Newsletter Week 5 Term 4

Principal's Message

Newsletter Week 5 2026

Dear Parents, Caregivers, and Whānau,

Welcome to Week 5! We have a busy and exciting few weeks ahead as we head toward the end of the school year.

This week, we warmly invite all grandparents and grandfriends to join us on Friday, 13th November for our Grandparents and Grandfriends Day. The morning will begin with a special Mass at 9:00 am, followed by a shared morning tea at 10:15 am in your grandchild’s or friend’s classroom. During this time, our students will love showing their guests around their learning spaces and sharing their work before playtime begins at 10:45 am. We kindly ask families to please send along a plate of food to share for morning tea in the classrooms.

Kakano children also have their ‘Fun Run’ at 1.45 pm on the school field this Friday, 13th November. Here is the timetable: 1:45 - house chants, 2:00 - run starts, 2:30 - run finishes. You are welcome to come and cheer on the children.

We also have several other exciting dates to add to your calendar. Our School Disco will take place this Thursday, 12th November. We will also hold our Student Celebration Day on Wednesday, 18th November from 8:00 am to 9:30 am, when our classroom doors will be open for parents to pop in and look through their children's achievements. Looking further ahead, our Years 4 to 6 Interhouse Athletics Day will be held on Wednesday, 25th November.

If you use the church car park, you will see that work has started on the upgrade. Contractors will work on one side for the next couple of months, and the church side will be completed over January. Hopefully, the new car park will be ready for the start of Term 1 next year. I have included the plan below. Next year, the council will enforce no parking and no stopping on Carnot St.

As we enter the latter half of the term, our teaching staff remain dedicated to maintaining strong classroom routines and focusing on morning Maths and Literacy learning. To support this work, please ensure your child arrives at school on time.

As we have transitioned from Winter to Summer Uniforms, you might have uniforms at home that are no longer needed. We would appreciate any donations of second-hand uniforms that can be resold to other families or donated to families that might be struggling financially.

Thank you as always for your ongoing support of our school community!

Have a great week

David

TERM 4:

Thursday 12th November: PTA School Disco

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

Saturday 14th November: Pasifika Festival at the Village Green

Wednesday 18th November: Students’ Celebration

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

Director of Religious Studies

We are warmly inviting our extended school community to our Grandparents and Grandfriends Mass this Friday at 9:00 am. The children have been practicing their songs diligently for the past few weeks and are sounding wonderful! Following Mass, please join us for a shared morning tea with your child's class.

Last week, we were delighted to welcome the Year 13 leavers from JPC to join us for singing practice. Many of our teachers remember them fondly from their primary school days here, a touching reminder of how quickly time flies. Enjoy every moment with your families!

A huge thanks to Delwyn Bowen for inspiring the Young Vinnies by having a cake sale to raise money for the NZ Schools Challenge to celebrate 100 years of Mission Sunday and supporting the Women’s Refuge by making up packs for children at Christmas. They raised $739. Well done everyone, what an amazing achievement. Thank you for your continued support and co-operation.

Here is a prayer for our lovely Grandparents and Grandfriends this week. Lord God Almighty, bless our Grandparents and Grandfriends with long life, happiness, and health. May they remain constant in your love and be living signs of their presence to their children and grandchildren. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

God bless

Lorna Dobson

DRS

Week 4 Assembly Awards

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.

Girls Fluro Golf Fun Day

Where: Springfield Golf Club

📅 Date: Monday 23rd November

Click here to Register

Registrations close 16th of November

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

School Disco

If any parents are able to help with set up / clean up / selling lollies / food please contact the school office.

JPC Uniform

A message from John Paul College- NZ Uniforms has sold out of JPC boys summer shorts (light grey).They will not be restocking these until next year. St Mary's boys will be able to wear their St Mary's grey summer shorts as part of their summer JPC uniform. You can also buy this style of shorts in the Warehouse.

Second hand uniform sale Wednesday 2nd December 3.30pm - 5pm at JPC Mackillop campus.

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: