School Newsletter

February 2012 Issue 1

Dear Parents and Caregivers We have enjoyed an excellent start to the year, with everybody quickly settling into new routines and getting to know one another. As usual we have seen an excellent uptake of extra-curricular activities. Around 250 students are learning a musical instrument and interest in all cultural activities continues to be high. Its also great to see sports teams getting going this term with good interest from children wanting to try something new. These activities really add flavour to our school and allow children to develop qualities such as teamwork, commitment and perseverance. Term One interviews are set for March 13 15, this is an opportunity to discuss early progress and set goals through to half year. A notice will come home shortly with the details for bookings. As always feel free to contact me if I can help in any way. Kind Regards Andrew Hunter

In this newsletter
15. 121-22 5 14-1 626th Otago Ann ivers ay

Touch News Speech and Drama Scholarship NZ Cricket Shield Canteen Menu Boys Cricket South Colgate Games

March

5-7th Rm 7 + 10 Camp 7-9th Rm 5 + 26 Camp 12-14th Rm 1 + 13 Camp 12th school swimming sports 12-16th Rm 23 Camp 14-16th Rm 3 + 24 Camp 13-15th Parent/teacher interviews 19-21st Rm 11 Camp 19th Y8 HPV Injections Otago Anniversary Day

95 Dukes Road, PO Box 292, Mosgiel 9053 . Unit 17, 14 Connelly Way, PO Box 285, Cromwell 9342

DDI 03 489 2610 | M 027 4331018 | P 03 489 3916 | F 03 489 3960

Year Seven News

Beth Downie
Congratulations to our Year Seven students, you have settled in so very well to Balmacewen Intermediate! We have been having an assembly focus on participating and contributing and you certainly have been doing this. It is so pleasing to see so many of our newest members of the school sign up for tuition in a musical instrument, trial out for a sports team or nominate themselves for class council, computer crew and librarians. This is exactly what we want to see happening within our fabulous school!

Some of the Year Sevens who were awarded participation and contribution certificates. Our Term One major focus is IDENTITY and how we are shaped by our past. Each class will be enjoying a visit to the Port Chalmers Museum and the port areas (in conjunction with the Otago Settlers Museum) and a trip to Cragieburn; land that borders the Ross Creek boundary that is steeped in settlers heritage. We will also be becoming involved with our first taste of inquiry, learning the ASPIRE inquiry model. We will complete an oral interview with a relative about how we are shaped by our past. It will be fabulous to see what we find out throughout the process. All Year Sevens have enjoyed a session of Kiwi Golf with Melanie Harper. Our camps begin on the 5th of March with Room 10 and 7 being the first to head out to Waihola. The purpose of camp is to develop as a class community and work closer as a team, as well as learning how to challenge ourselves and perseverance. A range of activities have been planned: yachting, raft building, tramping the Millennium Track (Henley to Taieri Mouth and return,) team building activities and the flying fox! Thank you in advance to all those offers of help from parents, we cannot take part in outdoor education activities without your help! So thank you!

Year Eight News

Terry Tarapi
Kia ora families and friends We extend a very warm welcome to families and friends of our Year 8 Community. We have all been delighted with the enthusiasm and positivity that the students have displayed over the last four weeks. A major focus has been the implementation of a caring and friendly manner to ensure the Year Seven students feel welcomed at their new school. Last Friday we welcomed the Year Sevens to school with our Powhiri. It has been wonderful to see so many Year Eight students display the maturity and leadership skills to ensure this has happened. The start of the year is often a chaotic time with so many events on the timetable. We were fortunate to have Anna Frost, world champion uphill runner, as a guest speaker for the Year 8 students. This was part of our triathlon build up, which is, having an elite athlete talk about their passion. An important message that she reiterated was for the students to engage in multiple experiences as you never know what passions may develop and consequently where that would lead you. Our integrated theme for this term is called Survivor and the key question we will refer to is How and why do we adapt to our changing environment. The main emphasis here is that your children are now the leaders of the school and with that comes new responsibilities. As discussed above, developing a family culture of Manaakitanga and Whanaunatanga has been a major focus thus far. For the remainder of the term we will be

Developing our team building skills by performing a traditional Samoan Sasa and then creating our own to perform at a year 8 Assembly. This will be held in Week 6. Investigating how creatures have adapted to survive in a very rugged and inhospitable environment, that is the rocky shore. Delivering personalised programmes to develop literacy and numeracy skills for all students.

We look forward to meeting you at the up-coming parent teacher interviews. Kind Regards Year 8 Teachers

Touch 2012 News Alex Buttery

We have held our school trials over the past two weeks and named our six teams for the Term One Touch Competition. This is held at the oval on Thursdays after school. We have six great coaches and some amazing players. Good luck for the coming weeks. If the games are cancelled due to weather, an announcement is made at school just after 2pm. The draw is up on Room 11s window by Tuesday and on the Otago Touch Website www.otagotouch.co.nz, under modules/junior/oval. Thank you to all the parents who came out last Thursday to support your child. It was great to see you all there and the sunshine!!

Speech and Drama Scholarship

Congratulations to Oscar McGuire who has won the National Jillian Carpenter Award for his results in Year 5 Speech and Drama. He gained Honours for both Year Five exams and was nominated for the scholarship by the examiner. About 10 candidates are nominated from the hundreds throughout New Zealand who sit the exams and only one award is given out at that level.

NZ Cricket Shield Kelly McGregor Balmacewen vs Kavanagh

The Balmacewen girls NZ Shield Cricket Team had an outstanding match of T20 cricket against Kavanagh College on Tuesday. Our dynamic bowlers bowled very few wides and no-balls and the fielding team was sharp, only allowing Kavanagh 58 runs before they were all out! The batting duo of Amelia King and Laura Taylor was unstoppable and together they scored 32 runs before retiring. Kate, Ellen, Jess and Surrey brought the team home and we finished with a total of 59 runs in just 7 overs!! Well done girls a brilliant game. Our next game is against Tahuna Intermediate next week. If we win we make it through to the semi-finals to play the winner of the Southland pool. Good luck girls!

Laura bowls as Ellen and Jordan look on

BALMACEWEN CANTEEN PRICE LIST

LUNCH ORDERS ARE TAKEN IN THE CANTEEN EACH MORNING: 8.30 9AM LUNCH FOODS: AVAILABLE EVERYDAY Filled rolls or Dagwood sandwiches (chicken, ham, vegetarian) Cheese roll American hot dogs Rapperz Noodles (saveloy in long roll) (Hawaiian calzone) (beef or chicken)

4.30 1.30 2.50 2.00 2.00

LUNCH FOODS: DAILY SPECIALS MONDAY TUESDAY - Spaghetti or Baked Bean Toastie - Sushi Roll 1.50 3.00 4.00 3.50 3.50

WEDNESDAY - Nachos THURSDAY - Beef Burgers FRIDAY - Chicken Burgers

SNACK FOODS Shapes crackers Corn Chips Cookies Popcorn Juicies (apple, tropical, orange, blackcurrant/apple, lemonade) (BBQ, cheese /bacon, pizza) (Mexican, salsa, cheese) (choc chip or triple choc) 2.00 1.30 1.20 .50 1.00

DRINKS Plain water Flavoured water Just Juice splash 125ml box PLEASE NOTE: we do not heat extra food 2.00 3.00 1.00

Boys Cricket

Andrew Hunter

The Balmacewen boys cricket team made an excellent start to their season. Playing DNI, Balmacewen batted first and in their 20 overs, scored a very competitive 167/3. Big contributors were Will Young 53 and Hunter Kindley 50. In reply, DNI were dismissed for 90 and with extras being the highest score, there will be some work to be done on our bowling direction! The team plays Oamaru Intermediate next week.

South Colgate Games: Athletics Janne Miller

The South Island Colgate Games for athletics were held in Nelson in January. Results for our pupils were: 2nd Girls 12 80m hurdles 2
nd st

Leonie Palmer Cameron Miller

Boys 11 Long Jump

1 Girls 12 4 x 100m relay Leonie Palmer, Joccoaa Palmer 2nd Boys 12 4 x 100m relay Cameron Miller, Zach Mason

Newsletter
As a way of being more environmentally friendly, we are wishing to have our newsletter emailed out to all families this year. A copy will also be available on the school website: http:// www.balmacewen.school.nz However if you would like a hardcopy please contact the school office.