Heron Herald Term 4, Week 2, 2024

3 weeks ago

Kia ora koutou,

It has been a positive start to the final term of the year! We have enjoyed stunning weather, which has helped classes get outside for plenty of PE alongside a strong focus on our maths and literacy learning. Our focus on Service this year culminates this term with classes exploring opportunities to serve others in the community. This value underpins our Matua Learner values, particularly Teamwork and Connectedness, recognising that we all do better if we work together.

REMINDER – Tomorrow (Friday 25th October) is a Teacher Only Day. There is no school for children. If you require childcare, sKids are running a programme on site.

Attendance Data

If you follow educational conversations in the media, you will know that school attendance across New Zealand is a concern. Research shows a clear link between regular attendance at school and achievement. This includes arriving on time. When you hear the national statistics for attendance, you may be shocked, but be forgiven for thinking that doesn’t apply to us at Matua. However, at times, our attendance drops. This can be due to sickness. However, there are many other reasons why families choose to keep children away from school.

Below are our Term 2 and 3 summaries of attendance data for Matua School.

You will note that attendance levels for Term 3 dropped significantly compared to Term 2. Sickness is a contributing factor at this time of year. However, the impact is increased when paired with family decisions to take holidays during that time. Knowing that regular attendance as strong links to achievement at school, it is worth reflecting on your child’s attendance. If you would like the see that data, it is available in HERO.

Ngā mihi nui

Marcus Norrish
Principal

TŪĪ TALKS – EPISODE 13…Follow, Like & Subscribe on Spotify!

Join us on this episode as we interview a local parent, James Fitzgerald about his previous and current businesses. We also put Mrs V under the spotlight for our quick fire 10. Click play and enjoy!

Hit play now to listen to these incredible and inspirational athletes.

Helen is Matua School’s Premium Sponsor

Want to buy or sell a house? Give her a call – she’s really nice!

RAKAU ATHLETICS

The Rākau team are out on the field and making the most of these sunny days. Athletic skills are being honed and the relay races are being hotly contested. We should be finely tuned athletes by the time our Rākau athletic day rolls around in week 5.

Designgroup Stapleton Elliott (DGSE) is an award-winning architect practice with studios spread across Aotearoa. Formed by a large team with diverse backgrounds and skill sets, their services include Architecture, Interior Architecture, Master Planning, and Landscape Architecture. Acknowledging the weight of their responsibility as architects, a deep understanding of people, place, and culture are at the heart of their design processes.

LIBRARY

New books purchased following our school’s donate a book fair are arriving with much anticipation! Once new books are catalogued they are put out on display so children can see what new books are arriving. Following a week on display children can issue these books. Books are also purchased using scholastic points which are earnt following our community scholastic orders. Just a quick reminder that Matua’s last school scholastic issue closes next Wednesday 30 October. A big thank you for the incredible community support with scholastic books. Our library continues to change and grow through the support of its school community.

Some of our withdrawn books and old readers have been taken over the last 2 years to Fiji, to share amongst the four public libraries as well as a number of schools in Labasa. The public libraries are 99% filled with second hand books from New Zealand. They are always so much appreciated. Second hand books are sent to Fiji Town Libraries annually from New Zealand. Thank you to Matua families who have also donated second hand children books to Fiji. Labasa Town Library (in the photo) is smaller than our school library and is repeatedly flooded during monsoon season by the river it’s built beside. The bottom two shelves are now no longer stacked with books because of this ongoing problem. Although you’ll occasionally find a book still filled with silt from a previous flood!

Withdrawn School Readers from Matua School were given to Labasa Schools, Fiji

SPORT

Term 4 sports are about to get underway with some starting next week. A reminder that for most of our sports now you are required to wear one of our new sports t-shirts with black or navy sports bottom half. We have a number of sports uniforms that we issue for netball and basketball outstanding from last term. If these could please be returned washed as soon as possible that would be great.

Term 4 is super busy as the extra-curricular sport season is very short, there is a heap of in school sport days to organise and athletics! Any parent support and help with these events is greatly appreciated and unlikely to happen if we can’t get help, especially with transport so please keep this in mind. We love it when you can help us!

Event’s coming up soon to keep an eye out for are – WBOP Tennis, WBOP Orienteering and Rakau athletics day. Any help with these events is greatly appreciated.

Let’s enjoy the beginning of summer sport with some great cheering and encouragement for our teams and players.

Nga mihi,

Stacey

PTA NEWS

The PTA have opened bookings for our Christmas Night Market/Marimba music festival, 21st November.

If anyone would like more information about holding a vendor space please email pta@matua.school.nz.

PARKING AROUND SCHOOL

The local council will be patrolling the streets before and after school, and ticketing anyone parking illegally.

Please park safely when dropping off and picking up your students.

We have also been informed that as of 01/10/2024 the fine (tariff) for unlawfully parking in a disabled park is going up from $150 to $750.

Parked in area reserved for disabled persons.

(Effective date = 1 Oct 2024) (Infringement = $750)

Please be considerate and park in designated areas rather than on yellow lines and across driveways.

SKIDS

Kia Ora,

We are excited to offer a session full of fun at sKids Matua on account of the Teacher Only Day at the school on Friday 25th of October from 8:30am to 3pm.

Our morning and afternoon sessions will be available as usual, offering flexibility to fit your schedule.

To secure your child’s place, please make your bookings through our website: https://www.skids.co.nz/matua/

We encourage you to make a booking at the earliest due to the limited number of available spaces.

For any inquiries or assistance, feel free to reach out to us at hello@skids.co.nz.

Kind regards,

sKids Matua

SCHOOL HOURS

A friendly reminder that school is not open until 8.30am. If you require childcare before these hours, please contact SKIDS either by email – matua@skids.co.nz, phone – 027 586 0408, or book online – www.skids.co.nz/Matua.