Term 2 is drawing to a close and students will be sharing their learning with their families next week.  Student led conferences take the form of a conversation between the student, their parents and support from the child's whānau teacher. This approach gives students an opportunity to share with their parents their growth as a learner. They accept accountability and responsibility for their progress and achievement, and demonstrate a growing understanding of their development as independent learners.

As always there is a great deal happening at school and one of the focus has been students' own inquiries.  During inquiry time in Rooms 10 and 11 students have be learning experientially by using the skills required  to turn their ideas about science and design technology through a design process into something they can share.  

Students' ideas and interests are many and varied and range from understanding rocks (see Annabelle, Petra and Isha's attached slideshow) to building rockets, from making planes to smoke bombs, from creating secret spaces to understanding the sun, from baking to jet fighters and much more.  At the Values Assembly this week Micah and Daniel presented their Ako (learning) in front of the school, they had identified their interest, they had researched it, which included visiting the Wigram Airforce Museum and then created a child sized F-22 Raptor cockpit with moving instruments  (their powerpoint is attached at the end of this newsletter).  There are many more wonderful ideas that students in all the learning spaces in Mahuta have chosen to explore.

We have include some pictures of students engaged in some games.  Games are used regularly to support learning at school and can easily be used at home.  Maths games are fun and a great way to engage your children - a game like 'PIG' uses just one dice but is loved by the kids.  In PE games like 'Capture the Flag' teach students about fair-play, strategy and communication as team.

Kapa Haka - Cultural learning is something Merrin School is proud to embrace.  The Cultural Festival is a wonderful event on the Merrin School calendar and the event itself is coming up in Term 3 - Whetu Kohara (our performance group) is performing on the evening of Monday 14 August at the Horncastle Arena.

We have been given the honour once again of being the closing performance that night. This is both an acknowledgement and an expectation that we will 'bring it' or in other words that we will be shining stars. It also means a late finish of approximately 9pm for students.

For the first time our performing group includes a large number of Year 5 & 6 students. Numbers are capped at 100 and all students involved have been informed and took home information last week regarding ticketing. Students will need to be picked up from the venue at the end of the performance. Further information on these arrangements will be sent home next term.

Ticketing: Audience tickets can be purchased through Merrin School for the cost of $15 for an adult and $8 for a child. The last date this can be done is Friday 30 June. After that date tickets are only available through Tickatek and purchases will incur a substantial booking fee. No ticket is required for a student in our performance group. Paper copies of the order form were sent home to all students involved last week.

Order Form

Ticket payments can be made online to the school or at the office. Please send a copy of the notice to school so we are aware of your order.

Merrin Bank a/c: 030830 0309365 00 with the following details: Particulars: child’s name Reference: CF Tickets