TUMUAKI/PRINCIPAL NEWS
Tēnā koutou katoa St Michael’s Catholic School Community,
Welcome back to school, I hope you all had a safe and happy break. It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the school year. We have a busy term ahead so it is important that you take note of the upcoming events.
Structure Literacy
All of our Junior Teachers are enrolled to do the ‘Better Start Literacy Approach’ (BSLA) through the University of Canterbury. This is a new approach to teaching literacy and we are excited to upskill our teachers and I acknowledge the support from the Ministry of Education for funding this professional development.
We need your help! This is the LAST WEEK TO COMPLETE the 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.
Please click here to complete (We have only had 9 responses so far).
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
We would like to welcome the following families and students to our school: the Giblin Family (Charlie), the Odiar Family (Keanu) and the Newberg-Romero Family (Zander) who are new to SMCS.
Wednesday 31 July - Room 4 and Room 7 Assembly
Thursday 1 August - SMCS School Tour for new families (10am - 11am)
Friday 2 August - Second Hand Uniform Shop open (2:30pm - 3:15pm)
Thursday 8 August - Mass for the Feast of St Mary MacKillop (9.15am)
Sunday 11 August - St Michael’s Parish Council Meeting in the Hall (after the 10am Mass).
Monday 12 August - School Board Meeting (7.00pm)
Wednesday 14 August - ICAS Exam (English)
Wednesday 14 August - Room 8 and Room 9 Assembly
Thursday 15 August - Mass for the Feast of the Assumption (9.15am)
Monday 19 August - PTA Meeting (7.00pm)
Wednesday 21 August - ICAS Exam (Science)
Friday 23 August - SMCS Cross Country (Monte Cecilia Park)
Saturday 24 August - Sacrament of Reconciliation
Monday 26 August - Save day (if wet on 23 August) SMCS Cross Country
Wednesday 28 August - ICAS Exam (Mathematics)
Wednesday 28 August - Keeping Ourselves Safe Parent Meeting with Constable Gordon (2pm) in the Staffroom
Thursday 29 August - Class and sibling Photos by Photolife (in the Hall)
Friday 30 August - Sports Team photos
Friday 30 August - Daffodil Day
Monday 2 September - Friday 6 September - Tongan Language Week and Keeping Ourselves Safe Week
Wednesday 4 September - Room 2 and Room 10 Assembly
Wednesday 5 September - SMCS School Tour for new families (10am - 11am)
Friday 6 September - School Disco (5pm - 7pm)
Sunday 8 September - Parish/School Mass (10am) and Morning Tea afterwards
Sunday 8 September - Parish/School Mass (10am) and Morning Tea afterwards
Monday 9 September - Friday 13 September - Māori Language Week and Social Justice Week
Tuesday 10 September - Confirmation Service (6pm - 7pm)
Wednesday 11 September - Catholic Cross Country at Monte Cecilia
Monday 16 September to Friday 20 September - Chinese Language Week
Monday 16 September - School Board Meeting (7pm)
Wednesday 18 September - Cross Country Prizegiving
Saturday 21 September - SMCS First Holy Communion Mass (6pm)
Sunday 22 September - Parish First Holy Communion (12pm) and at 1pm Parish and SMCS First Holy Communion Celebration in the Hall
Monday 23 September to Friday 27 September - Cultural Week
Wednesday 25 September - Rooms 4 and 5 Assembly
Thursday 26 September - Cultural Mass
Friday 27 September - End of Term 3
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.
Catholic Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand
“On his arrival in Aotearoa in 1838 Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier, assisted by missionaries, began providing education for Ma¯ori. The first Catholic school in Aotearoa New Zealand was opened in 1840. Further schools followed, to educate both Ma¯ori and the children of settlers. There were initially no state schools, and the schools established by churches received some financial support from the government. In 1877 as a result of a Parliamentary impasse over the level of religious influence in state primary schools, all state funding was withdrawn from Catholic and other church schools.” (p6).
Religious Education Term 3 Overview
Religious Education Term 3 Overview
For Year 3-6
Week 1- 4: Strand - Church
Week 4-10: Strand - Sacrament
The themes in our Religious Education Programme are broad categories of knowledge and learning that overlap, weave together and build upon each other.
For Year 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 from the new Curriculum from this year. The Term 3 Theme is - Ā Tātou Whakapapa Our Story. This theme focuses on the Church.
St Michael’s Parish Website – Mass times - Sunday 8am, 10am & 5pm; Monday - Friday 7am & 12noon; Saturday 8am.
PARISH ANNUAL MEETING This will take place on Sunday 11 August in the St Mary MacKillop Hall. The special guest speaker will be Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Reports will be presented by the parish Pastoral and Finance Councils. There will be an Open Forum where parishioners can raise their comments and questions. The meeting will be followed by the parish Winter Lunch. Register via the Parish newsletter All welcome.
Adoration: Monday - Friday 7.30am-8.30am
Rosary: Monday – Friday 8.30am & 12.30pm; Saturday 8.30am
School Rosary: Fridays at 1:15pm at the reflective area (Church if wet).
School Masses - Every Thursday at 9:15am (except Feast days)
25/07/24 - Rooms 5 & 8; 01/08/24 - Rooms 6 & 9; 08/08/24 - Feast of Mary MacKillop; 15/08/24 - Feast of the Assumption; 22/08/24 - Rooms 4 & 10; 05/09/24 - Rooms 2 & 7;
08/09/24 - School and Parish Mass - Sunday at 10am (Compulsory attendance)
26/09/24 - Whole School Cultural Mass
Prayer to Saint James the Apostle - Feast Day 25 July
In this prayer to Saint James the Apostle, the faithful ask for the strength to fight the good fight, as James did, in order to be worthy followers of Christ.
Manaaki ki te Atua,
Ann McKeown
Principal Tumuaki
