Kia Ora, Talofa Lava, Greetings, Malo e Lelei, Kia Orana, Bonjour, Nǐ hǎo, Hallo, Hola, Kon'nichiwa, Namaste, As-salāmu ʿalaykum
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Tena koutou Muritai families,
Welcome back to school for a fun and festive Term 4!
The children have returned to school enthusiastically and our walk up the hill on our tsunami hīkoi following our ‘Shake Out’ drill was super speedy, with the entire school population (and all visitors) evacuated up to our tsunami evacuation zone in 11 minutes.
At school we practiced the ‘Drop, Cover, Hold’ in classrooms for one minute before we evacuated. Each year we practice the full tsunami evacuation alongside the national ‘Shake Out’ event. It is a great opportunity to discuss with your children what your evacuation plan at home is if an earthquake occurs.
Staffing Updates:
Congratulations are in order for two of our Muritai families with two of our teachers expecting family additions early next year. Kea Maritz in Room 3 is pregnant and is due during Term 1, and Whaea Hilary (Hilary Bevin) who delivers our Te Reo in class support and our Kapahaka groups, is pregnant and due during Term 1 as well! We wish Kea, Hilary and their families the very warmest congratulations from us all at Muritai School!
Muritai Classes 2021
Each year at this time we get underway with the intricate and careful project of collating the following years' classes. This involves recruiting for teaching positions, communication with outside specialist agencies, talking with current teachers and listening to the voices of all stakeholders - including parent voice.
Although we are unable to offer a teacher selection option to our parents, if there is something you would like us to know or consider in class placements, I encourage you to please pop your thoughts into an email to me at Principal@muritai.school.nz. Our recruitment process for teaching staff is underway for 2021, please be aware that our teachers can sometimes opt to move syndicate levels too!
All children have a voice in this process as well, and are able to select some children they would like to learn alongside in their class.
The deadline for any parent input is 19th October, this coming Monday. (If you send information after this due date it is impossible to ensure it can be taken into account as once we begin, it is a little like a spiderweb of childrens names and information that cannot be easily changed.)
After the 19th October, we set about using information gathered to draft class placements, ensuring a balance to each group of learners with needs and abilities in social and emotional skills, academic strengths and needs, behavioural needs, etc, etc as well as working to a formula of ensuring all children have a social group and classes are particular sizes to fit that year’s formula. Once again - please do not send important information after this date, as we may not be able to meet any of your recommendations once the classes have been put together.
Teacher Only Day - Week 2 Friday, 23rd October
Next week we have our final Teacher Only Day of the year. The staff and I are looking forward to spending the day with a visiting educational consultant Paula Jamieson, who will be leading the teaching staff through some teaching around play based learning, hands on maker activities, and mobile technology all being infused, while keeping rich literacy at the core of learning. I look forward to sharing more with you after our day.
Thank you for assisting the day to go ahead with the supervision of students. Our Kelly Club school before/after school programme coordinators will be running a holiday programme if you require some supervision assistance on the day:
Kelly Club Muritai will be open for a full day programme on Friday 23rd of October
We have super fun and interactive games, sports, cooking, and discovery activities planned for the whole day!
We have the following session times available for the day programme:
Full day: 7.30 am – 6.00 pm ($47.00)
School Day: 8.30 am – 3.00 pm ($39.00)
Morning Half Day – 7.30 am – 12.30 pm ($29.00)
Afternoon Half Day – 1.00 pm – 6.00 pm ($29.00)
Booking:
Booking with Kelly Club is fast and easy. There are many ways to book and enroll your child into our programmes.
1. Online at https://www.kellyclub.co.nz/muritai to enroll and book
2. Drop in to the Muritai School hall in the mornings and afternoons to pick up an enrolment form
3. Email us at muritai@kellyclub.co.nz (Please note that online bookings close at 9 pm each night.)
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow - you are all invited to join us in wearing pink to support our ‘Pink Shirt Day’!
Ngā manaakitanga,
Bec Power, Principal
FROM THE SCHOOL
Pink Shirt Day 2020
On Friday October 16th, the Year 8 Charity Ambassadors, along with Hannah and Elsie from the Tūī team have organised for our students to take part in ‘Pink Shirt Day’. All students across the school can dress up in pink clothing and wear this to school for the day. Please no wacky hair.
The slogan for Pink Shirt Day 2020 is ‘Kōrero mai, Kōrero atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora - Speak up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying’ and the theme is ‘How to be an Upstander.’ Being an upstander involves five actions. These are to support a person who has been bullied, interrupt any bullying that is occuring, use words to show aroha and kindness, move away and get other help. The Ambassadors have organised a colouring competition as part of the day. Gold coin donations can be made to the New Zealand Mental Health Foundation and posted into the slot in the Pink T Shirt at the office.
Athletics Day: Friday 30 October (Postponement Day Tuesday 3 November)
Please make a note in your calendars… Our Year 3-8 Athletics Day is to be held on Friday 30 October.
The first rotation is set to begin at 9:15am and the relays, which is the final event of the athletics meet, is set to begin at approximately 2:15pm.
A timetable of the rotations will be sent home closer to the time.
The Korora team will be holding their athletics day on Friday 13 November.
TERM DATES 2021
Our Term dates have been agreed for 2021 as follows:
Term 1 4 February to 16 April
Term 2 3 May to 9 July
Term 3 26 July to 1 October
Term 4 18 October to 16 December
Our 2021 Teacher Only Days are still to be set.
2020 Activity fee and Donations
Statements will be sent home shortly for our Activity Fee and Donations for 2020 and we would
like to thank all the families who have contributed and for your ongoing support
of Muritai School. It makes a huge difference to us as a school and is very much appreciated.
The Muritai School Board of Trustees
Term Dates 2020
Term 4 Monday 12 October to Thursday 17 December
(Teacher only Day Friday 23rd October - Labour Weekend)
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Children’s book promoting environmental sustainability - free delivery in Eastbourne.
Three past Muritai students, as part of the year 13 Young Enterprise Business scheme, have written and published 'Aroha’s Promise’, the story of a local child who looks for ways she can help look after planet Earth by implementing environmentally friendly practices into her everyday life.
Beautifully illustrated, the first print of 100 books sold quickly, but a second print run is now available and would make an ideal Christmas gift for your environmentally conscious child. To view sample pages and to order, please go to the group’s webpage: fifthsense.mystorbie.com
The book is $15. Enter DROPOFF in the discount code box, for free delivery to your letterbox within the Eastbourne area :)
25% of profits will be donated to the 'Sustainability Trust Charity’, a NZ non-profit organisation that supports sustainable living.
Term 4 Lunch time French for Muritai School children
Experience French learning the fun way! Children speak French from the first lesson
Lessons once a week, lots of interactive activities, role play, crafts, active games and music
Free trial lesson. After that $14.50 per lesson, plus a membership starter pack of materials to use at home, siblings 10% discount
To register your interest please contact Stefi on stefi@lcfclubs.co.nz or 021 178 2099
visit the website www.lcfclubs.co.nz
