Greetings, Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Ni Hao, Bula, Hola, Kumusta
Dear Families
We extend a very warm welcome to all our families and school community as we commence our second year of operation. We especially welcome our new families who have joined with us. We welcome you all into this lovely caring, catholic community. We encourage you to share in your child/children’s education and faith journey by participating, supporting and working in partnership with school. This will ensure that they have every opportunity to grow and develop as young christians, citizens and learners.
On our first day of this new year we gathered to acknowledge our school as a place of God and faith; we acknowledged all our mana whenua and people who support us in partnership and we acknowledged all of our Holy Trinity family members. We prayed together asking God, our loving Father to be with us in all that we endeavour to do throughout 2018. Each Learning Community was presented with a school candle to be lit every prayer time, reminding us that Jesus is present with us, that Jesus is the Light of Christ and that Jesus wants us to let our light shine too! When we do this, we become Christ-like to all those we meet, work and learn with.
DRS News
Beginning of Year Mass
Our whole school will gather together to celebrate our Beginning of Year Mass with Father Peter Murphy (of St Mary’s Papakura) in Taamaua (Hall) at 11am on Wednesday 7th February. You are invited to come along and join with us as we celebrate as a school faith community.
Ash Wednesday
We’ll be travelling to St Mary’s Primary School in Papakura to celebrate the beginning of our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday. You are welcome to join us for this special celebration at St Mary’s School Hall at 12pm on Wednesday 14 February. This will be led by St Mary’s Parish Priest, Fr Peter Murphy. What a wonderful way to grow together in faith as part of a wider Catholic community.
Religious Education in our Learning Communities
This first week, our students are learning about and exploring our special Charism around the ‘Holy Trinity’. The Trinity is the symbol of unity and relationship. It tells us about the harmonious and equal relationship between Father, Son and Spirit. Our Holy Trinity whanau will strive to bring our Charism to life by working together as a faith community. It begins with small acts of kindness and by looking up and noticing the needs of those around us.
2018 Staffing
We welcome Mrs Normita Tolentino, Mrs Averil Hiddleston and Mrs Jo Petrie to our teaching team. As experienced teachers, they bring many strengths and a wealth of knowledge to our teaching and learning environments.
Manutaki/Senior Leaders:
Miss Peta Lindstrom, Principal; Mrs Maria Speechlay, Deputy Principal; Mr Jerremy Williams, Deputy Principal and Mrs Ana Silva, DRS Director of Religious Studies
Kaitiaki/Teachers:
Learning Community Whenua Years 0/1, Mrs Normita Tolentino and Mrs Maria Speechlay
Learning Community Awa Years 2/3, Ms Cheryl Schuster, Mrs Jo Petrie (Monday/Tuesday) and Mrs Kirstie Thorpe (Wednesday/Thursday/Friday)
Learning Community Moana Years 4/5, Mrs Ana Silva and Mrs Lainee Davies
Learning Community Maunga Years 6/7/8, Mr Jerremy Williams and Mrs Averil Hiddleston (Tuesday/Wednesday)
Mrs Michelle Clissold (alternate Fridays for Ms Schuster and Mrs Silva)
Support Staff:
Mrs Jennifer Quarterman/Office Administrator
Mrs Carolyn Harvey/Teacher Aide/Librarian/Office Receptionist
School Bell Times
8:50am School commences
8:50am Morning Block
10:30am First Break
11:00am Middle Block
1:00pm Second Break
1:40pm Afternoon Block
2:50pm School concludes
Term Dates 2018
Term 1 Tuesday 30th January – Friday 13th April
EASTER Friday 30th March – Tuesday 3rd April
Term 2 Monday 30th April – Friday 6th July
Term 3 Monday 23rd July – Friday 28th September
Term 4 Monday 15th October – Thursday 13th December
Education Review Office (ERO)
New School Assurance Review Report
We are very pleased to be able to share the confirmed New School Assurance Review Report with our school community.
Some snippets we are very proud of … “the Catholic character of the school … is highly evident … children can articulate the vision and describe what it means in action’ … ‘children have good opportunities to learn and engage with a future-focused curriculum’ … ‘children are self-managing and collaborative’ … ‘senior leaders work cohesively in leading the school’. It is very rewarding to be acknowledged by external auditors, as a new school that is well on its way to providing excellent catholic education for its community.
ERO 743 Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School Confirmed New School Assurance Review Report (1)
Uniform and Stationery
Thank you for the way you have helped the children prepare for their school year. They look very smart in their uniforms and most children now have the required school stationery. Please ensure all uniform clothing is named clearly, so lost items can be returned. With this summer heat, it is very important that children have the correct summer uniform … black open-toed school sandals and a navy bucket, school monogrammed sun-hat. We are enjoying working with our students as they explore and learn in their new learning environment and make new friendships.
Before and After School Care
The sKids programme is permanently based in Taamaua/Hall and is operational from 7:00am in the mornings and again from 3:00pm in the afternoons.
If your children need to be at school early, please consider enrolling them in the sKids programme where they will be supervised for breakfast and activities time.
To enrol, go to www.sKids.co.nz and click on aimyplus or for more information contact
Rose ph: 021 289 9939 or email rose@skids.co.nz
Health and Safety Reminders
Vistab
If children are late to school or need to leave/return during the day for an appointment, please come through to the Reception Area to sign in/out using the Vistab electronic system before entering the Learning Communities. The screen is easy to use and is set up on the front desk. This is a Health and Safety measure that allows us to know where children are at all times.
Traffic
As our school roll is increasing, more traffic is noticeable in the car-parking area. All designated parking spaces are now available so please only park in these designated, marked carparks. The Bus Bay may be used for pick up and drop off but do take care with pedestrians and moving vehicles in close proximity. You may like to leave “pick up” for your child until after 3:00pm once the first wave of traffic congestion has passed!
Sun sense!
With hot summer days upon us, we are encouraging the children to bring their own water bottles to school so that they can hydrate during their school day. School sunhats must be worn whilst outside and also worn home at the end of the day as part of the school uniform.
Litter and Recycling
We are strongly encouraging the children to bring home their litter from morning tea and lunches. This supports the school with recycling and also informs you of foods eaten or untouched! As our first step in contributing to the caring of God’s creation, we have no rubbish bins placed outside so individual’s food and drink rubbish needs to come home.
Newsletters
School newsletters will be distributed electronically every fortnight commencing this Friday 2nd February. Families will be sent an email alert with the school newsletter available through the browser or opening of the email. Our internal student management system for most communications is through LINC-ED. You will receive an email alert for community notices and also when student’s learning has been published to be shared with you. Please check that you are signed in and able to access the LINC-ED parent portal. All student reporting is completed and published electronically on this site. Call in to the school office if you require any assistance with set-up.
2017 Yearbooks
We still have a number of 2017 Yearbooks available for purchase. They are $10 a copy and are available from the school office. The Yearbook certainly captures the many activities and events of our foundation year and is a wonderful record to treasure as a Holy trinity family. Our thanks to Cheryl Schuster and Kirstie Thorpe for their editorial abilities and being able to “pull” this together in such a condensed timeframe!
Learning Community Whenua
On our first day of school we went on a discovery walk to find out the different places in our school and to meet the people who can help us while we are at school. It was a very hot day so our favourite place was the staffroom because the air conditioning was on which made the room lovely and cool. We did not want to leave!
Learning Community Awa
We were all excited to start school and to be back for another year of learning. Learning Community Awa have settled in well despite the hot weather! Our focus for the first week at school has been about our school Gospel values. We have talked about ways that we can show our values working through our words and actions. Already we have acknowledged some of our students who are living out the Gospel values of Jesus. Congratulations to those who received Learning Community Awa certificates this week!
Last year, Bishop Pat prayed these words with us … “May our school be a place of great discovery, adventure and creativity. May it be a place where Christ is at the centre of the Holy Trinity family – a place where we learn, love and serve in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
As we begin our 2018 school journey, let us strive together to be this school … this place of Christ … learning and loving and serving in the Trinity’s name!
With God’s Blessings
Peta Linstrom
Principal
Upcoming School Events
School Assembly and Prayer – Learning Community Maunga to lead
Monday 5th February 9:00am in Taamaua/Hall
Treaty of Waitangi Day – National Holiday
Tuesday 6th February – no school
Beginning of Year School Mass
Wednesday 7th February 11:00am on school site Taamaua/Hall
ASH WEDNESDAY LITURGY – the beginning of LENT
Wednesday 14th February 12:00 @ St Mary’s School, Papakura
Community Notices
Marcellin College’s 60th Jubilee is on 23-25 March 2018. Registrations now open at www.marcellin.school.nz.
