FRIDAY 9 MARCH 2018


Kia Ora, Talofa Lava, Greetings, Malo e Lelei, Kia Orana, Bonjour, Nǐ hǎo, Hallo, Hola, Kon'nichiwa, Namaste, G’day mate












A warm welcome to Mana McCabe De la Pena and Sophia Water in Room 3 this week.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Tena koutou katoa, warm greetings to you all

What a great week we have had a Muritai School! We absolutely have some fantastic learners at Muritai, I am constantly in awe of the way they engage in their learning, take on new roles  and participate in extracurricular activities and compete in various sporting events. Our Year 4-8 Swimming Sports were able to be squeezed in this week around the wet weather, as did the successful Futsal and Cricket events! You can read more about these in the sports write up below. Congratulations to all who took part in these events, and also to our many parents who were able to attend or provide transport or coaching at these events - you demonstrated just how to be the Best You Can Be!

Wahine 50th
Last week I  visited Wellington Museum with our Muritai Learning Ambassadors.  We were treated to a guided look through the Wahine exhibition which as a group we found very informative and of course, very moving.  

We then were invited to a behind the scenes experience at the Wellington Museum collection store facility where the students were able to interact with special artifacts from the Wahine.  Our learning ambassadors then hosted the Museum lead educator and the head of collections and exhibitions at our school library, to get some advice around how to turn our library into a ‘Muritai Museum’ for our school commemorations in Week 10 and 11.  We hope to display original works that the students create as a response this term as well as artifacts from the past.

As part of our learning adventure this term, I am seeking a class or school photo from 1968.  If anyone has one, please pop into the office to show us or email me on Principal@Muritai.school.nz so that we can scan it.  We also continue to seek an artefact which may be something your family would be happy to have on permanent loan to Muritai School, which we will permanently display to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Wahine.  




A message on behalf of NZEI:
You may be aware of the high profile and regular nationwide news around the crisis regarding recruiting and retaining teachers.

Children need teachers with enough time to teach so they can give each child the attention they deserve, and children need talented and inspiring people to be attracted to teaching. Children are missing out on some opportunities to learn because teachers are bogged down in administration or are struggling to get enough support for children with additional learning needs.

Teachers at our school are joining an NZEI Te Riu Roa campaign, called Kua Tae Te Wā – It’s Time to address these issues. Our goal is to free teachers to teach, and principals to lead, by getting the additional support and staff that schools need. And we’ll attract more people to teaching by respecting and paying them as the professionals they are.

NZEI Te Riu Roa members at our school have been invited to paid union meetings in March so that we can plan and discuss the campaign and their upcoming collective agreement negotiations.

At Muritai School the teachers are attending meetings on the 20th and 21st of March, we will not need your assistance of an early pick up on these dates as our teachers will help to cover each other’s classes.   

New Teacher Aides:
A warm welcome to Vibiana Johnson and to Mel Halford who joined our Support Staff team least week.  We know you’ll make them feel welcome as you see them around the school.

Absenteeism:
Please do let us know in the school office if your child is away, it takes a long time for our office staff to call around each morning chasing up any unknown absences.  It would really help us out if you remembered to leave us a message before 9am if your child is unwell.

Please also remember to advise us in writing in advance if your child is going to be away for any reason other than sickness.  

Thank you for your support around this.  

Congratulations:
One of our Kereru team - Year 6 student Sam Glenn, is working this week! He is acting in the New Zealand Festival show ‘Home’ and according to today’s Dominion Post it is Sam’s “first professional gig and he nailed it”.  It’s not too late to see Sam in action - Home is on again tonight, Saturday and Sunday before Sam returns to his ‘usual gig’ here in Room 15 next week.  Congratulations Sam!

Nuts:
This week we sent home a message to all parents regarding the eating of nuts at school.  I’ve repeated it here in case you have not received the email: 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 your child’s snacks 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 your child’s face/hands have been thoroughly washed before arrival.

These precautionary measures will help us ensure that these students have less of a chance of exposure to nuts thus avoiding a life threatening reaction so that all of children are able to be safe.

Nāku noa, nā

Bec Power
Principal

FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Greetings from your school board of trustees. Nigel Cass has been re-elected as board chair
in 2018. Our finance committee comprises Louise Marsden, Phil Fisher and Carole Lowe.
Health and safety representatives are Andrew Saunderson and Nigel Cass; self review is Miki Szikszai, property is Andrew Saunderson and Mary Longmore is on communications.  

Our focus on student wellbeing at Muritai continues with the board hearing from a
restorative practice expert as Bec and the senior leadership team continue to develop
and deliver a wellbeing approach specifically designed for our school community.

Please put March 22 in your diary for our next community consultation session which
will have a focus on the future vision and values at Muritai School, facilitated by leading
educational consultant Mark Osborne.  Details to come but an event not to be missed.

Planning ahead, guided by the senior leadership team, staff  and community feedback,
we are taking the opportunity to update Muritai’s annual plan to focus on a few core
principles -  dynamic learning, connecting to the community, growing confident learners
and achievement for all.

These 2018 Keys to Success are explained briefly below:

  • Our Learning is Dynamic: Dynamic learning is a responsive approach to teaching, based on contemporary, evidence-based approaches in a fast-changing world.
  • Our Community is Connected: This refers to our vision, mission and values as well as our reporting & communication to parents. We are privileged to be part of a beautiful and engaged community, and want to work ever-closer with our wider community, to benefit from the expertise and stunning natural environment.
  • Our People Know Themselves as Learners: Our learner qualities and learning progressions help learners to be the Best That We Can Be. We desire all Muritai students to flourish, across all their different learning styles, in order to grow confident learners
  • Our children make progress and achieve: We focus on goal setting and progress in an inclusive and culturally responsive, dynamic school.

Our focus on excellence in writing, reading and maths will continue. Without national standards this work will be focused around students’ individual progress for their age level within the New Zealand curriculum. Our school-wide targets are 90 percent working at or above their chronological age in reading and 85 percent in writing and maths.
Major property plans for 2018 include the conversion of the former dental clinic into a meeting and teaching space, which is funded by our Ministry property grant, and extension of our staff room. This includes replacing some older roofing, funded by the remainder of our school property grant (SPG), which must be used for non-teaching spaces e.g libraries and staff rooms etc.  
Nga mihi , from board members Bec Power, Nigel Cass, Louise Marsden, Miki Szikszai, Andrew Saunderson, Mary Longmore, Deane McKay  and Phil Fisher

FROM THE SCHOOL


STEM: Boat Challenge
Yesterday Team Kahu were presented with a challenge; build a boat with limited materials that can
hold 1kg of weight without sinking.  The materials were:


1 sheet of tin foil
20 cm of tape
2 straws
1 pair of scissors


Students were able to see how the displacement of weight can affect how a boat floats or in some
cases sink if the weight is not evenly distributed.  We have some amazing designs and lots of success!






SPORTS

YEAR 5 - 8 SWIMMING SPORTS
A very successful Y5-8 (including the competitive Year 4 swimmers) swimming sports was held on
Tuesday.  The students did a fabulous job competing and supporting each other. As always the class
and house relays were a highlight.  The final results will be posted on the Muritai Sports blog soon.
The Zone swimming competition is in Term 3 and the swimmers who qualify for this event will be
contacted in due course.


CRICKET
On Tuesday we had a cricket team play against Hataitai School and Wellesley College at HW Shortt.  
Muritai won their match against Hataitai School quite convincingly and were winning the match
against Wellesley before it was called off due to time restrictions.  
The cricket squad:
Max Bentley
Tom Delaney
Archie Mackenzie
Curtis Caughley
Joseph Keenan
Jim Hobbs
Lachie Stevenson
Jack Fastier
Arhit Acharyya
NETBALL
Netball season is almost upon us and recently forms were handed out to children who were
interested in playing for Muritai School.  Forms need to be completed and returned to the office
by next Monday 12 March in order for us to put teams together. There are extra forms at the
school office if your child would like to play but has misplaced / did not receive a form.

GIRLS FUTSAL
The Girls Futsal Team comprising of Isabelle Buchanan, Hollie Ridley-Gibbons, Harriet Wilson,
Ishbel Cook, Paige Bangma, Izzy Kane, Lottie Wilson, Lulu Adair played in the Futsal Festival
this week.  While the festival organisers didn’t track the scores, parents confirmed that the
girls won all 9 of their games, scoring 69 goals and conceding only 9 goals in total. Well done
to a great team! Also a huge thank you to Rob and Linda Buchanan for organising the team to
attend this event.

DONATIONS FOR CAMBODIA
Hayley Roche is collecting toothbrushes and nit treatment products for children
in Cambodia.  If you would like to donate any of these products, please bring to the school
office and put in the green plastic bucket by the front door.  Many thanks in advance.


LOST PROPERTY
Our lost property bins are overflowing once again.  Please come and take a look and claim
anything that belongs to your child/ren.  


TERMS DATE FOR 2018
Term 1 - Wednesday 31 January - Friday 13 April
Term 2 - Monday 30 April - Friday 6 July
Term 3 - Monday 23 July - Friday 28 September
Term 4 - Monday 15 October - Tuesday 18 December


COMMUNITY NOTICES
A Marsden Whitby education - Year 9 in 2019
Information Evening, Open Day, Scholarships, enrolment
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School Whitby has two open events coming up, an Information
Evening on Tuesday 13 March at 6.30pm (at Marsden Whitby, 2 Starboard Lane) and an
Open Day on Friday 23 March, between 10am and 2pm. These are great ways to learn
about the Marsden Whitby programmes and explore the opportunities for your child. The
Open Day will include a tour and there will be staff and students to talk to afterwards. The
students look forward to showing around. For more information and to register visit
Scholarships - Marsden School Whitby Year 9 Academic Scholarships for entry in 2019 are
Enrolment – Enrolments are open, you can apply to reserve a place at Marsden Whitby for
2019. If you have any questions or would like a personal tour you can call 04 234 1070 or visit


Junior Eastbourne Rugby

FUN | FAMILY | FRIENDSHIP

Register Now | www.gameforall.co.nz

Family Fun Day | 18 March | All welcome
Meet the Hurricanes | 22 March
Novice all ages | Never too late to start
Learning rugby model | PreSchool, Rippa, 10 & 15-A-Side
Player safety a priority | Concussion protocols
Trained coaches
Tournaments | Local, Regional & National
Eastbourne Sports & Services Club Membership
HW Shortt Park | Tuatoru Street | Eastbourne



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