with them) for each lap they do. While these tracks are suitable for children, competitors should be confident riders, who are capable of controlling their speed and direction on single track.

Hanmer Events are welcoming entries from school teams with a category for school teams. More information can be found on the Hanmer Events website (www.hanmerevents.co.nz).

While Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto encourages participation in this event, children will remain the responsibility of their parents for the entire duration of the event. Please let me know if you plan to enter an individual or team or if you would like support in connecting with possible team members.

Jenny Diggle jenny.diggle@beckenham.school.nz

Compost Area needed - Can you help us? 

We would love to build or create a new compost system for our school. Can you help with this? Please contact Charlotte at charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz. Thanks

PTA News

Weetbix Tryathlon

Only 3 more sleeps till your Weetbix Tryathlon 2018 event. We hope you are all looking forward to a fabulous day. We have had a huge number of entries this year which means we qualify for a group school photo! This will be taken at 7.30 am before the event so keeping in mind transition closes at 8.15 am this’ll give you plenty of time to set up your gear before or after the photo. Keep an eye out for the Beckenham Flags where we’ll create a base for everyone for the day. The weather looks fantastic, pack a picnic, get your support crew ready for a fun fun day. Any questions about the event don’t hesitate to make contact with Nicola - 021532996

Twilight Fair

FAIR HQ will be OPEN from Fri 23rd FEB till the day of the Twilight Fair, Fri 23rd MARCH
Come over to Hub 22 (next to the NEW Basketball Hoop, Eastern Tce end of the school) & check what will be happening on the day. OPEN every day BEFORE & AFTER school.

At FAIR HQ -we will be accepting donations of Quality Clothes, Toys & Books. NO White Elephant please. There will be competitions for ALL to enter. Rosters to sign up on, posters advertising the Fair to distribute & Fair Team helpers to answer any questions & discuss any Fair Ideas you may have.
We would love for YOU to pop in & help in whatever way you can manage- be part of the FAIR TEAM.  For this Fair to be the best ever Fair we need YOU to help.
To keep up to date on all things "Fair" make sure you LIKE the  https://www.facebook.com/ptabeckenhamschool/
For those unable to get to school, & keen to HELP click on this link:
https://goo.gl/forms/0FKQ45Gojlc53dyC2

FAIR FUN FACT:

In the PC world of “participation certificates” the Beckenham School PTA are offering all the ‘BECKENHAM BLOKES’ out there an opportunity to COMPETE & WIN!
For the first time ever the Twilight Fair is having a ‘Beckenham Blokes Cake Decorating Competition’
Theme “Anything starting with the letter B”
No cost to enter. Cakes are delivered to the Fair already decorated ready to be judged. Cakes must be edible as they will be auctioned off at the end of judging. Bought PLAIN sponges can be used to decorate. NO Female involvement allowed. Open to all ages. Register your interest NOW: https://goo.gl/forms/8BDiFF8WtPBRcdxk2
Please note this is a family friendly event, any “B” body parts must be dressed!

Community Notices

Cashmere Netball Club

Future Ferns (Year 3-5) : No trials
Juniors (Year 6-13) : We will be running two trial dates (morning and afternoon). Please try and attend both trials.

Sunday March 4th

Year 6 & 7 : 9am -10.30am
Year 8 : 10.40am -12noon
Year 9 - 13 : 10am - 11am

Sunday March 11th

Year 6 & 7 : 2pm - 3.30pm
Year 8 : 3.40pm - 5pm
Year 9 - 13 : 2pm - 3pm

Halswell United AFC

Latino Market Carnival

Bring your colours!!! Enjoy our Carnaval at the S​quare!
Latino Market Carnaval - Cathedral Square -
Saturday 24th of February -  from 4pm to 8pm -
Enjoy our popular event, full of colour and fun, with Latin Street food, Live music, workshops, dance floor and performances with Latin rhythms. (including capoeira and samba do Brasil)