Term 3 Newsletter

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

 I hope you all had a relaxing break. It sounds like the children all had a great time with friends and family.

It was fantastic meeting with all of you at the end of last term to share the progress the students are making. It’s always good to touch base and celebrate the successes they have made. All the teachers were thoroughly blown away with the outstanding effort put into the science fair projects last term. It certainly was a massive process and we were very proud of many of the students. It was excellent to see some sound work ethic developing and students continuing to strive to reach their potential. Thanks again for all your support with this process; we realize it wasn’t an easy task for you at home either! We have several students representing our school at the NIWA Science Fair next month so we will keep you posted on their achievements.

We are now full swing into Term 3 and as usual, it’s set to be a busy one. Below is a run down on what your child will be focusing on.  

Literacy.

 Our major writing focus for the term is studying the classic play by William Shakespeare – Romeo & Juliet. We will use this play to teach the components of narrative writing plus thinking deeply about the themes of the play and how they relate to modern day life. We will be viewing scenes from the old and new versions of the movie and making comparisons. The students will also have the opportunity to re-write scenes from the play in another genre or time.

 Inquiry.

 Our major focus this term is of course ‘The Olympics’. We will start by studying the similarities and differences with the ancient and modern games. From week 3 the Senior School will be preparing to co-ordinate a school wide ‘Muritai Mini Olympics’. During this process the students will need to work in groups to develop a fun, challenging yet achievable event for the mini Olympics. They will be required to work through a design and testing process to make the event run smoothly. In week 6 we will be hosting the Mini Olympics for all the students and teachers at the school – no pressure!!

Towards the end of the term the students will be carrying out an individual inquiry based on the Olympic values and how they have brought about change in the modern games.

School Production

Of course Term 3 is always the ‘production’ term. This year we will preform a show based around the picture book ‘Uno’s Garden’ by Graeme Base. As usual the Year 7 and 8 students will have the opportunity to take a major involvement in the show from acting to prop design, lighting and backstage work. There will be more information coming home regarding the school production throughout the term.

Mathematics.

We are continuing with cross grouping this term. We start the term with a Number unit; focusing on fractions, decimals and percentages. Later in the term we will be focusing on Geometry and Measurement with an emphasis on area and angles. 

 The 'Mathletics' programme is proving a success throughout the school. Each child now has their login details and their maths teacher is regularly assigning them tasks to complete each week. The tasks that are set by the teachers relate to work that is happening in the classroom so it provides you with a useful platform for seeing what your child is focusing on in the class.

Digital Literacy

Throughout the rest of this year we will be dedicating 1 or 2 sessions a week on digital literacy. In these sessions we will be focusing on a range of themes including online citizenship and safety, cyber bullying, online privacy, information literacy and media awareness. I’m sure you’ll agree, these themes are highly relevant to our students. There will be many opportunities to discuss these themes at home.

The Arts.

This term we have a painting focus and will be looking closely at the works of Lichtenstein for motivation. This unit will have strong links with our Romeo and Juliet unit.

Physical Education.

The start of the term is focusing on Gymnastics. Our hall time for gymnastics is on Mondays so please remind your child to wear appropriate clothing on these days. Later in the term we will be focusing on games involving large balls. Our sport rotation programme will continue on Wednesday afternoons.

Other things to note...

Homework: 

 Now that our Science Fair is complete we will be going back to a more structured programme for homework. This will usually include, spelling, grammar (proofreading), reading, mathletics and a small inquiry task. Please remind your child they should be reading for at least 15-20 minutes a night and they will have at least 2-3 mathletics tasks to complete each week.

Abel Tasman:

The planning for this end of year adventure is well under way. All Year 8 students received their first newsletter last week which asks for expression of interest from parents who wish to assist for the week. Thanks to all that have replied so far. If you are able to assist with this trip please let me know by Friday 10^th August.  I will then get you to complete a form which will give me an indication of your outdoor experience etc and how you may be able to support the activities. There will be further notices throughout the term giving you more information regarding the trip.

Wet Weather:

While we are still stuck in the winter months, many of us start to get a bit hairy being stuck indoors all day! Wet lunchtimes can often be difficult so we welcome students bringing to school indoor games, such as board games or cards.

Finally if you have any concerns or questions regarding our classroom programme or your child's learning, please don't hesitate to make contact with us. Feel free to pop in before or after school or the easiest way to touch base with us is email:

Melissa: coton@muritai.school.nz
Lisa: allen@muritai.school.nz
Stu: devenport@muritai.school.nz

Thank you again for your support,

Stu Devenport
Associate Principal
 

 

 

Lest we forget

Today is ANZAC Day. Many students from the senior school represented Muritai with pride at Eastbourne's 97th Commemoration ANZAC Service.

Our Kapa Haka group welcomed the parade at the memorial gates and later sung a prayer of peace - He Honore.

Thank you to everyone for your outstanding contributions.

Term 2 2012

Dear Parents and Caregivers, 

 I hope you all had a relaxing Easter break and managed to get out and enjoy the fantastic weather Mother Nature provided. It's hard to believe that Term 1 has come and gone and we are now full swing into Term 2! 

All the teachers in the Senior School were extremely pleased with the start of  2012. We are all thoroughly enjoying the challenges of teaching in a new area of the school. We have also been very impressed with the attitude of the students in Year 7/8, particularly throughout our leadership selection process. It was excellent to see so many individuals step up to the challenge of a leadership role, their positive attitude and strong work ethic is a credit to them! 

 Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered their support and given their time to a raft of activities throughout the term including sport coaching/managing, transportation and gardening. It is fantastic to be able to offer our seniors so many extra opportunities but we would be unable to do this without your on-going support. 

As mentioned in last terms newsletter, Year 7/8 students are now creating their portfolio of work samples online in a blog format. This has been a challenging task for many as it has required learning a range of I.T skills. These blogs are now ready to be viewed by you! To find your child's learning log simply visit their classroom blog and you will find links off the sidebar. It would be great if you could take time to read through their work from Term 1 and give feedback to your child. Your child will continue adding samples of work to their learning log as they complete them throughout this term.

 Term 2 is set to be a busy one with a heavy classroom programme planned. Below is a run down of what your child will be focusing on. 

 Inquiry.

 This term every child will be undertaking a scientific investigation and will be presenting their results at the Senior School Science Fair in Week 10.

Each step of the investigation process will be explained in class and the students will be given some time at school to work on their project. However the bulk of this investigation will be done at home.
Next week each student will receive a  booklet that contains information to help them plan, research, and conduct their investigation. A copy of this booklet will also be uploaded to our classroom blogs for your reference. Your child will require support at home from you to ensure they are successful. There are many elements and a lot of work involved in a science fair project. Time management will be a very important element in a successful project. Each project will be judged at the end of the term. Several projects that are completed to a high standard will be submitted to the Annual NIWA Science Fair in Term 3.

Once every child is well underway with their own science fair project we will move into an environmental science topic called - "Take Action for Air." Our big idea  for this unit is:

 

 "To understand the need to protect and preserve our local environment and action decisions."

In this unit we will be learning about  air and air pollution, and will investigate ways of taking action to keep the air healthy and clean. 

Writing.

 Our major writing focus will be explanation writing where we will be learning to explain in detail how or why things happen. Our minor focus is procedure writing; learning how to write instructions in a clear and detailed way. As you can see both these genres will fit nicely into our science topics for the term.

Mathematics.

We are continuing with cross grouping this term which will commence next week. We start the term with a Number unit; focusing on multiplication and division strategies. Later in the term we will be focusing on Statistics with an emphasis on probability. 

The 'Mathletics' programme is proving a success throughout the school. Each child now has their login details and their maths teacher is regularly assigning them tasks to complete each week. The tasks that are set by the teachers relate to work that is happening in the classroom so it provides you with a useful platform to see what your child is focusing on in the class.

The Arts.

The first week of this term we have concentrated on visual arts where we have been creating masks using clay and papier mache. These are almost complete and are looking fantastic. They will soon be on display in the classroom and on blogs.

This term we are also lucky enough to have Ruth Hooke working with each class for a 3 week block for Performing Arts. These sessions will be on Thursday afternoons and will start with Room 22.

Physical Education.

The start of the term is focusing on training for our annual school cross country which is scheduled for Tuesday the 8th of May at Williams Park. Training for this event will be happening every morning so please ensure your child comes to school with appropriate clothing and footwear for the next two weeks.

Later in the term we will be focusing on games involving large balls.

Our sport rotation programme will continue on Wednesday afternoons from week 3.

Other things to note...

Homework: 

Due to the amount of work that will be required from the students for their science project, this will be the major focus for homework this term. They will have several deadlines to meet throughout the term which they will be regularly reminded of. They will still need to read for at least 15 minutes every night plus complete their mathletics tasks set by their maths teacher.

Wet Weather:

With the winter months fast approaching, many of us start to get a bit hairy being stuck indoors all day! Wet lunchtimes can often be difficult so we welcome students bringing to school indoor games, such as board games or cards.

Unicycles:

Stephen Eames unicycle legacy lives on in the Senior School! We now have many students that have mastered riding on one wheel which is seriously impressive! We have a number of unicycles that need a bit of TLC. If there are any parents that might be interested in having a little tinker with them to get them up to scratch, we would love to hear from you!

Gardening:

Thank you to all the parents who came in to help at our gardening working bee last term. Melissa Coton and her gardening team have worked so hard over the past term getting it 'ship-shape' for new planting. Melissa would love to hear from any parents who might be interested in assisting in the garden at any time.

• Cell Phones: 

 We understand students may require the use of cell phones before or after school, so they are permitted at school, but they are not to be used during school time. If students bring their valuables to school they are responsible for them and need to keep them in their bags. Our advice is to keep them at home.

Youth Group: 

Students in Year 7/8 are warmly invited to attend Friday night Youth Group at Eastbourne Rec Hall. This term they are trailing a new session times: 5.45 to 7.45pm. 

Upcoming events include: Trip to Strike Entertainment, Talent Quest and a Motorcross Performance. For more info contact Gina on 027 246 6546.

Finally if you have any concerns or questions regarding our classroom programme or your child's learning, please don't hesitate to make contact with us. Feel free to pop in before or after school or the easiest way to touch base with us is email:

Melissa: coton@muritai.school.nz
Lisa: allen@muritai.school.nz
Stu: devenport@muritai.school.nz

Thank you again for your support,

Stu Devenport
Associate Principal
 

 

 

Term 1 2012

Dear Parents and Caregivers Welcome back to school for 2012! Hopefully everyone had a very relaxing and enjoyable holiday. As you are well aware there are a few changes in the Senior School this year, most importantly a new teaching team! Melissa, Lisa and myself are really excited about moving into the Year 7/8 team and we are really looking forward to the year ahead. Our two key goals for the year are:

• To promote high expectations for all students in all areas
• To continue to develop the leadership status of all students and build strong connections with the main school.

The students in the Senior School will be working within 1 of the three classes but our intention is to create a strong team culture. There will be many opportunities throughout an average week for students to work and interact with others in the different classes. This of course means your child will also be working with other teachers throughout the team. Below is a run down of the structure of each class:
• Room 21: Melissa Coton is in her second year of teaching so is entitled to a release component throughout the week. Sue Steele will be covering these release days.
• Room 22: Lisa Allen works 4 days a week. Ruth Hooke teaches every Wednesday in Room 22.
• Room 23: Stu Devenport is covered every Friday by Ruth Hooke and every second Thursday by Vanessa MacPherson for management release. Vanessa will also be working in the other two classes for classroom release.

We have an exciting term planned. Here is an overview of how it will unfold.

Integrated Studies / Inquiry: 

Our big idea for this term is: “Inspire Me!”

“What Makes An Inspirational Leader?” 

To start this unit we will look to the past and focus specifically on the events of Parihaka. There are several strong individuals from this time who portrayed essential values for quality leadership. We will then look at other inspirational leaders throughout the world and endeavour to make connections with how we can act in order to be an inspiration to others at Muritai School. This of course ties in nicely with us choosing our school leaders for 2012. Year 8 students will be asked to apply in writing for these positions in the first couple of weeks of school. This unit is also set up to create a positive environment where children understand, appreciate and support one another.

Literacy 

Our reading and writing will be closely linked to our Integrated Studies. We start by looking at report writing, in particular writing biographies. Throughout this unit we will be learning how to:

•  Show knowledge of the correct structure, grammar and punctuation to edit their own writing.
• Write a biography using the correct features
• Collect and summarise information before writing
• Publish a biography on an inspirational person to tie in with the BIG IDEA
• Use the internet to source information and rewrite into own words.

We will also be studying a variety of novels throughout the year, either in small groups or as a whole class.


 Maths: 

We will continue to cross group for maths throughout the three classes based on ability. This will commence in the middle of the term once testing is done and the swimming programme finishes. We start the year looking at Geometry (3D dimensional drawing) in our own classes. We will then move into Number, looking at place value and addition and subtraction.
The school has opted into the online maths maintenance programme www.mathletics.co.nz This will be used in class but predominantly used for homework and will support the work being done at school. More information about this programme will be sent home shortly.

Swimming.

  Swimming starts on Wednesday 8th February. For the first two weeks the scheduled times are as follows:

• Monday: Room 21 & 22 
• Tuesday: Room 22 & 23 
• Wednesday: All classes 
• Thursday: Room 23 & 21
• Friday: All classes 

Weeks 3 & 4 all classes will be swimming everyday. These sessions will be run by Hutt City swimming instructors. Our annual swimming sports are scheduled for 17th February at Huia Pool. We would love to see you all there to cheer on your child!

Art and Sports Rotations: 

We intend to continue with the Senior School sport and art rotations on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. These will start in week 6.

Things to note:

Croquet: This opportunity will be available for Term 1 and Term 4. The first 3 week cycle will commence on the 17th of February. There are 12 spaces available and the cost for 3 weeks is $10 (what a bargain!) The first 12 students with their money handed to Mr. Devenport are going next Friday!

• Technicraft: This programme starts on the 8th of February. This year we have 5 groups. 3 groups will travel to Wainuiomata Intermediate by bus for either Food, Fabric or Wood Technology. The two groups remaining at school will either be taking part in music with Ruth Hooke or Spanish with Melissa Coton or Stu Devenport. One important change to note is students traveling to WIS will not be permitted to take any electronic devices on the bus. We would appreciate if you could reinforce this at home. 

• Cell Phones: We understand students may require the use of cell phones before or after school, so they are permitted at school, but they are not to be used during school time. If students bring their valuables to school they are responsible for them. Our advice is to keep them at home.

• Parent Interviews: These are scheduled for Thursday 9th February. This is an opportunity for you to come and share information about your child with us. We look forward to meeting with you all.

• Blogs: As always, we will continue to share our learning with you using the blogging platform. You are welcome to visit the class blogs anytime and we would love to hear your feedback.

• Room 21: www.misscoton.blogspot.co.nz 
• Room 22: www.muritaiallen.blogsport.co.nz 
• Room 23: www.mrdevenports.blogspot.com 

We also plan to have every student set up with their own blog so they can share their work with you on a regular basis. For this to happen, every student has been set up with a school email account and will be able to administer their blog. If you have any concerns regarding this programme please contact your child’s classroom teacher.

If you need to contact your child’s classroom teacher please feel free to drop by the classroom before or after school. The easiest way to touch base with us is email:

Melissa: coton@muritai.school.nz
Lisa: allen@muritai.school.nz
Stu: devenport@muritai.school.nz

Thank you again for your support
Stu Devenport
Associate Principal