Newsletter T2 Week 6 2025

To Love/AROHA	To Learn/ĀKO	To Lead/ĀRAHI

St Joseph’s Catholic School

“Excellent Education befitting our Catholic Character”

94 Seddon St Pukekohe 2120

Term 2 Week 6 5 June 2025 Newsletter #4

Principal’s Message

Tena Koutou Katoa Talofa Lava Kamusta Malo e lelei Mauri Malo ni Faka talofa atu Namaste Greetings to all

This is Samoan Language week – Alofagia outou uma.

Last Wednesday, we took a bus to Holy Cross, Papatoetoe, to join our Kaahui Ako schools to celebrate Catholic Schools Day. It was a very special occasion with all nine Catholic schools represented. The theme was “You will shine like stars in the world”. Our Year 5&6 students represented us well and we enjoyed the fellowship that followed. Unfortunately the wet weather meant the tamariki weren’t able to mix in the playground afterwards.

I hope you were able to enjoy the extra long weekend with your whaanau. On Tuesday, over 200 teachers from Franklin joined at Glenbrook School to participate in the Ministry of Education’s first dedicated Mathematics and Statistics Refreshed Curriculum training day. A further three PLD days will follow before the end of 2026. On Tuesday, educators unpacked the teaching and learning guidance sequence across Phase 1 (Y0-3) and Phase 2 (Y4-6). Our staff felt reassured that we are capably implementing the refreshed curriculum across the year levels.

It is with heartfelt sadness that I inform you that Mrs Jeannette Irwin will be retiring at the end of this term. For 41 years, Jeannette has been a dedicated Teacher Aide and volunteer at St Joseph’s School. In her time here, she has been a special advocate and tutor for hundreds of children. She has gone beyond her working hours to volunteer to do good works for our school. She has organised our breakfast programme, planted and harvested our vegetable gardens, sorted books, sewn costumes for performances, supplied swimming costumes for our children; the list goes on. She has been a wonderful example of Christ’s love for our children with the missionary spirit of our Mission Sisters, whom she loved. Jeannette is irreplaceable and will be much missed by all of our school community. There will be a special Thanksgiving Mass for Jeannette in the last week of this term.

This week, I am attending the NZ Catholic Principals’ Conference in Wellington. This triannual event offers a unique opportunity for principals to connect with fellow Catholic leaders, reflect on our shared mission, and gain valuable insights and opportunities for reflection and connection as we continue this vocational journey. Grounded in our theme, Te Ao Mārama – Embracing Hope through Aroha and Whakapono, this conference is designed to strengthen leadership, deepen faith, and equip school leaders for the challenges and opportunities ahead. I will stay in Wellington for the weekend to catch up with whaanau. Unfortunately, this means I will not be at this Sunday’s school-assisted mass.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, and our school will be assisting at the 10:00 am Mass. The Feast of Pentecost holds a special place in the liturgical calendar as we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the birth of the Church. It is also a special feast day for our founding order, the Sisters of the Missions. As the apostles were sent out as the first missionaries, so too Euphrasie Barbier chose the missionary spirit for her order. I know this Sunday, our Mission Sisters will gather together, like the apostles, to celebrate. I hope our St Joseph’s tamariki are filled by the Holy Spirit to be missionaries too.

Come Holy Spirit, ignite our souls with your divine fire!

Nga manaakitanga ki a koe.

Special Catholic Character

On Catholic Schools Day, St Joseph’s Catholic School Pukekohe joined in a beautiful celebration of faith and unity by participating in the Kāhui Ako Mass hosted at Holy Cross School, Papatoetoe. Our students mingled joyfully with children from other Catholic schools, sharing stories, laughter, and lunch. The sense of community was strong, as friendships were formed and the spirit of whanaungatanga was felt throughout the day. During Mass, our tamariki sang harmoniously alongside their peers, lifting their voices in praise and prayer. It was a moving reminder of the special bond shared among Catholic schools across Aotearoa – united in faith, purpose, and love. We are grateful for the opportunity to come together as one Catholic family and celebrate the gift of Catholic education.

School Assisted Mass
Our first School Assisted Mass is this Sunday the 8th June at the 10am Mass. As it is Pentecost Sunday children are to wear either their school uniform or formal traditional cultural dress.

We will be holding a cake stall afterwards to raise funds for our Year 5&6 camp and ask ALL families to kindly bring baking ready to sell to support this cause.

Key Dates

Term 2 Key Dates

Please note these dates are subject to change For further dates see calendars on the website at: www.stjosephs.co.nz or the eTAP app

School Board

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD

This year the St Joseph’s School Board will hold our triennial elections. There are five parent representative positions which must be filled. Now is the time to think about either standing for election or nominating someone who you think will represent you and your whanau.

Over the coming weeks, information will be sent home outlining the election process. The information will include the key dates for the election, how to nominate a person, a nomination form, and the criteria of who is not eligible to stand for the school board. Nominations will open Friday 18th July and close Wednesday 6th August.

We look forward to welcoming our new board members to our team in term three.

INTRODUCTION TO SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS – ONLINE

Every three years all public schools in Aotearoa hold elections for their School Boards, and this is going to happen again in 2025.

The School Board is a key part of our St Joseph’s School because they do a lot of important things behind the scenes that while they may not be visible, are really important to keeping our school running.

Our School Board write our strategic plan, consult with our community about things that matter, make sure our finances are being spent wisely and ensure that we are giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi within our school.

Our board is made up of five parent vacancies, the Principal/Tumuaki, a staff rep elected by the staff, and four selected proprietors’ reps. The board needs to appoint a Returning Officer, who is responsible for the running of the election and we have appointed Election Pilot as the Returning Officer and for the election to be provided online. They have been assisting schools with elections for over 20 years and have been the only election provider accredited by the Ministry of Education to provide online election services since online elections started in 2022.

Important things like the nomination and voting forms will be sent to you by email directly by Election Pilot. If we

don’t have an email address for you, don’t stress because Schooled Election Pilot will send these out to you by post so you won’t miss out.

There are a lot of rules around School Board elections that need to be followed and the main ones are the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (Board Elections) Regulations 2022. Your name and contact details have been provided to Election Pilot to enable them to deliver election services for our school as required by legislation. They will use your contact details for the provision of election services for St Joseph’s School only and your details will be deleted 60 days after the election date as required by legislation.

If you have any questions about the election process, then the best people to talk to are the team at Schooled Election Pilot. You can contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or election@electionpilot.nz.

We will continue to keep you updated through the various stages of the election process.

Our election date is Wednesday 10th September.

EDUCATION REVIEW OFFICE (ERO) PARENT AND WHAANAU SURVEY

Researchers at the Education Review Office (ERO) are doing some research about school attendance. They want to hear your thoughts about what makes a difference.

Please help by clicking on this survey link: Parent and Whānau Survey

2026 COHORT ENTRY ENROLMENT (for Year 0/1) CONSULTATION

We are currently seeking feedback from our whānau, staff, and the community of local preschools on the proposed implementation of a Cohort Entry Policy at St Joseph’s School Pukekohe.

What is Cohort Entry?

Cohort entry allows new entrants to start school in groups at specific times during the year, rather than individually on or after their fifth birthday. Under this policy, new entrants will start school in cohorts after they have turned five, with two entry points per term: one on the first day of term and one at the mid-point of the term. These dates are set by the Ministry of Education.

Benefits of Cohort Entry

Cohort entry aims to help children settle better into school. Starting as a group at the beginning or mid-point of the term allows for a consistent and progressive induction process, rather than repeating the induction multiple times throughout the term. This ensures that all children receive the same information and support simultaneously, fostering a sense of community and teamwork.

Research indicates that starting school alongside peers helps children build relationships and support a smoother transition into school life. It also enables teachers to better address the social and emotional needs of children as they adjust to a new environment.

Schools that have adopted cohort entry report that it provides children with the best start to their school journey. It reduces disruptions for new entrant teachers, who can prepare for groups of children arriving on specific dates rather than individually throughout the year (referred to as Continuous Entry).

We Value Your Feedback

We invite you to share your thoughts on the proposed change to our New Entrant Enrolment Process.

Please submit your feedback to principal@stjosephs.co.nz by 12pm on Monday 9th June.

We will inform you of the outcome of this consultation in Term 3.

SCHOOL POLICIES

A link to our school policies can be found on our school website or through www.schooldocs.co.nz

Go to www.schooldocs.co.nz/
Click Search for your school
Start typing the school’s name (St Joseph’s School Pukekohe) and then select it from the dropdown list.
Enter the community username: stjosephspukekohe and password: mission.

In Term 2, the Board, staff and community are asked to review the following policies: Planning and Preparing for Emergencies, Disasters, and Crises (board), Communication During an Emergency, Disaster, or Crisis (board), Emergency Closure (board), Emergency Management, Disaster Management, Crisis Management.

If you would like to contact the Board directly at any time, please do so through our email address schoolboard@stjosephs.co.nz

St Joseph’s School Pukekohe Development Trust

We are looking for parents to join our St Joseph’s School Development Trust.

You do need to have an understanding of property, finance, business, and/or law.

Please register your interest with our principal Ursula Hall. principal@stjosephs.co.nz

The St Joseph’s Development Trust will meet next week on Wednesday 11 June at 6:00 pm in the boardroom.

At St Joseph’s, we know that regular school attendance is essential for every child’s learning and success. This year, as part of our annual plan, we are placing a strong emphasis on attendance, aligning with the government’s priority to ensure students are at school and engaged in learning. Our goal is for 80% of our students to attend school at least 90% of the time. Research shows that children who attend school consistently make better progress academically and socially. Every day counts—missing just one day a fortnight can add up to a month of lost learning each year. We encourage whānau to prioritise attendance, ensuring that children develop strong routines, build friendships, and make the most of their learning opportunities. Let’s work together to give our tamariki the best possible start to their education.

We aim to have at least 80% of children attending school regularly. Well done to Year 3 who have achieved this goal so far this term.

School Notices / Upcoming Events

Term 2 School Attendance Dues should now be paid!

Dues should be paid by Week 5 of every term into our

ASB account: 12-3023-0338374-01 ref: student’s name

These can also be paid at the school office by eftpos or cash.

Thank you to the families who have made the effort to get their dues paid.

The Catholic Character Contribution is a voluntary contribution forwarded to the Catholic Education Services Board. The St Joseph’s Development Trust Contribution is a voluntary contribution which the Trust is extremely grateful to receive. This is used in our school for improvements to our site and facilities. Both of these voluntary contributions are tax-deductible.

School Start Time

Students are expected to be at school by 8:30 am. Teachers are not in class until 8:15 am.

Parents, you need to ensure your child is at school by 8:30 every day. Thank you.

Some children are arriving at school before 8:00 am. Please note: any children who come to school earlier than 8:15 are not supervised.

Second-Hand Uniform Shop

The Second-hand uniform shop is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30 – 3:00 pm

All students should now be in winter uniform. Some prices have been updated. We are limiting purchases to 1 item of each article of clothing per child, per term.

New items can be purchased from The Uniform Shoppe on Glasgow Road, Pukekohe

Understanding Your Child’s Learning

As you may be aware the Ministry of Education has released a new “Parent Portal” where you can find practical videos, activities and resources to support your child’s learning. You can access it here.

https://www.education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/understand-your-childs-learning/new-zealand-curriculum-year-by-year-learning-guide

Road Safety Update

Please…

Do not park on yellow lines, across driveways or across the school gate. Infringement notices are now being issued by the Police to those who park in restricted areas.
Do not call your children to cross the road from the other side. If you are not using the crossing, cross over and fetch your child to keep them safe.

From time to time, you will see the Police stationed at the front and back gates, monitoring parking and ensuring compliance. The consequence for parking illegally is a fine.

We understand that pickup and drop-off times can be busy and sometimes frustrating, but please be patient and kind to each other. Let’s all do our part to keep our school a safe and considerate space for everyone.

Grandparents’ Day

Grandparents’ Day is just around the corner. We will hold our annual Grandparents’ Day on Thursday 19 June. The event will begin at 11:30 promptly in the school hall. Please let your child’s grandparents and/or significant person know so that they can attend.

Order of Events

11:30 – 12:30 Grandparents’ liturgy and performance

12:30 – 1:00 Open classrooms and family photos

1:00 – 1:30 A light luncheon for the grandparents and guests. Children are to bring their own lunches

Each family is asked to bring one plate of food to contribute to the grandparents’ luncheon. Years 0-3 students bring a sweet food, and Years 4-6 bring a savoury food. Please place the food on either a disposable plate/container or clearly label any dishes you want back with your child’s first and last name.

Celebrations

Aroha

Aroha has been all about safety with a recent exciting visit from Zara the Zebra to remind us how to be safe around roads and cars. We have also been doing the footsteps dance programme each Tuesday afternoon where the aroha classes have loved moving their bodies, having lots of laughs and learning new moves with the lovely dance instructor Jazzy. With an upcoming Liturgy for us to lead we are now busy practicing for that and for our school assisted Mass that will be on Sunday.

Ako

Jazzy from Footsteps has been a huge hit with Ako! Each week, she introduced exciting new dances, and we, as kaiako, were often met with an eager “Is it Footsteps today?”. Tuesdays became our most anticipated day, with children eagerly watching the clock and counting down the minutes until we could head to the hall. Through these sessions, we’ve explored the five core concepts of dance: space, time, body awareness, relationships, and energy.

Arahi

For the past five weeks, our Arahi students have been absolutely loving the Footsteps Programme! It’s been fantastic to see their incredible energy and enthusiasm each Tuesday as they embraced dance, learned new routines, and truly danced their hearts out. They came to school buzzing with excitement, ready to learn every single dance.

A huge thank you goes out to our amazing instructor, Jazzy, who taught us five fantastic dances. Our students proudly showcased all their hard work dancing all 5 dances last week. Be sure to check out some of the great photos below!

On Wednesday, May 28, a Kahui Ako Mass was held at Holy Cross Papatoetoe to celebrate Catholic Schools Day. Some Year 5 and 6 students joined the Mass to honour the values of unity and faith. Despite the rainy weather, the celebration was a success. Students had the chance to mingle with children from other Catholic schools—they played, laughed, and shared meals together.

Community Notices

Coming to St Patrick’s Parish – 10:00 am Mass Sunday 8 June

On Sunday, 25 May, the Sacred Heart College prefects attended our 10am Mass with the Tongan Choir to give thanks to the parish for their 2025 Head Boy, Etikeni Helu – a past pupil of St Joseph’s School. The Deputy Headmaster Boarding, Nick Croxford, along with Etikeni Helu and Noah Fa’afiu, will attend our school-assisted Mass on 8 June, to promote Sacred Heart College as a boarding option. The boys will be in the foyer after Mass

to speak with any parents/students interested in boarding and hostel life.

Preparing for Infectious Diseases This Winter

A message from Te Whatu Ora (Ministry of Health)

As an education provider, schools play a key role in keeping our community safe. This may include promoting preventative measures and supporting the management of infectious disease outbreaks on your premises, or among tamariki, ākonga, and kaimahi. Going to school every day is important for all school aged tamariki, helping to build their confidence and social skills, and to achieve their education and life ambitions.

The best way for your ākonga to stay well and in school is for them to be up to date with their immunisations. Schools and ECEs can encourage their community to check their immunisation status at My Health Record.

Information on where you can get immunised is available at Book My Vaccine, which now includes many pharmacies. Guidance for parents on when it is ok to send an unwell child to school or when they need to see a health professional is available from info.health. Guidance for schools in the Northern Region on how to prepare for, and help to prevent outbreaks is available from TeWhatuOra.govt.nz, including info about infectious diseases such as measles and pertussis (whooping cough).

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Call us on 09 238 7745

Email us at stjoesoffice@stjosephs.co.nz

94 Seddon St Pukekohe 2120

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Term Dates 2025