11

5stJuly 2013

ISSUE

Prayer of the Week

Birthday Wishes
Patrick Kemp 6th July Laura Price 8th July O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in thanksgiving for your favours, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all my relatives and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Gospel Values for Term Two:

Reverence and Self Control

Quote of the Week

"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us." Flora Edwards

TYB (to your budget) Property Services

Handyman Services Chimney Sweeping Commercial Domestic Cleaning Rubbish Removals Water Blasting Decorating Services Renovations No Job too small, we do them all. Phone (03) 689 8225. TYB Property Service is a new business in town and they are willing to donate 10% of labour costs back into our school if you use them. and

Quote of the Month

"I had no shoes and always complained, until I met a man who had no feet." Indian Proverb

Junior Room artwork displayed at the Matariki Festival

Senior Room artwork displayed at the Matariki Festival

School News
Subway Tuesday 9th July. Miniball weeks junior with senior unfortunately but enjoyed team two Last seen two the

have

perform The team suffered a well this

very well on the court wins.

another loss last week deserved break

week with a week off due to the poultry show. Absences If your child is going to be absent due to illness, or late because of a medical or equally as appointment something

Principals Commentary:

important, simply let us know why and for how long. Thats all you need to do. Book Club Scholastic book July. Dance Party Tonight is the Friends at St Pats fundraiser you get along along and with and the Bluelight, so make sure support them. It is free admission canteen will be stocked with drinks, lollies and glowsticks for sale. Under 10s kick off at 6pm 7.30 followed by the Over 10s at 8pm 9.30. orders are due back at school by 5th

Tena Koe whanau The final week of term 2 is upon us next week and hopefully, as we have now passed the middle of the year, and we wind up towards the holidays and term 3, hopefully the weather will become a bit more settled for us. A little warmer would be nice too. I will be absent for the following week and for all of week 1 of term 3. During my absence, Mrs Suddaby will be the big chief, with Miss P as her very able sidekick. I have it on very good authority that the school will continue to function as normal and that the sky will not fall in. You will receive your childs report via mail in the first week of the holidays. If you have any questions about it, arrange a time to see your childs teacher, in week two, at a time that suits them too. The first week of the term is always busy for us, so do not expect us to just drop everything on a whim or to know the answers to everything off the top of our heads. Make Treating people fairly an appointment! I have a personal policy of NOT treating my students equally. Uniforms None of my students learn St Patricks School is very exactly the same, nor do any of proudly a uniform school. We them advance at exactly the wear the official Catholic same rate. None of them look uniform, common among all exactly the same, and none of Catholic primary schools in this them behave exactly the same, Diocese. Unfortunately, I have so why would I treat them had cause to remind a few exactly the same. students over the past weeks I prefer to treat people fairly. about wearing correct school For example, my expectations

school uniforms and I see that the message hasnt got through properly. The next step that I will take is to consider issuing consequences to students directly from the behaviour management handbook, such as extra work, detentions, lines, or heaven forbid, rubbish duties, and on that last one; yes, legally we can. If consequences do not have the desired effect then one of the few options left will be to escalate the consequences to stand-downs, suspension or exclusion. Basically, if you dont want to wear our uniform, we do not want you at this school. For those of you that think this a little heavy handed, I disagree. We are a uniform school and we all take pride in wearing our uniforms and I do not want that to change. As the school has a uniform policy in place, we are legally within our rights and quite able to enforce it if students continually or repeatedly disregard the rules. If you as a parent have a problem with the uniform itself, then the correct approach would in the first instance be to let me know, preferably in writing, so that I could consider and respond to your concerns, or so that I could raise it with the Board of Trustees. Those parents that make the effort and pay the uniform costs are being disadvantaged by those that are deliberately ignoring the rules. If you are having difficulty sourcing uniform, through hardship or availability, ask at our office or make a time to come and see me and discuss it. So far, no-one has, so I feel quite justified in mentioning enforcing the rules.

of a year 7 student are probably going to be a lot higher than for a new entrant student, academically and behaviourally. Within each age group I have differing expectations, for learning and for behaviour, and what may be suitable for one as a consequence, may not be for another, depending on what my expectations are. My expectations are based on my professional judgement; my knowledge of how kids learn and develop; all those things that I am trained for; and also on my experiences as a parent. I believe in treating people fairly. I believe that every one of my students has the right to learn and that no one person has the right to interfere with the learning of another. I also believe that reporting to parents should be honest and purposeful. I believe that if I and my staff are going to spend hours and hours of our own personal time creating reports about your children, then that time should be well spent and the reports should be honest reports about where each child is at, academically, physically, spiritually and mentally. Our reports are also based on fairness and they are specifically tailored to each individual child. What that means is that you cannot compare apples with apples, so do not compare one childs report with another as the comparison is irrelevant. The comments on your childs report are about your child. If someone else has a report with similar comments, or vastly different comments and expectations, it is completely irrelevant. We havent had very good role models for fairness in the public domain lately, with some of the examples that have played out across the media over the past 6 months. For example, I still think that the way that Mr Dot Com has been treated and continues to be treated is disgraceful, whether he is an internet crook or not, as even in this country one of the

basic rights we have is protection disheartening to see kids turning u under the law. Everyone agrees that the search and seizure of his house was illegal, yet the government has not returned all of his assets to him and they continue to publicly implicate him. That is not fair. The search and seizure was illegal and therefore not fair. The confiscation of his assets after the illegal search is illegal AND not fair. The retention of his assets is illegal and not fair and having the Government grovelling to assist the FBI on our sovereign soil perpetrate an illegal act is not only illegal and unfair, its downright embarrassing. I note that the governments treatment of a number of schools in their recent announcements of closures has also been lacking in fairness. At least one school was refused access to the data that the ministry claimed was the basis for closure. That is unfair. Not a good example of the collaboration that the Minister expects within her schools either. The rumour mill Rumours abound in small towns like blades of grass. Rumours about schools and students families often happen because schools are usually the focal point within some communities. Recently, one such rumour doing the rounds was about a neighbouring school and its falling roll. I dislike rumours intently as I have seen how destructive they can be. People that have nothing better to do than gossip and spread rumours should really get a life. I would not like to see any of the schools around this town become the

targets of nasty speculative malicious gossip. I therefore happily put on record that I believe whole-heartedly that all of the schools in the Waimate district are very good schools - absolutely. I also can happily state that I believe that the quality of education at any one of these schools is superb and I firmly believe that everyone that works at any one of these schools, including ours, is there for the purpose of improving academic outcomes for the kids at each school. I think that our wee town and district is exceptionally well served by a very dedicated, competent and enthusiastic bunch of teachers, staff and principals. (Our school is of course the best of a very good lot!) There are points of difference between each school, which should be why the schools are chosen by the parents, not because some person with a bee in their bonnet didnt get their own way and wants to stick the knife into the school they have just left. Thats not being informative, thats just distasteful. People that spread rumours really need to have the courage of their convictions and say it to those that they are talking about, rather than behind their backs. Do not speculate about the lives of others either until you know the full facts. Often we hear bits

of juicy gossip about what someone else is doing and then the story gets blown out of shape and proportion. Dont buy into that stuff. Rely only on what you get from the horses mouth. If you need to know so badly what someone else is up to, ask the horse directly. If the smell is unbearable, its because horses eat grass and dont care what you think about their breath. Often kids in the playground will say something about someone else that they think, rather than what they know and then someone else picks it up and the whole rumour morphs into a completely unrealistic version of a non-truth. Sometimes kids come to school bearing news that they have overheard at home, only to be put straight by someone else that has heard something similar. In my class for example, we try and focus on facts, not innuendo or inference and if students have news, they are encouraged to back it up with dates, locations and names, etc. Just my views folks. Dont be offended. Naku noa na Darcy Kemp Principal St Patricks School Waimate

Community Notices
Kyokushin Looking members young to and Karate for sign up, old.

new

something for everyone, Beginners will be held on Mondays at 5.30 6.30 at St Patricks Hall, Cameron Waimate. Turnbull Recreational Gymnastics Develop your childs of physical strength, coand on the during at School attributes flexibility, self Street, Contact Ken

agility,

ordination, self esteem, discipline Held confidence. Wednesdays school Waimate terms High

Hall from 3.45 4.45, cost is $45 per term. Contact Caroline Frogley 689 1174. Waimate Representative Netball Trials will be held on Sunday 7th July at 2pm at the Waimate

Students performing at Matariki Festival

Netball Courts. Teams to be selected are Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Under 15 and Under 17. If you wish to be considered

Matariki / Ka Toi

Wasnt that an absolutely fantastic performance last week at the High School by our but cant make Sunday students. please contact Andrea Please check out our facebook page to see a great video of their performance. Well The Beatitudes Meyer on 689 5558 or done to Mrs Suddaby and Miss P. for their efforts in coaching, training and prepping 027 308 6526. the students. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. During weeks 1-3 of next term we will be working hard out on the Ka Toi Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess the land. performance. This is not at the expense of reading, writing, RE or maths. These Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. subjects are still taught and integrated across all learning areas as well. that thirst after justice; for they shall be filled. We will need to get an Blessed idea early are nextthey term of thehunger best wayand of travelling, ie: parents Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. cars, versus taking a bus there and back. Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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 Caf and Wine Bar and love.

St Patrick School would like to thank the following sponsors

Caf on Queen

Open 7 days May young people be 25 Queen Street inspired by this Year of Ph: (03) 689 6010
Faith to listen attentively and respond to Gods Breakfasts call to priesthood and religious life. Lunches

Evening Meals

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