St Benedict's School Pānui ā-rorohiko (Online Newsletter) Term 1, Week 6, 2024

Upcoming Events from our Calendar

For a better viewing experience  on your phone, turn your phone on its side. 

Sports Uniform Days   Kōwhai and Kāuri Tuesday 
                                                Mānuka  Thursday 

Tomorrow 11:30 at church Beginning of Year  Mass 

Week 7 Term 1 
Fencing going up on Turf - restricted access to turf
Thursday 14 March  Mānuka 6pm BSLA Evening Hui and 5pm Sausage Sizzle
Friday 15 March HoK Sausage sizzle see HoK section for more details. 

Week 8 Term 1
Tuesday 19 March Karori  Ki o Rahi Tournament Year 5-8
Thursday 21 March N4L are replacing switches - Internet down for periods of the day. 

Items found in the School APP
School Notices
Safe crossing message
Phones away for the day update

Teacher Messages

Documents Section
Syndicate Newsletter (NEW)
2024 School Dates
Summer Uniform Order form
St Ben's Handbook

Widget link
Newsletter
SchoolDocs (Board Policies) 
Account information
Absences notification and rate of absences. 
School Calendar
MyKindo for lunch orders
HoK Facebook and Instagram
Coming Soon: Road Patrol Roster 

@School App Access on Work phones
We have recently been made aware that some whānau are unable to download the @School APP due to work phone security settings. If this affects you, you can access the @School APP through safari or chrome browsers using the same log on details we have provided. We encourage use of our @School APP as we regularly send out communication through this.

@SchoolApp Phone Notifications and Email 
IN  YOUR PHONE open Settings. Click on Notifications.  Find the @school app.  Turn on “Allow Notifications”
IN THE APP click on Settings. Tick enable notifications. Tick enable email notifications for  APP to send emails as well as/instead of phone notifcations. 

Catholic Character

On Sunday, 3rd March, the St Francis of Assisi Otari Parish celebrated  Children’s Day at the 10.00am Mass.
After mass there were  activities for the Tamariki, face painting, bouncy castle & pizza.

It was so lovely seeing our tamariki celebrated by our parish. Thank you to all those who supported this wonderful event. 

Children’s Day Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you that you took children into your arms and blessed them.
May every child know the deep peace and love of being held close to you.
We especially ask you to protect all unborn children and children who are impoverished, neglected and abused.
May we your people open our hearts to bring compassion into the lives of vulnerable children.
Help us to support and encourage families and communities in the love and protection of their children.
May children everywhere grow up feeling accepted, safe and loved.
Amen

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Welcome to St Ben's

Tumuaki Korero - Spotlight on Kiva

Tēnā koutou e te whānau,

This week’s newsletter focuses on the KiVa programme and its implementation at St Benedict’s School. This information supports our Parent Meeting for KiVa which will now be held at 6pm on the 13th of May.

 The KiVa programme, which stands for "Kiusaamista Vastaan" in Finnish, meaning "Against Bullying," is a research-based anti-bullying initiative originating from Finland. Developed at the University of Turku, Finland with funding from the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.

The two aspects of the KiVa programme will work in harmony with our current Positive Behaviour for Learning approach. 

1. Developing an anti-bullying climate through classroom lessons 
2.  Screening reported behaviours and then responding through the KiVa team to identify continued bullying behaviour

To make it easier to refer back to this information each section has been added as an article and can be navigated through the table of contents. 

Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki,
May God bless and care for you. 
Tania Savage - Principal

Why have we chosen KiVa for St Benedict’s School?

Our aim for being part of both KiVa and PB4L is to provide clarity of process and procedures for the St Benedict’s community as we all support our tamariki to be good friends and community participants. 

Over the past six years, St Benedict’s school has collected information on our tamariki wellbeing through the NZCER Wellbeing @ School survey completed by tamariki in our years 4-8.  The Pro-Social Student Culture measure of this survey has identified that 30-40% of our tamariki feel that students do not know how to stand up for each other if someone is mean, are not including others, are not treating each other with respect and find it hard to listen to each other. These skills and behaviours are often lacking when bullying occurs. 

Our staff are passionate about providing an education climate that all tamariki feel comfortable within with 100% of the staff wanting to introduce KiVa to support our tamariki.  The staff have received a vast selection of KiVa material in addition to training for the program implementation. 

The first step included surveying all students from years 2-8 about their experiences of bullying at St Benedict’s School before the teaching of the programme and implementation of the response framework. This data will be shared at our Parent Meeting and the survey repeated in November 2024. From then on data will be gathered each November to help inform tailored interventions and continuous evaluation of the programme's effectiveness.

What will my tamaiti/child be taught through the bullying prevention programme?

KiVa is a comprehensive program designed to combat bullying and cultivate a positive school environment. Through classroom lessons delivered throughout the year, KiVa instills empathy and encourages positive interactions among students. It's not just a temporary initiative; it's a long-term commitment to preventing and addressing bullying.

Key aspects of KiVa lessons include:

1. Embracing Diversity: Celebrating differences in culture, background, and abilities, KiVa promotes acceptance and appreciation of individual uniqueness, fostering a sense of belonging for all students.

2. Building Resilience: Through role-playing and problem-solving activities, KiVa teaches resilience skills, empowering students to navigate challenges with confidence and strength.

3. Promoting Inclusivity: KiVa creates an inclusive classroom environment where every student feels valued and respected, emphasizing kindness, empathy, and inclusivity to lay the foundation for positive peer relationships.

4. Encouraging Leadership: KiVa empowers students to become leaders in promoting kindness and empathy, offering opportunities for students to take on leadership roles and fostering a sense of responsibility in creating a positive school culture.

5. Empathy Building: Recognizing empathy as essential, KiVa focuses on developing empathy through activities and discussions that encourage students to understand and appreciate each other's perspectives, fostering compassion towards peers.

6. Bystander Intervention: KiVa equips students to be active bystanders, teaching strategies for safely and effectively intervening in bullying situations, fostering a culture of collective responsibility and support.

7. Conflict Resolution: Teaching communication, problem-solving, and negotiation techniques, KiVa enables students to address conflicts constructively, promoting positive relationships and reducing bullying incidents.

8. Digital Citizenship: Addressing cyberbullying concerns, KiVa incorporates lessons on digital citizenship, teaching online etiquette, privacy, and responsible technology use to help students navigate the digital world safely and respectfully.

What does St Benedict’s School define as bullying?

As a KiVa school, our definition of bullying is as follows:

Harmful behaviour/degrading treatment which is 

• deliberate
• repeated
• targeted at a relatively defenceless or a less powerful person

Bullying is not...

• a conflict
• an argument
• a fight

What happens if my tamaiti/child is experiencing hurtful behaviour, who do I go to for help?

Firstly, your child, their friend, a staff member or you can report hurtful behaviour to any member of staff. They will complete a screening form within our Student Management System and based on the information decide whether this is:

• A conflict or fight between children
• A case of hurt feelings due to a misunderstanding
• A single case of an aggressive or hurtful act 
• Continuous bullying is to be directed to the KiVa team. 

If the hurtful behaviour is not identified as continuous bullying the classroom teacher, syndicate leader or principal will still respond to the behaviour through a restorative justice model. This model is viewable on SchoolDocs, is currently under review to ensure it reflects our commitment to Positive Behaviour for Learning Framework. We expect to be able to share our updated model in Term 2. 

 If the hurtful behaviour is identified as continuous bullying it is referred to the KiVa team who follow a structured framework for addressing bullying incidents. 

The process is captured below. 

Currently, our KiVa team includes Anne Minto, Cheryl Taylor and Rebecca Blackwood with more staff members to train and join the team at the end of this term.

What if the framework doesn’t work and the behaviour continues?

The framework requires that the KiVa team check in with all tamariki to ensure the behaviour stops. The KiVa framework is a one-time opportunity for tamariki to reflect on the effects of their actions on their relationship with another student and change their behaviour. 

 If the tamariki have not taken up the opportunity to both own and change their behaviour it is then dealt with through our Positive Behaviour for Learning framework. 

Student Celebrations

Congratulations to Winston who competed in the Xterra Wellington Festival 6km Trail Run at Queen Elizabeth Park recently and came 3rd overall, 1st male.  Winston also had a great result at the Wellington Junior Athletics Championships, coming 3rd  in the 1500m Grade 10 boys and 3rd in the 400m Grade 10 boys events. Well done Winston.  

Sports Update - Week 6

There are a few upcoming opportunities for our Year 3 - 8 students to compete against other schools in sporting events.  

Ki 0 Rahi - Year 5/6 - Tuesday 26th March (PP 28th March) - Alex Moore Park. Registrations Closed.

Ki o Rahi - Year 7/8 - Wednesday 27th March (PP 3rd April) - Redwood Park. Please note that this tournament takes place on Wednesday, which is a Technology day for our Year 7/8 students.  Students who miss Tech will be expected to make up the work the following week. Registration Closed. 

Girls Futsal Tournament - Year 3 - 8 - Monday 25th March - Akau Tangi (Kilbirnie).  Registrations Closed. 

Cricket - Year 5/6 

Well done to the 16 Year 5/6 students who represented St Benedicts at the PSW Cricket Tournament last week.  They showed great sportmanship throughout the day and played with the EPIC values in mind.  

Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon

Yesterday the Weet-Bix Event boxes went to those students competing in this event on Sunday 17th March at Kilbirnie Park and Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre.  We wish all participants good luck and look forward to hearing all about their experience.

St Ben's Netball 2024

Netball registrations are now open - please fill out the registration form below - it will be open until March 9th. https://forms.gle/SS1D7JozJrcda72v6

Season details
Years 3-4 - Saturday afternoons terms 2-3
Year 5-8 Saturday mornings terms 2-3
Year 1-2 Saturday afternoons term 2
Intermediate level players please keep Saturday 16 March 2-4 pm open for trials if needed.  This will be confirmed by March 9th when registration closes.

We will be running our pre season warm up sessions again this year on Saturday 6th and 13th of April.  Coaches are welcome to attend to pick up new ideas for drills and activities. Please note on the registration form if you are able to attend.     
Year 3-4 1-2pm         
Year 5-6 2-3pm         
Year 7-8 3-4pm
If you have any questions please contact Sarah and Camilla (netball@St-benedicts.school.nz)

Northern Suburbs netball have also asked for support filling the below roles
Northern Suburbs Netball (NSN) is looking for enthusiastic and organised volunteers for two crucial roles:

• Chairperson – NSN is run by a committee of volunteers and representatives from our participating schools. Together, the volunteer committee oversees the running and management of the club. The role is a rewarding one, and would be ideal for anyone wanting to step up and show some leadership in a very safe and supportive environment. The main time commitments are during terms two and three, and there is an amazing committee working beside them every step of the way. Generally, committee meetings are held once a month. And, most other business is done via email.
  Please do consider whether you have the passion, energy and time for this vital role. If we do not have a Chair, we do not have a club and cannot run our netball programme.
  
  
• Years 1 & 2 Programme Co-ordinator role. Years 1 & 2 participate in FutureFERNS Programme. The focus for this age group is on ‘exploring’ netball. It allows players to catch, pass, and shoot from day one, providing a fun introduction to netball. They have a 25-minute skill season, followed by a 2 x 10 min game, with a 3-minute half time break. They play on Saturday afternoon.
  As the co-ordinator you would manage the administration, communication, and run the 8 sessions.
  
  For further information, or to apply for either of these vital roles, please email Lisa at
  secretary@nsnetball.co.nz

2024 Construction St Ben's

Update 7 March

The  installation of temporary stairs to Room 7 and temporary fire exit from top block down to the turf. has been completed.  The temporary staircase will be in operation until the end of Term 3.

The removal of outside staircase and disposal of old materials will be completed over the next few days. 

Stage three will start Mid Term 2 and include work on our Library, with the skylights coming out and the side wall facing Room 6 being recladed. We are still working through how we will adapt to this change with the teachers and others who use that space such as our HoK committee.

We do know that:
After School Care will operate out of one of our classrooms on the middle floor.
There will only be enough space to check books out – not for library visits. That will be out of action until mid-Term 3. We will explore visiting Khandallah Library as an alternative.
Assemblies are likely to go on hold while the library is out of action.

We hope to have fully operational library by the beginning of Term 4 at the latest.

After School Care Vacancies

We currenly have vacancies at our After School Care on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  If you require After School Care for your child/ren please contact Donna Wilson.  Spots will fill up quickly so don't hesitate, contact Donna for more information TODAY-  asc@st-benedicts.school.nz 

Join the fun at ASC

Helping Our Kids

HOK events calendar – 2024

HOK are excited to share an outline of the events and fundraisers we are planning for 2024. These are a mix of fundraisers, community connection and kid fun events. These events will also be added to the school calendar. There may be some adjustments to dates so please watch out for further communications about specific events. Our major fundraiser in 2023 was the Colour Run, which was a huge success and we will run again in early 2025.

 AGM and upcoming special meeting

We are holding a ‘special’ AGM on 11 March, 7.30pm in the school library to discuss a potential change to the “HOK” name and to confirm a change in our operating rules so that School Board members who are also on HOK do not vote on Board funding requests. New members are welcome any time, so please get in touch.   

We are looking for a new Treasurer -

Are you comfortable with internet banking and reconciling transactions? If so, this is the job for you. Our current Treasurer will stay on to support you in the role which likely takes about an hour of your time each month. Ideally you will be able to make our Sunday or Monday meetings twice a term, but you are not required to attend or volunteer at our events unless you want too. No finance experience is required, and full training will be provided.

Frosty Friday 

Kid favourite "Frosty Friday" will be held at lunchtime on Friday 15 March. Prices are: $2 - sausage in bread, $1 - ice blocks. Please have your kids bring along cash on the day. Thanks so much to the BBQ crew, led by Jacinta Schultz! 

Please contact Sarah: sarah.garty@hotmail.com on anything HOK related.

Feedback welcome!

We encourage and welcome feedback on these events, the associated spending of fundraising and anything else you think we could be doing to add value to St Ben’s and our amazing community.

Please contact Sarah: sarah.garty@hotmail.com on anything HOK related.

Entertainment Book

Parent Road Patrol Roster

NICHOLSON ROAD
(Mornings and Afternoons)
Parents: Please be present from 8:25am - 9:00am and again from 2:45am - 3:15pm

Wider Community Notices