Newsletter Wk7 5 Sept 2022

Kia Ora Koutou Katoa, Talofa Lava, Malo e Lelei, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Kia Orana, Hola como Estas, Marhaba, Greetings to you all.

The Gospel passage from Luke 14:25-33 comes up every year and we’ve heard it before. We know that Jesus is not telling us literally to hate all those near and dear to us. That would deny so many other things in the Scriptures including the fourth Commandment to honour one’s Father and Mother. We celebrated Father’s Day on Sunday and I hope all the Dads among us enjoyed their special day and gave thanks for the gift of fatherhood. We are called to love our parents and those close to us, and to love ourselves. We know the Great Commandment, ‘Love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength and your neighbour as yourself. In fact, this commandment gives perspective to the words of the Gospel. Our love for God comes first, before all other attachments, both human and material. Jesus is saying, put me first in your life. You are ‘my’ disciple. I am the one you follow. Listen to my voice, not the voices that drag you down and lead you to doubt my presence with you.

Jesus does not beat around the bush, to follow him will demand of us a cost, as it did for him. He faced the cross and he asks us to take up our cross too. All of us here have experienced the hardships and challenges of life in one way or another, misunderstandings within our families, the clash of expectations they may have for us, ill health and grief, false judgements, and insecurity, the bad choices we’ve made and others have made affecting us. All these things can disturb, shake our confidence, and undermine our faith. How important it is for us at times like this to cry out as Jesus did, ‘take this cup from me. However, not my will but your will be done’. It calls for so much letting go and letting God.

Is God inviting you to let go and to trust him more?

Blessings to all the Dad's today and for the week ahead.

Dear Parents

I trust everyone enjoyed the short school week and that our tamariki were able to have some additional rest and relaxation and are feeling energized for the last four weeks of this term.

The teachers attended two very interesting days of professional development at the end of last week. One day was at school with outside providers on the further development of our mathematics programme and on Friday we joined with our South Auckland Catholic Schools Kahui Ako for a one day conference on Hauora - Wellbeing. This was a most worthwhile day with Guest Speakers, Wiremu Gray and Doctor Michelle Johansson.

Wiremu spoke about the Te Whare Mauri Ora, a model for Hauora that helps you to know where you stand and know your purpose, mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. He also spoke of the 5 ways to wellbeing - connecting, being active, giving and taking, noticing and keeping on learning.

One big take away that I believe most of us already know is the importance of sleep and for most people it is 8 hours a night and for our tamariki it is closer to 10 hours sleep per night. This is an aspect of everyone’s life that only you as an individual or as a parent, caregiver or whanau can control. Perhaps a Hauora Goal this month could be: Are we all getting enough sleep?

Dr Michell Johansson is a Tongan Educator who works alongside teachers to inspire and empower them to grow future leaders who are able to walk tall in all of their worlds. She was a very powerful and motivational speaker.

Arohanui.

Nga manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa
Julie Paul

Principal

We welcome the following student to our school community during the past month and we hope they will enjoy their time here as they journey with us Learning and Growing in Christ: Matilda Smith.

Tongan Language Week started on the 4th of September until the 10th of September. With a population of over 100,000 people as well as thousands of people of Tongan descent living in New Zealand, the existence of Tongan Language Week holds great importance.

This year’s theme for Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga - Tongan Language Week - is: Ke Tu'uloa 'a e lea faka-Tonga 'i Aotearoa, which means Sustaining the Tongan Language in Aotearoa. Our Tongan Students and teachers will be preparing a Tongan School Assembly to celebrate their culture with our school this week.

Please ensure that you are up to date with your Attendance Dues and that all automatic payments are at a level to meet the required amount that is due each term. If you have any queries please see Helen Peri or email her at accounts@hcsp.nz. We have been asked to follow up with any families who are in arrears by the Auckland Common Fund Limited who collect the attendance dues.

Happy Father’s Day!

We honour and think of you all -

The experienced Dads,

The new Dads,

The men waiting to become Dads,

The Step Dads and Foster Dads,

The Amazing Single Dads,

The Dads who have lost children,

The men who fufill the roles of Dads,

The special Grandads,

And the Dads who are no longer with us.

To all these important, special and much loved men we ask God’s blessings on you all on your special day and always. Congratulations and we hope you all had a lovely day and know how much you are appreciated and loved.

We will be having a draw this week for one of our Fathers to receive our Father’s Day Duffy Book.

We were so proud of our school band Hot Mess who participated in the Band Fest last Thursday night at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls Grammar School.

There were ten bands from the South Auckland Region and we were placed second. This was a huge achievement and so well deserved. Congratulations to all the girls.

• Keyboard: Delylah Alisi Aiono
• Guitarist: Ayva Collins
• Bass Guitar: Adrienne Walter-Laulu
• Drummer: Jiselle Tuiafitu
• Vocalists: Dylia Walter-Laulu, Laila ‘Ofamo’oni, Jernee Mika

Special thanks to Mr James Kaleti who has worked tirelessly with the band ensuring it reached this high standard and to Mr Rob Allen who also supported the band.

AIMS

We farewelled our Year 7 & 8 AIMs netball team on last Sunday as they travelled to Tauranga to compete in the AIMs Games. They will be playing netball alongside 102 other teams throughout the week. The team will be accompanied by Miss Ahriel Siluuga, Mrs Janice Pili and Mr Alex Lui. We are also grateful to Mrs Kath Krone who is our official umpire for the tournament. We wish them well and trust they will have an enjoyable experience with great results.

Sports Camp

Yesterday 20 girls left for the John Walker Find your Field of Dreams Sports Camp at the YMCA Camp Adair, Hunua for the week. During the week the girls will participate in a range of different sports individually, in teams and combine with De La Salle for the mixed team events. This is an excellent opportunity for those participating and as it has been heavily sponsored the cost for the week was minimal. The girls will be accompanied by Mr Shaun Ginders, Mrs Anne Kelly and Ms Janine Waith.

Water Polo

On Tuesdays we have been offered free coaching for our water polo players at Mountford Park. A group of players have been selected and will attend these coaching sessions for the remainder of the term. Special thanks to Mrs Esther Anitelea and Mrs Betty Ryan for organising this.

There will be NO netball games on Thursday 1st September for Years 4 - 6 netball teams as we have two Teacher Only Days this week on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd September.

The B4 School Check is a nation-wide free health and development check for 4 year olds before they start school. It to identify and address any health, behavioural, social, or developmental concerns which could affect a child’s ability to get the most benefit from school, such as a hearing problem or communication difficulty.

This is a reminder as some children have missed out on this check due to COVID 19 and Lockdowns so we are reminding parents and caregivers to follow up if your child has missed out on this free health and development check. For more information on the delivery of the B4 School Check in your area, contact your DHB’s key contact .

Counties Manukau Kathy Casey 0800 104 105 kathy.casey@middlemore.co.nz

The latest catalogue, number 6, has been distributed and the online order has opened. This will close on Friday, 16 September, to ensure all orders are here before the holidays.

Thank you to all the families who have sorted out their child’s uniforms. Everyone looked good for their photographs. Please encourage your children to wear the correct uniform with pride. Several boys still need to change their incorrect short black socks for the knee length navy socks that are available in the office. My apologies but we only have a limited number of girls ties available and will not be able to get any more this term.

Please check your child has plain black shorts and the school t-shirt for Physical Education if they are in Year 3 and above.

Please ensure you return your voting papers by Wednesday 7 September by 4pm as this is the closing time. Postal Votes will be accepted up until the 12 September.

The Harinui Syndicate are having a visit to the Papatoetoe Library on Wednesday, 7th September. They will be leaving school at 11.30am and will be back at school by lunchtime.

Every time you buy a pair of shoes, $10 is DONATED BACK TO YOUR SCHOOL

The School Rewards Programme is a great fundraising opportunity, with $10 from every pair of shoes purchased being donated back to your school. This applies to the whole family across our fantastic range of school, sports, work and casual shoes.

You or any of your family can purchase shoes at any Athlete Foot Store and give our school’s name and we will receive $10.00.

www.theathletesfoot.co.nz Sylvia Park (09) 886 9830 Botany (09) 888 0572 (09) 886 9722 2 Manukau (09) 884 0407

Download our school app (which is free) so that you receive announcements and newsletters from school to keep you up to date.

This is what the app looks like on either the PlayStore (for Android phones) or the App Store (for iPhones). Please download it if you haven’t done so already.

Email: office@hcsp.school.nz
Website: https://hcsp.school.nz/
Location: Holy Cross Catholic School Papatoetoe 21 Carruth Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland, New Zealand
Phone: +64 9 278 8224
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hcsp.school.nz