Principal's Message

Tēnā Koutou St Ignatius Community,

Those who are connected to our social media page will have seen much sporting success this week, following on from successes in Sport, the Arts, and in Mathematics last week. We have a truly gifted cohort of students here at the college and it is a privilege to serve our students and families to provide opportunities for growth across a variety of dimensions. Please take the time to read fully through the Newsletter to capture more of what has been happening this week.

Our Book Week parade on Wednesday was noticeable for many reasons, the greatest of these was the high level of participation. The enthusiasm to contribute and get dressed up was infectious; staff and students wholeheartedly entered into the week with spirit. What was important about this was the willingness to participate and add to the school community. Seeing so many committed in contributing to the community by going out of their way was such a great example for everybody. It was a statement that we are all bought into our community and we all want to contribute in a positive way. We want our community to be a place where we are all unafraid to come as we are and to contribute what we have.

It is in considering the intentions of others and the impact of their actions on ourselves and others that we begin to find God more easily in people. In taking a pause and stepping back to survey the Book Parade on Wednesday, I found it easy to find God in our students and staff as they made efforts to be a positive contribution to our community. They were growing our community as a place where we can all take risks to grow as people. They were growing our community as the Kingdom of God; as a place where peace, justice and joy reigns. Finding God in all things.

Inveniens Deum in omnibus. 

Dean Wearmouth

College Life

Mathematics

Mathex

Last week we shared the amazing results about our Mathex teams, and
here's what Evie Morrison in Year 7 wrote about the event:

"On the 6th of September 2024, 14 of St Ignatius’s students attended the Franklin Mathex. I was one of them. It was an amazing opportunity that we were able to have and a very awesome experience! Some things we had to think about during Mathex were tactics and time. 30 minutes to finish 20 questions, hoping to spend no more than 1 minute and 30 seconds on each question. Do we pass or keep trying? Some of the questions were difficult, others not. Here is an example that the Year 7’s had: 

A two litre bottle of drink is 3/4 full of water. A player drank 400mL and split half of what was left. How many mL of water are still in the bottle?

Can you figure it out?

The runners for our teams did an amazing job as it must have been very tiring to do so much running! It was intense but it was a day filled with good learning opportunities. Overall my team got fourth place, something to be proud of! St Ignatius certainly showed all the other schools what we are capable of! I'm very grateful that I got to go!"

- Evie Morrison Year 7

Sport

Year 8 Sports Camp

On Monday a large group of St Ignatius Year 8 students went to spend the weeks at YMCA Camp Adair in the Hunua Ranges for sports camp. From what we have heard, they have had an absolutely incredible time, and the medal tally for the week is astounding.

GOLD MEDALS:
Cross-Country Team
Air Rifle Team
Boys Tennis singles
Girls Tennis singles
Boys Mountain Biking Team
Boys Orienteering Team
Chess Mixed Team

SILVER MEDALS:
Silver for the Tennis mixed doubles
Hungerball Team
Boys Badminton singles
Girls Badminton doubles

BRONZE MEDALS:
Boys Badminton doubles
Girls Badminton singles
Archery Team
Girls Mountain Biking
Boys Table Tennis Singles

More photos available via the News link at the bottom of this Newsletter.

AIMS Games

On Saturday we had our Year 7 & 8's Netball Team head to Tauranga to compete in the AIMS games. On Sunday we sent our Rippa Rugby team off to AIMS as well. On top of that, we had Clara Wielenga represent the school in Cross-Country, and Michaela Arnet represent us in Gymnastics. 
The AIMS Games is an annual event that attracts over 390 schools, with more competitors than the Olympics! With over 12,500 students in attendance, the atmosphere is like nothing else, and the students have 27 different sports that they can be entered into.
Congratulations to all our students who gave it their all this week, and we look forward to hearing more about their week in next week's Newsletter when they are well rested! 
The AIMS Game motto is:

"Kia tū maia, kia tū pakari, engāri me pono ana te noho whakaiti i te ao takaro"
"Be brave, be strong, but always be humble in the world of sports"

Ākonga Elective

Tuesday Art Club

This term the Tuesday Art Club has been working on the art of Zentangle. They started off learning a range of patterns, and now they are putting them to use through an ice cream design challenge. The quality of work is really inspiring, and the students are finding it a relaxing time to lose themselves in their art. Zentangle art can be done by anyone, of any artistic level, and is about mindfulness and simply having fun.

Nacho's News

Issue 15 is out now! Follow the News link at the bottom of this Newsletter to check it out!

Ākonga Achievement

Bru Muir and Iosua Perelini

Congratulations to St Ignatius students Bru Muir and Iosua Perelini. They both play for the Year 8 Karaka Revells Junior Rugby club team which won the Counties Manukau rugby final against Pukekohe and became the Year 8 Champions 2024!

Next week Thursday, they are travelling down to Taupo to play in the New Zealand junior rugby tournament against national & international teams around the country.

Emereziana Lautua

Emereziana has had an incredible Netball season, evident in her multiple awards. At the Karaka Netball prizegiving she received;
- Collegiate player of the year
- Her Kakariki Team won Sportsmanship of the Year
- Certificate of Achievement
Then re-awarded her junior umpire badge that she achieved this year from Papakura Netball Club. 
Well done Emereziana!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Manutaki Award

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

Year 7 - Katelyn Arkinstall
Year 8 - Madison Lowther
Year 9 - Simone Paterson

We celebrate these ākonga/students being more fully alive and reflecting the greater glory of God through their work and actions.

485 Award

We had many nominations this week and it was a pleasure for senior leaders to read of students finding God in others through their nominations. Our top nominations this week are:

Loisi Liava’a nominated Momoka Laga’aia for always greeting them and asking how I am feeling

Hayley Thomson nominated Jamie Barillas for staying behind in the food tech room during lunchtime to help Mrs Allan clean-up

Bela Giri nominated Olivia Fleming for helping her when stuck on Math questions that she couldn’t work out

Torito Esquivel Garcia nominated Klay Dela Pena for returning my laptop after PE when I had forgot it and left it behind

Giarn Ruby Lee Mataia nominated Evony Burford for having a bright and positive attitude towards everyone

Logan Stillworthy nominated Rupert Archer for helping and explaining angles mathematics

The Winner this week was Neeve Wharfe who was nominated by Natalia Ramos for demonstrating compassion by being nice to a Year 7 student when they were lonely.

Congratulations Neeve!

Cura Personalis

Parent / Ākonga / Kaiako Interviews Term Three

Our Parent / Ākonga / Kaiako Interviews for Term Three are scheduled for September 25th and 26th 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 provided:
BOOKING LINK
https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/96b98

Community Hui

Over the next few weeks, we will be inviting groups from our community to gather to share and reflect on how we can accompany all ākonga on their journey to personal excellence.  

During these hui we will explore ways we can work together to foster a stronger partnership between our school and some of the different cultural groups in our community.  We will also discuss how we can develop strategies to celebrate and enhance different cultures within our school and ensure each ākonga/student can work towards their own personal excellence.

Our hui  will be held at school are as follows:

Tongan Hui  - September 18  6-7pm
Samoan Hui - September 18 6-7pm
Filipino Hui - September 18 6-7pm

Māori Hui September 25 6pm (please note this is the same night as our Parent Teacher Interviews).

In preparation for these hui you may like to read the following documents:
Māori Ākonga Magis
Pasifika Ākonga Magis


We look forward to seeing you there!

Book Week

This week we have celebrated our first book week, and WOW what an incredible week we've had. Our Librarian, Whaea Gemma, has shown up in a different costume every day, and put on fun activities in the Magis Centre. Many students spent time trying to find Wally, Wenda, Woof, Oddlaw, and Wizard Whitebeard, and the St Ignatius Reading Challenge had its best week yet with students reading more and getting their books marked off towards a Hungry Wolf voucher. The Staff member match and win game had a huge number of entries, and the winner for that, and the Where's Wally hunt, will be announced in Assembly on Monday!

Wednesday we had our Book Character Dress-up day. The amount of creativity, thought, and time that was obviously put into everyone's costumes was phenomenal, and picking winners was extremely difficult.
Draco Malfoy, Professor Snape, and Bellatrix Le Strange battled Harry Potter, Ms Frizzle brought in her lizard, Batman and Superman debated who was the best superhero, and Alice grew too fast to get out of the house (and that is just a drop in the hat!).

Congratulations to our costume winners for each year level:
Year 7 - Nagorry Perelini as Joseph.
Year 8 - Jayden Ahn as Ironman
Year 9 - Logan Stallworthy as Charles Upham
Staff - Mrs Harrison as Little Miss Chatterbox.

We look forward to seeing this event grow, and the creativity continue to shine.

Please follow the News link at the bottom of this page to see many more incredible photos from our Book Character Dress-up Day.

Youth Health Line - Fundraising Week

St Ignatius Youth Line Council is excited to host a fun-filled week of raffles—including "Guess the Lollies" and "Guess the Square" and culminating in a Wear Your Own Clothes day next Friday September 20.

The Youth Health Council would like to help everyone to keep getting to know one another and build community during morning tea and lunchtimes.  We are fundraising for some activities which will bring people together during this time (like Table Tennis tables!)

St Ignatius Youth Health Council is excited to host a fun-filled week of raffles—including "Guess the Lollies" and "Guess the Square" and culminating in a Wear Your Own Clothes Day (Gold Coin Donation!) next Friday September 20.

To guess how many lollies are in the jar it'll be $1 and to reserve a square it'll be $1 too- So cheap for so much! For all those who support the fundraising by buying these tickets, we will also be awarding spot prizes throughout the week and will deliver them during Kaiārahi time. So don't miss out on a chance to be in the draw!! 

Your participation in all these activities next week will help create a lively space for recreation and socializing. Don’t miss out on this chance to support our community while enjoying a wear your own clothes day!

 For more details, have a look around school for informational posters. Let’s come together and make a positive impact!

-Youthline Health Council.

Upcoming Events

Māori Language Week - Monday 16th - Friday 20th September
St Ignatius' Got Talent Auditions - Monday 16th - Friday 20th September
Ten Ways Ignatian Spirituality Supports a Busy Life  Parent Formation Evening- Tuesday the 17th of September, from 6-7:30 pm
Aubert House Mass - Wednesday 18th September @ 1:30pm
Tongan Community Meeting - Wednesday Sept 18th @ 6.00pm
Samoan Community Meeting - Wednesday Sept 18th @ 6.00pm
Filipino Community Meeting - Wednesday Sept 18th @ 6.00pm
PTA Meeting - Thursday Sept 19th @ 6:30pm
Wear Your Own Clothes Day - Friday 20th September (Gold coin donation)
Parent/ Ākonga Interviews - Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th September
Last Day of Term 3 - Thursday 26th September
Teacher Only Day - Friday 27th September
First Day of Term 4 - Monday 14th October
Teacher Only Day -  Wednesday 20th November
Year 7 Camp - Wednesday 4th - Friday 6th December. 

PTA News

We are delighted to introduce our PTA Chair, Laura Fourie

Thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Laura Fourie and am originally from Cape Town, South Africa. I am based in Papakura and am a mum to one daughter at St Ignatius. 

My background is somewhat eclectic. I have a grounding in hospitality, qualified as an Occupational Therapist, worked in the Outdoor Education and Recreation sector for 15 years, managed a high-performance accommodation facility that worked with the All Blacks, Tall Blacks and the Silver Ferns, been a health coach in a GP practice, and am now currently a Mindset and Health Coach while also a HSW Manager for an agricultural company. 

I was excited to take on a volunteer role with the PTA as a way of being able to contribute to the school and community, and to give back in the best possible way that I can. I am a strong advocate for the school and for all the good they are providing our children, and for all those to come. My aim is to support and assist with the PTA process wherever I can to achieve as much as we possibly can for the school, our children and the greater community!

My invitation to you all, is come along and be a part of the events that we run, and contribute as much as you can with our fundraising activities.  Our next meeting is September 19 at 6:30-7:30pm - all welcome! Our fundraising goal for this year is a shade sail for outside The Hungry Wolf. Any questions, please contact [email protected] Don't forget our key dates: 29 November 2024, Year 7 and 8 Neon Fiesta 10 December 2024, Christmas picnic 21 February 2025, Year 7 and 8 social event/disco 28 February 2025, Pickleball night 09 May 2025, Quiz Night

Catholic Character

The Exaltation of The Holy Cross

The Sacramental Programme at school has started with a large number of students being part of it. In the next few months, we are hoping to see well over a hundred students completing their Catholic Sacraments of Initiation which include Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion (The Eucharist). At Christmas, these students will be able to celebrate the joy of God’s Incarnation as full members of the Church.

Through the mystery of the Incarnation, God took on the imperfect nature of humanity. God in Jesus Christ freely accepted for himself the fate of humanity in its fallen form, limited and bound for dissolution and death. In becoming human, Christ took on the human flesh with its constraints like hunger, thirst, pain and fatigue. He remained obedient to these limitations all the way until his life was taken from him. His suffering was real but it was something he freely accepted.

Nothing of his divinity was lost in the Incarnation. Christ was fully human and fully God. On the cross, his act of kenosis, self-emptying, was not his abandoning his divine nature, but his voluntary accepting his human nature. In Christ hanging on the cross, we witness the fullness of God who relinquished all powers in human terms in order to exercise the greatest power of all, Love. On his cross, we find the intersection of human suffering and God’s love. That is why Jesus’ cross is rightly exalted. 

With faith, the exalted Holy Cross (which commemoration is celebrated by the Church tomorrow) is something which all Catholics can look toward. The Holy Cross offers a sure hope that God’s love always intersects and permeates our suffering; and it promises us the Resurrection. That is the kind of conviction that we hope our students will also gain through their full memberships in the Church. 

Community Notices

News