Autumn 2016

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 
A warm welcome to Term 2! I do hope you have had a lovely holiday break with your children and a chance to enjoy this ongoing warm weather. The children have returned to school well rested and have already settled back into the routines. They have a very busy term ahead of them with lots of wonderful learning experiences planned. We are involved in a lot of Science activities over the next eight weeks including Science Week next week. Our inquiry involves sound, electricity and magnetism. Last term the life cycle inquiry and the butterfly and Junior gardens in particular created a lot of interest and continue to do so. Special thanks goes to Mrs Ryan for her outstanding efforts in this. In mathematics the children will continue with increasing their number knowledge including fractions and strategies as well as learning about some concepts involving time. Our Visual Art focus involves painting and rooms 1, 4, 5 and 6 will begin a Performing Arts programme with Mrs Hooke this week also. This is just a snapshot of some of what the children will be doing. 

Cross Country 
Our whole school is involved in Cross Country and we are currently having practices for this. Please ensure that your child wears suitable shoes to school each day for these practices. 
Parents and caregivers are invited to come and support your child and the other children taking part at this actual event. It will be held at the Rec., on Tuesday May 24th. We will be leaving school at 9 a.m. and the events will be in the following order - Year 0/1 girls, Year 0/1 boys, Year 2 girls and then Year 2 boys. I am unable to give exact starting times of the events so please be there from 9.05 a.m. if you wish to watch. Once all our events have been completed by approximately 10.15 a.m. we will return to school. If you are joining us please ensure that your preschoolers are kept safe by ensuring they are not in the way especially where the running is taking place. It is a great event and we hope to see many of you there.

moveMprove programme
This term we have outside providers running the successful moveMprove gymnastic programme that the students trialled last year. This programme started yesterday and will continue each Monday for the next eight weeks. The children really enjoyed it yesterday so please ask them what they liked. 

Curriculum Information evenings 
From time to time, I get asked about how the curriculum levels and stages and National Standards work and how can I help my child with their homework as school is so different now etc so to help with this and other questions you may have I am holding a series of three information meetings for parents. 
I will give you some ideas on how you can support your child's learning at home and also explain the stages of development in learning to read, write and do mathematics that they go through during their first two years at school. They are a repeat of the workshops undertaken last year. 
The evenings will be held in room 3 and the following day the meetings will be repeated in the library at 1.30 p.m. Both sessions will be for approximately an hour. 

The sessions are - 
READING - Wednesday May 25th 7 p.m. or Thursday May 26th 1.30 p.m.
WRITING - Wednesday June 1st 7 p.m. or Thursday June 2nd 1.30 p.m.
MATHEMATICS - Wednesday June 8th 7 p.m. or Thursday June 9th 1.30 p.m.

Reporting to Parents 
Thank you to all those parents who met us at the end of last term to discuss your child's progress and their next learning steps. We found it invaluable and hope that parents gained a clearer understanding of what their child is learning and needs to focus upon. Later this term children in rooms 1, 4, 5 and 6 will be bringing home a written report. Some children in room 3 will have a report while those five year olds new to school will have a parent and teacher conference instead. If your child is new to other classes in the Junior School they also may not have a written report but a conference instead as it depends upon how long they have been with us.  

'Celebration of Learning'
On Wednesday July 6th between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. classrooms will be open for families to come into the classrooms and see the learning that your child has been involved in. This time is an opportunity for your child to explain to you what they have been learning and what their current learning steps are. 

Full School Assemblies
This term the assemblies will be held on Friday May 13th, Friday May 27th, Friday June 10th, Friday June 24th and Friday July 8th. They are in the hall and start at the later time of 2 p.m. Families and friends are very welcome to join us for the assemblies. Please sit on the chairs in the front rows that are in front of the hall kitchen.

'Starting School at Five' Information Evening
An information evening will be held for parents of preschoolers on Wednesday June 15th at 7 p.m. in room 3. If you have neighbours with young children who attend preschool outside of Eastbourne can you please let them know about the evening? They can contact the school office for more details. 

Jigsaw Puzzles
If you have any jigsaw puzzles that have between three and ten pieces that you no longer need for your preschoolers I would really appreciate them. Please drop them into me in room 3. 

Hooked on Books
Thank you so much to the adults who are giving up their time to listen to some of our Junior children read. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. If you or know of anyone else who has an hour or so to spare and would like to do this during the afternoon each week or fortnight could you please let me know?

Home and School Committee and Board of Trustees 
If you would like to join the Home and School committee or like more information about this please don't hesitate to contact me. If you are interested in standing for the Board of Trustees the nominations for this close next week so please put your forms into the box in the school office. 

Queen's Birthday holiday and Teacher Only day
Just a reminder that school will be closed on Monday June 6th and Tuesday June 7th. 

School Times
Just a reminder that school starts at 8.40 a.m. and finishes at 2.55 p.m. Please ensure that your child is in their classroom between 8.30 a.m. and 8.40 a.m. ready to start their day's learning. Children can be dropped off at school at 8.15 a.m. but not any earlier as they are unable to be fully supervised. If you do come earlier than 8.15 a.m. you need to stay with your child in the classroom. If you have a problem with before school care for your child/ren please contact me to discuss this.

Slippers
Thank you to those parents who have sent along slippers for their child to use during the day. Please ensure that the slippers are named as several children have the same size and type of slipper.

Relieving Teachers and Teacher Aides
If you know of anyone who would like to join our relieving lists for both teachers and teacher aides could you please contact me by either email, phoning the school office or popping into room 3?

Diary Dates for this term
May 20th - Nominations for Board of Trustees close
May 24th - Cross Country event
May 25th - Parent information session - Reading 7 p.m.
May 26th - Parent information session - Reading 1.30 p.m.
May 27th - Full School Assembly

June 1st - Parent information session - Writing 7 p.m.
June 2nd - Parent information session - Writing 1.30 p.m.
June 3rd - Voting for Board of Trustees closes
June 6th - Queen's birthday - school closed
June 7th - Teacher Only day - school closed
June 8th - Parent Information session - Mathematics 7 p.m.
June 9th - Parent information session - Mathematics 1.30 p.m.
June 10th - Full School Assembly
June 15th - 'Starting school at five' parent information evening 7 p.m.
June 24th - Full School assembly 

July 1st - Written reports come home
July 6th - 'Celebration of Learning' 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
July 8th - Full School Assembly 
July 8th - Last day of term 2.

If you have any questions about the Junior School or your child's learning please do not hesitate to email either your child's teacher or myself. 

The teaching staff emails are as follows - 
Room 1  - Mrs Ryan ryan@muritai.school.nz
Room 2  - Mrs Sullivan sullivan@muritai.school.nz 
Room 3  - Mrs Buckley buckley@muritai.school.nz
Room 4  - Mrs Knowles knowles@muritai.school.nz
               Mrs Steele jamie.steele@xtra.co.nz
Room 5  - Mrs McKay jmckay@muritai.school.nz
Room 6 -  Miss Roberts roberts@muritai.school.nz
               Mrs Salisbury salisburyjo@gmail.com

Kind regards
Maureen Buckley 
Deputy Principal 
buckley@muritai.school.nz
Phone 04 562 8409