Tena koutou katoa
Naumai e te whanau o te kura Muritai
Welcome to Zack McRobbie and Stirling Tito who joins the Muritai School family in room 2 this week.
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
I write this newsletter from the transit lounge of Houston airport on way to Boston for the first part of my Woolf Fisher Fellowship.
The board has notified the community of my resignation following my recent appointment to Kelburn Normal School. Sometimes with these things it is difficult to get perfect alignment with the in and out of the process. I am excited by the challenges that await me at Kelburn and feel really good about the state of Muritai School to pass onto the next principal. After 15 years service to the Muritai and Eastbourne community I think it is time for a new person, a fresh perspective and for someone else to have a turn at the helm of this fantastic school.
I feel Muritai has all the foundations in place for the next steps – a skilled and competent new Board of Trustees, a clear strategic plan and direction, a wonderful experienced and stable staff and awesome children. It is a great recipe for success and Muritai is positioned well to reach greater heights.
Maureen Buckley is now acting principal as previously mentioned and I will be back after the Fellowship to support her in this role. The Board has activated the recruitment process and will keep you informed as they go along.
This newsletter brings an end to term 2. We are now half way through the school year and the children have been simply wonderful so far this year. The mid year reports read so well, the children have shown they are making good progress and the celebrations of learning were a huge success – the school was buzzing. Thank you for taking part in those and allowing your children to show you their quality work.
We farewell Hayley Skilton from Muritai School, and indeed the whole Skilton family. Matt, our previous DP, has won the position of principal at Tahatai Coast School in Papamoa and the family is heading north. Hayley has been at Muritai for 10 years – starting as a part-time teacher and finishing up as our associate principal for year 3-4 and a big part of our senior management team. Hugely respected internally by our teaching staff and by the children and parents as well – we thank Hayley for her contribution to Muritai for the last decade and wish Matt, Madia and Cam a safe trip up north!
We also wish Melissa Coton every success as she takes up her Royal Society teaching scholarship at Zealandia for the next 2 terms.
We welcome Richard Dobson into the Y3-4 AP position leading that team and Heather Mawbey into room 9. Robyn Wellwood takes over from Melissa in room 22.
FROM THE SCHOOL
YEAR 7/8 SCIENCE FAIR
Congratulations to the 8 finalists of the Senior School Science Fair:
- George Travers (1st place)
- Yasmin Kerr (2nd place)
- Emma Littlefair (3rd place)
- Chloe Bothwell
- Nina Owles
- Lea Pummer
- Dan Walker
- Tilly Potter
CYBERSAFETY GATHERING
A huge thanks to all those who attended the senior school Cybersafety gathering after our Celebration of Learning last night. It was exceptionally helpful to get your thoughts and suggestions for our Term 3 Cybersafety focus as well as the strategies parents may use to help keep their children safe online.
WORLD VISION
Congratulations Muritai student for raising $3405.10 so far for World Vision Famine. The money is going to make child friendly spaces. These spaces provide a place for children to play games, sport and participate in art for children who have had to leave their homes and find a new life in a refugee camp in a foreign country. They have left friends, family, school and all their favourite things behind. The child friendly places give the children access to the things they have lost along with a sense of security and safety and hope for a better future.
These kids have lost everything and we are helping them to be kids again! Well done.
MISSING BOOKS
Maureen Buckley has been taking stock of our junior readers and it appears that we are missing quite a few. If you have any Muritai School books, can you please drop them into the office.
ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS
There are still a few entertainment books out in the community. Please return yours as soon as possible. Any outstanding books after next week will be followed up personally by the office.
LOST PROPERTY
As it is the last week of term next week we will be putting out the lost property on the deck. Our goal is for all of it to be claimed by Friday so please if you are missing some key clothing items I hope you find it next week!. Please make sure clothing is named and then things can be returned if found.
HOOKED ON BOOKS
Maureen Buckley is looking for adult volunteers for her valuable Hooked on Books Programme. The adults can be parents or grandparents of children at the school or from within our community. If you would like to do this on a weekly or alternate weeks for approximately an hour in the afternoon, please contact Maureen Buckley buckley@muritai.school.nz
YEAR 5/6 RUGBY
Muritai's 1st XV went down today, not without a fighting spirit though. They played a much bigger group on a very small field which made for a tight 'battle' up front. Well done to our opposition, Eastern Hutt. Our boys held their heads high, were gracious in defeat and showed good sportsmanship. Kia Kaha!
YOU RIPPA!
The Y5/6 Muritai School Rippa Rugby team have won their way to the National Rippa Rugby tournament being held in Wellington next term. They have managed this great feat by winning the final at the WRFU Rippa Rugby qualifying tournament in Johnsonville today. The team won their 2 pool matches (against Tairangi and Rangikura), semi final (against Ngati Toa) and then the final against Tairangi School. It was a huge effort by all and I am very proud of the way they conducted themselves throughout the day.
The Team: Jack R, Barney C, Ben D, Tom B, Daniel B, Elodie B, Mia C, Lola C, Rosa B and Greta W.
Our team is pictured with the other finalists, Tairangi School
TERM DATES FOR 2016
Term 3 = Monday 25 July - Friday 23 September
Term 4 = Monday 10 October - Friday 16 December
We have a teacher only day at Labour weekend.
Teacher only day two = Tuesday 25 October
COMMUNITY NOTICES
KULA KIDS’ YOGA TERM 3
Winter is a great time to work on the flexibility, strength and balance that yoga can offer in a warm dry studio, just a block from the school. I’ll even pick up your 5-9 year old from Muritai school in our ‘walking schoolbus’!
Wednesday or Thursday
27 July - 15 September
Ages 5-9: 3-4 pm
Ages 10-13: 4:15-5:15 pm
8 weeks for $90
Contact Jeanne with inquiries or to enroll
e: kulakidsyoga@yahoo.com
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