Fundraising Opportunity

The school was very pleased to support a local camper van rally on the weekend, making the top fields available for parking and accomodation on Saturday night. All the vans were self contained and by all accounts, attendees had an enjoyable stay. They have asked if they can return in the future, and we would welcome an approach again.

This was a small fundraising opportunity for our school. Thank you Monique for making the initial contact and organising the day.

Tapuaetahi Sandspit Restoration

The student team travelled to the sandspit today to begin work on weed removal, and to gather seeds for raising. This long term project is a special one for our school and we are proud to be kaitiaki of this precious environmental gem.

Excitement and anticipation as the team gather in front of the sandspit with Teresa, Emily and Romy to begin the task of weed removal.

Mahi and Isaac removing plenty of Iceplant from the sandspit area. Those bags get very heavy boys.

Well done Neva and Emily. Digging up those larger plants is not the easiest of jobs in this heat.

Nice work Soraya, the weed pile is just about taller than you.

Teresa taking the tamariki over the sand dunes to collect seeds from the pingao.

Soccer Skills

 James Coleman of the Northern Regional Football Association offered our children the opportunity of joining their soccer skills programme in schools. All the children were involved in sessions learning and practicing a range of kicking and passing skills. These sessions were expertly run by Pete from the NRF. With the start of the FIFA football world cup this was an opportunity to grow children's interest in the 'beautiful game'. 

Disco Fun

 A big thanks to the teachers, senior students and all the parent helpers for the organisation for our disco on Friday evening. It was another great opportunity to get together again as a community and enjoy some dress up fun and music.

A special mention to Tiana, Dee and Thalessia for their great organisation and work with food preparation, Olga for being DJ extraordinaire, Monique for her tireless 'do everything' support, and all the other parents who supplied music equipment and made other contributions to the success of the afternoon. Thank you all.

Sir Peter Blake Young Leaders Award

 At last weeks school hui it was a great pleasure to announce that a young person from our school had been granted a Sir Peter Blake Young Leaders Award. The award was presented to Arran Grant for his leadership of the school pest trapping programme.

Arran has taken leadership of this trapping programme and has guided a small team of his peers to maintain a regular programme of pest trapping around the school. Arran and his team and also taken their work into the community and have shared their journey in presentations to other groups, including at the local Whitiora Marae, to show the benefits to our environment of their actions.

Massive congratulations to Arran.

Board of Trustees - Update

Due to Helen Green's work load and family commitments she has recently resigned her position as Board of Trusts Chair at BOIIA. We are excited to announce that Poppy Murrells has filled that vacancy. Poppy has introduced herself and her family in the letter below. The full school Board of Trustees are listed here for your information.

We wish to express our sincere gratitude to Helen for the work she has put in as Board Chair since the last election.

The elections for new Boards of Trustees are due to be held in the middle of 2022. If this is something you have considered, or are interested in finding out more about, speak to any of the current Board or please contact us here at school.

Poppy has shared her personal and family introduction here

Second hand clothing donated

Following the enviro-schools clothing sale held at school during term 2 there was a large quantity of clothing unsold. This week children from Room 4 have been bagging up these clothes and delivering them to the Women's Refuge (via the Kerikeri Police) and to the Hospice Shop.

They hope it will make a positive difference.

Northland Pest Control Wānanga/Meeting

Last Sunday saw the running of the latest pest control meeting for interested groups around Northland. The Bay of Islands International Academy took along members of the trapping group to present to the meeting about what they have been doing to manage the population of pests in the school grounds.

Details and a video of their presentation is below.

We are excited to be involved early in an initiative to rid the Purerua Peninsula of all pests in an effort to protect and grow the kiwi and native bird communities living here.

Switch on Safety

At the Bay Academy we have the full service of the government funded Network for Learning (N4L) who manage and control the internet, including maintaining up to date filters to ensure only appropriate content is available to students online.

In conjunction with Netsafe and the Ministry of Education you at home can also access the same protections on your childrens devices. The instructions to make the necessary changes on those devices are shared here (and are quite simple to do).

https://switchonsafety.co.nz/

Professional Learning Day

A 'teacher only day' with a difference

Netsafe Event - Protecting our children online

 This is a reminder about the upcoming event in Kerikeri. If you have questions or concerns about your childrens online behaviour or experiences, this is a very worthwhile session. Follow this link to register, or simply show up on the night.

Market Day - Can you help?

 

Community Notice - Inline Hockey

 

Taupo Bay NZ Surf Academy April Holiday Surf Programme 19-23 April | 27-30 April 2021

 

Te Whakapapa ō Ngati Rehia

 

A massive thanks to parent Kiri Walsh who has shared her artistic brilliance and created these images representing the hapu of Ngati Rehia.

We've entered these sketches into the Resene Wall Worthy competition (https://www.knzb.org.nz/paint-new-zealand-beautiful/wall-worthy-competition/) in the hope of winning some funding and support to have this mural recreated on our school in the near future.

This mural reflects the whakapapa of the local hapu Ngati Rehia. These are the descendants of Tareha a famous Ngā Puhi ancestor who was prominent in the very first interactions between Maori and Pakeha in the early 1800's, just down the road at Rangihoua, the famous site where Marsden Cross is located. Tareha was also a significant Rangatira around the time of the signing of the treaty of Waitangi. 

Ngati Rehia ancestors have been attending our school for close to 100 years, the location of the school having moved from the nearby Ngati Rehia Village of Te Tii to just up the road at our current site over 60 years ago. Today we acknowledge the mana whenua and their place in our school. 

The history, the wahi tapu and the stories of Ngati Rehia are significant elements of the culture and learning in our school. Our strategic plan embeds the goal to ensure all of our students, of all cultures understand the whakapapa of Ngati Rehia. This mural will go along way towards supporting this goal in our school and community.

Odd Socks to show your support

 

Sunday the 21st March is World Down Syndrome Day. This week teachers will be talking to students about Down Syndrome helping to give them an understanding of what it is. As a community we love to celebrate this day with Jasper J. 

As it falls on Sunday we will be celebrating this on Friday the 19th March by inviting students to wear odd socks. Odd socks were chosen as a symbol because chromosomes are shaped like socks and those with Down Syndrome have an extra one. 

We look forward to seeing all those odd socks!

Community Event - Engage your Brain

 

Bus Stop - Nuture by Nature - Afternoon pickup

Parents, whānau and caregivers will be aware that the bus needs plenty of space to pull off the road at Nuture by Nature to allow children to unload safely. I am asking everyone who collects children from that stop in the afternoons to please recognise the need for space and park your cars accordingly.

The side street alongside Orangewood may be an option.

Your support and cooperation in ensuring this is a safe and successful stop is appreciated. Thanks everyone.

Safer Internet Day

Netsafe have created a series of resources to assist parents having conversations with children at home. As part of our Ko Wai Au values at the Bay Academy, positive digital citizenship is a major focus. I have pulled out some conversation starters you might like to use at home when discussing internet use.

 

The Incredible Years Parent Programme

Expressions of interest from parents wanting to participate with this programme can be submitted to the school.