Newsletter Week 6, Term 1

Tēnā koutou kātoa e te whānau,

Welcome to the first week of Autumn! As we farewell the summer that wasn't, we reflect on how lucky we have been in Rotorua to avoid the destructive weather that many parts of Aotearoa have experienced during the past few months. To show our support for these communities, we had a Mufti Day, raising $500 which will be included in the Hamilton Diocese Cyclone Relief Fund. The schools in the Hamilton Diocese have adopted Gisborne as the region where we are going to target our fundraising.

This term as part of our Localised Curriculum and NZ Histories curriculum, our children are learning about histories and experiences of the peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand. Last week classes visited the Rotorua Museum classroom at the Library to learn about the Te Arawa Journeys and Ihenga the Great Explorer.

Through interactive learning experiences, they tracked Ihenga's journey from Maketu to Rotorua and discovered how he named the places he encountered on his journey.

Rachael McLanachan

Te tumuaki o te kura Hato Mikaere

St Michael's Church Holy Mass Timetable

Holy Mass

Saturday Vigil 5pm

Sunday 8am

Tuesday 5:30pm

Thursday 9am

St Mary's Church Holy Mass Timetable

Holy Mass

Sunday 10am & 5pm

Monday 9am

Wednesday 12:05pm

Friday 9am

Saturday 9am

COMMUNITY MASSES

MIHA MAORI - First Saturday of the month, 5pm Vigil Mass at St Michael’s. All are welcome.

TOKELAUAN COMMUNITY - Third Saturday of the month, 5pm Vigil Mass at St Michael’s. All are welcome.

FILIPINO COMMUNITY - Third Friday of the month, 6pm at St Michael’s. All are welcome. INDIAN COMMUNITY - Fourth Friday of the month, 6pm at St Michael’s. All are welcome

Parish Priest: Fr. Thomas Thanniyanickal cmf

Email: kunjcmf1986@gmail.com Phone: 022 565 9017

Assistant Priest: Fr. Prakash Somu cmf

Email: prakashreddycmf@gmail.com

Secretary: Andrea Tuki

Office Hours: Monday: Closed - Tues. - Friday.: 8am - 2.30pm

Phone: (07) 348 0289 ext. 2

Email: catholicrotorua@xtra.co.nz

Face Book: Saint Mary of the Cross Mackillop, Rotorua

Postal Address: 40-44 Seddon St, Glenholme, Rotorua 3010

Online registration for 2024 JPC enrolments will open on the JPC website this month https://jpc.school.nz/enrolment/

Please don't leave it too late, you will need to get a new preference card from the Parish office. Your child will not be accepted into JPC without a preference card. If this is an issue for you, please come in and speak with Rachael.

St Michael's is a Sun Smart School. Please help us to keep your children sun smart by making sure they bring their named school hat everyday. We supply sun screen for the children to use during break times. Please let your child's teacher know if they have an allergy to sun screen. Children without hats will be asked to play under the trees/ in the shade.

Covid is still about in our community. Please continue to keep your child home if they have flu or cold-like symptoms. The school has covid tests if you require them.

Thank you to parents that have completed the paper or online form to register for 2023 winter sports. If you would like to register your child/children for winter sports please click and register on one of the form links below.

Rugby is not offered by the school. However, we can suggest Marist St Michael's, Waikite, and Kahukura as some of the local teams. ( Check out the community section at the end of this newsletter).

- Hockey is played on a Saturday morning at Smallbone Park on the hockey turf.
- Mini-Ball Juniors, Years 0-2 is played on a Monday night and Middles, Years 3/4 is played on Wednesday night and Years 5/6 on a Friday night at the Sportsdrome
- Soccer/Football is played on Saturday mornings. We are not a club. However, we are able to register a team under one of the local clubs.

If we are unable to achieve the requirements then we won't be able to register teams. More information regarding specific information related to the sports will be sent out when we receive it.

Hockey - https://forms.gle/16hHS4AqQNcT3cuh6

Miniball - https://forms.gle/PHbQqrycSKeo91iB7

Soccer/Football - https://forms.gle/3rr6gUvitD94gRLX6l

Congratulations Pamodya for being awarded Top Junior Ballet Student for 2022 at Lakes Performing Arts Company. Well done Pamodya !What a wonderful achievement!

This term the children will be able to purchase a nice cold juicie on Fridays for $2.

All orders will be taken in the classroom at 9am.

Next board meeting Date: Thursday 23rd March

At each BOT meeting - twice a term - policies are reviewed. If you would like to communicate with the BOT, you are welcome to email our independent e-mail address; botstmichaels@gmail.com or alternatively, send letters to the school in an envelope marked "Board of Trustees."

You are also welcome to attend any meeting, however, if you would like to have speaking rights, you need to request this from the chair using the email address. This email address can be accessed by Alistair Burns (Chair)

• Thurs 17th March - St. Patrick's Day
• Thurs 23rd March - Caritas Rice Day
• Fri 24th March - PTA Colour Run
• Thurs 30th March - Galilee First Aide Training
• Thurs 6th April - Easter Amazing Race and Last Day of Term 1

Fun Run

Challenge #1 - Profiles sign up

Remember to get your child signed up so they can start fundraising (Winning Juniors vs Seniors school gets pizza for lunch on Friday)

The fun run will be held on the 24/03/23, we will have all details sent out by the end of the week.

Lots more challengers to be released soon. We are looking for helpers on the day, please let us know if you are available. pta@stmichaelsrotorua.school.nz.

Easter Raffle

There will be no Easter Raffle this year, this was to avoid children having to fundraise for both the fun run & Easter raffle at the same time. We will however have a Christmas Raffle in term 4.

Thank You,

PTA Committee

Email: admin@stmichaelsrotorua.school.nz
Website: https://www.stmichaelsrotorua.school.nz/
Location: Lisa Crescent, Mangakakahi, Rotorua, New Zealand
Phone: 07 348 1362
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St-Michaels-Catholic-School-Rotorua-104766148002147