Week 4 Term 4, 2024
Tēnā koutou te whānau,
A Huge Thank You for Supporting Our School Trips.
We want to extend our thanks to all the families who contributed by paying the activity donation for our recent school trips. Your support made it possible for our tamariki to have a wonderful time exploring and learning.
If you haven’t yet contributed to the activity donation, we kindly encourage you to do so. Your support helps us continue providing these enriching experiences for our students. Thank you.
This can be paid through Kindo, EFTPOS at the office or directly into our school bank account with your name as reference: 12-3089-0059300-00
A special thank you also goes to our amazing teachers and the BDS Whānau who volunteered their time to accompany us on the trips. We couldn’t have done it without you. Your help ensures that these experiences are not only fun but safe and memorable for everyone.
Everyone is buzzing about our Fun Run. Thank you to all of those who have signed up on the website. A fantastic collaboration of our BDS Whānau supporting our tamariki.
Ngā mihi nui,
Vicki Parkins, Principal – Tumuaki (vickip@botanydowns.school.nz)
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Coming up @ BDS…
Wed 6 Nov – Yr 6 Howick Intermediate orientation visit
Wed 6 Nov – Howick Intermediate New Parent Information Evening: 7.00pm @ Howick Intermediate
Thurs 7 Nov – Yr 3 trip to Museum (Rm 27 & Rm 28)
Thurs 7 Nov – Yr 6 Somerville Intermediate orientation visit
Fri 15 Nov – BDS Fun Run / Colour Fun
Wed 20 Nov – PTA Jester’s Pie Day
Wed 27 Nov – BYOD Information meeting for parents of Yr 3s
Thurs 28 Nov – Junior Athletics Day
Fri 29 Nov – No Uniform Day
Thurs 5 Dec – Yr 0-1 Prizegiving, 9.15am
Mon 9 Dec – Yr 3&4 Big Day In
Tues 10 Dec – Yr 2&3 Prizegiving. 9.15am
Wed 11 Dec – Yr 4&5 Prizegiving, 9.15am
Thurs 12 Dec – Yr 6 Prizegiving & Graduation, 9.15am
Fri 13 Dec – Junior Big Day In
Mon 16 Dec – Yr 5&6 Big Day In
Tues 17 Dec – Last Day of 2024
** click here to view more of the school calendar **
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Class Placement Requests for the Next School Year
Each year, parents are invited to submit requests regarding their child’s class placement for the upcoming school year. The aim is to inform the school of any factors that may impact your child’s learning experience. This information helps us create a learning environment that best supports your child’s success.
While we strive to accommodate all requests, please understand that we may not be able to meet everyone’s requests. Rest assured, we will carefully consider all the details you provide, alongside feedback from teachers and students, to make the best placement decisions for your child.
Please note that some staff members will be moving to different year levels next year, so we kindly ask that you do not request specific teachers.
All requests should be submitted by 15 November to the following Deputy Principals:
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
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2024 Term 4 BYOD Meeting
With the end of the year fast approaching, this is an update on BYOD for Year 3-6 students and whānau.
Year 3 parents – next year, Year 4 students can bring in their own devices! I’ll be presenting and answering questions from parents and the community on 27th November (Week 7 Wednesday) at 3.15 – 4.15 pm in our new build, Room 22.
Year 4 and Year 5 parents – there’s not much you need to do. Your child’s school account will be rolled over to the next school year. If you did not ‘bring your own device’ in 2024, and are considering it in 2025, you are more than welcome to attend the BYOD presentation afternoon mentioned above.
Year 6 parents – as the Year 6 students graduate, their accounts will be suspended and deleted. The Year 6 teachers will guide students through the Google Takeout process to transfer files to their personal accounts.
Sojung Yoon, BYOD coordinator sojungy@botanydowns.school.nz
School Page about BYOD – https://www.botanydowns.school.nz/digital-technologies/
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Fun Run / Colour Fun
Excitement is building for this event that is being held next Friday 15 November. This year will be bigger and better than ever with the whole school taking part in Colour Fun at the end of the day. For your child to be involved, they must bring a change of clothes.
We are happy to announce that we have a range of different sizes of t-shirts available for children to wear for the Colour Fun. If you would like one for your child, please bring a gold coin donation to the stall in front of the hall from 8:30 am – 8:50 am any day this week or next.
Congratulations to Room 1 and Room 3 who are the first classes to reach a combined total of $1000! This week every child in these classes will receive a free ice block as a reward.
There is still time to sign up and start fundraising, please click on the following link: bdsfunrun.raiseit.co.nz
One of the projects the Colour Fun Run is helping raise money for is the Gaga Pit for the seniors. A group of Year 6 students have been working on it as a Maths project and the first part is now underway. However we need more money to get it finished. So, Senior students – make sure you have signed up and got yourself some sponsors to this event; that way we can get the pit finished ready for you to use.
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Weetbix TRY-athlon
The Weetbix TRY-athlon is on again this year. It is being held on Wednesday 20th November at Mountfort Park in Manurewa. If your child is aged 6 to 11 and are interested in taking part in this event, registrations are now open. You can join our school team by clicking on the link below. Last year we had a great group of kids take part. You need to be able to take your own child out to Mountfort Park with their bike for them to compete.
If you would like to register please fill in the form as an individual form then when it asks for a school add Botany Downs. Here is the link:
Register for BDS Try-athlon team
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PTA Notice
Come and cool off every Friday until the end of term, pay via Kindo or bring your gold coins. Come and see us by the staff room after school.
Frujus: $2 / Ice Pops: $1. Kindo payments must be received by midnight Thursday.
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School Assembly
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 items will be our BDS Choir and a beautiful Indian dance to celebrate Diwali.
Cross-country Cups for 2024 Presented at School Assembly this Friday.
We will be presenting our Cros-country Cups for Years 3-6 to our talented long-distance runners.
Our BDS Capabilities
Congratulations to our following tamariki who have shown their Botany Best by displaying our Capabilities: Corwin Zhang, Karen Yang, Mannat Gahunia, Darcey McCrindle, Scarlett Hudson, Angela Cajayon, April Adams, Baghel Singh, Nazem Almayah, Flynn Hodgson, Jiyu Kim, Aryan Karthick, Troy Viljoen, Dehan Meyer, Angela Chen, Dante Eason, Lianie Vorster, Charlie Pirie, Zerahiah Turner, Adam Hamayun, Oliver De Bruin, Michael Joseph, Mika Nel, Nature Webster, Leo Han, Jerry Zhang, May Mei, Anthony Zhou, Maanvi Patel, Justin Qiao, Lily Hodgson, Terry Sui, Layla Gallagher, Jasmine Yip, Tushita Arun Kumar & Hannah Jung.
Our BDS Values
Congratulations to the following tamariki who have displayed our focus value of Kaitiakitanga, Responsibility: Elizabeth Ilalio, Connor Swanepoel, Kylo Chad, Vincent Liu, Olive Burridge, Rubleen Kaur, Nathan Mostert, Reyna-Lee Brown, Grace Ren, Isaac Angove, Samantha Tokai, Autumn Jacobs, Sarah Shawani, Sophie Chen, Helaina Jamalidogaheh, Milan Li, Lily McIvor, Jenil Patel, Skylah Hubbard, Adalyn Cox, Miane’ Cronje’, Emma Kamakorewa, Anya Fang, Ezra Boyter, Zion Ewe, Ryu Strydom, Gloria Wang, David-Lee Bezuidenhout, Gemma Green, Qiqi Zhao, Shana Chen, Hoor Laghari, Eleanor Booth, Varya Govender, Si Fan Zhu, Nicholas Botha, Kainan Wang, Le Zhi Liu & Matthew Samuriwo.
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2024 School Magazine –
 Limited numbers – order now!
At BDS we celebrate the year at our kura with photos and stories in our school magazine. This is a wonderful summary of the school year and we know many of our whānau treasure this magazine.
School Magazine – $20
Purchase your 2024 Botany Downs School Magazine NOW!
Deadline November 29 (Week 7 Friday).
Order now:
Pay via Kindo OR BDS bank account number 12-3089-0059300-00 OR
pay at the school office by EFTPOS
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Senior Athletics Day
On Friday 31st of October the Year 4,5 and 6 students challenged themselves to compete in the BDS Athletics Day. Everyone took part in the long jump, high jump, shotput, and both 70 and 100m sprint events. The top competitors will be selected to compete in the HPPA Athletics Day coming up! The organisation is still being sorted and students will be notified this week if they have been selected.
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Year 6 Mathex Team
On Tuesday 22nd October, our Year 6 Mathex team competed against 22 other schools in the HPPA Mathex competition. The competition involved the team solving 25 maths problems in 30 minutes. After plenty of practice sessions the team came away with a fantastic 3rd place. Congratulations team!
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Fun & Learning @ BDS
ESOL Learning: This term we have been learning about life cycles as part of our inquiry topic. The students had to use topic words to explain the life cycle of a plant or animal. They also used time connectives to show the sequence of events.
The Life Cycle of a Chicken By Dehan
First, the eggs are laid. Then the eggs hatch and a chick comes out. Next the mother hen looks after the chicks. Finally, they grow into chickens.
The Life Cycle of a Sunflower By Lianie
First a little seed is planted. Then it sprouts into a small plant. Eventually, it grows into a beautiful sunflower. After the flower dies, the seeds fall down.
Year 3, Room 30: Poem Writing. Room 30 has been focusing on poem writing this term and we have learnt to write Acrostic and Cinquain Poems.
Jaiden, Whitney & Hannah S cinquain poems:
Puppy
Cute, fluffy
Friendly, cuddly, cute
My favourite pet
Siberian Husky
Party
Cheerful, loud
Fancy, food, fun
A birthday celebration
My amazing day
Dessert
Hot, crumbly
Nibbling, crunching, eating
Yummy in my tummy
Rhubarb Crumble
Ella B, Willow, Alice’s Acrostic poems:
Shining Spacious Digs
Ultraviolet Planets Overly excited
Not seen at night Awesome Growls
Cool Smart
Exciting
Year 6, Room 26: Last term Room 26 read novels and created posters to explain what they read about. Here are a few examples of their amazing work.
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Children Turning Five – Enrolment
If your child is turning five before June 2025 please ensure you
enrol them as soon as possible.
We are planning for classes and teachers into 2025 and this is made much easier if we have accurate numbers of new entrants even as far ahead as the middle of next year! Thank you.
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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Want to learn new skills, get outdoors, and have fun? The skills you learn in athletics are the perfect foundation for almost any sport.
Every student can give athletics a go. Our local athletics club is Pakuranga Athletic Club: they are welcoming new members now, and we encourage students to get involved and get active.
Contact details for all athletics clubs nationwide are available here and become a member.
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