61 Waller Street

Murchison 7007

Phone 03 5239 072 Fax 03 5239 588 enquiries@murchison.school.nz

Murchison Area School

3rd September 2015

Kia Ora Koutou, Dear Parents/Caregivers I was reading an educational research magazine earlier this week, and came across an article on how teachers and teach-ing are perceived in New Zealand. A number of their points struck a chord with me, and I thought it was something I should share with our school community. A recent study, which investigated how New Zealanders perceive the role of teachers in our society, found most people had concerns with how teachers were coping with the demands on them. Eight out of ten (78%) of Kiwis surveyed said they believed the job of a teacher is harder than it was a decade ago, and that the career requirements have increased with time. However, according to the survey, the huge importance of teaching hasn’t changed at all. While we admire and respect the work that teachers do, it’s not a job that everyone thinks they would be well-equipped for given the constant need to hold children’s attention, motivate them, and find ways to make schoolwork relevant. Many Kiwis (47%) acknowledge they wouldn’t have the patience to take on a teaching job themselves if the tables were turned, and are disappointed with the level of support teachers receive from the community. The study also highlighted the significant influence teachers have on our lives as three-quarters (75%) of all Kiwis say outside of our family it is teachers who have the greatest impact. Interestingly, along with educating children in all areas of the curriculum and guiding their social development, the new re-search shows teachers are also key in shaping the future of students’ lives, with nearly half of all young people (47%) aged between 18-24 saying they have been influenced by a teacher in their chosen direction after leaving school. Teachers not only have to juggle pastoral care with educating students and keeping up-to-date with their constant changes in their field, but increasingly have to adapt to new systems and processes as ways of working and learning shift rapidly. A majority of 75% of those surveyed say we should be doing more for the people who take on the challenging role of educat-ing Kiwi kids throughout their school years. Dr Aaron Wilson, a lecturer in Education at the University of Auckland says it’s wonderful to see how many Kiwis recognise what a complex and challenging role teaching is. “It’s a profession and a craft, an art and a science. It’s a specialised job that not just anybody can do well,” he says. Dr Wilson says it is heartening to see that most in the community see the need to recognise and support the work of teach-ers. “In the past decade or so teachers have had to respond to major changes which include new technology, a new nation-al curriculum, national standards, and NCEA. All these things make teaching very challenging.” And our teachers are here, 5 days a week, taking up the challenge and doing their best for our students. Something to think about when you send your children to us each day! In the meantime, enjoy the long weekend with your children. Kia Kaha Tina Johnson Principal

Term 3 School Wide Value — Consideration

MID TERM BREAK

The Whole School will be closed tomorrow

FRIDAY, 4th September For Mid Term Break.

MURCHISON AREA SCHOOL

School Board of Trustees Election Declaration of Student Election Results

At the close of nominations, as there was only one valid nomination received I hereby declare: PENMAN, Jack duly elected. Signed Lynette Hunter Returning Officer 31st August 2015

Congratulations to…… Nathan Flintoft for completing his reading pizza wheel! This is Nathan enjoying his Hell 333 Pizza that he received in the weekend.

WHAT’S ON? Mid Term Break — 4th September Senior Exams — 7th to 11th September School Photo’s — 16th September Last day of Term 3 — 25th September First day of Term 4—12th October.

Welcome back to……. Shamyce McDonald — Room 4

and Shaemyn McDonald — Room 10

SCHOOL PHOTO’S — 16th September On Monday 31st August, your child was given a school photo envelope to take home. Please call the office if you have not received this. If you would like a sibling photo, either send your child to the office or call Kathryn and she will give your child an envelope.

APOLOGIES

The drawing of the planet Pluto in Room 2’s ‘Planet Day’ drawings in last week’s newsletter, was drawn by Jesse and not Riley as advised in the newsletter. Our apologies to Jesse.

What’s happening in ….

SECONDARY MATHS with Ms Stewart

In our Year 9 & 10 class, we have just finished our algebra, patterns and graphs topics which the students found challenging but were able to extend their knowledge a lot in these areas. We are now studying formulae that are used in measurement, focusing on formulae for calculating area first of all. The students have learnt a song about the area of the circle and if you are a family member of a year 9 or 10 student you should ask for a rendition. We have also used the area of a circle formula to create pieces of art which require areas to be calculated in order to know which colours are needed to complete the art.

In our Year 11 class, we are studying hard for the first external exam which is on algebra. Unlike other external exams, this exam is held in September so we are working hard to get exam ready! We have learnt about expanding and factorising brackets, simplifying fractions, quadratic and simultaneous equations as well as writing and solving equations from real life problems. This is a very challenging topic and the students have demon-strated awesome grit and determination. Make sure you wish the Year 11 students luck before the exam on the 15th of Sep-tember. In our Year 12 class, we are studying for a level two achievement standard external called ‘Probability Methods’. This exam is held in November but the Year 12s have a practice exam next Mon-day on this topic. As part of this topic we calculate the likelihood or probability that certain events will or will not occur using sever-al methods including normal distribution tables, probability trees and tables. A huge thanks to the Board of Trustees who made some extra funding available for the purchase of graphics calculators. The use of this technology has allowed the students to advance their knowledge and put them on an equal playing field with other students around the country who have these calculators available to them for use in the exam.

Meanwhile in the Year 13 class, we are also studying ‘Probability Concepts’ but at NCEA level three. As with the Year 12s, they are also investigating the probability and risk of an event occurring or not occurring using several different methods. At this level the students are also investigating if the two or more events have a conditional relationship (does one influence the other) or are they independ-ent. Different calculation methods can then be applied to see the probability of one or the other of these events happening as well as the probability of both of these events occurring at the same time. Interestingly, many of the problems that we investigate involve a medical and health context, e.g. the risk of developing lung cancer if you are a smoker (this is called relative risk) versus the risk of a non-smoker developing lung cancer (this is called absolute risk).

Congratulations to…….

Justin Perkins, Isaac Limpus-Wingate and Nick Baker who have been invited to play for the “Barbarians” rugby team in the Under 16 School Tournament in Nelson this week. Thanks to Hank Nalder for spotting

their skills and inviting them to play.

Smooth songs for a Spring Sunday

Misty The second concert in the Murchison

Area School Fundraising series takes us to the world of easy and smooth

sounds; perfect for a relaxed Sunday afternoon.

Enjoy a drink from the bar, or a cake and cup of tea from the kitchen and sit back and reminisce with some old

favourites, or enjoy the occasional number that may be new to you. Tap your feet to a swing

tune or think back to a musical memory.

Year 9 and 10 students can add to their

personal fundraising target by arranging a ticket for you, or call in at

the school office.

Bring a few dollars for the refreshments

and raffles. We would love to see you there. Please

spread the word.

Cawthron Science and Technology Fair @ ENERGY CENTER, FOUNDERS PARK,

NELSON ∗ ∗

∗ Mon 21 Sept - Years 2-8 Judging day

∗ Tues 22 Sept - Public viewing 10am-2pm ∗ Wed 23 Sept - Years 9-13 Judging day

∗ Thurs 24 Sept - LATE NIGHT viewing 10am-6pm ∗ Fri 25 Sept -Public viewing10am—2pm

All projects to be collected between 3-5pm

CONGRATULATIONS TO the following students who received certificates and awards at this week’s

Assembly. Attitude

Emma Bain Patience Fairclough Penelope McLellan Jessica Bain Molly Flintoft Application Joe Stuart Rhiannon Field Nathan Flintoft Morgan Duigan Jorja Milligan Karl Brown Taylor Wilkins Awards — Badges Halana Carr Destiny Gollop Abby Thomson Mela Williamson Jake Falkner Cameron Price Monique Perkins Kayla Stuart Bevalyn Tinetti Brodie Spence Justin Perkins

Achievement Alisha Nicholls Rosie Badcock Halana Carr Tralee Watson Tinneka-Jay Wingate Natash Hewitt Destiny Gollop Abby Thomson Maddison Kinzett Helen Pointon Bayden Brunner Michael Penman Adam Johnson Bradley Thomas-Brough Hemi Wilson Luke Whitnall Luke Allen Jake Falkner Summer Beaumont Casey Morris-Oswald Mela Williamson Sam Knight Kate Gilmer Jacob Pointon Irie Direen Harmonie Whitnall Cameron Price Bevalyn Tinetti Brodie Spence Kayla Stuart Monique Perkins Justin Perkins Jayde Norgate Ben Allen Issac Limpus-Wingate Kayla Stuart Bevalyn Tinetti Olivia Hebberd Taine Kinzett Jade Gibson

Thank you from the Student Council! Today’s mufti day raised $167.80, which will be donated to South Westland Area School to help them with rebuilding their school after last week’s devastating fire,

damaging classrooms and indoors equipment.

Lynne and Mica from DOC Lynne and Mica from DOC came to our school. Mica is a dog who searches for kiwi and whio (you say it like the name Theo) which are blue ducks. When she is in the bush, she has to wear a muzzle so she can’t bite the kiwi and whio. She also wears a high visibility jacket so people can see her. On it is written who they work for as dogs aren’t allowed to go in the kiwi zones in the bush. Mica is a ground scenting dog. This is when the dog smells where the kiwi are by smelling for their feet, feathers or poo. Do you know there are 11 species of kiwi in New Zealand. Some of them are the Great Spotted Kiwi, the Little Spotted Kiwi and the Brown Kiwi. Kiwis eat insects or beech tree berries. The Dad has to sit on the egg for 78-85 days, not the mum. When the chick is ready to come out, it takes five days to hatch. When it comes out it eats its yolk from the egg so it has food to give it energy. It was really interesting having Lynne and Mica come and share their facts with us. By Rhiannon Field

Kiwi Dog

Tracker On Thursday morning Rooms 3, 4 and 10 went to the library. There was a person whose name was Lynne and she had a dog called Mica. Not just any dog… a kiwi tracker. Mica and Lynne work for DOC. DOC means Department of Conservation. Mica has a special high visibility jacket saying what she does and who Lynne works for. Mica wears a muzzle so she doesn’t bite on accident. We learnt some interesting facts and these are some of them. The mother kiwi is bigger, heavier and meaner than the father. Did you know that is takes five days for a kiwi egg to hatch and the father kiwi sits on the egg for 78-85 days to keep it warm? If Lynne and Mica find a kiwi egg, they put it in an incu-bator and use a special torch that they shine un-derneath it. It shows how the kiwi is growing and when it was going to hatch. This is called candling. I was so glad to learn about kiwis because they’re awesome! By Aaliyah Ross

CONGRATULATIONS TOCONGRATULATIONS TOCONGRATULATIONS TOCONGRATULATIONS TO

JACK PENMAN

Jack competed in a worldwide multi language competition representing Te Kura (The Corre-spondence School), in which he had to answer 6,500 questions, translating words and sentences from Japanese to English and vice versa. Out of the 6,500 questions, he only got 5 questions incorrect which equates to being in the top 2% out of 300,000 participants. It took Jack over 10 hours to answer all the questions, all of which was done in his own time after school.

WELL DONE JACK, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU!

This week at school

LYNNE AND MICA’S VISIT TO SCHOOL

A Kiwi egg and a hen egg