E te tī, e te tā, tēnā noa rā koutou katoa,
On Tuesday Mahuru Māori begins. This is a month long initiative where whoever signs up, aims to use the Māori language more. We hope all the children will have an aim for themselves, and if you are interested, go to www.mahurumaori.com to find out more on how to sign up.
Classes for 2025 / Karahe mō 2025
Next year is fast approaching and we are constructing classes. You are an important part of the process. As you probably know we have two pathways in the seniors (years 5-8), a bilingual Māori (50/50) pathway with two classes and a more monolingual look two classes (still teaching and encouraging the indigenous language of New Zealand). We are looking at three pathways next year if possible:
-Bilingual Māori/English
-Bilingual Sāmoan/English
-Mainstream (Māori as a subject or less than 50/50 immersion)
Below is the letter from last year that has been adapted to suit 2025. We need those interested in joining bilingual classes to email principal@stannes.co.nz or to touch base in person. Please, feel free to talk to families with students in the classes about how it has gone. There are limited spots in these rooms so we have a selection criteria we will use if numbers are too high. I can share these with you in person but ultimately relate to likelihood of reaching fluency in the target language. Please also note, whilst bilingual classes are smaller in numbers, Samoan DOES NOT attract more funding which makes other things like trips and events harder for us.
WHO DO WE NEED TO HEAR FROM URGENTLY?
-We assume, those in bilingual Māori rooms will continue this journey (it does take a certain amount of years to reach fluency) unless you tell us otherwise.
-Those in years 5-8 who missed out last year or decided on mainstream but have changed their minds and want bilingualism for their children.
-Year 3/4 parents interested in Māori bilingual classes for next year.
-All Samoan families.
Bilingual Māori Pathway
Kia ora e te whānau,
We are excited to present the opportunity in 2025 for up to 36 students to be a part of a bilingual pathway for years 4/5 – 8 using English and Māori. Like this year, these two classrooms would move students from their current 30% of the day speaking and using Te Reo Māori or Māori as a subject to 50% of the day. This is open to all students/families to express their interest, however, our management team will make the final decision especially where numbers exceed what can be catered for in 2025.
The benefits of this opportunity would mean students get:
– A small class size with a far lower student to teacher ratio as offered by the Ministry of Education. This will benefit all subjects (Māori, English, Mathematics etc).
– Increased funding to be spent on the classroom for resources and trips.
– Increased cultural competence – a necessity for many jobs in Aotearoa New Zealand.
– Increased likelihood of fluency of second/third language. To obtain fluent speakers of a language it takes a certain amount of time. 50/50 increases the likelihood of this far more than 1/3 of the time, especially if sustained for a few years.
Bilingual Samoan Pathway
Malo le soifua,
We are excited to present the opportunity in 2025 for up to 18 or 36 students to be a part of a bilingual pathway for years 3 – 8 using English and Samoan. These one or two classrooms would move students to 50% of the day in English and 50% in Samoan. This is open to all students/families to express their interest, however, our management team will make the final decision especially where numbers exceed what can be catered for in 2025.
The benefits of this opportunity would mean students get:
– A small class size with a far lower student to teacher ratio as offered by the Ministry of Education. This will benefit all subjects (Samoan, English, Mathematics etc).
– Increased cultural competence – a necessity for many jobs in Aotearoa New Zealand.
– Increased likelihood of fluency of second/third language. To obtain fluent speakers of a language it takes a certain amount of time. 50/50 increases the likelihood of this far more than 1/3 of the time, especially if sustained for a few years.
Hui ā-Ako/Learning Conferences
These are coming up on Tuesday 17 September and Monday 23 September. School will finish at 12pm those days. If you are unable to pick up your child, we will arrange supervision for them here. On Tuesday 17 September, Room 8 will continue as per normal until 2.50pm as Ateliana is away that day. To book a time please head to your Skool Loop App and click on INTERVIEWS. Remember, these conferences are for ALL CLASSES, and for the parents/caregivers, the student and the teacher. It is to share current learning, discuss targets for term four and for a general catch up.
Kauhoe/Swimming
Swimming time-Please find and name swimwear, googles, towels and bags. Teachers may have specific information for each class which will be via Seesaw or email. This is for years 0-6. Years 7 and 8 have beach education, river safety type activities each year.
Kirikiriroa/Hamilton
I (Dallas Wichman) am on NZ Pasifika Principals Association (NZPPA) executive committee. There are ten of us across NZ. The NZPPA has a network of 130 Principals making it one of the largest Principal Associations and networks in the country. Every term we endeavour to hold meetings across the country to allow for our local members and friends to attend and to also showcase our members, schools, networks and special events. This term we travelled to the Waikato region.
Thursday for us started at Fraser High School and visiting the Aiga Tasi students and teachers. The Aiga Tasi Programme is open to all students and specifically for tamaiti (children) who identify as having connections to the Pacific. Our identity empowers us to learn and celebrate as tamaiti of the Pacific. Aiga Tasi is a family where they strive to live our values, share our beliefs and use our experiences to navigate as Leaders at Fraser and toward the future. Aiga e Tasi translates to “One Family” in Gagana Sāmoa. “A fia vave o’o lou va’a, alu na’o oe, ae e fia tuli mamao le taunu’uga, tatou alo’alo fa’atasi”. If you want to go fast; go alone. If you want to go far, go together. (Samoan proverb) In Aiga Tasi the tamaiti and fanau are at the centre of our village and TOGETHER as ONE, we will go further.
We were welcomed in a traditional Cook Island Turou and Samoan Cava Ceremony. The students carried out these significant traditions in such a way that we were left in awe of their confidence and abilities. What followed was a cultural performance lead by their Senior Students with a Tongan theme acknowledging the Cultural Week we were in. The singing left many of our principals teary eyed and the performances were definitely high quality. What made it more special was the students were responsible for introducing and teaching each of the performances and it was fully driven by them.
We then were welcomed to the Waikato Ministry of Education where we discussed:
-Staffing
-Support Staff provision for Special Needs
-New funding needed in many areas but please not re-allocation of current funding
-Support to up-skill and train as teachers people/ teacher aides from our own communities and schools
-Feeling stressed in relation to the workload – it is heavy
-Staff Absence and finding relief cover
-Teacher training provisions – Evident gaps in Beginning Teachers Knowledge
-Conditions for us to successfully implement new policies – small class sizes, resourced, more staffing and funding etc
-Behavioural issues, Special needs provision vs mainstream support
The next meeting is in Christchurch next term and we are the hosts, I will be calling our pasifika families for a bit of support in preparation for this.
Whakaaturaka/Production
We are looking forward to presenting Jonah and the Whale to you next term, however, we are currently still confirming a venue for this. More information to come.
Pana mō te Kēne/Can Drive
In week 8 (starting Monday 9th September) we will be taking part in the St Vincent de Paul Can Drive to support those in need. If you have any spare cans of food that you would like to donate please bring them to your child’s classroom any day during week 8. Thank you for your support.
Te Rā o te Pāriha/Parish Day
Coming up on Sunday 22 September our parish will be having Mass at Haeata School Hall at 10am. Straight after this will be performances from us, Star of the Sea School, New Brighton Catholic School and St James.
These groups will present (please practise):
-Hip Hop Group (the dance from the mid year performance)-in Hip Hop outfit
-Filipino Group (from last year’s Filipino Feast Day-taught from Jobelle)-in Filipino clothes
-Jubilate Group – normal Sunday/church clothes
-Cheerleading – uniform to be decided-more practices coming at school
-Kapahaka – normal Sunday/church clothes
10am-11am Mass
11am-12pm Performances
12pm Food!!!!!!
Inclusion
Our focus for the last few weeks has been the letter ‘I’ in GRIT meaning inclusion. No one likes to be singled out or left out and a big well done to those students who include others in their games, or work and that actively look for those who have been left out, to include them. Here are some stars and also those who received certificates at assembly.
East Zones
Well done to those who represented school or were in a mixed team last week at the South East Zones. It was a beautiful day. Thanks to Penny who made it happen at short notice and for these photos! (sorry about the lack of rugby photos!)
E mihi ana ki ērā tamariki i repe i te kura, i roto i tētahi tīma mikirapu i te whakataetae South East Zones. I ātaahua te rā! Kā mihi ki a Penny i te whakarite, i ēnei whakaahua hoki!
(Ka aroha mō te nama o kā whakaahua whutupōro!)
Policies / Kā Here
A reminder, if you are interested and would like to take part in our termly reviews of policies, or are interested in any, they can be found here. Please follow the link and then have a look around!
He mea maumahara tēnei, mēnā tō hiahia, tirohia kā here, mahia kā arotake hoki. Kai konei kā here. Whāia te honoka, kātahi, tirohia!
UPCOMING EVENTS / KĀ TAIOPEKA E HAERE MAI ANA
If you have any questions, please email or talk to the person whose email address follows the reminder. If there is no email address, it is just something to be aware of.
WEEK 7 / WIKI WHITU – Mahuru Māori (Māori Language Month Challenge)
Monday 2 September – Swimming Starts at Te Pou Toetoe/Linwood Pool for Years 0-6 (two weeks)
9:30am – (Room 2+5)
10:00am – (Room 1+4)
10:30am – (Room 3)
11:00am – (Room 6+Year 6s in Room 8)
Monday 2 September – Pasifika Dance group starts (years 5-8) 12pm-12.50pm
Monday 2 September – Julian Flamank’s last day (teacher aide)
Tuesday 2 September – Hip Hop Dance Practice in Hall 3pm-4pm
Tuesday 3 September – Jubilate (Pro Cathedral) jo@stannes.co.nz
This is for the choir, a reminder that we are meeting at 6pm at St. Mary’s church wearing our school uniform. The concert starts at 7pm and we will be singing our own song as well as the shared items with other Catholic Schools in the Stella Maris parish.
Tuesday 3 September – Mahuru Māori starts (are you joining in?) www.mahurumaori.com
WEEK 8 / WIKI WARU – Mahuru Māori (Māori Language Month Challenge)
Monday 9 September-Friday 13 September – Can Drive (see above)
Wednesday 11 September – Thursday 12 September – Dallas and Denise on a course, Clara Fleming Acting Principal
Friday 13 September – Swimming Last Day for Years 0-6
WEEK 9 / WIKI IWA – Mahuru Māori (Māori Language Month Challenge) and Māori Language Week
Tuesday 17 September – Early Finish 12pm – Learning Conferences 12.30pm-6pm
Wednesday 18 September-Friday 21 September – Dallas away at New Zealand Principal Federation Conference, Clara Fleming Acting Principal
Sunday 22 September – Parish Mass for all students 10am Haeata Community Campus (more information to come) This will be our only school weekend Mass for the term so all students can make it. Performances from school culture groups will be held immediately after (11am) and a huge feed at 12pm for those who want to hang out.
clara@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 10 / WIKI TEKAU – Mahuru Māori (Māori Language Month Challenge)
Monday 23 September – Early Finish 12pm – Learning Conferences 12.30pm-4.30pm
Tuesday 24-Thursday 26 September – Koru Games
Thursday 26 September – Dallas and Clara away at a course, Jo Smart Acting Principal
Friday 27 September – Last day of the term 2.50pm finish
TERM 4 / WĀHAKA WHĀ
DATES TBC-Production and All Cultures Day
WEEK 1 / WIKI KOTAHI – Filipino Language Week
Monday 14 October – First day of Term 4 9am sharp start
WEEK 2 / WIKI RUA
WEEK 3 / WIKI TORU (Tokelau Language Week)
Monday 28 October – Labour Day (No school-public holiday)
Tuesday 29 October – Teacher Only Day (No school)
WEEK 4 / WIKI WHĀ
WEEK 5 / WIKI RIMA
Monday 15 November – Canterbury Anniversary Day (No school-public holiday)
WEEK 6 / WIKI ONO
WEEK 7 / WIKI WHITU (Solomon Aelan Pijin Language Week)
WEEK 8 / WIKI WARU
WEEK 9 / WIKI IWA
WEEK 10 / WIKI TEKAU
Monday 16 December – Last full day for 2024
Tuesday 17 December – Pop in and meet your 2025 teacher and Room
Te Atua te aro’a ‘ē kia manuia,
Dallas Wichman
Tumuaki / Principal / Pū ‘Āpi’i Ma’ata
Reminders:
Parents to wait on seating outside office or on the front court so as not to distract classes at the end of the day.