MURITAI SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES

December Board Newsletter

2011-12-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

December 20 2011.

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai

Well that’s another year ticked off, where did that go? It's been action packed starting with the hugely successful year 5 & 6 camp the hosting of many children from Christchurch, followed by amazing displays of creativity and artistic endeavour at Wearable Arts and Artsplash, sporting triumphs at swimming sports, athletics and national recognition at cross country, some superb international academic results in the ICAS tests, a wonderful fundraiser for a Cambodian School at the Art Auction and finishing with EOTC weeks and the year 7-8 Mt Holdsworth and Able Tasman trips 2011 has been a full and enjoyable year.

2011 has also been an interesting and challenging time for the Board as we have grappled with finding ways to provide the quality of education and rich experiences we all want on a very tight budget. We have adopted a transparent approach to these challenges and invited you to contribute as part of the community wide discussion around the refining of our Charter. We have appreciated both the frankness of your responses and most notably the overwhelming endorsement of the direction we are taking.

The responses have been discussed at length and, together with discussions that have taken place throughout the community, have formed an important part of the re-drafting. A final draft is being reviewed over the holiday period and we expect to be in a position to publish the completed version when it is submitted to the Ministry of Education in February 2012. Thank you again to all those who took the opportunity to make their voices heard.

Last month the mid-term Board nominations closed and there were two nominations received for the two positions available. No election was accordingly necessary and we are delighted to welcome back Julie Parker and a new Board member, Carolyn Patchett. Carolyn brings a wealth of educational experience and will be another great asset to the Board. Her bio, along with that of your other Board members can be viewed here.

The Board has also resolved, at our November meeting, to co-opt Dave Griffiths as an additional trustee. As an accountant, Dave brings some crucial expertise to the financial management of the school and we are delighted that he has agreed to continue as a co-opted trustee.

Whilst finances and charters and reports and policies are the stuff of governance we do strive to make sure we keep “the main thing the main thing”.. And the “main thing” is of course our student’s achievement. We were delighted with the Student Achievement results which were reviewed at the November Board meeting. It once again shows the vast majority of our children achieving at or above the national standards in Reading Writing and Mathematics and continued progress towards our charter goals. You can read a summary of the schoolwide data by clicking here.

Best wishes from the Board as you head off with your families for a well-earned summer break and soak up all our beautiful country has to offer. Have a wonderful and happy Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in 2012.

Olivia, Griff, Dave, Julie, Lisa, Carolyn, Andrew and Stu

Tuesday 7 November 2011

2011-11-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai

Wow. November already. And only five weeks until the end of the school year. We hope that as you and your family start to gear up for the usual pre-Christmas madness you are able to enjoy the last few weeks of term and the start of another glorious summer in our wonderful little part of the world.

Since our last newsletter the Board has been busy with the process of refining the School Charter for 2012 and beyond. You will obviously have seen our e-mails and letters in this regard and we would like to thank everyone who has taken the opportunity to have their say for their contributions. The board has spent the last couple of meetings, and a fair bit of time in between, reviewing the responses we have received and feeding it into the review process. Whilst the variety of opinion highlights the healthily diverse nature of our community, we were delighted that the common thread of the process as a whole has been an overwhelming support and endorsement for the focus and direction of the school. We expect to have the revised Charter available early in the new year and will of course post it on the website.

Whilst the RWC has largely monopolised news coverage in the last three months there is obviously the small matter of the national election taking place later this month. The New Zealand School Trustees Association have sent a standard set of questions to the education spokesperson for each of the main parties and have made their responses available. We will post these responses on the Muritai website for your information. Please click the link here to view this.

At Muritai, we have this month, an equally significant election of our own in relation to which we wrote to you a couple of weeks ago. That is of course the election for the two mid-term positions on the board. We would strongly encourage you to consider participating in the governance of the school in this way. Nomination forms need to be in by 11 November. If you would like to know more please get in touch with Stuart Stock at stu.stock@mac.com or on 8892288 or contact any of the trustees whose details are on the website.

Enjoy the last few weeks of the year. Roll on the summer.

Stu, Olivia, Griff, Dave, Julie, Lisa and Andrew

Charter Consultation 2011

2011-08-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Please take time to consider this letter carefully – it contains important information about the future of Muritai School.

In 2011 the Board is reviewing the School's Charter and we would like your input into this process. Change from 2012 onwards is inevitable and now is your opportunity to help shape our future.

“Being the best that we can be” is the Muritai School motto which you will have heard again and again. It applies as much to the school itself as it does to our hopes for our children. For this reason we are constantly pushing ourselves to do things better, to find new and imaginative ways of inspiring our children, and to be on the cutting edge of education in the 21^st Century.

The Muritai School Charter is the foundation for this journey. It is both the Board’s contract with the government and more importantly a statement of the heart and vision of the school as well as reference point for all decision making. As such, it is an incredibly important document and one which the Board is determined to ensure reflects the hopes and aspirations of the community which it serves. In 2011 we are re-drafting this document to take us through the next 3-5 years and accordingly NOW is your opportunity to have real input into decisions guiding the direction of our school.

Muritai School is at a crossroads. Financially and strategically, the simple truth is that the school cannot continue to operate as it has been for the last 10 years. Change is therefore inevitable.

One of the biggest driving factors unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, are our financial resources. These are difficult financial times which, particularly given the disaster in Christchurch, will not improve any time soon. Schools in NZ are funded on a per student basis with schools with higher ‘decile’ ratings receiving less per child. Muritai has the highest decile rating (10) and therefore receives only very limited funding to pay for the “extras” which contribute so significantly to the quality of education at Muritai.

On a total operational budget of around $2m, once essentials are paid for according to government grant (maintenance, administration and operational costs, teaching salaries etc) the Board is left with just $78,000. In an effort to ensure the best overall outcomes, past and present Boards have allocated $40,000 of this funding to meet the additional teaching requirements of children with special needs and requiring learning support. The $40,000 bridges the gap between the Government grant and the level of support required. This leaves just $38,000 overall to resource the curriculum in literacy and numeracy, fund ICT, sports and arts programmes, library and curriculum books, enrichment programmes, te reo etc. The Board appreciates the work of the home and school to supplement this resourcing.

Parents at Muritai, through the school donation and a strong Home and School fundraising programme, contribute approximately 5% of the school’s total funding requirement. While fundraising mostly tops up the above-mentioned “extras,” the donation was introduced 15 years ago to directly fund smaller class sizes. However, whilst the donation has risen from $250 to $350 per child, it has not kept pace with the increasing costs of teacher salaries. When initially instituted, the school donation easily paid for 2 teachers. Since then (including this year) the school has been staffed on that basis (with resulting smaller class sizes). The donation however now pays for just 1.5 teachers and the Board is now having to underwrite small classes from the operational grant. Add to that the exponential rise in the cost of everything else and we can no longer afford to function as we have.

Additionally, there are 2 critical areas of investment which we as a Board see as essential for Muritai to be the best that it can be going forward. They are investment in our teaching staff and in our ICT hardware.

The evidence is overwhelming that the 2 biggest contributors to student achievement are the level of parental engagement and the quality of the teaching. We can all recall those teachers who inspired us, who challenged us and in many cases who could be said to have changed the direction of our lives and we are privileged at Muritai to have some excellent teachers who are doing just that for our children. The Board sees developing, retaining and where necessary recruiting excellent teachers as a priority if we are to be a leading 21^st century school. Budgetary restrictions in 2011 have meant that we have been forced to sacrifice unacceptably the continuing development of our teaching staff. This cannot continue if the school is to move forward.

The second area where investment is desperately needed is in the area of information technology. We currently spread 40 laptops around 400 children, meaning access to the tools of the 21^st century is unacceptably limited. You will have read in the news recently how one college in Orewa is dealing with this. The media have had a field-day but one sympathises with a desire to educate their children for the future on a budget of the past. Investment in ICT at Muritai is an urgent need and one that we continue to defer at the expense of our children.

These challenges are significant but not insurmountable. As a Board we are already planning and strategising our next steps. As we review the Charter in 2011, we are seeking your input. Change from 2012 onwards is inevitable and we reiterate that now is your opportunity to help us shape the future of Muritai.

Attached to this letter is a consultation paper highlighting the 3 key areas in relation to which the Board seeks your input. To start with we would strongly recommend you review the existing Charter which is found on the Muritai School website.

There are then many ways you can participate in the discussion.

· The Charter Blog at www.muritaicharter.blogspot.com. Here we will post thought-provoking material to assist the debate and discussion

· By email at Charter@muritai.school.nz

· by online survey

· and of course by discussion with any of the Board

Links for each can be found in the new Charter Consultation page accessed from the Muritai School website.

We look forward to talking with you to discuss how we can together meet the challenges and take hold of the opportunities before us to make Muritai School the best that it can be.

Kind regards

The Muritai School Board of Trustees

Muritai School Charter Consultation Discussion Paper

Below we set out the 3 key areas – Character, Construction and Curriculum - in relation to which the Board of Trustees seeks your input. The “key discussions” mentioned under each category are intended not as exhaustive lists but as discussion starters highlighting the themes considered important by Board and giving a flavour of the types of issues which you might like to discuss.

Character - the Character, intent, heart of the school

This is summed up in the first page of the Charter. Our Purpose; Our Environment; Our Values – it contains the phrases and ideas that serve as a foundation for all our self-review and governance.

Key discussions:

· Are we comfortable with the Charter goals set out on the 1^st page?

· What are our aspirations for our children?

· What do we want from Muritai School to provide for our children?

· What do we see as skills required for a successful future?

· What special traits are there about being an Eastbourne based school that we should be taking advantage of? (eg access to both the harbour and bush reserves is something we are blessed with and already make use of but are there more special features we can use to help differentiate our kids learning experience.)

· Do we have any concerns or further observations about the Muritai culture?

· What are the key strengths and drivers of the Muritai culture?

Construction – how the school operates

This focuses on the organization of the school to ensure that quality learning takes place.

Key areas here are finance, property, personnel, community engagement, and self-review that lead to improved teaching and learning.

Financial Constraints mean that structural change is urgently required between personnel and finance. The status quo is not viable going forward.

Result – clear resolution of class sizes; additional teacher donation; innovative teaching ; peripheral changes – (uniform, homework, reporting); student opportunities; future investment

Key discussions:

· What are our priorities around learning? (in particular those that are finance constrained) – e.g. extra teachers, class sizes, quality teachers, ICT, innovative teaching, extension opportunities, art, music, drama, remedial programmes

· What do we do well/what could we do better, with respect to the learning environment - e.g. classroom delivery, consistency of practice, quality teaching, support systems

· How do we view the learning process? Our approach to learning or the things that surround the role of learning) – Montessori learning/ longer hours etc

· Small class sizes vs alternative resourcing structures ie specialist teachers etc and ultimately, how we fund this.

· What class sizes do we expect. What would/wouldn’t we be happy with. Are donation payments and other support of school fundraising contingent upon certain maximum class sizes

· Could other resources and resources structures be funded instead of small class sizes for better results in student achievement

· Future physical layout/facilities/ operations of the school and our priorities given limited funding

· Community Engagement

o the role of the school in the community ie provider of after school care?

o Is there more that we should/could be doing or are we pulling our weight.

o what are our expectations with respect to level of parental involvement with a child’s education

o Homework and reporting.

o Can we engage more with some of the community organizations to achieve some better outcomes for all ie increased participation whether it be sports, arts, music etc

· Role of, and engagement with, the Board.

o Is there a lack of understanding in terms of what the Board does?

o Does the Board need to be more visible and provide opportunities for discussion and increased consultation?

o What does the community expects and/or wants of its Board in this regard. ie communication more than consultation.

· School uniform

Curriculum – our teaching and learning practice

A key factor will be the Board's ability to invest in support for learning – ICT, specialized teaching (including learning support), curriculum resourcing

The Board is seeking to understand the community’s priority for learning. Community views on classroom teaching feedback; curriculum width (science, languages, arts); thoughts for necessary change

Key questions:

· What do we see as priorities for learning – junior school, middle school, senior school

· How well are our children doing?

· Are parents engaged with the school in our child’s learning (what tools are effective/ineffective when sharing student achievement or engaging parents in their child's learning?)

· Preparation of students for life after Muritai -ie further investment in and focus on learning via ICT?

· Extension, reporting and feedback - across all aspects of the curriculum, with an outline of other options being used either here or overseas

· Are "personalised learning plans" a successful and effective strategy?

· Are our children are being "pushed"/extended sufficiently.

Newsletter May 2011

2011-05-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

Tena kotou te whanau o te kura Muritai,

Welcome back to term 2. We trust you had an enjoyable Easter break and were able to enjoy some quality family time where-ever you spent it.

During the break it was wonderful to see Muritai once again take a front role in a moving (albeit damp) ANZAC day service, leading a haka and the closing waiata and with the address given by our Principal, Andrew Bird. We can continue to be proud of the significant role the school has within the Eastbourne community not only as a centre of learning but as cultural and community leaders.

Since our last newsletter in March, the Board has been busy gearing up for the Charter redevelopment this year. We would encourage you to review the interim 2011 Charter on the Muritai School website which was completely redrafted by the Board this year to make it more accessible and to meet new governmental requirements including the incorporation of National Standards targets. Whilst the MoE are planning to use our document as a template for schools who are struggling to come to grips with the new requirements, it was developed as an interim document. As the governing document for the school we feel it is crucial that we spend time this year consulting with both our school and the wider communities, to ensure that the decisions and direction Muritai takes over the next few years reflect, as far as possible, your hopes and aspirations for your school. The bulk of this consultation will take place this and next term and we encourage you to take the opportunity to have your voice heard.

To help spread the load we are also very pleased to announce the selection onto the board of two new trustees. No objections were received to our doing so and accordingly in April Dave Griffiths and Julie Parker kindly agreed to join us and we are delighted to have them on board. You can read the personal biographies of the Board here.

At the end of term 1 the Board was thrilled to meet, for the first time ever, with the entire staff en masse and we used the opportunity to discuss the Student Achievement Reports and 2011 Target Setting. It was a wonderful opportunity to talk together about plans and visions for learning in 2011 and also for the Board to more fully understand the immense work which goes into developing a tailored plan for each student at Muritai. While the process of reporting against the new National Standards remains problematic, there is no doubt that Muritai maintains exceptionally high achievement levels, with most children at the school effectively working a year or more ahead of the National Standard for their age group. The Board is also confident there are excellent systems in place both to develop those who are not quite there yet and to extend those who are.

As you know the school’s focus this year is on “Standing Tall” and there is a delightful passage in a book of the same name by Vivian Stringer, head coach of the Rutgers University Women’s basketball team, which suggests “Real success is achieved when you set your own worth, fulfill your own destiny, and stand up for what you know to be right.” These are concepts which underpin the focus at Muritai School and we are sure echo your own heart for your children. It is encouraging to witness students even from a young age, set their own achievement goals and work towards achieving them and we would encourage you to discuss these goals with your children and their teachers as you support them on their journey to ‘stand tall’ and ‘be all that they can be’.

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa,

Ki kite ano

Muritai School Board of Trustees

March Board of Trustees newsletter 2011

2011-03-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai,

March already. Remote summer beaches and Christmas festivities but a distant memory replaced by school lunches, early starts and ferrying children to after-school activities. Obviously the bustle and excitement of a new year in 2011 has been tragically and dramatically affected by the earthquakes in Christchurch and now Japan. Our hearts go out to all those affected including those from our own community who have been personally involved. In the midst of the tragedy it has been wonderful to see and experience the generosity and kindness of New Zealanders. Muritai School continues to play its part in hosting children from affected Christchurch schools as well as the incredibly well supported Red and Black Day.

For us as a Board it has been great to see the school kick back into action seemingly so effortlessly. We are well aware that the “effortlessness" is in fact due to many weeks of preparation from our dedicated teaching staff and we are sure you will join with us in thanking them for their tremendous work on behalf of our children. Aside from the classroom work we have already had the year 3-4 Swimming Sports, the year 5-6 camp at Forest Lakes (both of which miraculously took place in unforecast glorious weather), beach days, sporting events and trips to the theatre. These all require a tremendous amount of organisation, as anyone who tried to buy ice cream's for just half a dozen children over the Christmas break will testify.

It is really pleasing also that the exceptional work of the staff and management at Muritai has been formally recognised by the Education Review Office (ERO) who undertook a review of the school in the last term of 2010. With our correspondence mailed to you this week we included a copy of ERO's letter to the community reporting their findings and we would urge you to take a moment to read it. The Board is delighted with the findings which speak of a well-managed, effective school with a positive tone where students are highly engaged in learning and high standards are both set and achieved. Historically ERO reviews come around every three years and it is reassuring that such is their confidence in the school that ERO do not feel the need to return within the next 4 to 5 years. The Ministry of Education have effectively given Muritai an A+ report card and we are sure you will join with us in congratulating the management and staff for such a wonderful success.

And on the subject of congratulations, you may have read in the 24 February school newsletter that Muritai has just become New Zealand's first dyslexia friendly school. This is a mammoth achievement and recognises the work of all of our teachers in ensuring their classes are dyslexia friendly. As was mentioned in the newsletter, this benefits all of our children as teaching structures are designed to meet the individual needs of each child. Sarah Richardson has led the initiative over the last couple of years and has done an amazing job. Thanks to her and all of the staff in helping Muritai School become a national leader in this area.

Also exciting, though on a completely different level, are the ongoing improvement works to school property. Many of you will have noticed the new carpets and blinds in rooms 7-14 installed over the Christmas break. We hope to have new wall linings and much-needed modifications to the heating system completed shortly as well as work done to stop the winter winds coming through the windows. The library renovation, for which so many of you have worked so hard for some years, is also underway and we hope to be in a position to start building towards the end of the year.

Apart from the usual business the other major initiative for the Board in 2011 will be the redevelopment of the Muritai School Charter. This presents an exciting opportunity for the community to be involved in the shaping and defining of your children's school's governing document. We will shortly begin a consultation process aimed at discovering your hopes and aspirations for the school which can then be refined in condensed into a new Charter for 2012 and beyond. Keep your eye out for these opportunities as it would be great to have your contribution.

Finally you will recall that the election for three available parent trustee positions at the end of last year resulted in the nomination and subsequent election of Craig Griffiths and it has been wonderful to have Griff on the Board for the last few months. The Board has resolved under section 105 of the Education Act 1989 to fill the remaining two vacancies by selection. A notice was published in the Hutt News on 1 March in this regard. If ten percent or more of eligible voters on the school roll ask the board, within 28 days of that notice being published, to hold a by-election to fill the vacancies instead, then a by-election will be held. Any eligible voter who wishes to ask the board to hold a further by-election should write to Stuart Stock, Chairperson, Muritai School Board of Trustees, Muritai School, Eastbourne by 29 March 2011.

Thanks for all your support and enjoy the few remaining weeks of summer.

Olivia, Lisa, Griff, Andrew and Stuart

Board Newsletter - December 17 2010

2010-12-16T11:19:00.000-08:00

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai

Well, it's been another fantastic and frenetic year in the life of Muritai School. There's been so much going on that, a bit like a kid in a sweet shop, you barely have time to savour one moment before grabbing the next. It's only when you sit down at the end of the year and reflect that you realise just how much has gone on.

Particular highlights have been the various performance groups that have visited the school such as Strike, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Jungle Bungle; tremendous individual and house achievements during the swimming sports at the start of the year and junior and senior athletics in November; wonderful performances by the Art Splash Choir and Dancesplash at the Michael Fowler Centre and of course the spectacular production The Life of Riley in September.

The Eastbourne Carnival was once again a roaring success and this year looks to have raised in the region of $53,000 which, together with money raised from previous carnivals, will enable us to commence work on the new school library in 2011. Once again thank you all so much for your time and energy and support for the Carnival and special thanks to the Carnival Committee who all worked so hard for many months to make it all happen.

On the subject of the school property, you may have noticed that the desks have all been removed from the classrooms in the main block, which is to enable much-needed new carpet to be laid over the summer break. While the rest of us are sunning ourselves on the beach our hard-working (and newly married) caretaker Mark will also be repairing the windows and supervising the installation of new blinds to all the classrooms in the main block. We are excited that 2011 will also see the classroom renovations completed with modern wall linings and improvements to the heating. Our thanks to Ali Brown for her valuable interior design advice.

As a Board we have had a particularly busy year. There have been two board elections, the implementation of National Standards and the new New Zealand Curriculum, an ERO review and approval and implementation of a new 10 year property plan - all in addition to the usual business of governing the school.

We would like to pay tribute to the excellent staff, both teaching and support, we are privileged to work with at Muritai School. Throughout the year we receive detailed and comprehensive reports on every aspect of school life most of which you can find on the Muritai School website. These enable us to make informed decisions and assist us with planning. If you have some time over the summer break, we recommend you have a look at them. They are incredibly informative and give you an appreciation of just how much thought and planning goes into our children's education. Staff set the highest standards of excellence and commitment for our children and constantly look at new and exciting ways to capture their hearts and minds . They thoroughly deserve their time off over the summer and we are sure you will join us in thanking them for their magnificent efforts this year. A special mention of thanks to Carole Lowe for her exceptional administrative work on behalf of the Board. We really would be lost without her.

The American social writer and philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote “in times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists". One of the hallmarks of Muritai School is our focus on developing learners and it is a process that doesn't just stop at the end of term. Kicking around on the beach or tramping through some of our beautiful forests and parks over the summer are wonderful opportunities for us as parents to be part of this wonderful journey with our children. Jung expressed the same sentiment when he said "Education is not the filling of a vessel but the lighting of a fire". The discovery of a starfish, the effect of the tides or even the detail of a leaf provide an opportunity to explore and investigate; to participate in the lighting of a fire in the imagination of our children. Carpe Diem.

To our students and families who be leaving us in 2011 we wish you all the very best for your future and hope you have enjoyed your time at Muritai.

For those returning in 2011 we would wish you the very best for a wonderful Christmas and safe holiday period where-ever you spend it and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Mere Kihirimete

Olivia, Lisa, Griff, Andrew and Stuart

February 16th 2010

2010-12-06T00:31:00.000-08:00

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai

Media commentary about homework

Did you see the story on 15 February about homework (DomPost/TV3 news)?

We know from past surveys that our community have diverse views on the nature and practices of homework.

The DomPost and TV3 story said some prominent Wellington schools had stopped providing homework sheets. Instead the schools encouraged parents to be more involved with their child's learning. The story is at the end of the newsletter.

Professor Hattie, an expert in education assessment (Visible Learning, 2008) suggests that homework makes little difference to student achievement, with an impact within the range of “what would happen anyway” (in other words if nothing special was done). That’s not to suggest that homework is harmful to learning. On the harmful side, he notes that watching television more than 10 hours per week regresses learning, and that changing schools has the biggest negative impact of the 138 factors he investigated.

So what makes the biggest difference?

Hattie suggests that home factors like parental involvement, and things like books and computers available at home make a measureable difference. These were ranked at about number 30 or 40 on his list of 138 influences. Unsurprisingly various aspects of effective teaching and learning take up much of those things at the top of his ranked list of what makes the biggest difference in lifting student achievement. His number one item? the thing that makes the biggest difference…. is when students set their own goals and targets.

Our point is though, looking at Hattie’s list, is that it is very difficult to isolate just one effect from the range of influences in a student’s life. Of the things that parents can directly influence, parental engagement is very important and high up there at around 30-40 on Hattie’s list.

The Ministry’s research supports this. Students setting their own meaningful targets in an environment that challenges them, includes what happens at school and what happens at home. So doing homework, and parents monitoring homework by itself does not make a significant difference, but what happens around homework can, as it gives you ideas to discuss with your child. So like the DomPost story said, get involved with what your children are learning, discuss it with them, and discover together. Our homework and class blogs give you a window into what your children are learning – find out about it, and take the journey with your child – and discuss with your child’s teacher – they understand how you contribute to the mix.

Our teachers aim to set meaningful homework that reinforces learning and gives you that insight to what your children have been doing and what they are able to do (or are working towards). It provides some ideas about what children are learning. Teachers review homework, not daily but regularly, and it is a way for you to engage with the teacher also. If you have concerns about the nature of the homework, please raise that with your child’s teacher.

If its difficult to find time to fit homework in, discuss with your child’s teacher. And create the dialog with your children in some other way.

Links to the stories are included below.

Ma te wa (until next time)

Muritai School Board of Trustees

board@muritai.school.nz

“What makes a difference” references:

Ministry of Education http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2515/5947

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/3327534/Throw-out-homework-let-kids-read-comics-principal

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/3332254/More-schools-rethink-homework

Throw out the homework and let kids read comics, says city principal (DomPost 15 Feb)

Wellington schools are scrapping traditional homework methods, instead telling pupils to read comics and the backs of cereal packets to improve reading skills.

They also suggest pupils improve their spelling by doing crosswords and playing board games but warn that parents should not rely solely on school lessons to improve the children's achievement in maths.

The move has been backed by education expert Professor John Hattie, who says he has found "zero evidence" that homework helps to improve time management or study skills.

In a letter to parents, Karori Normal School principal Diane Leggett pointed to research that suggested homework had no positive impact. "In fact, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest the opposite."

From this year the school had stopped providing homework sheets for pupils. Instead the school encouraged parents to be more involved with their child's learning.

"Encourage your child's imagination and creativity – you will do more than any homework or extra-tuition programme ever could. Turn off the TV/games console during the week. Let them play. Talk with them. Share with them.

"It doesn't matter what your child reads as long as they get a balance of reading to you, reading with you and reading for themselves. Books, magazines, comics, newspapers, model aeroplane instructions, the back of the Weet-Bix packet ... whatever, it doesn't matter. As long as your child is doing something that they are interested in, they will read it, enjoy it and be all the happier and better off for it."

They could also improve spelling by doing crosswords and word puzzles or playing board games like Scrabble.

Mrs Leggett warned that if pupils were struggling with maths, parents could not rely solely on school lessons to improve a child's achievement.

She told The Dominion Post yesterday that feedback from parents had been "very positive". "In fact, we have had no negative feedback at all. We feel that there is no point in giving children homework just for the sake of it. Learning should be fun and that's what we will be focusing on."

She was aware of similar moves at Ngaio and Seatoun schools.

Professor Hattie, from Auckland University, said homework worked for some pupils but for most it was a waste of time. If schools did give homework, he recommended no longer than five minutes a night.

"I applaud schools for taking this approach and I hope others follow what they have done. It's far more important to have interaction with parents, rather than spending hours on some project."

2010-11-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai

We are nearing the end of the year and the pace is as hectic as ever. We have the Carnival this weekend. Planning for 2011 is high on our agenda, alongside exciting new plans to improve our learning environment.

Firstly though we would like to welcome Craig Griffiths onto the Board of Trustees. “Griff” as he is more commonly known is a long term Eastbourne resident and will be known to many, having been actively involved in Eastbourne Rugby Club and the Eastbourne community generally for some years. Like fellow trustees Olivia and Lisa, Griff is a Muritai Old-Boy and his children Lily and Tom, who are in years 4 and 2 respectively are 4th generation Muritai students. We look forward to working with him and thank him in advance for volunteering his time and energy. We still have two places on the Board and we will seek to fill these in the New Year.

This weekend we have our Eastbourne Village Carnival. This is a huge event for our school community and a chance to show what our little school is made of. A wonderful and spectacularly hard-working group of parents have taken on the leadership of the carnival, building an effective team in the process. We thank them for their commitment and appreciate all the work that has gone into planning a wonderful day. Please get along on Sunday if you possibly can and invite all your friends. The more people come, the more money we raise and every little bit counts.

The Carnival continues to raise money for our much needed new school library. The Board received a major setback earlier in the year with a policy change at the MOE significantly reducing our expected property funding for the next 5 years. Consequently our plans have had to be revisited but we are excited to be able to inform you that the architects have been in over the last few weeks and with the funds generated by the carnival this year we expect to be able to commence building in 2011.

In addition to this the Board is beginning to refresh the 2 storey classroom block and rooms 4,5,6 by replacing carpets, installing blinds, repairing windows, repairing or replacing heating, replacing wall linings and painting where necessary. The cost of this is close to $300,000. We hope to undertake much of this work over the Christmas break but, as funding is desperately short, we are hoping that some of the necessary works (particularly for example the window repairs and painting) can be undertaken by some of you donating your time. This will be a really practical way we can all help and if you are interested in being involved we would love to hear from you.

As a new Board we are constantly amazed at how Muritai School is able to offer so much with so little money. In spite of what Government press releases might suggest, schools are funded on the smell of an oily rag and it is a constant and difficult battle to provide even that which we are statutorily obliged, let alone anything more.

Which leads us to your voluntary donation. We budget to receive $95,000 on an annual basis. This year we have received just $83,000 and with three weeks to go the Board is faced with recording a substantial deficit for 2010. One of the particular characteristics of Muritai School, and reasons behind our success in student achievement, is our small class sizes. In other state schools around the country class sizes average up to 27 with classes routinely 30 or over. We can be completely transparent and say that your entire donation goes to provide additional teachers for our children. Regrettably if the budgeted figures are not received we will be forced to reconsider our ability to provide smaller classes going forward.

At our last Board meeting we discussed the school structure for 2011. Andrew will provide specific information later but we have staffed 2011 with classrooms as small as we can. Class sizes at this stage are as follows; – Year 1-2 (21); year 3-4 (21); year 5-6 (23) with year 7-8 (26-27). These extra classes place a considerable strain on both finance and property and at this stage we have nowhere to place the expected term 4 new entrant class. As a Board we will address that creatively at the time but to ensure we can staff these smaller classes we need payment of your voluntary donation. We will be phoning around those who have yet to contribute in the coming weeks to discuss any concerns or queries you have in relation to the donation but in the interim, if you have just ‘not gotten around to it yet’, can we encourage you that we urgently need your contribution as soon as possible.

We are also analysing the results from the community survey. The survey highlights some areas that we need to consider further and confirms that overall the school is in good shape. Once we have completed our analysis we will distribute the key findings and associated actions, or indeed areas on which we need to have further consultation / community discussion.

In the meantime, let’s keep our collective fingers crossed for excellent weather this weekend and we look forward to seeing you at the Carnival on Sunday.

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa, ka kite ano.

Board of Trustees newsletter - November 2010

2010-10-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

Kia ora koutou

Term four has kicked off with a hiss and a roar and we're looking forward to a busy and enjoyable end to the year. It's been a busy and rewarding couple of weeks for the Board as well.

ERO

As mentioned in our last newsletter Muritai hosted the Education Review Office (“ERO") officers in the second week of term and we're sure it will come as no surprise that their report was nothing short of glowing. ERO reviews come every 3 to 5 years and, as they are the government's assessment of how a school is doing, they are obviously extremely important, not just for the school but for the whole community. All of the staff worked tirelessly to prepare for the review though one of the great strengths of the school is that this preparation was merely to make sure the ERO were able to see what we are doing rather than try to manufacture things we are not.

The Board and senior staff met with the ERO officers last Thursday to discuss their findings which were overwhelmingly positive. They describe a school which is healthy and progressive, teaching staff who are encouraged and extended and students who are safe and engaged, who are enjoying learning and who have a clear understanding of their learning journey. They described the individual students they met as "impressive" which is high praise indeed. It was encouraging also for ERO to observe that the few areas they identified for future development were already being targeted by the school and appropriate strategies development were already in place. A full written report will be presented before the end of the year and we will release it as soon as it is available. In the meantime we're sure you will join with us in congratulating the management and staff and thank them for their extra work in helping us present our school so well.

SURVEY

ERO were impressed with the level of forward planning in place and, as we've previously mentioned, an important part of this process is gaining your feedback and opinions on the culture and direction of the school. One of the main ways we do this is the annual parent survey which has been available to be completed online for the last month or so. As we approach the end of the year and accelerate planning for 2011 and beyond we would greatly value your feedback and encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say. The survey will close on Friday 5 November so please jump online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K8T6665 and contribute.

CARNIVAL

A couple of other areas greatly needing your contribution is the Eastbourne Carnival and the Board of Trustees elections. Whilst the latter may involve just a few, the Carnival happening on 28 November really does need as many helpers as we can get. The Carnival Committee have been literally been working day and night to bring the event together and now need the full support of the community to get us over the line. This is the school's main fundraising event and only comes around every couple of years so we would encourage you to sign up now if you haven't already. They've made it easy for everyone this year by enabling you to choose your job online. Simply go to http://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and use the code ZRBGW to book in for the job of your choice. There's a full range of ways you can help from pre–carnival day jobs, and jobs both before and after the carnival begins (so you can spend the full day enjoying the carnival with your family), as well as ways to help at varying times throughout the day. Check out the website at www.eastbournecarnival.org.nz and support the school by getting involved.

BOARD OF TRUSTEE ELECTIONS

You will have received nomination forms this week for the upcoming elections. Please give the opportunity to have a role on the Board serious consideration. Being part of the Muritai School Board is an incredibly valuable and rewarding job and provides a real opportunity to be involved in your children's education at a core level. There are 3 vacancies to fill and 2 of these are initially only until September next year so there is a unique opportunity to 'dip your toe' in the governance waters without having to feel you're committing yourself to the great unknown for 3 years. Check out the excellent video on MuritaiTV which is posted on this blog post to your right, if you want to know more or get in touch with our chair Stuart Stock either on 5620984 or stu.stock@mac.com who will be more than happy to talk to you about it.

ACTIVITY FEES AND DONATIONS

Finally, there are a few families who have not paid their activity fee and/or donation for 2010. A major contributer to the success of the school is the ability to have smaller class sizes and better resources than would ordinarily be possible in a state funded school. These resources and additional staff are funded by your donations and any shortfall leaves us forced to reconsider these resources. As a Board we try to balance resourcing ideals with minimising the financial burden to parents and believe that the current level of donation and activity fee achieves this. If you have concerns or queries we are more than happy to talk to you and would encourage you to contact Stuart Stock or Andrew Bird to discuss. If not can we please encourage you not to leave it until the last minute to pay as we need to make strategic decisions for 2011 which are impacted by the level of contributions.

So there you have it. It's going to be a huge final term with loads on and loads of opportunities for you to get involved. We realize the run up to Christmas can be a busy time anyway but please take the chance to contribute to the school and to help it continue to be the amazing place it already is.

Naku noa, na

Stuart Stock, Olivia Paterson, Lisa Allen, Andrew Bird

BoT Newsletter - October 2010

2010-10-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

Kia ora koutou,

Doesn’t time fly? It seems like just the other day we were kicking off the year with swimming sports and settling everyone into new classes and here we are already in the 4^th term and Christmas decorations and lights are on display.

School Events

The manic pace of the year has been echoed by the Board as it has been an exceptionally busy and challenging few months. The election of a new board in April has coincided this year with approval of the 10-year property plan. The Plan sets out the proposed property expenditure for the school over the next 5 and 10 years and this year's funding round was impacted significantly by a (20%) cut in government funding. We’ve had a lot to work through but the exciting news is that we have made some good progress and plans are afoot for major renovations to most classrooms during 2011 including new wall linings, new carpet, and better storage and heating. Watch this space (or should that be ‘those spaces’?).

Exciting also is the upcoming Eastbourne Carnival, which is happening on Sunday 28 November. This is Muritai School major bi-annual fundraiser and the Home and School's committee and many, many volunteers have been putting in a huge effort for some months to make it the success it always is. Can we encourage you to make sure you put a big circle around it in your calendars, tell all your friends, family and work colleagues and if you are able to help out there will certainly be plenty to do. Contact the office or email carnival@muritai.school.nz. They’d love to hear from you.

And speaking of massive efforts, we’re sure you will join us in congratulating the staff and students for their wonderful preparation and performance of “The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley” which was the highlight of term 3. If you missed it, you missed a real treat and all those involved should be proud of an outstanding production.

Congratulations also to all those who assist with the various fundraising and community activities which Muritai is involved with. Our community is generous with its time, finance and resources which is a source of great pride. Some examples of recent fundraising efforts include The Orphans of Nepal, Daffodil Day, World Vision and most recently Ferndale School, which was so severely affected by the Christchurch Earthquake.

Reports

As Andrew mentioned in his last Bird’s Eye View, the Board has continued to receive some excellent presentations from staff on various initiatives and developments within the school.

Snapshots are:

Andrew’s monthly reports which provides an in depth commentary on the school's key areas of curriculum, review, staffing, finance, property and a safe and healthy school.
ICT and e-learning report on the high level of success and student capability we have achieved and how the ICT programme is seamlessly integrating into the classroom learning programme. (Stu Devenport)
National Standards mid year report on school-wide overall achievement. This discussed not just student achievement levels but also the changes to assessment processes around forming the outcomes to the standards.
Science Strategy review demonstrated the very pleasing outcomes achieved overall. Noticeable strengths are Muritai student’s abilities across the school to appreciate science as a way of explaining the world and to use this knowledge when considering issues of concern to them. (Matt Skilton)
Heart of School paper looking at the overall feeling around the school. It was encouraging to note how positive this is and overall the school culture is one that supports our community of learners to pursue excellence, seize opportunities, value people and try to achieve their best. (Matt Skilton)

We finished the term with a joint staff and Board presentation, on the new Muritai Curriculum, which encapsulates our processes for learning and the way we do things at Muritai.

All these ‘reports’ are on the school website for you to read under OUR SCHOOL - Information and Reporting.

Board Vacancies

You will have noted from the Bird’s Eye View that we have also had some changes on the board as Krista, Peter and Arini have all independently tendered their resignations over the course of the last couple of months. We are sure you will join us in sincerely thanking them for their dedicated and valuable service to the school. Peter and Krista have given of their time for many years, and we now wish them well in their 'spare time'. Arini continues her involvement with the whanau group and Home and School and we look forward as a Board to continue working with her in these arenas.

We now have 3 vacancies on the Board and will be calling for nominations and holding elections during term 4. There is an excellent video on MuritaiTV (click here) if you are interested in being part of a great team undertaking what is a very rewarding job, we would encourage you to give it some thought. If you want to know more please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our new chair Stuart Stock either on 5620984 or stu.stock@mac.com who will look forward to the opportunity to talk to you about it.

Reminders

Can we remind you to fill in the parent survey (click here) if you haven’t already. The survey supplies invaluable information and your responses contribute significantly to ongoing annual and strategic planning and goal setting.

Lastly, and importantly, can we encourage you to give our teachers all the support you can at the start of this term as Muritai hosts the Education Review Office (“ERO”) in week 2. We are very confident of an excellent report and look forward to ERO’s perspective on anything else they think we can do to help our kids be the best that they can be.

July Newsletter

2010-07-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

Kia Ora Koutou,

Ko Krista Huber toku ingoa,

The end of term seems to have come up quickly and what a term it has been with the weather we have all enjoyed so far this winter! Things can only get better!

I know the teachers at Muritai School have been busy with the reporting process and National Standards have not made things easier. There is no real national moderation process and schools are just sensible taking things slowly and finding their way. Muritai School has come a long way in this process. Most of all though I think it is important to value your children’s achievements and to remember each child progresses at different rates but all children make a contribution to our school environment in many different ways.

The school survey will be coming up next term. One of area of focus will be on gaining your views on the school reporting process. Please take time to fill it in as the Board values your opinions and we do look very carefully at the data we receive.

Andrew will inform the Board on the school's assessment and reporting processes at the next meeting but community input is valued. The new Board is coming together. We have had some training on Board of Trustee operations and we spent time at our last meeting looking closely at our Governance responsibilities and the role of the Board. We are well set up for the next 6 months!

Next meeting Stuart Devenport will be reporting to us on ICT developments at Muritai. It is very useful for us to receive these reports and we appreciate staff giving up an evening for this. At the same time we would like to thank our carnival committee who continue to make great strides in planning our Eastbourne Village Carnival set for the 28th November.

I hope that you all manage to get some time at home with your family this holidays. Hopefully the weather will be kind or it will be Shrek and Toy Story movies for us all! Might see you there!

Noku ma,

May Newsletter 2010

2010-06-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Kia Ora Koutou,
Ko Krista Huber toku ingoa,

I have been elected the new Board chair and I am very excited about this opportunity. I am looking forward to working with the 'old' and new members on the Board and in partnership with Andrew to build on the fantastic work that has been done by the previous chairs (Steve Bielby and Tim Wake). I would like to welcome Olivia Paterson and Stuart Stock to the Board. They bring a wealth of new experience to the Board and will add constructively to our team.

The first task at our meeting was to set up the subcommittees. These committees, which are outlined below, are an important part of the Board's work.

Community: The role of this committee is to liaise with the parent community and put together and analyse our annual survey. This committee also works closely with the Home and School and te kura o te Muritai Whanau group.

Health and Safety: This committee oversees our health and safety policies and procedures to minimise risk of injury and identify hazards. It also receives timely reports on evacuation procedures during an emergency.

Finance: This committee makes sure we have good policies and procedures that ensure we run the school in a fiscally responsible way. It keeps the Board informed of our budget to date to make sure we are tracking according to the annual financial plan.

Property: The school has a five year and ten year property agreement with the Ministry in regards to modernisation and maintenance against a bulk-funded property allowance. General maintenance and any new building work such as the library has to be managed and financed within this framework.

Documentation and Review: This committee reviews our Charter, overall school and student achievement and makes sure the annual focus achievement targets are set by teachers and the principal. It also directs the review and rewrite of school policies.

Curriculum: This committee's role is to inform the Board on current curriculum developments. This involves understanding national education policy direction such as National Standards as well as understanding school innovations and the development of the Muritai curriculum. It has also organised parent information evenings.

Administration: This ensures all Ministry documentation is completed and all legislative requirements are adhered to such as length of school day, days at school, etc.

Our committee personnel are as follows. Please note all committees work alongside Andrew, our Principal.

Finance Peter / Stuart
Curriculum Lisa / Olivia
Health and Safety Lisa / Olivia
Administration Andrew
Community Krista / Arini / Peter
Documentation and Review Olivia / Krista
Personnel Krista / Stuart
Property Arini / Stuart / Lisa

We also received two reports from the school this month.

Muritai School curriculum development - Matt Skilton's detailed presentation discussed the complexities of transferring the NZ curriculum to a live and working Muritai School curriculum and showed examples of how the school intended to merge 21st century learning with traditional foundation skill development. He also discussed progress with the National Standards and the reporting to parents procedures that will be in place for late June. We have attached Matt's presentation for you to view. The Board will host a parent community meeting in term 3 to share the Muritai curriculum.
School leadership structures - Andrew documented the leadership roles and responsibilities within the school and discussed the benefits of the current stable management team. He further commented on how capability is built within the school and outlined existing processes in developing leadership from within the staff. Andrew also touched on student leadership systems ranging from the key responsibilities of the year 7-8 students to the school-wide leadership expected from all children to contribute to our school culture.

Board meetings are open to the public and if you ever want to or are interested in seeing the governance side of the school's working, you are most welcome to come along. Dates for meetings are listed below and you are most welcome to contact us. Our details are on the website.

Naku na,
Krista Huber
Chairperson, Muritai School

Introducing our Board of Trustees

2010-05-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

OLIVIA PATERSONI am pleased to have the opportunity to represent our school community on the Board of Trustees and am looking forward to being part of the decision making process of what is best for our school.

I am a mother of two girls, Sophia and Amelia Cave and married to Grant. Sophia is in Mrs Cody's class in Room 2 and Amelia will be going to Muritai next year. I grew up in Eastbourne and attended Muritai School and have very fond memories of my time there. We recently returned from Melbourne to bring up our family in a community that I love. I have a strong desire to be actively involved in the community and feel I have much to contribute to the school as a member of the Board of Trustees.

I have taken a break from my career while the kids are young but have over 20 years experience in senior management roles in the Health sector ranging from policy analysis, business planning, project management and strategic planning. I derive a real sense of achievement when working with people who hold a range of viewpoints, including representatives of government agencies and community groups, and bringing them together to achieve the best outcome for all. I am an excellent communicator and am passionate about ensuring Eastbourne has a school it can continue to be proud of and maintaining its important role in our community.

STUART STOCK
In the time we've been associated with the school we've been extremely impressed by the calibre of staff and the encouraging and community focused environment they've created for our children to learn and grow. I would like to help safeguard this and help set and achieve future goals for the school towards even greater achievements.

I was born in Australia (but don't hold that against me) and raised in Upper Hutt (or that) and studied law at Victoria University in Wellington. I practised as a lawyer in the Hutt and in London before moving to Eastbourne in 2000 to run what was then Circus Cafe on Oroua Street with my wife Penny. We immediately fell in love with Eastbourne. Making hundreds of coffees a day is a great way to get to know people and we found Eastbourne's embracing village and community feel rare and unique.

We had 2 children here, Jasmine (8) and Noah (6) now in rooms 11 and 2 respectively.

Penny is English, so we went for a 'holiday' to the UK in 2005 for the kids to get to know their extended family, finally returning to Eastbourne at the beginning of this year. Maisie (3) was born in the UK. She is now at Eastbourne Kindy and already looking forward to going to "big school" at Muritai.

I return to my old firm in London and remain a partner there, working remotely overnight (I sleep during the morning). Although it seems crazy to many, this enables a wonderful quality of life. I'm around every day to pick the kids up, get involved in after school activities, cook dinner and be part of their lives in a way that is not otherwise possible. It also frees up my time to be involved in their schooling and any contribution I can make to the Board of Trustees I see as an extension of this.

So that's me. I'm passionate about Eastbourne, Muritai School and the community here, and most of all, I'm passionate about my family. I want to see my children grow up in the best possible environment and be all that they can be. Muritai School is a huge part of that environment and I would like to be a part of protecting, fostering and building that for the benefit of all of our families.

CRAIG GRIFFITHS
I was born and raised in Eastbourne and have great memories of my time at Muritai School. Since returning to Eastbourne in 2004, Lily (Yr 4) and Tom (Yr 2) have started at the School, becoming the fourth generation of my family to attend Muritai.

It hasn't taken long to see that it remains a School where kids of all abilities are encouraged to fulfil their potential. I think this is the greatest thing a school (and community) can do for its kids and I'm very keen to play a role in helping to safeguard and develop this approach further. The link between the school and the local community is extremely important and I am particularly interested in seeing that it is fostered. I think my strengths lie in developing people and fostering teamwork and creative environments - all of which I believe would be useful to the School Board.

My background is in Sales and Marketing. After a stint in Banking and Financing, both here and overseas, I decided it was not for me and changed tack to combine my love of sport and business. I am currently Sponsorship Manager for Contact Energy and prior to that I was Sponsorship and Marketing Manager for the Hurricanes and Wellington Rugby.

With two kids that love their sport (as much as I do), weekends are flat out at our place. I've co-coached the Eastbourne Rockets rugby team for the last three years, am helping to coach the Green Caps Y3 cricket team this year as well as helping Lily discover the magic of sailing. My wife, Angela and I are huge movie fans (luckily, so are the kids) and when the energy runs out, the lawns are mown and our dog Pipi has had a good run along the beach we like nothing more than sitting down as a family to watch a good movie.

LISA ALLEN
I represent the Muritai Staff on the Board. I have only just taken on this role and am learning as I go along.

Currently I teach in Room 14 in a year 5 and 6 class. I love my class! We have a lot of fun together and already I can see amazing progress with them. You can see just what we are up to by visiting our class blog: muritairoom14.blogspot.com

I also have a 14 month-old little girl called Hettie who is just adorable and a 4 -year-old boy called Harrison who is just lovely too. He is a fantastic big brother and he loves his sister to bits. He is a big help. I love spending time with my family, it is very special. I live in Eastbourne with my partner Bradley and like many families in Eastbourne we are working hard on renovating the house! We are finding that trying to decorate with two children and no money is quite challenging though!

Last year I taught a year 6 class with Ruth Hooke teaching on a Friday. This worked extremely well as we work closely together and have a great working relationship. This has also grown into a lovely friendship. We now think of her as part of the family! This year she teaches on a Wednesday for me in Room 14.

Previous to teaching on this side of the road I was a Year 7 teacher in the Senior Wing. I taught there for two and a half years after returning from England, which was my home for seven years. This seems a lifetime ago now! While I was there I taught a variety of levels in a school on Canvey Island in Essex. I taught Year 3 through to Year 7 and just loved it! It was very different to Muritai and fantastic for my behaviour management!

On the way home my partner and I travelled for a year. We travelled through Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Iran, Nepal and India. A trip to Peru was also squeezed in where we walked the Inca trail.

In my spare time (I’m not sure I even remember what spare time is now!) I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, walking, reading, painting, gardening and going to the theatre.

I love teaching and really enjoy being in the classroom. I especially love getting to know each of my children and learning about their needs and how to move them forward. I am enthusiastic about my job and enjoy my time with the children.

ANDREW BIRD

Tena koutou katoa,

Ko Andrew Bird toku ingoa

I have been Principal of Muritai for over 9 years having being appointed in May 2001. Family is my first priority and a big part of my life. Jan and I have 3 children – Lucy and Sally are at Muritai now and Max will join the school family next January. Sally was one week old when I started as principal at Muritai so she is a good measuring stick of my time here.

I came back to the education world after enjoying my post high school days as a member of the New Zealand rowing team where I managed to travel widely and have many rich experiences. It was during visiting "nearly every primary school" in Christchurch on my return from the Seoul Olympics in 1988 that I developed a real desire to be a primary school teacher and I have never regretted my decision to be part of our children’s future.

Teaching is a fantastic profession. Being principal offers me the chance to realize the potential of the whole school in partnership with the beliefs, values, aspirations and support of the wider school community. I am proud of where Muritai School is in 2010 and proud of the way our people keep the school moving forward by following tradition, embracing innovation and some good old fashioned hard work.

Farewell to the old Board of Trustees

2010-05-09T01:11:00.000-07:00

BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTION

Congratulations to Olivia Paterson, Arini Poutu and Stuart Stock who have been elected to the Board of Trustees. With just 3 nominations there was no need for an election. Olivia, Arini and Stuart join Krista Huber, Peter Schroder, Lisa Allen (staff) and myself to form the Muritai BoT until the next mid term election in 18 months.

Recently we had the final board meeting for the outgoing Board of Trustees and I have been reflecting on the work of the Board over the last 3 years. Working with our Board has been a very productive, supportive and entertaining experience and I am very grateful to the members of the Board for the dedication and enthusiasm that they have all brought to the role. Highlights of this Board have included some very successful building projects, a full review of all school policies, working through strategic development to form our School Charter, the implementation and the introduction of our new curriculum and building a new understanding of the National Standards.

I take this opportunity to thank two of our current Board members who have recently stepped down : Steve Bielby and Sharon Wilson. Steve has been a Board member since 12 May 2004 and was elected chairperson the following year. Steve has been an outstanding leader of the Board and the I thank him for his commitment to the governance role during this time. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sharon Wilson for her work and strong support during her time on the Board, particularly work around health and safety and surveying the community.

The Muritai School community has always been fortunate to be well represented by people who have the motivation and drive to take the governance role involved in education seriously. Those who have served on the Board know that involvement is more than just attending a monthly meeting and once elected the reality of the role differs somewhat to what is often perceived. Although serving as a Board member is a voluntary community responsibility it most certainly does require a significant commitment of time, energy and skill. Being a good employer requires a wide range of expertise from within Board members not only for good governance but also to ensure that the school staff feel valued and supported whilst also firmly respectful of the importance of their role in educating the children. The lines of communication, responsibility and accountability are two way and both employer and employees need to feel confident that they are working in a partnership that brings the quality education that we all strive for.

Those parents who accept Board of Trustee responsibilities bring their knowledge and skills to contribute to the culture of the school environment. It is their chance to make a serious contribution to the school’s direction, strategic planning, policy making and education priorities. It is challenging, it's hugely exciting because it's about children, and it’s rewarding because community expectations are realised through the effectiveness of its education governors and the teachers they employ.

March 2010

2010-03-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Tena koutou te whānau o te kura Muritai

Community engagement events – National Standards

On 2 March we had a successful evening sharing information about how we use assessment to inform teaching and learning and the implications of National Standards. About 25 parents attended a forum where we discussed the various assessment tools and practices that enable teachers to make informed decisions about where to focus efforts for teaching and learning for each child.

During term one management and teachers worked to understand the Standards’ descriptions (which were only released in November 2009) and match them against available assessment tools. This will enable student performance to be reported against the standards in the term two report, with some very small changes to the report format to include the specific information requirements of National Standards.

Overall implementation of National Standards at Muritai means continuing to use the assessment tools we have been using, and ensuring that the targets that we would set anyway align with the Standards. We noted that many of the issues that commentatotors have raised are mitigated by doing more than just stating that each student is “above”, “at”, or “below” the standard. We will ensure that the dialog with parents and students is meaningful and enables them to understand where students are performing, what the expectations are for national standards and higher achievement, how to get there, and how the learning programme will support lifting the level of achievement.

We are running a blog which has got followers outside the community (including the Ministry of Education). Visit http://mattskilton.blogspot.com/ for up to date information, or to ask a question on National Standards.

BOT Election

The election of your parent-elected trustee representatives will be run by 7 May via postal ballot. Our Board has five parent-elected trustees, and three are not standing for re-election. This means there will be some change in our membership.

Nominations for the election are being sought now up to 23 April, with voting to occur between 28 April and 7 May. Details about standing has been distributed, contact the school office for more infprmation or nomination forms. We welcome your input.

Visit http://www.muritaitv.blogspot.com/ for a two minute video about the board. Comments from board members about our role:

Comment one:

School boards were introduced in 1989as a way of devolving accountability for good education to parents and communities. Over years, our test has been whether we as BOT members have been adding value to the school and outcomes it achieves for students and their families. We are lucky to have an outstanding Principal and staff at Muritai.

Serving on the BOT both serves as a window into how the school works and as a genuine way to contribute to your own children’s education, and the wider community. There is much to learn about how good teaching is delivered in the classroom and new perspectives – being on the inside fosters new understanding of the challenges and new respect for teachers. And there are goals to pursue – we want the school to be the centre of the Eastbourne community; for our students to be the best that they can be; and for them to leave with a love of learning and prepared for the world.

There are challenges. Our NZ society has its issues, and we have our share in Eastbourne; our children bring many of those through the school gates each morning. The job of the BOT is to provide steady governance of the school; not to manage it and solve all the issues it faces, but to ensure the Principal and staff have a programme and resources needed to succeed. Trustees don’t need to be education experts. They do need to be committed, constructive, energetic, willing to learn and to be able to work together over years. The opportunity is to contribute to maintaining and building the centre of the Eastbourne community.

Comment two:

The Board’s core role is to ensure that community desires for student learning and experiences at school occur. While we need to understand government direction, we are accountable primarily to the local community. The board engages with the community about what and how students learn, sets direction for the school in the form of a charter. Working alongside the Principal it is accountable for achievement of our desired objectives, and is able to report performance to the community each year.

In addition to the strategic direction, the Board sets limits about operational practices as formal policies. The relevant policies are on the school website, www.muritai.school.nz. It is no small point that the Board is the employer of all staff, and has some formal responsibilities for that for which these policies support.

The Board role is an active one, and we are fortunate at Muritai to have really well functioning Boards where the dialogue is constructive and deliberate to reach decisions. The Principal is key to all this - as the board’s key adviser on education matters and operational performance, he has a critical job. The Board meets monthly, and various sub-committees engage offline to progress things like property, community engagement, personnel, finance or self-review matters, as necessary. No specific skills are needed to participate as a trustee, but we will draw on your experience and community contacts to inform what and how we decide what’s best for the school.

Board work programme

Some of our focus areas in 2010 are:

· Property – this year the Board has two main goals – first to complete a strategic property plan through to 2015, and secondly, within that to develop the Library.

· New Curriculum and National Standards - This year the Board must ensure that the revised Curriculum is fully implemented in the School, as well as the requirements of National Standards. We are planning two more public meetings to share our progress with you and get your input to guide how we do this for 2010 and for planning for the future. This is an opportunity for you to get closer to how children are learning, so you can be part of the journey with your child.

· Strategic review – the engagements on the new Curriculum will inform our planning for 2011, but during 2011, we will want to refresh our long-term strategy.

As public meetings, you are welcome to attend the Board meetings, monthly in the staffroom. Next meeting 26 April.

Tim Wake has stepped down from the Board due to a work transfer. We thank Tim for his excellent work as a trustee over the last 3 years and wish him and his family all the best for his transfer to Auckland. Peter Schroder was elected as Chairperson for the April meeting. We also welcome Lisa Allen to the Board as staff representative.

We wish you well in the holidays, with a welcome break for teachers and students coming up. Should you wish to contact the board, please use the details below.

Ma te wa (until next time)

Muritai School Board of Trustees

Contact the Board through board@muritai.school.nz