Newsletter Week 2 Term 4

Principal's Message

NEWSLETTER WEEK 2 TERM 4 2026.

Yesterday, a large group of educators from Rotorua, Hamilton, and the wider Bay of Plenty visited our school to see High Impact Teaching Practices in action. Representatives from the Ministry of Education in Wellington also visited. We are very proud of our school and happy to show it off!

Holiday Reading Logs need to be returned by tomorrow, Thursday. Please send your child's reading log to school if they haven’t already brought it in. The draw will take place at assembly on Friday. For a class to be in the draw, 90% of the children must bring back their logs.

The Grandparents/Grandfriends Mass will take place on Friday, 13 November at 9.00 am. Join us for Mass—we would love to see as many grandparents and grandfriends as possible.

Our annual Athletics Day for Year 4 to 6 students will take place on Wednesday, 25 November. We would also appreciate help on the day, so if you can assist, please fill in this form. Click Here

God bless,

David

TERM 4: Monday 12th October: Start of Term 4

Saturday 24th October: Chess Power Finals

Friday 6th November: Legends of the Peak

Friday 13th November: Grandparents' Day Mass and Kakano Fun Run

Saturday 14th November: Pasifika Festival at the Village Green

Wednesday 18th November: Students’ Celebration

Thursday 19th November: PTA School Disco

Friday 20th November: JPC Orientation Day for Year 6 students

Tuesday Nov 24th: Ahurei Performance

Wednesday 25th November: Athletics Day for Totara Team

Friday 27th November: Year 6 Retreat and Year 5 Leadership Day

Tuesday 1st December: Year 6 Big Day In

Wednesday 2nd December: Kakano team and Year 4 Big Day In and Totara team picnic

Thursday 3rd December: Interschool Athletics

Monday 7th December: End of Year Mass

Wednesday 9th December: Year 5 & 6 Lake Day

Friday 11th December: School Prize Giving & School Tryathlon

Monday 14th December: Missioning of our Year 6 students and the last day of school. Also meet your 2027 teacher.

School Calendar - Click Here to View

Term 4 Week 1 Assembly Awards

Principals Shield Award

CREW Awards

Superkids Awards

MARG'S SWIM SCHOOL

Learn to swim recommences Monday 19th October 2026

At St Mary's Primary School with heated pool.

Non Confident - to - Confident Swimming and Water Safety

Phone Marg 0274599286

Email boiellem3@gmail.com

Please include your phone number with an email.

Director of Religious Studies

A huge thank you to Totara 2 and 3 for beautifully leading us in the Sorrowful Mysteries last week.

Throughout October, our school community has been coming together in special prayer as we focus on the Rosary. Looking ahead, some of our Kākāno classes will soon lead a liturgy on the Glorious Mysteries at 12:15 pm tomorrow. We would also love to invite you to join us on Friday, 30 October at 8:30 am, when the Totara Team leads the Rosary alongside our parish at the church. Everyone is welcome!

The Rosary is like a special storybook prayer that helps us think about Jesus and how much He loves us! As we say gentle, repeating prayers, many of which come straight from the Bible, we walk through the major moments of Jesus' life with Mary, His mother, as our guide. It helps quiet our busy minds, gives us peace when we're feeling worried, and brings friends, families, and schools together to pray as one big, caring team.

On Friday, November 13th, we invite our school community to gather for a special Mass celebrating our Grandparents and Grandfriends. Please join us in the church at 9:00 AM for this wonderful celebration.

Last week, members of our RE Team traveled to Wellington for professional development in preparation for our 2027 theme. We look forward to sharing these exciting plans with you soon!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

God bless

Lorna Dobson

DRS

Steam Pressure Cleaner REQUIRED

We are after a Steam Pressure Cleaner for our Bouncy Castles. Also if anyone is able to help us with this Job that would be fantastic. Please get in touch with our school office if you are able to help.

Have you got our school app?

Our school often posts alerts with information for families. We encourage all of our community to install the SchoolApps app and then link to St Mary's Catholic School Rotorua. Please subscribe to your children's classes and any sports teams to keep informed.

Year 6 Orientation Day

Year 6 students are to come to school as normal. Parents are responsible for organising transport for their children to and from John Paul College.

If transport is an issue, please see the school office, and we will do our best to help find a ride for your child.

SPORTS NOTICES

Term 4 Summer Sports Registrations:

Summer Sports registrations are open. 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.

Term 4 Netball

Registrations are closed please see office, we may have space in the teams.

Term 4 Touch Rugby

Registrations are closed please see office, we may have space in the teams.

Term 4 Futsal

Registrations are closed please see office, we may have space in the teams.

Term 4 Cricket

Smashplay - Years 1- 3

SmashPlay is an updated version of our previous SuperSmash programme and will be held at Smallbone Park on Thursday evenings.

SmashPlay Registration - Please No Payments to school

Incrediball - Years 3-5

Our popular Incrediball programme is back for another season at Smallbone Park on Thursday evenings.

Incrediball Registration - Please No Payments to school

Harrows - Years 4-6

Registrations are closed please see office, we may have space in the teams.

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

Golf

This term we will not be taking students out to golf on Tuesday afternoons during learning time. However, we will continue to organise school teams for events, such as the Fluro Golf Fun Days, CBOP Golf Competition, Girls' Golf Fun Day, throughout the year. Please regularly check the school newsletter for these events.

There are coaching sessions after school if your child is interested in playing golf at Lakeview, Rotorua and Springfield golf courses. Also, Future Geyserland Hub, is a junior membership to play at all three courses here in Rotorua. Please contact your local golf course for more information.

Aquabots Update

Thank you for the fantastic support for our ice block fundraiser. We appreciate all the support from our St Mary's community. We hope to do our school proud when we represent St Mary's Catholic School at the Nationals in Blenheim next month. We'll update you on our progress after the event.

Thanks,

Patrick, Jamie, Tristan, Charles.

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

Lucky books

Lucky book orders due back 23 October 12 noon, no late orders please. Please ensure that your child’s name and classroom number are on the order form otherwise the order will remain in the office. There are 2 ways of paying either 1) through the loop system which is on web page LUCKY Book Club | Scholastic New Zealand and selecting the parent’s tab, or 2) paying cash and sending the money and order form to the school office. If the order is a gift, then please mark this clearly and you will be contacted to collect the order from the office.

There is an offer to get up to 3 books free but only if you order through the loop system

1 free book when you spend $25 +

2 free books when you spend $50 +

3 free books when you spend $75 +

Lucky books donate the school 15% of the total amount spent to purchase extra books or on classroom resources.

Please be aware that the book orders will not be available until the week commencing 16 November, sorry if this causes any inconvenience

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: