February 16th 2010

Monday 16 February 2010

Volume 2

Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai
Tena koutou katoa

Dear Parents / Caregivers

Welcome to Ethan Smith who started school last week.

Parent’s meeting with the teacher – THIS THURSDAY
This Thursday there is an opportunity to share your thoughts and goals with your child’s class teacher. If
you haven’t already done so you can book your interview time by going to
www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and enter school code DQB68. We are very pleased with the turnout so far
with most classes 90% full. It is neat to work in a community that values education so highly.
Please note this is a parent led conference and is about sharing information with the teachers. Teachers will
not be reporting student achievement information as it is too early in the year for that! Please refer to the
form posted on the front page of the website (www.muritai.school.nz) to guide your preparation and please discuss this with your child.

Room 6 parents – your interview day is on Wednesday 17th February as both Karen Jones
and Morag Roberts have a professional development opportunity on that day. You can
access this on the above link.

Because of the interviews, school closes at 2.00 this Thursday. For those parents who are
unable to collect their child until 3, a movie will be shown in the hall. All children will be in the
hall until 3.00. No children will be wandering around after 2.15 for safety reasons. Please let
your class teacher know if your child will be in the hall.

Parent Evening re National Standards.
Last year the Board and School ran a parent information evening about the Revised
Curriculum. We are keen to continue this process and will have 3 parent community meetings
this year. This term, on Tuesday 2nd March (6.45 – 8.00) senior management, with support
from the Board, will present an overview of the National Standards to explain how they will
affect your child at school.

Pinkies for Polio
Thank you for your donations for Pencarrow Rotary’s programme Pinkies for Polio. We have
raised nearly $200. We were lucky to have Geoff Martel from Rotary and Teresa Hobman,
who is a polio sufferer, talk to the children about living with polio. They shared very sad
stories about life with polio and why these vaccinations are vital for children living in areas
where polio is still around. If you would still like to make a donation drop it off at the school
office.

Muritai TV
Our year 8 students are recording events, interviews and life at Muritai School on their own
TV channel. You can keep in touch with their work on http://www.muritaitv.blogspot.com/
They will be posting twice a week until we build our capability (and get through our testing
programme!). Our first 2 entries are interviews with our new teachers Sheena Naik and
Hayden Ray.

Scooters / Bikes
We ask families and children to remember to take bikes and scooters home in the evening.
Unfortunately a couple of scooters and bikes left at school have been stolen/ destroyed by
youths who wander the streets in the evenings. Just naming the scooter is not enough these
days.

Cleaning
Our cleaners Isaac and Verda are taking leave from next Monday until the 5th of March. If
anybody/families would like to earn some extra money over the next fortnight (even in a job
share arrangement) then please contact Andrew or Carole at the school office.



School Diary – Muritai School – Term 1 2010

FEBRUARY
18th SCHOOL CLOSES AT 2PM
18th Meet the teacher 2.00-7.00
19th Performance group Strike visiting school at 11.00
24th Year 5-6 Parent camp meeting

MARCH
2nd Parent community meeting on National standards and revised
curriculum
4th Y5-8 Swimming sports 9.00-12.30 at Huia Pool
5th Assembly
9th-12th Year 5-6 at Forest Lakes camp
9th Year 7-8 Zone swimming

MARCH
12th Year 7-8 out at performance of Shaun Tan’s ‘The arrival’
17th Starting school at 5 mtg - 7.00
22nd Board of Trustees meeting 7.00
23rd Year 5-6 Zone swim sports
26th School assembly
29th Year 7-8 regional swim sports
30th Year 5-6 inter-zone swim sports

APRIL
1 Term finishes.


Year 6 Relay Team
It is important to acknowledge a success that occurred late last year. At the inter-zone sports
Mcleod Harrison, Levi Walton, Liam Brandwood and Isaac Miller-Jose won the year 6
boys relay to become Hutt Valley champions. A tremendous achievement. Well done
boys.

Swimming Sports
The year 5-8 swimming sports will be on Thursday 4th March (week 5) at Huia Pool starting at
9.00.

Kia koutou katoa e mahi nei te whakanui I te mana o te kura Muritai
(Thanks you all for helping us to enhance the prestige of Muritai School)
E noho ra

Andrew Bird
PRINCIPAL / TUMUAKI

Community Notices

Carnival
If you have any smallish jars please drop off at the school office for Mandy Holmwood to pick up

If any of you feel like being organised and making any tomato chutney, sauce etc, soon is the time to
get cheap tomatoes. We often go short on tomato based Deli items due to the time of year the
Carnival is on. They will be full flavoured by that time if made now so anyone interested go for it, get
your Carnival contribution done away from the business of the end of the year!! Mandy Holmwood
will be providing recipes if you do not have any of your own.

Eastbourne Junior Rugby
The Eastbourne RFC junior registration day is Thursday 25 February at the ERFC Clubrooms, HW
Shortt Park, from 5-7pm. One of the Hurricanes will be there so bring your jerseys, balls and t-shirts
along to get signed. This year every child who registers gets a free ball and a child's ticket to see the
Hurricanes v Lions Super 14 game at the Westpac Stadium. We hope to see you there. If you can't
make it on the 25th, there will be another registration day on Sunday 28 February from 10-11 at the
ERFC Clubrooms.