Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou
Safety in our Community
You will have all seen the letter from the Department of Corrections that was sent out on Wednesday afternoon. Whilst it can be unsettling to read this information, we do understand that these risks do exist in our communities across New Zealand all of the time. This is an opportunity for us to take time to think about how we support our children to stay safe.
Central to keeping our children safe is ensuring that school drop-offs and pick-ups are completed in a timely manner. Our school opens at 8:30am, and children who need to be dropped off earlier than that should be booked into BOSCO. Likewise, school ends at 3pm and pick-ups should be completed by 3:15pm. If you ask your child to wait for you at a different point to the front gate, and you are running late, PLEASE ring the office so we can go and get them to come and wait in the office for you beyond 3:15pm. We collect up any children waiting at the front gate at 3:15pm, but won't know that a child could be waiting on Eastern Tce or Norwood St unless you let us know.
We have a strong sense of community around our children and we all appreciate the way families work together, with us, to ensure that all of our children are safe.
Safety on Sandwich Road outside school
We have been working with our children to remind them that bikes and scooters need to be walked, and skateboards carried, across the crossing and on the footpath outside school. There are too many people on the footpath for wheels to be moving quickly there at the same time.
Please help reiterate this message with your children:
Keeping everyone safe as they arrive at school and leave is very important. We Get There Together by:
- Pushing bikes along the footpath once we are beside school property, and on the school site
- Pushing scooters along the footpath once we are beside school property, and on the school site
- Carrying skateboards along the footpath once we are beside school property, and on the school site
- Push or carry your wheels when walking across the school crossing.
As parents, you can also support us with safety outside school. Please always walk your children across at the crossing when you need to cross Sandwich Road. This sets your child up for good habits when you are not there to walk them across. It also sets a safe example for other children who may not have an adult with them.
COVID Update
COVID continues to have an impact on us at school and, although our case numbers are not high, we have had more staff needing to go into isolation per week this term than we did last term. This has meant a lot more relievers in the school. Thank you for continuing to keep children who have any COVID symptoms at home. We have a good supply of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) at school, so just ask for a box or two from the office if you need any. We can usually arrange for someone to drop a box into your letterbox, if you need to test and don't want to run the risk of leaving home.
At this point in time, across Canterbury, we are beginning to see people who have had Covid in the early stages of our outbreak (March and early April) test positive again for the second time.
As you can see from the graph above, we do continue to have cases reported at school most days. As of today, 31% of our students and 36% of our staff have had COVID. Clearly many more have had to isolate, and have not had COVID. We understand that needing to isolate is extremely inconvenient for everyone, so the more we can do to prevent the spread of COVID, the less isolating should also need to happen. We appreciate that everyone continues to support everyone's wellbeing with mask-wearing when at school.
Ngā mihi nui
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal
Term 2 Dates
Wednesday 25 May - Zone Cross Country at Hansen's ParkWednesday 25 May - BOT Meeting - 5.30-7.30PM in te Rūma Kaimahi (the Staff Room)
Wednesday 25 May - PTA Meeting - 7.30-9.30PM in the Green RoomMonday 6 June - Queen's Birthday - School closedWednesday 22 June - Whānau Hui & HangiFriday 24 June - Matariki - School closedFriday 8 July - Last day of Term 2
Wednesday 25 May - Zone Cross Country at Hansen's Park
Wednesday 25 May - BOT Meeting - 5.30-7.30PM in te Rūma Kaimahi (the Staff Room)
Wednesday 25 May - PTA Meeting - 7.30-9.30PM in the Green Room
Citizen of the Week
Jenna Sitompul - Year 7
Jenna, you approach every day with a positive attitude and a lust for learning! Your manners and appreciation for the people around you are second to none and we recognise your diligence with all tasks you take on. All this, paired with a wonderful sense of humour makes you a credit to not only team Kauri, but to our wider kura. Keep being you!School Notices
Welcome Assembly
Thank you to William for his mahi to put this together for us.
Student Achievement
Today we congratulate one of senior pupils, Tahere Taylor, for his distinguished accomplishment today - being a published illustrator at just age 12! Ka mau te wehi, Tahere! That’s amazing.
Tahere has had his work published in TOITOI Issue 27. TOITOI is a national journal of writing and art by young New Zealanders ages 5-13. TOITOI celebrates the ideas, imaginations and creative spirit of their young writers and artists. You can learn more about it on their website - www.toitoi.nz
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| Toitoi Issue 27 |
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| Illustrated by Tahere |
Thank you from Dan Carter and UNICEF
Kia ora!
I just wanted to reach out and say a huge thank you for Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto's support of our recent Kickathon campaign. The event was a great success and we managed to raise over $500K for kids in the Pacific.
Dan really appreciated the supporter video content, as did we, so huge thanks again.
A little message from Dan: https://vimeo.com/711882052/d8b8064e1b
Thank you!
Sophie Barker
Partners Coordinator
unicef.org.nz
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| If you click on the Vimeo link above, you can watch Dan's Thank you video, where this image features for a very fleeting moment! |
Dental Van Visit
We currently have the CDHB Dental Van in our school. This is a very important screening process for our children's oral health and we support this visit and try to help our children to understand the positive impact of visiting the dental van.
As you can see from the info below, they don't do fillings or drilling in the van, instead focusing on screening and preventative processes. Please do ask your child if they have been to the van, and, if they have, ask them if they were given a 'Care Plan' which may need for them to have an appointment made for more FREE dental work at the Community Clinic.
Bob Bickerton - Taonga Puoro
On Tuesday of Week 2 Kahikatea had the privilege of having a visit from Bob Bickerton with his Taonga Puoro (musical instrument) performance. He walked the students through the history of the instruments and their connection to the Māori Atua/Gods.
The students were so engaged in this performance that afterwards they went out into our playgrounds and found their own natural resources to create music with. It was an amazing performance and we are so grateful to Bob for making a trip to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto!
Food Allergy Guidelines
Across our kura, we have a number of children with different food allergies.
To support the wellbeing of these students we have the following guidelines in place which we ask you to follow:
- Students with severe food allergies should only eat lunches and snacks that have been provided by their caregivers. Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes provided by caregivers , should be clearly labelled with the name of their child. Home group teachers and caregivers will decide where the children’s bottles and lunch boxes will be kept during the day to ensure no cross contamination occurs.
- Parents are asked not to bring food into school to be shared with other children. Whilst we understand that there are times you want to celebrate special events for your children with their friends at school, e.g. birthdays or being awarded prizes, by bringing food and treats for them to share, we have a policy of children only eating the food that their whānau have prepared and sent with them. We have a number of students with food allergies and also need to respect the wishes of some families who want to monitor what their children are eating and prefer their children just to eat food they have prepared. From time to time, there may be an event that teachers have organised that will involve food (cultural or learning activities) and they will have advised families in advance that this will be happening.
- At the beginning of each year caregivers will check the expiry dates on any medication to be held at school.
- On the first day of school, caregivers will bring their child’s medication to the school office where it will be stored in the Hauora Room. Caregivers will sign a medicine authority form (School Docs Username: beckenham Password: pride). The responsibility of monitoring the expiry dates of medications rests with the parent.
- Caregivers may be asked to come and talk to staff about their child and ways we can support them at school.
- Bottles, other drinks, and lunch boxes provided by caregivers, should be clearly labelled by the caregiver, with the name of the child.
We will inform you during the year if specific guidelines for your child’s hub change.
Our full allergy policy and guidelines are available on the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto website under “Information - Policies - SchoolDocs” then search ‘allergy’. (linked here)
If you have any questions or concerns, please discuss them in the first instance with your child’s point of contact teacher.
Headlice
We have had a few cases of headlice reported in Pōhutukawa and Kōwhai. Please check your child's head for eggs and live nits. If you find any evidence of headlice please treat your children before sending them to school. Thank you!
Sports News
Cross Country Results
On Tuesday afternoon, our Year 5 - 8 tamariki showed their love of challenge in our senior school cross country. We are so proud of the way that the tamariki stepped up to this challenge and encouraged each other every step of the way. We congratulate every child who participated in their efforts. While the majority of children participated by running the course, a few children participated by taking on a leadership role in the event. Children contributed by setting up the course, judging, recording places, marshalling, commentating and taking photos.
The level of encouragement that the children showed towards each other was outstanding. The Cup for House Spirit was ultimately awarded to Heathcote.
Top 6 finishers have qualified to represent our kura at Zone Cross Country which takes place on Wednesday the 25th of May at Hansen's Park.
Year 5 Champions: Lilly and Olley
Year 6 Champions: Jack and Harriet
Year 7 Champions: Frida and Luka
Year 8 Champions: James and Torun
PTA News
PTA Fundraiser
The PTA is selling delicious Fix and Fogg peanut butter.
There are 3 Products available:
750g Super Crunchy Peanut Butter
750g Smooth Peanut Butter
500g Everything Butter
Jars cost $11 each $11 a jar (we get $3).
Orders close next Friday 27th May.
Use the paper form sent home with your child or click this link. (https://forms.gle/3wNznfNoE3KcNVC47)
Also please keep your eyes peeled for a Hero link for the annual PTA survey that will be out soon. This is your chance to get involved and let us know your ideas.
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.
You can email the PTA at pta@beckenham.school.nz
Thanks for supporting our kura and the Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto PTA!
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
Update to My Vaccine Pass
From Tuesday 24 May an updated My Vaccine Pass will be available for anyone aged 12 and over who is up to date with their vaccinations.
For those aged 18 and over, ‘Up to date’ means that they have received two doses and a booster dose. For those aged 12 to 17 it means two doses only. Vaccine passes continue to not be available for those under 12.
While My Vaccine Pass is not legally required, people are encouraged to have a copy of their pass for when it might be needed. Some businesses, rest homes and other non-essential organisations are voluntarily keeping My Vaccine Pass requirements as a condition of entry.
A temporary My Vaccine Pass can be requested for someone who has not had all the required vaccinations because they have had COVID-19 in the last three months (available from 31 May).
Not all right?
For many of us, new challenges and the loss of our regular routines is causing stress. This can really erode our wellbeing over time. While it’s important to remember to do the little things that help recharge us, it’s also important to know there is someone to talk to and free help is available.
It’s all right to reach out if you need to - we all need a bit of support from time to time.
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Brain Play
Brain Play teaches online after-school science & technology classes to Kiwi kids aged 5 - 13, from right across the country! Online topics this term include 3D printing, coding, animation, STEM experiments, LEGO & more. Free trials available for new students. Check out our timetable on our website and use the form to get in touch - https://www.brainplay.co.nz/.
