BIS Newsletter - Week 5 Term 3 2022

Kia ora e te whanau,

We are now in the middle of the term and it has been great to have so many activities taking place and seeing so many students engaged in extra activities.

This week 40 of our students have been competing at Sports Camp in Matamata, 7 teams have been involved in the EPRO8 technology challenges, 40 students went to Aotea Centre for the Writer's Festival and we have had many students participating in environmental projects across the school.

The New Zealand Curriculum outlines the key competencies for all students in Aotearoa. An important one for Intermediate students is participating and contributing. We are striving to offer many activities that give our students the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and to contribute to society.

In term 4 we will be running outdoor education programmes. For year 8 students this will be a week long camp at Ngaruawahia. This is fun, exciting for all and a great way to try out new activities in a safe environment. For year 7 students there will be a variety of day trips that all involve physical activities outdoors. Our goal is for every child to participate. We feel confident that students benefit from learning about challenging themselves, taking managed risks and participating in team building activities.

To ensure 100% attendance we are trying to reduce the costs by having fundraising events. Please look out for these opportunities to get involved and help us raise the funds so that all students can participate in outdoor education next term.

Enjoy the weekend,

JoAnne Sutton

We are very clear about the fact that we do not stop students from expressing themselves through coloured hair, jewellery and taongas. The stipulation is that it should be fit for purpose which includes being safe for students to wear all day for all school activities.

We are seeing more and more non-uniform items of clothing such as track pants and shorts with large logos on them. These must be plain black to comply with uniform.

Make up and jewellery should be appropriate for age and for the activities that students engage in during the day. False nails and eye lashes are not appropriate everyday wear for 11 and 12 year olds. Long dangly earrings and necklaces can become a safety issue when students are in technology or physical activities.

Please take the time to discuss with your child what is appropriate for day time wear. We want our students to feel safe to express their individuality but also to be able to engage in the normal school activities of year 7 and 8 students without make up and jewellery being in the way.

We know that sometimes uniform cannot be worn and we are happy to accept notes from parents when this happens. If you are writing notes to excuse your child from wearing uniform items on a weekly basis, please consider coming in to see us to find a way to manage this. Uniform sets the tone for the school and expresses that we are a collective and that we all belong. These rules need to be consistent for all.

Saturday 17th September we're hosting a fundraiser night! We welcome parents, teachers, community and friends to a Boot Scootin' R18 event.

Feel free to share the poster below with friends and whanau! Click on the button below to complete a booking form - Get in quick, this one is set to be a boot kickin', barnyard dancin' darn tootin' good time!

Each year we send 40 talented students down to Matamata to compete at Sports Camp.

This is an amazing opportunity for our students to participate in a variety of sports and compete against other Intermediates from the North Island.

This year's team will be our first to participate since covid first appeared. The new sweatshirts were designed by Whaea Rachel and feature a hammerhead shark, the Kaitiaki of our local waterways. Let's hope our teams are fierce on the field and show fighting spirit like a shark.

This term we have students singing, dancing and performing in preparation for our Week 10 production performances.

The production this term is our own version of Dr Suess' story of Yertle the Turtle. Parts have been assigned, scripts given out and rehearsals are underway.

We now need to start organising our backdrops and costumes. We need a lot of turtle costumes. We are looking for a variety of coloured turtle-neck long sleeved skivvies and full length leggings. If you have any tops of leggings that you can donate for us to turn into turtle costumes, these would be appreciated.

We also need skin toned panty hose (new ones as they will go over faces), and brightly coloured fabric for decorating turtle shells with.

Any donations of costuming supplies can be dropped in to the office or delivered to Mrs Dooley in the performing arts room.

Fifty students enjoyed an inspiring day out at the Auckland Writers Festival this week, listening to presentations from world-renowned authors for young adults. The festival, held at the Aotea Centre, also gives students a chance to ask questions of the authors, get autographs and buy books. Students (and teachers) were inspired by the international range of writers, all of whom were dynamic speakers. Books to recommend to your child from the festival: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Spark Hunter by Sonya Wilson, The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim, and The Traitor and The Thief by Gareth Ward. These authors have other great books out, too!

Please contact office@bis.school.nz to advertise your community event in this space.

Email: office@bis.school.nz
Website: https://www.bis.school.nz/
Location: 200 Birkdale Road, Birkdale, Auckland 0626, New Zealand
Phone: +64 9-483 9168
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birkdaleintermediateschool

We email home a school newsletter every fortnight. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep our community informed of what is happening at our school.

Please ensure we have an up-to-date email address, download our BIS School App, like our Facebook page and check our website regularly for more detailed information about what is happening at BIS.

Contact Whaea Mel on mrobinson@bis.school.nz

We are seeking prizes, vouchers, and items to auction in exchange for promotion within the community. We are forever grateful for your love and support.