Balmoral School Newsletter - 22 March 2024 -
Principal
Tēnā koutou i tēnei ahiahi
This week, our Year 7 ākonga are at a school camp in the Waikato. On Wednesday, I spent the day with the tamariki as they worked on various activities.
School camps are vital to fulfilling the objectives outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies. These experiences provide students with opportunities beyond the classroom, enabling them to apply their acquired knowledge in life-replicating situations.
During activities requiring teamwork and effective communication, such as setting up tents, orienteering and making lunch and breakfast with others, students develop essential skills in collaboration and interpersonal interaction. Moreover, the challenges encountered during camp foster problem-solving abilities and resilience, as students must adapt to unforeseen circumstances and persevere in adverse conditions. School camps serve as invaluable situations for enhancing the key competencies outlined in the curriculum, preparing students for the complexities of the modern world.
These key competencies are gaining significance, especially with the rise of remote work, and are increasingly valued across various sectors. Notably, they've been highlighted in 78% of global job postings in the past three months (Linkedin).
Yet, it's not just about hiring individuals with the right transferable skills; companies are also prioritising the upskilling of their workforce to address the high demand for social and emotional skills. According to a McKinsey survey, the focus on empathy and interpersonal skills doubled in 2020. Additionally, skills such as leadership and management saw a significant uptick in priority, increasing by ten percentage points from 2019 to 2020, reaching 50%.
Based on these trends, the importance of camps and EOTC should only grow.
Nāku noa
Malcolm
Year 7 Camp (Find the Tuatara)
We Need Your Help Parents
We have noticed a trend since COVID-19 in which parental support for school activities has been reduced.
We always need parents to help with sports days for Years 5/6 and the Intermediate School. I encourage you to make yourself available.
Teachers are also struggling to get parents to respond to permission forms promptly. Last weekend, a teacher had to spend an afternoon following up for the third time to get a response about a school trip.
We have decided this week that if we do not get a response to a permission form by the due date and enough parents for a trip, we will cancel these events promptly.
Ākonga and Whānau Learning Conferences Next Week
On Tuesday 26 March, school will close, as normal, at 3.00pm. Conferences will start at 3.15pm and continue until the final interview at 5.45pm. Please bring your child with you.
On Wednesday 27 March, school will close at 12.30pm. Please arrange to collect your child from school at this time. Conferences with teachers will begin at 1.00pm and the final interview for the day will be scheduled for 6.45pm. Please bring your child with you.
Bookings close on Monday at 10am.
To Book
- Go to https://parentinterviews.co.nz/
- Click on Book my interviews
- Enter event code into box and click on start my booking
Code is XGUVUKQA
- Choose your teacher - Bookings are open to all available teachers including the Intermediate Technology teachers (Lauren, Sarah and Craig), Learning Support (Jacqui SENCO, Kylie ESOL, Don Literacy Support) and our Music staff (Alex Year 5-8 music and Sarah Year 1-4 music).
The Village Trust (After School Care) will be running a half-day sessions for BOOKINGS ONLY on Wednesday 27 March - parents MUST book this if they are needing childcare from 12:30pm. Click here to book Wednesday 27th March 2024.
THANK YOU
The teachers attended their Paid Union Meeting on Thursday. I thank our community for supporting this PUM by picking up their child/ren early yesterday.
Cambridge Grassroots Velodrome Cyclists
A team of three boys from Years 6-7 consisting of Henry York, Dylan Wakenell and Liam Langdon have begun an exciting experience of becoming accredited cyclists at the Cambridge Grassroots Velodrome. The boys are currently undertaking five weeks of training to become accredited riders before competing in the Battle of the Schools event against other schools in New Zealand. They have now completed two weeks of training and are improving their skills at the Velodrome each week. We wish the boys the best of luck as they continue into the next phase of training and compete in the Battle of the Schools!
Library News
Save the date - Book Character Parade, Term 2, week 4, Friday 24 May. More details coming, but we are hoping children will dress up as a book character. Home made, and child inspired preferred.
Primary School News
Whānau Mahira
The term is passing quickly. We have enjoyed getting to know the children and their whānau. It has been exciting to see new friendships forged and existing ones strengthened. Our days are busy with play, reading, maths, book making, talking, phonics, water skills, gymnasium, library visits and music sessions. All these enable the children to develop the habits of thinking, persisting, being creative, managing self and communicating.
This week the children enjoyed a session with a football coach from Auckland United Football Club. The children were building their football skills and played a short game.
Our Inquiry has been focussing on Maunghawhau, our local maunga. We looked at photographs of Maungawhau and diagrams of a Pā. The children made comparisons and noticed fencing, positions of houses, the trees, roads and terracing. The children have been interested in how early Māori lived. They have been constructing a Pā, not just the whare but things Māori needed to live - gardens, fire, fences, pātaka (for food storage) .
We are looking forward to a visit, next week, from the Auckland Museum to talk to us about volcanoes which is another lens on Maungawhau. In the Hub we are starting to look at how different artists have portrayed the maunga over the years. The children are constructing their own piece of art. Next term we will be visiting Maungawhau. We will look at some of the natural features of the Maunga and imagine what it was like when it was a thriving Pā.
During Mitey, we have been exploring all the different types of feelings. We started off by reading a picture book called “Little Ruby & Friends” by Ruby Tui. In the book, we spotted lots of descriptive words around feelings such as: upset, frustrated, embarrassed, happy and confused. We got a chance to talk to the person next to us and think of as many descriptive words around feelings. As a whole class, we brainstormed some more words we could add to the list and we added lots more.
Eden Albert Touch Rugby
On the 5th of March, Balmoral Primary had 3 teams go to the Eden Albert Touch Rugby tournament to compete against many different schools. We started the day ready and excited to go, unfortunately, our Bus was not on the same page and we were very late to the tournament! We managed to just make it in time for our first game (running from the bus and straight onto the field) and once we were set up and settled we managed to see a lot of success. All three teams managed to get a couple of great wins and continued to improve throughout the day. It was a great tournament with some amazing tries set up and scored. Our mixed team managed to get 2nd place and our boys and girls just missed out in the semi finals.
Thank you to all the parents who came to help out and support the teams. Everyone seemed to have a great day with a lot of cheering, laughter and smiles.
Intermediate School News
In Hub 2, the ākonga have been exploring the idea of using symbols to represent themselves in flag form. They have also explored explanation writing. These three pieces explain the flags above.
Emily's (my) flag, painted in her Term 1 Year 8, is a symbolic artwork, which shows were she is from, and how she is proud of that. The flag has the Union Jack in the top-left corner. Ablack background sits behind it, and a green fern runs diagonally from the bottom-left corner, to the top-right corner. It was hung up in Hub 2 in 2024 for their Inquiry.
One important symbol is the fern. It represents how she was born in New Zealand, and grew up there. She feels New Zealand is really part of her identity. The Union Jack shows that although she was born in New Zealand, her parents grew up in England and Wales. The black background makes it clear that she has lived in New Zealand her whole life.
Emily's flag is not alone, everyone in Hub 2 has made one to hang up in the air, side by side. When you look up at them, you can see the diversity of the hub, with everyone pouring part of their identity into their own flag. Each flag is unique it it's own way, however when they are side by side, they are connected in unity.
By Emily Douglas-Jones
My flag is split into three beautiful sections. The yellow looks like molten gold, the black is as dark as a bottomless pit. The yellow gracefully reappears like the moon at night.
This flag represents the ups and downs of life. This flag makes you remember that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. Never give up.
This flag is inspiring. This flag really makes you think.
By Ted Scrivens
When you look at my flag, the first thing you notice is the scarlet heart in the middle, with a person inside the heart. This person has thin, black glasses, cartoon eyes and a brown bob cut. Around the centre, my flag is divided into six separate sections, each with it's own symbol, each showing something I like or enjoy. The top-left however has four blobby people, each representing a member of my family, showing how close they are to my heart.
My person inside the heart symbolises my true, kind self inside my respectful heart. The symbols represent how everyone likes different things, and gives off a sense of specialness in everyone. I also put my family on my flag to show that everyone in my family looks different, and how special everyone is to each other.
I think that my flag shows self-acknowledgement, and knowing what you like. I have also noticed that there's at least one thing that my family members also like. The heart represents kindness and loyalty to others, and myself. The scarlet represents friendship as I have plenty of friends that I can laugh with.
By Hazel McComish
CZ Swimming Competition
On Thursday 14 March, 23 keen and eager competitors made their way to Dio for a day of fast paced action. Right from the first race, the competitors were busy: busy swimming or busy cheering. It didn’t take long for Balmoral to get the reputation of being the loud, enthusiastic team! Of course, when the Macarena is playing, it doesn’t take long for all teams to get up and dancing!
Many swimmers had plenty of races, and they did a great job managing their nerves, pacing their races, as well as keeping energy and hydration levels up. Most notably, the support and camaraderie between the competitors at Balmoral was admirable, even if it did add to the loud atmosphere.
Our swimmers came away feeling extremely proud of their efforts and more knowledgeable about how swimming competitions run. Special congratulations to both Ryder Collins and Rory Loftwood who both made finals and were chosen to represent the Central Zone at the Interzone champs.
Thank you to our parent support crew who helped transport the team, supported the swimmers and acted as timekeepers on the day. Your support is invaluable!
Community News
Are you going overseas for the school holidays?
When you return, you can now complete a digital New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) before you fly back into New Zealand – replacing the need to fill out a paper declaration card on the plane.
Everyone coming into New Zealand needs to complete an NZTD. You’ll answer questions about your trip and what’s in your bags. You can complete it at a time that suits you, on the NZTD website or by downloading the NZTD app, and submit it 24 hours before your trip back to New Zealand.
Download the NZTD app today!
The Village Trust Holiday programme plus Easter Tuesday
Easter Tuesday https://enrolmy.com/village-square-trust-epsom-normal-primary/book-now/34-ENPS-Easter-Tuesday-2nd-April-2024
April School Holiday Programme Enrolmy | The Village Square - Programmes for Children
