Dear Parents,

Next week is Holy Week, a very important time on the Catholic calendar. Our students are preparing for this with children focusing on the Stations of the Cross this week and next week Palm Sunday and the Washing of Feet Liturgy. Please note the Holy Week schedule for St Mary's and St Michael's Church Easter Services below. It is always wonderful to see parents supporting their children to attend these services.

After the holidays children are expected to be in their winter uniforms. Please note that boys can now wear long sleeve polo shirts instead of the skivvy. Our uniform hours are Monday and Friday from 8.30 to 9.00 am and on Wednesdays from 2.30 pm to 3.00 pm. You can purchase uniforms online by going to the school website. Once the online order has been put together you will be able to pick up your uniform from the School Office.

We received the news last week that last year’s Aquabots team competed at the Nationals and are now New Zealand winners. The Nationals should have been last year but due to Covid the competition stretched to this year. Congratulations to Maclyn Smart, Jo Gentle and Sean Keeling. Although these boys are now at JPC they were representing us and we are very proud of them.

Last year Bianca Tibble won a competition where she designed a mural that will embellish one of our recycling fleet trucks. As a part of the winning package, the chosen design has been printed onto a 2.4 x 1.2m mural panel, and this has been gifted to the school. A representative from the Rotorua Lakes Council is coming to St Mary’s to present this trophy. Thanks, Bianca, your design is awesome and thanks to Rotorua Lakes Council for the donated mural.

From the beginning of Term 2, the gates to the school will be open for children as was the case prior to Covid. As the weather changes, I don’t want children waiting outside the school in the elements. There won’t be staff at the gates before school but they will be at the gates after school. We will have student leaders making sure that children are sanitising before they enter the grounds. Hygiene protocols will remain where children are sanitising each time they enter learning spaces. Bell times will return to the normal times so school starts at 8.45am and finishes at 3.00pm.

Have a great week.

David Macmillan,

Principal.

This week we are taking part in the Stations of the Cross. When the Holy Land was too dangerous to visit, St Francis Assisi (1182-1226) created the Stations of the Cross. He put them up in Church so people could imagine they were in the actual place and still pray. Today most churches have the stations as icons or images on their walls. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from one to another. Each station depicts the events of the last day of Jesus leading up to his crucifixion.

Fr. Thomas has extended a special invitation to all our families and whanau to attend Mass this Sunday. As it is Palm Sunday also known as Passion Sunday, the readings recount how Jesus was greeted by crowds of people with palms when he entered Jerusalem. Fr Thomas would love to see lots of our children at Mass to join in with a procession afterwards.

Lorna Dobson and Sara Mines Co DRS

Enrolments for John Paul College 2023 are now open.

THIS IS AN ONLINE PROCESS and applications close on 27 May 2022.

All Year 6 students have been issued with a notice outlining the processes required.

If you did not receive this communication, or have any queries, please ring the School Office. If you are requiring a Preference Card please ring the Church Office 3480 289 ext 2.

Sports Registrations for Term 2 & 3

Registrations have now closed. However, we do require more players in the following sports teams:

Y1/2 Miniball

11/12th Grade Football (players born in 2010 or 2011)

Please make sure you have paid your child's Sports Fees by the end of this week, they will not be able to play unless fees are paid.

Payments can be made at the School Office or via Online Banking

ANZ 06 0209 0229658 00

If paying online, please use your child's name as code and the sport as reference

e.g. Smith Football.

All information such as fees, season start dates and is on our school website under Our Sports.

We are in the process of organising teams and will be in touch via email with these details.