Thursday 25 October 2018

1. Principal's News Week 2 Term 4 2018

Rainbow Memorial Garden
Thank you to Mrs Brookes and our Dominican Choir who sang the "Rainbow Song" to commemorate the opening of the Rainbow Memorial Garden at the children's cemetery in the holidays.  It was a beautiful occasion.







Policy Review
Our Religious Education and Improving Educational Outcomes for Maori Students are presently open for review on our Schooldocs site.  Instructions to get there are:

The community login for the site is at schooldocs.co.nz. To login, click the link and enter the following details when prompted:: username: stjosephsoamaru, password: veritas

Next year we are starting the process of reviewing our curriculum and we would like to include Te Ao Maori more explicitly in our curriculum and particularly a local perspective.  It would be great to engage with our Maori families more at that time to explore your ideas around this.

Healthy Eating
The Heart Foundation Visual
St Joseph's is a health promoting school.  We are constantly having robust conversations about what this means.  I had a meeting with our Heart Foundation nutrition advisor last week where one of the things we discussed was health promotion in terms of school fund-raising and we are doing OK with this.

The items for sale at our Food Fair are mainly vegetable, grain and meat dishes.  We make efforts to cut back on sugar and junk food and there will be a small amount of items that fit this category at our Food Fair.  Our Home and School committee members advocate for balance and to keep these things in a small place in the overall spectrum.  Many of our community also believe that making foods taboo can have a worse effect than keeping a small amount in perspective.  All of that fits within the parameters of my Heart Foundation conversation last week and our Healthy Food policy.  So we hope you enjoy the healthy food made by our International families - it is always delicious too!

Uniform
Thank you for your feedback on uniform review.  Here is a reminder of the process which I shared with the Home and School last term and with the community via the newsblog:

The whole community has been asked for feedback via survey, the Home and School through their meeting was specifically asked to give feedback or ideas.  The deadline for these was the end of last week.  The request was if you are happy with the uniform that you didn't need to reply to the survey, and if you had suggestions to use the survey.  We had 44 replies.  Of those, 5 said they were happy and 39 made suggestions.  We assume the remaining 100 or so families are either happy or don't respond to surveys.  The board will consider responses in its meeting next week and if it decides changes are warranted proposed changes will be brought back to the community.  Please note that this is not a decision that the principal or any individual board members make, it is a policy and a full board decision, taking community feedback into consideration.

If changes are made, the timeline would hope to tie in with our policy update in term 1 and there would be an overlap period of implementation.


Burns Art Memorial
Here is the St Joseph's artwork that was displayed at the exhibition.

I'm writing this newsblog early this week and looking forward to sharing camp for the rest of the week with Mrs Herbst and the Year 7s at Wainui.

God Bless and Aroha
Lorraine Frances-Rees




2. Special Character - Term 4 Week 2 2018

Faith Facts This Week - 21st October was Mission Sunday

Pope Francis Message 2018 excerpt

Every man and woman is a mission; that is the reason for our life on this earth. To be attracted and to be sent are two movements that our hearts, especially when we are young, feel as interior forces of love; they hold out promise for our future and they give direction to our lives. More than anyone else, young people feel the power of life breaking in upon us and attracting us. To live out joyfully our responsibility for the world is a great challenge.


I am well aware of lights and shadows of youth; when I think back to my youth and my family, I remember the strength of my hope for a better future. The fact that we are not in this world by our own choice makes us sense that there is an initiative that precedes us and makes us exist. Each one of us is called to reflect on this fact: “I am a mission on this Earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world” (Evangelii Gaudium, 273).
We proclaim Jesus Christ, transmitting the faith to the ends of the earth, bearing witness to love.

22nd John Paul II Pope from 1978 to 2005.
Pope (Latinpapa from Greekπάππας pappas,[1] "father"), also known as the supreme pontiff (from Latin pontifex maximus "greatest priest"), is the Bishop of Rome and the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church

God Bless
Nicola Winders

3. School Notices - Week 2, Term 4 2018

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Altar Servers
Saturday 27th October - Joseph, Paddy & Seb Spillane and Samuel Plieger
Sunday 28th October - Andrew Sinclair, Hana Davies, Lilly Kelcher and Alexie Phillips

Birthday Greetings
Milly Campbell

Book Fair
We are desperately looking for parents who are happy to help run the Book Fair next Monday at 8.45 am.  The Book Fair will be open in the hall from 8.45 to 9.15 am and again at 2.45 to 3.15 pm every day next week.  Please let your child's classroom teacher know if you can help ANY day/time.  We currently have NO helpers so we will not be able to run this awesome event if we can't get any help. Thank you in advance.

Book Character Dress Up Day - is next Friday 2nd November.  Come to school dressed up as your favourite book character.

Cricket Festival Forms for Yr 5/6
These permission forms are due back tomorrow. Out of the 12 replies, there has been one offer of help with a team and 3 offers with transport. Sadly without parent help, they will not be able to attend this festival as there is not enough helpers to cover the adult per child ration. Please let Mrs Brien know if you can help.  You do not have to know how to play cricket as the children will be told on the day the format of the game.  This is just a managerial role and to sub children on and off.

Food Fair
There are still 6 spaces left on the cake wheel for cake/slice/muffin donations.  The cakes are to be delivered to the hall kitchen tomorrow during the day or Saturday between 4.00 and 5.00 pm or Sunday morning at 10.30 am. 

The starting time for the Food Fair has changed from previous years and the gates now open at 11.30 am and food is available for purchase from 12.00 pm.  Please bring cash for the cake wheel, ice cream and coffee trucks, face painting and fundraiser stalls and there is eftpos facilities available.

If it wet on Sunday, the Food Fair will still be on and it will be held in the hall.

Found
We still have 2 phones, children glasses, 1 scooter and 1 bike here at school.  If you are missing any of these items, please contact the office.

Pita Pit Oamaru
Would like the opportunity to have their healthy and delicious pitas delivered to our school as part of a healthy lunch option.  They would have a designated day for the lunch orders and we would still have Subway lunch orders on a Friday.

With Pita Pit you do not give your orders to school as you order and pay for them online and they are delivered to school on the designated day.  Our school will not be involved with the ordering of the lunches nor can we send in late order lunches.

We are seeking feedback as to whether you will use this second lunch option so please contact the office if you are interested by next week.  The menu also caters for gluten and dairy free diets.

Menu

Main:   Free range chicken, free farmed ham, roast beef and Falafei cost $5.20 each
             Garden veggie costs $4.70

All pitas come with a choice of plain or wholemeal bread and come with a choice of up to three fillings.

Sides:    Cookie baked chocolate candy 60g is $2.10
Drinks:  Charlies 600 ml spring water and 200 ml apple juice, black currant and apple juice is $2.10
Combo: Candy cookie and 600 ml water is $3.65
              Candy cookie and black currant apple juice is $3.65

Reminders
Friday 26th October - Yr 5/6 Cricket Festival forms due back
                                  -  Slime being sold at school
Sunday 28th October - Food Fair at 11.30 am
Monday 29th October - Yr 7/8 science road show forms due back
                                    -  Scholastic Book Fair starts
                                    -  Technology for Yr 7/8
Tuesday 30th October  - Pita Pit lunch plans
Wednesday 31st October - Photo and Scholastic Book Club orders due back
                                            - information for the newsletter due in
School Accounts
These accounts will be emailed to all families at the end of next week and will include camp and sport fees.  Cricket fees are charged for terms 4 and term 1 and cost $15.00 for Yrs 7 and under and Yr 8's fees are $7.50 (term 4 only).  Touch Rugby fees cost $10 for new players starting in term 4. Camp fees have the fundraising amount deducted from their fees.

School Athletics
A notice went home last week regarding our new format for our school athletics on the 14th November and asking to have help with the running of this event.  Thank you to the three parents who have kindly offered to help but we need to have a lot more to ensure it is run smoothly and without hiccups.  This is for both the juniors and seniors. Please let Mrs Brien know if you can help with either part of the day and for which group.

Scholastic Book Club Orders
These book club orders are due back on Wednesday 31st October.

School Newsletter - Sports
Next week any information for the school newsletter has to be in by Wednesday as the newsletter will be typed up that day and sent out on Thursday morning.  Mrs Brien is away from next Thursday and the following week.
Sports draws will be sent out via the office email for cricket and touch.

School Photos
All photo orders are due back to the office by Wednesday 31st October.  Any late orders will have to be taken down to Fotographix by yourselves.

School Disco and Social
The dates have been set for the end of year disco for Yrs 1-6 which is Friday 7th December starting at 6.00 pm till 7.30 pm.  The Yr 7 & 8 social has an Hawaiian theme this year and is on Friday 30th November.  More information to follow about these events.

Slime notice
Tomorrow Athena Toeke and Indya Cunningham are selling slime and a portion of the proceeds will go towards Caritas.  They are selling them by the trees beside the Yr 4/5 classroom or in the hall if it is wet.  All slime costs $6.00 each with a limit of 2 per person and there are bags of Borax selling for $1.00 each.  First in first served.

Summer Sports Draws - 

Cricket and Touch Rugby Draws - Tuesday 30th October and Thursday 1st November
no draws at the time the newsletter was printed.  These will be emailed out to you and put on the notice boards.

Cricket - Young Beginners Superstar Cricket Academy for kids aged 5-9 years at Centennial Oval on Saturday mornings from 9.30 to 10.15 am.  Starts 3rd November and runs for 5 weeks and it is free.  For more information, contact Sam Bastin on 027 649 0044 or sam@northotagocricket.co.nz

Community Notices
  • Youthtown Term 4 - Aqua Blast and Archery Workshops.  The Aqua Blast is for years 7-13 and is held every Friday from 2nd November to 23rd November from 3.45 pm to 5.00 pm at Oamaru Intermediate School.  The archery is a 4 week programme at Awamoa Park for years 5-8 and is held every Monday from 29th October to 19th November from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm.  Phone 434 6473 or 080 004 566 or Oamaru@youthtown.org.nz
  • Messy Magic Adventure - held at the Oamaru Opera House on Sunday 4th November at 2.00 pm.  Expect magic, mayhem and pies in the face in this crazy adventure for 4-12 year olds.  The best of circus, slapstick and magic combine in this very special show for primary school aged children and their families.  Fantastical fun with waterproof ponchos provided for those in the front row.  Tickets are just $7.50 - $10.00 (+fee) from the Oamaru Opera House box office or online at oamaruoperahouse.co.nz
  • MTO Theatre Restaurant "It Will Be A Cracker" Scottish Hall, Oamaru November 7th - 10th.  Come along and share the fun as divorce lawyers Ditcher, Quick and Hyde hold their office Christmas Party.  Bookings at the Oamaru Opera House or online at iticket.co.nz  Great food, great music and lots of laughs guaranteed.
  • The Business Hive - a new co-working space in Oamaru.  They have large versatile training rooms which can be used for training sessions, workshops and meetings.  Featuring a dedicated projector and screen, high speed WIFI, large whiteboard and full kitchen facilities including complimentary tea and coffee, the seating and tables can be configured to suit your needs (up to 30 people in a classroom format or up to 60 in a seating only format).  They have a smaller meeting room available for workshops, training or interviews and is a fully equipped video conferencing suite.  It also features high speed WIFI, whiteboard and shared access to the kitchen, tea and coffee.  It seats up to eight comfortably.  Both rooms can be accessed via the main entrance on Ribble Street or via France Street.  Fee free to check the website at www.thebusinesshive.co.nz and to see more about the spaces mentioned, click the 'bookings' then 'choose your space'.



4. Diary Dates - Week 2, Term 4 2018


OCTOBER
Thursday 25                      -  Yr 7 Camp to Wainui
                                          -   Cricket – Intermediate teams start tonight
Friday 26                           -  Yr 7 Camp to Wainui
                                          -  Celebration assembly at 2.30 pm
Sunday 28                         -  Food Fair starting at 11.30 am
Monday 29                        -  Scholastic Book Fair
                                          -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8
Tuesday 30                        -  Scholastic Book Fair
                                          -  Board of Trustees meeting at 6.30 pm
Wednesday 31                   -  Scholastic Book Fair
                                          -  Yr 7 & 8 Science Roadshow *
                                          -  Scholastic Book Club orders due back *
                                          -  School Photo Orders due back *

NOVEMBER
Thursday 1                        -  Scholastic Book Fair
                                          -  School Mass at 9.15 am
                                          -  Yr 7 ECB and Young Vinnies *
                                          -  Terrific Thursdays at 2.15 pm *
Friday 2                             -  Book Character Dress Up Day
                                          -  Scholastic Book Fair
                                          -  Celebration assembly at 2.30 pm
Saturday 3                         -  Cricket Superstar Academy starts at 9.30 am
Monday 5                          -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8
Tuesday 6                          -  Cricket Festival for Yr 5/6 class
Thursday 8                        -  School Mass at 9.15 am
                                          -  Yr 4/5 class – Whitestone City at 12.30 pm *
                                          -  Terrific Thursdays at 2.15 pm *
Friday 9                            -  Celebration assembly at 2.30 pm
Monday 12                       -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8
Wednesday 14                  -  School athletics for Yrs 1-8 – note new date
Thursday 15                      -  School Mass at 9.15 am *
                                          -  Yr 7 ECB and Young Vinnies *
                                          - Terrific Thursdays at 2.15 pm *
Friday 16                          -  School athletics for Yrs 1-8  - postponement date
Monday 19                       -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley
                                         -  Technology for Yr 7
Tuesday 20                       -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley
Wednesday 21                  -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley
Thursday 22                      -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley
                                          -  School Mass at 9.15 am *
                                          -  Terrific Thursdays at 2.15 pm *
Friday 23                           -  Yr 8 Camp to Staveley
Monday 26                        -  North Otago Athletics
                                          -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8
Tuesday 27                        -  Multicultural Day
Wednesday 28                   -  North Otago Athletics Postponement Date
Thursday 29                      -  School Mass at 9.15 am *
                                          -  Yr 7 ECB & Young Vinnies *
                                          -  Road Patrol Celebrations *
                                          -  Terrific Thursdays at 2.15 pm *
Friday 30                           -  Yr 7 & 8 Social – Hawaiian theme *

                                                 
DECEMBER
Monday 3                          -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8
Tuesday 4                          -  EOTC Yr 6
Wednesday 5                     -  EOTC Yr 6
Thursday 6                        -  EOTC Yr 6
Friday 7                             -  EOTC Yr 6
                                          -  St Kevin’s Orientation Day for Yr 9’s starting 2019 *
                                          -  End of Year Disco for Yrs 1-6 *
Monday 10                        -  Technology for Yr 7 & 8
Tuesday 11                        -  Board of Trustee meeting at 6.30 pm
Thursday 13                      -  End of Year Mass including prize giving and junior nativity  starting at 
                                              6.00 pm *
Friday 14                           -  Term 4 finishes at 12.30 pm *

FEBRUARY 2019
Monday 4                          -  School starts for term 1 *
Wednesday 6                     -  Waitangi Day holiday – no school *