Dear Parents Thank you for supporting us with the Paid Union meetings tomorrow. Pick up time is 12:30. We will have limited supervision at school. SKIDS is available from 12:30. If you are unable to pick your child up, please email [email protected] as soon as possible. Please make sure that your children know exactly what they are to do at 12:30 -‐ whether or not to stay at school, to go to SKIDS or where to meet you. Prefects -‐ Each year we get a letter from Vicki Barrie, Principal of Northcote College -‐ telling us of our ex-‐students who are prefects for the coming year. Congratulations to former students who have been appointed Prefects for 2018. They are Harriet Carter, Christian Neville and Drew Smith. It is always good to hear that our students carry on achieving success after they leave us.
New families: It is always a real pleasure to show new families around the school. Their comments are typically about how attractive the classrooms look, how positive the children seem, how much is happening in the school.
Ministry of Education analysis: Yesterday, the Ministry presented us with a ‘Demand Analysis’ for this school. The purpose of the exercise is to guide the Ministry’s buildings planning for the school. Some interesting points from the report: The percentage of children who live in our zone and who come to this school has gradually increased over recent years -‐ from 52% in 2014 to 62% in 2016. From 2011, the October roll for the school has been: 352; 384; 382; 400; 421; to 432 in 2016. October 2017 was 446. October this year will be 465 or greater.
Mr Tony Cradwick of Highbury Optometry, has very kindly agreed to become a Gold Sponsor for the School, joining our other Gold Sponsors, Mark Jago of North Shore Toyota, and Debbie at CACI Clinic Birkenhead. Tony provides a fantastic service for the Birkenhead community. Our sincere thanks to Tony, and we trust that you will support him and Highbury Optometry.
Lovely feedback from a local resident who was at Hinemoa Park last Friday: Congratulations. We were at the playground at the Birkenhead wharf on Friday morning 16 March. We watched Year 6 students in groups doing water and on land tasks. We were so impressed with the students respect and kindness to each other, their teachers and support staff, and our three year old Grandsons. The teachers organisation and quiet approach with the students too was impressive.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB -‐ The Book Club flyer went home last week. It is full of great bargains and gives you a great opportunity to purchase books for your family at fantastic prices, and support our School at the same time. When you place a book order, the school receives 'rewards'. We use these 'rewards' to choose new books for our Library, at no cost. Reminder -‐ all purchases are to be done online, with no money coming to school. Your purchased books will be delivered to school and then given to your child. Closing Date for orders -‐ 30 March, 2018.
Might you be interested in Teacher Aide work in the school? Do you know of someone who has experience and might be keen? If so, please email me, or [email protected]
Northcote and Birkenhead Yacht Club will be hosting The NZ Feva Class Sailing Championships. Some of the best NZ young sailors will be competing. Come down to the Birkenhead Wharf Sat or Sun between 11 and 3 and watch some great racing. Yacht Club personnel are helping us with our waterwise. I hope that this might mean that more of our children go on to become competitive sailors.
Calendar March 23 -‐ Early pick up at 12:30, so teachers can attend their NZEI meeting. Friday March 30 -‐ April 3 -‐ Easter holiday. Schools are closed on THREE days -‐ Friday March 30, Monday April 2nd, AND Tuesday 3rd April. Tuesday April 10 – Paren/Teacher meetings. Friday April 13 -‐ Term 1 ends.
Birkenhead Primary School Newsletter March 22, 2018
Congratulations to last week’s Principal’s Award winners: Rm 1: Taha Ahmed, Naomi Tamura & Chris Rivera, Rm 2: Yuxi Meng & Aria Ribeiro, Rm 5: Maisie Wansbone & Annabel Stephens, Rm 6: Sakura Nagamune & Hamnah Vighio, Rm 7: Sasha Young & Caelan Scott, Rm 8: Beau Turner & Keisha Piper, Rm 9: Alex Martin & Roy Xu, Rm 11: Benedict Kenrick & Tom Fletcher, Rm 12: Cyprian Shepherd & Nico Wickenden, Rm 13: Jimmy Duff & Sam King, Rm 14: Zac l’Ami & Miles Ballard, Rm 16: Dijon Thin & Sumayah Hamzah, Rm 18: Kayla Taylor-‐Gallagher & Eddie Latu, Rm 19: Apoorva Roopesh & Isaac Hung, Rm 20: Charlie Hollis & Cade Ravenhall.
Sports: Sports: If you wish to play netball or hockey next term, please make sure that you have sent in your 'pay and play slips'-‐ they are due in by next Tuesday, 27 March
Here is a metaphor poem that Room 15 Writing class wrote about the BPS playground. The dark green grass is a whooshing deadly storm (Dijon) The crickets are rattling snakes, hiding in the bushes (Aleona) The soft mist of Mr Smith’s water blower is a low fog over concrete (Louie) The pile of sand that sparkles is the astonishing stars of the milky way (Vacky) The rapidly tweeting birds in the trees are musical notes being played (Olly) The rough bark of the tree is old paint peeling off its wall (Emma) The sun is a diamond, shining proudly (Aston) The crispy leaves are fireworks beneath my feet (Aisha) The rattle from Mr Smith’s water blaster is one thousand drums playing at the same time (Morgan) The metal railing is a broken heart (Fletcher) The bird signs around the Lawson Reserve are signs of a stranger (Aafin) The glossy paint on the playground are pieces of laminated paper (Henry) The cold water from Mr Smith’s water blaster is a snow wolf prowling along my leg (Ryan) The clouds above are fluffy pillows (Bekele) The soft, silky sandpit is fabric on my hand (Liam) The trees are adventurers standing tall (Joey) The playground is a coral reef exploding with life (Zac) The leaves crunching under my feet are rice crackers (Luke) The flying fox is a train screeching along the track (Oliver) The logs on the grassy field are giant green anacondas that silently slid and slide through the grass (Varen) The blue sky is the ocean up above with white fish swimming slowly (Lucas) The rush of the breeze is the roaring of the angry waves (Tina) The pretty water rainbow is paint painted on the marble floor (Shiori) The water hitting the wall is a dragon roaring at people (Sam) The hot, boiling sun is an exploding volcano bursting (Nik).
Have a wonderful week, Nigel Bioletti, Principal
Outside Organisations Duffy Books in Homes Information Evening Duffy Books in Homes is a literacy-‐focused charitable organisation that started as a so-‐called “impossible dream.” Yet partnering with businesses and numerous individual sponsors made the dream come true, helping 100,000 children in 526 schools nationwide and 286 early childhood centres, receive 700,000 free books a year! Save the date! Wednesday 18th April, 6pm-‐7:30pm, Birkenhead Library. Please RSVP to secure your place by email: [email protected] or call 09 377 0209 and ask for Birkenhead Library.
Thanks to our sponsors: Julie Shand (Harcourts) Ph 021 634 787) CACI Birkenhead (Ph 480 8500) Mark Jago (North Shore Toyota Ph 442 3600) Highbury Optometrists Ph 418 1347
