This is our final newsletter for term 2- it has been a challenging, busy term with Covid related absences and sickness, EOTC events, cross country and sports activities, report writing and assessments, new Matariki celebrations along with the usual day to day runnings of Holy Cross School. We are nearly there!

We have our Matariki celebration of learning as a school community next Thursday. You as whānau are invited to come and join us as Father Bill blesses our amazing stars of Matariki artwork which now decorates our outdoor stage area. This starts at 1pm. From here you are invited into your child’s class to share in some delicious Matariki soup and biscuits prepared by Room 6,5 and 3 in Garden to Table. You are then welcome to stay and view some of the learning that has happened in the class this term. 

START TIME- 1pm, Thursday 7th July. 

GATHERING- on the outdoor stage area. 

BRING- a keep cup for the soup if you have one. A mask to wear especially in our classrooms. 

Parents who attend may take their child home early before 3pm. All other children must remain until 3pm. 

THURSDAY IS OUR LAST DAY OF TERM. Staff have a Kahui Ako professional development day on Friday 8th July and will be meeting with other staff from our Wellington Catholic Schools. 

Looking to term 3, Room 6 will have two teachers who will share the week; Sonya Talbot and Eleanor Stefanidis. It is a challenging environment to recruit and we are very grateful to have Eleanor and Sonya on board. They know our school and students well and have a rich range of skills that all will benefit from. 

COVID UPDATE

Wednesday a press release was made from the Ministries of Health and Education. Changes and recommendations were also outlined for schools and for families relating to Covid. 

• New Zealand is to remain at Orange as cases creep up. 
• 50 child sized masks will be made available for every  Year 4-7 students. We have requested our portion of these and expect new stock to arrive early in term 3. Please send your child to school with masks until these are available. 
• Adult masks will be provided for all other students and staff at school.  
• Extra funding will be available for schools to support better ventilation. 
• Free flu vaccine made available for all children aged 3-12 years. The flu is a very real threat to everyone’s health this winter; we recommend that you take up this opportunity to keep your children well. 
• Reinfection advice changed. Anyone who experiences Covid symptoms 29 days or longer after having Covid should test immediately and will need to isolate if the test is positive. 

We continue to have RAT tests at school available if stock is needed. 

To promote good ventilation in classrooms, we are running the heating with doors or windows open. Please make sure your child wears winter uniform with a school jumper so they don’t feel the effects of the cooler air. 

I love our school values- three words that are easy to remember, Whānau, Aroha and Yes. But as is so often with simple words in a spiritual context, they have hidden depths. Whānau is our sense of family working together, including others, co-operating, like a body that has many different parts but works together for a common purpose, a picture we find in the bible in 1 Corinthians 12. Aroha is love, care, kindness and compassion. Aroha inspires us- we love others because God first loved us. Yes is about courage in the face of challenge or adversity- I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength and helps me. 

As part of our Matariki celebration, we have watched those three values come together in a special way through people within our school community and people in our wider Eastern suburbs community. We had a vision to commemorate our first opportunity to celebrate Matariki through a collaborative art project- the stars of Matariki. Our tamariki got to experience whānau- working together to design and paint some amazing stars but we couldn’t have done this without the aroha- the support and kindness of a local business. Bunnings provided the stars cut out and undercoated. They also provided two lovely people to help us design and paint each class star- thanks Laura and Anna. Yesterday Laura came back with Ian to put those stars up around our stage areas. Bunnings did all of this free and we are very grateful. So where is the yes, the courage in the face of challenge and adversity? That would be from our wonderful staff who said Yes to making this happen at the end of a busy term. 

Next week you will receive your child’s partly completed, unsigned mid-year report. Your child and your child’s teacher have chosen important information to share with you. Here’s what we would like you to do next:

• Read through your child’s partly completed report and talk about this with your child.
• Think about any comments, questions or ideas you have. You might like to include any questions you have for the teacher, a message to your child about something you are proud of, or ways that you wish to support your child’s next learning steps at home - feel free to jot these down in the “Whānau Comments” section.
• Book a time to come along to a Learning Conference on Tuesday 2nd or Wednesday 3rd August 2022 between 3.00pm - 6.00pm.

Go to  https://hcsmiramar.schoolzineplus.com/view-session/1 login with your email address, click add new student, enter your childs name and follow the prompts.

We are using a new booking system this year,  it is a bit different, if you have any problems please don’t hesitate to contact the office so we can assist you.   

Video tutorial below, how to make a booking. 

• Come along and celebrate your child’s learning at the 10 minute conference.
• Talk about the final section of the report - the teacher will type in the main points from this Learning Conference.
• Following the conference, the completed report will be printed off in colour, signed and sent home.

We hope you find this process helpful.  Our intention is firstly to provide a snapshot of your child’s progress to date and secondly to include the child and family in discussions about working together to support learning. 

How to make a booking with Session Keeper

The following information will guide you through the process to book an appointment through Schoolzine's booking interview system. You will also be able to cancel your booking and rebook if required. We have also provided a Video Tutorial below:

Recipe:

Butter and Sage Pasta Sauce

Description

This butter and sage pasta sauce is so quick and easy, you hardly need a recipe. The idea is to make is while your fresh pasta or gnocchi cook. All you need is one pan, 2 ingredients and approximately 5 minutes!

 Ingredients 

FOR THE SAUCE

120 g (8 tbsp) salted butter

15 fresh, beautiful fresh sage leaves

 TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

1 lb pasta or gnocchi

Fresh parmesan cheese

1/2 lemon

Instructions

For the Sauce: cut the butter into small pats. Add to a skillet and melt over medium heat. Once the butter becomes foamy, add the fresh sage leaves. Continue to cook, stirring gently with a spoon, until the spotty white milk solids subside and the sauce becomes “honey” golden in color (not yet brown). Note: this sauce will change from golden to brown butter in a nano second- do not walk away from the pan! If using lemon, squeeze some in at the end.

To Serve with Pasta: while the pasta cooks, make the sauce (you’ll need a large 12-inch skillet). Using tongs, transfer the pasta into the pan, allowing some of the water to still cling to the pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding more pasta cooking water, as needed, to emulsify the texture. Serve immediately with the crispy sage leaves scattered on top.

To Store: this sauce is best made and served fresh. However, you can any store any leftovers in an airtight container. Chill for 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost at room temperature. Re-heat to serve

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