Greetings, Kia ora, Kia orana, Talofa, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Ni Hao, Bula, Hola, Kumusta, Namaskārām,
Sat Shri Akaal, Vanakkam and Ayubowan
Dear Families
This term, we have so much to celebrate at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School with one of the highlights being our Holy Trinity Feast Day – this celebration will be on Friday 29th May. Then on the Sunday 31st May, as a world-wide catholic community, we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. It is the day we celebrate the greatest mystery of all – the Holy Trinity!
This Holy Trinity Icon is a panel painting created by Andrei Rublev in the early 15th Century. It is named “Analysis of the Holy Trinity Icon.” It depicts an expression of God without God being represented. In the icon, we are in the presence of God, we do not see him, we do not understand him. This scene from the Genesis 18: 2-15 is of the three mysterious travellers announcing to Abraham and Sarah that they would soon have a son. The three angels represent the three identities of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The three figures possess identical features – as the three persons of the Trinity are identical, each fulfilling its own particular role. You will see this beautiful image hanging in our school reception area and in Taamaua/school hall – to remind us of our sacred school name and how we are called to be Holy Trinity people.
God is so great that Jesus taught us to understand Him as three persons in one being, who is God. As we try to understand this mystery, Jesus taught us the greatest lesson of all … GOD IS LOVE and that God wants us to be a part of this love.
How blessed are we that our school community is named Holy Trinity! We give thanks to God for this beautiful name and for the gift of the Holy Trinity as a model for our school that we strive to live by each day … through the way we grow together in Learning Ka Ako, Loving Ka Aroha and Serving Ka Manaaki in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit … we can be and are a part of God’s love!
Staffing News
At the end of next week, we farewell Mrs Geralyn Chua, kaitiaki/teacher in Learning Community Whenua. Geralyn commences her parental leave and will be away from school for the rest of this school year. We extend our warmest best wishes and blessings to Geralyn, her husband Umed and their children as they prepare to welcome a precious little one into their lovely wee family.
With grateful hearts, we ask for God’s grace and Mother Mary’s protection as Geralyn and her family receive this gift of new life into their family.
From Tuesday 2nd June, Mrs Thea Guadalupe will be the third kaitiaki/teacher in this Learning Community teaching team. Thea currently works in Learning Community and we know that the children will continue to be well cared for both in academic and personal growth as they progress in their learning journey.
Miss Angela Harvey will be an interim Learning Assistant in LC Whenua to support with the welcoming and settling in of our brand new 5 year olds as they begin their school adventures!
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- Mrs Geralyn Chua
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- Mrs Thea Guadalupe
DRS Report
Trinity Double Mass Celebration – All are welcome!
We are super excited to have our Feast Day celebrations coming up! We have two Masses to celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity and we are inviting our whānau to be part of both these celebrations!
On Friday 29 May, we have our Feast Day celebration at school. We begin with Mass in Taamaua/school hall at 9:30am with Father Kevin Murphy of St Anne’s Parish, Manurewa, followed by fun activities in whānau groups and then we end with our annual Trinity’s Got Talent show where we want all our whānau to come along and watch as our tamariki showcase their God-give gifts and talents!
On Sunday 31 May, we gather once again to celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity with a special Mass at St Mary’s Parish in Papakura at 10:30am with Father Tony King-Archer. We ask that each family bring a plate of finger food to share after Mass with our Parish community.
Save the date! We hope to see you all there!!
Sacramental Programme at St Anne’s Manurewa
The second intake for the Sacramental Programme at St Anne’s Manurewa is now open for registrations. Please scan the QR code on the poster and register. Any questions or queries please email the team at stannesacrament@gmail.com
Trinity’s Got Talent!
We are celebrating our Holy Trinity Feast Day on Friday 29th May! We will be ending our day with a performance that is sharing the gifts and talents of our children. This is our annual Trinity’s Got Talent Show in Taamaua/School Hall!
Please do encourage your child/children to participate in the Trinity’s Got Talent Show. Children can enter individually or as a group. They just need to share their proposed item with their teacher who will sign off the entry form and pop it in the box in the Office. We’re looking for performers who can sing, dance, play an instrument, juggle, tell jokes OR generally have lots of talent to share with us!
Looking forward to a truly special day on Friday 29th May as we celebrate being a Holy Trinity School!
Term 2 Reporting to Parents
The Ministry of Education is making a number of changes to the requirements for the way that schools provide “reporting to parents”. Schools are required to report on students’ progress and achievement in relation to the refreshed New Zealand curriculum areas of English and Mathematics and Statistics.
This is a great resource link to access that will give you further information in regard to the changes and their purposes https://www.education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/parent-portal/guide-your-childs-reporting-and-progress
Our school uses HERO as our Student Management System (SMS) – with a key function being the digital reporting of students’ learning. HERO has been working on making the required changes to our HERO school report and our teachers are currently working on understanding the new capabilities of the report. We are looking forward to sharing our new HERO report form with you later in June and will continue to share key information with you so that you too understand the changes and most importantly, the progress and achievement of your child in relation to the curriculum – where are they at with their learning, where should they be in their learning and their next learning steps along with ways to support learning at home.
Our Term 2 Mahi Tahi Student/Parent /Teacher Conferences will be held Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th June – this will be a vital opportunity to meet with kaitiaki/teachers to share the new reporting information!
Holy Trinity School Community Meetings/Gatherings
Across Terms 2 and 3 we are providing opportunities for our school families/whānau to gather together in their ethnic communities to get to know each other a little better – to build whanaungatanga/relationships, to share and help plan for school language weeks, to share information and to gather whānau and tamariki voice in preparation for the development of our 2027-2029 Strategic Plan.
It is always lovely to begin our time together with a shared meal, afternoon tea etc. Please keep an eye out for our invitations on HERO, Facebook and printed copies home to our families inviting you to join with us at each of the different occasions. We value this time together in getting to know our families, your stories, your desires for your children and your desires for our school. Please come along and share in this special time!
THANK YOU to our Pasifika aiga who joined us recently for a shared meal and who also shared a huge wealth of ideas for the planning of school activities and learning for the upcoming Language Weeks. We appreciated the discussions around the Board focus questions and the possible teaching and learning programmes families were keen for us to provide for our ākonga/learners.
It was so heartwarming to see our children with their mum and dads and family members, contributing and talking about what they want for their children here at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School!
Māori whānau – Community Hui Pizza night / Monday 25th May
Kia ora e te whānau,
We would like to warmly invite you to our first Māori whānau hui on Monday 25th May from 5.00pm–6.30pm. This will be a special opportunity for us to come together, share pizza, connect with one another, and celebrate the strength of our whānau community.
During the evening, we will also share ideas and whakaaro about how we can celebrate Matariki and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori later in the year. Some of our Board members will share focus questions to gather your voice and our wonderful staff will organise games and activities to keep the tamariki entertained.
We look forward to spending this time together and hope to see many of you there.
Outdoor Education News!
Year 6 CAMP
THANK YOU to our wonderful teachers/kaitiaki, parents, family members and the Camp Adair team of helpers and instructors who all contributed to making Year 6 CAMP such a huge success! We are so proud of our young students and have loved seeing the photos and videos of them all having a fabulous time at Camp – giving new things a go, developing news skills, growing in confidence, showing resilience, patience, perseverance and building friendships and so much more – what an awesome time for you all!
Learning Communities Moana and Maunga (Outdoor Education Day)
As Year 4 and 5s, the senior team collaborated as a whole and shared a dry run of what to expect for our outdoor experience on Thursday. We made mini booklets that included the tikanga protocols for harvesting harakeke (NZ flax). Before we harvested the harakeke, at the bottom of our school field, we recited the karakia from our book as Mrs Chung cut the tupuna-outer leaves. To bind the booklet, we twisted the harakeke (NZ flax), threaded it through, and wrapped it around to hold it together. We integrated many curriculum areas such as Math-translation, slide and symmetry, Writing-procedural writing, Health and Physical Education-tinana, and Social Science-Māori customs. It was a rewarding day, and this helped to scaffold learners and build on their prior knowledge.
Following on from Wednesday, on Thursday, both LCs Moana and Maunga had an amazing day, both weather-wise and in learning during our outdoor experience. This day was to give our Year 4 and 5s the opportunity to share what it would be like using tents, making harakeke pois, flint and steel and making a shelter, to learn basic survival skills. It was such a positive experience, and the learners enjoyed being outdoors and looking forward to an overnight stay in the tents!
Year 4 and 5 Outdoor Education Day
Throughout the day, learners explored a variety of outdoor activities including:
- tent erection and pack down
- weaving harakeke poi
- using flint and steel to make sparks
- building shelters
- learning basic camping and survival skills
Before harvesting harakeke, students respectfully recited a karakia and learned about tikanga and the correct way to care for this taonga. Learners also explored pūrākau connected to weaving and fire, helping strengthen connections to te ao Māori and our wider curriculum learning.
The day provided wonderful opportunities for students to develop:
- resilience
- independence
- teamwork
- responsibility
- kaitiakitanga
It was great to see learners supporting one another through tuakana-teina relationships while building confidence and practical life skills outdoors.
A huge thank you to our parent helpers and Tracey Lee who supported the day and helped make this learning experience possible for our tamariki.
Learning Community News
Learning Community Maunga
It has been a busy two weeks in Maunga, and we have had time to use our scientific knowledge about navigation to draw our maps and include the KNOW, WHAT and HOW steps in our KWHLAQ. With this information, we have written poems and are working on an explanation as to why weather, clouds, tides, currents, latitude and longitude have an impact on when ships would plot a course to sail to destinations such as Aotearoa-NZ in the 1800s.
Through Visual Art, we plan to construct a chest and include a manifest of items commonly found inside to make travel more bearable for passengers, as sailing across the seas would have been extremely unsafe and uncomfortable.
Gymnastics is continuing on most Thursdays- thank you for the support of our parents.
In RE we have touched on how the Trinity is a part of our lives as we are connected to God, our creator in heaven, Jesus our role model on Earth and the Holy Spirit forever with us. We have named images that remind us of the 3 in 1 and continue to increase our understanding of what this term means. We have touched on the fruits of the Holy Spirit and how each 1 has an impact on how we live our lives and treat others.
In prayer, we are including the Rosary as part of our daily devotion for the month of May.
Through Mary, our mother, we acknowledge her role as the first disciple and how the qualities she shared are those of many saints, which is an opportune time for our learners in the sacramental programme to learn and choose a saint for Confirmation.
As the term continues, so does our learning!
Learning Community Moana
Gymnastics sessions are underway for Years 5 and 6, and our learners are enjoying the different stations and activities at Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre. It has been wonderful to watch our learners support one another as they navigate the bars, beams, and floor exercises. We are proud of the “can-do” attitude our seniors are bringing to every session. And a huge thank you goes out to our whānau who have come to our sessions to help ensure our learners have a safe, enjoyable experience.
Thursdays after gymnastics, is Digital Technology time in our LC. The Year 6s are learning how to touch type using the website typingclub.com, and the Year 5s are doing PLOD programming with Mr Kumar.
In our Literacy programme, we have been focusing on how sailors of the past used their knowledge of weather, tides and currents – a taonga – to help our whānau patrons get to New Zealand safely. Later this term, we will also be exploring longitude and latitude. The learners are currently writing explanations as a way to share what they have learned.
In RE, we have been exploring what it means to be a disciple and how Saints are role models for us as followers of Jesus. Recently, we have looked at the stories of one extra-special disciple: Mary, Mother of Jesus. Her stories show us there are different ways to learn, love, and serve, even in challenging circumstances. She is a truly remarkable role model for us all.
Celebrating Language Weeks
Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa – Samoan Language Week 
Celebrate Samoa Language Week 31 May – 6 June 2026
The 2026 theme for Samoan Language Week is E afua mai i mauga tetele manuia o le nu’u – From the high mountains are the blessings of the village.
This theme reflects the deep connection Samoan people have with nature, where the land, sea, forests, and environment are seen as taonga—treasured gifts that provide sustenance, strength, and life for our families and communities.
Hauora/WellBeing News
Pink Shirt Day 2026
Our Awhi Team peer mediators spent the afternoon visiting each learning community, leading activities that promote kindness, inclusion, and the message that bullying is never okay. Learners enjoyed colouring messages of kindness, making friendship bracelets, learning a peace dance, practising giving compliments, and much more.
Ka pai to our Awhi Team for leading the way in showing what it means to be true peacemakers in our school community.
Design a Pink Day Shirt
Overall Y0-3 winner:
Maiqui from LC Awa
Runners up:
Marley from LC Awa and Divansh from LC Whenua
Overall Y4-6 winner:
Precious from LC Moana
Runners up:
Charlotte from LC Moana and Elaina from LC Moana
Design a poster
Overall Y0-3 winner:
Arkin from LC Ngahere
Runners up:
Juliana from LC Ngahere and Ethan S from LC Awa
Overall Y4-6 winner:
Geroline from LC Moana
Runners up:
Liam from LC Maunga and Chloe from LC Maunga
Awhi /Peer Mediation Team
Over the next two weeks, the Awhi Team will be looking out for tamariki in the playground who are showing Kotahitanga/Unity by including others who may be feeling left out.PTFA News
The PTFA are running an Oxford Pie and Cookie Time fundraiser, so reach out to your family and friends to get behind this exciting fundraiser! Your children will be bringing home some forms next week for you to collect all your orders on!
What do you need to do?
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Reach out to your friends and family to let them know about this great fundraiser just in time for Winter!
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Fill out the forms with their orders and return along with payment by Thursday 4th June!
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Orders will be available to pick up on Friday 19th June
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You will pick up the entire order and distribute your orders to your friends and family!
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Payment Details – Forms and payment to be made by Thursday 4th June at 3pm.
Friday 29th May – 8am to 9am
Friday 29th May – 2.30pm to 3.30pm
Tuesday 2nd June – 8am to 9am
Wednesday 3rd June – 8am to 9am
Thursday 4th June – 8am to 9am
Collection Details
Orders will be available for collection on Friday 19th June from Taamaua/school hall between 2pm and 6pm.
If you can’t pick up your order during this period, please contact the PTFA at ptfa@holytrinity.school.nz prior to placing your order to organise another collection option to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
Thank you for all your support with this exciting fundraiser! All funds raised will go towards the great initiatives that the school and PTFA are looking to support this year.
Any questions, please reach out to the PTFA at ptfa@holytrinity.school.nz to discuss.
Ngā mihi nui,
Louise Ruegg
Chairperson
Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School
Parent, Teacher & Friends Association
Vector Roadworks Project Update …
Please note the latest update of the Vector Electricity project happening on Airfield Rd – attached. Airfield Rd – Notification Letter May 2026Reminders!
Parking on Kapowai Boulevard
A reminder to parents NOT to park at the end of Kapowai Boulevard adjacent to the school’s entrance way. This area has yellow lines and is a turning bay only. You cannot park there as it stops other vehicles from using this turning bay safely. Please be considerate of all school traffic especially at the congested, busy end of day time and park legally, respectfully and safely. Thank you.
Concerns and Complaints Policy
It is always good practice each term to inform parents and community of the appropriate channel to share concerns or worries. Schools are required to have a Concerns and Complaints Policy in place. The purpose is to provide clear guidelines for the school community in raising and resolving concerns and complaints.
These procedures enable us to:
- maintain the best learning environment for our students
- resolve matters of concern early, if possible
- respond to feedback and concerns constructively
- deal with complaints fairly, effectively, and promptly
- take into account individual circumstances
- maintain confidentiality
- preserve school/community relationships and communication
- monitor and record complaints and concerns about student safety.
Most complaints can be resolved informally by discussions with the people concerned.
- Discuss the issue with the right person.
- Work towards a resolution.
School policies and procedures are held online with SchoolDocs. Access to this information is shared with you at each student enrolment interview. Please access by logging on to http://holytrinity.schooldocs.co.nz/ – User Name: holytrinity – Password: learnloveserve ConcernsandComplaintsProcess (7)
Upcoming School Events
Cultural Groups continue
Monday 25th May 9:30am-10:30am in Learning Communities
Māori Whānau – Community Hui Pizza night
Monday 25th May 5:00pm – 6:30pm in the school staffroom
PTFA Monthly Meeting
Tuesday 26th May 7:00pm in the school staffroom
School Board Monthly Meeting
Wednesday 27th May 7:00pm in the school staffroom
P.E. Fundamental Skills Lessons for Years 0-3 students – Counties Manukau programme
Thursday 28th May @ school
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 5 (10am-11am) and Year 6 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 28th May @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
Feast Day of the Most Holy Trinity – School Mass and Celebrations
Friday 29th May commencing with 9:30am School Mass in Taamaua and 1:00pm Trinity’s Got Talent Show
The Most Holy Trinity Feast Day Parish/School Mass Celebrations
Sunday 31st May @ 10:30am at St Mary’s Papakura Church followed by morning tea in the parish hall
King’s Birthday Public Holiday – school closed
Monday 1st June
Samoan Language Week Celebrations
Monday 1st – Friday 5th June
School Gathering Liturgy and Assembly – led by Ms Gill/LC Moana and Mrs Nadan/LC Awa
Tuesday 2nd June @ 8:50am in Taamaua/school hall
Fr Tony visiting learning Communities
Wednesday 3rd June @ school
BIKE Balance Day for Years 0-3 students – Counties Manukau programme
Thursday 4th June @ school
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 5 (10am-11am) and Year 6 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 4th June @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
PTFA FINAL Orders for Pies and Cookies
Thursday 4th June @ 3pm
Outdoor Education Day for Learning Communities Moana and Maunga
Friday 5th June @ school
Students’ Religious Education (RE) Books going home
Monday 8th – Friday 12th June
Cultural Groups continue
Monday 8th June 9:30am-10:30am in Learning Communities
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 5 (10am-11am) and Year 6 (11am-12:00)
Wednesday 10th June @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
Celebrations for Philippines Independence Day
Friday 12th June
School Gathering Liturgy and Assembly – led by Mr Kumar/LC Moana and Mrs Davies/LC Maunga
Monday 15th June @ 8:50am in Taamaua/school hall
Inter-school Netball Competition – Year 5&6
Tuesday 16th June @ Papakura Netball Courts
Fr Tony visiting learning Communities
Wednesday 17th June @ school
New Families Information Morning
Thursday 18th June @ 9:00am school staffroom
Gymnastics/Fundamental Skills Lessons for Year 5 (10am-11am) and Year 6 (11am-12:00)
Thursday 18th June @ Bruce Pulman Park Recreation Centre
South Auckland Catholic Schools Mass (Years 5&6)
Friday 19th June @ St Anne’s Parish, Manurewa
Cultural Groups continue
Monday 22nd June 9:30am-10:30am in Learning Communities
Mahi Tahi Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences
Tuesday 23rd June 1:30pm-7:00pm and Wednesday 24th June 3:30pm-6:30pm @ school
Term 2 Concludes
Friday 3rd July
Term 3 Commences
Monday 20th July
