Principal's Patch
Kia ora koutou
What a great way to end our week with Book Character Day today! The Library was bursting with characters who had jumped out of the books and truly come alive!
Playground Update
We are very excited to confirm that the contract for the rebuild of our Junior Playground has been signed and we are very hopeful that this work will be done before the end of the year, possibly starting during the September holidays.
Alongside that work, we have another contract signed to carry out remediation drainage work to resolve the ponding that has continued to plague the bottom of the new slide area in front of the admin block. We have been frustrated by the time this has taken and understand that having the slide out of action has not been ideal.
Celebrating the cultural identities of our tamariki and their families.
We love being able to celebrate the diverse range of cultures that make up our school community. Today, in both of our assemblies, Dan shared his strong connections with his South African culture and taught the children different ways to say "Hello" in three South African languages. For the past two days we have been flying the Russian flag - again, to celebrate the culture of our families who have Russian heritage and cultural identity. We have had some valuable conversations with some of our older students and wider community about the intention behind flying different flags - for us it is about inclusion and celebration of culture and identity, and does not imply any support for any country's political stance.
Board Elections - Have you voted yet?
Having a strong board is critical for a school. We are extremely fortunate to have a history of boards that work hard to reflect the diversity and richness of our community. A strong board focuses on the needs of all tamariki, and ensures that the policies and direction of the school is one that ensures a safe and inclusive learning environment for every student. Please make sure you take the opportunity to vote to ensure that you have helped to elect a board that you feel will continue this tradition.
2023 Term Dates
Staff Only Days
Thu 26, Fri 27 January & Mon 30 January
Term 1
Tue 31 January to Thu 6 April 94 half days; 10 weeks
NB: Learning Conferences all day Tuesday 31 January and Wednesday 1 February. Supervision will be provided for families who have requested it. Classes start Thursday 2 February.
Waitangi Day Mon 6 Feb - School Closed
Good Friday - Friday 7 April - School Closed
Term 2
Wed 26 April to Fri 30 Jun 94 half days; 10 weeks
Staff Only Day Mon 24 April
Queen's Birthday Mon 5 Jun - School Closed
Term 3
Mon 17 Jul to Friday 22 Sep 98 half days; 10 weeks
Staff Only Day during Term 3, date TBC
Term 4
Mon 9 Oct to Tue19 Dec 100 half days; 10 weeks
Labour Day Mon 23 Oct - School Closed
Canterbury Anniversary Fri 17 Nov - School Closed
Total half days: 386 (as required by the Ministry of Education
Ngā mihi nui
Sandy HastingsTumuaki - Principal
Sandy Hastings
Tumuaki - Principal
Important Dates
Wed 24 Aug- PTA Meeting (7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room)
Wed 7 Sep - School PhotosWed 7 Sep - Board Election DayMon 19 Sep - Staff Only Day (School Closed)Thu 22 Sep - BOT Meeting (5.30-7.30pm in te Rūma Kaimahi - Staffroom)Fri 23 Sep - PTA Disco (TBC)Wed 28 Sep - PTA Meeting (7.30-9.30pm in the Green Room)Fri 30 Sep - Last day of Term 3Mon 17 Oct - First day of Term 4
Wed 7 Sep - School Photos
Term Dates
Citizen of the Week
Gavin Huang - Year 8
Gavin, you are such a focused and hard-working student! The great progress you have made in literacy is a testament to your application and your determination to give your best. You are reliable and trustworthy in your leadership positions. Thanks for being such a fabulous role model in our hub. Tino pai Gavin!School Notices
Book Character Day - Thank you all for your participation!
It was so amazing to see our kaimahi (Staff), whānau and tamariki getting involved today and there were so many fabulous characters!
A huge thank you to the PTA! Please continue to support this fundraiser by getting your donations in for the Readathon. You can transfer directly into the PTA account (12-3148-0244558-00) and use 'Readathon' as the reference, or you can bring them into the office next week.
Well done to all our tamariki who made time for their reading!
Well done to all our tamariki who made time for their reading!
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Te Whare Tapa Whā
We're really excited to share our new Wellbeing poster and definition with you!
You may already be familiar with the term Hauora. At kura we have the Hauora Room in the Office, where your tamariki come when they are feeling unwell, or have bumps and scrapes that need mending, or occasionally just need some quiet time, a chat and some TLC.
Hauora in te reo Māori speaks about wellbeing. Here is the definition as given on Te Aka (the Māori Dictionary) :
Another notice from SEIPP and Christchurch City Council
Road Closure Eastern Tce - Monday 22 Aug - Wed 24 Aug
What you need to know:
- We are continuing with Phase 2 of our project to replace a water main on Eastern Terrace.
- This notice covers upcoming works to connect the newly installed water main on Eastern Terrace to the existing watermain on Martin Ave.
- There will be a temporary road closure on Eastern Terrace between 153 Eastern Terrace through to Martin Ave.
- Properties within the road closure will have restricted vehicle access. Our onsite crew will be in contact with affected properties.
- The work may result in increased dust, noise, and vibrations. We will aim to keep any disruptions to a minimum
- We will continue to keep you updated as this project progresses, including any foreseeable impacts.
Thank you for your continued understanding and patience while we complete these works.
BOT Update
Voting for Parent Elections is now open. By now you should have received the link to vote via email or via post. Voting closes Wednesday, September 7th @ 4pm.
Please have your votes in before the closing date to ensure it is counted!
Contact Reihana; at pa@beckenham.school.nz if you need any help with the process.
Community Notices
(Notices placed here are contingent on space and do not reflect the views or opinions of the school.)
"First 1000 Days and Play Based Learning!" to be held at: La Vida Centre, Christchurch on Monday 29th August -7:30pm to 9:00pm.
GET YOUR TICKETS! Tickets are available on Eventfinda NZ - (**early bird tickets are available too so get in quick before they sell out!**). Head to www.eventfinda.co.nz (search: Nathan Wallis Christchurch) or click on the link below:
