Dear Parents

The Government announced that last Friday at 11.59 pm the Household Isolation requirements from ten days to seven days. 

Please monitor your child for symptoms each day. If they are displaying symptoms, please keep them at home and contact the Ministry of Health helpline – 0800 358 5453. If your child is not displaying symptoms, they need to come to school.

The Principal’s Message will cover the following topics:

• Welcome
• Student Reporters
• Pick-Up – Safety First
• St Joseph’s and St Patrick’s Day
• Shrove Tuesday
• Ash Wednesday
• Term 1 Reporting
• Wetsuit Donations Wanted for Waterwise
• Netball and Hockey Registrations
• Health Forms / Internet / Devices / Cell Phones
• ALPHA Dinner – March 22nd

Ka manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman
Tumuaki

We extend a warm welcome to:

Elle, Irene, Jordan, Lucas, Eliana, Alvin and Ilyanna.

These are new students who joined our school community this week. It is wonderful to have them and their families join us. We know they will enjoy their time at St Joseph’s.

We would also like to welcome back Stephanos, a Year 6 student who returned to St Joseph’s last week.

Morning Routine in Kakariki Team (Year 5 and 6 students)
By School Reporter: Janine 

Ever since Covid-19 struck, everyone stays in their home groups. You might wonder what we do in the morning if we arrive early. Here are some of the types of things we might choose: Art, (like coloring, drawing). Some are creating a certificate for the Kakariki team competition, while others enjoy drawing on the large whiteboards. Some choose to read a library book quietly. Chess is a popular game. Some teach each other strategy games like Rubix Cubes – there is a variety of these to solve.

Here are photos of students who spend their time together in the mornings:

Thank you for following the direction of our staff at drop-off and pick-up. This helps the system to run smoothly.

We would like to make a couple of modifications to our pick-up system to ensure greater safety and to stop the gridlocks that can occur.

Parents Arriving Between 2 and 2.30 pm:

• Please do not park in front of the gate.
• Please park your car in the lower or upper parish carpark.
• Please get out of your car and walk to the back of the church with the sign containing your child’s name and home group number.
• The teacher will call your child from the home group and you can then walk them back to the car.
• You can exit the car park through the lower car park and bottom drive.

Parents Arriving After 2.30 pm

• You are choosing not to get out of your car.
• Please arrive after 2.30 pm.
• Please drive through the gate, showing your child’s  name and home group number to the teacher on gate duty.
• Please go into the lane direct to and wait in the car for your child to be brought to you.

The two key differences are:

• If you do not want to get out of your car, please do not arrive till after 2.30 pm.
• If you park before 2.30 pm, please park your car and walk to the back of the church to get your child. 

Thank you supporting this modified drop-off procedure.

St Patrick’s Day is Thursday 17 March and St Joseph’s Day is Saturday 19 March. They are both important feast days for our Parish and the Auckland Diocese. 

To celebrate these two days we ask the children to:

• St Patrick’s Day – Wear their school uniform Thursday March 17th and also wear a green item – wig, hat, scarf, shamrock. etc.
• St Joseph’s Day – Wear mufti – weekend wear – and bring a gold coin donation for De Paul House on Friday March 18th.

Over the next couple of weeks, teachers will be contacting student’s parents by phone, to introduce themselves. In the last couple weeks of the term, teachers will provide parents the opportunity for a Zoom parent/teacher conference to discuss your child’s learning and next steps. This replaces ‘Sharing the Learning’.

Please click this link if you are interested in registering your child for Netball or Hockey. Registrations close Friday 18 March

Please return these forms, completed and signed, as soon as possible.