Term 3 Week 3
Principal's Message
I'm writing this today from home because my lovely 17 year old daughter decided to share her bugs with me, I hope to be back tomorrow.
Teacher Only Day
A reminder that this Friday is a teacher only day and so school will be closed. Staff will be getting together with the other 12 schools in our Kahui Ako to spend the day listening to key note speakers and taking part in professional learning workshops. I'll share some of our learning with you next week.
Schools for 2026
Many families have been visiting schools and quite a few have now made decisions. If you need any further advice or just to talk through your thoughts let me know. There is still plenty of time but I know that principals will be starting to think about staffing for next year which is dependent on class sizes. I also think it will be good for the children to know where they are going so that when their friends are talking they can feel settled as well.
Lisa
Faith News
Wednesday Mass
Please come and join Room 1 for Mass this Wednesday morning at 9am in Room 3.
Parish Newsletter
This week’s Parish newsletter is available here
Brooklyn Library Visits
This term we will resume our termly visits to Brooklyn Library. If your child wishes to borrow a book during the visit they need to bring their personal library card with them. We will return books on the next visit if they are brought back in time. Books not brought on the day of the visit will need to be returned by yourselves. If you would like to leave your child's card in the classroom between visits then teachers will find a safe place to keep them.
Room 1: 14 August
Room 2: 31 July 21 August
Room 4: 07 August 04 September
Birthday Wishes
Special birthday wishes to Dara & Cole. Dara turns 12 today and Cole turns 12 tomorrow. We hope you both have wonderful, fun filled birthdays.
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
On Friday, Room 1 celebrated 100 days at school. They took part in lots of activities about the number 100:
* They wrote about what they would spend $100 on.
* They made 100 day bookmarks.
* They made glasses in the shape of 100.
Check out how amazing they looked!
Room 2 Learning
Room 2 has been learning all about New Zealand money as part of our financial maths topic. We've explored the different coins and banknotes we use in Aotearoa, looking closely at their features, values, and designs. The students have practised recognising and counting different combinations of notes and coins. We’ve also worked on solving simple problems using money and are learning how to confidently identify and use the currency we see in everyday life.
Room 4 Learning
St Bernard’s School Charism
In the Church, charism is a word that originates from ancient Greek and is used to mean a ‘favour’ or ‘freely given gift’ from God. All charisms come from the Holy Spirit, but they are expressed and lived in different ways. Charism is also growing in the understanding of the influence and charism of people or religious orders who founded the school and parish, recognising how their belief and faith in Jesus influenced their lives and work.
Many Catholic schools in Aotearoa were founded by sisters, brothers or priests who belonged to a particular religious order such as Dominicans, Marists, or Mercy Sisters. Each order shares many charisms, a desire to follow Jesus and a love of the gospel. Some orders focus on teaching children, praying the rosary, caring especially for women or girls or boys, caring for the poor, or combinations of each of these charisms.
Here is a selection of writing from Room 4 showing what they found out about St Bernard’s charism. Room 4 also wrote about how they use Mercy Values to put our school’s charism in action each day:
Clara
Charism looks like working hard and always doing your best. It means playing with everyone and never excluding anyone. It is helping out to read prayers or readings and leading the Celebration of Learning.
Alna
Question: If you had the opportunity to talk to the founder/foundress or order of your kura what would you say? Tell them? Show them?
I would thank them for building a small family school and show them the Mercy Values and leadership rules that the seniors have.
Joan
Question: What is the order/founder/foundress of your school?
The founders of our school were the Sisters of Mercy. There were three young women in 1905 who taught Sunday school in a room lent by the local state school. Later on, they became Sisters of Mercy.
Inigo
Question: What is the charism of your school?
The Charism of our school is Whai Tika (Social Justice), Whakarangatira (Respect),Hiranga (Excellence), Manaakitanga (Hospitality), Aroha (Compassion) and Ratonga(Service).
Abe
Question: How did they come to be in your space?
In 1911, a Church called St. Anthony’s on Brooklyn hill, was blessed and opened by Archbishop Redwood. By 1935 it was decided that a convent school should be set up in the church and staffed by two Sisters of Mercy, Sr M.Boniface (1935 – 1951) and Sr M Fabian (1935 – 1949). On opening day there were 43 pupils and by the next year there were 69.
Cosima
Question: If you had the opportunity to talk to the founder/foundress or order of your kura what would you say? Tell them? Show them?
We still use Mercy Values today. The ones we use now are Compassion, Respect, Service, Social Justice, Excellence, and Hospitality.
How would you let them know the charism of their time is alive and thriving in your school today?
By telling them how kind, respectful and hardworking the children are.
Public Notices
