Kia ora Koutou,

Thank you to our great school community for an enjoyable Matariki evening, and the generosity of all families for providing the delicious food. It is events like this that remind us all of our fantastic community spirit we experience here at CMcK.

Our trip to Weta Workshop on Monday was also a highlight this term. It was pleasing to see the children engage with the tour of the workshop and ask interesting questions to gain further insights into creating films such as ‘The Lord of the Rings’.

As another busy term comes to an end, we look forward to upcoming events next term and beyond:

1/ Parent interviews will be Monday 21 July (week 2 Term 3). Allocated times will be sent with reports. If this time is not suitable, please contact the class teacher to arrange another time.

2/ On Saturday 18 October at 4pm, we will have our final school Mass at Thomas Moore Church. This will be led by Archbishop Paul and will be open to all who have been associated with the school over the years. After Mass, we will come back to school for an evening to celebrate CMcK. If you can assist with organising this event at school, please get in touch with me:  principal@cardinalmckeefry.school.nz.

Thanks again for all the hard work this term by our teaching staff and support staff-much appreciated.

Nga Mihi

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul – Sunday 29 June 2025

This week we celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul—two important friends of Jesus who helped share His message with the world.

Peter was a fisherman who became a leader in the early Church. Even though he made mistakes, he trusted Jesus and tried again. Paul was once against Jesus, but after meeting Him, he changed and spent his life telling others about God's love.

Peter and Paul remind us that God can use each of us to do something special. Even when we make mistakes or feel unsure, we can always turn to Jesus and try our best.

Let’s ask God to help us be brave, kind, and strong in our faith—just like Peter and Paul.

It was great to share in the family spirit of our school community at our Matariki evening last Wednesday. Thanks to everyone who cooked, dressed up and brought their tamariki and whanau to share that special time together. It is one of the many lovely things about our school.

As mentioned briefly during the Matariki event, this is the time of year when we would typically hold elections to replace board parent representatives who have spent 3 years on the board. In this case, it would be just myself (Shola) as all other parent members have barely spent a year on the board. But since our school is going to close at the end of the year, it seems unnecessary to hold elections now. If you think we should hold elections, or have any other questions relating to the board, please let us know. You can speak with Kerry or email: Principal@cardinalnckeefry.school.nz

Wishing you a restful and enjoyable school holiday with your tamariki, and looking forward to seeing you next term.

Nga mihi,

Shola 

Presiding member

It is hard to believe that we have already come to the end of the second term.  We have been busy with lots of learning in Room 1.  For science we joined with R2 and been investigating bones (it was very interesting to find out that babies have more bones that adults). We continued our cooking journey around the world and ended up in New Zealand making Anzac Biscuits and scones.  We are now in the process of making a R1 recipe book. For maths we have been doing a lot of multiplication and even went to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand where we found out about the history of money and interest.  We have had a great term, and we are looking forward to more adventures next term.  

Alistair  

This week the whole school went to Weta workshop and last week we celebrated Matariki.  We shared lots of food from around the world. From the Philippines to Samoa. It was a great experience. Room 1 did a play about Matariki - when I saw a clip it was quite basic and it was easy to understand 

We also went on an awesome school trip to Weta workshop. We saw prosthetics and animatronics. While we were there we saw a clip about the old Weta workshop, it was very interesting. I think though that the most interesting thing inside the tour was a giant big creepy bunny. It was supposed to be for a kids show but it makes sense why it was cancelled. The only animatronic in the bunny suit was the elongated mouth which looked very heavy I suppose only someone at least 1.9 meters could stick their head up.  

 Elisabeth 

In term 2 we did pictures of hope for Tumanako, we used different things to draw our pictures of hope. Most of us worked on our own, but Kora and Frances went in a pair together. 

 I will describe our drawings, first we have Frances’s and Kora’s drawing, it is a picture with some clouds and a sunset, with something that says ‘Hope’ with branches spreading out of it, next we have Penny’s drawing, she did a rainbow with a sun coming out and she did a paint wash, then we have Alistair’s drawing, he did a picture of planting seeds of hope, and then my one is a dove and a cat with a tree that says ‘hope’ on it. 

Kora 

On Monday 23rd June Cardinal McKeefry school went to Weta  Workshop. At Weta Workshop they make props and they can make your character do amazing  stunts.  They can also make your character do something reckless like jumping off the side of a mountain. They make a kind of a copy of the actor .They also make animatronics which is kind of a robot covered  with rubber to make it look real. 

Penny   

On 18 of June Wednesday we had a celebration of Matariki. 

Lots of are whanau and friends brought food like Turon , ANZAC biscits, corned beef and chocolate cupcakes. 

All of the class rooms did a play or a song. Room 4 did macarena with room 2 then room 1 did a puppet show about seven kites of Matariki. The play went well and it was hard because there were many characters.  I really enjoyed it because everybody thought it was good to watch. After that everyone was able to eat  something.  At the end  all the grown ups helped to tidy up.  My favourite part was eating the delicious food. 

Room 4 newsletter week 9 term 2

Visit to Weta Workshop

Our class had an amazing visit to the Weta Caves workshop, where some of the coolest movie props and special effects are made. Known for its work on iconic films like The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and Avatar, we were able to see how legendary props, costumes, and special effects are crafted. The experience was a fascinating journey through the creative process, from concept art to a finished masterpiece. We were able to touch and hold some of the props and models used in movies. It was truly an inspiring experience full of creativity!

Science Experiment: Colour Travels!
In this fun experiment, we used felt-tip pens to decorate tissue paper with colorful patterns. Then, we gently dipped the bottom of the tissue into water tray and watched as the colors began to spread and blend. This happened because the water traveled up the tissue carrying the ink with it. We observed how different colors moved and mixed, creating beautiful effects and helping us learn more about how liquids move through absorbent materials.

Shining Matariki Stars
To celebrate Matariki, we made stunning star art using bright oil pastels. We drew star shapes, then used our fingertips to smudge the colours, making the stars glow like they were shining in the night sky. We worked together in groups, sharing ideas and helping each other to create beautiful, glowing Matariki skies!

Library News

It’s hard to believe we are halfway through the year and our winter holidays are about to begin. It’s the perfect season to cosy up in the warm with a good book or two and unwind from busy life.  Your tamariki have been encouraged to take extra books home for the holidays, I hope you can find the time to enjoy some of them together.   Your local library also has some interesting activities on offer this holiday.  I think the lego creation sessions look fun along with Animals in Winter: Fun Science with Author Erin Willson. Reading with Kurī would be the winner for me though, these are personal sessions that need to be booked in advance, have a look below if this sounds of interest to you.

At Read to Kurī, you will book in for a 15-minute one-on-one reading session with a therapy dog from our friends at Canine Friends Pet Therapy. You will be able to choose a book and curl up somewhere cosy in the library to read with your chosen dog. The dog's handler will be present at all times.  This programme is perfect for tamariki aged 5+ who would like to practice their reading skills, or older rangatahi and teens who need some time and space to de-stress, while making a new canine friend at the library. Bookings are essential as spaces are limited.

https://www.wcl.govt.nz/explore/by-audience/kids/whats-on/read-to-kuri/

The school’s library collection update - We are very fortunate to have the lovely Ellie from the National Library helping us with organising the future of the school’s library collection. From term three Ellie will be working with the ministry to rehome the books, however, many of the books have been moved out of the collection already in preparation for this. The school librarians will be working on a plan to rehome these, be it by donation or book sale so watch this space.  Wishing you all a great holiday.  Jo

....and a few photos from the garden.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

GYMNASTICS 

Capital Gymnastics Club offers exciting opportunities for children to enjoy and excel in
gymnastics. Led by experienced coaches, safety and wellbeing are paramount.

Our holiday programme is affordable and lots of fun, with sessions from 9 until 12:30
PM and 12:30 until 4 PM. You can book here for whole or half days.
https://www.capitalgymsports.org.nz/holiday-programme

Our term time programmes cater to all skill levels, from beginners to elite athletes,
covering gymnastics and tumbling. Our structured approach fosters skill development
and confidence. Book online for Term 3 classes, birthday parties, or school groups at
www.capitalgymsport.org.nz or contact us at 027 239 9139 or
office@capitalgymnastics.nz.