Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou
Today is the last day of Term 1, with Good Friday tomorrow marking both the start of the long Easter weekend and the school holidays.
Term 2 Starts on TUESDAY 3rd May
Please remember that the Monday after the school holidays will be a Staff Only Day for our Kura. Term 2 will start again on Tuesday 3rd May. We look forward to seeing everyone back after the holidays.
Covid-19 Update
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| Note that numbers may be different to previous graphs, as we do get historical cases reported. |
After hitting a peak last week and again early this week, we have had no new cases of Covid-19 reported to us in the past two days. That is great news, and brings our rolling 7-day average from its highest point on Monday of 4.9, to a clearly dropping 2.7 today.
Attendance was also at a term low last week, only getting to 72% on three days. It was good to see that we were back up to 77% for most of this week.
We still need you to let us know if any of our children test positive during the holidays, please.
If your child tests positive, please email me (principal@beckenham.school.nz) with their name, and the date they either started symptoms or tested positive. We will be forwarding numbers to the Ministry of Education through the holidays.
Moving to Orange!!!
As you will be aware, the whole country is now working at the Orange Traffic Light setting.
This means that we are very pleased to be able to welcome whānau back into the school grounds, for the first time properly since August last year! No more dropping and collecting at the gate (unless, of course, that is still working for you!) Masks won't be required when outside, although you are welcome to wear them if you choose to.
At Orange, we ask you to wait outside, well away from the hub entrances when dropping and picking up children. A teacher from each hub will be available to greet you outside the hub in the mornings, and teachers will walk out with children in the afternoons.
All children will finish school at 3pm again!
Whilst the mandate for mask-wearing in schools has been lifted, schools are being encouraged to consider the needs of their community and put appropriate local guidelines in place.
At Beckenham, we believe that masks have been one of the best tools available to us for limiting the spread of Covid-19 at school, and keeping our staff and our children as safe as we can. We are also aware that further waves of Covid-19 are expected, and that NZ is going into its first influenza winter in three years. We know that many families are also now travelling both within NZ and even outside NZ.
For these reasons, we have decided to continue with our status quo on mask-wearing inside our buildings. This means that children in Year 3/4 are strongly encouraged to wear a mask inside, and that our Year 5-8 children should continue wearing masks inside, as they have done so capably this term. Our staff will also continue to wear masks inside.
We know that this cautious approach has served us well so far, and we will review this during Term 2, as we get a better picture of case numbers in our school community.
Welcome Back to Nicola Reddecliffe
We are very pleased to confirm that Nicola Reddecliffe will be rejoining ourstaff in the New Entrant Koru Team from the beginning of Term 2. Nicola is well-known to many of you, both as a parent and member of the PTA, as well as having been a teacher in the Koru Team last year. Welcome back, Nicola!
Welcome to Maisie Bowden
Maisie has been working as a casual Teaching Assistant for most of the first term. She began just doing a few hours of back-up work, and has quickly become a regular and indispensable part of our team! We love having Maisie on our staff, and thought it was time we introduced her to you properly! Maisie also works at BOSCO so is well-known by our students, and will be known to some of you as well.
From all of us on the staff, to all of you and your whānau... thank you for your continuing support of us all in the work we do with your children. This term has been really challenging, and we have made it through with your support. We are all going to be taking a well-needed break over the next two weeks, and we wish you and your families a safe and relaxing break too.
Sandy Hastings
Principal - Tumuaki
Upcoming Events
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Important Dates
Upcoming Events
Thu 14th Apr - Last day of Term 1
Fri 15th Apr - Good Friday (School Closed)
Term 2
Note that Monday 2nd May is a Staff Only Day (School Closed)
Tue 3rd May - First day of Term 2
Wed 25th May - BOT Meeting 5.30PM - 7.30PM
Wed 25th May - PTA Meeting 7.30PM - 9.30PM
Term Dates
Click here to view 2022 term dates.Citizen of the Week
Skye Langer - Year 4
Skye Langer, you are a fabulous model of all our school values. You show incredible focus and persistence in learning. You keep trying through challenging ideas or material, and you honestly and openly reflect on your learning. You have a growth mindset and encourage all those around you to do the same. Being an expert on a number of subjects, you share your knowledge and creativity with those around you, such as in your comic club group! You make a difference by noticing and helping around the hub, and supporting others when they need it. You are a welcoming peer who greets others with a smile and an open mind. Skye - thanks for being your amazing self!School Notices
Farewell to Constable Ross Mitchell
Yesterday we had the sad honour of farewelling Constable Ross Mitchell who is retiring from his role as School Community Officer with the NZ Police. Ross has been in this role for over 11 years, and has worked in our school training Road Patrollers, and supporting our teachers with Health and Wellbeing programmes of 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' and 'D.A.R.E.' during that time. Ross has been a person who has built his work on building relationships with our tamariki, showing them that the police are there to support, help and protect our community.
It was a fabulous opportunity for our senior kapa haka students to use their skills to show Ross how much they all appreciate his contribution. He was very moved by the haka they did for him. We acknowledge Ross's contribution to our school and wish him all the very best in his new role leading the hardware department at Mitre 10 Mega in Hornby. Do say 'Hi' to him if you see him there!
Community Dental Service - Dental Care During the School Holidays
The Community Dental Service will be providing urgent and relief of pain appointments during the school break at:
- Aranui Community Dental Clinic, 240 Breezes Road, Christchurch
- Hornby Community Dental Clinic, 2 Hei Hei Road, Christchurch
You can access these appointments by calling our Contact Centre on 0800 846 983.
For any dental advice please call the Contact Centre on 0800 846 983 or email commdental@cdhb.health.nz
Lost Property
As always, there is a collection of large and small items, along with various unnamed uniform items at school, awaiting their owners to come and claim them.
These three, precious items, are sitting in the office - the earring found in the playground today, whilst Peter Rabbit and the glasses have been there for a few days. Please come and claim them next term, if they are yours!
BOSCO
If you are looking for AWESOME Easter fun for your kids this holiday – look no further! BOSCO has an exciting April Holiday programme planned, filled with activities to keep all ages entertained so YOU don’t have to. We have Suzie the magnificent performer coming to us, House of Bricks, a dance instructor to teach us a few dance moves and so much more! You will not want to miss out on all our baking, crafts and special days that we have planned like pyjama day, circus day, wizard day and definitely not the BIGGEST EASTER EGG HUNT EVER! So, if this sounds like something you are interested in, email Juanita at office@bosco.org.nz or book online via Aimy Plus. See you there!
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
Hockey
Southern United hockey looking for players keen to try goalkeeping
Are you athletic with quick reactions? If you are, you could be an amazing hockey goalkeeper. Southern United Hockey Club are on the hunt for more goalkeepers for their Year 7 and 8 teams. Specialist coaching and development opportunities will be offered to all interested goalkeepers. Contact juniors@suhc.co.nz for more information.
Cashmere Technical Football Club Holiday Fun Programme
Earth Day competition which TOCK
Pebbles Montesorri Cashmere
Pebbles Montessori Cashmere have limited spaces available in our nursery for under 2 years. Currently we have all day Mondays and Fridays plus every afternoon. Please contact us to find out more information and to arrange a visit admin@pebblespreschool.nz.
Free Family Event - The Cashmere Club
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