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Nau mai, hoki mai, maliu mai, مرحبًا بعودتك, welkom terug, bula, witamy spowrotem- welcome back!
We started the year well connecting with whānau through our learning conferences. Thank you for making the time to meet with your tamariki’s teacher for 2023. This helps us to get to know your children quickly and to know how best to help them settle into their new class.
Attendance- The beginning of the year is a good time to spread the word about how important it is for children to come to school every day.
There are many benefits for our tamariki- consistent learning, the opportunity to be with friends, mental health and wellbeing is strengthened, building strong relationships with teachers and other members of our school community, having the opportunity to be a part of a range of activities and experiences where tamariki can discover their strengths and overcome challenges.
Our attendance rates across New Zealand have been inconsistent over the past three years with a low of 40% of students regularly attending in term 2 2022. We are submitting data to the Ministry of Education now on attendance for 2022 and will update you on what our figures were once we receive a report.
The first few weeks in a school year are a focused time for teachers to be building relationships with tamariki and developing a classroom environment where everyone is welcomed and feels supported. Starting a new year can be an anxious time- if children can quickly re-establish old relationships or form new ones with new peers this can make the transition back to school easier. Coming to school regularly over the first term can help that happen. Please talk to your child’s teacher if you feel your child needs extra support to help with this transition back to school. We are here to help make school a great place to be in 2023.
Building- 2022 saw some tidying up work happening to our hall area- we now have a new entry way into the hall with a smooth pathway to this area and the PE shed.
2023 Room 4 and 5 are being transformed with repairs to the roof and new windows. Built Construction Group are working on site over the next six months to complete this. All parties are working hard to ensure our tamariki can still safely play in the playground and are not too disrupted by this work. We will be blessed with a fresh looking learning space once this work is completed.
Up and coming events-
Powhiri Friday 17th February to welcome new students and their whānau.
Starting at around 9am, this is a lovely school community event where we gather to formally acknowledge new staff and students. If you would like to support this event please feel free to join us in the hall at 8.45am. If you have skills as a baker, we would love to be able to offer some home baking as part of our kai. Please ring Leanne at the office if you can help.
Board of Trustees Meeting Tuesday 14th February.
Our hard working Board of Trustees meet two times a term on Tuesdays here at school at 6pm.
Whānau Hui Monday 20th February.
Starting at 6pm at school, this is a whānau group that gathers to discuss the needs and aspirations for our whānau that identify as Maori. In 2023 our Whānau group is going to explore organising a school hangi to celebrate Matariki.
School photos- 8th March.
We have changed our photographer for 2023. Inspire will be taking class, individual and family photos on this day.
Celebration of Learning- 5th April
We love to open our classrooms and invite parents in to view what tamariki have been up to over the term in our Celebrations of Learning. We have scheduled this to take place on Wednesday afternoon 5th April from 1.30 onwards.
This year the staff are spending time understanding and utilising the new Catholic Schools Curriculum To Tātou Whakapono- Our Faith. This new curriculum will be guiding our teaching around Religious Education in the classroom.
At our teacher only day before school began, we were inspired once again by the purpose of Religious Education and all it means to be part of a Catholic School. Here are some statements from the curriculum document which paint a picture of what we are seeking to achieve.
‘(Catholic Schools) provide a Catholic faith environment which supports young people to develop knowledge, skills and values to become active and committed members of the faith community and to contribute richly to national and global society’.
‘Religious Education …provides a learning platform from which the living-out of faith in families and the parish community may be understood and embraced’
‘Religious Education….can positively benefit (young people’s) lives in supporting a developing personal faith , and /or a system of values and understanding that resonates even if they choose not to believe in God’
P8 To Tātou Whakapono- Our Faith
We hope to share with you our journey as we seek to understand the new curriculum document.
You are welcome to join us for our Friday whole school prayers which happen every week. Teachers take the roll at 8.45 and bring their students over to the hall straight afterwards. Each week a different class is rostered on to lead prayers- all tamariki have the opportunity to be both leaders and participants. This helps to build an understanding of how to be a faith community around the sacrament of shared prayer. Come and join us and see our tamariki step into that leadership role.
Do you ever have questions about your child’s health and want a reliable source of information?
We have a lovely health nurse- Tracey Hilt who will be at school fortnightly on Mondays from 1.30 onwards. Her first clinic is Monday 20th February. Tracey is able to provide information or help support you around any questions you may have about your tamariki’s health and well being. She will also be working in classes supporting the delivery of some of our health lessons around basic health and hygiene.
We are grateful for Tracey’s support of our kura.
The Inspire Photography Team are excited to be at Holy Cross School this year! We will be photographing your children and their classes on the 8th of March, 2023.
If you would like your children to have sibling photos, please fill in our Sibling Photo Request form.
Follow this link to the form >>
https://www.inspireschools.co.
Please Note : Submissions for Sibling Photos will be closing on Friday the 3rd of March.
Out of School Siblings will be photographed on the 8th of March starting at 8.30am.
In School Siblings will be photographed during the school day.
A few weeks after your photo day, our online galleries will be ready to go and we will deliver A5 sized sheets with personal passcodes for each child.
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in contact with the Team at Inspire, info@
Attached is some information about the costs.
Students should wear neat and tidy summer school uniform with hair tied back from their face and clean shoes!
A wee reminder: As there is NO access to the drinking fountains at school, could all students please remember to bring a filled water bottle to school everyday.
The Learning Conversation meetings were a great way to start the year and provided a way of sharing ideas and answering questions.
We strive to communicate in a timely manner and have set in place a number of ways for this to happen. Currently we share information in the following ways:
Electronically:
Newsletter: sent electronically each week to your email
Website www.hcm.school.nz
School App: Download the Holy Cross School App Passcode :5500
Facebook : Holy Cross School Miramar - Home
eTAP alerts ( eTAP is our Student Management System)
School Docs - Provides information about policies and procedures at Holy Cross School :SchoolDocs - Policies and Procedures Made Easy
Username : hcm Password: schooldocs
Paper notices and permissions:
We continue to work on reducing our paper use but do at times require signed permissions.
Questions, Ideas, Concerns
At Holy Cross we enjoy positive support and engagement from our community. We are committed to honest, open, respectful relationships- valuing ideas, as well as addressing questions or concerns promptly. We respect the privacy of all members of our community.
General Reminder: For day to day matters we ask that you speak with your child’s teacher in the first instance.
If you have a concern relating to another child please do not speak with that child directly but address your concerns to school staff.
We will continue to provide information about, and seek your input on, practices in place at Holy Cross School; see also the link to Schooldocs which provides further, more detailed information relating to these areas.
Reminders
School starts at 8.45am, if your child is running late they need to get a late pass from the office before going to their class.
If your child is sick please use the SZapp absentee notification or call the school on 04 388 7189 or email administration@hcm.school.nz to let the office know your child is absent.
Please help us to keep the children looking smart by ensuring the correct school uniform is worn everyday. School hats are compulsorty in Term 1 and 4. Please apply sunscreen in the morning before school, if your child needs to reapply sunscreen the classrooms have sunscreen avaialble.
The PSG will start up their Subway fundraiser from next Friday 10th February 2023. orders will be taken in the library from 8.30am-8.45am. You can get spare envelopes from the office.
The Sacremental programme will be starting again this year. For those students who are interested in Baptism we will prepare these students for the Sacrament in term 1.
Those students that have been Baptised will be able to carry on with the Sacrament progamme of Reconciliation,Confirmation and Holy Communion from Terms 2-4 respectively.
If your child is interested or you would like your child to take part in the Sacrament programme please contact the Director of Religious Studies Nik Solia nik.solia@hcm.school.nz
This term the following extra curricular sports are available for students to participate in:
Futsal Year 1- 8
Played at Ākau Tangi (formerly ASB centre) on a Friday commencing 17th February.
Game times vary between 4.00- 6.00 pm. No cost, however there are limited spots available. Parent help required.
Touch Rugby Year 3-8
Played at Wakefield Park Island Bay on a Wednesday commencing 22nd February.
Game times vary between 3.45-5.45pm. Cost is $30.00 and parent help is required.
Motu Kairangi Netball Year 1-4
Played at EBIS netball courts, on a Saturday, commencing on Saturday 18th February.
Games times Year1-2 (9.30am-11.15am) and Year 3-4 (11.30am - 3.00pm)
Cost is $40.00 and parent help is required.
The uniform required for all games is school PE shirt and PE shorts (no bike shorts)
Notices have been handed out to students this week to those students that have expressed an interest in playing.
If you would like an extra paper copy please contact the office.
Arohanui Strings is starting up again at Holy Cross School on Tuesday, February 14th! Come play music with us! We offer free group lessons on violin, cello, and double bass for all kids aged 6 and over. Our classes are on Tuesdays from 3 -4:45pm. You can register via this link: Arohanui Strings registration
Or you can visit our website at arohanuistrings.org
The library will be open at break times from Monday to Wednesday this term and we are looking forward to seeing familiar and new faces. As well as books, students can draw and play quiet board games.
If your child borrowed National Library books for summer reading over the holidays, please could they return them to the library this week.
Wellington Dance
Coming up...
- The Pānui is coming out (hopefully) in March with great local stories, news and information for you to peruse. We will need some volunteer deliverers to get this issue out for Miramar and Maupuia. Get in some push play and support the community at the same time. Reply to this email to put your name down.
- Community dinners are still going this month. Every Wednesday 5.30-7pm, free, all welcome.
- Everybody Dance is running again and I’m teaching for February . See what we learnt in the video attached. We will continue this next Sunday with time to review so come along even if you didn’t come last week!
- Hāngi nights start back up on 10th Feb (every second and fourth Friday of the month). Volunteer to help prepare and get a free hāngi. Contact Lynda 027 255 8811.
- Many activities are back so check out the timetable attached for what you can do: Tai Chi, Fitness, Music group, Te Reo Māori kōrero group, Drop In...
- RATs tests and masks are still available to pick up for free. Ring us before you come in and wear a mask.
Wellington Music Centre
Our term time classes are smaller just 3 to 6 children. Classes are focused on what you want to learn. Class runs from 3:30 to 5:30 pm class fee $45 (doors open from 3:15). Saturday 1:30 - 4:30 pm. class fee $65.
- Learn to Code; Scratch, Python, JavaScript or Java
- Learn to Code & Create 3D Games.
- Minecraft
- Roblox
- Web Design, HTML and CSS
- Discovery Course in Computing - suitable for younger children
- Build Your Own Computer
Information & bookings: grandtraining.co.nz or call 499-2211
Drama Classes
In the Wings:Afterschool Drama classes for primary-aged students to gain confidence and be creative. These run in term time at the Hataitai Centre, Wednesday from 4-5pm. Term 1 starts on Wednesday 15th February. Check out our website,www.inthewings.co.nzor emailkatie@inthewings.co.nz
Blitz Netball Academy
NOTICEBOARD