Tēnā koutou katoa St Michael’s Catholic School Community, 

Happy New Year to you all.  I hope you all took time to rest and relax over the Christmas break. My family and I had a lovely break in Papamoa where two of my children live. It was wonderful to have our whole family and extended family together. 

 

We would like to welcome the following families and students to our school:

Ebbett family (Noori), Pilippange family (Kivein), Zhou family (Emily), Brolly family (Ella), Durand family (Nathan), Goh family (Isaac), Gray family (Amelia), Kennedy family (George), Malcolm-Green family (Harry), Peiris family (Raphael), Withanage family (Ethan), Calapuz family (Reign), Isidro family (Raphael & Rosslyn), Jean family (Serah), Lo family (Amber) and the Towers family (Lucy).

Room 1: Year 1/2 Isla MacDiarmid/Christine King (Term 1)/Shari Tighe-Umbers (Terms 2-4); 

Room 2: Year 0/1 Catherine Westwood (Associate Principal/Curriculum Leader) /Christine King (opening part way through Term 2); 

Room 3: Year 0/1 Charlotte Bagnall (Leader of Sports and Events); 

Room 4: Year 3 John Hazel (Leader of Travelwise); 

Room 5: Year 2/3 Lauren Brown (Head of Arts and Across Kāhui Ako Eastern Hub Teacher) /Sarah Burrows; 

Room 6: Year 1/2 Bridgette Lowans;

Room 7: Year 4/5 Chelsea Nawisielski; 

Room 8: Year 5/6 Rebekah Capon (Within School Kāhui Ako - Cultural Responsiveness Teacher)/Kate Smit (Year 5/6); 

Room 9: Year 5/6 Emma Cotterell (Head of IT); 

Room 10: Year 4 Philippa Barling (Associate Principal & SENCO)/Brianna Caruana;

Director of Religious Studies/Release Teacher Georgina van Schaijik

Reading Recovery: Anna Harvey.

Secretary: Genevieve van Coller; Caretaker: Peter Laver; 

Learning Assistants: Terisa Cordtz (Librarian); Helen Totua, Tracey Torrens, Maria Ambrosio, Katie Johnson, Ingrid Giertz, Leah Zazulak-Baker, and Suryadi 

Our classrooms open at 8.30am, and children are able to be dropped off from this time. Any children who are on-site prior to 8.30am, need to attend Before School Care. This opens at 7.30am. You can contact Sayonara Quadras on

Phone: 021 1418 241; Email: sayonara.xlr8@gmail.com to secure a place for your child.

Please ensure that all school gates are closed behind you as you enter the school grounds. This is to ensure the safety of all children on-site. Thank you for your support with this.

We will have a picnic together from 5.00pm to 5.55pm. Please bring a picnic blanket and food for your family. At 6.00pm and 6.30pm there will be two identical sessions where teachers will share information that is specific for their Year groups. E.g. learning expectations, learning targets, timetables, homework, and new initiatives.

Children can attend the sessions with you or they may continue playing (we will have teachers supervising). The meeting rooms are as follows: Room 1 for Students in Rooms 1 & 6; Room 3 for Students in Room 3; Room 4 for Students in Rooms 4 & 5; Room 10 for Students in Rooms 7 & 10; and Room 8 for Students in Room 8 & 9. I look forward to meeting you all. 

Our first event of the year is the SMCS Swimming Sports, which will be held on Friday 8th March at Sacred Heart School pool. This is a full school event and children will travel to and from the venue by bus. 

To ensure that this event is a success, we require a number parent helpers. Please email c.bagnall@smcs.school.nz  as soon as possible if you are available to volunteer. Some of the roles include : lane timing, results recording, life guarding in the junior pool, and race starting. 

Please fill in your child/ren’s choices on their classroom door no later than Thursday 22nd February. If you miss this date your child/ren will have their choices selected for them.

 

Tuesday 06 February: Waitangi Day (no school)

Wednesday 07 February: Junior Syndicate Singing Assembly (2.00pm)

Thursday 08 February: Building Community Picnic on the Kings Lawn starts 5pm

Monday 12 February: School Board Meeting at 7pm

Tuesday 13 February: Dedication Mass for all staff and BOT at Christ the King

Wednesday 14 February: Ash Wednesday; Year 6 Students go to Camp

Monday 19 February: PTA Meeting in the Staffroom at 7pm

Wednesday 21 February: Year 6 Assembly at 2pm

Thursday 22 February: Whole School Commissioning Mass at 9:15am 

Friday 01 March: Rosary Group begins at 1:15pm-1:30pm

Friday 08 March: SMCS Swimming Sports at Sacred Heart College

Sunday 10 March: School / Parish Mass at 10am  

Tuesday 12 March: Sacramental Programme Information Evening 7pm-8pm

Thursday 14 March - Green Day to celebrate St Patrick’s day (donation for the Kindness Collective)

Friday 15 March: Teachers Only Day (Conference at Sacred Heart College)

Thursday 21 March: World Down Syndrome Day (Lots Of Socks fundraiser for ADSA)

 

Monday 25 March: School Board Meeting at 7pm

Thursday 28 March - Holy Thursday Liturgy at 2:15pm in the Church

Tuesday 09 April - Summer Field Day (Seniors)

 

 

Week 1: Charism

Week 2: Introduction to Prayer

Week 3: Liturgical Year - Ash Wednesday and Lent

Weeks 4-6: Caritas Lenten Unit

Week 7: Liturgical Year - Holy Week and Easter

Weeks 8-11: Strand - Jesus

The themes in our Religious Education Programme are broad categories of knowledge and learning that overlap, weave together and build upon each other. 

Over the last 4 years, a new Religious Education Curriculum,  To Tātou Whakapono Our Faith, has been developed. Level 1 (Year 1 & 2) students will be learning through the new Curriculum from this year beginning with the theme: Te Atua God. God is understood in the Catholic faith to be a unity of three ‘persons’ - the Trinity. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Students will learn about this dynamic relationship of overflowing love. 

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) 

14/02/24 - Ash Wednesday 12pm All welcome; 22/02/24 - Commissioning Mass All welcome; 29/02/24 - Rooms 5 & 10; 07/03/24 - Rooms 6 & 9;  14/03/24 - Rooms 4 & 7; 21/03/24 - Rooms 1,3 & 8; 28/03/24 - Holy Thursday - Washing of the Feet Liturgy 2:15pm in the Church;  04/04/24 Rooms 5 & 10; 11/04/24 - Rooms 4 & 7

Manaaki ki te Atua,

Welcome to 2024! 

We are very excited for another year, hope you are too! 

We are on the lookout for a couple of parents to help Sylvie as pizza coordinators. All you need is to be available one Friday morning a month for about 15 minutes. This can be done from anywhere, all you need is a computer with internet access. Can help? Email us at ptasmcs@gmail.com. 

We also looking for one or two parents to look after pastoral care. This is a very important role and one that supports our St Michael’s families going through any hardship. Interested or want to know more? Get in touch ptasmcs@gmail.com. 

Save the date: Our first PTA meeting will be at 7pm on 19 February in the staff room. Come along and help us plan this year! 

We are open tomorrow, Friday 2 February between 2.30pm and 3.15pm. 

Uniform donations are always welcome and those can be drop off by Genevieve at the school office. 

We are back with school lunches next week, thanks to Sylvie and her team! 

We use My Kindo for ordering school lunches. For Parents new to the school please see below for details on downloading. Simply fill in your child’s details and top your account up. There are various options available to top up your account please see below. 

 

For existing parents who already have the app, PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHANGE THE ROOM NUMBER FOR YOUR CHILD/REN! 

 

myKindo App 

myKindo app is also available to download for both android and iPhone. 

 

Need assistance? Our Kindo helpdesk is open 8am to 4pm weekdays. 

Freephone: 0508 4 KINDO (0508 454 636)      Email: hello@mykindo.co.nz        

Online support: support.mykindo.co.nz 

 

Payment 

There are a number of ways you can choose to top-up your account, and this can be done at the checkout, or by selecting the ‘top up account’ icon. 

 

POLi:                           No fees. Instant transfer. **RECOMMENDED** 

Credit/Debit Card:    50 cent charge + 2.5% fee. Instant transfer. 

Bank Transfer:           No fees. Allow 2 days for processing. 

 

Have a great year! See you around! 

Gio and Sam