Our Term’s Living and Learning Focus is
CARE ATAWHAI
Our School Values are
Tika Justice, Pono Truth, Aroha Compassion, Manaakitanga Hospitality and Tapu Respect for the Environment
Lived out in our Motto
Courtesy Care Co-operation Courage
Learning to Learn at St Joseph’s #L2L
The Learning Model for our school is:
“To Know To Do To Use”
An important part of education today is leading our children towards becoming Global Citizens. There are many facets to this, but we already have a good starting point with our growing awareness of and outreach to those in need. Hamish’s Mum challenged us to respond to the needs of people in Cyclone ravaged Fiji. Thank you so much to the many who responded.
Fiji Support
Thank you for your outpouring of support to the children and families of Fiji.
We asked for your support for the children of Fiji and you certainly responded. The school office area was covered in boxes of goods all destined for Fiji. The organiser came thinking they were picking up four boxes and they left with a full 4WD.
Thanks to Hamish (HG12) and Mum for organising this and we are glad that as a community we could respond so positively.
Annette Woodhead DRS
Being Active
JUNIOR ATHLETICS
Thank you to the group pf capable Year 6 students who helped organise and run the Junior Athletics. Some photos below show some of the Years 1 & 2 children in action.
Pupuke Cluster Swimming Sports Friday 1 April
Thank you to Paula, our Sports co-ordinator, and to accompanying parents,for supporting our group of Years 4, 5 & 6 swimmers who competed in this event. Thank you to Raewyn for the photos.
Congratulations to the following:
Gabrielle Doyle 1st in Year 5 Girls Freestyle and Backstroke and 2nd in Breastroke
Noah Johns 1st in Year 6 Boys Freestyle and Backstroke
Alec Yap 1st in Year 5 Boys Breastroke
Mattie Dalton 2nd in Year 4 Boys Backstroke and Breastroke
Todd Simpson 2nd in Year 6 Boys Breastroke
Braden Morley 2nd in Year 4 Boys Freestyle
Ryan Barry 3rd in Year 5 Boys Backstroke
Nadja McGoon 3rd in Year 4 Girls Backstroke
Expressing our Faith through Drama and Music
Stations of the Cross
Good Friday saw a large group of students from our school take part in re-enacting the Stations of the Cross for the parish, through drama, song and spoken word.
To do this, took courage, practice and prayer.
What a truly wonderful way of touching the lives of the people in our parish and making them really aware of what took place on Good Friday and how it is very relevant in their lives today.
Thank you to all the children who took part.
Annette Woodhead
Here are some photos of the children practising:
Thank you also to our Choir who helped by their beautiful, prayerful singing,
to add so much depth and meaning to the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
Understanding Our Faith Through Experiences
Here are some of Kiwi Team re-enacting The Washing of the Feet from Jesus Last Supper
Understanding Our Faith through Imagination and expressing it in Writing
The following are recounts written by children in the Amethyst group in Kereru Team. They put themselves in one of the incidents leading up to Jesus’ death and wrote how they felt and what they saw.
By Louis J
I’m a disciple of Jesus. A wave of sadness just crashed over me. The only thing I can think about is “Jesus is dead!” It’s very dusty and the odour is disgusting. I see Jesus on the cross. Then I start walking away. I hear yelling and people mocking and laughing at Jesus. I keep repeating in my head. “Jesus our lord is dead! Jesus our lord is dead!” Then I run and run and keep running until I’m far away from Jesus on the cross and the soldiers. I am tired of running. Then I think, “I betrayed Jesus. I betrayed my Lord. Lord Jesus Christ.” I fall to my knees in horror. It is the end of Jesus.
By Annah M
We had just finished our supper when Jesus announced that he was going to the garden of Gethsemane. He asked if we wanted to come. James and I came with him. He declared he was going to pray, so he left.
I could hear all the insects and little animals making noises. I could feel myself drifting off to sleep. I gazed at the dark sky with little gleaming white stars above and in the next minute I was asleep. “Wake up! My hour has come.” Jesus said.
Before we knew it these Roman soldiers came and arrested Jesus. I took out my sword and cut off the high priest’s servant’s ear. Jesus said “Peter, do not do that!” With that he healed the servant’s ear. James, John and I ran away and the men took Jesus away to the high priest’s place to question him.
By Marita Z
“Let me wash your feet.” Jesus said to us.
“No” I said.
“Peter, let me wash your feet or else I can’t cleanse away any of your sins,” insisted Jesus.
“Okay, but please wash my feet, and my hands and face too,” I answered. Jesus washed James first then John, Andrew, Phillip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon, Judas and Thaddaeus then me. I thought how hungry I was after such a long day. I heard Jesus talking to Matthew about how one of us will betray him. I felt a quiver through my body when he washed my feet and wondered if it was going to be me. He finished by drying my feet and said, “Now let’s have some food shall we?”
By Xin Ang L
Trip, trop went my hooves as I walked around in my stable. I heard strange chatter creeping closer by the minute. “We better get Jesus’ horse quickly,” exclaimed a man dressed in thick, white as snow clothing. “At least he won’t be very mad if we’re tardy.” These people were saying this as they untied the rope that was strangling me. “Stop!” shrieked my owner. “What are you doing?” he questioned.
“This donkey is for the King, Son of David.” After hearing that name, he let me go.
No! No! No! I thought he is giving me to some stranger! But I let him drape cloths over my back and lead me to the Lord whom they called Jesus. Now Jesus sat upon me as I calmly trotted over perfectly clean clothing. What a waste of water and soap was what my brain was saying.
Palms were being laid down and waved creating a pleasant breeze. “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” chanted the crowd as two boys played sword fights behind me. Women attempted to hush their fractious babies. The journey took one hour but I didn’t mind one bit. I was also being praised. So we became the very best of friends.
Playhouse Theatre -The Fairest of Them All
On the 5th of April, St Joseph’s was lucky enough to watch a play in the school hall. The play was performed by three talented actors from Playhouse New Zealand. The play was perfect for everyone, it was all about social media and the internet and all the characters were from fairy tales. This made it work for all age groups as it involved everyone and also it had great messages. I saw “too cool for school” ten year olds, raising their eyebrows, tugging their ears and sticking out their tongues with everyone else.
I asked a Year 4 boy about who he liked the most in the play. His answer was “The Internet Troll”, when I asked why he replied “Because he’s not a normal troll.” The creativity in this character’s design made him highly popular. Later I questioned a Year 2 girl about the same thing. She said “I liked all of them” when asking why the simple answer was “They were all good.”
Overall the show was a massive success and students cannot wait for their next performance.
This review was written by Aoife M Year 6 Reporter Kakariki Team
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT BECOMING A SCHOOL TRUSTEE?
Becoming a School Trustee Click on this link you can find out more.
http://resources.nzsta.org.nz/videos/PD/Becoming%20a%20Trustee/html5video.html
If you are interested in finding out more, just ask me or one of the BOT members.
Have a lovely weekend.
God bless!
Phil