Welcome back! It has been wonderful to see our students settling into school routines and engaging in learning.

On February 11, our Teacher Only Day provided staff with valuable time to deepen their understanding of the new Maths curriculum. As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality mathematics education, teachers engaged in professional development that focused on new approaches to teaching maths, designed to build strong foundational skills and foster problem-solving and critical thinking. The revised curriculum places greater emphasis on ensuring students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts rather than just memorising procedures. We are excited about these changes and look forward to seeing the impact they will have on our students’ learning, confidence, and enjoyment of maths. 

On Friday the 14th of February, we also gathered as a faith community to celebrate a special Farewell Mass for Father Craig, who has been a much-loved and valued part of our school and parish. His kindness, wisdom, and spiritual leadership have made a lasting impact on our students, staff, and families, and we are deeply grateful for his service. While we are sad to see him go, we send him with our prayers and best wishes as he embarks on the next chapter of his journey.

At the same time, we are blessed to welcome Bishop Peter and Father Jean Paul into our school community. Their presence at the Mass was a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet and connect with them as they begin their pastoral leadership in our parish. We look forward to working alongside them and strengthening the faith life of our school under their guidance.

Students in Year 3 and above have been enjoying community swimming lessons on Mondays. These lessons are an essential part of developing water safety and swimming skills, ensuring that our children gain confidence in the water. We strongly encourage all students to participate, as swimming is a vital life skill, especially in a country surrounded by water. Meanwhile, a group of senior students participated in the HPPA Softball Field Day, where they showed great enthusiasm and teamwork. Next on the sporting calendar is the Girls Smash Cricket Festival at Lloyd Elsmore Park, an exciting opportunity for our students to develop their cricket skills and experience competitive play in a fun and supportive environment.

We were delighted to welcome new parents this morning with a presentation from the Senior Leadership Team and a school tour. This event provided an opportunity for families to connect with one another, meet key staff members, and learn more about our school’s values and expectations. Building strong relationships with our families is important to us, and we appreciate the trust and partnership of our new parents as they begin their journey with our school community. week, 
We look forward to welcoming our second cohort of new entrants in the coming weeks. Starting school is a big milestone for both children and their families, and we are committed to making this transition as smooth and positive as possible. Our team works hard to ensure our youngest learners feel safe, supported, and excited about their learning journey from day one.

Looking ahead, we will gather for Ash Wednesday Mass and liturgy on March 5, a significant occasion in our Catholic calendar marking the beginning of Lent. This is a time for reflection, prayer, and preparation, and we encourage our school community to embrace the themes of repentance and renewal during this season.

We also invite all parents and caregivers to our Meet the Teacher evening on March 12. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher, gain insight into classroom routines and expectations, and understand how we can work together to support your child’s learning and development throughout the year. Strong partnerships between home and school are key to student success, and we look forward to seeing many of you there.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to a great term ahead!

The Board welcomes everyone to a new and productive new school year. We welcome some new students and their families and ensure them that their sons and daughters are in a school with good educational outcomes, embedded within a strong Catholic ethos. We also welcome some new staff and we wish them well in their career journey here at Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School. The board also wishes to thank the senior leadership team in ensuring that the year starts well. There is a massive amount of organisation that takes place behind the scenes that many people are not aware of. 

For the first half of this term, we are focusing on the Mary Value of Full of Grace, which encourages us to act with patience, humility, and gentleness in our daily lives. These virtues help us build a school environment where everyone feels safe, respected, and valued.

🔹 Patience – Being patient means staying calm and waiting our turn without frustration. Whether in class, at play, or in conversation, showing patience helps us respect others and create a peaceful school environment.

🔹 Humility – True humility means celebrating success with grace, whether it’s our own achievements or those of others. We show humility by being thankful for our talents while also recognising and encouraging the efforts of our classmates.

🔹 Gentleness – Gentleness is about treating others with kindness in both our words and actions. We practise this by:

By living out these virtues, we follow Mary’s example of grace, kindness, and respect. Let’s strive to demonstrate Full of Grace in all we do!

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a special time in the Church when we prepare our hearts for Easter. On this day, we receive ashes on our foreheads as a sign of repentance and a reminder to turn back to God. The ashes symbolise humility and our desire to grow closer to God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Here are some simple ways families can observe Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season together:

🔹 Pray Together – Set aside time for family prayer. You could say a special prayer asking God to help you grow in kindness and faith during Lent.

🔹 Make a Lenten Promise – As a family, discuss something you can give up (e.g., sweets, screen time) or take on (e.g., doing extra chores, acts of kindness) to bring you closer to God.

🔹 Read a Bible Story – Read about Jesus’ time in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11) and talk about how He prepared for His mission through fasting and prayer.

🔹 Acts of Kindness – Encourage children to do small acts of kindness, such as writing a kind note for a family member or helping a neighbour.

🔹 Create a Lenten Prayer Space – Set up a small prayer area with a candle, a crucifix, and a purple cloth (the colour of Lent) as a reminder to pray and reflect.

Lent is a time for renewal, and Ash Wednesday invites us to begin this journey with open hearts. Let’s take this opportunity to grow in faith and love as a family!

Children need a healthy lunch box that provides protein for growth, complex carbohydrates for sustained energy and essential fatty acids for brain function.

Sugary snacks and processed foods should be avoided as they provide minimal nutritional benefits and inhibit learning through sugar highs and lows and other ways.

Children love finger food and mini servings of food as well as plenty of choice and variety. The following are tried and tested alternatives to the standard sandwich and piece of fruit. 

We encourage our children to bring their cultural foods to school too!

Thank you for ensuring our uniform standards are upheld!

The 2025 Student Dues and Contribution Statements have been sent home. Thank you to families who have already paid or started regular payments. If you haven’t yet, please ensure regular payments (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or termly) begin before the end of February.

Attendance Dues are a compulsory charge set by the Catholic Diocese of Auckland to cover property costs, building maintenance, and insurance. 

Attendance Dues are a legal payment, not a donation, and are required under the Education and Training Act 2020 as a condition of enrolment in a Catholic school. Payments can be made in full at the start of the year, per term, or through regular instalments via cash, Eftpos, automatic payment, or internet banking.