Hello, Kia ora, Talofa lava, Hola, Namaste, Mabuhay, Ciao, Kia Orana, Ahalan,  Konnichiwa, Ni hao, Selam,  Xin chao,  Bonjour,  Bula, Dzien/Dobry, Shalom,  Dia duit, Mauri, Halo, Bom dia, Gidday, Guten Tag, Hej   

Mai i te Kopae ki te Urupa, tatou ako tonu ai - From the cradle to the grave, we are forever learning.

Kia ora koutou e te whānau,

This week we welcomed Andrea Rodley and Mary Ely, Review Officers/Evaluation Partners and Carolyn Palmer, Deputy Chief Executive Performance and Implementation, from the Education Review Office. The review team spent 2 days with us on site, observing classroom teachers using the Teaching Observation Framework (TOF), talking to students across the school and analyising data and reviewing our systems and processes.  We were grateful for their enlightened observations and feedback and look forward to the report that will be avaliable within the next 6 weeks.  

Exciting news from the March Madness Fair 2025!  The income and outgoings have been tallied and we are so blown away to have raised a record amount of just over $37,000.  The Board of Trustees met last night and work is underway to begin developing a future-proofed plan that includes upgrading our pool changing rooms, toilets, new seating and increasing shade opportunities. Thanks to our whole community for pulling together to make this year's Fair such a huge success.  Particular thanks goes to Mike Smith, Adrienne Norris and Kelvin Harper for stepping up and taking on the co-ordinators' role.  

Just a reminder that tonight is our Parent Information Evening, 6pm - 7pm in the Hall.  We have free childcare avaliable in the Learning Hub if you require this.  Thank you to those people who have RSVP'd - if you haven't responded you are still very welcome to attend - there will be plenty of space.

Tomorrow is: Pink Shirt Day - https://pinkshirtday.org.nz/

Children can wear something pink with their uniform and bring a donation to support Pink Shirt Day, an anti-bullying fundraising campaign that celebrates diversity and promotes kindness and inclusion.  All donations will go to the Mental Health Foundation.

Catholic Schools Day
We will be celebrating Catholic Schools Day on Wednesday, 28th May.  The theme of the day across New Zealand is: ‘Shine like the stars in the world, E tīaho ana koe hei rama i te ao’, Phil 2:15. Our Church is also celebrating its Jubilee Year with the theme, Pilgrims of Hope. These themes will be present throughout the day.

This term in Pihinga Pod, we've been learning about God's creations.  We have been focussing on how honey bees can make honey.  The honey bees collect nectar from flowers and they have two stomachs, one is to store the nectar in. The bees collect the nectar from flower to flower and then the bees pass the nectar on  to one one another.  At the hive, it goes into the honeycomb to be stored. Room 4 have been working during literacy time to write an explanation to describe this process.

MAY
Thursday, 15th May - Parent Information Evening - Maths Curriculum and HERO at 6pm
Friday, 16th May - Uniform Fittings from 2p.m.  Please call the Office to book an appt.
Thursday, 22nd May - Powhiri and Mass of Welcome 9a.m.
Wednesday, 28th May - Catholic Schools Day

JUNE
Monday, 2nd June - King's Birthday NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, 3rd June - Interschools Cross  Country
Wednesday, 11th June - Scholastic Book Fair arrives
Friday, 13th June - Book Character Dress Up Day
Friday, 13th June - Uniform Fittings from 2p.m.  Please call the Office to book an appt.
Tuesday, 17th June - Makariki Community Event here at school - 5p.m.
Thursday, 19th June - Teacher Only Day - NO SCHOOL
Friday, 20th June - Matariki - NO SCHOOL
Friday, 27th June - End of Term 2

Just a reminder - we will celebrate Pink Shirt Day tomorrow and children are invited to add something pink to their uniforms.  Please send along a donation to support this worthy cause.

By taking part in Pink Shirt Day, you're doing your part to eliminate bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusion.
Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!

Kua rite koe? Are you in?

Tomorrow at the end of the school day, there will be kilo bags of feijoas for sale for $5 each.  The children are raising funds for the Food Bank.  CASH ONLY PLEASE!

We hope that all our Mums enjoyed their special day last Sunday.

Seven lucky winners were drawn last week at Assembly and we're sure that they would have enjoyed their lovely hamper of goodies.  Thanks to all our families who supported this initiative - we raised $1969.90.  A really great effort!

A huge thanks to Adrienne Norris for co-ordinating this raffle and for her amazing social media skills that kept us all up to date with reminders and results.  Great job, Adrienne.

There has been a strong response to this news!  We ask for patience and understanding whilst stock is being sorted.  At this stage, the cotton socks will only be available in early(ish) June and the cost will be $15 per pair.  These are obviously not compulory - just another option.  Our usual woollen socks are still available as they previously were.
If you would like to purchase any, please email our supplier directly:  Bernadette Chapman b.chapman093@gmail.com or call her on 04-2125611.

For Term 2:  There will be a total of 8 Fridays that pizza will be available for you to order for - that is for every Friday of the term until we break up except on Friday, 20th June (Matariki).

To order pizza and/or ice blocks for your child, please follow ONE of the two processes below:
1. ORDERS FOR THE TERM: Pizza will be available for 8 WEEKS this term. So if ordering for the term, just multiply by 8. If you decide part way through the term, then calculate how many Fridays are left. Send an email to the team, outlining the following information for each child you are ordering for BUT in one email is fine.

Child’s Name:
Room No.:
Number of pizza slices - please specify if gluten free
Number of ice blocks
Cost: $1.50 per pizza slice and $1 per ice block
Multiply the order total by the number of Fridays.

2. WEEKLY ORDERS: These need to be sent to the same email address, with the same order details as in Option 1 and also paid into the same bank account number.
VERY IMPORTANT: The deadline for weekly orders is at 3p.m. on a Thursday. Unfortunately, no late orders can be accepted.

If you would like to pay in advance for a set number of weeks but not all the weeks in this particular term, please feel free to email these details to the team.
If your child is new to our school and only starts part way through the term, simply adjust the number of weeks for the remainder of the term.
kaiorders@stp.school.nz
Payment by internet banking only to 12 3254 0109325 00 using the reference PIZZA. The team would appreciate a screenshot of your payment, sent to their email address.

Check out our fabulous personalised school hats!  Order form attached.

NEWSLETTER APP
Here is the link to download the Schoolzine App.  At the end of set up, you are asked for a passcode and this is 3025. 

An important update for SZapp has been released to accomodate for iPhones which have been intermittently receiving push notifications.

SZapp is available from the App Store now.

Users with automatic updates enabled on their device will recieve this update automatically.

Community Connections

School Calendar

We're still collecting Yummy stickers which earn us points for sports equipment.  A chart is attached for you to use and copies are also available from the Office.