Wow, what a team, a community! Despite the damp weather we had over 100 working at our Bazaar and our community came to support. There was such a great spirit present and so many wonderful things to purchase, do and see. Ka pai to you all. 

We give thanks, especially for the hard work of Emma Mulhern who was our impressive Bazaar coordinator who led the team with skill and expertise. Our thanks to our amazing parents who led the various teams and also our grateful thanks to the key people in our parish community - Kim, John, Anne and Antoinette who supported Emma in so many ways.   Without a doubt, we were ehara koe i a ia! | lucky we have you!

Thoughts from some of our senior students were:

• The sun was smiling down on us as we excitedly prepared for people to come rushing in the gates for our school bazaar… This is not actually true, it was raining, unfortunately. But we were determined to give everyone a ‘Grand Day Out!’

• Since I am gluten-free, I got some gluten-free cupcakes and then one of the Margherita pizzas which were super light and fluffy

• My job was to sell the hotdogs, with James cooking them and my dad handing them out while I took the money from the public and give them change. We made loads of money

• It was the best Bazaar I have ever had and my favourite thing at the Bazaar was the jewellery. It was pretty and colourful and it was so many different shapes. I also like the Kids’ Cafe.

• My favourite part was one of the kids’ games which was archery. I loved getting my hair dyed blue and a shining red!

We were blessed on Tuesday with a lovely day so our tamariki could have fun and lots of learning at the Island Bay marine centre. It was a great day to check out the rock pools and the Bait house as we explore the theme of Power of the Ocean. Thanks to the many parents that once again supported us by coming along with us. We are grateful!

It has been a very big few weeks of the school year and on behalf of the staff, I extend my grateful thanks to the many people who have worked so hard to ensure our tamariki have had the opportunities for sporting events and learning. We especially thank all those who worked on the Bazaar - you are superstars! May everyone have a well-deserved rest this weekend!

On one other note, many of you will have seen on the news last night, the expectation that the Education sector - early childhood, primary and secondary have voted to strike next Thursday, March 16. Members have voted to strike because the funding for our schools is not sufficient to give teachers and principals the time and resources to teach. More resourcing is needed to ensure that

• all of our tamariki thrive, and
  we can retain our quality educators and school leaders in the sector.

You will receive further information regarding this once the school board has had a chance to discuss this. 

Nga mihi nui

Denise

HOLY TRINITY PARISH CHILDREN’S SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME 2023

Enrolment forms will be available soon for children in year 4 or older who have been baptised in a Catholic Church and would like to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation and First Holy Communion. You will need to include a copy of your child’s baptism certificate with the enrolment form. If you don't have your child's baptism certificate, get in contact with the Parish where your child was baptized to obtain a copy.

So we can get a rough idea of numbers interested in taking part please fill in the form below and then we will send an enrolment form out.

Sacramental Form

Our Lenten Journey

As we consider the 3 pillars of Lent - Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving it was good to reflect on the gospel for this coming Sunday. We share with you the reflection by GPBS eNews, 

This Well is Deep

(John 4: 5 - 42)

Still waters run deep! The well in Samaria may have been dug down to a level of 200 feet below the grade of the town, but it was not as deep as the water of which Jesus speaks to the woman that day. Jesus is a wellspring of living water, leaping up to eternal life. Now that’s deep.

 Water talk in the Bible is always significant because the Middle East is one large desert with a few important rivers running through it. Water determined everything biblical: where cities were built, if the people prospered or languished, who would win a battle, and whether life could go on. The best way for the enemy to defeat you was to destroy your well or cut off your access to it. Then victory was only days away.

 Jesus and the woman both know, better than we do in a land where water is on tap, that water means life. We know that the woman drinks deeply of the message Jesus gives her when she leaves her water jar behind at the well. She experienced exactly what he told her: that if she listened to him, she would never be thirsty again.

 Prayer

In your teaching and life, you provide us with the spring of living water that slakes our thirst. May we never look beyond ourselves for satisfaction. May we discover within ourselves the spring of eternal life. Amen.

Go from here ready to be challenged.

Ponder your action 

• Faithfully challenged to be helpful in practical ways,
• challenged to put aside our long-held views of race and culture,
• challenged to consider our stereotypes of male and female people,
• challenged by the insight of a wise stranger,
• challenged by the prophets who encounter us by surprise.
• ready to tell friends and strangers of the encounter,
• ready for the change that will joyfully follow.

 Be challenged in the spirit of Jesus.

God will go with you.

This week we were all fortunate to be able to travel as a whole school to the "Island Bay Marine Education Centre".  The students were able to explore rock pools and discover all the exciting sea creatures in the Bait House aquarium. This was a wonderful chance for us to further explore "The Power of the Ocean" in our Inquiry theme for term 1.

We went to the starfish centre aquarium. That is my favourite place to go. We saw some starfish with really long wriggle legs and one broke off so it grew a new one. I liked the seahorse because they move very very slowly. 

-By Ralph

Yesterday, we went on the bus to the aquarium and we saw a shark. It was a little shark. It had little teeth and he was sleeping. 

-By Nikodimos

We went to the Bait House and I saw some turtles and seahorses and cushion stars. The cushion stars were sticking to everything. The seahorses were camflouging on seaweed, the turtles were sleeping and then they woke and then walked on top of each other.

-By Nora

We went on a trip to the aquarium.

We saw an octopus swimming in the glass tank.

-By Leo 

Yesterday, I saw a shark at the Bait House and it was sleeping. It was called a Carpet Shark.

We saw an octopus, it was floating around going up, down, up, down and around. I liked the octopus. The tentacles were moving around. 

-By Cadyn

We were in the aquarium. I saw a seahorse. It was floating up in the tank. I saw an octopus climbing in a tank with tentacles.

-By Lourde

The Year 7 & 8s have started their weekly Friday city experience for the year.  Last week they explored Cuba Street.

 

Phobia Rhyming Poem

Phobias are very bad

It does everything but makes you glad

Your stomach churns with sickening fear

Phobias make all your bravery disappear

It makes people more than scared

A phobia makes you mentally impaired

It feels like death, though you’re still alive

You’d feel as childish as a juvenile of five

Of courage you’d be deprived 

Once you break out of it, your audacity would be revived

A phobia is a fire, burning you up

The amount of phobias could fill a whole cup

Phobias are one of the many obstacles in life

It slits through your heart like a knife

But don’t worry, it can be overcome

And if you think your courage will never come

Oh how wrong you are

To think it can’t be defeated is bizarre

With a steely determination and strong willpower

Your phobia-eradication plan would be turned on full power

Always remember to never give up

In time, the phobia will blow up

By Nikki Schlemmer

Thanks to all those families who have returned their family information sheet.  If you have yet to do this then please fill it in and return it as soon as you can.  We do this every year so we have accurate addresses, emergency contacts etc for all our whānau. 

Hi, my name is Holly Lousley I am 20yrs old looking for a full-time nannying job in 2023. I am fun-loving and nurturing. I have experience working with toddlers and babies and I was the teacher aide here at St Anthony’s School in 2022 working with kids ranging from 5 years old up to 12 years old. I also have previous experience working in an early childhood centre as part of my placements for a youth work internship in 2021. I miss working with the kids at St Ants and would love to hear from you if you’re looking for a nanny for your family. Please get in touch! You can contact me on 0226989618 or also hollylousley@gmail.com

On 1 March the FAB competition for 2023 started again (it will close at the end of Oct.)

The entrant must be between 10-15 yrs of age and reside in the Eastern ward of the WCC.

The 3 prizes again will be $3,500.-  $2,100.- and $ 1,400.- to be presented in early December at EBIS.

Please note: the attached brochure has the old date on it so please disregard this as the competition is running in 2023.