St Joseph's School Newsletter

Kia ora, Hi, Kia orana, Kumusta, Ciao, Hallo, Dia duit, Halo, Namaste, Bonjour,

This will be the final full newsletter for the year.

I would like to thank the community for its support this year. The students have been so impressive the way they have continued on their learning with the turbulent start to the year with Covid, mask wearing and isolations. Thank you Whanau for the way you have adjusted and supported your children.

It is with sadness that we will farewell Fleur Lowery- McCombe and Shelley Frauendorf. Fleur is relocating to Auckland to be with her family. We hope to see Shelley again at St Joseph's sometime soon. We are grateful to them both for the dedication they have given to our school.

Next year our staffing will be:

Year 0-3 Linda Hughes

Year 4 - 6 Diana Choat

Year 7-8 Teresa Rush

Over the holidays we will be working very hard to invigorate the school environment, closer to the start of the school term watch out for working bees as we would appreciate your help.

Please pray for our Year 4-8 students who are going on camp next Monday and Tuesday.

I look forward to seeing you all next week at the end of year events.

End of year Important dates:

Friday 9th December: Teacher Only Day- Accord Day

14th December: 11am Classroom certificates /Music concert

15th December: 5pm Nativity Play / Prizegiving / Community Supper

16th December: 9am End of year school thanksgiving graduation mass

20th December: School closes at 12:30 - last school day of 2022.

God Bless

Teresa Rush

Principal

The gospel for the second week of Advent centres on John the Baptist as he prepares the people for the coming of Christ. Many were baptised and repented for their sins. We too can prepare ourselves in this season of Advent by reflecting on how we can be a better version of ourselves. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a way we, as Catholics, can seek forgiveness and peace.

Christmas Reconciliation:

Monday 12th December 3:00-4:00 pm Waihi and 4:30-5:30 pm Katikati

We also ask if families can help contribute to the Christmas food parcels which our St Vincent de Paul Group gives out to needy people in Waihi each Xmas. Donations of canned food, toiletries and other food items for the Vinnies as well as small gifts would be greatly appreciated.

Please join us if you can to our final School Mass on Friday 16th December at 9:00 am.

Christmas Mass times:

Midnight Mass in Waihi Christmas Day 9:00 am

Katikati 8:00 pm Christmas Eve

DRS Linda Hughes

Prize giving, Thursday 15th December 5pm.

Could we ask parents to please bring a plate of food along to share after the prize giving.

Thank you St Jo’s for giving me the opportunity to be the presiding member on the board and thank you Gemma Barden for doing an awesome job for our school in this role.

As a husband to Jess, a father to Joel, Luke, and Noah, and a farmer living in our community; I am looking forward to getting stuck into supporting our principal and teachers to advance our school in what we do best - giving our kids a well rounded education and imparting the values that will set them up for life.

If you would like to be involved then please contact Teresa: principal@wsj.school.nz

There will be no more Sushi orders for the rest of the year.

Thank you to all who have supported Sushi on Fridays.

8th December - Board meeting, 5.00pm

9th December - Accord Day (Teacher Only day)

12th-13th December - Year 4-8 camp

14th December - Year 0-8 classroom certificates 11am-12.30pm

15th December - Prizegiving and Nativity Play, 5pm-6.30pm

16th December - End of year Thanksgiving Mass

20th December - End of Term 4 - 12.30pm finish

Term 1 2023

1st February - Whanau Day (Greet the teacher day)

PRAY A prayer to the Creator (Pope Francis, Fratelli tutti, 287)

Lord,

Father of our human family, you created all human beings equal in dignity: pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter, dialogue, justice and peace.

Move us to create healthier societies and a more dignified world, a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war.

May our hearts be open to all the peoples and nations of the earth.

May we recognise the goodness and beauty that you have sown in each of us, and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects, and shared dreams.

Amen.