1. Principal's News - Week 3 Term 3 2018

Singing Cup
The finals, presentation and choir competition for Singing Cup will be held at St Joseph's this year on the last day of term 3 - Friday 28th September.

Well done to the many children who had a go at the first round of Singing Cup on Tuesday.  Most children gave it a go - they were very brave.  Thank you to our ex St Joseph's students Samantha Jorgensen and Rebecca Whitett (both now at St Kevin's) for being our judges.  The finalists will be announced by the end of the week.

The layout of Friday 28th September will be:

9.15am - Singing Cup competition solos and duets.  All children who have qualified will perform in their year groups.  The whole school watches and parents are most welcome to join us.

2.00pm - Celebration Assembly.   We hope lots of parents will join us for this part.  The winners of each section will be announced and presented with their trophies.  The house choirs and the staff choir will perform.  It will be a joyous way to end our term and we'll be putting out lots of chairs and hoping you will join us.

Jumangi - the 4Rs - Senior Production
We have a limited number of tickets and have sold more than half of them.  They are for sale for a gold coin donation in the office.  If there are any left over there may be door sales on the night but please don't rely on this. 

It will be great.  Mrs Dooley has been away for a couple of weeks and not seen the rapid improvement and she said when she saw it today it brought tears to her eyes.

Aoraki Maths
Congratulations to our intermediate mathematicians who competed in the year 8 section of the Aoraki Maths competition in Timaru on Tuesday evening.  Zara Davies (Y7), Jonathan Jorgensen (Y7), Seb Spillane (Y8) and Hannah Miller (Y8) came 5th out of 30 teams after coming 2nd for about half of it.  Samuel Plieger, Morgan Baillie, Taine Dyson and Tessa Souness (all year 8s) held their own in a high pressured, quick-thinking environment.  The 30 teams came from as far north as Mount Hutt College down to St Joseph's Oamaru in the south.

We can just about see one of our Maths teams in this photo. 

Timaru/Oamaru Chess Competition
Good luck to our chess teams who are competing in this competition today.

Next Week
Next week the senior school will all be spending all day at St

Kevin's on Tuesday and Thursday and should be dropped off and picked up according to the instructions that were sent home yesterday. Children from Yr 4-8 who catch the bus to and from school will stay on the bus in the morning to St Kevin's and catch the bus from St Kevin's home in the afternoon.  I will supervise the children until they catch the bus home on both days at 3.20 pm.  The juniors will be going to a matinee performance of "Jumangi the 4Rs" on Thursday afternoon.  We will be bussing them there.

School will be closed on Wednesday 15th August.  There will be no staff on site.  Strike action is a very last resort.  The main thing I hope comes out of it is that we have more resources for children.  Children's needs and the world we all live in is more complex than it has ever been and teachers have to fulfil a variety of roles. We want more people to take responsibility for this.  

Next Wednesday is the Feast of the Assumption.  There will be no school mass next Thursday.  The Feast of the Assumption is the patron feast of New Zealand and some of the staff will still attend the parish mass for the feast day.  If you wish to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption.  Mass will be at 9.15am in the Dean O'Reilly lounge.  

There will be a school liturgy for the Assumption on Friday 17th August at our celebration assembly which will start at 2.20pm that day.

Feedback
Please let us know if you're not happy about something.  Gently if possible! - we're human too!
By the same measure please let us know when you like something.  An email or note to the office, or just a word now and again really helps.  I keep track of feedback for improvement and also positive feedback and I take it all seriously.  This week I had an unasked piece of positive feedback that has changed a little of what I think about things - for the better.  It all adds to the picture. 

Healthy Eating
Our "feed and read" at 10.30 am is actually meant to be "Fruit and read" - it would be great to see all children coming with fruit to eat at that time.  Teachers will be asking children if they have fruit.

God Bless and Aroha,
Lorraine Frances-Rees

2. Special Character - Week 3 Term 3 2018

Sacramental Group.      
 For children making their First Holy Communion this term there are two parent meetings scheduled in the staffroom on the 13 and 20 August at 7.00 pm. More information was emailed to parents last week. If you would like your child to be part of this group please contact Nicola Winders. nwinders@stjoseph.school.nz Children need to be from Year 4 and upwards.                               

The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is when we observe as a holy day of obligation. Mass will be held for this celebration August 15 Wednesday, in the Dean O'Reilly lounge at 9.15am.

Here is a youtube clip with more information about the Feast of the Assumption.

15^th The Assumption of Mary – New Zealand’s Patron Saint (Holy Day of Obligation)
What is a Holy Day of obligation?
The obligation to participate in the Mass. The obligation to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God. In New Zealand, we now have only two of these additional holy days of obligation apart from Sunday. They are Christmas Day and the feast of the Assumption, August 15. Mary’s assumption into heaven is also the patronal feast of the Catholic people in New Zealand. Having now only two of these additional holy days of obligation might be added reason to celebrate them well. Consequently, from now on they are holy days of obligation whenever they fall, including Saturdays and Mondays.

God Bless 
Nicola Winders
co DRS

3. School Notices - Week 3, Term 3 2018

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Beatitude for the Day
Happy are those that can appreciate a smile and forget a frown; they will walk in the sunshine

Altar Servers
Saturday 11th August - Serah Staju, Joshua & Lachlan Criddle, Indya Cunningham, Mariah Cunningham
Sunday 12th August - Hana Davies, Lilly Kelcher, Morgan Baillie and Alexie Phillips

Birthday Greetings
Natalie Shah and Campbell Fowler

Cross Country
Our cross country this year is on Tuesday 21st August and not Tuesday 20th August as printed in last week's school newsletter.  Cross Country information was send home to each child via a paper copy and an email yesterday.  Please ensure you read all the information on it as the children need to take a few things with them especially if it is muddy.  We would like everyone to participate in this cross country even if it means walking it. We need 11 more parents to help as marshalls on this day so please contact Paula Brien if you can help.
The distances of the cross country are approximately the same as North Otago's for Yrs 4-8.  A copy of the maps will be put on the notice boards in both the junior and senior school next week.  Trophies will be awarded to the winners from Yrs 4-8 at assembly on Friday 24th August.

NE, Yr 1 & 2 - approximate 500 metres
Yr 3 & 4 - approximate 1.23 km
Yr 5 & 6 - approximate 1.67 km
Yr 7 & 8 - approximate 2.16 km

Football
Last Saturday our footballers who compete in the Primary Grade won 7-4 with only 4 players instead of 5 and had no subs.  They played against a team that had 8 players in it.  Congratulations to Liam Lindsay who is playing up a grade on scoring all of the team's goals with help from his team mates.  Well done St Joseph's All Whites.

ICAS Maths
This maths exam which was meant to be next Tuesday is being rescheduled for Friday 17th August due to the children being at the school production rehearsal.

Kapahaka Dance
Here is a Utube clip for a Tongan dance for the Kapahaka group to practice at home.

This is the link:  https://youtu.be/mTECUTFkR48 

This is the embed link: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mTECUTFkR48" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Otago Primary Schools Netball Tournament

We are looking at entering 1 x Yr 5/6 and two Yr 7/8 mixed teams in the Otago Primary Schools netball tournament in Dunedin.  Yrs 5/6 play on Wednesday 29th  and Yr 7/8 play on Thursday 30th August.  We can only enter these teams if we have parents able to help with coaching and transport.  Please contact Paula Brien ASAP if you can help as we have to send the entries away on Monday.  Sorry for the late notice.

Reminders
Monday 13 - Junior swimming and technology and parent communion meeting
Tuesday 14- Junior swimming and senior school production rehearsal
Wednesday 15 - School closed - teachers strike
Thursday 16 - School production rehearsal, matinee and show
Friday 17 - Liturgy for the Assumption at 2.20 pm in the school hall

School Production
The Home and School are selling ice creams and ice blocks during interval at the school production next Thursday 16th August.  Please bring the correct change as they will not be carrying a float big enough for $50 notes.  Popsicle ice blocks cost $1.00 each and ice creams cost $2.00 each.  Thanks.

Tickets are still available for the show and cost a gold coin donation, available from the office.  If there are tickets left, there will be door sales from 6.00 pm.

Teachers Strike
Remember school is closed next Wednesday 15th August.

Waitaki Clued Up Kids
Clued up kids was an exciting day about safety on the road, sea, guns, earthquakes, water races, dogs and St John's.  The Yr 6 class enjoyed this day very much.  We learnt what is safe and what is not.  We learnt CPR and what to do if we get stuck in a water race or in rip at the beach, see a dog etc.  At the end of the day we did a relaxing session of the brain and went home with a goodie bag.  By Lewis, Paddy and Lisiate.

Wanted 
If you have any old dental care products like tooth brushes or containers, dental floss or container, toothpaste tubes or boxes, please drop them off at school in the box at the office.

Winter Sports 
End of Winter Season Break Up
We will be having a joint winter sports break up when all the winter sports are finished.  It will be held in our school hall after school and will involve acknowledging each team's season and awards.  Families will be asked to bring a plate.  Date and time to be confirmed.  Coaches please take a photo of your team and email it to sport@stjoseph.school.nz asap

Sports Uniforms
Please wash all uniforms and gear bags and return them to the named bin outside the office.

Community Notices

• Dunedin Mini Marathon - held Sunday 9th September at 8.00 am.  Start at Caledonian Ground and finish at Forsyth Barr Stadium.  1 km for 5-8 year olds, 2 km loop for 9-12 year olds. Gold coin donation to enter.  A flyer is attached to the email with more information or contact Alysha McKay on 027 374 4792 or email lyshamckay@yahoo.co.nz
• North Otago Asthma Society - Active Asthma Kids Fun Day - held on Saturday 1st September from 11.00 to 1.00 pm at the Waitaki Rec Centre.  Funfit kid sessions with Di, rock painting, colouring, subway lunch and more. Limited to 20 kids so book your space now - bookings close 17th August.  Call Fiona on 434 3202.
• Care Matters - Kitchen Table meetings on Wednesday 15th or Thursday 16th August. Care Matters www.carematters.org.nz is an organisation that supports families and unpaid caregivers of children, young people and adults with disabilities. For further information go to the website or see the attached notice to the email.

4. Sports Draw - Week 3, Term 3 2018

Netball - Saturday 11^th August- FINALS DAY – Good Luck

** Finals Day games – Int Prem and Int 1.2 will both be full 40 minute games and all other games will be played with 4 quarters of 7 minutes.

** Prize giving will follow the main final about 11.30 am

** St Joseph’s Gold is in the final at 10.45 am so please come and support them with maroon and blue pom-poms or balloons

Intermediate Prem

10.45 am  - St Joseph's Gold v OIS Steel – Pearsons

Intermediate 1.2

9.00 am - St Joseph's Rebels v Kurow - Red – Sport & Outdoors

Future Ferns Yr 5/6

9.00 am - St Joseph's Ferns v Valley Tactix – Oamaru Physio – court 7

Future Ferns Yr 3/4

10.00 am – St Joseph’s Maroon v Kurow Juniors – Unichem

Umpires

9.00 am – Athena Toeke, Indya Cunningham and Anika Winders

9.30 am - Summer Moriarty and Hannah Miller

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Rugby - Saturday 4^th August – FINALS DAY – Good Luck

5 yrs - Rippa

10.45 am – Kurow Kiwis v St Joseph’s – Kurow Main Ground

6 yrs - Rippa

10.00 am – St Joseph’s v Valley Gold – SKC 3

7/8 yrs

10.00 am – Excelsior Rhinos v St Joseph’s – WCS 7

9/10 yrs -

10.30 am –Union v St Joseph’s (Harlequins)– Ngapara

11/12 yrs

11.00 am – Kurow/Union v St Joseph’s - Ngapara

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Football - Saturday 11^th August

** Don’t forget to meet at 9.00 am before each game

Primary

9.30 am - St Joseph's All Whites v Awamoa Storm – St Joseph’s

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Hockey – Tuesday 14^th August – FINALS DAY – Good Luck

** Prize giving to follow game

Kwicksticks – Yr 7/8

5.00 pm – Speedy Sticks (St Joseph’s combined team) v Upper Waitaki Wasps

Hockey – Wednesday 15th August – FINALS DAY – Good Luck

** Prize giving to follow game

KiwiSticks – Yr 5/6

5.30 pm – T2 - Mixed Magic (St Joseph’s combined team) v Papakaio

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Miniball and Basketball Notice

Miniball – semi-finals and minor placings will be played on 21 August, 1^st & 2^nd and 3^rd & 4^th played on 28^th August.

Intermediate

Due to OIS being away at a school exchange on 22^nd August, there will be no intermediate games that night.  As this week is the end of the rounds, we will go straight to Finals, 3^rd & 4^th placings etc on the 29^th August based on placings at end of rounds.

Junior Basketball Tournament

Alexandra Junior Basketball is holding a junior basketball tournament on Saturday 8^th and Sunday 9^th September.  A flyer with further information is attached to this email.

Miniball - Tuesday 14^h August

4.15 pm – St Joseph’s Rebels v Fenwick Celtics – front court

4.15 pm – St Joseph’s Breakers v WV Wizards – back court

Referee and Score bench

3.45 pm – St Joseph’s Rebels – referee and score bench – front court

3.45 pm – St Joseph’s Breakers – referee – back court

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Basketball - Wednesday 15th August

4.00 pm – St Joseph’s Bolts v OIS Warriors – front court

4.50 pm – St Joseph’s Raptors v OIS Honey Badgers – back court – 5^th & 6th

5.40 pm – St Joseph’s Cavaliers v Weston Wildcats – front court – semi – GOOD LUCK

Referee and Score bench

4.00 pm – St Joseph’s Raptors – referee and score bench – back court

4.50 pm – St Joseph’s Bolts – referee and score bench – front court

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5. Diary Dates - Week 3, Term 3 2018

AUGUST

Friday 10                     -  Celebration Assembly at 2.30 pm

Monday 13                  -  Junior Swimming from 1.30 to 2.30 pm

                                    -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

                                    -  Parent Communion meeting at 7.00 pm in the staffroom

Tuesday 14                  -  Junior Swimming from 1.30 to 2.30 pm

                                    -  School Production Rehearsal for Yrs 4-8 at SKC from 8.30 to 3.00 pm *

                                    -  Board of Trustees meeting at 6.30 pm

Wednesday 15             -  Feast of the Assumption Mass in the Dean O’Reilly Lounge at 9.15 am for 
                                         those who want to attend

                                    -  SCHOOL CLOSED DUE TO TEACHERS STRIKE

Thursday 16                -  School Production Rehearsal and shows – children to be at SKC at 8.30 am *

                                    -  School production matinee performance from 1.00 – 2.30 pm ish

                                    -  School Production at St Kevin’s College at 6.30 to 8.30 pm

Friday 17                    -  ICAS Maths exam rescheduled for the morning *

                                    -  Celebration Assembly at 2.20 pm including a Liturgy for the Assumption

Monday 20                 -  Junior Swimming from 1.30 to 2.30 pm

                                   -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

Tuesday 21                 -  School Cross Country held at the Oamaru Racecourse

Thursday 23                -  School Mass at 9.15 am

                                    -  Yr 7 ECBs and Young Vinnies

                                    -  Terrific Thursdays at 2.15 pm

                                    -  Fiefia Evening at 7.00 pm

Friday 24                    -  NZ Marist Rugby team visit at 9.00 am

                                    -  Celebration Assembly at 2.15 pm and presentation of Cross Country trophies

Sunday 26                   -   First Holy Communion

Monday 27                  -  Junior Swimming from 1.30 to 2.30 pm

                                    -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

Tuesday 28                 -  Junior Swimming from 1.30 to 2.30 pm

Wednesday 29            -  Cross Country postponement date *

Thursday 30               -  School Mass at 9.15 am

                                   -  Home and School meeting at 7.00 pm

Friday 31                    -  Daffodil Day – mufti day fundraiser

                                   -  Staff v Yr 8 netball game at 2.00 pm

                                   -  Celebration assembly at 2.30 pm

SEPTEMBER

Sunday 2                    - Father’s Day *

Monday 3                   -  North Otago Cross Country

                                   -  Junior Swimming from 1.30 to 2.30 pm

                                   -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

Wednesday 5             -  North Otago Cross Country postponement date

Friday 7                     -  Otago Primary School Cross Country

Monday 10                -  Social Justice Week

                                  -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

                                   -  Multi-cultural Hui at 7.00 pm

Monday 17                 -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

                                   -  Special Character Review *

Tuesday 18                 -  Special Character Review

                                   -  Board of Trustees meeting at 6.30 pm

Wednesday 19           -  Top School Gymnastics competition

                                  -  Special Character Review *

Monday 24                -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at SKC

Friday 28                   -  Singing Cup Finals at St Joseph’s *

                                  -  Term 3 finishes today

OCTOBER

Monday 15                -  Term 4 starts today

Tuesday 16                -  School photos

Monday 22                -  Labour Day (holiday)

Wednesday 24           -  Yr 7 Camp to Wainui – note new date

Thursday 25              -  Yr 7 Camp to Wainui

Friday 26                   -  Yr 7 Camp to Wainui

Sunday 28                 -  Food Fair

NOVEMBER

Friday 16                  -  School athletics for Yrs 1-8  tbc

Monday 19               -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley – note new date

Tuesday 20               -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley

Wednesday 21          -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley

Thursday 22             -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley

Friday 23                  -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley

Monday 26               -  North Otago Athletics

Tuesday 27               -  Multicultural Day

Wednesday 28          -  North Otago Postponement Date

                                                 

DECEMBER

Friday 14                  -  Term 4 finishes today – note new day

1. Principal's News Week 2, Term 3 2018

Our Children are Hard At It
The children are amazing, they are involved in so many things and have a rich and interesting time at school.  That is to the credit of our teaching staff, the children themselves, the families they come from and the values they bring into school and take on in school.

Cross Country Practice

For instance at the moment as well as our normal learning, including our science experiments in the STEAM room, we are training for cross country, the juniors are doing water safety at the pool, there are two gymnastics clubs, an extension maths group preparing for the Aoraki Maths competition, sports teams are gearing up for their end of year season with some teams preparing for semi-finals and finals of their competitions, we have a group of chess players competing next week in the Oamaru/Timaru chess tournament, achievement levels are rising, plus most children are able to talk knowledgeably about their learning.  We have music groups preparing for the production, children preparing for Singing Cup, children sitting Icas exams, extra learning support programs, Pasifika homework class, Pasifika performance group, kapa haka, Filipino immersion class, Mandarin lessons, classes take it in turns to lead at mass and our year 8 leaders take on many aspects of day to day school life for the school e.g. running assemblies, leading whole school prayers managing audio and sound equipment, preparing liturgies, supporting the librarian, road patrol, JJ role models, as well as making us proud of what a year 8 at St Joseph's can be.   Many children are doing lots of extra things in their own time and they are enthusiastic about everything.  We are very proud of them.

Michael flying at Gymnastics Club supported by Indya

Strike Day - 15th August

School will be closed on Wednesday 15th August due to the NZEI strike action - see the NZEI flier below.

A few years ago when the government wanted to increase class sizes, the thing that turned them around was pressure from the parents, not the teachers.  If you support us now we may get a quick and effective solution.

Tomorrow on Friday 3rd August the teachers will be around the entrances to the school.  They would love to answer your questions about why this action is necessary and what it's all about.  Please take the opportunity to talk to them.  They will have post-it notes which they can give you and we encourage you to write a comment in support of better resourcing  and more time for teaching.  If we are all in this together we will have a speedier solution and the people who benefit most are the children, now and into the future - and this campaign is about both.

For those of you who don't come to school in the morning you are warmly invited to contribute to this Padlet (below).  You click on it and add a note.  Please make it a supportive note as anything else won't be useful at this stage.  If you are confused or have reservations, you could talk to the teachers on Friday.

God

The children are presently learning about God.  The key ideas that we want them to understand about God are:

1. God created the world.

2. Ways we can know about God - God is revealed through Jesus
3. God is all powerful and remains a mystery.
4. God loves us individually (He has made a Covenant with us).

This gets into some really interesting conversations with children and I encourage you to look at our "God for parents" page to get some ideas about where this type of thinking leads in the intermediate years and the type of questions it raises for us adults.

Jumangi - the 4Rs

Tickets for Jumangi - the 4Rs are now available in the office for a gold coin donation.  We have a limited number of seats available so please get in quickly to secure your seat.

Parent/Student Interviews
Thank you for your great turnout at interviews this week.  Your children were excited about sharing their learning and we are proud that so many of them were able to do this. Thank you also to the parents who filled in the feedback forms on the trial report for this year.  There are mixed feelings around this varying from very positive to not so positive with the difference being preferring more teacher comment.  I told you this was a trial and your feedback would be taken into account and it will.  Once I've analysed the reports I'll give you some more detail about this.

Healthy Lunches

A reminder that we are a health promoting school.  We have noticed a lot of pre-packaged food in children's lunchboxes.  We would like them to bring fruit for "fruit and read" time in the morning and discourage processed, pre-packaged food.  This food is often high in salt and sugar and also creates a lot of rubbish around the school.  

Here's some ideas for some healthy school lunch options - https://lifemadesweeter.com/easy-school-lunches/ 

Absences

The office staff would like to thank parents for your prompt notification of absences in week 1.  Ringing us up to tell us why your child is not at school is so helpful because if you don't, the office staff can spend an hour or so chasing people up.  So please keep it up for us.  Thanks.

God Bless and Aroha

Lorraine Frances-Rees