Newsletter No: 10 July 2008

Dear Parents / Caregivers

As Term 2 comes to a close we are sending out this interim newsletter to highlight just a few of the activities from this term and to remind you of key dates for Term 3. A more comprehensive newsletter will be posted to you in the holiday break. I hope you have a safe and happy 2 weeks with your children.

God Bless

Paul Daley

Principal

TERM 3 KEY DATES – 2008. A Term 3 calendar will be posted to you in the holiday break along with the newsletter.

PTFA BOOK AND CAR BOOT SALE

A HUGE THANK YOU to all who helped with the second hand book sale on Saturday 28 June. Despite the cold weather all went well. Approx. $700.00 was raised, including the funds raised from the car boot sale. A special thank you to all the students who helped.

PTFA SAUSAGE SIZZLE

The next PTFA sausage sizzle will be held on Friday 15^th August.

UNIFORM SHOP HOLIDAY OPENING HOURS

Thursday 17 July - 5.30pm – 7.30pm.

ELIZABETH MICHAEL SCHOOL UNIFORM SALE

Elizabeth Michael Schoolwear is having a big mid-winter sale during the month of July (or while stocks last) on selected uniform items.

For more information on selected styles please call Elizabeth Michael Ph 358 1680.

2008 JAPAN STUDY TOUR

Our destinations were Utsunomiya, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Kyoto (and a half day trip to Nara). We would like to begin our report back with special acknowledgement of thanks to our Board of Trustees, our Principal, Mr Daley, and the Sasakawa Fellowship Fund for Japanese Language Education (School Trip Grants) and Asia NZ Foundation (School Study Exchange Programme) for their support.

There were many highlights of this trip, particularly the 5 days under direction of the Utsunomiya City International Association, and their genuine care and pleasure in providing a well organised programme of activities and volunteer home stays. The first night after arrival was spent together, then, each student was singularly placed with their family for 2 full days meeting the group again for activities. The activities during these days varied with each family and many tried to cater specifically to the interests of their student – zoo visits, science centre visits, neighbour afternoon teas, watching school rugby trainings etc. For some of our students this was the first time away from home and family, but through single placement, each was encouraged to be independent and communicate with their host families..

These were followed by 3 days of organised activities. A visit to Utsunomiya Junior College was a privilege– introducing the administration and governance of the school, visiting classrooms in action, receiving a sit down 3 course lunch meal in the canteen, producing a lead light glass souvenir under the direction of teachers and students, attending the tea ceremony and highlighted by the students’ delight in trying on kimono. Further more our appearance in the local newspaper was an unexpected surprise. Our trip to Nikko National Park presented us with spring growth, blossom trees, lakes, waterfalls, winding roads, temples and shrines, and we also visited the scaled model constructions of Tobu World Square. Along the way were many country views of rice fields which were being prepared for planting.

Official visits to the City Hall saw us meeting with the Deputy Mayor in a very formal round table arrangement introducing ourselves in Japanese and exchanging gifts. The farewell party and celebrations were led well with our students presenting their host families with speeches in Japanese, sharing a dinner meal, before participating in less formal singing and entertaining with approximately 150 people. The students met the high expectations demanded of public speaking and to achieve this in another language was very pleasing. Our students were often complimented on their good behaviour and friendly positive attitudes. Students were very efficient in completing their Study Tour Tasks and were very reliable and prompt to scheduled meeting times as arranged throughout the tour. An interlude before travelling to the capital city, Tokyo, saw us visiting Disneyland for a day of fun.

Beginning the second part of our journey saw us independently travelling on our Japan Rail Passes. In Tokyo we learned about being able to identify everyone in the group from the masses, staying informed, aware and together amidst crowds of people. We stood stunned as the over 300km/hr Shinkansen travelled though the station for our first viewing. Negotiating routes and purchasing local train tickets became familiar and was not as daunting as first imagined. The opportunity to learn a new skill was very well received by the students as, in pairs, they took turns to negotiate the routes and regularly check and control the group. From Tokyo Tower we viewed very compact sections of graveyards and some artificial surfaced playing fields, amidst schools and high rise residential apartment buildings and business centres. A cruise down the river in Tokyo exhibited amazing bridge constructions and architecturally designed buildings.

As we moved south to the City of Hiroshima the western influence was more evident – more cars, faster cars and wider streets. The museum provided a vivid and very moving presentation of the disaster of the atomic bomb attack and the open grassed Peace Park was a serene contemplative place in which you could spend hours sitting and thinking. The presentation of 1000 paper cranes by our students at the Sadako Memorial was our symbolic recognition of our need to contribute to world peace. A boat trip to Miyajama Island took in oyster farms, deer, a temple, gondola ride and sightings of monkeys.

The move to Kyoto, the once capital and centre of Japanese culture and history, is a place where old exists beside developing new environs. Visits to shrines, ancient temples, and the Imperial Place with its armed guards were included alongside the Golden Pavilion and the Nara Deer Park.

After two weeks of living amidst high rise grey concrete buildings, breathing air-conditioning or heated air, having fine days under grey hazy skies and crowds of people, our return to Auckland on a clear morning was a welcomed contrast - vivid colours of sky and grass, the wide clear views to the horizons, the ‘small’ city of Manukau, and the open green fields of our College grounds.

(Please check our school website www.sanctamaria.school.nz/Department/Languages/Japanese/Japan Study Tour )

LANGUAGES LEARNING NEWS CORNER

Congratulations : French Film Festival – Short –Doc- Film competition

Congratulations to Julia Young, Deborah Simmons, Lucy Turley and Jordana Thompson of Year 13 French who gained 2^nd prize in this national competition with their film entitled, “With Catholic Faith As His Compass.” The film is a documentary about Bishop Pompallier bringing Catholicism to New Zealand and how our school is connected to his visit.

Student Exchange Scholarship: Nihon ni ikimashoo ka. La France? Allons-y!

For students of languages, there are a number of cultural and educational exchanges and scholarships designed to enhance and advance languages learning skills. Our students are encouraged to talk with their language teachers.

Eight new New Zealand Institute of International Understanding (NZIIU) Student Exchange Scholarships are available for students of languages to apply. If you are interested see Mrs Kevern or Mrs Read for further information or visit www.student-exchange.co.nz

Dates of events to come:

· Utsunomiya-Manukau City Term Exchange (two students – 21 July ~ 20 August 2008)

· Sancta Maria Gakuen High School Exchange & Homestay ( 28 July ~ 11 August 2008)

· Assessment Language Competence Certificate 1, 2, and 3 ( 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th August 2008)

· International Languages Week (18^th August ~ 24^th August 2008)

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND

25 – 27 July at Knock-Na-Gree, 581 West Coast Road, Oratia, Auckland.

This weekend is intended to help married couples revitalise and enrich the intimacy, love and

romance in their marriage.

Phone: 0800 ENCOUNTER (0800 362 686) for more information and Book Now!