School Newsletter 28th June 2024

Greetings, Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei,  Namaste, Ni Hao, Bula, Hola, Kumusta, Namaskārām,
Sat Shri Akaal, Vanakkam and Ayubowan

Dear Families

How wonderful to gather as a school faith community yesterday to celebrate Te Tau Hou Māori – Matariki together!!!  We commenced with Karakia and then shared breakfast with our whānau before participating in the Matariki learning activities. The tikanga of Matariki is a time for whānau. Yesterday as the dawn rose through the darkness, we remembered and prayed for our whānau and ancestors who are no longer with us, we prayed in thanksgiving for all we have now in the present and for this time of renewal. This special time for Holy Trinity whānau allowed us to celebrate Matariki as a time that unites us as community, connecting in friendship and sharing in gratitude and respect for the gifts of God’s creation.

“Praised be You my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, In heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.”
From the Canticle of Creation by St Francis of Assisi.

A Matariki Blessing …

The new light of Matariki has risen!
May it be to you a sign of resurrection and new life.
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 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 of the Holy Spirit, we pray.
Amen

THANK YOU to our PTFA Team and Community!

A special and very BIG thank you to our PTFA and their wonderful band of helpers who were up so early on Thursday morning to prepare and serve kai for our Holy Trinity school community whānau. Thank you all for your generosity of service and for creating an awesome community time as we gathered together to celebrate Matariki. It was fantastic to see our school families joining together and enjoying the spirit/wairua of Matariki – to take time to remember the past, celebrate the present and to plan for the future. This couldn’t have happened without the dedication of our PTFA team – ka mau to wehi – you are amazing and we are so proud of you!

Thank you also to Mrs Speechlay and Mrs Fernandes who prepared and led the different activities for our Matariki Breakfast Morning!

THANK YOU to our Outgoing PTFA Office Holders …

Michelle Porter, Laura Cooper and Clair Kent

We extend a huge vote of thanks on behalf of the school community to Michelle Porter, Laura Cooper and Clair Kent who have been so instrumental in ensuring the PTFA is such an integral part of our school partnership with teachers, parents and friends of Holy Trinity. Each of these young women has given a significant amount of time and dedication to this work  – organising school fundraisers, social events, fun days and events and making contributions to the financial position of the school so that all our children/students can benefit from curriculum learning experiences. We are so grateful for their wonderful efforts, for everything they have given to us and thank them for their unwavering support. We also acknowledge their respective families who have happily been roped in to assist with the various activities! What a team effort from all! Thank you for surrounding our school family, always looking out for us and blessing us with the fruits of your efforts!

And Congratulations to our Incoming PTFA Office Holders …

We are so thrilled to be able to announce the election of a new PTFA team to office holder positions.

Chairperson – Louise Ruegg
Secretary – Jeff Williams
Treasurer – Sarah Langford

Congratulations to you all and “Thank You” for your willingness to come on board to continue the great work of the PTFA team. We look forward to working closely with you and we know that you will find it rewarding and fulfilling to be involved in the life of the school in this way. Bless you all!

DRS Report

First Holy Communion Mass

On Sunday 7 July, there is a special First Holy Communion Mass held at St Mary’s Church in Papakura at 5:00pm. This is a wonderful Mass where we can celebrate 26 of our students who will receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, First Holy Communion. We pray for these children as they receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time as they become more active participants of our Mass.

YCC Day on Thursday 4 July

We have a whole school non-uniform day on Thursday 4 July to celebrate YCC Day which is a special annual event that Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand joins forces with all Catholic Schools across New Zealand to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in need. This year, we stand in solidarity with Holy Trinity School in Papua New Guinea. This means on Thursday 4 July, our tamariki and kaitiaki will come to school dressed in BRIGHT COLOURS and bring a gold coin donation to go towards helping Holy Trinity School in Papua New Guinea to have better access to education. A gold coin can go a long way!

End of Term Mass

On the last day of the term, Friday 5 July, we’ll be having our End of Term Mass in Taamaua/school hall at 1:00pm with Father Mathew Vadakkevettuvazhiyil of St Mary’s Papakura. We are inviting all our school families and friends to come along and join us for our Mass before we end the term. Tamariki and kaitiaki of Pompallier Whānau will be leading this Mass!

Parish Bulletins

Please click on the links to access the Parish Bulletins –  St Mary’s Parish Papakura Bulletin 30th June 2024 and  St Anne’s Parish, Manurewa Bulletin #23 – Sunday 30th June 2024

HERO – Digital Reporting on Students’ Progress

On Monday, we will be sharing our term’s learning with our families on HERO. This includes individual students’ mid year achievement levels and learning goals progress in reading, writing and maths. Also, remember to click on the ‘My Learning Wall’ in HERO to access the students’ reflections.

There will also be information on students’ sharing their learning, reflections and achievement from their Concept /Science “Curiosity” and The Arts learning areas. The report comments focus on either surface, deep or transfer skills that your child/ren have achieved with evidence to support this.

• Surface learning is the essential first step where students are introduced to concepts, skills, and strategies, providing a foundational understanding upon which deeper thinking can later develop.

• Deep learning is when students build upon what they’ve learned, going deeper to fully grasp concepts, needing more time and a strong base of previous knowledge.

• Transfer learning is when students use what they’ve learned in new situations and contexts, also involving reflective thinking on their own learning processes.

You will need to click the Learning Community page in HERO to access these comments.

Enjoy reading and sharing the HERO online reporting comments with your child/ren so that together you can celebrate learning successes and the positive personal growth and development that has occurred in Term 2!

Mahi Tahi Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

Next week, we have scheduled Mahi Tahi, Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on Tuesday, 2nd July and Wednesday, 3rd July. There will be two options available for you to meet with your child’s kaitiaki/teacher. These conferences are a valuable opportunity for you to discuss your child’s mid-year progress and achievement in reading, writing, and maths, as well as their progress in meeting learning goals, and to share their learning and reflections from their Concept/Science and Arts learning.

Please note that on Tuesday 2nd July, school will end at 1:00 pm to allow parents to have a formal interview time. Interview times will be from 1:30 pm to 6:15 pm. To secure a 15-minute formal interview slot, you will have received a notification on Hero from your child’s learning community today, inviting you to book an interview time. Once you have made the request, kaitiaki/teachers will send you an email to confirm the interview time.

We are using the HERO interview booking system, and we know how successful it was for everyone last year.

On Wednesday 3rd July, there will be an open afternoon in the learning communities. Parents/caregivers can visit between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm. No appointment is needed for this day, so feel free to drop by and have a conversation with your child’s kaitiaki/teachers.

We appreciate your ongoing support, and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing you at the Mahi Tahi – Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences.

Staffing Update

Farewell to …

Mrs Lynn Rhodé who leaves us in early August to pursue her new appointment as an Outreach Teacher to schools, supporting students with additional learning needs. Lynn will be joining Rosehill Specialist School in this new role. Lynn has been an outstanding teacher, middle team leader and SENCo for our school community these past 6 years and her loss from our teaching team will be significant. Lynn has been such a dedicated, committed and capable teacher sharing her expertise across both the junior and senior levels of the school. Lynn’s role as SENCo (Special Education Needs Co-ordinator) has evolved over time as Lynn has rigorously developed her professional knowledge, understanding and skill set in this learning support space. We are indebted to Lynn for her work with our students, teachers and families in this area as she has endeavoured to ensure each student and family has received the best support and guidance to allow them to thrive in the school setting.  THANK YOU Lynn for your willingness to serve our school community and for your invaluable contributions to our school family as a teacher/kaitiaki and colleague.

Lynn will be at Holy Trinity School until Friday 2nd August when she will commence in her new position.

Welcome to …

Mrs Ruth Leonidas who joins us as a Learning Assistant at the beginning of Term 3. We are excited to have Ruth working alongside us again! Ruth has previously worked in this role here at Holy Trinity supporting students with additional needs. We look forward to Ruth sharing her gifts and talents with us again as she contributes to the students’ learning and well being and becomes a valuable member of our Support Staff team.

Teaching and Learning News

Te Toki Voyaging Trust – Waka Hourua

We are thrilled to announce that Te Toki Voyaging Trust will be at school running two workshops on Monday  to support Learning community Ngahere on their learning around Migration and Navigation. The two workshops are called Whare Whetu and Kāpehu Whetū. Whare Whetu, a portable planetarium, will provide students with an interactive experience to explore star constellations and learn how navigators on waka hourua use the night sky for voyages. Following this, the Kāpehu Whetū workshop will offer insights into modern-day navigation techniques across the Pacific through a round mat depicting traditional navigation systems. This workshop will also honor the achievements of our tūpuna. These hands-on sessions are designed to enrich students’ understanding of both traditional and contemporary navigation methods.

Matariki Learning Day

‘Ngā mihi o te tau hou Māori’ was the 7:00 am call out by whānau and children, wishing everyone a Happy New Year/Happy Matariki after karakia! Once breakfast was over, we spent the rest of the day learning more about Matariki, focusing on its three principles:

• Remembrance – Honoring those who have died since the last rising of Matariki.
• Celebrating the present – Gathering together to give thanks for what we have.
• Looking to the future – Looking forward to the promise of a new year.

Students rotated in their whānau groups to experience different learning activities planned by kaitiaki. It was wonderful to see them engaged in these activities, having fun while growing their knowledge about Matariki.

We hope that your Matariki celebration has been about remembering and honoring loved ones, celebrating with whānau and friends, and reflecting on aspirations for the future.

“Duffy Books in Homes” Programme

This week, our tamariki received their two free Duffy Books for Term 2, just in time for the school holidays. There are so many reasons why it’s great if children can read at home, including:

Learning Community News

Learning Community Moana

Father Mathew of St Mary’s Parish, Papakura came to visit Learning Community Moana on Wednesday 26 June and talked to our learners about his trip to East Africa. He used his story to help our learners unpack the messages of some Old Testament stories. Father Mathew reminded us of the value of relationships and how important it is to look after them, as we are all made in the image and likeness of God. This is a reflection of who we are as a school, that we build community through relationships. We finished by acknowledging Matariki and the light that the stars, and Jesus, bring to our lives.

The Importance of Play at Home

Our families enjoyed a fun evening last Tuesday at the PTFA Annual General Meeting (AGM) learning about the importance of play to help children’s fundamental skills development. Tracey-Lee Dalton, a Healthy Active Learning facilitator, led children and their families through a series of fun activities that all contributed to the development of these skills. Tracey-Lee shared learning about the importance of developing our reflexes, senses, motor development, language skills, auditory skills, visual skills – foundation skills that are the building blocks for formal learning – through PLAY!!

With a few pieces of equipment, Tracey-Lee showed us how to create fun games for all the family to participate in.

Hauora/WellBeing News

Peer Mediators – The Awhi Team!

On Thursday 20 June, the Awhi Team enjoyed a shared lunch to celebrate their accomplishments so far this year. They have helped solve minor conflicts in the playground, presented at school assemblies, and five Awhi Team members have achieved Silver Awards (with two more to come early next term). Next term they plan to help teach the kaupapa (lessons) of peer mediation in the junior classrooms and help out with Social Justice Week. Watch this space!

Sensory Kete

Stimulating our senses helps calm us down. When we tune into the things we touch and see, we have to notice & focus, which can help to calm and distract us from any swirling thoughts or emotions. As a Whānau, build a kete that you can use to help your child relax when times get tricky and when they need time to process their emotions. It’s all about using things that will help bring your child ‘back to the present’

Your kete could include;

• Photos or favourite pictures from magazines

• Cotton wool dabbed with in a calming oil (e.g. lavender)

• A small toy or book

• A ziplock bag with puzzle pieces

• A quiet activity they enjoy – drawing, colouring, word finds

Sports News

Help Needed!

We are participating in the annual St Anne’s Shield Tournament held on Wednesday 28 August next term, which is a huge sporting competition that involves 9 Catholic schools across the South Auckland area. We are in need of some coaches to help support our Year 5/6 teams that we have entered. If you are able to coach netball, football or tag or you can referee a football game, please reach out to Ana Silva at asilva@holytrinity.school.nz
Your help and support would be greatly appreciated.

NZ Traveller Declaration Form

 The New Zealand Traveller Declaration is an online system that travellers can use to complete a declaration before they travel into New Zealand. The new digital system was launched in August 2023 and not many people know they can now do it online – replacing the paper card you used to fill out on the plane.

We are keen to promote it for the upcoming school holidays, in particular for families who might be travelling overseas and will need to complete a declaration when they return.

Many thanks for your consideration and support.
New Zealand Traveller Declaration team

Upcoming School Events

Matariki PUBLIC HOLIDAY – school closed
Friday 28th June

Whānau Time
Monday 1st July 

Te Toki Voyaging Trust – Navigation learning for Learning Community Ngahere
Monday 1st July @ Taamaua

HERO Student Digital Reporting published
Monday 1st July

Mahi Tahi – Parent/Teacher/Student “Formal Conferences” – School ends at 1:00pm
Tuesday 2nd July  1:30pm – 6:30pm Booked 15 minute interviews

Mahi Tahi – Student/Parent/Teacher “Open Conferences”
Wednesday 3rd July  3:30pm – 6:30pm Open interview times

YCC School non-uniform Day – Caritas Fundraising
Thursday 4th July

End of Term School Mass with Fr Mathew
Friday 5th July 1:00pm @ school in Taamaua/school hall

Term 2 Concludes at 2:50pm 
Friday 5th July

Term 3 Commences at 8:50am
Monday 22nd July

School Whakatau for New Families and Gathering Liturgy led by RE Team Leaders
Monday 22nd July @ 8:50am in Taamaua/school hall

Grandparents Liturgy
Friday 26th July @ 2:00pm in Taamaua/school hall

Upcoming Community Events

Tots to Teens Digital Magazine

Winter is upon us, and our latest issue is jam-packed with content to help Kiwi parents issue2406.totstoteens.co.nz/

What’s in this issue for parents?

» Building resilience through story telling
» How to get little kids ready to learn math
» Navigating reading, ’riting, and ’rithmetic
» Family-friendly things to do, see, and experience
» Your winter wellness kit
» Scrummy recipes to warm up your family (and fill those lunch boxes)
» Surviving the school holidays (with extended family)
» Fun, cute, and practical craft with jars
» PLUS awesome giveaways

Ask your tamariki to find this issue’s Te Reo Māori words including hoahoa, tatau māwhitiwhiti, mahi kāinga, and tāpoi.

Thank you to everyone for supporting our digital magazine, it means we are able to share our magazine with more kiwi parents and whānau, in a format that is super visual and user friendly (75% of your parents will be reading on their phone!).

We are proud to be Aotearoa’s favourite parenting magazine, with 275,000 free magazines distributed for free each year nationwide.