Tena koutou, Malo e lelei, Kia orana, Fakalofa lahi atu, Bula vinaka, Ciao, Namaste, Al Salaam a’alaykum, Ni

hao, Merhaba, Konnichiwa, Hola, Annyong hasayo, Greetings

Balmoral School Newsletter

Te Kura o te Roto a Rangi 19 Brixton Road, Mt Eden Auckland 1024

Phone 638 7960 Fax 630 1944

Email office@balmoral.school.nz

w w w . b a l m o r a l . s c h o o l . n z

Vision

To value diversity and to develop curious, confident and

connected learners.

Friday 3 July 2020

Dates to Diary

School Holidays Begin Friday 3 July 3pm

Term 3 Starts Monday 20 July 3pm

Y7 Boostrix Immunisation Tuesday 22 July

Whakatau Tuesday 22 July @ 9:30am

BoT Meeting 7:30pm Tuesday 22 July

Intermediate Open Morning Wednesday 29 July 9.15am – 11am

Intermediate Open Evening Wednesday 29 July 6pm -7.30pm

Flexible Learning Spaces with Jo Robson Tuesday 4 August 6pm -7.00pm

Please check the calendar on our school website (www.balmoral.school.nz ) for up-to-date

events and times.

Whanau Blogs

Koru https://koruspace.blogspot.com/

Mahira https://mahirasyndicate.blogspot.com/

Whetu https://whanauwhetu2020.blogspot.com/

Hiringa https://hiringabalmoral.blogspot.com/

Turanga http://whanauturanga.blogspot.com/

Aparangi https://aparangibalmoral.blogspot.com/

Canteen Days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday only

Tena koutou e te whānau, he mihi nui kia koutou katoa

Dear Parents, Whānau and Caregivers

Kia ora

I thought I'd share this very recent eleven minute interview on education by a NZ professor

who was once expelled from his school and then got in to his High School’s Hall of

Fame! https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/breakfast/clips/teachers-were-wrong-to-tear-down-

black-lives-matter-posters-says-auckland-professor.

In this interview Professor Welby Ing discusses the purpose of education. He promotes the

idea that schools exist to grow children intellectually, socially, spiritually and emotionally

and they should not have as their primary function assessment.

He believes schools are in the business of creating good citizens, through critical thinking,

questioning, listening and discussing. He believes that this educational purpose should be

delivered through Inquiry Learning.

He also responds to questions about students and the Black Lives Matter protesting.

Professor Ing says that children bring issues to school and our job is to help them through this

by enabling them to be rational and compassionate. "Banging your fist on the table and

stomping around, just gets you a loud voice.”

At our school we work hard to enable our programme to be responsive to children’s

thoughts, issues and questions and then to relate this learning back to the New Zealand

Curriculum. We enable this through play or discovery in the early years, then through the

very teacher structured Inquiry Model. This is further supported and reinforced through our

Philosophy in Schools (P4C) programme.

Lastly Prof Welby discusses and gives some pointers about how parents can interact with

schools and teachers in a way that can benefit their child.

Schools, parents and society needs and wants our children to become adults who can

navigate a complex world, to separate out the fake news, the glorified and distorted

information around them. To do this we need to be in a society where this is this is seen as

his deeper purpose of education.

This video explains and supports why we do what we do and how we do it at Balmoral

School.

I would encourage you to watch this as it is essential viewing for all parents at Balmoral.

Have a wonderful holiday with your children

Naku noa

Malcolm Milner

Principal (Te Tumuaki)

An Evening with Jo Robson and Flexible Learning Spaces

Tuesday August 4 @ 6-7pm

Come and hear Jo Robson (Leading Learning) talk about flexible learning spaces and how

these areas are used or can be used by teachers and children to create valuable high

quality learning experiences.

This evening is a must for all parents who are interested in the latest educational research

on learning and are wanting to be informed about the findings and how this impacts on

learning in the 21st Century.

This information evening has been initiated by the school and supported by the PTA.

Enrolments

Intermediate Enrolment Process

Thanks to many of you who have completed the

enrolment process by returning the transition form that

was emailed to every Year 6 family last week. This means

that our school can effectively plan for our pupil’s arrival

in 2021.

Next year we will have a limited number of out of zone

enrolments for Year 7. Your neighbours and friends are

now able to complete their out of zone application on-

line.

Out-of-zone students who apply for enrolment at the

school must be accepted in the following order of

priority:

1. students accepted for enrolment in a special programme run by the school;

2. siblings of current students;

3. siblings of former students;

4. children of former students;

5. children of board employees or children of board members;

6. all other students

Out of Zone Enrolments for New Entrant 2020

With the development of our new facilities we now have

some spaces available at our school for a small number of

children turning 5 this year.

Parents of New Entrants who live outside our school zone

and turn 5 years old between 4 July and 31 December

2020 are now able to enrol.

Children will be given priority on the ballot list using the

following criteria from the Education Act. In accordance

with Government Legislation, out-of-zone students who

apply for enrolment at the school must be accepted in the

following order of priority:

2. students accepted for enrolment in a special

programme run by the school;

3. siblings of current students;

4. siblings of former students;

5. children of former students;

6. children of board employees or children of

board members;

7. all other students

Opening Ceremony

On Tuesday morning we celebrated the opening of our new gymnasium and intermediate

block guided by Matua Hare Paniora and our kapa haka group. This dawn blessing was our

way to acknowledge and recognise the people who have helped in providing these

building spaces for our community.

It was a very special moment and I thank all the whānau who made the time to share this

with us and the PTA for all their work behind the scenes preparing the kai.

Celebration of Learning in Rooms 11-19 and Rms 20-23

Today we had two special events to celebrate the times we had learning in Rooms 11-19

and Rooms 20-23. These rooms have lots of stories to tell and people have many memories

made within the four walls. Friday was about acknowledging these times in a respectful

way. Some children shared their stories from their time in here then we lifted the tapu by

sharing some kai. Thanks once again to our whānau and Matua Hare for helping us to

recognise the passing of an era. Kia ora!

The Classrooms and The Move

We Made IT! Whew

We made it. The move into our new classrooms and the primary move into the Shires, Room

31 and AR went without a hitch. The enormity of moving an entire school and some of the

resource rooms is a huge task, without adding the complexities of the last term into the mix.

I would like to acknowledge the professionalism of our staff in keeping it all going with some

sense of normality. We managed to meet all our targets which included the new reports

and conferences. Also, a big thank you to the intermediate students who were such great

furniture removers.

Walking School Bus (WSB)

Last newsletter we identified that as we

enter the next phase of the build Brixton

Road will become congested. I would

encourage parents/ children to join our

walking school bus programme.

We currently have 6 buses in our school

zone, all of the kids get to school

between 8.30-8.45. We have 1-2 adult

volunteers to each bus which means far

less parents congregating at the gates!

Below is an updated version of our WSB

map

If you are interested you can get in touch

with our WSB Coordinator Merrin directly

0272290094 or merrin@nzrainmaker.com

School Reports Live

All parents should have received an email with their child’s school report attached on

Monday. You are also able to log onto the school portal and get a copy of your child’s

report.

Writing at Balmoral

Over the last few months, we have shared several pieces of writing in the newsletter from

children across the school. These pieces have either won competitions or been originally

published in magazines that showcase children’s writing such as Toitoi.

It is great to see so many of our children celebrated in this way, and equally as wonderful

that high achievement and success like this is shown in a much wider and diverse way than

a test / exam score, above or below standard or a mark would show.

We have been working with Murray Gadd on our literacy programme for ten years and this

long term investment in ‘how to teach’ has had as one of its foci, to acknowledge

achievement diversity.

This latest piece of writing is from Lucy Kennedy in Year 8. Lucy has had a number of stories

published in different places. This piece was originally published in the 2020 Anthology of

Young New Zealand Writers/Beyond Belief Intermediate Competition

Underground by Lucy Kennedy

I sigh. I know that it’s supposedly safer down here, but that doesn’t mean that I like it. My

name is Rya. If you’re wondering what I look like, don’t bother. After five generations of the

human race living underground, we all pretty much look the same anyway: dark, if not

black, hair; ditto for eyes; and pale skin with no blemishes caused by the sun. We take all

the necessary measures to survive - Vitamin D tablets and all the rest. We make it work.

I am trudging down the endless corridors to get to my Sector Commander’s office. There

was an announcement on the overhead speakers summoning me. Usually, when you are

summoned to his office, it’s either because of something amazing or something terrible.

I have no idea what I’ve been summoned for. I’m not exactly bad, but I’m not typically

good either. I’ve been doing something that is strictly forbidden - keeping a pet - a mouse.

Her name is Pippa, and as soon as I saw her, I fell in love. She was making a tiny home in my

bed. Our beds are dug into the wall, like seed pods, and Pippa was digging a hole in the

dirt to nestin. I snuck out tiny strips of fabric, as well as sewing needles and thread, from my

mother’s workplace. I took them home and sewed her a tiny pillow and blankets. I took

cheese and what vegetables were available from the kitchen where my father works. If

that’s what I’m being summoned for, then I hope they will have mercy and let her live.

Finally, I arrive at the office. I knock three times, brisk and sharp, just how I was taught. My

hand has barely left the wood when the door flies open, and the most powerful man in this

sector is looking at me, a sixteen-year-old girl, with relief. It’s surreal, and I don’t have a clue

what to do.

“Ummm...hello, Commander,” I say, very confused.

“Thank goodness you’re here. We didn’t know what we would do without you! Come with

me, and let’s get you suited up,” he says.

The Commander strides over to his bookshelf and pulls a hidden lever. The bookshelf opens

away from the wall to reveal a secret room. The room is...well, impressive, to say the least. It

is circular, and the walls are lined with strange equipment that looks like some sort of

protective gear. Protective against what I wonder.

In the centre of the room is a large human-sized tube. The Commander snaps a light

switch, and the tube illuminates.

“So, what size are you?” the Commander asks casually, flicking through a row of pink

hazmat suits.

“Umm, you don’t mean that I’m going to wear one of those?”

The Commander looks at me as if I’ve gone crazy. “Of course. What else would protect

you when you go Above?”

I feel a sharp prick as someone behind me injects something into my arm.

When I come to, I am not sure where I am. Then it hits me - I’m inside the tube that takes

you Above. Oh no! Through the hazy glass, I see the Sector Commander smiling up at me,

standing near a control panel.

“What’s going on?” I say, my voice muffled.

“Well,” shouts the Commander, “you are the only person in the world right now - can you

hear me?” - I nod vigorously - “that can go up Above...because of your mouse.”

I’m shocked. My own family doesn’t know about Pippa, but the Sector Commander does.

“Yes, we know about your mouse. You see we have been waiting, and the only thing that

could save us from the pandemic Above is contact with mice. In all the years we have

lived below, not one has been seen. We believe that your relationship with your mouse

means you are the only one immune to the virus that affects the inhabitants Above. We

think you may be the one to take them the vaccine we have developed. This is a

wonderful day for us all”.

The Commandeer presses a large red button labelled RELEASE. I scream frantically as the

glass tube I am in shoots up into the blinding lights of Above.

You can also hear Lucy talk about her writing in a youth panel she was invited to speak on

here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK2Kc7pAabI

News from our students

To value diversity and to develop curious, confident and connected learners News from Whānau Mahira

Josh Goodhue Came to Visit Room 27

I want to play halfback like Beauden Barratt and Josh Goodhue who came into Room 27.

He was taller than the door and he was good at tackling – George H

Josh came into my class today. He is going to a rugby game on the 27th of June in 2020. I

think he might win. – Henry

I like Josh. He looked very tall. He had to duck under the classroom door. – George C

Today Josh in the Blues team came to visit our classroom. We asked him some questions

and when he had to leave the classroom he walked under the door. He had to duck under

the door to get through. I also asked Josh why he didn’t have a crazy hair do like his

brother Jack. – Christine

Tessa’s Rich Challenge

Tessa in Year 8 designed, constructed and planted a vegetable garden for her Rich

Challenge work that happened in Term 1 and over lockdown. She then made an

incredible scrapbook to show all her work. Well done Tessa, we look forward to hearing

about how the garden continues to grow.

Pizza and Ginger Beer In Room AR

AR’s (Dans class) inquiry this term has been experimenting with fermentation which led onto

feasts and celebrations in which food brings people together from different cultures. To

show how fermentation works we made homemade pizzas and ginger beer for an end of

term feast. It was different to a normal shared lunch because we all made the food

together and did research on the ingredients and the origins of the food that made the

pizza and ginger beer. We even made the dough from scratch! To have the ginger beer

ready in time we had to start making it earlier in the week because the yeast in the ginger

beer had to have time to ferment.

We also delivered short speeches about what celebrations and holidays we celebrate in

our different cultures/religions.

What we learnt and accomplished:

-How yeast works in food

-How fermentation works with different foods

-How food brings people together and some important celebrations/traditions from

different countries.

-Making our own ginger beer and pizza dough

-Finding some foods from some of our cultures

We all had a lovely time, the night before Evie and Morgan baked a lovely and delicious

cake for us. We all loved it!

It was a fun experience learning about food and exploring different cultures, but the most

fun part was eating the food.

By Hugo, Shannon, Morgan and Abhay on behalf of AR

Community News

Online enrolment applications for Year 9 2021 at Epsom Girls Grammar School are now open. We hope you will take time over the holidays to submit your application. The application must be completed by a parent/guardian and submitted with supporting documentation ( Enrolment checklist) using our online form. Before you begin the form, please prepare the documents on the checklist for uploading. Home zone applicants for 2021 enrolment may apply once they are physically residing in the home zone. For

planning purposes, we would appreciate knowing in advance of an intended move to the home zone.

The closing date for 2021 Out of Zone applications is 2 September 2020. We will be holding school tours on Monday 27 July at 9.30am and 1.30pm for prospective Year 8 students

accompanied by a parent/caregiver. You can arrange for your daughter to come along with another parent. We

have allocated specific times for students from our local schools. Balmoral Intermediate students are

scheduled for 1.30pm.

If you would like to join a tour, it is important to register online as soon as possible. Due to restrictions on the

number of tour groups we can offer, we expect it will be necessary to close bookings before 27 July.

Yours sincerely

Michele Heywood

Deputy Principal

Thursday, 25 June 2020 To our Auckland whānau We would like to extend our gratitude for the support you showed our healthcare workers during the COVID-19 lockdown. During this period, there were national restrictions on services able to be offered to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19. This included restrictions on routine dental treatments and check-ups. We kindly request your continual support as we commence our COVID-19 Recovery Plan. For the Children’s Community Dental Service (Auckland Regional Dental Service), this means we need to firstly offer our dental appointments to children of highest clinical need before routine check-ups can be offered. We apologise in advance for the delays this will cause for children who are due a routine check-up. Please be assured that we will contact you as soon as we are able to offer your child an appointment with our service. If you would like to update your contact details and include an email address on your child’s file, please email ARDS@waitematadhb.govt.nz. In the meantime, if your child is in pain or you have immediate concerns with their teeth, please phone your nearest Children’s Community Dental Service clinic or 0800 TALK TEETH. Our staff will be available to discuss your concerns with you directly, and will offer your child an appointment if required. For more information as well as our top tips for keeping your child’s smile bright, please visit ARDS@waitematadhb.govt.nz. _____________________ ______ Patsy Prior Dr Kirsten Miller Operations Manager – ARDS Acting Clinical Director – ARDS Waitematā DHB Waitematā DHB

AVONDALE COLLEGE OPEN EVENING - 31 JULY

Avondale College is holding an Open Evening for prospective students and their families

on Wednesday 29 July from 4-7pm.

Guided tours will be leaving regularly from the main atrium building (Victor Street entrance).

Make sure you allow plenty of time as there is a lot to see! For more information,

visit www.avcol.school.nz

Central Auckland Lions - ‘FUN’damental Skill Sessions

Who: Yr. 5/6 (U12) 7.00-8.00pm

Yr. 7/8 (U14) 8.00-9.00pm

What: Every Monday for 4 weeks, I will be teaching the basic ‘FUN'damentals of the game of basketball that

allowed me the honour of representing the NZ Tall Blacks for 12 seasons. This is how I can give back to a

game that has given me so much over my lifetime.

When: First session starts Monday 22 June - 13 July.

Where: Auckland Grammar ‘Old Gym’ -55-87 Mountain Road, Epsom

Register: Skill sessions at Auckland Grammar Registration

Cost: $40.00 total - covers all 4 sessions!!

Any queries or if your school is seeking ‘In-Schools Coaching Delivery Services’ please contact Tui Tait

- tuI@acb.nz or 027 200 7689.

Follow us @

https://www.facebook.com/aucklandcitybasketball/

https://www.instagram.com/aucklandcitybasketball/