Kia ora, Welcome, Salam Mālō ni, Xin chàoTalofa, Kia Orāna, Malo e lelei, Talofa lava, Kumusta, Mālō ni, Hallo daar, Bula and Céad míle fáilte to you all for the beginning of our 2023 school year.  We especially welcome our new tamariki - Leo, Nora, Olive, Tyler, and Natan as well as their families. May you have many happy years of being part of the St Anthony’s community! We invite everyone to join us on Wednesday, March 1 at 9:30 for our pōwhiri and mass to welcome everyone. 

Thanks so much to everyone for coming to the whānau conferences as it has helped the teachers really gain an insight into our tamariki’s needs and aspirations. We appreciated the time that we had with you all and look forward to a wonderful year of learning and fun!

We were thrilled to also welcome back our gates - this time a planned disappearance after we gained your feedback last year on how the main gate could be improved so our 'little' people couldn’t get through. The majority vote went to the design you now see and we are thrilled that the addition enhances the very special gate design of the Holy Spirit | Te Wairua Tapu. Our sincere thanks are extended to Andrew Pink, a past parent of St Anthony’s who worked tirelessly to achieve this wonderful result. Ka Pai Andrew. 

The Bazaar team is hard at work with plans for our biannual Bazaar and thanks to those who are already committed or who have completed the form we sent you this week. If you haven’t already done so please complete the form as it is a great community day as well as a fundraiser but we need everyone’s help. Next week we are asking all families to donate an item such as sugar, flour, vinegar, and the like to help the baking and preserve teams. See below for the rest of the ways that you can help the teams. 

We need to confirm the Futsal teams by 12 noon tomorrow, 10 February so please respond asap if you want your tamariki involved. 

Please remember in your prayers Penny Duncan’s father who passed away this week and Monsignor John Carde who was a much-loved parish priest for many years at St Anthony’s and to whom our library is dedicated to. Please keep both the Duncan and Carde families in your thoughts and prayers during this time. 

Finally, it was lovely to catch up with Sheryl McKnight today when she popped in to say hello. Sheryl watched the Year 5 - 8s gathering to play a game, during their lunch break and said, ' There is something quite special about this school. It is so lovely here to see how inclusive and kind the children are with one another and being together as a group. I go around many schools now and I never see it happening like it is here.’

Of course, we were thrilled to hear such feedback and it makes it a great start to the year!

The thought for this week is: 'Our blessings are gifts from God. We want always to be thankful.' Reflecting on this, I thought how true it is for Wellington, as we have been blessed with a wonderful summer while other parts of Aotearoa have not been so fortunate. Our challenge this week is to count our blessings

as well as praying for those families who have been displaced by the natural disasters of the past few weeks. 

It was a lot of fun swimming in the sea. We did relays in teams. One thing that was hard was swimming along the bay. On the way back to school I was super tired from swimming along the bay. - Luka 

Today we did beach safety and it was a little windy down there. First, we did relays, it was easy, to begin with, but then it got a little hard. We went over the safety rules before we got down there. We were told not to go past the adults. We got to verse an opponent in a race. After we did three races we could get wrapped in a towel. - Charlie

Beach safety was fun but also really tiring. When I had to run to a parent and tag their hand and run back. The challenge for me was the relays because my legs were starting to get tired. - Gila

A brand new size 12 red polo shirt has been accidentally taken home yesterday after beach safety.  Could you please check your child's bag/room to make sure it hasn't accidentally gone to your house.  If it has then just drop it back to the office.  Many thanks.

Registrations are open for the upcoming 2023 junior football season with Wellington Olympic AFC. If there are any kids wanting to pick up a winter sport or change clubs, then we are happy to accommodate them! Our clubrooms are based at Wakefield Park, Island Bay.


Registration can be accessed through this link:

In the Wings: Afterschool Drama classes for primary-aged students to gain confidence and be creative. These run in term time at the Hataitai Centre, Wednesday from 4-5pm. Term 1 starts on Wednesday 15th February. Check out our website, www.inthewings.co.nz or email katie@inthewings.co.nz

Girls Got Game Park Tour

If your child loves doing Cartwheels, Handstands, Jumping, Swinging, Climbing or doing Flips, then they will thrive at Bigair Gym! TERM 1 CLASSES ARE STARTING NOW, SO DON’T MISS OUT, BOOK IN TODAY! Bigair Gym classes are excellent for fun, focus and fitness! Children learn new skills and develop personal confidence and self-achievement! Strong focus is given to safety and technique, ranging from fundamentals to advanced skills. The structured classes follow a Bigair Badge Programme, which creates focused learning, and allows children to achieve and progress! Classes include GYMNASTICS, TRAMPOLINING, TUMBLING, FREE RUNNING (thats parkour with flips) & CHEERLEADING! Inquire about Bigair BIRTHDAY PARTIES too!

Its easy to book online at www.bigairgym.co.nz or contact our Bigair Gym office. We would love to hear from you. Bigair Gym Owhiro Bay ph. 383 8779 e. wgtn@bigairgym.co.nz

Harbour City Gymnastics

"Gymnastics is a great and fun activity for developing confidence, coordination, strength and agility. Harbour City Gymnastics, Hataitai Park, are currently taking in enrollments for term 1 and have spaces available in our Monday and Tuesday Ribbon Award 5-6 y/o class! We also offer fun, safe, and educational preschool classes for your younger ones ages 3+. Email our office office@hcg.org.nz for further information or to register"

RĀROA MUSIC CENTRE REGISTRATION FOR 2023

Rāroa Music Centre offers Saturday morning group music lessons for primary and intermediate school children at low cost ($70 per year + $40 koha or parent volunteering).  We have spaces available for beginners in the following instruments; Cello, Clarinet, Flute, Recorder, Saxophone and Ukulele.  We also offer a fantastic Music Basics programme for 5-7-year-olds to ready them for learning an instrument.

To register for 2023 or find out more information visit our website.  Registrations close 18^th February 2023. 

www.raroamusic.org.nz

Ngā Tai Tūātea a Taraika Swimming Club (Have-a-Go sessions)