Newsletter Issue 7
Term 3 - September 7 2022
Principal’s Update
Kia ora, Nameste, Talofa, Konnichiwa, Guten Tag, Gidday, Vannakkam, ni Hao, Kia orana, Hola, Salam, Sa wat deekha, Dia Dhuit, Goeie Dag, Bonjour, Καλημέρα, Greetings everyone
Student Council's Onesie Day
Last Friday saw the whole school snuggled in their onesies to fundraise for Wellington Free Ambulance. It was a fantastic effort by the school and we raised $286.40. Thank you to our proactive and committed student council, supported by Ms Bridgman, who organised this bit of fun to finish our week. Check out the great photos later in the newsletter.
Hub 3 Zoo visit
On Thursday Hub 3 headed off to the Zoo as part of their learning focus for this half of the term on animals. They have written information reports about animals and went to see their learning 'in real life'! By all accounts a great day was had by all - take a look at what the students thought and some great photos later in the newsletter.
Upcoming Events - Hope to see you there!
High Notes performance - Monday night:
Our Artsplash singers have been practising hard over the last couple of weeks because Monday is their performance date! This is the first year where our Year 3 students have been involved in the choir. There has been an element of 'playing catch up' for our singers this year as we were unsure for some time if Artsplash would go ahead with the restrictions at the beginning of the year. Despite this, High Notes are sounding great and are a shining example to us all. Check out the notice in the newsletter below outlining the timing and venue for this exciting celebration of the musical talents of our Bellevue High Notes Choir.
Whakawhanaungatanga Friday - please join us!
After a few rounds to establish this exciting initiative, we are excited to invite our whānau along to join us on 23 September for our last Whakawhanaungatanga Friday of the term. Read on to find out more.
Better Start Literacy Approach
For those families who were unable to attend our first BSLA whānau information session, the slides and information are now online - HERE on our website. We will be adding to this page with clips of the sessions in action and further information. If there is enough interest, we intend to offer another whānau information session focused on the different ways families can support their child at home with this approach. Please watch this space for the opportunity to register your interest.
Values Vouchers
With support and training from Cassie Woodhouse, our Peer Mediators are back out in the playground. These student leaders are focused on noticing and acknowledging behaviours that are in line with the school values as well as helping their peers to problem solve any issues that may arise (sometimes in consultation with the duty teacher). This week I have had two students come to visit for their prize from the values bucket:
- Elaaf from Hub 3 for 'Kindness' and taking care of another student
- Elsie from Hub 1 for 'Respect' - managing herself quietly in a noisy classroom.
Ka pai tamariki ma! It is exciting to see the way our students demonstrate the values at the most unexpected times.
Learning Celebrations - End Term 3
To mark the end of another great term of learning, on Wednesday 21 September we will be holding the second of our 'Learning Celebrations' for the year. This is an opportunity to come into the classes and take a look at all the rich learning your child has been involved in. Classrooms will be open with students learning displayed from 3 - 4.30pm and then again between 5.30 - 7pm. Your children will be preparing for this over the coming weeks and are excited to share their learning with you.
Individual meeting times will not be scheduled for this event, but we would encourage families to take the opportunity to talk informally with their child's whānau class teacher. As always, if you prefer a one to one meeting, you are very welcome to request an appointment with your child's whānau class teacher.
Ngā manaakitanga
Annette
HEALTH & SAFETY UDATE - Please note mask update
We remain open and our average attendance is 86% (as at today) for this week, as we aim for a steady 90% attendance again.
We are still operating under our 'Open' scenario for our provision of distance learning on our (updated for Orange) Community Plan - which can be found on the website.
Please do continue to inform us if your child tests positive or is required to isolate so we can code them accurately in the roll as:
- unwell
- self isolating - so accessing distance learning
- at home due to family decision - so accessing distance learning
annette@bellevue-newlands.school.nz and office@bellevue-newlands.school.nz
Thank you.
If you have let us know that your child is self isolating or has tested positive, please also let the office know when they return to school.
Please continue to monitor your child and do not send your child to school if they have any symptoms.
WELCOME
Haere mai ki te kura o Bellevue. Welcome to the following student and their whanau. It is great to have you in our Bellevue Learning Community.
Evie Roestenburg in Room 4
Thank you to the following parents who accompanied and supervised students on the Hub 3 Zoo trip last Thursday:
Tiresa, George, Max, Kyle, Sophia, Lin, Mike, Reina, Toby, Katherine, Jeremy, Yeng Yeng, David and Tracy.
Staff News
Sadly we are losing Miss Isabel Bridgman from our Bellevue whānau at the end of the term. Isabel has recently brought a new home in the Wairarapa and has been successful in winning a role at Kahutara School - much closer to her new home!
Isabel has been a valued member of the Hub 5 team, has led student council this year and is our staff representative on the Board. We are very appreciative of all she has brought to the school and, although we are excited for her, she will be greatly missed.
We are very fortunate, however, to have two wonderful part time teachers who already work in Hub 5 (so are well known to the children) and who are willing to support the Room 15 learners until the end of the year. Miriam Buikhuizen and Vicky Sime will become the Room 15 kaiako for Term 4.
To support the Hub 5 students to have a settled end to their positive year, Hub 5 will work in whānau classes for Term 4.
Bellevue School Board Casual vacancy for a parent representative
A casual vacancy exists on the school board for an elected parent representative. The casual vacancy occurred as there were fewer nominations than the number of positions to be filled after our election.
The board has decided to fill this vacancy by running a By Election Process. More information about casual vacancies can be found here: https://www.schoolboardelections.org.nz/board-resources/casual-vacancies/
The Bellevue Board have opted for this option, as opposed to the selection process, to encourage our community members who may have been considering standing for the Board, to put their nominations in.
Should we not receive any nominations then the Board will consider the selection process.
The Bellevue team and Board encourage you to consider becoming a member of this proactive, supportive team who are driven by supporting our tamariki to be active, connected life-long learners.
Please feel free to contact the Board by emailing boardchair@bellevue-newlands.school.nz
Kind Regards,
Bellevue Board
Bellevue School, Newlands School Board Elections
Parent By-Election Notice
Nominations are open for the election of one (1) parent representative to the school board.
All eligible voters will receive a nomination form via email. Use this form to nominate yourself
or someone in your community. You will also receive a nomination cover letter via email
calling for nominations. Information on who is not eligible to be a board member is provided with
the nomination form. If you need more nomination forms, contact the school office.
Nominations close at noon on Friday 30 September 2022. You may provide a signed
candidate statement and photograph with your nomination. The electoral roll is held at the
school and can be viewed during normal school hours. As nominations are received, there
will be a list of candidates’ names kept at the school up until election day, which you can
view.
Voting closes at 4pm on Friday 4 November 2022.
Signed Amanda Beauchamp, Returning Officer
Hub 3 Zoo Visit
Hub 3 went to the Zoo on Thursday 1st September.
We were lucky enough to see the kangaroos hop right past us. One of the monkeys had a baby that it was protecting by swinging from branch to branch. The cotton-topped tamarin were jumping at the windows and the meerkats were being fed. We also saw the giraffes, they were pretty stinky!
Tim the zoo keeper taught us how to look after animals like otters, penguins and monkeys.
Thank you to the parents who came and helped us at the zoo.
Collaboratively written by Hub 3
WHAKAWHANAUNGATANGA FRIDAY - WEEK 9 (FRIDAY 23 SEPTEMBER)
Painting in 'The Arts' group
Creating courses and coding Beebots
You are invited!
As mentioned in our Issue 4 Newsletter, each third Friday afternoon we have been continuing to trial our new initiative known as Whakawhanaungatanga Friday.
Whakawhanaungatanga is all about establishing relationships and, after a rather disconnected couple of years, it has been great to see students reconnecting so we are rebuilding the amazing tuakana-teina relationships across all of the Hubs from our newest tamariki to our senior school leaders.
Each session, children opt in to one of three curriculum areas (The Arts, STEM, or Health and PE). On these days we all have an early lunch so that at 1:30pm we can all get stuck into some amazing learning together as a whole school community. As we celebrate learning, acknowledging and promoting our school values as we would once have done in a school assembly, there is one important aspect of our school community that has been missing so far though, and that is you - our whānau!
On Friday of Week 9 (Friday 23 September) we would love it if you could come along and join your child/children in their learning for the afternoon. The session starts at 1:30pm and ends at 2:45pm. Children will be all around the school so there will be a map of activities in the Office when you arrive, as well as a list of which children are in which learning area. We can’t wait to see you there!
If this initiative continues to be a success for our children and community, we intend for it to replace our school assemblies. It has the same purpose and many of the same ‘ingredients’ while better supporting the ‘active’ and ‘connected’ aspects of our vision -‘We are active, connected life-long learners’.
ARTSPLASH
Bellevue High Notes (School Choir Years 3-6) are excited to be once again part of Artsplash after it being cancelled last year due to Covid.
We will be on stage as part of the massed choir in the Michael Fowler Centre on Monday 12 September at 7.30pm. The concert is about one hour in duration.
We would love you to come along and support us.
Tickets $5 from the school office
Sports News
Touch Rugby:
Touch Rugby is starting up again in Term 4. If you are interested in signing up your child(ren), please follow this link. Registrations need to be completed by 30 September.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHN3-QCA_XNxd7-hgPOb1Xr9I0yckbdqW0M40_DIkqonFsRQ/viewform
Newlands Junior Rugby:
On Friday some students celebrated the end of rugby season with the Newlands Junior Rugby Club prizegiving.
Lucas C, Pyper, Jake, Luke and Harley took home some awards for being the Most Valuable or Most Improved players for their teams this season.
Milo, Harry, Ryder, Mickey, Rosa, Willow, Isabel, Felix, Julian, Lucas H and Lennox also play for the club and had a great season.
School Organisation for 2023
Term 4 is a short term and always busy term! At this time of year we begin looking at the numbers of students we anticipate in each year level to make decisions about class organisation and placement for the following year.
At Bellevue, providing the best environment for learning is at the forefront of our decisions. The number of classes we start the year with is dependent on the staffing entitlement received from the Ministry of Education. This is based on the number of students in the school.
Our teachers are capable of teaching at all levels of the school and so we can allocate teachers to classes no matter the structure of the school or where they were teaching the previous year.
When looking at class composition, we aim to meet each child's needs regardless of the whānau class or mix of year groups. Our team of skilled educators takes the following factors into account when considering class placement for students -
- Individual needs and achievement
- Peer relationships
- Learning groups and friendship groups
- Age and year group
- Gender balance and number of students
- Siblings in other classes and year groups
We are committed to making the most appropriate placement, considering all the information.
If there are any factors we may not be aware of that you believe are important for us to take into account please contact the school over the coming month - by 21 October at the latest. There will be reminders in the newsletter before and after the term break.
You can talk with your child's teacher or a member of the leadership team or email us at Anne Smith (Deputy Principal Year 0-3) annes@bellevue-newlands.school.nz, Deeann Daniels (Deputy Principal Year 4-6) deeann@bellevue-newlands.school.nz, Annette Borgonje (Principal) annette@bellevue-newlands.school.nz.
Once again, please make sure that you have contacted us before 21 October (end of the first week back) so we can take this into consideration when planning classes early next term.
SHOTS TO MAKE YOU SMILE - ONESIE DAY
A total of $286.40 was raised for Wellington Free Ambulance on Onesie day. Thank you to all those who took part.
OUT OF ZONE ENROLMENTS
Important information about the Bellevue School enrolment scheme (zone) -
If you have pre-schoolers at home that you are planning to enrol at Bellevue School in the future, here are a few important things to know and put into action:
1. If you are living outside of the Bellevue School enrolment zone, then your pre-schooler(s) will need to be processed as an out of zone application. Please let us know, if you haven’t already, of any future enrolments at Bellevue School from your family. It helps greatly with our planning to know well in advance. And if we know then we can also prompt you as to when you need to get your out of zone application in.
2. It is very important that out of zone applications are received by the application deadline of 9am Friday 23 September 2022, for enrolment from Friday 16 December 2022 to Thursday 6 April 2023. We cannot accept any out of zone applications if they are not received by the deadline advertised for the enrolment period your child is due to start school in. The deadline can sometimes be up to six months prior to your child actually starting school.
3. Even if your pre-schooler(s) are in zone, please get your paperwork in to us as soon as possible to enable us to plan ahead. We need this information to be able to work out how many out of zone applications we can accept in each enrolment period. If you have any questions or are unsure about anything, please call the school office and talk to Amanda.
Welcome to Spring everyone! And hopefully Winters last hurrah…
Our next FUNdraisers Committee Meeting is next week, 15 September, see
you there? We will be discussing and putting in place further fundraising
opportunities for Term 4.
The Wildflower World Spring Seed Fundraiser is currently active with orders closing
on the 16 September. The delivery date is TBA at this stage, but likely in early
Term 4.
Order forms are updated on our webpage:
https://www.bellevue-newlands.school.nz/fundraisers
If you have any queries, suggestions or feedback regarding FUNdraisers, please
don’t hesitate to be in touch on email: fundraisers@bellevue-newlands.school.nz
Updates…
Kids Art Work (Calendar Art)
Orders are closed and being processed.
We do not yet have a delivery date for the products, but my guess is early Term 4.
Pizza Lunches
Standby for the outcomes of the End of Term Lunch survey.
Wildflower World Spring Seed Fundraiser – Orders close 16 September
For the avid (or novice) gardeners amongst us, we are offering this seed fundraiser
(very similar to the bulb fundraiser of 2021). Details have been distributed via the
FUNdraisers Facebook page as well as forms into school bags last week. Don’t
forget to check in with those gardenings grand parents and aunts if they need thing!
Bellevue Book Fair – 5 November 2022
Doing a Spring Clean around home? We would be delighted to receive your
generously donated books! We have a collection box in the school reception/office
area for you to drop off book donations.
We are also considering something a little new…. Would any of our Bellevue family
arts and crafters would like to join us with a stall on the day of the book fair. Please
contact Rebecca at fundraisers@bellevue-newlands.school.nz with information
about your wares.
It might not pan out – but let’s see!
Important Dates
Monday 12 September
Artsplash Choir
- Rehearsal 12 noon
- Performance 7.30pm
Thursday 15 September
FUNdraisers Meeting - staffroom 7pm
Wednesday 21 September
Learning celebration - open evening
Classes open 3 - 4.30pm / 5.30 - 7pm
Thursday 22 September
Board meeting
Friday 30 September
Term 3 ends
Monday 17 October
Term 4 begins
Wednesday 19 October - Wednesday 7 December (Term 4)
Hub 1 & 2 Swimming (every Wednesday)
Friday 21 October
Teacher Only Day - School Closed
Monday 24 October
Labour Day - School Closed
Saturday 5 November
Bellevue FUNdraisers Book Fair
Friday 18 November
Te Korowai ō Horokiwi Kapa Haka Festival - details to come
Wednesday 23 - Friday 25 November
Hub 5 Camp
Newsletter proudly sponsored by
Email: office@bellevue-newlands.school.nz
Phone: 04 4787037