Term 2 Week 6

Its been a damp and chilly couple of weeks. Luckily the shortest day of the year is just around the corner... It'll be summer again in no time!

Its been great catching up with everyone and hearing the progress they are making with their science investigations. The teachers can't wait to see the final products. Not long now till the science fair is upon us!

Below are some snapshots of the past fortnight.

HRSA Cross Country

 On Tuesday the 3rd June Mr Ranchod took over 30 year 7 and 8 travel to Trentham Memorial Park to compete in the annual HRSA 3k cross country run. It was a nerve-racking day but a lot of fun. Congratulations to Macey Caughley who won the year 7 girls run. Mia Treadwell-Burke came 9th in the year 8 girls’ run. Both girls will also be going to the Regionals later in July. Neve McKay and Anna Rodgers have also been selected as 'non-travelling reserves'. Well done to everyone who competed and thank you for representing Muritai so proudly.

Art with Mrs Allen.

 We are now into our final rotation of our Multi Cric programme. Mrs Allen has thoroughly enjoyed her painting sessions, using van Gogh for inspiration. The art work from the children has been amazing! Here's some pics of the planning stages before the painting begins.

Speaking of art, our Art Ambassadors are currently working on their latest project for the school playground... and its 3D! Here's a sneak peek of the how it's looking so far:

Fitness.

 What better way to start  a cold winters day with a good workout! Fitness circuits are the focus at the moment - how many press-ups can you do?

Writing in Room 24 

This week the students in Room 24 have produced some outstanding descriptive writing after reading the picture book 'The Man Who Walked Between the Towers' by Mordicai Gerstein. The story is based on the real life events of Philipe Petit who famously walked across the Twin Towers in New York in 1974. Here's a clip of some of the photos taken on that day:

 

 Here are some examples of some quality writing - awesome work everyone!

Team Assembly

Every fortnight we like to get together as a syndicate and celebrate the successes we have achieved. CARE certificates are handed out and our 'It's in the Bag' raffle draw is given out. It's an excellent way to end the week and to take time to appreciate the hard work we all do in the Senior School. 

This week Mrs Hooke's ukulele group performed for us and we got together in groups to start brainstorming possible ideas for our school production in Term 3. This year we will be bringing famous picture books to life on the stage... I wonder what books we will decide to choose?

Term 2 Week 4

It's hard to believe we are almost half way through the term already! The last fortnight has been action packed with farewells, science and field trips. Below is a run down of what's been happening in the Senior School.


Young Leaders Day.

 Every year we take our school leaders to the National Young Leaders Day at the Michael Fowler Centre. The aim of the day is to develop student leadership and for it be both inspirational and practical. Since 2001 over 100,000 students have attended throughout New Zealand. The objectives of NYLD are: Empowerment, Positivity, Inspiration, Connection, Motivation, Education. Our students came back buzzing from the day. The highlights for many were Cam Calkoen, Jamie Fitzgerald and of course the Laughing Samoans!

Technicraft.

 Last week saw the conclusion of Cycle 2 of our Technicraft programme. There has been some amazing clipboards produced in woodwork along with some very tasty hamburgers in cooking. Ruth Hooke's music group celebrated the end of the cycle by sharing their talents down the road at Eastbourne Kindy. The group loved preforming to the little kids and enjoying playing with them afterwards.

 They also shared their songs in assembly on Friday. What a nice way to farewell Mr Ray and Miss Berry! Well done guys!

Science Week.

Last week Muritai celebrated our love of Science by dedicating a whole week to it! Room 24 were lucky enough to have a visit from James McKay, a physics lecturer at Weltec. They were focusing on the laws of physics to create a motorised car using a mousetrap and string! A special thanks to Caryn Ellis for organising the day so James could share his expertise with us and Sarah Turk for assisting on the day.

To conclude Science Week Barbara Ryan and her science committee organised a Rocket Launching Competition. The brief was to create a rocket using a soft drink bottle, water and a bike pump. The winning class would be the highest flying rocket. Congratulations to Room 15 which clearly won the event. Room 23's rocket was the highest rocket from the Senior School.

Te Reo

We have been having great fun with Mr Ranchod who is teaching us different Maori greetings and commands for different situations. We are learning a lot!

Gymnastics.

Our Physical Education focus for Term 2 is Gymnastics. Check out the videos below of the students in Room 24. There task was to create a choreographed routine using a chosen apparatus. Looking good!

Pumpkin Competition

We were all so proud of Mia Treadwell-Burke who used her initiative to fundraise for a worthy charity. Mia instigated a ‘Guess the Weight’ competition for a gigantic pumpkin that was donated by her neighbour. For $2, participants could take a guess at how much the pumpkin weighed. Congratulation to Oscar and Olly Sliper who were closest to the correct weight of 26.5kg. The competition raised $103.40 which has been donated to the charity So They Can

Good on you Mia!

Term 2, Week 2

Our Senior School is back in business after a relaxing Easter break. It's hard to believe we are two weeks into the term already! Below are some highlights from the past two weeks.

War Inquiry.

 The end of Term 1 bought the end to our fantastic inquiry on War. The teachers were blown away by the final presentations of the students personal inquiries. There was such variety with a huge amount of effort clearly put in by all. There is a selection of projects on display in the main school foyer. They are well worth checking out! Below are some examples from Room 23. We were particularly impressed with Eva's presentation. A true example of going the extra mile for excellence!

Science.

 This term sees us change our learning focus to science. Every student is currently going through the process of a carrying out a science investigation to present at our Science Fair at the end of the term. Once again, the teachers are thoroughly impressed with the wide variety of topics that are going to be investigated. Every step of the science process is being modelled in class through an investigation into fabrics and fibres. Each class has learned how to carry out a simple fair test and are now currently investigating the different physical and chemical properties of different fabrics.

Morning Fitness.
 It has been great starting the day with fitness in the morning. Mr Ranchod has been working us hard with fitness circuits and relays. It's a great way to get the brain and body working for the busy day ahead!

RSA Essay Competition.
A huge congratulations to Sally Bird who won the annual RSA ANZAC Essay Competition! It is fantastic that Muritai has retained this title for 3 years in a row. Brianna Kirkham received 3rd place too! An excellent achievement from both girls. We are all so proud of you both!

Hutt City Council Art Competition.

 You will recall that last term our Art Ambassadors created two amazing murals to go on display around the council buildings while they are being refurbished. Good news! The team claimed 2nd place in this competition and were awarded with $500 for our art department. An awesome achievement for everyone involved!

World Vision. 

It was Whacky Hair Day to today! The goal was for every class to raise $40 to feed 5 people in Malawi. We also had a visit from Michelle from World Vision and members of the Yellow Team from the Edge Radio station. We have many senior students that are keen to take part in the 40 Hour Famine so they can continue to raise money for the people in Malawi. Good on you all!

 For more information, check out: https://www.worldvision.org.nz/Portal/famine/default.aspx

Term 2 2014

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

 I hope you all had a relaxing Easter break and managed to get out and enjoy some of the fine weather. 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 the 2014. We have also been very impressed with the attitude of the students in Year 7/8, particularly throughout our leadership selection process and their personal war inquiry. 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! Term 2 is set to be a busy (and short) one with a heavy classroom programme planned. Below is a run down on 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 9. 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. This week each student will receive a booklet that contains information which will 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.

If you would like more information about this project, you are welcome to attend our parent evening on Thursday 8th May at 6pm in Room 21.

 Throughout the term each class will be focusing on the Material World of Science, carrying out an investigation on different fabrics. We will be modeling the same process that the students will need to go through for your own investigation.

 Writing.

 We will be focusing on several different genre of writing this term. Firstly we will be report writing when gathering our background research for our investigations. Our second focus is procedure writing; learning how to write instructions in a clear and detailed way – another important part of our investigation. Along with these two genres we will also be focusing on narrative and creative writing through mini lessons. The focus for these lessons will be to develop our deeper features in writing.

 Mathematics.

 We are changing our maths programme slightly this term. We continue with our cross grouping for 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Tuesday). These sessions will focus on Multiplication and Division. On Tuesdays and Fridays maths will be taught in home classes focusing on Statistics and Problem Solving. Statistics fits nicely into own science fair investigations throughout the term.

 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.

 The Arts. We continue with our Arts programme on Thursday afternoons throughout the term. Through these sessions each group have the opportunity for painting (with Lisa Allen) and drama (Ruth Hooke).

 Physical Education. The focus for this term is gymnastics. Our halls times are Tuesdays so it would be appreciated if all students have appropriate clothing to participate in all activities on these days. Our sport rotation programme will continue on Wednesday afternoons plus Anand Ranchod will continue to develop large ball skills with small groups on Thursday afternoons.

Fitness is programmed in for every morning (weather permitting). We are finding these sessions incredibly beneficial. It's a great way of building on personal fitness and waking the brain up to start the day!

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.

Learning Journeys and Celebration of Learning.

 At the end of this term the classrooms will be open for the afternoon for your child to share their learning with you from the first half of the term. This year your child will have two platforms to record and share their work with you; in their clearfile and online on Google Drive. The date for this celebration is Thursday 3rd July (3pm - 6pm). We would love to see as many of you attend as possible as it's a great opportunity to hear first hand (from your child) about their learning. So ask the boss if you can leave work an hour early on the 3rd!

 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 be kept in their bags. Our advice is to keep them at home.

 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:

Anand: ranchod@muritai.school.nz
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: Week 10

Its hard to believe the end of the term is fast approaching, the past 10 weeks have flown by. Im sure everyone is looking forward to recharging the batteries in the holidays for a couple of weeks. Below are some highlights from the past two weeks.

War Inquiry.

Our war inquiry will draw to a close next week. The students are working studiously to meet the project deadline of next Monday. We have been thoroughly impressed with so many students in their ability to manage their time effectively and take ownership for their learning. The teachers are really looking forward to seeing the final products with all their tasks packaged together.

Hutt City Art Project.

Our art ambassadors have been busy creating two fantastic pieces of art for the Hutt City Council while their premises are getting earthquake strengthened. The theme for this project was 'Why we love Hutt City'. Well done to all our art team and a special thanks to Mrs Allen and Felicity for their guidance.

The Royals!


After a successful field trip to Government House last month, some of our Year 8 Leaders were invited back on Monday to be a part of the official welcoming ceremony for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. We were very honoured to attend this special occasion. It was touch and go as to whether the event would take place due to the dicey forecast. It was well worth the long wait in the wind and rain to get a glimpse of the the famous couple. After a very powerful powhiri, the National Anthem and 21 gun salute, the Duke and Duchess made a beeline for us!

We had a lovely chat about the weather and the plans for the upcoming holidays. One of the most exciting parts of the day was being interviewed by the masses of media from around the world covering the event. Once again our leaders demonstrated exemplary behaviour and were outstanding ambassadors for our school.

  Milly also got an early morning call from a The Edge radio station asking to give her reflection on the big day. Check it out  about 38 minutes in here

Term 1 - Week 8

We are reaching the end of the term in the Senior School but things definitely aren't slowing down. Below are a couple of highlights from the past fortnight. 

War Inquiry.

All our students are well underway with their personal inquiries into their area of interest. There is a huge variety of topic that the students have chosen, from animals during war time to weaponry, famous war leaders to what kind of food was consumed by the soldiers. We have been thoroughly impressed with the dedication the students have put into their work and how they are managing their time wisely so they are prepared for lessons and meeting deadlines.
A copy of the project is available to view on the previous post. As a parent, it would be helpful to have a read through so you are aware of what is expected of your child over the final weeks of the terms. Although all tasks and skills will be introduced and taught in class, it is expected that all students will need to work at home to complete these tasks. 

RSA Essay Competition. 

 Every year our students have an opportunity to enter an essay competition run by the local RSA to coincide with ANZAC day. For the past two years a student from Muritai Senior School has won the overall prize so we are hoping for a similar result in 2014. This year we have had nearly 20 students submit an entry to this competition which is quite remarkable. The topic for this year was: 

  ‘How did WW1 impact on NZ and how did it define NZ as a nation in its own right?’

As you can imagine, not an easy question to answer in a 1000 word essay! Once again, we were blown away with the enthusiasm of individuals to get this task completed in the tight time frame. Will look forward to hearing the results on ANZAC day.

Technicraft 

We have now completed our first 6 week cycle of technicraft. There have been some fantastic bags created in Fabric, awesome clipboards made in Hard Materials, computer programmes developed in Coding and sushi made (and consumed) in Japanese! Mrs Hooke's music group celebrated their learning with a visit to the local Barnados where they preformed to the kids. 

Literacy Quiz

Last Friday Sue Fieldes took 4 of our students; Hannah Moffat, Lauren Redpath, Mia Treadwell-Burke and Freya Neal to the annual Wellington Literacy Quiz in Papakowhai. The girls had a great day out and overall came 9th out of 47 teams. Their best section was 'Non Fiction' where they achieved 10/10. Lauren also received a book voucher for being the only student to answer a question correctly. Go Lauren!

Student 'War' Booklet

Here's a copy of the booklet every student will receive on Friday. This will help guide them through their personal inquiry process. A key focus for them is to manage their time and take responsibility for their learning.

Student 'War' Booklet