Principal's Message
|
Tēnā koutou katoa,
It has been an historic week that will live long in the memory for our school community as we experienced the establishment of our college. Our Inaugural mass on Tuesday, when we joined together as a Catholic community through the sacrament of the Eucharist, was very special. More details are further down in the Newsletter. The beginning of Lent on Wednesday was marked with our Ash Wednesday liturgy, which students all participated in reverently, more details about this are further down too. Lessons are now underway as students move to the different specialist subject areas to learn.
Students have been overwhelmingly positive in their interactions with others and in their approach to learning in their subjects. It is a true privilege to go into classes and seeing them showing the greater glory of God through working hard to put their gifts and talents to use. Having experienced all of the orientation experiences and special ceremonies over the past week, it has been a pleasure to see students still smiling and enthusiastic. I am sure they will be even more excited when our Gym and Music Suite open on Monday 26th February.
We look forward to welcoming all parents and caregivers for our 'Meet the Teacher' event on 29th February, more details are below. A further date for your diary is our Community Open Morning on 6th April; more details for this event will follow later.
Please take time to read this Newsletter full because there are some important notices. One of these contains details our first parent/caregiver formation opportunity for you to participate in. As a college we are committed to growing together as a Catholic community and hope that many of you will take up the opportunity to be able to support your child(ren) through their Catholic Ignatian school journey. Finding God in all things. Inveniens Deum in omnibus.
Dean Wearmouth  |
Inaugural and Dedication Masses
|
On Tuesday, 13th of February, Saint Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College had the most wonderful occasion, the Inaugural Mass, in thanksgiving to God for a dream which has become a reality, through decades of prayers, perseverance and hard work of many people. Bishop Steve Lowe, presided at the Mass with twenty priests and bishops as concelebrants, staff members, students and over a hundred distinguished friends and other guests who had contributed to the establishment of the College and all who will continue the legacy of the College in giving greater glory to God.
In his homily, Bishop Steve talked about the importance of our names. Like Ignatius of Loyola (originally Íñigo), each of us is called by God to be the best version of ourselves every day, to find God in all things and to carry out God’s mission of love, justice, truth and reconciliation in our world. At the Mass, the bishop blessed the house candles, the school badges and all staff members as they begin their important roles in forming and accompanying all our ākonga.
In the evening of the same day, some staff of the College, including the Senior Leadership Team, represented the College at the Dedication Mass held at Christ The King’s Church in Owairaka. Alongside other primary and secondary Catholic schools in Auckland, the bishop acknowledged and welcomed Saint Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College as the 58th Catholic school in the diocese. “To serve, praise and reverence God” should be the purpose of our lives as individuals and as school communities. At the Mass, The National Centre for Religious Studies acknowledged schools and staff members, including our staff for their achievements in upholding and growing the Catholic characters at their respective schools.
|
Ākonga Attendance
At St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College we recognise the importance of regular attendance to support ākonga/student well-being and accompany ākonga/students on their journey to personal excellence at College and beyond. Our attendance procedures ensure that ākonga/students are accounted for during school hours and activities as well as emergency events.
Under the Education and Training Act, attendance at school is compulsory unless a specific exemption has been approved by the school and the Ministry of Education.
Parents and caregivers have legal obligations to ensure their children attend school (Education and Training Act, s 244). We expect parents/caregivers to:
- notify the school as soon as possible if their child is going to be late or absent
- arrange appointments and trips outside school hours or during school holidays where possible
- work with the school to manage attendance concerns
Attendance Procedures
Absence
If ākonga/student is unable to attend school due to medical or otherwise justified reason, a parent must contact the school using the School App or email [email protected] before 9:00am setting out the reasons for the absence and the expected duration.
If ākonga/students are absent for medical reasons for more than three days then a medical certificate is required to authorise the absence.
Leaving during the school day
Ākonga/students are not allowed to leave the school during school hours without written permission. Requests for any such leave must be made through the school app or by emailing [email protected] by 9am on the day of the appointment. An exit pass will be issued and ākonga/students must sign out at student reception and then sign back in again if/when they return to school that day.
Lateness
School starts at 8:45am with Rōpū Kaiārahi. Ākonga/students who arrive after school has started should report to our Student Reception and sign in. It is expected that ākonga/students' lateness is explained either with a note, through the school app or with an email to [email protected].
Consequences aligned to our Restorative Practice approach to college life will be applied to any cases of continual unexplained lateness.
Request for Leave
The College expects trips to be taken in the school holidays. However, if it is necessary for ākonga/students to be away for an extended period of time (more than two school days) in term time, an application for leave must be made in writing by the parents/caregivers to the Principal outlining clearly the reasons and expected date of return. This application should be made at least two weeks in advance.
Email: [email protected]
|
Weekly Excellence Reviews
Next week we will begin our Magis Monitoring of all ākonga/students. On Friday 23 February you will receive the first of your Weekly Excellence Reviews which gives you an overview of how your child/ren has been working towards their personal excellence in all their subjects. Details of the criteria will be explained in the report next week.
|
Ākonga/student safety
Ensuring ākonga/students arrive safely to school and ready to learn is our priority. We ask for you support in ensuring that your child/ren are aware of the following:
- the name of the street/stop they should be getting off the bus
- the importance of looking both ways when disembarking from a bus and crossing roads
- use of phones is permitted on the bus so families/ whanaū can be in contact should the need arise. Occasionally buses may be earlier than expected on drop off due to light traffic etc.
- ākonga/students are allowed to stand on school buses where appropriate.
Please note that: NZTA determines the loading limit for every passenger service vehicle, including the number of standing passengers. This limit is specified in the vehicle's Certificate of Loading. Transport service providers are responsible for ensuring that they don't exceed loading limits.
Follow the link for further information around safety getting on and off the buses. Please go through this with your child/ren to ensure their safety. |
We have been asking our ākonga/students to reflect on their first week at St Ignatius and share the things they have enjoyed so far. This is some of their fabulous feedback.
'I love how our school is focused on both our learning and religion. This helps us to grow academically and in our connection with God'.
'I really like the classrooms and how nice all the teachers are'.
'Getting the bus has been fun and it has helped me to make friends'.
'I love how quiet and peaceful our school is'.
'Playing soccer on the field with new people'.
'I like the uniform and how comfortable it is'.
'I like how there are different teachers for different subjects'.
'Making new friends in my new school'.
'Something that has been great about St Ignatius is how they really express the Māori culture'.
'I love how our school has many diverse ways of learning in terms of subjects and styles of teaching.' |
Meet the Teacher Event
February 29 2024
Time: 5.00pm - 7.00pm
Details: An occasion for our parents and caregivers to familiarise themselves with the College and its teaching faculty. Please arrive between 5.00pm and 7.00pm as suited. Ākonga / students will have a checklist that they will use to guide your visit.
Community Open Day
April 6 2024
Time: 9:30am-12:30pm
Details: An opportunity for members of our wider community to visit and explore our school facilities. |
Parent and Caregiver Formation |
How to help your son or daughter thrive at St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College (and in life)
A TIME OF CHANGE: The transition of your son or daughter to the new St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College brings many changes, including new routines and ways of learning, working with more teachers, changes in expectations, and new friendships. This can be an exciting, but also a daunting, time for your son or daughter. Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping their children to flourish in meeting these challenges.
WHO WE ARE: St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College is a safe and caring community that embodies the Jesuit charism, where God is at the heart of learning, loving and serving.
FORMING YOUNG CATHOLICS: As a college, we cooperate with parents and caregivers in the Catholic formation of their children. We see this mutual responsibility as central to fostering the Catholic character of our new school.
WE WILL OFFER: A series of early-evening parent and caregiver gatherings in 2024 — two per term. The first will be in March.
DATE: Monday 18 March 2024, 6.00pm - 7.30pm.
TOPIC 1: What does it mean to be a Catholic College?
SPEAKER: Revd Dr Michael Smith SJ
Getting to know one another and beginning to form a college community.
What is the mission and vision of the college?
How do we understand the Catholic Church?
What do adolescents most need from their parents and caregivers?
PROCESS: Each evening will typically consist of (i) a thirty-minute input, followed by (ii) a
time of prayer and reflection, and then (iii) a time of sharing in small groups.
A link to register online will be contained in next week's Newsletter and there will be an opportunity to register at the meet the teacher event on 29th February.
|
 |
Lenten Reflection: Ash Wednesday Ignites Us
After the hectic but richly consoling week since the school opening, the community of St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College commemorated Ash Wednesday. For Roman Catholics, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the 40-day season of Lent (plus 6 Sundays), which precedes Easter, the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. Students and staff attended a liturgy in which they were marked with ashes which serve as a strong reminder that all of us are created by God from dust (nothing); and to dust we shall return (cf. Gen. 3:19). That day, students may have returned home still with a smudge on their foreheads; with some wearing it joyfully.
Lent is a special time for us to get closer to God. The Church prescribes three activities: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We are asked to pray more intensively. However, prayer itself is a gift from God. It is not merely our effort (yes, we still need to commit ourselves to prayer times), but it is more about God's offer for us to have a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God. What is our response? Are we actively responding to God’s wonderful offer?
To help us grow into a deeper relationship with God, we can also shed certain habitual things which may have hindered us from growing into a deeper relationship with God. In the past, many Catholics would have given up meat for forty days. These days, it would probably make more sense for us to give up social media, binge-watching or gossiping. We fast or abstain from certain things, not simply to follow the Church’s prescription or with the view that the worldly things are evil and have caused us to fall into sin. It is especially because we acknowledge that there is good in all things that God has given us, but we would still rather choose to have a deeper relationship with the Giver than the gifts.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola talks about the gift of “indifference”. It is not an ambivalence or carefree attitude in our daily dealings. It is rather our capacity to engage with all things that lead us to God; and to let go of anything which does not help us in our relationship with God. Lent is an opportunity that can again ignite us to grow in that relationship. In turn, that our relationship with God ignites us to be more fully human (cf. John 10:10) which manifests in our more authentic relationships with others, including and especially those on the margin of society.
|
  |
|
|
