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, 

Term 2 is off to a wonderful start! 

 

Muritai School Cross Country 2021 - Next Monday!

Over the past year we have been looking at a variety of ways to run our annual school Cross Country event. After collecting student voice and looking at best practices in other schools too, we have developed a revised approach to this event from 2021. 

We will continue to offer the Competitive Cross Country for Years 4 - 8, as children who take part are eligible to attend the Zone Cross Country later this term. Children in years 4 - 8 will have a choice to attend this competitive event or not. Some of us excel in Cross Country, others in swimming, others in climbing trees,  or even in public speaking. We all shine in and enjoy different activities, and these opportunities will continue to be offered at Muritai school, however we continue to listen to our learners, and seek to offer best current educational practice.  Allowing the children the agency and choice to participate creates ownership, excitement of the challenge ahead, and for many others - a sense of relief. 

We will be running a Fun Fitness afternoon for the whole school later this term, as we value developing all children’s fitness, a love for being active, having enjoyment of sports, and developing healthy wellbeing. More information on this will come out around this fun event in the coming weeks. 

Here is an outline for the Year 4 - 8 Competitive Cross Country in Week 3 on Monday 17th May 2021 at the HW Shortt Rec grounds and beach. 

If you are interested in helping as a course marshall can you please let Jamie know at  jpower@muritai.school.nz ASAP!

Muritai School Spotlights

As part of our new Muritai School Strategic Plan we are currently putting together a range of pages unpacking our beliefs around our school practices. These pages are called ‘Spotlights’ and are a play on the Pencarrow Lighthouse as the key icon of our new strategy, and the casting of it’s light on a particular focus.  Each Spotlight will include information around - what it is, why it is important, and what it looks like at Muritai School. We will also include links to current research, learning dispositions, and any other relevant information that will support you to understand our Muritai School practices. It is great to be able to share these Spotlights with you and celebrate the amazing practices we believe in and things we do to be the best we can be! 

We have been extremely lucky to have been working with our Maths Advisor Julie Roberts over the past two years. Our contract is coming to an end at the end of this term and all teachers have been introducing current pedagogy and practices into their maths programmes and finding new and interesting ways to support, guide, challenge, and engage our learners. 

Here is our first Spotlight called ‘Spotlight on Maths’. 

 

Wellbeing Group 

I’ve been thinking on how we might bring some additional support to some of our students who are living with anxiety, negative thinking, bereavement and stress, amongst other childhood concerns.  In a primary school we don’t receive funding for staffing for school counselors, however I’ve been speaking with a local supporter of our school, and they have generously offered to fund this initiative for Muritai School for Term 2. 

I’ve engaged with Heather Dodge, the director of Kaleidoscope Solutions about hosting some groups here at Muritai School.  Heather’s work aligns closely with our vision for our learners at Muritai (being the Best we can Be), where Kaleidoscope’s vision is ‘empowering children to reach their full potential’. You are welcome to take a look at Heather's website at www.kaleidoscopesolutions.co.nz

Who will be in the wellbeing group? Due to a change in personal circumstances or the events of the past year, your child may be expressing feelings and emotions that they don't yet have the skills or tools to work through.  As well as what we observe here at school, (we may recommend children for inclusion in the group) you might be seeing some changes in your child at home.  I’d like to invite you to confidentially let me know if your child might benefit from being included in our wellbeing group.  

You are very welcome to phone the school and speak with me personally about this rather than filling in the form, especially if the information is highly confidential and sensitive.   I have created the form as an option to assist us in capturing the information as easily as possible.  The information you provide will be completely confidential to just myself and Heather.  

If you would like your child to be considered for this group, please fill in this google form by clicking here: https://forms.gle/NSucLV1hSpRd13cQ8

I am so grateful for the opportunity to offer this important programme and would like to thank this supporter of our school on behalf of all Muritai students and families. This incredibly generous support is offered on the condition that the family who has funded this programme remains anonymous.  I’m sure you will find this as touching as I did, we are so lucky to have such a wonderful wider school community. 

Please have all information with me by Monday 17th May so that we can get our group underway. 

I look forward to seeing you all at the learning conversations over the next two weeks.  

Ngā manaakitanga,

 

Bec Power, Principal

FROM THE SCHOOL

Learning Conversations

Learning Conversations begin tomorrow from 3.10pm and continue next Wednesday 19 May.  If you have not already made an interview time, you can do this now by going to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz, use the code gmzep and follow the steps.  If you have any problems with booking a time, please call Jo in the office.

Nuts

We have an increasing number of students attending our school who are severely allergic to nuts.  We are an inclusive school and want to provide all students with a safe school environment.

To support us with this, please could you consider the items that your child has in their lunchboxes for morning tea and lunch. 

We ask that you do not send any peanut, cashew, brazil or obvious nut products e.g. peanut butter with your child.  If your child has eaten these before coming to school, please ensure that their face and hands have been thoroughly washed before they arrive at school.

These precautionary measures will help us ensure that the students with these allergies have less of a chance of exposure to nuts thus avoiding a life threatening reaction and meaning all of our students are able to be safe.

Scholastic Lucky Book Club

Issue three of the Scholastic Lucky Book Club, for 2021, is now available. This is the third issue for the year. Orders will be closing on Friday the 21st May. Your order can be done on the following website https://my bookclub.scholastic.co.nz/Parent/Login.aspx. 

 

The whole school order is processed on the closing date and it usually takes approximately a week for orders to be delivered. 

 

We greatly appreciate your support as the school is able to gain rewards through purchases you make which enables us to add books to our school library collection and also get sets of books for novel studies. 

TERM 2 CALENDAR DATES

12 May Learning Conversations 3pm to 6pm

17 May Pizza Monday

17 May Muritai School Competitive Cross Country Y4-8

18 May Gardasil vaccination for Year 7/8 students

19 May Learning Conversations 3pm to 6pm

21 May Pink Shirt Day

25 May BOT Meeting at 6.30pm

27 May Muritai School Competitive Cross Country

1 June Inter School Cross Country

3 June PP Inter School Cross Country

11 June Mihi Whakatau

22 June Inter Zone Cross Country 

22 June BOT meeting at 6.30pm

24 June PP Inter Zone Cross Country 

6 July Dance Festival Year 4-8

6 July Regional Cross Country

8 July PP Regional Cross Country

9 July Last day of Term 2 

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 teacher only days this year are:

Friday 4 June

Friday 22 October

 

These days line up with HVHS teacher only days which may be of help to you as well as being the Friday prior to Queen’s Birthday holiday and Labour Day enabling a long weekend for everyone.  

 

Kelly Club will very likely have holiday programmes for these Fridays for people who need care for their children. 

 

 

 

COMMUNITY NOTICES - Please  Note the following notices have been requested to be published and are not necessarily  endorsed by us as a school.  In the spirit of community we include these digitally for you to peruse. 

Barnardos Eastbourne - open afternoon - Sunday 16th May

We are having an open afternoon on Sunday 16th May from 2.30-4pm at Barnardos Eastbourne Early Learning Centre, 199 Muritai Rd Eastbourne.  Everyone is welcome to come and see our new back playground, to sit on Jason’s seat (Jason passed away in March 2020) and to have some afternoon tea. We would love to see old friends and whānau of the centre and also welcome any new visitors too.  If it is raining we will postpone the open afternoon to Sunday 23rd May and post this on the Eastbourne Community Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you there.