Newsletter Week 1 Term 4
Sacred Heart School Christchurch - 21 October 2022
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Kia ora, Talofa lava, Malo e lei lei, Jou sahn, Aubowan, Chao, Hola, Fakalofa atu, Kumusta, Namaste, Salam
It was so good to see the smiling faces arrive through the gates on Monday morning. There was a mixture of new children starting their primary school years with us, our usual faces and the group at the other end of the school in their final eight and a half weeks with us before they move on to bigger things. Children were greeted with our new murals and vision strips depicting our school values and the Sacred Heart of Jesus and including our cultural narrative. We really look forward to having you all back on site to enjoy and share in the learning, the arts, the sports and celebrate in the Catholic Character of the school over this final term.
We have spent so much time over the past 3 years keeping you beyond the school gate and out of the classrooms. Although we still need to be vigilant we would love for you to take your children to their classrooms in the morning and also to come in the gate to collect your children at the end of the day. Maybe ask your child to show you what is new around the school. They will be great little tour guides.
In welcoming you back it is great to see so many of our families at Mass celebrating the Word and the Eucharist at weekends. Fr Peter wrote in the Parish newsletter last weekend that it is a work in progress to make better connections with the three schools in the Parish. I also encourage families to attend Mass, visit the church for prayer and take up roles within our Parish. Keep an eye on the links to our Parish in this newsletter.
A reminder that Monday next week is a Public Holiday and school will be closed. Labour Day commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day. New Zealand workers were among the first in the world to claim this right. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/labour-day
Have a fabulous long weekend and we’ll see you all back for fitness on Tuesday morning.
Sport
This week we have begun morning fitness again for the whole school. Fitness will run from 8:40-8:55 each morning. We encourage students and parents to join staff for this each day.
Religious Education
All students study Huhihuhinga o ngā Hunga Tapu/The Communion of Saints for the first five weeks of term 4. The new entrant and year one tamariki are learning about Mary as the Mother of Jesus and the first saint. Ngā ākonga/Students in year two and three are learning about past and present saints and inspiring people. In year 4, tamariki study the choices we make and the effects of choices on our journey in life. Ngā ākonga/Students in year five are learning about the lives of saints, inspiring people and people who encourage others to follow Christ. Students in years 6, 7 and 8 revisit the topics during their mahi/work on the Huhihuhinga o ngā Hunga Tapu/Communion of Saints. Ngā ākonga/Students study Mary and other saints in more depth, the immortality of souls, and God’s gift of free will he bestows on His tangata/people.
The following dates are the times and days each class will be attending Friday morning Mass:
Friday 21st October - Teretere and Paretai (years 2 and 3)
Friday 28th October - Muriwai and Aumoana (new entrants and year 1)
Friday 4th November - Te Rōpū Tāuhu (middle syndicate)
Friday 2nd December - Te Rōpū Waenga (senior syndicate)
Please ensure your child is at school by 8.45am on the day they attend Mass.
Ngā mihi nui
Christchurch Schools Music Festival Choir
The choir are rehearsing for the Christchurch Schools' Music Festival on the 2nd November. This festival has featured Christchurch school choirs for over 40 years. Sacred Heart choir will be singing with 29 other choirs, a concert band, symphony orchestra and two auditioned choirs. We hope you are able to come along and support your children, it's always an amazing performance! If you have any questions about the music festival or rehearsals please contact Mrs Jory.
Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek
Internet Safety
This research reveals a mismatch between parents’ awareness and their children’s experiences of upsetting online content. This report comes off the back of previous Netsafe research looking at the activities children in Aotearoa have online and their experiences of online risks and their perceptions of harm. It is the first report of its kind focused on children and their parents in Aotearoa, and joins an international body of work. It is well worth a read.
https://netsafe.org.nz/parent-awareness-child-online-risk-harm/
Upcoming Events
Monday 24 October - Labour Day (Public Holiday - School Closed)
Wednesday 26 October - Whole School Athletics Day
Wednesday 2 November - Christchurch Schools Music Festival
Thursday 10 November - Science Sharing Day at School - 1.30 pm
Friday 11 November - Canterbury Show Day (Public Holiday - School Closed)
Wednesday 16 November - Kahukura Celebration of Performing Arts 6-8 pm West Spreydon School.
Friday 18 November - NZEI Teacher Only Day (School Closed)
Wednesday 7 December - Picnic Concert at School - 5.30-7.30 pm
Saturday 10 December - Leavers Mass (TBC) - Whole school to attend and support our Yr 8 Leavers
Thursday 15 December - Last Day of the Year.
2023 Dates
Hats are compulsory outdoors in Term 4.
From the start of Term 4 our policy is ‘No hat, No play’. We are fortunate to have enough shelter from the sun but children will need to be wearing a sunhat when playing outside. These need to be wide brimmed hats and are available from the office for $5
You are also encouraged to apply sunscreen to your children prior to them coming to school. We will have supplies of sunscreen for children to reapply at school.
2023 ATTENDANCE DUES
Attendance Dues per child for 2023 will be $520. (Including Special Character contribution of $60).
The cost per child each Term will be $130.
For more information please contact the parish office: administration@christchurchsouth.org.nz.
Our Facebook Page
Our Facebook page is Sacred Heart School Te Kura o Te Ngākau Tapu, Addington
Click here to check it out.
Make sure you keep up with all communications from school and have the latest update of our School App. Download SchoolAppsNZ from the App Store or Google Play and search Sacred
Please visit https://www.lunchonline.co.nz/ to join up and order for your children.
Breakfast at School
All children are welcome to come and have breakfast together each morning. If your child is eating breakfast at school they can enter the school grounds at 8.20 am.
Policy Review
We have all our policies and procedures on School Docs. At present we have policies that we would appreciate your feedback on. Please follow the link below and review these policies.
1. Visit the website
http://sacredheartchch.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm (note that there is no “www”!)
2. Enter the user name (sacred) and password (heart).
3. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
4. Read the policy.
5. Click the Policy Review button at the right-hand top corner of the page.
6. Select the reviewer type "Parent".
7. Enter your name (optional).
8. Submit your ratings and comments.
Parish News
For Church Notices Please view the Catholic Parish of Christchurch South website. https://christchurchsouth.org.nz or the New App
Here are the details of how to download our excellent new Parish App. Keep updated on mass times, news and what is happening in the Parish.
Go to the App Store on your Apple or Android device and Search 'Church AppsNZ' to download the app onto your device.
Then search "The Catholic Parish of Christchurch South' to find your church app.