ST JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC
SCHOOL
TAKAPUNA
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Kia ora Parents/Caregivers,
We hope that you’ve had an awesome week.
Today’s online school prayers were focused on our Mercy Value of Truth – Pono.
Today we listened to a Bible reading about when Zacchaeus had a change of heart. He no longer wanted to live a dishonest life but wanted to change his life by becoming close and honest with Jesus. In our Home Groups, we reflected on what it means to tell the truth and live a life of integrity.
This Sunday we celebrate Fathers Day. Joseph was the father of Jesus and this is a chance for us to remember him as our Patron Saint and reflect on the amazing role of fathers (or other role models) who follow the example of St Joseph.
We want to share our gratitude for the fathers and other significant people in our community. Thank you for the mahi that you do.
The following topics will be covered in this weeks Principal’s message:
- Cans for Christmas
- Catholic Character Review
- Welcome
- Cluster Speech Competition
- Drop-off & Pick-up
- School Board Elections – Last Chance to Vote
- PTFA: “Shipwrecked” Quiz Night & Auction
- PTFA Second Hand Uniform Drive – Donate Today!
- Reminder – School Cross Country
- Community Notices
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at principal@sj.school.nz
We hope that you have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards
Laura Bateman & Natasha Luxford
Co-Acting Principals (Term 3)
CANS FOR CHRISTMAS
For the next four weeks our Mission focus is on collecting cans for St Vincent De Paul. We are encouraging all of our students across the school to contribute to this cause and we would appreciate your help with this. Thank you to the students and families who have already contributed.
CATHOLIC CHARACTER REVIEW
In November 2021 and May 2022, the Catholic Education Office conducted an external Catholic Special Character Review here at St Joseph’s School. The purpose of the review, as stated by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference:
- The Catholic Character review process examines what a school does to maintain its Catholic Character.
- The process needs to consider the lives of the students if it is to produce a focused picture of the impact of Catholic schooling on the students concerned.
- An incisive Catholic Character review will seek to determine whether the students have ‘encountered the living God’, grown in knowledge, and as a result, have formed a deep and lasting relationship with Christ and his Church.
- Catholic education is above all a question of communicating Christ, of helping to form Christ in the lives of others.
We were delighted with the overall review, extremely pleased to receive such feedback as:
“There is very good evidence of the depth of the relationship students are developing with Jesus. This was seen in the mature personal prayers written in prayer journals, and in spontaneous prayers both spoken and shared by children. Through prayer, children reflect societal and personal issues, they listen carefully and reverently in the created quiet space of meditative prayer. This takes place school wide each Monday afternoon.”
“There is a strong expectation of respect for all people in the school community based on the School’s Mercy Values. These are well known and clearly understood by St Joseph’s young people. They are in evidence and operational in and across all areas of the school.”
“When students spoke to the review team, they described how embracing and inclusive young people in the St Joseph’s community are of each other, aware that they are each made in the image of God. Students with diverse and additional learning needs are being well supported in their learning.”
“The openness and approachability of the Principal, Senior leaders and all teachers and staff is unreservedly appreciated. Parents were able to give the Review team explicit examples of how this was part of the culture of school-parent partnership at St Joseph’s and how this supported and assisted them as whanau.”
“St Joseph’s is an inclusive school welcoming all who join them. The school operates from a position of Common Good and staff report that relationships in the school community are high trust and lifegiving. Staff acknowledged and reviewers witnessed the school as a joyful, collegial teaching and learning environment, marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
Thank you to everyone who was involved in this process. And a particular thank you to Annette Woodhead (Director of Religious Studies), who led us on this journey over the past year.
A copy of the full review can be found on our school website here.
WELCOME
A big welcome to five new students in the Kiwi Team …
Norah, Oscar, Cooper, Cody and Aidan.
We know you will have a wonderful time here at St Joseph’s.
CLUSTER SPEECH COMPETITION
Well done to Aurora from the Kakariki Team who represented St Joseph’s School at the Cluster Speech Competition. She competed against children from other schools and did a fantastic job persuading the audience why every family should have a pet dog!
DROP-OFF & PICK-UP
We are noticing that quite a few children are getting dropped off early (before 8.15am) and picked up late (after 3.15pm).
To ensure the safety of our students, this is a gentle reminder that students will only be supervised between the hours of 8:15am and 3:15pm.
We understand that sometimes traffic or other factors affect pick up times, and that can’t be helped. In these circumstances please contact the office to let them know you may be a bit late.
Thank you for your help with this.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS – LAST CHANCE TO VOTE
The final day to cast your vote in our school board elections is this coming Wednesday 7, September.
By now you should have your received voting papers through the post. If you haven’t received your voting pack, please notify the returning officer at: returningofficer@myschoolelection.nz
To cast your vote, please follow the instructions within the pack. You can then return the voting form using the pre-paid envelope that is included with your voting papers; or by dropping it into the ballot box, which is located just inside the school office door.
We encourage everyone to review the information provided by the nominees and to vote for your choice of board members. This is your chance to have your say on who helps govern our school for the next three years.
PTFA “SHIPWRECKED” QUIZ NIGHT & AUCTION
The PTFA would like to invite all St Joseph’s parents and staff to the upcoming “Shipwrecked” quiz night and fundraising auction.
They’ve secured a number of amazing Gold Sponsors who are supporting our school and the upcoming fundraising event. Our Gold Sponsors are:
- Beautyspot & Fix Eyewear
- Britz Campervans
- North Shore House Wash
- sKids
- Bobby Kazemi Transformation Specialists
- YMCA
Read more about the auction’s Gold Sponsors on our St Joseph’s website: https://www.sj.school.nz/2022/
Below is important information to take note of:
- WHEN: Friday, September 9th from 6.30pm
- WHERE: Bar Africa, 1B William Pickering Drive, Rosedale
- THEME: Shipwrecked – dress up in what you were wearing when the ship went down
Drinks and food (main meals and snacks) will be available at the bar – 10% of all sales to go to St Joseph’s School.
- North Shore Toyota
- Scrunchy Millers
- Nerf Fun Parties
- Mischief Shoes
- Stardome Observatory &Planetarium
- Kiwi Valley Farm Park
- Glenbrook Vintage Railway
- Delish Cupcakes
- Fantail & Turtle
- LiLash/Beauty Spot
- Madam Woo Takapuna
- Sistema
- Delta Force Paintball
- Life Pharmacy Milford and many more!
Tickets are $30pp and all proceeds go towards raising money for a new junior playground.
Get your teams of 8-10 together. Or for those new to the school, join a mixed table to meet other parents. It promises to be a great night and there are some awesome auction items up for grabs!
🙂 Please come and help support our school 🙂
https://stjosephspta.org.nz/
PTFA SECOND-HAND UNIFORM DRIVE – DONATE TODAY!
If you’re having a clear out post winter and have any school uniform items that no longer fit, Mrs Kelly would welcome any good quality donations for the 2nd hand uniform shop at school.
We’re currently running pretty low across all items so please consider passing on anything that you may no longer need.
A clear plastic bin has been placed just outside the office for any donations you are able to drop off.
If you are in need of any items, please get in touch with Mrs Kelly at office@sj.school.nz with your child’s name, HG and the items you are looking for.
Many thanks!
REMINDER – SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
St Joseph’s Cross Country/ Fun Run 2022 – Week 7 – Tuesday, 6th September – Saver Day – Thursday 8th September
We will be having our 2022 Cross Country/Fun Run morning for the whole school on Tuesday 6th September.
Students are welcome to come to school in costume! Think superheroes, tutu’s, crazy hair, pom poms etc. If students do not want to dress up they can wear house colours (Alphonsus: Yellow, Patuone: Red, McAuley: Green, Pompallier: Blue), sports clothes or PE uniforms.
Format for the runs:
Students in Year 0 – 2 will run in their year levels all together.
Students in Year 3 – 6 will have the option of running in the:
- Competitive race (placings will be given)
- Fun run (no placings will be given)
Note: Only children in the competitive race will have the option to represent St Joseph’s in Cluster events.
The order that the year levels will run is:
9.15am: Year 0 girls then Year 0 boys
Followed by:
- Year 1 girls then Year 1 boys
- Year 2 girls then Year 2 boys
- Year 3 girls then Year 3 boys (competitive first, then fun run)
- Year 4 girls then Year 4 boys (competitive first, then fun run)
- Year 5 girls then Year 5 boys (competitive first, then fun run)
- Year 6 girls then Year 6 boys (competitive first, then fun run)
Finish: 11:30ish (approximately)
The runs begin and end on the lower field. Parents are welcome to come and support/cheer the children on for the event. It should be all wrapped up by approx. 11:30am (please note that this is an approximation). As this event is taking place in ORANGE level, we ask that all spectators please wear a mask.
Students will need to:
- wear good sports shoes for running in
- bring a drink bottle
- bring a jumper and track pants for before and after running to keep warm
- bring a change of shoes in a plastic bag for after as the grass is very muddy at this time of year
We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, 6th September at 9:15 am.
**If the weather is not looking too flash, we will make a call at 8:30am and send an email out to the parents/caregivers.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Please check out the latest community notices that are on our school website.
(see the latest notice below:)
