Principal's Message

Tēnā koutou katoa,

It is always a pleasure to welcome parents and caregivers into school to join us. Thank you to all parents and caregivers who attended our Mothers day Mass on Monday and Veneration Mass on Thursday.

At the Veneration Mass, I shared with the school community how the gift from the Society of Jesus of the relics of seven Jesuit Saints are an important symbol for the whole community. They help us to understand the rich tradition of our church and how many people in their own ways have become the greater glory of God, using their own gifts and talents to enable others to grow towards God.

I shared that in their lifetimes, the Saints probably had no idea that little pieces of them would be shared around the world centuries later and their stories would be re-told. It sounds strange to do this but not as strange as it seems. We share little pieces of ourselves all day everyday with every interaction. People gain glimpses, lessons and examples when we encounter one another. With this in mind, we all have the opportunity to be saints for others, sharing little pieces of ourselves and finding the example in ourselves, becoming the example.

By sharing ourselves as members of a Catholic community, we are sharing in an honourable mission that has spanned for millenia; to become the face of Christ for others so that they might come to know and love him; to find Christ in others and celebrate when we do. When we do this we are becoming the greater glory of God, finding God in all things through those little glimpses; the little pieces.
Inveniens Deum in Omnibus.
                                                   Dean Wearmouth

College Life

Sport

Basketball

Last week our first St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College Basketball team played its first game at the Pukekohe Rec Centre. They played a strong Tuakau team with some very tall players and plenty of subs. Our boys showed a lot of heart and took the game into the last minute going down 31 to 33. It was an amazing effort and they made St Ignatius proud.

This week was different. The team played again Waiuku and won 29 - 24! They have shown great commitment and sportsmanship, and we look forward to watching them continue to grow as a team.

Rugby

A great game was had last Saturday at Wesley College. Our first match for the year and our boys were magnificent in the sun. Winning against Wesley College, with a final score of 34-12!
The spirit from the young men was excellent, as well as their fair play and sportsmanship. Thank you to the coaches and management and all supporters. 
The next game is tomorrow at 9am, right here on our fields. Supporters are welcome to cheer them on.

Ākonga Elective

Public Speaking

Over the next few weeks in the public speaking elective, students will be learning how to give effective interviews by conveying confident body language and vocal delivery. They will also learn how to use formal language and conjunctions to develop their responses in a sophisticated way. Interviewing is a valuable life skill that involves not only interacting well with others, but also having a deep self-awareness. This Tuesday, our students focused on effective body language. They practiced in pairs, honing their posture, gestures, and shoulder positioning. Check out the photos below to see them in action!

Choir and Band

Over the last few weeks of Term 2, I have been working with my two electives in the Arts:  Choir and Band.  We are all working towards preparing a piece of music each to play at an upcoming lunchtime concert.

In choir, we are learning a very popular NZ song to celebrate NZ Music Month.  And in the band elective, we have two groups.  One group is working towards a piece by Keyshia Cole, and the other a well known piece of music by The Black Keys.

Their hard mahi is certainly paying off as each week these electives continue to develop and grow in their confidence of performance and singing.

Mr Ruegg

Nacho News

Please follow the News link at the bottom of this Newsletter to view the latest copy of our school Newspaper.

Ākonga Achievement

Earlier this year one of our Year 9 Ākonga competed in two different Jiu Jitzu competitions. Kourtney Sublette took part in the Stealth Sub Series and the New Zealand Grappler Oceania Open. Kourtney is a grey belt, and competed against a number of other competitors at her age level, some with higher belts. Kourtney says she was grateful for the experience. We appreciate all our students who take part in extra curricular activities, and aim to achieve their own personal best.

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 in Week 10, Term 2.
Year 7 -  Samuel Speedy
Year 8 -  Deanna Fermin
Year 9 - Kourtney Sublette

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

Cura Personalis

House Display Competition

Over the last few weeks each House group have been working together to design and construct a House display for each House area.  The task states that:
Ākonga should plan, prepare and produce a House Display which includes the following:
- House Mottos
-Important details about the House Patron
-How the House Patron can inspire ākonga

The displays look incredible. Each one very unique but all vibrant and creatively capturing something unique about each House. Mr Wearmouth and Mr Grevatt were the judges.  They were joined by the Head Judge Father Chris Gleeson SJ and Father Paul Mullions SJ   who were visiting our school from Australia. The results will be announced in next Monday's assembly.

Entrance and Exit to the school

From next week the exit for the school will be open, and we will begin to follow the below plan. Please enter through the bus gate and exit via the far gate. 

Whanau Smiles Dental Check Ups

Whanau Smiles will be at school during Week 5 of this term (27th- 31st May)  to provide dental check ups for our Year 9 students. Please read the information provided by Whanau Smiles and enrol your child via the link. 
Parents of year 7 or 8 students can still enrol their child with Whanau Smiles, allowing them to access treatment with the dentist during Week 5 for acute dental pain / concerns, but they will not be called up until Year 9 for a routine check up. 

Any questions or concerns, please email Emily on [email protected]

Kia Ora!
 
As we move forward into 2024, our team would like to thank you for allowing the opportunity to provide quality on-site mobile dentistry to your child. 
 
The Ministry of Health have an obligation to ensure all students under the age of 18 have access to FREE dental care. Our team of clinical experts take pride as we play our part, providing oral health services, helping to empower and improve the smiles and wellbeing of the adolescents of St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College.
 
What is your child entitled to?
 
All students up until their 18th birthday (who are eligible and meet the criteria) can access FREE basic dental care. The dental care is provided on-site at St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College so your child's experience is as seamless and convenient as possible.
 
These services include:
 
Examinations
Radiographs (if required)
Preventative treatment such as fluoride application and fissure sealants
Scale and Polish
Restorative treatment (white fillings)
Non orthodontic extractions
Root canal treatment
Increased awareness of good oral health practices including a FREE Oral Health Kit
 
How Do I Enrol the service available to my child?
Enrolling or declining the service is simple! Simply click the link HERE
 
How Do I Decline the service available to my child? 
Already have your own dentist? Simply click the link HERE
 
Already enrolled your child to our service? 
Great! We look forward to providing quality dentalcare to your child!
 
Want to learn more, have any questions?
 email [email protected]
 
Thank you again on behalf of our team,
Whanau Smiles!

International Students

We are looking for families to become homestay caregivers for our short-stay international students.
We have students joining us in Term 3 from various countries looking to learn about New Zealand and have a "genuine Kiwi experience".
The length of stay for our first few groups is 1 week. 
You do not need to know any other languages as they would prefer you to speak in English. Families will be reimbursed financially for looking after the students.
If you are interested in becoming a homestay caregiver, please get in touch with us at [email protected] and we will send further information.

Upcoming Events

Year 7 Parent and Student Loving for Life Health Evening - Tuesday 21st May, 6pm. This is a ticketed event, please see the event ticketing feature on our school website.
Loving for Life Year 9 Retreats - 21st-23rd May. 
Teachers Only Day - 24th May
Parent Formation Evenings - Monday the 27th of May and Monday the 10th of June, 6pm - 7:30pm. These are ticketed events, please see the event ticketing feature on our school website.
 

Community Notices

Football

Pukekohe AFC (Football) 13th Grade Thunder team are looking for a couple more players. They train Tuesday and Thursday and games are played home and away on Saturdays.
Please get in touch with Mrs Fromont if you are interested.  [email protected]

Alpha

Dear Family & Friends, 
St Mary’s Papakura Parish are running Alpha again at and have our second session this Sunday 19th of May at Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School, Airfield Road Takanini, 12 noon. 

Invite someone in your life, whether a friend, family member or colleague to ask questions and explore the hope of Jesus, maybe for the first time. 
It’s free and we share a meal at the start of every session. 
Scan the QR code to register. 
Thank you and God Bless,
The St. Mary's Alpha Team

Wrestling

Counties Wrestling Club extends a warm invitation to all students aged 6 and up to join our dynamic team! At Counties Wrestling Club, we take pride in our ability to accommodate individuals of all ages, genders, sizes, and goals. Our training sessions, held twice weekly, provide a fun and safe learning environment where members can acquire new skills, enhance their fitness, and build self-confidence. Whether someone is interested in self-defense, improving their athleticism, or simply being part of a supportive team, wrestling offers something for everyone.

Catholic Character

Writing Our Stories with Fire

On Thursday, the school community celebrated a Veneration Mass. It was a special Mass intended to give an opportunity for students, staff, parents, caregivers, the Board members, the Diocesan representatives and other friends of the school to venerate the relics of Jesuit saints which will be deposited into our chapel’s altar. At that Mass, Fr. Chris Gleeson SJ gave an inspirational homily with the story of Michael Jordan’s struggle to become one great athlete in history. “It is not about the player in the game, but it is about the game in the player,” was what Jordan’s mother told him when he felt like a failure. In his address at the end of Mass, Principal Mr. Wearmouth echoed another poignant message that like the pieces of the relics, our students leave behind “pieces” of themselves with the people they encounter in life. What would be the pieces of us which we would like to leave behind?

Each of us writes a story of life with our words and deeds, just like the Jesuit saints we venerated and like Michael Jordan with his perseverance and hard work. What story we write hopefully will leave a positive mark in society, making the world a better place. More than that, what we write could give greater glory to God. From the saints, we could learn that their lives were lived in a special way, that is with a life principle of giving service, praise and reverence to God. 

On Sunday, the Church will celebrate the Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ disciples in the form of tongues of fire. The readings tell us that after the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were able to speak foreign languages, expanding their reach for the proclamation of Jesus’ name across many nations (cf. Acts 2:1-11). Our school community is blessed with students coming from over 40 cultural backgrounds! Imagine that each student is writing their life story with the ink of the Holy Spirit. How far and wide can their reach be if they are able to courageously and yet humbly proclaim Jesus’ name and stories with their words and deeds? Perhaps, the relics and the Pentecost this week could serve as a reminder, a challenge and an invitation to all members of the school community to be more mindful of the story we write in our life; and to write it with fire which comes from the Holy Spirit. May the lives of the Jesuit saints inspire all of us and their intercessions bring an abundance of God’s blessings on our students. 

Mother's Day Mass and Breakfast

On Monday we celebrated our Mother's Day Mass and breakfast. It was wonderful to see so many mothers present with their children. The Mass was celebrated by Fr Michael Smith who spoke of the joys and difficulties that come with being a mother and how this played out in the life of Mary. The Mass finished with a blessing for each Mother and their children followed by breakfast. We look forward to welcoming our fathers for their turn in September. 
Follow the News item link at the bottom of the page to see more photos.

News