Week 5 term 3 2023
Kia ora Whaanau, parents and caregivers.
Congratulations to our students who have earned their Koru badges this week. I am always very impressed with our students' perseverance and commitment to working towards their flashes and badges. Earning these requires goal setting and steadily working towards their goals, a life skill we all need.
Bronze: Hugo Krompass, Parehuia Tangitekorowhiti, Isaac Chrystall, Rickaya Coleman, Ryan Immink, Reece Fraser, Mili Qaranivalu, Tane Inwood, Elijah Fourie, Levi Martin, Samar Sidhu, Chris Xin, Tyson Tauranga-McKee, Kingston Kati, James Neal, Zorawar Singh, Belle Baker, Saskia Wightman, Leo Gowrie-Harrison, Taylor Fothergill, Isabel Whittaker, Ellie Milliken, Navtaj Singh, Kingston Kati, James Neal, Tyson Tauranga-McKee, Chris Xin, Samar Sidhu, Jamilla Gamas, Kyan Yeoman-Dickinson, Levi Martin, Elijah Fourie, Tane Inwood, Mili Qaranivalu, Reece Fraser, Sammy Mulipola-Temple, Ryan Immink, Ricaya Coleman, Isaac Chrystall, Parehuia Tangitekorowhiti, Hugo Krompass
Silver: Joshua Entwhistle-Phillips, Ryder Shilling, Harry Matson, Connor Hodges, Sammy Mulipola-Temple, Jayden Burt, Arya Harish, Tyrone Jonson, Kyan Yeoman-Dickinson, Jamilla Ganas, Poppy Pye, Jayden Ridgway, Abdullah Tariq, Gali Hindmarsh, Chahaana Swamy, Keaton Kitchen, Xarles Roldan
Gold: Gali Hindmarsh, Kelly Williams, Dayo Temitope, Nina Mayo, Yashvinder Singh
Platinum: Rishu Kataria, Emily Taylor-Lamb, Japjot Johal, Ethan Trust, Kimberlee Taylor, Reuben Clear
Super Star: Liam Saxton,
“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.”
– Samuel Johnson
Gossiping Concerns at School
We have noticed some issues around gossip and social media in our school. Of course, this is not every student in our school, but some love the drama of gossiping.
Once again, I urge all parents/caregivers to check their children's social media accounts. From some of the screenshots I have shown, some of you may be very shocked at what your children are doing and saying online. If your child is not on social media, then good on you for resisting that pressure. If you monitor your child's activity on social media closely and regularly - thank you.
The gossiping is occurring online, out of school, and in school between friends (frenemies).
Gossip isn’t a weapon only used by tweens. It is used at every age and social class and worldwide. It is insidious. It is easy to initiate, challenging to counter, and can devastate the target. From an early age, we learn to recognise the power of gossip, and as much as we all fear it, we have all been guilty of participating.
WHAT IS GOSSIP?
Technically, gossip is just a conversation about someone who isn’t present. By that definition, we all do it constantly, and it is almost impossible not to gossip. However, gossip can be divided into three types; neutral, positive, or negative.
Research tells us that the vast majority of gossip is neutral; it is exchanging information to connect with others. About 75% of gossip is neutral. About 9% is positive; it celebrates other people’s successes and builds them up. Finally, there is negative gossip that damages a person’s reputation and social standing.
Unfortunately, young people tend to participate in negative gossip more than adults. This kind of gossip can damage the culture of a school, workplace, sporting club, or any other community. And let’s not kid ourselves by saying, “Not my child”.
5 REASONS WHY KIDS GOSSIP NEGATIVELY
1. Gossiping bonds us. There is an intimacy that comes with sharing information and struggles. Research shows that about 90% of this sort of gossip is venting and not meant maliciously.
2. Gossip polices the moral order. When a person steps out of the moral order that has been established and generally accepted, they can be pushed back into line with gossip. Young people, in particular, want to avoid being singled out, so they will conform to prevent the special attention of gossip.
3. Gossip is a social currency. Kids, in particular, use gossip as a form of currency. The amount of information you have about others measures how connected you are. Connection is status.
4. Gossip is entertainment. As hard as teachers try to make their lessons enthralling, the most exciting thing about school for most kids is…other kids. When something notable happens, it is discussed. If nothing extraordinary happens, stories become embellished.
5. Gossip establishes identity. It creates an ‘us vs them’ mentality. Young people are especially drawn to this form of tribalism. They want to fit in and belong. Gossip helps establish membership and define firm boundaries to keep ‘others’ out.
WHO GETS GOSSIPED ABOUT?
A common belief is that gossip happens to everyone, and then it moves on. That is often what we tell children when they suffer, “Don’t worry, they will move on to the next person tomorrow”. The problem is gossip does discriminate, and it is unfair on the person who is being targeted.
HOW DO WE CHANGE A CULTURE OF MEAN GOSSIP AT SCHOOL?
1. We know that the percentage of mean gossip is relatively low. However, the culture of a school or workplace will be determined by exactly how small that percentage of mean words is. It is, therefore, important to talk about gossip and call it out when we see it.
2. Knowing how to stop gossip is an invaluable skill. It is not easy for a young person to take control of a situation and do that, especially if they do not have a lot of social influence. However, if you teach them a few comments to use, it becomes much more manageable. For example:
- Why are you telling me that?
- I’m trying not to gossip so can we talk about something else
- I think we could talk about something nicer
- That’s my friend and I don’t want you to badmouth them
3. If they don’t think they can shut gossip down verbally, teach kids the value of their body language. Tell them, “When someone is gossiping, look away and don’t say anything. Don’t smile or nod. Say nothing and then change the subject.”
4. Even acknowledging gossip is a problem and telling children it won’t be tolerated will put them on notice.
Hopefully, our children learn that sometimes people act badly, and we feel awful, but no feeling lasts forever. Hopefully, they realise they are stronger and more resilient than they thought. Please encourage your child to tell an adult and ask for help.
Why Asking for Help Is Important
None of us can go it alone. The people who believe in us remind us that we have what it takes, that we matter, and that we're loved. But sometimes, we have to reach out and ask for that help. Our friends and family love us, but they can't always know what we want, especially if we put a brave face on things.
If your child needs support with an issue at school, encourage them to come and see Amanda Taylor, Charles Hume or myself. We also have an excellent counselling service at our school to which we can refer our students. Please contact us if you feel your child would benefit from seeing her.
Susan Wood - Principal
Pre AIMS Netball Tournament
Last Sunday, Maeroa hosted a pre-AIMS Netball tournament at our school. Thank you to our AMAZING parents, Makareta, Alana and Raewyn, who organised this tournament and all the others who supported the day.
Our Maeroa team were placed 2nd after a hard-fought game against Te Awamutu Intermediate, where they lost narrowly 14 - 15—well done to our team! It was an excellent opportunity for our team to play teams like Te Awamutu, who do not play in the Hamilton Competition.
Talent Time
One of our Talent Time options was the "Wheels" option. Two of our students have spent their time in talent time mastering the skill of riding a unicycle - this is no easy feat. These boys have shown extreme perseverance in getting this.
Wheels
Talent Time Mini-Monsters
A group of our students learned to hand sew during talent time and produced these soft toys which they are very proud of. They designed their own templates and decorated them.
Enrolments for 2024 are now open
Enrolments for Maeroa Intermediate 2024 are now open.
If your child is at Aberdeen, Frankton, Nawton, Forest Lake or Vardon School, they should have been given an enrolment pack for Maeroa Intermediate.
If your child does not attend one of those schools then please contact our school office for an enrolment pack or call into our school office and see Nicky.
Waimaths 2023
The competition attracts the brightest math students from schools across the Waikato. Each school can enter three teams in total with each team containing three students.
Our school entered two teams - a year 8 team and a year 7 team. The competition involves 20 challenging questions within a 45 minute timeframe. Our year 8 team placed 6th, and our year 7 team placed 14th.
Well done to our students who participated in Waimaths 2023.
Wai Maths
Secondary School Enrolments
Year 8 students must be enrolled at a secondary school for 2024. This must be done now to ensure they get the choices they want in courses. Some Hamilton secondary schools have enrolment zones, and if you don't enrol by the close-off date, your child will miss out.
Some students may feel anxious about moving on to secondary school and enrolling them now gives them some certainty about next year.
Hamilton Boys' High School - year 9 enrolments close on 1 September
Hamilton Girls' High School - year 9 enrolments close on 18 August
Fraser High School - year 9 enrolments for out-of-zone close on 21 September
Fairfield College - year 9 enrolments are open now
Gully Working Bee
Saturday Gully Working Bee
The next Saturday gully working bee is 26 August, from 9-12 pm. We have weeding, planting, step building, mulching and potting tasks to complete, so there are jobs for everyone! If you can attend, you can email jyeoman@maeroa.school.nz, or students can collect a newsletter from Mrs Yeoman, which has a return permission slip. It is an excellent way for students to earn their Enviro Koru flash- the more volunteers that come with them, the more sign-offs they get.
Julie Yeoman
Waikato Intermediate and Middle Schools Cross Country
We took 12 excited students to the Inter-Intermediate Cross Country competition at Tokoroa on Tuesday.
Our students had a long trip in the van to cope with before the races began, but this was an excellent time to prepare mentally and disperse some of the excited energy.
We all arrived at the events centre keen to get started.
After collecting our information pack we headed out on the course for a walk-through.
This was the first time the magnitude of the task became evident, 3500 mtrs sure looked a long, long way.
Once we felt familiar with the course it was time for a few warm-ups before racing began.
Ro and Iosefa started first in the year 7 boys group followed by Madi, Acacia Jay and Eva in the year 8 girls group and finally, Jayden, Shia, Kymahni, Jahrome, Sonny Ray, Kaden, and Ethan in the year 8 boys group.
Our suspicions were proved correct, 3500 mtrs is a very long way, and our students were pretty tired coming to the finish line.
All our students completed the course in good time. Although they did not finish in the top 6 It was a tremendous effort by all, and they should be very proud of what they achieved.
Well done team!
WIMS Cross Country 2023
Events coming up
- 22 August WIMS Netball Tournament at Hamilton Netball Centre
- 27 August - meeting for students travelling to Japan 10 am - 1 pm at Berkley Normal Middle School
- 4 - 8 September - AIMS Games in Tauranga. Maeroa is being represented in netball, futsal and basketball.
- 11 - 24 September - Japan group in Japan.
- 12 September - WIMS Ki O Rahi tournament
- 22 September - last day of term 3