18 March

Dear Parents


School Mass – Sunday 20th March 10.30 am
A reminder our compulsory Mass is on this Sunday.
All children are to line up in the school foyer at 10.15 am in school uniform.
Thank you, we look forward to seeing you there.

KEEPING A HOLY LENT
Fast From-Feast On

* Fast from judging others; Feast on the Christ dwelling in them.
* Fast from emphasis on differences; Feast on the unity of life.
* Fast from apparent darkness; Feast on the reality of light.
* Fast from thoughts of illness; Feast on the healing power of God.
* Fast from words that pollute; Feast on phrases that purify.
* Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.
* Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
* Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.
* Fast from worry; Feast on divine order.
* Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation.
* Fast from negatives; Feast on affirmatives.
* Fast from unrelenting pressures; Feast on unceasing prayer.
* Fast from hostility; Feast on non-resistance.
* Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.
* Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion for others.
* Fast from personal anxiety; Feast on eternal truth.
* Fast from discouragements; Feast on hope.
* Fast from lethargy; Feast on enthusiasm.
* Fast from thoughts that weaken; Feast on promises that inspire.
* Fast from shadows of sorrow; Feast on the sunlight of serenity.
* Fast from idle gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.
* Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayer that strengthens.

—William Arthur Ward (American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

Building Work ~ With only some minor clearing up and finish work, the veranda has been completed and is in use.
Thank you for your co-operation while the foyer has been closed.

Library ~ Most of the new furniture has now arrived for the library so we are looking to have a 'working bee' next Friday morning to help sort and shelve the books. If you can help at any stage of the morning please let Christine or myself know and turn up on Friday morning.
Many thanks ~ Rose

Japanese Earthquake Fundraiser ~ Next Friday the children are asked to wear Red & White clothing and to bring a gold coin donation for the Japanese Earthquake Fund. Thank you.
We are especially thinking of the Hawkes family who have family (safe) and friends in Japan.

Teachers Only Day ~ All teachers will be at in-service training in Gore on Friday 1st April.
School will be closed for all pupils.

Oscar Child Care ~ Please note Oscar will be closed on our Teachers Only Day - 1st April 2011.
But they will be running on the afternoon of 11th April when school closes at 12.30 pm for interviews.

School Interviews ~ These are being held on Monday 11th April from 1.15pm and Tuesday 12th April from 3.15pm. Please note school will close on the Monday at 12.30pm. As in previous years these are 3 way interviews for 15 minutes each. A change this year – all bookings will be done on-line at www.schoolinterviews.co.nz I will send home the event code early next week with instructions.
For parents without internet access, times can be booked at school.

Friday - Wheels Day Reminder
All children must be wearing safety gear. This also applies to Rip Sticks.

Water Bottle – A reminder all children need to bring a water bottle to school, until further notice.

Junior Cricket Coaching ~ Sean Cairns has offered to take interested Year 1 & 2 children for cricket coaching on Wednesday lunchtimes. This will begin next week.

Fruit Order ~ The next delivery of fruit will be on Thursday 24th March. The order form has been placed on the notice board in the junior corridor. Please have orders and money to the office by lunchtime on Tuesday 22nd.

Wooden Ladder ~ If anyone has an old wooden ladder we would be please to use it as part of our PMP (Perceptual Motor Programme) activities. Thank you

Congratulations to:
Breyah Takitimu who participated in the Southland Junior Dance Competitions last weekend. Breyah received 6 x 1st and 1 x 3rd.

Rylee Hewitt who received the Haywood Family Cup for Outstanding Effort at the Dance Southland Dance Competitions held at the weekend. She was also placed 4th in the demi-character (Witch's Magic) and commended for the Barefoot Interpretative (playing with dolphins).

Eli Winders 4th in BMX Southern Summer Series.

Ed Alive Software – Enclosed with the newsletter today are brochures from Ed Alive.
Please have orders back to school by Friday 1st April.



PTA
Office Bearers 2011
PTA elections were held at the AGM on Tuesday 15th
Chairperson: Susanne Brown
Deputy Chair: Amanda Hunt
Treasurer: Trish Sherriff
Secretary: Denise Sullivan

Please contact Susanne Brown 2158883 for any PTA queries or information for new members. We would love to have new members so if you’re keen to be involved in helping with fundraising and/or organizing fun events for both our families and our parent community, come and join us. This is a great way to get to know other school parents and be involved in making Sacred Heart a great place for all our children. The next PTA meeting is to be Monday 9th May @ 7.30pm at school, and will be advertised the week before.

Entertainment Book Fundraiser
Enclosed with this week’s newsletter is a flyer from The Entertainment Book for Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown and surrounds. We used the purchase of these books as a fundraiser last year, and are about to do the same again this year. Please have a look at the flyer and if you’re interested have a look at their site. For those families new to the school, the Entertainment Book covers the areas advised above and is a book of vouchers and discounts relating to Food, Entertainment, Accommodation, Travel & Leisure, Car Hire and Theme Parks in Australia (many of these offer discounts both in NZ and Australia). They are sold for $50 and the school receives $10 for every book sold. For those who purchased the books last year I’m sure you’ll be like many of the PTA members who have found they have made considerable savings and very quickly were able to save far more than the cost of the book itself. At the end of next week there will be further information sent home and a sample book on display in the office should parents like to review it.

Please note we will not be sending a book home to each family this year, we will instead send the information and an order form for you to return to school, should you wish to purchase a book(s) with the money enclosed. This will be our only fundraiser this term and purchasing a book is not compulsory, we are just giving families the opportunity for great discounts with the school benefiting from each book sold. The Entertainment Books can only be sold as fundraisers by clubs & societies etc, so you will start to see them appearing everywhere once they are launched at the end of next week. We will be one of the first with them so we hope to make the most of this and give you the opportunity to get family and friends to buy them, through you, as well. Thanks ~ Your PTA




These are our designs for our Funky Chickens. We are going to make them out of recycled materials. They will be in the Southland Art Festival, where they will auction our Funky Chickens to raise money for the SPCA.




If you have any recycled goods that you could donate to our class it
would be much appreciated.
For example, material, yoghurt containers, old light bulbs, feathers, cotton balls, cardboard, buttons, wire, bamboo, cream, milk and fizz bottles etc. Thanks Briana & Logan

Junior Football
There is a new format this year:First Kicks (4-6 yr old Girls and Boys)
4 players per team, Mondays from May at ILT Football Turf. Players are now registered to clubs, previously known as Starters.

Fun Football (7-8 yr old Girls and Boys) Following on from First Kicks, 5 per team,
Saturdays at ILT Football Turf.

Mini Football (9-12 yr old Girls and Boys) Interclub competition held on Saturdays at
various venues and times, most played at ILT Football Turf. You can get a school team together but
must now register with a club. Thistle AFC is taking registrations - contact Doug Ballie:
021 02383729, players name and DOB are required www.thistleafc.co.nz

Skiing
Is anyone interested in a family ski day or weekend?
Reduced cost of ski pass, gear hire and lesson for school groups.
Own accommodation and transport arrangements to be made.
Phone Nicola Hawkes 215-9330.

Friday Night Table Tennis – Lindisfarne Street
Contact Carolyn 216-8920 if you are interested in joining this Friday Night Club.
(Every Friday during school terms). $3 per player or $10 per family.