IN THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER
Click on any of the sections below to scroll directly to it
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Bula VinakaBula VinakaBula Vinaka, Kia Ora, Ni Hao, Malo e lelei, Kia Orana, Tālofa, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Bonjour, and Kumusta Whānau,
Last week we celebrated Fijian Language Week. Those of you who drop your children off at the front of the school will have seen the Fijian flag proudly flying beneath the New Zealand flag as one of the ways we honoured the Fijian language as a school.
This newsletter is landing in your inbox as our Twilight Market is underway. I am so proud of the amazing work of our organising team Michelle Espinosa, Vanessa Mori, Shasta Dang, Bernice Chiam, Zoe Faulkner, Sarah Westerlund, Narae Hong, Ranjana Surplis, Laura Shaw and Karen Noble-Campbell. All who have worked tirelessly for the best part of the year to ensure tonight goes off well. I cannot thank you all, our community, enough for your support as the team has sent out requests for items and support – you have rallied, and together the Twilight Market will be such a great event for community spirit and for fundraising. I cannot wait to share images and news of the event in our next newsletter!
Parish Update Two Sunday’s ago, Fr John let us all know that he has responded to the Bishop’s request and, after 9 years as our parish priest, he will be moving on from Our Lady Star of the Sea, taking up a new role as Parish Priest at Christ the King Parish, across town in Owairaka. We will very much miss Fr John who is a real presence in our school. He has done such a wonderful job of keeping school and parish connected, offering Masses at the beginning and end of each term with our staff in our Chapel space, as well as buddy Masses for our classes, staying on afterwards and answering lots of questions that have arisen from our children. Fr John is always available to help us celebrate our Feast Day, beginning and end of year Masses, anytime we have something special on at school, such as the opening of our COLA and the blessing of the outdoor stations of the cross just to mention a few. The parish will farewell Fr John after 9am Mass on Sunday 2nd November, Fr John’s last weekend ministering to our parish. As a school, we will farewell Fr John with a special assembly at 10.15am on Tuesday 21st October in our school hall. All are welcome.
Fr John let us know that the new Parish Priest at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish will be Fr Robert O’Brien, who is transferring to us from Thames parish. Fr Robert will begin his ministry with us the weekend of November 9th.
Follow this link to read and discuss the messages of this Sunday’s Mass readings with your family.
National Shake Out Drill Yesterday our school participated in the nation-wide Shake Out earthquake drill. This was a timely reminder to us all that we live on an island that can, at times, be affected by earthquakes. We all practiced the recommended ‘Drop, Cover, Hold’ technique, supporting one another in our learning about safety during an event such as an earthquake.
Year 3 to 6 Swimming This week our Year 3 to 6’s began their 6 weeks of swimming lessons. This is well timed as we head into the summer season and prepare for the holidays over Christmas, which, for many, will feature time in and around beaches and/or pools.
Congratulations to Ethan Wang who will be competing for New Zealand in the Under 10 Boys/Open section at the Commonwealth Chess Championships in Malaysia in November. Ethan, we are so proud of you and are really looking forward to hearing all about it on your return. Go well with our blessings.
Thursday 23 October – NZEI Union Teacher Strike Day – School will be closed for the day
You will have seen in the media talk of a NZEI teacher Union member strike on Thursday 23rd October. This is now confirmed. The Board has decided to close the school for instruction on this date for health and safety reasons, as staffing levels will not allow us to safely operate. Thank you for your understanding and support. FYI, Bizzy Bodz will not be able to offer their support on this day for childcare.
Looking ahead On Monday I am very much looking forward to taking a breather as the winner of the Principal for the Day prize, Bailey Mori takes over the reigns. Bailey sold the most Twilight Market raffle tickets, so will be in the driver’s seat for the day on Monday!! We wish her well in this undertaking (I’ve let her know that she is not allowed to give any pay rises!). On Tuesday next week we wish our Touch Rugby team well as they compete at an HPPA tournament. We are looking forward to Frozen Fridays beginning next Friday – a super Parents Committee initiative as the weather warms up. See the Parents Committee section of this newsletter for details about how to order iceblocks for your children.
I wish you a safe and blessed fortnight ahead until the next opportunity to share news about what is happening in this, our beautiful school, in our next newsletter.
Arohanui, Zhù hǎo, ‘Ofa lahi atu, Tōfa soifua, Cordialement, Loloma levu, Fakaue lahi, 안부 인사를 전합니다 , salamat po,
Louise Campbell
Tumuaki/Principal
NEWS FROM THE DRS
JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE
‘Be a beacon of hope, a sign of hope and peace throughout our world.’
Pope Leo XIV
Our school Pilgrims of Hope Cross has begun spending time in classrooms. If your family would like to host this special taonga at some point please contact me to arrange. [email protected]
Encounter with Christ:
Prayer is an important part of our lives at home and at school. Through prayer we come to a deeper understanding of both ourselves and God. We do not pray for God’s sake, we pray for our own sake, so that our relationship with God may be more full. The school day begins in prayer each day, either in class or together as a whole school. Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to join us when they can. For our young learners to see you join them for prayer, in class or when the school gathers, is really important as it reinforces to them the importance of prayer for us all. Please make a point of joining your child at either class prayer or whole school prayer before the end of the year.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the remainder of October we will gather as a school, to pray one decade of the Rosary together. During this time, students are led into the prayer through breathing techniques to settle their minds and bodies, along with a time of meditation using reflective music. This is in keeping with the schoolwide focus on increased meditative and contemplative prayer practices which take place during class morning prayer. We invite you to join us and experience this special time with us.
Each Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30pm, the Liturgy Team leads a decade of the Rosary in the school Chapel for students who are able to attend. If you are in the area at this time, feel free to pop in and join us. The community that prays together, stays together.
Throughout the month of November, Catholics around the world remember and pray for those who have died, and are now in the arms of Jesus. If you would like to have the name of someone special to you recorded in our school memorial book please complete the form on our school website and send it through to the office.
Growth and Development:
The Religious Education focus for this term is ‘Being Church’. Our Year 1 & 2 students will develop an understanding that they are part of God’s family and recognise that the Church has rituals, symbols and holy things. Year 3 & 4 students will grow in understanding of what a Sacrament is and what they do. Year 5 & 6 students will develop an understanding of the 9 principles of Catholic Social Teaching and that they come from Jesus’ teaching. They will explore and show how they can live these teachings. Evidence of this work will be posted on Seesaw throughout the term.
Christian Witness:
Mission Sunday will be celebrated this Sunday, 19 October. Pope Leo has made this appeal: ‘I urge every Catholic parish in the world to take part in World Mission Sunday. Your prayers, your support will help spread the Gospel, provide for pastoral and catechetical programs, help to build new churches, and care for the health and educational needs of our brothers and sisters in mission territories’. Click on this link to view the video: https://youtu.be/eEwDtbZxt4c
Our students show Christian Witness through their everyday actions. This is very evident through the way our older students interact with younger ones — encouraging and supporting them, including them in activities, checking in to see if they’re okay, and sharing equipment so everyone gets a turn. These simple gestures beautifully show Christian Witness in action, reflecting Christ’s message of love, mercy, and justice. Their example is something our whole community can be proud of.
As mentioned in the Principal’s report, Fr John is moving to Christ the King Parish in Owairaka. We will gather as a school to farewell him next Tuesday at 10:15am in the school hall. The parish will be hosting a farewell morning tea after the 9am Mass, Sunday 2 November. Please do make a point of attending one of these occasions. Fr John has been our spiritual leader for the past 9 years and it is only fitting that we acknowledge all the time and energy he has devoted to growing our parish and school communities.
“We are a Christ centred community
fostering belonging (whanaungatanga)
and outreach
through selfless giving (manaakitanga)
in Mary’s Way”.
ATTENDANCE DUES
Attendance Dues are compulsory for attending a Catholic School. Unless arrangements for payment have been made through Direct Debit or Automatic Payment, all fees for 2025 should be paid in full by 20th November.
Applications for assistance with Attendance Dues are being reviewed now so if you wish to request assistance, please contact Sue Yandell in strictest confidence.
NEWS FROM THE PARENTS COMMITTEE
We’re off to a great start this term with lots happening!
Frozen Fridays
Lemonade ice blocks are back every Friday at lunch! Starting Friday 24th October to 12th December.
Order and pay your $8 by Monday 20th October via this form: https://forms.gle/t7dfrohUwNdUvLm8A
If you’d like your child to take part but can’t make the contribution, fill out the form – we’ll make sure they’re included. No one misses out!
Howick Santa Parade – Walking Float
We’re excited to enter a walking float in this year’s Howick Santa Parade on 7th December!
If your child would like to be involved, please email [email protected] – it’s going to be a fun experience!
Parents Committee AGM – 3 November, 7pm (Staff Room)
Come along for some snacks and a relaxed catch-up as we share what the Parents Committee has been working on this year and some plans going forward.
Our regular Parents Committee meeting will follow the AGM – everyone is welcome!
Experience the Magic of Enchanted Christmas!
If you’re thinking of booking this magical event, don’t forget to use our school code: Our Lady Star of the Sea School
Enjoy 10% off your ticket, and 10% of the booking fee comes back to our school!
Wander through 240+ themed trees, twinkling lights, immersive scenes – and even book time with Santa or the Grinch. It’s all happening on Teed Street – a festive treat for the whole family!
Thanks for your continued support – here’s to a fun and festive Term 4!
NEWS FROM INSIDE THE CLASSROOM
On Thursday 16 October at 9.30am, the school joined the rest of New Zealand and participated in the National Earthquake Drill. Children learnt and practiced to drop, cover, hold if they feel shaking in an earthquake, like a turtle. If they were close to a table they got underneath it and covered their head with their arms. Here are some of our newest students practicing the drill. Well done Room 10!
NEWS FROM OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
HPPA Mathex Competition
Congratulations to our Year 6 students Domi, Brendan, Hyo Sung and Mason who represented our school in the HPPA Mathex competition on Tuesday. All the boys put in lots of effort practising their maths skills but more importantly working as a team to get the correct answers. Each boy offered their different strengths to the team to make them a cohesive unit.
We are proud to announce that our team came 7th place overall out of 21 schools. They scored 90/125 points.
Congratulations boys! Thank you for representing our school with pride.
Howick Hornets Rugby League Club – 2025 Junior Club Sportsperson of the Year
We are proud to share that Tevin was recently awarded the “2025 Junior Club Sportsperson of the Year” award for the Howick Hornets Rugby League Club. Well done Tevin on this well deserved award!
NEWS FROM THE ENVIRO TEAM
Congratulations to Room 10 who were the winners of the rubbish free lunch trophy for Week 1. Room 10 had an impressive 90% of their lunches that were free of packaging.
Being rubbish free is easy! Here are some ideas for those that missed the information in the last newsletter and seesaw post.
How eco friendly is your family?
We have noticed a huge improvement in the number of rubbish free lunches from Week 1 to Week 2, so thank you so much for supporting our Enviro team initiative. If you are choosing lunch food that is packaged, there is still rubbish that goes to the landfill even if it doesn’t come to school. It is our hope that families will take this opportunity to have a discussion as a family and look for ways you can reduce the amount of plastic your family uses. This could be buying a large bag/container of your favourite food and putting it into containers for the lunch boxes therefore avoiding multiple packets. If we all do a little bit, it will make a big difference to our world and future generations.
KEY DATES
TERM DATES
Term 1 Starts | Monday, 3 February 2025 |
Term 1 Finishes | Friday, 11 April 2025 |
Term 2 Starts | Monday, 28 April 2025 |
Term 2 Finishes | Friday, 27 June 2025 |
Term 3 Starts | Monday, 14 July 2025 |
Term 3 Finishes | Friday, 19 September 2025 |
Term 4 Starts | Monday, 6 October 2025 |
Term 4 Finishes | Wednesday, 17 December 2025 |
COMMUNITY NOTICES
********************************************
Join us for A Night at the Conclave with Cardinal John Dew at St Mary’s College, 7.30pm, Friday 21 November. Discover the mystery of the Papal Conclave through Cardinal John’s unique insights. All proceeds support the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph. Details & tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/conclave
********************************************
********************************************
********************************************
********************************************
Project and Music Coordinator – Catholic Diocese of Auckland
Are you looking for a role where you can make a positive impact in the lives of young people? Do you have experience in the areas of music ministry and events? We’re looking for someone who answers “Yes!” to become our full-time Project and Music Coordinator. You’ll be part of a tight-knit team implementing a bold new strategy for ministry to young people in the Diocese of Auckland. To learn more, please visit: www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/staff-vacancies/
Leave A Comment