25 October

Dear Parents

The countdown is on till next weekend and the Jubilee and Fair.

Thank you for the goods and produce that have been arriving at school to support this.

You may have noticed that we have laid an outside chess board. We look forward to some fine weather so the children can show off their playing expertise.

We welcome Sarah Hamilton, Ben Rogerson & Calder Gray, three University of Otago Teachers College students who will be in Rooms 3 & 7 for the next two weeks.

Also take the time to read Erik Cahill’s excellent story based on the brain.

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

PERSISTENT FAITH: Sometimes a noisy child can disturb Sunday worship. People nearby may give the parents a look or say something to get them to stop the disruption. Bartimaeus discovers that Jesus is near and he wants to get his attention. Because he is blind he cannot see exactly where Jesus is, so he shouts out. The crowd is intent on hearing Jesus so they tell him to be quiet. Bartimaeus will not be silenced. In fact he shouts even louder because he wants to be healed. Perhaps there were others who needed healing in the crowd, but only he took action. It is interesting to note exactly what Bartimaeus shouts out. Firstly he refers to Jesus as the ‘Son of David’. This is in fact a title for the Messiah. So perhaps Bartimaeus believes that Jesus was far more than an ordinary teacher. Perhaps it was this tile that attracted Jesus’ attention. Secondly he initially asks for ‘mercy’ rather than for healing. Jesus hears him and stops. Jesus asks him what he wants. Bartimaeus explains he wants to be able to see again. Jesus tells him his faith has healed him and straight away he is able to see.

MEDITATION: What do you think about the people who tried to silence Bartimaeus? Compare this to the way Jesus responded to him. Does this teach us anything about how we should treat those in need? Is it significant that Bartimaeus asked for mercy rather than healing first? What does it reveal about his attitude? Can we learn from this when we approach God?

PRAYER: Perhaps you too have experienced the joy of ‘deliverance’ from sorrow or pain? Or maybe you are right now calling out to God for ‘deliverance’. Whatever point you are at thank God for his faithfulness and mercy. Ask God to strengthen your faith and help you, like Bartimaeus, not to give up.

Rooms 6, 7, 8 & 9 Children

As part of the school jubilee, photos will take place on Saturday 3^rd November between 10 – 11.30 am.  We are looking for children who can be here at school at this time as we are going to open the school to the past pupils. Please fill in the slip at the end of this newsletter, indicating if your child can assist with this.

As well as this, we also need a small group of children who can represent the school at the Jubilee Mass next Sunday at 10.30am. As the fair won’t start until 11.30 am, they will not miss anything.

Altar Servers

Saturday 27^th October                                 7.00 am                   Reuben Brown & Ben Nind   

Sunday 28^th October                                  10.30 am                                     Georgea Newell & Jacob Sullivan

Children’s Liturgy                                                                           Megan Roulston    

Achievements

Congratulations to Jake Meikle who finished 10^th in the 8 – 12 yrs Taupo Motocross Extravaganza.

The SBS Bank Mara-Fun-Run is back again in 2012!  11.00am, Sunday 11^th Nov: $5.00

Each competitor receives a Marafun finisher’s medal and certificate. Entry forms are available from the school office, Sport Southland or on the day.

Southland Have A Go Cricket  (5 – 8 yr olds)

Saturdays 9 – 10 am, 27^th Oct – 8 Dec $35 each. Enquiries to Emma 2189608.

Touch Results                                                             Basketballs Results

Stars lost 10 – 20                                                          Slamdunkers won 20 - 18

Batters lost 2 – 4                                                           Shooters won 19 - 8

Sharks lost 4 – 5                                                           Fliers won 18 - 4

                                                                                          Sharks drew 8 – 8

                                                                                          Breakers lost 2 - 12

The Year of Faith Oct 2012 – Nov 2013

The Year of Faith coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council.  It is an invitation to everyone in the Church to celebrate and renew their faith – individually, in families, in parishes and schools, in our Diocese, country and across our global Catholic community.

Pope Benedict XVI outlines the purpose of the year of faith:

“To give renewed energy to the mission of the whole Church to lead men and women out of the wilderness in which they often find themselves and toward a place of life-friendship with Christ who gives us fullness of life.”

“Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy.”

Logo of the Year of Faith

Image of the ship symbolizes the Church.

The mast of the vessel is a cross with full-blown sails which form the monogram of Christ (IHS).

The background is a sun representing the Eucharist.

FAIR – Sunday 4^th November 2012     11.30am – 2.30pm

Please remember to check out the Fair notice and see if there is anything that you can help with. We are just over a week away and your help and support is critical to the success on the day.

The committee will be at school and in the hall on the Saturday between 1.30pm and 3.00pm, and then again early Sunday morning between 9.30am and 11.00am for goods to be delivered. Home baking is a huge hit at these events so get the kids to help and send along some of your favourite treats.

As you will have seen the school is also celebrating its 50^th jubilee this same weekend, and there is a dedicated reunion Mass on the Sunday morning. The past pupils have been invited to come and join us at the Fair after mass and we are very much looking forward to showing off the school as it is today and making them feel very welcome as they return to their primary school, years after attending. Some of those attending are ‘First day pupils’ so this is a very special event for them. The hall will have a power point displayed with photos taken over the 50 years and it will also be used for the reunion people to mingle. It is also for fair goers to have a look at what the school was like over the years.

Please be aware that parking will be limited in the car park and for many it may be easier to park behind the school in Northwood Drive and then walk through the entrance provided.

We look forward to seeing everyone next Sunday – and praying for a much improved day of sunshine.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT!

Do you ever get the feeling telling you to run? Or does it tell you to stand strong and fight? This happens all through your life when you get into situations where you start to panic, or if you’re in danger. I’m here to tell you why that happens.

Firstly, the thing that tells you to stay or run is in your brain. It’s called your REPTILIAN BRAIN!  Your brain is made up of lots of things like your Cerebrum, your Cerebellum and your Medulla (brain stem).

Now your brain can do really amazing things but one of the most amazing is that it can slow down time. Well not really it just slows down your perspective of time. Do you ever get the feeling that you are falling, or running really fast and everything else is moving very slowly? Well that’s just your brain doing its wonders.

Looking further into the reason for this we know that it is because of adrenalin rushes. (The adrenalin helps you run faster, jump higher and be a ton stronger!) Looking even FURTHER into it your brain sees in slots. Normally you can see about 30 slots a second but because of adrenalin you can see around 100 slots a second, which causes the effect of slowing down time to give you more time to think about what to do next in case of an emergency. Cool huh? An example of this was a 12-year-old boy who lifted a car to save his uncle.

So as a conclusion your brain is one of the coolest things in the world. I really want to learn how to control adrenalin!  I mean if I can slow down time, yes PLEASE!    By Erik

Room 7 Class Happenings

Persistence  ‘Successful people try and try again. If it doesn’t work,one  way, try another way.’

Last week we spent time trialling ideas for our calendars that will be displayed at our School Fair for parents to purchase.  Our first attempts on photos Mrs Winders printed off were challenging as we were required to shade the lighter tones with light colours with darker tones in dark pastel. We then used the ‘Habit of Mind’ of persistence by attempting a second piece. This time we followed Emma’s technique with greater success. As back-up we also used watercolour to paint ourselves and what we enjoy. Many were satisfied with the watercolour to use as a snapshot of ourselves as Year 4 students.

   

We have been also learning about contractions, (it’s), punctuation, and language features (adjectives, onamatopaeia, similies, metaphors, repetition..)

Can you spot these in the beginning of the following narrative?

Once upon a time there lived a little boy named Rigby. Rigby loved to go on adventures. One day he was standing near the edge of a cliff. Crack! “What was that?”, squealed Rigby. “Ahhhhhh-hhh,” yelled Rigby as he fell into the sea. “I’m never going to get back up there!!. I’ll swim to the Neverest Island.” He swam and swam and swam until he got to the island… Ethan

HELPERS FOR THE JUBILEE WEEKEND

Yes my child ____________________________  from Room  __________ can be available for:

Saturday morning from 10 – 11.30 am                                      o 

Sunday morning from 10.15 – 11.30                       o

Signed:   ………………………………………………………………………………………