Principal's message
C Massey
Kia ora e te whānau,
A warm welcome back to all our tamariki and whānau. We hope you had a restful and refreshing break and are ready for another exciting term of learning and growth at Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School.
We are pleased to welcome two new staff members to our school community this term:
Vanessa Bentley joins us as a Year 5–6 teacher. Vanessa brings a wealth of experience from both classroom and senior leadership roles across a variety of schools and communities. She has served as a Deputy Principal, Team Leader, and Senior Education Advisor at the Ministry of Education. Vanessa is passionate about inclusive, culturally responsive education and is committed to building high-trust relationships with students, staff, and whānau. We are thrilled to have her join our team.
We also welcome Mikyla Welsh, who joins us two days a week as a Teacher Aide while she completes her Master’s in Psychology at the University of Auckland. Mikyla will be working alongside teachers to support student learning and wellbeing.
From Week 2, students will wear their PE uniform on a set day each week based on their Learning Community. This helps support active learning and keeps things simple. A reminder of the schedule is included in this newsletter.
Our Mary Value focus for the first half of this term is Obedient—encouraging tamariki to do what is right and just for the good of others. We are teaching that being obedient means showing respect, taking responsibility for our actions, and living with love for our community. You’ll find some tips in this issue for how you can support this value at home.
Also included are updates on the new Ministry of Education Parent Portal and a spotlight on the key competency of Thinking, with practical ideas for nurturing thoughtful learners.
We look forward to a purposeful and positive term ahead as we continue to grow in faith, knowledge, and community.
Ngā mihi nui,
Carolyn Massey
Carolyn Massey