Newsletter – Week 5 Monday 31 May

Term 2 Week 5 2021    

Kia ora koutou,

On Wednesday and Thursday this week our Year 5 and 6 students are visiting the zoo as part of their Social Sciences Inquiry on Living Things.  Our Netball teams are going to a netball field day on Tuesday. We wish our students a very happy and engaging time at their EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) events.

School will be closed on Friday. All teachers will be attending our Kahui Ako Teacher Only Day. The schools who are in our Kahui Ako with us are:  Howick College, Howick Intermediate, Howick Primary, Clevedon Primary, Maraetai Primary and Brookby Primary.

We extend a very warm welcome to Mr Sojung Yoon who will be teaching in Room 19 from Wednesday until the end of the year. His email adress is: sojungy@botanydowns.school.nz.

Please keep our students safe.  We are once again having serious issues with parents/caregivers picking up their children and dropping them off in our local cul de sacs.  Please do not park across the driveway or on the yellow line.  If you see this happening we have been asked by Auckland Transport for you to contact:

Auckland Transport – Report a problem   

For issues where there is a risk to the safety of people or

property call us on 09 355 3553.

Please read below about our new school app from Kiwi Schools.  Due to this problem we will be keeping our old app online for a longer period of time.  We aplogise for the inconvenience.

Ngā mihi,

Vicki Parkins

Principal

vickip@botanydowns.school.nz

Coming Up @ BDS…

Monday 31 May (TONIGHT) – PTA meeting, 7.30pm 

Wednesday 2 June – Yr 5 Zoo trip

Thursday 3 June – Yr 6 Zoo trip 

Friday 4 June – Teacher Only Day 

Monday 7 June – Queen’s Birthday (public holiday)  

Wednesday 9 June – Yr 4 Zoo trip

Wednesday 16 June – PTA Mufti day & Pie fundraiser

Wednesday 23 June – Class and individual photos

Friday 25 June – School Disco

Week 10 – Book Week

Wednesday 7 July – Parent/teacher interviews

Thursday 8 July – Parent/teacher interviews

Friday 9 July – Book Character Parade / Last day of Term 2

Monday 26 July – First day of Term 3

SCHOOL NEWS

Kia ora Botany Downs School, 

As some of you may be aware there have been a couple of intermittent bugs with the KiwiSchools Connect App over the last few weeks. We have now made the difficult decision to rebuild the app completely to ensure it is robust going forward.

We expect this work to take 3 weeks with the result being a thoroughly tested and relaunched app.

The existing version of the app will still be available during this time.

I would like to apologise for the inconvenience I know that this has caused many of you. It has been a big decision to rebuild and I appreciate your support while this is happening.

Nga mihi nui,

Jackie Smith

General Manager

KiwiSchools 

New Art Work at Botany

Thank you to Ms O’Driscoll and Room 2 for our beautiful koru art on the fence by Room 19.  It looks amazing. Another koru panel and wording on the panels will be added in the near future.  The rocks were from our 2017 Art’s Trail Evening.  It is so wonderful to see them displayed.

Chess Team

Last Monday Year 4 – 6 children participated in the East Auckland Primary Interschools Chess Championship. This was held at Point View primary school.

The competition was fierce with 212 children competing. Botany Downs entered three teams and all the children enjoyed the experience and had a good time.

Out of 51 teams, Team A came in 8th place, Team B placed at 35 and Team C placed at 20. 

From Board 1 – Daqi Mao placed 2nd, Jessie Lin placed 19th and Aaron Zhang placed 25th.

From Board 2 – Tracy Tang placed 8th, Jay Lau placed 30th and Navia Ranchhod placed 40th.

From Board 3 – Kristy Lau placed  13th, Yi Sen Qi placed 26th, and Nicholas Li placed 31st.

From Board 4 – Nathan Tan placed 23rd, John Belding placed 38th and Irene Zhao placed 46th.

From Board 5 – Kate Houston placed 6th.

Congratulations to all players, and thank you to the parents Mr Tang, Mrs Houston, and Mr Lau for your support on the day.

Well done Team!

Ms Lala (Chess Club coordinator), rital@botanydowns.school.nz

2021 ICAS

(International Competitions and Assessment for Schools)

This year, ICAS assessment exams are being offered to Year 5 and 6 students in English, Science and Maths. The exams are completed online and will be sat in August.

If you would like your child to participate, a newsletter has been sent home today for you to complete and return to school. Please note the cost for each exam is $18.50 and all entries must be completed by Friday 25th June.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Mark Insley (Deputy Principal), marki@botanydowns.school.nz  

LIBRARY NEWS

Book Week is coming… !

Our annual celebration of books will take place in Week 10 of this term – with activities, competitions, special guests, and the fabulous Book Character dress-up day and parade on the Friday! The Scholastic Book Fair will also be open throughout the week with a selection of wonderful books to purchase.

Watch this space for more information soon…

COMMUNITY NOTICES

SKIDS – Providing Before and After School, and

Holiday Programmes

Before School care – 7.30am to 8.30am              

After School care – 3.00pm to 6.00pm

Holiday Programme – 7.30am to 6.00pm

To see if you qualify for an OSCAR subsidy, please click on the link:

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/deskfile/extra-help-information/childcare-assistance-tables/oscar-subsidy-current.html (Government subsidy towards your child care)

To make a booking, please register on skids.aimy.co.nz or email us: botanydowns@skids.co.nz

Pay the kindo way: https://botanydowns.school.nz/kindo/