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

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2024. We are very much looking forward to a fun and exciting year ahead here at Our Lady Star of the Sea, filled with learning and growth opportunities for our tamariki.

Thank you to all families for the way you have prepared your children for the start of the year; well rested, healthy litterless lunches, full uniform including hats in this summer term and for the stationery that is coming into school. Our teachers are getting to know their learners over the first couple of weeks, setting up routines and expectations and beginning the delivery of our curriculum – a busy time in our school year!

Connected Curriculum 2024 On entering our school this year, once you walk past our ‘Jesus is the reason for this school’ statement, you will have seen our 2024 overarching concept for the year; a year of exploring God’s world and identifying how we can make a positive contribution, as always, with Jesus as our guide. The three concepts that frame up our learning journey this year are Harmony, Curiosity and Serve. 
Harmony sees us investigating Social Studies along with the Health and PE curriculums looking to better understand what it takes to live harmoniously in God’s world. Our Health journey sees us using Sir John Kirwan’s Mitey programme as a tool to help us understand the benefits of good mental health and how this supports harmony in ourselves. This builds on the work we introduced last year around the Te Whare Tapa Whā wellbeing framework. Using Mitey’s Mana Model, we place our students at the centre of the Te Whare Tapa Whā framework, focusing on building their Mana; when we stand tall and are proud of who we are, our mental wellbeing is enhanced and all elements of Te Whare Tapa Wha (our spiritual wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, physical wellbeing, relationships and our connection to our heritage) are enhanced.
In the middle of the year our Curiosity concept takes in the Science and Technology curriculum where we explore the physical world of forces, specifically looking at what makes something swifter, higher and stronger which will link in with the Olympics held around the same time.
We conclude the year with Serve where we combine all of our learning and students do an inquiry into something they have noticed that needs support in God’s world and work to do something positive about it.

Parish Connect 
Enrolments for this year’s Parish Sacramental Programme opened on Saturday 27th January and close on Sunday 18th February.   The Enrolment Forms will be available in the Foyer of the Church before or after Sunday Mass.  For more information contact our Sacramental Programme Coordinator (Linda Lehkre-  [email protected]) or through the Parish Office.

Waitangi Day
On Tuesday we commemorated Waitangi Day with a national holiday and a special assembly on Wednesday when we gathered back together as a school; remembering our commitment to our bi-cultural partnership in our multicultural society. Where people from all cultural backgrounds feel welcome and connected here in Aotearoa, whilst keeping the Maori culture and language alive as our country is the only place in the world from which the Maori culture originates – we are all responsible for safeguarding the indigenous culture of New Zealand in order for our and future generations to understand, respect and share this unique and special culture with the world.

Celebrating Chinese Luna New Year
This weekend we begin the celebration of the Chinese New Year. We are most grateful to our Chinese Parent Group, the Jia Group for decorating our school with beautiful Chinese lanterns and decorations marking this special occasion, a truly festive start to school!

Welcome Picnic Last night it was a joy to gather as a community, to introduce staff, hear about changes in the New Zealand Curriculum and remind ourselves of our strategic goals as a school. Following a brief gathering in our hall for these important messages, families were off to classes to have a look around and meet their class teachers. The much anticipated beginning of the year picnic topped off the evening with a sausage sizzle thanks to the Parents Committee. Huge fun was had on the waterslide.
Thank you to the Parents Committee for all the hard work in preparing for the evening, for the food and refreshments – you are all STARS! Thank you also to those families who joined the Parents Committee communication tree. For those who missed the opportunity, we will message out soon to follow up.

Staffing Update 
We congratulate Mrs Jesy Griffin on the safe arrival of her baby boy! Much prayer and congratulations are extended to Jesy and her husband at this time.

We welcome Mr Mark Carter to our Senior School this year. I am sure you will make him feel welcome when you see him around the school. See below for an introduction message from Mark.

My name is Mark Carter and I am excited about being a teacher at Our Lady Star of the Sea School.  I appreciate the warm welcome I have received from this school as I have been a quiet admirer for many years of the school’s Christian input into the lives of children. I enjoy singing in choirs and playing badminton.

A Couple Of Reminders at the Start of our School Year Annual Consent Form – Due today. Your child/ren will have brought home our annual consent form for trips and visits across our school year as well as other critical consent elements. Your child/ren will not be able to leave the school for any trips or events until we have this form back to school. We have asked for this form to be returned to school by today – if you haven’t already, please give this to your class teacher on Monday.
Updating Contact Details If any of your contact details have recently changed, (phone numbers, address, email address or emergency contact details), please be in touch with our school office to let them know, or, you are welcome to make changes through the parent portal.
Uniform Please ensure your child/ren has the correct uniform including a school hat. The uniform shop is open on Thursdays from 8.15 am to 8.45 am and again from 2.30 pm – 3.00 pm.  Uniform orders can be placed online by completing an order form, paying online and emailing the order to [email protected].  An order form can be found on the school website under the School Information tab, then select School Uniform.  Orders must be in by Wednesday for delivery to your child’s classroom on Thursday.  For any size exchanges please return to the office and we will action.     If using an online order for PE tops, please remember to circle the colour sleeve band for your school house.
Cell Phones Away for the Day Please note: The Government has introduced regulations that require all state and state-integrated schools to have student phone rules in use. The regulations require that schools must ensure students do not use or access a phone while they are attending school, including during lunch time and breaks. We are currently developing a policy in support of this and will share it with our community once this is established. In the meantime, if your child does require a cell phone after school for transportation/safety purposes, please email your child’s teacher to let them know. Mobile phones will be collected by class teachers in the morning and kept locked away for safety purposes during the school day.
Safety around the school gates With all the congestion we experience before and after school, we are very mindful of keeping our tamariki|students, safe. There are a few things you can do to help us make sure that no child gets hurt, or worse, coming to and leaving school.
1. Make sure all children get out of or into the car on the curbside
2. Always use the marked crossing areas at the front or the back of the school to cross the road as these have the most visibility for drivers
3. Make sure your child/ren do not run between parked cars to get into or out of the car or across the road
4. When the road patrols are operating at the pedestrian crossing please always use these
5. When entering at the front of the school please use the footpath and pedestrian crossing that extends across the staff carpark, refraining from walking across the bus bay
6. Demonstrate to your children safe ways to cross the road
Thank you for your support. We know it often means walking a little bit further but it is worth it to avoid a tragedy.
MOE Reminder COVID 
Covid is still circulating in the wider community. The advice continues to remain the same; if anyone tests positive we are advised to stay home for 5 days. Then, if symptom free, we can return to school/work. Thank you in advance for following this advice.
MOE Reminder Measles
The Ministry of Education has indicated that they expect Measles cases in Auckland this year. Measles is serious, especially for young children and can have ongoing effects on immunity from other illnesses. The MOE wishes schools to remind parents to check that your child/ren has had two MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations. You can check with your doctor or practice nurse or in your children’s ‘Well Child Tamariki Ora books. MMR vaccinations are free from GPs and some pharmacies. If there is a measles case at our school, children exposed to the virus and who are not immune are at high risk of developing measles and will need to stay home in quarantine.

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

Religious Education Focus Term 1

This year we continue our journey with the new Religious Education Curriculum. This term our focus is on Our Story where our young learners in the Year 1 and 2 classes will develop an understanding that they are unique and that God loves each individual as they are. The children will recognise that people are gifts from God to each other and the world.

Our learners in the Years 3 and 4 classes will come to know that their family is special and loved by God. They will grow an understanding that all people are part of God’s family and that through Baptism we can become part of God’s Church.

In Years 5 and 6 the focus is on the learners understanding that they are part of a school that has a special history and charisms grounded in the person of Christ. The children will also explore how they are part of a community in a particular place that has its own people with special gifts, culture, knowledge and wisdom. 

Please continue to spark conversations with your child/children about their RE learning and the taonga of our faith. 

Parish Sacramental Programme

Enrolment for this year’s parish sacramental programme close Sunday 18th February. The programme is for children in year 4 and above. More information can be found on the parish website and our school website.

Dedication Mass 

Bishop Steve will be celebrating Mass, Tuesday 13th February at 7pm for all teachers involved in Catholic Education across the Auckland Diocese. All teachers in Catholic schools are expected to be involved in ongoing Religious Education Professional Development and during this Mass teachers who have completed a qualification will be acknowledged. 

Ash Wednesday 

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season. It is a time for us to stop and reflect on where we are in our journey with God. It helps us to identify areas in our life which are in need of change. As the ashes are placed on our forehead, in the sign of the Christ’s cross, we are encouraged to turn away from sin and turn towards God. The ashes are an external sign of our desire to do that. Our school will gather as a faith community on Wednesday 14th February at 11:15am for the distribution of ashes. All are welcome to attend.

Annual Lenten Outreach programme

Our parish SVDP foodbank cupboards are presently bare. The group has requested our support with donations of staple food items for the food parcels. This year our Lenten outreach plan is to FLOOD the FOODBANK with FOOD. More information will come out closer to the time. 

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

Today you will have received from your Board, by email,  a full letter of explanation for 2024 school fees.  Along with this you will also have received by email, your current statement.  If you have previously paid by Direct Debit, you will also have received an email advising of the amounts and date of the first payment due to be processed.   Direct Debits can be set up by contacting the school office.   Payments can be accepted via the school office or electronically using the bank account on the bottom of the statement.  Please reference your student’s name.  If you wish to pay more regularly than monthly, this can be arranged by contacting Sue Yandell in confidence.

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

As usual, financial assistance is available if required, by contacting us in confidence.

Thanks to all families who have returned the 2024 Consent form – if you are yet to do so please complete asap and send it back to school. If you need another copy please ask your child’s teacher.

Thanks to those families and students in Years 4-6 that have returned their BYOD contract or use of in-school devices contract.If you have yet to do this then please do this as soon as possible – no contract = no device use.

This link may be something to investigate to help you discuss with your child ways to keep safe online – you can also enter a competition if you wish.  Harold and Noel Leeming online safety tips

On Wednesday the “Get to Know Your Learner’ sheet went home – please can you make sure you fill this in and return it to school before the 16th of February so that your teacher can prepare for the Goal setting interviews on the 29th of February. We will harvest a lot of information from this sheet to support activities throughout the year.

Just a reminder to install the Seesaw and Skool Loop apps on your phone so that you can stay in touch with the latest school information.

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Register now to attend one of these special one-hour Zoom sessions:

Tuesday 13 February 7:30pm. Register here: http://tinyurl.com/yc8c2s28

Thursday 15 February 7:30pm. Register here: http://tinyurl.com/4e2hnf9p

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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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