Balmoral School Newsletter - 7 March 2025

Upcoming Events

Te Tumuaki / Principal

Kia ora e te whānau

Student engagement in their learning and school attendance are key concerns in education today. Recent research suggests that increased standardised testing since the 1990s may have contributed to increasing student disengagement. Other researchers point to the rise of cell phone use and online distractions as significant factors.

Here at our school, we're actively addressing these challenges of attendance and engagement. For years, we've prioritised a values-based education through our Philosophy for Children program. This encourages students to explore essential concepts like friendship, theft and honesty through thoughtful peer discussion, fostering a deeper connection to their learning and values.

We've also developed an engaging, hands-on curriculum sometimes referred to by us as a playful curriculum. As you may have heard on RNZ National Radio last week, the explanation of children-led games (playfulness) and its importance in child development. Other NZ experts like the neuroscientist Nathan Wallis emphasise the crucial role of playfulness in child development.

We believe that a strong belief in playfulness fosters curiosity. If tamariki and adults enter any situation with curiosity, they are more likely to learn something new and challenge their ideas. A lack of curiosity leads to ignorance and stifles learning. 

Likewise, this playfulness or curiosity can develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and a genuine love of learning, which are vital for student engagement and adulthood.

While the debate on student engagement continues, we're committed to staying true to our vision of being curious. By staying curious, we will continue to be informed and adapt our approach to learning. We'll continue to prioritise creating a stimulating and supportive learning environment where every child thrives.

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. 
To book your child into The Village Square Trust for the day click here (Balmoral School).

School is closed for the children on this day.

School Conferences 25th and 26th March

Ākonga (Student) and Whānau (Family) Learning Conversations will be held on Tuesday, 25th March, from 3:15 pm - 6 pm and then on Wednesday, 26th March, from 1 pm - 7 pm.

On Wednesday 26 March the Tamariki will need to be picked up from school at 12:30 pm so conferences can start at 1:00pm. 

Bookings will open on Friday, 14th March and we will send you an email at this time. All bookings close on Monday 24th  March at 11:55 pm

AFTER SCHOOL CARE FROM 12:30PM:

If you require after-school care on Wednesday, 26 March, from 12:30pm, please click below. 
Click here to book in for half a day Wednesday 26th March at Balmoral School, The Village Square Trust.

Staffing Changes

This week, the Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of Yvette Audain, our Year 0 - 4 Music Teacher. We would like to acknowledge Yvette's work this term at school and wish her all the best for the future.

We have advertised this role online early this week.

We are currently experiencing a severe teacher shortage that shows no sign of abating.

Safety at the School Gate: Important Road Safety Reminder for Parents

To ensure the safety of our children, staff are present at the school crossing on Brixton and Eldon Road after school each day. Unfortunately, many adults are not using these designated crossings. This makes it challenging to teach our tamariki crucial road safety skills.

We respectfully request that all parents and caregivers use the school crossing on Brixton and Eldon Road. By doing so, you are demonstrating appropriate and safe behavior to our children.

We also ask that parents refrain from making U-turns, double parking, and parking across driveways on Brixton Road. These actions create very dangerous conditions for our tamariki.

To address these safety concerns, we have requested increased police patrols on Brixton Road. Officers will issue tickets to those who do not adhere to traffic regulations.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our tamariki safe.

Speed Limit Outside School

On a positive note, Auckland Transport has been able to keep the 30 kmph speed limit on Brixton Road and Eldon Road for the foreseeable future.

Commitment to Professional Growth

We are dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement through targeted professional development. Investing in our staff not only benefits our ākonga (learners) but also strengthens our school community.

Recently, our team has engaged in a range of impactful professional learning opportunities:

• Literacy Enhancement with Dr. Murray Gadd: Last week, Dr. Murray Gadd, a renowned New Zealand literacy researcher and consultant, worked in our school for two days. He worked closely with our staff in focused small group sessions, providing expert guidance on refining reading and writing instruction.
• Philosophy for Children (P4C) Training: This weekend, several of our kiako (teachers) completed the foundational Philosophy for Children (P4C) training course. This essential two-day program, led by Dr. Vanya Kovach from the University of Auckland, ensures all new teachers have the skills to facilitate critical thinking and philosophical inquiry in the classroom.
• First Aid and Resuscitation Certification: Over 50 staff members participated in comprehensive first aid and resuscitation training on Wednesday evening. This initiative underscores our commitment to student safety and ensures our team is prepared to respond effectively to medical emergencies. We sincerely appreciate the dedication of our staff who returned for this vital training.
• New Zealand Mathematics Curriculum Training: Next week, all teachers will participate in Ministry of Education-mandated training on the updated New Zealand mathematics curriculum. This program will continue in Term Two, ensuring our staff are well-versed in the latest pedagogical approaches.

We are grateful for our staff's dedication to ongoing learning and are confident that these professional development activities will enhance the educational experience for all our students. We remain committed to providing our staff with the necessary resources and opportunities to ensure they can cater for our tamariki's needs.

Ramadan Mubarak

As we have entered the holy month of Ramadan, we would like to extend our warmest wishes to our Muslim students, staff, and families.

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and increased devotion. During this month, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn till dusk, engaging in prayer, Quran recitation, and acts of charity. It is a time to strengthen faith, foster community bonds, and practice empathy and compassion.

We wish everyone a blessed and fulfilling Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Class of '61 Thanks

I want to acknowledge and thank the class of 1961, who visited the school a couple of weeks ago. They were so impressed with the students and the facilities that they wanted to be part of our community. They continued to feel a deep attachment to their school. They generously donated $500 to our school and asked if we could use that on a legacy project this year. We will complete this art project later in the year.

Cultural Day

Today was cultural day at our school, and we had a parade in the hall. As soon as the playtime bell rang, people stormed into the hall, causing a stampede. The music was on, the candy was delicious, and the atmosphere was lively. Loads of kids waved around their flags, and the photo booth was especially good (not only because I helped). As soon as the song ‘sigma boy’ went on, the hall went crazy and everyone started singing and dancing. After it ended, a lot of people left with disappointment that it had finished. 

By Daniel Xie

Primary School News

News from Whānau Whetu

Hub Highlights: Animal Homes and Creative Construction!

This term, Hub 9 and Hub 12 students have been diving deep into the fascinating world of animal homes! Through engaging inquiry-based learning, students have explored the diverse habitats of creatures like skinks, long-tailed bats, kea, and beavers.

Students began by hypothesizing about where animals live and why, then conducted research using Chromebooks to verify their ideas. They've been busy creating impressive animal habitats using a variety of materials, including cardboard, paper, sticks, and paint.

From constructing intricate long-tailed bat caves to building sturdy beaver dams and cozy rabbit burrows, students have embraced their creativity. They've also learned about the challenges animals face in their environments, discussing the benefits and problems of different habitats.

Students are enjoying the hands-on approach, with many highlighting the fun of building and creating. They've appreciated the opportunity to be creative and work collaboratively, while also learning valuable research and problem-solving skills. As Beony noted, it's been particularly interesting to discover that animals can sometimes build even better homes than humans!

Hub 9

Inquiry:

Ethan and Hridayaa: We are learning about what makes a home and about animals' homes too. First we guessed where we thought the animals might live, and why they chose to live there. Then we have been doing research to figure out if we were right. After we learned about what the animal homes look like, we have been using glue, cardboard and scrap paper to make awesome homes.

Patrick: In inquiry we are looking at homes that animals live in like the skink, fur seal, long tailed bat, kauri snail, the Weta and the Hector dolphin. We have been making homes out of cardboard, paper, tissue paper, pastels and paint. I made my home out of paper for the long tailed bat. I put trees, grass, flowers, the sky, a cave and the bat. We also learned how to use the chromebooks to google some questions we had about the animals and to see what their habitat looked like so we could draw it. 

Sofia: I am really enjoying that in Inquiry we can build and make stuff and create things. I made a habitat for the Kea, I used cardboard and paint for the nest and I want to create the Kea using cardboard and feathers. It’s fun getting to make things. 

James: I like how we are able to be very creative in our home building. 

Hub 12

Inquiry:

Frank: We are describing animal homes and building the animal homes and figuring out what the benefits and problems are in their homes.

Jackson: We have been looking at what animals have been on the field, in the gardens and in the pohutukawa tree. We did this because we were looking at animal homes and looking at the animal homes on the field.

Ayaansh: My favourite part of inquiry was when we made the homes for the animals out of sticks and boxes. We made bird nests, underground houses and beaver dams. 

Minnie: We have been choosing an animal such as a kiwi or cat and drawing and labeling the animals, what they are doing and where they live. I made a beaver dam but it was hard because you had to be creative and remember to bring things from home. My favourite part of inquiry was making the beaver dam because it was a fun activity. 

Thea: For inquiry we are looking at homes for animals and people. I enjoyed making the homes and working with my group. We made a rabbit burrow out of boxes.

Beony: We have been trying to find out how animals make homes. My group made a hanging nest and were trying to work out how the bird connected it to a branch. I enjoy doing the making part of Inquiry and think it is interesting that animals can make some homes better than humans can.

E/A Swimming 2025

Our Year 5/6 swimmers made a huge splash at the Eden/Albert Swimming competition, demonstrating incredible enthusiasm and a real competitive spirit! The atmosphere was electric, and it was fantastic to see our team supporting each other every step of the way. We were definitely the loudest and most spirited group in the entire pool!

We're incredibly proud of every single swimmer who participated. Each child gave their absolute best, showing fantastic effort and determination.

A special congratulations to Hillary Tagg, Cooper Collins, Thea Bruns, and Zoe Kayes for their outstanding performances, earning them places in the finals!

It was a brilliant display of team spirit and determination. Well done to everyone involved!

Hillary Tagg: 2nd Breaststroke, 3rd 25m Freestyle, 3rd 50m Freestyle

Cooper Collins:  2nd 25m Backstroke

Intermediate School News

Fantastic Feedback

It has been wonderful to see so many of the tamariki signing up for all the broad range of extra-curricula activities Intermediate school has to offer. At the moment there are a multitude of sports opportunities, both for those who are already very proficient in the sport, and those who are trying things for the first time. Last week we received some feedback from a local Deputy Principal about one of our softball teams which made us very proud:

I just wanted to email personally to say how fantastic your Yr8 girls softball team and their parent help were yesterday at the softball. 

Their positive attitude and happy energy was commented on, especially given some of the losses they had. They didn't let anything get in the way of enjoying the day which is the point of it all. They were such an awesome reminder of what it is actually all about. 

If the day was based on exhibiting values they would have won.

Softball, Swimming and Cricket - a selection of photos

Balmoral Sports Leagues

Balmoral Sports Teams

To be able to enter teams into the external competitions we require parent support. Many parents are keen to sign their children up and want them to experience all the benefits of team competitions. In 2024 we entered over 30 teams representing Balmoral School in flippaball/minipolo, waterpolo, netball and basketball competitions and we were fortunate to have over 55 parents volunteer their time to help. To be able to run our sports teams again this year we need a similar level of support. Please consider offering to help so we can continue to grow this number of teams and allow our children to participate. Unfortunately, if I do not have a parent that can support a team, I am unable to enter them into the competition and the children miss out. 

I am always available to discuss what is involved if you would like to find out more. 

Netball

The final sign-up day for Year 5 - 8 is TODAY at 6pm. If you haven't done so already, please register using the link below if your child wants to play netball for the school in Terms 2 & 3 this year. We cannot accept late entries.

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

Entries for Year 1-4 are open until Friday 28^th March. If you haven't done so already, please register here:

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

Organising our teams into the Windmill Park Netball Competition is a massive exercise and all our teams must be entered by 2^nd April 2025 hence the deadlines well before our Term 2 start.

Auckland Netball "Give it a Go" days Year 1-8

Auckland Netball are running their "Give it a Go" days again. The sessions are to learn new skills, play netball, and have fun! No netball experience is required.

These are FREE sessions, and no registration required. Simply turn up.

ST JOHNS VENUE

7 Allison Ferguson Drive, St Johns
Date: 8 March 2025
Time: 1pm - 3:30pm
Years: 1-8 (Boys & Girls)

WINDMILL PARK VENUE

48 Windmill Road, Mt Eden
Date: 15 March 2025
Time: 1pm - 3:30pm
Years: 1-8 (Boys & Girls)

Find more information here:

https://www.aucklandnetball.co.nz/development-programmes/junior-netball-give-it-a-go-day-1

Waterpolo Y7&8

Registration is open for 2025 waterpolo which is played in Terms 2 & 3. Please use the link to the school website and click through to the registration form for more information:

https://www.balmoral.school.nz/waterpolo-yr78

From the Library

Our book of the week is:

Thank you, Omu! by Oge Mora.  Omu (pronounced AH-moo) has cooked a delicious thick red stew for her evening meal.  The scent wafts out the window and attracts all the neighbourhood. Soon the pot is empty, and Omu presumes she will go hungry.

People sometimes ask where we get our books.   It is a mix of suppliers, and we have a standing order with the Children's Bookshop. At times we pick books up while browsing, other times requesting after a good review.  We ordered this sight unseen, after researching the topic, and then reading good reviews.  We're absolutely delighted with the stunning illustrations and feel-good community story.  It reads aloud beautifully.

Serendipity has meant it coincides with Hiringa's inquiry.  It is with them right now. 

Either Nicola or Liz is in the Library straight after school if you want to get more books with your children or talk about some good read aloud stories.

Tuckshop Week 6 - 10-14 March

As school is closed for Maths Curriculum workshop on Friday 14th March, we will be offering Friday specials on Wednesday 12th March (only). 

Fried Noodles - Chicken or Egg (Vegetarian)

Dumplings - Pork and Cabbage or Chicken and Sweet corn

Music Lessons

Community News