Kia ora, It was lovely to have everyone back for the start of term. The weather was typically spring weather with some chilly wet days but fine enough for children to get outdoors and also start their swimming programme in our school pool. Fingers crossed we will see the temperatures rising over the coming weeks. Welcome to our new students and their families. We hope your time with us is happy and that you enjoy all the opportunities for learning that you encounter during your years at St Mary’s. Our roll is very full at the moment so if you have pre-schoolers that you intend to enrol at St Mary’s for next year, please pick up an enrolment form from the office. Spaces are limited. Practices have started for our production ‘Peter Pan’ and I must say how impressed I am with the talent in our school. We are so lucky to also have talented teachers and parents who are helping with this production. Students auditioned last term for major parts, but all children in the school will be involved. Each class will be dancing and singing in different parts of the show. Very exciting! We intend to have a working bee on the third Saturday after the holidays, November 2nd. There are a number of jobs that need to be done. If you are willing to help, can you please let the office know. The projects include painting, cleaning gutters, stripping paint off aluminium doors, gardening and a general tidy up. I’ve been amazed at the support we receive for our working bees and I would really appreciate your support with this one too please. Come along and meet other parents, enjoy a morning tea and a delicious lunch. Children are welcome also. For catering purposes please let the office know if you can assist, even if it is just for an hour or two. I hope that our children were busy reading over the holiday break and have filled in their holiday reading logs. The weather over the holidays was ideal for reading. Logs need to be returned to school by tomorrow so they can be included in the lucky draw. Lots of great prizes are up for grabs in the lucky draw. The pool is open and in perfect condition for swimming. The water temperature is around 32 degrees, so it is warm. The pool is a great facility and we expect that children will have their swimming togs with them when their class is timetabled for swimming. Look at your child’s class educa post to see if your child’s class is swimming for the week. Please note that we have a Teacher Only Day on Friday November 13th. There will be no school for children on this day. We are also finishing a day earlier at the end of the year, so the last day is now Wednesday December 16th. This month is the month of the Rosary. On Thursdays we come together as a school for Rosary. Rosary is at 8.45am in the school hall if you would like to join us. Children from the Totara Team will lead us this week.. Thank you all for sending your children in summer uniform this week. If you need more uniform you can purchase it from our shop or through our school website. You can order and pay online and pick up your order from the school office. Children must wear a blue school sunhat at school. This is compulsory, so for those children who do not wear a school sunhat they will need to sit in the shade by their classroom. Summer Sport has started this week. We have a number of teams participating in the different summer codes. A big thanks to the parents and other whanau members who are coaching and managing our sports teams. Some important dates for this term:
Thursday 22 October : PTA raffle books due back - sold or unsold
Monday 26th October: Labour Day. Public Holiday.
Wednesday 28th October : Junior Tough Guy Challenge Yrs 3 - 6
Monday 2nd November: Totara and Kahikatea Teams Athletic Sports
Thursday 5th November: All Saints/All Souls Day Liturgy
Saturday 31st October: School Working Bee
Thursday 5th November: Incredible Years Parents’ meeting
Friday 13th November Teacher Only Day
Tuesday 17th November Interschool Athletics Meet
Thursday 19th November: JPC Orientation (afternoon)
Thursday 26th November: Yr 6 Retreat
Sunday 29th November Weetbix Tryathlon
Tuesday 8th November: School Production
Wednesday 9th November: School production
Monday 14th December: School Tryathlon
Friday 11th December: End of Year Mass 9.00am
Tuesday 15th December: School Prizegiving
Wednesday 16th December: Missioning and last day of term
Thursday 17th December: Teacher Only Day We have had a great start to the term. Enjoy your week. Regards
David Macmillan, Principal. Please note that the term dates for 2021 are on our website. Could all PTA raffle books - sold or unsold - be returned to the school office by 22 October. Thanks for your co-operation. . FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES: Kia tau te rangimārie kia koutou – Peace be with you. ➤14/10/2020 The Gospel, Luke 11:42-46
Our school is praying the rosary each Thursday in October.
The word rosary comes from Latin and means a garland of roses, the rose being one of the flowers used to symbolize the Virgin Mary. If you were to ask what object is most emblematic of Catholics, people would probably say, “The rosary, of course.” This Thursday senior school will lead the Joyful mysteries. It is the meditation on the mysteries that gives the rosary its staying power.
The Joyful Mysteries are these: the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the Visitation (Luke 1:40-56), the Nativity (Luke 2:6-20), the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:21-39), and the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-51).
Nga manaakitanga BERNIE HALL
Director of Religious Education Would you like your children to become a Catholic? St Mary’s Catholic Church invites interested families to explore the possibility of their children becoming a Catholic. We run a programme for children who are at least 9 years old, are not baptised and are genuine about becoming full members of the Church. Interested families are to email their details to the Parish Secretary or call 07 348 0289 ext. 2. Families will need to meet with Fr. Eamon for an interview by the 6th November 2020.
catholicrotorua@xtra.co.nz CONFIRMATION, CONFESSION AND FIRST HOLY COMMUNION LESSONS - Enrolment and briefing for Parents at St Mary’s: Parents may attend one of the following dates.
Tuesday 13th October at 7.00 pm, Wednesday 14th October 9.00 am. A $20 fee is to be paid upon
enrolment. If your child was not baptised in this parish, then proof of baptism is required for
enrolment. Your child must be 8 years old by 1St October 2020 and must be baptised as a
Catholic. The expectation is that the children will be attending Sunday Mass each week and their
parents will participate fully in the Sacramental Programme. 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. Y3-6 Cross Country is on Monday 19th October. Children can be picked up from their classrooms at 12:30pm - 12:30pm
Transporting children from school to the Redwoods Visitor Centre - 1:00pm – 2:20pm
Marshalling in the forest on the day - 2:30pm
Transporting those children who catch a bus or require after school care back to school - Event outline:
1:00pm 7 & 8 yr old Girls 1:10pm 7 & 8 yr old Boys
1:20pm 9 year old Girls 1:30pm 9 Year old Boys
1:40pm 10 year old Girls. 1:50pm 10 year old Boys
2:00pm 11 year old Girls. 2:10pm 11 year old Boys
Thanking you in anticipation for your help and support to make this a successful day. Your child’s teacher will be in touch if you have offered to transport children to the Cross Country. IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED THE TRANSPORT FORM PLEASE DO SO AND RETURN TO SCHOOL URGENTLY. Thursday - Totara Fundraiser : Become a teacher ... FREE PARENTING PROGRAMME AT ST MARY'S ....
An internationally renowned, FREE, Parenting Program will be offered at St.Mary’s in Terms 1 and 2 of 2021. It will be presented by Erna Cullen, from the Ministry of Education and Corbus Venter, an Educational Psychologist with a passion for helping young children. It is a 14 week evidence based program that supports parents who have concerns about their child’s conduct. If you feel like you need some help or want to understand your children better, this is a course for you. There will be an information afternoon/evening held on the 5th November in the school library at 2.30pm and again at 5.15pm, for those interested in learning more about the Incredible Years' Parent course. Feel free to come along to find out more and have a chat to the convenors of the course or to sign up. If you would like to register your interest for this course earlier, please email or phone Brigitte Holmes, our Learning Support Coordinator. Brigitte Holmes
Learning Support Coordinator
St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, Rotorua
brigitteh@stmarysrotorua.school.nz
Mobile 0272121206 TAM CODE CLUB ...
Message from Jessica Wilkes from Rotorua Museum re TAM Code Club at Rotorua Library ... We’ve seen members move through Scratch, HTML (what makes websites) and Python over the last year and it’s been fantastic seeing students come back each term – in fact we have 4 members who have been coming for more than a year. We are still strongly encouraging students to bring their own devices (makes things much easier) so please do encourage your child to bring their own device. Just an extra push, we’d love to have more girls coming through, so you have daughters, nieces or friends who might want to come along, please encourage them to bring a friend and join our Girls Can Code group on Thursdays from 4 – 5pm. Entry is by gold coin donation. Register here if you are interested. https://forms.gle/NPZDjtxBLqoJRKp38 YUMMY STICKERS: Yummy stickers are an easy way for us to earn points to access sports equipment for our classrooms and playground. If you happen to come by some please do keep them somewhere safe for us.
You can bring them to the office or your child's classroom teacher. Thank you so much for you support!
Mrs. Dinniss
The official collection sheets can be found and printed off here: School Sticker Promo SPORTS NEWS TOUCH RUGBY
Teams have been created and an email sent out letting you know which team your child is in and coach details. If you haven't received this, please check you junk/spam folder first, then contact me.
Grading Day: This Saturday, 17th October. The draw is currently being updated and should be available today at Rotorua Touch Association website and Rotorua Touch Association Facebook page, we will have it up on our School Website on Thursday.
Please let your coach know ASAP if you cannot make grading day and/or some grading games. If your team doesn't have a coach/manager yet, please contact myself via email sports@stmarysrotorua.school.nz CRICKET
The cricket season starts on Thursday 29th October and Saturday 31st October. The draw will be available closer to this time.
Cricket uniform is our new School PE uniform top and shorts. (Hardball can wear white cricket pants).
Please click HERE to go to our School Website uniform section to view and/or order the PE Uniform.
We still have space in our INCREDIBALLS - Mixed team. The registration form can be completed HERE. WATERPOLO - Y5/6 children only.
Slim Potter from Rotorua Waterpolo are entering an Invitational team into the Friday night Waterpolo competition.
It is held at the Rotorua Aquatic Centre in the Indoor 25m pool. Children MUST be competent swimmers and have previously played Flippaball and/or Waterpolo before.
The first game is this Friday at 6.45pm.
Please be poolside at 6.15pm and find Slim, he'll be beside the big clock. GIRLS FUTSAL COMPETITION - (Y4-6)
Futsal is the official version of indoor soccer and football that is rapidly gaining
in popularity in New Zealand. It is great for the development of skills in young players, and it’s lots of fun too!
Waiariki Girls’ Football will be running an introductory school-team-based girls’ only Futsal competition in term 4. see details below. When: Sundays from 3:30pm to 5:30pm for 8 weeks; October 25th,November 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, December 6th
Where: Rotorua Girls’ High School Arena.
Who: Year 4 - 6 girls
Cost: $20 per player.
Please click HERE to register your child.
Please do not make payment until a team has been confirmed. UPCOMING EVENTS:
Monday 19th October - Cross Country (Y3-6)
Wednesday 28th October - Tough Guy & Gal Challenge - Transport/event details will be sent out soon.
Friday, 30th October - CBOP Tennis Champs
Tuesday 3rd November - CBOP Cricket Festival CBOP TENNIS CHAMPS - (Y5/6 only)
Date: Friday, 30th October 2020
Time: 9.00am briefing
Venue: Rotorua Tennis Club Courts, Manuka Crescent
Cost: $12.00 per player
ENTRIES CLOSE Monday 19th October, 3.15pm.
Primary Division Yr 5 & 6:
Boys and Girls Singles – social or competitive
Boys and Girls Doubles
Players will require their own racket, non-marking shoes, practice balls, hat, water bottle, sun block, suitable playing clothes, lunch, snacks etc.
please click HERE to register.
Please note that this event won't have a school staff member present, it requires parents/caregivers to take your child to and from the event and be responsible for them during the day. CBOP CRICKET FESTIVAL - (Year 4, 5, and Year 6 students only)
Date: Tuesday 3rd November 2020
Postponement date: Thursday 5th November
Venue: Smallbone Park, Devon Street, Rotorua
Time: Start 9.15am - Finish Approx. 2.30pm (could change depending on entries)
ENTRIES CLOSE: Friday 23rd October
This is open to all year 4 - 6 students, it's a great opportunity to experience cricket. Please click HERE to register SANITARIUM WEETBIX TRYATHLON - Sunday 29th November, Kuirau Park, Rotorua.
The team from the Weetbix Tryathlon will be visiting us tomorrow to share what the event is about with our children. The TRYathlon is all about giving it a TRY and is a rewarding and fun day out for you and your child.
Participants need to be aged 7-15 years old on event day, and can complete the TRYathlon as an individual or in a team of two.
Participants need to be aged 6 years old on event day to complete the Splash & Dash
Our school has created a School Group which you can join when you enter. Search for St Mary's Catholic Primary School Rotorua when prompted or click HERE for the direct link to register into our school group. By linking to our school group it will give us the chance to win some great prizes. All entries are to be done directly through Weetbix Tryathlon.
For more information visit www.tryathlon.co.nz SPECIAL MENTION
Congratulations to Jade Moller who came 4th in a jazz scholarship for her age at the local Rotorua Dance Competition during the first week of school holidays.
She also auditioned with the Royal New Zealand ballet for the upcoming Sleeping Beauty production. She was successful and will perform in Napier with the company 28th & 29th of November. Well done Jade, what an amazing achievement. We can't wait to hear how your production goes next month. __SPECIAL MENTION_
Congratulations to our Senior and Junior hockey teams who participated in the season finals on Saturday 26th September. The Y5/6 Kowhai team played an outstanding game in their final and they were rewarded with a win and were the winners for their grade. The Y5/6 Kakariki team were awarded the Most Improved award and were also acknowledged for being the only team to score a goal against the toughest teams in the competition.
The Y3/4 Kahurangi team played an amazing final game and were the winners of their grade. The year 3/4 Whero team played a fantastic in their final game for the season.
Well done and congratulations to you all! Whaea Leanne - School Sports Coordinator
sports@stmarysrotorua.school.nz
027 285 7579 or via School Office 07 348 1701 Smash cricket advert/info |
