Kauri News - Term 2, Week 11

Kauri News - Term 2, Week 11

Kia ora koutou,

It’s hard to believe we’re already at the end of another busy term in Kauri! The last two weeks have been packed with learning, activities, and plenty of opportunities for our students to challenge themselves and celebrate their successes. We are incredibly proud of all the effort, resilience, and enthusiasm shown throughout the term.

As we head into the holidays, we wish all our Kauri whānau a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable break.

Mānawatia a Matariki - may Matariki bring you time for reflection, connection, and celebration with whānau and friends.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another exciting term ahead.

Ngā mihi nui,

Hugo, Kate McG, Megan C, Sarah A, Megan H & Nicky

Upcoming Dates for Term 3:

• Week 1: Matariki Whānau Evening (Wednesday 22 July), South Zone Basketball Tournament (Wednesday 22 July), Winter Sport restarts (Thursday 23 July)
• Week 4: Primary Sports Canterbury Volleyball Tournament (Wednesday 12 August)
• Week 6: Beckenham Te Kura Duathlon Event (Wednesday 26 August), Winter Sport finishes (Thursday 27 August)
• Week 7: Court Theatre Performance (Monday 31 August), Kauri Ski Trip (Thursday 3 September), Staff Only Day (Friday 4 September)
• Week 8: Life Education Bus (W8-W9), Primary Sports Canterbury Duathlon Event (Monday 7 September)
• Week 10: Koru Games (Tuesday 22 September - Thursday 24 September)

Matariki Evening - Wednesday 22 July

Tēnā koutou e te whānau,

We would like to invite you to our school’s Matariki celebration evening on the first Wednesday (22nd July) back of Term Three!

Matariki is the start of the Māori new year and a time of reflection, connection and planning for the year ahead. We would like to celebrate with you and your whānau on Wednesday the 22nd of July from 5:30 pm. The PTA will be having a Sausage Sizzle on the night for a small koha (donation). 

Outline of the night:

• 5:30 pm - Welcome & Performance in Māpuna, the Hall - Te Whānau Mahi Tahi
• 5:50 pm - Matariki activities begin in Hubs.
• 6:40 pm - Matariki activities finish in Hubs, whānau to head back to the hall.
• 6:45 pm - Performance in Māpuna, the Hall - Pōhutukawa.

Nau mai, haere mai! We hope to see you there!

Passions: Imagination Station - Build On Ice Competition

This term, Kate’s Passions Group has been taking part in the Imagination Station Build on Ice Competition. Working in teams, students have spent time designing, creating, testing, and refining their ideas, showing fantastic creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills along the way.

Every group did an incredible job, demonstrating perseverance, innovation, and teamwork throughout the process. It has been wonderful to see students bringing their ideas to life and supporting one another as they tackled the challenge.

We are incredibly proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown by all students. Check out the photos at the bottom of the blog post to see some of the amazing creations and the hard work that went into them! The full projects were shared to the whānau of these students via Hero.

Kete Blogs:
We have been incredibly impressed by the number of students participating in and completing their Kete Blogs throughout Term 2. The effort, creativity, and consistency shown has been fantastic. An outstanding 117 Kete Blog badges were earned and presented this term—a brilliant achievement! Ka pai to everyone who took the time to share their learning and experiences. Keep up the great work!

Science Badges:
Congratulations to Pippa on earning two Science Badges and to Shaan on earning one Science Badge this term! These badges reflect the extra effort they've been putting in at home to explore, investigate, and extend their scientific learning beyond the classroom. We are incredibly proud of their curiosity, commitment, and enthusiasm—well done to you both! 🧪🌟

Inquiry Presentations:
Our Inquiry presentations to wrap up our Sustainability unit were nothing short of incredible. Students showcased the knowledge they had developed throughout the term with confidence, creativity, and passion. From innovative ideas to thoughtful solutions for real-world environmental challenges, it was fantastic to see the depth of learning and the pride they took in sharing their work. Ka pai to all of our presenters for an outstanding effort! 🌱🌏

Canterbury Softball Sessions:

Our students have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in softball sessions led by the fantastic team from Canterbury Softball this term. They have been learning and developing key skills such as throwing, catching, batting, and teamwork through fun, engaging activities. It has been wonderful to see students grow in confidence while giving a new sport a go. A huge thank you to Canterbury Softball for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm with our ākonga! 🥎

Creating "Safe Habitats for Antarctic Animals" by Constantin, Haydn, Jaxon & Jeffrey

Supporting "Survival of Emperor Penguins" by Dylan & Leo

Supporting "Survival of Arctic Foxes" by Bryn, Chester, Kyle & Tom B

Reducing the "Depletion of Scott Base" by Clarel, Devin, Tom H & Nate

Kauri News - Week 9

 

Welcome back to Term 2!

Learning in Team Kauri - Presentations for sustainability inquiry

This term, our students have been deeply engaged in an inquiry topic focused on sustainability, exploring how our choices impact the environment and looking at ways to protect our planet for the future. Over the last two weeks, students have been proudly presenting their final project outcomes to their peers. These presentations showcase an impressive variety of creative mediums, including hand-crafted models, informative posters, and student-led podcasts, covering a diverse range of critical sustainability topics. We are incredibly impressed by the depth of research, critical thinking, and passion our students have demonstrated throughout this unit.

Canterbury Cross Country

Congratulations to our Year 7-8 students who made it through to Canterbury Cross Country. We are extremely proud of their efforts and the way they represented themselves at such a prestigious event. Results below:

AWD

Jacob Hamilton - 2nd (5:07)

Year 7 Girls

Clara Shaw - 87th (14:44)

Year 7 Boys

Haydn O’Connor - 32nd (12:14)

Year 8 Girls

Laura Stoney - 3rd (11:58)

Misha Lee - 45th (13:34)

Year 8 Boys

Ben Stoney - 33rd (11:33)

Year 8 hoodies - preliminary design and fundraising

We are excited to begin the process of designing and creating our special Year 8 hoodies! To ensure these keepsakes are accessible for everyone, the cost to whānau will be kept to just $20 per hoodie, with the students actively fundraising to cover the remaining balance. The students will be heavily involved in the design process to make these shirts uniquely theirs. Further information regarding order forms, sizing, and fundraising details will follow as soon as the plans are finalized.

Bingo Night & Hampers

Get ready for a fun-filled evening at our upcoming School Bingo Night! This exciting fundraising event is a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together for an evening of friendly competition, great prizes, and school spirit. All proceeds raised throughout the night will directly support our upcoming school projects and student resources. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time player, come along for a chance to shout "Bingo!" while making a meaningful contribution to our school. We look forward to seeing you there for a night to remember! A big thank you for all our whānau who contributed some amazing items for our Hamper prizes.

Cantamath planning & projects

The 2026 Cantamath competition information has noe become available outlining this year's three separate competitions: the Year 5&6 Challenge, the Year 7–10 Display Competition, and the Year 7–10 Team Competition. Please mark your calendars for two key dates in August: Tuesday, 18th August is the drop-off day for all Year 5&6 Challenge entries and Year 7–10 Displays, followed by the exciting Teams Competition on Wednesday, 19th August. The official theme inspiring this year's creations is "Maths in Nature", while students looking ahead can start brainstorming for the 2027 theme (and 2026 motifs), which will be "Maths in Games". The classes in Team Kauri will be spending some time over the next two weeks to go over expectations and ideas. We encourage whānau to spend some time with their child to work on their projects.

Upcoming Events: Term 2

Week 10

• Learning Conferences - Tuesday and Wednesday

• Early finish both days: 1:45pm

• Bingo Night - Saturday 27th June 7pm in school hall (tickets available)

Week 11

• Last day of Term - Friday 3rd July

Week 1, Term 3

• Wednesday 22nd July Matariki Evening 5:30pm - 7:15pm

A nationwide creative writing competition for young Kiwi readers
Every Reader Has A Story … What’s Yours?

Books can stay with us long after we've turned the final page. Sometimes they help us through a difficult time. Sometimes they make us feel understood. Sometimes they open a door into a new world, a new idea, or a new way of seeing ourselves.

How has a book helped change you? 

To help celebrate the inaugural NZ Children’s Books Week: Read Around Aotearoa, the children's book-gifting charity, Kiwi Christmas Books, is inviting you, the keen young readers of Aotearoa, to tell us a true story about how a book made a difference in your life. Entry form

You could win $250 in books for yourself and $500 in books for your school, and have your story published! 

Term 2, Week 10 -  All Ages

Staying Safe Online: Scams

People in New Zealand are losing millions of dollars to scammers each year – and this is just the figures reported to Netsafe so the actual figure is likely much higher!

It’s important that you and your tamariki know what to look out for to avoid scams. Netsafe have put their best advice together to help you stay safe online and stay away from scams.

Read their scam tips here. 

Kauri Week 7 Blog

 Kauri Week 7 Blog

Kia ora koutou,

What a busy and productive two weeks it has been in the Kauri Hub!

Our students are currently putting the finishing touches on their Sustainability Inquiry projects and explanation essays. Over the remainder of the term, students will be sharing their learning through presentations in their home rooms. They have been working diligently to prepare presentation scripts and showcase the knowledge they have gained throughout this inquiry. Be sure to ask your child what they have learned about sustainability and how they think we can make a positive difference for our planet.

Winter Sport

We have now completed two successful Winter Sport sessions. A huge thank you to all of the parents and whānau who generously volunteer their time to coach, manage, and support our teams. Winter Sport simply would not be possible without your commitment and enthusiasm.

Students are doing a fantastic job getting into the routine of bringing the correct gear each Thursday and being ready to go promptly. Those remaining at school have been enjoying a variety of activities, including badminton, table tennis, creative art projects, and cooperative games.

Trees for Survival

A group of our Year 5-8 students recently travelled to Kaiapoi with Sue to participate in the Trees for Survival planting programme. This valuable initiative gives students the opportunity to grow eco-sourced native seedlings before planting them to help restore eroding land, stabilise stream banks, and improve water quality.

The students returned to school a little muddy, a little tired, but full of stories and proud of the contribution they had made to the environment.

Literacy and Inquiry – Sustainability Explanation Essays

Over the past few weeks, students have been researching topics connected to sustainability, including sustainable cities, fast fashion, renewable energy, and protecting our oceans and waterways.

Throughout this process, students have demonstrated impressive perseverance, creativity, and critical thinking. Their inquiry projects highlight both their understanding of sustainability issues and their ideas for creating positive change.

In Literacy, students have focused on developing strong explanation essays by crafting effective topic sentences, paraphrasing research into their own words, and accurately citing sources. They have worked hard to clearly explain the how and why behind their chosen topics and should be proud of the progress they have made.

Ara Leadership Programme

Today marked the fourth and final session of our Ara Leadership Programme. Throughout the programme, students worked alongside Ara students and participated in a range of adventure-based learning activities designed to develop leadership, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.

It has been wonderful to see students challenge themselves, build confidence, and develop valuable leadership skills that they can apply both in and out of the classroom.

Upcoming Dates:  If you have not provided your luxury item for our fundraiser, please have your child bring in their item next week. We appreciate all you do.

Term 2

Week 8:

Thursday: Winter Sport

Friday: Celebration Assembly (Leadership Awards will be given)

Week 9:

Wednesday: PSC Cross Country Canterbury Zones (Yr 5-8)

Ngā mihi,

Hugo, Kate McG, Sarah A, Megan C, Nicky and Megan H 

Kauri- Term Two, Week 5

Congratulations !

Leadership badges, Kete Certificates, Science Badge, Cross Country, NFL competitions! It is wonderful to see so many opportunities offered and taken up by our ākonga this term. Congratulations to you all, we are very proud. 

We also know that sometimes we miss something, so feel free to discuss this with your homeroom teacher. 

 Cashmere High School Trip 14 May

Here is a photo gallery of our trip on Thursday, along with some student voice of the experience. 

CHS "its scary as you feel like you have to get everything right", "they are a great bunch and they know their stuff ", "they are lucky having a trip like this". 

BKTOP " this was sooo much fun", "the haka was so loud, they knew how to use their voices", "I saw Jacob's sister", " the students were really friendly".

Being Part of Something Bigger- Cashmere High School and Beckenham te kura o Pūroto

Planting in the Cashmere Stream.

This initiative was started through the sustainability club at CHS and some our students have been working with this group too! A big thank you to Vinnie, John, Max, Alex P, Tom, Alex S and Dylan who volunteered their time and Justine Vandenberg for giving our students the opportunity to be sustainable citizens. Ace!

The grasses will help to cool the stream for the eels, absorb run off and the draping leaves provide some habitat for small aquatic life. 

40 Hour Famine -Be part of Something Bigger

19–21 June | Be Part of Something Bigger

This year, World Vision are again inviting young people across Aotearoa to make a real impact through the 40 Hour Challenge — raising life-changing funds for children and communities in the Solomon Islands.

Why?
Because right now, many children and families in the Solomon Islands are facing significant challenges due to poverty and the impacts of climate change. Communities rely heavily on farming and fishing, making them especially vulnerable to changing weather patterns and natural disasters. Funds raised through the 40 Hour Challenge help provide practical support and create stronger, more sustainable futures.

Our Year 5–8 students had the opportunity to sign up this week. We would love your support in helping them sign up, choose a challenge, and begin their fundraising journey. Click the link here to join our school's fundraising page. 

Whether students choose to go completely offline for 40 hours or create a challenge of their own, every effort helps make a difference.

Child not taking part in the challenge but would still like to contribute? You can access our school fundraising page here.

Cyber Safety

The HDCA for Parents and Whānau

The Harmful Digital Communications Act (or HDCA for short) is an act passed by the Government back in 2015 to help people dealing with serious or repeated harmful digital communications. It covers anything digital like text, emails or social media content.

The most useful thing for parents to understand about the HDCA is the way the 10 communication principles define what is good or bad behaviour online.

If you’re ever concerned about your young person (or you just want to brush up on your knowledge!) visit Netsafe’s Guide to the HDCA

Staying Safe Online: Bullying

One in five young people in New Zealand have been the target of online bullying – it can happen to anyone, and it can be hard for parents and whānau to deal with. Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto takes online bullying seriously and would encourage you to chat to your tamariki’s teacher if you have any concerns about online bullying.

Visit Netsafe’s Online Bullying Advice for Parents to read more.