Kia ora koutou BDS whānau, Week 6, Term 3, 2023
Thank you so much to all our BDS whānau who have already completed the survey that we sent out. We will leave this open for one more week and it can be found in your emails from last week.
We were so proud of our gymnastics team this week who took part in the HPPA competition. Not only did our tamariki enjoy participating and showed their Botany Best but they were very successful as well. Check out the results below!
Congratulations to our Year 5 and 6 tamariki who were finalists in our BDS Speech Competition. Howick Intermediate Deputy Principals were the judges and it was a very difficult task with such high calibre speeches. Ruby Buckley received first place and will be going to the HPPA Speech Competition this week. All the very best Ruby.
Tomorrow we have our Junior Cross-country so please read the communication sent to you about this event. Our tamariki have been practising and have enjoyed running outside in the sunshine.
We welcome our four student teachers back to BDS to complete their third year practicum. They will be in our kura for five weeks and are a valuable addition to our teaching staff during this time.
Vicki Parkins, Principal – Tumuaki (vickip@botanydowns.school.nz)
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Coming up @ BDS…
Wed 23 Aug – Junior (Yr 0-3) Cross-country / School Board meeting
Thurs 24 Aug – HPPA Speech Final
Fri 25 Aug – Daffodil Day / HPPA Lit Quiz
Wed 30 Aug – ICAS Maths
Thurs 31 Aug – HPPA Netball Day 1
Fri 1 Sept – House Competition Day
Mon 4 Sept – PTA meeting
Tues 5 Sept – HPPA Soccer Day
Wed 6 Sept – PTA Jester’s Pie Day
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School Assembly Friday 9.10am
We invite you to attend our school assembly on Friday at 9.10 am.
We will be presenting our Botany Best Certificates and Values Bookmarks.
This week our item will be presented by Year 4, Room 20.
Our Capabilities
 Congratulations to our following tamariki who have shown their Botany Best by displaying our Capabilities: Shawn Kim, Xavier Marck, Nella Ranchhod, Jermyan Mose, Fraser Shadbolt, Datis Bassam, Jasgun Mavi, Hailie Chan, Andrey Konovalenko, Arvi Ahir, Wesley Yang, Oliver Wu, Sebastian Zuo, Jane Bong, Aimee Le Roux, Raewyn Bua, Lance Miguel, Wynand Bloem, Shane Hwang, Jon Wu, Zoey Van Wyk, Kruz Oti, Young Xu & Lucian Hadrup.
Our Values
Congratulations to the following tamariki who have displayed our value of Responsibility-Kaitiakitanga: Nathan Zhu, Noah Ellis, Milaan Doda, Leo McKeen-Smith, Nelson Wang, Kylo Chad, Deandre Stanley Hunt, Gabe Jacobs, Odi Hika, Bastian Koka, Jeremiah Valentine, Helaina Jamalidogaheh, Chaz Grisselle, Eric Guo, Aidan Malez Ocampos, Nikit Nandan, Jacy Ablos, Ezra Boyter, Caleb Moukarzel, Farah Almayah, Zayne Van Niekerk, Gabriel Divinagracia, Maanvi Patel & Mia Swartz.
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Add This to Your Diary!
Year 1-3 – Wednesday 20 Sept
Year 4-6 – Thursday 21 Sept
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Year 0 – 3 Cross-country Event 2023
 On Wednesday 23rd August, Years 0 – 3 tamariki will be participating in our annual Cross-country event from 1:30pm. 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 their school jumper or fleece jacket. A water bottle is necessary.
Programme: **Please note the first race will begin at 1:30pm and subsequent races will begin on completion of the previous race. The start times are a guide only- please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
- Year 0 Boys & Girls 1:30 pm
- Year 1 Boys 1:40 pm
- Year 1 Girls 1:50 pm
- Year 2 Boys 2:00 pm
- Year 2 Girls 2:10 pm
- Year 3 Boys 2:20 pm
- Year 3 Girls 2:35 pm
Parents are welcome to come and support their child/children and we ask that you encourage all of our Botany Downs ākonga as they show resilience/manawanui. We will have an area designated for parents to watch and ask that you stay in that area please. Students and teachers can direct you to this area.
Should the event be cancelled due to weather conditions, you will be notified via our school app and Facebook by 11 am.
Thank you for your support and helping our children to be their Botany Best.
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Year 5 and 6 Speech Competition – Kaitiakitanga
Congratulations to all of our Year 5 and 6 speech finalists – Khrish Ranchhod, Ruby Buckley, Jay Kim, Jacob Kong, Mia Swatz, Ishnoor Virk, Lachlan McHardy, Emily Su’a, Aimee Le Roux, Blake Manson, Ruby Chen, Sienna Tye, May Shawani, Eric Guo.
 3rd = Emily Su’a, 1st = Ruby Buckley, 2nd = Jay Kim
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HPPA Gymnastics Compeition
Last week, our gymnastics teams competed in the HPPA Gymnastics Competition. The competitors did Botany Downs proud. Tino pai to these students: Sophie Klee, Miane’ Cron’je, Cordi Prentice, Francis Sekona, Mia Jack, Mika Nel, Emma Lee, Skylar Yip, Mila Ritchie, Samantha Tokai, Theia Saunders, April Clements-Goh, Amelia Klee, Ofa Fifita, Kayla Fegan, Skyla Kretzmann, Magda Snyman, Gemma Yee, Joy Turner, Siale Palalagi-Waru, Emily Su’a, Pamela Sekona, Roselynne Tokai, and Peri Petelo-Vili.
Year 3 team: Sophie Klee, Miane’ Cron’je, Cordi Prentice, and Francis Sekona – 1st place
Year 3 individuals:
Sophie Klee – 1st place
Miane’ Cron’je – 2nd place
Year 4 team: Mia Jack, Mika Nel, Skyla Yip, and Mila Ritchie – 2nd place
Year 4 individuals:
Mia Jack – 2nd place
Mika Nel – 6th place
Samantha Tokai – 8th place
Year 5 team: Amelia Klee, April Clements-Goh, and Ofa Fifita – 3rd place
Year 5 individuals:
Amelia Klee – 7th place
Ofa Fifita – 8th place
Year 6 team: Emila Su’a, Pamela Sekona, Roselynne Tokai, and Peri Petelo-Vili – 3rd place
Year 6 individuals:
Pamela Sekona – 3rd place
Emily Su’a – 8th place
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Scooter Safety
Scootering to school is a great way of travelling. Please remember you must be wearing a helmet at all times for your safety.
Kylee Holmes, Travelwise Co-ordinator (kyleeh@botanydowns.school.nz)
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PTA Notices
Kitchen Essentials Fundraiser
Thank you to everyone who ordered products for this fundraiser. We anticipate the goods to be ready for distribution next week.
Are you a DJ? Can you help at our disco?
We are busy getting plans in place for the school disco in term 4. We are on the hunt for a DJ to get the kids excited and on the dance floor. If anyone in your family is a DJ or has the skills to help us out on the day please email pta@botanydowns.school.nz
Kids Art Works
Students have been working hard to create stunning pieces of art that can be made into unique products. Personalised information forms with your child’s individual code will be coming home this week, orders close on Thursday 31st August.
This year you will also have the option to upload your own photo to be made into calendars, cards, diaries, and more.
Any questions, please email pta@botanydowns.school.nz
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Children Turning Five – Enrolment
 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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Student Achievement…
Congratulations to Amelia Dellow, who recently added to her impressive piano exam achievements by passing Grade 7 with Distinction. Amelia has been playing the piano since she was six, and has earned Distinction passes in grades 1, 4, 5, and 6. She is now preparing for her Grade 8 exam later in the year.
We are very proud of her achievements, commitment, and dedication – all the very best Amelia!
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Learning and Fun @ BDS
Year 1: Room 10 has been busy learning new skills in Writing. We are learning where capital letters go, putting finger spaces between our words and putting a full stop at the end of our sentences. We use picture prompts to help us write and our favourite one has been a dog riding a skateboard. We used our imagination to write about where the dog is going on his skateboard.
Alyssa: The dog is riding his skateboard to the skate park after that the dog will go to the ice cream shop.
Hunter: The dog is at the skate park with his friends doing tricks.
Mannat: The dog is riding his skateboard to a pink castle.
Kairav: The dog is riding his skateboard to see Steve from Minecraft.
Lauren: The dog is riding his skateboard to see a unicorn. They are at the skate park.
Odi: The dog is riding on his skateboard. He is going to the park to do some tricks to make his friends laugh and the friends laughed and he is happy doing some tricks.
Andrew: The dog is riding his skateboard. He is going to the city. The dog is going to the ice cream shop. Then the dog is riding to his home to eat his bone.
Vincent: The dog is going to the skate park on the skateboard. He is having fun. He is going up the ramp.
Aliya: The dog is riding his skateboard to the ice cream shop to buy ice cream.
Hannah: The dog is riding his skateboard. He is going to the shop and he is looking at the food.
Andrey: The dog is riding his skateboard to get ice cream.
Riley: I love my dog and I love my dog on the skateboard and I love my dog going on the dog playground. I love my dog playground.
Denis: The dog is at the skate park.
Saane: The dog is riding his skateboard and he is at the park. He is playing at the park.
Aria: The dog is riding the skateboard to Rainbows End to play on the swings and it is so high in the sky.
Blake: The dog is riding the skateboard to the skate park. He will do some tricks.
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Please Look After Your Books…
Please ensure your children take care of the books they read, and treat them gently. We have too many of our beautiful books being returned with torn pages, scribbles, and broken covers.
While we love that so many of our tamariki are borrowing books and enjoying them, we do also need to make sure the books are treated respectfully, and carefully so that many others can also enjoy them.
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Botany Downs Secondary College – Host Families
Hosting an international student is a great way to bring the world to your home. Create lifelong relationships with people around the world and earn an extra income. Botany Downs Secondary College is expanding its community of homestay families for their 2024 intake.
If you can provide a home away from home in a caring, English-speaking environment visit their website to learn more: BDSC International – Become a Host Family
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