Newsletter 21 June Term 2 - 2022
St Brendan's Catholic School
Welcome, nau mai, afio mai, namaste, konnichiwa, nĭ hăo, talofa, komosta, vanakkam, auybowan,
Dear Whānau & Parishioners,
Last week we welcomed Andrea and Harold, worked creative timetabling to support our teachers to attend Paid Union Meetings and we celebrated our Support Staff. I had the privilege of joining Room 8 in the Life Education classroom for a session with Andrea. Harold greeted the class and connected about ways to show kindness to others. Harold visited everyone in the hall and gave out lots of high fives as we left school on Thursday. It was disappointing that the local Year 4-6 inter-school swimming event was postponed. Our Year 7-8 students were delighted that despite postponements due to the weather they were able to display our GRACE values in action at the Lower Hutt Sports Association Year 7-8 cross-country event at Trentham Memorial Park last week, congratulations to all participants. A number of our St Brendan's participants placed in the top 20. Congratulations Madi, 1st place! Our Explorers and Navigators gathered for Mass at Our Lady of Grace on Friday. Due to the restrictions of Alert Levels and the Covid protection framework, this was the first time students have attended Mass at OLOG in our 2022 school year, and in fact the first time since August 2021! Attending Mass as a family on the weekend supports us to support your child/ren’s development of faith and familiarity with Mass. On Sunday, 3 July, our community will gather to support our candidates who will receive the sacrament of confirmation. We congratulate them and trust they know our St Brendan’s community and Our Lady of the Valleys Parish are keeping them in our prayers.
Matariki Celebrating Matariki can help to brighten winter’s darkness. Matariki is a celebration that has, and continues to, connect people across Aotearoa. It begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster and signals the new year. It is a wonderful opportunity to be together, reflect on the past, be present in the moment and plan for the future. This year is particularly special as we mark Matariki with a national public holiday on Friday. Please refer to the poster about our St Brendan’s Matariki celebrations, you are very welcome to join us for breakfast or any of the planned House or class activities - pop in for 5 minutes and/or stay for the day!
St Brendan’s Support Staff Last week we acknowledged and thanked our Support Staff team. We are blessed to have a dedicated team of professionals supporting us at St Brendan’s in such a variety of ways. I know you will join me in expressing gratitude to our team: Niki Berensden and Kari Shadwell our Office Administrators, Clare Owen our Finance Administrator, Sandra Keane our Librarian and Steve Keegan our Caretaker. And our terrific team of Teacher Aides: Paula Gies, Michelle Wos, Ti Tufue, Kaori Takechi and Lauren Staats. They are our superstars who make a huge contribution on a daily basis. They work in increasingly complex roles and have a high level of skill.
Staffing Update Thursday will be Miss Stella Hiotakis’ last day at St Brendan’s. We welcome you to join us at our 12.20pm assembly, Rooms 1 and 2 are hosting. This will be an opportunity to thank and farewell Stella.
We will be welcoming Miss Zeenat Mahmaud Koodoruth to Room 8, she will be joining us from the beginning of Term 3, but will have the opportunity to visit during the last two weeks of this term. Zeenat is at the beginning of her teaching career, having recently completed half a year at Maidstone Intermediate, she is looking forward to joining our St Brendan’s community.
2022 certainly continues to be a year of change. I am writing to share with you a change that will have an impact on us. We will be farewelling Mrs Clare Owen from her role as our Accounts Administrator. Clare has had a very long connection with our school having been involved as a volunteer, as a member of the PTF, her three children attended St Brendan’s, and she has been a valued member of our administration team for the past 6 years. We are planning an opportunity to acknowledge and farewell Clare, details will be shared with our community. I know you will join with me in expressing gratitude to Clare for all that she has contributed to our school community. We have been blessed that she has been a part of our team and we wish her all the best for her future endeavours.
Welcome
On behalf of our whole school community we extend a warm welcome to Grace, Ardie, Noah W and their families. Grace, Ardie and Noah W recently joined Room 2.
Ths week our Year 7-8s participated in the LHPSSA Volleyball Tournament, our Explorers will had fun at the Little Dog Barking Theatre performance and our Adventurers took social action at Trentham Memorial Park.
God Bless,
Veronica Sawers,
Principal
REMINDERS
ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS 2023
Enrolments for the 2023 school year at St Brendan's close on 30th June 2022. Please ensure enrolment application forms for all siblings starting school in 2023 are submitted by this date for consideration of a placement.
WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE!
ART
We continue to work on our sensory playground at the back of the hall. If you, a family member or friend has time to help students complete this project, please email, office@stbrendans.school.nz
ROAD PATROL
If you, a family member or friend has time to be added to our roster please email Room 11's teacher, Sara Williams s.williams@stbrendans.school.nz
GARDENING
St Brendan’s is an Enviro school and we are very proud of the progress we have made in the last few years, many initiatives have been introduced. If you, a family member or friend has time to help students to maintain our gardens, please pop into Room 7 or email Chris Pullan, c.pullan@stbrendans.school.nz
VERBAL BOUQUETS AND THANK YOU'S
Rena Church for her kind gift to support our St Brendan’s staff wellbeing.
Hamish Blundell for his very generous donation of a TV for one of our classrooms.
WALKING HAND IN HAND WITH CHRIST
DAY OF PRAYER FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS
This past Sunday, 19th June was the Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants. Pope Francis reminds us that we should be fostering relationships and welcoming all with open arms. We should no longer think in terms of “us and them”, but rather as “we”, celebrating connections rather than concentrating on differences. We are one human family. “To achieve this ideal, however, we must make every effort to break down the walls that separate us and, in acknowledging our profound interconnection, build bridges that foster a culture of encounter. Today’s migration movements offer an opportunity for us to overcome our fears and let ourselves be enriched by the diversity of each person’s gifts. Then, if we so desire, we can transform borders into privileged places of encounter, where the miracle of an ever wider “we” can come about.”
-Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 107th World Day of Migrants and Refugees
PRAYER FOR AN EVER-WIDER “WE”
Holy, beloved Father, your Son Jesus taught us that there is great rejoicing in heaven whenever someone lost is found, whenever someone excluded, rejected or discarded is gathered into our “we”, which thus becomes ever wider. We ask you to grant the followers of Jesus, and all people of good will, the grace to do your will on earth. Bless each act of welcome and outreach that draws those in exile into the “we” of community and of the Church, so that our earth may truly become what you yourself created it to be: the common home of all our brothers and sisters.
Amen.
We gathered as a school on Monday for prayer to remember refugees and migrants.
SUZANNE AUBERT'S BIRTHDAY
Suzanne Aubert Meri Hōhepa celebrated her 187th birthday on Sunday, 19 June! This year’s quote set the theme for the heart full of love that is needed in our world today:
Suzanne used this quote to encourage the Sisters of Compassion to show love to everyone, especially in difficult situations when compassion was most needed. We created our own quotes modelled on Suzanne and wrote the names of people we could show love and compassion to on the leaves of an artichoke. Our artichokes were shared with the Sisters of Compassion for them to display in their home.
SUSANNE AUBERT ARTWORK
“Let us have a heart like an artichoke and big enough for everybody to have a leaf of it “ Suzanne Aubert. The Adventurers syndicate produced artwork based on this quote from Suzanne Aubert to celebrate what would have been her 187th birthday on June 19th. It is currently on display in Our Lady of Grace Church.
SUZANNE AUBERT’S PATH TO SAINTHOOD DELAYED
The path to New Zealand sainthood of missionary Mother Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert has been delayed with a Vatican medical council deciding a potential miracle attributed to her can be explained by medical science. Thank you for your continued support. Please continue to join us in prayer as we wait in hope that the church will one day formally recognise Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert as a Saint. Read more here.
Everyone is looking forward to this term’s final Non-Uniform Day, Tuesday, 5 July, a new chapter begins and Mufti Mania has been rebranded as YCC Day. The name may have changed but the legacy remains. For 15 years the New Zealand Catholic Primary Principals Association (NZCPPA) and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand have partnered with Catholic schools across New Zealand to raise almost $300,000 to support small schools in need across the Pacific.
YCC Day is the day when thousands of young people across New Zealand gather together in solidarity for a good cause and have fun by wearing non-uniform for the small cost of a gold coin. We come together to bring about lasting change for a school that may not enjoy the same privileges as ourselves.
For YCC Day in 2022, we are supporting Laura Vicuna School in Bethlehem. Laura Vicuna School is a small school situated in the Holy Land. The school began in 1988 and is in dire need of support to fix and repair toilets, purchase a new laptop and projector as well as round tables for small group learning activities.
BOARD NEWS
Kia ora and Talofa lava,
Week 8 of Term 2 already… how time flies. The past weeks have been busy for our tamaiti (children) and our St Brendan’s Team with many school events done and dusted. A huge faafetai (thank you) to everyone involved in making these events happen. Without your endless support none of these would be possible and our tamaiti would have missed out.
This year is the first time Matariki is officially celebrated as a public holiday in our country. At St Brendan’s, we are looking forward to a full day of celebration tomorrow, starting with breakfast, Māori traditional games and activities. Many preparations have gone into this over the weeks and no doubt it will be FUN!
I hope you have seen and read our Board news for the June 7 newsletter. Information was shared with our community from our returning officer CES regarding the SCHOOL BOARD PARENT ELECTION 2022 and how it will run this year. I encourage you to run for this year’s election, you could see it as an opportunity or space to give back to our school and have an appreciation on how it operates. No “one set of skills” is required because everyone brings their uniqueness to the table and that’s what makes a diversity Board successful.
Special mention and thanks to our road patrol Year 6 tamaiti and helpers, doing it tough in the wet, cold and windy weather, we appreciate you all and your hard work in keeping our community safe in the mornings and afternoons.
I would like to wish you all an enjoyable long weekend ahead, please be safe and keep warm.
God Bless and faafetai tele lava.
Norman Tufue on behalf of the Board
SCHOOL NEWS
NUT ALLERGIES
We are seeking your help to support the students in our school who are at risk of anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is potentially life-threatening. The most common causes of anaphylaxis in schools are food and insect allergies. The only way to prevent allergic reactions is to avoid being exposed to the allergen.
Our school is supporting students at risk of anaphylaxis in the following ways:
- training staff,
- encouraging students with food allergy to wash their hands before and after eating,
- encouraging students to wash their hands after eating something their classmate/friend is allergic to,
- teaching students not to share food with friends,
- teaching students the importance of getting help immediately if their friend with allergy looks sick,
- educating students about allergies and anaphylaxis, and
- teaching students about being inclusive.
Food allergy is now common in school aged children. Children can be allergic to any food, and it is not possible to completely remove all foods from our school. We request that parents be considerate and not send nuts/nut spreads to school in lunch boxes.
As we educate our school community to help with the management of food allergies and anaphylaxis, the families of the students with food allergies will continue to educate their children on self-management at a developmentally appropriate level.
Thank you for your ongoing support, this increases safety and provides an environment that meets the needs of our students.
COLOUR FUN RUN
Thank you again for your support.
LIFE EDUCATION
Meet and greet with Harold ...
Photographs from Life Education Room 10 teamwork and emotions, followed by Room 8 team building challenges.
MULCH
Our pile of mulch has reduced, however we still have plenty left. If you would like some you are welcome to help yourself to our mulch on weekdays after school, please contact the school office to advise.
STUDENT COUNCIL 2022
Introducing our student self-nominated, class elected, 2022 Student Council!
So far they have met to work on getting to know each other, to share what being a good role model could mean and to talk about the purpose of the Student Council. Our Student Council will help to bring more student voice to school decision making.
Ka pai (well done) to these students and all of the students who showed their value of Aspire by putting their hand up, offering to be part of our Student Council.
Look out for symbols that are coming soon to be able to recognise these student leaders across our school!
Jo Hunter
SCHOOL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Our school continues to work with SchoolDocs to create a website for our policies and procedures. The site is available to our school community. The school works on a subscription basis with SchoolDocs to maintain, update, and review our policies. SchoolDocs provides us with a comprehensive core set of policies, which have been well researched and follow the Ministry of Education National Administration Guidelines. The policies and procedures are tailored to our school.
SchoolDocs updates, modifies, or creates policies in response to changes in legislation or Ministry guidelines, significant events, reviews/requests from schools, and regular reviewing from the SchoolDocs team. Our Board has the opportunity to view changes/additions and comment on them before they are implemented.
We invite you to visit the site, and provide feedback, at https://stbrendans.schooldocs.co.nz (note that there's no "www."). Our username is "stbrendans" and password "navigators".
NAVIGATORS NOTICEBOARD
PTF News
MATARIKI RAFFLE
PIZZA LUNCH
The Pizza Lunch order form is open for orders for our final Pizza Lunch for this term, to be held Wednesday, 29th June.
Please note orders must be placed, and payment made, by 3pm on the FRIDAY before the date of delivery.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
LONG COVID IN CHILDREN
Long COVID describes the symptoms that continue or develop after the initial COVID-19 symptoms. This is usually longer than 12 weeks after a person is first infected. Most people with COVID-19 recover completely and return to normal health. People usually recover from COVID-19 after two to six weeks and many make a full recovery within 12 weeks.
KidsHealth has provided some useful information about COVID-19 symptoms in children:
- For most children with mild COVID-19, they will be back to normal within a week. A small number of children might take up to two weeks to feel back to normal
- most children with COVID-19 will have a mild illness and get better quickly
- for a child or young person to have a diagnosis of post-COVID-19 condition (long COVID) their symptoms need to be having an impact on their everyday functioning and cannot be explained by another condition
- nearly all children will fully recover and return to normal health
- scientists and health professionals are still learning about long COVID, but studies so far have found:
- children are much less likely to have long COVID than adults
- children recover faster than adults
- it mostly affects children over the age of 10 – it's very rare in younger children.
Further information is also available on the KidsHealth website, including caring for a child with COVID-19.
Recovering from long COVID – KidsHealth
Caring for a child with COVID-19 – KidsHealth
NEW ZEALAND GARDEN BIRD SURVEY
Visit the NZ Garden Bird Survey website for more information and to get started.
ST PATRICK'S COLLEGE SILVERSTREAM ENROLMENTS
Enrolments for 2023 close on Thursday, 30 June 2022.
Enrolments are online www.stream.school.nz
Any queries to Dawn Clark, Registrar on clarkd@stream.school.nz
Location: 56 Palmer Crescent Heretaunga Upper Hutt 5019
Phone: (04) 939 1909