Tuesday 20 June

Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai 
Tena koutou katoa

Welcome to our new students, Damon Edwards and Hollie Ridley-Gibbons to Room 2.
  
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT REPORTING 
We are just putting the finishing touches to our reporting to parents. On Friday written reports and student learning journeys will be issued. The learning journeys provide evidence of the children’s achievement.  

This written report places your child’s achievement against a 5 point scale ranging from well below to well above against the expected year levels of the NZ curriculum. Rather than just focussing on reading, writing and maths we aim to cover all areas of the curriculum, including work and study skills and the key competencies. 

Next week we have parent interviews. We will be using the Learning Journeys and other work samples to guide the parent interview and relate and explain your child’s progress towards meeting the year level national standards. It is important to note that at this mid-year stage these are a prediction as to  how students are tracking against the national standard (which is an end of year judgment). 

We see the learning journey as being a very important part of reporting for the children. It gives them a chance to share their achievements with you and it gives them a chance to reflect on their own growth together with the teachers and their peers.  The language used to put the journeys together helps them self-review their own progress and achievement.

The key thing however is to continue those ongoing conversations about your child's strengths and weaknesses and understand future learning goals for the next phase of learning. You will then be able to take the portfolio home, hopefully with greater meaning and allow your child to then share their quality work with you.

So in summary our triangle of reporting is as follows –

• Written report – a visual representation of your child’s achievement against the NZ curriculum objectives at their year level.
• Learning Journey – a sample of student work put together by the children and their class teacher to reflect their learning journey so far this year.
• Parent interview – using samples of work this is a discussion, with samples, of a student’s strengths and next learning steps. This will involve informing you how your child is tracking against the national standard in reading, writing and maths.

FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
With many parents now on Facebook we are able to share information and school news events via Facebook. Presently we have about 90 'friends' which is made up of just 40 current school families


You can sign up to Muritai School's Facebook page and therefore get regular updates of events.  Click here to join up on Facebook. 


Alternatively, if you are not on Facebook you can also receive these updates straight to your phone via Twitter. Simply text 8987 and type in follow MuritaiSchool and you will receive updates, simple messages, reminders, cancellations direct to your cellphone.


This method of informing parents with up to the minute notices has been invaluable to schools and parents in Christchurch.  In the event of a major earthquake or other natural disaster, most schools would lose power and would be unable to contact parents.  However, using a smartphone, schools are able to update Facebook at any time and alerts are sent out automatically.


SCHOOL DISCO

The School disco is tomorrow, Friday 22 June with times as follows:-

Year 1 - 3      5 to 6

Year 4 - 6      6.15 to 7.45

Year 7 - 8      8 to 9.30

SPORTS STACKING CHAMPIONSHIPS

On Saturday 21 July the first ever Wellington Open Sports Stacking Championships will be held in the Memorial Hall in Wainuiomata.  We will have several students competing for age group titles.  Tournament begins at 10am through to 5pm.  Anyone who would like to support our students and see the sport in action, there is a gold coin entry fee.  The students would love to see you there.  

READING EGGS

Some classes in the Junior School have been trialling the ReadingEggs programme and have found it very worthwhile. The children have certainly been enjoying the interactive animations, fun games, songs and rewards and are highly motivated to keep on practising

Reading eggs is an online programme that helps children with their reading and spelling. It involves a series of one-on-one lessons that allow the children to progress at their own rate. Reading Eggs goes from 3 to 7 year olds and is followed by Reading Eggspress for 7 to 13 year olds. Please visit www.readingeggs.co.nz to view sample lessons. We are able to offer parents a greatly reduced cost of $10 per subscription through to February next year.  If you would like to purchase Reading eggs through the school please send your money to the office by Monday June 25^th.


SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS
Over the past term our Year 7 and 8's have been working hard on their individual science investigations.  We have been blown away with the hard work the students have put into their projects and are most impressed with the extremely high quality of their work.  


All the science projects will be on display in the Library on Monday next week and then moving to the senior school on Tuesday where they will remain until the end of the week.  You are more than welcome to come and view them.


HEAD LICE

Unfortunately we have noticed an alarming number of children with head lice in the school recently.  Please be vigilant with your own children, check their heads regularly and if you find any head lice or eggs at all, treat them immediately.  Children may come to school once they have been treated.  

There are several specialised shampoos and Robicombs available from the chemist.  Due to the life cycle of Head Lice, it is important to check the hair for up to 3 weeks and treat accordingly.  You can also use a specialised fine-tooth comb, put lots of conditioner into the hair of the child which stuns them slightly and carefully comb through the entire scalp.

You may also like to use the services of Nitsy Pixies which is run by one of our parents.  They offer a revolutionary treatment to kill head lice and their eggs without using pesticides or other chemicals.

ARRIVAL TIME FOR STUDENTS

We have noted that several children have been arriving at school at 8am or sometimes earlier.  Although classrooms are open at this time, staff are just arriving for the day and are not able to supervise children.  Please ensure that children arrive after 8.15 to ensure their safety.


RUGBY REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS

Congratulations to Xavier Manson, Henry Griffiths, Ben Grenfell and Louis Rutherford who have been selected to represent Hutt Valley at the Central Zone Rugby Tournament in July.  Good luck to them all.


ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS
Muritai School has raised $1788 to date with the sale of Entertainment Books this year.  Thank you to everyone who bought a book/s.  Congratulations to Mia Weber whose family won a complimentary accommodation voucher from Rydges, Wellington.  If you have missed out on purchasing an Entertainment Book or would like to purchase additional copies, we still have a few books available in the office.  With the school holidays approaching, don’t forget that there are lots of fantastic offers for the family to enjoy.


SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
With less than two weeks before the holidays start, please ensure that you have booked your children into the Muritai Out of School Care Holiday programme if you would like them to attend.  There are lots of fun activities to keep them occupied, including bowling and laser strike, a trip to Maidstone Park, coloured sand creations, water fun at H20 Extreme and much more.  We regret that we are unable to take any enrolments during the holidays due to staffing numbers and organising trips.  To enrol, please complete the on-line brochure or pick one up from the office.  Enrolments must be received by this Friday 22 June.  If you have any queries, please contact Mel on 562 7718 or masc@muritai.school.nz


UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday 22 June	School Disco
Wednesday 27 June	Parent / Teacher Interviews
Thursday 28 June	Parent / Teacher Interviews
Thursday 28 June	Assembly at 1.40pm
Friday 29 June	Last day of Term 2
Monday 16 July	First day of Term 3

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Found
One silver Razor scooter with blue handles, no name
One black and silver ripstick, no name
Both these items have been at school for at least a couple of weeks. Please come to the school office if you believe they may be your child's. If they are not claimed by the end of this week, we will be giving them away to a good home.  


The Parenting Place Father’s Breakfast| Tuesday 26^th June 2012 | 7:10am to 8:30am | Wgtn Town Hall

The Fathers' Breakfast is all about top speakers giving their best thoughts and tips on being a Dad.  Every man in the room – including the speakers – knows that being a dad is tough, but it is the most important job we ever get to do.  Your time is precious and this breakfast makes the most of it: seven minutes from each speaker sharing the stuff that's worked for them.  It's always gutsy, honest, practical, inspiring and entertaining.  And the food's pretty good too.

To check out who the guest speakers are and book your ticket go to theparentingplace.com

Cottage for Rent
Sunny, unfurnished, 3 bedroom cottage, Pukatea Street, available for rent for  2 – 6 months from 13 July. $520 per week. Please email Robyn and Rowan on robrowed@gmail.com.

Midwinter Knack Craft Market
Saturday 23rd June, 9.30am-2.30pm

Berhampore School Hall
Britomart Street, Berhampore

Brighten up the dark winter days at knack! A fantastic range of beautiful, original, NZ made craft, and lots using recycled, eco-friendly materials. Forty stalls of brand new crafters and seasoned regulars offering great gifts, treats and shopping opportunities. Fresh coffee and hot soup, great music, plenty of parking, and we have eftpos!


Give your kids the chance to learn French, Term 3 

Fun French for ages 10 to 12 (year 6 to 8s) a NEW class, Wednesday lunch times. Designed specifically for the older primary level,  including fun games plus plenty of learning, in line with their age and ability.

Fun French for ages 5 to 9, Tuesday lunch-times.  Lots of games crafts, fun activities to help us learn.  Some spaces available in both classes, taking registrations now for term 3.   Come for a free trial lesson. 

LCF Fun Languages offers the opportunity to learn another language for children from 2 to 12 years.  A big variety of interactive and communicative activities: role play, crafts, activity sheets, lively games, songs and drama. Professionally designed materials and a set curriculum. Contact Stefi Plimmer-Blattner on 562 8211 or stefi@lcfclubs.co.nz   Website:www.lcfclubs.co.nz


City of Wellington Pipe Band Open Night
Wednesday 27 June from 6.30 to 8pm.  City of Wellington Pipeband Hall - corner of Stoke and Hanson Streets, Newtown.  All Welcome!  Learn to play the pipes or drums.  Contact Marcus Boshier 021 027 59403 or marcusboshier@hotmail.com