Newsletter - Week 1 Term 4

Kia Ora,

Welcome back to Term 4. I hope you all enjoyed your break. It seems unbelievable, for me anyway, that it is the final term for the year and what a very busy term it will be too.

Welcome to our new students and their families. We hope your time with us is happy and that you enjoy all the opportunities for learning that you encounter during your years at St Mary’s.

Our roll is very full at the moment so if you have pre-schoolers that you intend to enrol at St Mary’s for next year, please pick up an enrolment form from the office. Spaces are limited.

We have a group of students who, for one day a week, belong to our M.A.D (Making A Difference) School based here at St Mary’s. Their project was entering the Nationwide Samsung Good for Change Project. Entries were from students from Secondary and Primary Schools across New Zealand. All the students in our M.A.D School entered and Brooklyn Johns from Room 4 was awarded Highly Commended. This is a HUGE achievement. The presentation was at MOTAT in Auckland and there were lots of MPs and Samsung Executives there, including the CEO of Korea who had flown in that day. Brooklyn and another pair of younger boys were awarded highly commended - and each won a top-of-the-range Samsung iPad.

Brooklyn's project was designing a product that helped little children from dropping or losing their teddy/toy that they sleep with at night. They loved the simplicity, practicality and far-reaching potential of his design.Well done Brooklyn and a big thanks to Abby Sorenson, teacher/mentor for these children.

THE COLOUR RUN is happening this Friday. This should be a lot of fun.

It is the final week to get sponsors. Please continue getting sponsors. If you haven’t made a profile yet, there is still time. We can keep going right to Friday and then the fun will begin. https://schoolfundraising.co.nz/ After the event the children will be able to order their prizes online. Orders need to be done by 31 October.

The organisation of the Day

The students have done an AMAZING job fundraising and it is now in the final week for getting sponsors. The colour run will take place this Friday afternoon the 21st of October starting at 1.30 pm.

Students must wear old clothes for the run…they will be covered in coloured chalk by the end of it! (Rest assured it does wash out). Please send a change of clothes and a towel as there will be a water activity. They cannot use their sports uniform or their school uniform when taking part.

We invite you all to come along and watch the fun unfold! The PTA helpers will be about but we will need more hands to help with safety - please volunteer if you can. If you would like to be a parent helper on the day please let Brigitte Holmes know.

brigitteh@stmarysrotorua.school.nz or text 0272121206.

GRANDPARENTS/GRANDFRIENDS MASS; Friday, October 28th at 9.30 am

Join us for Mass with Catholic songwriter and singer, Andrew Chinn leading our singing. We would love to see as many Grandparents/Grandfriends as possible there with us. There will be a cup of tea in the school hall, and a shared morning tea in the classrooms.

We have a Teachers’ Only Day on Monday 7th November. There will be no school for children on this day. If you require child care you can ring Maryanne Roling from Glenholme Afterschool Care. Mary Anne’s contact number is 347 0709 or 0211 215599.

WORKING BEE. We intend having a working bee on the second Saturday after the holidays, October 29th. There are a number of jobs that need to be done. I really appreciate the support we get from you, so thank you in anticipation. Children are welcome and we will have a BBQ lunch.

ATHLETICS FOR YEARS 4 TO 6.

Interhouse Athletics Day 2022

Our annual Athletics Day will take place on Tuesday, October 25th. Please click on the form below if you can help us with organisation of this event. We need this information urgently please.

Athletics Day Form

SWIMMING

The pool is in perfect condition for swimming. Thanks to our caretaker Richard for preparing the pool. The water temperature is around 30 degrees, so it is warm. The pool is a great facility and we expect that children will have their swimming togs with them when their class is timetabled for swimming.

Thank you all for sending your children in summer uniforms this week. If you need more uniform you can purchase it from our shop or through our school website. You can order and pay online and pick up your order from the school office. Children must wear a blue school sunhat at school. This is compulsory, so those children who do not wear a school sunhat will need to sit in the shade by their classroom.

I am looking forward to an awesome Term 4!!!

Have a good week.

Ngā mihi

David Macmillan

Principal.

It has been a wonderful start to our term, with all children returning to school with beautiful smiles. This term we have many opportunities for children to grow their Catholic faith.

The month of October is the Month of the Rosary. Children are learning how to pray the Rosary in class and will participate in whole school Rosary prayers on a Thursday. This week the Totara children will be leading the Rosary on Thursday at 12:15 in the school hall. All whanau are welcome to join us.

Next Thursday at our Rosary liturgy (12:15 in the hall), all new children who have started at St Mary’s over the past year and a bit, will be receiving their very own set of Rosary beads. Due to Covid we have not been able to do this as the children start at our school. Families are welcome to join us as we present each child with their beads.

Next Friday is our Grandparents and Grandfriends school Mass. Please extend an invitation to those special grandparents/grandfriends in your child’s life. Mass will start at 9am and be followed by a cup of tea in the school hall. Grandparents will have the opportunity to visit their grandchild’s classroom on the day.

We are blessed to have Andrew Chinn spending time with us next Friday. Andrew Chinn is an Australian religious songwriter and singer. Andrew’s songs, such as “These Hands”, “Rainbow”, “An African Blessing” and “Rise Up!” are used in our classrooms and liturgies as well in classrooms across Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. You can access Andrew’s songs on both Spotify and Apple Music.

Andrew will be providing the music for our school Mass next Friday along with Mrs Tiedt and the choir. He will also be working with children in different year groups and then the whole school in the afternoon. Please feel free to join us in these workshops.

Last call: If you have a child who is under 7 who would like to be baptised please contact either Sara (saram@stmarysrotorua.school.nz) or Lorna (lornad@stmarystrotorua.school.nz). We will be running Baptism classes over 4 Sundays. Once we have confirmed numbers we will set dates for these classes and be in touch with families. Remember to attend parish Masses as your child prepares for the sacrament of Baptism.

God bless,

Sara Mines and Lorna Dobson

TWO DAYS TO GO: Keep collecting sponsors! If you haven’t made a profile yet, there is still time. We can keep going right to Friday and then the fun will begin. https://schoolfundraising.co.nz/ If you someone has given you cash, please bring it to the office by Friday morning. After the event the children will be able to order their prize online. Orders need to be done by 31 October.

Colouring Competition: Needs to be in by Friday. Bring to the office, Room 3 or to your classroom teacher. Don’t forget to put your name, room number and year group on the back.

Organisation of the Day : Friday afternoon 21 October, commencing at 1.30pm

Students must wear old clothes for the run…they will be covered in coloured chalk by the end of it! (Rest assured it does wash out). Please send a change of clothes and towel as there will be a water activity. They cannot use their sports uniform or their school uniform when taking part.

We invite you all to come along and watch the fun unfold!

If you would like to be a parent helper on the day please let Brigitte Holmes know.

brigitteh@stmarysrotorua.school.nz or text 0272121206.

The PTA helpers will be about but we will need more hands to help with safety. Please volunteer if you can.

Book orders due back Thursday 3 November 12 noon – no late orders please. Please ensure that your child’s name and room number are on the order form otherwise there will be a delay in receiving the order. If the order is a gift, please highlight this, and the order will be left for collection in the office. This is the last book club offer before Christmas.

Thank you very much for your continued support for the school and the library through buying through the lucky book club.

Summer Sports Registrations

PLEASE PAY ANY OUTSTANDING REGISTRATION FEES ONLINE OR AT SCHOOL OFFICE.

PLEASE RETURN ANY SPORTS GEAR FROM LAST TERM e.g. sports bags, mini ball singlets

as soon as possible.

Attention Tennis Players

Any year 5 & 6 Children wanting to participate in the Primary Tennis Championship?

When: Friday 11th November 2022, Thursday 17th November is postponement date.

Cost for this event is $12

Venue: Rotorua Tennis Club Courts, Manuka Crescent

Entries close: This Friday the 21st of October.

We also need at least one parent to supervise on the day.