Term 2 Week 10 7 July 2022 Newsletter# 12
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Tena Koutou Katoa Talofa Lava Kamusta Malo el lelei Mauri Hello Everyone
As we quickly approach the end of the term, I want to thank you for the support you have given our school over the year thus far. Parents support schools in so many ways and this week we have seen several parents in school helping Ako 2 with their cultural days and supporting others in trips and sporting events. Without this support, we could not provide the same variety of experiences that enhance your child’s learning. I hope you are all looking forward to some time with your families over these holidays; a time to refresh and re-energise. I know my staff will be looking forward to this too.
It is pleasing that we have had an increased number of new children, more than expected, join our school family. This now means at the beginning of Term 3 we are opening a new Year 1 class in Room 3/Aroha. We welcome back Mrs Fleur de Farias and Mrs Ashley Clarke who will teach this group of children until the end of this year. We are very grateful to have these teachers to call on to fill this position, at the same time, we lose two of our valuable relievers.
In recent weeks, we have had an increased number of staff absences and on some days we have not always been able to find a relieving teacher. People are not necessarily away with Covid-19 but rather winter illnesses and family reasons. Due to our flexible learning spaces, we have been able to manage absences by having at least two teachers, along with teacher aides, in Ako 1, Ako 2, and Arāhi – our Years 3 – 8 classes. This has not been possible in our Years 0 -2 classrooms so we have had to move staff around to cover them. This affects the learning/teaching programme where those teachers have come from. Just as we are seeing in other schools, and with another winter term ahead, the time has come that we may have to ask that groups of children do not attend school on given days to reduce the pressure here. You will be notified directly if this was to happen.
Over the next two weeks, we are hoping the playground area between the pool and Rooms 12 & 13 will be developed. This is an area that is dusty in the summer and muddy in the winter so it will be great to see that area of our school tidied up. This project is being funded by our PTA and the St Joseph’s Development Trust.
We wish you a happy family holiday over the next two weeks.
Stay safe and God bless.
Ngā mihi nui
Ursula Hall
Principal – Tumuaki
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 Please note these dates are subject to change
For further dates see calendars on the Skool Loop app or at:
www.stjosephs.co.nz
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Special Catholic Character
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Values Awards
Velolini Puamau, William Perenara, Manaia Davis, Jayden Herewini, Jessica Lapwood
ARAHI / LEADERSHIP: For your excellent prayer reading in Te Reo for our Miha Māori. Tino Pai!
Frankie Farrell, Jack Kneebone, Mateo Elive, Caroline Dang, Liam Millar, Ellarose Cole, George Vaughan, George Chamberlain AROHA: Amazing role modelling and effort in Jumping June. Your dance skills and efforts in skipping were inspiring – Well done!
Peni Helu & Jason Cha: ARAHI / Service: You are always willing to lend a helping hand.
Okusi Puamau: AROHA: Showing care and comforting others
Jaehee Lee: AROHA: Showing Faithfulness, you are honest, loyal, and a great role model
Caroline Dang: AROHA: Always looking out for others.
Izrael Sau-McLaren: AKO 1: Always trying his best
Angelena Mejo: ARAHI: Leading by example at football.
CARITAS MUFTI-DAY FOR UKRAINE – THIS FRIDAY 8 JULY
Tomorrow we will have a gold coin donation mufti-day or YCC Day (Your Choice – Your Clothing / Young Catholics Care). The proceeds will go to the Caritas Ukraine Crisis fund. Our Arahi students felt strongly that they would like to fundraise for this cause. Thank you for your support.
Sacraments of Communion & Confirmation This Sunday 10 July
This coming Sunday some of our students will receive their Sacraments of Communion and Confirmation at 10 am Mass. These are the students whose Sacraments were postponed last year due to COVID-19. We wish them and their whanau the very best for this long-awaited special day.
If you are attending this Mass celebration, you are invited to bring a plate to share afterward.
We anticipate a new group starting the Sacramental Programme next term, and we will update our school community about this in due course.
St Pat’s Kids Choir
St. Pat’s Kids Choir is starting up again. Children aged 5 -13 are welcome. Practices will be on Thursdays in Term 3 from 3:00-3:40 pm at the church. If you would like your child to join, please email annalynvicente32@gmail.com Our first practice will be on Thursday 28 July.
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School Board Elections 2022
This year our triennial School Board Elections will be held on the 23rd of September (note change of date).
School board members play an important role in shaping the education experience and achievements of students.
NZSTA hosts a series Kōrari workshops throughout New Zealand to help people understand the role of school board members and inspire them to get involved – either by standing for election or voting. Find out more about Kōrari. https://www.schoolboardelections.org.nz/becoming-a-board-member/korari/
 If you would like to contact the Board directly at any time, please do so through bot@stjosephs.co.nz
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NEW ENROLMENTS 2023
If your child, or someone you know, is turning 5 years old next year,
we need them to enrol at St Joseph’s School now! Knowing how many children are coming helps us to plan ahead for our staffing.
Please contact the office: stjoesoffice@stjosephs.co.nz
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS: Our school office will be open on Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st July from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Please contact the office
staff ahead of time if you are requiring uniforms. stjoesoffice@stjosephs.co.nz
St Joseph’s School Pukekohe – 100 Years 2023!
We welcome you to join us at our next Centennial meeting on Wednesday the 29th of August at 7 pm in the school staffroom. We would love to have representation from our foundation families. Alternatively, if you want to offer your support in any way we would like to hear from you. Spread the news and get involved. It is going to be fun. Please send us an email to: 100years@stjosephs.co.nz.
Health Update
We are now seeing a number of secondary COVID-19 reinfections emerging in our school community. Below is the most up-to-date information we have from the Ministry of Health.
If you develop cold-like symptoms within 28 days or fewer since the last infection, there’s no need to test.
- Within 28 days, symptoms are most likely due to the lasting effects of the initial infection or a different new respiratory infection. A new COVID-19 infection is difficult to diagnose within 28 days because symptoms, viral levels, and test positivity may fluctuate during this time.
- COVID-19-like symptoms may well be caused by other infections like the common cold, flu, or chest infection.
- Stay home if you or your child feels unwell.
If you feel unwell 29 days after first testing positive
- it’s possible that it is reinfection with COVID-19 and you should take a rapid antigen test.
- If that test is positive, you will need to isolate for a second time for seven days.
If you or someone else in your household tests positive for COVID-19, your Household Contacts will need to isolate again, unless they have:
- had COVID-19 within the previous 90 days, or
- been in isolation as a Household Contact within the previous 10 days.
If you or someone in your house is sick with another illness
Already this winter we are seeing an increase in illnesses. We ask that you think about care arrangements in order to have somebody at home to care for any sick dependents. This is especially important if you are unable to be at home due to work commitments. Unfortunately, we have had a few instances where children have come to school sick and are unable to be collected as there are no possible caregivers available. Illness particularly at this time of year is to be expected, so please think of building your support network.
Domino’s Pizza
On Thursday 28th July, in association with Domino’s Pizza, $1 from every pizza sold will be donated to our Year 5 &6 School camp. Order your pizza between 5 pm-8 pm that night to take part in this donation. Lock it in for a Pizza Night. Note: this is the first week of Term 3!
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Ako 1 News
We have had an exciting term full of learning, Our concept this term was ‘Living in Harmony’ with ourselves, others, and our environment. We have loved working with Arahi during our Tuakana/Teina sessions, and we especially had a fantastic time working with them and learning about Matariki in Week 8.
Ako Rua News
It’s been a crazy busy last two weeks for our Ako Rua students. We have had a lot of wonderful family members come in and share their cultures with our students. From Croatian dancing, to tasting Koko Samoa, making pastillas de leche from the Philippines to making Chinese Scallion Pancakes (Congyoubing), baking Chicken and Kūmara Pie, making poffertjes (dutch mini pancakes), and trying some dutch staples like dropjes (salty licorice) and stroopwafel (caramel waffles) and the list goes on. Our students have loved the hands-on learning experiences. A huge thank you to ALL the parents and family members who came in and gave their time. Ako Rua have also been creating pieces of art based on a folk tale from their chosen culture. Our fundraising has been going really well, we have almost taken off $100 per student from our efforts.
Arahi News
Happy second to last day of the term! We cannot believe how fast the term has gone and that we are halfway through the year. The students in Arahi have been working very hard finishing their last few assignments before they head away for two weeks. This term some of the highlights have been: Speeches, Matariki and Grandparents Day, returning to Mass, our Tuakana-Teina activities with Ako 1, Digital Technologies, Jumping June, morning fitness, National Young Leaders Day, and the many opportunities the Year 7&8’s have had to be leaders again. Tomorrow we are off to Wero Water Park to learn water safety as part of our Healthy Active Living Programme. We wish all of our students and whānau a safe and restful holiday and look forward to getting back into term 3 with new topics and goals to achieve. Arahi were tasked with building a shelter that is waterproof and windproof and can withstand a tsunami. They had to design a 2D plan and use this plan to build the 3D model. This is part of developing their computational thinking.
School Speeches
Last Thursday, 30 June, we held our annual St Joseph’s School Speech Finals. Eleven students from Years 5 to 8 were chosen to represent their teams. We were very grateful to have Ms Clare Olsen, an English teacher from Pukekohe High School and Mr Neil Stitchbury from ToastMasters Pukekohe adjudicate our event. We were incredibly thrilled and proud of the students’ ability to write a persuasive speech and deliver it with enthusiasm and confidence. Ms Olsen even said that she wants to make sure that these students are in her class when they are in high school. Luckily, the teachers didn’t have to judge, as it was a very difficult decision.
Tu Meke Tumuaki – Principal Appreciation Week
This week has been principal appreciation week, a new initiative from NZEI (Primary Educators Union), and we would like to acknowledge all of the hard work that Mrs Hall puts in for our students, staff, and community.
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Free Flu Jabs for Tamariki aged 3 to 12
Children aged 3 to 12 years old can get a free flu vaccination from their GP, healthcare provider or at most pharmacies from this Friday 1 July.
Free flu jabs for tamariki – Ministry of Health
Most tamariki aged 9 years and over need one vaccination each year to get good protection against flu.
If you have a child under 9 years old, talk to your healthcare provider as they may need one or two vaccinations depending on whether they’ve had a flu vaccine before.
If tamariki have recently had COVID-19 they can have a flu jab as soon as they’ve recovered.
Returning to activity and sport after COVID-19
KidsHealth has some useful information about children returning to physical activities after having COVID-19.
The guidance covers when and how children should ease back into physical activity.
Guidance for returning to activity and sport after having COVID – KidsHealth
Besthope Early Learning Centre is now open!
We are currently taking enrollments, so if you are looking for excellent early childhood care and education for 2-5-year-olds, with 100% qualified teachers, please pop in for a visit.
We offer a Christian curriculum and a great transition to school programme for our four-year-olds.
50% off fees for the first 3 months *for a short time only*
We are open 7.30 am – 5.30 pm Monday to Friday.
Located at 117 Seddon Street, Pukekohe Ph: 09 9478399
Email: besthope.elc@hotmail.com
https://m.facebook.com/Besthope117/
Social Worker – Catholic Social Services
Catholic Social Services is a faith-based professional service providing social work, counselling, outreach and support to individuals and whanau. It has offices in Ponsonby and Otara.
Catholic Social Services has a vacancy for a full-time Social Worker to join the team. The key function of the position is to assist families and individuals in difficulty and at risk by the provision of generic social services, responding to allocated referrals to the agency including family harm referrals from Oranga Tamariki and the Police. Networking and collaboration both within the team and the community is an important requirement.
For more details, and a full position description, please visit the Diocesan website https://www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/staff-vacancies/
Applications close on 24 July 2022.
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