E kā mātua, e kā mātua whākai, e kā whānau whānui, nei rā te mihi o Mahuru Māori ki a koutou katoa.
We are currently in Mahuru Māori (Māori Language Month) and St Anne’s is fully supporting this movement as it can take a good month to make habits stick! Week long language weeks are fun and help bring awareness, but a month is for change. Please join us, make a goal to use more Māori than you do now until the end of the term (three weeks left). Try something manageable, and then share your goal with others (often helps us stick to our goals).
The staff are also doing this, here is what they are doing:
Rūma 1/2: Star of the day does acknowledgement in Māori to the teachers and children (with support). Teacher to pao 3x times a day (call/sing in Māori to the children).
Rūma 3: Word of the week – as a challenge they can only use these new words in class (not the english word)
Rūma 4: Learn the Lord’s Prayer in Māori
Rūma 5: Pao 3x minimum a day by teacher or children, learn and use Māori instruments, hear stories in Māori.
Rūma 6: Morning routine to be in Māori only, including roll, greetings, prayer, acknowledgements, and some conversation practice.
Rūma 7: Acknowledging by memory, phrase a day from wall posters, learning Our Father and Apostles Creed by memory.
Rūma 8: Increasing conversational language, and the ability to acknowle visitors, friends and staff.
Rūma 9: A traditional Māori story a week to explore and a word a day focus.
Dallas: More written use (i.e. newsletter, first language in all things i.e. socials), more verbal use.
Sharyn (teacher aide): Using more Māori language through praise, welcomes, farewells and work in class.
Denise (teacher aide): Using more Māori language through praise, welcomes, farewells and work in class.
Amanda (ESOL): Using more Māori language through praise, welcomes, farewells and work in class.
Shelley (office manager): Using more Māori language through greeting, farewells and praise. Do refresher study in downtime.
Maryse (Better Start Tier 2 support): Using a pao to help settle into seats ready for learning. A saying for each week to learn, and more general language like praise.
Kia kaha te reo Māori!
Mahuru is a star (aka Alphard) that when it reappears, starts this month.
Me kite (let’s see), me rongo (let’s hear), me kōrero (let’s speak)
Mahuru: Saturday 23 August 2025 and ends on Monday 22 September 2025
WHANOKA TIKA / EXPECTATIONS
A reminder that at St Annes, we aim and expect our behaviours to reflect our faith. This is in day to day interactions and actions of students, staff, family and parishioners. We will continue to pull up anything that is not, from language, to behaviour, to parking, etc etc. To keep it simple, our actions reflect ‘love’. If we feel the actions don’t reflect this, we will do everything we can to ensure this changes. Note: Sometimes behaviours can take time to change, but as long as we are moving in the right direction.
I spoke to staff about the importance of informing children and parents when they have complained about behaviour, what we have done. Staff always do something, and I reminded them that they spend a lot of time following up on things that don’t match our expectation or faith, but if they don’t let the student or family know, they will think you have done nothing, and that is not right. It will also cause the student to think it isn’t worthwhile seeking support from an adult. If a teacher has not let you know whether something has been followed up, feel free to contact them and just say, “just wondering if you had time to follow up …….. “. It’s a busy place here, thanks for your understanding.
Ko au tētahi mema o te Komiti o kā Tumuaki Pasifika o Aotearoa, ā, i toroa e NZPPA a Te Whirika Sarah Cohen School, he kura hou kua wāhakatia mō kā ākoka me te matea rau. He maha kā whakaaro kua whakamahia mō te āwhina i ērā tamariki, i ērā ākoka ki kā amiorangi. Waihoki, e toro ana i a Otago Boys hai kōrero ki ētahi ākoka Pasifika nō ētahi kura tuarua i Ōtepoti.
I am part of the New Zealand Pasifika Principals Executive Committee and last week we visited Te Whirika Sara Cohen School, a newly built school for students with diverse learning needs. So much thought is going into helping these students and the students at their satellites. Also, visiting Otago Boys where many pasifika students from various high schools met with us.
E toro ana i tēnei takata i te Wenerei, ko Matua Te Māio. Aue kā mea mīharo kua oti, hai kaiārahi o Māori me Pasifika ki Taieri College ki Ōtepoti. Mōhio koe i te kaimahi manawanui nā te whakapā mai, nāia ētahi pānui:
-Hazel Harnett-Garbes-Kua kitea mātou e ia i te wā whakatā, e whakaako ana ia i Initonīhia.
-Cathy French – Kua rītaia (Tētahi mema o te poari hai mākai o te Pīhopa)
-Marian Jones – Kua rītaia (Tētahi mema o te poari hai mākai o te Pīhopa)
-Judi Parker – Te Waka Whakapono-Kaiako Māori
-Hazel Harnett-Garbes-saw us all during her term break, currently teaching in Indonesia.
-Hamish Drummond-Rolleston College-Māori teacher
-Cathy French – Retired (school board as a proprietors representative)
-Marian Jones – Retired (school board as a proprietors representative)
-Judi Parker – Catholic Cathedral College-Māori teacher
Patua-Te-Hukapapa 2025! He rā nunui kua kī o kā menemene. Ā mātou mihi ki Athletics Canterbury i te taputapu, ki kā mātua, ki kā kaiako whakangungu, ki kā ākoka i te whakapau kaha kia whakarite, whakapai, whakahaere i tēnei taiopeka. Nāia ētahi kiriata, ētahi whakaahua pai ki ruka i a Pukamata!
Frostbuster 2025! A big day out with lots of smiles. Big thanks to Athletics Canterbury for the gear, parents, staff, student teachers and students for all their efforts to set up, pack down and run this event. Some great videos and photos on Facebook!
I Hato Ani koutou i te tau 2000? kua tanumia tētahi ipu tāima, ă, kua tae te wā ki te huaki i te ipu hai tirotiro. Tēnā, tāpiritia tōhou ikoa ki te rāraki ki ruka i te whāraki taiopeka ki Puka mata (he mea hirahira nā te mōhiohio o kā nama). Kai te mahi tahi mātou ko te Pāriha, ko kā ākoka o mua hai haka i tētahi taiopeka pārekareka.
Raupapa:
Paraire 19 Hepetema
12pm: Mīha
12.45pm Kai i te wharepukapuka o Hato Ani, me ētahi kōrero
1.30pm Tikina o te Kiriwaho Tāima
2pm-3pm Tirohia kā mea ki roto o te Kiriwaho Tāima, kātahi, tawhiotia te kura
Were you around St Anne’s in the year 2000? A time capsule was buried and it’s time to see what’s in it. Please list your interest on the event page on Facebook (a must for numbers). The school and parish are working with ex students to make a fun event.
Timeline:
Friday 19th September
12pm Mass
12.45pm food and refreshments at school library and pre-speeches
1.30pm Retrieval of Time Capsule
2pm-3pm Free to look at contents and laugh etc. and then tour the school at own pace.
KĀ TOA O TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI KŪKI ‘ĀIRANI / COOK ISLANDS LANGUAGE WEEK WINNERS
Nāia kā toa o te wiki o te reo Māori Kūki Airani. Mai i te tuhi o pūrākau tawhito, te whakapau kaha i te kanikani i te wā tina, te whakamahi i te reo Māori (Kūki Airani), ki te toa o te whakataetae pūrākau tawhito, i mīharo ēnei tamariki.
These are our Cook Islands Language Week winners. From illustrating traditional Cook Islands stories, to effort in dance at lunchtime, use of Cook Islands Māori and finally to winning our quiz about traditional stories, these students did amazingly.
POITŪKOHU / BASKETBALL (TAU KURA 5/6, YEARS 5/6)
Pāia! Tētahi pō whakamutuka o te wāhaka pāhiketepōro tau kura 5/6. Kua toa Kā Hato, kātahi ka kai hākari ki Chef Astig Euro Asian Cuisine. Nui ā mātou mihi ki a Nathan rāua ko Ysidora i te whakarite, i kā parakitihi, i te ako hoki. Te whakapau kaha hoki! E mihi ana ki Chef Astig Euro Asian Cuisine i te pō whakamutuka maumahara! Mēnā kai te pīraki koe ki te whakatūria tētahi tīma, tēnā, whakapā mai. He rawe ki a mātou te āwhina!
Wow, what a last night of the Year 5/6 basketball season. The Saints had a win, then a feast at Chef Astig Euro Asian Cuisine. Massive thanks to Nathan and Ysidora for organising the team, running practices and coaching on the days. What an effort! Thanks Chef Astig Euro Asian Cuisine for making the last night memorable for the team! If you, a parent, want to make a team possible at our wee school, please make contact. We love the help.
A summary from a student in the team, Marcus Gomez (Year 6):
This year’s basketball was amazing! I’ve received two MVP awards (Most Valuable Player)
which I am happy about and my family members supported me throughout the year. They’re like a cheering squad. It was a dream come true to finally be noticed! So I’d like to thank my coaches, Nathan and Dora (short for Ysidora). Thank you for training me, I really appreciate it, you guys are like the basketball coaches in my dreams. I’d like to give a shoutout to my teammates for being LITERALLY the best teammates ever! I would have never accomplished my dreams without you guys!
MĀ TE MAHI E AKO AI / LEARNING THROUGH ACTION
I tērā wiki, he mātātoa/kaihōpara kā tamariki o te karaehe Hamoa. E titiro ana ki kā rauropi momo Māori me kā rauropi momo rāwaho ki te kahere Bottle Lake, e haka ana i tētahi whare kahere, e tarai ana i ētahi huhu. Nei te mihi ki Learning Through Action. (He maha kā whakaahua kua whakairia i ruka i a Seesaw, tirohia reira)
The students from our Samoan bilingual class were forest explorers last week. Looking at the native and introduced species to the forest, building a shelter and some even trying a huhu grub. Thanks Learning Through Action! (Lots of class trips photos are posted on Seesaw, keep an eye out there)
This crew was so good last week, they were asked to perform at Te Aratai School during their Filipino celebration on Friday. We were so proud of you!!!
2026 (WHAKAIRI PŪRUA / REPEAT POST)
We are beginning to form classes for next year already. With bilingual classes, class sizes are smaller (a government ratio), so we need to do a bit more sorting as there are more classes with less children in them. We did so much assessment and analysis last year to ensure our bilingual education was improving outcomes in all areas and not causing any reductions. You can see some of this data on our website, it was as expected but reassuring that we were doing the right thing with exponential achievement in Māori and no change or higher in English achievement in classes of higher percentage of Māori used. With the continued increase next year we are looking at five to six bilingual classes. Two Samoan and three to four Māori.
Staff provisions are bilingual 1:18, non-bilingual/mainstream 1:29 (we aim for these numbers but sometimes they will be one or two higher or lower than that).
Our biggest decisions for our families are:
Samoan or Māori – We know this is a tough decision for our families of mixed ethnicities, or are Samoan, but may want their children to be able to speak Māori for future job opportunities etc. My only advice is, a child who can speak two languages, the third will come a lot more easily. Go with the heart. Language strengthens our cultural identity. We advise you to try and not request a swap. We need around four years to obtain a high level of speaking and understanding the language. Māori will still be covered and taught in Samoan classes as it is helpful for life in NZ.
Please note: We would accept a non Samoan into these classes if they live in an environment where it can be used (step parents/foster/family etc.).
The plan is looking like this:
English/Māori Bilingual (5-6 years bilingual)
Year 1 – 3 English Medium (Māori as a subject-bilingual prep classes)
Class one – Years 4 (some year 3s)
Class two – Years 5 (some year 4s)
Class three – Years 6 (some year 5s)
Class four – Years 7/8
Samoan Bilingual (6 years)
Class one – Years 3-5
Class two – Years 6-8
Mainstream / Either Māori as a subject or low level bilingual
Class one – Years 6-8
If your child is currently in Rooms 5 or 6 and you are keen on bilingual Māori/English or Samoan/English it is time to talk to us. Also saying that, if your child is showing strong gains in dual language in these classes, you will be contacted to discuss.
Why is there a mainstream class in your plan if the school’s bilingual? Well, this school has been on a journey, we’ve always been Catholic, but not always bilingual. Some jumped on the waka before we were moving to bilingual, so we felt we didn’t want to force it on anyone who didn’t want it. For around four to five years now, we have been telling every parent and every visitor that we are proudly a bilingual school and what we are working towards so everyone knows where the waka is heading.
POLICIES / KĀ HERE
A reminder, if you are interested and would like to take part in our termly reviews of policies, or are interested in any, 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
WEEK 8 / WIKI WARU
Monday 1 September – Last week of swimming
Thursday 4 September – Jubilate (7pm-8pm) – jo@stannes.co.nz
Sunday 7 September – Kapahaka performance 1pm-4.30pm (St Margarets) palo@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 9 / WIKI IWA
Tuesday 9 September – Orana Park Trip matt@stannes.co.nz
Sunday 14 September – Parish Day 9.30am Mass followed by performances students (performers-Filipino groups, Room 4 -if their Cook Island dance comes together, will be in touch with parents) josh@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 10 / WIKI TEKAU
Tuesday 16 September – Koru Games – Years 7/8 – palo@stannes.co.nz
Wednesday 17 September – Koru Games – Years 7/8 – palo@stannes.co.nz
Thursday 18 September – Koru Games – Years 7/8 – palo@stannes.co.nz
Friday 19 September – Time Capsule opening principal@stannes.co.nz
Te Atua te aro’a ‘ē kia manuia,
Dallas Wichman
Tumuaki / Principal / Pū ‘Āpi’i Ma’ata