It is hard to believe that already we are half way through the third term and that Spring is now just around the corner. The students have been involved in a wide range of experiences and have more coming over the next few weeks. A warm welcome is extended to the new children and families that have joined us recently.
Inquiry
The students have been learning all about magnets and have really been enjoying experimenting with them. Please ask them to explain what they have learnt to you. Mrs Ryan has also been running a science club during lunchtimes which has helped further expand the scientific knowledge of some of the children.
Physical Education
Each Thursday the students have been involved in a rotation of physical activities designed to improve their skills involving the catching, throwing and bouncing of large balls. The children from rooms 1 and 3 have also been taking part in the Perceptual Motor Programme. Alongside this all classes have been learning how to skip with a rope.
Jump Rope for Heart
We are participating in the Heart Foundation's Jump Rope for Heart programme. This physical activity programme is celebrating its thirtieth birthday and many of the parents may have taken part in this when you attended school. To celebrate later this term on Monday September 7th from 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. approx (if fine) we will be having our Junior School 'Skip-a-thon Jump Off' which is the time that the students will be celebrating and showcasing their skipping skills. Parents and caregivers are cordially invited to come along and watch. The postponement date is Wednesday September 9th from 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. Later this week your child will be bringing home a sponsorship card and envelope. The children will be able to monitor their progress and work towards a thank you gift. All money raised will be going to the New Zealand Heart Foundation. Skipping is not just limited to the school playground. It is an activity that can be enjoyed at home so we encourage children to practice and perhaps their parents and other family members can also join in. If you wish to purchase a rope you can do so by going to this website www.heartfoundation.org.nz
Jumpjam
This term we have gone back to doing Jumpjam on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the hall when school starts at 8.40 a.m. We have purchased some new CD's so the students have been learning a range of different movements and it is pleasing to see how quickly that they are picking up these routines. Thank you very much also to those of you who supported Star4jam earlier in the term. Your child will have received a bracelet for taking part.
Junior School Assemblies
Thank you to rooms 3 and 5 for hosting Junior School assemblies so far this term. I have been very impressed by the outstanding work that has been presented. Our next assembly will be this coming Friday and room 1 will be hosting it. Parents and caregivers of the students in room 1 are cordially invited to join us in the library at 1.30 p.m.
Basic Fact-a-thon
The students have done the basic facts testing as part of the Home and School fundraising and you will have received a slip stating how many they correctly achieved. The students can now collect the sponsorship money and return it to the school office. Thank you so much for supporting your child in this learning as it is quite tricky for many of the children.
Disco
The students looked amazing and they had such a lot of fun. They danced the entire time and it was great to see them dancing with their parents too. Thank you so much for supporting this annual function.
Calendars
Each child has produced some art work and class teachers have made it into a calendar. The artwork is displayed in classrooms and the copies available for order are in the school office. They are also on the class blogs. If you wish to order these or cards and/or diaries using the same art work please pop into the school office to do so. The cards are great for the children to write in and all of the items make lovely Christmas presents and are great especially for those hard to buy for people. Orders come back in time to be sent overseas. Samples of what the finished products look like are available at the office for you to peruse. All orders and monies need to be in by Friday September 11th at the latest.
Mathletics
Lots of the students are getting in lots of mathematics practice by using Mathletics, which is very pleasing to see. We don't print off the certificates but in the classroom we do congratulate the children for their efforts.
Reading Eggs
If there are parents who wish their children to have a subscription to Reading eggs please send along $20 to the school office for this to be activated.
'Starting School at Five' Information evening
This term's evening will be on Wednesday September 2nd in room 3 and is especially for parents of pre schoolers who are about to start school in the next two terms. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Buckley.
Visits to and from Preschools
Along with our usual preschool visits on a Thursday morning we have also had visits from groups of children at East Harbour KIndergarten and Early Learning Centre this term. Room 3 will be doing a reciprocal visit to Kindergarten.
Reporting to Parents
If your child has just started school and been attending for at least six weeks parents will be having a conference with Mrs Buckley. If your child has recently turned six years old Mrs Buckley will also be contacting you to share your child's results in the literacy testing that everyone undertakes as near to their sixth birthday as possible. As well as this, later this term there will be parent and teacher conferences for every child so that teachers can share the learning that your child has done, is currently working on and where their next learning steps are along with how they are tracking towards achievement of the National Standards. Teachers will also share ways you can support your child's learning at home. Mrs Ryan will be holding her conferences with parents from Room 1 on Wednesday September 9th and Thursday September 10th. A letter will be coming home early next week for Room 1 parents with the online code and appointment booking times. Teachers in rooms 3, 4, 5 and 6 will be having their conferences on Monday September 21st and Tuesday September 22nd and parents will get details of the online code and appointment booking times later on this term.
Classroom Blogs
Parents can have a snapshot of the learning that is taking place in classrooms around the school by going to the classroom blogs. To do this go to the school website www.muritai.school.nz and click on 'our learning' and the drop down menu will give you the classroom blogs. Click on the ones you wish to see and please feel free to add a comment about the learning that you see. The children love to read what has been written especially if it is praise for what they have been working on. Friends and family around New Zealand and overseas would also like to see what the children have been doing so please let them know. Click onto 'older posts' also at the bottom so that you can see what has been happening previously.
Nude Food
Thank you very much to the families that have embraced this. We are endeavoring to reduce the amount of rubbish that we have at school so it is great that the children are having their morning tea and lunch placed straight in their lunchbox without the need of a wrapper or glad wrap. The enviro team are made up of some of our older students and they have been monitoring the lunch boxes to see if they are wrapper free and are giving out certificates.
Allergies
We have some children who are severely allergic to a range of foods, particularly nuts and we do our best to ensure that all children are kept safe. We would appreciate it if your child did not bring nuts or sandwiches containing peanut butter or nutella to school.
Absences
Thank you to those parents and caregivers who telephone our absence line and let us know that their child is going to be away from school due to illness or medical appointments. If you are taking your child/ren away during the school term please can you send an email to Andrew Bird requesting permission to do so - bird@muritai.school.nz? Please also cc bentley@muritai.school.nz and your child's teacher into the email. We are audited and need to account for all absences.
Safety Drills
Last week we had a fire drill to ensure everyone knows what to do in the unlikely event of a fire at school. We also have practices for tsunami and go up the McKenzie track along with practices for earthquakes. The children are really good at doing the 'turtle.' Ask them to demonstrate.
Dog Safety
In early September we have the education officer coming to talk to the children in the Junior School about how to keep themselves safe around dogs. Parents can also reinforce this message.
Daffodil Day
The 'charity group organisers' students from years 7 and 8 are selling daffodils and they can be purchased from the school office.
At the end of the school day
Teachers of children in Years 0 and 1 (rooms 1, 3 and 4) hand each of the children over to the adult/parent who has come to collect them. We do not let the children go until we sight you. This enables us to ensure each child is handed safely to the correct person. If another adult is coming to collect your child could you please let your child's teacher know?
Birthday Invitations
Could parents please give any invitations to upcoming birthdays directly to the parents of the children who are being invited and not to the children themselves at school or to teachers to give out?
Looking ahead to 2016
I am in the process of planning for next year and to assist with class placements and staffing I need to know the names and dates of birth of any preschool children living in our area who will be turning five next year. If you have a preschooler or know of any other children e.g. neighbours, relatives etc could you please phone our school office on
04 562 8409 or pop in to see Jo with details of the child's name/s, parents and/or caregivers names and contact phone numbers and email addresses? This would be greatly appreciated.
Diary dates
September 2 - Starting school at five evening
September 2 - Dog safety
September 7 - Jump rope for Heart Jump Off
September 9 - Jump rope for Heart pp
September 9 - Parent conferences - room 1 only
September 10 - Parent conferences - room 1 only
September 21 - Parent conferences - rooms 3,4,5,6
September 22 - Parent conferences - rooms 3,4,5,6
September 24 - Last day of term 3
If you have any comments or questions regarding the Junior School please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher or myself.
Maureen Buckley
Deputy Principal
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