St Mary's School Term 4 Week 1 2022
Te Kura O Hato Mere
Pānui/Newsletter - Thursday 20 October 2022
PRINCIPAL'S VIEW
Kia ora koutou, kumusta, talofa lava
Twenty years ago this week I was appointed as the principal of St Mary’s School. Mrs Nicola Anthony had just begun her teaching career and Mrs Maria McDonald, our former Deputy Principal, was the new entrant teacher in Room 1. We had just 3 classes in the school with 52 students. Things were very different and the school’s future was not certain due to the roll decline it had experienced in the preceding years. Over time the school grew and we were able to add a fourth class in 2005 and then a fifth a few years later.
I have really enjoyed meeting so many students over the past 20 years at St Mary’s and now have the pleasure of enrolling the next generation of students whose parents I once taught.
St Mary’s School is a very special place and that is why I love working here. Our parent community is incredibly respectful and supportive and this along with the great people I work with makes it the best school to work in.
I would like to acknowledge two wonderful ladies that I have worked with who have passed away in the past few years, Mrs Joan Hill my former secretary and Mrs Bridget Awan our former new entrant teacher. These two ladies meant a lot to me and I feel privileged to have worked alongside them. Additionally, I have worked with many wonderful teachers and teacher aides over the years who have all added to the history of the school. I have also known some wonderful parents and grandparents over my time at St Mary's and these men and women have been a special part of the St Mary’s School family for me.
In conclusion I thank God for giving me this wonderful opportunity to work in the best school in Christchurch and with the best students and teachers! I look forward to a very exciting future as our school continues to adapt and grow.
Mā te Atua koe e manaaki, e tiaki
May God bless you and protect you
David O'Neill
Principal / Tumuaki
PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
PRINCIPAL'S AWARDS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS
18/10 Tuesday
DENISE Rm4
REMII Rm1
19/10 Wednesday
MILLY Rm1
22/10 Saturday
SOPHIA Rm4
24/10 Monday
CHRISTLEIGH Rm1
26/10 Wednesday
CAREN Rm1
27/10 Thursday
CIAN Rm2
30/10 Sunday
SUMI Rm5
TERRENCE Rm1
Labour Day Holiday- Monday 24 October- No School
Mr O'Neill Day
Keeping Ourselves Safe
Over the next few weeks we will be teaching the personal safety programme Keeping Ourselves Safe.
Keeping Ourselves Safe has been designed to give students the skills to cope in situations involving abuse. The programme was designed by teachers and the New Zealand Police. It is part of the current Health and Physical Education curriculum.
It has three overall aims:
● to develop and strengthen children’s skills to keep themselves safe with other people, both online and face to face
● to support and encourage abused children to get help from caring adults
● to make teachers and parents and caregivers more aware of the need to keep children safe from abuse by adults or other children.
Keeping Ourselves Safe will be taught by your child’s teacher, with support from the local Police School Community Officer Constable Meg Moynihan who will assist the teachers in the teaching of some lessons of this programme.
Resources for Parents/Caregivers
To download a ‘Safely Home’ booklet for parents/caregivers to keep your kids safe please visit:
http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/kos-safely-home_0.pdf
Should you have any questions regarding this programme please feel free to talk to your child’s
teacher or talk to Mr O’Neill.
Science Roadshow- Year 6-8
This week our year 6-8 students went to the Science Roadshow. The Science Roadshow offers school children an opportunity to explore various science and technology concepts by ‘touch and feel’. It provides a unique, informal learning opportunity that:
excites and enthuses visitors;
nurtures curiosity and discovery;
improves motivation and attitude;
adds to teacher knowledge;
supports numeracy and literacy;
encourages social interaction and co-operative learning;
provides memorable real life contextual elements and exemplars.
Cultural Festival at Cathedral College
Cultural Festival at Cathedral College
Cultural Festival at Cathedral College
Congratulations Yeshua
Sacrament of Confirmation
Teamwork, Participating and Contributing
Thankyou to Pub Charity for paying for our Year 7&8 camp
Thankyou Lion Foundation for our reading books
TEACHER ONLY DAY- Monday 14 November- No School
Teacher Only Day
Monday 14th November 2022
October- Month of The Rosary
Year 8 End of Year Dinner: Monday 12 December 5pm - 7pm
Final Mass and Prizegiving- Note: Date has changed
Term Dates For 2023
Term 1: Tuesday 31 Jan 2023 - Thurs 6 April
Term 2: Mon 24 April – Fri 30 June
Term 3: Mon 17 July – Fri 22 Sept
Term 4: Mon 9 October – Friday 15 December
Our Catholic Faith Fact
Upcoming Events
OCTOBER 2022
- LABOUR DAY HOLIDAY- Monday 24 October
- Kotahitanga Team Mass- Thursday 27 October- 9.15am (All welcome)
NOVEMBER 2022
- Arataki Team Mass- Thursday 3 November- 9.15am (All welcome)
- SHOW DAY HOLIDAY- Friday 11 November
- TEACHER ONLY DAY- Monday 14 November
- Kotahitanga Team Mass- Thursday 24 November- 9.15am (All welcome)
- Year 7 and 8 Camp Woodend- Wednesday 23 Nov-Fri 25 Nov
DECEMBER 2022
- Arataki Team Mass- Thursday 8 December- 9.15am (All welcome)
- Year 8 Dinner- Monday 12 December 5pm - 7pm
- Final Mass and Prizegiving- Tuesday 13 December 7pm
- Term 4 Ends- Friday 16 December
JANUARY 2023
- Term 1 Begins- Tuesday 31 January 9am
Teacher Professional Development
- UC Early Writing Success: Focus for Teaching and Assessment for Years 1-2
- Te Ahu o Te Reo
- Just in Time Maths PLD
- Teaching Sexuality in a Catholic School
- Improving Literacy through storytelling
School Polar Fleece
School Bank Account number is: 03 0855 0436803 00
ENROL YOUR PRE SCHOOLERS NOW
Closing of School Gate
Carpark Safety
Student Absence
Lunchonline - Subway or Sushi
Change of Policy – Attendance Dues Debt Recovery
Please be advised that at the May Cathedral Parish Finance Committee, the committee signed off on a new Attendance Dues Debt Recovery Policy. This enables the parish to engage an external debt recovery company (Under Control Collections). This will always be used as a last resort, when we have been unable to get a family to engage with us in relation to their outstanding Attendance Dues.
Any queries should be directed to Kirsten Tester – Attendance Dues Administrator - Ph (03) 595 1053 or ktester@cathedralparish.nz
School App
Please email the school office to obtain a secure link to download the app.