St Joseph's Newsletter T1 Wk 10
6 April 2022
Principal’s Piece
Kia Ora Koutou
Titiro whakamuri Kōkiri whakamua
Look back and reflect so you can move forward
As the term draws to a close it’s important to look back and reflect on what we have managed to get through as a community. Covid 19, the global pandemic made its way to our school. Many of our students and families have been impacted by the virus. Our community's response and resilience during this period has been amazing. As a staff we are truly grateful for all the help and support you have given us.
At the height of our St Joseph's Omicron peak, we had approximately 40% of students isolating at home, but today we had only 13% of students away (not all covid related). We are still managing a number of staff absences, and will keep you informed if we need to alter learning programmes significantly.
We do still have active cases popping up across the school. Students who attended school on Friday last week, or Monday / Tuesday this week, and then tested positive, have been in Rooms 1, 6, 7 & 8. We thank families for their prompt communication with us. Please let us know if you need any support while you are isolating.
The Prime Minister announced yesterday that we remain in Red under the Covid Protection Framework, meaning that our settings at school in terms of gatherings, events and visitors are unchanged. Although the mandates and vaccine passports have been removed, we are still limited to who can be on our school site when the students are here. This means that parents still can’t visit classrooms. We know this is frustrating and causing a disconnect not being able to share in your child’s learning.
As a school we are hopeful that we will be able to start Term 2 at the Orange traffic light setting so that we can welcome whānau back onsite next term. We will keep you updated during the holiday break.
I hope that you and your families have a Holy Easter and a restful break. It’s a chance to refocus and re-energize so we can move forward.
Kia manaaki te Atua koutou katoa
Grant Stuart
Tumuaki / Principal
Gospel Reflection
Fifth Sunday of Lent, Cycle C
Sunday, April 3, 2022
Gospel Reading
John 8:1-11
Jesus does not condemn the woman caught in adultery.
Background on the Gospel Reading
The Gospel for the fifth Sunday of Lent continues to offer lessons about God's mercy and forgiveness. Last Sunday we heard the Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Gospel of Luke. Today we hear not a parable, but the report from John's Gospel of an encounter among Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees, and a woman caught in adultery.
In John's Gospel, the conflict between Jesus and the scribes and Pharisees occurs much earlier than in the Synoptic Gospels. Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem is reported at the beginning of John's Gospel. Even after this event, Jesus continues to teach in the Temple. After returning to Galilee for a time, Jesus again enters Jerusalem and cures a man on the Sabbath. From this point forward in John's Gospel, the Pharisees are described as making plans for Jesus' arrest and seeking his death.
In the chapter preceding today's Gospel, Jesus was teaching in the Temple area. Feeling threatened by his teaching and his actions, the chief priests and the Pharisees are already sending guards to arrest Jesus. The guards return, however, without arresting Jesus because they have been impressed by his words. Even more than this, some among the crowds are considering the possibility that Jesus is the Messiah. The chief priests and the Pharisees change their plan. Before making an arrest, they seek to gather more evidence against Jesus by posing a question intended to trap Jesus.
Today's Gospel begins by reporting that Jesus is again teaching the crowds in the vicinity of the Temple. The scribes and the Pharisees approach Jesus, bringing a woman who has been caught in the act of adultery. They put to Jesus the question of what ought to be done in this case.
The Pharisees state clearly that according to the Law of Moses, those caught in the act of adultery were to be stoned to death. Under Roman occupation, however, the Jewish people did not have the authority to execute people; this is cited in John's passion narrative. To answer the Pharisees' question, Jesus must propose an action that will be either contrary to the Law of Moses or contrary to Roman law. The purpose of the question appears to be similar to the question about paying taxes found in Mark 12:13-17. Either answer, yes or no, will support the Pharisees' case against Jesus.
Jesus avoids the trap, however, by offering an answer that was not anticipated by those who posed the question. Jesus, after writing on the ground with his finger, addresses those who stand before him and suggests that the one without sin cast the first stone. Jesus then returns to his writing. This Scripture reading, by the way, is the only evidence we have of Jesus writing. Yet there are no specific details about what he wrote.
We can easily imagine the scene as the Pharisees and the elders disperse, one by one. Jesus has eluded the trap they had prepared. We might also give credit to the elders and the Pharisees who do not, in the end, claim to be sinless and worthy of passing judgment. These Pharisees are not as self-righteous as the portrait found in the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector (See Luke 18:9-14).
Left alone with the woman, Jesus asks where the accusers have gone. With no one remaining to condemn the woman, Jesus (the one who truly is without sin) sends the woman on her way, refusing to pass judgment on her and exhorting her to avoid future sin.
Jesus' response to those who accuse the woman is more than a caution to us about making judgment of others. It is a profound lesson in divine mercy and forgiveness. As sinners, we are all unworthy to judge the sins of others and we would stand convicted by God for our transgressions. Yet Jesus, the one without sin and thus our judge, offers us who are sinners his mercy and forgiveness. Redeemed by Jesus' compassion, we are sent to sin no more and to live in God's love and peace.
Parish Easter Mass Times
Holy Thursday 14 April
7.00 pm: St Peter Chanel
Good Friday 15 April - Passion of the Lord
3.00 pm: St Joseph's
Saturday 16 April - Easter Vigil
7.00 pm: St Joseph's
Easter Sunday 17 April
9.00 am: St Joseph's
Following the change to Covid restrictions, 200 maximum can attend each service so the booking system has been withdrawn. Entry will be by the front entrance so that numbers can be counted. Mask wearing is also required while we are in the red setting.
Sacramental Programme Registration
Registrations for the Sacramental Programme are now open and will close on Friday 6 May 2022. Registration is to be done online via the link below. Complete one per child. Sessions will commence on Tuesday 10 May, which will be group work with take home modules to complete over the following weeks. Subsequent group work sessions will be held on 31 May and 21 June. Confirmation date will be Saturday 30 July at 2.00pm. Link to registration form: pothc.infoodle.com/form_process?g=056a45b8-ae99-40d9-9127-cc0eb44ab33b
Sports
St Joseph's School Netball 2022
Year 1&2 play Thursdays - 4v4 format.
Each team will play in pods, they will play 2 mini games and rotate to play other teams, across 1/3 of the court.
Year 3&4 play Tuesdays - 5v5 format
Each team will play 4x 8 minute quarters with 1 minute intervals and 3 minutes at half time. Teams will use 1/2 of the court for skills and 2/3's for games.
Year 5&6 play Wednesdays - 6v6 format.
Each team play 4x 8 minute quarters with 3 minutes intervals & 5 minute half time.
Teams will play full court.
Teams will only go ahead if we have a coach and manager for each team.
Fees are indicative only & will likely change - depending on updated associations fees.
St Joseph’s School Winter Hockey 2022
We had many St Joseph Year 1-6 students who really enjoyed playing hockey for our school last year, and it’s that time again to put together our hockey teams for the winter season ahead!
The winter hockey competition starts on the 7th May and finishes on 3rd September 2022. Games are played at the Gallagher Hockey Centre, Innes Common, or alternatively at St Pauls Collegiate. Each player must have a hockey stick, mouth guard, shin pads and appropriate shoes. Our hockey uniform is the St Joseph’s School PE gear with long blue hockey socks to go over their shin pads. The hockey fees for the season are approximately $50 per player. Students at school have been given an information sheet about hockey at school today and this can also be found on HERO. Registrations are now open to sign your child up to play hockey via Enrolmy.
https://enrolmy.com/st-joseph-catholic-school-fairfield/book-now/62-Hockey-
News
COVID 19 - Update
We now have a number of students who are able to return to school after isolating but we still have some showing symptoms of Covid 19. A number of these children are testing positive. If this is the case with your child, please let us know.
Please email the Principal directly: g.stuart@stjosephs.school.nz or Ring (07) 855 5434 and press 0.
All students who return a positive test result, and their household contacts, need to self-isolate for 7 days, then they are able to return to school provided they are symptom free.
Notices
Past Student Sporting Achievements
Before and After School Care 2022
Here is the link to find out more details and to enrol for Term Two:
We have had a fantastic Term 1 at Breakfast and after school club.
It has been so nice seeing so many smiley faces and welcoming the new and catching up with the old. We also have a wonderful, fun loving caring team whom love spending time with the children.
The children have enjoyed many fun activities from hockey, cricket, baking, dress up and even made the most of Years 4-6 having their bikes at school for bike week. Not to mention Movie Friday, hot dogs, hot chips and fairy bread. Spaces are already open for term two on enrolmy. Casual and regular spaces available for full and partial sessions
.
Have a wonderful Easter break.
Amy, Addison and the team X
PTFA Easter Raffle
Thank you to all those families who have supported our Easter Raffle by selling tickets and donating treats. The raffle closes on Monday 11 April and all tickets and money need to be returned by this date please. The raffle will be drawn on Wednesday 13 April and prizes will be sent home with the winners.
Support St Josephs Catholic School Fairfield PTFA and purchase your Entertainment Membership from us today!!
Frist Credit Union Easter Colouring Competiton
School Holiday programmes
Linku2 School Holidays
There are lots of programmes and activities locally and across New Zealand on our Linku2 School Holidays website for the upcoming holidays. This website has some great ideas on holiday things to do and help support our local businesses.
We have listings for all regions of New Zealand but if you specifically wanted to link to Hamilton region you can do so by CLICKING HERE or for the whole of Waikato broken down into districts you can CLICK HERE.
Waikato Regional Council Notice
All public transport is 50% off from now until the end of June, this means;
Buses are super affordable right now, with fares across Hamilton being $1 each way- visit busit.co.nz to find out more.
This discount applies to Te Huia as well, so families can take the opportunity to travel to Auckland on the train for a fraction of the usual cost. A family pass (for 2 adults and up to 4 youth) is $32.50 each way (nb: under 5’s travel free). A perfect school holiday activity- visit https://tehuiatrain.co.nz/ to find out more.
Community Notices
2022 Term Dates
Term Dates
Term 1: Wed 2nd February – Thu 14th April
Term 2: Mon 2nd May – Fri 8th July
Term 3: Mon 25th July – Fri 30th September
Term 4: Mon 17th October – Fri 16th December
Teacher Only Days
Term 1 – Monday, 7 March
Term 2 – Friday, 3 June
Term 3 – Monday, 29 August
Term 4 – Friday, 11 November