Term 1 2015

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

 Welcome back to school for 2015! Hopefully everyone had a very relaxing and enjoyable holiday. Haven't we been lucky with the weather! Melissa, Lisa, Anand, Ruth and myself are really excited to be back and looking forward to the year ahead. 

 The students in the Senior School will be working within 1 of the three classes but our intention is always 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 within the team. Below is a run down of the structure of each class:

• Room 22: Melissa Coton.

• Room 23: Anand Ranchod

• Room 24: Lisa Allen works 4 days a week with Ruth Hooke teaching every Wednesday.

I am leading the Senior School and still have a significant teaching component. I will be releasing the classroom teachers twice a term for their scheduled CRT (Classroom Release Time) plus working with our students that need additional support in literacy and numeracy. Other components of my role are developing the team culture, leading behaviour management and additional school wide management.

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

  Integrated Studies / Inquiry: 

The first couple of weeks of the term the classes will be building their class cultures and thinking about their leadership roles for the year. 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.

Our learning will focus on our first Inquiry topic based on "Innovation." This will have a strong Social Studies and Technology focus. Each class will be looking at how technology and new inventions have changed society throughout history. Students  will be completing their own personal inquiry into an innovation where they will be required to research through a variety of mediums and then make predictions of how new technology may continue to change the way we  function as a society. 

Literacy:

The focus for Term 1 is looking at report writing and oral language. As always, we try to integrate our literacy programme with our integrated studies. These two topics fit nicely into learning about the past and developing effective interview techniques to gain the most relevant information. We will also be studying a variety of novels throughout the year, either in small groups or as a whole class.

 Maths: 

Because of our swimming and testing programme at the beginning of the year, the classes will not be cross grouping for mathematics in the first term. We start the year looking at Number, looking at place value and addition and subtraction. We will then move into Statistics focusing on data gathering and graphing.

Muritai School is continuing to use 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. We found this programme extremely worthwhile last year. Many students achieved excellent results from the regular maintenance and it is a great way for parents to see what learning is happening in the classroom. Expect your child to have between 5-10 mathletics activities to be completed either at home or school throughout a week.

Physical Education

Swimming will start Tuesday of week 1. For the first 3 weeks the scheduled times are as follows:

Monday: Room 23 & 22

Tuesday: Room 24 & 23

Thursday: Room 22 & 24

Friday: All classes

 Weeks 4 & 5 all classes will be swimming everyday except Wednesday. These sessions will be run by Hutt City swimming instructors. All students are expected to swim in every session unless we hear otherwise from you so please let us know if your child is unable to swim on any day.

Our annual swimming sports are scheduled for 26th of February at Huia Pool. We would love to see you all there to cheer on your child!

After our swimming programme concludes we start training for our annual Cross Country event which is set to be held in the final week of the term on Tuesday 31 March. Because your child will be exercising everyday in the hot weather we will be asking the the children to bring a spare change of clothes to wear. We recommend the students wear their school sports uniform if they have them. We would appreciate it if you have support us by reinforcing this expectation at home.

Art

This term we will be studying the genre of Abstract/Surreal art through the work of artist and author Shaun Tan. Towards the end of the term some children will have the opportunity to be part of an extension art programme run by Lisa Allen.

Kapa Haka

Although we have lost the talents of Raihania Chadwick we are fortunate enough to have Carol Algar from the main school step into his shoes! Together with Ruth Hooke, Carol will be taking each class for a 30 minute session on Fridays for the first 5 weeks of the year. From there, Ruth and Carol will select a performance group to prepare for Polyfest in Term 2.

Things to note:

 • Technicraft: This programme starts on the 11th of February. This year we have 6 groups. 3 groups will travel to Wainuiomata Intermediate by bus for either Food, Fabric or Wood Technology. The 3 groups remaining at school will either be taking part in music with Ruth Hooke or Computer Coding with Melissa Coton or Spanish with Anand Ranchod.

 • 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 your child needs to contact you throughout the school day they must use the school phones and ask permission from one of our staff members first. If students bring their valuables to school they are responsible for them. Our advice is to keep them at home.

 • Parent Interviews: Our first set of interviews are scheduled for Wednesday 4th 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. Carole in the office will be in contact with your shortly on how to book at time to meet with your child's classroom teacher. We will have another round of longer parent interviews towards the end of the term on the 23rd and 24th of March. The purpose of these meetings is for us to share your child's testing information with you.

* Information Evening:  You are welcome to join us in Room 21 on Thursday 12th February at 6pm. The purpose of this meeting is to give you a better idea of ‘how we roll’ in the Senior School as there are a few differences from the main school. I’m envisioning that the meeting should take no longer than 40 minutes. This session is targeted to any new parents in the senior school although you are all welcome to attend.

* Homework: Weekly homework will start in week 1. Every child should bring their homework book home on day 1 which will include a letter from the classroom teacher explaining expectations.

 • 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.blogspot.co.nz

 Room 23: www.room23muritaischool.blogspot.co.nz/

 Team: www.seniorschoolmuritai.blogspot.co.nz/

 • Portfolios/Learning Journeys This year your child will have two platforms for collecting/sharing their work. Firstly, an online folder that can be shared with you which will contain all completed work they have created electronically. This folder may also contain images of your child throughout their year at school. Secondly, each child will have a clearfile presentation folder which will contain any work that has not been completed electronically. This may be copies of assessments, art, handwritten stories.

 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

Anand: ranchod@muritai.school.nz

Stu: devenport@muritai.school.nz

Thank you again for your support

Stu Devenport

Associate Principal