Principal's Message

Kia ora koutou katoa,

Amongst our other notices and celebrations, in this Newsletter you will find registration details of two forthcoming events that will enable all parents and caregivers to engage with the college in person.

There are details below about Parent Teacher Interviews on the 10th and 11th of April and how to book appointment slots for teachers. We welcome all to this event to discuss the effort and progress of your child(ren). A reminder that school finishes at 12:50pm on these dates and buses depart at 1:00pm.

There is a link below to register for up to 2 seats per family for our inaugural House Parades, where each House will be introducing our community to their Patron Saints. Seeing the efforts that staff and students have been putting into preparation for this during house time, it is an event not to be missed!

We are ready for the opening of The Hungry Wolf next week, our providers are supplying a good range of freshly made food and no sugar drinks.  A reminder that students can pay using cash, EFTPOS or PayWave.

Finally, on behalf of all at the college, we wish you a Blessed Easter and restful long weekend. May the Blessed promise of the risen Christ bring joy and peace to us all.
Finding God in All Things.
In veniens Deum in omnibus. 

Dean Wearmouth

College Life

Parent / Ākonga / Kaiako Interviews Term One

Our first Parent / Ākonga / Kaiako Interviews for 2024 are scheduled for April 10th and 11th from 2pm - 7pm. 

Note: Students will finish at 12:50pm both days and buses will be rescheduled for this earlier finish.

You are warmly invited to book an interview time with your child's respective teachers. If your child's report reflects a successful term and curriculum levels are appropriate for their year, it is not necessary to book.

If you have concerns about progress, your child's current curriculum level or another pressing matter, please follow the process below.

Click the link or use the QR code provided.
Enter your details. Select the day, time and teacher to make your booking

BOOKING LINK
https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/7mxd9

BOOKING QR CODE

The Arts

Inspired by our school crest art students have been designing, drawing and painting their own personal crests. Students have learnt about the design process, visual symbolism, colour theory, and as well as developing their painting skills in watercolour and acrylic paint. Students have produced some beautiful and original expressions of their identities. A sample of student work will be on display in the art room and the library.

Sports

Swimming Sports
Kei te tino harikoa au ki tō tatou tāmariki.

What a wonderful day for our ākonga showing their abilities in swimming but also their manākitanga me whānaungatanga for their fellow ākonga me tāngata katoa.
Whilst it was a great day for our swimmers, some of our students were confronted with a member of the public having a medical event in the pool and requesting an ambulance. Our students jumped straight into action to help them, holding this person above the water until a lifeguard took over. This quick action saved their life. 
We were able to continue the day with our ākonga showcasing talents and our school values, the 4 C's of Compassion, Conscience, Commitment, and Competence.
Kia pai tō rā whakatā

Ngā mihi,
Whaea Melanie Kemp

Results
Year 7 Champion Boy: Paul Eyton-Fa'afiu
Year 7 Champion Girl:  Sian Balle
Year 8 Champion Boy: Jacob Ennor
Year 8 Champion Girl: Rafabella Forsyth
Year 9 Champion Boy: Aiden Tod
Year 9 Champion Girl: Annabelle Shields and Elysia Rollo

Overall Swimming Sports Champions:   Equal Aiden Tod and Jacob Ennor with 10 wins each

Athletics day Results
Best athletic performance by a Year 7 Girl:
Azariah Stobart - 3rd in 100m, 1st place in Long Jump, 200m, 400m

Best athletic performance by a Year 7 Boy:
Martin Sanchezros - 1st place in Long Jump, High Jump, 1st equal in 100m

Best athletic performance by a Year 8 Girl:
Indiana Falanitule  - 1st in 100m and 200m

Best athletic performance by a Year 8 Boy:
Nacho Esquivel Garcia - 1st place in Long Jump, High Jump, 100m, 200m, 400m. 

Best athletic performance by a Year 9 Girl:
Emereziana Lautua - 1st in 100m, 200m, 400m

Top athlete overall was - Nacho Esquivel Garcia

Individual Event Results are available in the Athletics Day News item link at the bottom of this Newsletter.

Fabric Technology
Ākonga in our Fabric Technology classes have been working on designing and sewing their own Emoji creations. Each student is being encouraged to show our school value of compassion, and donate their Emoji to the Children's Recovery Unit at Middlemore Hospital.
A few students finished their work early, and were able to complete large Emoji cushions, which will be used in our Sick Bay - St Loyola Medical Centre. Here we have Logan Bower, Madi Clark, and Ella Neels showing off their creations.

Ākonga Achievement
Congratulations to Savanna Styles for her outstanding effort in the Horse of the Year competition held earlier this year. Savanna came away with the following incredible results: 3rd in the Category A Show Hunter Pony of the Year title class, 2nd in the National 12 Years and Under rider series, and 3rd in the National Category B Pony High Points series.

On Monday 17th & Tuesday 18th March students Pippa Wilson, Summer Morton & Milla Fogarin competed at the Cambridge Grains Pegasus Cup (Secondary Schools Show Jumping Championships). They showed great skill and school spirit while representing our school.

Maddison Briones danced at The New Zealand Dance Awards on the 29th February and 1st March. She qualified for the Nationals with her Lyrical, Jazz, Musical Theatre and Hip Hop dances, and she also won a second place medal in Hip Hop.
Last weekend, on the 17th of March, she competed at the Bays School of Dance Competition. At this event she won the 1st place trophy for her Musical Theatre dance, and the 1st place trophy for her Hip Hop dance. Congratulations to Maddison!

Congratulations to Jacob Hughes and George Moody, who were both awarded Most Valuable Player in their separate age groups this season for Karaka Cricket Club. Congratulations!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Celebrating Ākonga
This week the following ākonga/student were recognised by their Manutaki for having received an outstanding Weekly Excellence Review.  

Year 7 - Yasmin Giri
Year 8 - Hayden Waters
Year 9 - Jamie Barillas

These ākonga/students will receive their certificates at the whole school assembly next week.  We celebrate these ākonga/students being more fully alive and reflecting the greater glory of God through their work and actions.

Cura Personalis

House Parades Tuesday April 9th
Over the last few weeks our House groups have been busy preparing their presentation for our inaugural House Parades.  This is an opportunity for each House Community to build relationships, grow in leadership, develop their gifts and talents and capture something truly unique about each House spirit.  The theme of our House Parades this year is 'Growing Community'.  The parades this year will be judged by a panel of carefully selected judges who have been involved in the growth and development of our College community over the last two decades.

As this is a supervised and controlled event onsite we are delighted to be able to invite ākonga/students to bring a guest to share in this event with.  Guests are requested to arrive at 1:15 pm ready for the start of the House Parades at 1:30pm.

We have limited space in La Stora so please register your attendance by following the link below.

House Parade Registration

Weekly Excellence Reviews
We have received some really positive feedback regarding our Weekly Excellence Reviews.  These are an important part of our three-fold process of accompanying ākonga to achieve their personal excellence.

Many ākonga receive a '3' for their subjects which indicates that they displaying personal excellence in the classroom and beyond.  Some ākonga receive a '4' which celebrates exceptional achievement which goes above and beyond what is expected.

Occasionally ākonga receive a 1 or 2 grade in their subjects.  Kaiako/teachers will inform ākonga if they are receiving a 1 or 2 so that they fully understand the reasons for this.  1 or 2 are given when ākonga/students have failed to meet or inconsistently worked towards their personal excellence.  Some possible reasons why ākonga/students receive a 1 or 2 might be due to failing to bring in correct equipment for learning, not meeting deadlines, inconsistent participation in learning or not demonstrating the 4 C's (Commitment, Competence, Compassion and Conscience) in their work or actions.

Each week Manutaki/year level deans monitor ākonga/students who receive 1 or 2's in their Weekly Excellence Review.  Faculties also identify ākonga who have received these results in their subjects areas.  Faculties work through a cycle of monitoring each term to reflect on concerns and plan appropriate intervention strategies to ensure that ākonga are supported on their journey towards personal excellence.

We encourage you to discuss the Weekly Excellence Reviews with your child/ren in order to celebrate their achievements and successes.  We also ask you to discuss times when ākonga/students have not met expectations and reflect on possible strategies that can be put in place to ensure that they are able to work fully and consistently towards their personal excellence.  

If you would like to discuss your child/s Weekly Excellence Review please contact their Manutaki:

Year 7 Manutaki: Daryl Blincoe ([email protected])
Year 8  Manutaki: Melissa Bell ([email protected])
Year 9 Manutaki: Luke Williams ([email protected])

The Hungry Wolf

Here is the trial menu for the Hungry Wolf. All items are freshly made and can be purchased using cash, EFTPOS and payWave. Students purchasing from The Hungry Wolf must line up in single file and have their payment ready. We are looking forward to seeing you from 3rd April onwards!

Upcoming Events

Important Dates to Remember:
School is closed - Tuesday 2nd April
The Hungry Wolf Opens - Wednesday April 3rd
Community Open Day - Saturday April 6th - 9:30pm - 12:30pm
House Parades - Tuesday April 9th - 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Parent / Ākonga / Kaiako Interviews - Wednesday / Thursday 10th-11th April - 2:00pm - 7:00pm (School finishes at 12:50pm both days and buses depart at 1:00pm.)
Teacher Only Day - Friday April 12th - All Day
Last Day of Term One - Thursday April 11th
First Day of Term Two - Monday April 29th

Community Notices

Catholic Character

A Costly Love

In this Holy Week, we are entering the deeper Mystery of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It started with the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when Jesus was treated as a king by the people. However, human beings can be fickle-minded. Within a few days, they have turned against Jesus and wanted to get rid of him. Aware of such impending danger, Jesus seized one last opportunity to teach his disciples. At the Last Supper, he disrobed himself and took the post of a humble servant to wash his disciples’ feet. 

On Holy Thursday, we held a liturgy at school which included the washing of the feet of twelve student representatives. The ritual was performed by the Senior Leadership Team, in imitation of Jesus’ servant leadership and his love for his followers. On this day, as a school community, we desire to reflect on how Jesus has taught his disciples and is now teaching us, to exercise any form of power with humility and for service. “If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet.” Of course, it is easier said than done. Our western society has long taught us to be strong and to be independent. We have been taught to not show our weaknesses to others. The cost of being perceived as weak is too high. 

We recall that Peter responded to Jesus’ humble act by saying, ”Never! You shall never wash my feet.” To this, Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.” Having recognised Jesus as the Son of God (cf. Matt. 16:16), Peter could not fathom the fact that Jesus, the King Messiah, would weaken himself to the extent of becoming a lowly slave. That evening and the three days to come, Peter learnt that the entire relation of human beings to God is about us receiving God’s love. Yes, the cost of such love is high, but it has been and is still fully borne by God willingly. We can only receive it freely, and respond to it accordingly.

Jesus has shown his disciples that only true humility can love and be loved. The self-emptying act of God who became human, the human who became a slave, and the slave who died on the cross has echoed in our world for over two millennia, bringing us hope. The washing of the feet ritual at school was rightly done in remembrance of him, he who willingly washes us even with his blood so that we can share a true life which nothing, not even death, can destroy. Are we humble enough to freely receive such costly love? How would we respond to it?

Have a blessed Holy Triduum.

Holy Week Liturgies:
All parents / whanau of the College community are welcome to celebrate the Holy Triduum with the local parish communities.

St Patrick's Church, Pukekohe 
Holy Thursday Mass - 7pm
Good Friday Service - 3pm
Easter Vigil Saturday Mass - 7pm
Easter Sunday Mass - 9am only

St Mary's Church, Papakura
Holy Thursday Mass - 7pm 
Good Friday Service - 3pm 
Easter Vigil Saturday Mass - 7:30pm 
Easter Sunday Mass - 8:30am & 10am

Young Vinnies
Many thanks to all the families who donated goods for the school's food drive. The Young Vinnies students all enthusiastically sorted products into about seven boxes, demonstrating a clear sense of pride in their service efforts. Your generosity will help those in need this coming Easter weekend. God bless.

Free Catholic Apps for your iPhone or Android
Today we share the third of these :

The Ascension App (free) on Apple | Android devices includes:
 The full text of the Great Adventure Catholic Bible with colour coding interwoven throughout so you can immediately recognize where you are in the story of salvation history.
 The full text of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with The Foundations of Faith colour-coding built in.
 Every episode of Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz for easy access and cross-referencing with your reading plan and Scripture.
 Every released episode of the Catechism in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz so you can easily stay on top of your daily readings.
 Summaries, the exact wording of Fr. Mike’s daily prayers, and extra content for every single episode of Bible in a Year.
 Over 1,000 commonly asked questions about the Bible with answers right in the text from experts like Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and others.
 An interactive reading plan for both podcasts that tracks your progress.
 Notes and bookmarks so you can quickly pick up where you left off and write down your reflections and prayers along the way.

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