St Teresa's School Newsletter
Friday 10th March 2023
Kia Ora Whānau,
We are halfway through a very busy Term 1 and there's so much to celebrate!
The sun came out for our Cluster Swimming Sports and St Teresa's Swimming Celebration. Congratulations to those students who qualified and competed in the South Wairarapa event today. Thanks to Mrs Matthews for organising these great opportunities for our students.
This week we were joined by Scientist Taylor Thomson who spent time with all our students, here at school and at Donald's Creek. Thank you Mrs Lark for bringing science to life for our students. Look out below for a special update on the Donald's Creek project.
Some upcoming highlights include our Year 7 and 8 Camp, Pedal Ready and Movin' March celebration. The big event on the horizon is the Harvest Festival. Our amazing FOSTA team have been working hard to make it a day to remember and they need your help! Take a look at how you can help out below. Big thanks to FOSTA for working tirelessly to fundraise for our tamariki.
Thank you all for supporting our teachers to attend the NZEI union meetings last week. You may have heard in the media that Teachers and Principals from across the education sector have voted to strike on Thursday 16th March. Our school will be closed on this day. Please scroll down for more information.
To make an appointment to see your child's teacher at the goal setting event later this term please download the Hero app. More information and instructions for booking are below.
Finally, I am pleased to share that we are launching a holiday programme, The Holiday Hub Club! See more details and register your interest for the April break below.
Ngā mihi nui,
Lindsey Dailly, Principal
Diary Week 7 & 8
We are halfway through Term 1 and there is still so much to come! I have updated our community calendar below and will send a paper copy home.
Sunday 12th March
Working Bee 10pm - 12pm
Wednesday 15th March
Senior Camp
Thursday 16th March
STRIKE ACTION SCHOOL CLOSED
Senior Camp
Friday 17th March
School Assembly Tauwharenikau
Senior Camp
Saturday 18th March
Working Bee
Monday 20th March
Pedal Ready
Tuesday 21st March
Pedal Ready
Takitimu Mass
Wednesday 22nd March
Senior Tech
Thursday 23rd March
Master Classes at Kuranui
Pedal Ready
Movin' March Celebration - Funky Feet & Wheels!
Friday 24th March
South Wairarapa Swimming Sport
Sunday 26th March
Harvest Festival
Introducing... The Holiday Hub Club!
If we have enough interested families, we will be able to launch The Holiday Hub Club this coming Autumn break. Our fabulous Teacher Aide team are all on board and we are busy creating a timetable of fun activities for the kids. It will potentially run from Wednesday 12th - Friday 24th April from 8 am - 4 pm. The cost will be $5 per hour casual rate or $35 for a full day.
We understand there are currently limited options for childcare in the local area and wanted to open up this opportunity to our school families first. If you are interested in some safe and affordable childcare please complete this short 2-minute survey https://forms.gle/tZz2sfb68Tf2KpMB7
STRIKE ACTION THURSDAY 16TH MARCH
Our tamariki need a quality education. And we want to give that to them. Unfortunately, the funding for our schools is not enough for us to give us the time we would like to support all our kids to thrive. We need to attract and retain teachers and principals by ensuring that education is a valued and attractive profession.
Principals and teachers in primary and area schools have considered at length offers from the government to settle our respective collective agreements. The offers did not meet our expectations, nor make sufficient steps towards the changes we need for our children to succeed.
You may have seen that we voted to take industrial action on 16 March. It’s the last thing we wanted to do. And the decision was not taken lightly. We felt that this was the only way the government would listen and recognise that when they support our children to learn and succeed, we are supporting whānau and communities to thrive.
Liz and Lindsey will be seeking exemptions from the strike action so we are able to support our senior students at camp. For all other students, our school will be closed to students on THURSDAY 16th MARCH.
We look forward to another great year in 2023 – and together with your support, building the case for better investment in our tamariki.
Koia kei a koe! You're awesome!
Please reach out if we can shine a light on your tamariki's out-of-school achievements. Email Lindsey at principal@teresas.school.nz with sports wins, musical performances, dance exams, swimming medals etc. Let's tell the world how amazing St Teresa's students are!
Here are this week's superstars...
Ka mau te wehi Ezra!
Ezra has been nominated to attend the Wellington Rugby Football Union, 2023 Gareth Head Junior Rugby Leadership Clinics.
These clinics are run by Ken Laban and his team of assistants, including some of the Wellington regions, top rugby coaches and where possible coaching input from the Hurricanes.
We love to see our tamariki being leaders in the community!
Sensational Swimmers!
Swimming Sports by Honey-Rose
Looking at the other girls made me wonder. "Will I beat them?" I muttered. I walked to the seats. I was up...I walked with some girls I didn't know. I stopped.
"On your marks...get set...GO!" My hands were splashing in the water, I was so fast. While my head was under the water, my hand hit the wall.
4th place ain't that bad. The lady said "Oh you did so well" I smiled. "Next year I'm coming first" I grinned.
Our Values in Action
Saturday, 25th February 2023, marked the 80th year since the fatal 'Featherston Incident' occurred, at the Featherston P.O.W. Camp. 48 Japanese prisoners and one guard, died that fateful day.
This awesome group of St Teresa's students attended the commemorative wreath laying ceremony, to honour the fallen. Ka Pai Soča, James, Malcom, Valentina and Honey-Rose.
Star Students
Congratulations to the following students who were awarded star certificates this term. Tino pai!
Mila and Maisy
Wairarapa
Isaac and Chloe
Tauwharenikau
Amelia and Gypsy
Remutaka
Honey-Rose, Michael, Brandon and Mrs Matthews!
Takitimu
Monty, Max and Zaan
Movin' March
It has been wonderful seeing so many tamariki walking or wheeling to school! Lots of children have already received prizes for Movin’ March. There are still heaps of prizes left - so keep it up!
Mrs Matthews and the sports leaders have been coming up with some exciting plans for Movin’ March. On Thursday 23 March, we are going to have a Movin’ March celebration. The day will start with a “Funky Feet” competition. Come to school with decorated shoes and we will have a parade to show them off! At morning tea and lunchtime, the sports leaders will set up some fun activities for wheels - so bring along your bikes and scooters too. After morning tea the whole school will get together in house groups for some games and relays. Looking forward to an exciting day!
FOSTA
Countdown to Harvest Festival Sunday 26th March 2023
Our Harvest Festival is shaping up to be a fabulous day! As well as being a great event for the Featherston community, we also hope to raise funds towards our new junior playground.
We need your help on the day and have a few slots to fill on the task board. If you can spare some time, please sign up on the board in reception.
To make sure our school looks ship shape for the big day we will be holding a working bee on Sunday 12th March 10am - 12pm and Saturday 18th of March 10am - 4pm. There is a clipboard at the school office with a list of jobs. If you can't make the working bee but want to help, you can sign up for a job and come at another time that suits you.
We are also looking for donations for some of our stalls. We need non-perishable food items and wrapped bottles for the mystery bottle game. You can drop off donations at the school office.
Finally... please tell all your friends and family about the Harvest Festival and come along on the day! It will be such a fun day. If the forecast is rainy, we will relocate to the Anzac Hall.
Thanks for your support
FOSTA Team
Hero
Have you downloaded the Hero app?
Our teaching team have been busy preparing your child's Hero profile and we are nearly ready to share student learning goals with you! At our goal setting evening, these will go live and you will be even more connected with your child's learning journey.
Our goal setting event is on Monday 3rd April 2023 2.30 pm - 7.30 pm. To book a slot with your child/ren's teacher please download the Hero app and follow the instructions below;
TO MAKE A BOOKING
1. Log into the Hero app
2. Navigate to the School Bookings event and click ADD
This will display a table of all available slots for all your children
3. To add a booking, click a GREEN slot. The booking popup will be displayed. To allow time to travel between meetings you will be unable to book consecutive slots.
4. You will have the option of entering a note for the relevant staff member. Clicking CONFIRM will secure the interview slot.
5. Once a booking is made all other slots will become unavailable to prevent duplicate bookings.
6. To cancel or change a booking click MANAGE BOOKINGS.
If you need support downloading the Hero App, please come and see Zoё at the office. She will be happy to share our wifi details and guide you through the process.
Waiorongomai
Waiorongomai student's have also been learning about writing recounts. Not only have they had to do their usual things such as; sounding out words and finishing sentences with full stops, but they’ve also had to try and write all the components of a recount - who, what, where, when, why and how. They wrote these in their books, adding to them over a number of days and then they published them for the wall. What amazing writers we have!
Scientists in Schools
Earlier this week, we welcomed visiting environmental scientist, Taylor Tompson.
On Tuesday, the Year 5-8 students took a trip to Donald’s Creek. There they learnt about testing a waterway for the 7 C’s - Cool, Clear, Conductivity, Clean (of rubbish), Critters, Connected, Current. They discovered that the stream is in OK health, but is a little warm and fast flowing for some of our native fish species to live in.
They then created more ideal stream dioramas on Wednesday morning, ensuring there are plenty of pools for fish to rest in, as well as lots of riffles to aerate the water.
On Wednesday afternoon, the year 1-4 students explored some of the critters that could be found in Donald’s Creek. They saw lots of different types of larvae, including dobsonflies, mayflies, and caddisflies. These critters were very fun to watch as they swam around, especially the free swimming caddisfly, which didn’t swim very well at all.
During this time, the students also made some eel puppets, and talked about how much eels would like to live in Donald’s Creek, because there is lots for them to eat. Mmm… yummy dobsonflies…
Non-uniform Day
Thank you! We raised $140 on our non-uniform day for Cyclone relief and FOSTA will also contribute $100. We will be able to provide support through the New Zealand Catholic Principals Association Welfare Fund, directly to schools to help them manage their self-identified needs.
School Policies and Procedures: School Docs
SchoolDocs is a website for our policies and procedures. We invite your to participate in the Term 1 reviews: Student Attendance, Enrolment and Uniform. Our St Teresa's Board is also reviewing Legislation and Administration Policy, Privacy and Official Information Requests.
To take part follow these steps;
- Visit the website https://teresas.schooldocs.co.nz/
- Enter the username (teresas) and password (ontrack).
- Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
- Read the policy.
- Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
- Select the reviewer type "Parent".
- Enter your name (optional).
- Submit your ratings and comments.
A Prayer for Lent
Lord, Teach me a new freedom.
Freedom to reject comparison
And to embrace uniqueness.
Freedom to cut ties with greed
And feast on love.
Freedom to abstain from over indulgence
And feast on self-control.
Freedom to leave behind selfish thoughts
And to focus on the needs of others.
Freedom to fend off insecurity
And to embrace grace.
Lord, at this time of Lent,
Thank you for the freedom you bring.
Amen
Breakfast Club
Here at St Teresa's, we provide a complimentary breakfast club. Students can gather in the Hub every day from 8 am for yummy toast and cereal.
Featherston Booktown
March is a big month for us as we are building up to the Featherston Booktown Karuakatea Festival 2023 Programme Launch which takes place on Tuesday 28th March at the Property Brokers Featherston Sports Hub, where we will introduce the programme.
And once again we are appealing to volunteers to help make the Festival run like the well-oiled locomotive (a Fell train perhaps?) it needs to be. Find the details below. If you would like to get involved, please email hannah@booktown.nz and register your interest.
Contact Us
Email: office@teresas.school.nz
Website: https://www.teresas.school.nz/
Location: St Teresa's School Bell Street, Featherston, New Zealand
Phone: 06 308 9064
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/St-Teresas-Featherston/100057033717170/