St Joseph's Newsletter T3 Wk 2
3 August 2022
Principal’s Piece
Kia Ora Koutou
Me mahi tahi tātou mo te oranga o te katoa
We must work together for the wellbeing of all
Many schools across the country have been looking at ways to cater for the wellbeing of their students. We know that the effects from Covid 19 is having an impact on our tamariki. You may have seen the TV programme Newshub Investigates: Generation Covid on TV 3 Sunday 24 July. Unfortunately, there is no national guidance or support of this which is disappointing. Schools are now taking the initiative and providing support where it is needed.
On Monday our school announced that our students will have access to a 2nd year counselling student through Wintec. It was also announced that we will have a pastoral care worker in the school working with classes and groups of students throughout the school on emotional regulation and social skills. The rationale of having a Counsellor and Pastoral Care worker in the school is to help equip our tamariki with the tools to make the right choices in these changing times. Below are more details about Katrina and Martha.
It’s great that our community now has access to Katrina and Martha and that their work will help our students to move forward. If you would like to know more about the programmes please make contact with the school office.
Congratulations to the students that made their First Holy Communion and Confirmation last Saturday afternoon in the Church. It was a special occasion and great to see so many families there to support them.
Coming up in Week 4 is the School Cross Country. The Cross Country will take place on Tuesday 16 August at Porritt Stadium. The students have already been busy training for this event with the annual road run around the block. It’s great to see the students putting in the effort and seeing improvements. Thank you to those parents that join us every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8.50am.
Hopefully last week you had a chance to read the Teams newsletter which is full of lots of good information that you need to know for the term. If you haven’t been able to read it yet please take a moment to do so. Here is the link: Team Newsletter
Kia manaaki te Atua koutou katoa
Grant Stuart
Tumuaki / Principal
Gospel Reflection
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C Sunday, July 31, 2022
Gospel Reading
Luke 10:1-12,17-20
Jesus sends out 72 people to announce the coming kingdom.
Background on the Gospel Reading
Today's Gospel begins immediately after the final verse in last Sunday's Gospel. After strong language about the difficulties of discipleship, Jesus immediately appoints 72 people to go ahead of him to every town and place he plans to visit, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is at hand. He sends them in pairs. In the Law of Moses two witnesses were needed for a testimony to be credible. It was probably also a safer way to travel.
Jesus admits it will be difficult, that he is sending them out like lambs among wolves. Yet they are to bring nothing with them, not even a money bag or sandals. They are to greet no one on the way so as not to be distracted from their mission. When they enter a house, their message is simply “peace.” The response they will receive may be positive or negative. Either way, they are to know that the Kingdom of God is at hand. They are not to demand special treatment but eat and drink whatever is given them. They are to stay in one house and are not to look around for one that provides better accommodations. They are to heal the sick as a sign that the Kingdom of God is at hand for them. Like Jesus' miracles, healing is a sign of the coming of the kingdom. If the town will not receive them, they are to shake the dust from their feet and move on. Even in the case of such rejection they should know that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
When they return from their journeys, they are rejoicing because their mission has been successful. Demons were under their power because of Jesus' name. Jesus may have sent them out as lambs among wolves, but at the conclusion of this passage he assures them that they have been given power over the enemy and nothing will harm them, not even serpents and scorpions.
A key theme of today's Gospel and last Sunday's Gospel is discipleship—its challenges, its difficulties, and its rewards. Sharing in the mission of Jesus is difficult, but everyone is called to do it, not just some professionals trained for ministry. Even for us today, the harvest is plentiful. We should pray to the master of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.
News
Student Well Being
Our school is now able to offer the services of a Counsellor and Pastoral Care Worker. The Pastoral Care Worker is working with different classrooms on programmes like Friends for Life, Seasons for Growth and Fun Friends. There will also be some parent sessions available too.
Our Counsellor will work more closely with individuals and small groups. If you wish to make a referral to the counsellor for a student please fill in the following form:
https://forms.gle/dcC3U6EeR1dKSgBa8
Below is more information from our Counsellor and Pastoral Care Worker.
Counsellor - Katrina Roberts
Tēnā koutou te whānau o St Joseph’s my name is Katrina Roberts. I am a second-year counselling student studying the Paetahi Tumu Kōrero Bachelor of Counselling at Wintec Te Pūkenga Waikato. While studying this program I will develop skills required to work within the social services and health communities. I am ethically bound to participate in supervision and uphold a responsibility and commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi. Personal information is treated with confidentiality.
I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to experience my placement as a counselling student at St Joseph’s Catholic School. While working collaboratively with your child and school community, my goal is to offer a safe therapeutic space. Providing a nurturing and creative space allows for a conversation to explore challenges your child may be experiencing around relationships, friendships, and anxiety.
My chosen counselling modality is Narrative, which means I use a lot of metaphors and remain curious by asking questions to help co-author an alternative successful story. Children engage well with metaphors, this modality of counselling I feel offers a sense of fun and playfulness within the counselling setting. While offering help to discover what it is your child values and what their hopes may be. I look to provide guidance and support to benefit those before me.
Pastoral Care Worker - Martha Enderwick
Kia ora families
My name is Martha Enderwick, mother of 3, grandmother of 3, born in Ireland. I came to beautiful New Zealand 30 years ago - where does the time go?
My whole working life has been involved with many agencies and schools, working and supporting families and children overcome and work through the many challenges that life throws at us.
I will be working with the school two days a week. I look forward to meeting you over a well deserved cup of tea.
Sports
School Swimming Sports
Congratulations to our Year 4-8 swimming sports overall winners:
Year 4 Girls
1st - Eva Colville
2nd - Lucia McLauchlan-Hillary
3rd - Katana Hardman
Year 4 Boys
1st - Theo Johnston
2nd - Max Richardson
3rd - Van Polaczuk
Year 5 Girls
1st - Annabella Ngerengere
2nd - Emily Wetere
3rd - Sophia Lee
Year 5 Boys
1st - Samuel McDiarmid
2nd - Kayden Thompson
3rd - Ayrton Drent
Year 6 Girls
1st equal - Stella Hapuku and Maggie Mutter
3rd - Olivia Moore
Year 6 Boys
1st - Max Baker
2nd - Rafael Drent
3rd - Blake Robinson
Year 7 Girls
1st equal - Sophia Mohacsi and Caitlin Richardson
3rd - Laura Barton
Year 7 Boys
1st - Tommie Parrott
2nd - Archie Mason
3rd - Bradley Lander
Year 8 Girls
1st - Tessa Scott
2nd - Taylor McCarthy
3rd - Bella McLauchlan-Hillary
Year 8 Boys
1st - Ezra Gower
2nd - Dylan Robinson
3rd - Alex Johnston
Water Polo
AIMS Games
Major Sponsors
Associate Sponsors
For more details, please see the AIMS Games newsletter:
AIMS Games NewsletterNotices
Period Products
St Joseph’s Fairfield has opted into the government initiative to provide period products for students. This initiative aims to provide free period products to children and young people in all schools across New Zealand. Periods are a fact of life for half the population. Despite this, young people don’t always have access to the products they need to feel comfortable at school, engage in their learning, and manage what should be a normal and healthy part of life. If you want to know more, click here for a link to the Ministry of Education information.
At St Joseph’s, we have put in place a discreet delivery system so that girls can take home a monthly allocation of period products (two boxes per month). We know that some girls at this age might feel too shy to openly discuss period products with their peers or a staff member, so we want to make access easy and remove any embarrassment for them.
Click here for more information.
Each girl can fill in this Google Form which lets them select from various products.
COVID 19 - Update
We still have some students showing symptoms of Covid 19 and a number of these children are testing positive. If this is the case with your child, please let us know.
Please email the Principal directly: g.stuart@stjosephs.school.nz or ring (07) 855 5434.
All students who return a positive test result, and their household contacts, need to self-isolate for 7 days, then they are able to return to school provided they are symptom free.
As per Government advice, all students in Year 4 and above are asked to wear masks when they are in class. We do have masks available for students - they can collect them from their class teacher or the office.
Past Student Sporting Achievements
Before and After School Care 2022
Here is the link to find out more details and to enrol for Term Three:
Community Notices
Community Planting Day - Saturday 13 August
It is planting season again in the Kukutaaruhe Gully. Together with the community The Fairfield Project have planted over 20,000 trees!
Over the next two weeks students from 3 local schools will be planting, (the St Joseph's Catholic School Enviro Team will be planting next Thursday afternoon) and on Saturday 13th we invite the wider community to come along and be involved on our annual Community Planting Day. We look forward to seeing you join us.
Park Safe at the School Gate
Hamilton City Council is committed to working with parents and schools to explore ways to reduce parking concerns when dropping off and picking up children.
Schools in Hamilton face recurring issues around poor parking and driver behaviour, particularly in the winter months, such as parents parking on footpaths, across broken yellow lines, in front of residents’ driveways and double parking.
“This creates an unsafe environment for children, as well as frustration and concern for the schools and the residents that are living next to them,” said Council’s School Travel Adviser Cam Ward.
“With school rolls increasing and many parents wanting to collect their children by car, especially during these colder and wetter months, traffic congestion is inevitable.
“The majority of parents make smart choices, however most schools experience issues with a handful of parents.”
Some helpful tips for school drop-off and pick-up include:
• Park further away, rather than right outside busy school gates.
• Plan to pick up your children on side roads or in safe pick-up areas nearby.
• Encourage the use of active transport (biking, walking, etc) for those children who live close to school.
• Encourage children to have rain jackets and umbrellas for their school commute.
• If you are collecting your children by car, consider arriving five minutes after the bell when more carparks should be available.
“If more families choose to adopt some of these parking behaviours around schools, it will really help ease the congestion issues we see outside of schools,” said Ward.
Boost your Learning
Does your child require further support, over and above what can be offered at school?
Would your child benefit from bespoke and nurturing learning sessions from a highly experienced teacher designed to accelerate learning and boost confidence? We would love to help. We are a team of dedicated teachers, specialising in English and Maths support, for primary, intermediate and college students. Visit www.boostyourlearning.co.nz for more information or contact Jenny 021 223 3349 to book a free consultation.
Parish Mass Times
St Peter Chanel
Tuesday 9am
Thursday 9am - Liturgy with Communion
Saturday Vigil 5pm
St Joseph's
Wednesday 9am - Liturgy with Communion
Friday 9am
Sunday 9am
2022 Term Dates
Term Dates
Term 3: Mon 25th July – Fri 30th September
Term 4: Mon 17th October – Fri 16th December
Teacher Only Days
Term 3 – Monday, 29 August
Term 4 – Friday, 11 November