Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai
Tena koutou katoa
Dear Parents / Caregivers,
A big welcome to our new students Ana Zuijderwijk, Ted Woolley and Oliver Sliper in and our new students from Christchurch who have joined Muritai - Oliver Jones, Oliver and Riley Day, Maddison Phipps and Sophie Brown, Olivia and Logan Edwards, Genevieve Henstock, Jonty and Tamsin Mills.
TWO MINUTES SILENCE
Our children did superbly yesterday as we marked the nationwide two minute silence to recognise last Tuesday's Christchurch earthquake. William Parr, a year 5 student in Mrs. Allen's class wrote the most beautiful poem...
Christchurch earthquake
The shaking earth was followed by a blackening silence
Flaming billows of smoke cloud the suffocating air
Sooty smoke slips through cracks like magma
Destruction all around me with houses torn like paper
People shriek as buildings fall around them
I feel angry with the earth
Our emergency management procedures are detailed and robust, but we are currently revisiting our processes to ensure we are best prepared to cope. Should a significant event occur the school will ensure that -
- Students will be instructed to stay at school
- The school will begin contacting parents/caregivers with a priority given to those parents/caregivers who are known to work out of the Eastbourne area. The school has the facility to text parents, as well as inform parents by email. The message will contain information around collecting children from school as soon as conditions allow by reporting to the school office. Parents will be informed that students are accounted for and are currently being looked after by school staff.
- School emergency food supplies will be used if needed.
- School facilities will be used to house and care for students.
- Staff will stay with all students who are not able to be placed in the care of the parent/caregiver or family emergency contact.
This Friday 4th March the school has organised a 'RED and BLACK' day as part of our efforts to help those in Christchurch after last weeks devastating earthquake. The idea is for students to come to school on Friday wearing red and black as way to show our support for those affected by the earthquake. It would be greatly appreciated if your child could also bring a monetary donation. There is no set amount to the donation .... To make the day a little more exciting for the children we have planned a staff vs a Mr Bird's X1 football game at to be held on the school field at lunchtime followed by a special assembly where we hope to take a whole school photo of all the staff and students dressed in red and black!
The events in Christchurch provide challenges for us as parents/caregivers for our children. The constantly updated information through the media is useful for us adults to keep abreast of events but does provide challenges for our children as they are exposed to the power of nature and the destruction that can occur. But the best gift you can offer children is understanding and as a country we are showing already what we are really made of and it is important that not just model empathy but also optimism and as we go forward we know that things will change and by working together the effected areas of Christchurch will be rebuilt.
Red and Black Sock Dudes - Raffle
Karen Chao, our Room 1 teacher, has made a special duo of her "sock dudes". These sock dudes are to be raffled, with each ticket costing $1. All money raised will be added to donations received from children and parents from our Red and Black day. If you would like to buy tickets, these will be available in the office from this afternoon.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
There is some confusion around children before school and after school. The school operates a Before School and After School programme. Before School Care opens at 7.30 and runs through to 8.40. After School Care operates from bell time through to 6.00. Recently we have been aware that some children have been arriving at school between 7.30 and 8.00 while some children have been staying after school for long periods. This is not satisfactory, especially when the school offer these care facilities to provide supervision. We strongly recommend that children do not arrive before 8.15 in the morning at the EARLIEST. Teachers are preparing for the day and constantly involved in short meetings to ensure the day operates smoothly.
After school is quite a social event at Muritai with many parents catching up with each other and children playing on our wonderful playground. At some stage children do need to go home though, drop off their bags, have some food and refresh the batteries. Families are most welcome to stay but all children should be supervised by their parents/caregivers in the playground. It is preferable if families have moved on by 3.30. Skateboards, rip-sticks, scooters and bikes are not to be used until after 3.30. All other children should go home straight after school and report in with their parents. It is our string preference that children do not return to school until after 4.15 to play. The school provides a valuable play space in Eastbourne but our staff are not actively supervising children, who are not in after school care.
The events in Christchurch provide challenges for us as parents/caregivers for our children. The constantly updated information through the media is useful for us adults to keep abreast of events but does provide challenges for our children as they are exposed to the power of nature and the destruction that can occur. But the best gift you can offer children is understanding and as a country we are showing already what we are really made of and it is important that not just model empathy but also optimism and as we go forward we know that things will change and by working together the effected areas of Christchurch will be rebuilt.
Karen Chao, our Room 1 teacher, has made a special duo of her "sock dudes". These sock dudes are to be raffled, with each ticket costing $1. All money raised will be added to donations received from children and parents from our Red and Black day. If you would like to buy tickets, these will be available in the office from this afternoon.
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
There is some confusion around children before school and after school. The school operates a Before School and After School programme. Before School Care opens at 7.30 and runs through to 8.40. After School Care operates from bell time through to 6.00. Recently we have been aware that some children have been arriving at school between 7.30 and 8.00 while some children have been staying after school for long periods. This is not satisfactory, especially when the school offer these care facilities to provide supervision. We strongly recommend that children do not arrive before 8.15 in the morning at the EARLIEST. Teachers are preparing for the day and constantly involved in short meetings to ensure the day operates smoothly.
After school is quite a social event at Muritai with many parents catching up with each other and children playing on our wonderful playground. At some stage children do need to go home though, drop off their bags, have some food and refresh the batteries. Families are most welcome to stay but all children should be supervised by their parents/caregivers in the playground. It is preferable if families have moved on by 3.30. Skateboards, rip-sticks, scooters and bikes are not to be used until after 3.30. All other children should go home straight after school and report in with their parents. It is our string preference that children do not return to school until after 4.15 to play. The school provides a valuable play space in Eastbourne but our staff are not actively supervising children, who are not in after school care.
So in summary, if your child is not in before / after school care then -
- Children should not be at school before 8.15
- Supervised children can stay in the playground after school until 3.30 with their parents/caregivers
- All other children must go home
- No 'wheels' in the playground until after 3.30
- Children are welcome to return to school to play, with their parent/caregivers permission after 4.15
This year our school photos will look very different. We are using Sue Allman, a local photographer and parent of the school, to take classroom and individual photos. A pack will be coming home very shortly which needs to be completed and returned to the school office, with payment, by Tuesday 15 March. Photos will be taken on 21, 22 and 23 March and 28, 29, and 30 March. The packs and different types of photos available will be on display int he office from today.
A little bit about Sue Allman: "My black and white children's portraits are contemporary images that capture a child's natural expressions, allowing their spirit and personality to shine through. As the fashion and beauty editor of a leading London magazine, the key part of my job was to style and art direct beautiful photographs. Over the same ten year period I became very interested in travel photography and had my work published regularly. When I became a mum it seemed natural that I should combine my skills and indule myself in taking photos of my kids to document their progress. The results inspired the many commissions which led me to create sueallmanpeople.
SPORT
Rippa rugby
Congratulations to our year 3 rippa rugby team who performed so ably last week at their tournament. Many children played for the first time but their enthusiasm was wonderful. Mr. Skilton
Cricket
Our year 5-6 team play Waterloo School in a 20/20 game tomorrow starting at around 12.00 at Muritai School. Our year 7-8 team play St Bernard's College in the Milo Cup at St. Bernard's. Good luck teams.
Touch rugby
Our 5 teams made a strong start to the season last Friday. Keep up the big effort teams! Mr. Hull
Year 3-4 Swim sports
Next Tuesday (8th March) is the Year 3 and 4 swimming sports at Eastbourne Pool. The event will get underway at 9.30am and should be concluded by mid-day, if not earlier. You are most welcome to attend and support your child in their chosen events.
Year 5-6 camp
Next Tuesday our year 5-6 team are heading to Otaki for the week to participate in their annual camp at Forest lakes. Mr. Devenport and the team have put a huge effort to put this together and appreciate the support of parents to make the camp possible. I am sure each child will enjoy the companionship of their peers as well as be challenged in many different ways by this opportunity.
Entertainment Books are coming to Muritai School!
Muritai School is pleased to be offering the new edition of the Entertainment book to parents as part of our fundraising campaign for this year. Entertainment Books contain hundreds of 25-50% off and two-for-one offers from popular restaurants, cinemas, hotels, the arts, and leisure activities. There truly is something for everyone with high value offers from Logan Brown, Boulcott St Bistro, Charlie Bill Fine Food Bistro, St John’s Heineken Hotel, Capri Bar and Eatery, Wagamama, Ernesto, La Bella Italia, St Pierre’s Sushi, Sky Village Cinemas, The Hurricanes, Wellington Phoenix, Zealandia, Avis, Hamilton Island……….and many more!
The new and exciting Wellington Entertainment Book is only $60 and the sale of each book will raise $12 for the school and contribute much needed funds to our fundraising targets for this year.
The books can be pre-ordered now. All Payments made before March 12th will receive over $160 of Bonus Offers which are valid straight away!!! For more information or to order your book contact the school office.
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