Newsletter Week Four Term Three

Newsletter Week 4 Term 3 2025

Last weekend, a number of our children received the Sacrament of Confirmation and made their First Holy Communion. The Mass was a lovely celebration, and the children looked very excited and stunning in their very special clothes. It was undoubtedly a very special day. Here are the names of our students who were part of this celebration: Aliaxandra Bonot, Brodie Hill, Cassie Arig, Ceana Hipolito, Christian Harding, Duo-Xi (Doris) Peng, Eduard Ferraris, Ethan Milligan, Gabriella Pepito, Kimberley Findon, Mack Smith, Molly Doyle, Rayhan Simenthy, Rian Framp, Savannah Ruiz, Scarlett Encabo, Scarlett Harding, Sophie Claassen, Tyler Moyle.

Our school celebrates the Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop on Friday, and Lorna Dobson and the RE team have done a fantastic job organising children for Mass and coordinating Mary MacKillop-themed activities for Friday. You are invited to join us for Mass at 9.00 am.

Next Sunday, 10th August, at 10:00 am, we have a Parish School Mass. This is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together with our parish and families in faith. Following Sunday’s Mass, we will be serving tea and coffee, and we would greatly appreciate it if your family could bring a plate of food to share. If you can help with serving the morning tea, please contact Lorna via email. lornad@stmarysrotorua.school.nz.

A letter was sent home to you at the start of the term informing you of the content of the Health Units being taught this term. If you would like to learn more about the Health Units we are covering this term or discuss any of the content in greater detail, we will be holding two parent information meetings on Thursday, 14th August — one at 3:15 pm and another at 5:15 pm, both held in the staffroom.

The same content will be covered at each meeting, including an overview of the units across all year levels. You are warmly invited to attend at whichever time suits your schedule.

We had a number of school leaders from all over the central North Island visiting us over two days last week to see what our school is doing with High Impact Teaching Practices. Our visitors were very impressed with what our students are learning and the way our teachers are teaching our children. Come to our Literacy Expo to see what we are up to in the classrooms. Our Literacy and Numeracy Expo is scheduled for the 26th of August in the school hall. The time is between 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm. Last year’s expo was very successful, and it was attended by lots of parents.

This week, we welcomed a former student Eliotte Bourke-Palmer, to our staff. She started work in our school office and is helping Shanelle with the admin and sports coordinator tasks. Please make her feel welcome.

We have just received an email from Father Prakash to say that the parish will be running a Baptism Course for children seven years and older. Last year, the programme ran over four weeks. If you would like your child to be Baptised, then you must register at the Parish Office by Thursday, September 4th. The parish office is open Tuesday to Friday from 8.00 am to 2.00 pm.

Nominations have closed for our Board of Trustees, and we have ten nominations, so there will be an election to elect five members. Thank you to the ten awesome parents who have put themselves forward for our BOT. Voting papers will be sent out in due course.

Here are some dates for Term 3. We are no longer having a Teacher Only Day on September 22nd. It will now take place on Monday, 10th November.

I hope you all have a lovely week.

David

Friday 8th August Mary MacKillop Mass

Sunday 10th August Parish School Mass 10 am

Friday 15th August Assumption Mass

Tuesday 19 August, Tough Guy and Gal

Friday 22nd August Gymnastics Festival MIGS Gym

Monday 25th August Golf Fun Day

Friday 29th August. Sport and Cultural Day

Friday 12th September Kahui Ako STEM day at St Mary’s Rotorua

Friday 19th September, Last day of Term 3

Last Sunday, Bishop Richard led a beautiful Mass for the children receiving their First Holy Communion and Confirmation. It was a joyful and meaningful occasion. May God bless all those who took part and continue to guide them on their faith journey.

This Friday, 8th August, we will be recognising our patron saint, Mary MacKillop, with a special Mass at 9 am. We’d love for you to join us if you’re able. Following the Mass, our tamariki will enjoy a day full of celebrations in honour of Mary MacKillop’s inspiring legacy.

This week, let us pray with Mary MacKillop in our hearts. "God is love" (1 John 4:8), and there is deep beauty in the things we do for others when love guides us. Pray that you may come to know God more fully, and love Him with all your heart, soul, and strength. Pray, too, for those you find hardest to support. Ask for a heart filled with love, and the grace to sense God’s presence and even in the messiness of life. (Andrew Chinn, Butterfly House)

On Sunday, 10th August, we will be celebrating our Parish School Mass at 10 am. We warmly encourage all our students and their families to attend and support this special occasion. After Mass, we’ll gather for a cup of tea and invite everyone to bring a small plate of food to share as we enjoy time together as a school and parish community.

Next Friday, 15th August, we will mark the Feast of the Assumption of Mary with a whole school Mass. You are warmly invited to join us for this special occasion—we would love to see you there.

I hope you have a blessed week.

God bless

Lorna Dobson

DRS