Newsletter -Week 1 Term 1 2023
Newsletter 01 8 February 2023
Principal's Message
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to all our families and children. I hope you all had a great break with your families over the holiday time. It is great to see our children returning to school rested and ready to go for a new year of learning. Thanks to our fantastic staff who have been working hard over the holidays preparing for the return of our students. I am looking forward to an exciting year.
It was so good to have those two days last week for you and your child to meet this year’s teacher, update your records, download apps, meet oral health people, and register for this term’s sports teams. Thank you for supporting this.
A special welcome to our new staff members -
Ellie McLanachan teaches in Room 14, Harriet Fenwick teaches in Kakano 3, Amerents Hilbink, who is a Learning Support Coordinator, teaches in the Learning Support Hub, and a big welcome back to Tai Waititi. Tai is teaching in Room 12. I am sure you will make all our new teachers feel very welcome.
A special welcome to all our 32 new children and their families. It is great to have you join our large St Mary’s family and I hope you find your time with us rewarding.
We have our ‘start of the year’ Mass this FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY and we will be celebrating this in our Parish Church St Mary’s at 9.00am.
We have our swimming sports on Friday 24th February for our Years 4 to 6 children. Whanau support will be needed on the day, especially in the pool. Some of our children are reluctant swimmers and your help would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact our sports coordinator, Shanelle McCashin, by email if you are able to help: sports@stmarysrotorua.school.nz
A number of children read lots of books over the holidays and we will be having our lucky log draw soon. If you have been reading stories to your child, that counts too. Just write the story on the holiday log. Please continue to support your child/children reading at home.
Summer sports will be starting soon. If you want your child to play, please register THIS WEEK. Registration forms are on our school website. There are sports being run at our school for our children only, and they are gymnastics, roller skating, unicycling and golf. These sports will take place during school time.
Our Gala Day is definitely going ahead on Friday 10th March. Our PTA is in full organisation mode and is looking for businesses to sponsor prizes, sponsor activities, goods or a donation towards the Gala Day. Our Gala is a great community event and we would appreciate your support. A letter from the PTA on ways to help will be sent home shortly.
This Friday we are also having an inter-house Tug of War competition. Students can bring House colour clothes to change into for this event.
Have an awesome week.
David Macmillan, Principal.
CLASSES AND TEACHERS FOR 2023:
Deputy Principals: Sylvia Dunkley and Brigitte Holmes
Director of Religious Studies: Lorna Dobson
TOTARA
Jill Dinniss Room 1
Liz Macaskill Room 2 Team leader
Delwyn Bowen Room 3
Bevan James Room 4
Shelly Taylor Room 5
Tai Waititi Room 12
Ellie McLanachan Room 14
KAKANO
Sara Mines Team Leader, Reading Recovery Teacher and a Kahui Ako Across Schools Teacher
Karen Tabuteau Room 15
David Bach Room 16
Lorette Tiedt Room 17
Melissa Elvidge Kakano 7
Susie Bye Kakano 6
Michelle Ryan Kakano 5
Lorraine Thompson Kakano 4
Harriet Fenwick Kakano 3
Matt Liley Kakano 2
Lorna Dobson Kakano 1
Learning Support Coordinators; Lori Norton and Amerents Hilbink.
DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Welcome back to all our whanau. This has certainly turned out to be a busy week for us all.
Yesterday we had a Waitangi Liturgy and welcomed our new teachers and students. This coming Friday 10th February we celebrate our start of the year Mass in St Mary’s Church at 9 am. It would be so lovely to see some of our families joining us for this special occasion.
Friday is also the feast of St. Scholastica, she was the twin of St Benedict of Nursia (the founder of the Benedictine order.) St. Scholastica loved spending days in prayer with her brother. She understood that sometimes we need some quiet time away from our busy lives. See if you can find some quiet prayer time for yourself or your family. ‘May our schedules never be so hectic that we cannot find time for God’.
Take care and have a great week.
God bless.
Lorna Dobson DRS
Lucky Bookclub
Lucky book orders due back 17 February 12 noon, no late orders please. Payment is either cash, and filling in the order form at the back of the catalogue, or using the LOOP online order system using a credit card. If paying by cash please remember to fill out the order form with your child’s name and classroom number otherwise the order will be left in the office.
If the item is a gift then please mark it accordingly and you will be contacted to collect from the office.
In this first edition there is a free book giveaway which is for the LOOP online orders only
Many thanks for your generosity in the past in purchasing books, the school receives 15% of the total spent and allows extra books and supplies for the library and the school.
Girls Brigade
We are an international Christian movement for girls aged 5 - 18.
Girls' Brigade Rotorua meets on Thursday evening from 6pm-7:30pm for activities, games and devotions. Our usual meeting venue is 39 Old Taupo Road - Victory Church - opposite Bunnings.
Club nights, outings, camps, adventure sports and international events, all offer girls opportunities to enjoy challenges, grow friendships, learn new skills, and strengthen their faith: all while having fun!
Maori Nationals
Congratulations to students Freyja and Willow, who made it into Te Arawa U11 girls basketball team and played in the National Māori basketball tournament earlier this week.
Such an achievement - well done girls.
Special Mention
Liam Moller - yellow belt, orange tip and James Saville-Wood Yellow Belt.Well done boys.