OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL RIPPA TEAM EVER!
Congratulations to the St Joseph’s Team, representing North Harbour, coached by Justin Kapi and chaperoned by Alice Simmers, which came 5th in the National Rippa Tournament in Wellington this week. A big thank you to Paula, our Sports Co-ordinator, for all the organisation she did and especially for the super uniforms, bags and beanies. Thank you to Andrew Chung, for sponsoring the team, enabling us to buy tracksuits, jackets and beanies and also to SKIDs for their sponsorship, enabling each child to have their own travel bag.
Some lovely positive comments from parents:
”Just wanted to send an email to say how proud Steve and I were of the team in Wellington. Their team spirit, sportsmanship and behaviour was exceptional!
They even continued to surprise the parent spectators with the haka and chants they had prepared without our knowledge; and finished by kneeling in front of us with 3 cheers for their supporters. It was humbling to see a group of kids so thoughtful and grateful.
So all in all a brilliant experience and one the children will never forget. They did St Joseph’s proud!”
Our Living and Learning Focus for Term 3, continues as
CARE ATAWHAI KUMANU
…this time with an emphasis on Wellbeing Hauora
We will be focusing on Wellbeing Hauora –
Te taha tinana healthy bodies
Te taha hinengaro healthy minds
Te taha wairua healthy spirits/souls
Te taha whanau healthy family and social relationships
Included in the learning will be: The Olympics, Life Education, Keeping Ourselves Safe –including cyber safety, Myself and Others, Cross Country, Swimming (Years 0-3)
Our School Values, which we are all aiming to live by, are
Tina Justice, Pono Truth, Aroha Compassion, Manaakitanga Hospitality and Tapu Respect for the Environment
Lived out in our Motto
Courtesy Care Co-operation Courage
The Learning Model for our school is: Learning to Learn #L2L
“To Know To Do To Use”
Religious Education
Home Group 8, from Kea Team, celebrated their Liturgy on Monday. Their focus was Baptism. They were joined by Deacon Stephen Fraser and a number of parents and grandparents.
On Tuesday Home Group 9, also from Kea Team, celebrated their Liturgy, also with a focus on Baptism. They were joined by Anthony Trenwith, our seminarian and a number of parents and grandparents.
“Our Liturgy was based on our learning of the Sacraments and in particular the Sacrament of Baptism. There were many Parents and Grandparents present and they joined the children in prayer and song. The children were thoughtful and respectful as they blessed their visitors with Holy water and shared their posters that they had made about their Baptism. Our liturgy finished with the children praying the ‘Sign of the Cross’ in many languages. “Mrs Bateman
Hopefully, we will have a great turn out of children and their parents at 10.00 a.m. Mass this Sunday – Patuone and McAuley Houses Family Mass….but all are welcome!
Some words from Pope Francis – that Mass is where we receive Jesus
It’s so important to go to Mass every Sunday because that’s where people receive Christ who saves, forgives and unites everyone to his father, the church and each other, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis said that by celebrating the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, “we participate in the mystery of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.”
“By making himself broken bread for us, the Lord Jesus pours out to us all of his mercy and his love, renewing our heart, our existence and our way of relating to him and our brothers and sisters,” he said.
Taking part in the Eucharist “conforms us in a unique and profound way to Christ,” he said, granting Christians a foretaste of full communion with God in heaven, “where with all the saints we will have the unimaginable joy of contemplating God face to face.”
“We will never thank the Lord enough for the gift he gave us with the Eucharist,” the pope said.
“It’s such a great gift and that’s why it’s so important to go to Mass on Sundays,” he said.
Mass is a time “not just to pray, but to receive Communion — this bread that is the body of Christ that saves us, forgives us, reunites us to the father. It’s beautiful to do this.”
Mass on Sundays is particularly important, he said, because “it is the day of the resurrection of the Lord, and with the Eucharist we feel our own belonging to the church, to the people of God, to the body of God, to Jesus Christ.”
KEEPING OURSELVES SAFE
This programme will occur in Weeks 8 and 9.
THE PARENTS’ INFORMATION MEETING IS ON TUESDAY NIGHT 30 AUGUST 7-8 IN THE SCHOOL HALL, AND WILL BE RUN BY CONSTABLE MURRAY FENTON –POLICE EDUCATION OFFICER
Safer Together
Keeping Ourselves Safe: Information for parents/whānau
Abuse occurs in all communities, regardless of their ethnic, socio-economic, geographic and religious make-up. A child who has been abused is less likely to reach their full potential as an individual, may struggle to focus on learning, and may fail to thrive.
What is Keeping Ourselves Safe?
Keeping Ourselves Safe [KOS] is a programme that helps students learn and apply a range of safety skills that they can use when interacting with others.
How parents/whānau can support KOS
Parents and whānau are strongly encouraged to support KOS by: encouraging other parents/whānau to attend parent events before the classroom lessons start AND supporting their child with the home-based activities that are included in the KOS programme.
Congratulations to the following students who gained:
Distinction in ICAS Spelling:
Rueben P, Riechen B, Ryan B Ron L, Caelan K
Credit in Science
James T, Rueben P, Dominic P, Mateo R,
Ryan Siby, Oscar McF, Pruna L
Distinction, Credit and Merit Certificates will be handed out after prayers on Monday.
There will be no newsletter next week as I will be away at the Catholic Principals’ Conference/Retreat.
You will all, no doubt, be pleased to hear that the BOT has appointed Alister Bridgman, from St Mary’s Blenheim, as our next Principal, starting in 2017. He tells me he is very excited to be coming to St Joseph’s, especially as our teaching and learning philosophy and practices align very closely to what he regards as important for learners in today’s world.
Have a lovely weekend.
Ka kite ano!
Phil
Spring is nearly here!
Enjoy this beautiful photo taken by Annette Woodhead.