1. Principal's News Week 7, Term 1 2022

Healthy Active Learning

We have signed up for a three year contract with the Ministry of Education to promote Healthy Active Learning in our school.  One of the first things we are looking at is active, creative and resilient play.  Play is the basis of learning and the skills learnt through free play transfer into good learning skills.

INVITATION TO YOU:

On Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th March we have the play trailer visiting St Joseph's.  This will give us some good ideas of things we could introduce into our playground.  We would like to invite parents and caregivers to come to school on Tuesday 29th March during lunchtime (12.40-1.30pm).  Our facilitator is Ellen McAtameny who is a former intermediate pupil of St Joseph's.  I will see if we can get the Coffee Cart in to offer coffee for sale.  It is a chance to have a cuppa, reconnect and chat with other parents and to have a good look at the play trailer.  I imagine there are bits and pieces around many people's houses or garages that would be great for creative play, once we get the idea about it.

So please come in and see the trailer, see the children at play, have a chance to connect with other parents and a cup of coffee.  If you can slip away from work at lunchtime it would be awesome to see you!

Foot it Friday Competition

Thank you to Miss Sollano who organised our walking and wheeling week last week.  It culminated in a house competition on "Foot it Friday" where the students decorated shoes in their house groups.  They really enjoyed the experience and it was well run by our house captains who were very pleased to say all the children had been respectful to them.

Here are the winners: 1st place - Chelsea, 2nd place - David, 3rd place - Angelina.  These children won house points for their house.

Forgiveness

Last week's prayer focus was the parable of the Prodigal Son.  The son who left his father, took his share of the money, wasted it all and came home humbled and was forgiven by his father.  The children were focusing on forgiveness and letting go of grudges.  I didn't give a principal's award as I didn't want to spotlight the things that happen during the week that we need to forgive.  But we talked about it.  Forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools we have.  It can create beauty, harmony and peace.  Both giving and receiving forgiveness are extremely liberating and refreshing feelings and it's something we need to actively practice and look for.  

House Rippa Rugby

This week the house leaders took all the classes for Rippa skills and drills in preparation for the house tournament in week 11.  Once again the children enjoyed the opportunity to get to know other children in their house group, to learn something new and to collaborate across the age groups.

Extension Tutoring at St Kevin's

Through our Community of Learning, St Kevin's is now offering maths extension tutoring to our intermediate students and a group of students is taking advantage of this opportunity after their technology classes at St Kevin's.  The beauty about being in a Community of Learning with our sister school, St Kevin's, is that the way we teach, particularly around the curriculum capabilities, is the exact same language they will be using when they move through to high school.  This cuts weeks and maybe months out of resettling into a new school, and the learning is ready to go straight away because it is already familiar.

Caritas Justice Chat

Our year 8s have participated in the Caritas Justice Chat via Zoom.  Now they are figuring out what they would like to do to contribute to Caritas for Lent.  Watch this space.

Ma te Atua e manaaki a aroha,

(God bless, and love)

Lorraine