February 24, 2011

Volume 2

Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai
Tena koutou katoa

Dear Parents / Caregivers,
Firstly our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch in respect to Tuesday's tragic earthquake. This is an amazing event in our nations history and we pass on our sympathies to those who have experienced tragedy as a result of the earthquake. It is very difficult to help Christchurch at this stage, obviously we can open our wallets and donate money to various causes, but one thing that we can do at Muritai at this stage is open our school up for children from Christchurch to attend in the short-term. Schools in Christchurch are currently closed, with many expected to be closed for an indefinite period of time.

Muritai has space available to take children whose families choose to leave Christchurch in the short-term and spend some time with family in Eastbourne while services in Christchurch are down. Please let me know if your friends and family need to take up this option - I have had 3 enquiries already!

Introduction
Welcome to our new children Cameron Bentley (R2), Jack Kreyl-Moore (R2) and Bayden Moors (R14) who have started at Muritai recently .

Thank you all for your support in what has been a very smooth start to the year. Staff appreciated the meet the teacher interviews and enjoyed learning about your children. If you were not able to make an appointment please feel free to email your class teacher and catch up soon. Information sharing just helps the home-school partnership develop and allows teachers to build a picture of the children in their class.

Many of the children are over their initial anxieties about the beginning of the year. There are big changes for many from last year and they are to be admired for their courage and thank you as well at nurturing them through what can often be a difficult time - for them and for you as a parent. It is all part of 'standing tall' - our theme for the year - but they are growing up all the time and challenges will come up on a daily basis. Best thing is to look the challenge in the eye and tackle it. I always have liked Dr Seuss best effort on tackling something tricky...

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
Dr. Seuss

Liam Brandwood and Hazel Sisson

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
At our powhiri in the first week we welcomed new students and staff to the school. Our kapa haka group were superb for a first up effort. It was also a chance to introduce our school leaders for this year. Our school captains are Hazel Sisson and Liam Brandwood. Hazel and Liam have a long history of making a strong contribution and providing mature leadership at Muritai. Both are well respected by staff and their peers and they will do well in this role.

Hazel and Liam are also part of the school council comprising Thomas Fraser, Clara Lafont, Meg Sykes, Casper Tilley, Molly Hancock and Mcleod Harrison.
School Council

We have some amazingly talented individuals who are continually promoting and displaying leadership qualities. Everyone has the potential to be a leader, whether they are leading by example, role modelling, are sports captains, working in the main school, providing encouragement or by being given the opportunity to take on any role of responsibility on request. Leadership doesn’t always come with a title.

 The prestigious house captains role this year are:
King –Tess McFarlane and Troix Kokich,
Sanson – Abby Barclay, Robbie Lowe;
Charters – Mykala Sinclair, Sergio Cotogni;
Cook - Harrison Swift, Sam Mitchell

PERMISSION TO TAKE YOUR CHILD OUT OF SCHOOL
Under the Education Act 1989, parents are legally obliged to enrol their children in school from the age of 6 to 16, and to ensure that their children attend school every day the school is open for instruction, unless there is a justifiable reason for their absence (eg illness, family bereavement).  It is an offence if parents refuse or fail to do so.

Please note that if your child is going to be away from school for any reason other than medical or appointments then you need written permission from the Principal.  Absences are recorded, coded and annually audited by the Ministry.  If you have not got permission for a justified absence it will be recorded as truancy.  Just notify me in writing outlining the reason for the absence and if valud we can action the documentation.  School Board of Trustees are legally required to take all reasonable steps to ensure enrolled students attend school every day, unless there is a justifiable reason for their absence.

BACK TO SCHOOL BARBEQUE
Our Back to School Barbeque was a great success this year - especially as the weather was kind to us. The past two years has seen our plans rained off so it was wonderful to be able to hold the barbeque as planned. A big thank you to the Board of Trustees who cooked the sausages and to all the families who came and enjoyed the evening.

SWIM COACHING
As part of our swim professional development training for staff we have secured the service of Swim NZ coaches for the first few weeks of swimming. This means that the children have access to some pretty special coaching to help them on their way for 2011. We are all finding this to be very beneficial to our swimming programme.

PEER COACHING
This year, as part of our standing tall theme, and to boost leadership opportunities in year 5 and 6 we are undertaking peer mediation training through the Cools School programme. Led by Matt Skilton and Stu Devenport, the year 5-6 students and the staff have started their training. It is aimed at not just empowering our children by teaching them skills and processes to resolve conflict peacefully, but also create a better awareness in our children about the consequences of their actions and the way that they behave. You can read more about the programme, run by the Peace Foundation by clicking here.

DYSLEXIA AWARENESS
We have just become New Zealand's first dyslexia friendly school. Last year we were audited by 4D, NZ's dyslexia organisation, and we have just received confirmation that we are the first school in New Zealand to meet the criteria for their high standards of dyslexia friendly education. We are very proud of this and it has been a lot of work. Our lead teacher, Sarah Richardson, has been working with staff over the last couple of years and we have based our staff professional learning on presenting learning opportunities in a variety of ways. A premise is that if we get things right for children with dyslexia, we get it right for all children. An example of our focus is shown though our emphasis this term on mind mapping as a tool to construct or collate our thoughts - all part of presenting information in a different way. You may be interested in the work Sarah has been doing in the Learning Den. Click on her blog - it tracks our journey as well as providing many resources to help our children/ families.

TOUCH RUGBY/ SPORTS UNIFORMS
We are gearing up for the next season of Touch Rugby which starts tomorrow. Children who are interested in playing have been asked to complete a form and pay the fee of $15. We are missing some of our sports uniforms. We have enough to cover but please check your children's rooms for sports uniforms - green or white polo shirts, blue shorts, green netball skirts - and return them to the school as soon as possible.

Scots College Hands-On Open Afternoon
Year 8 students who might be interested in attending Scots College in 2012 are invited to a "Hands-On Open Afternoon. The date for the Open Afternoon is Friday 11 March 2011 commencing at 12.30pm and finishing at 2.15pm. Transport to and from the College will be arranged and all boys will be provided with lunch. Please let Stephen Eames know if you would like your son to attend.

TERM DIARY
February
Thurs 24th -	Y5-6 Camp Parent helpers meeting
Fri 25th -	Year 3-4 at Days Bay
March
Fri 4th -	Assembly 1.40pm
Tue 8th -	Y5-6 to Forest Lakes camp Year 3-4 swim sports at Eastbourne pool Year 7-8 zone swim sports Year 1 to Pataka museum
Wed 9th -	Year 2 to Pataka museum
Fri 11th -	Swimming finishes
Tues 15th -	Year 7-8 Shakespeare at Wellesley
Wed 16th -	Year 1-2 at Capital E Starting school at 5 7.00pm /
Tues 22nd -	Year 4-6 Zone swimming
Fri 25th -	Assembly 1.40
April
Tues 5th	BoT mtg – 7.00 staffroom
Wed 6th	Year 5-6 Inter-zone swimming
Fri 8th	Year 7-8 Literacy Quiz
Mon 11th -	Y5-8 Swim sports
Fri 15th	Assembly 1.40 Last day of term 1
TERM 2 DIARY
May
Mon 2nd	First day of term

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Eastbourne Rugby
The Eastbourne RFC junior registration day is Thursday, 24 February, at the ERFC Clubrooms, HW Shortt Park (The Rec), from 5.00-7.30pm. One (and maybe two) of the Hurricanes will be helping out at our registration, so bring your jerseys, t-shirts, etc with you to get signed. It would be fantastic if you could also bring along your mates who haven't played rugby before - RWC year is a great year to try rugby. Every child who registers gets a free ball.

This year we will be having a 'boot swap' on registration day. If your boots from last year are too small (or you have other pairs of boots lying around the house that the family no longer needs), bring them along to registration and swap them for a pair of boots for the 2011 season.

Athletics at Newtown Park

A elite athletics meet will take place at Newtown Park in Wellington this Saturday 26 February to raise money for the Salvation Army’s Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

Elite athletes that were scheduled to run in the now-postponed International Track Meet in Christchurch have confirmed they will take part in the event, including United States’ top miler Alan Webb, Britain's Lee Emanuel, sub-4 milers Will Leer and Brandon Bethke and Willis himself.

The event will commence at 5pm with the presentation of Nick Willis’ silver Olympic medal – the first and only time an Olympic medal has been presented in New Zealand.

Staglands - Kids free entry this Children's Day - Sunday 6th March
Children’s Day is about having fun with your kids and so this Sunday 6th March we’re letting all kids in for free. Reward your wee ones with a trip to Staglands and tell all your friends and family too! A child must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Basketball
There is a basketball league which is run out of the Walter Nash Stadium with year groups shown below. The school does not have official basketball teams, however, parents have in the past organised and run a team themselves. Wendy Manson is currently taking a team of Year 7/8 students. If you are interested in putting a team together, please contact Wendy Manson on 562 8287 for more information.

Y3/4 Monday 3.30pm – 6pm
Y1/2 Tuesday 3.30pm – 5.00pm
Y5/6 Thursday 4pm – 6pm
Y7/8 Wednesday 4pm – 6pm

Swiss Ball Classes
Days & evenings (Eastbourne soccer club rooms). Lynne Plimmer 562 8889 or http://www.sustainablefitness.net/

Plunket Appeal Week, 7-14 March 2011-02-10
Do you have or have had a Plunket baby? Have you reaped the benefits of our wonderful nurse and have you and your children enjoyed the friendships that come from the PIN groups? Our main fundraising event is coming up very soon. We are looking for some wonderful volunteers to help us with our collecting during the Appeal Week. We also need more co-ordinators to ensure that we have everywhere in Eastbourne covered. The money that is collected will remain for the use of the Eastbourne Plunket Branch and thus benefit all the pre-school children in Eastbourne. Obviously many hands make light work, so the more volunteers we have the better. We will be holding a wine and nibbles get together on 17th February at the Plunket rooms from 7.30pm for all those who would be interested in helping.

If you can’t help out, please look out for our collectors during the Appeal week and give generously. Please give Michelle a call if you can help on 04 562 8877.

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