Dear Parents/Whanau

We are into September and it’s Spring. It feels like that now and we have had some lovely warm days. I hope that all the Dads have a happy Father’s Day on Sunday. Thanks to our PTA who are selling presents to our children to give to their fathers. I know it is a life-saver for mothers who don’t have to go out and buy expensive gifts. PTA are selling gifts tomorrow and Friday at lunchtime for $3.00.

Children have been working with Mr G to get our vegetable gardens up and running again. Classes have their own plot and they have been preparing them ready for planting. I’ll put some photos up on facebook soon to show you how good they look.

Some good news from our School Production Team: Bernie Hall, Lorette Tiedt and Jane Trask....

Yes! We are doing a production in 2020! Our production team have chosen Peter Pan for 2020! This play appeals to all ages and especially to boys, and gives loads of scope for developing dances and costumes tailored for the year levels. Yes, we realise a 'Covid Calamity' may impede a production, and halt performing to an audience, but the learning over the term related to performing and linked to the story's values are worthwhile learning experiences. We will be able to film, and live stream if necessary. We will be calling for help with sets and costumes soon.

Just a reminder - our drinking fountains are sealed off during Covid, so now the days are getting warmer please ensure your child brings their own water bottle to school.

Kind regards,
David Macmillan, Principal

CHESS TOURNAMENT UPDATE:
In recent weeks our children have had a great opportunity playing in chess tournaments against other students in the region. Great results for the first year of competing in Regional Chess Tournaments, and for some of them, this year is the first time they have played chess. Thanks to Ray for all his tutoring and his organisation in getting our children to these tournaments.Thanks also to parents who have been assisting with supervision and transport:

Taupo: 17 children competing. Teams came 2nd and 3rd.

Rotorua: 37 children competing from Years 3 - 6. There were 90 competitors overall, and this is considered the toughest chess tournament in NZ.

Tauranga: 20 children competed.Teams came 2nd and 3rd.

As a team, St Mary's has qualified to play in the Nationals against other top school teams from around NZ. Also, 7 of our players have qualified as individuals to play in the NZ National Championships.

SCHOOL LUNCHES :

PITA PIT : Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
orders online via www.luncheonline.co.nz

FRIDAYS: Sausage Sizzle and Juicies available. $1.50 each item. Order from your classroom teacher.

Online Uniform Sales: Uniforms are available online via our website using paypal.

CELL PHONES & GLASSES : If anyone has pre-loved phones and spectacles they no longer use, please drop them into school. Starship will re-cycle them. Thank You.

PARENT INFORMATION EVENING : Target group - parents who will have a student in Year 3, 2021 - and any other interested parents:

When: Wednesday 9 September ( providing we are at Alert level 1)

Time: 7.15 - 8.00pm

Where: Room 14

Who: The target group for this meeting is parents who will have a student in Year 3 in 2021.

Parents with students at other levels at our school are also very welcome to attend this meeting if they wish.

Purpose of meeting: To help parents gain a better understanding of how and why we use both G Suite for Education (formerly called Google Apps for Education) and Chromebooks, to assist our Year 3 - 6 students with their Learning.

FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES:

Kia tau te rangimārie kia koutou – Peace be with you.

This week classes are beginning learning about the Church. This strand covers different aspects of Church at the different year levels. Including, the ideas of belonging, learning what the Church’s mission is, how we are called to participate as a Church, and how the Eucharist is central to our worship of God.

For adults - the definition of the Catholic Church and Catholics:
How would you describe the Catholic Church?
‘A visible society of baptised Christians professing the same faith under the authority of the invisible head (Christ) and the authority of the visible head (the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him).’

What is the difference between Christians and Catholics?
“Catholics also follow the teachings of Jesus Christ but do so through the church, whom they consider as the path to Jesus. They believe in the special authority of the Pope which other Christians may not believe in, whereas Christians are free to accept or reject individual teachings and interpretations of the bible.’

From Father Eamon: In Alert Level 2 we are back to booking in for Mass. Here is the link. We also have the ministry of Health QR Code in both churches for those who have the government app installed on their phone.Please make sure those who do not get this email or FB know about this weekend’s Mass schedule.
https://www.cognitoforms.com/AlexBailey1/_1516AugustStMarysStMichaels

Nga manaakitanga

BERNIE HALL
Director of Religious Studies.

SPORTS NEWS

Sports notices:
These will be made via the School Newsletter and School APP please make sure you are receiving and reading these. If you have registered your child for sports/events, please check your emails regularly. We can no longer accept late registrations/entries for sports.

Online Banking Payments:
Just a reminder that it is important to put your child's first name as code & the reference thats been requested eg. football, touch, chess. Without this information, it can be difficult to locate your payment. As some registrations/entries aren't confirmed until payment is received, your child may miss out if we cannot locate the payment in time.

Sports Information:
Information for our school sports can be found on our School Website under 'Our Sports' here. Here you will find information on each sport, weekly draw, registration forms and field map layouts (where applicable).

Whaea Leanne - School Sports Coordinator
sports@stmarysrotorua.school.nz
027 285 7579 or via School Office 07 348 1701

WINTER SPORTS UPDATE:
NETBALL:
Netball will resume once we are in Alert Level 1.

FOOTBALL:
Saturday 5th September: Last games for the season.
Sunday 20th September: Junior Football Festival for our 8th, 9th and 10th Grade teams.
The cost is $10 per player - This needs to be paid by 3.15pm Friday 28th August.
Payment can be made at the School Office or via Online Banking* ANZ 06 0209 0229658 00 please ensure you use your child’s name as ref and Football as the code.
*Unless you have made arrangements to pay directly to your coach.

HOCKEY:
Saturday 12th September: St Mary’s are on Duty Club, parent/caregiver help will be required to help with the opening up of the turf and assisting with the BBQ. Your coaches will be in touch with you about this.
Saturday 19th September: Last day for Funsticks
Saturday 26th September: Last day for Mini & Maxi Grades - Prize Giving at the end of the last games.

MINIBALL:
Monday 21st September: Last games for the season for Y0-2.
Friday 18th September: Last games for the season for Yr3&4 and Y5&6.

We are still playing under Alert Level 2 guidelines. Please remember to follow the guidelines set out by each Sports Code.

SUMMER SPORTS TERM 4
Registrations are now open for Term 4 Sports. This will be an online google form for each sport,
Touch Registration here
Cricket Registration here
The forms can also be found on our School Website under Our Sports - Registration Forms here
Registrations close 3.15pm Wednesday 16th August. We can no longer accept late registrations, so please ensure you complete these in time.
This will be a new process for many, so please contact me directly if you require any help or have any questions.

FLIPPABALL:
There will be NO Flippaball for Term 4 due to the Aquatic Centre 50m pool undergoing maintenance.

TOUCH RUGBY:
This year grading will take place on Saturday 17th October. It is important our teams are participating in this, so please keep this in mind when registering your child.
Grading Day: The proposed start: Years 1-4 at 10.00am, Years 5-8 at 12.00pm.
The Junior Touch competition will then start:
When: Tuesday 20 October (Years 5&6) Wednesday 21 October (Years 1-4)
Where: Westbrook Fields, Devon St, Rotorua.
Cost: $25 per player
The Junior Touch competition will run for 8 weeks ending Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th December.
Managers & Coaches Meeting
The Managers & Coaches evening will be held at Rotorua International Stadium, Devon Street on Monday 12 October, 6.00pm. There will also be a referee session, this is a great opportunity to learn the game and be able to step in as a referee if need be.
Uniform: School issued Singlet & PE Shorts. Please make sure you have a sports bond in place and have returned ALL school issued uniform, no uniform will be given without a bond & with outstanding uniform.
No bare feet or metal sprigs. Players are to wear closed shoes eg sports shoes.

CRICKET:
Superstar Academy* (Y2-4 mixed), Incrediball (Y4-6 mixed), Incrediball (Y3-6 girls)
*There is no cricket for Y0-1 this term.
When: Thursdays from 3.30-5.00pm approx. Starting 29th October until 10th December.
Where: Smallbone Park, Devon Street, Rotorua.
Hardball Cricket* (Y5&6 or experienced Y4 - mixed)
When: Saturdays from 8.30am onwards - Starting 31st October until 12th December.
Where: Games are played on grounds in either Rotorua or Tokoroa.
Cost: $30 per player.
All equipment is provided by Rotorua Cricket.
*If we only have enough players for one hardball team then this team will be a selected team
*Please note if a player plays both Incrediball and Hardball then only one fee will be charged.
UNIFORM for all year levels is the School PE top & shorts. Hardball can choose to wear cricket whites (pants only). Our School Uniform shop is open Monday & Friday 8.30-9.00am and Wednesday 2.30-3.00pm or you can order online via our School Website here

GIRLS CRICKET - HAVE A GO SESSIONS:
We will be running an Incrediball ‘have a go’ session for our year 3 - 6 girls.
This will be run over 2 days. The aim is to encourage enough girls to enter 1-2 teams for Thursday after school cricket.
Who: Open to all girls from Y3 - 6.
When: Friday 11th & Monday 14th September - Lunchtime.
Where: School Field (Cricket Nets)
Thanks to Shane Neilson who has kindly volunteered to run these sessions.

Whaea Leanne - School Sports Coordinator
sports@stmarysrotorua.school.nz
027 285 7579 or via School Office 07 348 1701

Holiday Art Academy: 28 September to 9th October

In the September/October holidays we are running two awesome 5-day programmes. Young artists (8-12 yrs) will learn new skills, make new friends, try new materials, and create cool art to take home and share with their whānau.

Our program is taught by local artist and educator Maui Riley, and provide a stimulating environment for nurturing young creatives. Each week runs Monday to Friday, from 9am - 3pm each day.

12:1 Supervision Ratio
Cost: $150 per week
All materials are supplied but BYO kai & drink bottle.

Programme link here
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9ukUjuybrYc2vgnOmpQhZfGIrLygnpVp6cZRt1VGX0Pp4XQ/viewform

PTA CARING COMMITTEE:
Our school has a hospitality group to provide support to school families e.g. meals, school lunches, baking. This is a service we can provide at times of sickness or loss of a family member. WE NEED YOUR HELP! The more volunteers the more the responsibility can be shared. Any help appreciated. Please phone the school office if you have any questions or complete details below.

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Meals ................. School lunch ................... Baking ......................

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