Kia ora koutou,
We have had a great start to Term 3 with children returning to school happy and engaged in an exciting term of learning. This term, we have a school-wide focus on PrEP (Primary Enterprise Programme). Children across the school are creating small businesses that will operate within a Matua School economy and develop products to ‘take to market’. Through this process we will learn about financial literacy (Maths Curriculum), the design process (Technology Curriculum), and marketing and visual communication (Literacy Curriculum). The learning can be messy at times, and the beauty of the Design Process is that children will work through a cycle of new ideas, making prototypes, testing, getting feedback and reviewing. As parents you can support this by talking about the ideas with your children and helping them think critically about what they are doing. We want to celebrate the challenges in the process and help students develop the skills to respond to a problem and see failure as a positive thing that can be learnt from.
The PrEP experience will finish with Market Day, where the school will open to families and all products will be for sale. Please mark Thursday 19th September on your calendars, as the PrEP Market will happen between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm.
Support Staff Being Awesome
We having a wonderful group of learning support staff at Matua School, who are passionate about giving their best everyday for the tamariki in our school. Early this term the team got together to make puppets and learn about how to use them to support learning in the classroom. They had a lot of fun and are looking forward to weaving these new characters into their work with children. Thanks to the team for being such an important part of what makes Matua a great place for all children to learn.
Thank you for supporting and taking part in our recent Learner Conferences. We see these times as extremely valuable in supporting the learning process and appreciate the efforts you make to be there. We love seeing high numbers of students involved in these meetings as it reinforces for children the part they play in the learning process and the partnership between school and home.
Ngā mihi nui
Marcus Norrish
Principal
TŪĪ TALKS – EPISODE 11…Follow, Like & Subscribe on Spotify!
Join us for our latest episode, where we dive into the topic of leadership. We are joined by Sam Uffindell, our local National MP, who came to visit Matua School and has some great things to share. We also had our fab Principal Mr Norrish in the hot seat for the Quick Fire 10. PUSH PLAY!
Matua School Young Entrepreneurs Group
This year Mrs Lowe has been running a Young Entrepreneurs Extension Group. Come to the Little Big Markets this Saturday from 9am-2pm to see our very own Matua School Young Entrepreneurs selling amazing products at great prices. There is something for everyone!!! Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui.
LIBRARY
School Librarians
Welcome to our new school librarians for Terms 3 and 4. They are Léa, Zara, Georgie S, Lucia, Neve, Liam W, Iona, Sara V, Lola, Maisy, Jordan C, Mila, Isabella V, Milana, Piper, Sebastian, James, Mary, Penelope, Chitrakshi, Peata, Nicole, Amelia F, Georgia C, Abigail, Indi, Savannah, Zoey, Charlie, Hudson, Minhye, Jacob, Kellin and Eve. Their lunchtime duties include manning the issue and returns desk, setting up library activities, assisting with locating and accessing library books and materials, and ensuring the library is a friendly, tidy and organized space for all.
Matua School Donate A Book Fair (Term 3 Week 6)
Thursday 29 August Book Fair and Book Character day
Friday 30 August Book Fair continues
The Matua Book Fair is held annually and is one of our school’s oldest events. Students and families have an opportunity to donate a library book to Matua School from the selection of books available. Donated books are certificated with the names of the student donating the book. This book is then issued to the student for the very first read before it is returned to the library for others to subsequently enjoy. Once again, there has been an emphasis on nonfiction books, as well as chapter books and picture books. Funds raised are used to buy further library books enabling our library to be an evolving and comprehensive reading space.
Children and Teachers alike have begun planning their costumes for the much awaited Book Character day. In the past we have seen Gangsta Granny, Cruella, Matilda, Thingie One and Two, Minecraft Zombies, Wallies (from Where’s Wally), Crayons (from When the Crayons Quit) as well as many Princesses, Harry Potters and Hermiones! A fun and slightly crazy parade is held in the morning to share and marvel at all the book character creations. Judges look for originality of ideas and the use of materials recycled from home to hand out some fun prizes. Thursday 29 August is looking to be a very colourful day!!
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.
SPORT
As Term 3 starts, our winter sports continue from last term. Competitions are ticking along nicely which is great to see. Netball and Hockey will have some upcoming tournament days for most teams. We just need some nice weather to accompany those days!
Our Rākau team have been busy sorting teams for the upcoming East Cluster Winter Tournament. This is always a super fun day with children competing in their chosen sport for the day. They have 5 to choose from; basketball, football, hockey, netball and Rippa Rugby. Teams are sometimes trialled depending on the popularity, or chosen based on teams already formed from Saturday morning competitions. On the day, these events are held all over Tauranga including Fergusson Park, Blake Park and Baypark stadium. This is always a highlight in the senior calendar and a great competition between our East Cluster schools.
Other upcoming events this term include the Young Einstein competition, speeches, WBOP mountain biking and the annual Kakahu Pekepeke Rugby tournament.
Just a reminder to everyone that commitment to the sport you register for and the team your child is placed in is vital. It is unfair to the rest of the players and the coach, (who has given up their own time) to pull your child from the team for unfavourable reasons. Refunds of fees are not an option when this occurs.
Good luck to everyone for the remainder of the season. I hope the sun continues to shine bright for us!
Ngā mihi,
Stacey Sutherland
PTA NEWS
HEADLICE
It’s that perennial problem – Head Lice! We have a few cases across the classrooms.
If you could check your child’s hair tonight then there is a better chance of nipping the problem in the bud. It’s tricky when it gets to a cycle of reinfecting each other.
Can you please also ensure your child’s hair is tied up at school until the outbreak subsides.
Below are some ideas for prevention of head lice you may find helpful.
You can prevent head lice by…
1. Brush hair every evening before going to bed
Brushing dislodges and/or damages head lice. Damaged/injured head lice cannot lay eggs. • The hair needs to be brushed with the head hanging down
• Use a firm bristled brush
• Brush from the nape of the neck to the hair end ten times
• Brush from the right ear across the head ten times
• Brush from the left ear across the head ten times
2. Wet combing method weekly
This will help pick up head lice before they become established.
• Wash hair with ordinary shampoo
• Put lots of conditioner on the hair. While the hair is full of conditioner and wet, comb through the hair from the roots with a fine toothed comb purchased from the chemist (often called a ‘nit comb’)
• Clear the comb of lice between each stroke
• Repeat this routine every 1-2 days for 2 weeks
• If no lice are found, repeat on a weekly basis
3. Use own brush and comb
Everyone in the family should use their own brush and comb.
Please click on the link below for more information and guidelines from the MOE
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.
SCHOOL INFORMATION
LUNCH ORDERS – EVERY FRIDAY
Lunch orders are available for delivery to Matua School each Friday.
SUBWAY
Simply order your SUBWAY lunch online through you myKindo account by CLICKING HERE
Order (or cancel) any time before 9:00am on the day or schedule in advance.
Help? Visit support.mykindo.co.nz or call 09-869 5200 Mon-Fri, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
TERM DATES 2024
Term 1, 2024 – Wednesday 7th February 2024 – Friday 12th April
Waitangi Day – Tuesday 6th February
Learner Conferences – Friday 1st March. School will be closed for instruction.
Easter Weekend – Friday 29th March until Tuesday 2nd April
Term 2, 2024 – Monday 29th April – Friday 5th July
Teacher Only Day #1 – Friday 31st May
King’s Birthday – Monday 3rd June
Matariki – Friday 28th June
Term 3, 2024 – Monday 22nd July – Friday 27th September
Term 4, 2024 – Monday 14th October – Friday 20th December (12:30pm finish)
Teacher Only Day – Friday 25st October
Labour Day – Monday 28th October
First Day Of Term for 2025 – Monday 3rd February 2025
SETTING UP KINDO
Setting up with Kindo
Kindo is our prefered payments system. To help you learn how it works, we’ve added their new help sheet and video. We hope it helps.
KINDO VIDEO HELP
COMMUNITY NOTICES
A new waterfront playground is on its way!
The final design for a new waterfront playground in the city centre has been revealed. Creative and inclusive ideas from local children were incorporated in the design.
There will be four different play zones for the children to explore: an impressive 8-metre-tall waka tower structure for climbing and sliding; a nature play zone; an elevated pathway that follows the Milky Way design; and a water play zone with troughs, water pumps and more.
Making way for the new playground, the former playground has been removed, come summer the children will be able to let their imaginations run wild as they explore all the new waterfront playground has to offer.
For more information about the playground and all the other projects happening in the city centre, please visit: www.tauranga.govt.nz/ourfuturecitycentre
