E kā whānau, e kā ākoka, e kā kaimahi, e te pāriha, e te hapori o Hato Ani,
Nāia te owha ki a koutou katoa i tēnei wā Rēneti!
Families, students, employees, parishioners, community members of St Anne’s, this is a greeting to you all at this time of Lent!

This week we begin Lent and as a school our children will be looking to increase/improve their prayer life, give more (time) and fast from things (a suggestion from our Pope is to fast from unkind words about others i.e. gossip or put downs). We also have aims this year to;  remember and understand bible stories, what they mean and how that should impact our actions, sing our faith songs with passion, know and understand what Jesus said, did and told us to do, and lastly to know and understand our founders’ charism.

Here are our students who have stood out this week:
Rm1: Filippo – for his thoughtful and heartfelt prayers each morning.
Rm2: Miki – for sharing caring prayers and his ideas and knowledge about bible stories.
Rm3: Asame for sharing her thoughtful prayers.
Rm4: Ocean: For her regular prayers in te reo Māori.
Rm5: Nico: For sharing meaningful prayers.
Rm7: Violet for confidently leading prayer and saying a good prayer from the heart.
Rm8: Tatavia for her deep connection to her faith with prayer and waiata.
Rm9: Leilani – Understanding and explaining Jesus’ teachings through His parables
Rm10: Klara – For leading in scripture and being able to recite John 3:16 in Samoan.
It can feel like a horror movie in my office sometimes with students wanting to come in, ha ha. These are students who very much want to be picked. Keep up the hard work and you will get rewards of some kind and in some way!

NEW FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WELCOME / PŌWHIRI MŌ WHĀNAU HOU ME ĀKOKA HOU
Welcome to all our new children and families to St Anne’s!!!! We hope you enjoyed the morning of your official welcome and now know, you are part of ‘Our Story’. Welcome to St Anne’s!!!

OPEN SCHOOL AND PARISH CULTURAL DAY / KURA TŪWHERA ME TE RĀ AHUREA PĀRIHA
We started the afternoon with a ‘Meet the Staff/Open School’ event and competition generously sponsored by Carl at Ferrymead Golf and Minigolf, and Caddyshack Minigolf. Thanks for all the prizes Carl (hundreds of dollars worth)!!! We had so many families complete the challenge of finding out what extra responsibilities staff have (in case you need to contact them about it) and then finding answers to clues on the walls.
Following this we helped run a huge Stella Maris Parish Cultural Evening. Thanks parents for getting your children there and looking amazing, it is appreciated. What an amazing event. Our students opened the event with a welcome song, then our Samoan students sung a grace. We loved seeing our students on the stage performing too. Big thanks to all of our families that helped make it a success! Special shout out to Janette Bradbrook and her team, and to Luci (Liliana’s amazing mum) for answering my last minute call for help!!!
Photo: If you look hard enough, in our last photo you will see Ateliana Tiatia, one of our amazing teachers, Felise (and his mum) who finished last year, and Maua and Dominic who finished a few years ago now. Can you spot them?

FAITH TEAM / TĪMA WHAKAPONO
The St Anne’s Faith Team has launched for 2026. We have a great team of Yr 7-8 students who have volunteered their time in service of our school. We send a huge thank you and warm welcome to Gabby, Nathan, Raki, Jack G, Isla, Noah, Abel, Angelo, Klara, Leilia, Sienna, Tahlia, Miri, Lili, Tatavia, and Marisa.

Their roles include anything faith-based that happens in our school. These include, speaking roles at Mass, peer mediators on the playground, organising feast days and special celebrations, parish morning teas, and running prayer assemblies. There is always a lot to do in a busy Catholic school like ours!

This year we have also started working with St Vincent de Paul again to have a Young Vinnies group. The Faith Team will also be our Young Vinnies group. They will take part in projects and support the work of St Vincent de Paul. Cyrene, our Young Vinnies coordinator, visited on Wednesday, 18th to get us started.
Photo: Young Vinnies Coordinator, Cyrene, in action inspiring the Faith Team. 

ASH WEDNESDAY / WENEREI PUKAREHU
“You are from dust and to dust you shall return” Genesis 3:19
On Wednesday, 18th, we celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass with the parish. We wear the ashes of last year’s Palm Sunday palms as a cross on our foreheads. This is an outward symbol of our repentance and commitment to spiritual growth during Lent.

During the 40 days of Lent, we prepare ourselves spiritually for Easter. This is a season to fast/abstain from things that distract us from God, be more generous, and to pray more. Remember, Easter is the most significant event in our Catholic liturgical year because it celebrates Jesus’ resurrection. Lent is a commitment to being ready for such an important celebration.

PARKING / TŪKA WAKA
If you missed last week’s notice, please have a read. If the poor parking and driving behaviour continues, for the safety of our children and community, we will need to contact enforcement.

SPORT / HĀKINAKINA
We are looking forward to touch starting on Tuesday. Information will be connected to the Skool Loop notice that came out today. You should find updated games and maps. Keep an eye on the school calendar also. Any problems, contact Palo by dropping into Room 8 or emailing palo@stannes.co.nz

EDUCATION SUNDAY / RĀTAPU MĀTAURAKA
This combined service to bless our pasifika children for the year ahead was on Sunday. Well done to our students for representing us so well and to the staff for supporting them!

FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME / HŌTAKA UKARITA TAPU
This is coming up soon, we have spare forms in the office. If your child is keen and is not baptised, you can still register, please grab a form. It is for 8 year olds and older.

GIRLS’ RUGBY / WHUTUPŌRO Ā-HINE
Calling girls 8 years and over!!! Please follow this link to an upcoming rugby day camp. This camp is designed for girls aged 8–18, whether they’re new to rugby or already playing, and focuses on building confidence, skills, connection, and enjoyment in a safe and supportive environment. We will have a few students there, so give it a go! Link

PANCAKE/SHROVE TUESDAY / TUREI PANIKEKE
Tradition dates back to the clearing of the cupboards before lent, here it is a last feast before fasting on Ash Wednesday. Some photos of the fun that happened in most classes.

SCHOOLMADE BISCUITS / PIHIKETE KURA
It has been wonderful to see the tamariki of Rūma Waru baking shortbread biscuits for our school events. The students are developing practical life skills they can use at home, while confidently following a recipe written in te reo Māori. Notice the stamp on the biscuit… A proud example of learning in action at St Anne’s. – Palo Shanahan

HATS / WHAREAMA
These are compulsory, no hat, no play, no PE etc etc. They are plain navy blue. Please don’t send blue NRL hats (as much as I love NSW or the Bulldogs) or random colours. We purchased 50 last year and sold them at a loss (Cost: $10-$15, sold $2). We can’t keep doing this. Please can these be sorted and named. The best places are Postie $10 and The Warehouse $8 (the school section is expensive, the cheaper and more comfortable ones are in normal sections). Thanks so much everyone!!!

KĀ HERE / POLICIES
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 1 / WĀHAKA TAHI  (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)

WEEK 5 / WIKI RIMA
Wednesday 25 February – PALS Training palo@stannes.co.nz
Thursday 26 February – Tagata Mai Saute (lavalava) mareta@stannes.co.nz
Sunday 1 March – Junior School Mass 10.30am (All students from Rooms 1,2,3,9 need to attend please-This only happens once a term) josh@stannes.co.nz
WEEK 6 / WIKI ONO
WEEK 7 / WIKI WHITU
Saturday 14 March – Polyfest (in Mahi Kāika and Samoan Homework Challenges)
WEEK 8 / WIKI WARU
Monday 16 March to Wednesday 18 March – Year 7/8 Camp at Living Springs palo@stannes.co.nz  mareta@stannes.co.nz
Friday 20 March – Quail Island Trip #1 (more information to come)
WEEK 9 / WIKI IWA
Friday 27 March – Quail Island Trip #2 (more information to come)
WEEK 10 / WIKI TEKAU
Monday 30 March – Quail Island Trip (weather back up)
Friday 3 April – Good Friday – No school

Te Atua te aro’a ‘ē kia manuia,
Dallas Wichman
Tumuaki / Principal / Pū ‘Āpi’i Ma’ata