1. Principal's News Week 1, Term 3, 2017

As we are half way through the year its timely to remind families about home learning.  Research has shown that learning conversations between parents and children reinforces school learning.  That’s why our teachers send you a link each week to the learning intentions on the Teaching and Learning site.  These are the main learning intentions for the week and the link allows you to open a conversation with your child about what they are learning.  Each time they reconsider it, it deepens the connection and embeds the learning.  Repetition makes it stick.

Teaching and Learning Site

Class teachers also send you a link to the class blog – this gives you an idea of what has been done in class and again offers the opportunity for a learning conversation. 

Year 6s Gospel Presentation today

Low Key Family Learning Hui – Friday 28^th 2pm, Staffroom - Maths

I would like to invite interested whanau to catch up with me at 2pm on Friday to talk about how you can help your child learn basic maths facts at home.  This is an informal catchup and I’ll show you some simple things you can do with a pack of cards to reinforce maths learning at any level. 

Literacy Learning Difficulties

For any families who have children diagnosed with dyslexia or suspected dyslexia, I have a program that may be able to help.  We did this a few years ago and the children on the program made big steps forwards with their reading.  This will be on Monday 31^st July at 3pm in the staffroom for about 30 minutes and you can bring your child.

Keeping Ourselves Safe and Classes for 2018

On Tuesday 1 August at 6.30pm, we are having a sharing session on “Keeping Ourselves Safe.”  This is a program designed by NZ Police and run in schools.  We run this program within the perspective of our Catholic Special Character.  Parents are warmly encouraged to come along and find out more about it.

Before that at 6.00pm our senior leadership team will be in the staffroom to discuss potential class compositions for the years 3 to 6 classes in 2018.

We wish everyone a peaceful and productive term 3.

God bless and aroha,

Mrs Frances-Rees

2. Board News

Board News

We are saddened to lose two of our trustees Bruce Wickham and Chris Heaphy who have resigned from the BOT due to responsibilities and loyalties elsewhere. We thank them for their integrity, their honest and enthusiastic voice, the contributions they made as BOT members and the continued commitment they have to our school.

These resignations leave places for two new parent trustees which will be filled by election. The timeline dates are yet to be confirmed but I will keep you informed.   

I hope that every parent will consider making himself or herself available. You do not need to have any specific skills but there is a time commitment to  prepare for  and attend meetings. There will be training available but I know all of our members are happy to talk to anyone about their roles and we  also welcome your attendance at our BOT meetings.

Bev Conlan,

St Joseph's Board of Trustees

Chairperson

3. Special Character Week 1, term 3 2017

First Communion
This term there are a number of students who will be making their First Communion on Sunday August 20 at 9.30am. They will be attending sessions each Wednesday in helping to prepare for this. We send prayers to each family in their journey to prepare their child making First Communion. 

There will be a parent meeting for those involved with First Communion on Monday July 31@ 7pm in the staffroom.

 Faith Facts

Saints Joachim and Anne

Many of the images of Saint Joachim and Anne, the Mother 

of Mary, depict a loving couple. 

The couple early became models of Christian marriage.

At one time, July 26 was the feast of St. 

Anne only, but in the new calendar the two 

feasts of the parents of the Blessed Virgin 

Mary are celebrated together. According 

early writings 170, Joachim was a 

prominent and respected man who had no 

children. In answer to Anne’s and 

Joachim’s prayers, Mary was born and was dedicated to 

God at a very early age.

Icon by Maria Diaz, San Francisco

On Saturday 22nd July it was the Feast of St Mary Magdalene. Pope Francis in discussing Saint Mary Magdalene said she became “the apostle of the new and greatest hope.” Her life was changed because she had “seen the Lord...Mary’s experience is an example for us, too.”  If we place Jesus at the centre of all that we do, Jesus, who is  “is our strength, and our hope,” will change our lives too, Francis said. (General audience, May 2017)

God Bless

Nicola Winders