Balmoral School Newsletter - 7 February 2025

Upcoming Events

Te Tumuaki / Principal

Kia ora e te whānau

We have had a lovely start to the school year. I thank our parent community for preparing the tamariki so well. I also thank the teachers who came back from their holidays for at least three days to prepare the classrooms and learning sequences so that we could hit the ground running. 

Hopefully, we will meet you all next week at the Meet the Teacher evenings. 

Ngā mihi

Malcolm

School Closed Friday 14 March

Teachers will participate in a Professional Development (PD) day around the Curriculum refresh of Mathematics. This is the first of two Ministry of Education-directed Professional Learning days for Maths. We will email a booking link later this month if you need to book your child into The Village Square Trust (onsite) for the day.

School is closed for the children on this day.

Meet the Teacher Evenings

Next week, we will host our Meet the Teacher evenings from 5 to 6 p.m. over four nights, allowing parents with multiple children to attend their respective classes.

Each night, the presentation will start with a PowerPoint outlining the learning programmes for that Year Group. Parents will be able to see the classroom and be introduced to the Teacher.

Monday 10 Feb: Intermediate and Koru (Year 1)

Tuesday 11 Feb: Hiringa (Year 5 / 6)

Wednesday 12 Feb: Mahira ( Year 2)

Thursday 13 Feb: Whetu (Year 3 / 4)

Maths Parent Workshop

Wednesday 26th February, 5:30-6:45 pm

Sally Rawson, Maths Within School Leader, will take parents through a Maths lesson as if you were a student.

A Google booking form will be emailed to you early next week.

School Bell Times 

Intermediate:

8:15                             Gates Open

8:50am                      School starts.

3:00pm                      School finishes.

3:10pm                       Final bell – all unsupervised students should have left

Primary:

8:30am                       Gates Open

9:00am                      School starts.

3:00pm                      School finishes.

3:10pm                       Final bell – all unsupervised students should have left

Teachers are expected to be in their classrooms at least half an hour before the first bell of the day.  

Students are expected to leave the school grounds promptly at 3 pm.  Children in years 0 and 1 will be kept in their classrooms until they are collected.  Children should not be on school property unsupervised after 3.15 pm as teachers are not on duty, and staff meetings begin at 3.10 pm. 

An after-school child care centre (The Village Trust) is operating on the premises (School auditorium foyer). 

School Gates Operating Times

The school gates are closed from 9:00 am to 2:50 pm during the school day. Visitors can enter the school through the school office.

Gate 2 Pohutukawa Gate

Morning: 7 am - 9:00 am Afternoon: 2:50 pm until 5:45 pm

Gate 5 Eldon Road Gate

Morning: 8:30 am - 9:00 am Afternoon: 2:50 pm until 3:40 pm

All Other Gates (Rimu and St Albans)

Morning: 8:30 am - 9:00 am Afternoon: 2:50 pm until 3:20 pm
St Albans gate is currently closed until the end of Term 1.

Sun Hats

As part of our sun-safe policy, all children must wear a hat. Thanks to all the parents for preparing children at home by providing hats and to our ākonga who have been wearing these this week.

New sun hats can be purchased from the school office or The Warehouse in St Lukes.

Safety at the School Gate

We strongly encourage all tamariki (children) to choose sustainable ways to get to school, such as walking, scootering, biking, or using public transport. Making the journey to and from school safe is a shared responsibility, and we ask all adults to set a positive example by following these important road safety rules and discussing them with their children.

• - Always drive safely—our children are counting on you.
• - Use designated parking spaces; it's vital for everyone's safety.
• - Please avoid double-parking; it creates hazards for all.
• - Respect our neighbours by not blocking their driveways.
• - Refrain from making U-turns outside the school to ensure clear visibility.
• - Always utilise the pedestrian crossings outside the school for safety.
• - Do not call children across the road; let them cross safely at designated points.

Together, we can create a safe and welcoming environment for our tamariki! Thank you for your cooperation.

School Property

The pool redevelopment is on time and will be completed by the end of this term. The development includes an extension of the concrete apron so that the tamariki can use all four sides of the pool. We have also repaired some leaks in the pool.

The new sports shed is also well underway, with all blockwork now finished and the water storage tanks have arrived.

Balmoral School Tuckshop re-opens Wednesday 12 February see below menu

Message from the Library

We were so happy with the number of books families borrowed for the summer holidays. If they are still at home, please send them back with your Children, or drop them into the Red Tub in the office foyer.

Families are always welcome to pop in straight after school to loan more books.

Balmoral Sports Leagues

Balmoral School enters teams into external competitions for flippaball/minipolo, waterpolo, basketball and netball. All registrations for these sports are on the school website. Below is some information regarding each code. All further information is on the school website and within the registration forms. 

Flippaball

I still have a few places available in our school flippaball teams. This is open to all Year 4-6 students. Further information is available on the school website and on the registration form. Please sign-up before Monday 10^th February 5pm.

https://www.balmoral.school.nz/flippaball-yr46

Waterpolo

Waterpolo is open to all intermediate students. The league runs over terms 2 & 3 each year. I am in the process of finalising our pool times for practices and I have secured 2 coaches for our teams. The sign-up form will be available on the school website in Term 1, Week 3. In the mean time more information can be found on the school website.

Netball

Each year Balmoral School enters the largest number of teams into the Windmaill Park competition. In 2025 we are looking to grow this number further by offering Netball to Year 0-2 for the first time. Netball is open to all girls and boys, and we would love to see even more boys join in 2025.

The school netball competitions run over Terms 2 & 3 but the preparation for entry into the competition begins in Term 1.

Pre-season Netball Meeting Year 0-8

I will be running a netball meeting for parents and students on Wednesday 19^th February 2025 in the school hall at 3pm. If you are new to netball this is an opportunity to hear how netball runs and the plan for 2025. I will cover costs, uniforms, coaching and managing teams. This is a great opportunity to come and ask me many questions you may have. Everyone is welcome to attend.

2025 Netball Registration

All registrations will be available on the school website on Wednesday 12^th February. All the information you need is on these registration forms so please make sure you refer back to your reply email. These registration forms have the league start and finish dates, all trial information for Year 5-8, costs and uniform details. All trial times are also on the calendar on the school website.

Netball Uniforms

All Year 4-8 students who need to purchase a netball dress or top can do so at the school office 8:30am-9:00am or 3:00pm-3:30pm each day. A parent is required to attend these fittings with their child to confirm the size and payment is required on the day. These uniforms are made to order so the last day for ordering is Friday 7^th March to ensure that we have the uniforms in time for the season which starts in May. Please note that ordering a new uniform needs to happen before the school trials and team selections. No new uniforms will be able to be ordered after this date. All students who register for netball will be placed in a team. There may be a small number of secondhand uniforms available to purchase on the Balmoral School Uniform Exchange Facebook page, but no guarantee can be made of how many will be available. https://www.facebook.com/groups/520331538727636

Netball Year 0-2

Last year we held a successful 'Taster' session run by Auckland Netball at the school courts and we are looking to repeat this again in Term 1. Information about this will be emailed directly to Year 0-2 parents when the date for this is confirmed.

We will then be entering teams into the Term 2 competition. The game that they play at this level is hugely modified and focuses only on passing, catching and shooting. There are 4 players on the court at a time and there are no positions. There will be no uniform needed to play at this level of netball.

Please see more information about this game format here:

https://futureferns.co.nz/component/nnzlibrary/download/5a7f1a8c23a11dd6dcbf23c9ad421ee6.html

Netball Year 3/4

At these year levels players are allocated into teams. Teams can be made up of friend groups and I welcome you to let me know who your child would like to play with. Year 3 will have uniforms loaned to them by the school. All Year 4 players will need to purchase a uniform to play.

Netball Year 5/6

As teams are graded into the Auckland Netball competition, we need to trial our players to group like abilities. All Year 5/6 players will need to purchase a uniform to play.

Netball Year 7/8

Pre-season Netball Musters

I am running 2 optional intermediate netball musters at the Windmill Park Netball Courts. The aim of this is to teach our Year 7s how to play 7-a-side netball and to give our Year 8s a chance to get some court time before trials. Those who have never played netball, but would like to try it out, can come along and be shown how to play. These sessions are not trials and will be a social time and an opportunity to try out playing in a number of positions. I will have a group of experienced ex-Balmoral netballers there to coach players and umpire the games. I need expressions of interest to get an idea on numbers. Please register on the school website.

https://www.balmoral.school.nz/netball

There will be separate Y7 and Y8 trials. All players will need to purchase a uniform to play.

Summer League Netball

Auckland Netball runs a 6-week Summer League at Windmill Park on Wednesday after school. Balmoral School does not enter school teams into this competition, but I would encourage players to get a social team together. This is great preparation for the netball season and will allow players to get some game time before the school trials. If you don't have enough players for team, then there is the opportunity to enter as an individual. Entries close 14th February 2025.

https://www.aucklandnetball.co.nz/competitions-leagues/social-netball/summer-league---terms-1-4

Balmoral Basketball

In 2024 Balmoral School joined the Central Hoops League run by Auckland City Basketball entering 5-6 teams each term. This proved to be a successful league, and in 2025 we plan to build on the learnings from this league and support our players to play basketball to the best of their ability. Balmoral also facilitated the Central Auckland Silverbacks to run their skills sessions in the school gym each week.

These two opportunities are available to all Year 5-8 students again this year.

Balmoral School League Teams Year 5-8

Anyone that is interested in playing basketball for Balmoral School can sign up via the school website. The Central Hoops League is open to Year 5-8 girls and boys.

All Y5/6 players will be allocated into a team.

All Y7/8 players will have the choice when registering of opting into trialing for the 2 competitive teams or registering to be allocated into a social team. All competitive teams will re-trial again in the middle of term 2.

All players that sign up will be entered into a team. 

The term 1 competition is 6 weeks. Y5/6 and Year 7/8 competitive teams play on a Tuesday night. The Year 7/8 non-competitive/social teams play on a Thursday night. All games are played in the Auckland Grammar Sports Centre.

Players will be required to re-register each term and the teams adjusted accordingly. This allows flexibility for other sports during the year. The is no obligation to play all 4 terms of the year.

Please ensure that you have had a conversation with your child and ensure they want to play and can commit to the 6 week competition.

Year 5/6 entries close Friday 21st February 2025

Year 7/8 competitive entries close Monday 10^th February 2025

Year 7/8 non-competitive entries close Friday 21st February 20245

Please find further information via the link and by clicking into the registration form:

https://www.balmoral.school.nz/basketball

Central Auckland Silverbacks Skills Session

Balmoral facilitates the Central Auckland Silverbacks coming in to run their skills sessions in the school gym. They are passionate about increasing the skill level of basketball players at a junior level. 

Year 5/6 Thursday 3:15pm - 4:15pm

Year 7/8 Thursday 7:30am - 8:30am

These sessions are run by an experienced basketball coach and the cost is $110 for 8 sessions.

Please note that this is not run by the school and registration and payment for this is directly to the Central Auckland Silverbacks. Choosing to attend these sessions has proven invaluable for skill progression and game development.

To register for the skill session:

https://membership.mygameday.app/regoform.cgi?formID=116992

There is also a link on the school website.

Both these opportunities are optional. Players can choose to do either or both options. Feedback from the league and skills session organisers is those who are serious about playing basketball benefit the most from playing for the school, practicing with their school team and having the extra training skills session each week.

Please contact me at sport@balmoral.school.nz if you have any questions.

Meredith Hughes

Sports League Coordinator

Balmoral School

Primary School News

Kia ora e te whānau

We had a very calm start to the year on Monday. It was lovely to see the tamariki back after a long holiday, slotting right back into their school routine. Thank you for your support in helping to make such a smooth transition happen. Thanks also to the teachers and teaching assistants, for all of the preparation they did in the holidays to be ready for the start of the year.

Nau mai, haere mai ki ngā tamariki. We'd also like to say a warm welcome to all of the tamariki and their whānau who are new to Balmoral School, either joining from other schools, or who had their very first day of school on Monday! Our whakatau on Tuesday was a wonderful experience and allowed us to more formally welcome our new whānau into our community. We hold a whakatau every term and you are most welcome to attend these and support our manuhiri in feeling settled into our school. 

We are looking forward to seeing you at the 'Meet the teacher' evenings next week. This is an opportunity to meet all of the teachers in your child's year group and to find out more about the curriculum. 

Ngā mihi nui

Katy

Intermediate School News

Welcome to 2025

We have had a great start to the year in the Intermediate, with everyone back rested and relaxed for the start of the year. Thank you to all our whānau who helped their children be ready! In the Year 7 hubs there is already evidence on the walls of the great questions and thinking the children have been doing about the world around them.

We have started our sports and clubs programmes this week. The children are encouraged to keep an eye on the notices, which are shared each morning by the teachers, to see when sign ups are. Intermediate is a great time to try as many different things as you can, possibly things you have not done before, and this is the message teachers are giving their classes.

We look forward to meeting you at next Monday's Meet the Teacher evening.

Music Itinerant Teachers

We are lucky to have highly skilled musicians who teach their instruments at Balmoral School. For more information on our itinerant teachers, including their contact details.

Community News