Welcome back to Term 2. It has been reassuring to experience  a greater level of freedom from Covid restrictions this term as we welcome parents back through the gates, meet together as a whole school community around prayer and Powhiri and see the majority of students coming through our gates. We still have a handful of Covid cases in our community and appreciate parents being vigilant around monitoring for sickness and keeping children home if they are unwell. 

Last term I started to look at specific areas of the Holy Cross Strategic and Annual plan in order to share what some of our focuses are in 2022. This week I want to address the strategic plan heading and goal-

Honouring our Commitment 

3.2. Live our commitment to the Treaty of  Waitangi strengthening a bicultural perspective.

In 2021, the staff began a professional development journey in cultural engagement called Kura Ahurea. These words are taken straight from the Kura Ahurea website and explain best how they are supporting us. 

Te Reo Māori, location-based history and a connection with local iwi are areas of focus for many schools these days.  Creating a dynamic, diverse and innovative curriculum that includes a whole of school approach to Te Reo Māori, local historical narratives and hands-on support from local iwi can be difficult. 

Kura Ahurea is a cultural support kaupapa that can help provide this for your school. We do this by providing a Te Ātiawa ki Te Whanganui a Tara/Taranaki Whānui perspective on local historical narratives, tikanga and kawa.

Teachers from schools who are part of our kaupapa have said ‘Kura Ahurea has the potential to fundamentally change our schools’ culture, and positively impact on our collective understanding of and appreciation for Aotearoa’s bicultural heritage’

https://wharewakatours.maori.nz/cultural-engagement/

Each term kaiako (teachers) introduce a new pūrākau (origin stories) to students and Te Reo Maori vocabulary for tamariki (children) to become familiar with. This term the story is Te Ika a Maui (How Maui Fished up the North Island of New Zealand). Our vocabulary focus is words that describe locations where children will learn how to ask and answer questions about where things are in Maori. Ethel Renata in Room 2 is our champion for Kura Ahurea. We appreciate the passion Ethel brings to this role. 

On Monday we gathered for our first whole school prayers for the year. It was special being together. Our senior students lead our prayers and on most occasions, also have a voice in preparing what is shared. This term we are highlighting our school values- Whānau (family), Aroha (love) and Yes (having courage and a growth mindset in life and learning). 

Under the heading of Whānau our prayers focused on being willing to include others in all that we do. Moving back to having all classes playing together, this is an important concept for tamariki to be reminded of both in the playground and also in the classrooms. 

A related aspect of whānau is the concept of manaakitanga- showing respect, generosity and care towards others. One practical aspect of this in our Catholic faith is serving others and it has been very heartwarming to have parents back in our gates showing manaakitanga, helping to make our sausage sizzle fundraiser a success. It is also exciting to look forward to the Year 7 and 8  camp at El Rancho (Waikanae) where a group of willing people have put their hand up to support as parent helpers. 

As we return to a semblance of normality, opportunities open up for our students to step into the role of showing manaakitanga to others as librarians, road patrol wardens and taking those spontaneous opportunities to help through service in the classroom for their peers and teachers. As Lucy pointed out at Monday’s prayers, wearing our masks is a form of serving each other.  

We also have a very respectful, generous and caring staff who, many times, go above and beyond what is required to serve our Holy Cross Community. They bring to life the words from 1 Peter 4 v10 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. 

We are grateful for the many gifts our staff have and their willingness to share those gifts for the sake of our community. 

Our schoolwide focus for the year is Connections.

Our school, our faith, our families, our place - Wellington, our past

Rooms 7, 11, 12

In the junior syndicate this term, we are looking forward to exploring and learning together:

Te Atua - God  (RE)

Patterns (Maths)

Swimming (PE)

Rooms 3, 5, 6

We will be adding lots of new knowledge and skills to our middle syndicate learning kete this term:

Garden to Table (Science)

Cross Country (PE)

Matariki  (Social Sciences)

Swimming (PE)

Our Solar System    (Science)

Samoan Language Week (Learning Languages / Social Sciences)

Rooms 1, 2

We are looking forward to an exciting term in the senior school!  Here are some things that are coming up for us:

ANZAC Stories (RE / Social Sciences)

Matariki (Science)

Cross Country (PE)

Te Ika a Māui (Te Reo Me Te Ao Māori)

Swimming (PE)

Camp !!! (EOTC / PE)

Sports are in full swing this term. Basketball has already started and Netball will begin this Saturday.

Basketball

Thank you to those who have volunteered to take an active role in our basketball teams- without your support our tamariki would not have the opportunity to play. I am pleased to announce that Kevin Thompson and Harley Durkin will be coaching and managing the year 3&4 Warriors team, Kevin Sinnott and Steven Skells will be coaching and managing the Year 5&6 Bucks team, and George Fainga’a, Angela Fitisemanu amd Agnieszka Lowl coaching and managing the Year 7&8 Lakers. If you are at the courts please introduce yourself and support not just our players but also our parent helpers.

The managers for each team will send out a reminder of game time and court. However please check the www.wellingtonbasketball.co.nz website as sometimes they may change. 

A reminder that all basketball payments are to be made by Friday 20th May. Please contact the office if you are in need of assistance.

Netball

This Saturday our Netball teams will begin their season at EBIS courts. They have trained very hard these past couple of weeks and look forward to playing. Please check http://www.mknetball.co.nz/ for game time and court. Players are to meet at least half an hour before their game for warm up.

We still require managers for each team. Please let the office know if you are able to assist.

A reminder that final payments are to be made by Friday 27th May. Please contact the office if you are in need of assistance.  

Cross Country

We will be having our annual School Cross Country run on Friday 20th May. This will take place at school at 1:30pm Our children have been training very hard these last couple of weeks preparing for the upcoming event. To ensure this event runs smoothly we require parent help to ensure our children run the correct track and that they are safe. If you are able to help please let the school know. We will endeavour to meet at 1:15pm to explain responsibilities.

Sporting code of conduct

A note was given to your child regarding our school sporting code of conduct. Please read together with your child what is expected of them as players, and what is expected of adults as coaches and spectators. Please sign and return the form to Mr Sa by Friday 20th May. 

We are very privileged to have Arohanui Strings working in our school teaching violin, double bass and cello and it is exciting to have lessons start up again following the disruption of Covid. 

Unfortunately these lessons may be under threat as there are not enough students filling the classes so this is a plea on behalf of Margaret and her team. 

If your child is 7 years old and older and interested in learning music, Arohanui Strings is a great place to start learning the basics. Margaret has a fun approach to learning music. Instruments are provided and lessons are FREE. These take place on Tuesday afternoon after school. Please contact the office if you would like your child to have this opportunity. 

Today in the garden 

Me, Flynn, Lydia, Toby, Rory and Cahal were snipping sunflowers so that the roots were still in the ground. Cahal and Flynn were weeding a back corner of the garden for a lemon tree to have room. Mason, Leya and Ninor were ripping up cardboard to give to the old compost. Meanwhile, Flynn, Lydia and Toby were cutting up the sunflowers to feed to the new compost. After all of that, we went back to the class and made a hanging garden out of old outdated milk bottles and a crate. 

By Austin 

Today in the kitchen we made summer rolls. Everyone cut mint and native spinach. We also cut a lot of other vegetables. When we were done we made noodles and soaked rice paper. We had to move fast otherwise the rice paper would break. It was hard to wrap the vegetables fast enough. We put fish sauce on the wraps then we ate them. Lots of people loved them.

By Cahal

At first, Shaan, Cian and I were clearing an area and there were some plants that we had a lot of trouble with. Then it started raining so we all went inside and peeled gem corn. When the rain finally cleared, we went outside and played with a compost drill. It was a lot of fun.

By Jonathan

Lorraine, a Waste Educator from Wellington City Council, will be spending time with students over the next four weeks. 

Through this Zero Waste Education programme, children gain practical skills and knowledge for waste minimisation at school and at home. They also learn about sustainable resource use by examining the link between natural resources, the products we use and the resulting waste.   We look at recycling, composting, reusing and sensible shopping as tools to reduce our waste to the landfill.

Students consider the Te Ao Māori concept of kaitiakitanga. This helps us see ourselves as guardians of resources, not to be wasted but to be cherished and safeguarded so we leave our world in a better place than we found it.  

If you get the opportunity, please talk to your tamariki about what they are learning!