30 August

Dear Parents

Thank you to the parents who were able to come to the junior Maths information night last night. A big thank you, in particular to Miss Swney for organising this. The 2 websites mentioned last night are: www.e-ako.nzmaths.co.nz www.ruggerland.co.nz

A reminder about some of the upcoming events:

Book Character Day - 7^th Sept

School Mass - 9^th Sept

School Photos - 12^th Sept

Inquiry Culture Day - 13^th Sept

Ski Trip - 14^th Sept

Choral Festival - 18/19^th Sept

Convent Cup - 25^th Sept

Shake & Drop Day (Earthquake Awareness Day) 26^th Sept

School Disco - 27^th Sept

End of Term - 28^th Sept

Please keep a look out for notices regarding these events if your child is involved.

There are also a number of summer sports starting up and asking for entries to be sent into school.

Please keep a look out for these.

As well as the newsletter we will use the school facebook page to advertise these.

Welcome back to Xanthe & Jordis Belesky and their family.

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

HEART ATTITUDE

Jesus’ teaching about what was ritually clean and unclean was a very contentious issue both during his ministry on earth and afterwards as Gentile converts joined the church. Mark discusses the subject because he is writing for Christians of non-Jewish origin. Of course God had given the Jewish people detailed rules about food and hygiene (see Leviticus 11). Here Jesus confronts two issues: additional man-made rules and the very essence of what makes someone ritually clean or unclean. It appears that over time the religious leaders had added their own rules to God’s law but were passing them off as God’s commandments. Worse still, they were giving these man-made rules prominence at the expense of God’s original commands (verses 7-8).

Jesus challenges these traditions. It is not external things like what you eat that make you unclean but what’s inside your heart. It’s here that evil thoughts germinate and lead to evil actions. Jesus is not interested in people saying for doing the ‘right’ things if underneath their heart attitude is not right. Many of the Pharisees had lost the plot. God wants us to worship and serve him from a pure heart of love. You can obey as many of man’s rules as you like, but before God you will remain a hypocrite if your heart is not pure.

MEDITATION: Consider the attitude of your heart. Are you worshipping and serving God out of love? Or are you paying more attention to outwardly keeping the rules and doing the ‘right’ things? What is Jesus looking for?

PRAYER: Ask God to help you keep a pure heart so that you always worship and serve him and others from an attitude of love. Psalm 15 describes people who are likely to be found in God’s presence. Make a list of what does and doesn’t please God. Ask God to help you do the things you should and avoid what displeases him.

International Literacy Day Book Character Dress Up Day 7 September 2012

To raise awareness with our children of how fortunate we are to have access to education, we will talk about and dress up as our favourite book character. The children may come to school dressed as their favourite character and talk about their book with others on Friday, 7 September 2012.

September 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO on November 17, 1965. It was first celebrated in 1966. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. Celebrations take place around the world.

To raise public awareness of the extraordinary value of the written word and of the necessity to promote a literate society, the following writers are supporting UNESCO through the Writers for Literacy Initiative ^[9]: Margaret Atwood, Paul Auster, Philippe Claudel, Paulo Coelho, Philippe Delerm, Fatou Diome, Chahdortt Djavann, Nadine Gordimer, Amitav Ghosh, Marc Levy, Alberto Manguel, Anna Moi, Scott Momaday, Toni Morrison, Erik Orsenna, Gisèle Pineau, El Tayeb Salih, Francisco Jose Sionil, Wole Soyinka, Amy Tan, Miklós Vámos, Abdourahman Waberi, Wei Wei, Banana Yoshimoto. Not only writers contribute to raising awareness to the problem of illiteracy: along with the writers’ engagement, there are various companies and charity organizations that support the fight against illiteracy.

Dental Appointments

These have now started with the children going to Donovan School. Please let Christine know if you are taking your child out of school. Thank you.

Convent Cup

This will be on Tuesday 25^th September at Verdon College. It will involve mainly the children in Rooms 7, 8 & 9. The sports available will be: Rugby, Soccer, Netball & Basketball.

CREATING WELCOMING SPACE

3 workshops inviting us into a renewed sense of gratitude and presence in the way we relate to one another, the created world and the Divine. September 13:1-4pm. 14th: 9.30am-12.30pm.15th: 10am-3.30pm in St Patricks Parish Room. Contact Sr Judith op 03 2178987.

Presenters: Noelene Landrigan rsj and Peter Healy sm.

Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand Courses

We have commenced offering these courses in the diocese, of particular merit for

parishioners is the upcoming course "Traditions of Prayer". For 2013 the selection of papers is particularly applicable for parishioners especially "Understanding Church" which uses Lumen Gentium as a resource giving a very relevant understanding of the modern Catholic Church. Course outlines are available at www.catholicinstitute.ac.nz or email susanh@cdd.org.nz

Stand Up For Kids - Protect Our Schools: Talking to the Community

In helping to support your local NZEI Te Riu Roa events’ which highlight the excellent public education our kids receive, please visit www.standupforkids.org.nz which is aimed at parents. You can do the community survey online, get brief information about each issue and take action yourselves. Local events are also listed. Help protect our schools.

World Vision

If we think we are short on rain in Southland this winter we can spare a thought for those who are short in the drylands across Niger and Malia in the northern parts of Africa. Kate Hicks from World Vision spoke with children yesterday on water issues facing these areas and with help how World Vision is aiding them. With only 9 rain days out of the usual 55 days of rain this year Malia and Niger are only able to produce a fraction of the amount of millet. This crop is the only source of food they are able to grow in the dry conditions. World Vision are currently with the help of sponsors, digging deep into the underground water reserves to irrigate through a drip feeding system gardens and therefore sustainably able to produce variety of crops to feed villages. To find out more visit: http://www.worldvision.org.nz. under ‘Learn' children can explore some interactives.

Sacred Heart School currently sponsors Sharmilla.

School Photos

These are being held on Wednesday 12^th September. Please fill out the slip on this newsletter if you require a family photo. These will be done at 8.30am.

Pie Warmer

Please ensure your child’s heat up is wrapped and named appropriately. The children on lunch duty are spending too much time trying to find owners of food not labelled correctly. Items should have the child’s name and room number written clearly on it.

Altar Servers

Saturday 1^st September 7.00 pm Reuben Brown & Ben Nind

Sunday 2^nd September 10.30 am Eli Winders & Jacob Sullivan

Children’s Liturgy Cecelia Russell

Achievements

Brooklyn McLeod and Breyah Takitimu both got Distinction in there RAD Ballet Exams

and got the highest marks overall ages at the Lamuse Dance School.

Danye’ Takitimu also got Distinction and got 3^rd = the highest mark at the dance studio.

Winton Football Club Inc

The junior players coaching course is booked out but we can now offer you this great Father’s Day present idea: ‘A Night with Ricki Herbert’. Internationally recognized coach to the New Zealand All Whites and Wellington Phoenix, Ricki Herbert is the guest speaker at a fundraising dinner for the Winton Football Club Inc. Come along and hear Ricki for the first time in Southland. Friday 14 Sept 6.30 pm at Croydon Lodge, Gore $60 per head. Contact: Jackie Scherp 027 457 9765.

Room 9’s Class Happenings

This term we have been really busy writing poems and persuasive arguments. We have also been exploring different cultures through art, reading and dance.

Our Cloaks ~ we have been making colourful Maori cloaks (Kahu huruhuru). The cloaks represent what we value and our culture. First we had to fold up the piece of paper to make it a cloak shape. Next we had to colour the cloak with crayons and we made patterns. After that we had to paint it with black paint and make thick layers of paint. Later we had to get a nail and make koru patterns. Then we had to get pictures of our favourite things and things that represent ourselves. Finally we put feathers on it. We had so much fun. We put them on our wall. There are thirty colourful cloaks. By Caelan and Samantha

DANCE GROUPS ~ In Room 9 there are 4 dance groups: Hip hop, Jazz, Rock n Roll and Zumba. The jazz group have created a dance all by themselves.

The Rock n Roll was taught by Carl. He taught them lots of dance moves.

Bella Forde taught the Hip Hop group lots of things. I’m in Hip Hop. It is really fun. Bella is Mr Forde’s daughter. The dances moves are called Puzzling, Jump Style and Finger Tutting.

Melisa is the Zumba teacher and she teaches dance moves like Greek, Party Rock and waka.

By Antony and Liam

Family Photos

Name: …………………………………………………

Yes we require a family photo and I will be bringing in … pre-schooler.