Balmacewen Wearable Arts Show 2011
All the final preparations are being made for the 2011 Balmacewen Wearable Arts show which will take place on Wednesday 2nd November. This year the show is being held at Otago Boys High School which allows better space and audience viewing. All students who are involved in this have put in many hours work to create costumes that will 'wow' the audience. There will be a matinee show on Wednesday afternoon for local Primary Schools followed by the main event for public and parents starting at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased form the school office for $5 each.
Below are a few pictures from previous shows to give an idea of things you may see...
Farewell and all the best....
The end of Term 3 has seen us say farewell to our Deputy Principal Simon Clarke. Simon leaves us to take up the position of Principal at Kaikorai Primary School at the start of Term 4. Simon was farewelled in fantastic Balmacewen style at today's assembly and had a song written and sung to him by our boys Choir. Simon has made fantastic contributions to the school and community during his almost 9 years here at Balmacewen. All the best for your new role as Principal and thanks for all you have done for Balmac during your time here.
We also say farewell to Angela Burden classroom teacher of room 25 today. Anglea is taking maternity leave for the rest of this year and 2012 - we hope you enjoy the time with your baby when it arrives and look forward to seeing you back in the future. Room 25 will welcome their new teacher - Miss Kirsty Black into the school form Term 4 and the 2012 school year.
Term 3 Fairplay Cup
Congratulations to Jaren Roy - the recipient of this term's Fair Play Cup. This was presented to Jaren by Mark Dickel - NZ Tall Black Basketballer for his contribution and attitude to fair play in sport. The runner up nominations this term were Brieana Shea and Harrison Doran-Taylor.
Enrolments have closed
Balmacewen has had higher than expected enrolments for 2012. A ballot for out of zone enrolments will now take place to ensure we don't have over crowding. The details and important dates can be found in the letter that has been sent home. (Monday 26th posted) Out of Zone Letter
2011 Balmacewen Athletic Sports - Wednesday 5th October
Our School athletics were held on Wednesday with a great display of skill and effort by all students who competed. From these results will be looked at and studnets will be entered into the North Zone Athletic Champs early in Term 4. The winning HOuse group for the day was "Shetland" House, followed by Lynn, Highgate and Chapman.
2011 Otago Cross Country Champs
Balmacewen intermediate had a strong team of 48 runners who competed in the Otago Cross Country Champs held here at Balmacewen on Friday 9th September. There was some great running and competition, with some fantastic individual results!. Balmacewen won the Schools Trophy for the overall team performance in all races - super effort.
Click here to view full results @Sport Otago.
Anna - Year 8 Girls Winner 2011
Asia Awareness Day
Balmacewen Intermediate pupil Shaniia Taita (13, below) has a go at lion dancing at the Asia Awareness Day at the Edgar Centre yesterday.
The awareness day was the initiative of Otago principals who wanted to raise awareness of Asia among pupils.
Co-ordinator Paddy Ford, of Balclutha Primary School, said about 200 children took part in the day which he hoped would become an annual event.
Each school learnt an Asian-inspired activity such as playing the wooden xylophone, origami, Korean haki sack and Chinese paper cutting and during the day showed pupils from other schools how to do it.
There was also the opportunity to learn lion dancing and sumo.
It was funded by Asia New Zealand, Otago Community Trust and a contribution from pupils.
Courtesy Rebecca Fox ODT.
Basketball
Well done to all of the students who played Basketball this year. A special well done to the 5 teams who made the final and to the year 7 boys and girls top teams who won their sections. Many thanks to the parents who helped coaches teams this year including Angela Ruske, Grant Roydhouse, Emma Gough, Liane Topham Kindley, Glenda Kaan, Gavin Briggs, Julie Robinson and Vicky Totoro.
2011 Otago Science and Technology Fair
Balmacewen had a very good representation a the Otago Science and Technology fair held at the Otago Museum from 29th August to 4th September. From all of the work submitted there were 46 students who won prizes. Many of these students winning multiple prizes for their inquiry work. A full list of prize winners and prizes can be viewed by clicking on the link below. Well done to all that had their work selected to be part of this.
Balmacewen School Cross Country
2011 Balmacewen Netball Team Photos
All 2011 Netball Team photos can be viewed, downloaded, printed and emailed by CLICKING HERE
Snow Day
Thank you to all parents who were so understanding in regards to the snow days from last week. You can see from the photos how much snow we had around the school and I can speak from experience that Chapman St and Lynn St were very dangerous.
Term 2 Fair Play Cup
Each term the "Fairplay Cup" is awarded to a student who has shown fairplay within sport. The recipient of this award is someone who shows the attitudes and values associated with fairplay and positive involvement and contribution to sport. This term, the "Fairplay Cup" was awarded to Emma from Room 13 - well done!
Kaikorai Valley College Technology Challenge 12th July
This year KVC held a "Technology Challenge" on Tuesday 12th July. There were students from Green Island, Balaclava, Fairfield and KVC there. Balmacewen Entered 2 Year 8 teams. The students were given a box of limited resources - some newspaper, tape, scissors and string. They then had to complete 2 different challenges. The first was to build a hurdle of a certain height that all of their team could jump over. The second was to use similar resources to make a Badminton Net, Racquet and a Shuttle Cock and then play a small game of Badminton. The teams had 30 minutes for each challenge before they were judged.
Balmac Team 1 consisting of - Holly, Brieana, David and Josh were judged 2nd in the Badminton Challenge and were also awarded the overall winners for the afternoon, The prizes for winning kindly sponsorded by the University of Otago were $25 University Book Shop vouchers and torches for each team member.
Balmac Team 2 consisted of Charlotte, Autumn, Felix and Aaron.
Balmacewen Science and Technology Fair 2011
Last week our school hall and learning centre were filled with the final presentations of our inquiry projects for Term Two. It was amazing to see the range of ideas, inventions and investigations that students had worked. All students should feel very proud of their achievements. A big thank you must go to our two judges from Otago Girls High School: Dr Ian Phillips and Vicky Miller. They had the difficult task of choosing projects that may go on to Otago Science Fair in Term Three. There is a selection of soe of the prizewinning boards in the slideshow above and prizewinners names and works will be able to be viewed in the document link below. Our Prize Winning pieces fo work will be entered into the Otago Science Fair in Term 3.
Click here to view 2011 Prize Winning and Highly Commended Students
Maggi Intermediate Schools Kitchen Show Down 2011
Our dedicated team of "Balmac Chef's" have been working hard on their meal creation in recent weeks to refine this for the next step in the competition. We need votes from as many people as possible in order to try and secure a wild chance entry into the next stages of this competition, this is just incase we don't make the grade with the judges and the tasting. so cllick on the image below to go to the Erin Simpson TV website and get voting for Team Balmac!
School Disco
The Balmacewen School Disco was held on Wednesday 15th June. The theme was "glow in the dark" with lots of bright colours and uv enhanced dancers! There was lots of fun and dancing had by all that attended and our resident DJ Herden had some great tunes being played. The council raised a grand total of $750!! The money raised from the disco will go towards School Council Projects and things of "Student Need" around the school and classes.
Balmac Technology Blog - June 2011
We have a new addition to our collection of blog's, The Balmacewen Technology Blog. Mrs Buttery has been producing some great pieces of work with her textiles class. The Tech blog is showcasing what is currently being created and produced in her corner of the school.
Click here to follow the link to their blog, you can also find a link in the Blog Menu.
Year 8 Science - Lotions and Potions!
Most of our year 8 classes this term have had a chance to work at the College of Education and Otago Museum. The session that the students took part in looked at many different chemical reactions and changes of state. You can see from the photos that there were some very exciting concepts explored!
Mega Math Month - Final Results
Progress over the course of our May Mega Math Month was great! Students showed consistent improvements, it will be interesting to see the retention of these improvements in the coming months. On average we are getting 20 wrong which should be easy to improve as you really only need to learn 15 times tables!
If multiplication by zero and one are understood, those facts (light blue) don't need to be memorized. If the symmetry of the table is understood (3 x 4 = 4 x 3, the commutative property of multiplication), those facts (dark blue) don't need to be memorized. By the time that children are working on fact practice, the square numbers (yellow) are already learned, and the "easy" facts (pink) are already learned (doubles, multiplication by 10, and multiplication by 5). At that point, only 15 facts -- the ones in green -- remain to be memorized.
From - http://thinkmath.edc.org/index.php/Multiplication
Term 1 Final Assembly & Fairplay Cup Award
Our final assembly for Term 1 was one that recognised the achievements and efforts of many of our students. Balmacewen Students have been involved in many sports and cultural activities throughout the term. These efforts and achievements were recognised with the presentation of badges and award certificates. There were over 100 badges given out today for sporting involvement this term!
Each term the "Fairplay Cup" is awarded to a student who has shown fairplay within sport. The recipient of this award is someone who shows the attitudes and values associated with fairplay and positive involvement and contribution to sport. This term the "Fairplay Cup" was presented by our guest Craig Bradshaw from the Oceana Gold Nuggets Basketball Team, he presented the awarded to Jared from Room 6 - well done!
In addition to our sporting recognitions there was a presentation made to the Red Cross CHCH Earthquake Appeal of just over $1000 form our recent fundraising efforts.
Many thanks go to our class councillors who will be representing the school and laying a wreath at the ANZAC ceremony at the cenotaph.
We wish all of our students a safe and relaxing holiday and we look forward to seeing everyone again on Monday the 2nd May.
Balmac Writers' Blog
We have a new addition to our collection of blog's. The Balmacewen Extension Writing Group is working hard with Mrs Garthwaite every Thursday and continuing to work hard in between each weekly session to produce some great writing. Their work is based around current issues as well as some fantastic creative writing pieces. Check out their new Blog which will be updated weekly and will be showcasing some of their wondefrul creative work.
Click here to follow the link to their blog, you can also find a link in the Blog Menu.
Balmacewen Swimming Sports 2011
We had some fantastic participation and competition at our School Swimming Sports that were held at Moana Pool on Friday 11th March. From these races the School team that will compete in the Otago Swimming Champs on Saturday 26th March has been selected. Good luck to all of our swimmers who will compete in the upcoming Otago Champs. You can check out the action at Moana Pool from 9am on the 26th of March.
School Council - Christchurch Earthquake Food Appeal
A massive 'thank you' must go out to everyone who contributed to our food drive held here on Friday. We were able to send a heap of food and goods needed to those people in Christchurch who are struggling at this tough time following the earthquake on Tuesday. Our school council are working on some other ways in which we can help this week, so look out for more info about that through your child. Once again thank you for the generous contributions!
The school council have raised over $1000 this week through their mufti, coin trail and guess the lolly jar!
Message from the Principal
2011 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS)
Australian Schools Academic Competitions 2011. Anyone interested in entering these competitions for 2011 can view and download the newsletter/entry form for these here.
Balmacewen Powhiri
Balmacewen held the school Powhiri on Friday 18th February. The Powhiri is Balmacewen's way of welcoming new students and staff inot the school. The Year 8 students brought the Manuhiri onot the school grounds with a Karanga and follwed up with a Haka Powhiri and some waiata.
MUSIC LESSONS
The Itinerants music teacher assembly is on this Friday from 1pm. It is a chance for the students to hear what instruments can be learnt at Balmacewen School. A notice will go home with further information of costs etc which is due back on the 16th of Fenruary. Music lessons for 2011 will start in week 4.
Relay for Life
Balmacewen will be having a mufti day on Wednesday 16th February to support the relay for life that the teachers are participating in. Please read the news letter for further information.
Relay for life mufti day newsletter
Welcome to 2011!
The 2011 school year begins on Wednesday 2nd of February. When you arrive please come to the hall where you will meet with all of the other childrenwho are new to our school and the returning year 8 students.
Our school day begins at 8.50 am and after a brief welcome the class list for 2011 will be called. In the first few days your teacher will make sure you are familiar with our school and our routines.
A stationery pack can be bought through the school for approximately $35.00 which has all of the essential items to get your child started. A separate notice for this will come home on Wednesday and the stationery will be issued on Thursday. The school donation of $80 can also be paid at this time.
At the beginning of term one, we will be beginning our Outdoor Education Programme for year 7 classes. This will involve a two night camp at Lake Waihola where your child will be taught the basics of sailing as well as a hike on the Millennium Track. The cost for these activities will be approximately $65.00. Once again more information on this will come home in the first week. .
Second Hand Uniform Sale
School uniforms can be purchased from Arthur Barnetts and Postie Plus. Second hand uniforms are available. The school will be open for purchase of these on the following dates.
19, 20 and 21st January – 10.00am – 12.00 Noon
Kilts, Jerseys, grey shorts and grey shirts only.
The sports top and shorts will be available in the first week of school at a cost of $38.00 and $35.00 respectively. Canterbury track pants are an optional part of our physical education uniform. These can be purchased through the school at a reduced price and orders will be taken later in term 1.