It has been another busy year for The Burnside High School PTA. There have been four meetings throughout the year. We were very lucky to be joined by some fantastic speakers, including Simi Desor, Registered Psychologist and Dame Sue Bagshaw. Please join us for all meetings, it’s a great way to meet other parents and staff members and to learn more about how the PTA operates. All students and whanau welcome.

First PTA meeting of 2022 - including AGM and 1st funding round for 2022.

The first PTA meeting of the year on 9th May was a decision making time for the first round of funding applications that comes to the PTA from many different areas of the school.

The PTA was able to fund the following projects:

· New Volleyball, Netball and Basketball uniforms and equipment plus coaches/managers jackets

· Portable Football goals

· Community Garden and seedling project kit

· Library book trolley

· Dance department costumes

· Evolocity batteries

· Digital stage box

· Sitech sports Bluetooth PA system

PTA funds come from the voluntary annual PTA donation that appears on your school invoice. These funds are allocated to those school projects which meet our funding criteria. The PTA does not undertake any other fundraising so we really appreciate your contribution. Occasionally projects have also been funded from the sales of new and second hand uniform items from the uniform shop.

Second meeting - Guest speaker Dame Sue Bagshaw

The PTA were delighted to be able to welcome Dame Sue Bagshaw to speak at our meeting in July.

As well as being a Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, Dame Sue is a well-known, local Youth Health Advocate. She helps to run the 298 Youth Health Service for disadvantaged youth, as well as the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust. She has also been a driving force behind the soon to be built Youth Hub - a holistic one-stop model of wraparound services in a youth-centric and accessible environment for young people.

Sue spoke about how young people’s brains develop and how understanding can help communication. She also touched on gender diversity and the journey of exploration of identity that young people experience, and gave an update on the Youth Hub that will help make an improvement in youth mental health in Canterbury.

Third meeting – Guest Speaker Simi Desor, Registered Psychologist

We were very grateful to be able to welcome Simi to speak to our parents and whanau regarding the importance of sleep.

Simi explained that sleep is a vital part in supporting teens in their education and wellbeing. Simi’s talk aimed to empower parents with knowledge and understanding on a broad range of topics related to sleep such as:

•Sleep basics - what actually happens in our body when we’ve fallen asleep?

•Sleep hygiene- what conditions are important for a healthy and restorative sleep?

•Sleep challenges - what is getting in the way of normative sleep cycles for many youth today, the impacts of cell-phone and device use, and how can we address this?

•Sleep supports - what can we do to help young people develop a respect for and the means to regular, restorative sleep?

We are also excited to confirm that Simi will return to one of our 2023 meetings to speak again.

Fourth meeting – including 2nd funding round for 2022

This was Phil Holstein’s final BHS PTA meeting. The PTA has been lucky enough to have Phil at almost every meeting over the years and took this opportunity to thank him for his support and wish him all the best for his next adventure!

The PTA was also sad to farewell Jema Nartea, who has been involved with the PTA for many years, including the last 3 as our Uniform Shop Co-ordinator. Jema will still be a familiar face helping out occasionally in the shop, but will be missed greatly on the executive committee.

During this meeting we discussed the second and final list of funding applications for the year. The PTA was able to fund the following projects, among others:

· Poetry Board

· Community Garden Project and Staff Seedling Project

· Year 9 Activity Day

· High Interest Young Adult Books

· Year 13 Building and Construction Course

· Pool Equipment and Activities

Periodical PTA Publication – 2022

Kia ora tatou e te whanau, welcome to another Periodical PTA Publication, letting you know what your PTA Committee has been up to during 2022….

As the school year draws to a close, we held the final PTA Meeting of the year, on Monday 21 November. So far this year we have allocated more than $30,000 to several worthy causes, including volleyball equipment, basketball uniforms, new books and a trolley for the library, Evolocity materials, a digital stage box and cabling, and a new Sports PA system, equipment for the new swimming pool, Year 9 Activity Day and many more.

It was another busy year in the Uniform Shop during 2022, with a small but dedicated team of PTA volunteers helping out every Monday and Tuesday, as well as at the Major Sales at the beginning of the year. However, an even bigger year awaits in 2023 when the brand-new Burnside High School uniform arrives, which will be sold only at the Uniform Shop. Turnover is expected to triple, and the wee shop will be busier than ever! The school will be employing staff to take over the selling of the new uniform, and where possible the PTA Volunteers will stay on to assist with selling both old and new uniforms. Please get in touch with Julie in the Uniform shop if you’d like to know more about volunteering in the shop.

We would like to take this opportunity to offer our sincere gratitude to everyone who has helped out at the Uniform Shop during the last 12-month period, including our erstwhile Shop Co-ordinator, Jema Nartea, and School Liaison, Julie Cook. We really couldn’t have done it without you all. Arohanui.

Ka kite ano,

Matt Darnbrough – Chairperson, PTA

Uniform shop

The PTA has made the decision to step back from the uniform shop. Going forward, BHS has taken over the everyday running of the shop, including all new and second hand items of the current uniform and all items of new uniform for the 2023 Year 9 students.

When possible, the PTA would love to be able to continue to support Julie in the uniform shop. If you are able to help during the extended summer sales hours (December and January) or during term time hours next year, please email ptauniformshop@burnside.school.nz

Regular term time hours 2023 – Mondays 1-2pm and Tuesdays 2:40-4pm.

Current PTA Executive:

Chairperson: Matt Darnbrough

Treasurer: Sally McMorran

Secretary: Rebecca Matheson

PTA Meetings 2023 – Dates to be confirmed early in the new school year.

The PTA would like to take this opportunity to wish the BHS community a happy and healthy Christmas, New Year and summer holiday.