Newsletter Week 3 Term 4
St Brigid's School 1 November 2022
Upcoming Events
- School Athletics - Year 4-8 - Wednesday 2 November, 9:30am – 2:30pm, Nairnville Park, Khandallah
- BOT meeting - Monday 7 November, 5:30pm – 7:00pm
- Team Tahi swimming - Tuesday 8 November
- School tabloid sports - Friday 18 November, 1.30pm - 2.45pm
Term 4 Dates
- End of Year Mass - Thursday 8 December 6.00pm
- School Picnic at Waikanae Pool - Monday 12 December
- 2023 Y1-8 Transition Morning - Tuesday 13 December
- Year 8 Day Out with the Principal - Tuesday 13 December
- Year 8 Celebration Evening - Tuesday 13 December
- Term 4 Ends - Thursday 15 December 1.00pm
Principal's Message
Kia ora koutou e te whānau te Kura o Hato Pirihiti,
Year 6 Camp
What an amazing 3 days Year 6 spent at Camp Kaitoke in Upper Hutt. We have enjoyed hearing the children’s stories about personal challenges and adventures. Tamariki dug deep to use māia to complete the varied challenges that were set for them and they excelled working cooperatively in the team building activities. What an amazing group of tamariki we have!
Thank you to our teachers and parent helpers, Bernie Kupidura, Michael Irving, Meg Davies, Tyrone Davies who attended the three days. We appreciate all the organisation, effort and energy that goes into making a camp such a successful experience, and we are very grateful to you all for your fantastic contribution.
Reporting to Parents
As a school, we regularly share with parents information about student progress and achievement by using the digital platform of Seesaw. Last Tuesday, we sent a communication to parents about our reporting process this term.
Teachers are currently busy reflecting on their students’ learning and are in the process of writing comments. Comments will be on Seesaw in an orange folder named ‘2022 Reporting Post’ and released on the following dates:
Mathematics - Wednesday 16 November (Week 5)
Literacy - Wednesday 30 November (Week 7)
General comment - Wednesday 14 December (Week 9)
For Mathematics and Literacy, the comment will state whether your child is achieving towards, within or above the expected curriculum level. Please refer to the email sent that includes attachments that have detailed information about the learning within the curriculum levels.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Jennifer
Principal
Board Message
To date 34% of our community has paid the school donation of $60.00. Thank you to those who have made their contribution. Whānau still have until the end of the year to make payment. If you are unsure whether or not you have made a donation this year, please contact Lynne. Thank you for your ongoing support of St Brigid’s School.
If you would like to support a family who is facing hardship, we would be very grateful for your support - please contact Lynne in the office.
Payment Options
There are several ways that you can donate:
Automatic payment - Please see Lynne if you would like to know the amount to be paid weekly/fortnightly/monthly/termly for your child’s/children’s year group.
Internet banking - Please transfer funds to: St Brigid’s Operations Account 12-3041-0341681-00, with your child’s family name and 'donation' as the reference.
Please note that school donations qualify for a tax rebate and an official receipt will be issued for all donations received in the school account. Here is information about the process of getting a tax rebate for your donation.
Primary Teacher Paid Union Meetings
Teachers in our school will be attending paid union meetings in the weeks of 14-25 November to discuss the progress of negotiations for their collective employment agreements, the proposed unified public service pay offer and their Wāwāhi Tahā | Time 4 Tamariki campaign.
This campaign aims to win smaller class sizes, more support for high needs students, better recognition of cultural skills, greater job security for our essential relievers and to fairly value and recognise the work of teachers.
There will be multiple options for meetings in the period of 14-25 November in order to minimise disruption to teaching and learning. Our school will aim to ensure the least disruption to children's learning while upholding the right of teachers to participate in their union meeting.
Covid in the Community
If someone in your household tests positive please follow the Ministry of Health's latest advice and test daily for five days with a rapid antigen test (RAT) from the day the first person in your household receives a positive result for COVID-19. If any of your results are positive, then you must isolate for seven days and follow public health advice.
Planning for 2023
Could you please email the office at office@stbrigids.school.nz to let us know if your family is moving out of the area or will be attending another school.
Message from our DRS
Term 4 Gospel Reading
Our school wide Gospel Value this term is māia (courage) and the Gospel reading we have chosen to help us be people of māia is the reading where Jesus calms the storm.
As Jesus and the disciples travelled across the sea of Galilee in a boat, a great windstorm occurred. Jesus was asleep in the stern. Petrified, the disciples proceeded to wake up Jesus and tell him what was going on. Jesus reprimanded the disciples for their lack of faith.
They did not have māia/courage and trust in Jesus and all he could and would do. The disciples feared the storm rather than having the māia they should have had, knowing they could and should trust in God.
Jesus calming the storm reminds us God is with us at all times. God is in control. God is with us in the storms we endure. The phrase "do not be afraid" is written in the bible 365 times. That's a daily reminder from God for each of us to live every day with māia.
Help your child maximise the benefits of our learning by chatting to them about what we can all learn from it.
Confirmation
A huge congratulations to our students who were confirmed on Sunday! It was such a beautiful celebration. I’m always so inspired by Cardinal John and constantly think how blessed we are to have the amazing Kitty and her team working with our Akonga (students).
First Holy Communion
A huge congratulations to Mia Davis and her whānau. Mia made her First Holy Communion on Saturday after missing out earlier in the year.
All Saints Mass
Today the school celebrated All Saints Day, attending the parish Mass. It’s a day we honour all the saintly and wonderful people we have known or heard of.
Tomorrow is All Souls Day. This month classes have prayer boards for tamariki (children) to write the names of loved ones who have passed.
Fiona D’Souza, DRS
St Brigid’s Senior Athletics
Our school athletics is on Wednesday 2 November, Week 3 at Nairnville Park.
The postponement day is Tuesday 8 November, Week 4.
We will be taking the train to Simla Crescent - years 7-8 will get the train at 9.00am and years 4-6 at 9:30am. We will all be returning to school on the 2:30pm train.
Please ensure your child comes to school in full PE uniform and brings a sunhat, sunscreen, a warm jersey and jacket. Children will need to bring a water bottle and packed lunch.
Inter Zone Swimming Results
Congratulations to all students who represented St Brigid’s at the Interzone Swimming Competition.
And a big well done to our swimmers who placed:
Charlotte Hanley - Third Place, Year 6 Girls, 25m Backstroke Championship
Emily Irving - Second Place, Year 4 Girls, 25m Freestyle Championship
Year 8 Girls - Freestyle Relay Team
Year 8 Boys - Freestyle Relay Team
SBS Orchestra
We invite students who are able to play an instrument to join our St Brigid’s School orchestra. At this time of the year we are starting to practice for the end of year Mass and are wanting to grow our group in preparation for 2023. At present our group has students from Year 3-8 and it includes students who play these instruments, guitar, piano, cello, flute, and drums. If your child is interested in performing with a group and developing their skills we would love them to come along. It is helpful if they can read music and/or know chords. Please contact Fiona Kearns at fiona@stbrigids.school.nz if you would like any further details or pop into the office to talk with Lynne Candiliotis.
Check out the parish newsletter to stay informed as our parish moves from three churches to one. http://stfrancisohariu.nz/assets/30.10.22-Thirty-First-Week-of-Ordinary-Time-FINAL.pdf
The parish has organised a gathering to get us thinking about what we want. It could be a great opportunity to get ideas of how to best move forward.
Community Notices
Johnsonville Scouts
Johnsonville Scouts have spaces for youth between the ages of 5-14. Keas age 6-8, Cubs 8-11, Scouts 11-14.
Every year we help 13,000 young people in New Zealand enjoy new adventures, experience the outdoors, make new connections, and gain confidence. This includes outdoor activities and Leadership.
We are also on the lookout for new Leaders in our Group - it is a great and fun opportunity.
To make contact with us, please email Johnsonville@group.scouts.nz
Contact Us
Email: lynne@stbrigids.school.nz
Website: https://stbrigids.school.nz/
Location: 9 Phillip St, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037, New Zealand
Phone: +64 478 6516
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428952763904874