Kauri Whanau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 9

Waltham Pool tomorrow, Wednesday:

We have checked the raindrop graph on MetService often today. It looks like the rain, if it comes, will settle in around midday. Our plan is to be at Waltham by 11am, for a 45 - 60 minute swim, before walking back to school for the afternoon. Can you please make sure your child has the following packed for tomorrow:

• A raincoat
• Togs and towel in a plastic bag
• Sunscreen
• Sunhat
• Lunch and water bottle. No lunch orders please, just in case the forecast changes and we stay for longer.
• Medication if needed, e.g. asthma and hay fever

Year 8:

We had a lovely time with the Year 8s on Monday evening at the pool and pizza party. Excitement is building rapidly as they approach their final day on Monday. Many thanks for replying to the graduation assembly invitation. The hall will be open soon after 10:30am on Monday, ready for an 11:00am start.

The message below was in the daily notices today. Please encourage / support your child to sort out their google drive.

If you are leaving Beckenham School at the end of the year and want to keep any of your school Drive files or emails, please go to the website below before the end of the term. This website will ensure that all files are properly copied to your personal account. If you are under 13, ask your parents to create an account for you using Google Family Link.

https://takeout.google.com/transfer

Your Beckenham accounts will be permanently deactivated over the holidays so if you don't use the transfer tool, your files will be lost forever.

Walk up to Victoria Park on Thursday:

At the last minute we have had a parent let us know they are unavailable to join us on the walk up  to Victoria Park on Thursday. We are hoping that someone will be able to step in at the last moment. Please email me if you can help. nicky.dunlop@beckenham.school.nz. All children will need the following on Thursday:

• Day pack
• Hearty lunch
• Large bottle filled with water
• Sunhat
• Sunscreen
• Rain coat
• Mufti suitable for walking, including sturdy shoes
• Medication if needed, e.g. asthma and hay fever

We leave school soon after 10:30 and will return by 3:00pm.

The children will be bringing their school books home on Friday. 

Photos from the last week:

Our passion mountain biking group had an awesome afternoon at the bike park last Friday.

It was pretty cosy in Jarred's pool on Monday.

Fun at the pool party.

Leading our young learners in Christmas decoration creation.

Kauri Whanau Weekly Update: Term 4: Week 8

We very much hope you enjoyed seeing the 'Trials of Alice in Wonderland' this week. We know the children have loved sharing the show with you. We are trying to secure one more audience for next week.  See the end of this post for photos.

Year 8 Pool and Pizza Party

All Year 8s are invited to Jarred's place, 244 Opawa Rd, on Monday afternoon (December 11th). The party will get underway at 4pm. Please arrange to collect your child by 6pm. They are welcome to bring their togs for a swim if they would like to.

Waltham Pool Trip

We have our fingers crossed that the current weather forecast for Wednesday, December 12th, will shift and that we will get a fine day to enjoy at the pool. We will be walking down at Waltham Pool late morning and returning by 3pm. Please make sure your child has a packed lunch and bottle of water. They will also need sunscreen, togs and towel and sunhat. If the rain does come, we will look at some alternative school based fun.

Victoria Park Walk

Rain is also forecast for Thursday December 13th, so more finger and toe crossing! We will be heading off on our tramp up to Victoria Park at 10:30. That day children will need the following:

• day pack
• hearty lunch
• large bottle filled with water
• sunhat
• sunscreen
• rain coat
• mufti suitable for walking, including sturdy shoes

Helpers' Morning Tea and Final School Assembly

We have had so many parents help out at school and on our many trips this year. We would love to see you at our helpers' morning tea on Friday morning, starting at 10:30, in the hall. This will be followed by our final school assembly, that everyone is welcome to attend, at 11:30.

Graduation Assembly

Our Year 8 students will be celebrated at our graduation assembly at 11am on Monday December 18th.  On that day they wear their very best clothing and arrive at school at the usual time. Many thanks to all of the Year 8 parents who have replied to the invitation. If you have yet to do so, please click on this link. 

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 7

Another busy week in the Intermediate Hub is drawing to an end. 

This morning we played three very close games against Carisbrook School. As the team from Carisbook arrived, there was some sharp intaking of breath, when we saw the size and athleticism of a number of their players. The basketball was neck and neck until they drew away from us in the closing minutes of the game. We were comfortably winning the football, until Carisbook came back with two quick goals near the end. Not enough though, and we won that game. The touch was another close game. We were up against a team who play in a weekly Dunedin competition. Our team really stepped up and gave their best effort, however were narrowly defeated. So the trophy makes its way down to Dunedin this year, but we'll be out to win it back at the end of the first term next year. A huge thank you to the PTA who put on a delicious lunch for our visitors. Also a big thank you to Aaron for refereeing the touch and our Cashmere High referees for football and basketball. 

Week 9 Outings

Last week I asked for helpers for two outings on December 13th and 14th. So far one parent has signed up for each trip. As a result we have rethought these trips and altered our plan. Instead of going to Corsair Bay, we will walk down to Waltham pool for lunch and pool time on Wednesday December 13th. With lifeguards at the pool, we will not require parent support for this trip. We have moved the Victoria Park walk to Thursday, December 14th. We will head off at 10:30am and will be back at school by 3pm. Now, this trip we cannot do without your help, so please fill in this form if you can join us. For many of you, this could be the last opportunity to help out on a school trip.  We really don't want to have to cancel this trip.

The Trials of Alice in Wonderland

Today we performed in front of an audience for the first time, in costume with most of the props. The show is coming together well and we are excited to be sharing it with you next week. All children need to be at school by 6:45pm on Monday evening, for a 7pm start. Some will need to be here earlier for makeup. We will let those children know tomorrow. Bring your family and friends and a gold coin, for an entertaining evening. We will be performing again on Thursday evening.

Canterbury Triathlon

A big congratulations to our three triathletes who competed on Wednesday at the Canterbury Triathlon. Kaia was placed 8th,  and Alex and Rosie both came 14th. This is a fabulous result as there were large numbers competing.

Theatre Sports Finals:

After an amazing win of their qualifying heat the Beckenham Improv team are in the finals of the 2017 South Island Junior Theatre Sports Competition against the other five strongest teams who won their respective heats.

The final will be held on the main stage at the Court Theatre in Addington, on Sunday 3^rd December at 4pm. The tickets are only $10 for an adult and $5 for a student. These can be purchased at the box office at the theatre.

If you are a fan of laughing, crying or just being amazed we would love it if you came along and support our team as they jump through metaphorical hoops and create theatre on the spot with no safety nets. Having a vocal crowd there supporting our children may just be the nudge that gets them across the line in first place. Of course improv will be the winner on the day, and the players will leave it all out in the field (these analogies are the closest thing to actual sport associated with this event).

Best of luck to our improvisors and hopefully we will see your smiling faces and hear your raucous applause on Sunday.

Finalist include:

• St Thomas of Canterbury
• St Andrew’s College
• Beckenham School
• Christchurch South (A)
• Burnside High School (A)
• Motueka High School (Nelson Winners)

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 6

We have had a twintastic day at school today! Thanks to the parents who supported their children to get their matching outfits together. Check out the photos at the end of this blog.

Between now and the end of term there is lots happening for our students. The events are listed below, along with details and requests for parent help. Please click each link to record if you can help.

Thursday November 30: Carisbrook School sports exchange (morning)

20 children and a crew of parents / teachers will be arriving from Carisbrook School in Dunedin, at 9am, for a morning of sport. The children will play basketball, football and touch. At the end of the morning we will provide them with lunch, before they make their way back to Dunedin. If you are able to help with lunch preparation, please click on this link.

Monday December 4: The Trials of Alice in Wonderland (7pm start for everyone)

Our show is getting to the exciting stage now, with wonderful singing and a hive of creative activity in our hub this afternoon. Opening night is just over a week away! All children are required at both shows. Bring your whānau along for a highly entertaining evening, all for the cost of a mere gold coin. Come along and enjoy the opening night.

Wednesday December 6: Canterbury Athletics

We have a team of eight from Year 7 & 8 travelling to Ashburton for this event. Jenny will be contacting you directly with details.

Thursday December 7: The Trials of Alice in Wonderland (7pm start for everyone)

Our final show will be preceded by a whole school picnic. Families are invited to come to the picnic and carry on to the show afterwards. We could end up with a bumper audience for our final show.

Year 8 Pool and Pizza Party

This is a special afternoon for the Year 8s to have fun together. Jarred will be hosting this party at his place. Start time is 4pm and collection time is 6pm. Children are welcome to bring their togs if they would like to swim.

Wednesday December 13: Walk to Victoria Park

We will be leaving school at 10:15am to walk up the hill to Victoria Park. Once there we will have lunch and play, before heading back down. We will be back at school by 3pm. Children wear mufti on this day. We need a small team of parent helpers to accompany us. Please click on this link if you can help.

Thursday December 14: Trip to Corsair Bay

We have our fingers and toes crossed for a warm and sunny day on the 14th for our trip to Corsair Bay.  Children again come in mufti and bring their togs and towel. We will have supervised swimming in the bay, games on the beach, a walk around to Cass Bay and chilling with friends. We are looking for parent helpers, both for on the beach and in the water. Please indicate on the form how you would prefer to help. We will be departing from school at 10:30 and will be back by 3pm.

Monday December 18: Leavers' Graduation Assembly

There will be an invitation sent out to Year 8 families next week for this event. Children come to school at the usual time, dressed in their best clothes. The assembly starts at 11am and generally runs for around 80 - 90 minutes. After the assembly there will be a luncheon provided by the PTA for Year 8 children and their parents. After the lunch, primary/intermediate school is all done and dusted for the Year 8s. Year 7 continue until 12:30 on the following day.

Home Learning

A reminder that home learning this week is finishing off information reports and presenting these. All instructions are on google classroom. Children are welcome to come to school early, or stay after school if they need access to the internet. Work is due to be completed by Friday.

Fun at our multiples day...

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 5

Week 5! My goodness we are half way through the term. Life is busy in the Intermediate Hub. Please check the important messages below.

Top Team:

We are looking forward to Top Team on Thursday this week. Many thanks to the parents who responded to our plea for help. Parent helpers, we will see you at 1:10, with your sunhats and sunscreen as the weather forecast is for a warm and sunny day. This is great news as water is a key feature of this event. With that in mind, please make sure your child comes to school on Thursday with the following:

• Sunhat (this should already be at school)
• Towel
• A set of clothes to change into for the event, as they will get wet. They can wear togs under shorts and a t-shirt. 
• A plastic bag to carry damp clothes home in. 

Production:

Lots of effort is going into our rehearsals and props / costume making for 'The Trials of Alice in Wonderland'. Please make sure you have our performance dates marked in your diary: Monday December 4th and Thursday December 7th. All children will be involved in some of the singing and there will be a back-stage crew which have yet to be appointed. 

Congratulations:

Our improv team team did a brilliant job in their South Island Junior Theatre Sports heat last Sunday. They were selected as the team to progress through to the finals on Sunday December 3rd. More details about that event will be coming soon. It would be great to have a big support crew. I'm sure the clapping and cheering makes a difference.

Well done to all of the children who competed at zone athletics on Monday. Special congratulations to Olivia, Vita, Shakira, Millie, Rosie, Kaia, Alex and Tilly who have qualified for the Canterbury athletics event on Wednesday December 6th in Ashburton.

2018 Leaders:

Tomorrow our house captains and student council exec for 2018 are off to Christ's College for an afternoon of learning about leadership. We selected these children after an application and interview process earlier this term. Congratulations to:

• Chairperson of the Student Council: Fynn Skelton
• Secretary of the Student Council: Tom Woodhouse
• Treasurer of the Student Council: Adam Barton
• House Captains Waimea: Bella Reddecliffe and Gabriel Lyall. Deputy: Murphy McCabe
• House Captains Tennyson: Hannah Winchester and Thom Bell. Deputy: Constantin Gorny
• House Captains Heathcote: Georgina Cockfield and Felix Morgan. Deputies: Jess Hancock and Santiago Montejo
• House Captains Fisher: Tilly Harris and Kaden Pedersen. Deputies: Portia Pasco and Christopher Reynolds

Home Learning:

Maths home learning is due this week. As Friday is a holiday, please remind your child to have their completed work at school by Thursday.

Year 8 Pool and Pizza Party:

It has become a tradition for our Year 8s to get together for an afternoon of outdoor activity and pizza eating.  This year we will be doing this at Jarred's place. There will be swimming, trampolining, basketball and other outdoor games, as well as chilling with friends. This will happen on Monday December 11th.

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 4

Year 8 families:

Many thanks to the Year 8 parents who have sent in photos of their lovely young person as a five year old. If you have yet to do this, please email a photo to nicky.dunlop@beckenham.school.nz or send in a photo for scanning. We would love to use these in our Leavers' Year Book, but would not want to miss any children out. We need your photos by the end of this week.

Top Team might be cancelled:

We need your help! Next week we have booked in with Top Team to run this awesome event on Beckenham Park in the afternoon for our Year 7 & 8 team. We need five parent helpers for this event to go ahead. At the moment we have no offers of help. If we don't get five offers by this Thursday, I will need to cancel this event. This is an awesome opportunity to observe your child working in a team. Please click this link to let us know if you can help.

Carisbrook School exchange:

We are looking forward to spending the morning of November 30th playing sport against Carisbrook School, from Dunedin. Today sign up sheets went up for football, basketball and touch teams. Part of our hospitality will involve providing lunch and morning tea for our visitors. If you are able to help us with the making and serving of lunch, please email nicky.dunlop@beckenham.school.nz

Old curtains needed:

For one of our props for 'Alice' we need to paint on some old curtains to create a mini backdrop. I was thinking of the plain white thermal backing as a good painting surface. If you have some curtains lying around that we could use, please email Nicky (see above address). Many thanks in anticipation.

Zone Athletics: 

The south zone athletics takes place this coming Monday, Nov 13th, at Hansen Park. Jenny and Gail will send out a separate notice to families of children involved. If you are able to help out on this day, please email Jenny at jenny.diggle@beckenham.school.nz

Theatre Sports:

Last week we mentioned that our theatre sports team would be competing this Sunday, November 12th. There was an error with the venue; they are competing at St Bede's (access via the Momorangi Crs entrance). The competitors need to be there at 3pm for warm up and briefing. The show begins at 4pm and we would love to have lots of Beckenham supporters in the audience. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. These can be purchased at the door.

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 3

We are feeling very proud of our Year 7 & 8s today, after an awesome afternoon of House Games. They really stepped up with their organisation, leadership and support of each other. 

Top Team: 

One of the highlights of term 4 in Year 7 & 8 is our annual Top Team afternoon. For those who can remember that far back back, this is run along the lines of the Top Town competition we watched on TV a long time ago. In order the run the afternoon, we need parents to help. If you are available on the afternoon of Thursday November 16, from 1:15 until 3pm, please click this link. We need up to 10 helpers, so would really appreciate your help if you are free. 

Leadership:

Congratulations to our Year 7s who have been appointed as house captains and on the student council exec for 2018. We have made these appointments early so that the children can attend 'Be Inspired', a leadership afternoon for Year 7s, in a couple of weeks time.

House Captains:

• Fisher, Tilly and Kaden  
• Waimea, Bella and Gabriel
• Tennyson, Thom B and Hannah
• Heathcote, Georgie and Felix

Student Council Exec:

• Chairperson, Fynn
• Secretary, Tom
• Treasurer, Adam

This week at our team hui we presented bronze and silver leadership awards. Next Friday, Nov 10th, during our afternoon assembly, which starts at 2pm, we will present gold leadership awards to Hannah S, Isaac, Isla, Kennedy and Mitchell. Parents are most welcome to attend this assembly. 

Working Bee:

Next Saturday, November 11th between 1pm and 3:30pm, we will be holding a working bee at school to work on our outdoor spaces. Come along and help to make a difference with our school environment. 

Theatre Sports:

This year for the first time, Beckenham School will be entering a team in the Intermediate School Theatre Sports competition. Our heat is on Sunday November 12th in the afternoon, at Heaton Intermediate. We would love to have some supporters cheering our team along.

2018 Year 8 Stewart Island Leadership Voyage Aboard Elwing:

In the past we have had several students take advantage of the following sailing leadership programme:

VOYAGE DATES: - 22-26 January 2018

We have places available again on our 2018 Year 8 Leadership Voyage - I have attached the Information Package for you in regard to the voyage. The cost of the voyage is $700.00 all inclusive from Bluff.  

You may also be interested to know that in many cases local Lions/Rotary clubs help with funding for this voyage and those clubs do know of us and the opportunities available for the young ones voyaging with us. 

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or if you wish to reserve a berth/s on this voyage.  

We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Barbara 

B. A. White

Elwing Discoveries

0272768817 / 034811040

Message from Rudolf Steiner School:

Due to unprecedented interest in our school for Year 9 next year, we are opening a 2nd Year 9
stream for 2018. This means we can offer places for students who missed the opportunity for
enrolling earlier in the year. If you are interested to join our successful and integrated whole person
school, please ring the office and make an appointment to visit and chat. Ph 3370514.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Thomas Proctor
Principal
Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 2

Athletic Sports this Thursday:

We have our fingers crossed, hoping for fine weather on Thursday and Friday for our athletics sports events. We are in need of a few helpers to run events on Thursday (10 til 2) and to assist with walking children to Hillview on Friday for our long jump event (12:30 til 2:30). Please let Jenny know if you can assist with any of these events. 

We have included the event schedule for the day and welcome you to come and cheer the children on as they compete in their events. 

	9 year olds	10 year olds	11 year olds	12 year olds	13 year olds
9:55 - 10:40	Shot Put	High Jump	Sprints	Discus	Shot Put
10:40 - 11:00	Morning Tea
11:00 - 11:45	Sprints	Discus	High Jump	Shot Put	Sprints
11:45 - 12:30	High Jump	Shot Put	Discus	Sprints	High Jump
12:30 - 1:15	Lunch
1:15 - 2:00	Discus	Sprints	Shot Put	High Jump	Discus
2:00 - 2:45	Sprint Finals
2:45 - 3:00	House Relay Adults V Children Relay

Long Jumpers on Friday:

Children who are taking part in long jump on Friday, will be heading to Hillview to use their long jump pit (we currently don't have one) at 12:30. They will be taking their lunch with them. As lunch orders will not be sorted by 12:30, please do not order lunch on Friday.T

Alice Props and Costumes:

The props group need to borrow a clothes rack to create a mobile mini backdrop for 'Alice'. If you have one similar to the one below that you are willing to lend us, please let Nicky know.

Orana Park:

A big thanks to Matthew, Nicola, Rebecca, Tamsin and Sonja, who joined us on our day at Orana Park last week. This proved to be a fabulous way to kick start our learning about endangered species. This week the children will select one species to focus on (rhino, cheetah or gorilla) and we will be watching videos and note-taking to learn more about these animals.

Passions Underway:

On Friday we started our term 4 passions. The mountain bikers had a skills and gear check session at school, in preparation for off site rides during the rest of the term. The pixel art group discussed mural options and then had a play with creating post-it note art. Theatre sports had lots of fun learning new drama games. The buddies group were very well received in Koru Whānau, leading activities and supporting learning. The newbies to code club got underway with coding basics, while experienced students stepped up as peer tutors. Fridays continue to be a real highlight in our hub.

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 4 Week 1

It is soooo good to be in our new hub. The children are adapting well to new routines. These include shoes off inside, feel free to have a set of school slippers, and storing lunch boxes in our maker-space, so that they don't heat up in the outside lockers.

There is lots happening this term. Here are a few key dates for your dairy:

• Wednesday October 18: Orana Park field trip
• Thursday October 26: Sports Day
• Monday November 13: Zone Athletics
• Thursday November 16: Top Team
• Thursday November 30: Carisbrook School visit for sports competition
• Monday December 4: First performance of 'The Trials of Alice in Wonderland'
• Wednesday December 6: Canterbury Athletics
• Thursday December 7: Second performance of 'The Trials of Alice in Wonderland'
• Thursday December 14: Corsair Bay fun day
• Monday December 18: Leavers' Assembly starting at 11am. Year 8 finish at 1pm.
• Tuesday December 19: School year ends for Year 1 - 7 at 12:30

We are still to schedule our Victoria Park walk and the Year 8 pizza and pool party.

Orana Park:

We are off to Orana Park tomorrow to kick off our science / literacy study around endangered species. The weather forecast is telling us the day will be cold, possibly with some early rain. Children need to come prepared with the following:

• wear school uniform, preferably with long pants and a thermal layer under their school shirt
• bring a jacket to go over their school jacket, preferably waterproof with a hood
• school sunhat
• beanie, warm hat
• lunch and water bottle
• asthma and other required medication, to be handed to home-group teacher, except for inhaler

Children are to be at school at the normal time. Our buses depart at 9:15 and we will be back by 3pm. Parent helpers please meet in our hub at 9am.

Athletic Sports:

Thursday the 26th of October is our School Athletics Day. We welcome all parents to come and support our children as they compete in field and track events throughout the day. 

Friday the 27th of October is our Long Jump event, which is being held at Hillview Christian School as we do not yet have our own long jump pit here at Beckenham. This is an optional event for the children and entries were made at the end of last term. We are looking for parent helpers to support us in walking the children to Hillview and supervising them in between jumps. Please email Jenny if you are able to provide assistance with this event. 

Long Distance Running will be held the following Wednesday at Beckenham Park.

These events will decide which children go on to represent our school at our Zone's event at Hanson's Park on the 13th of November. 

Finally, it was great to see nearly everyone at school on time today, Tuesday, to catch the bus to South for technology. Everyone needs to meet for roll call at 8:30 on a Tuesday.

Kauri Whānau Update: Term 3 Week 10

Trip to University:

What an awesome morning we had at the University Of Canterbury. A huge thank you to Jenni and Simon for putting together a great morning for us. It was interesting listening to the children talk about what they wanted to study, as we walked through the university. We were wowed by a number of dazzling experiments in the science dept. After a fascinating insight into how drones are used, we experienced a number of hands on activities in the geography dept. Thanks also to Gaby, Shane and Jo for accompanying us on this field trip. Check out the photos at the end of this post.

Elections Experience:

The children have been very engaged in forming their own parties and policies as part of a student interest initiated writing topic. On Thursday they present their policies to Year 5 & 6, who will then vote. Please click this link to check out their polices. These are arranged in four groups, based on the Year 5 & 6 classes they will present to. 

Parent help required for trip in week one of next term:

We hit the group running next term, with a trip to Orana Park on Wednesday October 18th. This will be the start of our learning about endangered species, with links to the science and social studies curriculum. We need four parents to accompany us on this trip. Please click this link to indicate if you can help. A $17.60 transportation and park entry contribution will be added to your next account.

Last day at Champion St:

On Thursday we say farewell to Champion St. The children will arrive at Beckenham slightly earlier than usual, to deliver their buckets of stationery to our new hub. On Friday morning they are off to technology and will then return to Beckenham. Woohoo, can't wait to be back!

Learning about how colours are produced in fireworks.

Elephant toothpaste!

This balloon was inflated by dry ice.

Making ice-cream in less than a minute!

Learning about drones.