21 June

Dear Parents

Our prayers are with the Taylor family.

Well done to all the children who took part in the Southland Cross Country last week.

A special mention to Justin McLean who came in 8^th in his race. Many thanks to the parents who were able to provide transport.

Also well done to Sam Thornbury who was 1^st in his age group.

We are looking forward to celebrating Sacred Heart Day tomorrow with Mass, activities then a sausage sizzle for lunch.

Next week we will also have the choir attending the first practice for “Sing Out 2012” and the Bike Festival day for our Year 4 children.

With next Friday being the last day of the term, please remind your children to search through lost property for anything they may be missing.

I have included some of the comments from the Special Character Review Report. They reflect positively upon our school community – staff, children, parents and parish.

Sacred Heart School is a Catholic School with a strong commitment to evangelisation and inclusion. It is has enjoyed good support from the community since the last report and continues to be a strong school community to the Waikiwi Parish and to other Catholic Parents choosing to send their children to the school from outside the catchment area.

The school has a strong Board who are supportive of Special Character and anxious to see that it is represented in all discussions.

The school has been well led by an experienced Principal for some years. A long serving DRS has recently moved to a new position and left a legacy of focus on Special Character. The Principal is supported by a loyal, stable and experienced staff who work closely together to ensure that it provides for the needs of all students. Staff relationships are a strength in the school.

Staff student relationships are also a strength. The school prides itself on its inclusion and support of all learners as a way of expressing one of its values

As a school with a strong Mercy history it has worked hard to ensure that work had been done since the last review to embed this tradition and history in to the fabric of the schools operation. An effective and appropriate form of awards remind and continually present to students the fundamentals of the Mercy Tradition.

Classrooms are well equipped for the new digital resource and teachers have had access to PD to help use the resource. A strength of the school is the experience of staff to choose and adapt the resource to meet the needs of the learners and to reteach and emphasise aspects of the programme that they have provided.

Pastoral care within the school is a strength. All staff know the students well and can relate to them easily. Staff make their relationships respectful but personable as a matter of course.

The school has an enviable record for evangelisation, for tracking student progress and for supporting and including students in the programme. It understands the range of Church backgrounds within the student cohort and it provides opportunities for these groups to grow at their pace.

*REFLECTION ON TODAY’S GOSPEL READING (From Break Open the Word)

WHY IS JOHN THE BAPTIST GIVEN SUCH PROMINENCE? Even though he was a unique personality, his real greatness is due to the fact that he was the precursor of the Messiah. Christ is the Sun, John is the dawn.

This feast was observed on this date in the Fourth Century. It celebrates the holy birth of “the greatest of the prophets”, the one who leapt for joy in his mother’s womb, who prepared the way for Christ, announced his presence, and baptised him in the Jordan River. This solemnity does more than celebrate the birth of the one who announced Jesus to the world. It also celebrated the wonders of God’s presence and action among us today.

John was beheaded because he announced the dawn of a new era that would turn the then known world upside down. But John’s announcement did not fall on deaf ears and the light of the coming Christ could not be extinguished.

Sacred Heart Mass Tomorrow @ 9:30am

Children have been asked to wear their House coloured clothing for the day. Children will be seated in their House groups in the church. Parents and families are welcome to attend.

After interval children will be creating costumes from newspaper in their house groups. They will later parade their costumes in the hall. 

The PTA have also organised a sausage sizzle at lunchtime. Each child will receive a sausage in bread. Please ensure children have extra lunch if necessary. 

We will require newspapers please so could you bring these to each class, in order to make the newspaper creations. 

Lost Property

Lost Property will be displayed in the foyer until the end of next week. 'Please check your spare jerseys as there is a number of unnamed or differently named jerseys and a couple of unnamed jackets to be claimed.

Room 6 are looking for small boxes, about the size of a little person's pair of shoes.  If you have any that you no longer use, could you please send them to school at your earliest convenience.  Many thanks. 

Altar Servers

Saturday  23^rd June                     7.00 pm             Isabella & Mackenzie Wild

Sunday  24^th June                       10.30 am           Emma Harrington & Lucy Nind

Children’s Liturgy                                                            Pauline Harrington

Results

Netball Stars won 8-6, POD was Natalya Hawkes

Netball Shooters lost against Tisbury (12^th June).  Player of the Day was Jasmine Ridd.

They also lost to Makarewa Mystics (19^th June).  Player of the Day was Mckenzie Devlin.

Achievements- Congratulations to:

Todays Tip – Setting Limits – Part 2 If your child spends time at different houses, different routines can be coped with at each house. If you have no other option, just remember to keep each environments routine consistent. – just like a child copes with different routines at school and home. ·       Set a bedtime for your child and stick to it.  Children need 10-12 hours of sleep every night. ·       Have a morning and evening routine.  This helps to remind your child what is coming next. Routine example for children: Mornings: Wake up at same time each morning. Prepare breakfast independently if possible.  Eat breakfast, and put own plate away.  Get dressed (independently when possible). Brush teeth. Pack own lunch and homework into bag, ready for school. Evenings: Eat dinner then have shower or bath. After the bath have quiet time to prepare your child for bed.  Quiet activities like puzzles, colouring, reading, drawing, watching TV for a while. Brush teeth. Read a story in bed. Lights out. More information can be found at http://www.incredibleyears.com

Aimee Brookland competed in the Invercargill Tap Dancing Assn competitions last weekend.  Aimee was placed 1^st in her Slow, Waltz & Impromptu dances. Her Duo, Trio & Troupe dances were all placed 1^st. She got 3rd in her Solo & in the Special awards won the Personality Cup.

Anika Winders received the ‘Special Award Trophy’. 

Lucy Baynes received 1^st in her Solo, Song and Dance and her Duo with Charlie and 2^nd in the Open Championship.

Charlie Baynes got 1^st in his Song and Dance and 2^nd in his Solo.

They jointly won a special award for Local Dancers.

Sport Southland are once again running our School Holiday Programme between 3^rd-13^th July. Contact Brittany 211-2150 for more info.

PTA  ~  Social Night

The PTA are organising a Quiz Night for a bit of fun & for new families to get the chance to meet others in the school. We are looking at Saturday 11 Aug, to be held in the school hall. Teams of 4 & they don’t necessarily all have to be Sacred Heart people. So mark that date on your calendar with more info to come closer to the time.