Greetings, Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Ni Hao, Bula, Hola, Kumusta, Namaskārām,
Sat Shri Akaal, Vanakkam and Ayubowan
Dear Families
As we continue to journey through this Lenten season, we spend time in pray – deepening our relationship with God; in focusing on self-denial – going without; and for almsgiving – doing charitable acts. These are wonderful means of drawing closer to God, making our Lenten time one of spiritual preparation, examination and penance leading up to the celebration of Easter.
Student Attendance Reminders
As you will be aware through the media, there is a great concern around students attendance at school and the impact this is having on levels of student progress and achievement. The Ministry of Education is requesting schools to have an “intervention thresholds” in place so that student attendance is monitored, tracked and intervention strategies are put in place quickly and efficiently to ensure high rates of school attendance for every child.
Thresholds for reporting to Ministry of Education:
Green threshold 1-4 days absence per term
Yellow threshold 5-9 days absence per term
Orange threshold 9-14 days absence per term
Red threshold – 15+ days absence per term
Student absences and thresholds reached are tracked on HERO – our school’s Student Management System. At each of the required thresholds, we are required to report to the Ministry of Education with school information being collected by the Ministry at 6pm each day.
In the first instance, families/whānau must be responsible for informing school of any student absences. You are able to do this by entering a notification on HERO under your child’s Attendance page, by emailing the school office – office@holytrinity.school.nz or by phone contact 09 296 9039.
If you know that you are intending for your child to be away from school for a period of time, please request in writing, permission for your child to be absent stating the dates and the reasons for non-attendance.
If we do not know why the children are absent from school, we will follow up with phone calls, texts and emails – if after 5 days of no response or if school is concerned about the numbers of days absent without justified reason, we will then action a referral to the Ministry of Education Attendance Services team.
As the first intervention threshold for our school, we will be …
1. monitoring student absences and lateness and we will be communicating promptly with those families where there is absences or regular lateness – special circumstances permitting.
2. asking parents to refrain from requesting early afternoon finishing time for their child/ren unless it is necessary or a special circumstance. If you need to collect your child early from school then you must notify school the day before where practicable.
Please do not be offended if we say “no” to your child leaving school before the end of the school day if you do not have a legitimate reason. We are abiding by the Ministry of Education guidelines.
School begins at 8:50am with morning karakia/prayer – it’s important that the children are at school and have this time for prayer, song, reflection and meditation.
School finishes at 2:50pm with afternoon karakia/prayer – again, it’s important that children remain at school for the full day.
We are confident that by working together and respecting the Ministry of Education and school attendance expectations and guidelines inclusive of school bell times, we can all ensure our children will have the best possible opportunity for their learning!
DRS Report
Whakatau/School Mass
We are excited to officially welcome our new priest, Father Tony King-Archer of St Mary’s Parish, Papakura to our school for the first time. We will welcome him with a traditional Whakatau followed by school Mass. We hope to see all our school whānau on Wednesday 4 March at 9:30am in Taamaua/school hall.
RE Books Coming Home
The week commencing Monday 16 March, your child will be bringing home their Religious Education books. We encourage families to make a time where their child/ren will share what they are learning about in RE with you. There will also be a space for you in the children’s RE books to write a whānau comment, a positive affirmation of the work that they are doing. Our kaitiaki/teachers will look forward to reading your whānau comments.
Caritas Lenten Appeal
On Tuesday 17 March, school will be having a non-uniform day where our tamariki and staff will come to school wearing green to celebrate St Patrick’s Feast Day. We are also encouraging our children to bring a gold coin donation to go towards our Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand works to support those who are in need across the different parts of the globe. The theme for the 2026 Lent Appeal is “Hear the Voice, Answer the Call/ Whakarongo ki te Reo, Whakahokia te Karanga”. We look forward to seeing the school coloured in green as we stand in solidarity to help those who are in desperate need of our help.
Student Leadership and Responsibilities
Our senior students in Year 5/6 have been busy discerning and deciding what leadership roles and responsibilities they would like to put themselves forward to do this year. It’s an exciting time for them and this Monday 2 March, we will be announcing our student leaders for the year. We will plan for a later date for a commissioning and blessing with Father Tony. We continue to pray for our tamariki as they continue to grow their leadership skills.
Parish News
Parish Walkathon
Our school will be supporting our St Mary’s Parish Walkathon fundraiser with each Learning Community having their own sponsorship forms. We kindly ask our families to please donate money towards this very worthy cause. Money will be collected and handed in at the Parish on the last day of this term. Let’s work together to support our Parish and if you are free on Saturday 11 April, come down to Totara Park to walk for the cause.
Mahi Tahi – Parent, Teacher and Student Conferences
Mahi Tahi – Parent, Teacher and Student Conferences
These will take place in mid Term 1. You will receive a HERO notification next week on Wednesday, March 4th inviting you to book a 15-minute interview with your child’s kaitiaki/teacher.
You will have the option to choose either Wednesday 11th March, 1.30pm-7.00pm or Thursday 12th March, 3.15pm-5.30pm.
We will share information about the curriculum learning outcomes set for your child in relation to their year level on HERO. There will also be an opportunity for your child to share their Tōku Reo goals that they are working on this term.
This is a valuable opportunity to talk together about your child’s progress. Please ensure you book one interview slot per child.
PTFA News
Key upcoming events for Term 1
- BBQ Fundraiser at Mahi Tahi (11th March)
- Ice block fundraisers
Uniform Donations
Has your child growing out of their uniform? Stocks are running low at our second hand uniform shop and we would be grateful for any uniform donations. We are especially in need of boys shorts, PE gear, and smaller size items of skorts and shirts.
The second hand uniform shop provides a great opportunity for families to get quality second hand uniforms
If you have any uniform donations please
Thank you for your support of this great initiative!
Staff/Teacher Only Days in 2026
School will be closed for students on Friday 22nd May Term 2 and Friday 14th August Term 3.
Teachers and Support Staff will be involved in a professional development and learning day about the newly released New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, Mathematics and Statistics Learning Area. These are Ministry of Education approved Teacher/Staff Only Days.
These teacher-only days will provide our school with a dedicated time to understand and engage with changes across The Mathematics and Statistics curriculum. It is an opportunity for our kaitiaki to share ideas and expertise and to grow in our confidence in implementing the refreshed curriculum and assessment changes.
Meet our School Social Worker!
Dear Parents and Community Members,
I am Allwin Shaji, the Social Worker in School (SWiS) at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School, dedicated to ensuring the well-being and success of our students.
My role is to provide personalized one on one support to students, group programmes and resources to help them overcome challenges and thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
I also serve as a liaison between our school and the community, connecting families with valuable resources and services to further support their well-being.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any concerns or questions.
Together, let’s create a supportive environment where every student can succeed!
Warm regards,
Allwin Shaji
Social Worker in Schools
Teaching and Learning News
Connected Curriculum Concept Learning
Our overarching concept for 2026 is Journey, explored through Whakapapa, Taonga, Preserve, and Tūmanako. Students will understand that our whakapapa, the stories of the people and places who have shaped our school and faith are taonga – treasures that guide our Catholic community. Ākonga will explore these stories, learning to care for and preserve them, and recognising their own role in continuing our school’s journey. Through this, they grow in Tūmanako – Hope and use their learning to nurture, protect, and share our Catholic journey and charism, by actively shaping the future of our community.
ASB GetWise Financial Literacy For Kids 
We are excited to welcome the ASB GetWise team to our school from 16th–18th March to support our learners in developing strong financial literacy skills.
The GetWise programme provides engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences across the year levels:
Year 0–2
Our youngest learners will explore money basics — what money is, how we use it, and even create their own papier-mâché money box. These hands-on activities help build early understanding in a fun and practical way.
Year 3–4
Students will grow their money confidence by exploring spending influences and practising earning and spending decisions through interactive activities.
Year 5–6
Our senior students will take their learning further by exploring banking, setting savings goals, and developing a simple business plan.
We look forward to the rich conversations and real-life learning opportunities this programme will bring to our teaching and learning.
Learning Community News
Learning Community Whenua
LC Whenua has been learning about our school’s “whakapapa” and where we are in relation to our schools story. We have visited some of our special places where we pray and gather together as a school and community and have talked about how this grows our faith as being at a Catholic school.
Learners have explored some of our local school stories like looking at what our school was before it was here. We have explored the story of the ‘Cheeky Chicken Farm’ that was here before our school and the stories of the pukeko that were well established here. All of these stories help shape our school whakapapa.
Learning Community Ngahere
Learning Community Ngahere has had a fabulous week of learning and growing together.
In Religious Education (RE), we have been learning about Lent and exploring Gospel stories that are part of God’s whakapapa. Our learners shared their own whakapapa through their butterfly sheets and proudly shared their cultures and family trees with one another. It has been wonderful to see our tamariki celebrating who they are and where they come from.
In Mathematics, our learners applied their statistics knowledge by investigating how many students in our class belong to particular cultures. They then carried out their own data gathering and discussed what their findings showed. It was great to see them asking questions, collecting information, and interpreting their results.
In Literacy, our tamariki have been exploring the different ways text creators share their stories, and comparing this with the way Jesus shared stories to teach important messages.
In Health and PE, we have been engaging in cooperative games as part of looking after our hauora through physical activity. We are now learning to compare how people in our whakapapa looked after their wellbeing and exploring how their practices have influenced the ways we care for our own hauora today.
We are so proud of the thoughtful discussions, teamwork, and respect our learners continue to show each day.
Learning Community Awa
LC Awa has been working on sharing their “whakapapa.” Learners have discussed their family values, important traditions and celebrations, important places as well as the different cultures they identify with. Through our sharing with each other, we have been able to learn more about each other and been able to celebrate our peers. We have also made connections between each other through the similarities we share. We have used our whakapapa stories to compare them with our Holy Trinity whakapapa. It was interesting to see the many similarities between ours and our school whakapapa!
Learning Community Moana
LC Moana have been busy learning about our school’s “whakapapa” through exploring the lives of our whānau patrons and the history of one of the most significant roads in our community: Great South Road. In particular, the learners have been fascinated by the story of Ihaka Takaanini and the ways in which his life was shaped by the development of the road.
As part of our learning, we used drama to step back into history. We did freeze frames to imagine life in South Auckland before Great South Road was built. Learners also took on the roles of a road builder, a member of the local iwi, a settler, or a business owner, imagining what each person may have thought and felt as Great South Road was constructed. Developing the ability to understand multiple perspectives is an important skill, and it has been wonderful to see our learners thinking thoughtfully and empathetically.
Our Year 6 students have also continued their Technology sessions with Mrs Parkinson on Thursday afternoons. This week, they explored electricity and circuits, learning about conductors and insulators, as well as open and closed circuits. They then applied their understanding by creating a light-up greeting card, designing a simple circuit that could be opened and closed to illuminate a small bulb. The learners were so proud of their finished products.
Eye on Nature
It’s always a fun and engaging day out, with lots of practical learning and time spent in the beautiful grounds. Our tamariki always come back buzzing with new knowledge, ideas, and a real appreciation for how we can grow and care for the world around us.
Sports News
Year 5/6 North Counties Football
Some of our Year 5/6 boys will be representing our school at the North Counties Football Inter-school tournament to be held on Wednesday 18 March at McLennan Park in Papakura. We are excited to see them put their training to the test as they play against other primary schools in the Papakura/Takanini area.
Reminders!
After School Play on the Junior Playground
We love seeing our families chatting and having social time together in the school grounds after school. If your children are on the junior playground, please make sure you are there to supervise them and to take full responsibility if there are any accidents or issues.
Airfield Road Vector Roadworks Project
The Vector Team has informed us of the next stage of their project.Upcoming School Events
School Gathering Liturgy and Assembly – led by Mrs Cortez/LC Ngahere and Mrs Kumar/LC Moana
Monday 2nd March @ 8:50am in Taamaua/school hall
Beginning of the Year School Mass – School Whakatau for Fr Tony and Whānau Leaders Commissioning
Wednesday 4th March @ 9:30am Taamaua/school hall – Fr Tony King-Archer presiding
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 3 (10am-11am) and Year 4 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 5th March @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
School-wide Mahi Tahi Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
Wednesday 11th March 1:30pm – 7:00pm in the Learning Communities and Thursday 12th March 3:15pm – 5:30pm
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 3 (10am-11am) and Year 4 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 12th March @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
Students’ Religious Education (RE) Books go home
From Monday 16th March
ASB Get-wise Financial Programme in Learning Communities
Monday 16th – Wednesday 17th March
St Patrick’s Feast Day celebrations – non-uniform day/Gold coin for Caritas
Tuesday 17th March
Inter-schools Football/Soccer Tournament Day – Years 5/6
Wednesday 18th March @ Bruce Pulman Park
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 3 (10am-11am) and Year 4 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 19th March @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
Eye On Nature Beautification Trust Day – Years 5/6 students
Thursday 19th March @ Botanical Gardens
PTFA Monthly Meeting
Tuesday 24th March 7:00pm in the school staffroom
School Board Monthly Meeting
Wednesday 25th March 7:00pm in the school staffroom
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 3 (10am-11am) and Year 4 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 26th March @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 3 (10am-11am) and Year 4 (11am-12:00)
Wednesday 1st March @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
Holy Thursday Liturgy
Thursday 2nd April 11:00am @ school
Term 1 Concludes
Thursday 2nd April
Term 2 Commences 8:50am
Monday 20th April
Upcoming Community Events
FREE Girls Basketball event – Saturday 7th March
We’re excited to share an upcoming FREE girls-only basketball event taking place on Saturday, 7 March 2026 at Bruce Pulman Arena.
Basketball New Zealand, in partnership with Bank of New Zealand, presents BNZ Kiwi Hoops – Hoops & Dreams on Tour, a fun and inspiring 3×3 basketball experience for girls aged 8–13.
This “come and try” event is designed for tamariki who are curious about basketball, want to build skills, or simply enjoy playing in a supportive and welcoming environment. No experience is needed — just bring energy and enthusiasm!
Session Times:
Morning: 9:30am–11:30am (Years 7 & 8)
Afternoon: 12:30pm–2:30pm (Years 5 & 6)
Participants can expect age-appropriate coaching, special guest appearances, and plenty of fun while building confidence and a love for the game.
The event is now live on both Facebook and the BBNZ website, and I’ve included the links below. It would be greatly appreciated if you could share these through your networks to help spread the word and support tamariki and rangatahi getting involved in what is going to be an amazing fun filled event!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BvQVK9xDi/
https://nz.basketball/bnz-kiwi-hoops-hoops-dreams-tour/
Spaces are limited, and these events are free for all participants. Whether you’re picking up a ball for the first time or sharpening your skills, these sessions are all about fun, confidence, friendship, and learning the game. Register your team today to secure your spot at BNZ Kiwi Hoops – Hoops & Dreams Tour | Basketball New ZealandBasketball New Zealand
