Over the past days I have been truly humbled by kind farewell wishes I have received, it has been a very special time. At Level 2 we are unable to gather as a community and so I have spent time in each classroom and have been presented with a number of beautiful books, songs and reflections. I have shared some of my "Holy Cross Stories and Reflections" and answered questions and wonderings of our students. I cannot thank the staff and children enough for making this time so memorable. At the end of a very challenging term to put such energy, care and love into these presentations was huge. I thank you all most sincerely.

On Sunday I was sitting in my office, packing up after twenty years at Holy Cross... five years as a classroom teacher and fifteen years as principal... what a truly special journey this has been. 

Before I began working here I used to visit the school in my role as Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour. My involvement in the school helped me to recognise my desire to be part of a community again, thus began my Holy Cross journey.

I love this school community and have many treasured memories that I will carry with me. I am incredibly very proud of what we as a community have achieved during this time and want to remind us of some of these: 

Catholic Character

• A review of our school Vision which is a vision for all: students, staff, parents, parish, individuals and groups, each and every one of us- Achieving More Than We Ever Dreamed Possible. This vision guides all decisions made and actions taken.
• The confirmation of a powerful, invitational school motto to guide our actions- Ka Whiti Mai Te Ra - Let Your Light Shine. 
•  A review of our Values to ensure they tell the story of who we are today whilst also honouring those of our founding orders. Our Values we describe as The Holy Cross WAY- Whānau, Aroha, Yes. 
• We have maintained a special connection to the Sisters of Mercy and the Marist Brothers- both founding orders of our school.
• We have worked hard to maintain our connection with Holy Trinity Parish, as we are unable to visit the church due seismic limitations. We have loved hosting the parish at beautiful masses in our school hall

Learning Programmes

Each year we have selected an overarching concept upon which to focus; these concepts have been in response to need or interest, they have often had a humanitarian or social justice aspect, they have helped celebrate who we are as a nation and who we are as a school.  We remain committed to providing authentic learning opportunities for our tamariki.

A saying that has guided many of our actions and decisons states, " There are many busses going past Holy Cross but we can't jump on them all"! With this in mind, we have selected contexts and programmes that we have felt will have the most significant impact on the learners in our school community. These have included: 

• CLaSS- Childrens Literacy and Success Strategy
• IOL- Intensive Oral Language 
• GTT- Garden to Table
• Leadership development for all senior students
• BiS- Bikes in Schools
• Discovery Time
• PB4L- Positive Behaviour for Learning
• Home-School Partnership programme
• Reading Together
• Peer Tutoring
• Home Learning - CHOICE challenges 
• TIPS- Teachers Including Parents in Schoolwork
• BP technology Challenge, ePRO8
• Roots of Empathy

Cultural Identity 

With the support and guidance of whānau and staff

• We have continued to work, to support a sense of belonging for all who are part of Holy Cross School, Turangawaewae.  This has included the design and establishment of our pou Māori and cultural pou- representing the many cultures that are part of our community.
• Flag poles and flags from around the world- that allow us to celebrate special events and days of cultural significance to our community
• We introduced and continue to build on pōwhiri at Holy Cross School, we have developed our own kawa in relation to these.
• The Holy Cross cultural and performance groups have gone from strength to strength and have been invited to perform on many occasions. We all feel incredibly proud of our tamariki at these events.
• Our end of year celebrations include students walking with pride in their national costumes. 
• We have hosted many cultural events including Assyrian New Year, Akitu- these events have helped us learn 

Working as Community

• Celebrating our wonderful Athens Street neighbours, over the years we have come to know and value these special people. 
• Establishing our school up as a community hub by introducing: Computers in Homes, English Language Classes for Adults, a community bike track, parenting classes, Arohanui Strings. I look forward to hearing of further initiatives such as these. 
• Grounds development with the installation of pump, skills and perimeter tracks, a fleet of school bikes.
• A community garden designed by our students, blessed and supported by Sister Loyola (Gardening with Soul), GTT Trust and many groups and organisations.
• Established local connections -Doc Edge at the Roxy and Stone Street studio.  

This list goes on but I would like to share again my definition of Community- Coming Together In Unity.... each of the above has been achieved as a result of people working together to achieve a common goal or agreed direction.

Thank you: I have been absolutely blessed to journey as part of the Holy Cross Community for these very special years. I have been provided with so many opportunities to learn and grow. 

I remain passionate about education and will look for continued opportunities to support the Holy Cross in the future.

To our beautiful tamariki: I say thank you for reminding us of the importance of wonder, the joy of discovery and the power of learning. Each student I have taught over the years has touched my life in a special way, each will be remembered and I will continue to follow their journeys with interest.

To the Holy Cross staff, past and present: Each one of you has contributed to the success of our school, I thank you for the support you have given to me and for the way you have worked for the good of our children and their families, I will continue to keep you in my prayers as you continue the Holy Cross journey.  

To our Whānau: Board, Parent Support Group and all Holy Cross families- My life has been touched in a very special way. I thank you for the trust you have placed in me, I have been truly blessed in my role as principal. 

I leave Holy Cross incredibly proud of what we have achieved and confident that our school will continue to support our beautiful children to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible. 

Dear parents/caregivers

The BOT would like to update you regarding the appointment process for the new Principal. The position has been advertised and closes on the 18th October, the BOT will follow the recruitment process and hope to have a new Principal for the start of 2022. In the interim for term 4, Lyn Hough will be Acting Principal and supporting her as part of an expanded leadership team is Lucy Wooles, Brenda O'Hare and Jeannine Winton.

Due to Lyn stepping out of the classroom, Dominique Vincent has been appointed for term 4 to cover Lyn's classroom responsibilities. 

Our new entrant role has expanded and to accommodate for this growth room 12 will move to room 4 for the beginning of term 4. Corrie and Dominique will be teaching in this space. This enables us to have a start up morning class in room 12 with Simone Meech. The afternoon programme will include all new entrants and  will be run by Lucy Wooles with teacher aide support.

You Are The Light Of the World.  Matthew 5:14

We all have a greater purpose to our lives than merely existing day to day. Each of us, in our own unique way is called to Let our Light Shine; this is my prayer for each one of us. 

We have three guiding Values that we call, the Holy Cross WAY- these Values are an expression of our Catholic Identity, my wero- challenge to us all is to continue to live these values in our daily lives: 

Whānau: For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” ~ Matthew 18:20

Aroha: Let all that you do be done in love. ~ 1 Corinthians 16:14  

Yes: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13.

The true Bible is the one you keep inside, when you allow God to write His Word on your heart and you live by it. That’s what gives you the power to say, “Yes, I can!”

God bless and keep you all.

The staff and students of Holy Cross School warmly invite all parents and caregivers to Celeste's Poroporoaki on Friday 5th November 2021. (If we are at Alert level 1)

• Time 10.45am
• Location Holy Cross school hall

Parents/caregivers are then welcome to stay for a cup of tea or coffee and a sausage sizzle lunch and enjoy an afternoon of fun, games and activities with the children.

We would love it if you could be part of this special day as we "Celebrate Celeste" 

By Maloni Tutu’ila, Rm 5, Y6

As I was sitting down on the mat during karakia I thought of the less fortunate because it made me feel so lucky to be at a Catholic school to learn more about the bible. When I got the cross I prayed to God and asked him to help me show service by helping others especially the less fortunate.

When we had a meditation session it was relieving, quiet, calm and relaxing because it made me think of others and how fortunate I am to have an education about the bible 

Being at a Catholic school makes me feel open and lucky because I get to know lots more about the bible and we get to learn about the Mercy sisters, Marist brothers, Saints and the people of God. It also makes me feel happy and excited because we celebrate special occasions like Easter and Christmas by celebrating them with liturgies with the whole school.                                                                                                                                          

Karakia Time

By Finn Olsen, Rm 5, Y6

It was a bright, sunny day, I was sitting on the mat saying prayers. I was thinking about my parents and the gifts they gave me.

During the Hail Mary I thought about Mary and how she took care of Jesus to make our world a better place. She is Very important in my school.

I did the Sign of the Cross thinking about God creating the Earth, all of the animals and nature. All the things that came naturally were from God and his hard work.

I looked at a story from the Bible and thought about the storyline of Jesus in his life. Jesus had a big part of the story because he taught people about God and he chose disciples.

God is very ka rawe and mea nui to us. He shows Aroha to us wherever we are.

If you have a child turning 5 years old or you know of someone who would like their child to come to Holy Cross School, please call into the office and pick up an enrolment pack or ring the office 04 3887 189 and we can post you a pack.

If your family circumstances have changed and your child will not be returning to Holy Cross School in 2022, please let us know as we are beginning the organisation of classes for next year. 

Term 4 - Summer uniform dresses may be worn by girls in Years 1-6,  dresses are available through the NZUniform shop or online.

Students are also required to bring a hat to school every day. We have a sun smart policy of No Hat No Play. We have hats available to purchase through the office.

Please ensure your child comes to school wearing the correct uniform. They should wear black leather shoes or plain black sandals, clean and tidy uniform. PE uniform should not be worn to school or home, students must change into this at school.

If you are struggling to purchase a uniform please contact the office, we have several second hand options or we can help in other ways.

This term, room 1 has been focusing on wellbeing after our time in lockdown. We were disappointed about not being able to go to camp but had some amazing work come through from our online camp week activities.

Things that we have learnt about this term are; what's happening in Afghanistan? Imaginative writing about where we would like to go in the world, learning about Tongan and Maori language and culture, creating scripts, writing poems about our emotions and gratitude letters to Celeste. We also looked at the masks that we sometimes put on versus our reality. In maths, we explored working with fractions, problem solving in the real world and focusing on our basic facts.

We have had a busy and different term because of lockdown. From the students and I, we thank our whanau and friends for all the support and aroha you have shown through some pretty tough times. 

As you all know, term 3 didn’t go quite as expected. It started as planned, with our chemistry unit! We explored chemistry concepts such as ‘chemistry is the science of stuff’, ‘stuff (matter) has properties’ and ‘chemical/physical changes.’ As part of the unit, we learnt about atoms, subatomic particles and elements of the periodic table. We also did all kinds of experiments, including filling up balloons with carbon dioxide using the classic baking soda vinegar reaction, density stacking with sugar water, making ice cream, making sherbet, blowing up a hydrogen balloon (and when we say blow-up, we mean BOOM), and testing acids and bases using a red cabbage indicator. All the while, we learnt what it means to be a scientist - to predict, test ideas, observe, work with others and record our findings.

Then along came Covid… The latest lockdown interrupted our term and required Rm 2 students to adjust quickly to home learning once more. We Zoomed, completed assignments and managed ourselves to create a new ‘normal’. Some students completed outstanding assignments during their time in lockdown, others participated in our ‘camp week’ challenges, building forts, bow and arrows, tents, rafts and doing chores around the house. Everyone engaged in their learning in one way or another and we are really proud of what we achieved together.                   

In lockdown we covered various topics. Our three major assignments were ‘Prayers/Poetry for Creation’, ‘If I Could Go Anywhere’ and ‘What’s happening in Afghanistan.’ So many students wowed and impressed with the thought and effort they invested in their work. Check out Tsion’s letter to future refugee families arriving from Afghanistan to see what we mean:

“To our new Afghan whānau,

Kia Ora, salam, and welcome to Wellington, New Zealand. This is a country of love and peace, equality and diversity amongst citizens. It may be freezing during the winter, but our hearts are always welcoming and warm. We will keep to our words to keep you safe, cared for and loved. We do not harm those who harmed us but teach them what's right. We have heard how challenging your past life has been, and we are sorry for what you had to go through. It wasn’t fair, nor was it right. 

New Zealand is always the best choice for refugees. Let’s start with the opportunities. First of all, there’s great education for your young people. There are many ways to access education in any area of learning. Also there is free health support. Here I am, and 13 years ago my parents were in your shoes. They came here, new to such an open country. Now I am blessed with a great school, a roof over my head, food on the table and many people who helped me here. I know God has blessed you with this opportunity. Welcome to Aotearoa, New Zealand! This is your home, our home, we are one. Love from, Tsion Medhane.”

Lexi’s tent ‘camp challenge’

Lachie’s baking camp challenge

Chelsea’s raft, camp challenge

Room 3 Term 3 2021
During this very unusual term we have been focusing on Insect research, the outdoors and our gardens as well as Statistics and Measurement in Maths. We have been reading fictional material and writing our opinions and arguments for and against various statements.

We have continued to increase our knowledge of Te Reo Maori in the classroom as well as celebrating Tongan Language week and Chinese Language week.
We have continued our participation in the Garden to Table programme both in the kitchen and garden in class and during lockdown.

Some of the highlights of the term were sharing our interests and activities in lockdown such as Flynn’s Beeswax Wraps and Toby’s Colour Science Experiments. We also shared and tried making recipes shared by Room 3 families.

We said goodbye to Henry and his family and he is sadly missed by us all in Room 3.
We hope you all have a lovely holiday with your families and wish Celeste all the best for the future.

Kia ora koutou,

This term we have worked in class and then, unexpectedly, from home. On returning to school Rm 5 were curious to find out what were people’s favourite things or times that were popular for people! We decided to carry out a Statistical Inquiry, with a ‘lock down question’ then gathered data, and turned that data into a bar graph. 

Lockdown Statistical Inquiry

For example, Finn asked, ‘What was the most popular dinner time in lockdown?’ He found out that 7pm was the most popular time and the least favourite time was 4pm. 

Saint wondered what was the most popular time for going to bed? He found out that 11pm and 12pm were equally popular and two people went to bed at 7pm.

Personal Narratives - A Lockdown Memory

We wrote about a moment in time during lockdown. Matilda wrote about the time their family went on a bike ride to Miramar Central School only to find out that the bike track and playground were closed! Georgette wrote about going to the fridge to get something delicious to eat only to find … vegetables! Dad came to the rescue, and off he went to PakNSave! 

Kura Ahurea - Kete wānanga -  The  Three Baskets of Knowledge

We learned the pūrākau/story of Tāne and how he climbed the heavens and retrieved three baskets of knowledge.The baskets, or kete were; te kete-aronui which held all the knowledge that could help humankind, te kete-tuauri which held the knowledge of ritual, memory and prayer and te kete-tuatea which contained knowledge of evil that was harmful to humankind. 

Art

We made kete using our paper weaving skills to create a basket that represented one of the kete from the Kete Wāngana pūrākau/story. Here’s a photo of our kete display.

Basketball

Scotty from Wellington Basketball has been teaching us skills like dribbling, shooting, passing and we have played games as well.  Astyn said, ‘I look forward to basketball games with Scotty because we get to compete against each other which is fun. Charles never used to like basketball but the lessons with Scotty have changed his mind and he really likes basketball now.

Religious Education

We have celebrated through listening, watching, discussing, art and prayer The Feast of The Holy Cross, Mercy Day and Catholic Schools Day. We have used the values of the Mercy Sisters to help guide us through the last weeks of term. Te tapu o te tangata - Social Justice, Te aroha - Compassion, Te āwhinatanga - Service,Te tika Justice, Te manaakitanga - Hospitality.

Tenei rawa atu Whānau. Thank you very much for your support whānau.

Room 6 Learning Term 3

Earlier this term students had the opportunity to learn more about their local area, Te Motu Kairangi, from a volunteer representative, Joakim of the Te Motu Kairangi Ecological Restoration Trust. Through his presentation and sharing of native plant specimens, students developed an understanding of what the Miramar basin ecosystem was like hundreds of years ago, how it has changed over time and how local volunteers are working together to restore the ecosystem. Hopefully students will be able to participate in a replanting trip in Term 4. Should you be interested in learning more, I have included the link to the website.

Te Motu Kairangi

Learning through ‘hands on’ experiences and engaging with our ‘out of class’ Garden to Table programme has been a continual source of wonder and fascination for Room 6 students. Garden preparation and spring planting has been a key focus for students. As a result, the school garden has taken on a fresh appearance with new growth, such as pea shoots and leafy greens visible. 

Room 6 students baked wholewheat honey biscuits in the kitchen this week to celebrate Bee Aware month.

With little warning, students adapted well to change mid term. They embraced home learning engagements and prioritised opportunities with their peers through daily zoom meetings. It was wonderful to see so many Room 6 students join each day and manage themselves so well. I would like to acknowledge our students and whanau for making the most of their home gardens, nature walks and local reserves. From bird feeders to Piwakawaka nests, nature journals to scavenger hunts, many wonderful creations resulted.

The children in Room 7 worked very hard on their home learning this term. Enjoy some of their achievements!

Kia ora,