Hey everyone!

ROOMS 1 AND 3 –Thank you to everyone who made it to Mass on Sunday.  It was a full house and the students were wonderful. A big thanks to YOU for getting them there.  I appreciate the effort you made and your child will benefit from the role model you are. Also, thanks to the choir for their efforts. 

CONFIRMATION –This is on Saturday night.  It involves around 20 St Anne’s seniors.  What is it without overload?

Many non-Christians complain about infant baptism as it wasn’t the ‘child’s choice’.  To be a ‘complete/full Catholic or Confirmed Catholic’ young adults and adults need to ‘choose’ to be this and complete the course (need to be 12 years and over) and make a commitment to living as a Catholic/Christian.  Baptised=Baptised Catholic. Confirmed=Confirmed Catholic. Baptism links to John the Baptist in the desert. Those baptised are ‘part of the church’, ‘free of sin (for a few minutes anyway) and ‘receive eternal life’ (if leading a holy life).  Confirmation links to Pentecost when the apostles ‘received the power’ of the spirit. Confirmees are said to receive gifts from the spirit when anointed. If you come on Saturday you will hear songs about ‘the spirit’ and no doubt the reading is Pentecost. Come along and meet the Bishop, if you haven’t already.

CULTURAL FESTIVAL –Remember students can sing along to the songs at home.  Go to Skool loop and calendar. Click on Kapahaka and the links to Youtube versions of the songs are there.  Not long to go now!!!!!

NEXT WEEK – Next week, ironically it is Māori Language Week and Social Justice Week (theme-fairness).  If you look at the rates of most things, prison population, those with depression, on income support, failure rate at school etc etc.  Often Māori are near the top. This is not racist saying this, just reality. In not far over 100 years, Māori almost lost their culture completely (fair?).  A treaty was signed saying everything important to Māori will always be available to Māori, however in reality it was taken or not available (fair?). The language was almost lost (fair?).  Māori struggled to survive in a culture completely different in values to their own (fair?). In that failure came prejudice and racism toward the failures (fair?). At St Anne’s we believe to be ‘just’, we support the use of te reo Māori and Māori culture.  If you notice we use it more than normal next week and you can’t read it (maybe Facebook, maybe newsletters etc) remember it is us saying Māori are important and we support the survival and the flourishing of Māori culture like we do all cultures of the school.  PS-If you have Google Translate, set it to Māori to English, push the camera function, hold it above what you are trying to read and it will change it in front of your eyes. Please note, Google translate is not exactly accurate in Māori but 75% accurate. You will get the idea though. 

Kia kaha tō reo!!!! Kia kaha te reo Māori, te ao Māori hoki!

SEXUALITY – Over the rest of the year, students will learn about sexuality.  Obviously learning will be different at different levels. Example topics are; body image, friendships/relationships, choices and consequences, growing and changing, puberty.  I will attach our health curriculum through Skool loop when I figure it out hopefully by Friday. Otherwise, hard copies are in the office. All units are taught through a Catholic lens.

HOUSEKEEPING

Lateness  – School starts at 9.00am sharp!  Students arriving just after the 9.00am bell need to sign in at the office causing unnecessary delay and disruption.  An adjustment of 5 minutes in your morning routine can make the world of difference.

Absence –  A reminder that parents/caregivers are obliged to contact the school before 9.00am to advise the reason for absence (if not advised in advance).  Unexplained absences trigger an automated text message to the mobile number on our file. You can reply to this or use one of the many other options for advising absence –  Seesaw, Skool Loop absence notification option, school phone absence line, or email: reception@stannes.co.nz. 

Waste-free lunches –  Sometimes we need to check ourselves and make sure we are adhereing to the school policy of waste-free lunches, after all this was instigated by our students.   It’s great seeing healthier foods replacing prepackaged foods in some of the lunch boxes.

Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki, e tiaki!