Events
Hot Cross Buns Fundraiser
We are excited to once again be offering delicious hot cross buns to school families. Many of you were huge supporters of this fundraiser last year, thank you!
This year we have 3 delicious flavours from St Heliers Bakers Delight:
- Traditional
- Chocolate Chip
- Apple & Cinnamon
$12 for a 6-pack of buns.
Hot Cross Buns will need to be collected from Rm 2 on Thursday 10 April.
It is easy to order via Kindo (preferred method) or at the office (pay by EFTPOS or cash).
ORDER TODAY! Orders close Sunday 6 April.
Can I order some for my friends/family?
Absolutely! Just order them under your child's name (can be the same or a separate order) and your child will bring them home and you can then give them to friends/family.
*Paper bags* - if you have a few (or lots) of the brown paper supermarket bags lying around home, could you please drop them into the office over the next couple of weeks.
Many thanks for supporting this school fundraising initiative.

Citizenship Assembly
Parents are invited to our Whole School Citizenship Assembly on Friday 4 April at 2pm.
Citizenship Awards recognise those children who consistently uphold our school values and consistently display citizenship qualities.
Citizenship Qualities:
Friendly and helpful towards other people
Generous with your time and talents for the good of others without thought of personal reward
Sympathetic towards those in distress, the weak and the needy
Only one child is awarded an excellence award in each class per term.

School Holidays
Venture outside and try something new. Stay safe and we will see you all in Term 2.


Waterwise Year 7
Year 7 challenge themselves on the water with kayaking and sailing on Wednesday 2 April at Okahu Bay.

Waterwise Year 8
Year 8 challenge themselves on the water with kayaking and sailing on Tuesday 1 April at Okahu Bay.

Weetbix Tryathlon
The Central East Auckland Weetbix Tryathlon is on Sunday 30th March at Pt England Reserve. If you have yet to register your child, please don't wait as this event usually sells out and many children are left unable to take part. Click on the link to register now, and please ensure that you connect your children with the St Heliers School Team. You will see this option as you proceed through the enrolment. https://raceroster.com/events/2025/93895/central-east-auckland-weet-bix-kids-tryathlon
To ensure that our athletes are feeling confident and excited about this amazing event, I am offering four training sessions down at Glover Park in the lead up to the big day. These will of course help with fitness, but more importantly they are about the tips and tricks to ensure that the children have a wonderful time out there on the course, and the all-important mindset and attitude needed for the event.
There will not be any swimming at the training sessions, but please ensure you bring their bike, helmet, running shoes, and water.
Please arrive ten minutes before the start time to get set up. If you arrive at the times listed, your children will miss the beginning of the session.
I look forward to seeing you at one, or all of the sessions below:
Sun 9th March 3.30pm
Sun 16th March 4pm
Fri 21st March 8am (note that this is a Teacher Only Day at school).
Sunday 23rd March 3.30pm
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Kathy Harding
Running Club Coach and Board Chair
027 2818 007

Excellence Assembly
Parents are invited to our Whole School Excellence Assembly on Friday 28 March at 2pm.
Excellence Awards recognise those children who have attained a standard of academic, sporting or cultural excellence in some aspect of their schooling.
Only one child is awarded an excellence award in each class per term.

Bay Suburbs Swimming Compeition
Year 5 and 6 children compete in the Bay Suburbs Swimming Competition at Sacred Heart College on Friday 28 March.


Eastern Zone Swimming
Year 7 and 8 Students compete at the Eastern Zone Swimming Competition at Sacred Heart College on Monday 24 March.

Staff Only Day
As reported in Term 4 last year, on Friday 21 March, school is closed as the staff have professional learning around the New Zealand Curriculum - specifically structured literacy and maths. The Ministry of Education has permitted school to take 4 staff only days in 2025, however St Heliers School will only be taking 2 to minimise the disruption to parents and learning.
Our second Staff Only Day is Friday 30 May, which is the Friday of Kings Birthday long weekend. Children will return to school on Tuesday 3 June.

Goal Setting Afternoons
Goal Setting afternoon on Monday 17 March begins at 3.20 pm and goes through to 5 pm. The slots are 10 minutes long.
Goal Setting afternoon on Monday 18 March begins at 1.30 pm and goes through to 5 pm. We will not be closing the school early.

Kākahi (Y7/8) Camp at Camp Adair
The Year 7 and 8 students spend 3 days at Camp Adair in the Hunua Ranges participating in a range of outdoor activities. The depart on Wednesday 12 March and return on Friday 14 March.
Thank you to all parents who will be helping at camp that week and to the teachers for organising the camp and taking time away from their family.

Junior Merit Assembly (Y1-3)
Parents are welcome at this assembly on Friday 14 March at 2.15 pm.
Māori Hui and Pasifika Fono
Join the Principal and Deputy Principal at the Māori Hui and Pasifika Fono on Tuesday 11 March at 5pm in the staffroom.

SHS Swimming Sports (Years 7/8)
Kākahi compete in the annual school swimming sports at The Y Glenn Innes Pool & Leisure Centre on Friday 7 March. House points will also be collected on the day.

SHS Swimming Sports (Years 4-6)
Pakakē and Paikia compete in the annual school swimming sports at The Y Glenn Innes Pool & Leisure Centre on Thursday 6 March. House points will also be collected on the day.

Starting School Certificates
All our new entrant children who started at the beginning of this year will receive their Starting School Certificates. Parents are invited to watch the presentation at the junior morning assembly on 5 March.

Have a Go!
On Tuesday, 4 March at 8.15am Y3-8 children will be able to have an opportunity to try some of the instruments, parents must accompany the students. The Have A Go morning will be held in our Dance & Drama Room.
Round the Bays
Are you planning to run or walk in Auckland's iconic Round the Bays event?
There is not an official St Heliers School Team, but members of our Running Club will be heading into the start line together and would love for you to join them! Please see the message below from our Running Club Coach and Board Chair, Kathy Harding.
Everyone is welcome to come and join the fun with us on Sunday 2nd March for Round the Bays! We will meet by the water fountain in front of the brick toilet block opposite Vellenoweth Green in St Heliers at 7.30am. Then we can all travel together on a free shuttle bus into town for the start of the race.
I will run with a big helium balloon of some description (details provided later), to help us attempt to run as a group but realistically in such an enormous crowd, this is a bit of a challenge. Please note that as much as I am hoping that many children will run with me, I am not able to take responsibility for your children in an event of this size, so please do not enter your youngsters without a supervising adult alongside them.
The course is 8.4 kms which is a big distance, but it is all flat and we can walk a bit if necessary and get carried along by the amazing atmosphere. In terms of which category to enter, unless your child is super-fast and wants to take the event very seriously, I would just enter as a 'jogger' rather than a 'runner'.
It will be a memorable experience, particularly for those who have not taken part before!
If you would like to hear updates leading up to the event or if you have any questions, please email me kathycfm007@gmail.com

Senior Merit Assembly (Y4-8)
Parents are welcome to our first merit assembly of the year on Friday 28 February at 2 pm.
Parent Information Evening - Structured Literacy
We invite all parents and caregivers to join us for an information evening on Structured Literacy. While the most noticeable changes will be in the junior school, families across all year levels may find this session valuable. Teachers will share some key changes in classroom learning, the types of activities children are engaging in, and what parents might see at home and ways to support learning. Parents will also have the opportunity to move through different stations, where they can explore our new resources, and gain practical insights into how Structured Literacy is evolving at St Heliers School. We look forward to seeing you there!
Ngā mihi,
Kylie Dawson

New Parents Morning Tea
The Senior Leadership Team look forward to seeing all the new parents from the middle of Term 4, 2024 and the beginning of this year at the morning tea at 9.00am on Wednesday 26 February. Here a little more about whats happening in the school, meet other new families and have some of your questions answered. We look forward to seeing you.

Paikea (Year 5) trip to Kelly Tarltons
Rooms 16, 17 and 25 will have their first class trip to Kelly Tarltons on Monday 17 February.

St Heliers School Family Open Evening
We would love to see all families at school for the first whole school event on the calendar; ‘St Heliers School Family Open Evening, on Thursday 20 February 2025. This is your chance to meet your child’s classroom teacher and, the other teachers who will be teaching your child this year.
We want you to visit all your chidrens teachers, so like last year, the teacher will not be standing up the front to talk. When you choose to visit the class, your child joins you and introduces the teacher. You will have the opportunity to informally chat with the teachers, meet some of the other parents and view the learning envirnoment.
This is intended to be a fun evening so if you want to talk to your child’s teacher about your child, then another time can be arranged for this. Note that there will be an opportunity at the Goal Sharing Afternoons in March when you and your child will meet with the teacher to discuss your child’s learning.

International Parents Morning Tea
Parents of International students are invited to Semplice Cafe in St Heliers Village for a morning tea with the International Student Manager and the Senior Leadership Tea on Wednesday 19 February from 9 am to 10 am.

CLM Swimming Lessons
The CLM Swimming lessons for Year 5 builds confidence in those who are less able swimmers and refines the swimming skills of those who are more confident swimmers. Each class goes every day throughout the week.

Paikea (Year 4) trip to Kelly Tarltons
Rooms 16, 17 and 25 will have their first class trip to Kelly Tarltons on Monday 17 February.

Year 6 Trips to Tiritiri Matangi
Room 22 will visit Tiritiri Matangi on Wednesday 12 February and Room 21 and 23 will visit Tiritiri Matangi on Thursday 13 February.

School Starts Monday 3 February 2025
School starts for all children on Monday 3 February. Children allowed on site from 8.15am, classrooms open from 8.30am and classes begin at 8.50am. New children will report to the hall when they arrive.
New International Students and their parents will arrive at 9.15 am.

Uniform Shop Open
For parents convenience the uniform shop will be open on Tuesday 28 January from 9 am to 12 pm.

Last Day of School for Year 0 to 7
Children who are returning in 2025 will visit their class and teacher for next year at 10.15am.
Children only need to bring a snack for morning tea.
School finishes at 12.30pm. Please pick up your children on time as the whole staff have a special lunch starting at 1pm.
Have a great summer!

Graduation Day
Year 8 students graduate at a special evening for them. After the ceremony they say goodbye to the parents for their school social.
This is the last day at school for Year 8 students.