NEWSLETTER
Term 2 Week 7
CATHOLIC CHARACTER NEWS
House Mass
Through the year we have two House Masses. This allows each house to attend a Mass together with another house at the school’s Parish church St Joseph’s Takapuna. All students are expected to attend their house Mass to share this celebration with their fellow students and the St Joseph’s Parishioners.
We look forward to seeing the Patuone and McAuley students at this Sunday’s 10am Mass.
Have Your Say – $50 Whitcoulls Gift Voucher
Thank you to the 30 people who have completed the survey. We are really interested in hearing from all our families. We are interested to know what you see as going well at St Joseph’s and where you think we can head as a school community. We are really keen to get you feedback.
Complete the survey and you will go into a drawer for
a $50 Whitcoulls gift voucher.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MJYV7L5
SCHOOL REPORTERS
Welcome Mr Bridgman – By Daniel C, Ryan B and Amelia L
It’s been a term and a half since Mr Alister Bridgman stepped into the role of school principal. We wanted to find out more about our new school leader and also check out how he has found settling into St Joseph’s.
Mr Bridgman was born in Wellington and is the second of four brothers. He grew up in Lower Hutt and has great memories of playing in the valley and biking around the fire tracks. He went to Eastern Hutt Primary, followed by Hutt Intermediate and Hutt Valley High School. While at school he enjoyed all his subjects but particularly liked making friends, as well as all the new learning experiences his schools offered him. The inspiration to become a teacher came from his experience during a school holiday job where he got to teach children how to swim.
Since attending Loreto Hall Catholic Teachers College, Mr Bridgman has been teaching in New Zealand for a total of 27 years, 23 of them as a principal. He has worked in 7 other schools in Paraparaumu, Wainuiomata, Tokoroa, Geraldine, Dunedin, and Blenheim. He believes his biggest responsibilities as a principal are to ensure our students progress in their learning, and we have a happy school. Mr Bridgman said he has found it very easy settling into St Joseph’s because of the warm welcome the students, staff, parents and parishioners have given him.
Our new principal has three children, Joseph and Paul who work in Australia, and Emily who has just graduated from Auckland University. Mr Bridgman loves watching all sports but he especially enjoys playing a good game of tennis. For hobbies Mr Bridgman loves reading, movies and watching live theatre with his family. He also enjoys travelling around New Zealand and overseas. His favourite location to visit is Italy and the next place he would want to explore would be India.
If Mr Bridgman could have a superpower he said it would be to ensure everyone is happy all the time. Mr Bridgman gets inspired daily from all the wonderful learning he sees the children doing at school. We are really grateful our cool, new principal has let us embrace the fidget spinner trend and use them at lunchtimes. Although when we asked him if he owned himself one he said, “No, but I am going to try get around to buying one on the weekend”. We’ll keep you posted.
Welcome aboard Mr Bridgman, we are all looking forward to an exciting learning journey with you at the helm of our school. Full steam ahead!
FUN LEARNING
Puriri Village is Surprised
I was walking along the footpath with my team from St. Joseph and I saw the houses of Puriri village. Then as we walked into the doorway where they were sitting I saw their jaws drop with amazement as we all entered the room.
The first kids sang a beautiful Waiata. After a few more things, like giving out cards and gifts and reading poems, one of our groups sang a song called ‘When I was 7 years old’ The song went like this “I was 7 years old and my mama told me go make yourself some friends or you will be lonely”.
I said the last thing that was “Thank you and we have loved sharing our learning with you.” But before that my teacher said to everyone “We have chosen Stella to do this because it is her birthday” so they all sang happy birthday to me.
I felt so special and happy that we were made them so happy and it made me a bit hungry when we left all the delicious food for them. I think they were so surprised that there were 60 of us and felt so loved.
By Stella B Clap..Clap…Clap!!
Our Amazing Visit
As we walked in the front door we all felt nervous with a touch of happiness as well. All the elderly people’s eyes were like saucers with the amount of food and gifts we arrived with.
We were all in different groups and I was in the Kapa Haka group. We sung a Waiata and when we were singing it they were tapping along with the beat. I felt so proud of all of us.
We did all sorts of things like, we shared colourful crafts cards and the last thing we did was to hand out lavender to the elderly for their rooms to make them smell lovely.
I knew as we left that they would all feel more loved!
By Hunter J
Our Special Visit!
As we stepped inside the peaceful Puriri Village door, we glanced at the wonderful and colourful paintings on the walls. It was a very peaceful sound until we gasped with amazement. The elderly all had big smiles on their faces and could not believe all the gifts and yummy food we had brought with us.
We got to sit down in front of them and then we all had happy smiles our faces. Mrs. Sietu had called out the kapa haka group. We all stood in our positions and the music started, we had started singing, the waiata was Ko Toku Marae Tenei. Soon after that the Kapa Haka group sat down.
The teacher had chosen some students to share our things that we had made. I shared the gift boxes to the elderly and helped hand out the heart bookmarks that Madeline and her group made. Another singing group had gone up and performed 7 years by Lucas Graham. When the singing group finished we said thank you to the elderly and we thanked them for allowing us to come to their village.
I felt really proud and thankful for the opportunity that we had to spend our time with the elderly. We had a great time on our really special visit!
By Achira G
Our Day of Giving
Wow! The elderly people at Puriri Village were absolutely blown away by our generosity of food and gifts. Their eyes were filled with joy and surprise as the he children of St. Joseph’s arrived.
On Wednesday 14th of June we went to Puriri Village with our gifts and poems. When we arrived at Puriri Village the elderly people had an excited look on their faces but also full of joy.
First the Waiata group went in front of them and sang the Waiata and then some people started singing a song called 7 years.
Then me and my friend Charlie R went and said our poem and mine was about Aroha and Charlie’s was about our wonderful school.
After that a girl called Charlotte gave them two beautiful pillows which took her a long time to make. Then people gave the elderly people lavender to put in their rooms to make a refreshing smell.
At the end, someone called Betty who once worked in our school gave a wonderful speech and after we left. I felt that we had made them so happy.
By Jake
Term 2 Week 8 Calendar
JUNE
Monday 19 8.50am Prayers Hall
Tuesday 20 Year 4 Retreat
Wednesday 21
Thursday 22 Rippa Rugby Tournament – Onewa Domain
Friday 23 Footsteps Hall
GENERAL NEWS
Photo Orders – HG1 to 12
Your child has been given an ‘Online Shoot Key’ slip as their school photos are now uploaded and ready to view online. In order for you to get them delivered free to school they must be ordered before ‘midnight’ on July 2nd. The online system works off each student’s name giving them an individual Shot Key to view and order their photographs.
Please not the office does not have a copy of your child’s ‘Online Shoot Key’.
God bless
Alister Bridgman
Principal