School Prospectus

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Prospectus2010

Curriculum

All our staff are dedicated and focused on raising your children’s academic achievement.  Your children’s progress is closely monitored and programmes are developed to meet children’s needs.  This allows St. Michael’s Catholic School to deliver programmes for children who need additional support or extension.
We are passionate about providing quality education for all children.  As a staff we attend professional development programmes on a regular basis to ensure that our teaching is both of the highest standards and based on current research and evidence of how quality teachers engage and teach their children.
Our use of quality assessment tools and analysis of the results allows us to create specific programmes to extend your children’s learning.  We constantly monitor progress to ensure that the school is appropriately resourced for the learning needs of the children.

ICT

Each classroom has computers that are connected to the network. We use the computers to provide authentic, rich and powerful learning experiences for the children.

Support Staff

The school is well served by a committed and dedicated team of teacher aides and parent helpers. The provision of quality professional development and guidance from the Deputy Principal contributes to their collective knowledge and ability to add value to student’s learning.

Special Character

Our school has a special character that requires that the Gospel of Jesus Christ be both lived and taught. The school is part of the Catholic community of the parish of St. Michael’s, and our church is located on Lake Road, on the shore of beautiful Lake Rotorua.
As St. Michael’s we seek to educate the whole child and believe that we can assist parents in the care, development and nurture of their children’s faith. The role of the school is to contribute to the spiritual, academic, physical, cultural and special growth of the children.
The special character of our Catholic school manifests itself in many ways. Your child will be taught the approved NZ Religious Education curriculum at the appropriate level, every class will begin and end each day with prayer and pray a grace before lunch break. Also there will be liturgies held at school, often in the hall, to celebrate important feast days in the church’s year. For example, St Patrick’s day, Easter, Christmas, St. Michael’s Day,  Mercy day (in honour of the Sisters of Mercy who began our school many years ago).
During each term Masses will be held led by classes and occasionally a school Mass will be held on a Sunday. It is compulsory for all pupils to attend this and parents are most welcome at our Masses and liturgies.
One of the most obvious ways our special character is demonstrated can be summed up on the word “relationships”. A Catholic school prides itself in the quality of relationships – between staff, children, parents, in fact between all people who have any contact with the school. At St. Michel’s we pride ourselves in the quality of our relationships and endeavour to provide a  quality education in an environment of Christian care. Genuine warm welcome, care and support are features we know you will enjoy.

Sacramental Programme

First Reconciliation and Holy Communion
These are parish-based programmes, which have been taught by a teacher from our school. Instruction usually takes place out of school, at St. Michael’s Church and involves attendance by both children and their parents.
These sacramental programmes are a very important celebration in the life of our school and wider parish community.

Ongoing Catholic Education
St Michael’s School is fortunate in that pupils in Year 6 are able to continue their  Catholic Education at the Intermediate and Secondary levels by moving on to John Paul College for Yr 7-13. The College is a co-educational Y7-13 Catholic College situated in Corlett Street, Rotorua West. PH: 07 347 8795.

A Year 6 experience day is held each year for St Michael’s students, and the College Principal and Year 7 Dean visit St Michael’s in the latter half of the year to conduct enrolment interviews with our Year 6 students and their parents.
All information and enrolment packages are available either at St Michael’s or at John Paul College.