Dear Parents & Whanau,

On Friday we had a wonderful school Mass which was celebrated by Fr Nathaniel. It was lovely to be able to celebrate Mass with both parishioners and parents. Our thanks to the students who helped in leading the Mass and to our choir who led the school with singing.

This week will see our Year 6 students heading to camp, Wednesday through to Friday. They will be going to Camp Carey and participate in a variety of EOTC activities.

Our Year 5 students have three days of activities planned which will give them a variety of learning experiences. The first is on Wednesday where they will have an opportunity to learn how to ice skate.

We wish our Year 5/6 students lots of fun and learning on their adventures.

This Principal’s Message will cover the following topics:

• Monsignor David Tonks Message
• Angelus Choir
• Drop-off/Pick-up
• Board of Trustees
• Save the Date: Whanau Breakfast
• PTFA News
• Recorders

Ka manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman

Principal

Dear Parishioners of St Joseph’s,

Thanks so much for the overflowing love, care and prayers I’ve received over the last couple of weeks. I feel incredibly uplifted by God’s blessings, experienced through your support and the beautiful care of the nurses and doctors. I hope my wounds will have healed sufficiently by the middle of this week ahead so that I can be listed at Auckland Hospital for surgery to replace the aortic valve in my heart. I think it may be three months before I return to ministry in the Parish, but I certainly look forward to being in your midst again. I am praying for you all, and I’m thankful that i have wonderful colleagues on the staff who are joyful and dedicated in serving you.

God bless and much love!

David Tonks

Calling all youngsters who enjoy singing – we need your beautiful voices for the Angelus Choir at St Joseph’s Church.

Children ages 5-10 are invited to join our choir – no auditions necessary.

If your child is interested, please contact Rosalie rocerbito@gmail.com or Randall music@stjosephs.org.nz.

Thank you!

        Please could parents follow our procedures in order to ensure the safety of our students at the beginning and end of each school day.

Drop-off

• Before 8:00am: No students are to be at school.
• 8:00am – 8:20am: Students wait in front of the office.
• 8:20am – 8:50am: Students can go to their learning spaces or play in the quad. Students cannot play on the top or lower fields or the lower playground.
• 8:50am: The school day begins with prayers.

Pick-up 2:50pm

• Students whose parents are waiting in the quad go to the car with them.
• Students catching the Rosmini buses and the Taharoto Road buses go to their respective bus lines by the junior playground.
• Students walking to the Lake House Cafe meet by the junior playground and walk together.
• Students attending Kumon go to the Taharoto Road bus line and will be taken to Kumon by the duty teacher.
• Students attending SKIDS go directly to the Hall via the back door.
• Play Areas – No students are to play on the Junior Playground until 3:15pm; and students can only play on the Lower Playground if they have their parents with them.
• All other students are to wait in front of the office for collection by parents or siblings. Students can not walk to the courts or through the carpark to parents.
• 3:15pm – By this time, all students should have gone home.

We are currently undertaking a review process to assist us in developing a new 2022 – 2025 School Charter and Strategic Plan.  Please click on this link to learn more about this process. The feedback boards with the current question are stationed around the school, ready for you to share your thoughts.

Friday June 4, 7.30–8.30am

The St. Joseph’s School Board invites you to join the school on the morning of Friday June 4, for breakfast and to share your ideas and vision for our school. Your feedback will help us as we develop the School’s Charter and Strategic Plan for the next 3-5 years. Several large boards will be available for you to write your feedback on, and we also invite you to chat with members of our board and senior leadership team about your ideas. 

 The details:

• What: Breakfast and ideas sharing opportunity
• When: Friday 4, June from 7.30-8.30am 
• Where: A free breakfast and hot drink options will be served either on the Mary Thomas Learning Centre or in the hall (depending on the weather). A coffee cart will also be on-site with drinks available for purchase. Classrooms will also be open so that our students can show you some of the Maths they have been learning about this term. 

Breakfast will be followed by school prayers in the hall after the bell. 

An invitation will be coming home this week with your child and we would appreciate you returning the slip and indicating if you are available to join us so we can cater accordingly.

We hope you can join us. 

The St. Joseph’s School Board of Trustees

CHOCOLATES

Thank you for the great support of this fundraiser. We appreciate the fundraising efforts parents and whanau have made, selling the chocolates.

The Team Home Group Prize Winners are:

• Kakariki – Home Group 3
• Kakapo – Home Group 7
• Kea – Home Group 12
• Kiwi – Home Group 17

These home groups will be having a pizza lunch on Monday, May 31st.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Individual Prize Winners – Azariah (HG12) and Sophie (HG3) for being the top chocolate sellers in our school.

ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL (TAKAPUNA) PTFA COMMUNITY PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP

Have you found the St Joseph’s School (Takapuna) PTFA Community Private Facebook Group yet? If not, please join us.

Although the group is private, it is visible for all to find. Just search for the group under “All”; then select “Groups” and it will be there. Once you join, you’ll need to answer a few questions to be approved.

The aim of the FB Group is to keep the parents of St Joseph’s School informed of the activities of the PTFA, St Joseph’s School and the Community. It’s about connecting and supporting the culture of the school.

If you have any problems joining, please email Camille Coom at camille.coom@gmail.com.

As part of our Music Programme this term, the Year 3-6 students will begin the recorder. These recorders will be supplied by the school at a cost of $5.00 each. For hygiene reasons, the recorders cannot be shared.

Could you please send $5.00 to school in a named envelope to your child’s classroom teacher?

Thank you for your continued support.