22 November

Dear Parents

My apologies for any confusion over the high school buses yesterday. We thought all the buses ran early with the high schools closed for the secondary schools union meetings.

Stranger Danger

We have had reports about an older man in a white van talking to children outside James Hargest College. Please reinforce the stranger danger message with your children, as we have been in class.

Good luck to our 2 senior girls’ cricket teams who will be taking part in a fun tournament tomorrow.

Our prayers have been with the Rance & Reitma-Smith families this week.

Apology and Retraction
A notice was published in the Sacred Heart School newsletter dated 22 November 2012, which included statements questioning the legitimacy of the website www.nzmathsandenglish.co.nz. It has since been brought to my attention that the website is in fact legitimate and is operated by a well established company called NZ Maths and English Limited, for the purposes of providing online home tuition services by fully qualified teachers in both maths and English.


The statements I made were based on information that I believed reliable, but I have now ascertained and now recognise that there was no foundation for these statements and I regret that they were ever made. I wish to take the earliest opportunity of correcting my error and of expressing to NZ Maths and English Limited my regret for any distress or interruption to its business caused by the notice.
Peter Forde

*REFLECTION ON TODAY’S GOSPEL READING (From Lectio Divina)

        KING OF ALL CREATION: These few verses from the passion narrative in John’s gospel describe the encounter between Jesus and Pilate, the Roman governor of Palestine. The Jewish authorities have finally found something to accuse Jesus of that required the death sentence. But the Jewish leaders had a problem. Yes, they had decided to kill Jesus. But the Romans had taken away their authority to do this legally. They needed Jesus’ death to be very public so there could be no dispute about it. They wanted to put an end to Jesus and his teaching once and for all.

So somehow they had to get the Romans to execute Jesus. Roman crucifixion was a slow and excruciatingly painful death. It was also humiliating with the victim hanging naked on a cross for all to see.

But Pilate needed a political, not a religious reason to execute Jesus. So he asks Jesus if he is a political agitator. Did he claim to be a king? Jesus merely responds with a question of his own: did Pilate decide this question from his own observation or from hearsay?

Pilate is irritated by Jesus’ comment as it was the Jewish leaders who had handed him over. Jesus ignores Pilate’s second question. He goes back to the question about his kingship to clarify it.

Jesus explains his kingship involves truth, truth that he must preach and teach. Our text finishes at this point. But the conversation continues with Pilate asking what Jesus means by ‘truth’? He never finds out because he doesn’t want to listen and falls into the trap set for him by the Jewish authorities.

MEDITATION: What sort of kingship is Jesus hinting at here? In which kingdom is Jesus king? What does this mean for you personally? What is the truth Jesus came into the world to speak about? How do you listen to Jesus? How much priority do you give to this in your daily life?

PRAYER: Psalm 93 pictures God the king in all his majesty and glory. The liturgy applies this psalm to Jesus. Make a list of all God’s kingly attributes. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you a fresh sense of awe and wonder as you read these verses. Use them to worship your amazing king.

2013 Classes

Every year the Ministry allocates school staffing for the next year based on child numbers in March and July and predicted enrolments.

This year we were staffed for 8 classroom teachers, next year this will reduce to 7, with Miss Harding’s position finishing at the end of this year.

This year we have had an increased number of families moving out of this province or country and fewer than expected (so far) enrolments for 2013.

It is disappointing to lose Miss Harding as she has added a lot to our school this year and I do hope to see her here again in the future.

Southland Boys’ High School is looking for both short and long term homestay accommodation for several international students we are expecting next year. Weekly board will be paid. If you are interested in hosting an international student, please telephone Jill Hoffman: 2113-003 ext 809 or email jill.hoffman@sbhs.school.nz for further information.

Photos on Facebook

We intend to put school photos onto our facebook page. If you object to your child’s photo being displayed, please email Mrs Stupples: vstupples@shsinv.school.nz

OSCAR Childcare will be available from 8am until 6pm on 14-18 Dec at Sacred Heart Parish hall, then continues from 19-21 Dec at both Middle School and Windsor North School halls. We will re-open on 7 January 2013. Please phone 218-9520 for further details.

Child Minding for the Christmas Holidays

I am a parent and Teacher Aide at Sacred Heart School providing a family setting for holiday care.

Call Jacqui O’Connor 21 56055

Kip McGrath Tutoring Scholarship

Parents are invited to apply for a Kip McGrath scholarship for next year. Interested caregivers can fill out the application forms and return to school by Friday 30^th. Forms can be obtained from the stand on the wall in the junior corridor.

Flatmate Wanted – Contact Sandy 0210339909.

Achievements

Congratulations to Kyron Devery who received ‘Player of the Day’ last week for his Dodgers Lions T-Ball team.

Altar Servers

Saturday 24^th November                             7.00 am                   Cameron Roulston & Caleb Brown

Sunday 25^th November                             10.30 am                                     Ben Henderson & Mathew Brooks

Children’s Liturgy                                                                           Nicki Brookland

Touch Results                         Basketballs Results                       

Stars won 5 - 1                          Slamdunkers lost 17 - 18                                     

Ballers won 5 - 0                       Shooters lost 4 - 16                                                              

Sharks lost 3 - 4                        Flyers los 6 - 16t    

                                                      Sharks lost lost 4 - 16             

                                                      Breakers lost 2 - 30

PTA Meeting Wednesday 28^th November, school staff room @ 7.30pm.

Calendars  ~  Orders for calendars need to be in by this coming Monday 26^th Nov – if you’d like to buy a copy (or copies) of your child’s calendar, please have your order and money to the office before the end of Monday. The children’s art work for their calendar can be seen at the office.

Michelle Van Eeden would like to also thank the parents who bought tulips directly from her after school in the weeks leading up to the fair.

Kade shares his published writing with Mr Forde at the All’s writing celebration last Friday.

Room 2 Class Happenings

We have been learning about descriptive writing.  Each time we write about one thing we remember to put a full stop.  We know that we can describe something by:

Saying a number idea – There are two side mirrors

Saying a colour idea – the car is yellow

Saying a shape idea – the wheels are a circle

Saying a position idea – the car is in the garage.

Here are some of our awesome descriptions of our free construction sculptures.

I made a rocket.  The rocket had one whole bunch of red stuff on it.  It was fun.  The rocket had a square thing on it at the bottom.  The rocket had red on it at the bottom of it.  At home time the bottom fell off.   By Markus

I made a monster truck.  I like my monster truck.  I made one box.  I had a square box.   By Jimmy

I made a scorpion.  The colour was green.  It had one stinger.  The shape was a rectangle.  The stinger was at the back.

 By Sam

I made a jewellery box and there were 5 wee balls on the top.  I made it in Room 2.  My favourite bit was the cellotaping and the colour of the flowers are green.   By Anya

I made a John Deer tractor.  My John Deer is shaped like a square.  My John Deer is green.  It has one bucket.  I made it in Room 2.   By Tim