Last Friday staff had a Staff Only day planning around our theme for 2023. When planning for the experiences and learning that your tamariki will have over the course of a year, we look to choosing an overarching theme.  This  is broad enough to give teachers room to consider related topics that tamariki can relate to, what is important knowledge to know and what are new experiences to stretch into.

This year our theme has been Connections- Our school, our faith, our families, our place - Wellington. Learning has had different focuses each term for different parts of the school but one area we have explored is the New Zealand histories curriculum. Teachers have helped tamariki make connections with local history. Connections also has given us the opportunity to explore our family connections with Wellington as well which develops our understanding of whakapapa. A third area that we have explored across the school is our physical connection with Wellington city. We have had some great trips exploring key sites in the city  that have enriched our learning. 

We are developing a theme next year around the idea of Journey. On our Staff Only day we discussed what types of journeys we all have taken. Some staff talked about physical journeys their families had taken to New Zealand and other parts of the world and some of the reasons for those journeys. Staff also shared some of the emotional or spiritual journeys we are also on that make up our journey through life. We also discussed  important big ideas for tamariki to understand, key knowledge for tamariki to know and learning activities that we can do together to explore the theme of Journey, For instance a big idea is that journeys occur in all areas of our lives; key knowledge might be to learn about our own family’s journey to and in New Zealand; an action we might take to help our learning could be to retell a journey Jesus took and say what we have learnt from this. 

I would like to invite you as whānau to help input into the planning of this theme for 2023. A form will come home next week which you are welcome to fill in with your thoughts on

• What does the word journey mean to you and your family?
• What big ideas do you think are important for your children to understand?
• What key knowledge is important for your children to know? 
• What learning activities would your children respond to? 

Keep an eye out next week for this- we welcome your input. 

Our wonderful PSG group is hard at work drawing together details for our Festive Food fair- classes are beginning to work on technology projects that will help to provide things to sell at stalls. Please keep Friday 18th November free and come join us at 5pm for a Festive Celebration. Spread the word amongst whānau and friends. 

There was quite a buzz around the classroom and hall  at Holy Cross on Wednesday. 

This is a significant day for us as we joined together as a bigger Catholic whanau to celebrate a special part of our identity that God has given us- our cultural connections that we have within and between our kura- schools. We hosted St Benedicts, St Francis de Sales, St Pats Primary and St Annes at the Catholic Cultural Day. It was a real delight to see tamariki across schools join together to share their talents and culture  through music, singing and dance. Our own rangatira (senior students) led the way with a Powhiri and also a special Mass celebrating God’s love for all. It’s been a long time since we have been able to be in the same space together with other kura- such a precious time. A number of people worked behind the scenes to make it happen and we want to say fa’afetai to those people. In particular Nik Solia was instrumental in pulling a team together to make this all happen- thanks for your leadership Nik. 

Reminder - all students should have brought home a notice this week about the Festive Food Fair on the 18th November - please return the second page to school indicating any ways you can support the fair, by next Friday, 4th November. Thank you for your support! All proceeds will go towards new playground equipment.

Exchanging Cultures

Watching, as the Holy Cross cultural group got in position to perform. We were the last school to perform being the host, the other schools performances were fresh in my mind. The other schools sat on the floor of the hall as the anticipation grew. Our faces showed a mixture of excitement and some sick with nerves.

The singing sounded like they were apart of the song and the actions completed the look.  The year 8 girls outfit stood out among the black outfits the others wore, they were unique in their own way and looked stunning. I could feel the mana and aroha radiating from them. The more they sang the more their confidence was lifted. 

The sasa started and everyone was synchronized. The only sound was the drums and the clapping in the sasa. 

By Anneke 

Catholic Schools Cultural Festival

26 October 2022

Term 1           30th January - 6th April 2023  ( 96  half days)

Monday 30th January               Learning conferences

Tuesday 31st January               Learning conferences

Wednesday  1st February          Term 1 classes start

Thursday 6th April                    Term 1 ends

Public Holidays

Monday 6th February               Waitangi Day 

Friday 7th April                        Good Friday 

Term 1  School Holidays  Friday 7th April - Sunday 23rd April 2023

Includes Good Friday,Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday.

Term 2     24th April - 30th June 2023  (94 half days)

Monday 24th April                   Term 2 classes start

Kahui Ako Teacher Only Day  Friday 30 June – NO CLASSES 

Public Holidays

Tuesday 25th April   ANZAC day

Monday 5th June   Kings birthday

Friday 14th July    Matariki (during school holidays)

Term 2 School Holidays Saturday 1st July - Sunday 16th July 2022

Term 3            17th July - 22nd September 2023    (98  half days)

Monday 17th July                   Term 3 classes start

Friday 22nd September           Term 3 ends

Teacher Only Day Monday 14th August -  NO CLASSES

No Public holidays

Term 3 School holidays Saturday 23rd September  - Sunday 8th October 2022

Term 4           9th October - 15th December 2023   ( 98 half days)

Monday 9th October              Term 4 classes start

Friday 15th December           Term 4 ends 

Public holidays: 

Monday 23rd October             Labour Day  

Term 4 Christmas school holidays start Saturday 16th December 2023

386 half days in 2023.

You can view our Policies and Procedures, please click on the following link.  

https://www.schooldocs.co.nz/Home/SchoolLogin.aspx

Our username is :hcm and password : schooldocs

Holy Cross School uses SchoolDocs to maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date set of policies and procedures. These policies and procedures follow  guidelines and legislation and best practice, and have been tailored for our school. For more information about SchoolDocs, see schooldocs.co.nz.

The principal, board, and members of our school community all have access to SchoolDocs. This section highlights information of particular interest to parents and whanāu. (SchoolDocs uses the term "parents" to refer to parents and caregivers. Sometimes, whānau is also used.)

You can use the quick links to find information, or use Search to find information on the site.

If you have any questions/suggestions please contact Lyn on principal@hcm.school.nz 

A big Happy Birthday to the following students: Solomon and Meisha, enjoy your special day. 

The Epro8 Challenge

Mia C (Rm 2)

20/10/22

My eyes glided along the pages, from word to word, “scarecrow”, “decision maker”, “concrete truck”. What one would I choose? Not too many options but I had a group waiting for me to decide. We all took a glance at the decision maker, but they looked too hard to build, the concrete truck had a big barrel along the back, there was nothing curved or that big in the case and we couldn't use any spare items from the class. “Well, scarecrow it is!” Lily giggled with joy, not knowing how she would make this blood-curling little friend made with rods.

EPro8 Challenges

By Mason, Y6 - Rm 2

When I was doing the Epro8 challenge with my team I was struggling because we had 2 and a half hours to complete the challenge. Halfway through we just realised we needed to start over because we did not have the right measurement that the instructions said!  We were panicking! My heart was pumping like lightning because at that moment we only had 1 hour left. We had to focus if we wanted to get this done. I was working as fast as I could. My hands were so tired. Me and my team felt like giving up but we didn't! We knew we had to push through the stress so we did, we got the base of the construction done then we were happy until we realised how much time we had!  We felt like giving up. We were even going to stop at one point but all we needed was a bit of motivation and then we got working again!     

Heritage Week Open Day

Worser Bay Life Saving Club Open Day