Greetings, Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Ni Hao, Bula, Hola, Kumusta
Dear Families
WELCOME to the fifth year of Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was writing the first Board newsletter, when the school opened at the beginning of 2017. Those years have flown by, as our school continues to grow, not only in number, but also in the enrichment of our faith and the teaching and learning programmes being developed.
On behalf of the school Board, a special welcome to all our new students and their whānau who have joined our Holy Trinity family this term. We hope that you are settling in well and getting to know one another. We look forward to meeting you over the coming months, and to your involvement in the school.
Welcome also to our new staff members for this year- Miss Laura Ahern (Learning Community Whenua), Miss Samantha Connery (Learning Community Moana), Mrs Lucy Penaia (Learning Assistant/Learning Community Awa) and Mrs Paula Lewis (Office Administrator).
Our school’s vision of Ka Ako, Ka Aroha, Ka Manaaki, in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, is integral to the success of the school and it is very much part of the daily life of the school. The Catholic special character of the school is one of its greatest strengths.
As the Presider of the school Board, (the Government’s new term instead of Chairperson), I want to acknowledge and thank our principal, Peta Lindstrom and the staff, children, our school families, our Parish Priests and our wider school community for another wonderful faith filled term. This year has not had the smoothest of starts, with another COVID lockdown, only days into the new school year. To the credit of the staff, the transition in and out of Lockdown happened smoothly, without affecting the children’s learning. The support and help from the school community is always appreciated, particularly in such uncertain COVID times.
Board of Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School
Board of Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School – formerly known as Board of Trustees prior to the Education and Training Act 2020.
For all those who have joined our school family this year, the following people make up the Board of our school. Over time, we look forward to getting to know you and welcome your involvement in the school.
Parent Elected Representatives: Tony Nawisielski, Krissy Bishop, Kosta James, Vavae Nuia and Alma Santos
Bishop’s Appointees: Philip Cortesi (elected Presider of the Board), Father Iosefa Euese (Parish Priest St Mary’s Papakura), Anna Soo Choon and Apaula Fruean-Lautua.
Staff Elected Representative: Maria Speechlay
Principal: Peta Lindstrom
We especially welcome Father Iosefa Euese, who is the new Parish Priest of St Mary’s Parish, Papakura. Father Iosefa comes to us from Holy Cross Parish in Papatoetoe and replaces Father Peter Murphy, who was on our Board since its establishment in 2015. We look forward to working with Father Iosefa and the St Mary’s Parish, from which most of our school families come.
As a Board, we are accountable for student achievement, setting the vision for the school and ensuring the school complies with legal and policy requirements. While the Board is in a governance role, it is the principal who is responsible for the management of the school and together we work in partnership to provide the very best Catholic education we can for all the children in our care.
The Board welcomes feedback from our parent community. Should you have any ideas about how you would like to see our school develop in the time ahead, please let us know.
A Reflection on Easter
We have just celebrated Easter, and as Christians, celebrated the belief that Jesus died and rose from the dead. If we have faith in the
resurrection of Christ, what does it mean for the way in which we live our lives?
Easter is a time of great joy, celebrating liberation from sin, new life, new perspectives, new zeal, new will power, triumph over darkness and a new and deeper relationship with the Holy Trinity. Life has its challenges for us all, but if we believe in the resurrection and are grounded in our faith, we can face those challenges and overcome them. We need to continue to seek our God’s guidance and strength as we give life to events, people around us and situations in which we find ourselves.
We remember Pope John Paul II, who referred to the faithful as “an Easter people” and that “Alleluia, is our song”.
Student Achievement
A Ministry of Education requirement is that all schools are to report to the school’s community on the progress and achievement of students.
Our school’s results at the end of 2020, which, with a very challenging COVID year, were very encouraging and the staff are to be congratulated on the time and effort that they put into the learning and teaching programmes for our children.
The following achievement data for 2020 is in relation to the National Curriculum Levels.
Reading Achievement
80% of students are achieving AT or ABOVE expected levels
20% of students are achieving BELOW expected levels
Writing Achievement
71% of students are achieving AT and ABOVE expected levels
29% of students are achieving BELOW expected levels
Mathematics Achievement
81% of students are achieving AT or ABOVE expected levels
19% of students are achieving BELOW expected levels
Through the analysis of achievement data, staff have identified individuals and groups of students who are not progressing as expected and need additional support, students with special learning needs and those who are gifted and talented in various areas of the curriculum. Teachers continue to develop and implement teaching and learning strategies to address the needs of students and aspects of the curriculum that have been identified. We are also mindful we have an increasing number of students for whom English is a second language and support is provided to assist these students. The Board is committed to allocating funds through its annual budget to provide necessary resources and personnel to meet these needs.
Thank you to all our parents and whānau for the support you give to your children in their learning. It is essential that school and home work together to ensure the best learning outcomes for all students. It is great to see this growing partnership.
The Education and Training Act 2020
Last August, the new Education and Training Act came into effect. It implements a range of changes that are intended to further strengthen school governance and refocus schools on what matters most for learners and their whānau, as well as to encourage more active involvement of students, parents and whānau in education decisions affecting them.
The Act sets the same education and learning objectives for early childhood, primary and secondary education:
- To help each child and young person attain their education potential; and
- To promote the development in each child and young person, of the following abilities and attributes:
– resilience, determination, confidence and creative and critical thinking
– good social skills and the ability to form good relationships
– participation in community life and fulfilment of civic and social responsibilities
– preparedness for work; and
- To instil in each child and young person, and appreciation and importance of
- the inclusion of different groups and persons with different personal characteristics
- diversity, cultural knowledge, identity, and the different official languages
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te reo Maori
Along with these objectives come the National Education Learning Priorities (NELP). These priorities are:
- Learners are at the centre
- Barrier free access
- Quality teaching and leadership
- Future of learning and work
- World class inclusive public education
On reflecting on these learning objectives and NELP’s, I must say I was very heartened knowing that our Board, staff, students, parents and whānau are well along the road on this journey of change. We continually remind ourselves that we are here at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School with our children, your children, at the centre of everything we do. Together we are a TEAM, where Together Everyone Achieves More.
PTFA- Parents Teachers and Friends Association
Our PTFA is becoming a well established group in the school, who works hard to promote the life of the school and fund raise for projects that our government grant can’t stretch to provide. We recently held the Annual General Meeting of our PTFA to which 18 parents attended, which was very encouraging. There was a great community family spirit, with people keen to become involved.
We congratulate and thank the following parents who were newly elected and re-elected as office holders:
Co-Chairpersons – Michelle Porter and Laura Cooper
Co-Secretaries – Clair Kent and Eloisa Floresca
Treasurer – Fiona Rudsits
We are blessed with a great team leading the PTFA, with a group of hardworking and enthusiastic parents with them.
This year’s fund raising will be going towards the development of an outdoor sacred space for students, staff and school families to use as a place for reflection and prayer.
THANK YOU to the PTFA and all those involved in the first big fund raiser for the year- our Fun Run, which took place at school last Friday evening. While it was somewhat cold, with the threat of rain, a great time was had by all and there was a great community spirit evident.
Information Update on St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College, Drury
Earlier this term, we received information from the Diocese in regards to the planning and building of the Catholic College in Drury. We understand the difficulties of the past year and the decision that has been made to delay the opening of the College as explained in the Diocese’s communication below. This means that Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School will remain as a full primary school from Year 1 to Year 8 until the beginning of 2024. We will continue to provide catholic education for Year 7 and 8 students until that time.
The statement from the Diocese to our school community is below …
Due to the events of 2020 and reliance on external agencies for infrastructure, services and consenting the opening date of St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College and the decapitation (i.e. withdrawal of Year 7/8 students) of St Joseph’s Catholic School (Pukekohe), St Mary’s Catholic School (Papakura) and Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School (Takanini) has been extended from 2023 to the beginning of 2024.
We understand and appreciate this will unavoidably impact families making enrolment decisions for prospective Year 7 and 8 students. The college has been many years in the planning. The Auckland Catholic Diocese is committed to ensuring that when it opens the college is at the standard we desire.
We are grateful for all those who have worked so generously and tirelessly to bring about Catholic secondary education for future generations.
Catherine Ryan
Vicar for Education
Catholic Diocese of Auckland
Finally …
Again, THANK YOU one and all for the great support, the encouragement and the feedback you give to our school, and as together we work to give the best Catholic education we can for our children, we pray:
Lord Jesus, send out your Spirit and fill us with the joy of an Easter people. May we be blessed by the Holy Trinity and may your love continue to strengthen us all. Amen.
Warm wishes and blessings,
Philip Cortesi
Presider of the Board.
