Naumai e te whānau o te kura St Anthony's Tēnā Koutou Katoa 

Dear Parents and Caregivers

We are thrilled to share our new website photos taken by Beatrice Foschetti (Luna's mum). Thank you Beatrice - we love how you have showcased our school so well with your talented work. http://www.stants.school.nz/

NZPF Conference

Ngā manaakitanga

Jennifer Ioannou

PRINCIPAL

You will have heard the wonderful news about the complete refurbishment of our junior classroom block scheduled for Term 3. We are so excited about the wonderful new learning environment that this will create for our students. The funding for this refurbishment comes from the attendance dues that all families pay each year to the Archdiocese of Wellington. The Archdiocese collects the funds from all Catholic schools in our area and redistributes the funds according to their property management plans for all of these schools. As well as covering the costs of new classrooms, gymnasiums and other buildings, the attendance dues are used to pay off existing mortgages and pay for the insurance on all school property. This is why it is so important that our families pay their attendance due fees each year. You can read more about them here https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2019-Attendance-Dues-Flyer-with-payment-details.pdf

We are very blessed to have refurbishments of both our senior and junior classrooms funded by the Archdiocese. We really tried to get the refurbishment of the junior toilet block included in this year’s junior classroom refurbishment project. The costs of doing this were significant and it is not feasible for the Archdiocese to cover the funding for the toilet block this year. The toilet block refurbishment will be the third stage of the overall project (senior classroom block being stage 1 and junior classroom block being stage 2) and we are hopeful that this will happen within the next 1 to 2 years.

St Anthony's Feast Day Celebration with San Antonio

On Monday we celebrated St Anthony's Feast day with San Antonio. It was a very special to come together to celebrate our shared patron saint. The children enjoyed meeting some new friends and work through a variety of art and P.E activities and share in a liturgy together.

Holy Trinity Parish Mass

A huge thank you to all of the families that joined us at mass on Sunday, it was lovely to see so many of you and the children led the mass beautifully. 

Beginning of the Term Mass

We will have a beginning of the term mass next term during the week. The date is yet to be confirmed but keep an eye on the parent calendar so you can come and join us. 

Faith Reflection

We have returned to what the Church calls Ordinary Time. The liturgical colour is green, symbolising life. This Time will take us through to the end of November, concluding the Church’s year. Over these weeks, the readings will invite reflection on the way we live our Christian vocation. The words and actions of Jesus (gospel readings), the teachings of the Hebrew prophets and the writings of the apostles, particularly St Paul, both comfort and challenge our individual and social lives.

If you have access to the Sunday Mass readings, you will be able to prepare for each Sunday and even become more alert to daily opportunities to apply the ideals to your lifestyle. Make the most of this Ordinary Time to grow in your faith and see its relevance and its power to enhance all your relationship. You will quickly find this Time is anything but ordinary!

   

Kindness was the value we focused on for Weeks 7 and 8. Students engaged in a myriad of activities throughout the fortnight, reading and writing their own stories, and watching clips such as the one here. We also had a St Anthony's School Random Acts of Kindness Day held last Friday 21 June which was a wonderful day!

Students are all extremely knowledgeable about being kind and doing kind acts for others. Here are some of our Year 8 students' thoughts to share with you.

Kindness is....

... when someone is upset or hurt, you can go up to them and cheer them up or take them to the Medical Room and look after them. Emilio Bell

.... encouraging others when they mess up so they have the confidence to try again. Daniella Zadimas

.... being a leader and standing up for what you think is right, and always helping other students and people when they need help. Lauren St Just

.... being positive and supportive around the classroom and school. Sam Taylor

.... doing selfless acts for others all the time and encouraging other people to be the best they can be! Olivia Napp

Here is a special moment snapped Wednesday in the playground: a Year 8 student (Elena) being kind to a Year 1 student (Charlie) which is our culture at St Anthony's.

Our Staff Spotlight, which is shared in the newsletter twice a term, has been very successful and we are extending this news item to our Year 8 students for every newsletter. This is another opportunity where our students are given 'voice' as well as helping our community to get to know them better.

This week we hear from Valentina Zadimas.

Introduction 

Hey my name is Valentina Zadimas I am a Year 8 student in Tui Class. I have a twin sister called Daniella Zadimas. 

Favourite subject

My favourite subject would have to be Physical Education because I am very competitive and I really love sports.

When I’m not at school I like...

I love doing sports, especially soccer and netball. I’ve been playing soccer for Seatoun AFC since I was 3 now we are in 13/14th grade. I play left striker. And I have won many trophies throughout the years. For netball I play for Holy Cross I made B team. I mostly play GS or GD when I played in Year 5/6 I won player of the year. I like singing and being goofy around my friends and family especially my cousins I love spending time with them. I also really like listening to Shawn Mendes and Why Don’t We.

I like coming to St Anthony’s because..

I’ve made so many friends over the 8 years and some people shorter and some longer. I’ve also gotten so close to my other Year 8s. 

2.00pm - whānau are welcome to walk around our classrooms.

2.35pm - we will start gathering in the Senior classrooms for a whole school Samoan Sasa followed by Principal's Awards, House Leader Awards, R.E.A.L Announcement and our final prayer. We hope you can join us!

Our School's Predator Free Group have their creative art work on display at the 'Inspired by Nature' Exhibition at the Seatoun Village Hall.
We hope to see you there!

To help with storage and moving whilst the junior rennovations are taking place, we would love to receive cardboard boxes. Please leave in the office or the Library. Many thanks.

Junior Block Renovation: Moving help & Permission to move between School & the Bowling Club

A number of parents/caregivers still need to complete the Signmee (dated 18 June) advising whether they can provide help prepare classroom and/or transfer heavy items to their news spaces. There are also a number of 'Premissions' missing from the Signmee to indicate whether or not parents/caregivers allow the child to move between the Bowling Club and School independently or in small groups. Please complete this Signmee urgently.


Miniball

Do you want to play? Two teams have been registered, however, there are a few spaces left for the Years 3/4 and Year 5/6 mixed teams. Please contact Ronan Kelly if you would like to be included in the teams.

As part of our Kahui Ako (Catholic Schools - Community of Learning), we have been invited to share in an evening being organised by Friends of St Teresa’s School Karori (FOST). 

The main driver behind this event is that we know that the one thing most parents want for their children is happiness. Research is clear – a happy young person is much more likely to be confident, connected, engaged and able to contribute positively to their own and others’ learning.

Dr Denise Quinlan is a leading education from the NZ Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience. She will deliver The Talk - Kicking for the Surface: Practical Strategies to Protect and Support Wellbeing - which promises to be a practical session with tips and strategies that parents can use to support their wellbeing and their children’s wellbeing in a busy year.

Wellbeing is our best protection against the stresses and challenges of everyday life. Learn more about what wellbeing is made up of and simple ways to support it; why focusing on what’s right and knowing your strengths can help wellbeing and achievement; how to combat the ‘fragile thoroughbred’ syndrome that sees many teenagers afraid to try or giving up after failure; and why we can all benefit from more self-compassion. Last but not least, this session will remind parents that love, acceptance and belonging are the most important wellbeing supports you give your child.

The talk is being held at Samuel Marsden auditorium, Karori, August 28 at 7.30pm, and we have 2 tickets still available.

Tickets are $10.00 and have been subsidised by our school as we want to make this evening accessible for our community.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Yvonne in the school office.

FOSA School Lunches Parent Consultation

Friday school lunches are one way to help FOSA’s fundraising by placing an order and/or going on the helper roster. 

We have created a short survey to get feedback from our school community about the school lunch operation: its purpose, alignment with our food and nutrition policy, the menu items, cost, and frequency. 

Please find the link to the Survey here. Hard copies are also available in the office.

We would really appreciate feedback by Monday 1 July.

Following this survey and feedback, decisions will be made about the future of FOSA school lunches.

Lunches

Friday 28 June - Sushi (orders closed on Thursday 27 June)

Thanks to our fabulous parent lunch heroes Natasha Thompson & Anna Kempton. Year 6 helpers are Glenys Keresi & Ethel Lene, thanks guys!

Friday 5 July 

Subway

Thanks to our fabulous parent lunch heroes Jacinta Handscomb & Paola Trujilo-Bell. Year 6 helpers are Sophia Meech & Marimatina Peni, thanks guys!

Please ensure the correct amount is given and order is placed inside a named plastic zip locked bag.

This wonderful childcare facility has been very welcoming to our School's interaction and has provided us with a number of wonderful New Entrant children. We would appreciate your support for their EEC if you know of any families who might be looking for childcare.

Yummy Sticker Promotion 2019

The Yummy Sticker promotion has kicked off again for this year so you can start to collecting Yummy stickers and bag cut-outs from fruit NOW.  The promotion is now in its 22 year and there is another $200,000 available to spend on sports gear for schools. 

The promotion finishes at the end of Term 3 (Friday 27 September), so there is plenty of time to collect as many stickers & bag cut outs as possible.  

Please print off sheets at home to enable you to 'stick labels straight on'.