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Newsletter Week 9, Term 2
St Michael's Catholic School, Wednesday 17 June
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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
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What a special and memorable week it has been at St Michael's Catholic School.
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Our week began with our school community supporting the welcome of the relic of St Carlo Acutis to St Michael's Church on Sunday. It was wonderful to see a group of our senior students attend Mass and proudly sing a waiata to welcome St Carlo to Rotorua. Their reverence, enthusiasm, and beautiful singing helped make the occasion a very special one for our parish community.
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On Tuesday, we had the privilege of welcoming the relic of St Carlo into our school. Mrs Klostermann and our senior students led a beautiful liturgy that helped us reflect on Carlo's life and the example he provides for young people today. We were honoured to welcome Monsignor Antonio from Assisi, along with Kate and Kirsty, who shared Carlo's story and helped bring this remarkable young saint to life for our students.
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The children were captivated by the story of St Carlo Acutis, often known as "God's Influencer." Although Carlo lived in modern times, loved computers and technology, and enjoyed many of the same things our students do today, he chose to place God at the centre of his life. Through simple acts of kindness, prayer, service, and love for others, he showed that anyone can make a difference in the world.
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As we reflect on this special visit, I would like to remind our students that holiness is not about doing extraordinary things. St Carlo showed us that greatness comes from doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Every act of kindness, every helping hand, every prayer, and every effort to live our faith matters.
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At St Michael's, our motto is "Christ Be My Light – Ko te Karaiti tōku marama." Like Carlo, we are called to let Christ's light shine through our words, actions, and choices each day.
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Te tumuaki o te kura Hato Mikaere
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Staff Retreat at Tyburn Monastery
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Our staff recently spent a wonderful day on retreat at Tyburn Monastery in Ngakuru.
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The day was filled with learning and inspiration. We were blessed to have Ange from MokoMade lead us through a deeply meaningful Tukutuku weaving session, which was a fantastic cultural learning experience. We also heard from Fr. Aidan Mullholland, who delivered a highly thought-provoking and inspiring session on Catholic Leadership. Our staff return refreshed, inspired, and ready to lead our students with renewed spirit!
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A Warm Welcome!
Welcome to Our New Students and their families! We are absolutely delighted to welcome some new faces to our school community . Please join us in giving a warm welcome to:
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Jessica Allen – Joining us in The Ark
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- Rovianna Embile – Joining us in The Ark
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Sawyer Hart – Joining us in The Ark
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Lawson Hart – Joining us in Galilee 4
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It is wonderful to have you all here with us. We know our current students and families will make Jessica, Rovianna, Sawyer, and Lawson feel right at home!
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Enrolments for Siblings for 2026/2027
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Do you have a child due to start school this year (born 2021) or in Term 1 2027 as a Year 1?
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Please come into the school office to collect an enrolment form. Getting these completed early helps us immensely with our future planning!
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Message from the DRS
This week, our school community was blessed with a truly special experience as we welcomed the relics of St Carlo Acutis. For many of our tamariki, it was their first encounter with a relic and an opportunity to reflect on the life of a young person who has already left an extraordinary mark on the Church and the world.
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What makes Carlo so captivating, especially for children, is that he was remarkably ordinary. He loved football, enjoyed playing video games, cared deeply for his friends, and, famously, had a fondness for Nutella. He lived in a world that looks very much like the one our children know today. Yet within that ordinary life, Carlo discovered something extraordinary: a deep friendship with Jesus.
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As students came forward to venerate the relics, there was a noticeable sense of reverence and curiosity. Many were surprised to learn that sainthood is not reserved for people from distant centuries or for those who lived lives beyond our imagination. Carlo reminds us that holiness is possible in our own time, in our own communities, and even in the everyday moments of childhood.
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Carlo once said, "The Eucharist is my highway to heaven." These simple words challenge all of us to consider what truly matters. In a world filled with distractions, Carlo chose to place God at the centre of his life. He used his gifts, particularly his love of technology, to share his faith with others and to make Christ known.
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As I watched our tamariki quietly reflect, pray and ask thoughtful questions, I was reminded that young people are capable of profound faith when given the opportunity. Carlo's life speaks directly to them because it shows that they do not need to wait until they are older to make a difference. They can be kind, courageous, prayerful and faithful right now.
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May the visit of St Carlo Acutis' relics continue to inspire our students and families in the weeks ahead. May we all be encouraged by his example to seek God in the ordinary moments of life and to remember that holiness begins with a simple "yes" to God's invitation each day.
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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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St Carlo Acutis Celebrations
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Thank you to the families who joined our special Mass welcoming St Carlo Acutis' relics; our students sang and served beautifully! Our celebrations continued with a school liturgy on Tuesday as we inspire our children to live like modern-day saints.
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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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🌭 Friday Lunch Special: American Hot Dogs
We are having an American Hot Dog lunch this Friday only!
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How to order: Orders are taken in class.
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Deadline: Must be ordered by 9:00 AM.
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Please remind your child to get their order in with their teacher as soon as they arrive. We unfortunately cannot fill any orders placed after 9:00 AM!
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Spotlight on learning
A huge congratulations to Angelina, Billie, Gavesh, and Jethro for taking part in the recent EPro8 engineering competition. It was a wonderful hands-on experience that challenged their problem-solving and teamwork skills. The team had a brilliant time learning on their feet and represented our school so well. Way to go!
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Last week, Eden 6 and Galilee 1 connected this term’s Social Science learning to the real world with a trip to historic Ohinemutu.
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Students began at St Faith’s Church, then explored the village to observe how history, culture, and the environment shape a community. Key highlights included the ANZAC Memorial, Tamatekapua Marae, and seeing how locals utilize geothermal activity in daily life.
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It was a fantastic day of active observation and deep cultural connection.
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Upcoming events for Term 2:
- Wednesday 24 June - Buried Village Trip
- Friday 3 July - End of Term 2/Mufti Day for Caritas
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Sports News
Players of the Day:
Soccer
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Tigers: Asher Carruthers & Morgan Love
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Lions: Lachlan Stephens & Clara Smith-Bigwood
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Hockey
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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 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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Football Success at Papamoa Tournament!
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Huge congratulations to Mecah, Milan, and Georgia, who competed in the Papamoa Tournament on Sunday, May 31st. Despite this being only their first tournament together after playing just three season games as a new football team, they absolute smashed it! The team finished 2nd in their pool and made it all the way to the semi-finals. We are incredibly proud of their achievement, especially considering the other three teams in the top four were all elite Auckland Academy teams. Fantastic effort, everyone!
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Central BOP Cross Country
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A massive well done to all of our incredible students who ran their hearts out representing our school at the Central BOP Cross Country event yesterday! You braved the course, pushed through the tough spots, and made our whole school community incredibly proud.
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It was fantastic to see our runners putting in 100% effort, showing amazing sportsmanship, and cheering each other on.
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A special congratulations to our amazing representatives:
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8 Years: Shrey Chandra, Joey Hewlett, Devam Narotam, Ayva Mose, and Mannat Kaur.
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9 Years: Ethan Carruthers, Connor Geyer, Charlie Corbett, Montana Foote, Georgia Geyer, Mecah Petersen, and Milan Geyer.
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10 Years: Ethan King, Billie Tucker, Angelina Elliott, Sukhnoor Kaur, and Thiseni Sethumsa.
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Montana and Billie got in the top 6 for their age category and are now given the opportunity to race at the Bay Of Plenty Cross Country at the end of the month! Great work girls!
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Thank you also to the parents and caregivers who came along to support, transport, and cheer on the team—we couldn't do it without you!
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PTA News
PTA Zoom Meeting – 24 June 2026 at 5:00pm
The Zoom link will be shared next week for anyone who would like to join us.
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Upcoming Term 3 Events
More details will be provided closer to each event date:
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• Father's Day Stall – Date TBC
• Disco – Date TBC
• Tomato Seedlings Sale – Selling earlier this year, ready for spring planting
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Please keep an eye out for further updates throughout the term.
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Board of Trustees
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Next board meeting Date: Monday 5 August
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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), Damian Flynn, Joseph Hewlett, Shania Howe (Parent Reps), Bernadette Fredrickson (Proprietor Rep), Nicky Curran (Proprietor Rep) Gary Dender (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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Community News
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Local government changes are coming
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Through its Simplifying Local Government programme, the Government is looking at changes to how local government is organised.
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The goal is to make the system simpler by reducing the number of city and district councils across New Zealand and moving towards unitary authorities.
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We want to start a conversation with the community to understand what matters most to Rotorua residents.
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This survey is not formal consultation.Your feedback will help shape our early thinking, but it will not determine final decisions or guarantee specific outcomes.
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While central government will make the final decisions about the future of local government, our role is to make sure the views of Rotorua communities are heard.
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The survey closes 22 June 2026.
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Share your feedback on the future of local government:
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IT Bytes: Keeping Our Tamariki Safe Online
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Online safety is more important than ever, and Netsafe is here to help! They are currently offering a series of free online webinars packed with practical tools and information to help keep you and your tamariki safe in the digital world.
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With a range of different topics available, you can easily find a session that interests you and attend right from the comfort of your own home.
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Where: Online (Zoom/Webinar)
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Beginners After school Art Classes with Janet Keen enrolling NOW for the remainder of Term 2,3 and 4
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Drawing, Painting, Mosaics.
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Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 3.30pm to 4.30pm and 4.35pm to 5.35pm
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Small classes, friendly, safe, quiet, studio/classroom in an organic native tree and bird - filled garden.
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People aged 5 and upwards welcome.
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