ISSUE

15th Feb rua ry 2013

Prayer of the Week

Birthday Wishes
Briarna Gregge 26th February Mataurunga Ropata 28th February
Bless their labors with abundant fruit and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen. -From a prayer for Priests by St Therese of Lisieux

Gospel Values for Term One:

Love, Forgiveness and Justice

Quotes of the Week

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. -Lewis B. Smedes

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. -George Bernard Shaw.

Students enjoying an afternoon of fun on the water slide

These photos have been taken by Claire Tait a huge thank you to her for capturing these great moments.

School News
Subway is Tuesday

26th February. Sunhats compulsary! must wear brimmed a Are wide while

Students hat

outside NO CAPS. School holding Friday 2.30 in Assembly these our on a at All

This year we will be afternoon room.

Special

Principals Commentary:
The year is kicking off at St Patricks school with everyone settling in to their routines nicely. With the influx of new entrant students this term it is especially gratifying to see how everyone opens their arms and welcomes them all into the fold and accepts them as if they had always been here. Thats Gods Grace in action right there. In other schools you could expect to see new students cowering behind their teachers or having to be dragged along to school each day by their parents, sometimes for days or even weeks. Not here. All of our new entrants are loving being here, and that is testament to the professional but personalised care provided by Miss P in the junior room and it is evidence of our Special Character in action. Even in the senior room students are settling in and getting used to being big kids or younger seniors and working in the big kids room. All are coping. Some students may express anxiety with these new challenges or with workloads, homework, or even their expectations of themselves. We know this because we are trained to know this and we are experienced and qualified educators. As a staff we discuss students (in confidence) and we jointly problem-solve. Our priority is to ensure that our students

Character

family and friends are welcome to attend. Swimming Sports Tuesday February 19th from 12.30 at the Waimate Town Pool. It would be great to see parents there to and families the support

children. Postponement day will be Wednesday at 11.00pm. Overnight Camp

Held on 21st February, students are to bring a sleeping bag to sleep in and something for the BBQ for tea. Parents are stay. FASP AGM Held on 7th March at 7.30pm at the School. Everyone is welcome to attend. Scholastic Book Club Due back at school by Friday 8th March. also welcome to

are safe and engaged in learning, at a level that they are capable of. If you have any concerns about where your child is at academically, or about anything to do with their education, make a time to see their teacher and discuss your concerns with them. This seems like a time of change across the wider world at the moment with the resignation of His Holiness Pope Benedict. His decision is brave and may well be appropriate if the alternative was to have a papacy led by someone with rapidly failing health and a lack of the type of energy that will be essential to guide the Catholic Church successfully into an entity that has relevance for all those who over time have forsaken the Mother church and simultaneously for all of those families and peoples that have devoutly adhered to the rites and traditions of Catholicism for generation after generation. A reporter left a message on the answer machine asking what impact this historical event will have on our school. Whilst I never replied (my apologies!) I think that the answer would have been: I suspect that the impact will be negligible in the short term. Any events in Rome would take a long time to filter down to this level and would be somewhat diluted by the distance and time involved. I would hope that the long term effects on our Parish will be deep, profound and positive. I would hope that the effects on all parishes and Catholic schools will be profound and positive. Imagine if the new Pope were to be forward thinking and realistic as well as deeply spiritual and kind. Imagine if the new Pope were to be someone committed to the position because of the privilege of how he could serve all Catholics, rather than because he wants the top job. Imagine if the new Pope could achieve what His Holiness Pope Benedict wanted to achieve, by extending the hand of peace towards all other

of peace towards all other Christian religions. As with all changes, including in the classroom or in the seat of Catholicism all periods of change and transition provide new experiences and opportunities. Sometimes these are not positive and sometimes new faces have a different focus and different ways of doing things even though the goal may be the same. It is the same with the departure of Fathers Peter and Job. While we were used to them and we understood their approach and appreciated their casual, but devout manner we were all undoubtedly saddened by their departure. Also many of us may be apprehensive about the arrival of our new Priests, but I can assure you that they, (as were Frs Peter and Job) are here to serve and teach people about God, provide spiritual guidance and to perform the rites and celebrations of the Catholic Church. As we will have to get used to the new Priests, so they will have to get used to their new parishioners. The following words from Paul the Apostle to the Colossians seems quite appropriate: Put on, then, garments that suit God's chosen and beloved people: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgiving, if any of you has cause for complaint: you must forgive as the Lord forgave you. Many of our school families received a letter in the past few days regarding attendance dues and many of you have expressed your horror to me at feeling that it was aimed at you, despite having paid your dues. Firstly, I also received the same letter, and I have paid my account. The letter was not personalised to you or anyone else in the school community, so was generic and therefore presumably not intended to cause offence. Secondly, The Parish is well

entitled to seek the attendance dues, as they are indeed something that all families are contractually and legally required to pay as part of enrolment in a Catholic School. Non-payment of those fees can and could lead to the Proprietor taking action against the parents or even cancelling the enrolment of the child. Thirdly: This may well be an example of someone new doing things in a way (their way) which contrasts with how the majority are used to doing things. There may indeed have been a better way to have reminded those with outstanding accounts to pay them, rather than shaking the tree to see what falls out, and a direct approach to those tardier payers may have produced less effect on the rest. It is important to note that we are all undoubtedly here to do the best for our children; all of them, including our non-Catholic students and we make no distinction between them in our school. All of our children are treated with respect and we celebrate the holiness of them all. Accounts If any of our school families are having any difficulty in paying the attendance dues, school activity fees, or any other schoolrelated fees on time, please come and talk to us so that we may work out a payment method or timeframe that suits everyone. School camp Next Thursday night 21st) we are going to have an overnight camp at school starting with a bbq tea at about 5:30 and a game or two between parents and students. We are seeking a few parent volunteers to camp over with the kids. We will do as we did last year and sleep in the classrooms. We will split the rooms so that

the girls and younger boys will all sleep in the junior room with Miss P and whichever parent volunteers are keen, and the boys will sleep in the senior room. The both rooms will be able to watch videos in the evening. We will have a shared breakfast on Friday morning before classes. Friday will be a less formal day (mufti ) as many children will be tired and will need to chill out with less challenging tasks than usual. We will send a notice home on Monday and would like to hear from parents then if they are able or willing to stay over on the Thursday night. Hours of office Jess is in the office between 9:00am and 12:30, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and from 93 on Fridays. If you need anything from the office outside these hours, or you wish to make inquiries about a school account there is a very good chance that the person helping you will suggest that you come back at a time when Jess is around. We will do our best of course, but Jess knows how everything in her office works better than the rest of us do. If you are making inquiries about an enrolment please call at the office as we do have enrolment packs there. Board of trustees The next BoT meeting will be held on the 14th of April at 7 oclock in Room 1. Board meetings are public meetings and anyone is welcome to attend. Speaking rights may be granted in advance, to members of the public by the Board chair if a request is made prior to the meeting. Education Review Office (ERO) review We have just received the final

ERO review and I can confirm that we are exceptionally happy with it as it reiterates what we all know; that this is a good wee school and that our students are engaged in learning, safe and well catered for by a professional and caring staff. The board , principal and teachers are committed to developing the child as a whole person Students learning benefits from small class sizes. Students at this school benefit from a broad curriculum that is responsive to their needs. Teachers know their students well as learners and as people. The school is well placed to sustain and improve its performance. There were some procedural areas to tighten up on, but none relating to student achievement and I am delighted about the flavour of the review. It reflects that hard work that the Board of Trustees, staff and of course students have put in. The positive flavour of the review is also indicative of the wonderful school environment that our students generate. The reviewers were in no doubt that this is a good school, with a great bunch of students and a real, tangible, caring approach to learning. Just how I see it folks. Dont be offended. Naku noa na Me rongo (In peace) Darcy Kemp Acting Principal St Patricks School

Community Notices
Waimate Atheletics

Club Every Tuesday night at 5.30pm. Private Maths Tuition Available for groups up to 4 or some oneon-one for all learning. abilities info Also from

Year 1 to Year 13. For more contact Andrea on 689 7794. Recreational Gymnastics Held on Wednesdays 4.45. For at the more contact WHS Gym from 3.45information

Caroline on 689 1174. Playcentre - Waimate Playcentre welcomes pre-schoolers and their families to come along and play at 6 Belt Street Mon/Thur 9-12 noon for more details turn up and play or contact Amanda 689 8982 or Pam 6891176. Junior Starts School 9am Cricket again grounds this from

Saturday at the High

Friends at St Patricks School

Thank you to everyone that came to the FASP meeting last week, great to see some new faces. Decisions on fundraising events for the year, with some dates yet to be confirmed. We will need help from everyone to have a successful year. We will also be raffling firewood soon, tickets $2 and limited to 100 tickets each raffle. Term 1 Annual Easter Egg Hunt 24th March Tickets on sale soon. Term 2 Disco For the Children Term 3 Dance For the Parents, families and friends. Term 4 School Fair

St Patrick School would like to thank the following sponsors

May the Year of Faith be a time for all Catholics to renew their desire and zeal for the Eucharist and to avail themselves regularly of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance. During this Year of Faith, may all Catholics publically proclaim their love for Christ and his Church. May this Year of Faith remind us of ways to serve those in our midst who are overlooked, ignored or rejected, so that all may experience the peace and healing of Christs love. May the Holy Spirit guide the Church during the Year of Faith so that all Catholics may experience a deepened renewal of faith, hope and love. May young people be inspired by this Year of Faith to listen attentively and respond to Gods call to priesthood and religious life.

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