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Newsletter Week 7, Term 3
St Michael's Catholic School, Thursday 28th August
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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Tēnā koutou kātoa e te whānau,
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Last week, Edith Klostermann, Shayla O’Neill, and I attended the Hamilton Catholic Diocese Principal and DRS Conference. The guest speaker was David Wells, a renowned Catholic inspirational speaker known for his warmth, wisdom, and deep faith.
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In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we were truly blessed to hear him speak on Hope and Faith—what they are, why we need them, and how they help us move from fear to trust in God. His message was uplifting and gave us much to reflect on, especially around finding joy in the everyday life of our schools.
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This week, some of our senior students will be participating in the Kāhui Ako Sports Day. We are excited to be sending both a hockey team and a soccer team to take part in this fun competition.
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Meanwhile, practices are well underway for our school production of Peter Pan! The children are working hard to learn their lines and songs, and it is wonderful to see their enthusiasm shining through. Tickets are now available from the school office—be sure to get yours!
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School Photo Day
A reminder that School Photo Day will be held on Thursday 11 September. Please ensure students come to school in full correct uniform.
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We are still on the lookout for a kaiako to support our Kapa Haka roopu. A huge thank you to Whaea Kelly for her years of dedication to this group. If you know of a guitarist who could spare a couple of hours a week to accompany our talented tamariki, we’d love to hear from you!
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Te tumuaki o te kura o Hato Mikaere
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A huge thank you to our amazing school community — with your support at today’s Mufti Day, we raised $200 for the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa. Well done, everyone!
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Welcome to Our School Community
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Reid Laing ( Nate's brother) -The Ark
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We are delighted to have you as part of our school community and look forward to getting to know you!
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A Message from our DRS:
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Last Sunday during Mass, I had the privilege of witnessing a baptism. During the Mass, we were invited to renew our own baptismal promises. One question lingered with me long after: “Do you renounce Satan and all his works?”
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I started wondering: “What does that mean in our lives today?”
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Perhaps ‘Satan’ is not only a distant figure of evil, but also the subtle things that hold us back from the life of joy and freedom God longs for us. It might be the time spent scrolling on screens that steals our time with loved ones. It might be the quiet temptation to compare ourselves to others, instead of celebrating the gifts we have been given. It might even be the unspoken grudges, impatience or harsh words that weigh on our hearts.
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Seen in this way, those baptismal promises became even more meaningful and relevant. To renounce ‘Satan’ is to turn away from whatever robs us of peace or distances us from love. And with every “no” we say to those things, we open the door to a greater “yes” - a yes to kindness, a yes to gratitude and a yes to the hope and joy Christ offers.
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For me, it was a gentle but powerful reminder: faith is not only found in great moments, but in the small choices we make each day to live with open hands and open hearts.
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May each of you find small ways this week to live your “yes” - to gratitude, to kindness and to the love that makes life full.
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Director of Religious Studies
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St Michael's Church Holy Mass Timetable
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St Mary's Church Holy Mass Timetable
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Community Masses -All Welcome
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Miha Maori - First Saturday of the month, 5pm Vigil Mass at St Michael’s.
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Tokelauan Community - Third Saturday of the month, 5pm Vigil Mass at St Michael’s.
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Filipino Community - Third Friday of the month, 6pm at St Michael’s.
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Spotlight on Learning
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Our Eden 6 children have been working hard in RE and produced some fantastic write-ups on Mary. Kaela also created a wonderful piece on Jane Goodall. Well done to all our learners – we are very proud of your efforts!
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Health & Safety
Healthy Lunches at School
We have noticed an increase in lollies and sweet items coming to school in lunchboxes. While these are fine as an occasional treat at home, they don’t provide the energy children need for a busy school day. A healthy lunch helps sustain your child through school and keeps them feeling full and focused.
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Some great options for a healthy lunchbox include:
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Fresh fruit or vegetable sticks
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Sandwiches, wraps, or rolls with protein (e.g. chicken, tuna, cheese, or egg)
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Crackers, popcorn, or wholegrain snacks
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Thank you for supporting us in encouraging healthy eating habits for our tamariki.
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Parking and Pick-Up Safety
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To ensure the safety of our tamariki, please note the following reminders:
🚫 All the car parks by the office, including down the driveway are for staff only – parents are not permitted to park there.
🚗 The drive-through system in front of the office is a stop-and-go system only. If your child is not waiting when you arrive, please drive around again rather than stopping and holding up traffic.
🅿️ If you wish to park and come into school, there is ample parking available in the Clayton Road carpark (across the field).
🚸 Our traffic warden will be visible to remind parents of these rules. Please do not be offended if our safety warden asks you to move.
❌ Please do not park in driveways on May Road or Lisa Crescent, or on footpaths and grass verges. Unsafe parking puts our tamariki at risk.
If unsafe parking continues, the school will be working with the police to address these concerns.
If you have someone else picking up your child, please let them know of our safety rules.
Our children’s safety is our number one priority. Thank you for doing the right thing to help keep our tamariki safe and healthy.
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Upcoming events for Term 3:
- Friday 29 August- Kahui Ako Sport Event (Soccer and Hockey Team only)
- Thursday 11 September - School / Sports Photos
- Tuesday 16/ Wednesday 17 September -School Production : Peter Pan
- Friday 19 September - Last day of Term 3
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Sports News
A Huge Thank You
A big thank you to all our parents who have volunteered their time to coach this season – without your dedication, there would be no teams. We are also very grateful to the parents and whānau who support our tamariki on the sidelines and behind the scenes. We are so fortunate to have such a caring and supportive community.
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Player Of The Day
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Maxi Team - Angelina Elliott
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Mini Team - Ambrose Assen
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22/08/2025- Devam Narotam
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Tigers - Adam Geyer & Mason Forster
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Pumas - Ethan Carruthers & Kawana Phillips
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Tigers - Erin Faulman & Odelia Hayes
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Pumas - Mannat Kaur & Kaela Catena
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Lions - Mecah Petersen & Esmee Brooks
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We had our soccer duty day on the 16/08/25 and managed to raise $870 on the day. Profit made will go back into soccer development for the school. A huge thank you to all our parents and grandparents for all their support.
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Sports Uniforms
For sports codes that have now finished, please return your child’s uniform to school as soon as possible. This will ensure we have them ready for the upcoming sports photos.
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Congratulations to our St Michael’s Maxi Hockey team who came 2nd in the C Grade final against Glenholme! The team played hard and with heart – what an awesome effort! A huge thank you to Coach Keiran for his dedication and to all the parents who came along to support the kids – we couldn’t do it without you!
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Well done to our St Michael’s Mini Hockey team for an outstanding season, finishing 2nd in their grade. A big shout-out to Coach Kris for guiding and encouraging the team, and thanks to all our supporters on the sidelines – your cheers make a difference!
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Soccer team picture at our Rotorua Schools Winter Sports Day
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Board of Trustees
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Next board meeting Date: Monday 20 October
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At each BOT meeting - twice a term - policies are reviewed. If you would like to communicate with the BOT, you are welcome to email our independent e-mail address; botstmichaels@gmail.com, or alternatively, send letters to the school in an envelope marked "Board of Trustees."
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You are also welcome to attend any meeting, however, if you would like to have speaking rights, you need to request this from the chair using the email address. This email address can be accessed by Joseph Assen (Chair)
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St Michael's School Board of Trustees
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Angela Smith-Bigwood (Chair), Rachael McLanachan(Principal), Edith Klostermann(Staff Rep), Joe Hewlett, Thushara Jayawickrama Vithanage, Shania Howe (Parent Reps), Bernadette Fredricksen (Proprietor Rep), Nicky Curran (Proprietor Rep)
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Each term, the whole school community is invited to review and comment on specific policies and procedures. This feedback is captured using the review button on topics that are under review.
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Log on to School Docs to have your say.
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SchoolDocs is an online platform that provides access to our school policies, procedures, and guidelines. It serves as a valuable tool for staying informed and ensuring that we are all on the same page.
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To access SchoolDocs, please visit
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schooldoc.co.nz and use the following login details:
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Username: stmichaelsrotorua
Password: community
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PTA News
Production - the PTA are looking for any vouchers or gift baskets to raffle off at our Peter Pan production coming up. If anyone can help with with either one please get in contact with them or drop it off at the office.
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Next meeting - 04/09/25 @ 4:45pm in the school staffroom. Everyone welcome, no pressure, no commitments.
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Father's Day stall - 2nd, 3rd & 4th September All give $3.00
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Tomato Seedlings Fundraiser We will be selling Tomato seedlings at the beginning of term 4. More information to follow
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Sausage Sizzle on Friday
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Sausages will be available every Friday for $2.00. Orders are taken in class at 9:00am.
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Bread on Wednesday
Bread will be available on Wednesday mornings. Please collect your bread from outside the main office – limit of 2 bags per family.
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This bread is kindly donated by Bakers Delight, Rotorua Central Mall. If you happen to enjoy something you try, we encourage you to support their business by calling in and purchasing more.
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