Term 3 Week 9
Principal's Message
Only two weeks of this term left - where does the time go?!
Onesie Day
This Thursday we are holding Onesie day to support Wellington Free Ambulance. We were lucky to have sessions with them earlier this term and so it will be good to support them in the work they do. Children are encouraged to wear onesies, oodies and pyjamas. If they don't have suitable items then they may wear other comfortable clothing for the day. If they choose to wear slippers please ensure they have sensible footwear to change into for outdoor times. Please send a gold coin donation into school on the day, either per child or per family.
2026
We now know where all but two of our families will be moving to for school next year. At the start of next term I would like to be able to inform the Ministry so that relevent funding can be allocated to the new schools. Please make sure you have all your paperwork into the new schools and that you have told us officially where your child is heading to.
Faith News
Wednesday Mass
Please come and join Room 2 for Mass this Wednesday morning at 9am in Room 3.
Parish Newsletter
This week’s Parish newsletter is available here
Welcome to St Bernard's School
Today we welcome Adrian to St Bernard’s. Adrian is the brother of Leah in Room 2. We are sure Adrian is going to enjoy his time here at St Bernard’s.
Celebration of Learning
Next Friday, September 19, at 2pm in the hall we are holding our Celebration of Learning. Each class will share what they have learnt during the term. We will then head back to classes for you to have some one on one time with your children.
Anyone is welcome to join us- mums, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, au pairs, etc.
Birthday Wishes
Special birthday wishes to Clara who turns 13 this coming Sunday! We hope you have a have wonderful, fun filled birthday.
Absences
If your child is sick or unable to attend school for all or part of the day, please either send a notification via the school app (skool loop), email the school office on office@stbernards.school.nz or phone 3899377 by 9.00 a.m. so that your child's absence can be accounted for.
Children who are late need to report to the office in case they have been marked absent by the teacher who takes the roll first thing in the morning.
If an absence is planned for a special reason, a note or telephone call to the school in advance is appreciated. In cases of prolonged absence, e.g. a family trip, a written note is required.
Room 1 Learning
Spring has arrived and Room 1 had fun making Spring flowers to decorate the class tables.
Room 1 have enjoyed exploring the Fossil Fuels science kit where they have learnt about the liquid - oil. They experimented with mixing oil and seeing what substances would absorb oil.
We measured 20ml of blue water and of oil and poured it into a container. Then we shook the container with the lid on. We looked carefully with our magnifying glass and saw that the oil and water did not mix. The oil sat above the water. We wondered why?
We also put water on a feather and a paper towel and noticed that oil on the feather makes feathers waterproof.
Science - what material absorbs oil best?
Lots of discussion about what absorb means - soak up, take up - and what absorbs liquid (and what a liquid is).
Room 2 Learning
In Room 2, we’ve been diving into the world of shapes and measurement! We’ve been learning about the difference between 2D and 3D shapes, exploring how flat shapes are different from solid ones. As part of this, we’ve also been learning about the difference between area and volume.
The class has discovered that area is the space inside a flat, 2D shape, while volume measures how much space a 3D object takes up. We’ve also learned lots of new maths vocabulary, such as depth, volume, cubic, and exponent factors. We explored how exponent factors are a quick way to show repeated multiplication, like when finding the volume of a cube by multiplying the length × width × depth.
To help us understand these ideas, we used real cubes to build different shapes and then calculate their volume by counting the number of cubic units they were made of. It was lots of fun working hands-on and seeing how maths can come to life!
In PE, we’ve also begun learning how to throw quoits properly by focusing on accuracy and technique. The students are already improving and showing great sportsmanship and enthusiasm.
Room 4 Learning
On Thursday the 28th of August Room 4 and the Year 5s travelled to Te Papa to take part in the Hinatore Programme. The Hinatore Programme is designed for children to learn about the mauri activator at Te Papa and the Māori concept it represents. Mauri is the Māori belief that everything in nature has its own 'life force'.
One of the first things the children did after arriving was to go with Leroy (one of the Learning Innovation Specialists), who introduced them to Te Papa's mauri activator. The children were able to activate the mauri activator for themselves and see the natural images displayed on the screen after six people pressed on it.
The children returned to the Te Papa classroom where they worked with Jessie, another Learning Innovation Specialist, on their big project for the day. Jessie explained that they would create their own version of a mauri activator, focusing on the idea of being kaitiaki (guardians of the natural environment). The children paired up and were given a kaitiaki creator planning sheet to work on their ideas. They could choose from the ocean, river or bush and forests to design an interactive programme using electronics and coding.
After completing their plans, the children started coding. Jessie guided them through the steps to complete their code and how to use images for their kaitiaki creator programme. The next task was to start building the interactive controller, which they would be able to connect to their coding programme using an electronics kit called 'Makey-Makey'.
The children worked hard and were able to create amazing interactive kaitiaki creator programmes, using electronics, coding and materials. It was an excellent day with lots of cooperative learning and innovation. A big THANKS to Jessie and Leroy for their teaching and expertise in helping the children create their kaitiaki creator projects!
Public Notices
Alliance Française September Holiday Programme
Week 1 (Monday 22 September - Friday 26 September): French heritage. Week 2 (Monday 29 September - Friday 3 October): Tales & Fables from childhood.
Children are immersed in the French language through cooking, arts and crafts activities designed to educate and entertain. From $55 per day, 9.00am—3.00pm (5 -10 years old). Contact admin@french.co.nz or book online at french.co.nz"
Interested in Gymnastics?
Whether you're new to the sport or returning, Capital Gymnastics Club in Newton offers exciting programmes for children aged 5 to 18 years. Our structured classes help kids build skills, confidence, and a love for gymnastics in a supportive environment.
📍 Visit our website: www.capitalgymsport.org.nz
📧 Email: office@capitalgymnastics.nz
📱 Call/Text: 027 239 9139
Holiday Programmes – Book Now!
The club offers two sessions so you can book for the morning, 9 - 12:30 PM, or the afternoon, 12:30- 4 pm of the full day drop off starts at 8:30 am ($30 per half session or $55)
The programmes are full of fun games, gymnastics circuits on all of our equipment, including tramp, tumbling, etc. Each day will have a gymnastics skill focus, so fun and learning will go hand in hand – No Experience needed! For more information, please go to our website: https://www.capitalgymsports.org.nz/holiday-programme
