Welcome to our new students who have joined the Muritai family recently
- Johnny Baird, Lulu Adair, Roko Treadwell-Burke and Emily Yao (room 1),
Ishbel Cook (room 3) and Jayden Aislabie (room 10).
As we approach the end of term 1 we are very pleased with the progress
we are making this year at Muritai. The children are working very hard in class
and starting to wrap things up for the end of term in preparation for some new
learning experiences in term 2.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTIONS
In May the Board of Trustees election will be held. This is an
opportunity for parents to help play a part in the decision-making process of
Muritai School. Information with nomination forms will go out to the
parent community by the 15th April with the election date being 30th May. NZSTA have a useful website which provides a
background to becoming a trustee. Click here to get some useful information.
SENIOR SCHOOL SWIM SPORTS
Our year 3-8 swim sports are at Huia Pool next Friday 19 April. This is
the last day of the term. Events begin
at 9.30 and run through to 12.00, the programme will be very tight but we
should manage. This event is traditionally a hard fought competition, in
particular the inter class and inter house relays.
GOAL SETTING INTERVIEWS FOR YEAR 4-8
Next week on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 April we have goal setting
interviews for children in year 4-8. We will share information from PAT and
AsTTLe assessments tested earlier in the year and discuss goals for the
children to focus on going forward. We will also be sharing the year level
appropriate skills from the literacy and maths progressions with you. This helps to make you aware, as parents, of the
programme run at Muritai School and the competencies required at each year
level to be at the national standard.
Interviews start at 3.00 and are 15 minutes long and we would encourage
children who are in years 5-8 to attend the interview as well. We would also
encourage families, whose parents live in 2 separate homes, to attend the
interviews together - this is not essential but just helps to manage our time.
Please book a time by visiting www.schoolinterviews.co.nz
(event code EBF8M)
As always I remind parents, that teachers are available to share
information and discuss any concerns at any time through the year.
GRANDPARENTS DAY
Last Thursday the junior school held a very successful Grandparents
afternoon. Many of our children's grandparents brought treasures to show the
children and it really was a lovely experience for both the children and the
grown ups. Thank you to some 'friends' of the school’ who joined in the fun and helped out those
children whose grandparents couldn't make it. Room 2 have posted photos that
you can view by clicking here and you can view
Room 6 blog posting here.
YEAR 5 and 6 CAMP
The year 5 and 6 team had a fantastic experience at Forest Lakes camp
recently. The children put in 100% and returned very tired but satisfied with a
good weeks work. They will remember this experience for many, many years. Thank
you to all our adult helpers who assisted throughout the week and of course to
the teaching staff, led by Deane McKay for their excellent organisation. Click here to see some photos from camp.
HOME AND SCHOOL
Unfortunately our Home and School committee is almost non-existent at
the present time with only four volunteers. Our last wonderful committee
members have had to stand down due to other commitments and at the last meeting
only one new person attended. Without new members we will be unable to
run our fundraising events for this year, including the school disco, hot dogs
and chocolate fundraiser. It would be great to have some new volunteers
to help run these events. The Home and School provide Muritai with much
needed funding and also fun events for our children. Please contact the
school office if you are able to help in any way.
WHACKY HAIR DAY
Whacky Hair Day raised $522.20 for the Kids Can charity. Well done to all of you who made the effort
to dress up your hair.
FACEBOOK
Very occasionally parents refer inappropriate children's Facebook
commentary, which happens outside of school hours, back into the school to
'deal' with. First things first, Facebook is blocked at Muritai School so
students cannot access it on our school ICT equipment. Secondly, Facebook
is for people aged 13 or over and so no child under 13 should have a Facebook
account. However, as parents are responsible for their children outside
of school hours, it is the family's decision whether children have Facebook
accounts and with this responsibility comes regular monitoring of their child's
online activity. Netsafe is an excellent online resource to start
At Muritai we regularly explain to children about being a safe and
appropriate online citizen. If you or your child think other children comment
inappropriately on another child's facebook page then I encourage you to
directly contact the other parent in the first instance.
DOGS AT SCHOOL
Our school policy is that dogs are not allowed on the property. It is
not that we don't like dogs, it is because they may foul on the property and
can be unpredictable around children. Although we discourage children from
approaching dogs that are tied up outside school grounds, there is always a
risk that children will approach the dog. What happens next is unpredictable.
We strongly advise dog owners who walk their dog to school, not to leave them
unattended. If by chance you do have to tie the dog up, please do so away from
the access areas for children.
ZONE SWIMMING
Both year 4-6 and year 7-8 have competed at their zone swim events with
some excellent results.
Year 4-6 - Congratulations to Helena Cvitanovich who is the new 25m year 6 record holder. These are the children who placed in the top 3 in their races -
- 1st Y6 Girls 25 Freestyle -
Helena Cvitanovich
- 1st Y4 Girls 25
Backstroke - Emily Jones
- 2nd Y6 Girls 50 Freestyle -
Helena Cvitanovich
- 2nd Y5 Boys 25
Breaststroke - Hamish Dalziel
- 2nd Y5 Girls 25
Breaststroke - Samantha Woolley
- 2nd Y5 Girls 25
Backstroke - Rachel Vass
- 3rd Y4 Girls 50 Freestyle -
Emily Jones
- 3rd Y6 Girls 25 Freestyle -
Ella Burton-Wood
- 3rd Y6 Girls 25 Breaststroke
- Grace Olsen
- 3rd Y6 Girls 25 Backstroke -
Phoebe Evans
The following children will compete for central zone at the inter-zones
- Helena Cvitanovich, Hamish Dalziel, Samantha
Woolley, Emily Jones, Rachel Vass
Y7-8 - Congratulations to the following students who achieved a top 3
finish in their events -
- Milly Griffiths; Mia
Treadwell-Burke; Ella Littlejohn
- Todd Wellwood, Alex
Scott-Billing and John Woodnorth
ICAS EXAMS
A reminder that if you would like your child to take part in any of the
ICAS exams, we need your form and payment returned to the school office by this
Friday April 12th.
- Year 4's can enter English,
Maths and/or Writing.
- Year 5-8's can enter
English, Maths, Writing, Spelling and/or Science.
STAFF BABIES
It was lovely to see Sheena Naik (with Naava), Annabel Smith (Cian) and
Sally Velvin (Honor) at school with their babies last week. All mothers and
children are doing well!
AFTER SCHOOL CARE HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
Mel Dowdall, our After School Care Manager, has been working hard
organising another exciting Holiday Programme. Some of the events for
these holidays include:
- Carter Observatory
- Movies & Percy Reserve
- Marshmallow creations
- Mad Science Day
- Staglands
- Somes Island
- Scavenger Hunt & Sausage
Sizzle
Enrolments close this Friday, 12th April (although we will accept
enrolments until the end of term but spaces will be limited and cannot be
guaranteed). Brochures are available at
the school office or you can book online through the After
School Care Blog
RECEIVING EMAILS FROM THE SCHOOL
It would appear that some people are not receiving notification of the
Bird's Eye View and other notices via email. If you have not been
receiving notices, please first check your spam or junk box and contact us if
you have no notification. I will be contacting our Student Management System to
ask them to look into this.
SCHOOL DIARY
Wed 10 April Year 4-6 inter-zone swim sports
Thur 11 April Year 8 Gardasil Immunisation
Fri 12 April School Assembly 1.45
Wed 17 April Y4-8 student goal setting interviews
Thur 18 April Y4-8 student goal setting interviews
Fri 19 April Y3-8 Swim sports at Huia Pool /
Last day of term 1
Mon 6 May First day of term 2
ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS
The Entertainment Books are available once again. This year, instead of
a book being sent home to every family, please let us know if you would like to
buy one.
You can order your Entertainment Book from the school office or by
ringing Angela Armstrong at 562 8554. You can buy online at www.entertainmentbook.co.nz or by cheque or
cash or eftpos at the school office. Books
cost $60, the same as last year.
Just to recap: Entertainment Books will not be sent home unless one is
ordered. There is a copy of this year's book to view in the school
office.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Looking for a holiday bach in Taupo.
I will be racing in the 2014 New Zealand Ironman in March next
year. I am looking for a 'Holiday Home' in Taupo to rent for the
following dates: 27th February - 2nd March. If anyone has a place
available can you please email me (mckay@muritai.school.nz) as soon as
possible.
Thanks! Mr. McKay.
Hutt Valley Netball Centre – April School Holiday Programme
Come and enrol your daughter in the Hutt Valley Netball Centre School
Holiday Programme. Joanne and her coaching team can assist with improving
the basic generic skills of the game and also assess and identify all potential
representative players.
Walsh Nash Stadium – Tocker Street, Taita
22-24 and 26 April 2013. Please note as the 25 April is ANZAC Day, no
programme will be held on this day.
Fun Ferns Year 3 & 4
9.00am –
10.30am
$60.00
Future Ferns Year 5 & 6 11.00am
-1.00pm
$70.00
Mini Ferns Year 7 & 8
1.30pm –
3.30pm
$70.00
For all entry queries please contact Casey on 04-567 5971 or
email aaohvnetball@actrix.co.nz
For information on the program please contact Joanne on 021-678 975
or email jpaora@paradise.net.nz.
DAYS BAY PLAY
Days Bay Play is an extension of Days Bay Playcentre that offers
creative play-based education opportunities to all families in
Eastbourne.
Next term we are offering after school classes for 5 - 10 year olds
in cooking, paper art (making/origami/notebook
making), and due to popular demand we are offering another creative clay course.
We are also offering a ukulele course for adults and
a preschool music group, which will be run at a local
rest-home for the elderly residents. Take a look at our blog to see the
details for all our courses, to read about the artists and specialists who are
running these courses for us, and to enrol!
