E te whānau whānui o Hato Ani, tēnā noa koutou katoa!

We end week 4 of term 4  and head into the last month of school. Things will be busy and we ask you to please keep an eye on the calendar at the bottom of this email and the Skool Loop app so you know what is happening around school and don’t miss anything. We farewell Cheyenne and Lisa from Rooms 5 and 7 as they continue their journey to become teachers. Thanks for everything and all the best!

On Thursday we have the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association meeting at St Anne’s.  We look forward to our children showing them around and performing for them.  We ask that all students who are at Tagata Mai Saute on Wednesday night, to be at school the next day as Noah and Albany are coming to school on Thursday to repeat some songs for our guests.  We also have the Kapa Haka group performing for them.  It is an important day for us.

Important points for Thursday:
– Students in Tagata Mai Saute – come in cultural dress for the day please. This is an important occasion so don’t hold back.
– Samoan families – Ateliana will be in touch regarding support with Mea ‘ai, if you are available to help that would be great.  We have a group of around 20 Pasifika Principals, if interested in offering other support (pasifika styles), please contact Ateliana (Ula, mea ‘ai, gifts, decorations etc).
– Kapa Haka performance group – Please come to school with your hair done ready for performance again, that would be great!
Below is a picture of the last school the group visited, starting with a Tu’oro, then an Ava ceremony, performances, food, and talanoa.

Junior Mass / Miha Taina
This  Sunday is our once a term Sunday ‘school Mass’ and it is the final Junior Mass for the year.  As part of enroling at a Catholic school you commit to these type of events and we ask you keep to that commitment and find a way for your child to be at Mass this Sunday with their peers.  This is at 10.30am at St Annes.  We thank you for your support in faith development and in school events.

Teacher Only Day / Te Rā o te Kaiako Anake
We know it is difficult for working families to organise supervision for children during Teacher Only Days, hence why we have less than other schools, and we thank you for your understanding when we do have one.  We started our day with a morning prayer retreat led by Antje Duda at Sr Eveleen retreat house, with a focus on contemplative prayer and the charism of the Mission Sisters.  This reminded us about the Order  and their vision when they started this school.  As we spent the rest of the day looking at our curriculum, we felt centred as to the reason for the school and how our curriculum may look slightly different than others.

Languagenut and Mathletics Competition (Rooms 5-8) / Whakataetae Languagenut / Mathletics (Rūma 5-8)
Due to the smallish numbers of students who completed the challenge by the required date, we have extended the date so more children can complete it.  It is now Monday 2 December!  As we get a lot of donations and spend a lot of money on prizes for this, we really want children to have worked hard enough to earn these amazing rewards (and the learning itself as a reward).  Please push the work on this at home over the coming three weeks. They are aiming for 100 gold bars in Mathletics (half of the seniors have now achieved this and a lot are close).  They also need to achieve half of the yellow level in Languagenut.  The six students who achieve the required amount by the first date will be drawn out of the prize box first!  Well done to them!  Please note: Students can be helped but not told the answers by anyone. Thanks for your honesty.

Cultural Festival / Taiopeka Ahurea
This was an amazing event organised by Mr Halkett and Mrs Smart! We had a Cheerleading Group (American Culture), our performance Kapa Haka group, a Samoan group,  Scottish and Irish dancers.  We could also have had Filipino and Hiphop groups however they had many performances recently at other events and with time restraints it wasn’t achievable this year. Thanks to all of those that helped make it a success, especially the tutors of all of our groups! Please visit Facebook for hundreds of photos. The video will be out in due course.

All Saints Day / Te Rā o Kā Hato Katoa
Last Friday we celebrated All Saints Day! Students and staff dressed up as saints, we celebrated Mass together, the Faith Team taught students about some famous saints and students received some treats at the end of the day donated by Justin of Frucor Suntory and organised by Ocean’s parents (Rm3) from Bakery & Coffee On Ferry. Thanks so much to them!  Also, we celebrated Aotearoa Teachers’ Day at Mass. Teachers received a wee gift pack as an  appreciation of all they do for our children and school.

I tērā Paraire, ka whakanuia te Rā Hato Katoa! Ka whakarākeitia kā tamariki, kā kaimahi hoki hai whakatinana i kā hato, ka whakanuia te Miha, ka whakaakotia kā tamariki e te Tīma Whakapono pā ana ki kā hato rokonui, ka whiwhia ētahi inu, ētahi pihikete hoki nā Justin o Frucor Suntory i hoatu, nā kā mātua o Ocean i whakarite. He mihi nunui ki a rātou! Waihoki, ka whakanuia te Rā o Kā Kaiako i te Miha. Kua whiwhi kā kaiako i tētahi koha iti hai mihi ki a rātou i te mahi nunui kua mahia mō kā tamarikia, mō te kura hoki!

Touch Rugby / Pā Whutupōro
What a great start! Thanks for ensuring your child gets to all of their games or informing  coach/Penny if they are unable to a ttend due to sickness.  Also, thanks to all parents who have offered to coach and those giving encouragement from the sidelines! It’s a team effort and would not happen without everyone helping.  Big thank you to Penny for coordinating everything.  A few photos from her below.

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.
Mēnā he pātai āu, īmēra atu te īmēra, kōreretia ki te takata kua whakaikoa. Mehemea kāhore he īmēra, he mea hai whakamōhio noa iho.  

TERM 4 / WĀHAKA WHĀ
WEEK 4 / WIKI WHĀ
Friday 8 November – Youth Group Years 7 and 8, 4.30pm-6pm Mission Centre
Friday 8 November – Cheyenne and Lisa’s last day. They have been amazing student teachers in Rooms 5 and 7.
Sunday 10 November – Junior Mass (Rooms 1, 2, 3, 4) 10.30am clara@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 5 / WIKI RIMA
Monday 11 November – Room 1 and 2 Trip jo@stannes.co.nz
Tuesday 12 November – Hip Hop 3pm-4pm principal@stannes.co.nz
Wednesday 13 November – New Zealand Pasifika Principal Executive Committee at St Annes.
Wednesday 13 November – Tagata Mai Saute rehearsal in morning
Wednesday 13 November – Tagata Mai Saute performance (evening)
Thursday 14 November – Principals from the New Zealand Pasifika Principal Association at St Annes. Also researchers from the University of Canterbury.
Thursday 14 November – Touch Rugby afterschool penny@stannes.co.nz
Friday 15 November – Canterbury Anniversary Day (No school-public holiday)
WEEK 6 / WIKI ONO
Friday 22 November – Youth Group Years 7 and 8, 4.30pm-6pm Mission Centre
WEEK 7 / WIKI WHITU (Solomon Aelan Pijin Language Week)
Thursday 28 November – Production ‘Jonah and the Whale’
Friday 29 November – Road Patrollers Jellie Park Trip dean@stannes.co.nz
Friday 29 November – Youth Group Years 5 and 6, 3pm-4pm, Years 7-8 4.30pm-6pm
WEEK 8 / WIKI WARU
Wednesday 4 December – Beach Ed Day Years 7-8 dean@stannes.co.nz
Thursday 5 December – Tough Kid Challenge dean@stannes.co.nz
Friday 6 December – All Cultures’ Day principal@stannes.co.nz
Friday 6 December – Youth Group Years 7 and 8, 4.30pm-6pm Mission Centre
WEEK 9 / WIKI IWA
Monday 9 December – Kore Sailing – Years 7/8 dean@stannes.co.nz
Wednesday 11 December – Prize giving at CCC 5pm
Friday 13 December – Youth Group Years 5 and 6, 3pm-4pm, Years 7-8 4.30pm-6pm
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