St Mary's School Term 1 Week 2
TE KURA O HATO MERE
Newsletter 11 February 2021
PRINCIPAL'S VIEW
Tena koutou, kumusta, talofa lava
We have been back nearly two weeks which is unbelievable. It has been a real pleasure to welcome new families to our school community, with new students starting at many different year levels. We have been fortunate to have been funded by the Ministry of Education for 2021 for an additional teacher in our school. Therefore I am very pleased to welcome to our staff Miss Zara Duns, who will be working in the Arataki Team. Zara was a student teacher at our school in 2019 and graduated at the end of last year from the University of Canterbury. She has also assisted as a volunteer on two of our senior camps. Having four teachers within the Arataki Team will benefit our students’ learning and adds another highly skilled educator to this team. Zara is very excited to become part of our school community and I know you will all make her feel very welcome.
A new initiative this year will see every class attend the 9.15am Mass three times each term. Please see our schedule of events for when each teaching team will be attending Mass and we warmly invite as many parents and caregivers to join us as are able. We have a very busy term planned with many exciting learning opportunities for our students.
I look forward to seeing many of you next week at our annual takeaway night on Monday.
Mā te Atua koe e manaaki, e tiaki
May God bless you and protect you
David O’Neill
Principal
Waitangi Day / Culture Day Celebrations
On Friday 5 February all students dressed up in clothing from either their own culture or that of another culture. We began the day with a prayer service in Maori and talked about the Treaty of Waitangi and its significance to our country. We also took the opportunity to celebrate the many diverse cultures within our school.
WELCOME TO ST MARY'S
We would like to welcome the following students to St Mary’s School:
Olivia R1
Cian R1
Jackson R1
Ellis R2
Tristan R3
Sumi R3
Trisha R4
Han R4
Venus R4
WELCOME TO MISS ZARA DUNS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS
10/02 Wednesday, HAN Rm4
13/02 Saturday, SANTIAGO Rm4
14/02 Sunday, EDITH Rm3
16/02 Tuesday, ZEYA Rm2
19/02 Friday, RACHEL Rm5
22/02 Monday, RON Rm2
School / Parish Mass - Sunday 21 February - 9.30am
Our school/parish Mass is Sunday 21 February at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral. All students need to be at the church by 9.15am. Special Choir students are to wear school uniform and meet in the choir loft. All other students do not need to wear school uniform and will be seated together at the front of the church.
Takeaway Night Monday 15 February 5pm-7pm
Library Van Friday 19 February
Piano/Keyboard Tuition
Technology
Hats
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra Residential Week
For the week 22 February - 26 February the CSO will be visiting our school for a residency programme. Each class receives a 20 minute session 3-4 times over the course of the week.
The Residency program is based on the New Zealand arts curriculum and encompasses all four learning strands. Each class works on a unique project with CSO tutors, which is tailored to suit the year level and extend all abilities. Skills developed in the program include: learning to read basic music notation, singing and ensemble playing, expressing ideas through music and words, learning to present and perform in front of an audience, creating their own instruments and learning about instruments of the orchestra.
Pre Enrolment of Siblings
Closing of School Gate
Carpark Safety
Student Absence
Faith Fact
Pope Francis, 150 years after Blessed Pius IX proclaimed St Joseph as Patron of the Catholic Church (8 December 1870), shares his personal reflections in this extraordinary figure. He said that his desire to do so increased during the pandemic when we experienced, amid the crisis, how, “our lives are woven together
and sustained by ordinary people, people often overlooked....Doctors, nurses, storekeepers and supermarket workers, cleaning personnel, caregivers, transport workers, men and women working to provide essential services and public safety, volunteers, priests, men and women religious, and so very many others. They understood that no one is saved alone…fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis by adjusting their routines, looking ahead and encouraging the practice of prayer.”
Prayer one of these prayers together as a family.
Parish Alive Conference Saturday 27th February - Everyone Welcome
Attendance Dues
Attendance dues are compulsory for all students who attend catholic schools in NZ. For 2021 attendance dues have been set at $412 per year or $103 per term. For budgeting purposes families are welcome to pay weekly or monthly.
First Holy Communion Programme for 2021 Begins in Early March.
Parents and Caregivers with children in Year 4 and above who would like their children to make their First Holy Communion this year, please fill in this First Communion Registration. before Friday 26th February to express interest. This programme is for children from both our Parish schools plus those in our Parish who do not attend our Parish schools.
The programme will start in the week beginning March 1st. First Holy Communion Day will be Sunday June 13th. Louise will be in touch with you regarding what the programme involves. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Louise MacKay using louise.mackay@stfrancischch.school.nzChildren's Liturgy at Sunday Mass - The Cathedral Parish
Upcoming Events
- TAKEAWAY NIGHT - Monday 15 February 5pm - 7pm
- ASH WEDNESDAY - Wednesday 17 February
KOTAHITANGA TEAM MASS - Thursday 18 February 9.15am
- LIBRARY VAN - Friday 19 February
- PARISH AND SCHOOL MASS - SUNDAY 21 February 9.30am
- CSO RESIDENCY WEEK - Monday 22 - Friday 26 February
- ARATAKI TEAM MASS - Thursday 25 February 9.15am
MARCH
- KOTAHITANGA TEAM MASS - Thursday 4 March 9.15am
- SWIMMING - Monday 8 March - Friday 19 March
- ARATAKI TEAM MASS - Thursday 18 March 9.15am
- BENEDICTION - Tuesday 23 March 2.30pm
- LIBRARY VAN - Wednesday 24 March
APRIL
- KOTAHITANGA TEAM MASS - Thursday 1 April 9.15am
- GOOD FRIDAY - NO SCHOOL - Friday 2 April
- EASTER MONDAY - NO SCHOOL - Monday 5 April
- EASTER TUESDAY - NO SCHOOL - Tuesday 6 April
- SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY - Tuesday 13 April
- LIBRARY VAN - Wednesday 14 April
- ARATAKI TEAM MASS - Thursday 15 April 9.15am
- LAST DAY OF TERM 1 - Friday 16 April
MAY
- FIRST DAY OF TERM 2 - Monday 3 May