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, this is our final newsletter for 2020.
The final term of each year is always one of energy, excitement and events - we have had so many wonderful events over the past two weeks with our varied syndicate EOTC activities, senior camps and outdoor challenges as well as the many activities across every syndicate... It’s no wonder that some of our children (and teachers/parent helpers) are looking a little tired and ready for a well deserved summer break!
Our annual farewell to our Year 8 students who are graduating Muritai school and heading on to High School took place over this past week with a Year 8 Formal - which is one of our most special events each year. The evening has so much joy and celebration - amongst the sniffles of nostalgia and pride (from parents and us teachers alike!) A special mention must go to the staff and parents who made this evening such a phenomenal success - especially our Kahū teachers for the organisation, our volunteer parent ‘formal committee’ who decorated the hall so beautifully, and also our year 7 parent volunteers who continue the ‘pass it on’ tradition running the kitchen for the Formal dinner each year.
This week we farewelled our Year 8 learners, and also some other learners in different year groups who are moving towns, across the country or off to new schooling, and with them many parents and families too. Many of these families have been a part of our school community for a long time - some over a decade!
We thank you all for your support and for being an important part of our school community. If your child is the first to graduate from your family we congratulate you, and if the last from your household we sadly farewell our formal association, however as I have said many times over the past week - once you’ve joined us at Muritai, you're forever a part of our Muritai school family.
As part of the evening we presented the following Year 8 awards - these awards were re-awarded as we traditionally do in front of the whole school at our Year 8 Graduation assembly yesterday.
Alistair Blair Trust:
We are so fortunate at Muritai School to be the holders of the Alistair Blair Trust. Alistair was a past pupil of Muritai School who sadly passed away in a tragic accident after completing his schooling at Muritai School. His family keeps his memory alive annually by supporting the children and families of Muritai school who may be facing financial hardship. The Trust Account is managed by our Board of Trustees and all recipients are highly confidential. If you or someone you know are unable to take part in a school opportunity due to financial constraints, you may like to be considered as a recipient. Please direct all queries to myself by emailing me at Principal@Muritai.school.nz
In 2020 the Alistair Blair Trust donated $400 - this money was used to enable a child to attend the Abel Tasman camp, and in support of two children to join the Makahika Camp. We as a school community once again thank the Blair family for their ongoing generosity to the children of Muritai School.
Thank You
Thank you to all of you - to our parents and whānau who are all so dedicated and supportive of the joint educational relationship for your children. This support and connection is an important and key factor in what makes Muritai such an outstanding place to learn and to work.
Thank you to our Board of Trustees - to Andrew, Jeremy, Kurt, Lisa, Kaye and Felicity. 2020 asked a lot of you as a group of parent volunteers! Thank you for the time you donated to supporting me, our staff and our students which is much appreciated.
I’d like to acknowledge our Home and School team who drive all of our fundraising. They are a small yet dynamic and energised group of Super-parents! Thank you to the whole H & S team for all you have done for us and our Muritai children in 2020.
Thank you to all for the generous donations we receive from parents - financially and in time donated to the school.
Thank you for the time parents have spent assisting with class events, fundraising, attending class trips, overnight stays, regular road patrol, returning learning resources and books to shelves, volunteering time in classrooms, EOTC helpers and much much more!
Finally to our whole Muritai staff - congratulations on another outstanding year at Muritai school. Thank you for your never ending energy, efforts, and for the dedication you bring as a member of our Muritai School team.
I always feel so proud to work alongside these brilliant educators and thank each of our staff for their commitment to our school, our students and our wider school community - in many and varied ways. I wish you all a very well deserved school holiday break!
I wish each and every one of you all a fantastic holiday break and look forward to seeing you all back rejuvenated and ready for another amazing year in 2021. School begins again on Thursday 4th February in 2021.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all,
Ngā manaakitanga,
Bec Power, Principal
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.
