1. Principal's News Week 10 Term 3 2018

School Garden
Our environment leaders Lily and Levi have been thinking about how we will manage our school garden in term 4.  Lily has been out with the junior school weeding and preparing for planting next term.  Mrs Jones-Hogan and myself went to our first meeting in the Enviroschools project and we're looking forward to becoming more involved in our local environment and developing our school understanding of sustainability over the next few years.

Uniform Survey
All parents have been emailed a link for feedback about the school uniform.  This is the process:
Responses to your surveys will be presented to the board in the first board meeting of term 4. The board will consider the feedback/forward and some selected ideas presented back to the community for further consideration. The final decision on any changes will be made in term 1 of 2019.

Community
As we start preparing for year 8 camp it's a real reminder of our community.  Once again Dennis Brown is guiding our expedition.  Dennis has been doing this for St Joseph's for about 20 years and remarked the other night, "It's my school, my community."  It's fantastic to have these connections and supports in our wider community.

A big thank you to Jeremy and Louise Dyson who have donated 30 pack liners for camp, that we can keep for future camps.

Singing Cup
The house choirs are sounding great.  The solo and duet competitions will be performed and judged starting at 9.15am on Friday.  We expect they will be finished by 11am.  Parents are welcomed to join us.  We also hope parents will join us on Friday afternoon.  The format starting at 2pm is:

Chloe preparing for Singing Cup

• Welcome
• Guzman House Choir
• Sienna House Choir
• Presentation of year 7 & 8 solo trophies
• Lima House Choir
• Presentation of duet trophies
• Prayer to end the term
• Staff Choir

The Internet

Natalie enjoying a book

We have recently reviewed our reading curriculum.  Children don't learn to fully discern the value of texts until they are working at level 4 which is year 7 & 8.  That means they are not equipped to do meaningful Internet searches for research until this level.  It also means that they MUST know how to do it at level 4.  That is why we have limited devices up to year 7 and in year 7 & 8 we ensure that the school provides every child with a device for the times they need it for learning.  Both our year 7 & 8 classes have had lessons on Cybersafety from Constable Carrie Hamilton in the last couple of weeks.   They are also specifically taught how to use the Internet as a tool for learning.

IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH OVER INDULGENCE IN THE INTERNET AT HOME - our computer technician Andy McKee can help you.  He can install something which cuts the Internet off for your children at a certain time, but not for you.  He is happy for you to contact him on:  021504180.

The best way to monitor Internet use and device time is to start young:

• Postpone access to devices - we are finding children coming into school are having difficultly tracking from left to right with their eyes as they are used to their eyes moving around on a screen.  That means it takes a long time to be ready to read.  
• Limit the time on devices.
• Keep them in public places in the house. 
• The light from devices stops the sleep hormone Seratonin so they should be put away a good hour before you hope for your child to sleep.

Waitaki Library

A reminder that Waitaki Library is open during the holidays.  Even young children can have a library card and it gives them a great sense of responsibility.  There are lots of fun activities planned at the library and Forester Gallery in the holidays.  Check them out: Holiday Fun.

Have a safe and happy holiday,

God bless and Aroha

Lorraine Frances-Rees