Dear Parents and Whanau,

Welcome to the end of what has been our first full week for the 2021 school year. It has been a lovely week for the students and staff as they continue to get to know one another.

The Principal’s Message will cover the following topics:

• The Diocesan Mission Map
• MOE COVID-19 Message
• School Leaders
• Friday Picnic
• PTA Meeting
• PTA Facebook Page
• Parish Sacramental Programme

Ka manaakitia e te Atua

Alister Bridgman

Principal

One of the key priorities of Diocesan life as articulated in the Diocesan Mission Map is to Strengthen our Catholic Communities for missionary discipleship.

At the end of the Gospel, we are challenged by Christ to Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. As the baptized, no matter our vocational role, we are challenged to be missionary. As an individual, and as a member of the many faith communities we connect to (including parish, school, fraternities, social action groups), we are challenged and to be part of the implementation. To live and to share the Joy of the Gospel.

Mission Map – Mata kaupapa Mihana

We are aware that a very small number of a south Auckland school community are being asked to isolate for a period of time as a precaution, as they have been at a location of interest at the same time as someone who had COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health website has the current list of locations of interest.

Please check the table on this webpage to see if you or someone from your household was at any of those places, at those times.

• If the answer is no, no one from your household has been to those locations at those times, then you don’t need to do anything more.
• If the answer is yes, someone from your household was at one or more of those places at those times, then they will need to follow the advice in the “What to do” column. You can see that the advice is different, depending on whether someone was a customer or staff member, or a household member.
• If you have symptoms but have not been to a location of interest, stay home and call Healthline for advice on 0800 358 5453.

Please be reassured, we have good systems in place with our cleaning, good hand hygiene practices and contact tracing systems and we take the health and wellbeing of our community very seriously. We will continue to follow all the public health advice and ask you to do the same.

Congratulations to the following students who put their names forward and were selected to be school leaders for the first two terms in these roles:

Atawhai Leaders

• McAuley – Carter, Mary, Violet, Neave
• Alphonsus – Zach, Logan, Cassandra, Louis, Trisha
• Patuone – Ella, Sara, Anya, Natalia
• Pompallier – Alexander, Shanel, Francine, Elliot

Sports Captains

• McAuley – Manuel, Kobe
• Alphonsus – Austin, Aidan
• Patuone – Jonathan, Miguel
• Pompallier – Anna, Harrison

Librarians

• Elizabeth, Milla, Leo, Manisha, Sofie Annabelle, Bianca, Peyton, Isla, Josieann, Jay Jay, Haerin, Nicholas, Ziva, Hayley

Special Character

• Lemi, Iesu, Hamish, Marcus, Andres, Aurielee, Shanie, Morie

Receptionists

• Shanie, Shanel, Morie, Anya, Angie, Eva, Katie, Violet, Helena, Sophie

Art Leaders

• Roshenka, Sophie, Nicholas, Ziva, Helena, Kristen, Holly, Elliot

Reporters 

• Ruth, Joseph, Hayley, Natalia, Lemi

Eco

• Hamish, Connor, Joseph

IT

• Liam, Aron, Samuel, Jack, Joseph

Events

• Aurielee

All families are welcome to have their Friday fish ‘n chips on the school’s bottom field. This is an opportunity to meet your child’s teacher. There will be food trucks on the court and games for the children to play while you catch up with friends and parents in your child’s team. See you Friday, 5th March at 5:30pm.

The first PTA Meeting of 2021 will be held at 7:15pm on Tuesday, March 2nd in the St Joseph’s Staff Room. Please join us and be part of organising what events and activities will be held for the St Joseph’s Community. It’s a great way to meet other parents and get involved with the school.

If you haven’t already, please join the St Joseph’s PTA & Community on our private Facebook Group. Search for “St Joseph’s School (Takapuna) PTFA & Community” under “groups” on Facebook. You will need to answer a simple question before you are granted access. See you there!

Please keep the children who are participating in the Parish First Reconciliation Sacramental Programme in your prayers. They are being presented at the Masses on Saturday and Sunday 6 & 7 March.