Kia ora tātou.
It is Maori Language week this week...

Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori
The chosen theme for 2020 is again 'Kia Kaha te Reo Māori’.
‘Kia Kaha’ is well understood in New Zealand English with its meaning of ‘be strong’. We often talk about languages as if they are people – talking about language health, strength and revitalisation. So when we say ‘Kia Kaha te Reo Māori’ we’re saying - ‘Let’s make the Māori language strong'. Classes are doing some interesting learning around this theme.

Today, Totara team had the finals of their speech competition. Jade Moller was placed first, Chloe Jarmey was second and third was Grace Erskine-Shaw. Those highly commended were : Gabbi Guevarra, Neela Stephens and Jacinta Low. Congratulations children. I have been very impressed with all the children’s speeches. They all prepared speeches about Explorers. Well done to all of you.

Our gymnastic team competed well on Friday bringing home many individual medals and the school trophy for ‘best behaved’. Well done to our children. A big thank you to Kelley Kemp and Shanelle McCashin for their organisation and for looking after the team at the competition. Thanks also to Melinda Martin and Leonie Annett for their parent help.

As mentioned in a previous newsletter we are performing Peter Pan as our end of year musical production. All children will be involved but auditions for major parts are to take place all day on Monday 21st September. Please encourage your child to audition.

Jeremy Hill from Jeremy Hill Photography will be coming in on Tuesday 22nd September to take our winter sports team photos. There are about 20 teams which will be photographed. We haven’t taken sports photos for a long time. You will be able to order a photo. More details to follow.

Last week students took home class placements for 2021. These forms need to be returned to the blue box in the school foyer by the last day of term. If you have a preschooler aged 4 years, and you intend to enrol him/her at St Mary’s, please fill in an enrolment form which you can pick up from the office.

A reminder that we have a Teachers’ Only day this Friday 18th September. We will be involved in professional development focusing on science and digital technologies. If you need care for your child on this day please contact Mary-Ann Roling (021-1215599) to book a place.

Students are to start Term 4 in full summer uniform. Our Uniform Shop is open Mondays (8.30-9.00am), Wednesdays (2.30-3.00pm) & Fridays (8.30-9.00am) during term time. The girls’ summer dresses are currently only available from our school uniform shop.
Summer uniform is:
Boys - Grey drill shorts and a royal blue short sleeved polo shirt.
Girls - Blue check dress.
All students need a royal blue sunhat.
Feilding Red woollen school jersey
Black sandals for footwear (no socks to be worn with sandals).
We also sell school uniform via our school website. You can order and pay online and pick up your uniform from the school reception after you have been notified by email that the uniform is ready to pick up. Hopefully this will be easier for those parents who find it difficult to get to our uniform shop.

Next Friday, we were due to host eight schools from our Coastal Catholic Cluster, playing sport and competing in cultural activities at John Paul College. Unfortunately I have had to cancel this event due to the uncertainty of whether we will actually be moving to Level 1 or not next week. Visiting schools had buses booked and parents taking time off work so we had to make a decision now so those arrangements could be cancelled.

We intend to have a working bee on the third Saturday after the holidays, October 31st. There are a number of jobs that need to be done. I am always amazed at the support we get from parents, so thank you in anticipation. Children are welcome and we will have a BBQ lunch.

Ngā mihi
David Macmillan, Principal**

FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES:

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

➤16/09/2020 Today’s Gospel is Luke 7:31-32
Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.

Reading Scripture requires us to be reflective and dig a little deeper into it’s meaning, for ourselves, and for all those around us.

Saint Recognition. September honours Saint Teresa of Calcutta. In 1950 she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation with over 4,500 nuns. The congregation manages homes for people dying of AIDS, and TB. It also runs soup kitchens, mobile clinics, children’s counselling programmes, orphanages. She is the patronage of World Youth Day and Missionaries of Charity.

Nga manaakitanga

BERNIE HALL
Director of Religious Education

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

Calendar Art Fundraiser
Order forms are out now. Please return orders to the School Office.
Payment by cash or you can pay online to the St Marys PTA account 06 0230 0242515 00.
Use your child's name as reference and Room Number as a code.

If you would like to see your child's art work, or have any queries please email Kelleyk@stmarysrotorua.school.nz

Orders are due back by Tuesday 22nd Of September 2020. Unfortunately we are unable to take any late orders.

SCHOOL LUNCHES :

PITA PIT : Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
orders online via www.lunchonline.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.

PROMOTION FOR LUNCHONLINE : Refer a friend - who subsequently makes an order -
and you go into the draw to win $500 - check out their website

PARENT INFORMATION EVENING : ****RESCHEDULED

Year 2 Parent Information Evening - Rescheduled

When: Rescheduled for Wednesday 23 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.

Note: Please feel free to stay behind at the end of the meeting and ask our school staff any questions you may have.

SPORTS NEWS

EVENT UPDATE:
Cancelled:
Junior Football Tournament - Sunday 20th September 2020.
Still on:
Mini Marathon (Y0-4) - Friday 26th September.

SUMMER SPORTS TERM 4

REGISTRATIONS Close TODAY Wednesday 16th September.
We can no longer accept late registrations, so please ensure you complete these in time.
Forms are available here

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 28th September, 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.
Touch Registration here

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
Cricket Registration here

GIRLS CRICKET - HAVE A GO SESSIONS:
We had a number of girls who attended these sessions who have then signed up for the season, that fantastic!
Thanks to Shane Neilson who kindly volunteered to run these sessions.

JUNIOR TOUGH GUY & GAL CHALLENGE
Registrations are open again for this event. Registrations close 3.15pm Wednesday 16th September.
Event details and Registration Form can be found on our School Website here under 'Our Sports > Registration Forms'

SPORTS TEAM PHOTOS
Thanks to Jeremy Hill Photography, we will be doing Sports Photos this year.
Winter sports team photos will take place on Tuesday 22nd September from 9am in the School Hall. Photos will be $17 each. An email has been sent to sports parents letting you know what your child will need to bring and how to purchase photos. Please email Whaea Leanne should you have any questions.

HOCKEY DUTY CLUB DAY
Thank you to our team Coaches/Managers for organising and coordinating our Hockey Food Stall on Saturday. Thank you also to all our fabulous parents and helpers who provided baking and helped on the BBQ & Food Stall.
It was a great success, it couldn't have happened without you all.

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

ROTORUA TENNIS
Junior Tennis is starting in Term 4.
The Love Tennis Open Day to have a go and sign up is at Rotorua Tennis Club, Manuka Crescent on October 10-11 from 1-4pm each day. This is for everyone, from children to adults. Bring a friend, enjoy the activities and get a Hell Pizza voucher.
Junior Club night is Friday for fun games and matches. Primary from 3.30 to 4.15 and Intermediate and High School from 4.15 to 5.45. There is the opportunity to play interclub and tournaments on weekends.
Coaching groups with professional, Justin Megraw are various times Tuesday to Thursday.
Contact Debra physiodeb@hotmail.com or Jo for more information rotoruajuniortennis@gmail.com

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

HEADFIRST TRAVEL ..... options for school holiday trips :

Headfirst is a NZ wide tourist bus company with a depot in Rotorua. Like so many who are without tourists at the moment they have put together a cost based programme of trips aimed at the school holidays to try and give local children a chance to visit places during the school holidays at extremely good prices.

Any questions please direct to :

Neil Carr
Operations Manager

M:+64 27 4367253
Headfirst Travel
Bringing Alive Local Legends
www.headfirsttravel.com
www.tomydoor.kiwi

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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