Newsletter Week 4 Term 1 2022

Principals Message

Kia ora Koutou,

We hope you are well and happy. Covid has really taking off through our community and the rest of New Zealand. As case numbers continue to grow, so will household contacts. Phase 3 came into play last Thursday. A key step in this phase is that only household contacts of confirmed cases need to isolate. We currently have a a growing number of families that are in this position. At this stage, the confirmed cases are mainly adults who were exposed through their workplaces. We wish them well and thank them for being so diligent in contacting us.

School continues as normal at St Joes. We have our middle/senior swimming sports event next week. Unfortunately, this is a closed event due to limited numbers allowed onsite. No spectators, it is children, staff and helpers only. We are organising the event so that the children are staggered over the day. This means that we will have competitive/non competitive events and most of the children will be at the event for half of the time. We do require timekeepers, so if you are available, please leave your name at the school office. Helpers must be fully vaccinated and show their vaccine pass.

Thank you so much for all you are doing. We are so lucky to have such a kind, caring community around us!

God Bless you. Keep safe, keep well. May your light shine.

Andrea Colebourn

Principal

Covid Update PHASE 3

Only household members of confirmed cases need to isolate for 10 days.

Our school will inform you if/when we have confirmed cases (staff/student) in our school community. If you are notified that your child is a close/casual contact, please monitor for symptoms and get tested if they appear.

Rapid testing is available at the Recreation Grounds, entrance off Avenue Road South , 9:30 am - 12 noon, seven days a week.

Can you support?

We are wanting to organise some care meals for our isolating families and members who are sick. Our freezers are bare. Rather than asking families to provide meals for the freezer, we would love any of the following items:

- orange juice (shelf)

- tissues

- packet of biscuits

- tins of spaghetti/baked beans

Next time you are at the supermarket, and are able to pop one of these items in your trolley, it would be so appreciated! Our amazing PFC are organising some other food items for us.

Please give your items to your children to pass on to their class teacher or pop in the container outside the student foyer.

Fuel for Schools

Wow, how lucky are we! Last Friday we had $1000 of equipment donated to our school through the Fuel for Schools Programme. We received 30 headphones and 70 new balls. Thank you so much to our farmers who have selected our school to benefit. You rock!

First Communion, Confirmation and Reconciliation

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME 2022

We are getting ready to begin Sacramental preparations for children, with a Parents meeting on Tuesday 1st March at 7pm in the Parish Lounge. Any parent wanting their child to take part in the Sacramental programme, please contact the school or Parish Office to complete an enrolment form. No late enrolments will be accepted.

· First Reconciliation for Morrinsville will be on Tuesday 29th March at 3.30pm.

· Confirmation will be on Sunday 22 nd May at 2pm in Te Aroha (whole Parish celebration)

· First Communion for Morrinsville will be on Sunday 19 th June at 9am

Children need to be already baptised and be in year 4 or older. Any queries please contact John Marneth-Rust on 021 0853 6854

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday 2 March is Ash Wednesday, this marks the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days before Easter SundayWe are not able to attend Mass to celebrate this day, but our children will be able to celebrate with their class at school. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. Ashes are placed on the forehead. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us