THURSDAY 24 MARCH 2016

Thursday 24 March 2016

Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai

Tena koutou katoa

Welcome to our new children - Max McHugh, Charlie Halford and Finlay Drummond who have started at Muritai this week. Our roll is sitting at 399 today with 4 new children starting after the Easter break.

Everything has settled nicely after the initial assessments and children getting to know each other and.  Swimming is over and classrooms are into their learning groove. I have managed to walk through the school and have a good look at each learning team in action and children appear happy and very engaged in what they are doing.  

Following Easter we will have a strong run in to the end of term with a 2 ½ week block. Please make sure you lock in your interview times to meet the teacher to get that important feedback on how well your children are progressing.

Last week Deane Mckay and I met with a team from ERO who are researching on behalf of the Ministry of Health how schools promote physical activity and healthy living for children. They were effusive of their praise, not just for the school, but the way that the wider community pulls together to provide extensive opportunities for our children to be fit, active and healthy. Examples include our children’s access to the tennis, football, cricket, rugby, the scout movement, the sailing club and our swimming pool to name just a few - plus the incredible access to the sea and the bush and opportunities such as the recent Eastbourne Games. The ERO reviewers left with no doubt that Eastbourne children are extremely privileged with the resources around them.

EASTER TUESDAY

A reminder that Muritai is closed on Easter Tuesday. New Zealand schools close for 5 days over Easter so by law Easter Tuesday is an official school holiday.

STAFFING

Last week Francie from our learning support team fell heavily at school and is convalescing at home. While Francie is away we welcome Courtney Paulin to our learning support team to work with Francie’s children.

CHILDREN ARRIVING AT SCHOOL EARLY

Teachers have notified me of children arriving at school very early (7.45). Our expectation at Muritai is that a safe time for children to arrive is around 8.15 with a preference of children arriving closer to 8.30. The ‘go to class’ bell is 8.40 and so children should be here by then, with the school day starting at 8.50. While pre-school is tricky for families, particularly those working, we cannot provide a duty of care to cover families needs. Soon it will be dark and cold before school. Many families are happy to share care and drop offs before school to get kids to school at a safe time and to reduce traffic congestion.

DOGS ON THE PROPERTY

Dogs have been on our property recently and unfortunately we had some dog faeces trampled through a classroom which was very distressing for all concerned, particularly the child who was completely unaware that they had picked it up until they were back in their classroom. It was very embarrassing for them which is just unfair. Generally people are extremely good at not bringing dogs into Muritai as it is a recognised safety issue before and after school with the unpredictability of children and dogs together. The other key reason is dog faeces on the property which puts the health and safety of our children at significant risk if the owner does not pick up after the dog. We need our community to be vigilant in regards to dogs on the property, particularly in the weekend as our grounds are used for sport and to close the gates behind them. We will check our signage to ensure that the message is clear.

GOOD DAY OUT AT THE Y4-8 CZ SWIMMING

The year 4-8 Central Zone Swimming Championships were held at Naenae Pool today.  It was a fantastic event and our kids did us proud. Great to see the Year 6 relay team come through and win the ‘prestigious Year 6 replay event’!

Central Zone swimming Top 3 results:

Rosa Blair - Y5 Girls 25m Freestyle - 2nd

Alex Irvine - Y6 Girls 25m Freestyle - 3rd

Ben Murphy - Y7 Boys 50m Freestyle - 3rd

Izzy Kane - Y4 Girls 25m Breaststroke - 1st

Mia Campbell - Y5 Girls 25m Breaststroke - 2nd

Rosa Blair - Y5 Girls 25m Breaststroke - 3rd

Barney Cass - Y6 Boys 25m Breaststroke - 3rd

Alex Irvine - Y6 Girls 25m Breaststroke - 2nd

Elodie Bain - Y6 Girls 25m Breaststroke - 3rd

Oscar Zuijderwijk - Y7 Boys 50m Breaststroke - 2nd

Ben Murphy - Y7 Boys 50m Breaststroke - 3rd

Pania Rolfe - Y4-6 Open 50m Freestyle - 3rd

Joseph Keenan - Y4 Boys 25m Backstroke - 2nd

Abigail Miller - Y6 Girls 25m Backstroke - 2nd

Sarah Caddis - Y6 Girls 25m Backstroke - 3rd

Ben Murphy - Y7 Boys 50m Backstroke - 1st

Y4 Mixed freestyle relay - 2nd

Y5 Mixed freestyle relay - 3rd

Y6 Mixed freestyle relay - 1st

Y8 Mixed freestyle relay - 3rd

The following students have been selected to represent the Central Zone at the Interzone competition next week: Izzy Kane (25m Breaststroke), Joseph Keenan (25m Backstroke), Oscar Zuijderwijk (50m Breaststroke) and Ben Murphy (50m Backstroke).

 Unfortunately none of our Year 5 or 6 students, despite being selected are not able to  compete at the Interzone as they will be away on camp.

IT WAS A GREAT DAY TO TRI - WEETBIX TRYATHLON

We had a number of students get involved in the Weetbix Tryathlon in Lower Hutt on Tuesday.  It was a beautiful Wellington day with all of the students doing a fantastic job participating in the swim, bike, run event.

YEAR 3-4 ISLAND BAY TRIP

What a perfect day the Year 3 and 4s had at the Island Bay Marine Reserve last Friday.  We loved searching for sea creatures in the rock pools and really enjoyed looking at the many fish in the aquarium.  What a treat it was to be able to look at and gently hold so many different species!

Thank you to Judy and Victor for making us so welcome and to our parent helpers who helped us have such a great day.

Here is Lani Agar’s recount:

On Friday 18th of March we went to the Island Bay Marine reserve.  We went on the bus and when we got there we got to use buckets for picking up creatures out of the rock pools.  We got to hold on to a purple crab and it was a bit big!  We held other sea creatures and there were heaps of limpets.  Some of the limpets were white, orange red.  In a tank there was a massive fish.  In another tank were turtles and they walked on the rocks.  I would like to go there again!

YEAR 5-8 ESSAY COMPETITION

The annual Anzac essay competition is in full swing and we have had to return the trophies this week after last year’s clean sweep by Muritai students. It is always held at a frenetic time of year, but an excellent activity to help build an understanding for our children of our history and where we have come from. The essay theme this year is on the Battle of the Somme from 1916.

PARENT INTERVIEWS WEEK 11

On Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th April we are holding parent interviews to feedback student progress across the first term. To make an appointment go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz, put in the code 88cr7 and follow the prompts.

SPEED AROUND SCHOOL

A reminder that the roads around Muritai School are a variable speed zone and the speed limit recommendation law is 40kph from 8.30- 9.00 and 2.45 - 3.15. We are negotiating with NZTA for signage. As we have a split site drivers need to take care approaching the school on Oroua St and Muritai Rd. The speed camera van pops up from time to time outside the school on Muritai Rd.

Y5-6 CAMP

We wish our year 5-6 team a successful EOTC camp experience next week at the new venue of the Makahika Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Levin. These sorts of activities are extremely challenging for the children, not just through the activities they will do but being away from home as well. By the end of it they will have grown significantly as people. Deane McKay and the team have done a huge amount of work to get the camp sorted and organised. I am sure the children will thrive in the experience.

HOT DOGS VOLUNTEERS

We are still looking for volunteers to help with the hot dogs the Home and School Committee would like to offer for the children on Wednesdays during Terms 2 and 3.  Being on duty is very simple.  There are detailed instructions, and volunteers with less experience are partnered with someone who has done it before.  The time commitment is minimal from 11:30am to 1:30pm.

If you would be willing to volunteer during Terms 2 and 3, please see Carole or Jo in the school office .   Unfortunately, if we don't have enough volunteers, we will not be able to continue this important fundraising event for our children.

MURITAI SCHOOL BOOK FAIR

The Muritai School Library will be holding a Scholastic Book Fair in Week 11 of Term 1, 2016. The school gets 30% of every sale making this a good fundraiser for our school library. The timing of the Book Fair is set around the parent teacher conferences being held on the Wednesday 12th April 3-6pm.

Monday 10th Aril 3-4pm

Tuesday 11th April 3-4pm

Wednesday 12th April 3-6pm

Thursday 13th April 3-4pm

We are asking for some help to run the book fair, one hour of time would help immensely.  If you can help could you talk to Sue in the School Library or see Jo or Carole in the office.

DIARY DATES (staff will contact you with more details about these events)

Thur 24 Mar School Assembly 1-45

Fri 25 Mar School Closed Easter break

Tues 29 Mar School Closed Easter break

Wed 30 -Fri 1 April Y5-6 on camp to Makahika

Wed 30 Mar Y5-8 IZ Swimming

Mon 11/Tue 12 April Children/ Parent / Teacher meetings 3.00 - 7.30

Thur 14 April BOT mtg 7.30

Fri 15 April School assembly 1.45 (Last day of term!)

Mon 2 May Term 2 begins

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

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

COMMUNITY NOTICES

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The weather is changing, so is our Friday Lunch Menu. Starting 1st April children can order our NEW Mince or Mince & Cheese Pie lunch combo (with baking surprise & seasonal fruit).

Combos are $7.50 and delivered to the school hall every Friday at 12.30pm. Send us your child/ren”s name, room number, and order by 3pm Thursday. Txt 022 468 6325 (022 HOT MEAL) or email info@fft.co.nz.

Order forms available at the school office. Payments to 12-3145-0180659-00. See our other popular lunch combo options and term order information at www.fft.co.nz.