Welcome

Kia ora e te whānau

This week has seen an emotional groundswell of support from across our country for Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our country's founding document. Many of our whānau took part in Hīkoi mō te Tiriti (March for the Treaty of Waitangi). Back at school, we have been praying for this cause. As you know, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is as a gift given for us in good faith by our ancestors. This agreement is very important to us as a school, and we do our very best to learn more, and to honour our country's unique partnership between Tangata Whenua (people of the land) and Tangata Tiriti (people of the treaty).

Staff Updates

It has been a really busy time for us planning our teacher staffing needs for 2025 and beyond. We have a number of updates we can now share with you all:

• Huge congratulations to Tom Leeper and his wife Liz. They are expecting their first child, due in 2025. This is wonderful news - we look forward to meeting your little one!

• Welcome to Abe Tahau, who was recently appointed as a part-time teacher aide at SFdS. Abe has been a wonderful additional to our team, and offers great support to our learners. 

• Congratulations to teacher Denise Phillips who has been appointed to the position of Acting Director of Religious Studies (DRS). Denise will bring her strong faith, and her gentle, supportive nature to this role. This will be a great leadership experience for Denise. 

• Congratulations to teachers, Jemma Brown and Sandra Buless, who have both been appointed to the position of Team Leaders from 2025. Jemma and Sandra each bring a wealth of educational knowledge, teaching experience, and people skills to this important role in our school. We will be excited to see how their leadership will help bring our school vision and goals to life. 

• Congratulations to Michael Rogers, who has been appointed to a permanent teacher position. Michael has a wonderful range of skills as a teacher, and has taken on a cultural leadership role this year with true commitment. We are thrilled to know you are to stay with us here at SFdS.

• Congratulations to Jo Roberts, who has been appointed to a teaching position once again for 2025. Jo joined our team earlier in 2024, taking over an established class mid-year (no mean feat!). Jo brings a wealth of experience and we are really pleased that she will continue with us into the new year.

• Congratulations to Usha Stewart, who has been appointed to a permanent part-time position at SFdS from the beginning of 2025. Usha is taking up an exciting role as our Art teacher, which all children will benefit from!

• Congratulations to Lauren King, who has been granted one year's leave by the Board of Trustees to take off for an overseas adventure with her husband, Aaron. Lauren will be away for all of 2025. 

• Congratulations to four new teachers who will join our teaching team next year: 

  • David Wilson (full time teacher). David is currently teaching at Tui Glen School in Stokes Valley.

  • Arielle Filippi (full time teacher). Arielle has recently taught at SFdS as a relief teacher. She taught at Lyall Bay School prior to this.

  • Anita Patel (part time teacher - three days per week). Anita is soon to finish parental leave after teaching at Brooklyn School, and before that at Karori Normal School. 

  • Victoria Martin (part time teacher - three days per week). Vic completed parental leave earlier this year, and is currently teaching at St Mark's Church School. 

Over the next few weeks we will be putting together staff profiles so that you can learn about the various skills, experience and interests of each of our staff members, including our new staff. 

While we are blessed to have such a capable staff team confirmed for next year, we are also sad to be losing Julia, Tom and Jenna who have all made very valuable contributions to our school - supporting students in their classes (and their teams) to be happy and engaged in their learning - as well as giving their time to communicate with whānau. Additionally they have all been fun and supportive members of our staff team and will be truly missed! A huge thank you from us!

• Thank you to Julia Reich, who has decided to take a break from full time teaching at the end of 2024. Julia plans to broaden her experience to relief teaching at various schools, with the intention of including some travel when she can. 

• Thank you to Jenna Laney, who has been in a fixed term position at SFdS since mid-2023, and is our Tangaroa Team Leader. Jenna is returning home to the UK at the end of 2024. 

• Thank you to Tom Leeper, who has been in a fixed term position at SFdS since the beginning of 2024, and is our Ranginui Team Leader. Tom is to take up a teaching position at one of our two other parish schools, St Anne's in Newtown, in 2025. 

• Thank you also to Ngairini O'Kell, who has been in a fixed-term part time position recently, and her position comes to an end at the conclusion of the year.

In 2025 our Tangaroa team we will have 3 classes. 

• Tarawera  (R2, Year 0-1) - Sandra Buless (Team Leader)

• Tāmure (R5, Year 2-3) - Arielle Filippi

• Kōura (R6, Year 1-2) - Denise Phillips (DRS)

In 2025 our Papatūānuku team we will have 3 classes. 

• Wheke (R7, Year 4-5) - Jo Roberts

• Parareka (R8, Year 4-5) - Ronan Kelly (Team Leader)

• Pohutukawa (R10, Year 5-6) - Michael 

In 2025 our Ranginui team we will have 2 classes.

• Toroa (R12, Year 7-8) - David Wilson 

• Kōtare (R14, Year 7-8) - Jemma Brown (Team Leader)

• Additional Literacy and Numeracy Teachers for Ranginui - Anita Patel, Vic Martin

Sports

Inter Zone Athletics

Well done to our athletes who participated in this event yesterday!

Yummy Stickers

We have received $307 to spend on new sports gear. We will continue to collect Yummy Stickers and the cut outs from bags of apples. If you would like a sticker collection sheet, please let the office know and they can send one home.

Dates to Add to Your Diary

Please also check our SFDS Events Calendar 

Thursday 21 November 

•  St Catherine's College Transition Day (Parent please email the office if your daughter is attending this)

•  Taste of St Pat's day (Parent please email the office if your son is attending this)

• Tangaroa Swimming

• Papatūānuku Swimming

Friday 22 November

• 2025 Class placement consultation survey closes:  https://forms.gle/FtPBfnZJi1Q7fh979.  

• Rm 10 and 14 Buddy Mass 

• School Hui

Wednesday 27 November 

•  Tarawera (Rm 2) Island Bay Library visit

Friday 29 November 

• 2nd Dose Gardasil Year 8

• Rm 13 & 8 Buddy Mass 

•  Room 10 Assembly - Library

Friday 6 December 

• Rm 6 & 14 Buddy Mass

• Year 8 v the Teachers Basketball Game

• Tangaroa EOY picnic in the park 

• Turning 5 Party!

Monday 9 December

• Curriculum progress graphs opened on Hero 

• SFDS Board Hui 

Friday 13 December

• Year 6&7 Leadership day

• Year 8 Home of Compassion Retreat

• Family Fish'n'Chip night

Wednesday 18 December 

• • Year 8 Leavers' Dinner 

Thursday 19 December 

• • End of Year Liturgy (early evening - exact time to be confirmed)

Friday 20 December 

• • Last day of the school year (12.30pm)