St Benedict's School Pānui ā-rorohiko (Online Newsletter) Term 2, Week 8, 2024

Upcoming Events from our Calendar

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Sports Uniform Days   Kōwhai and Kāuri Tuesday 
                                                Mānuka  & Rooms 6 & 7 Thursday 

Term 2, 2024

Week 2- 9 Swimming Days       Rooms 8,9, 12 and 13 (Year 6-8) Tuesday 7 May-25 June
                                                               Mānuka +  Rooms 6 and 7   Thursday 9 May-27 May 

Week 8 Term 2
                            Thursday 20 June   Class liturgies 9-9.45am, Room 6 &7 
                                                                    Swimming Mānuka +  Rooms 6 and 7 
                                                                    IZ Cross Country Yr 4 - 8 qualified runners only
Week 9 Term 2 
                              Tuesday 25 June  Swimming Rooms 8,9, 12 and 13 (Year 6-8) 
                                                                   Northern Zone  Hockey - Years 4 - 8
                               Wednesday 26 June   Matariki Celebration  5-6:30pm (register for attendance and Hangi)
                               Thursday 27 June PP Northern Zone  Hockey - Years 4 - 8
                                Friday 28 June Matariki Public Holiday School Closed  

Week 10 Term 2 
                               Wednesday 3 July Reports go home - follow up Parent Teacher Child interviews in Term 3 
                               Thursday 4 July  St Benedict’s Day Mass 11:30 am St Francis of Assisi Ohariu Church 
                                Friday 5 July Kāhui Ako Staff only Day - School Closed

Items found in the School APP
School Notices
Teacher Messages

Documents Section
Syndicate Newsletter  Term 1 and 2 
2024 School Dates
Winter Uniform Order form
St Ben's Handbook
Road Patrol Roster 

Widget link
Newsletter
SchoolDocs (Board Policies) 
Account information
Absences notification and rate of absences. 
School Calendar
MyKindo for lunch orders
HoK Facebook and Instagram

                              We are a KiVa school 

Tumuaki Korero

Tēnā koutou e te whānau ō Hato Penetika,

Join Us for Our Matariki Celebration!

We warmly invite you to join us for our Matariki Celebration on Wednesday, 26th June, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM This special event is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as a community and celebrate Matariki, the Māori New Year.

Flax Weaving: Learn the art of weaving with harakeke.

Poi Making: Create your own poi 

Waiata: Join in singing beautiful waiata to celebrate Matariki.

Hāngi: Delicious hāngi will be available for pre-purchase.

Please bring your wider whānau to join in the festivities. For more details, see the HoK (Helping our Kids) section of the newsletter.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Important Notice: School Closures on Upcoming Fridays

Please be advised that our school will be closed on the next two Fridays:

1. Friday, 28th June- Closed for Matariki public holiday
2. Friday, 5th July - Closed for a Staff Only Day dedicated to Professional Learning and Development (PLD) with our Kāhui Ako. Thank you for your understanding and support.

Thank You Whānau!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us to learn more about our Positive Behaviour for Learning systems and to give valuable input on the pro-social behaviours we will be teaching, as well as the responses we will use for unwanted behaviours. We understand that it can be challenging to clear your calendar for these meetings and to ensure those who were unable to attend are also informed, in our next newsletter, we will include:

A Video Summary: A recap of the meeting for those who could not attend.

Contribution Opportunity: A shared document where you can continue to contribute to the conversation about pro-social behaviour.

Interactive Activity: An opportunity to practice using our behaviour response guidelines to address real instances of unwanted behaviour.

Thank you once again for your support and participation. A number of attendees have also volunteered to be part of our Positive Behaviour for Learning Whānau group. If this is of interest to you please reach out via email. 

Final Swimming Lessons Next Week

Our final swimming lessons for this term will be held next week. 

A big thank you to our dedicated staff for managing the logistics and disruptions involved in traveling to the pool. Your efforts have ensured that our tamariki could enjoy and benefit from these lessons smoothly. We also extend our gratitude to the wonderful team at Keith Spry Pool for their excellent teaching and support.

GameDiv After School Programme for Year 7/8 Students

We are thrilled to announce a new and exciting opportunity for our Year 7 and 8 students: The GameDiv After School Programme. This programme is unlike any other we have offered at St Ben's in the past and is offered onsite on Thursdays.

Why Join GameDiv?

Expert Instruction: Classes will be taught by actual game developers, providing hands-on experience and insights from industry professionals.

Future-Ready Skills: This programme will give our tamariki a head start in the burgeoning field of game development, an area with growing employment opportunities.

For more details and to register, please check your School App.

Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki,
May God bless and care for you. 
Tania Savage - Principal

Catholic Character 

This week, Miss Simson, Mrs Taylor and I had the privilege of joining Catholic educators from across New Zealand at the New Zealand Catholic Educators Convention in Wellington. We had the opportunity to hear from a range of speakers who shared their knowledge on faith and education. A highlight of the convention was the official launch of our new curriculum, Tō Tātou Whakapono: Our Faith. This new curriculum will greatly enhance our religious education program, and we are excited to implement it in our school over the next three years.

Please keep in your prayers our tamariki who are preparing for baptism across our school. They will be celebrating their baptism at our St Benedict's Day Mass.

We hope you will be able to join us in welcoming them into our community during this special celebration.

Classroom Liturgies

The scheduled liturgies that are taking place weekly around the school provide an opportunity for the students to gather and pray, led by the lovely team from Challenge 2000. Rooms 4 and 5 had their liturgy in Room 5 in week 7. The students were encouraged to think about the qualities of the heart of Jesus and how they could have some of those qualities in their own lives. 

Attendance Dues

Play Pals

Thank you to all the Play Pals (Kauri Syndicate leadership responsibility) for their hard work at lunchtime, leading and promoting play, sport and physical activities for the Junior students.

Today’s group consisted of Dominic, Nakos, Henry and George and one of the games they were playing with students in Room 2 was Midnight.  To view the Play Pals in action check out the video in our week 10 Newsletter.

Australian Maths Competition

It is time to register for the Australian Maths Competition. This is for Year 4-8 students only. 
As it is a competition it is aimed at students strong in Mathematics and is based on the Australian Curriculum. 
The cost of entering the competition is $9:00. 
Entries need to be in by Friday 28th June 2024.  No late entries can be accepted. 
The details for payment are on the Google form: the link for which is https://forms.gle/XWn5ZhUQ8fQaws8P8

Regards
Cheryl Taylor 

Student Celebrations

Congratulations to Haidy and her team (Aspire) who secured 1st place in the Wellington Cheer Leading competition last weekend.

Lost Property

A pair of school shorts size 8 were found in the boys toilets this week with the name Dinnan.  Please collect from the office.

Seasons for Growth

Tamariki and whānau support is available for those dealing with grief, loss and change in their whānau  through the Seasons for Growth programme. We will be running the tamariki programme in conjunction with Challenge 2000 in Term 4. The below video gives a preview of the programme. If you'd like to register interest in your tamaiti/tamariki attending this wonderful course please complete this form. 

Sports Updates

Miniball/Basketball Registrations - Term 3

Miniball and Basketball registrations are now open for Term 3.  If you are currently playing on a team, your registration will be rolled over to Term 3.  If you would like to register your child or if your current player would not like to participate next term, please email Jana  - mini-basketball@st-benedicts.school.nz

Jumping June!

St Benedict's will get Jumping in June to raise money for Heart Foundations and to keep our own hearts healthy.

More information to follow but if you would like to get a head start on fundraising, visit the link below and register under St Benedict's School!

St Patrick's College is looking for Homestay Families for International Students, Term 3, 2024.

We are currently looking for several families to host a variety of foreign students arriving in Term 3. 
Various Short-term Students  Nine Japanese students visiting for only a few weeks - varies from 4 to 10 weeks -arriving and leaving at various dates throughout Term 3.
Japanese Student Group - 9 days   20 Japanese students that will be here for 9 days in July: July 20 to July 29th.  These students must be hosted in pairs. Host families for these boys would be asked to host two  students together.
Hong Kong Student Group - 12 days  20 Hong Kong students that will be here from July 28th* to August 9th. These students must be hosted in pairs. This group is a combination of girls and boys.  Host families for these boys would be asked to host two students together.* These students may not arrive in Wellington until July 29th or 30th. 
Full Year Students Term 3 2024 through 2025  Two Chinese students arriving for Term 3- staying for a full year (arrival date pending). One Vietnamese student for Term 3 -staying for a full year  (arrival date pending).  One Thai student for Term 3 -staying for a full year  (arrival date pending).
If you would like to host any of these young men or women, or would like to learn more about hosting in general, please email Meg Szulinski, the International Student Coordinator at St. Patrick's College, at meg.szulinski@stpats.school.nz.

YUMMY STICKERS

‘YUMMY’ STICKERS’ – Now until the end of Term 3.   

Thank You to: Everest, Ariane, Edward & Rosa, for their collection of stickers.  

We now have 1215 stickers 

Last year our collection of stickers earned us $720 to spend on sports equipment.   

It’s time to start collecting yummy apple stickers and the cut-out labels on the yummy 1.5kg apple bags.  You will find all your favourite yummy apples at your local New World or Pak’n Save (and some participating 4 Square stores).  Plus three new varieties now.

Eat ‘Yummy’ and support our school.  Crunch on apples and collect ‘yummy’ sports money. 

Collect the ‘cut out’ labels from the 1.5kg bags of ‘Yummy’ apples or individual ‘Yummy’ apple

stickers, available from New World and Pak’n Save stores.  Cash them in for Rebel Sports

gear for our school.  Send all your ‘Yummy’ stickers to the office.  

* Collect your sticker sheets from the office or visit www.yummyfruit.co.nz.  Let’s get munching.

Helping Our Kids

 Matarki Celebration at School - please join us

Kia ora e te whānau ō Hato Penetika,

On Wednesday, the 26th of June, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, we are holding a Matariki community celebration at school.   We will have activities and Hangi (traditional Māori meal) and need your help to let us know you are joining us, and if you would like kai.  The event is free, with the Hangi costing $16, you are also welcome to bring your own food.   Please complete this https://forms.gle/aTWAmYmVBcLDbMGu9

We will have activities set up in different classrooms (Rooms 3, 4, and 5). These will include poi making, harakeke weaving, and an art project to which we can all contribute a little piece. At 5:30, we will pause for kai (hangi) and waiata that the tamariki have been learning throughout Term 2. Following this, we will resume activities in the classrooms until 6:30 pm, or you can depart.

Matariki is the start of the Maori New Year, signified by the reappearance of the Matariki cluster of 9 stars in our evening sky. This year, our focus will be on two stars: Waitī and Waitā. Waitī is the fifth star, associated with fresh water and the living creatures in rivers, streams, and lakes. Waitā is the sixth star, the twin of Waitī, associated with the ocean and representing food gathered from the sea. This star is also significant for its influence over tides and floodwaters.

We look forward to you and your tamaiti/tamariki joining us for this special occasion.

Looking for a Dancing Queen/King: 

We are looking for the next Disco-Queen or King - someone to run the school disco (early term 3). We have lots of tips and instructions but need a new leader, if this sounds like you, or you want to know more please email kayeherrick@gmail.com  or chat to any HOK team member. 

HOK on your socials:

HOK run a Facebook and Instagram page where we keep you updated with what is coming up, so give us a follow/like: 
https://www.facebook.com/StBensHOK?mibextid=JRoKGi
https://www.instagram.com/stbenshok?igsh=MWdueTVhNzczZ2ltbQ==

Entertainment Book

Parent Road Patrol Roster

NICHOLSON ROAD
(Mornings and Afternoons)
Parents: Please be present from 8:25am - 9:00am and again from 2:45am - 3:15pm

FastForward Musical Theatre - Holiday Program

Come join us for a fun week of singing, acting and dancing.  

We will be putting togther a show in a week!!! 

email: fastforwardmt@gmail.com for more information or to register!

Program runs: Monday 15th July - Friday 19th July with 2 shows on Friday evening at Hutt City Church!

Wider Community Notices