Week 8 Newsletter

Kia Ora Koutou
Here is the latest newsletter.
https://www.smore.com/z5afs

Photolife Group Photos

Due to Auckland still being in Level 4, Photolife Studios are unable to post out the keycodes needed to order the St Joseph’s group photos that were taken in July.

If you would like to order any of the photos taken, please email the school office admin@stjosephs.school.nz and we can email your keycode to you.

The photos that were taken on this day are listed below:

Band
Yr 7&8 Choir
Enviro Students
House Leaders
News Team
Playground Angels
Senior Kapa Haka
Sports & Activities Council
Student Council
Yr 8 Leavers
Young Vinnies

PTFA Runathon Fundraiser – updated information – you can still support this fundraiser! Thank you!

Runathon – updated information after lockdown

School is back tomorrow. Remember to email the class teacher for optional staggered end of day to ease congestion….click to read more…

We look forward to welcoming our students back to school tomorrow! It will be so good to have our school buzzing again!

Remember that under Alert Level 2 we have an optional staggered end of day to ease congestion and allow social distancing at our busy exit points. If you would like your child to be released from class at 2.25pm ready for 2.30pm pick up, please email the classroom teacher.

See you (from a distance!) tomorrow!

Information about Level 2 – School is open on Thursday.

Kia Ora Koutou

Here is the link for all you need to know about school restarting on Thursday. Please note that we are in Week 7 and there is three more weeks after this one until the holidays (holidays start Friday 1st October).

Nga Mihi 

Grant Stuart 

Principal

Alert Level 2

Moving to Level 2 – School open on Thursday

As all of New Zealand (except Auckland) moves to Level 2 from 11.59 pm tomorrow, Tuesday 7 September,  we look forward to welcoming back our students and staff to school on Thursday 9 September.

We now await an update from the Ministry of Education outlining the rules relating to schools at Delta Alert Level 2. 

Please check your emails tomorrow for detailed information regarding returning to school on Thursday.

LEVEL 3 UPDATE: Kia Ora Koutou – It is heartening to know that most of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 3 tonight, and that we are ….

Kia Ora Koutou

It is heartening to know that most of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 3 tonight, and that we are headed in the right direction in our battle with Covid-19. It is crucial that we all continue to adhere to the government guidelines to ensure we stay on track to eliminate the virus. The staff and BOT at St Joseph’s want to thank our community for your support. Thank you for your prompt response to the Attendance Survey last week, we were successfully able to contact every family in a short space of time, which made our job a lot easier! Thank you for keeping your children at home if you can. The vast majority of our community is able to do so, which means we are more easily able to put into practice the Level 3 Health and Safety Guidelines for just a small number of children who need to attend school. We do not underestimate the strain it may place on your families and in your homes as you continue to keep your children home doing Distance Learning for the time being, especially as some adults continue to work from home, or return to work outside of the home. We really appreciate your support and your commitment to stamping out Covid-19

During Alert Level 3, St Joseph’s Fairfield staff will be working from home, with the exception of just a few teachers who will supervise children at school. The school office will remain closed and we ask our community to stay off site, apart from those few families who we are expecting. These families have now been contacted and they are aware of the plans that have been put in place to minimise the risk of community transmission. However, even though there are staff onsite at school, we respectfully ask that you do not ‘pop in’ as you then run the risk of ‘popping’ all our bubbles. We will be keeping a detailed contact tracing register and we will not be having any visitors onsite during Alert Level 3.

Distance Learning is continuing this week; parents have by now received an email via Hero or a Seesaw post with information about the Distance Learning Programme, and students have received information via the appropriate platform (eg Google Classroom or Google Site). 

A final reminder – please do not send your child to school if you have not been in contact with us regarding this. We will not have staff onsite to supervise extra bubbles without prior organisation.

Any questions, please get in touch. Thanks again and we wish you well with navigating whatever changes Alert Level 3 brings to your family, home or place of work.

Kia mau ki te aka matua: hold fast and keep the faith.

Nga Mihi

Grant Stuart

Principal

REMINDER – ALL SCHOOL FAMILIES NEED TO FILL IN THE ALERT LEVEL 3 ATTENDANCE FORM by midday today please.

Hamilton moves to Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm on Tuesday. Schools remain closed except for those who NEED to attend because they cannot be looked after at home. We need every family to complete this Level 3 survey form by midday today so that we know can organise staffing for Alert Level 3. 

At Alert Level 3 school is very different in order to meet the Health & Safety requirements: children at school are in bubbles of 10 students, they continue with the Distance Learning programme, they are not with their usual teacher or friends, they cannot share equipment and the playground remains closed.

Please fill in the form to let us know whether your child/ren can stay home or needs to be at school. Thank you.

Level 3 Survey Link

Covid 19 Update: Looking ahead into next week we have made the decision to not go ahead with our planned Teacher Only Day scheduled for….

Kia Ora Koutou
 
Looking ahead into next week we have made the decision to not go ahead with our planned Teacher Only Day scheduled for Monday 30 August regardless of any change in levels. When the future becomes clearer we will determine when we might reschedule this, either in Term 4 or into 2022.
 
Our learning from home programs are now in full swing. If there are any families that still don’t have a device please let me know.
g.stuart@stjosephs.school.nz
 
We also hope you are doing OK at the moment – but it is also OK if you aren’t.

As the Mental Health Foundation of NZ says, “it’s all right to feel a range of emotions right now. Going into a Level 4 lockdown is a big deal and it brings all sorts of different feelings to the surface, including frustration, worry and even gratitude. However you are feeling, know that you’re not alone – we’re all going through this together.”

If you need to talk, check in with a friend or whānau member, or free call/text 1737 to chat with a trained counsellor. It’s free and confidential. There are also a lot of other supports available to you, your whānau and your community if needed.

You will also understand the importance of routine for your family. If your routine has been shaken up, it’s good to structure your time. Routines are reassuring and promote health and physical wellbeing.

For our Pacific families, if you are not aware the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ has been working to ensure useful information is available to Pacific peoples in nine different languages.

Nga Mihi

Grant Stuart

Principal

Remaining at Alert Level 4 I think we had all anticipated a further extension of Alert Level 4, and the Prime Minister ….

Remaining at Alert Level 4

Kia Ora Koutou

I think we had all anticipated a further extension of Alert Level 4, and the Prime Minister has confirmed this. The Alert Level will be reviewed on Friday afternoon, but for now Alert Level 4 will remain in place until 12:59pm Friday 27 August.

Despite this news, it is really pleasing to see Alert Level 4 is having its impact on the number of confirmed cases, with numbers not dramatically increasing as they would likely have done if we had been at a lower Alert Level.

And so our distance learning programme started today and will continue for the rest of the week. Information about these learning programmes will have been email out by the classroom teacher or the team leader. Please note. it is only in very limited circumstances that students, parents or caregivers are allowed to come to the school grounds. So please do not come to school unless you have been individually contacted by us to do so. Otherwise, you will be in breach of the COVID-19 Health Response Order.

You may be wondering how, with so many contacts being identified of confirmed cases, we aren’t seeing bigger case numbers identified. Just like the Delta variant is different, so has been New Zealand’s response. Previously we might have moved to Alert Level 2 or 3 if there was a new COVID-19 case in the community (which happened most recently in Wellington). This time we moved immediately to Alert Level 4, after only one case had been identified.

Health authorities are also casting a MUCH wider net to determine who is a contact of a confirmed case. People who previously might have been considered a casual contact are now being treated as contacts. Where schools may have closed for three days while contact tracing was undertaken, they are now closing for 14 days with staff and students all self-isolating for that time. As a result, there are more than 13,000 close contacts being followed up by health authorities.

There is a lot we can all do to protect our whānau and community from COVID-19 including:

Everyone must continue to stay home in their bubble
Do not mix with other household bubbles – if they have COVID-19, it can easily spread to your household, and every other household they and you are connecting with
As new cases are identified, new locations of interest are added to the Ministry of Health website – please keep checking this. You can search by your location and they are sorted by date, so you only need to check the locations which have been added when you last checked
Wash your hands regularly, especially when you have been out in public
Stay home if you are feeling unwell and seek advice about whether you need to get a test
Wear a face covering when out and about, and you MUST wear a face covering in any businesses or services which are open at Alert Level 4 (unless you have specifically been exempted from doing so, which includes anyone aged under 12)
 
Keep a two-metre distance from people outside your household bubble
Check in using the NZ COVID Tracer App wherever you go or keep a manual record (a reminder the App only stores information on your own phone – no one else will know who it is that checked in, or when)
You can go to the COVID19.govt.nz website if you would like more information on Alert Level 4 requirements.

We can also make sure we are passing on good information. There is a very helpful article by Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris in The Spinoff regarding misinformation and disinformation.

Their red flags for how to spot bad information are particularly well-summarised. Bad information will:

downplay COVID-19 and the pandemic
focus on survival rate
ignore long COVID
emphasise individual freedom
try to sell you something
push simple cures/treatments
make you feel fearful or angry.
“Good information put out to help you make an informed choice won’t make you feel scared or angry. It’ll make you feel empowered.”

Finally, we know some families in our community may be finding it difficult to access food and essential items such as medicine. This information about how to access to food or essential items summarises the supports that are available, including financial help to buy food.

Please do take care and let us know how we can best support you and your whānau.

Kia kaha!

Grant Stuart 

Principal

Kia Ora Koutou This afternoon the Prime Minister announced that we will stay in Alert Level 4 until Tuesday at 11.59pm. School will be…..

Kia Ora Koutou

This afternoon the Prime Minister announced that we will stay in Alert Level 4 until Tuesday at 11.59pm. School will be closed until then.

Our team has prepared learning activities that can be done from home. We will send more information about these over the next couple of days. The main focus is the wellbeing of your family.

Distance Learning: Officially begins on Monday, we hope you are able to find some time to look at the learning programmes provided by teachers and support your child to get started. Parents, check your emails for information from teachers, and get your Year 4-8 children to log on to their school google accounts. Remember not to feel overwhelmed; as parents you do not need to run a typical school day! 

Home Learning TV: If TV is a good option in your home, try the education TV channel that the Ministry of Education launched during the last Level 4 Lockdown, “Home Learning TV” content can be found at TVNZ on demand. Feel free to let us know if your children enjoy something from the TV channel too!

https://learningfromhome.govt.nz/supporti…/home-learning-tv… 

Access to devices: At St Joseph’s Fairfield, we are fortunate to know that most of our families can access learning provided online using their own devices. Next week we are prioritising working with families where online access is not possible due to there being no device or limited devices in their home, to find the best learning support options for those students. 

We know that in your homes, many of you will be sharing devices between siblings and parents, and may even be rostering times when different family members can use various devices. Thank you for enabling that and managing it in your homes! Teachers have planned activities that can be done online or offline; students do not need constant access to a device. They can write on paper or in old books, take photos of their work to send to their teacher, or keep it to show their teachers once we are back onsite at school. 

Having said that, to support families where there are simply not enough devices to go around in homes, the Ministry of Education will allow limited access to school, to collect some of the devices that are there, to be distributed to support families. 

So, if you are in need of a device from school to support the St Joseph’s Fairfield Distance Learning programme, please email me directly g.stuart@stjosephs.school.nz by 5pm Saturday 21 August, and we will see what we can do. 

We will prioritise by need, i.e. families with no access to devices, families with limited access due to multiple siblings sharing, age of students etc. The device loaned would be a chromebook. Please note that any chromebook loaned from the school remains the property of the school, to be returned when school starts onsite again, and the device is only to be used to support Distance Learning. There will be a document with more information accompanying any devices loaned.

Your ongoing support is appreciated. Remember that you are doing a great job in your bubble, and we are all in this together!

Kia Kaha 

Nga Mihi

Grant Stuart 

Principal

COVID ALERT LEVEL 4 – Tonight at 11.59pm. School is closed for the rest of the week.

COVID ALERT LEVEL 4 – Tonight at 11.59pm.

This evening the Prime Minister announced that we will move to Alert Level 4 tonight. School is closed for the rest of the week. 

Our team has already prepared for learning activities to be done from home, but we will send this information out a little later in the week, as the immediate priority is time for you to focus on the needs & wellbeing of your family.

We will continue to communicate with you over the coming days (via Hero, The school app and Facebook)

Thanks in advance for your support and understanding as we face this challenge again.

On behalf of our entire staff & board, please keep safe and take care!

COVID ALERT LEVEL 4 – Tonight at 11.59pm. School is closed for the rest of the week.

COVID ALERT LEVEL 4 – Tonight at 11.59pm.

This evening the Prime Minister announced that we will move to Alert Level 4 tonight. School is closed for the rest of the week. 

Our team has already prepared for learning activities to be done from home, but we will send this information out a little later in the week, as the immediate priority is time for you to focus on the needs & wellbeing of your family.

We will continue to communicate with you over the coming days (via Hero, The school app and Facebook)

Thanks in advance for your support and understanding as we face this challenge again.

On behalf of our entire staff & board, please keep safe and take care!

Mufti Day this Thursday!

Mufti Day this Thursday (19th)! Bring a gold coin to help support our Student Council and their various special projects!

Yr 4 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 5 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 6 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 7 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 8 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 3 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 2 race starts in 15 minutes

Yr 1 race starts in 5 minutes

Yr 0 race will be starting in 15 minutes

CROSS COUNTRY TOMORROW Tuesday 17 August at Porritt Stadium

Children need to wear/bring:

P.E. shirt or house-color T-shirt with black shorts (no glitter/face paint etc)
Running shoes are optional.
Warm outer clothing and a jacket. 

A towel to dry off with as rain is forecast.
Their school bags with lunch and a drink bottle. 

AIMS Games – Girls Hockey Practice today at 1pm. The Girls are to bring their training gear.

AIMS Games – Girls Hockey Practice tomorrow at 1pm. The Girls are to bring their training gear to school.

Pizza lunch tomorrow – Friday!

$2 per slice.
The PTFA are taking orders by either cash on the day or by Kindo. Orders taken in the library from 8.15am on Friday; or orders via the Kindo App need to be made before 8.30am on the day. Cheese, pepperoni and Hawaiian flavours and gluten free bases available.

Strowan Avenue Roadworks

There appears to be some major road works taking place on Strowan Avenue this morning. Please take extra care when dropping off children and consider parking further away and walking to school.

Cheesecake Competition

Help support St. Joseph’s during this year’s Cheesecake Festival competition! $1 of every slice goes back to the school/community group that created the flavour. The school who sells the most slices wins the grand trophy! As last year’s defening champions, let’s show them what we’re made of! Orders close September 11th.
*Please note, all orders must be placed through Smith & McKenzie Steakhouse. Their facebook page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/SmithAndMcKenzieSteakHouse.
There will be no orders placed through the school*

SHOUT OUT FOR PRODUCTION COSTUMES

Can anyone help with any of the following? Here’s a list of some of the things we are still searching for.
*Please name all items if you would like them returned or it can be a donation.*
White shirts with collar and cuffs to fit Year 7/8 boys.
Flippers – anyone with spare swimming flippers
Black skirts to fit Year 7/8 girls
Red ties
Blue ties (happy if they have pattern or stripes)
Bright coloured ties, NOT fluorescent.
Any red suit jackets to fit 7/8 boys
Any red waistcoats to fit 7/8 boys
Any coloured suit jackets to fit 7/8 boys
Any old fashion looking white or red, or red/white dress to fit small 8 year old girl
Small leather jackets (black,grey,brown)
Items can be dropped off in the office! Thank you!

AIMS Games Sausage Sizzle this Friday, 6th August

Please note there has been a change to this Friday’s lunch plans. Instead of pizza, we will be doing a Sausage Sizzle for Aims Games!!

$2.00 order on kindo now or bring cash at lunch time we will be cooking under the shelter next to the school office.

Weekly Newsletter

Check out our latest newsletter! 

https://www.smore.com/baf6r

Year 4-8 Road Running Tuesday and Thursday this week – remember PE gear and running shoes!

Chickenpox

Parents- please be aware that there are confirmed cases of Chickenpox in the school since returning from the term break. The current cases have been caught and kept home early, but due to the unknown origin of the source we are asking that parents keep an eye on their child(ren) and keep them home if they are starting to show signs or symptoms. Signs of chicken pox can include:  a rash with small bumps that turns itchy and spreads (may look like insect bites), fatigue, a mild fever, generally feeling unwell, potentially lack of appetite.  

AIMS Games – Girls Hockey Practice today at 1pm. The Girls are to bring their training gear.

AIMS Games – Girls Hockey Practice tomorrow at 1pm. The Girls are to bring their training gear.

AIMS Games – Girls Hockey Practice tomorrow at 1pm. The Girls are to bring their training gear.

Pizza Lunch tomorrow – Friday!

$2 per slice.

The PTFA are taking orders by either cash on the day or by Kindo. Orders taken in the library from 8.15am on Friday; or orders via the Kindo App need to be made before 8.30am on the day. Cheese, pepperoni and Hawaiian flavours and gluten free bases available.

Help needed for the Year 7 & 8 Show!

Can you sew? Can you offer a few hours of your time? Mrs Hughes needs some simple costumes / accessories sewn for the Year 7&8 Show later this term. If you can help, please contact Donna on d.hughes@stjosephs.school.nz. Thank you!

Term 3 Team Newsletter now available!

Term 3 Team Newsletter is now available!
The Team Newsletter highlights all the important dates and curriculum outcomes for the entire school as well as each syndicate. Our regular fortnightly newsletter will be posted next week.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b8Pixhhpky9awGTkUWZEmNAGXLu0RAIf/view

Mufti Day Thursday 29th July

Please wear mufti tomorrow and bring a gold coin donation to support our Teams and Individuals who will be competing at AIMS Games in September.

Year 4-8 Road Running will be on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

Children in Year 4-8 will be training for Cross Country by “Road Running” around the block. This week Road Running will be at 8.45am on WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY. Children will need PE gear and shoes to run in. Thanks.

Registration for Lunchtime Cheer and Gymnastics is now open

Registration is now open for lunchtime gymnastics.

Gymnastics will run from 5th August to 23rd September (Thursdays)

https://enrolmy.com/st-joseph-catholic-school-fairfield/book-now/48-Lunchtime-Gymnastics–Term-3 

Registration is now open for lunchtime Cheerleading.

Cheerleading will run 6th August to 24th September (Fridays)
 
https://enrolmy.com/st-joseph- catholic-school-fairfield/ book-now/47-Lunchtime-cheer- 007-Term-3

AIMS Games Quiz Night

Please note the change in time – It’s now 6pm. 

Quiz Night Flyer

Parents vs Kids Quiz Night! AIMS Games fundraiser – enter a team! Flyer attached.

Parents vs Kids Quiz Night – AIMS Games Fundraiser

Reminder: Mufti Day tomorrow!

Our theme this week has been celebrating the many different nationalities, customs, traditions and celebrations of our St. Joseph’s student family. Do you have a traditional dress from your country? Don’t forget to wear it and show it off this Thursday! We will also be collecting gold coins for Caritas Mufti Mania.
Thursday 8th July is also “shared kai” lunch day! This is to celebrate Matariki, and Celebrating Cultures week, and the end of Term 2! Don’t forget to bring your yummy treats!

Week 10 Newsletter

Week 10 Newsletter is now available! This is the last newsletter of term 2. Have a good term break everyone!

Week 10 Newsletter

Cultural Day this Thursday 8th July

Thursday 8th July is a Mufti Day! Our theme this week has been celebrating the many different nationalities, customs, traditions and celebrations of our St. Joseph’s student family. Do you have a traditional dress from your country? Don’t forget to wear it and show it off this Thursday! We will also be collecting gold coins for Caritas Mufti Mania. 

Thursday 8th July is also “shared kai” lunch day! This is to celebrate Matariki, and Celebrating Cultures week, and the end of Term 2! Don’t forget to bring your yummy treats!

Mufti Day Thursday

This Thursday (01/07)  is a Mufti day. The children are to bring a gold coin to support “Stars for Starship” – Come as the star you are. Either dress to show us a talent / interest you have, or just be uniquely you!

AIMS Games Fundraising tomorrow (29/06)

Car Wash $5.00
AIMS games fundraiser – bring in your car and let us bring it back to life with a car wash, support the students raising funds to compete at AIMS games.
Wednesday 30th June @ the church car park starting at 1pm

Sausage Sizzle $2.00
AIMS games fundraiser – grab a sausage on the way home and help support our students going to AIMS.
Wednesday 30th June from 12.30pm @ the church car park.

Wednesday, June 30th Information

Tomorrow school finishes at 12.30pm, this is to allow for Learning Conversations to take place. If your child requires supervision then please click on the link. 
Parents are encouraged to pick their children up at 12.30pm tomorrow.
If you would like your child to walk or bike home at 12.30pm then please email your child’s classroom teacher and let them know. If we don’t receive an email your child will be supervised until 2.45pm.

Nothing Naughty Bars ordered from the PTFA can be collected from the Staffroom after school (some are too heavy for children to carry)

….or collect from school office this week.

Thanks.

AIMS Games Hockey – Practice today at St Paul’s. The girls need to bring their gear.

AIMS Games Hockey – there is a practice tomorrow at St Pauls. The girls need to bring their gear.

Learning Conversations – Supervision Form

Supervision Form

Week 8 Newsletter

Kia Ora Koutou

Here is the latest newsletter:

https://www.smore.com/uag87