TUMUAKI/PRINCIPAL NEWS
Tēnā koutou katoa St Michael’s Catholic School Community,
It was a privilege to attend the New Zealand Catholic Education Convention in Wellington last week. We had inspirational speakers from the USA and Ireland, as well as New Zealand. The New Zealand Catholic Education Office did an amazing job putting this conference together. Some of the takeaways from the conference are:
- To pray daily for each student and family at our school
- Considering how we love and accompany people who are struggling
- That we are all made in the image of God
- How can we be a “Monday to Saturday” Church
Georgina van Schaijik and Ian Havill welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Cordelia Virginia, on Friday 21 June - a little sister for Ephraim. Both Georgina and Cordelia are home now, and doing well.
Staffing updates for Term 3
As many of you may already know, our beloved Lauren Carleton will be starting an exciting new chapter soon — she's going on maternity leave! While we will miss her dearly during this time, we are also thrilled for her and her growing family.
To ensure continuity for the children, Sarah Burrows will teach Room 5 from Tuesday to Friday each week and Sam Tapene will teach each Monday. Sam has been teaching at St Michael’s for a number of years as a Kapa Haka and Te Reo Maori teacher and he is excited to join Room 5.
Brianna Caruana has been team teaching in Room 10 with Philippa Barling this year, while she completes her Masters of Teaching. From Term 3, Brianna will be taking over full-time classroom responsibilities in Room 10 as she works towards her certification. Philippa will provide release for Brianna in Room 10 each week.
Finally, Lisa Brady (whom many of you know already) will be joining us every Tuesday next term. She will provide release for Miss Nawisielski in Room 7.
YCC Non uniform Day - Friday 5th July
Next Friday, (Friday 5th July) we will be joining other NZ Catholic schools for YCC Day to support Holy Trinity School in Papua New Guinea who are in desperate need of essential classroom items such as desks and chairs.
We are having a non uniform day and asking for a gold coin donation.
Matariki Breakfast
It was wonderful to celebrate Matariki with our whole School Community this morning. Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed beautiful food to our breakfast. It was lovely to have a full Hall of happy smiling faces.
There are a number of plates and containers that were left, please come to the staffroom to collect these as soon as possible.
There are a number of plates and containers that were left, please come to the staffroom to collect these as soon as possible.
Please scroll further down to view photos.
Catholic Character Internal Review/Family-Whanau Survey
As part of our annual Catholic Special Character Review, we would like to gather information about how the school (as an authentic Catholic Community) promotes and supports active Catholic witness and practice in the school and in the parish, of which the school is an integral part.
Why are we doing this? This survey is to provide us with an understanding of how the school can best support you and your children in your faith-journey and having a deeper understanding of the faith. Our hope is to continue to grow a strong local Catholic community, involving both the school and the Parish. We appreciate your time and effort to complete this survey.
Please click here to complete.
Please click here to complete.
Attendance Dues
Attendance Dues must be paid in full each year. Attendance Dues are compulsory and a condition of enrolment at a Catholic school. Attendance Dues are charged for all students who attend Catholic Schools in New Zealand. It is a legal charge and not a donation.
The compulsory Attendance Dues for 2024 are $516. Regular payments help to ensure that your children's fees are paid in full. $516 yearly or $129 termly. Thank you to our families who continue to make regular payments.
Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is available to assist families who may need financial support with the payment of Attendance Dues for preference students attending both primary and secondary Catholic schools in Auckland Diocese.
Families facing financial difficulties can contact their school office, their Parish Priest, or Auckland Common Fund Ltd at the Catholic Diocese of Auckland on (09) 360-3069 for further information.
Application forms for this assistance are available from school and parish offices, or can be downloaded from the Catholic Diocese of Auckland Website https://www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/catholic- schools
ICAS Assessment
The following information is for Year 4-6 families interested in registering students for the online International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) testing scheduled to be sat during school time in Term 3. This year students can register for exams in English, Mathematics and Science.
ICAS exams are run through a private company based in New South Wales, and are “user pays”.
These exams assess higher order thinking and problem solving to extend students beyond their expected achievement level for their age. We have found in the past that some students find the examinations, and receiving their results, extremely stressful. It is important that if you enrol your child for these exams, that you take the time to prepare them for this. There are example test papers available on the ICAS website to purchase.
The school does not receive feedback regarding each student’s performance in these exams. The results do not inform or guide teaching and learning at our school.
Our school has signed up for the ICAS Assessments parent payment system (PPS) and registrations are now open. Please use the below details to register and pay directly online, no later than Wednesday 3 July 2024.
Please take care to register your child for the appropriate tests depending on their year level.
Access details:
School access code: OOA123
Parent page link: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps
Pricing for New Zealand: NZD$20.70 (incl. GST) per test.
ICAS English – Year 4, 5, 6 – Wednesday 14 August
ICAS Science – Year 4, 5, 6 – Wednesday 21 August
ICAS Mathematics – Year 4, 5, 6 – Wednesday 28 August
Wednesday 3 July - Room 5 and Room 10 Assembly (2.00pm)
Friday 5 July - YCC (Young Catholics Care) Mufti fundraiser, last day of Term 2
The Catholic Education of School-Age Children This document of the NZ Catholic Bishop’s Conference is to guide those involved in the work of Catholic Education. Each week we will place excerpts of this book.
“Coming to know the true God means to receive hope, and those who have hope live differently. The hope which characterises Christian witness is inclusive rather than individualistic; it is a leaven which builds relationships and community: “Hope that turns to God is never hope only for me, it is always also a hope for others; it does not isolate us but makes us supportive in goodness and stimulates us to reciprocally educate each other in truth and in love” (p6).
Religious Education Term 2 Overview
For Years 3-6
Weeks 9-10: Strand - Church
The themes in our Religious Education Programme are broad categories of knowledge and learning that overlap, weave together and build upon each other.
For Years 1 & 2
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. The Term 2 Theme is Te Rongopai - Good News. This theme focuses on Sacred Scripture. Children will learn that the Bible is filled with good news for us all. Learners are given opportunities to explore, grow in understanding, wonder about, reflect on and connect with stories from the Old and New Testaments.
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)
04/07/24 - Rooms 1, 3 & 8
Matariki Celebration Prayer - By Michelle Tili — July 18th, 2023
E te Atua, God of the cycles and patterns of the universe and all living things whose ways we only begin to comprehend, open our hearts to the wonder of the natural world, to your incarnation throughout creation, and to your presence with and in us now.
Matarikiis a time of year; Let the earth rejoice, let the seas and all that is in them roar.
Matariki is a time of remembering. Be still and know that I am God.
Matariki is the eye of God; O God, what variety you have created, arranging everything so wisely. The Earth is filled with your creativity.
Matariki is a time of seeing both day and night belong to you; you made the starlight and the sun. You set the boundaries of the earth and you made both summer and winter.
Matariki is a time of rejoicing. All creatures depend on you to feed them at the proper time. Open your hand, they are well satisfied. The new light of Matariki has risen!
May it be to you a sign of hope in times of darkness.
May it be to you a sign of the wondrous mystery of te Atua who loves you.
May it be to you a sign that the eyes of the Eternal One are ever upon you and that the presence of the Holy One is ever with you. And may this be the cause of your rejoicing. Go in peace. Through Christ and in the perfect unity with the Holy Spirit and God the Father, we pray. Amen
(https://hail.to/trinity-catholic-college/article/WDu2wdH/print)
Manaaki ki te Atua,
Ann McKeown
Principal Tumuaki
