SJS Newsletter Term 4 Week 8
Newsletter 8 December 2021
Our Vision: To grow Catholic, Christian young people,
who are confident, connected lifelong learners, inspired by the teachings of Jesus,
and who make a positive difference in their community.
Tēnā tātou
Thank you for the ongoing support you have given myself and all the staff this term while Tom has been on sick leave.
It has been a steep learning curve for all schools to understand and apply Covid restrictions to events. I think we have managed very well, with the School Board support, to work through the risk assessment about the swimming pool, school camp and end of year events. Our thanks to Andrea Cawood for planning and leading the Year 5 and 6 camp, and to Amy Cousins for supporting Andrea. As I’ve said before, it’s fantastic to see our pool being used daily and I know this will continue during the holidays,(Manawatu weather permitting!)
We have had several live streamings for end of year events with more to come this week. Thank you to those who have used this opportunity to apply this exciting technology for our learners to share their talents.
This is our last whole school newsletter for 2021. Your child’s books will come home next Monday and school reports will be coming home in school bags this Friday. We have spoken to the children about leaving them for you to open. Please sit and share their achievement and progress with them.
As I have read every report school wide I have noted some very impressive accelerated learning at all levels. To make more than a year’s progress in a year is to be truly celebrated under what has been another COVID-19 interrupted year.
If your youngest is graduating from Year 6 or your family is moving on we wish you well in your new place. For those of you returning in 2022 we look forward to welcoming you back at St James' Catholic School on Monday 31 January at 8.50am.
2022 School Organisation
We are very much looking forward to coming back to our kura in 2022. Here is our plan for teachers and classes to begin term 1 2022.
LS 1 Yr3 Christine Cosgrove. A fixed term appointment will be made if the Principal is still on sick leave.
LS 2 Yr 4/5 Whaea Hilary Autagavaia
LS 5 Yr 6 Andrea Cawood
LS 6 Yr 4/5 Amy Cousins
LS 7 Yr 1/2 Tracey Gunn (Mon-Wed)/Bronwyn Bateman (Thur-Fri)
LS 8 Yr 2/3 Naomi Scott
LS10 Yr 0/1 Claire Dillon (Mon-Thur) and Meagan Gooding (Fri)
Our learners and teachers are supported by our wonderful Learning Assistants: Mrs Jo Wedlock, Mrs Anne Harris, Belinda Murphy, Mrs Dale Weston, Mrs Kate Puts, Mrs Marietza Walmsley and Miss Jess Illingworth. I would like to express my gratitude for the patience and love they extend to our learners - You are truly valued.
There are other special support staff here who are like glue that hold us together: Fr Brian, Chaplain, Tracey Royds, our Office Manager, Nicci Smith, our Library Resource Manager, Conal Hodgetts, ICT Support and Glenn Maskill our Caretaker, Andre Le Pine-Day and Rebecca Reid our cleaners.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, our families/Whānau who have supported St James', without your support whether it be assisting with extra-curricular activities, sports coaches, classroom support, School Board, PTFA, Whānau-Fanau, Indian and Pasifkia groups you enrich your children's experiences - together we make a difference.
I wish you all a blessed and happy Christmas.
Meri Kirihimete and much aroha.
Christine Cosgrove
Catholic Special Character
First week of Advent: Hope
The Advent Wreath
Advent Wreaths are often found not only in people’s homes but also in the church. This circular evergreen wreath usually contains 4 candles (and sometimes 5 candles) and each of these candles represents one of the Sundays of Advent. Families who have this wreath in the home will light the candles on each Sunday and say prayers together. It is believed that this tradition goes back to Lutherans in Germany during the 16th century. Sometimes this wreath is known as an Advent Crown.
The Jesse Tree
A popular tradition during the Advent Season is the Jesse Tree. This tree, named for the father of David, is one that is decorated throughout the Advent Season with symbols of biblical people that are historically associated with or came before, the birth of Jesus Christ. This can include people such as Abraham, Noah, and Moses, as well as Mary and Joseph. By decorating this tree, children can be reminded of historical biblical figures and can also be taught about the preparatory nature of the Advent Season.
The Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, calls for the lighting of the first two candles, as well as the third candle of the Advent Wreath. The candle is known as Joy. On this day, rose-coloured vestments are usually worn and the Bible passages read all relate to St.John the Baptist.
Andrea Cawood
Director of Religious Studies
Celebrations - Celebrating Success
Farewell - At the end of this term we farewell Mrs Sue Lewis and Mrs Krystin Bradshaw. Sue has supported our New Entrant programme and provided additional literacy support to learners. Thank you Sue, for your teaching expertise that you have shared with our Kura over the past years. Thank you Krystin with your contributions to our Te Mahuri teaching programme and your knowledge that you have shared with us all. We wish you both well with your future endeavors.
Your many years of aroha and manaaki to our kura will be remembered and appreciated by our tamariki and kaiako forever!
Ma te Atua kōrua e manaaki.
Hato Heemi SAINTS Postcards - Congratulations to the following learners who received a Hato Heemi SAINTS Postcard at the end of Term 4
Strive - Rohan, G, Arwynn S, Bennet T, Carlota R-C, Ella C, Zac M, Maxwell H, Sesi E-B, Noah P, Henry H, Christian C, Gemma M, David H, Marlee V, Isaiah H, Luke M, Arabella B, Tammy C, Liam S, Isabelle C, Michael C, Amanda L, Samuel M and Grady W.
Acceptance - Danny R, Eva C, Liam S, Maxwell H and Winnie D-S.
Integrity - Jared L, Aaron N, Carlota R-C, Patrick C and Zac W.
Nurture - Cruze K, Sesi E-B, Noah P, Hannah J and Tammy C.
Talents - Olive W, Sophia T-T and Taine K.
Service - Eva C, Elisha M, Jett S, Carlos M and Ella C.
Yummy Stickers - Thank you for supporting this initiative. Today we received notification that St James' Catholic School has received $162 to spend on sports equipment.
Yummy stickers can be collected all year round.
News
2022 Term Dates & Holidays. Please add these to your diary, in particular the Staff Only Days.
2022 Staff Only Days
Thursday 27 January Staff Call Back Day
Friday 28 January Staff Call Back Day
Monday 21st February (Week 4 Term 1)
Friday 3rd June (Week 5 Term 2) – Queen’s Birthday Weekend
Monday 5th September (Week 7 Term 3) – Mid Term 3
Tuesday 25th October (Week 2 Term 4) – Labour Weekend
New COVID-19 Protection (Traffic Light) Framework
Last Friday 3 December everyone in Aotearoa moved to the new COVID-19 Traffic Light Framework. While our region moved to Orange, there won't be any changes to our current measures at school. Advice from the ministry of Education is to maintain current alert Level 2 measures until the end of the year, so that schools do not have to make any major changes to our structure in the final weeks of school. We will therefore continue with our current Alert Level 2 measures until the last day of school. In the new year when school returns, we will let you know what school will be like under the CPF framework.
Pope Francis is adding his voice to a campaign to overcome vaccine skepticism, issuing a public service announcement insisting that vaccines are safe, effective and an "act of love."
I just wish to remind you of the Health measures in place at school
This year and next, health, safety and wellbeing will continue to be a priority for us
and the same public health measures you are very familiar with will remain in place:
• good hygiene and cleaning
• contact tracing systems in place
• vaccination requirements for workers (paid and unpaid)
• if you are sick, you must stay home and get tested
• good ventilation.
And if we are at Red at any stage next year:
• face coverings will be required at school when indoors for students and staff
in years 4 – 13
• we will ask that only essential visitors come onsite.
School Transport - Go Bus have the Ministry of Education Transport tender in 2022. Go Bus and the Ministry of Education have been working closely to ensure that the transition to our new school bus operator goes well. We anticipate that the change to the new operator will go seamlessly, and that students will notice little to no difference. Please follow link to 2022 Bus Timetable from Tokomaru to St James' Catholic School.
Coreboard - As you may have seen, we have a new large coreboard on the outside wall of the library. Coreboards are a great tool to increase the modelling that students are exposed to as well as helping language to be visual which has benefits for so many students with communication needs. A coreboard is a board containing symbols that represent the most frequent words of a language. We are very excited about this addition to our school and have already seen a number of learners using it when interacting with each other in the playground. - Naomi Scott SENCO
Reminders
Library Books - there are a number of these still outstanding, please check at home for any book with a St James Barcode and return to the Office or Library. Invoices will come home for outstanding loans early this week.
Please ensure that you are using the using the QR Codes at any of the three entrances to school or the COVID 19 Check-in function on the school app. Please remember to wear your mask into school.
Pool Keys - Parents can purchase pool keys from the School Office and sign the agreements, at a cost of $50 per key. A fee of $20 will be incurred for any lost keys. Children will not be issued keys, as an adult is required to sign the agreements. Please ensure that both the Pool and School Gate are securely locked behind you.
Seesaw - As we come towards the end of the year it is time to start thinking about downloading your child's work from Seesaw if you wish to keep it before it disappears.
This can be done by downloading your child's journal as a PDF. The following LINK provides instructions to this if your require support. The cut off date to do this is Wednesday 16 December.
2022 Stationery - A separate alert will come out later in the week with the 2022 Stationery Requirements. You will be able to order this once you know your child's 2022 classroom teacher.
Medication held at School - Year 6 or leaver medications can be collected from the school office. by a parent, otherwise all non restricted medication will be coming home in your child's bag on the last day of school.
Lost Property - please take the time to look through the lost property. Any unnamed items remaining at the end of term will be donated to SVDP.
Sport
Issued Sports Uniform - If you have any school issued sports uniform, please return these to the school office by this Friday.
Thank you to our Sport Coaches - Our summer sports are wrapping up for the season as the term draws to an end. Thank you to all our amazing coaches who have given up their time and helped our learners enjoy themselves. We couldn’t do it without you. Enjoy the summer break, and we look forward to seeing you back in 2022.
Tracey Gunn, Sports Coordinator
St James' School PTFA - Parent and Teachers and Friends Association
Pizza Lunch - Friday 10 December, Our pizza offerings will be Meat Lovers, Hawaiian or Simply Cheese.$2 a slice. Order before school Friday - at the front of the School office
Kelly Hoskins
PTFA Chairperson
ptfachairperson@stjamescatholic.school.nz
Serving Our Saints with Faith and Enthusiasm
St James' Catholic School Board Update
The Board of Trustees would like to thank the school community for its support during what has been a challenging year.
As well as the usual challenges, we have had COVID-19 and Tom has been and remains on sick leave. Please be assured that the school is in good hands. We are very fortunate to have had Christine Cosgrove who is a very experienced Deputy Principal step up in to the role of Principal on a temporary basis. Part of the role of a Deputy is to step up if the Principal is on sick leave and the Board would like to thank Christine for her willingness to take on this role and the experience she brings to it. The Board would also like to thank the other staff who supported Christine and the school in this.
If Tom remains on sick leave going into term 1 2022 a fixed term teacher will be appointed for Learning Space 1 for this period.
The Board takes the opportunity to wish all in the school community all the best for Christmas and the New Year. Please keep Tom and the school in your prayers and we look forward to seeing you in 2022
Michael Fennessy
Chairperson
Dates for Your Diary
Please keep checking the Events Calendar on the school website or school App as we are updating this should events be cancelled/postponed. All coming events will continue to be updated here. Add to my Calendar.
2021 Term 4
Week 8
Friday 10 December - PTFA Pizza Lunch
Friday 10 December - Year 6 Formal Dinner and Disco - school hall (parents to drop learners off, staff to run).
Week 9
Tuesday 14 December - Whole school End of Year Liturgy and Prizegiving - school hall - 11:00am.
Tuesday 14 December - Last day of Term 4, School Finishes at 12.30pm.
2022 Term 1
Monday 31 January 2022 - First Day of Term 1, 8.50am an St James' Catholic School. Learners are to bring their stationery to school on the first day of term.
Getting Involved
Shining Stars Music and Play – Preschool Music Group Thursday 9:30am Cathedral lounge. Contact Basia bmcintosh@pndiocese.org.nz.
Stamps, Can Tabs, Wine Bottle Tops - One small way we can make life easier for others which costs us nothing, is to collect Stamps, Can Tabs and Wine Bottle Tops. You will find boxes for these in the Office foyer. If, as a family you don’t already set these items aside for Kidney Kids at Starship and the Missions you might like to start as a very visible witness to demonstrating Jesus example of LOVE. Encourage neighbours and family to do the same. There is no deadline.
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