Kia Ora, Ni Hao Malo e lelei and Bula Vinaka Whānau,

Dedication Mass for School Staff of the Auckland Diocese It was a joy to celebrate Mass to begin our school year with Teachers and staff from our Catholic ECE’s, Primary Schools and Secondary Schools in the Auckland Diocese last Tuesday evening. Bishop Steve concelebrated with a number of priests from across Auckland, welcoming the staff of the newest school in our network, St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College which opened at the beginning of this year out in Drury. Several of our staff were acknowledged as part of the Mass too. We congratulate Alice Shin for obtaining Classroom Level Certification, Brooke Crowe for obtaining Leadership Level Certification and Karen Noble Campbell, Lee Marten, Detta Fairweather, Tracey Elder and Denise Bailey for endorsement of Leadership Level in Catholic education. In the image included here you will see Mrs Sue Yandell our Executive Officer with our school candle amongst representatives from many other schools getting ready to have our school candle blessed for the year by our Bishop.

Mitey Mental Health Education Launched at Our Lady Star of the Sea Many of you will know by reading our annual report and in past newsletters that our teaching staff have spent the second half of last year learning more about Sir John Kirwin’s Mitey Mental Health Education programme in preparation for introducing it school wide this year. As shared in our last newsletter, this supports the Mental and Emotional area of our wellbeing model Te Whare Tapa Wha and brings to life our first learning concept of the year Harmony. The Mitey coaches have been in during our Teacher Only Days at the start of this year, and have been in classes modelling lessons and supporting us in the implementation of this worthy programme. The Mitey Team will support our work in this space on an ongoing basis for the next two and  a half years as we learn and embed this programme in our school.

Staffing Update 
In our last newsletter I welcomed Mr Mark Carter to our school learning community as teacher in Room 17. It is with sadness that I am informing our community that Mark has been unable to continue here at school due to an ongoing unresolved medical issue.
We are most fortunate to be able to welcome Mrs Gabriela Bailey as Class Teacher in Room 17 from Mondays to Wednesdays. Mrs Bailey will be working alongside Mrs Karen Waters, who will continue the classroom programmes on a Thursday and Friday. Many of you will know Karen as our ESOL teacher. She will continue this work in the first three days of the school week.
I know you will make Mrs Bailey feel welcome. Look out for an introduction piece in our next newsletter from Gabriela.

Looking Ahead: Next Thursday we are looking forward to our Parent Teacher Student Goal Setting Conferences for the year. You will have already received your invitation to book a time with your class teacher through our SkoolLoop App. Also on Thursday, our Year 1 to 3 students have the opportunity to engage in cricket coaching at school. Please note in your diary that our Parents Committee Meeting is on Monday 4th March at 7pm in the staffroom. All welcome – bring a friend!

Wishing you all a happy, safe and blessed fortnight ahead until we next communicate via our school newsletter.

Ngā mihi nui, Tōfa soifua, ‘Alu ā, cǐ zhì jìng lǐ and Vinaka vaka levu,

Louise Campbell
Principal

Lent has begun. Lent is a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and giving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday.
It’s a time of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we are encouraged to ‘Pray, Give and Fast.’ This helps us to grow our relationship with God by seeking to follow Jesus more faithfully. 

During Lent there are two opportunities in our parish that seek to build our relationship with Jesus. To help working people, each Wednesday in Lent there will be a 6:00am mass. Also, every Friday night the parish will gather for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 6:00pm-6:45pm followed by the popular Stations of the Cross at 7pm. 

Our annual Lenten Challenge this year is to FLOOD the FOODBANK with AROHA. This is one of our major Christian Witness outreach activities for the year where we can put our faith into action.  Throughout the weeks of  Lent we are collecting donations for our parish foodbank. Through the small action of donating an item of food our young learners come to know more about two of the corporal works of Mercy – feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty. Thank you for your support with this. Last week we fed a total of 10 families.

On Tuesday our whole school gathered at our Parish Church to celebrate our annual Commissioning Mass. It was a great opportunity to gather together to recognise and celebrate our Year 6 leaders for 2024. 

“We are a Christ centred community
fostering belonging (whanaungatanga)
and outreach
through selfless giving (manaakitanga)
in Mary’s Way”.

Thank you to those who have already paid their Term 1 fees.  A reminder that Term 1 is due by 10 March.  If you wish to set up a payment plan, please contact Sue Yandell in confidence.

Receipts for the financial year 01.04.2023 – 31.03.2024 will be processed and sent home in early April.

A word from your Traffic Team

Hi there. We are working very hard to keep everyone safe when they cross the road.

Please could you help us by… 

• Crossing the road between the signs when the patrols are out
• Getting your children out of the car on the kerbside
• Not using the bus bay as a drop off zone in the morning
• Reducing your speed when traveling around our school zone
• Encouraging your child to walk in from Orangewood Drive to help reduce congestion around our school gates

Thank you so much for helping keep everyone safe on the roads and around our school area.

Because of lack of orders for Wednesday Subway – the only lunch day will now be  Sushi on Fridays.

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BARADENE COLLEGE – OPEN DAY TOURS – Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 February 2024

BOOKINGS online REQUIRED (bookings open 9.00am Tuesday 20 Feb)

Tour times: 9am and 10am each day

Book at www.baradene.school.nz – 2024 Open Day Tours

Book your time by 3.00pm Monday 26 Feb

Enrolments for Year 7, 2025 and for limited places in other Year levels are being accepted now and will close at 3pm on Friday 15 March, 2024.

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Sacred Heart Open Day

Enrolment Applications for Year 7 and Year 9 for 2025 are now open

A Sacred Heart education provides a foundation of faith and aspiration to succeed at the highest level in personal and professional life. Places are available in Years 7 and 9 in 2025, with Boarding available from Year 9. Applications are prioritised in accordance with our Enrolment Scheme. Scholarships are available.
Join us for our Open Day on Wednesday, 28 February 2024. Two sessions are being held, 10am and 1pm in our Auditorium, followed by tours of the College. Parking will be available at Gates 3 & 4, West Tamaki Road, Glendowie.
Applications for enrolment close Friday 5 April 2024. Apply online here. Visit www.sacredheart.school.nz for more information.

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Video of NZ experiences of the Synod on Synodality

Archbishop of Wellington Paul Martin, SM, Wairarapa parish Priest Fr Dennis Nacorda, and Auckland Vicar for Māori Manuel Beazley have shared their experiences of the Holy Father’s Synod on Synodality in Rome last October. This YouTube video is a recording of a Zoom session they held with a live audience on Thursday 15 March 2024.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COKdE6mIojU

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