21 August

Dear Parents

I sometimes wonder at what a strange and interesting job I have and yesterday is proof of that. I arrived at work with plans to continue working on the new curriculum implementation, but instead found myself within an hour in discussion with the Communicable Disease section of Public Health. Earlier this week I had received a notice about a Measles outbreak from the Ministry and recommendations for schools. I read it and thought nothing of it until yesterday when we found out a pupil was suspected of having contracted German Measles (rubella). While most children have been immunised, the recent outbreak in Christchurch has meant measles is now a notifiable disease and under control of the Medical Officer of Health. Please read the fact sheet opposite for information about measles. We will pass on more information as we receive it.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Aicken family.

CLASS MASSES ~ Rooms 1 & 2 have their class Mass on Thursday 3 September @ 11.30 am.
Rooms 3 & 5 have their class Mass on Thursday 10 September @ 11.30 am.
Thank you to the teachers for the class Masses this term. Also a big thank you to the parents who have been able to come and join their children in the Masses and lunch afterwards.


TEACHERS WORKSHOP TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST ~ Next Tuesday all staff will be attending a workshop immediately after school at St. Patrick’s. Can I ask that all children and parents vacate the school grounds as soon as possible. Bus children will be supervised as per normal. You support in this would be much appreciated.


AUSTRALIAN COMPUTER TEST ~ While we acknowledge all children’s results for the Australian tests at assemblies, a special mention must be made of Samuel Russell who scored a Distinction in the Year 4 Computer Skills test. This puts Sam in the top 2% of NZ children who sat this test. An excellent result.

OPUS VISIT ~ This week we received a visit from Opus to develop our 10 year property plan. He stated that our school was very well maintained for which we owe Mr Parker a huge thank you.
You may also have noticed the new cupboards in the junior corridor – these were made by Hugh Armstrong and we are very pleased to have them as they have allowed us to better manage our resources.
Thank you Hugh and also to the PTA for funding these for the school.

WELCOME to Tyler McLeod and his family. We hope they enjoy their time with us at Sacred Heart School.

ICE PACKS ~ Our Ice Pack supply at school is nil, could parents please have a look at home and return asap.

ROOM 9 TISSUES ~ This winter with its colds and flu, has meant higher than usual use of tissues by the students. We have no tissues left in Room 9. Could your child please bring a box of tissues to replenish our stock, as winter seems to be lingering. Thanks ~ Kath Lieshout.

BOOKCLUB ~ Issue 6 closes Thursday 27th August. Cheques are to be made out to Scholastic NZ please.






MEASLES (MORBILLI) FACT SHEET
Description ~ Measles is a highly infectious and serious viral illness. It is now uncommon, but outbreaks can occur in unvaccinated communities.
Symptoms ~ The first symptoms of measles include fever, tiredness, irritability, a cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes and a rash. These symptoms become more severe over three days and the cough tends to be worse at night. Inflammation of the eyes often causes a reaction to bright light. At this stage, white-topped red spots may appear inside the mouth. Between the third and seventh days of the illness a rash appears. It starts on the face and spreads over the rest of the body within 24 – 48 hours.
Time between exposure and sickness ~ The incubation period is about ten days, but it can be between 7 – 18 days from exposure to the fever, usually 14 days until the rash appears.
Spread of Infection ~ The infection can be spread by coughing & sneezing or direct contact with the nose or throat secretions of the infected person.
Infectious Period ~ Measles is infectious from 1 day before the beginning of the first day of illness until four days after the rash appears.
Prevention ~ A combined vaccine is available to protect against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), and is given to children at 15 months and 4 years.

PARENTS’ OR CAREGIVERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES
* If you child has symptoms of measles take the child to the doctor. They will report the disease to the Medical Officer of Health. A blood test will be required to confirm the diagnosis.
* Keep your child up to date with immunizations.
* To help prevent the spread of infection, keep your child home for at least four days after the rash appears.
* Inform your child’s teacher or caregiver.
Note: Any children who are not immunized against measles should stay away from school for 14 days after the rash starts in the last child infected.

HOME TREAMENT
* Your child will feel miserable and will probably want to rest in bed. They will feel most comfortable in a darkened room.
* Give your child plenty to drink. Many children lose their appetite while the rash is developing.
* If the child has a fever:
- remove some of their bedclothes
- give them some paracetamol.
PTA ~ After the success of the Mothers’ Day small gifts bought by the children as a surprise for Mum, we think it's only fair that we do the same for all the Dad's for Fathers’ Day. We ask that each child brings a small unwrapped gift suitable for a small Fathers’ Day present. The value of the gift should be no more than $2 and may in fact be hand made by your children. For example it could be a small $2 trinket, children’s poems, paintings, pictures etc put together by the children as a gift or art or it could be baking or home made lollies made by children. Non perishable items are to be left at the office anytime between now and Friday 4th September, while perishable items should be delivered on the morning of the 4th September. On this Friday, the children will have the opportunity to select and buy a gift for $1 per child, from the gifts brought to the school by all the children. They will then have a surprise gift chosen by them, to give their father without him knowing anything about it.
BASKETBALL ~ Basketball starts in Term 4, commencing on October the 13th. It will be on Tuesday night at Stadium Southland from 4-7.30pm approx. It is for Year 3-6 children. The competition runs for 10 weeks and as it is inside your child is guaranteed 10 games. If your child would like to play please fill out the slip and return to the office. These must be returned by Friday the 28th of the August AT THE LATEST.

I give permission for ________________ to play basketball in Term 4 BOY/ GIRL YEAR___________

Signed_________________

14 August

Dear Parents

Last week in the newsletter I mentioned the new National Standards in Literacy & Numeracy to be implemented next year. I also made comment on how these would fit into the new school curriculum from the start of 2010.
Miss O’Neill and I have spent the past two days in a workshop with Lester Flockton – a very well known educationalist who has had a part in writing the curriculum but doesn’t always share the Ministry’s view.
At Sacred Heart we have been using the key competencies of Thinking, Relating to Others, Understanding Texts & Symbols, Managing Self and Participating and Contributing for the past year or so and are in the process of working through each Learning Area to see what it will look like at each year level. Lester’s focus is on ‘children’s needs’ and we look forward to using some of his ideas and suggestions to assist us in this task.

WELCOME to Zane Flawn and his family. We hope they enjoy their time with us at Sacred Heart School.

CONFIRMATION ~ The next children’s session will be held Friday 21st August 3.15 – 4.00 pm.

SCHOOL PARISH SUNDAY MASS ~ Please put the date Sunday 19 September – 10.30am on your calendars.
All children are expected to attend this Mass.

BOT MEETING: The next meeting will be held this Monday 17th August @ 7 p.m. in the school staffroom.

LIFE EDUCATION VAN ~ This week all the children have visited the Life Education Van.
Many thanks to Harold & Theresa.

GOOD LUCK TO: Olivia Thornbury who traveled to Christchurch yesterday as part of the Southland squad competing in the Wharenui Winter Swimming Olympics.

STAGS VISIT ~ The STAGS will be working in the classroom with Room 8 & 9 pupils on Tuesday afternoon.

NETBALL ~ Well done to all the girls who took part in the Southland Netball champs on Wednesday. A special mention to Olivia Thornbury, Sarayha MacDonald and Caitlin Russell whose Year 6 team were runners up.

CONGRATULATIONS ~ The South Island Mini & Junior Motocross Champs were held in Cromwell last weekend the 8th & 9th of August. 157 competitors from all over the South Island and 1 from the North Island competed in 5 races over to two days on a sand based track. Jake Meikle, Josh Cooper, and Mitchell Thompson all from Room 5 competed. Mitchell Thompson competed in a combined 4-8years old Introductory 50cc class, his fastest lap time was 1min 49.59 seconds (48th fastest overall) and finished 3rd in his class. Josh Cooper competed in the 4-7 MX 50cc class, his fastest lap time was 1 min 32.38 seconds (37th fastest overall) and won his class. Jake Meikle competed in the 6-8 years motocross class, his fastest lap time was 1 min 25.55 seconds (19th overall) and finished 6th in his class. A top effort by all three boys amongst some tough competition. Well done!

ICE PACKS ~ Our Ice Pack supply at school is nil, could parents to please have a look at home and return asap.

DAIZYCHAIN FUNDRAISING - Its getting to that time again for spring cleaning.
Parents please remember to place your 2nd hand clothing into the blue bin in the junior corridor.

EASY SHOPPING FOR YOU – EASY FUNDRAISING FOR US ~ Leading stores including Noel Leeming, Bond & Bond, Dominos Pizza, Dell and many more. You can shop for DVD's, fashion, holidays, baby, home, iPods, books, magazines, toys, gifts, electrical and even your groceries! Just select Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi) when you shop or browse online at www.yourfastshop.co.nz This weeks specials: Get the latest DVDs free for 3 weeks from Fatso. $200 off selected laptops and desktops from Dell. Prizes – including the chance to win a $6500 home theatre system with iSUBSCRIBE ! Raise $2.25 for each confirmed online enquiry at the Flight Centre.
Plus the usual hot deals on electrical, fashion, DVDs, gaming, books, gifts and much more !
WHAT’S ON FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR BY THE PTA ~ Major fundraiser this year - Truffles. Due to success with this in the past we are ready to have another go. We will be making these early in term 4 - just in time for Christmas to have in your own freezer or to be used as small gifts (for yourself or for businesses) at that time of the year. As soon as we confirm the date we will advise, so you can pencil this in your calendars to come and support the making of them - it's not all hard work, those who have done this in the past can confirm that you get to know other parents and we have fun at the same time.
PTA disco for the children - we are finalising the date for the end of this term and will confirm next week so you can add this to your calendars.
PTA newsletter - if anyone is interested in advertising their business in the next issue, please contact Juliet Clapperton on 235-7078 before the end of next week.
After the success of the Mothers Day small gifts bought by the children as a surprise for Mum, we think it's only fair that we do the same for all the Dad's for Fathers Day. We ask that each child brings a small unwrapped gift suitable for a small Fathers Day present. The value of the gift should be no more than $2 and may in fact be hand made by your children. For example it could be a small $2 trinket, children’s poems, paintings, pictures etc put together by the children as a gift or art or it could be baking or home made lollies made by children. Non perishable items are to be left at the office anytime between now and Friday 4th September, while perishable items should be delivered on the morning of the 4th September. On this Friday the children will have the opportunity to select and buy a gift for $1 per child, from the gifts brought to the school by all the children. They will then have a surprise gift chosen by them, to give their father without him knowing anything about it.
Car Park - Please remember
Parking - Please use the space wisely, large gaps between cars means fewer cars can park.
Drop Off/Pick Up Area - this is only a drop off and pick up area!
North Road Access - Please do not park directly either side of the North Road driveway.
Parking & Collecting Children - Please don't let your children walk across/through the car park without an adult.
Your help with this makes the car park a safer place for all our children. Please advise all those who also only use the car park sometimes to drop off or pick up your children ie grandparents, caregivers, friends etc.
CLASS HAPPENINGS – Room 5

WOW what a busy start to term 3.
Room 5 has been hit hard with all the bugs and flues that are going around, with having an average of 9 children away each day last week. I please ask that you keep your child home if they are feeling unwell, as we would like to try and keep fighting fit at school.
We have just finished doing our gymnastics unit. We practiced really hard on the following:
- Forward rolls
- Balancing on the beam and jumping/landing off correctly
- Jumping over a 1 level box and land with 2 feet correctly.
We have been and seen Harold in the Life Education truck this week, we learnt all about how we are all different from one another, and that our brain and personality are very unique.
In literacy we have been learning about the features of a report. We have been concentrating on whales and we know lots of facts about them. Mrs Williams can’t wait to see the finished report on our chosen whale. We are trying hard to achieve these objectives:
• Appropriately plan, probably in pictorial form
• Write an observation
• Write a description of a feature
• Writes a simple concluding sentence
• Includes a simple picture

7 August

Dear Parents

Last week Miss O’Neill and I were fortunate to attend the Catholic Convention in Wellington. 1000 representatives from schools, colleges and parishes met to discuss issues particular to our Catholic education system.

The theme of ‘Be The Change’ referred to not just being at the fore front of our education system, but also in our pastoral care programmes in parishes and schools. A number of speakers made mention of how Catholic schools had been catalysts of change for disadvantaged families and communities.

A number of senior college students also spoke of their positive experiences in our schools and how this had affected their relationships with their peers and others. Overall a very worthwhile conference.

National Standards

We received information yesterday in regards the new National Standards.

They will be sent to schools in October and will be implemented in 2010. Schools will be expected to use them to guide teaching and learning and to report to parents on progression against these standards.

We are waiting to see how these standards impact on the new Curriculum, which we are still working on implementing, so we will look forward to what the Ministry produces.

In 2012 schools will have to report to the Ministry actual pupil results, which is the area of contention, in regards to what form of testing will be used and how the results will be published. As with most things political – watch this space.

More information can be found at http://www.minedu.govt.nz

I wish to thank parents for your continued co-operation in collecting and keeping at home sick children. We have had up to 30 – 35 children away some days recently and mixed with staff illness, have been close to being unable to find teachers for classes. As in the past we will ride out this endemic successfully with your support.

As I am writing this, Room 8 are taking part in the first Invercargill schools’ Poly Festival. They are performing the action song from our school production. Good luck and thanks to Miss Tagomoa.

Welcome to Azriel Young and his family. We hope they enjoy their time with us at Sacred Heart School.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME

Please pray for the children who

today begin preparation to receive

the Sacrament of Confirmation.

We ask that they will be blessed

by the Holy Spirit and that the

Fruits of the Holy Spirit will grow in them.

LOVE, PEACE, GENTLENESS, PATIENCE, GOODNESS, SELF-CONTROL, JOY, FAITHFULNESS, KINDNESS,

SCHOOL PARISH SUNDAY MASS

Please put the date Sunday 19 September – 10.30am on your calendars.

All children are expected to attend this Mass.

LIFE EDUCATION CARAVAN

All classes will visit the caravan which will be at school next week.

TOUCH

Thank you to the parents who have returned permission slips and money for touch teams. Thank you also to those who have offered to coach. We need 2-3 more children from Year 4-6 to enter a team at this level. If your child is in Yr 4 - 6 and is interested, please send in the permission form with $16 early next week.

LOST ~ One sports top missing, may have been swapped around during production, size 6 or 8.

Please see Harry McLean in Room 8.

Don't forget the Southland Primary School Art Exhibition is still on show at the Museum for another two weeks.

PTA - Meeting Monday 10^th August 7.30 p.m. at school. All welcome

Class Happenings – Room 3

This term in reading, we have been looking at non-fiction books. We now know that a non-fiction is a book that gives us facts and has photos. As part of our reading activities we have been writing three facts about something we have read in our books. The hardest part is putting the facts into our own words. Below are some examples of what we have learnt.

Moving on Land

Many animals that live on land have four legs. Some animals have four legs, but stand on only two of them. This makes it easy for them to walk and run. A bear stands on two legs.

By Janelle

Elephants

A baby elephant keeps close to its’ mother. An elephant’s ears are big. Elephants love mud. Elephants live in Africa.

By Jakobe

Cats

Cats like catching things like birds, lizards, rats, mice and butterflies. Some cats eat grass. Cats climb trees to get away from dogs.

By Shaun W

TOUCH

______________ in year _________would like to be part of a Touch team.

I am willing to coach _______________ signed _________________

I have included $16 payment ___