Week 1, Term 4, 2023
Tena Koutou Katoa
Welcome to term four, 2023. We hope you and your child have had a positive start to the beginning of the last term of the year. It was great to see our students returning to school on Monday, ready to start a fresh term at Maeroa.
Many events are planned for term 4, and I have included a calendar for your information in this newsletter.
I hope our year 8 students have some certainty around their enrolment at secondary school for 2024, as they only have one more term at Maeroa. It is important to enrol them so they can make choices around their learning for 2024, and then they will be ready to begin on the first day of the school term at their new school.
A reminder that our school is part of the school lunches programme. If you do not want your child to receive a free nutritious lunch daily, please inform their classroom teacher. Our lunches are supplied by Bite Lab, who ensure that our students with different nutritional needs get the correct food each day of the week. You can check out https://www.bitelab.nz/ for further information. We are grateful that our students can receive thoughtfully planned and nutritious lunches daily without cost to our families.
We also run a brunch club for students who do not have breakfast in the mornings before coming to school for various reasons. Students can head to room 67/68 to get some morning food at morning tea time. Sanitarium and Fonterra supply us with Weetbix and milk, and Kidscan provides extra snacks for our students. We are very grateful for the support we receive from these organisations for our students.
Class Placements for 2024: typically, students stay with the same teacher for both years they are here; however, there may be exceptions. If there has been a combination for students that has not been helpful for students making expected progress, the teacher is leaving, or a family requests a change. If you would like to request a change, please email Amanda Taylor ataylor@maeroa.school.nz, and she will contact you to discuss options. When we have confirmed staffing for 2024, we will contact all families impacted by changes.
We do have limited spaces available for year 8 students to apply to be considered for one of our specialist classes, which include our sports class, reo rua class and GATE class applications can be collected from the office from Monday 16th October and are due back by Friday 27 October. This deadline means that students can take part in trials and testing. Dates are listed at the end of this newsletter.
Also below is information about our upcoming Maeroa Twilight Martekt - MTM, a celebration of our financial literacy inquiry we are currently learning about, reminders about the upcoming Back to Basic School Camp and a fundraising event, the Fun Run, Colour Run. All great opportunities for our students.
Ngaa mihi nui
Susan Wood - Principal
Understanding Maeroa's Coat of Arms
School Camp - Back to Basics 2023
We look forward to our school camps going from the beginning of week 3 into the Karangahake Gorge to camp overnight and enjoy the outdoors. We visited during the break and made a few alterations to the activities based on the damage from the cyclone earlier in the year. The main change is that we will not be in the river at camp for rafting as a large portion of the river bank has been washed away, changing the course and flow of water, and there are still many semi-submerged trees, making the river unpredictable and unsafe. We have alternative activities organised, including a campfire and damper, shelter building, orienteering, team challenges and a mini waka-building activity on the pond. Another change is that the walking track we intended to use is still shut due to large slips, so we are now walking from the Karangahake Caprpark on the Onewharo Fall track. Now, all we need is fine weather - fingers crossed.
Things to remember
- Students need to meet in the gym between 8.15 and 8.30 with their camp gear on the morning of departure, and we plan to be at school by 3 p.m. the following day.
- Pack what is on the list; do not over-pack. We have limited space on the bus and need to be able to fit everyone's gear on board.
- Do not let your child bring their best clothing. We are in the bush, which may be wet, so shoes and clothing will get dirty.
- We provided tents, plates, cutlery and sleeping mats, but students bring sleeping bags.
- Students bring their lunch for the first day, and all other food is provided.
- No phones, electronics, things or value. We take no responsibility for the items brought to camp when students have been asked to leave them at home.
- All medication must be handed to the teacher before departure in a bag clearly labelled with the child's name and instructions.
Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered to come to camp and help make this happen for our students.
Colour Run - Fun Run
We will have a Fun Run Colour Run on Friday, 17th November. It will be held in the afternoon from 1.45 - 3 pm on our school fields.
Next week, your child will bring home a newsletter that explains how it works, as there are opportunities to fundraise and win prizes. However, all students are welcome to run and take part, and we encourage students to seek sponsorship as another avenue for our school fundraising efforts. Money will be raised towards a new kai cooker, BBQ tables and sun shelters, and paying for the final parts of the camping equipment.
MTM - Maeroa Twilight Market
- Thursday 16th November
- 5.30 - 6.45 - Maeroa Intermediate
As part of our Financial Literacy Inquiry, we have a student-led Gala/Market night on Thursday, 16th November. We have set up a Maeroa Business Community for the twilight market, including a mock Business Council and Government to oversee the organisation of this event.
Maeroa Reserve Bank
- Oversees the design and print of the Maeroa Currency
- Keeps up-to-date bank statements for each approved business proposal
- Will exchange NZ Currency for Maeroa Money to be spent on the evening
Maeroa Business Council
- Approves all business applications
- Works in conjunction with the Reserve Bank to set up lines of credit
- Approves stall allocation in conjunction with our Maeroa Minister of Housing
Maeroa Warehouse
- Receives orders for business development
- Dispatches goods to business
- Works with the Maeroa Reserves Bank to ensure that lines of credit are up to date
Maeroa Government
- Maeroa Prime Minister oversees the government
- Maeroa Minister of Justice ensures business is fair and laws are followed
- Maeroa Minister of the Environment ensures plans have a minimal environmental impact
- Maeroa Minister of Finance oversees taxes and import duty
Students are currently involved in planning to run a stall, which includes researching, pricing and budgeting, marketing and negotiating. Once they have their plan together, they submit an application form to our Business Council for approval. At this stage, the Business Council may seek further clarification and approve the application once financial details are confirmed. We have 98 business approved for MTM Maeroa Twilight Market.
Once businesses are approved, they will have a line of Maeroa Money Credit set up so that they can order items they need through school. Some businesses will have very little set up costs, while others will be more expensive, and we are happy to fund this as long as the business plan is feasible - we do not expect families to carry this cost.
We are also trying to avoid the scenario that a cupcake stall, for example, is set up, the parents do everything at home - including the thinking - and then the student works on the stall for 10 minutes, which is their contribution. The learning about cost, profit, loss, trial and error is missed. It would be easier if we had a straightforward traditional Gala; however, we are trying to set up learning with an element of challenge and problem solving, the opportunity for entrepreneurial thinking that everyone can participate in.
If your child convinces you that you should do all the work, please be aware that they will be required to pay an import duty to the school - which will effectively be taken from their line of credit or profit. We have explained to the students that this is like when you buy a product online from overseas, you have to pay duty. The purpose of this, once again, is not to bankrupt their business but to get them to understand the costs involved in business.
We are keen for your support in the following ways:
- Ask questions that help to think about the logistics of profit and loss
- Encourage children to solve problems for themselves and with their business partners
- Keep asking questions so that they meet deadlines and we don’t have to save them at the end
- Let your child do the business
- Come along and spend your money at the Maeroa Twilight Market
We understand that this will not truly reflect the business world, but we are trying to bring in elements to make this authentic, fun and meaningful for learning. Some business ventures will work out better than others, and this will also be the learning. We are excited about this opportunity's possibilities for us all to celebrate our students' efforts. We hope to see you on the market night.
Koru Badge Recipients
We congratulate our students who have received their Koru badges recently. Every student in our school can earn Koru badges, and students have many opportunities to achieve them.
Bronze: 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, Rickaya Coleman, Isaac Chrystall, Parehuia Tangitekorowhiti, Hugo Krompass, Angel Perkins, Eva O'Connor, Eden Kaire-Karauna, Ruby Avis, Tobias Martin-Roberts, Sam Neal, Logan Robinson, Isaiah Naera, Rishee Chandra, Charvae Tahu, Imeleta Vaka, Maia Laiman
Silver: Chahaana Swamy, Connor Hodges, Jayden Ridgway, Poppy Pye, Harry Matson, Tyrone Jonson, Arya Harish, Jayden Burt, Ryder Shilling, Joshua Entwhistle-Phillips, Keaton Kitchen, Xarles Roldan, Rickaya Coleman, Sasha Duthie, Zakariya Hassan, Sam Neal, Ella Hugill, Savanna Botha, Eden Kaire-Karauna, Kingston Kati, Annabell Hardie, Lydia Walron, Hadlee Kirkby, Legend Robinson-Martin, Archie Verry, Esther Poimatagi, Stanley Murray
Gold: Kelly Williams, Gali Hindmarsh, Zoe Russell, Harry Matson, Poppy Pye, Neha Krishna, Khloe Woodward, Mason Ratcliffe, Nina Mayo, Yashvinder Singh, Dayo Temitope
Platinum: Reuben Clear, Japjot Johal, Emily Taylor-Lamb, Rishu Kataria, Ethan Trust, Nina Mayo, Siri Combs, Kelly Williams
Star: Benjamin Garner, Ethan Hawkes, Rishu Kataria, Japjot Johal, Sadie May Muhlmann
Super Star: Liam Saxton, Rebekah Smith
Japan 2023
It was an incredible and memorable experience for me and the Maeroa students who had the opportunity to visit Japan! Travelling to a foreign country and staying with local families is a fantastic way to learn about a different culture and create lasting memories.
The journey started very early in the morning at Berkley Normal Middle School, with excitement and a bit of nervousness among the students. They were headed to Auckland Airport for their 11-hour flight to Japan.
The students stayed with Japanese families for two weeks. This homestay experience allowed them to immerse themselves in Japanese culture and form connections with their host families.
Some students had very long commutes of up to 90 minutes each way to attend school in Japan. Japanese students typically have extended school days, starting at 8 am and ending between 4:30 and 5:30 pm.
Each day at school in Japan came with an adventure. We visited a variety of interesting places, including Tokyo Tower, Asakusa, Ameyoko, Makuhari Minami Elementary School, Tokyo Disneyland, Makuhari International School, Tokyo Disney Sea, Tokyo Aquarium, and many other experiences.
Despite an unexpected 36-hour flight delay on their way back, the students displayed remarkable resilience in coping with this additional adventure, which included a stopover in Sydney.
It's clear that the students had a rich and immersive cultural experience during their time in Japan, and such opportunities can have a profound impact on their personal growth and understanding of the world.
Maeroa and the other Waikato Intermediate and Middle Schools look forward to our continued relationship with Makuhari Junior High School, and we look forward to taking another group of students to Tokyo, Japan, in 2024.
Susan
Japan 2023
Maeroa Gully Project
Our Gully Restoration Project
We began our gully restoration journey in July 2020. The gully is a considerable size, so we knew it would take at least ten years to complete the initial restoration phase. There were a small number of established trees, but the rest of the gully was covered in invasive weeds and dumped rubbish.
We established a nursery so we could grow many of the trees we would require. Many of the tasks in the nursery are done by students during the after-school workshops on Tuesday and Thursday, especially on wet afternoons. Unfortunately, equipment had to be carried to a classroom deck to work undercover. We applied for funding from Waikato Regional Council’s EnviroSchool grant to help construct a potting shed near our gully. The potting shed project is nearing completion and will make our work in the nursery much more efficient and comfortable. Special thanks must go to Waikato Regional Council for funding this project, to PlaceMakers for donating timber, and to Chris Benfell from Creative Construction Builders Ltd, who assisted us with the design and build of the structure.
This year, we have planted close to 700 native trees, grasses and groundcovers, but still have much work to do. We encourage families to join us for next Saturday's Working Bee on 28 October and 25 November, 9-12 pm. This also helps your child to earn a green Koru flash.
Julie Yeoman - Room 70/71 Teacher
Chris Benfell and his team specialise in building tasks, including decks, fences, property maintenance and renovations.
chris@ccbuilders.co.nz
021 824 921
Our Gully Restoration
Teacher Only Day 20 November 2023
The Government has allocated schools a Teacher Only Day in term 4. We, along, with several other schools in our area are taking our day on 20 November. This means that our school will not be open for students on that day.
Dates coming up in term 4, 2023
- 12 & 17 October Enrolment Interviews for incoming 2024 students
- 17 October Rietsumaken students arrive
- 15 - 20 October - Great Barrier Trip
- Week 3 School Camps begin
- 28 October - Gully Working Bee
- 31 October - Boys Sports Class Trials
- 2 November -Girls Sports Class Trials
- 2 November - Assessments for Te Ara Poutama GaTE class
- 2 November - Inter-intermediate Kapahaka Festival
- 7 November - Inter-intermediate softball competition
- 8 November - Tongariro Trip group leave
- 16 November - Twilight Market at Maeroa
- 17 November - Colour Run at Maeroa
- 20 November - Teacher only day
- 21 - 23 November - Orientation Days at Maeroa for Year 6 Studentd
- 30 November - Inter-intermediate Athletics in Cambridge
- 7 December - Meet the Teacher for incoming 2024 students and year 8 students who are having a change of teacher in 2024
- 13 December - Final school assembly 9am - 11am
- 14 December - Year 8 Dance for Year 8 students
- 18 December - school finishes for the term at 12 noon
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Term Dates for 2024
- Term One: Tuesday 30 January to Friday 12 April
- Term Two: Monday 29 April to Friday 5 July
- Term Three: Monday 22 July to Friday 27 September
- Term Four: Monday 14 October to Friday 13 December