Dear Parents and Caregivers of Baverstock Oaks School
Here we are half way term 3. 2017 is slipping away quickly. Daylight saving will be on our doorstep before we know it. It starts Sunday 24 September the day after our general election.
Lately we have had many of our students represent the school in sport, mathex, dance, and lots more. They have such commitment to represent our school so proudly, they display real sportsmanship in alignment with our core values and look to be having so much fun! It really is a JOY to witness. A HUGE thanks to the staff and parents who contribute their time and expertise so these teams participate and succeed. It is a real privilege to have you all part of our school family.
We have had Korean students in our school on a study tour this term. They departed back home last week. These exchanges allow everyone to learn from each other and add another layer of learning here at Baverstock Oaks. We wish them safe travels as they head back to Korea.
This is the time of the year where I am actively involved in the coming year. 2018 is on many documents on my computer now and I start to muddle the years. It is amazing how quickly that time comes about. I have 1:1 interviews with all teachers this term to hear about their learning journey, their successes and challenges and what they are aspiring to going forward. It is all so useful as we plan and strategize going forward. Some great ideas for implementation come from these conversations. The PPK (personal practical knowledge) inside each and every head within our school is the organisation’s greatest resource. I need to ‘mine’ it like gold.
Parent Corner: Navigating differences of opinion in relationship vs. parenting by John Cowan
My mum was always a National supporter, and my dad was Labour. Every three years they would dutifully go to the polls and cancel out each other’s vote.
One of the most useful insights about staying together as a couple is – you are not always going to agree, and that’s okay. I run relationship seminars and teach some wonderful tools to help couples negotiate with each other – but I am very aware that sometimes it doesn’t work. I know counselling can help, but honestly, if you don’t like your partner’s mother, how much counselling will it take before you do? The really valuable thing to know is that you can disagree, it can annoy you but you can shrug, sigh and still love each other.
However when it comes to parenting, it is immensely useful to present a united front. You will have different approaches to rules and behaviour – two authentic people will always have differing ideas –and your kids will soon get to know who has the softer touch when it comes to asking for things.
Where it gets tricky is if you start contradicting each other or undermining the other parent’s authority with the children, “Don’t bother about that – that’s just mum being cranky.” Whenever you can, back each other up. If you get the, “But mum said we weren’t allowed to!” complaint, a good strategy is to say, “Okay, she might be thinking of something that I haven’t thought of. Do what mum says and I’ll have a chat with her so I’ll know why she said that.” In most cases, showing the children that you support each other is more important being right!
Thanks again for taking the time to be part of our learning journey. I hope you are regularly enjoying seesaw posts and having conversations with your child about what he/she is learning
Mary Wilson
PRINCIPAL
OUR SCHOOL GATES
You may have noticed a change when you have come to school during the day or driven past. We now have the front and side gates closed.
We know this doesn’t look very welcoming but thought you would like to know the reasons behind this change. Baverstock Oaks work hard on being an inclusive school and also have in our vision a focus on Manaakitanga (feeling safe, welcome and cared for).
In our school we have some children with special needs and embrace their individuality. Our children and staff are very caring towards the needs of these children. We also realise the need to ensure these children are safe. Some of these children are challenged by knowing the safe areas to play and can go outside these areas. It has therefore been decided to close the gates to ensure all our children are safe. The gates closest to the office and the library are not locked and can be entered by parents and visitors during the day. Please remember to sign in at the office when coming to visit or collect your child for appointments during class time. We look forward to your anticipated support with this and hope this clarifies the reason why this change has come about.
As part of our fundraising effort, the Baverstock Oaks F.A.B (Friends At Baverstock) team has come up with a new event.
Hello Parents and Guardians of children that attend Baverstock Oaks School.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, I am Senior Constable Brandon McCarthy. I have been in the Police for 16 years and I’m your new Community Constable for Ormiston and Flatbush area. I have had the pleasure of meeting a couple of classrooms at Baverstock Oaks school and some of you may have seen me in the mornings at drop-off points and crossing patrols.
Unfortunately my introduction comes with one serious issue that needs your attention. I have come to notice a serious lack of use and incorrect use of Seat Belts by students of Baverstock Oaks and their younger siblings that don’t quite reach the age of going to school. While the majority of parents and guardians that drive their children to school do abide by the law, there are far far too many that do not.
The lack of correct use and non-use of Seat Belts is a very serious safety concern for those children. Parents or guardians that drive children to school, it is your responsibility to make sure that all children in that vehicle are safely and correctly belted in.
Some examples that I have seen;
- I have noticed many children not wearing a Seat Belt and this may be one to at least three children in that vehicle.
- Children that are in correct child approved seats are not being belted in correctly or not at all.
- The wearing of school bags on their back and then putting their Seat Belt on is not a safe practice. As Seat Belts are designed to lock in an accident and if that belt locks with room to move that child is not safe and will more than likely come free of that restraint.
- In all cases that I have seen where children aren’t wearing a Seat Belt, the driver is wearing one. A great concern as the driver is putting their safety first before their young passenger/s.
- Seat Belts are being taken off before the vehicle comes to a complete stop.
Rather than taking a strong approach with issuing multiple fines to all drivers of vehicles with tickets for each offence, I’d rather educate the drivers and children on how to make sure they remain safe in the vehicle.
My aim is to make the school drop off and pick up a safe journey for our children. Over the next month my colleagues and I will regularly visit the drop off and pick up points around the school and educate the drivers on any and all infringements of the Seat Belt law that they come across.
However if the education approach of wearing Seat Belts that I am taking doesn’t work. As Police Officers we will have to revert to fining for each infringement to the driver of that vehicle that does not comply with the seat belt law.
I’m hoping that this will not be the case and I get cooperation from you all.
For your clarification of the Seat Belt law;
Under New Zealand law, all children under seven years of age must use an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size. Children aged seven must be secured in a restraint if one is available in the vehicle.
| Age of child | The law says you must: |
| Until their 7th birthday |
Correctly secure your child in an approved child restraint |
| From their 7th to their 8th birthday | Correctly secure your child in an approved child restraint if one is available in the vehicle (and if not, in any child restraint or safety belt that is available) |
| From 8th birthday to 14 years old | Must use safety belts if available. If not available, they must travel in the back seat. |
| Over 14 years old | Must use safety belts where they are available. |
I found this article from nzherald.co.nz that you might be interested in: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/premium-native/news/article.cfm?c_id=1504009&objectid=11903970
DAFFODIL DAY 25 AUGUST 2017
Since 1990, this iconic event has inspired people to come together and support the Cancer Society’s work. As well as providing an opportunity to raise awareness of cancer in New Zealand.
Your donations will go towards vital scientific research into the causes and treatment of all types of cancer, as well as providing a wide range of support services, education and awareness campaigns / programmes for people affected by cancer in your area.
This year the Year 3 and Year 4 whanau councillors will be selling daffodils outside the school office from 8:30am until 8:55am for a gold coin donation. The donations collected will support the research and fight against cancer. Students are permitted to wear their daffodils for the whole week.
We will also be holding a “Change one item Day” on Friday 25th August (Daffodil Day) where students can change one item of their school uniform for a yellow item e.g. change school socks for yellow socks, change school shirt for yellow shirt, change school shoes for yellow shoes, change school jumper for a yellow jumper or wear yellow hair ties, headbands etc. A gold coin donation will also be needed if they do this. This donation will be collected by the classroom teacher.
School Disabled Parking Spaces
We have only 2 spaces for disabled parking in our staff carpark. If you are needing the use of one of these spaces please see the staff in the front school office who will give you a “limited” time pass, to use the disabled parking space and on occasion and “emergency” pass which is only to be used in extreme emergency. Once that time has expired, please do not use these spaces.
We currently have students who are being transported by taxi to school and home each day and their safety is jeopardised when other people use this space and their taxi is forced to park elsewhere or illegally. These taxis look like normal cars and will have a staff member waiting for their arrival.
Our drop off zone is well monitored each afternoon with two staff and two senior leaders and in the morning with staff and student monitors. This can be used also when adults are unable to get out of the vehicle. Drop off zone monitors in the morning are able to ensure your child gets to class safely if needed. There is ample staff in the afternoon to supervise students to ensure the safety of everyone.
Thank you for your support in ensuring our students remain safe in our school carpark.
2017 Mathex Competition
On Thursday 10th of August three mathex teams from BOS travelled to Mission Heights Junior College to defend our mathex crown from 2016.
It was a very successful night with our teams.
The three teams of four were required to answer 20 maths questions in 30 minutes. An example of the questions asked were. “There are 5 streets numbers, they go up in twos. They all add to 130. What are the five numbers?
Team A3 – First Place
Patrick Philphatphol, Lucas Sue, Sai Prabhu, Japman Sodhi.
Team A2 – Second Place
Caitlin Rohm, Zoe Cheung, Bhavna Rajeev, Priyal Vij
Team A1
Amber Sue , Allan Shi, Andy Liu, James Huynh
Senior Team member Patrick Phiphatpol said “It was a great experience and I would recommend it to all the year 5’s and 4’s to give it a go next year”.
Big Congratulations to our Cheerleaders
Congratul
ations to our cheerleading team who competed on Saturday morning. They performed brilliantly and came second. We are very proud of their results and their performance. Well done Mrs Burke for all your hard work in putting it all together.
HPPA Dance Festival
The Baverstock Junior Dance Team had two fantastic nights doing their ‘Life of the Party’ dance at the HPPA Dance Festival on the 9th and 10th of August. They looked amazing in their bright outfits and dazzled the audience with their upbeat and energetic moves. A big well done to Skyler, Zaynah, Jublie, Arav, Udihiti, Jorja, Pooja, Ahleena, Summer, Bailey, Amber, Megha, Zahra, Jhanvi and Norah!
The dance groups trained every week for 2 terms and were more than ready to perform. The Senior Dance group were very lucky as they had a wonderful choreographer Ruth, from The Palace, who choreographed the senior dance routine.
The Dance Festival is a very cool event. It gives students an opportunity to learn some new moves and showcase their talents. Both the groups rocked it this year! They did really well and made our school proud.
A big thank you to Mrs Baker, Mrs Burke, Mrs Stanisich, Mrs de Bruin and Ms Downer for all of your dedication to the dance groups. We really appreciate your support.
Korean Student Visitors
Baverstock Oaks School has just farewelled 13 Korean students who were with us for 2 weeks. While they were in New Zealand they enjoyed many different activities. They visited Rotorua and saw Whakarewarewa Village and the boiling mud, they visited the Auckland Zoo and watched the kiwis in the Kiwi House along with all the other animals. While in class they sampled marmite, honey, hokey pokey and made fruit kebabs. We taught them the importance of Tense in our English language and played many games. We feel that they have learned a lot about our kiwi culture, schooling and food and made some new, lifelong kiwi friends while in their home classrooms. We are sure that they have made some wonderful memories of their time in New Zealand and hope they will visit us again some day.
ESOL News
Three of our learning assistants have been involved in training to become an English Language Assistant. Part of their learning has been all about the importance of bilingualism and ways that we can encourage our students to be truly bilingual people. What a gift to be able to give your child!Disco Fever
BLOCK C SUPERHEROES
Tall Oaks Speech Competition
prank your siblings’. We would like to thank Mr Andrew Kirk and Mr Simon Crosby from Ormiston Senior College for judging the competition. The placings were:
Netball
