Wednesday 13 November 2013

Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai 

Tena koutou katoa

Welcome to our new students - Kieran and Halina Smith, Oliver Bennett, Amelia Cathie, Amelie Bull and Lucy Hawthorne who have all recently joined the Muritai School community. Our school roll is sitting on 474 children at present.

As we approach the mid term phase of term 4 it is hard to believe that we are closing in on the end of the year. There is much to be done and when you walk through the classrooms you see the children still very focussed and engaged in their learning. 

Teachers are hard at work preparing class programmes.  They are also required to complete important work to close off the year with reports being written, assessment folders completed, class lists assembled and preparation for 2014.

Our enrolment zone is now in place so it is important to let us know if your circumstances are changing for 2014. It is important for the management team in constructing class lists but also very important for the Board as it works through our budgeting and staffing plans for next year. 

ATHLETIC SPORTS 
We had a very enjoyable (but windy) athletic sports on Monday. The children were superb in their endeavour and there was some very close competitions to be year group champions in each event. Congratulations to the winning house relay team from Cook. Thank you to Mr McKay for his excellent organisation. It was nice to be able to use our new outdoor sound system that was funded by the Spellathon!

YEAR 1 AND 2 GARDENS
The Junior syndicate have been very busy planting new flowers to attract butterflies to our gardens.  Swan plants will be added to the gardens shortly to attract monarch butterflies and children will be following the life cycle of the butterflies, checking for eggs and watching them develop into chrysalises and then into butterflies.   

TSUNAMI DRILL
Recently we held a Tsunami drill that went particularly well. We managed to evacuate the school and get up to the top of McKenzie Road without too much fuss and within the ten minutes time frame from 'event' to being safe. I am impressed at how sensible the children are at confronting the whole concept of evacuation. 

PURPLE PINKY DAY
Rotary International decided to direct their focus on eliminating polio worldwide and making polio only the 2nd disease wiped off the face of the earth.  Around the world when children receive their oral polio vaccine, their little finger on their left hand is marked purple.  This prevents double dosing.

The Rotary club of Pencarrow will be visiting Muritai School on Wednesday 27 November to raise funds to help eradicate polio throughout the world.  Children can wear purple for the day and are encouraged to bring a $1 coin to make a coin trail.  Children's pinkie fingernail will be painted with purple nail varnish.  For every dollar donated, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate another $2.

Ex - MURITAI STUDENTS
Congratulations to the following ex Muritai students who have been awarded leadership positions at Hutt Valley High School next year. Ned Grenfell who is Deputy Head Boy, Marcus Noakes (service captain) and Lucy Stotter (sports captain). 

Sadly last week I attended the funeral of one of our ex students, Kyle Sturgess who was tragically killed in a car accident . Kyle was a kind and unassuming young man with a bright future and he will be sadly missed by his friends and family.

JASON KELLY'S VISIT TO ROOM 24

Last Tuesday on the 5th of November Jason Kelly; a Kiwi artist who focuses on working with wood and acrylics made his debut at Muritai in Room 24.

Mrs Allen had convinced him to come and share his knowledge and he accepted the offer. However after paying for paint and a couple of dozen book sized pieces of MDF (a wood with fibres similar to plywood) and giving us his time, we offered to repay our debts. Mrs Allen organised for us to bring in a donation and use that money to buy him some beers if we wanted to.

We couldn't wait until after lunch. Everyone was excited and enthusiastic and were ready to get creating.  At approximately 1:30 Jason Kelly walked through the door. Mrs Allen introduced us and Jason began to talk about his life.

After the inspiring story he handed out two dozen pieces of MDF and we went outside. Jason told us that we had make the MDF look fatigued and antique. We hammered and scraped, thrashed and smashed and once we had unleashed our anger we went back inside.

Covering the MDF in black paint and sand finally the MDF began to look antique and like metal; our objective. We left them to dry and then it was already 2:55; home time. We gave him his beers and our thanks and grabbed our bags to go home.

Seth Patel (Room 24)

BATTLE OF THE BANDS
Yesterday, as last years winners,  Muritai 'hosted' the Wellington Intermediate Battle of the Bands competition at the Little Theatre in Lower Hutt. This is an amazing event with the overall level of talent quite stunning. Our band represented the school very well but did not place on the day. Thank you so much to Carole Lowe for her organisation on what was an amazing day.

NEW BABY
Congratulations to Rebecca and Andrid Saker who are new parents, a wee girl Arla Jane. Everything is going well so far. 

A DAY MADE SPECIAL
We had a surprise visit from the Office Max team today with an enormous box of presents for Kirsten Berry. Kirsten was nominated as an outstanding teacher by some of her children and a colleague and was chosen as one of 15 teachers across the country to be recognised. This was lovely recognition of her talents and hard work in our school.

Touch Rugby
Touch Rugby has started and is on each  Friday with nine teams from Muritai School.  We are looking forward to our children doing so well in this popular competition.  The Muritai Sport Blog lists the teams and all players.  Children need to wear their sports t-shirt and blue shorts.
http://muritaisports.blogspot.co.nz/

DIARY DATES FOR LAST 5 WEEKS OF TERM 4

Thursday 14 Nov - Year 5-6 cricket v Waterloo

Friday 15 Nov – Assembly 1.45

Tuesday 19 Nov – Year 4-6 Central Zone athletic sports

Wednesday 20 Nov – Kia Kaha show for Y5-8

Thursday 21 Nov – BOT mtg 7.30

Monday 25 Nov – Swimming starts, Road patrol training for Y5 students

Tuesday 26 Nov – Y4-6 Inter-zone athletics

Wednesday 27 Nov – Starting school at 5 mtg

Friday 29 Nov – Assembly 1.45

Monday 2 December - Friday 6 December - Year 1-2 EOTC week.

Wednesday 4 Dec - Year 1, 2,3 national standard parent interviews, BOT mtg 

Thursday 5 Dec - Year 1, 2,3 national standard parent interviews

Sunday 8 Dec - Year 8 go to Abel Tasman

Monday 9 December  - Friday 13 December Y3,4,5,6,7,8 EOTC week

Monday 9 Dec - Year 7 go to Mt Holdsworth

Tuesday 10 Dec - Year 5-6 2014 camp mtg

Wednesday 11 Dec - Y1, 2 Christmas concert

Friday 13 Dec - Student reports and class lists go home

Monday 16 Dec - 2014 classroom morning 

Wednesday 18 Dec - Year 8 Leavers dinner

Thursday 19 Dec - Year 3,4,5,6 Christmas concert

Friday 20 Dec - Last day - final assembly at 11am. School finishes at 1.00pm

COMMUNITY NOTICES

Wanted to Rent
Long-term Eastbourne rental property required by local family.  3 + study/4 bedroom, garage (Eastbourne and Bays). Please contact Kate Salisbury 562 8594 or 021 134 3221.

Eastbourne Junior Swim Club – Register Now

The Eastbourne Pool is about to open, and that means it’s time to get ready for Thursday night

Registration for the junior swim club is open at the Eastbourne Library from 1-15 November. Get in and register your family now. Minimum age is 5 years.  Registration night is Thursday 14 November 5-6.30pm. There’ll also be a free swim for the kids on the night.  Swim Club coaching starts on Thursday 21 November.    Email eastbourneswimclub@gmail.com with any queries.

Calling all stallholders.... The Eastbourne Christmas Market is on Sunday 8 December 11am to 2pm.  Start planning your stall now!   Stalls cost $30 - share with a friend, and children $10.   Pre-register your interest by email eastbournemarket@yahoo.co.nz   Application forms inside the foyer of the Eastbourne Library  or upload from facebook.com/EastbourneMarket

Rona Gallery - White Cloud Worlds Gallery Show Nov 7th to 25th
The White Cloud Worlds Rona Exhibition showcases stunning science fiction and fantasy artwork from leading New Zealand artists.  Selected works from both books will be on sale alongside never before seen new works.

White Cloud Worlds Book-signing Sunday 10th Nov, 2pm to 3pm
Meet the artists from Volumes I & II for a book signing and personalised book sketches.

Live Life Drawing Demonstration Sunday 17th Nov, 2pm to 4pm
Drop by for a drawing demonstration, where artists will sketch a costumed model.  There will be discussions for approaches to figure drawing.  Adults and children are welcome to attend and sketch alongside the artists.

Gallery Exhibition Tour with Paul Tobin (Weta Workshop) Sunday 24th Nov, 2pm to 3pm
Join White Cloud Worlds creator Paul Tobin for a guided tour of the exhibition talking about artists backgrounds, influences and work processes.

Save the Loft! Trustees desperately wanted for Eastbourne Youthworker Trust (EYWT).

EYWT is the committee responsible for overseeing our two Eastbourne youth-workers and the running of Friday night activities in “The Loft”.   These activities are hugely popular, with 25 to 50 young people attending weekly. The current Trustees, long term members who no longer have children in the target age group,  have indicated a desire to retire at the end of this year.  Unless a new committee can be found, Friday Night Youth Group activities will cease. If you can spare a couple of hours per month, please contact us urgently.  Email Julie Small on juliesmall@xtra.co.nz or phone 5626207.

Fun Lunch time French

Now taking enrolments for Term 1 2014

Classes held once a week at lunch time, on Tuesday or Thursday

Lots of games, fun activities, crafts, and music to help learning.

The best way for kids to learn a language is through play.

For more information or to register ring Stefi Plimmer-Blattner on 562 8211
or email me:  stefi@lcfclubs.co.nz