We hope all families will join us tonight for our end of year celebration. The following slideshow shows this morning's practice
Final Assembly
We will farewell our year 8s in our final assembly at 12.00 noon tomorrow. Our Head Boy and Girl will give their head student speeches. The year 8's will receive their leavers' certificates and the year 7's will receive their leadership roles for 2019. We will finish with carols and the children will be ready to leave for the year by 12.45 pm.
Farewell Mrs Jill McCartie
We sadly farewell Mrs Jill McCartie who is retiring after 15 year's service at St Joseph's. Jill has organised our library and helped many, many children with their learning in the time she has been at St Joseph's. We wish her the all the best for her retirement.
We welcome Rowan Stringer as a new teacher aide. Rowan has qualifications and experience in teaching English Language Learners and she will also take over Mrs McCartie's duties in the library.
Teaching Staff for 2019
We are lucky this year that our teaching staff are remaining constant moving into 2019. Mrs Tua Misiloi and Mrs Danique McRae have both been accepted onto Reading Recovery training which will take them out of the classroom for a couple of hours each day to do individual teaching. This is a wonderful opportunity for both of them which will raise their teaching expertise even higher. Mrs Ann Dooley will be jointly responsible with them for their classes - we are delighted that Ann is going to do this as she knows the children and our systems so well. Mr Ross will release Mrs Winders and Mrs Brookes for their leadership work and is spending a day a week in their classes and we will be looking forward to seeing more of Mr Ross next year.
A Big Thank You
A big thank you to our supportive parents and community. All of you who have helped with sports coaching, transport and as parent helps in many different ways throughout the year. Thank you especially to Rebecca Heffernan and the Home and School for your continued support and commitment raising funds and providing social occasions for St Joseph's School. I can't thank our Board of Trustees enough. You go out of your way to ensure things are safe and fair and your dedication and commitment to our school governance is outstanding. Finally thank you to our staff who are the most amazingly talented and committed group of people I have ever had the pleasure of working with and to Fr Wayne who is our rock and inspiration.
Reading Over the Holidays
Please continue supporting your children to read over the holidays. Fluent reading opens the door to all learning. We have noticed that many of our children do not read as much as they used to. Please help them by providing books over the holidays and reading to them, giving them time to read and enjoy letting them read to you. Our local public librarians would be more than happy to help you with book choices. This is a gift that keeps giving.
We have a large number of books missing from our library though. If you have these books or any others please return them to school, no questions asked:
100 Facts on horses and ponies by C De La Bedayere
The 65-storey Treehouse by A Griffiths
The Action Bible by S Cariello
What would she do? by K Woodward
Grandpa's Great Escape by D. Walliams
Ranger, the Kaimanawa Stallion by K Wilson.
I wish all families a safe, holy and happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year full of family fun and memories.
We look forward to seeing you back at school on Monday 4th February. You will be hearing from me again before the school year starts.
God Bless and Aroha
Lorraine Frances-Rees
