17th December 2009

Wednesday 17 December 2009 Volume 22

Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai
Tena koutou katoa

Dear Parents / Caregivers

A reminder that school finishes this Friday at 1.00pm. For those children who usually catch the bus home, the bus will be leaving just after 1 o’clock tomorrow.

The first day for next year is Wednesday 3rd February. Welcome powhiri is at 10.00 on this day.

Term dates for 2010
Term 1 – Wednesday 3rd February to Thursday 1st April
Term 2 – Monday 19th April to Friday 2nd July
Term 3 – Monday 19th July to Friday 24th September
Term 4 – Monday 11th October to Friday 17th December

Farewell to our Year 8 students.
Last night we had a special celebration for our year 8 students and their parents. It was a lovely occasion full of glitz and glamour and the sharing of happy memories. We wish our year 8 students every success as they go onto high school next year. Many families have their last child leaving Muritai School and we say goodbye after many years association with the school. We thank them for their contribution and loyalty to the school. Tomorrow we have a leaver’s assembly at 11.00 in the school. All the students who we will farewell tomorrow have contributed to our culture at Muritai School. Our leavers have many diverse qualities and strengths but above all, they should feel that they have tried to be the best that they can be and leave with an appreciation for their peers, their teachers, their school and themselves. We congratulate them and thank them, and their parents, for the contribution they have made to Muritai and wish them all the best for the road ahead.

Prize giving Awards At last night’s prize giving the following cups and certificates were awarded -
Certificates for contribution – Anais Schanzel, Ruth Meo, Michael Cook, Ina Malama, Billie Bishop-Ash, Samantha Gorham, Yorik Janssen, Tim McCafferty, Ashley Sisson, Dante Tilley,
Abel Tasman Cup – Callum Gray and Chris Gaskell
Improvement in year 8 award – Jazz Kane and Franziska Plimmer
Board of Trustees Cups for Endeavour– Ellen Sullivan and Rupert O’Brien
Board of Trustees Cups for academic excellence – Holly Moore and Marcus Noakes
Jacobson Cups for mathematics – Sam Pajo and Holly Moore
Debbie Bertaud-Gandar Memorial Cup for Commitment to Science and Technology – George Brathwaite
Swain Cup for leadership and contribution in sport – Keoghan Harrison
Beck Family Cup for best all round sportsperson – Lucy Stotter and Sam Brandwood
Mills Family Cup for contribution to arts – Max Wollerman
Stotter Cup for dedication and commitment – Angelique Cotogni
Clarke Cup for “Positive contribution to Muritai School” – Samantha Mason
Newton Family Cup service to Muritai School – Jazz Kane
Class of 61Cup - “Outstanding Contribution to Muritai School” – Ned Grenfell
Booth Family Cup ~ “The Student’s Student” – Lewis Wiggins

Year 8 Trip to Abel Tasman
The year 8 students had a marvellous time in the Abel Tasman National Park and successfully survived their week away. Stephen Eames, Raihania Chadwick, Carole Lowe, Sandra Blair and Chris Galvin reported a wonderful week’s experience and praised the children who were both energetic and outstanding, both in accepting the challenge of the expedition and in their behaviour. A huge thanks to those parents who gave up their time to spend a week with their children and allow them the opportunity to enjoy the experience.

Touch Rugby
Another solid season for our touch rugby teams with a number of placings. Finals results – Muritai Sushi (year 5/6 boys) - 2nd place overall Muritai Lizards (year 3/4 boys) - 5th place overall Muritai Small Blacks (year 6 girls) - 6th place overall
Muritai Fairies (year 5/6 girls) - 2nd overall Muritai Bears (year 3/4 mixed) - 3rd place overall Muritai Speeders (year 7/8 mixed) - 4th place overall Muritai year 7/8 mixed - 1st overall

Conclusion
This is the final newsletter for 2009 and I take this opportunity to thank the children, staff and the Muritai community for what has been another very successful year.

Through the regular newsletters and blogs parents will have gained an impression of school-life throughout 2009. The newsletters has been available by e-mail, the website and through the school office. We have used email this year as the main process to communicate with the school. School-life is always “full on” and the website certainly captures the moments of the many activities and exciting events your children have been involved in. Parents who have been keeping track of the school’s webpage www.muritai.school.nz will also have gained an understanding of the beliefs, values and curriculum focus
areas the school has promoted throughout the year. Through the newsletters, celebration assemblies, performances, and the school’s website the school has celebrated and recognized the many successes of our children who have achieved in a variety of academic, sporting and cultural activities. The positive celebration of our successes throughout 2009 reflects the school’s vision statement “be the best that we can be”. It is certainly a pleasure to say “thank you” to the large group of parents who regularly support the school and who have been actively involved throughout the year.

The children have been showing signs of excitement as they share their anticipation of what Christmas will mean to them. The Christmas season is indeed one of excitement and joy for them as they begin to dream about everything that sparkles and of course the gifts that are shared by families and friends!

Christmas means many different things to each of us and our preparations take many paths as we reflect on our own personal understanding of Christmas and anticipate visitor arrivals, plan summer beach holidays or simply look forward to relaxing and enjoying time with our families.

Many families are leaving the school as they move on to different schools. Thank you for your support and commitment to Muritai and best wishes for the future.

We farewell Amber Campbell tomorrow. Amber started the second new entrant class in April and has done a superb job settling in these children and getting them started on their learning journey. All the very best Amber and thank you for your contribution. Thank you to Margs Mills-Smith who started the term 4 new entrant class and returns back to her part-time teaching role in 2010. Safe travels to Barbara Ryan who takes up her 6-month science fellowship with the Royal Society at the beginning of next year and will return in term 3.

From me on a personal level, I have enjoyed my sabbatical experience and enjoyed seeing the school do so well under Matt Skilton’s leadership. A huge thank you to Carole and Sue at the front office and to the senior management team, teaching staff, support staff and after school care staff – thank you for your contribution. Our children are very lucky to have such a great team working with them. To all, the best for your future travels beyond Muritai.

To the Board of Trustees and Home and School – two magical groups who have worked so hard as the guardians of the school. You have a huge job, with many responsibilities, and you have had another successful year. We are blessed to have such a supportive team that enables so many opportunities and developments to come to fruition, at our side. To Lisa Langley, Lillian Martin and Steve Bielby stepping down from their leadership of these groups – thank you for your dedication and service to the school.

All the staff joins with me in wishing you all a very happy and safe Christmas with family and friends. Enjoy spending time with your children.

Kindest regards and Mere Kihirimete
Andrew Bird Principal/ Tumuaki