Kia Ora, Ni Hao, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Malo e lelei, Kia Orana, and Bula Vinaka Whānau,

Welcome back to Term 2. We trust you had a relaxing break with plenty of family time thrown in. There was certainly a rollercoaster of emotions experienced as we navigated the most important liturgical event of the calendar year and then received the sad news that His Holiness Pope Francis had passed away. Thanks to the many families who made the time to remember Pope Francis and all he did for the Catholic church by attending the Parish Mass on the 24th of April. Pope Francis was a man that both preached mercy and showed mercy to others. He was radical and outspoken about his views and his messages will continue to be remembered long into the future. We also have journeyed with school families who have navigated their own losses over the break and we hold them dearly as they come to terms with their new normal.

Easter Season: The 50 days that lead up to Pentecost, as we await the gift of the Holy Spirit, gives us time to celebrate that death no longer just signifies our end of lives on Earth but begins our journey into eternal life. The death of Jesus has transformed the lives of all people. Jesus’s resurrection reaches into our lives, our minds, our hearts and our spirits showing us that we too are children of God and with God there is everlasting life. May God bless you all this Easter season. Please follow this link to view this Sunday’s readings.

This term I will be standing in as Acting Principal for Louise Campbell while she is on sabbatical leave for the duration of Term 2 and the first week of Term 3. We wish Mrs Campbell well as she takes time for herself to refresh and renew but also explore an interest dear to her that will in turn benefit the school. In Mrs Campbell’s absence the school and its systems will continue as usual. I will be attending to the work that Mrs Campbell usually deals with and our Team leaders will be picking up some of my work. Your children’s best interests will always be at the forefront of all that we do. I am looking forward to working alongside you and know that you will support us as the whole staff works together as a team in Mrs Campbell’s absence.

Parish Connect
We welcome onsite Linda and Diana from the parish office who have taken up residence in Room 3 while the Parish Centre is being refurbished. Linda and Diana will be a part of the staff until their new offices are ready to move back into. We know you will welcome them when you see them around.

Reporting to parents: Term 2 is a reporting term. At the end of this term you will receive a written report detailing the success that your child is having in their schooling. Given that we are working with the two new curriculums of English (oral language, reading and writing) and Mathematics and Statistics, our report format and the benchmarks that we have used in the past will be changed. This year, and moving forward, rather than your child being assessed against a curriculum level they will be assessed against their year level and the progress outcomes expected of that level. In the Information Centre at our Term 1 Parent Conferences we shared some of how this will be done in mathematics. Parents are welcome to view the new English and Mathematics and Statistics curriculums at this website. We have also adapted the information we report on and the way we report based on feedback from our community in 2024. As the term progresses we will continue to update you on the changes we are making.

Twilight Market Update: Save the date: Friday 17th October!!! The Twilight Market Core Team had their second meeting this week – we thank them for the effort they are putting in to create an amazing community event later on in the year.

Drop off and Pick up: Please remember that the bus bay and staff carparks are not areas that you can use to drop or pick your child up before and after school.  Thank you to those parents who drop their children in the correct places and encourage the use of the Kea crossing to ensure their children are safely coming to and leaving school. Thank you for not parking over the driveways of our neighbours – it is very important to us to keep up a good relationship with our neighbours as they help look after our school for us.

Staffing Update
This term we welcome Mrs Maria Kelly back from maternity leave. Maria has taken over from Mrs Bailey in Room 19, working alongside Linda Priestly, as well as undertaking release across the school. I know you will welcome Maria back with open arms! We also welcome Mrs Sarah Koloamatangi, a new Learning Assistant, onto staff this term. Sarah will also be working in Room 19 in the morning.

Looking back the term has certainly started with a bang as we both celebrated the Easter season and remembered those that have died serving our country and our beloved Pope Francis.  Leadership led a moving liturgy on Monday morning, thank you to those community members that were able to join us. At this liturgy we also welcomed and blessed new families to our school. We know you will welcome them in and show them the ‘Star of the Sea’ way. Tennis coaching continued for our junior team. The senior choir began and the junior choir resumed their practises. Basketball and Chess coaching for our Year 4-6 began on Thursday; these activities are being offered by outside coaches from Chess Power and Swished on Basketball.

Looking ahead: Rooms 20-23 will have their Waka Ama experience. This experience will support their learning into inquiring about the local history of Auckland as part of the Stories concept learning. Thanks to all the parent volunteers who have offered to help out on the day. The Parents Committee meet on the 5th of May and there will be the Mothers Day liturgy on the 12th of May. We will join the country and hold Pink Shirt day on the 16th of May in support of the antibullying campaign, a group of senior students will go to the Writers Festival and the Parents committee will host our school disco on Friday 16th of May 6pm-8pm

Wishing you all a happy, safe and blessed fortnight ahead.

Arohanui, Tōfa soifua, ‘Ofa lahi atu, Zhù hǎo, Cordialement, Loloma levu, Fakaue lahi, 안부 인사를 전합니다 

Karen Noble-Campbell

Acting Tumuaki/Principal

                                                                          JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE

Hope is a gift, a decision, and a dynamic act which is ours alone to make. All of us have been given the dignity and power to make a difference in this world by what we can achieve in love through grace but most of all by what we can ask from God who alone can change the human heart and bring light into the darkness. Our decision to act and so to make a difference is motivated by hope.
Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Religious Education Programme
The Religious Education focus this term is Ā Tātou Whakapapa – Our Story. The aim of this theme is for young people to develop an understanding of the story of the Church in terms of significant events and people that have shaped the Church and the world. Our young learners in the Year 1 and 2 classes will develop an understanding of how they are unique, that God made them and loves them. They will also come to recognise that people are gifts from God to each other and to the world.  Our learners in the Years 3 and 4 classes will come to recognise that they are part of a family which is special and loved by God, 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, as well as explore how they are part of a community in a particular place that has its own people with special gifts, culture, knowledge and wisdom. The whānau page for this term’s learning with suggestions of ways to help your child at home will be sent home via Seesaw. Each of these contexts from the Religious Education Curriculum connects to being Easter people today, to each other, with Jesus alive in our hearts, in our minds, in all that we do and all that we say.
Please continue to spark conversations with your child/children about their RE learning and the taonga of our faith. 

Buddy Class Masses
Masses begin on Wednesday. You are welcome to celebrate with us. Masses will be on Wednesday’s at 11:15am in the school Chapel space. Check the school website calendar to see when your child’s buddy class Mass is. Donations for the foodbank are very welcome. As a school community, we are blessed with Father John and Father Terry who make themselves available to celebrate Mass with us each week, as well as staying on after Mass to spend time with the classes.

Proclaiming the Word
The children in the Senior school will be learning how to proclaim the Word of God this term. The Liturgy of the Word is one of the two principal parts of the Mass. Just as the assembly is fed in the Liturgy of the Eucharist with the Body and Blood of Christ, so it is fed in the Liturgy of the Word with the words of God. The children will learn strategies for proclamation in their classroom during prayer time. This is a great way for the children to become confident ministers who proclaim the good news. 

Term 2 Christian Witness / Community Outreach programme
Our annual Knitting Club has started. The group will meet every Thursday between 12:15pm and 1pm in the school Chapel. The Knitting Club focus is to pass on the wonderful life skill of knitting as well as to create blankets which will be gifted to children in need. The Middlemore Foundation has a collective of knitters which our school supports. If you are a knitter, or have a knitter in the family, and are able to join us, your help and assistance will be very much appreciated. For more information contact Detta.  [email protected]

Blankets 4 kids 4 winter
Howick Rotary are requesting clean, warm blankets or money to buy them to support children in need this winter. If you have any clean, warm blankets that you do not need, please drop them off at either Howick Village Optometrists, House of Travel Howick or Grasslands in Moore Street. Please see flyer below for more details.

Mary Month of May – Ko Maria te Marama o Haratua
The month of May is a special time to honour our Blessed Mother Mary. Bishop Pompelier placed our country under the protection of  Mary when he arrived in 1838. Te Ara a Maria is a beautiful icon commissioned by the NZ Bishops to honour her. Mary is our parish and school patron. She is very important to us all. Make a point this month of including an image or statue of Mary in your family prayer space and during family prayer time; saying a Hail Mary together for each person you are praying for; visiting the Mary shrine in the grounds of our parish church; talking to your children about how we can ask Mary to help us grow closer to Jesus or how we can say ‘yes’ to God, as Mary did.
Mothers Day Liturgy: May is a month to celebrate not only Mary but all mothers. We will hold our usual liturgy for mothers and women that act as mothers Monday 12 May 8:45am. There will be a chance to chat and share a cup of tea in the staffroom at the conclusion of the liturgy. Please mark the date in your calendars.

Sacramental Programme
The parish Sacramental Programme recommences this week with the first parent meeting taking place Thursday 8 May and the first session for enrolled children on Sunday 11 May. Please keep these families in your prayers.

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

Statements for fees will be emailed early next week.  Please note that Term 2 fees are due by 10 June 2025.  If you have not paid Term 1 you will need to set up a payment plan to commence next week.

News from the Parent Committee

Welcome back to Term 2! We hope you all had a restful and fun Easter break.

The Parent Committee is back in full swing, and we’ve got some exciting events coming up:

Glow in the Dark Disco – 16th May
Get ready for a glow in the dark party! It’s going to be a fun night for the kids — wear white and glow all night! The disco starts at 6pm and ends at 8pm. Pizza, lollies and glow sticks on sale, plus fun prizes from the DJ!

Hotdog Lunch – 29th May
A lunchtime favourite! We’re looking for 1 more volunteer to help on the day – please get in touch if you’re available. Order your hotdog online at www.olsos-pta.co.nz

Quiz Night – 13th June
Gather your team, your trivia brains and fun decorations for your table! Book a table or a seat and some nibbles online at www.olsos-pta.co.nz. We need 2 volunteers to help run this fun, adults only evening – let us know if you can help.

Next PTA Meeting – 5th May
All welcome – come along and be part of the planning!

Thanks for your continued support – we love seeing our school community come together!

Parent Choice Collection

These are a few of the great titles we have in our Parent Choice Collection in the Information Centre. 

Our parent community is most welcome to borrow any of these resources. Anxiety, grief, well being, and behavior are some of the many subjects covered.

Click here to browse the collection. 

If you see something you would like to borrow and read, send an email to the office [email protected] or Mrs Bell [email protected] and we can arrange this for you.

Book Week is in Term 3

This year our Book Week is in week 2 of Term 3. 

We will share more information towards the end of this term.