Newsletter Week 4 Term 4
Sacred Heart School Petone Wednesday 9th November
Principal's Pen
Talofa lava parents and friends
I hope you are all enjoying this lovely weather and you got to enjoy the weekend with your family.
We are halfway through the term and thanks to the staff for organising lots of new experiences for the students. Tomorrow the Senior team are off to Matiu Somes Island and thanks to those parents who are going as parent help.
Well done to everyone for your participation in the National Shake Out Drill on October 27th. We all walked very quickly and remembered the route.
Congratulations to those students who have been nominated for school leader for next year. We look forward to hearing your speeches at Assembly next week!
We are in the process of finalising the staffing for next year. Jacqui Pennington will be having a year's leave to work as a facilitator with the University of Waikato's Poutama Pounamu programme. We wish Jacqui all the best as she takes up this role next year. Michelle Harding will be the teacher in Tui class and we are currently advertising for a teacher for Kea class for the year. Once we finalise all the staffing, including the part-time teachers, we will let you all know in a future newsletter. Onieka Tristram will be acting Assistant Principal / Junior Team Leader next year.
Summer Uniform: Everyone should be wearing summer uniform including a named school sunhat. New navy blue shorts for the boys are available from the uniform shop. Also a reminder that boys may wear navy blue socks with their summer uniform. We do not sell navy blue socks at the uniform shop. Please ensure your child is wearing correct sports shorts, which may be purchased from the uniform shop..
RISE Challenge: RISE challenges are due by Friday 25th November please. This enables me to prepare the certificates for the Prizegiving.
Reminders:
- There will be a Teacher Only Day this Friday 11th November. Please ensure that you have made alternative arrangements for your children. Touch rugby will still be on
Thought for the Week
"Have the courage to be truly happy!" (Pope Francis)
Faamanuia atu le Atua
God bless
Liz
Term Dates 2023
TERM DATES
2023
Term 1
Wednesday 1st February – Thursday 6th April
Public Holidays:
Waitangi Day 6 February
Good Friday, Easter Monday, Easter Tuesday are in the holidays.
Term 2
Monday 24th April – Friday 30th June
Public Holiday:
Anzac Day Tuesday 25th April
Queen’s Birthday Monday 3rd June
Matariki is in the holidays
Term 3
Monday 17th July – Friday 22nd September
Term 4
Monday 9th October – Friday 15th December
Public Holiday:
Labour Day Monday 23rd OctoberOur Special Character
Buddy classes this term will be joining the parish for a weekday Mass. Teachers will let you know when their classes are going.
Dates for your Diary:
- End of Year Mass - Monday 12th December 9.30am
- Prizegiving Liturgy and Farewell to Year 8 - Wednesday 14th December 6.30pm
R.E in Kōtuku
Today we remember the people especially who work for our happiness – helping, making, serving and giving. We try to make people happy – sharing, smiling, telling jokes and laughing. God wants all of us to be happy, full of joy and singing his praise.
God our Father, thank you for all the happiness we enjoy in our home and at school. Help us always to wear a happy smile, so that those who see us may feel happy too. We pray this prayer through your Son Jesus Christ.
Response – Thank you, God
1. For loving parents and our happy homes
2. For caring teachers and our happy schools.
3. For the cheerful, happy smiles of friends.
4. For pleasant words and praise from others.
5. For the helping, sharing and giving of friends
6. For happy outings, treats and jokes.
7. For the food we eat, and for all God’s gifts to us.
8. For happy times together in holidays and weekends.
God our Father, we give thanks for Jesus who has taught us how to be happy, and how to make others happy. We will try to make our world the happy place he would like it to be. Through Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen
Te whakanui i to tatou kura (Celebrating our school)
Our friends from Petone Beach kindergarten joined Tui class for some waiata and a play. So lovely to see our friends and keep up the connection.
Gumboot Friday - thank you to all the students who entered the colouring-in competition and had a go at the gumboot toss. It looks harder than it really is! Thank you for donating - we raised $143.20 for this very important charity. If you would like to know more about this charity or donate, please follow the link: https://www.gumbootfriday.org.nz/ Check out just some of the photos below of our Gumboot toss.
The Battle of the Bands is a great experience and an opportunity to jam and network with their musical peers. Held on Wednesday 26 October, our school band and their tech support headed off to represent our school. A big thank you to Penny Martell and the band and their tech support for representing our school so well, and a big thank you to the parents who provided transport. Thank you to Kiri for the pictures below.
We would like to say a big thank you to Sport, Education, Community and Cultural Foundation (SECC) for their very generous donation of sports equipment to our school. The SECC Foundation goal is to provide sports equipment to schools to better equip them to allow children to easily engage with sporting activites to imporve ther health and wellbeing while recognising value of their own culture. We received 60 assorted sports balls and 5 carry bags. Our tamariki have been very excited to utilise the new sports gear!
Preposition Poems - Pukeko Class
In
In my mouth
Each one with it’s own unique crunch
The satisfaction was perfect
By Niko
Over
Over the suffering class I see the glistening whiteboard
Bearing the maths equations that I can’t solve
I know I am as smart as a calculator
But no,
My brain is starting to hurt
I feel like I am about to die…
RING!
Finally,
Morning tea is here!
By Luca
School News
CookieTime Festive Fundraiser
Order sheets were sent home last week. If you have misplaced yours or would like another one, please let the office know. All payments and orders need to be returned to the school office by next Wednesday 16 November. Payments can be made into the school bank account 12-3142-0121485-00.
NZEI Paid Union Meetings (PUM)
Just a reminder that school will finish at 12.50pm on Monday 21st November so that our teaching staff can attend the union meeting. If your child is unable to be picked up early and requires supervision, please return the form that was sent home on Thursday 27th October. Please note we cannot be responsible for your child at school if you have not returned a form. We also ask that students who have left for the day do not return to play at school that afternoon.
Lunch Online
Sushi Fridays are back! From Term 4 we will have One Sushi providing lunches on Fridays.
Pita Pit - Wednesdays
Chubby Baker - Thursdays
One Sushi - Fridays
To order or create an account, follow the link: https://www.lunchonline.co.nz
A speech by Zephannia - Excellence
This term we focus on Excellence. What is excellence?
Excellence is about being the best, striving to be better, with an eye to do things to the highest quality you can. People are not born with excellence. They learn a lot over a period of time through hard work, wise words and smart advice. It emerges from contiuous improvement over the past. It is a combination of passion and performance.
How do you show Excellence in school?
Starting in class you can show excellence by finishing your work on time and doing something right when no one is looking. You can help the teachers and use kind and supportive words.
In the payground it looks like when you have a problem you go straight to the duty teacher and when the bells rings you go straight to class.
I will finish with a quote from Colin Powell: "If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude."
By Zephannia
Camp Fundraising Sausage Sizzles
Sausage Sizzles will continue to run on Wednesday's during Term 4. The last Wednesday of term (14 December) will be an ice block day.
If you would like to simply order on the day, please send a note and your payment to the office. Sausages cost $2 each and the Ice Blocks will also be $2 each.
If you require another order form, please ask at the office.
School Board News
Kia ora koutou
At our October School Board meeting we considered how we will pull together the Strategic Plan for the school for the next three years. As in previous years, we want to consult with the entire school community on this to ensure we're meeting your expectations about the school's strategic goals, including what's working well, and what you would like to see change.
We're looking at a range of options to make it as easy as possible to hear from you; including running an online survey, speaking to specific school community groups, as well as an opportunity for you to have your say on feedback sheets in the school library. If you have other ideas of how we could consult with you please get in touch, via Anna at the school office. This consultation is due to start in mid to late November and run until the end of term.
The Board also discussed options to paint the exterior of the school buildings, and we're pleased to say this work will commence in 2023.
As you will have heard, the Board also approved leave for Jacqui Pennington for one year as she takes up a contract with Poutama Pounamu / Waikato University. While we are very sad to see Jacqui go, we know this is a great opportunity for her after 11 years at Sacred Heart Petone. Liz and the team will be looking to appoint a fixed-term teacher for 2023 to the junior school.
The Board also made note of the wonderful contribution Kate Wasson and the FOSH team have led this year with their fundraising activities, most recently the Frock Swap in September. As a result the Board has been able to fund the senior uniforms for Hutt Fest in September, new TVs in Kākāpō and Tui class, and a new whiteboard for Kererū class. Thank you to everyone involved.
Nga mihi
Kate Wright
FOSH News (Friends of Sacred Heart)
Save the date! Sacred Heart Petone Xmas Festival on Thursday 8th December 5 - 7.30pm.
The children are practising a short item with their class to perform on the night. Food, drink and Xmas crafts will be available to buy with cash on the night and there will be a special guest to surprise the children!
Is there anyone in our community who is a confident face painter who would be willing to help bring the Xmas cheer at this event?
We will be running our annual Xmas Raffle again this year, any donations would be greatly appreciated e.g. Xmas Crackers, wine, chocolate etc. A box will be at the office until Friday 2nd December.
Coming up...
Thursday 10 November
Matiu Somes Island - Senior Trip. (Notice coming home today.)
Joan McGrath and School Leader nominations close.
Friday 11 November
TEACHER ONLY DAY - School is closed.
Monday 14 November
School Prayer at Church 9am - all welcome.
Wednesday 16 November
Sausage Sizzle
Early Risers 3 - 2pm
Thursday 17 November
Whanau Support Hui
Friday 18 November
SBC Orientation
No Touch Rugby for Hutt Rec year groups
Assembly 2pm - all welcome (School Leader Speeches)
Reporting an Absence
- HERO app
- School App
- email admin@sacredheartpetone.school.nz
- Telephone - 04 568 6711.
- Text message our school cell phone - 022 511 5419.
Uniform Shop
Tuesday 2.45pm - 3.15pm
Wednesday 8.45am - 9.15am
Please note that all uniform costs need to be paid within 7 days of purchase. Regular part-payments can be arranged. Please contact Anna if you would like to arrange this.
School bank account details
Please put your child's name and what the payment is for, as the reference
Contact Us
Email: admin@sacredheartpetone.school.nz
Website: https://sacredheartpetone.school.nz/
Location: 33 Britannia Street, Petone, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Phone: 04 5686711