A Fortnight of Feasts and Family Focus
What a busy and rewarding two weeks it's been!

Last week wrapped up with a wonderful feast day celebration. We were particularly impressed by the artistic talents on display as students created unique tiles depicting scenes from St. Anthony's life, which were then assembled into a beautiful cross. You can see some of the impressive artwork below!

A Fortnight of Feasts and Family Focus
What a busy and rewarding two weeks it's been!

Last week wrapped up with a wonderful feast day celebration. We were particularly impressed by the artistic talents on display as students created unique tiles depicting scenes from St. Anthony's life, which were then assembled into a beautiful cross. You can see some of the impressive artwork below!

Then, last night, we had an excellent turnout from our community for a special evening with Caroline McGlinchy. Her session, focused on "Calmer Kids, Happier Kura and Homes," resonated deeply with everyone present. Caroline's theme, "He Manako Te Kōura i kore ai | wishing for the crayfish won’t bring it," highlighted the importance of active engagement over passive wishing. We learned practical strategies to help our tamariki thrive both at home and at kura, empowering not just the children but our entire whānau.

A huge thank you to New World Miramar for their continued support of our community efforts by providing the refreshments. Kia ora rawa atu! Please take time to thank them when you are in the shop.

Finally, this morning, we began the day with a Whānau Parakuihi | breakfast
The staff worked hard to cook enough Panekeke | pancakes for everyone, and then our tamariki and whānau enjoyed topping these with panna, tirikara maple, tāmi, and kirīmi. They washed this down with tiakarete wera while the adults enjoyed kawhe. We invite you to see how much of the reo that your child can recall. 

Special thanks to the whānau that attended and to our wonderful kaimahi who have gone above and beyond over these past weeks. Ngā mihi nui

The rest of the day was filled with creative endeavors! Miss Smyth taught all our tamariki how to make manu tukutuku (traditional Māori kites). Then our senior rangatira led workshops about rakau (stick games/routines), crafted harakeke naenae (flax mosquitoes), and explored the art of drawing kōwhaiwhai patterns.

Make sure to pop into the library to see the wonderful creation of Manu tukutuku firsthand!

Don’t forget to check out our Insta or Facebook to see some of these fun events as well. 

Our teachers are currently busy writing reports, which will be sent out next week. Please remember to check Hero regularly, as your tamariki love having an audience for their work. We encourage you to add your comments and feedback as your child/ren love it when you do!

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy Matariki - a time of celebration and reflection. 

The Breakfast.-Sakora

In the morning, we came to school and had breakfast, which was pancakes with cream, banana, jam, and maple syrup.  It was so delicious, and then we also had a delightful hot chocolate. If we wanted something like pancakes and the toppings, we would have to say it in Māori. Pancakes in Māori is pankeke, and hot chocolate is tiakarete wera.  

What is Matariki?-Pippa

Matariki is a cluster of stars which has nine: The eldest is Pōhutukawa, then the youngest Hiwa-i-te-rangi, then finally the others in the order from second eldest to second youngest: Waiti, Waita, Ururangi, Waipunarangi, Tupu-a-rangi, Tupi-a-nuku. It usually comes in early June. The one you can see the best can predict the environment in the year to come. It is one of the brightest clusters in the sky. I think that it’s a very beautiful cluster because it’s nice that we carry on the tradition of this holiday. Matariki has been happening for hundreds of years now, and personally I think it’s so beautiful how our school honors our ancestors and others. Some other things I learnt were Matariki - the Eyes of the God: In pain at the separation of his parents, Tāwhirimātea gouged out his eyes and threw the pieces into the Milky Way galaxy. Matariki has been thought to mean either the 'eyes of god' (mata ariki) or 'little eyes' (mata riki). When Matariki happens, people like to make food for whānau and like to share stories. -Pippa

Mya- Today at Matariki, we had free breakfast with a hot chocolate drink! It was nice, but there was this one activity that stood out to me, weaving. It was stressful but calming to pull the thick paper strings. I felt like a grandma knitting here, but pulling threads through, gluing together felt like a puzzle being solved, pieces fit tidily and easily. Chatting with friends, neatly pulling it together, and making sure it was all tidied and secure was a relief. We also learned stories, but back to it, we had 2 coloured bags cut into strips, but it was glued tightly together, squished flat like pancakes, colourful and pretty. I think star weaving was the best though, we had circle-shaped cards with 12 cuts on the sides, basically you would follow along the lines straight and after weaving a line you could move onto the next, at the start both sides were pretty, over time the back started getting pretty messy……But the front was still as beautiful, I swapped colours because I was able to, and it was so pretty! The sad thing is that if you do it too much, it gets thick, and your card gets pulled.

Tena koutou katoa

As we approach the end of Term 2 and look ahead to the celebration of Matariki, it's a wonderful time to reflect on our achievements and prepare for Term 3.

Caroline McClinchy - Speaker Event

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou for your support at last night’s speaker event with Caroline McGlinchy.

St Anthony’s School was thrilled to host Caroline as part of our Speaker Series. Her talk, Calmer Kids and Happier Homes, was an inspiring and practical session. With warmth, humour, and real-life strategies, Caroline gave parents and caregivers advice and tools to build stronger relationships with their tamariki and bring more joy into everyday parenting. As Caroline shared, “It’s about building stronger relationships, bringing back the fun in parenting, and creating calmer, emotionally attuned environments.” 

This free community evening was informative and uplifting, leaving everyone feeling more connected and confident. He mihi ki a Caroline and to all who attended the event. A special ngā mihi nui to our organising team and volunteers who made the event run so smoothly and to our sponsor, New World Miramar, for their generous support.

Board elections 10 September 2025
School Board elections are coming up in September. This is a great opportunity to have your say in the future direction of our school.  Information about the role of school boards can be found here: https://www.tewhakaroputanga.org.nz/advice-and-support/information-for-board-members

Keep an eye out for nomination forms and voting details, which will be sent home soon.

School board meetings are public meetings and you are warmly welcomed to attend.  Our next board meeting is Week 3 of Term 3 (29 July) at 6pm.  Meetings are held at St Anthony’s School.

Celebrating academic excellence at St Anthony’s - mid-year achievements
We are proud to share the strong academic progress our students have made in their mid-year assessments. With 93% of students on track in reading and an exceptional 98% in mathematics, these results reflect the depth of learning and the strength of our teaching programmes. Nationally, recent data shows that fewer than 60% of students are meeting curriculum expectations in reading, and fewer than 30% in mathematics, making our results a real testament to the quality of teaching and learning at St Anthony’s. Our structured literacy and numeracy approaches continue to support learners across all year levels, and we’re seeing encouraging signs of growth in writing (76% of students are on track or above expectations), particularly among our female students and senior classes.

Source: Curriculum Insights and Progress Study: Foundational Area – Mathematics and Reading (2023); Mid-year achievement assessment, St Anthony’s School, Seatoun (2025).
Note: Writing was assessed nationally in 2024, with full annual assessments of reading, writing, and mathematics beginning in 2025.  The 2024 writing results are not yet published.

These outcomes speak to the dedication of our staff, the excellent teacher-student ratios at St Anthony’s, the engagement of our tamariki, and the supportive partnerships we have with whānau.

Ka rawe! Let’s keep building on this momentum in Term 3.

Camp fundraising – delicious ways to support our senior students
Help our Year 7 and 8 students get to camp in Term 3 by purchasing from our tasty fundraiser.
We’re currently selling:

• Fresh Roti
• Chocolate Treats
• Butter Chicken Sauce

You can place your order with Year 7 or 8 students or by sending your order directly to the school office (office@stants.school.nz). Every purchase helps!

Leadership update – Term 3
We send our best wishes to Mrs Denise Johnson as she begins her Term 3 sabbatical, a valuable opportunity for professional learning and reflection. Her focus will be on exploring inclusive practices and strengthening whakawhanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga. We look forward to hearing more about her insights and experiences when she returns in Term 4.

We’re also delighted to welcome back Miss Francesca von Lanthen, who returns from a year travelling and teaching in the United Kingdom.  Miss von Lanthen will step into the role of Acting Principal for Term 3, working alongside Mrs Sam Cripps, who continues as Acting Deputy Principal. Together, they bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to nurturing the learning and wellbeing of our tamariki and wider school community. 

 Looking Ahead – Matariki mā Puanga

As we prepare to close Term 2 and welcome the school holidays, we look to the stars and the spirit of Matariki mā Puanga. This year’s theme invites us to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and set intentions for the future, together as whānau, as a kura, and as a school community. May this season of renewal bring rest, reconnection, and inspiration to all our whānau.

Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori. Greetings and happy Matariki.

All The Things I Wish I Could Be

Coming to Circa Theatre this July School Holidays!

 Get ready for lift-off, laughs, and loud singalongs! This July, tamariki and their grown-ups are invited on a wild, musical ride with two lovable dads—Jeff and Tom—as they explore all the things they’ve ever dreamed of being. From All Blacks to ballerinas, monkeys to monsters, All The Things I Wish I Could Be is a joyful, high-energy celebration of imagination, friendship, and the freedom to be whoever (or whatever!) we want.

This brand-new Aotearoa-made adventure stars local legends Tom Knowles (Shrek in Shrek The Musical, Capital E national tours, Global Children’s Entertainment Awards winner) and Jed Parsons aka Jeff Parsnips (award-winning indie singer-songwriter and rising star of the Kiwi kids music scene). Packed with hilarious characters, playful chaos, and a full set of catchy original tunes performed live, this “very Kiwi” comedy is perfect for tamariki ages 3+—and guaranteed fun for the grown-ups who bring them.

Sing, dance, and roar along as Jeff and Tom bumble their way through time, space, and endless possibilities. Where will they land next? The moon? A jungle? A rugby field? You’ll have to come and find out…

SHOW DETAILS

Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011

Tuesday 1 July – Saturday 12 July 2025 10.00am & 11.30am daily

Special Sunday Shows: 6 July at 1.30pm & 3.00pm

TICKETS: www.circa.co.nz/package/all-the-things-i-wish-i-could-be/

 EXTRA SPECIAL PERFORMANCES

Thursday 10 July – 10:00am: Jams & Prams Perfect for babies, toddlers, and their grown-ups—this relaxed kids concert version has a pram park and extra space for wrigglers.
A Relaxed Performance for anyone who might benefit from a gentler theatre experience—modified lighting, sound, and a welcoming vibe for all.

 Come find out what YOU could be!  All The Things I Wish I Could Be is a high-energy, big-hearted show that proves there’s no limit to who—or how silly—you can be.

For interviews, media passes, or press images, please contact Jane Carruthers: marketingmanager@circa.co.nz 021 0883 8568

Let your imagination run wild this winter school holidays—only at Circa!

The Seatoun AFC Junior Holiday Programme will be running during both weeks of the Winter School Holidays. Enjoy a fun, active experience and the opportunity to learn and develop football skills.

Please see the poster below for more information, and email seatounafcjuniors@xtra.co.nz if you have any questions. 

Kind regards,

James

Kia ora,

We’re excited to invite your school’s basketball players to join our Wellington Basketball morning training sessions completely free for the next two weeks! This is a fantastic opportunity for your students to experience our high-energy, skill-focused sessions and get a head start on building a winning morning routine.

What’s on offer:

• Free morning training sessions for all players turn up, no registration required.
• Sessions are designed to enhance skills, fitness, and confidence in a fun and supportive environment.
• A chance to train with peers from across Wellington, led by our experienced coaching team.

Why join now?

• These two weeks are the perfect opportunity for players to try our programme with no commitment.
• Next term, we’re expanding and enhancing our morning training—those who start now will be ahead of the game and ready to make the most of what’s coming.
• Early morning routines are proven to support both athletic and academic success.

Details:

• Who: Year 5 to Year 13 basketball players are welcome

• When: Monday – Wednesday
• Time: 6:30 till 7:45 am
• Where: Akau Tangi Sports Centre

• Cost: Free—just show up and play!

Please share this opportunity with your players and encourage them to come along. We’re passionate about helping Wellington’s young athletes reach their potential, and we’d love to see your school represented.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don't hesitate to contact us or visit our website.

Spots are unlimited—players can simply turn up and join in. Let’s get your teams moving and ready for a bigger, better season ahead!

Mā te wā

Sam Twomey 
Wellington Basketball

+64 4 387 3005 | +64 21 243 9972

sam@wellingtonbasketball.co.nz
www.wellingtonbasketball.co.nz
72 Kemp Street, Wellington 6022, NZ