3. School Notices - Week 6, Term 4 2015

Altar Servers
Saturday 21st November - Elizabeth, Samuel & Nicolas Plieger, Matthew Gough and Isabella McNaught
Sunday 22nd November - Ellie Jorgensen, Stephanie & Sylvia Lavrijsen and Joel Kunnethedan

Birthday Greetings to:
Cody Marshall, Luse Asi and Matthew Gough

Christmas Float
St Patrick's Parish are entering a float in this years Christmas Parade held on Saturday 28th

November at 9.30 am.  Any student wishing to be involved in the parish float are asked to dress up as angels, shepherds, soldiers etc.  Please let the school office know if you are interested by tomorrow Friday 20th November. A notice has been attached to the email.

Home and School
Thanks everyone for your contributions with both helping and making the goodies for the cake stall. It was a great day despite it being a bit cold and everyone looked beautiful.  We raised $789.10 less expenses.  Thanks again for your help.

Library Books
We would like all library books to be returned to the box outside the office for our annual stocktaking purposes by Friday 27th November.  There will be no more library books issued for this term.

Lost
Aria O'Connell has lost her named school jacket from her classroom.  Can you please check your child's jacket to see if it is theirs.

Noel Leemings Christmas Offer
An offer is available from Noel Leemings to the friends and family of New Zealand Catholic Schools from Monday 30th November to Sunday 6th December where you get cost + 10% store wide excluding IT accessories, PC software, AV accessories and PC consumables.  Present the flyer which is attached to the email or present it on your smartphone or device in store.

Pastoral Care

During the year, some of our school families experience times of compassionate need; like the death of a close family member, severe illness/injury or hardship. About twice a year, all classrooms will have one month of the school year to contribute to the Parish Welfare Freezer.  The month of November has been assigned to Junior Hub 1 and families are asked to donate cooked food or non perishable items.  The items can be tinned, baking or a main meal e.g. casserole, lasagna, muffins or biscuits.  Please bring any food donations to the school office on Friday mornings.  Thank you.

Summer Sports
Cricket - Saturday 21st November
4th Grade - St Joseph's v Valley Blue at St Kevin's College 1
5th Grade - St Joseph's v Eastern Eagles at St Kevin's College Artificial 2

Touch Rugby - Tuesday 24th November
The draw was unavailable at the time the news blog went to print.  Please check the notice board or the North Otago Touch Rugby Facebook page for the draw.

Swimming Dates for 2016
Here are our school swimming lessons for 2016.  Our school swimming sports for the senior school will be held on Tuesday 9th March from 9.00 to 12.00 pm.

Friday 5th February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm
Tuesday 9th February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm
Wednesday 10th February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm
Thursday 11th February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm
Friday 12 February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm
Monday 15th February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm
Wednesday 17th February - 1.00 to 2.30 pm

Website Changes
We are looking at updating our website where all the information is available in one place.  If you have any suggestions of what you would like to see on there, please email the office at office@stjoseph.school.nz  Thank you.

Community Notices

• The OSCAR Management Committee needs energetic and experienced people to commit to 1 to 2 hours per month to support the great work that the OSCAR programme is doing for the children in our community.  We would appreciate if if you would consider giving up some of your time.  Please email Jenny Gawn (Chair) at jgawn@fenwick.school.nz
• Oamaru Multisport Club - attached to the email is a list of Fun Runs/Duathlons, Cycling and Swimming dates that the club is running.  See the list for further information.

4. What has been happening in Week 6?

Yr 8 Camp
Last week our Yr 8 class, Mr Moore and Mr Cartlidge, Mr Brown and a great group of parent helpers went to our annual camp at Staveley and walked the Mt Somers track. They endured all seasons while they were away with warm sunshine and cold wet weather which resulted in them walking 2 days of the track in one huge day where everyone stepped up and finished the trek.  The following day they bused into Ashburton where some went swimming or to the museum and then went to the Ashburton Domain.
A MASSIVE thank you to all parents for their contribution to the success of their children on the camp over the past week. Without the huge amount of support and effort to provide the right equipment for the students, including those who selflessly loaned their gear to others in the class, this camp wouldn't have been the success it was. Here are some photos of their pre-camp preparation with walks through the Herbert Forest and walking through the reserve at the top of the Glen Warren Reserve as well as the Staveley camp.

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Saints Day
On Monday children were asked to dress up or bring along a symbol that related to a saint as part of learning in the Communion of Saints Strand.  We had children dressed up as Saints Rose, Francis, Patrick, Joseph, Mary and Delilah to name a few.

Yr 7 Camp
This week our Yr 7 students are at Iona as part of their annual camp where the children have experienced lots of different activities like abseiling, stream studies, bush walks, making bivouacs and staying in tents.  Here are a few photos that Mrs Jackson took of the children making bivouacs when she spent the day there yesterday.

Junior School Talent Show
Yesterday the junior school put on a talent show organised by the Yr 8 leaders.  There were magicians, skippers, Tae kwon do fighters, singers, dancers and even some Haka.  Thank you to the Yr 8 leaders for organising it and to the parents who came along to support it.  Here is a video of some of the acts.

5. Diary Dates - Week 6, Term 4 2015

Friday 20                   -  Yr 7 Camp to IONA

Monday 23                -  North Otago Athletics

                                      -  Sacramental Programme in Ruma Koru from 7.00 to 8.00 pm

                                      -  Yr 6 Education Outside the Classroom week

Tuesday 24                -  Yr 8 Orientation Day at St Kevin’s

                                      -  Yr 6 EOTC

                                      -  Pasifika Fono from 6.00 to 7.00 pm *

Wednesday 25          -  Yr 6 EOTC

                                      -  Family Learning Hui from 6.00 to 7.00 pm

Thursday 26              -  Yr 6 EOTC

                                      -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at St Kevin’s College

Friday 27                   -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at St Kevin’s College

                                      -  Yr 6 EOTC

                                      -  All library books due back today *

Sunday 29                  -  Sacrament of Reconciliation

Monday 30                 -  North Otago Athletics postponement day

DECEMBER

Wednesday 2             -  Yr 7 Leadership applications due

Thursday 3                 -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at St Kevin’s College

                                       -  Last day for school gardening

Friday 4                       -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8 at St Kevin’s College

                                       -  Yr 7 & 8 social – note new date

Monday 7                    -  Yr 8 leadership interviews

Tuesday 8                   -  Board of Trustees meeting

Wednesday  9           -  Giant Leaps Concert from 7.00 to 9.00 pm in the St Kevin’s Auditorium

Thursday 10              -  Junior school carols and nativity play at Mass

                                      -  Transition afternoon for 2016 from 2.00 to 3.00 pm

Friday 11                   -  House colour and sports day

Tuesday 15                -  Yr 8 Leavers Mass from 11.00 am to 12.00 pm

Wednesday 16          -  End of Year Mass at 6.00 pm

Thursday 17              -  Term 4 ends  at 12.30 pm

                                      -  Thank you to Parent Helpers from 11.00 to 11.30 am

                                      -  Announce 2016 Leaders from 11.30 to 11.45 am

                                      -  Final Assembly and Carols from 11.45 am to 12.35 pm 

1. Principal News - Week 5 Term 4

St Joseph's leaders continue to shine - 5 out of 6 at St Kevin's
Many families and students who have passed through our school say the leadership opportunities we provide in Year 7 and 8 truly prepare our leavers to embrace leadership roles at St Kevin's College and beyond. Our Year 7 students are presently preparing CV's and letters of application for Year 8 leadership roles for 2016. They will be interviewed in a couple of week's time and the present Year 8's will announce the 2016 leaders on the last day of term.
Every student is gifted with an opportunity to lead and they are encouraged to make the most of this gift. They learn that it's easy to come up with ideas but it takes effort from behind the scenes to action the ideas and make them a reality. You can read about some of the processes they go through on this link.
Last week, at the St Kevin's prize giving the top six school leaders for 2016 were announced. We are very proud that five out of the Top 6 are all from St Joseph's. Loyalty to our Catholic schools and a commitment to our Catholic faith contribute to the strength of character recognised in these inspiring young leaders. Here are the Top 6:
Head Girl and Boy - Gypsy Mae Harihona Harrison & Max Stewart, Deputy Head Girl and Boy - Ellen McAtamney & Mark Whittet, Deputy Special Character Head Girl and Boy - Niamh Farrell & Thomas Pickles  

Max, Thomas, Niamh, Mark, Ellen and Gypsy Mae

Learning improves through blogging at St Joseph's
Yesterday, the teacher's had a discussion about the improvement in writing and reading for many of our Senior Hub 2 students (Year 6, 7 and 8) this year. We believe one of the contributing factors is the opportunity for the students to share their learning on student blogs.
When the students write in books or on pieces of paper, often the only person to read their writing is the classroom teacher. When they share their learning onto a blog, they potentially have a global audience. The students have an authentic purpose for writing. Parents, grandparents, extended family and friends anywhere in the world can read and comment on the blog posts. Any comments are moderated and go directly to the class teacher before they can be published.
During our recent Catholic Special Character Review, it was noted in the full report:
Newsblogs celebrate successes and encourage engagement with Religious Education and Parish activities. Students share prayers and Religious Education reflections for families and friends around the world to read on student blogs. The web site is among the most effective in the Diocese for providing open and transparent sharing with parents around planning and delivering of curriculum.

Student blogger of the week
This week's student blogger, Kaleb Cant in Year 7, has taking his blogging to another level. Kaleb is using it as a personal diary as well. You can read highlights from his recent family trip to Australia as well as read about learning at school and much more. Here is the link to Kaleb's blog.

New enrolment meeting Monday night
Since our official enrolment meetings in August, we have had a large number of extra families wishing to enrol their children. For the first time, we will be running a parent induction and extra enrolment evening together with Fr Wayne and Adrienne Wylie (Bishop's Rep on our board) and her husband Mark Wylie. The families will have a chance to learn how to support their children at our school and become part of our community. There are new children joining us at every year level across the school. 

Great results for Speech exams
Congratulations to all of the children who participated in the speech exams. We had some excellent results with a number of credits, merits and honours including three students who gained Honours Plus  - Sebastian Whiston Grade 3, Joseph Spillane Grade 3 and Annalise Kilgour Grade 2. There are more details further on the blog.

Prayers for the the Asi family and extended families
Our children bravely sang during the moving service to celebrate wee Delilah Asi's eight weeks of life this morning. We will continue to keep the children and their families in our prayers and thank everyone for their love and support.

2. Special Character Term 4 Week 5 2015

This week the children who will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Sunday 29th November 2015 at St. Patrick's Basilica, have begun their preparation lessons. 
Each lesson has a theme.
Theme One/Belonging
Theme Two/Making Choices
Theme Three/Reconciliation
Theme Four/The Sacrament of Penance

The children will have brought home a booklet covering these themes. This will help you understand what we will be discussing during our lessons. The booklet gives you some suggestions to talk together, do together and pray together with your child. We are all in this together so if I can help you in any other way to support your child please come and see me or send me an email (adooley@stjoseph.school.nz).
Take Care and God Bless
Ann Dooley
CO/Director of Religious Studies

Our children are learning about the Communion of Saints in their RE lessons at the moment.  Here is what POPE FRANCIS says about

THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

“Anyone can be a saint,” Pope Francis said on Friday as the Catholic Church marked the Solemnity of All Saints.  “Saints aren’t supermen and they weren’t born perfect.  They are people who, before attaining glory in Heaven, lived a normal life, with joys and pains, struggles and hopes… but when they knew the love of God they felt it with all their hearts.”

“To be a saint is not a privilege for the few but a vocation for all,” the pontiff added. “We are all called to walk the path of holiness, and this pathway has a name and a face: it is Jesus Christ.”

Speaking during his weekly general audience at St. Peter’s Square, Francis said “The communion of saints is the deepest reality of the Church, because in Christ, through Baptism, we are made sharers in the communion of life and love which is the Blessed Trinity.”

“This is one of the most consoling truths of our faith, since it reminds us that we are not alone but that there is a communion of life among all those who belong to Christ,” 

A TRADITIONAL PRAYER TO PRAY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY especially remembered during the month of November

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace. 
Amen.

3. School Notices - Week 5, Term 4 2015

Altar Servers 
Saturday 14th November - Joseph & Sebastian Spillane, Maximus Fatafehi and Vince Vidallon
Sunday 15th November - Cameron & Laura Mather, Antonia Black and Sebastian Whiston

Birthday Greetings to:
Tyla Bolitho, Maria Wallace, Isaac Kelcher, Sylvia Lavrijsen, Zyanya Pe, Jacob Fowler and Mackenzie Cunningham.

2016 School Dates
The school dates for the 2016 terms are as follows:
Term 1 - Monday 1st February to Friday 15th April
Term 2 - Monday 2nd May to Friday 8th July
Term 3 - Monday 25th July to Friday 23rd September
Term 4 - Monday 10 October to Wednesday 14th December

Athletic Champions
Congratulations to the following students who received the Athletic Trophies at the Celebration Kotuitui last Friday.

8 years - Niamh Jackson and Lisiate Hausia
9 years - Grace Keno and Maximus Fatafehi
10 years - Elenoa Asi and Toby Lewis
11 years - Yneke Edzes, Harriet Heaphy and Sam Keno
12 years - Trish Chikowore and Christian Baillie
13 years - Niveek Wilson and Ben Cullimore

Home and School
Raffle Cards - Please return any sold or unsold raffle cards immediately back to the school office. Thank you very much to the families who have sold and returned them already.
Cake Stall - We still have trays available for anyone wishing to do some baking or make sweets for our cake stall at the Heritage Fete. Thank you to the families who are generously giving up their time to do the baking.  The Home and School Committee would like to thank Northside New World for their generous donation of the trays which we are using for the cake stall which is very much appreciated.

Thursday 12th November - Last Day for some Events
Today is the last day that we will hold Terrific Thursdays, Young Vinnies and Early Childhood Buddies and we will resume these happenings again in 2016.  Thank you to everyone who helped to make them a success.

Saints Day - Monday 16th November
We are celebrating our learning in the Communion of Saints strand.  Children can dress up as an inspiring saint or their confirmed Saint.  Children can make their costumes or bring a symbol that relates to their chosen saint. e.g. St Francis of Assisi - bring along a stuffed animal or St Rose of Lima - wear flowers in your hair or St Patrick - wear green.  If the children do not come dressed as a saint, please wear your school uniform.

St Kevin's Orientation Day for 2016
Students will need to be at St Kevin's on Tuesday 24th November by 9.00 am and assemble in the school gym.  From here they will be welcomed and then divided up to attend classes with the current year nines.  They will meet again for lunch and attend one more class then close out the day with a presentation for parents and students at 2.30 pm from Noel Leemings about what is available for Bring Your Own Device for next year.  Students may leave at 3.00 pm in order to avoid congestion with buses.  Forms will be given to the students to fill in by Mr Moore.

Congratulations
To some of our students who sat speech exams recently and here are their results. The Giant Leaps End of Year concert will take place at the St Kevin's College Auditorium on Wednesday 9th December from 7.00 to 9.00 pm.

Name	Grade	Grading
Samuel McNaught Eva Keno Ashlyn Marshall Bella Moriarty	Initial Initial Initial Grade 1	Credit Merit Credit Plus Merit
Molly Whittaker Cushla Bridges Nisha Wilson Stefanie Lavrijsen	Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2	Honours Merit plus Merit Merit
Nina Dickie Laura Mather Niveek Wilson Tess McAtamney	Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 4	Merit Honours Plus Honours Merit
Sebastian Whiston	Grade 3	Honours Plus
Cameron Mather	Grade 3	Honours
Samuel Bridges Zach Dickie	Grade 2 Grade 3	Pass Plus Credit Plus
Cody Marshall Henry Robinson	Grade 2 Grade 2	Credit Credit Plus
Joseph Spillane	Grade 3	Honours Plus
Sebastian Spillane	Grade 2	Merit
Emily Hayman Isabella Hanning	Grade 2 Grade 4	Merit Merit
Jack Hayman	Grade 2	Credit Plus
Vince Vidallon	Grade 3-Public Speaking	Merit
Annalise Kilgour	Grade 2	Honours Plus
Jada Rose Keno Niamh Jackson Summer Moriarty Kristiana Whiston	Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2	Credit Plus Merit Plus Credit Plus Merit
Isabella McNaught Sylvia Lavrijsen	Grade 2 Grade 2	Merit Honours
Maddison Bleach	Grade 4	Honours

Gradings from lowest to highest

Pass, Pass Plus, Credit, Credit Plus, Merit, Merit Plus, Honours, Honours Plus.

Community Notices

• St Kevin's College Fundraiser - have Christmas Truffles for sale and cost $5 per dozen. Orders and money can be handed into Paula Brien at St Joseph's school by Wednesday 18th November.
• Free Classes in the Park - every Monday night in November at Orana Park for fun and fitness to music.  It consists of 60 minutes of fun and fitness for the whole family and any age and level of fitness can attend and it costs nothing.  It starts at 6.40 pm and is run by the Waitaki Recreation Centre.
• Toot for Tucker - held on Monday 7th December from 6.00 pm.  It is a combined Lions Club of North Otago project and all food goes to the Oamaru Food Bank.  Listen to the 'tooting' in your street and give your food donation.