8 November

Dear Parents

A huge thanks to Susanne Brown and the PTA for the excellent fair on Sunday. You all did a marvellous job – well done.

Also thank you to all the parents, children, staff and other community members for your support – whether it be in volunteering your time or supporting the stalls.

Our sponsors, who are listed later on, your goodwill is much appreciated.

As well as the fair there was also the school jubilee last weekend. On Saturday morning we opened up the school while photos were taken. We thought we may have had a few people having a look at our displays but were pleasantly surprised to have the corridors and classes full of ex-pupils.

The biggest topics of discussion were the strap and being put in the rooms back cupboards (not a current practice). This was followed by a function on Saturday night where I spoke on behalf of our current staff and pupils, then Mass before the fair.

Thanks to our school staff and pupils who were here on Saturday morning, and at Mass representing the school on Sunday.

A huge thank you to Juliet Clapperton for her countless hours spent collating the registrations etc.

Rabbitt and Sheehan Cups

A big thank you to the Rabbitt & Sheehan families for their donation of cups to be presented to our pupils. Joyce Sheehan was a past teacher at Sacred Heart and Jo Rabbit was heavily involved in the school, coaching sport teams in particular.

Our prayers are with Mrs Buxton’s family.

School Accounts

Could we have all accounts settled by the end of November please.

If you are unsure what is owing, please contact Christine.

OSCAR Childcare will be available from 12.30 until 6pm on 13 December at Sacred Heart Parish hall. Please see staff at the hall to register your child/ren.

We will also be available from 8am until 6pm on 14, 17 and 18 December at Sacred Heart Parish hall. Please phone 218-9520 for further details

Summer Reading Challenge

Read for 20 minutes a day for 20 days with a log book that is given to you. Once you have completed your logbook you can return it to the Invercargill library for a prize. Registrations open 1 December at one of the library help desks or online at www.ilibrary.co.nz

Altar Servers

Saturday 10^th November                             7.00 am                   Patrice & Aimee Brookland

Sunday 11^th November                             10.30 am                                     Caitlin Smith & Emma Brooks

Children’s Liturgy                                                                           Trish Sherriff

Touch Results                         Basketballs Results                        Cricket Results

Stars won 5 – 2                         Slamdunkers lost 17 – 8                   Kiwi 8’s won. POD - Aubrey Page

Ballers won 4 - 2                       Shooters drew 10 - 10

Sharks won 5 - 3                       Flyers lost 2 - 28

                                                      Sharks lost 12 - 12

Wanted House to Buy in Waikiwi/Grasmere - Contact Tina 2158234 or 0277594590.

Speech And Drama Teacher

Enrolments are now open for 2013 classes. Tuition available for Trinity Guildhall Examinations.

All grades taught including Diploma. To enrol or for further info, please phone 216-0115.

Room 9 Class Happenings

 

School Jubilee  ~ Room 9 has researched how education has changed since Sacred Heart School opened in 1962. Here are two pieces of research we did.    

THE TEACHERS

1962 ~ In 1962 Catholic Schools were staffed by Religious Sisters. The Sisters of Mercy got paid a stipend until 1975. This wasn’t much money and the parishioners had a pantry day once a year to raise more money for the Sisters.

The Religious Sisters would get put into a class to teach and would have to study to become a teacher at the same time as teaching a class. Back then the students sat at their desks and the teacher would stand at the front of the class and teach with a blackboard. The students sat at their desks, listened, and did as they were told.

On the Opening day of Sacred Heart School there were 110 students on the roll and they only had 3 classrooms. In the junior class, which was New Entrants to Year 3 there were 37 students, in the middle class which was Years 4 to 6 there were 41 students and in the senior class, which was years 6 to 8 there were 32 students.

1970 ~ The first lay teacher started teaching at Sacred Heart School in 1970. Her name is Mrs Val McInerney.  She was paid by the Church when she started teaching, unlike the Religious Sisters. She was only hired for one year at a time. She started teaching in the Junior Class. Lay teachers started teaching because there weren’t enough Religious Sisters to teach.

PUNISHMENT

In Room 9 we have been learning about what Sacred Heart was like in 1962. We asked Mr Forde, Mrs McInnery and Mr Lieshout.

But there is something that we were wondering: “Why did the law about corporal punishment change?”

We mean some kids still need to be put into order by pain. I know it sounds horribly mean but…. Well from my perspective punishments these days are just too…. Well, easy to get through. You see these days you have to pick up rubbish. I have NOTHING!!!!! against that because that’s helping the environment. But I think that the strap would have put people into order much faster.

Anyway we found out that the law was changed in 1990 because it was a stupid idea to hit children because they didn’t know something or they were being naughty.

This made us wonder, how naughty would someone have to be to get the strap.

Further research (asking Mr Forde) told us that you didn’t have to be very naughty at all.

Next we wanted to know if they got rewarded for good behaviour or work. We were told you might have gotten a sticker or something like that.

Another question we had that was also answered by Mr Forde.

It was “Why did the teachers whack the kids on the hand instead of whacking them somewhere else?” He told our reporters Mathew and Ben that it was easier to get to and it hurt much more.

Was the male gender more likely to get strapped than the female gender, is a question that we were wondering.

The answer was it was way more likely for the boys to get the strap. Most of the boys in Room 9 are glad they were not at school then!

Why have things changed?

We think one reason for the change is what scientists have discovered about the brain.

In Room 9 we have been learning about the brain. We learnt about fight or flight. Flight is if you go into flight mode and you freeze up (Find it hard to think) and in fight mode you just go for it, in other words stand and fight. So back then kids got scared of making a spelling mistake and getting the strap. So some of them would have gone into flight mode. Instead of helping the children to learn, the thought of the strap stopped them from learning.

We think the other reason is to do with class sizes.

In 1962 their classes were huge.

There were 37 kids in the junior class NE-Y2. There are now 17 in Room 2.

There were 41 kids in the middle Room Y3-Y5 There are now 23 in Room 6

There were 32 kids in the senior class y6-y8 and the Principal taught this class all day as well as being Principal. There are now 28 in Room 9.

So we guess they needed to be so strict because the classes were so big. 

Corporal Punishment

So you probably think you know what they did in the 1962. They had corporal punishment, but did you know another punishment was to and write lines on a blackboard or paper if they were naughty.

They had to write things like “I will not talk on the mat.” over and over again. Sometimes they had to write it a 1000 times.

I bet you think it’s hard in school now. Think, writing lines for hours.  Think about that if you are ever angry about getting sent to the circle to cool off or think about what you did wrong. Just think what it was like for students in 1962. The strap or lines!!!

Why has it changed?

It is to do with what we know about punishments, children and learning. If you ask a child not to do something over and over they are going to remember what not to do. Our teachers say, “Walk inside” They tell us what they want us to do and repeat it because that is what we will remember. If they said, “Don’t run” Our brains will remember “run”

So in conclusion, when you are told off, think about those poor children that got the strap or had to write lines. Think about all the students that went before us that suffered that fate.

SACRED HEART SCHOOL FAIR

A huge thank you goes out to the whole school community for your support in making last Sunday’s school fair such a success. This includes not only your help in the stalls, set-up and clean-up on the day, but also for your baking, gifts, donated goods and sponsorships – without any of this the fair could not take place. Well done to the children who got out with their posters and let everyone know it was on, as even though it wasn’t the warmest day, we still had plenty of people come and share the day with us.

I would like to personally thank the Fair Committee who was made up of volunteer parents and teachers from throughout the school. They worked tirelessly in the background preparing for the day to ensure it was a success. Without such a dedicated and hard-working team these types of events never happen.

Thanks also to the older children from rooms 8 & 9 who ran their own stall with goods they’d made themselves and to those who walked around selling goods to the crowd. To staff, BOT, parents, school children and friends and families that volunteered their time to help either before or on the day, thanks for sharing the load and helping us ensure everyone had the chance to enjoy the day.

We hope to have an approximate profit total very soon as we wait for the final costs and last of the remaining funds to be banked. At this point though we are very happy with the interim results and believe it has been another very successful school fair.

It was a fantastic day for families to get together as part of our Sacred Heart School community, to have some fun and enjoy each other’s company. It was also nice to be able to show off the school with pride to many of those that attended the 50^th reunion and who came and enjoyed time at the fair after mass on Sunday morning.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be acknowledging those businesses that supported the fair, and ask that where you can, you look to support them as well. Today we acknowledge the businesses that sponsored events on the day and we wish to acknowledge and thank them for their support on the day.

About Joinery                                                                                BDO Invercargill

Dynamic Maintenance                                                                Malloch McClean

Niagara Truss & Frame, Parklands                                       Stabicraft

Raffle Winners

Basket Hamper  -  K. Philips                                   Blue Container  -  Anne Potter                      Green Container  -  Richelle Holland                            Family Package  -  Melissa Harrington

Christmas Cake  -  Heather Gray                         Lovely Ladies Package  -  Jemmiah Rae

Luxury Ladies Package  -  A. Harris                   Tea Basket  -  Mrs Muller

Men’s Package  -  Ruth Lieshout

Thanks again to everyone  ~  Susanne Brown PTA