FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Kia Orana
A very warm welcome to Term 3! It is wonderful to see the children back at school refreshed and settled into their learning after spending quality time with their friends and family over the holiday break. Lots of exciting learning is being undertaken and we are looking forward to showcasing some of this with our families later in the term.
On the first day of this term, the Kororā team started by celebrating 100 days at school involving mathematics in a myriad of activities while yesterday our Kahū team celebrated the Commonwealth Games with an array of fun activities including this photo of the javelin.
WELCOME
We are delighted that Stu Devenport has been appointed as our next principal and are looking forward to officially welcoming him on the first day of Term 4.
A warm welcome is extended to our latest cohort of students and their whānau as they join our Muritai family - in Room 3, Zarah Zandi, Blake Russell, Jack Davidson and Edward Easton, Piper Ramones to Room 15, Zoey Ramones Room 23 and Danika Stephenson to Room 11. We wish you every success in your learning journey with us.
PLAYGROUND FUN
Our latest addition to the playground was installed in the holidays. This is a mud kitchen in our sandpit. It has been amazing to see students of all ages having such a lot of fun there. Special thanks to our parents, Mike Lovell, Mark Bradshaw and Tim Parker for constructing this and to Felicity Lovell for organising it and purchasing the necessary equipment.
Today we were given this amazing donation - $2,300. Special thanks to Mike Andrews, the chairman of the Eastbourne Football Club and Kurt Renner who presented this money to us. This has enabled us to purchase some more equipment for our physical education lessons as well as towards the football goals.
Today the Kahū team shared their wonderful learning with us at our full school assembly which even included a wonderful performance from the band. We are looking forward to seeing what the Kererū team shows us on August 19th.
CYBER SAFETY PARENT EVENING
The sequel to our Cyber Safety evening is a presentation of the entire documentary that had parts shown during the first meeting. This will be held on Tuesday August 16th from 6.00 p.m. - 7 p.m. in the school hall. Thank you to those of you who have already registered however if you have not yet, please email Jo or pop into the school office to register your name and the number of people that will be attending - bentley@muritai.school.nz
KAPA HAKA
It has been great to see the Kororā team and their whānau joining in with Kapa Haka on a Wednesday morning. Parents are cordially invited to join us at 8.30 a.m. in the hall if you would like to take part alongside your child.
REPORTS
I have had the pleasure of reading the written reports of our students across the school over the past week and have been delighted to read of the successes and achievements our students have already made this year. A huge thank you to all of the staff who have worked very hard over the past month to write these detailed reports.
Please note - Our students in Room 3 have conferences with their teacher after attending school for six weeks so will not have a written report at this time.
The following information was included with your child’s report and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.
Today you will receive your child/s mid year written report. In this, you will see comments made by their teacher about the learning that your child has been involved in so far this year. The reports focus on progress towards the New Zealand Curriculum learning levels. This New Zealand Curriculum chart demonstrates that the Curriculum levels are across years and illustrates a broader expectation of progress. The reports provide information on your child’s achievement of the curriculum level in Reading, Writing and Mathematics at mid-year of their year level. We provide this in all reports from Year 2 - Year 8. In Year 0 and 1, we have a small skill set of learning dispositions that are listed, and the reports provide information about how your child is settling into their schooling. It is important to note that curriculum levels span over multiple year levels and may take children more than 2 years to complete.
The diagram below shows how curriculum levels typically relate to years at school.
The Muritai School Mid Year Report is based on individual data and observations specific to your child. The teachers have used a range of assessment tasks and observations in order to accurately indicate your child’s achievements, next steps and progress of curriculum level attainment. Once your child has gained most of the skills, knowledge and understanding of each stage they will progress to the next level.
In this table it explains what the Progression Key terms Growing, Progressing, Achieving and Exceeding mean.
The major focus for the reports are the personal achievements and next steps for your child, as well as comments written about them as an individual. Within the report it will give you information about how your child is achieving mid way through this year and how they are progressing towards their year's curriculum level. As always if you would like further information as to your child’s achievement or learning progress you are welcome to contact their classroom teacher at any time throughout the year.
HOME AND SCHOOL NEWS
The Home and School committee have done a wonderful job at producing the cookbook ( a sample is at the office.) The students have been so excited popping into the office to see their recipe in print. Orders close on Monday August 8th so get in quick if you would like to get a copy or two. Click on the photo link below to go to the order page. They will be back for distribution to you later this term. They would make great birthday and Christmas gifts or for your child to look back at their contribution in the future.
There is a vacancy for Treasurer currently on the Home and School committee so if you would like to help out with this, please contact Gen Packer at gen@genevievepacker.com. Thank you so much to Ruth Young for the work you did in this position.
EXCITING NETBALL ANNOUNCEMENT
We have four students who have been selected for the Hutt Valley Year 7 Development Squad in netball. Our warmest congratulations go to Isla Gellatly, Tilly Enge, Charlie Halford and Elodie Dent. This is the first time that this has ever happened!
VOLLEYBALL
A huge number of our Year 5 - 8 students have started to play Volleyball in our hall during lunchtime on Tuesdays. They are very enthusiastic! Thanks to Elaine Sykes, Janet Enge and Jane Lloyd-Evans for organising this.
Sexuality Road Education programmes are planned for this term across the school. If you would like to know more about this, please contact the senior leadership team -
Jon Mackie mackie@muritai.school.nz, Jamie Power jpower@muritai.school.nz, Jess Richards jrichards@muritai.school.nz or myself buckley@muritai.school.nz
LOOKING AHEAD TO TERM 4
There will be a Teacher Only Day on Friday 21st October adjoining Labour Weekend.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2023
We are starting our planning for next year so we need to know if your child/ren will be leaving Muritai School at the end of this year. If so, can you please email either me buckley@muritai.school.nz or Jo bentley@muritai.school.nz to let us know as soon as possible?
125th CELEBRATION
Planning is well underway for this special event to be held in Term 1 next year. There is a meeting on Thursday August 11th at 4 p.m. for the organizing committee. If you are interested in joining this or can help out please email me to let me know?
Thank you so much to our families who have kept children home if they have been unwell. We work hard to follow the guidelines as set by the Ministry of Education involving hand washing routines, mask wearing and the ventilation of our learning spaces. Despite the cooler weather, classes have heating on, the CO2 monitors and air purifiers on and doors and windows open. Classes also go outside for short movement breaks. Like other schools, we have had staff and students unwell and are still facing great difficulty getting relievers into classes.
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend with your family and friends.
Ngā mihi kia koutou,
Maureen Buckley
Acting Principal
buckley@muritai.school.nz
FROM THE BOARDNominations are now invited for the election of five parent representatives to the Board of Trustees for a term of 3 years.
Emails were sent to all parents with a covering letter, a nomination form and a notice explaining who is not eligible to be a school board member.
If you would like to nominate yourself or another person as a candidate to stand in the forthcoming elections, please complete the form and return to the school by post, hand deliver to the office or scan and send via email to our returning officer, Sue Fieldes at fieldes@muritai.school.nz by NOON on Friday 19 August 2022.
Extra nomination forms are available from the school office.
FROM THE SCHOOL
Microwave
Does anyone have a microwave that they are willing to donate to us to use in the hall kitchen? If so, please contact Carole lowe@muritai.school.nz
‘ART ATTACK’ - Mark the dates in your diaries
Over the next few weeks, students will be creating a piece of art based on our current Inquiry topic; ‘To Infinity and Beyond.’ They will be using a range of different art mediums which will be on show at our Muritai School Art Exhibition - Art Attack.
Come and see the exhibition in Week 6 - Monday 29 August, Tuesday 30 August and Wednesday 31 August in our school hall from 3pm to 6pm. There will be a $5.00 entry fee with free admittance for children. You can purchase tickets from the office using eftpos or cash (or at the exhibition - cash only please). There is no limit on the number of people able to attend but please wear a mask.
There will be a silent auction! Each class will be creating a piece of artwork on a canvas that will be displayed as part of our silent auction. We encourage you to bid on these artworks by recording the amount you would like to pay on the appropriate auction page. These will be beside each of the numbered artworks. The highest bid will win and the winner will then be informed.
We are really excited to show you all the great things that we have been creating!
LOST PROPERTY
We have had a wonderful group of volunteers look after lost property for quite some time now although Covid meant that they couldn’t come in for a while. We are looking for parents who are willing to work alongside Sue in the library to help send clothing back to the correct students. If you can help out please contact me buckley@muritai.school.nz
LUCKY BOOK CLUB
Issue five of the Scholastic Lucky Book Club, for 2022, is now available. Orders will be closing at Noon on Friday the 12th August. 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.
TERM DATES 2022:
Term 1 2 February to 14 April
Term 2 2 May to 8 July
Term 3 25 July to 30 September
Term 4 17 October to 15 December
Teacher Only Day - Friday 21 October
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.
Wonderplay has arrived in Lower Hutt! Wonderplay uses imaginative play to educate young people through award-winning drama classes. Focuses include camaraderie, interdependence, communication and leadership, and having an awesome, silly time.
Classes afterschool on Mondays at Epuni Hall for 4-18 year olds; 3.30pm (New Wonders intro to drama, 4-9 yrs), 4.15pm (Star Players 8-14yrs); and incredible teen training company, Wellington Young Actors for 12-18yr olds (5.15-6.15pm). Register for term three today and take part in our annual production! www.wonderplay.co.nz, www.wellingtonyoungactors.com.
