Thursday 26 July 2018

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

Student and Parent Interviews
Our student and parent interviews are happening next week on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons/evenings.  We strongly encourage all families to attend the interviews as your support for your child's learning progress is a very important factor in their success.
Our year 2/3 do an acid/base reaction with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda in our STEAM room.
At the interviews your child will present an example, or examples of their learning.  This will help to illustrate the reports you received at the end of last term.  The teacher will be there and will be able to clarify and help in a three way conversation.

To book go to: https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/
and use the event code:          9dhs6
Parent Feedback
We value your feedback.  Constructive and respectful feedback can support us to know we going in the right direction or it may help us to stop and reflect and maybe make changes.  In the next few weeks there will be two opportunities for feedback.  These are part of our planning and development cycle and we take all comments seriously.

After the student/parent interviews there will be a form to fill in regarding the new report forms and
Production Practice
how they worked for you.  Your comments will be used as part of the development process.

Also in the next couple of weeks you will receive a special character survey.  We are a faith-based school.  The reason and measure of success for our school is how well we provide the conditions for our community to encounter God.   We would love to have your feedback on this please.

Production Practice



Senior Production - Jumanji - the 4Rs

This is coming together now and we look forward to performing it in week 4.

It is based on the movie Jumangi.  It starts in a school where the four main characters each need to learn something about one of our school values - respect, relationship, reverence and resilience.  As in the movie, they are transported into the land of Jumangi where they become "game" characters.  At each level of the game they have to learn something about one of our values in order to get to the next level.  By the end they have learnt a lot and return to their real selves as true JJ role models.  All children from year 4 to 8 are involved and have a part either on stage or as a stage, lighting or sound technician.  There's some great singing and dancing coming along and we're looking forward to sharing it with our community on Thursday 16th August at 6.30 pm at St Kevin's auditorium.

Singing Cup 2018
We have run the Singing Cup annually now at St Joseph's for nearly 50 years.  This is a very big part of our Dominican tradition.  The Dominican sisters who started our school were committed to singing and music and our Singing Cup grew out of this.

Normally, our winners and house choirs perform at St Kevin's but this year due to having to postpone the school production, we will have our Singing Cup celebration at St Joseph's - date and details to be confirmed.  The process is:
  • Years 5 to 8 are all encouraged to audition but not pressured.  
  • The first audition happens only within their own class.  
  • This is on Tuesday 7th August.  
  • Two St Kevin's students will be judging it.  
  • The top two or three children will get the chance to prepare their own song for the finals.  
  • The finals will be judged by an adult external judge.
  • For the qualifying students, preparing their song is something they take responsibility for themselves but Mrs Brookes and myself will help them with accompaniment and support and Mrs Brookes gives them feedback on their performance prior to the competition.
  • All children in years 4-8 take part in house choirs which compete at the final celebration.
  • To show the children that the teachers also have resilience, we will put ourselves out of our comfort zones, and take the time to rehearse and improve on something, all the teachers participate in a staff choir which will also perform.  For adults who do not feel comfortable singing or getting on stage (not me - I like it), this takes some guts and we want to show the children that it's OK to give something a go and not be perfect but with a growth mindset we can sometimes surprise ourselves and we support each other no matter what.
Aroha and God Bless
Lorraine Frances-Rees

2. Special Character - Week 1 Term 3 2018

Faith Facts this Week
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is based on the belief that God has a plan for creation, a plan to build his kingdom of peace, love and justice. It holds that God has a special place in this story for each of us, whoever we are. Our part in this plan isn’t just limited to things ‘spiritual’, or things we might do on Sundays, but that it involves every aspect of our lives, from the things we pray about, to how we live as a responsible global citizens.
During Terms 1 and 2 teachers in many of our schools, teachers have been learning about Catholic Social Teaching. How much do you know? How quickly can you complete this simple quiz! 


July 26 Sts Joachim and Anne – Jesus Grandparents

America was the first country in the world to celebrate Grandparents day. They celebrate on the 9th of September. The UK celebrates grandparent in October here in New Zealand we do not celebrate grandparent’s day. The Feast of Joachim and Anne, Jesus’s grandparents, gives us a great opportunity to thank them for giving us Mary and a great day to think of our own grandparents too.

It is nice to think of Jesus as have a grandma(sava)and grandad(sav).


God Bless 
Nicola Winders DRS

3. School Notices - Week 1, Term 3 2018

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Altar Servers
Saturday 28th July - Joseph, Patrick, Seb Spillane, Samuel Plieger and Andrew Sinclair
Sunday 29th July - Hana Davies, Ivy-Belle & Molly-May Mestrom

Beatitude for the Day
Happy are those who can be kind in understanding the attitudes of others; they may be taken for fools but that is the price of charity.

Birthday Greetings
Anika Winders, Bella Moriarty, Eva Fatafehi and Hannah Rathgen

Basketball Tournament
During the holidays, some of our Yr 7 and 8 basketballers competed in the Network Waitaki Intermediate Basketball Tournament held at the Waitaki Rec Centre.  Teams from Canterbury, Otago and Westland competed in this tournament and it was an opportunity for some rep teams to have some experience.  St Joseph's entered the boys development grade and due to a very tough draw where they played 4 games in one day and 2 very late night games on Friday and Saturday nights and some close games, they finished just with one win.  The coach was really proud of the boys as they played really well and did not give up and she saw heaps of improvement during the tournament. We had 2 girls, Elenoa Asi and Anika Winders play for the North Otago team in which their team won the girls development grade.  They had an easier road than the boys and had a couple of close games especially in the final against Mid Canterbury. Thanks to Claire Cameron for organising the boys team. This photo was taken by the Oamaru Mail.


Chess Forms
These forms need to be returned back by tomorrow in order for entries to be sent away next week.  We still require a parent to stay with the children during this tournament.

Congratulations
Please let the office know if your child has been selected for any academic, cultural or sporting activities as we would love to know about it. Email the office at office@stjoseph.school.nz

Contact Details
Please advise the office if you have moved or changed your contact details recently.

Football Tournament
This excerpt is taken from the Waitaki Football Facebook page.  (Congratulations to Football Waitaki 10th grade girls team who played in their first rep tournament in Kaiapoi during the holidays.  The girls played really well and had a great time.  They won 3 games (5-0, 4- 0 and 2-0) drew 2 all and lost game 0 to 1.  Zara Davies was the teams MVP and she also won the silver boot - 2nd highest goal scorer in the 10th grade competition).   St Joseph's had Hana & Zara Davies and Annalise Kilgour playing in this team.  Congratulations Zara on receiving the silver boot.


 Junior Swimming
Water Safety lessons start on Monday afternoon for the junior school so please remember their togs and towel. The children will be bused to and from the pool and parent helpers are to meet at the pool. These parents will help with the changing into and out of the swimming togs. Miss Tangney/Mrs Klenner and Mrs Misiloi's classes swim at 1.30 pm and Mrs Brookes and Mrs McRae's classes swim at 2.00 pm. The lessons are about water safety, water confidence and the children will be doing some lessons but they are not the same as the after school swim lessons. Below is the timetable for parent helpers.  If you cannot help on a particular day, please notify your child's teacher.


Dates       Parent Help for Mrs Brookes and Mrs McRae


Mon 30/7 Alegre, Anderson, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Tues 31/7 Campbell, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Laming, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Mon 6/8 Alegre, Anderson, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Tues 7/8 Campbell, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Laming, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Mon 13/8 Alegre, Anderson, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Tues 14/8 Campbell, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Mon 20/8 Alegre, Anderson, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Mon 27/8 Alegre, Anderson, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Tues 28/8 Campbell, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse
Mon 3/9 Alegre, Anderson, Catalan-Gomez, Fogarty, Mestrom, Phillips, Woodhouse

Dates        Parent Help for Mrs Misiloi and Miss Tangney/Mrs Klenner

Mon 30/7
Catalina-Gomez, Criddle, Harrower, Illingworth, McGeown,  Phillips, Oakes, Ridgway,
 Roa, van Rooy
Tue 31/7 Catalina-Gomez, Harrower, Lindsay, Marasigan, Phillips, Roa, Staju, van Rooy
Mon 6/8 Catalina-Gomez, Criddle, Harrower, Illingworth,  Phillips, Oakes, Ridgway, Roa, van Rooy
Tue 7/8 Catalina-Gomez, Fatafehi, Harrower, Lindsay, Marasigan, Phillips, Roa, van Rooy
Mon 13/8 Catalina-Gomez, Criddle, Harrower, Illingworth, McGeown,  Phillips, Oakes, Ridgway,
Roa, van Rooy
Tue 14/8 Catalina-Gomez, Fatafehi, Harrower, Lindsay, Marasigan, Phillips, Roa, van Rooy
Mon 20/8 Catalina-Gomez, Criddle, Harrower, Illingworth, Phillips, Oakes, Ridgway, Roa, van Rooy
Mon 27/8 Catalina-Gomez, Criddle, Harrower, Illingworth, Phillips, Oakes, Ridgway, Roa, van Rooy
Tues 28/8 Catalina-Gomez, Fatafehi, Harrower, Lindsay, Marasigan, Phillips, Roa, van Rooy
Mon 3/9 Catalina-Gomez, Criddle, Harrower, Illingworth, McGeown,  Phillips, Oakes, Ridgway,
Roa, Staju, van Rooy

Parent/Student Lead Conferences
Don't forget to book an interview time with your teacher if you have not already did it.  Remember the students are to come to the interview as well.  Go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and use the code 9dhs6.

Pasifika & Kapahaka

A reminder about the Kapahaka and Pasifika cultural practises will be combined on Friday afternoons from 3.00 to 4.00 pm in Mrs Misiloi's class.

Pastoral  Care

In the month of August, Mrs Winders and Mrs Asi's classes are on Pastoral Care.  A notice has been given to the children.  Please drop the food off at the office.  Thanks.

Power Up Plus
This exciting Ministry of Education funded project has begun in our community.  Every Wednesday at Oamaru Intermediate School, Pasifika families are invited to come along and work with your children supporting and encouraging learning at home.  Susie Oakes is the parent coordinator and she has established a Facebook page with relevant news and details about the Power Up Plus.  Please contact Susie on 022 045 7962 as she has further details or talk to Mrs Misiloi about how you can become involved.


Reminders
Monday 30th - Technology for Yr 7 & 8 and junior swimming for Yrs 1-3
Tuesday 31st - ICAS English exam, junior swimming and parent/student conference
Wednesday 1st - parent/student conference

Scholastic Book Club
Book club orders close on Monday 6th August.

Terrific Thursdays
There will be no Terrific Thursdays on Thursday 2nd 16th and 30th August.

Wanted
For the STEAM science experiments, could we please have some help from the school community to collect some small plastic bottles (mini fizzy ones).  They can be dropped off in the box outside the office.  Thank you, The STEAM Team.


Welcome
We warmly welcome Keely Kubala and Benjamin Jonathan to our Yr 4 and 6 classes.

Yr 1/2 Netball girls
Please hand in your netball skirts and any goal-a-thon money to the office.

Community Notices
  • New to Waitaki?  Do you know the Newcomers Network and Migrant Support services are available to help you make friends, connect with the community and assist with any settlement challenges?  Call Christine Dorsey on 027 242 8643 or 434 7544 or email waitaki@newcomers.co.nz for more information.  There are also pamphlets to give out to families and welcome packs are currently being created.