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Newsletter Week 8, Term 1
St Michael's Catholic School, Wednesday 25 March
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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Tēnā koutou kātoa e te whānau,
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I have recently returned from a very special week on retreat at MacKillop Place in Sydney and the MacKillop Spirituality and Retreat Centre in Kincumber, Australia. I was privileged to attend alongside my fellow Hamilton Diocese Catholic Principals, with our time led by Sr Maureen from the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
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This retreat provided a meaningful opportunity to deepen our understanding of Mary MacKillop, the first Australian Saint and the Patron Saint of Mary of the Cross Parish here in Rotorua. It was a truly enriching time of prayer, reflection, and connection, and I feel grateful to bring this renewed sense of purpose and faith back to our school community.
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Next Sunday, 29 March, our Sri Lankan community will be celebrating their New Year here at St Michael’s School. Our school community is warmly invited to join in this vibrant celebration. I encourage families to come along and enjoy the cultural performances and delicious food. This will be the third time the Sri Lankan community has held this event on our school grounds, and I am sure it will once again be a wonderful occasion.
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As we move into next week, we enter Holy Week, the most important week in the Catholic calendar. Holy Week is a time when we remember the final days of Jesus’ life. It begins with Palm Sunday, celebrating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and leads us through the events of the Last Supper and Good Friday, where we remember Jesus’ suffering and death. It culminates in the joy of Easter Sunday, celebrating His resurrection and the promise of new life.
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At school, we will be marking this sacred time together through prayer and liturgy. Teachers will send out further information about these events.
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- Wednesday 1 April: Holy Week Amazing Race
- Thursday 2 April: Last Supper Liturgy (whānau are warmly welcome to attend)
Our school term will conclude on Thursday 2 April, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for Term 2 on Monday 20 April.
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We also acknowledge the upcoming ANZAC Day. While school will be closed on Monday 27 April, we warmly invite our students and families to take part in the community commemorations.
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ANZAC Day Civic Memorial Service Details:
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- Date: Saturday 25 April 2026
- Service Time: 9:30am
- Location: Sir Howard Morrison Centre, 1170 Fenton Street
For those wishing to participate in the parade:
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- Assembly: 8:50am at the Te Arawa Soldiers Memorial (corner of Oruawhata & Queens Drive, Government Gardens) in school uniform. Whaea Jenny and I will be there to meet you.
- March Start: 9:00am
- The parade will travel along Queens Drive, past the Cenotaph, through Princes Arch, along Arawa Street, and conclude at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre.
This is always a meaningful opportunity for our tamariki to honour those who have served our country.
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Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our school. I wish you all a blessed Holy Week as we prepare for the joy of Easter.
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Te tumuaki o te kura Hato Mikaere
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Special Character
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DRS message
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St. Patrick’s Day Success
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A huge thank you to everyone for the St. Patrick’s Day baking! We are delighted to announce that we raised just over $200, which will be donated to Caritas. Your generosity and support for this cause are greatly appreciated.
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As we enter Holy Week, we walk quietly with Jesus on His way to the cross. Through the Stations of the Cross, we pause at moments along that journey: moments of pain, but also of deep humanity.
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Jesus stumbles.
Someone steps in to help.
He meets His mother.
A stranger offers comfort.
He is stripped of everything, and still, He keeps going.
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These moments are not as distant as they might seem.
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If we look around Aotearoa, we can recognise strong similarities in the people around us:
in the parent quietly carrying financial stress, in someone facing illness or loss, in the loneliness that isn’t always visible, in the quiet resilience of whānau trying to do their best each day.
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The story of the cross begins to feel closer; less like something from long ago, and more like something still unfolding.
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And within it, it is often the smallest moments that remain: a helping hand, a simple kindness, someone who chooses not to walk away.
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Perhaps that is where Holy Week meets us - not in big gestures, but in small, human ones.
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For our tamariki, the Stations of the Cross are not just a story to learn. They are an invitation to notice, to care, and to respond with aroha in the everyday moments that matter.
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As we move through this week, there may be quiet opportunities to notice someone who is struggling, to offer a kind word, to stand alongside another person.
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Not everything can be fixed. But something can always be shared.
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And maybe that is where hope begins.
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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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JPC 2027 Enrolments: 'Open to View' Tours
For our families looking ahead to high school, 2027 enrolments for John Paul College have now kicked off. JPC is hosting two 'Open to View' tour dates this year for interested parents and caregivers:
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When: Wednesday 24 June & Thursday 25 June 2026 (Week 10, Term 2).
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The Experience: Year 10 Prefects will be running the tours, allowing you to see the classes in action during a normal school day.
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We encourage our wider community to take note of these dates if you are considering JPC for your child’s future.
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School lunches available on Wednesday each week
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You can order lunch by 8.30am on Wednesday morning and this will be delivered to the office for your child.
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Spotlight on learning
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The Ark: Psalm 139:14 The children in the Ark have been exploring the message of Psalm 139:14: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." To reflect on this, they have created some beautiful self-portraits, celebrating their unique identities and the care with which they were created.
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Upcoming events for Term 1:
- Thursday 26 March- Class mass at St Michael's Church - Galilee 1 / The Ark
- Wednesday 1 April:-Holy Week Amazing Race
- Thursday 2 April: Last Supper Liturgy (whānau are warmly welcome to attend)/ Last Day of Term 1
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Sports News
Congratulations to our latest Players of the Day for their effort and sportsmanship:
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Flyers: Jessica Van Duyn & Bucky Foote
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Saints: Xavier Koloi & Skyson Wikaira Makaea
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📸 Reminder: Send in Your Sports Photos
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We love celebrating the efforts of all our players, whether they are playing here at school or achieving big goals elsewhere.
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If you have any photos from Touch Rugby or other sporting events, please email them to the office. We want to keep our community updated with all your action shots!
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Touch Rugby Finals Update
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So stoked for our St Mike’s All Stars! They fought hard in the finals and came away as Runners-Up. It wasn't just about the score, though—the way they played together as a team was the best part. A big thank you to Jason for coaching the team through such a great season. We couldn’t have done it without your time and dedication!
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PTA News
We are currently looking for Treasurer and Secretary volunteers to take over these roles from next year. If you are interested in getting involved, please email the PTA as soon as possible. Training and support will be provided throughout this year to help prepare you before stepping into the role in 2027.
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If you think the Chairperson role might be something you would like to take on in the future, we would also love to hear from you. We are looking to appoint a Vice Chairperson who can learn and grow into the Chairperson role over the next two years.
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Thank you to all those families who have already brought in items for our Easter Raffle.
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The family who sells the most tickets will win a $50 Food Voucher
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Raffles will be drawn at school on the 31 March 2026
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Please ensure all raffle ticket money and all unsold tickets are handed in to the office by Friday, March 27th. We must have all stubs and unsold books back by this date to prepare for the draw.
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The PTA will be running our chocolate fundraiser in term 2. More details to come
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Our annual Mother’s Day Stall will be held on 6th, 7th & 8th May
All gifts will be $3.00 each
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Let your child make Mother’s Day extra special by choosing a small gift to say, “Thank you, Mum.”
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Athletics Success!
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We have some exciting news to share from the track! Georgia Geyer competed in the Waikato/BOP Athletics Championships and achieved some truly outstanding results.
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Georgia took home three gold medals in the 60m, 100m, and 200m events. To top off an incredible weekend, she was officially awarded the title of the fastest 9-year-old girl in the region!
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Georgia will now go on to represent the Waikato/BOP region at the 2027 Colgate Games (North Island competition) in Whangarei this coming January. We are incredibly proud of your hard work and success, Georgia—well done!
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Board of Trustees
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Next board meeting Date: Monday 4 May
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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 board e-mail address; smcsboard@stmichaelsrotorua.school.nz or alternatively, send letters to the school in an envelope marked "Board of Trustees."
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St Michaels School Board of Trustees
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Angela Smith-Bigwood (Chair), Joe Hewlett, Thushara Jayawickrama Vithanage, Shania Howe (Parent Reps), Bernadette Fredrickson (Proprietor Rep), Nicky Curran (Proprietor Rep)
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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 Angela Smith-Bigwood (Presiding Member)
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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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🌳 Help Wanted: Our School Forest Area
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Do you have a green thumb or some building skills? We are looking for volunteers to help maintain and develop the new school forest area that was planted last year.
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We would greatly appreciate any support you can offer with the following tasks:
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Maintenance: Clearing weeds from around the trees and checking/adjusting tree stakes.
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Mulching: Helping to spread mulch when our next delivery arrives.
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Building Projects: We are looking for someone to assist our caretaker with installing wooden edging or building a low-level wooden platform for our future outdoor learning space. (All materials and tools are provided).
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Flexible Timing: These jobs can be done at a time that suits you. If you are keen to provide educational support, you are also welcome to help while Whaea Adrienne is working out there with groups of children.
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How to help: If you can lend a hand, please contact the school office or Whaea Adrienne (Eden 6) directly.
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Community News
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Beginners After School Art Classes with Janet Keen enrolling NOW for Term 1, 2,3 and 4
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Drawing, Painting, Mosaics.
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Tuesdays, Wednesdays , Thursdays
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3.30pm to 4.30pm and 4.35pm to 5.35pm
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Small classes, friendly, safe, quiet, environment.
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374 Clayton Road, Rotorua.
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