‘Oku ou talitali lelei kimoutolu (Greetings everyone),
This week was Tongan Language Week, another beautiful language and culture in New Zealand. One phrase I love that is Tongan is: ‘Oua lau e kafo kae lau e lava. This means, don’t count the difficulties, count the blessings. It is a reminder to stay positive and focus on achievements rather than obstacles.
SAU IA FEST / OPTIONAL PASIFIKA GROUP
Wow, what a treat this was. Our students performed so well and were a treat to take to the town hall twice in a day! Sienna soloed in front of a packed house, and our group was acknowledged as the school/group that best embodied Pasifika values. We are so proud of our students and teachers for this! Massive thanks to our families for sorting uniforms and helping students to be there on time and looking amazing. To our lead teachers, momoli atu le fa’afetai fa’apitoa ia oulua mo le auaunaga. Mālō lava!!!
PARISH DAY / TE RĀ O TE PĀRIHA
This is being held on Sunday 20 September at Haeata. This replaces our normal once a term junior and senior mass. Mass will be at 9.30am. There will be performances by students and lunch provided after. Please do your best to make this to support our school.
COURSE NEXT TERM / AKORAKA A TĒRĀ WĀHAKA
We are looking at running a Neurodivergent Whānau Workshop during Term 4 and are now seeking expressions of interest. Fridays are the preferred day for this workshop. To run the programme, we require a minimum of 6 participants, with a maximum of 10 to ensure a supportive and interactive group environment.
This group is for parents, caregivers, and whānau who are caring for tamariki who have a neurodivergent diagnosis, or who are presenting with traits of neurodivergence and may be exploring assessment and/or support pathways.
The programme consists of six 2-hour sessions delivered over six consecutive weeks.
Programme Outline:
Session 1: Introduction to Neurodivergence
Session 2: Pathways to Diagnosis & Community Supports
Session 3: Self-Advocacy Skills
Session 4: Parenting & Regulation Strategies
Session 5: LEGO® Therapy & Theraplay at Home
Session 6: Reflections, Goal Setting & Questions
If you know of any whānau who may benefit from this programme, please encourage them to express/register their interest.
Please send expressions of interest to principal@stannes.co.nz or directly to Jasmine’s email jasminemk@psusi.org.nz
TE ‘EPETOMA O TE REO MĀORI KŪKI ‘AIRANI / COOK ISLANDS LANGUAGE WEEK
There are three languages of the Cook Islands. Māori, English and Pukapukan. The Māori language has a few dialects due to the amount of islands. We learnt the most common of them, Rarotongan Māori. Students watched Tamariki Kanga (playful children), that was made on-site at St Anne’s by myself, my friend Charlie Charlie and Miss Bradbrook’s brother Ruben. The students then made videos of their own using the language. Some of these can be found on Facebook. We loved learning how close NZ Māori is to Cook Islands Māori and that most children could, due to this, understand a lot of it.
TE AU ‘ĒTŪ O TE ‘EPETOMA KŪKI ‘AIRANI / STARS OF COOK ISLANDS LANGUAGE WEEK
Stars of the week were those who excelled in their efforts to use and learn about a new language (the beautiful language of Rarotonga!)! Well done team!
Tei mua koe, e Zephaniah (you’re awesome Zephaniah)
Tei mua kōrua, e Dylan ‘ē Ariki
Tei mua koe, e Ocean
Tei mua koe, e Baslial
Tei mua koe, e Henry
Tei mua koe, e Francis
Tei mua koe, e Elisapeta
LEARNING CONFERENCES (PARENT INTERVIEWS) / HUI Ā-WHĀNAU MŌ TE AKO
Thank you everyone for coming in for these. We hope you enjoyed hearing about your children’s learning. Remember, if you missed out for whatever reason, just make contact with your child’s teacher. If the interview wasn’t quite long enough, book another time to come in. We prefer straight after school where possible.
LIBRARY / WHARE PUKAPUKA
I would like to congratulate Aurora for achieving her library badge. This award is given to Aurora Haines for her determination and contribution every week to the library. She has done an excellent job at working in the library and her dedication to the library is just great! I am looking forward to seeing you make a big difference in your library work. We are very lucky to have a person like you contributing to our library and you have earned this badge with pride. Ka rere te tai o tēnei mihi ki a koe Aurora mo tōu mahi me tōu kotahitanga hoki ki te whare pukapuka nei. Ka rawe!!
Big thanks, Raki Abenales
FEAST DAY / TE RĀ O TE HĀKARI
St Anne’s Feast Day was celebrated at St Anne’s with children wearing red and green, the colours associated with Anne. Red for love and green for growth. Please read the information next to St Anne in the foyer to learn more about her!! The Faith Team taught all classes and led a short prayer service. Students also shared a book that was important to them. St Anne is usually seen holding a book. We assume it would be the Old Testament and represents her as the first teacher of Mary.
Thanks to Bakery and Coffee on Ferry who gave us food to ‘feast’ on during the day, it was yummy!
Please support those that support us!
MATAVAI
Did you get a chance to read the article in Matavai Issue 14? Here it is below or click on this link!
A PLACE TO BE PROUDLY SAMOAN
Ateliana Tiatia (left) and Mareta Pelenato-Togiaso (right) are helping students grow in confidence, culture and language through St Anne’s Catholic School’s Samoan bilingual units.
For the students at St Anne’s Catholic School’s Samoan bilingual units, learning Gagana Samoa is helping them discover something deeper than language – confidence in who they are.
“When I asked our older students what made them proud to be Samoan, a lot of them said it was because of being in this space,” says teacher Mareta Pelenato-Togiaso. “They felt safe enough to learn a language they weren’t confident in and now feel like they can speak it.”
What began as a small enrichment programme has grown into two bilingual classes, creating a space where students are strengthening their language, culture and identity every day.
For Mareta and fellow teacher Ateliana Tiatia, some of the most rewarding moments happen when students take that confidence beyond the classroom.
One student has been teaching Samoan words to his judo instructor. Others are bringing their learning home, sharing new phrases with family members and practising with friends outside of school.
“We’ve got students who will go home and FaceTime their friends for an hour to go over their reading or their learning because they don’t want to fall behind,” says Mareta. “They’re always checking, asking questions and wanting to learn more.”
Ateliana has also seen the impact bilingual education can have on learning.
“I had one girl who was really struggling with reading,” she says. “When we started learning Samoan reading and phonics, everything started to click. She’s actually enjoying reading now, which is a great success for her.”
For Ateliana, the goal is simple.
“I just want them to be proud of who they are. I want them to really embrace their culture and share it with others.”
That pride was on full display when two students recently delivered formal Samoan speeches at a community event.
“I got so many comments afterwards about how amazing those boys were,” says Mareta. “For me, that was massive. It showed we were doing the right thing.”
Looking ahead, both teachers hope their students continue to carry their language and culture with confidence.
“I hope our kids become advocates for our language,” says Mareta. “I want them to celebrate who they are and be really proud to be Samoan.”
“I never want our kids to suffer from imposter syndrome,” she adds. “I want them to know they have a place here, and when they go out into the world, they have a place there too.”
YOUTH GROUP / RŌPŪ Ā-TAITAMARIKI
A reminder this happens on a Friday and our students who go, love it. Please consider this for your child.
KĀ HERE / POLICIES
A reminder, if you are interested in our policies and/or would like to take part in our termly reviews, they can be found here. Please follow the link and then have a look around!
He mea maumahara tēnei, mēnā tō hiahia, tirohia kā here, mahia kā arotake hoki. Kai konei kā here. Whāia te honoka, kātahi, tirohia!
UPCOMING EVENTS / KĀ TAIOPEKA E HAERE MAI ANA
If you have any questions, please email or talk to the person whose email address follows the reminder. If there is no email address, it is just something to be aware of.
Mēnā he pātai āhau, īmēra atu te īmēra kua tuhia, kōrerotia ki te takata kua whakaikoatia. Mehemea kāhore he īmēra, he mea hai whakamōhio noa iho.
TERM 3 / WĀHAKA TORU (If an event is for your child and you have misplaced the notice, go the the calendar entry on the Skool Loop app for all the information you need for the day)
If you need assistance with downloading the Skool Loop app please see Shelley in the office.
TERM 3 / WĀHAKA TORU
WEEK 5 / WIKI RIMA (TONGAN LANGUAGE WEEK)
Friday 21 August – Art Gallery Rm 7 and 8 josh@stannes.co.nz palo@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 6 / WIKI ONO
WEEK 7 / WIKI WHITU
Tuesday 1 September – Enrolment cut off 2027
WEEK 8 / WIKI WARU (PNG LANGUAGE WEEK / SOCIAL JUSTICE WEEK)
Friday 11 September – Frost Buster @ Ferrymead palo@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 9 / WIKI IWA
Friday 18 September – Frost Buster @ Ferrymead back up day palo@stannes.co.nz
Sunday 20 September – Parish Day – This is for all children of the school and replaces any other school weekend masses. 9.30am Mass, 10.45am performances, 11.45am lunch. josh@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 10 / WIKI TEKAU
Tuesday 22 September – Thursday 24 September – Koru Games Years 7 and 8 palo@stannes.co.nz
Te Atua te aro’a ‘ē kia manuia,
Dallas Wichman
Tumuaki / Principal / Pū ‘Āpi’i Ma’ata
