Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou
Our thoughts are with the people of those North Island communities who have been devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle. I know that many of you will have whānau, friends or colleagues impacted. Expect to hear something in next week's newsletter about some action that we can take to show our support to schools in the impacted areas.
Our thoughts are also with the Turkish community as the scale of the devastation from their earthquakes continues to grow. Those of us who experienced the Canterbury earthquakes understand some of the sense of helplessness and loss that is felt when a natural disaster strikes at the heart of a community.
Reminder: Early Finish on Thursday 2nd March - please fill in the survey link below (if you haven't already done this)
As you may be aware, the teachers' union, NZEI, are still in negotiations with the Ministry of Education around a new collective agreement. There is going to be a paid union meeting that all union members are expected to attend, on the afternoon of Thursday 2nd March. As the vast majority of our teachers belong to the union, we need to stop classes at 1pm on this day.
If you are NOT able to arrange for your children to be collected at 1pm on Thursday 2nd March, we will arrange supervision here at school. If your child normally attends BOSCO on a Thursday, we will make sure they get to BOSCO as usual.
EVERY FAMILY needs to fill in this survey, please, to let us know what your plan is for this day so that we know where every child is going to be at 1pm, and we can plan adequate supervision for those who need to stay at school.
Reminder: 2023 Whānau feedback on reporting through Hero
During 2022 student reports were provided to whānau through Hero. As this is a new process for our school community, we would appreciate your feedback as we look for ways to improve the experience.
We would appreciate it if you would be able to take a few minutes to complete this survey (click here).
If you are new to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto in 2023 there is no need to complete the survey.
We will be closing reports for viewing from Monday morning. This is to allow teachers to begin to update student records. They will be opened again when mid-year reports are ready in Week 6 of Term 2.
Request for Annual Donation
Today you will have received an email requesting your contribution in the form of an annual donation.
If you need any assistance logging into Hero to view your statement or wish to find out more about the school donation or setting up payment instalments, you can refer to our website https://www.beckenham.school.nz/ and follow the “Finances and Annual Donation” link in the “Information” dropdown menu. You will also find information on applying for Donation Tax Credits from the IRD on this page. This scheme entitles you to claim back 33% of your donation payments, if you meet the eligibility criteria. Receipts for donations payments (including camp donations) made to us before 31st March this year, can be submitted as part of your application for the financial year ended 31 March 2023.
If you have a student in Year 7 or 8, a Camp donation request will be going onto your account next week and the Year 5 & 6 Camp donation request will be added in a few weeks time. If you have chosen to pay your donations in instalments over the year, please consider increasing these to allow for the cost of camp.
We greatly appreciate all contributions you are able to make towards donations. These go a long way towards providing a rich and diverse programme for our tamariki.
Payments may be made in part or full to the school bank account -
ASB Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Board of Trustees 12 3148 0131641 000 using the child's name as a reference. The school office also has Eftpos facilities available.
If you have any queries, please email accounts@beckenham.school.nz
Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki
Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Term 1
Wed 22 Feb - PTA Meeting; All Welcome (7:30 – 9:30pm in The Green Room)Thu 23 Feb - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm- Staffroom)Fri 24 Feb - Celebration Assembly (10.00 - 10.30am in the Hall)Mon 27 Feb - Year 5-8 Swimming Sports - Wharenui Pool 12:30-2:30pmThu 2 Mar - School Closes at 1pm for Teachers to attend Paid Union MeetingsMon 6 - 10 Mar - Walk or Wheel to School weekMon 6-Fri 10 Mar - Year 7/8 Camp - WainuiFri 10 Mar - South Zone Swimming Sports (Y5-8), Wharenui PoolWed 22 Mar - PTA Meeting - All Welcome (7:30 – 9:30pm in The Green Room)Thu 6 Apr - Last day of Term 1Fri 7 Apr - School Holidays begin (School closed)
Wed 22 Feb - PTA Meeting; All Welcome (7:30 – 9:30pm in The Green Room)
Thu 23 Feb - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm- Staffroom)
Fri 24 Feb - Celebration Assembly (10.00 - 10.30am in the Hall)
Mon 27 Feb - Year 5-8 Swimming Sports - Wharenui Pool 12:30-2:30pm
Thu 2 Mar - School Closes at 1pm for Teachers to attend Paid Union Meetings
Mon 6 - 10 Mar - Walk or Wheel to School week
Mon 6-Fri 10 Mar - Year 7/8 Camp - Wainui
Fri 10 Mar - South Zone Swimming Sports (Y5-8), Wharenui Pool
Wed 22 Mar - PTA Meeting - All Welcome (7:30 – 9:30pm in The Green Room)
Thu 6 Apr - Last day of Term 1
Fri 7 Apr - School Holidays begin (School closed)
Term 2
Mon 24 Apr - Staff Only Day (School closed)Tue 25 Apr - ANZAC Day (School closed)Wed 26 Apr - First day of Term 2Mon 1 - Wed 3 May - Year 5/6 Camp - Living SpringsMon 5 Jun - King's Birthday (School closed)Fri 30 Jun - Last day of Term 2
Term Dates
Click here to view the 2023 term dates
Citizen of the Week
Piper Green - Year 6
Piper, the way you show all of our Kete values is a wonderful example for everyone in our team. You are respectful to others, use fantastic co-operation, and are a curious learner. You make meaningful contributions and you are always looking for ways to improve. Tino pai rawa atu kia koe, Piper, fantastic work.School Notices
Mondays - Staff Meetings after school
This year we have scheduled our staff and Team Meetings after school on a Monday. They start at 3:15pm, so please don't be offended if a staff member needs to cut short a conversation with you to get to that meeting. They will be happy to make another time to talk to you, or call you to finish the conversation.
Hardship Fund - Thank you!
Since our newsletter last week we have had a number of requests for assistance from the hardship fund and some contributions into it. Thank you to those who have gifted to the hardship fund. "We Get There Together"
To contribute, please deposit funds into the school bank account 12 3148 0131641 000 and put 'Hardship Fund Donation' as the reference. This will also be tax deductible.
Team Profile - the Senior Leadership Team
Each week this term we will feature one of our teams of staff within the school, to help you to put names and faces together. |
| Sandy Hastings - Tumuaki/Principal; Sue Leadbetter - Tumuaki Tuarua/Deputy Principal; Jo Smith - Tumuaki Tuarua/Deputy Principal |
Sandy started at Beckenham as the Principal in May 2011, during the main 'aftershock' period of the Canterbury Earthquakes. Sandy has worked in Education nearly all of her working life. She is passionate about building strong teams who can work together to support student success. She enjoys gardening, fishing and camping with whānau in her spare time.
Sue began working at Beckenham in 2017 as the Team Leader of the Kahikatea and Koru teams and is now our DP SENCO. Sue's job as DP SENCO sees her overseeing pastoral care, attendence, engagement with outside agencies, inclusion, learning support and support for our tamariki who need additional experiences to grow their strategies to engage positively. Sue's favourite part of her job at Beckenham is working together with Sandy, Jo and the wider school team to make a difference for our tamariki and whānau.
Jo joined Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto in 2018, welcoming the newest students to school and supporting their transition as part of the Koru team. In 2021 Jo joined the Senior Leadership team as Deputy Principal - Curriculum. She is enjoying working alongside the tamariki, staff and whānau, as 'We Get There Together'.
Leadership week in the Kauri hub
This week is the highly anticipated Leadership week in the Kauri hub. Our Kauri Kaiako run a specialised programme for our senior students giving everyone many opportunities to develop their leadership skills. The Year 8 students who are our rangatira i tēnei rā (leaders of today) and our Year 7 students our rangatira mo āpōpō (leaders for tomorrow) will participate in a variety of engaging activities. They will be immersed in our Kura's values of 'We Love Challenge', 'We Love Learning' and 'We Get There Together' this week!
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto Whānau Workshop - Structured Literacy across all year groups
What: Literacy Parent Education Event on Structured Literacy from Year 1 to Year 8Presented by: Emma Nahna (Sound Foundations for Literacy)Where: Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto HallWhen: Thursday 23rd March 2023, 5:30pm-7:30pmWho: All whānau/ caregivers across the school are invited.
We are fortunate to have the wonderful Emma Nahna, Speech-Language Therapist and Literacy Consultant, coming to run a whānau workshop this term. Emma is extremely knowledgeable and an engaging speaker. Her mission is to support educators and parents “...to grow every child into a successful reader and writer.”
Emma will be running a whānau workshop on Thursday 23rd March at 5:30pm for our Beckenham Te Kua o Pūrtoto whānau. The first hour and a half will cover the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of structured literacy across the school and how you can support your learner at home. The last half an hour of the session will emphasise the importance of continuing to follow a structured literacy approach into the senior levels of the school, and will delve into morphology (the study of the forms of words) and syntax (the arrangement of words to create sentences).
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| Photo credit: Sound Foundations for Literacy Website |
Mana Ake
PTA News
Weetbix Tryathalon
A school group has been set up for the Weetbix Tryathalon. Would your child enjoy this? We’d love to have your involvement!
Click the link here to register. We will have a gazebo and a sausage sizzle going to support our wee athletes on the day. There are prizes for the school with the most participants, so do register with the school group if you are coming!
PTA Meeting - All Welcome
It's the first PTA meeting of the year on Wednesday 22nd 7:30pm in the Green Room by the Hall.
Please come and see what it's all about! We are here to help support the school with fun events, fundraising and support for families who need it. We love new faces and ideas. We are all busy parents and the more hands helping the better!
2023 Uniform Shop Hours
Tuesday afternoon 2.45 to 3.15pm
Friday morning 8.45 to 9.15am
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
Census 2023.
Census Day will be Tuesday 7 March 2023. The census is a nationwide survey that happens every five years. Every person who is in the country on the night of Tuesday 7 March 2023 will need to do the census.
By taking part in the census, you help create a better understanding of your community and what it needs. People’s responses are combined to produce statistics that provide a picture of life in Aotearoa New Zealand and how it is changing. Your identity is kept private and confidential.
Census data is incredibly useful to schools like ours. Iwi, community groups, local and central government, and businesses use this census information to make decisions about funding and providing services that affect you, your whānau, and our community.
Stats NZ is doing some things differently for the 2023 Census.
There will be more census collectors and more assistance for people who want help filling out their census forms. You will have more choice about how you take part too. You will be able to fill out census forms either online or on paper, and there will be more alternate formats to support disabled people.
Stats NZ will deliver instructions about how to do the 2023 Census to every place where people live or stay. Look out for these instructions from February 2023. To learn more about the 2023 Census, visit www.census.govt.nz
Wanted: fun-loving host families for Japanese students.
Southern Cross Language Institute is an English language school located in Merivale. We are excited to be welcoming back our students from Japan and are currently looking for families who would be keen to host a 16-17 year-old female Japanese high school student from April 12 (after Easter) this year until March 12, 2024.
If you have a spare room, would like to share our kiwi culture, learn more about Japan and earn some extra money, then hosting could be a good opportunity for you. We offer our families great support to get the best out of their hosting experience.
For more information, please contact Lisa at 022 010 5288 or lisa@scli.co.nz
Lisa Lamar
Southern Cross Language Institute
