Kia ora, Ni hao, Dobar dan, Malo e leilei, Hola, Konnichiwa, Talofa, Namaste, Chão, Vannakkam, Kamusta, Hello!

This week we began the season of Lent. We are asked to prepare ourselves for the Easter Season with 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is also a time to reflect with gratitude on what we have and especially pray for Aotearoa, in light of the recent weather events.

Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday - or Pancake Day - the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, this was a time of celebration and for using up meat and items that came from animals such as butter, eggs, cheese and fat so that they would not be wasted during the Lenten fast.

Shrove comes from the old English word 'shrive' which means to confess or absolve. In the Middle Ages, people would also use the day as a time of confession before Lent began.

Many French speaking countries celebrate the day with a Mardi Grad (Fat Tuesday) carnival. The word carnival is derived from the Latin 'farewell to meat'.

(Sisters of Compassion - Ngā Whaea O Pūaroha)

Please see below a letter from Bishop Steve and a way we can donate to the Cyclone Relief fund. As a school we will be holding a Wheelies Day later in the term to also support this outreach.

This evening will be our first whole school community gathering for 2023. In 2020 we held a Community Dreaming Evening in our brand new buildings and launched the Centennial Project to fundraise for our school environment in preparation for our centenary in 2027. We have already achieved so much even with all of the interruptions of a pandemic and severe weather events. Throughout the last 3 years we have been able to establish the Bike Track & Cycle Programme, Garden to Table Programme, Stage 1 of the Landscape plan with shade & seating; and are now looking forward to continuing our plans which include the school hall renovation.

The Marist Way Community Evening is a way to gather socially and share our strategic plan for the year. It is also an opportunity to share some of your thoughts and ideas around Special Catholic Character, Communication & Cultural Diversity here at Marist School. You will have an opportunity to meet the staff, Board of Trustees and PTFA members and each other. It will be an informal evening which will help set the direction for the school year. We look forward to seeing you there and having a great night! Please spread the word and come along.

Please keep the Thompson, Goldsack, Lockington and Hanrahan Families, and all those who have lost loved ones, in your thoughts and prayers at this time. We continue to pray for those in our community who are unwell or suffering at the moment.

When you reach for that delicious apple for your morning brain snack please remember to peel off the ‘Yummy’ sticker and keep it safe!

We are collecting the Yummy Fruit Company stickers from their apples, and the labels off their plastic bags, for our share of $200,000 of free sports gear. The more labels/stickers we collect the more free sports gear we get for our school! Check out all the balls we got last year!

Put your stickers on a sticker collection sheet (below) and drop them into the school office in exchange for house points!

https://www.yummyfruit.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SSP-pdf_Sticker_Collection_Sheet_compressed.pdf

At Marist School we use Spotlight to upload and share your child/rens ongoing progress and achievement throughout the year. The last couple of years have been so disruptive but it is really important that you download the APP in order to see your child’s learning progress.

If you have not set up your Spotlight App yet or have not been using it, please contact Beth in the office on b.lockie@marist.school.nz for your unique ID. Once you have your ID you will be able to follow the instructions below to set up the app.

Hub 2 have been learning how to work in groups to solve problems at Maths time. In this task they had to work together to figure out the 'designers' counter pattern. We are amazing at co-operating and compromising in Hub 2!!!

Hub 2’s inquiry theme this term is Tangaroa and the sea. As part of this some of the students have been learning about Colossal Squid this week.

We have had a fantastic start to the year in Garden to Table.

The garden was very overgrown after the holidays so we have spent time tidying it and harvesting all the wonderful produce. We also replaced some plants in a bed that was damaged by the recent bad weather.

This week we had lots of potatoes and greens from the garden so we made chips using air fryers and 'Veg and Three cheese Not Sausage Rolls' and coleslaw. It was definitely a very popular menu!

Our passionfruit has been amazing this year so last week we used this to make muffins. Recipe here.

GOODBYE & THANK YOU

Thank you to Ronnie who worked in the kitchen alongside Johanna. We really appreciate all you did for the GTT programme and the support you gave the children in the kitchen.

WELCOME

Welcome to John (Granddad to Isla, Hub 3). John is our new kitchen specialist and will be working with Johanna. John is passionate about cooking and we are delighted to have him join the Garden to Table team.

VOLUNTEERS - WE NEED YOU!

We have been struggling for volunteers the last few weeks. If you have any time to spare to come and help, we would love your help. Please sign up using Sign up Genius or email s.white@marist.school.nz

Sacramental Programme forms in TODAY. No late registrations will be accepted. Forms can be scanned and emailed to office@mtalbertcatholic.org.nz before the end of the day.

Information morning: Sunday 26th February, 9:00am in the church.

Classes Start: Sunday 5th March, 8:45am

This year we are continuing with Marist Meals - a pastoral care initiative. These meals are provided to families in the school & parish community when a little extra support is needed (e.g. a new baby, sickness, bereavement). With the impact of the recent floods and cyclone, it would be great if we could fill up the freezer so we can help lighten the load for families during these challenging times.

If you would like to contribute, we welcome any homemade, brought meals or baking for our freezer. Meals can be dropped off to the school office.

Containers available at the school office.

St Mary's Parish Foodbank is feeding nearly 2000 a month. PLEASE remember them when you are shopping - they are in desperate need of donations! Anything you can contribute will be very much appreciated.

There is a box on the front porch of the presbytery.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support!

BARADENE COLLEGE - OPEN DAY TOURS – Wednesday 1 March and Thursday 2 March 2023

BOOKINGS online REQUIRED (opening 9.00am Monday 20 Feb)

Tour times: 9.00am, 10.00am, 11.30am

Book at www.baradene.school.nz/enrol

Book your time by 3.00pm Monday 27 Feb

Enrolments for Year 7, 2024 and for limited places in other Year levels are being accepted now and will close at 3pm on Friday 17 March, 2023.

A Sacred Heart education provides a foundation of faith and aspiration to succeed at the highest level in personal and professional life. Places are available in Years 7 and 9 in 2024, with Boarding available from Year 9. Applications are prioritised in accordance with our Enrolment Scheme. Scholarships are available.
Join us for our Open Day on Wednesday, 8 March 2023. Two sessions are being held, 10am and 1pm in our Auditorium, followed by tours of the College. Parking will be available at Gates 3 & 4, West Tamaki Road, Glendowie.
Applications for enrolment close Friday 31 March 2023. Apply online here. Visit www.sacredheart.school.nz for more information.

Marist School is registered to compete in the Pt England Weetbix Tryathlon in 2023.

East Auckland 2022-2023 Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon
Pt England Reserve, Pt England
Sunday, 26 March 2023 (note change of date)

To register to compete as part of our school group use the link below!

https://www.registernow.com.au/secure/GroupAcceptance.aspx?E=48058&G=164822

The St Peter's After School Music Programme is now accepting new enrolments for 2023. .

To enrol for 2023, please fill in the form https://forms.gle/11jL1zL8sL7wcsNs8 alternatively, please email stpetersprimarymusic@gmail.com

Follow these links to read the latest Marist College and St Peter's College newsletters:

Email: admin@marist.school.nz
Website: https://www.marist.school.nz/
Location: 14 Kitenui Avenue, Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand
Phone: 09 846 7408