Greetings, Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei,  Namaste, Ni Hao, Bula, Hola, Kumusta

Dear Families

We have had a wonderful start to Term 2 with many activities happening in Week 1 already! Firstly, we extend a warm welcome to new families commencing their schooling with us. We hope that being a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School is a positive experience for you and that you feel a sense of belonging and community as together we grow in unity – learning, loving and serving as one.
Secondly, we are indebted to Sancta Maria College staff and Year 13 students who have worked tirelessly alongside us today as a “gift of service” to our school. Our windows have been cleaned and polished, our gardens weeded and planted, our resources have been made, our sports gear counted, our hall chairs named … the list of jobs we had prepared has been tackled with vim and vigour. We are truly grateful for this fantastic service and give thanks for the willingness, high energy and high standard of work that the Sancta Maria College students and staff have shared with us – THANK YOU!

Staff and BoT Workshop Monday 7th May 2018

As highlighted in the last school newsletter end of Term 1, staff and BoT personnel will be attending a Ministry of Education workshop here at school on Monday 7th May from 1:30pm – 7:30pm. The focus of the workshop is on “Understanding Behaviours and Responding Safely”. This workshop is being offered to all schools nationally. This means that there will be no afternoon classes for the children. Although school remains open from 1:30pm to 2:50pm (normal hours), children are able to be collected by parents/caregivers from 1:00pm – this will allow all school staff to attend this very important learning opportunity. Children remaining at school will be supervised in Taamaua/Hall for the afternoon period until 2:50pm.

Thank you for supporting us in our staff professional learning and development.

PTFA ( Parents Teachers and Friends Association)

We will be holding the Inaugural Meeting of the PTFA on Tuesday 15th May 7pm in the school staffroom. Thank you to the parents who have shown an interest in being part of this volunteer group and we look forward to a great turn-out of interested parents/family members for this meeting. The PTFA have a very important role in the life of the school and are integral to the community development of “who we are” as a school family. Fund-raising and organising of community events/gatherings is often a part of this so we look forward to the many ideas you will have to share about how we “grow” in learning, loving and serving as a school community. All are welcome!

Staffing for Term 2

We welcome Mrs Katie Williams who is working in Learning Community Awa on Mondays and fortnightly on Wednesdays throughout the year. Mrs Michelle Clissold increases her teaching hours with us and will be working in Learning Community Whenua on Mondays and Fridays providing Deputy Principal  release for Mrs Speechlay. Mrs Amila Wijesuriya joins the teaching team in Awa as a Teacher Aide for Term 2 and we currently have Mrs Nina Taimalie working as a relieving Teacher Aide with us. We welcome our new staff and know that they have much to contribute to our school learning community.

Attendance Dues Payment Information

Attendance Dues invoices for Term 2 2018 will be sent by email to families on Monday 7th May. If you have already paid the full amount for the 2018 Attendance Dues then you will not receive an invoice. Term 1 receipts will be issued for all payments this coming week and Term 2 receipts will be issued at the end of Term 2.

This year, the Board of Trustees has approved that there will be a family donation of $50 per family to support supplementary costs of resourcing such as bus transport to our Parishes for School Masses etc.

Please note that there are 3 options for payment.

  1. Full amount paid by Internet Banking to ASB school account – details on the invoice
  2. Automatic Payment to be set up via internet banking to ASB school account
  3. Payment can be made at the school office – cash or Eftpos

Please see Jennifer Quarterman (Office Administrator) or Peta Lindstrom (Principal) in the strictest confidence if you have any concerns or questions regarding the payment of Attendance Dues.

The Auckland Common Fund Ltd Hardship Scheme is available to help with the payment of attendance dues where families face financial hardship. It is a means of helping parents and caregivers who have a real and just need. Please contact Peta Lindstrom (Principal) if you require further information  in regards to the scheme.

Catholic Special Character Survey

A note from Anna Soo Choon (Bishop’s Appointee on behalf of the Board of Trustees) …

On behalf of the Board of Trustees we would like to thank all of our parents,  grandparents and families who took the time to fill in the Catholic Special Character review survey.
It was a pleasure reading the “Survey Responses” and it has given us, as a Board some great ideas of actions and things to do that will further develop us as a Catholic school community and most especially to help you our families become more involved in our local parishes.

Thank you for responding to the survey – it is always good to hear from our families!

School TRINITY FEAST Day

This year, we celebrate our school’s Feast Day on the Friday closest to TRINITY SUNDAY. This will be Friday 25th May. We are hugely excited as this will be our very first Feast Day as a school family and we have many celebrations planned to mark the occasion. We commence our special day with Liturgy at 9am followed by tabloid sports in the second block and then a “Trinity’s Got Talent” show in the afternoon. Children are welcome to perform their special talent as individuals or groups on the day. Over the weekend, have a family discussion about what would be a good talent for your child/children to share with us all! Further information will be communicated via Linc-Ed.

On Sunday 27th May, our school will join with St Mary’s parish to celebrate Trinity Sunday at St Mary’s Parish Church 10:30am Mass with morning tea to follow. Ana Silva, our DRS will share further information and organisation of this day.

MOTHERS DAY LITURGY

We invite all mothers, grandmothers and those in “mothering” roles to join with us on Friday 11th May at 2:15pm in Taamaua/Hall at our MOTHERS DAY LITURGY. We love our mums and those who are like mums to us, so we want to thank God for them, to pray for them and to let them know how much we love them and all that they do for us! We look forward to seeing our precious mums there!

WHEELS Day

Many thanks to the Travelwise Student  Leadership Team of Felix, Noah, Lucas, Isabel, Angel, Tevita, Isaiah and Taye who worked with Mr Williams to organise a Wheels Day at school. We had a huge variety of wheels at school today and heaps of fun riding and scootering through the tracks. Members of the Travelwise Auckland Council Team were also onsite to run a scooter skills workshop and to check bikes and helmets. The aim is to have all our children active and to promote riding their wheels to school.

Winter Uniform

From Term 2, all students are expected to be in the correct school winter uniform. Long shirts/blouses and school socks can all be purchased from NZ Uniforms. Black school shoes may be purchased from any shoe outlet but they need to be a school shoe as outlined in our uniform policy.

Please clearly label all clothing items with your child’s name so all misplaced uniforms can be returned to the correct owners.

Thank you for continuing to support our school uniform guidelines by  ensuring your child/ren wear the correct school uniform with pride and care. This is a fantastic way to demonstrate our school Gospel  value of respect/manaakitia.

NZ Uniforms are the stockists of  our school uniform. Please note they are moving premises and will now be located at Unit 5 20 Lambie Drive, Manukau. email: manukau@nzuniforms.com.

Sports News

Counties Manukau Sport

This term, our Counties Manukau Sport sessions will be held on a Monday, beginning at 10am after our Whole School Liturgy and Assembly. Students will need to bring their P.E. uniform on Mondays.

Football

Papakura Football Club will be coming in for 4 football sessions over four weeks on a Friday. Weeks 1, 2, 3 & 5. (Week 4 Friday is the Holy Trinity feast day.) Students will need to wear P.E. gear for the session.

 Netball

Our three netball teams will be beginning their season on this Saturday 5th May. The morning is part practice, part game time. Good luck to all our netball players in “Hot Shots”, “Spirits” and “Shooting Stars”. Thank you to the many parents who have put their hands up to support as coaches and star helpers! Thanks also to Mr Williams and to Yvonne Pollington for doing the groundwork to establish netball at Holy Trinity.

Learning Community Maunga

We wish our Maunga students all the very best as they head off to events – EOTC overnight at Kelly Tarltons and a day at Auckland Zoo as part of their concept science learning of “Curiosity”.

The Year 7/8 students are also attending the NYLD National Young Leaders Day this coming week. The  focus is “Think Like a Leader”.  We look forward to our leaders sharing their learning with our school family!

Wedding Celebrations!

This afternoon, we celebrated Mrs Iosefo’s  (formerly known as Ms Schuster!) wedding with a Blessing Liturgy. Cheryl shared photos of their wedding day, with all the school and it certainly looked like a beautiful, grace-filled occasion. We’ll continue to pray for Cheryl and Henry … Mr and Mrs Iosefo as they begin their married life together.

Upcoming School Events

School Assembly and Prayer – Learning Community Whenua
Monday 7th May 9:00am in Taamaua/Hall

Staff and BoT Workshop – Professional Learning and Development
Monday 7th May 1:30pm – 7:30pm – “Understanding Behaviour Responding Safely” Workshop
Students may go home from 1:00pm but school will remain open until 2:50pm

National Young Leaders Day for Year 7/8 students
Wednesday 9th May  @ Vodafone Events Centre

Mothers Day Liturgy
Friday 11th May 2:15pm  in Taamaua/Hall

EOTC Overnight for Learning Community Maunga
Monday 14th May (evening) @ Kelly Tarlton’s
Tuesday 15th May (day) @ Auckland Zoo

School TRINITY Feast Day Liturgy
Friday 25th May 9:00am Liturgy in Taamaua/Hall

School/Parish Mass “Trinity Sunday”
Sunday 27th May 10:30am Mass @ St Mary’s Parish, Papakura  

With God’s Blessings
Peta Lindstrom
Principal