Newsletter, Week 4, Term 1 2023

Kia ora koutou BDS whānau, Week 4, Term 1, 2023

Last Thursday was a very successful day when we had our Meet the Teacher and Whānau Picnic. Our staff were very appreciative with the attendance at our classroom Meet the Teacher sessions as this is such a valuable time to connect. If you were unable to attend please do find time to connect with the teacher of your tamariki.

On Friday 24 February this week there will be a follow up meeting with a translator for our Chinese families who have questions that they would like to ask in Mandarin. Please see details below.

Richard Tosh has resigned from our School Board after over eight years of supporting our school and for the majority of those years, Richard has been our Presiding Member. Richard has provided valuable support and expertise in many different areas while on our Board. We extend a huge and sincere thank you for all his mahi.

We are very fortunate to have Jess Storey who will be taking up the role of Presiding Member to lead the School Board into 2023.

Have a lovely sunny week everyone.

Ngā mihi nui,
Vicki Parkins, Principal – Tumuaki (vickip@botanydowns.school.nz)

Coming up @ BDS…
Wed 22 Feb – No uniform day – House colours
Thurs 2 Mar – BDS Swimming Sports, 9.00-11.30am
Mon 6 Mar – PTA meeting
Mon 13 Mar – Yr 5 camp departs (returns Tues 14 Mar)
Wed 15 Mar – BOT meeting
Thurs 16 Mar – Yr 6 parent camp meeting, 6.00pm
Wed 22 Mar – Jester’s Pie Day (online orders close Tues 21, 11am)
Wed 22 Mar Parent/teacher interviews, 3.20-5.00pm
Thurs 23 Mar – Parent/teacher interviews, 3.20-7.30pm
Fri 24 Mar – BDS Powhiri, 9.15am

Policies and Procedures –
SchoolDocs 2023 Term 1 Review

SchoolDocs provides a comprehensive core set of policies and procedures that are tailored to the needs of Botany Downs School. SchoolDocs updates, modifies, and creates policies in response to changes in legislation or Ministry guidelines, significant events, reviews/requests from schools and regular reviews.

Our SchoolDocs policies and procedures can be found via our school website on the link below:

Policies and Procedures – School Documents

For Term 1 the following policies are up for review:

Legislation and Administration Policy
Student Attendance
Enrolment
Privacy
Official Information Requests
Uniform/Dress Code

If you would like to participate in reviewing the policies, please click on the link above and follow the instructions.

If you have any questions or queries please contact:
Mark Insley, Deputy Principal (marki@botanydowns.school.nz)

Teacher Paid Union Meetings

On the week of Monday 27th February to Friday 3rd March there will be Paid Union Meetings across the country that teachers may attend. Some of our staff are attending a meeting on Friday 3rd March in the afternoon. As we have enough staff staying onsite to look after our tamariki, school will remain open as normal for the afternoon.

If you have any questions please contact Mr Insley on the email below.

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

School Donations

The BDS School Board has reviewed the donation request policy and has decided to keep the donation structure the same as in 2022. We really value your donations and a detailed explanation has been emailed to you.

BDS School Board

SCHOOL NEWS

Botany Best Awards

Botany Best: Varya Govender, Alice Wang, Chloe Jack, Christian Perry, Gracie Grainger, Mia Cajayon, MJ Cronje, Hannah Biddick, Jay Kim, Sophie Klee, Alofa Vaolele, Ayden Speck, Indy Clifton, Cleo Walker, Alicia Wang, Mia Jack, Nora Khong, Harlen Hadrup, Oscar Wong, Luke Buckley, Kruz Oti, Maanvi Patel, and Amelia Klee.

These awards will be presented at Friday’s school assembly.
Assembly start time is 9:10am; please be inside and seated by 9:05am.

Upcoming Year 0/1 Curriculum
Information Sessions

These sessions are to provide whānau with information about our teaching and learning programmes in our Year 0/1 classes and will assist parents with ways they can support their tamariki with their learning at home too.

This is also a time to mix and mingle with other Year 0/1 parents over a cup of tea/coffee and will be held alongside our existing Bright Sparks sessions.

Wednesday 22 February from 9-10:15 am –
we will be holding a Year 1 information session about Maths learning
and the expectations for our most Junior students.

Wednesday 1 March from 9-10:15 am –
we will be holding a Literacy information session
for whānau of our Year 0/1 tamariki.

Please reply to joanneh@botanydowns.school.nz if you are attending either or both of these sessions.

Joanne Hughson, Deputy Principal

Learner Agency at BDS

Our teachers are enhancing and amplifying student voice so that our tamariki have opportunities to make authentic contributions to the school and their learning experiences. This might look like: students having some say in their learning and how they learn, sharing their learning, and knowing what they are learning and what they need to progress.

Our tamariki are at the centre of everything we do!
Student voice is a key part of Learner Agency!

Student Leadership Update

Providing opportunities for our students to shine and lead in different areas of the school is very important to us. As a school, we are able to offer a number of student leadership roles for both Year 5 and Year 6 students. We are in the final stages of selecting our House Leaders and are looking forward to announcing the successful applicants at assembly on Friday. One of the first projects that the House Leaders will be working on will be organising a fundraiser for the Red Cross Disaster Fund to support people who have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Over the coming weeks School Councillors, Ambassadors, and Peer Mediatiors will also be selected.

Kate Keenan, (katek@botanydowns.school.nz)

No Uniform Day from the PTA

Wednesday this week (22 Feb) is the PTA no uniform day when children do not need to wear their school uniform and can come wearing their choice of clothing in their house colours.

Your $2 can be paid to the PTA by KINDO or by cash given to your child’s teacher. Our kura certainly will be bright and colourful on Wednesday!

Road Safety Reminder

A big thankyou to our Road Patrollers and whānau supervisors who are on patrol morning and afternoon keeping our tamariki safe while crossing the road.

We are pleased to share a Road Safety Quiz with you, to help spread awareness regarding traffic and road safety rules. At school tamariki learn and test their knowledge about staying safe around roads, now our whānau can too. Refresh your knowledge about traffic, road safety and child safety rules using this fun Road Safety Quiz.

Thank you for doing your bit to keep us safe on and around the road.

Kylee Holmes, Road Patrol and Travelwise Co-ordinator (kyleeh@botanydowns.school.nz)

Build Update…

The diggers have been working hard laying pipes for the new classroom block…

LIBRARY NEWS

Caught Reading…

Our wall display is underway… please continue to send us photos of your children (or yourself) being Caught Reading so we can fill the whole space! Email your pics to: vanessah@botanydowns.school.nz. Thank you!