Tumuaki/Principal News
Tēnā koutou katoa St Michael’s Catholic School Community,
Let a loving heart guide your decisions
I hope you all had a lovely long weekend with your families. My husband and I went to the Hawkes Bay and it was good to see the place buzzing with lots of visitors to the region. I can definitely recommend ‘Elephant Hill’ winery!
Class Makeup for 2024
To ensure a balance across all classrooms next year, teachers are currently identifying children’s academic, behavioural, social attributes and friendships to support class placements. Due to the high number of Year 4 students in 2024, they will be split across three classrooms.
Please rest assured that we consider a range of factors and put a lot of time and thought into the class placement of each child to ensure they are in the right place for their learning journey.
We respectfully ask that you do not make requests for particular teachers or for specific children to be placed together next year.
Summer Uniform
It is now time for all children to be wearing their full summer uniform. Please ensure your child is wearing the correct uniform including black sandals, and a green St Michael’s hat.
Our lost property bins have been overflowing lately with unnamed uniform items, or items that have been purchased second-hand, but have never been re-named. Please assist your child in being responsible for their uniform by ensuring items are clearly labelled.
ICAS - Mathematics Certificates
At our Whole School Assembly on Wednesday 1st November the Mathematics ICAS certificates will be presented to students who received High Distinction, Distinction, Merit and Credit. All welcome :)
Athletics Day - Helpers needed on Friday 10 November (Rain Date: 13/11/23)
Our Athletics Day will be held at Glover Park again this year. In order for this to run smoothly, John Hazel and Jo Petrie are looking for parent helpers to fill a range of roles. One of the key values of our school is to “do your bit” and we would love your support in ensuring the success of this event. If you are available to help on the day, please email John j.hazel@smcs.school.nz and Jo j.petrie@smcs.school.nz
SMCS Policies – all our policies are on SchoolDocs , please follow the next four steps.
- Go to www.schooldocs.co.nz
- Click Search for your school.
- Start typing the school name and then select from the dropdown list.
- Enter the community username and password: Username: smcs Password: mackillop
This term we are reviewing Curriculum Student Achievement Policy; Student Achievement Information; Home Learning; Distance Learning; and Health Education
Please click on current review and then click on and read the policies. Next you click on under review and complete the survey. Your feedback would be appreciated.
Friday 27 October: PTA Mums’ Night Out (7.00pm)
Monday 30 October: Board of Trustees Meeting (7.00pm)
Wednesday 1 November: Mass for All Saints Day (9.15am)
Wednesday 1 November: Room 7 and Room 10 Assembly (2.00pm)
Monday 6 - Thursday 9 November: Life Education Caravan on-site
Friday 10 November: SMCS Athletics Day (Rain Date: Monday 13 November)
Wednesday 15 November: Room 3 and Room 6 Assembly (2.00pm)
Wednesday 15 November: 2024 New Families’ Evening (7.00pm)
Monday 20 November: Teacher Only Day (Staff completing First Aid course, and Curriculum PD)
Wednesday 22 November: 2024 Year 6 Camp Information Evening (7.00pm)
Wednesday 22 November: 2024 Year 6 Camp Information Evening (7.00pm)
Thursday 23 November: Jesse Tree Mass (9.15am)
Monday 27 November: Board of Trustees Meeting (7.00pm)
Tuesday 28 November: Remuera Zone Athletics Competition
Wednesday 29 November: Athletics Prize Giving (2.00pm)
Friday 1 December: Year 6 Graduation Dinner (5.00pm)
Thursday 7 December: Thanksgiving Mass (6.00pm)
Friday 8 December: Year 6 Rainbows End Trip
Wednesday 13 December: Academic Prize Giving (11.30am) and Christmas Concert (1.30pm)
Friday 15 December: Last day of Term 4 (School closes at 12.30pm)
Excerpt from ‘The Catholic Education of School-Age Children’ (NZ Bishops, 2014)
“Many reasons are put forward for the lack of engagement of many young Catholics with the Church. These reasons include the influence of secular society, individualism and non-practising parents. Some of the participants in the study “demonstrated a profound personal response to God’s self-communication” and could be described as having developed a deep personal relationship with Christ which led them to engagement with the Church. They were less than one-quarter of the participants in the study, but they are a source of hope. Their personal journeys may well indicate what needs to be encouraged in order to facilitate others taking the same path..” (Page 10, 39)
Religious Education Term 4 Overview
Weeks 1 - 7: Communion of Saints Strand
Week 4: All Saints and All Souls Day
Week 8: Advent
Week 9 - 10: Christmas
This term the school focus for Religious Education is the Communion of Saints Strand. Across the school the students will be learning about the special role of Mary in our Catholic tradition; Saints and Inspiring People who continue to be role models for us today; How our Christian Hope, through the Resurrection of Jesus, supports our belief in life everlasting; and Developing understanding of Te Wa - the journey of life from a Christian perspective.
Rosary Group Meet Every Friday at 1:15pm to 1:30pm at the Reflective Area (Church if raining)
St Michael’s Parish Website – Mass times - Sunday 8am, 10am & 5pm; Monday - Friday 7am & 12noon; Saturday 8am.
Adoration: Monday - Friday 7.30am-8.30am
Rosary: Monday – Friday 8.30am & 12.30pm; Saturday 8.30am
School Masses - Every Thursday at 9:15am (except Feast days)
01/11/23 - All Saints Day Mass (Wednesday)
09/11/23 - Rooms 5 and 4
16/11/23 - Rooms 1 and 9
23/11/23 - Jesse Tree Mass - Whole School Mass
30/11/23 - Rooms 5 and 4
07/12/23 - Thanksgiving Mass at 6pm
15/12/23 - End of Year Mass at 11am
Prayer For Belonging
“May you listen to your longing to be free. May the frames of your belonging be generous enough for your dreams. May you rise each day with a voice of blessing whispering in your heart. May you find a harmony between your soul and your life. May the sanctuary of your soul never become haunted. May you know the eternal longing that lives at the heart of time. May there be kindness in your gaze when you look within. May you never place walls between light and yourself. May you allow the wild beauty of the invisible world to gather you, mind you and embrace you in belonging.”
(Benedictus, A book of blessings. By John O’Donohue)
Manaaki ki te Atua,
Ann McKeown
Principal Tumuaki
