Kia ora koutou BDS whānau, Week 6, Term 4, 2022
This Friday will be an exciting time with lots of fun as every student in our school will be running, hopping, skipping, climbing, and crawling around our field with the different activities we have planned in our obstacle course. Thank you for your support with this hugely successful fundraising event. We are all so looking forward to the Fun Run. We hope to see you there. (Please see below for further information).
The beginning stage of the building of our new two-storey, six-classroom block has started this week, beginning with the creation of a road. This term a road will be built starting from the corner of our bus bay, travelling up behind the school hall, across the top of our netball courts and joining up with the existing road that was built for the relocation of our four Year 4 classes.
To build this road our senior playground and sandpit will be taken away. We will be working on replacing these during 2023. The road will be in place by the start of next year so we will be able to continue having our swimming lesson in term one. Hopefully, our new classroom block will be open in 2024.
Ngā mihi nui,
Vicki Parkins, Principal (vickip@botanydowns.school.nz)
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Coming up @ BDS…
Fri 25 Nov – BDS Fun Run
Thurs 1 Dec – Junior athletics
Wed 7 Dec – Middle prizegiving, 9.15-10.15am
Thurs 8 Dec – Junior prizegiving, 9.30-10.30am
Fri 9 Dec – Senior prizegiving & Yr 6 Graduation, 9-11.30am
Mon 12 Dec – Yr 6 camp departs (return Wed 14)
Tues 13 Dec – Middle Big Day In
Wed 14 Dec – Yr 1-2 Big Day In
Thurs 15 Dec – Yr 5 Big Day In
Fri 16 Dec – Last day of 2022
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Purchase your 2022 BDS Magazine NOW
Only $20 – Order by 1 December
Payment options include:
Kindo
BDS bank account number: 12-3089-0059300-00
School office by Eftpos
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Fun Run
Thank you to the families who have signed up and collected donations for our Fun Run Fundraiser – we have almost raised $20,000! There is still time to sign your child up before Friday by clicking on this link https://botanydownsschoolfunrun.raiseit.nz/hub. Here you can also take a look at the fantastic prizes we have on offer – a big thank you to our sponsors for providing these awesome prizes.
Congratulations to Room 16, Room 13, and Room 22 who have each raised over $1000 as a class! All students from these rooms have earnt themselves a free ice block as a reward. There are several other classes who are very close to reaching this $1000 combined target.
Friday 25 November will be a free no uniform day for all students, please ensure that children are wearing appropriate clothes to take part in the obstacle course for the Furn Run. They can dress up in their house colours if they wish. Thank you to the parents who have volunteered to help out with our Fun Run – we couldn’t do it with you! Families are welcome to come along and cheer their children on as they take part.
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2022 ICAS Maths Assessment Results
Congratulations to all the Year 5 and 6 students who took part in the ICAS Maths Assessment exam. Students will receive their certificates at their team assemblies this week. Please see below for students who achieved some excellent results.
Year 5 Maths:
Merit (top 45% of participants): Vera Zuo, Yi Sen Qi, Eric Guo, Ruby Chen,
Credit (top 35% of participants): Mollie Zhang, Alicia Wang, Nathan Tan, Olivia Sun, Duncan Luo, Cooper Jiang, Amelia Dellow, Muhammad Ahmad
Distinction (top 10% of participants): Victor Zhang
Year 6 Maths:
Merit (top 45% of participants): Annie Li, Maddison Kong, Sean Davey
Credit (top 35% of participants): Levi Xue, Selena Wu, Aaron Qiao, Skylar Li, Rebecca Houston, Annabel Duan, Luke Chang, Aiden Cha
Distinction (top 10% of participants): Dhyan Patel, Daqi Mao, Sandy Huang
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Junior School Athletics (Age 5-7 years)
Date: Thursday 1 December
Saving Day: Tuesday 6 December
Venue: Botany Downs School
Junior Athletics is an opportunity for our students to challenge themselves both personally and competitively. It is an expectation that all students participate. If your child cannot for any reason compete, please notify their teacher via email prior to the event. If the event is postponed notification will be sent via the school app and email.
Students will need to come to school wearing their PE uniform which includes house PE top and shorts and running shoes. They may also need sunscreen, their school jumper or fleece jacket. A water bottle is necessary. Please ensure your child has their school hat too!
Programme: (Please note the first race will begin at 9:10 and subsequent races will begin on completion of the previous race. We are unable to give exact start times).
- 5 years Boys & Girls
- 6 years Boys & Girls
- 7 years Boys & Girls
All students will be involved in a tabloid rotation as well as sprint races.
Morning tea break will be from 10:30 – 10 :50.
N.B. You are welcome to join your child for lunch at the completion of our athletics events (12:30 pm approx).
Supporters: We would love you to come along to support the students. Please ensure you remain off the course where students are running.
Parent helpers : We would love some extra helpers! If you are available to help on the day please email jacquieo@botanydowns.school.nz.
Jacquie O’Driscoll, Junior Sports Coordinator
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BDS Learning and Fun
Year 2, Room 1 – We read the story “Jack and Beanstalk”. We thought that growing giant beanstalks would be a great idea! We used containers, soil and bean seeds. We checked each day to see if the soil was dry and we carefully watered them. It was exciting to see our seeds germinating. Although our beanstalks didn’t grow high enough to let us climb them, we were still pleased to see our bean plants growing tall and healthy. We took our bean plants home to share with our families and plant in our own gardens.
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Year 6, Room 18 – This term has been very exciting for Room 18. We have had the pleasure of taking part in the “Find Your Field Of Dreams” community swimming program, going to Lloyd Elsmore for swimming lessons. We have also been learning about Aotearoa Histories, creating a 3D Māori Village which includes a Pā, gardens, housing, and other cultural sections to showcase our learning which is almost finished and will be displayed at the Howick Library over the summer. It’s looking pretty good!
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Children Turning Five
If your child is turning five in the next six (6) months please ensure you enrol them as soon as possible. Our roll is steadily growing and we need to plan for classes and teachers during the year. Please collect your enrolment pack from the office, or email office@botanydowns.school.nz
Joanne Hughson DP/SENCo – Year 0-3 (joanneh@botanydowns.school.nz)
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Summer Reading Opportunity!
Why read over summer? Research shows that reading ability can decline during the summer break. In order to help prevent this we are encouraging students to borrow school library books over the summer holidays. This opportunity is open to students currently in Years 0/1-5.
Parents/caregivers: if you would like your child to take advantage of this opportunity, please complete and submit the following form: Summer Reading Permission form
Summer Reading:
- for Yr 0/1-5 students who are returning to BDS in 2023 and have no current overdue library books
- students will be able to borrow up to 10 books in Weeks 8&9 to read over the summer holidays (borrowing of library books will close in Week 7 unless a form has been received)
- books borrowed must be returned in Week 1 of 2023
- by submitting a form, parents/caregivers agree to take responsibility for all books borrowed
- a list of books that your child has borrowed will be given to help you keep track of the books
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 Remember to visit the BDS eLibrary for a great selection of ebooks!
More information on the school website: BDS Library
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Holiday Soccer Development Camps
We are excited to announce that registration is now open for the HJ Elite Academy Holiday Soccer Development Camps, taking place at Baverstock Oaks School from December 21st to 23rd 2022 and January 9th to 26th 2023.
This is an opportunity for your child/children to develop and learn new soccer skills over the holiday break while meeting and having fun with both old and new friends.
We look forward to working with your children to maximise their full potential both on and off the pitch!
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