28 March

Dear Parents

We will be hoping for fine weather this weekend for Southland Athletics on Saturday and the picnic after our school mass on Sunday. I look forward to seeing you there on Sunday.

Also please remember the PTA AGM tomorrow evening and our Easter Liturgy on Thursday.

Miss O’Neill - It has been a week of mixed emotions as we have learnt that Miss O’Neill will be moving to Cromwell to teach at Holy Family School in Wanaka.

Miss O’Neill has taught at Sacred Heart since 1994 and her contribution to our school cannot be measured. She has helped make our school what it is today and is one of the best teachers I have taught with. We will miss her greatly but also wish her all the best in her move to be nearer her family in Cromwell.

School Mass - There will be a compulsory school Mass this Sunday 1^st April @ 10.30 am – Palm Sunday. The children are to line up in the school foyer at 10.15pm and are not required to be in school uniform, due to the PTA picnic lunch afterwards.

Easter Liturgy - Our Easter Liturgy will take place on Thursday @ 1.30pm in the hall.

Our prayers are with Mrs T.K. and her family.

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

Mark 14,15

TRUE SACRIFICE

In our preparation for Holy Week today we read Mark’s account from Holy Thursday right through to Jesus’ crucifixion. This was probably the first gospel account written down. For Mark, the passion was all about what happened between Jesus and God whom he calls ‘my Father’. It’s all very real. In 14:35-36 Jesus asks his Father to save him from the ordeal. In 15:34, Jesus dying on the cross complains to god for having abandoned him, using the words of Psalm 22:1.

Most of the characters appear petty, cruel, and irreverent. But Peter’s experience is well reported: he is presented as generous and loving, but weak when the time comes for him to testify to his love of Jesus (14:66-72).

Mark uses very negative terms to sum up Judas’ actions. Judas is offhand in the opening episode where Mary, Martha’s sister (John12:3), pours very expensive perfume on Jesus. Jesus sees her action not only as a generous act but also as a prophecy of his death (14:3-9). The Jewish leaders remain detached and heartless throughout the process and maintain their doctrinal position despite the naked, dying man in front of them (14:43-65). The Roman soldiers carry out the physical punishment of Jesus. During the flagellation session they make jokes and appear indifferent to human suffering. But their chief, the centurion, was the first to confess that Jesus was the Son of God (15:16-20, 39).

Indifference seems to be a key word. So many people did nothing: they just gawped at a dying man.

Jesus’ female disciples show their concern practically. They are present at the crucifixion despite the obvious heartache this must have caused them. They are also present to witness to Jesus’ burial place (15:40, 41, 47).

MEDITATION: Choose three words to describe Jesus as he is depicted in the passion. Reflect on what it must have been like for Jesus to have experienced separation from his Father. Consider the amazing words of Philippians 2:6-11

PRAYER: The lady who poured the bottle of perfume over Jesus took a chance. She risked looking foolish in front of others, perhaps even Jesus himself. But she loved him and this was how she showed it. Perhaps you could create a ‘bottle of perfume’ yourself. Take a sheet of paper, write a love letter to Jesus and then offer it to him in prayer. Or offer him the words of a favourite Psalm or hymn that helps you express your worship.

Swimming Champs – Good luck to Erik & Sionelle Cahill, Harry Oosterbroek, Ella Richardson and Amy Ingham who will take part in the Southland Schools Swimming Champs on Sunday.

Athletics – Good luck to all the children named in last week’s newsletter, who will be representing the school at the Southland Athletics at Surrey Park on Saturday.

Interviews - Thank you to all parents who were able to attend our 3-way interviews this week. There will be the opportunity for parents to provide feedback on these from next week.

Achievements

Danye Takitimu got 2nd in her Ballet competitions recently.

Kyron Devery got most improved player for his Dodgers Softball team.

Ella Richardson who was awarded most improved player for Demons Under 11 Softball Team.

Kiwi Cricket Under 8’s team beat Windsor North 42-16. POD was Devon Fiebig.

Player of the Season was Dylan Hawkes.

Well done to all the players and also the parent support!! See you again in Term 4.

PTA

AGM Fri 30^th March, 15 West Plains School Road (Bay Rd end) - 7.30 pm.

Please let the office know if you are attending for catering numbers or txt Liza 027-4599954.

The PTA is having an informal coffee, desert and wine, nibbles evening for their AGM. We would love you to join us, come along, bring a friend & meet some new people, enjoy a coffee & food on us.

The AGM takes less than 30 mins and we have a guest speaker, Melissa Aitken, “fitness guru” coming to entertain us. She’ll tell us about the classes she runs ranging from pregnant mums, mums and babies, thru to zumba and boot camp for the super fit, plus give us some hints on metabolism and maintaining a healthy diet for adults and kids.

This will be a fun night with no cost to you, so grab a friend and join us, and get to know some of the parents in your school community. The PTA is a very easy group to belong to - we all only do what we are able to, and attending every meeting is not compulsory - we all understand how busy life is. So come along and find out more!

Entertainment Book Fundraiser

As per last week’s newsletter we sent home order forms for the Entertainment Book. A copy of the book is in the office if you would like to have a look or you can go on line to view as well. The Entertainment Book covers Dunedin, Invercargill, Queenstown and surrounds. It is being used as a fundraiser with the money raised going towards starting to purchase new science equipment to be used throughout the school. 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 $55 and the school receives $11 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 recoup far more than the cost of the book itself.

The order form can be returned to school, should you wish to purchase a book(s) with the money enclosed. We will have books available from the office from next Monday 2^nd April. 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 this 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.

PTA Picnic

After the school mass this Sunday 1^st April, the PTA are organising a fun family picnic. Bring along a picnic lunch and then share in the fun games with your children – we will have games like tug of war, sack races etc and a lollie scramble. This is a lot of fun for the whole family, hope to see you there.

Southland Junior Netball Academy - Taking registrations now for Term 2, starting Mon 30^th April. Suitable for players from 8 –15 years. Visit www.netballsouthland.org.nz for registration details or phone 03 217 1303.

Checkers Championship - Easy to learn and fun to play - 12th April starting at 1pm, Invercargill Public Library. All ages, all abilities, all welcome. Prizes to be won.

Register at www.ilibrary.co.nz or come into the library for details.

Altar Servers

Saturday 31st March 7.00 pm Georgea Newell & Rylee Hewitt

Sunday 1^st April 10.30 am Emma Harrington & Bridie Kinney

Children’s Liturgy Pauline Harrington

Sports Results

Sharks Flipperball team won 12 – 3 last week. POD were Erik Cahill & Caleb Wolf.

Yr 4,5,6 Cricket beat Tisbury by 40 runs.

Cheese Rolls for Sale – Support ex pupil Meg O’Connell with her trip to USA - Families wanting to support Meg can fill out the order form in the junior corridor for cheese rolls. $20 for 4doz or $6 per doz. Orders due 5^th April with delivery being 18^th April.

Room 9 Class Happenings

On Tuesday our class went on camp, it was going to be awesome. We went biscuiting. Before we got on the biscuit we had to get a life jacket that fitted us. When it was my turn I was so nervous but excited. I went on it with Thamsyn. I was screaming but it was so much fun. When it went round the corners I got soaking wet. It was the best fun I have ever had. When we got back on land, I so wanted to go again. When it was my friend Monique’s turn, she wanted to do it with a girl, so our teacher picked me. When I went on with Monique I wasn’t holding on. It was funny, I fell onto Monique and we fell off into the freezing cold water. We got on the boat, then back onto the biscuit and Monique and I asked them to go faster again. It was so funny because I wanted to fall in again. So I leaned on Monique and we both fell in again. Again we went back on the boat and then back onto the biscuit. When we got back to land I felt really sick and happy. I wanted to do it again. I took the life vest off, looked around at people and I thought WOW, most of the class has had a go at the biscuits. After the last people to have a go, we hopped in the bus and went back to camp. It was awesome! Samantha Ward