Newsletter Week One Term 2 2015

Our Term’s Living and Learning Focus is

CHANGE WHAKAUMU

Our School Values

Tina 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”

Key Competencies

Capabilities for living and lifelong learning

The New Zealand Curriculum identifies five key competencies: • thinking • using language, symbols, and texts • managing self • relating to others • participating and contributing.

ANZAC DAY 2015

Home Group 2 in Kakariki Team assembled these crosses. The names on the crosses represent soldiers from this immediate area who died in World War One.

We will remember them. Lest we forget.

Click on images to enlarge

Today we had a beautiful and meaningful Anzac Liturgy in the Hall, followed by the flag ceremony outside. Children and adults responded to the solemnity of the occasion.

CONGRATULATIONS SIONNAN!

Over the holidays one of our students, Sionnan Murphy, did extremely well in a National sports event. Sionnan was selected to represent the Auckland Region in the Representative Team for the Halberg Junior Disability Games. The games were a highly competitive national sporting event held down in Cambridge, drawing competitors from all over New Zealand at the highest level.

Sionnan has received the honour of being named New Zealand’s most promising female athlete in athletics. A huge honour. A trophy has been awarded and will be presented to Sionnan after School Prayers on Monday 4 May.

CONGRATULATIONS NADIA!

Nadia Braganza will be representing New Zealand in the under 10-Girls Category in the Commonwealth Chess Championships in New Delhi, India from June 22-30.

NEW ENTRANTS TERM 2

Milla, Elizabeth, Manisha and Amelie

Welcome to them and their families!

WE ARE ALL LEARNERS!

Learning at our school occurs in lots of different ways. The learning environments of today are much less formal than many/most of you are used to. The teachers have to be even more organised than ever because by allowing more freedom in the learning they have to ensure that children develop the skills to manage their own learning effectively while they (the teachers) have to make sure they are providing what is necessary to enable this to happen. “When moving from a structured…to a less formal environment, it is paramount that the students understand their role and responsibilities as the learner and indeed the learning process. ……Teaching students to be independent and self-directed learners needs to be at the centre of a successful Modern Learning Environment and does not happen overnight. It requires scaffold, stepping stones and a safe environment.” Karen Boyes

Some children from Kereru Kotahitanga (Team) – Home Group 7 & 8 – engrossed in their learning.

Kereru Kotahitanga at their first Footsteps Dance Class for 2015. We warmly welcome Kim Wannenberg, a new teacher in this team who has Home Group 5 in her care.

The Building Programme

Progress – Last 2 Weeks

_ Soffits 70% completed _ Floor coverings to basement 95%

_ Gib linings to 1st floor 100% _ Exterior horizontal weatherboards 95%

_ Exterior courtyard stairs completed _ Exterior painting 95%

_ Suspended ceiling to ground floor 70% _ Handrails 40%

_ Vertical weather boards, veranda steps completed _ Sunshade to grid 90%

– Glass to exterior façade ground floor 95% _ Blockwork 95% complete

Look Ahead – Next 2 Weeks

_ Basement internal fit out _ Continue painting

_ Ground floor office fit out _ Continue soffits

_ Suspended ceiling to continue _ Remove scaffolding