Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai
Tena koutou katoa
The Queen’s Birthday long weekend offers us a little chance to catch our breath before we push forward for the last 4 and a half weeks of the term. A reminder that we are closed next Tuesday 3rd June as staff work on moderating assessment information for the mid year written reports that are issued in week 10. A date for your diaries is Wednesday 1st July for the Learning Celebrations from 3pm - 6pm. The children will share their portfolio of work for the first five months of the year. It is a good record of growth and we allow the children to talk through their growth and progress with their parent as they share what and how they learn at school. In support of this a reminder that staff are always available to meet with you to provide you with any updates on how your child is progressing at school. Just contact them via email and negotiate a meeting time that best suits both parties.
Very proud of our senior students - Senior School Sparks Programme - Personal Passion Projects
Every Friday for the last 5 weeks, the students in the Senior School have been working hard on identifying and enhancing their passions to develop their self-directed learning. They were asked to develop a proposal for a project that they wanted to investigate to a deeper level. They needed to make sure they challenged themselves to learn something new yet still keep their project realistic so it would be achievable within the time frame.
There was a huge variety of projects carried out. From learning how to effectively teach PE skills to younger children, learning how to prepare and cook yummy meals from around the world, designing house buses, sewing dresses, creating amazing artworks, researching about paleontology to movie making, including stop-motion animation!
Each week the students had to prepare and plan their sessions. This could be as simple as ensuring they had all the equipment they needed through to more challenging tasks of writing up lesson plans or emailing teachers to organise times to take younger children out of class.
At the end of every week they were required to reflect on their learning process, identifying what they achieved, what they found challenging and what they needed to prepare for the the following session. At the end of the 5 sessions every student was required to present their learning journey with the class along with any learning artifacts they collected or created along the way. Finally they were asked to assess themselves against the New Zealand Curriculum Key Competencies of Managing Self, Thinking, Relating to Others, Using Text and Symbols and Participating & Contributing. People use these competencies to live, learn, work, and contribute as active members of their communities. More complex than skills, the competencies draw also on knowledge, attitudes, and values in ways that lead to action. They are the key to learning in every learning area.
All the teachers in the Senior School have been blown away by the commitment all the students have shown to their projects and how engaged they have been with their learning. They have all worked incredibly hard and given honest reflections on their learning journeys.
Invitation to visit the senior school.
We are very proud of our Year 7-8 area - our senior school. A small unique space, full of wonderful children and dedicated teachers - we think it works really well and we know that it sets our oldest children up so well for their next steps at secondary school. Next Friday 6th June we will be opening the classrooms from 9am to 10am for students and parents to come and check out all of the projects that have been completed with our recent 'Personal Passion Projects'. The senior students will be there to share their learning with you and parents are warmly invited to attend to take a closer look at the work that has been carried out. We look forward to seeing you there!
In addition to this, at 11am we will be holding our Year 7/8 Speech Finals in the school hall. Once again, we welcome all parents and caregivers to attend.
I'm aware that this is the time of year many families are looking at school options for Year 7 in 2016. We would like to remind you that you are always welcome to come visit us in the Senior School 'over the road'.
You might also like to have a look at our blog which has regular updates of highlights from our area. Check it out here: http://seniorschoolmuritai.blogspot.co.nz/
Year 5/6 Speech Finals
On Tuesday afternoon we held the Y5/6 Speech competition final. Our 8 finalists were:
Year 5s - Francie Penney, Esme Daley, Sarah Caddis and Petra Tilley
Year 6s - Jack Evans, Henry Evans, Cam Skilton and Finlay Clark
The standard of speeches was outstanding and the judges had a tough time selecting the winners. The winner of the Year 5 category was Petra Tilley, with her speech about 'Eggs' and the winner of the Year 6 category was Cameron Skilton, with his speech on 'Underwater Hockey'. Congratulations to Cameron Skilton who was adjudged our overall Y5-6 school champion this year.
Emails to staff during the day.
Staff do try to check emails during the day, but don’t between after lunch and before the end of school as they are teaching. Please be careful when sending urgent messages via emails to teachers after lunch about changes to afternoon arrangements. The best way - at this time of the day is to call the office and we can relay the information.
Shoe and Coat Drive
16 sets of curtains, 6 boxes of Jackets, and 10 boxes of shoes, boots, slippers and sandals sorted, folded, packed and off to a new home.
The Enviro team would like to thank you for the amazing support from both the Muritai School community and Wellesley School with our recent Shoe and Coat and Curtain Drive this term. Your donations will be finding new homes at The Holy Family School in Porirua and a little closer to home in Wainuiomata Primary School.
I am sure with the weather we are currently experiencing they will be gratefully received.
Thank you once again for your support with this venture.
The Enviro- School team and Charity Group.
Teacher Only Day this term
A reminder that we have a teacher only day this term on Tuesday 2 June at Queen’s Birthday weekend. This is week 7 of this term. We also have a teacher only day on Tuesday 27 October which is the Tuesday after Labour Day.
DIARY DATES FOR TERM 2
1 June Queens Birthday – School Closed
2 June Teacher Only Day – School Closed
3 June Starting School at 5 evening (7.30pm)
12 June Assembly
15 June ICAS writing exam/ School leaders at Young leaders day
16 June ICAS Spelling exam
16 June Interzone Cross Country
25 June Board of Trustees Meeting
26 June Assembly
3 July LAST DAY OF TERM 2
20 July FIRST DAY OF TERM 3
Entertainment Books
Entertainment books have gone home in your child’s bag. You have the choice of buying the book or the new digital membership which can be downloaded to your mobile phone. The cost is $60 per membership. For each membership sold, we get $12 so a great fundraiser for our school.
Buy your membership before Friday 5 June to be in the draw to win $60 cash or a Fahrenheit Cafe voucher.
If you do not wish to purchase a membership, please return the book back to the school office as soon as possible.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Found in Puriri Street - two MGP Scooters. These have been taken to Petone Police Station so please call them if you are missing a scooter.
Kids Cross Country Series - next event at Trentham Memorial Park
Athletics Wellington is again running the Kids Cross Country Series over the winter months at various venues around the Wellington region. Our next event is Sunday 7 June at Trentham Memorial Park and the one after that at Sladden Park, Petone on Sunday 26 July. Races for pre schoolers though to year 8s. This event has grown in the past couple of years with over 500 kids at our last event, so come along and have some fun. For more information or to enter go to www.athleticshub.co.nz or email rama@athleticswellington.org.nz or phone 027 3902735.
BabySitter Available - Jasmine Henwood
I am 33 years old and live in the Eastbourne area. I am available to look after your children any time. Please give me a call on 021 066 0536. My hourly rate is $10 per hour.
