Newsletter – Week 1, Term 1, 2022

Kia ora koutou,                                                                                     Week 1, Term 1, 2022

It  was so wonderful to see our tamariki back at school today. They were happy, playing with friends and learning.  We have had such a successful start to the year.  

School Picnic and Meet the Teacher
Unfortunately we are unable to go ahead with our school picnic and meet the teacher on site.

Our teams are still wanting to connect with you so they will be providing Google meetings and PowerPoint Presentations for you.  

The Power Point Presentations will be sent to you on Tuesday afternoon accompanied by an email explaining how this will work for each team.  Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions. 

Ngā mihi nui,
Vicki Parkins, Principal vickip@botanydowns.school.nz
Mark Insley, Deputy Principal/SENCO Years 4-6 marki@botanydowns.school.nz
Joanne Hughson, Deputy Principal/SENCO Years 0-3 joanneh@botanydowns.school.nz

Coming up @ BDS…

Monday 7 Feb – Waitangi Day public holiday
Thursday 10 Feb – online Meet the Teacher
Thursday 14 Apr – Teacher Only Day & Last day of Term 1

SCHOOL NEWS

Camp Meetings

During Meet the Teacher meetings, Year 5 and 6 teachers will be providing information about their Camps. Our Camp coordinators will be in contact with parents helping on camp for a separate meeting.

Year 6: Joe D’Ambrosio joed@botanydowns.school.nz
Year 5: Sharmila Raj sharmilar@botanydowns.school.nz

Coming to School and Going Home

We will continue to use the year level gates as it is working very well.  Team leaders will email you when their year level is ready to no longer meet the teacher at the gate and the children can walk straight into their classroom from 8.30am and walk straight to their gate to go home.  

This will be a different time frame for each year group as it is based on time at school.  Please try to arrive after 8.30am as that is when the gates are open and it avoids the congregation of adults and students.

• Year 1 –  Gate C Mirrabooka Ave
• Year 2 – Front Gate B Mirrabooka Ave
• Year 3 – Front Gate A Mirrabooka Ave
• Year 4 – Yarra Place Gate
• Year 5 – Kadina Place Gate
• Year 6 – Booralee Ave Gate

Siblings may use the youngest sibling’s gate. Please use the year level gate if at all possible and enter and leave by the same gate.

Please keep your child at home if they are unwell and notify the school office. E.g. including running nose and cough.  If your child becomes unwell at school you will need to be contacted as they must go home. 

Organic Rubbish

Unfortunately, due to construction in the school grounds and the ongoing regulations required to keep students safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, Botany Downs Eco-Warriors will be unable to collect organic waste from students lunches and compost this waste at school.

Therefore, all the remaining food and packaging of the children’s lunch boxes will be taken home by students at the end of the day and returned to home for you to dispose of, or compost.

Tom Huskinson (Environment Teacher), tomh@botanydowns.school.nz

Staff Professional Development

This week our staff have been involved in very worthwhile PD initiatives in Structured Literacy and Refreshing our localised curriculum.  Teachers have also been very busy setting up their rooms, attending meetings and planning for class learning.  We are very excited about our programmes for 2022.  

Property Update…

Our three canopies have not been completed during the holidays due to further hold ups with the galvanising.  Therefore our school site still has the fencing up around these three areas. 

During Term One Rooms 20-23 will be moved to provide a building platform for the six classrooms that will be built to accommodate roll growth. This two storey block is due to start later on in the year. At present the builders are renovating Room 20. 

Kindo Lunches

At present there will be no Kindo lunches until we work through the process under our health and safety protocols. We let you know when kindo lunches are available again.

Please keep checking your emails and contact the office if you need to update any details.

LIBRARY NEWS

COMMUNITY NOTICES

HJ Elite Soccer Programme

The HJ Elite Team is excited to announce the start of their 2022 After School Soccer programmes at Botany Downs Primary in Term 1.  

The Term 1 programme will be held on Mondays at 3:15pm – 4:15pm, from February 14- April 4, 2022 at Millhouse Reserve Park.

To register, CLICK HERE.

This programme is geared towards the development of girls and boys who are new to soccer, or would like to hone their current soccer skills.

 Our focus is identifying each child’s skill sets; maximizing their age-appropriate development; and most importantly ensuring that each child enjoys the process.

The HJ Elite Team will be following the Covid 19 Protection frame work protocols, with contactless drop off and pick-ups at the Blue Clothing Bin in the Bus Bay (Parents will not be permitted to stay on site). 

To further comply with the Covid 19 protection protocols, training will be held at Milhouse Reserve, children will be escorted to and from training by staff members.  

See flier and website www.hjeliteacademy.co.nz for more details!!

For all students with credits from Term 3, please contact HJ Elite Academy for your credit codes to be use at check out.

Email: info@hjeliteacademy.co.nz

Pay the kindo way: https://botanydowns.school.nz/kindo/