1. Principal's News Term 1 Week 7 2020

Updates
I will continue to update our community by email if and when there is information to share.

The Ministry has shared this useful graphic with us which explains what we are doing.  In our case the faces in yellow are all the children who are in the same class.  The faces in green are the rest of the school.  The green faces are those people who have kept more than 1.5m away from the red face.  Or they have been close to the red face but for less than 15 minutes.  We're praying we have no red faces, but if we do.... we know what to do.

We are trying our best to keep business as usual whilst maintaining close sustained proximity to only class groups.

The wonderful children
We've been a bit low on activities this week but I would like to share some photos of our wonderful children at play.  They are having some quite thoughtful conversations about the bigger picture at the moment and yet they are carefree and happy.

Happy St Joseph's Day

Thanks to Rainbow Confectionary for helping us celebrate St Joseph's day.

I wish everybody well and hope everyone remains healthy and positive.  Have a lovely weekend.

God bless and aroha
Lorraine Frances-Rees

2.Special Character Week 7 Term 1 2020

Faith Insights/ Facts: Special Dates

3rd Week of Lent (Pray, Fast, Give)

17th St Patrick’s Day

19th St Joseph

The Gospel for the Third Week of Lent John 4:5-42
Jesus reveals himself to the Samaritan woman at the well. In Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman, we learn about the fullness of God’s mercy. The woman is a Samaritan, and Samaritans were people with whom observant Jews had no contact. She is also an outcast in Samaritan society. Yet Jesus reaches out to this woman and brings her hope and a new knowledge God.

Let’s pray for the outcast in our society. May we and others have the courage to reach out to them and like Jesus bring mercy and hope.

4th Week of Lent (Pray, Fast, Give)

The Gospel for the Fourth Week of Lent John 9:1-41

Jesus heals the man born blind and reveals himself to him as the Son of Man. Young people today are often bombarded with so much stimulation that it is easy for them to miss what is right in front of their eyes. This Sunday’s Gospel reminds us that Jesus helps us see what is truly important in life.

Spiritual Reading

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LAUDATO SI’ – Caring for our Common Home

Jesus cures the blind man. “Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God for he does not observe the Sabbath …’ “

Caritas Lenten Booklet: By giving sight to the blind man, Jesus exposed the blindness of the Pharisees who could not see God’s commandment of love … “We reflect:  In what ways are we similar to the Pharisees? Are we insular – unaware of people around us in need? The Pharisees were so concerned with following the law that it prevented them from fully accepting Jesus.  Are our rigid beliefs and practices an inhibition to God’s love. What gifts do we have that we can use to serve God in those around us?” Maybe we could think ‘outside the square’ of our routine.   

Prayer: E te Atua, when you gave sight to the blind man, he told people about you. As you give us new sight, make us teachers who share your message of mercy, justice and truth, especially to those most in need of your healing love.  Amene.

Malo 'Aupito/Many thanks

God Bless

Arohanui

Tua Misiloi Co DRS

3. School Notices - Week 7, Term 1 2020

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Altar Servers
Saturday 21st March - Mariah Cunningham and Serah Staju
Sunday 22nd March - Alexie Phillips, Lilly Kelcher and Rolfe Patalbo

Birthday Greetings to
Ayla Beattie

Assembly
There is no Friday assembly until further notice however certificates will be awarded to the children in their classrooms.

CANCELLATIONS AND POSTPONEMENTS
This week has seen the cancellation and postponements of all summer and winter sport due to the COVID-19 outbreak as per Ministry of Health and Sport NZ guidelines. This is a rapidly changing situation and we will share the updates when we receive them.

These sports activities which affect our school have been cancelled or postponed until further notice

• North Otago Swimming Sports
• Otago Primary School Swimming Sports
• North Otago Rippa Rugby Tournament - is being postponed to a later date
• Touch Rugby 
• Community Cricket including junior cricket 

Winter Sports

Across all the sports codes, this is the same message being relayed that all trials, training's and games be postponed until further notice. 

Our school will not go ahead with naming teams until we get the all clear message for sport to go ahead however if anyone still wants to play a sport, please let us know.  We urgently need girls to play in the miniball team from Years 4-6 but if there is a capable Year 3 girl who would like to play, please let us know.  We also require coaches for rugby in the 7 & 8 year team and the girls miniball team.  Netball coaches will be confirmed when trials have been completed for the top 2 teams.  

This is the update from each sport.

Basketball/Miniball

The season does not start until Term 2 and their start date will be advised at a later date. No other information was available at this stage.

Football

The Football Waitaki Saturday morning competition and First Kicks (Friday nights) is not due to start until later in May.  They will continue to adhere to the regulations set out by NZ Football due to Covid 19.  Therefore, definitely training is postponed and they will be in touch regarding the season.

Hockey

All club, school and community hockey postponed until Saturday 2nd May effective Thursday 19th March. This includes all training activities, pre-season trials and hockey matches.

Netball

All netball competitions to be postponed until Saturday 2nd May at the earliest effective Thursday 19th March.  All community events, competitions, programmes, tournaments, workshops and player development programmes to be postponed until 2nd May.

Recognising the need for teams to prepare for a competition starting from 2nd May at the earliest, clubs and schools in the process of trialing, naming teams and commencing trainings are to postpone until 4 weeks before the start of their competition or the first week in April at the earliest.  Given the changing environment, this position may change in coming weeks.

- Yr 7 & 8 Development Camp is postponed until the July holidays.

- Yr 7 & 8 Development Sessions - held on Mondays from 4th May for 6 weeks. Registrations open 

   in April.

- Yr 5 & 6 Development Camp is postponed until later in the year.

- Junior Booklet - North Otago Netball are in the process of developing a junior booklet.  Any ideas to go in it, please let Mrs Brien know and she will forward it to the person concerned.

- Umpire sessions are now postponed until a later date.

Rugby

All rugby including rippa, junior and school rugby is suspended until Saturday 18th April.  This includes all games and contact training. Our school will still complete the NZ Player Rugby Registration form on your behalf so we are ready if rugby goes ahead.

Easter Timetable for St Patrick's Parish
Please note this timetable could change in the foreseeable future

• Holy Thursday 9th April - Mass of the Last Supper at the Basilica at 7.00 pm
• Good Friday 10th April - Commemoration of Jesus Christ's Death at the Basilica at 3.00 pm                                            - Friday Ecumenical Walk - 10.00 am gather at House of Breakthrough Church at 33 Wansbeck Street.  You are welcome to walk with the cross through St Luke's Gardens at the corner of Tees and Thames Streets then Main Street to St Paul's for the service at 11.00 am at 7 Coquet Street.  All welcome.  You are invited to join in at any part of the morning.
• Easter Saturday 11th April - Vigil Mass - 6.00 pm at Kurow and 8.00 pm at the Basilicia
• Easter Sunday 12th April - Mass at 9.30 am at the Basilica.  There is no Mass at Hampden

Second Hand Sports Equipment and Gear

If you have any old sports equipment and gear surplus to requirements, please donate them to our school for other children to utilise.  This applies to both summer and winter sports and any gear that comes in we will advertise in the newsletter e.g. football / rugby boots, cricket pads, bats etc.

Swimming Trophies

These will be presented to the children at assembly when assembly is up and running again.

4. Diary Dates - Week 7, Term 1 2020

MARCH Friday 20 Monday 23 Tuesday 24 Thursday 26 Friday 27 Sunday 29 APRIL Wednesday 1 Thursday 2 Friday 3 Thursday 9 Friday 10 Saturday 11 Sunday 12 Monday 13 Monday 27 Tuesday 28 MAY Friday 1 Monday 4 Friday 8 Sunday 10 Monday 11 Tuesday 12 Friday 15 Monday 18 Friday 22 Sunday 24 Friday 29 Sunday 31 JUNE Monday 1 JULY Friday 3 Monday 20 SEPTEMBER Friday 25 OCTOBER Monday 12

Yr 7 & 8 Technology  Otago Anniversary Day - school closed  Sacrament of Reconciliation Parent meeting at 7.00 pm  Board of Trustee meeting at 5.30 pm * Home and School AGM at 7.00 pm at school  Technology for Yr 7 & 8  Sacrament of Reconciliation Mass  HPV vaccination for Yr 8  Wheels Day  Technology for Yr 7 & 8  Holy Thursday – last day of school  for term 1 Good Friday Holy Saturday Easter Sunday Easter Monday ANZAC Day observed – school closed Term 2 starts Technology for Yr 7 & 8 * Teacher Only Day * Technology for Yr 7 & 8 * Mother’s Day * Confirmation Parent meeting  at 7.00 pm * Board of Trustee meeting at 6.00 pm * Technology for Yr 7 & 8 * Confirmation Parent meeting at 7.00 pm * Technology for Yr 7 & 8 * Home & School Racecourse Fundraiser * Technology for Yr 7 & 8 * Confirmation Mass at 9.30 am * Queen’s Birthday - school closed * Last day of school for term 2 School starts for term 3 Last day of school for term 3 School starts for term 4

1. Principals News - Week 6, Term 1 2020

What's Been Happening
Swimming sports were a great success last week.  Thank you to Mrs Brien for organising everything and staff and parents for doing all the jobs that make it possible.  There are lots more pictures on our Facebook page.

The junior school have been swimming.
Our teachers have been busy with professional development.  They have started working on investigating further teaching methods in writing (seniors) and reading (juniors) to help support some of our learners.  Junior teachers have attended phonics training and our senior leadership team is training in coaching leadership.  Mrs Misiloi continues to attend the Pasifika cluster meetings as does Mrs Stringer.

Relationships
Our year 8s are developing their leadership relationships.  Sometimes this is about reflecting and improving.  Our physical activity leaders have started to plan and prepare physical activity lessons for some of our younger children.  This is learning for our older children too because they have to make physical skills explicit and engage in the necessary literacy (reading and writing and oral language) to prepare and organise the learning.  They engage the capability of critical inquiry which at year 8 includes being able to:

• Challenge their own and others’ ideas using evidence.
• Respond positively to change and alternative perspectives.

Also our year 8 and year Kakapo class have started a joint learning inquiry into our school garden.  This is using our school Enviroschool context in order to engage in authentic learning.  As the project progresses they will use their literacy and maths skills as well as learning about science, project planning and critical thinking as they review and refine their work.

Learning about Jesus
All classes are presently learning about Jesus.  Please help your children at home by talking with them about Jesus or asking them to explain what they are learning.  Support for parents to give you an overview of their learning is on our RE blog which includes some videos you could share with your children.

Thank you to all parents who have supported us with helping to walk to swimming, with senior swimming sports, volunteering to be Winter sports' coaches.

God bless and aroha,
Lorraine Frances-Rees

2. Special Character Week 6 Term 1 2020

                                      Welcome & Malo e Lelei
Special Character Focus
We are still continue teaching the Jesus Strand and Caritas lenten Program. This study will give our children the resources to gain and apply knowledge and skills, attitudes and values to understand and integrate into their lives. 

1.That Jesus is God, fully human and fully divine- second person of the Trinity. 
2. That Jesus is our Tuakana, elder brother of all, whose life is a model for all Christians
3.The we believe in in Jesus Christ through the grace of the Holy Spirit are invited into a loving relationships with Jesus, to follow him as his disciples and live his way through conversion of heart through faith, hope, justice, integrity and love as embodied in the Catholic Teaching. 

Our key ideas are:
1.Jesus was human (as well as God)
2. Jesus came to show us how to live and to save us.
3. Jesus is God (as well as human)

Sacrament Commitment Mass
Please just a reminder that we are having the Sacrament Commitment Mass this Sunday-15/3 at 9:30am at St Patrick Basilica. Followed by a meeting with the prayer partners. 

Special Dates:
2nd Week of Lent (Pray, Fast, Give)
13th March Anniversary of Pope Francis election 2013
Sundays first reading was Genesis 12:1-4, The Call of Abram
The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

Pope Francis 2019 The courage to take a risk for God's promise

"The Lord's call... it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be part of a great undertaking. ...Every vocation is summons not to stand on the shore, nets in hand, but to follow Jesus on the path he has marked out for us, for our happiness and for the good of those around us."
We give thanks God for all those who have chosen the vocation of parenthood. May you always be a blessing to your family and to others. May you remember you have been and are blessed. 
Spiritual Reading
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Our Lenten Journey

Renewed by the Spirit -  Ka tū tātou - Stand together!
This week, 3rd Sunday of Lent - Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. 
“  …. give me this living water … ”

Malo 'Aupito/Many thanks

God Bless

Arohanui

Tua Misiloi Co DRS