Pohutukawa Team Newsletter Term 4 Week 1

Kia Ora Parents / Caregivers

We are so excited to be back at Beckenham in our new hub. It is lovely to see you all again and catch up with siblings regularly throughout the day. The children have settled into routines quickly and there is a general buzz of excitement about being home.

In the mornings before the bell, we are opening the middle doors through to the Koru team and the children can spend time together doing activities, chatting or playing if they want to. We will be spending time together throughout the term as ‘buddies’ as well.

There are a few events coming up this term which will be keeping us quite busy. Below is an overview of the main points to note:

Keeping Ourselves Safe

As part of our Keeping Ourselves Safe unit that runs throughout the first 6 weeks of this term, the children are going to become chief babysitters for an egg. Yes, an egg! It will be boiled for safety.

The children will be responsible for their egg for 4 days and will have to take care of it at all times. If the children want to leave their egg, they need to arrange another person to egg-sit.

The children can name their egg and will be creating a room for it. We are requesting that children bring a shoebox to school to create a room for their egg and any other materials they may want to spruce the room up.

The aim of this activity is for children to learn to look after themselves and others - a theme that comes through the Keeping Ourselves Safe programme.

The children will hopefully get an appreciation of all the hard work you do as parents!

A Keeping Ourselves Safe Home Learning Booklet will be going home today with the children. Please spend some time going through this with your child to reinforce the messages they are learning at school.

Maths - Probability

Our focus in Week 3 for Maths this term is Probability. Part of this unit is creating a probability based game. If you have any cardboard or cardboard boxes at home, we would really appreciate using them for this learning.

Athletics Day

Next week, on Thursday 26th October we will have our Years 5-8 Athletics Day out in Beckenham Park. The postponement date is Monday 30th October. We will meet families out on the park to begin at 9:30am and be finished by 3:00pm. The long jump will be held at Hillview Christian School on Friday 27th October. The long-distance races will be held at Hillview Christian School on Wednesday 1st November.  

Children will need to bring a hat, comfortable sports shoes and drink bottle. It would be a good idea to apply sunscreen before school and we will have sunscreen available to apply throughout the day. Children can wear clothing that is appropriate for athletics and their house t-shirts if they have one.

Choir

Next week, on Friday 27th October the Pohutukawa Pitch Perfect Choir will be going to the Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival rehearsal at Horncastle Arena. If children are involved in long jump, they will be met by a teacher at Hillview, after the rehearsal.   

Cycle Safe Programme

In Week 7, from Tuesday 28th November - Friday 1st December our Year 6 children will be involved in the Cycle Safe Programme. A parent information and permission letter will be sent home soon.