Principal's Message

NEWSLETTER WEEK 4 TERM 3 2026

We had an excellent Mary MacKillop Day celebration last Friday. The Mass was a great way to start the day; the children sang beautifully, and our readers read clearly and confidently. Children returned to their classes to share morning tea—and there was lots of it—so thank you for supporting this. The day continued with activities focused on Mary MacKillop, and the afternoon featured the Interhouse Chalk Drawing Competition and chants.

We would like to invite you to join us for Mass on Friday at 9:00 am. Friday is the Feast of the Assumption, a Holy Day of Obligation in New Zealand. Our Lady, Assumed into Heaven, is the national patron protector of our country—a special dedication made by Bishop Pompallier in 1838.

The parish will be running a Baptism Course for children aged 7 and older. If you would like your child to be baptised, you must register by Tuesday, 25 August, which is also when classes start. You can use this link to enrol: St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish - Baptism

On Saturday 15th August, India celebrates its Independence Day. This is an important occasion for our Indian community, so we wish all our Indian families a very happy Independence Day!

Young Vinnies will be serving hot chocolate again this term on Wednesday mornings. Children can bring a non-perishable can or a gold coin donation in exchange for a hot chocolate.

We held an Open Day at school yesterday, welcoming forty-two teachers and principals from Tauranga, Rotorua, Hamilton, Gisborne, Te Kuiti, and Putāruru to observe how our students learn. They were very impressed with our teaching methods and how engaged the children are. This was the sixth Open Day we have hosted this year.

We also had teams competing in the Golf Finals on Monday. Thank you to the parents who supported our students on game day as they played against teams from around the Bay of Plenty.

Have a great week.

David

TERM 3 DATES

Friday, 14th August: Assumption Mass
Monday, 17th August: Tongan Language Week
Friday, 21st August: Interschool Gymnastics Competition
Wednesday, 26th August: Tough Guy and Gal Challenge
Sunday, 13th September: School Parish Mass
Monday, 14th September: Māori Language Week
Tuesday, 22nd September: School Production
Wednesday, 23rd September: School Production
Friday, 25th September: Last day of Term 3

School Calendar - Click Here to View

Attendance Update - Supporting Regular School Attendance

The Ministry of Education expects students to attend school every day it is open, with a goal of missing fewer than 5 days per term (approximately 90% attendance or higher).

In line with Ministry requirements, schools are now required to send attendance emails to parents and caregivers when a student has been absent for 5 days (less chance of success), 10 days (hard to make progress), and 15 days or more (very hard to make progress) within the term. These emails will be automatically generated by our student management system.

Please be aware that ALL absences are included in these totals. This means that even when absences are due to illness or other justified reasons, they still contribute to the overall attendance record, and we are still required to send attendance emails when applicable.

We recognise that families do their very best to support their children's wellbeing, and we understand that illness and unavoidable circumstances do occur. We also sincerely appreciate families keeping their children at home when they are unwell, as this helps to protect the health of others in our school community.

If you have any questions regarding this new requirement for absences, please contact: Sylvia Dunkley, Deputy Principal (sylviad@stmarysrotorua.school.nz)

2026 Production - Wizard of Oz

🌈 Sponsorship Opportunity – St Mary's School Production: Wizard of Oz 🎭

Our talented students are busy preparing for this year's school production of Wizard of Oz, and we're looking for local businesses and community members who may be able to support this exciting event.

If you or your business are in a position to sponsor our production, we would love to hear from you. Sponsorship of any size is greatly appreciated and will help make this a memorable experience for our students.

As a thank you for your support, your business logo will be featured:

In our production programme
On the big screen during the production
On the TV display in our school foyer
In our school newsletter
On our facebook page

If you would like more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the St Mary's School Office.

Thank you to our first sponsor Joanna Johnson Artistry for their donation to the show.

🎤 We also need your help!

We are currently looking for someone who can assist with lighting and sound, or who may be able to provide equipment for the production.

If you have experience in this area, or know someone who does, please get in touch with the school office.

Thank you for supporting our students and helping bring Wizard of Oz to life! 💙

Director of Religious Studies

Thanks so much to everyone who supported us for our special feast day to celebrate St. Mary MacKillop. We had a beautiful Mass to start our day, with a lovely sermon from Fr. Prakash about courage. St Mary MacKillop’s quote, “Have courage no matter what your crosses are,” written in a letter in 1890, is a call for resilience, calm determination, and hope during difficult times.

"Crosses": the "cross" refers to any hard or sad thing you have to deal with. It comes from the story of Jesus carrying his heavy wooden cross. Mary MacKillop used this word to talk about any tough problem someone might go through, such as being sick, feeling worried, missing a friend, or having a really bad day.

"Have courage": Mary isn't saying you have to pretend that hard things don't hurt. She means finding that brave, quiet feeling inside you that says, "I can handle this." It’s about persevering, even when things are tough, and remembering that bad days don't last forever.

"No matter what": Everyone goes through tough times once in a while; it’s just part of life! But Mary is reminding us that no problem is ever too big or too tricky for you to handle if you stay hopeful and brave.

On Friday 14th August, we invite you to our whole school Mass for the feast of the Assumption. Please join us at 9 am if you are available.

Would you like to have your child baptised?

Baptism Programme 2026 – Enrolments Now Open (Children Aged 7 Years and Over)

Enrolments are now open for children aged 7 years and over who wish to be baptised and become members of the Catholic Church.

Classes commence: Tuesday, 25 August 2026,

Last day to enrol: Friday, 21 August 2026.

Enrolment forms are available on our parish website: rotorua.cdh.nz (under the Baptism section). For further information, please contact the Parish Office. Link: St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop Parish - Baptism

Enjoy the rest of your week.

God bless

Lorna Dobson

DRS

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲’𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡!

Is your child in Year 4 or above and has received their First Holy Communion? St. Mary’s Parish warmly invites them to become an Altar Server!

It is a wonderful way for young people to build confidence, make friends, and serve our community. Training is completely flexible and done by appointment to suit your family's schedule.

To register your interest, simply scan the QR code on the attached poster, or contact our coordinator, Kyree Catena, directly at altarserverrotorua@gmail.com or 027 618 4885.

PTA Notice

We thought we might shake things up a bit and see how Hotdogs and Cookies go for Term 3 on Fridays.

The Annual General Meeting will be in Wednesday 19th August. Its another great opportunity to come along and hear what wonderful work is being done. 7pm in the school staffroom.

Thanks again.

From Your Parent/Teacher Association.

PhotoLife

Photos ordered before the cut-off date have now been delivered to students' classrooms.

If you have any issues with your photos, please contact PhotoLife directly.

It is still possible to order photos online using your unique access code, which was emailed to you. If you can't find your code, please contact the school office and we will be happy to help.

Please note that any orders placed after the cut-off date will incur a delivery fee and will be sent directly to your home address.

SPORTS NOTICES

Term 4 Summer Sports Registrations:

Summer Sports registrations are open. We are still waiting for Futsal information and Cricket. Information is up on the website. Please remember to register so your child does not miss out on a team and remember our values and fair play.

Rip, Grip & Whip Mountain Biking Event

Click here to register

When: Tuesday 22nd September 2026

Where: Waipa Mountain Bike Park

Cost: $6 per student

Who: Year 4, 5, 6 Boys and Girls

Entries close: Friday 28th August

Term 4 Netball

Click here to register

Term 4: Starts 2nd of November for 5 weeks

Y0-4 Monday, Times TBC (usually 4pm)

Y5-6 Monday, Times TBC (usually 5.15pm)

Cost: $35 per student

Registrations close 10th September

Term 4 Touch Rugby

Click here to register

Tuesday 13th October 2026 - Yr5 to Yr8

Wednesday 14th October 2026 - Yr0 to Yr4

The fee for Term 4 $35.00

Registrations close 17th of September

Term 4 Futsal

Click here to register

Years 4-5 only

Starts 18th October

The fee for Term 4 $35.00

Registrations close 17th of September

North Island Ski Championship (NIPS)

31 August - 3 September

Please email or come see the office if you are interesting in skiing.

SPORTS PHOTOS

Please keep sending in and taking photos of our children playing sports. We love to see them and they all get used for the magazine pages at the end of the year. Please send to schooloffice@stmarysrotorua.school.nz

UNIFORM SHOP & OPENING HOURS

We need you! If you have time to spare half hour before school on a Monday/Friday 8.30-9am or Wednesday 2.30-3pm, we would love to have you volunteer in our uniform shop.

All training would be given and if we get enough helpers we can alternate week to week. Please contact the office if you are able to help.

Online Uniform Orders:

Just a reminder that there is a 3 day turn around for online uniform orders.

Orders will be sent home with your child when complete - unless other arrangements have been made.

Uniform orders can be done through the school website only. (Private messaging and emailing staff are not options). The uniform shop is open Monday and Friday 8.30 - 9am, and Wednesday 2.30-3pm - and is looked after by very kind volunteers.

Pola Fleeces can be brought from the Warehouse, click the link below:

https://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/p/schooltex-st-marys-rotorua-polar-fleece-top-with-embroidery/RM110109095_BURG-1M.html

The Ezlunch and Kindo Team

We’re excited to share some tasty news with our St Mary's Catholic School family!

From this week, school lunches are available 4 days a week through Ezlunch — giving you even more choice when it comes to healthy, convenient lunches for your tamariki.

Here’s what’s on the menu: