Murchison Area School
61 Waller Street
Murchison 7007
Phone 03 5239 072
Fax 03 5239 588
11th September 2015
[email protected]
Term 3 School Wide Value — Consideration
Kia Ora Koutou,
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
We have had an interesting week here with senior exams and then a classroom skype call with a volcanologist. I
left the students to their exams, they really didn’t need me sitting in on them. But I did attend the skype conference with the volcanologist. He was really interesting and I was impressed at some of the questions the Year 5/6
class had prepared for him. Well done, and thank you, to Mr Schasching for arranging this. It is involvement in
activities like this that make learning ‘real’ for our students.
At our Board meeting last week we discussed aspects of our Education Review Office report – the one that we
made available to our community in our 24th July newsletter. We are particularly pleased with some of the progress that ERO identified and feel that it is a good idea to share some of that with you, for the benefit of those
who have not read the report.
“The leaders and teachers make good use of student achievement data to make positive changes to learners’
engagement, progress and achievement. Most students in Years 1 to 8 are achieving at or above National
Standards in literacy and mathematics. Most students targeted in writing made good progress in 2014, and
continue to be closely monitored and supported in 2015.
All students in Years 9 to 13 are on individual education plans. Their progress and achievement towards
achieving National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is closely monitored, well analysed and
regularly reported to parents and the board.
Students in secondary school are well supported to make good use of vocational pathways. Programmes
such as STAR and Gateway, with community involvement, support students’ learning and achievement”
The Board are very pleased to have it acknowledged how well we are doing at ensuring that every student has
the opportunity to succeed. We are fortunate here in Murchison to be able to offer access to so many different
programmes and courses for our students. It is thanks to the Board’s focus on resourcing strategically, putting as
much as possible into improving student achievement and outcomes, that ERO was able to identify this.
Tina Johnson
Principal
SCHOOL PHOTOS — 16th September
A note will be going home today with students, confirming who have handed in
their photo envelope and money. If you have returned your envelope and do not
get a note, please ring Kathryn at the office as soon as convenient.
WHAT’S ON?
School Photos — 16th September
Last day of Term 3 — 25th September
First day of Term 4—12th October
The Lost Property Box is
overflowing!
If your child has lost/misplaced something, please come in and have a look
in our lost property box situated on the
veranda outside the staff room.
It’s just about holiday time…..but
As a staff we have noticed that we have got to 'that' time of year again. It's nearly the end of the
Term, it's Spring which means many of our families are under extra pressure, and also a number of
our students are coming to the end of a long winter sports season. We have noticed many of our
students are tired and for some of them it is affecting their interactions with others. We have talked
with our classes about making the extra effort to be kind to others, generally looking out for each
other, and making sure we get to bed when our parents ask us to!
As parents if you could also support these messages and just be aware of extra sensitive children,
then hopefully we can all make it to the next holidays intact!
ROOM 4 CAMP
The following parents will be attending room 4 camp next term: Ray Taplin, Hammer
Wilson, Bec James, Marion Thomas, Maria Johnson, Kelly Hocking and Vanessa Allen.
Please look out for camp paperwork that will be sent home with all Room 4 students
early next week.
What’s been happening in Room 3?
We’ve been having a ‘boom whacking’ time in
Room 3, learning to play different music together. We’re working on keeping in time for
each of our notes, and holding our beats for
the right length. A great challenge for our
brains!
Guardians of the Galaxy has been a fantastic
science topic this term! We have been
stretching our thinking about how cool our
planet Earth is, and the amazing Sol (our sun),
moon and the stars in our galaxy.
We have made our own guardian creatures too.
As well as reading, watching, writing and
drawing all about the great things we have
learnt.
We have had a gloriumptious time reading Roald Dahl novels and sooo many more imaginary
and factual wonders in our reading group and class novels this term. We love reading a good
book, which has helped us make progress in reading for meaning, looking for clues, predicting
what’s to come, comparing and contrasting, and summarising. Bring on the rest of term three
and the cool adventures we will continue into term four!
FOUND
One ring, found in the
school grounds. If it is
yours, please see
Lynette at the office.
Apologies….
Last week’s student write-ups about Mica, the
Kiwi Tracking Dog, incorrectly stated that Mica’s
trainer, Lynne, worked for DOC. She actually
works for NBC Contracting.
We apologise for the error.
Smooth songs for a Spring Sunday
Misty
The second concert in the Murchison
Area School Fundraising series takes us
to the world of easy and smooth
sounds; perfect for a relaxed Sunday
afternoon.
Enjoy a drink from the bar, or a cake
and cup of tea from the kitchen and sit
back and reminisce with some old
favourites, or
enjoy the occasional number that may
be new to you. Tap your feet to a swing
tune or think back to a musical
memory.
Year 9 and 10 students can add to their
personal fundraising target by
arranging a ticket for you, or call in at
the
school office.
Bring a few dollars for the refreshments
and raffles.
We would love to see you there. Please
spread the word.
It’s coming up to that time of year again….
With the warmer weather approaching, we will, from the beginning of Term 4 implementing our NO
HAT, NO PLAY rule. This is for ALL STUDENTS. Secondary students must also now follow
this rule.
There are 3 different styles of school sunhat available from The Warehouse in Richmond:∗
∗
∗
A cap with our logo;
A bucket hat with our logo, and
A wide brim hat.
Also a reminder to all secondary students. You must wear uniform hats from now on
e.g. winter beanies and summer sun hats. There will be no exceptions.
It’s Flower Show time again!
Rooms 2 and 4 will be using flowers in their entries for the flower show, so please send a selection
of flowers along with your child (if you have some) on the morning of Wednesday, 16th September.
If you have some flowers spare, we would appreciate if you could also send them along to school,
as some children do not have access to flowers at home. Remember there is a creative vegetable
section which can be made at home and bought to school on the day.
Regards Mr. S
NITS are on the loose!
PLEASE check your child's hair regularly for these pesky critters. They
are highly contagious and, if nits are visible in your child's hair, to
protect other families we will send your child home with a request
not to return them to school until the nits have been treated.
There are many remedies out there for nits, some reliable, some not so
reliable. The key is to check, check and check your child's hair on a
regular basis and do something about it if you find anything. We rely on everyone doing their bit to
keep nits at bay.
We appreciate your cooperation and vigilance with this costly and frustrating issue.
Room 4’s Video Conference with a Volcanologist
In Room 4 on Thursday morning, we had a video conference on Skype with Geoff Kilgour from GNS.
He is a Volcanologist in Taupo, and studies volcanoes around New Zealand and other countries. He
takes lava samples with a hammer and bucket. Geoff has been a Volcanologist for 12 or 13 years.
The biggest volcano in the world is Mauna Loa in Hawaii. The biggest volcano in New Zealand is
Mount Ruapehu in the North Island. Geoff wears protective clothing around volcanoes so he does
not burn. He has been very close to a lava flow in Hawaii. In the ring of fire there are over 200
volcanoes on land and under water.
It was really cool talking to a real Volcanologist.
By Summer Beaumont, Luke Allen, Irie Direen &
Harmonie Whitnall
Room 4’s Skype session with a Volcanologist
SCHOOL MUFTI
Friday 18th September 2015
Gold Coin Donation
Money raised goes to “Loud Shirt Day” to support deaf children with Cochlear Implants and
Hearing Aids. This is the 10th year Loud Shirt Day will raise money to help children learn to
listen and speak.
Donations go to ‘The Hearing House’.
Organised by the Student Council.