Dear God,

You come to us in Jesus who teaches us that the way to happiness is through our love for one another.

Watch over the teachers, students and families of Sacred Heart Cathedral School as we try to be faithful to this teaching.

Help us to be a welcoming and joyful community, so that others may come to know your love and peace.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

Kia ora koutou.

Welcome:

Welcome to 2024 at Sacred Heart Cathedral School and a special welcome to the new families joining our school. For those who are new to the school, I am the Presiding Member of the board of trustees.

We warmly welcome our new teachers – Anna Revington, Hannah Ryan and Nik Solia and we welcome back Ann Stephen from refreshment leave.  We also welcome Fr. Patrick to the Sacred Heart Cathedral parish.

Board Meeting:

The Board met for the first meeting of 2024 last week.

Our strategic discussion was Academic and Personal Development.  This year there is a school personal development focus on wellbeing (for staff and students), teaching specifically about the Zones of Regulation and managing emotions. 

Our 2024-26 Strategic Plan which was finalised last year has been lodged with the Ministry of Education and a one-page plan is found below this message.  This outlines the four areas of focus (Our Faith, Our Learners, Our Staff and Our Community) and the initiatives under each area for the next three years.

Professional Coaching Support for Principal Leadership Role Funding:

As part of the recent settlement to the Primary Principals’ Collective Agreement 2023-2025, it was agreed that in each of 2023 and 2024 principals can access funding to ensure that they can access coaching and support which enhances their leadership role and supports their professional development and wellbeing. Bernadette has worked with the Board to finalise her use of these funds and will be attending the following:

• Principals’ Delegation to Canada to undertake school visits, meet with the Calgary Board of Education (to discuss a focus on wellbeing for staff and students and how Indigenous learning programmes support equitable educational outcomes) and attending the ULead Educational Leadership Conference (a conference focussing on transformational leadership in schools). Bernadette will be traveling with eight Principals from New Zealand, during April 2024 school holidays.
• Catholic Convention, Wellington, June 2024
• New Zealand Principals Federation Conference, Christchurch, September 2024

Donations:

Thank you very much to everyone who has paid their donations to the school. Although donations are not compulsory, they enable our school to provide high quality programmes of learning and we rely on these funds to enhance the life of the school through supporting cultural activities, sports, employing additional staff to supplement learning support, and provide extra teachers. The general school donation will be used for:

• ICT classroom equipment (Chrome books and iPads);
• New adaptive furniture that supports a vibrant and flexible learning environment;
• Resources to support health and PE programmes;
• Resources to support Literacy, Mathematics and Science learning;
• Resources to support the external environment.

Your support is greatly appreciated by us. The donations (both general and specific) qualify for a rebate of 33%. If you would like further information on this and how to claim, please click on the link below:

https://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax/income-tax-for-individuals/individual-tax-credits/tax-credits-for-donations

Please contact Frances at frances@sacred-heart.school.nz if you have not received a donation receipt or if you have any questions.

If you have any questions about the above, please email or call me: suzanneadair@hotmail.com, 021 039 7558.

Ngā mihi nui,

Suzanne Adair

Presiding Member of the Sacred Heart Cathedral School Board of Trustees

Kia ora koutou e te whānau,

A very special welcome to Asher who has started school on Monday and has joined the students in Room 1 and Rebecca has joined Room 6 last Thursday. Asher and Rebecca, you will love your time at Sacred Heart Cathedral School and will make lifelong friends. A very warm welcome to your whānau as well.

We had a wonderful day together last Friday. I really want to thank our staff for their planning and execution of the plan on the day. It is not easy taking a whole school to the beach but our staff just make it all look easy. Our students all behaved in a way that was in line with what we expect at Sacred Heart Cathedral School. To keep safe, be respectful and be responsible. Thank you to our whānau and our staff. I am  so grateful for all the support you gave us on the day. I love looking around and seeing members of our school community interact together. Beach Day was indeed a team effort.

On the same day as Beach Day, John and Therese Grevatt gave birth to their little daughter, Millie Alexandra. Mum, Dad and big brother Cole are all going really well.

Lenten Prayer:

Help us to grow in understanding that we are welcomed as part of God’s family, and our own special Catholic School Community here at Sacred Heart Cathedral School.
Throughout  Lent help us to encounter Christ and experience transformative power in our lives. We apply our learning by showing Christ’s love to others through our words and actions.

Bernadette's win of the week - Seeing the children concentrating and trying out new dance moves with Mark.

Have a wonderful week.

Arohanui,
Bernadette Murfitt
Tumuaki
Sacred Heart Cathedral School

This year all of our students are learning about positively regulating themselves.

Staff are receiving intensive training and students are in the early stages of learning vocab to describe how they are feeling.

Here is some vocabulary you might like to explore with your child. These are important concepts for us all inside and outside the classroom.

Pononga- Honesty: speaking the truth, genuinely presenting ourselves. Acting sincerely while taking responsibility for own actions.

Ohu- Teamwork: Working well as a member of a group or team, and being loyal to the group.

Tōkeke- Fairness: Giving everyone a fair chance.

Please click the lick to know more details - Netsafe Online

There is a lot of COVID around we are encouraging students to wash and hand sanitize. We do have masks available as well.

I know we are living with COVID but it is important that we keep our staff, students and SHCS whānau well. If your child is sick or not feeling well, they need to stay at home until they are feeling better.

On Friday, 23rd February we will have a wheels' night here at school for our Juniors (Rooms 1, 2 and 3) and Middles (Rooms 5, 6 and 7) from 5pm-7pm. Bring your own dinner/takeaways and meet other families from our school.

The stronger the connection we have between home and school, the better.

Together, we can work to help your child achieve their goals.

Please click on the link below or scan the QR Code to make a booking with your child's teacher on either 4th March (Monday) or 5th March (Tuesday).

• Link: https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/xrha8

OR USE THE

• QR Code:

  

On Friday, 8th March, students will come in their school uniform as per normal and choose their own fancy footwear.

If you have any friends who are considering Sacred Heart Cathedral School, tell them to pop into our "School in Action Day" on Wednesday, 13th March between 9am to midday.

The public health nurses are coming to our school in the week starting 11th March to provide immunisation for Y7 tamariki. The team will vaccinate the Year 7 who have returned their form giving consent to receive these vaccinations. 

•  If you have changed your mind or your situation has changed please contact - res-immunisation@huttvalleydhb.org.nz or call 04 587 2949.
•  If you have not yet consented, but want to, please collect a consent form from the school office or contact public health at 04 587 2949.
•  If you declined the vaccines last year but you have changed your mind and you now want your year 8 child to receive the vaccine(s) please collect a consent form from the school office or contact 04 587 2949.
•  If you have any questions or concerns please contact - res-immunisation@huttvalleydhb.org.nz or call 04 587 2949.

Ngā manaakitanga,

Immunisation Team | National Public Health Service | Capital, Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa

P: (04) 570 9797 | RES-NIR@huttvalleydhb.org.nz | www.rph.org.nz

Thank you so much to the families who came into school last week or joined us online for the camp information session.

Thank you also to those parents who have taken leave and will join us out at Kaitoke.

The camp is $190.00 and can be paid into the school account

ASB #12-3140-0325505-00. Please indicate your child's name and "camp" in the reference field.

Special thanks to the families who have paid. We are super grateful.

We did receive a grant from Knights of the Southern Cross for $1,000.00 and we were unsuccessful with our other grant application.

Kaitoke is a wonderful camp with really good facilities and activities. A camp experience teaches our students so much about themselves and is an opportunity to try new things and socialise with a wide range of people.

Tomorrow is our mini ice blocks fundraiser for the Seniors Camp 2024. The cost of an ice block is $1.00 each.

Summer Soccer:

Sacred Heart Junior Strikers versus Karori Thunderbolts – Final score 0-6.

A tough game again, but the team played with great heart and spirit. Lots of awesome teamwork. Player of the day was Owen (Room 3) for playing some awesome defensive moves and all-around speed.

Netball Season in Term 2 and Term 3:

Calling all Year 5 to 8 students!

Is your child interested in playing netball this year? 

Season starts Term 2 and Term 3 - Saturday, 4th May.

Location: Evans Bay Intermediate Netball courts Tacy St, Kilbirnie.

Please directly contact Lalita via email lalitaschmidt@gmail.com for more information/registration.

Round the Bays Fun Run:

Enrico (Room 8) and Owen (Room 3) and their parents all took part in the Wellington Round the Bays fun run on Sunday, 18th February, where Enrico was placed 4th in the results listings, with a time of 24 mins 18 seconds at Round the Bays Wellington - Nutrient Rescue 5.5KM Active Families run.  Well done Enrico and well done to the whole family for participating in this event.

Kia Ora all,

Wow! I can’t believe it’s nearly winter netball already! If you could all please send this out to your netball community and those Year 8s interested in umpiring!

Please find attached the registration form for our Kiwi Whistlers program! Please note we only have 12 spaces available and priority will be given to those who can supply their own mentor! 

All the information can be found attached within the form and further info will be sent out upon receiving confirmation! 

Please note that it is a privilege to be able to participate in this program and lack of attendance both to the training or to the games will be frowned upon.

Get in fast as our spaces fill up quickly!!

Please email us if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Mai  

Collect the Yummy cut-out labels from bags (each cut-out label is worth 10 stickers) and individual Yummy apple stickers for your school’s share of the $200,000 free Sport sports gear prize pool. Yummy apples are available from New World, PAK’nSAVE and participating Four Square stores. The more you collect, the more sports gear you get so get going and start collecting your Yummy cut-out labels and stickers now! Hand in your stickers to Ms Revington in Room 9, Mrs Stephen in Room 1 or the school office.  Thank you!