A message for Kauri Kids from Nicky, Megan, Jenny and Hannah

Kia ora everyone,

We hope that life at your place, inside your bubble, is going well. As this is the last day of term and term finished in a bit of an unexpected rush on Monday, we just wanted to touch base before the holidays. This afternoon we got some of our pets together online to say a quick hello. Hannah has posted this video onto the Kauri Google classroom. Pop over and take a look. If you want to send us a quick pic or wee video, you are welcome to email us.

Ngā mihi
Nicky, Megan, Jenny and Hannah

Kauri Whānau: some learning for the next few days

Kia ora everyone. We hope all is well in your household as you settle down into lockdown.

As Sandy explained in her post last night, the holidays have been brought forward to start next week. That means there are just a few days left of this term. We understand that every family will be different and as you settle into this new normal, schoolwork may be far from a priority for you. Below we have listed some learning activities that are part of the normal weekly routine for our Year 7&8s. If you would like your child to engage in learning over the next few days, the list below could guide you. I have written this list to your child.

Maths:

• Xtra Maths
• Maths Whizz

Writing:

• Continue writing your leadership essay. Jenny has created a screencast that will be added to the collection of resources for this assignment on google classroom.

Reading:

• Nicky's group: either independent reading, shared reading or Steps Web for those who are signed up for this.
• Megan, Hannah and Jenny's groups: complete your Figurative Language example slide. This is on the Kauri google classroom, complete with instructions. 

Genius Hour OR Kete Blogging

• If you have everything you need at home for your Genius Hour Project and know what your next steps are, go for it - keep learning. If it won't work to continue your current Genius Hour Project, you may like to start another that is better suited to doing at home. This could be a great opportunity to learn some new skills from your parents.
• OR finish off any unfinished blogposts and post about other ways you are living our school values, either already this term, or what you are doing at home. E.g. leadership week, cheese roll making, duathlon, swimming sports, or making a meal for your family, helping to tidy out cupboards etc.

Dave, our 24/7 Youth Worker is keen to support our Year 7 & 8 tamariki over the next four weeks. If your child would like to touch base with him, they can email: dave.bisgrove@beckenham.school.nz

Leadership talks

We had two fabulous guest speakers last week. Mark Inglis was an amazing example of being proactive no matter what life throws at you. He had the children enthralled throughout his hour long presentation. Then on Tuesday Lucy Schrader-Manuera, head girl at Cashmere High, shared lots of practical tips about self leadership. Her experiences really resonated with the children and led to some great questions. She was very appreciative of the leadership experiences and knowledge she gained during her Year 7 & 8 years at Beckenham. 

The children are now applying the knowledge they have gained from listening to our speakers and their learning in class and leadership week, to write an essay on what makes a good leader. 

Mark and his climbing mate Phil spent nearly two weeks in an ice cave, the size of the space under this table. The boys were glad to get out of the cramped space after 2 minutes. 

Keeping it fun

With our new normal involving a few less of the extra experiences we usually offer in Year 7 & 8, we are looking for opportunities to keep the highlights coming. Last Friday this was in the form of a basketball game between staff and students. It was a hard fought game with some stunning basketball on display from both sides, possibly a bit more from the students. They beat the staff well and truly!

Theatre Sports

A big congratulations to our 2020 theatre-sports competitive team. The members are: Archie DeClifford, Max Graham, Tess Pratt, Amelia Reid, Connor Colquhoun and Syesha Mee. We will start weekly practices when school resumes and are looking forward to our heats in late October. The name of the team is Mission Improvable! 

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 1 Week 7

We have had another busy week in the Intermediate Hub! Dunedin camp is just two weeks away. On Monday a separate post will be sent with many details including a gear list. One of the most important items of clothing to organise is a waterproof coat.

School Fair Leadership Opportunity

We would love to see as many of our senior students as possible volunteering to help out at the school fair this coming Friday. They will be rewarded with some extra leadership points. Students interested are to fill in this form. 

Cheese Rolls

Huge thanks to the parents who gave time and /or equipment to ensure our cheese roll fundraiser was a success. It looks like we have raised over $2500! Check out the photos at the end of the post.

Swimming Zones

Well done to everyone who competed at the zone swim event on Wednesday. It was heart warming to hear of the positive energy and great team support. Special congratulations go to:

• Year 7 relay team (Fergus, Cooper, Zoe and Olive) - 2nd
• Abby C - 1st freestyle
• Zoe C - 1st freestyle and 1st breaststroke
• Fergus - 1st Backstroke and 2nd Freestyle
• Thomas - 1st Backstroke and 1st Butterfly
• Cooper - 1st Breastroke

Duathlon

On Friday afternoon our school duathlon saw many children living our school value: 'we love challenge'. It was great to see some children giving this event a go, not expecting to gain a place, but just relishing the challenge. As children get older, they can become more reluctant to experience challenge for challenge's sake. This is something we love to encourage. The event was also another opportunity for students to step up as leaders, as marshals on the course and encouraging others. Congratulations to those who were placed and have qualified for the Canterbury duathlon on May 15th. 

Leadership Speakers

Last Tuesday Matt Reid spoke with our team about his experiences working with MSF (Doctors without Borders). This was another great example of self-leadership for our tamariki to learn from. We were really impressed with some of the questions that were asked. 

This coming week we have two more leadership talks arranged. On Monday Mark Inglis will be sharing is amazing life journey and on Tuesday Lucy Schrader-Manuera, an ex-student who is head girl at Cashmere High this year, will be sharing with our team. 

With lots of leadership stories and experiences under their belts, our children will have plenty of material to bring to their next writing assignment, as essay on leadership. 

Cheese Roll Wrap-up

Phew, we got there. 600 dozen cheese rolls made and distributed! Today we had an extra production run to fill slip-ups in the ordering and distributing systems. If you are still missing any of your order, please email me.  I do have some spares in the freezer. We had a very upbeat and enthusiastic production team!

Last call for cheese roll containers

This message is for all the wonderful people who ordered cheese rolls.

Many thanks to those of you who have sent in containers for cheese rolls. There is still time to get yours in before school if you are yet to do so. Just to give you an idea, an ice-cream container holds one dozen rolls.  Drop off into the boxes in front of the hall labeled with child's name and hub.

Year 7 & 8 will collect their orders for the hall at the end of tomorrow.
Year 1-6 will have their orders delivered to their hubs.

Kauri are very excited about making 6 696 cheese rolls tomorrow!

Huge thanks for your support with our camp fundraising.

Cheese Rolls: thanks and what now...

Many thanks to everyone who has ordered cheese rolls to support Year 7 & 8 camp fundraising. We have been swamped with orders ... 557 dozen to be exact!

We would love to package your cheese rolls in your containers - rather than having to purchase plastic. If possible, please drop off your container in the labelled boxes that will be outside the hall, on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Label this with your child's name and hub. If no container is provided, we will sort the packaging.

Making and collection day is this Thursday, March 12th. Orders will be delivered to hubs before 3pm for children to take home.

Many thanks for your support!

Kauri Whānau: Leadership and Cheese Rolls

Cheese Rolls

We have hit an all-time record with cheese roll orders: 557 dozen! Huge thanks to those of you who have placed orders, especially those who asked around family and friends and obtained large orders. The ingredients have been ordered and we are now rolling into the operation management phase. We need some help with equipment and a few adult helpers on the making day: this Thursday, March 12th.  Please click on this link to see if you can help.

Leadership Week

What an awesome week we have had with your fabulous children! I have had so much positive feedback from our NE - Year 4 teachers about how fabulous the Year 7s did with their leadership on Thursday and Friday.

Leadership camp was a great opportunity to see our Year 8s grappling with challenges in groups. So many of them stepped up to provide support, ideas and encouragement. As well as developing leadership skills, this was a good opportunity to further develop relationships. Lots of fun was had and many lasting memories made! At the end of the camp, the children filled in nominations for the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award. This award is decided on and presented later in the year. We have a number of children who received multiple nominations. We will watch to see how their personal leadership develops before deciding on the recipient of this award.

Creating shapes blind

Balancing multiple people on small spaces

Downtime dancing

The best chips in town!

Fun at Margaret Mahy Playground

Win-win challenge at Spencer Park

Synergy challenge 

Nothing like a Friday BBQ lunch

Nominating young leaders

Isaac Giesen, 'The Blue Rower' shared lots of wisdom and advice, which the children referred to in reflections over the two days.

7 Habits matching activity

Kauri Whānau Weekly Update: Term 1 Week 5

Last weekend we gave final feedback for the 'My Whakapapa' writing assignment. Lots of beautiful sentiments and some interesting stories were shared. Please remind your child to email a photo of the person they wrote about to themselves, so that it can be added to their final presentation tomorrow, Wednesday.

Key reminders for Year 8 Leadership Camp: this Thursday and Friday, March 5th and 6th

• Bring bedding (including something to sleep on) and change of clothes for next day. All bags go into the Nook upon arrival on Thursday.
• In a daypack, lunch for Thursday, drink bottle, sunscreen sunhat and waterproof coat.
• Have $2.40 in change or Metro card for the bus
• Have paid $25 at the office or online (reference Leadership Camp)
• Bring food donations (cereal for Nicky's home-group, fruit for Megan's home-group and baking for Hannah and Jenny's home-groups). We'd love these by Wednesday if possible.
• If your child's health profile form is not back at school yet, we need this urgently.
• Any mediation in a named ziplock bag to be handed to home-group teacher first thing on Thursday.
• If you need to contact us urgently outside school hours or on Friday when we are at Spencer Park, call Nicky on 0276229403

Cheese Roll Fundraiser

Our orders have nearly hit the target of 400 dozen! If you have yet to order, please get this done by Thursday. Remember that if you are ordering for several people, one single payment would be appreciated. We are really grateful to those who have gone out and sought multiple orders. Next Thursday is our big making day. I have emailed the people who offered to help with further details. 

Looking for parent or grandparent help

We are looking for someone who could regularly help out with a very small group of learners on a Monday and Wednesday between 9:15 and 10am. Please email Nicky if you could help us out.

Year 7 Leadership Day

Monday was an action packed day for the Year 7s, as they put their learning about the 'seven habits of highly effective people' into action. Below are pictures from the builders and architects activity, when the children were applying habit 5 'seek first to understand and then be understood'.

Swimming Sports

We are really proud of all the tamariki who embraced challenge in our school swimming sports last Thursday. For some, success was achieved through the satisfaction of participation or swimming faster and with more competence than before, while others had qualifying for zone level competition firmly in their sights. The race of the day had to be the House Relay with Heathcote securing a very convincing win. 

Leadership Guest Speakers

Over the next few weeks we have a number of guest speakers coming to share their leadership experiences with the children. Last week Tamati Cunningham, who is one of four head students at Cashmere High School and an ex-Beckenham student, shared his journey with our tamariki. He left us with lots of gems to think about, including:

• Listen to listen, don’t listen to respond.
• You can achieve greatness, you just need to ask for help.
• My successes are the mistakes I learn from.

Tama gave a TEDX talk last year, which most of the children have had the opportunity to watch.

Cheese Roll: Final days for ordering

A huge thanks to everyone who has ordered cheese rolls. If you have yet to place your order, you have until this Thursday to get it in. Click here to order.

If you are gathering multiple orders from friends and family, please arrange this as one payment to school, i.e. get people to pay you cash or put money into your account and then make one payment to school. This message probably just applies to Kauri families.

Next week we will put boxes in front of the hall foyer to collect your containers. Please make sure your child's name and hub are on your container. If you don't have a container, we will provide one, however the less we need to do this the better.

Many thanks for your support with our camp fundraising.