Tena koutou katoa
Dear Parents / Caregivers
Welcome to James Dungan who has started at Muritai in room 1 - I’m sure your time at Muritai will be very successful.
PARENT MEETINGS
Thank you for your attendance at the ‘meet the teacher’ interviews last week. It was useful for teachers to hear your aspirations for your children and helps us personalise the learning experiences for them. We encourage parents to keep in touch with teachers if there are any concerns of you want to find out how your child is ‘doing’ at school.
ASSESSMENTS
At present the children are working through a variety of standardised and progress tests to help set learning goals going forward. These tests are not everyone’s favourite thing but because they are standardised, they do give an indicative measure of where each child sits relative to their peer or cohort group in the foundations of learning - reading, writing and maths. At the end of this term we will feedback these results to you, and the progress children are making to meet learning goals. The dates for parent interviews are Monday 11 April and Tuesday 12 April. Pop those in your diaries now. A reminder that at any time staff are available to meet with you to discuss anything to do with your child’s learning.
HOMEWORK
Muritai does set homework and our school policy is on the website under the link Our School/ School Information. Teachers will be setting this up soon. Generally homework is mostly reading, some spelling and a little mathletics. Occasionally it may be inquiry related. Our policy however acknowledges parent choice and also acknowledges the incredibly busy lives that Muritai children lead after school. Please liaise with the class teacher about any issues to do with homework. We would like our children to be reading or being read to on a daily basis to help instill a lifelong love of literature. Take a bucket to the Eastbourne library and fill it up with a variety of books every fortnight.
FIRST ASSEMBLY
Our assemblies are very popular and well attended. We had our first assembly today and our new presenters and the year 8 team did a fantastic job.
PARKING
Just a reminder about parking around the school. The school is based with 2 access points of Muritai Rd and Oroua St. If you are lucky enough to score a park directly opposite the school you have one of the best accesses of any school in the country. If you don’t then you may have to walk up to 100m to the school. This is not really a hardship. Please don’t feel that you have to secure a park directly outside the school, or indeed sit in the car in an unsafe park (on yellow lines, on corners or double parked). I am frequently receiving emails from parents commenting on other parents insensitivity around the school. The bottom line is our children are very young, we need to acknowledge this and we need to make the safest possible exit for our children. Our children need to be able to see down the roads so they can identify if it is safe to cross. Please don’t block this vision. People are great at pitching in and helping the kids across the roads - Oroua St is a bit awkward with 3-4 streets exiting it so close to school. This is appreciated.
DIARY DATES (staff will contact you with more details about these events)
Tuesday 16 Feb - Y3/4 Rippa Rugby Coaching
Thur 18 Feb - Y5-6 to Te Papa Dreamworks exhibition
Fri 19 Feb - School Assembly - 1.45
Thur 25 Feb - Y3/4 Rippa Rugby Mini Tournament at Bishops park
Thur 26 Feb - Y5-6 Boys cricket
Thur 26 Feb - Y3/4 Swimming Sports
Mon 29 Feb - Staff PD - Anna Dixon - artist
Tue 1 Mar - Y1-3 LH Primary schools tabloid sports
Mon 7 Mar - Junior school swim sports - Eastbourne Pool
Tue 8 Mar - Y7-8 Zone athletics sports
Tue 8 Mar - Y/34 Rippa Rugby Tournament
Thur 10 March - Y3-8 swim sports at Huia Pool
Fri 11 Mar - School Assembly - 1.45
Mon 14 - Fri 18 Mar - School Photos
Wed 16 Mar - Starting School at 5 Evening - 7.30pm in Room 3
Thur 17 Mar - Starting Muritai at 5 - 7pm
Tue 22 Mar - Weetbix Triathlon
Wed 23 Mar - Y4-6 Central Zone swim sports
Thur 24 Mar - School Assembly 1-45
Fri 25 Mar - Tues 29 Mar - School Closed Easter break
Wed 30 Mar - Fri 1 April - Y5-6 on camp to Makahika
Wed 30 mar - Y4-8 IZ Swimming
Mon 11 and Tue 12 April - Children/ Parent / Teacher meetings.
Fri 15 April - School assembly 1.45 (Last day of term!)
SUN HATS
Thank you for your vigilance with this - we had 100% hats on during this week so we are pleased. Children without hats spend breaks in the shade. As it is getting hotter we are trying to spend less time during the day outside. It is nice to be able to access the Eastbourne pool for a swim to cool off.
LOST PROPERTY
We have seen lost property decrease this fortnight as we have been able to find homes for clothing left around. Thank you for naming the children’s clothing. However the nice light blue adidas swim bag remains unclaimed!
SAILABILITY
Some of our children thoroughly enjoyed their session at Sailability at Seaview Marina this week. Ollie, Tim and Joss particularly enjoyed it and here is a photo of Joss being the ‘skipper’ in the sailing dinghy with his first-mate. What a wonderful opportunity for all kids and a big thanks to all the volunteers that give up their time to enable so many kids to have these experiences, which firstly challenges them immensely, but safely and inclusively gives them a great thrill of experience.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Hutt Valley High School always let me know how our ex-students have gone in scholarship each year. From our year 8 class of 2010 congratulations to Sofija Cvitanovich (English and Classical Studies) and Daniel Pinfold (Classical Studies) who earned scholarships this year.
CARNIVAL 2014 TEAM
For the last couple of Carnivals we have had a fantastic team lead the organisation of this event. This year we need a new energetic and enthusiastic group of people to run this event. The last team put together a comprehensive manual to keep it simple. Each Carnival makes approximately $50/60,000 and is therefore an extremely important fundraiser for the school. The last Carnival donation paid for our new pods of MacBook Airs and IPads for student learning, with previous donations being for our library which is now up and running.
If you are interested in being part of this team, please let Jo or Carole in the office know. Without your help there will be no Carnival this year!
SCHOOL INFORMATION FORMS
Recently we sent out the school information forms. We do this annually to ensure our records are up to date. Please complete these and return them to the office as soon as possible.
TERM DATES FOR 2016
Term 1 = Monday 1 February - Friday 15 April
Term 2 = Monday 2 May - Friday 8 July
Term 3 = Monday 25 July - Friday 23 September
Term 4 = Monday 10 October - Friday 16 December
Please note Easter is in term one this year and so school will be closed for the Easter Break from Friday 25 March to and including Tuesday 29 March
We have 2 teacher only days this year at Queen’s Birthday and Labour weekend.
Teacher only day one = Tuesday 7 June
Teacher only day two = Tuesday 25 October
SPORT
Netball
We are gearing up for another season of netball. Notices have been handed out to child who expressed an interest in playing this year. Please complete and return to the school office no later than 26 February. This will enable us to organise the teams and ensure the players practice before competing in the competition.
Children will need either the school sports shorts or a netball skirt together with the school sports t-shirt. These can be ordered from the school office.
Taita Courts - February After School Coaching Series
4 week programme for Year 3-8 players of all abilities – Wednesdays at the Taita Courts. Get ready for another season of netball with 4 weeks of fun sessions with our experienced coaches. Develop key netball skills with drills and games/modified games.
4.30-5.30pm: 17 & 24 February, 2 & 9 March.
$40 per child, registrations close Friday 12 February. Register online at https://reg.sportingpulse.com/v6/regoform.cgi?formID=54571&aID=16377
COMMUNITY NOTICES
2016 GUITAR LESSONS AT MURITAI SCHOOL
There are limited places available for new pupils from Years 3-8. The lessons are 30 minutes long, and will take place in groups of up to 4 pupils. The cost is $12 per lesson.
Each pupil will need a guitar to use at home, and a clearfile to bring to school.
Please contact: Charles Hazlewood
music.box@paradise.net.nz
(04) 934-2759, 029-9392759
INVITATION TO FREE YOUTH CONCERT
I would also like to invite the children to a free Youth Concert in the garden at 3pm on Sunday 21st, adults can attend for $30 and we have a young choir of singers and soloists performing Handel's Dixit Dominus. There will also be a new piece for choir, a setting of Roma Potiki's poem 'And My Heart Goes Swimming'. The orchestra will also be performing Vivaldi's Summer.
Please see the website of Days Bay Opera for more details, http://www.daysbayopera.org.nz
Ensemble Music Classes for Children
This year Priya Gain is offering itinerant music classes for juniors, middles, and senior school students at Muritai School on a Thursday morning. Classes will be based on the Orff approach to music education. The Orff approach is rooted in rhythm and integrates experiences of singing, movement/dance and ensemble playing experiences on barred instruments. It is centred on the playful exploration of the elements of music and opportunities to improvise. Classes will be taught to small groups and are a good support for students already learning instruments as well as for students who have not yet had the chance to learn music formally. For more information please email: priyagain@gmail.com
Eastbourne Football Club 2016 season registrations
The 2016 football season kicks-off on Saturday 2nd April and will run through to Saturday 27th August. Online registrations for all teams will open on Wednesday 10th February and end on Saturday 20th February at www.efc.org.nz.
Registration fees are unchanged from last year and include a team photograph and membership to the Eastbourne Sports & Services club.
· First Kicks (4 - 6 year olds) - $85 (includes a free football)
· Fun Football (7th & 8th grade) - $95
· Mini Football (9th to 12th grade) - $110
· Youth Football (13th & 14th grade) - $120
· There is a $10 discount for each additional child registered per family.
If you are unsure of which grade your child will play in, the grade is based on the age that they turn this year (i.e. if your child has turned or will turn 8 this year they will play in 8th grade). Girls have the option of playing one grade below their age if they wish.
The Club will also be holding a parents’ information session on Thursday 18th February at 7:30pm at the Eastbourne Sports & Services Club (end of Tuatoru Street) to answer any questions members may have on the season.
Free Hip Hop Dance Class this Saturday!
Pump Dance is offering a free hip hop class for boys and girls in Eastbourne this weekend.
Dancers aged 5 to 12 years are welcome to join us for a hip hop dance class from 2pm - 3pm this Saturday 13th February.
The lesson will be held at St Ronans Hall, 234 Muritai Road and there is no need to register beforehand.
If you have any questions, ring 027 437 3508 or email libby@pumpdance.com
Fun French for kids at Muritai School for ages 5-12
- Experience French learning the fun way!
- Lots of interactive activities, role play, crafts, active games and music, and cooking
- Free trial lesson
- To register your interest please contact Stefi on Stefi@funlanuages.co.nz or phone 562 8211
Join in the fun at the 2016 Eastbourne Games - Sunday 13 March, Williams Park, Days Bay.
Every two years, Eastbourne’s seven bays come together for a day-long programme of fun, family-friendly events to compete for the coveted Eastbourne Games trophy. Events are designed for all ages from 6 to 50+ and provide for every kind of sporting, intellect, creative, culinary, musical and even dog talent. At $5 for children or $20 for the whole family, you won’t find a more colourful or better value day of entertainment which celebrates all that is awesome about Eastbourne. With an emphasis on fun rather than competition, and a BBQ and live band to close, it’s a great way to get to know your local community.
To find out more or register to be part of the fun, contact your local bay captain:
Point Howard - Julie Batchelor 568 9007
Lowry Bay - Julie Parker 021 113 9230
York Bay - Sally Bain 977 4507
Mahina Bay - Christine Buckley 562 0921
Days Bay - Arini Poutu 022 614 6989
Rona Bay - Trish Theobald 021 733 130
Muritai - Ben Waitt 021 323 692
|
No comments:
Post a Comment