week 3 term 4 2023
Ngaa mihi nui kia koutou katoa,
Camps have begun this week, and we are rotating through all classes until all have been completed. This is an overnight camp sleeping in a tent in the Karangahake Gorge. We thank the parents who have volunteered to support this event by going with their child's class. I also want to thank our staff who are going with their classes to camp, making arrangements for their own families so they can take their classes for a camping experience. A big thank you to Mr Hume and Mrs Taylor who are alternating at being with the camps throughout the entire camping experience.
You will have received a newsletter about camp along with a gear list for your child. If your child has not given you these please email their teacher and ask for one.
Weeks 4 & 5 Camps
- Monday 30 October rooms 16/26/27
- Tuesday 31 October rooms 70.71
- Wednesday 1 November rooms 59/60
- Thursday 2 November rooms 65/66
- Monday 6 November rooms 23/24
- Tuesday 7 November rooms 47/48
- Wednesday 8 November rooms 29/30
- Thursday 9 November rooms 31/38
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.
Our students have enjoyed having Ritsumaiken students from Japan visiting our school. Next week we have a Sayonara Party to say goodbye to our Japanese students as they head back to Japan. Tomorrow our Japanese students are going to the Waikato A & P Show with Mrs Dyer and a group of Maeroa students. I am sure that will be a very interesting New Zealand experience for them.
This week I had the privilege of listening to our speech finalists. Such courageous students writing a speech, receiving feedback, working on their speeches and then delivering their speeches to an audience of teachers and their peers. I was very impressed with the speeches I heard and I did not envy the judges for their task of selecting one student to represent Maeroa at the Waikato Intermediate Speech Competition early next month.
Our Amazing Kapahaka team has events coming up the first one is Waikato Intermediate and Middle Schools Kapahaka Festival to be held at Rototuna Junior High School on 2 November.
The next event is the Nawton Inaugural Kapahaka Interschool Competition to be held on Saturday 11 November. Whaanau are able to attend both events and teachers will give you more information about the times.
Our team has been practicing for these events and I love it when they are practicing on the turf outside my office and I can hear their fantastic singing, so beautiful.
Kind regards
Susan Wood - Principal
School Camp Karangahake Gorge 2023
Altrusa Young Citizen of the Year 2023
Congratulations to Lorenzo Enoka, Maeroa's Altrusa Young Citizen of the year award for 2023. This award recognises a Year 8 student who displays the following attributes: courtesy, positive attitude, initiative, sportsmanship and academic improvement or achievement.
This is an amazing credit to Lorenzo and his family.
Colour Run 2023
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.
Your child has brought 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.
Maeroa Twilight Market 2023
- 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.
Enrolments 2024
A reminder that if you have a child in year 6 then now is the time to be enrolling them at Maeroa Intermediate.
Thank you to all those families who have already enrolled their child and had their enrolment interviews; we are looking forward to working with your child next year.
It is also essential that year 8 students are enrolled in a secondary school for next year. Please, for your child's sake, do not leave it until next year. Secondary schools are collecting information on new enrolments from intermediate students now.
Teacher Only Day 20 November 2023
A reminder that our school will be closed for students on the 20th November for a teacher only day.
Upcoming dates:
- Camps coming up as outlined above.
- 31 October Sports class testing for boys applying from contributing schools and boys currently in year 7 at Maeroa who have applied and parents have completed paperwork.
- 2 November Sports class testing for girls' applying from contributing schools and girls currently in year 7 at Maeroa who have applied and whose parents have completed paperwork.
- 2 November GaTE class assessments for students from contributing schools.
- 2 November Waikato Intermediate and Middle Schools Kapahaka Festival.
- 7 November Waikato Intermediate and Middle Schools Softball Competition
- 8 - 10 November Tongariro Camp with Mr Hume
- 11 November Nawton School Kapahaka Competition
- 16 November Maeroa Twilight Market
- 17 November Maeroa Colour Run
- 30 November Waikato Intermediate and Middle Schools Athletics Competition
- 7 December Meet the Teacher for incoming 2024 students and current year 7 students who are getting a new teacher for 2024
- 13 December Final Assembly
- 14 December year 8 Dance for invited year 8 students
- 18 December Final day of term 4 2023