Principal's Message
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Tēnā koutou St Ignatius community,
The school year began this week with Year 7 induction day on Monday. We were delighted to see all students arriving in the correct uniform, looking smart and enthusiastic. Our Year 8 and 9 student leaders were excellent in their modelling of how a St Ignatius student should be; accompanying the new Year 7 students showing conscience, competence, commitment and compassion.
We officially welcomed our new Year 7 and staff on Tuesday when the whole school returned with a pōwhiri and blessing. The school is privileged to have developed a good relationship with Ngaati Tamaoho who were present to lead and guide our pōwhiri. We continue to be blessed with the presence of the Jesuit Order to assist us in establishing our school as an authentic Ignatian Catholic college. Immediately following the pōwhiri, Fr Eka provided a Benediction for the whole student and staff community, using the Monstrance, which carries the real presence of Christ.
It was pleasing to see returning and new students alike showing respect and reverence for both the Pōwhiri and Benediction. This set the tone well and students were left with a clear signpost of Christ at the centre of school life at St Ignatius. Walking through the grounds at break times and through classrooms during lesson time this week, I noticed that students have continued with the respect and reverence for themselves and those around them. It is through this reverence and respect that we find the good; we find the standard of Christ and our true excellence blossoms. At St Ignatius we are all about this. Finding God in ourselves, finding God in others and finding God in the daily experiences of our lives; finding God in all things.
Inveniens Deum in Omnibus,
Dean Wearmouth
Principal  |
Welcome to Our Year 7 Ākonga: First Day at St. Ignatius - Monday February 3rd 2025
Our newest Year 7 Ākonga began 2025 with a warm welcome at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College. Their Kaiako introduced themselves, setting the stage for the year ahead. Students took part in Whakawhanaungatanga activities like Bingo and Tuku Iho to build connections. Guided by student leaders, they toured the school, learning about the College’s Kaupapa and the Four C’s: Compassion, Competence, Commitment, and Conscience. A highlight was the Immaculate Medal ceremony, continuing a tradition started in 2002 by local families led by Fr. Chris Gleeson SJ. Last year, the Foundation students, staff, and establishment board continued this, and now the new Year 7 Ākonga have added to this legacy. The day ended with House activities led by Heads of House and House Leaders, fostering teamwork and school spirit.
Please follow the link in the News section at the bottom of this Newsletter to see the official first day portraits.
 Pōwhiri Welcomes Year 7 Ākonga
On Tuesday, the 4th February, St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College welcomed our new Year 7 ākonga and staff with a formal Pōwhiri, conducted in accordance with Tainui tikanga. Year 7 ākonga and new staff, gathered at the front of the school. The Kapa Haka group led the karanga, calling the manuhiri forward. Inside La Storta, Kaumātua Mangawhero addressed the school, followed by speeches, waiata, and a haka pōwhiri from our Kapa Haka students. Principal Dean Wearmouth extended a warm welcome, acknowledging our new ākonga and kaiako as an integral part of our community. His message reinforced their importance within St. Ignatius College and the whānau they are now part of. The Year 7 ākonga showed great respect for Māori tikanga and Ngāti Tamaoho, reflecting the values of our college. We sincerely thank Ngāti Tamaoho for their guidance, ensuring the Pōwhiri was conducted with cultural integrity. Fr. Eka concluded with a blessing before shared kai, allowing time for connection and reflection. Thank you to all involved, especially our Kapa Haka students and staff, for making this event a success. We also wish to extend our heartful gratitude to Mrs Christine Montagna, who generously donated the Cookie Time Cookies and Just Juice boxes for our ākonga to enjoy after the Pōwhiri.
Please follow the link in the News section at the bottom of this Newsletter to see the official pōwhiri photographs.  |
Curriculum
Mathematics Competitions 2025
In 2025 we would like to continue to expand our offering of Mathematics competitions at St. Ignatius. These competitions are often challenging and cover material beyond the scope of the classroom so we would encourage those with an interest, skill or love of Mathematics to extend themselves this year. Competition work is valuable in developing problem solving skills, persistence, resilience and creativity. These competitions vary in difficulty level and many provide detailed feedback and information on strengths and areas for improvement.
All Year 7 and 8 students will be sitting the Otago Problem Challenge competition. Run by the University of Otago, this competition tests problem-solving skills over a number of months with 5 sets of 5 questions that are done in class. Students who achieve highly are invited to sit the Final Challenge which provides a great challenge for the very able, and there are more substantial prizes for the best performers at each year level. The Final
Challenge is held in October. The following optional competitions will be offered, with dates where available. Students will be given the opportunity to express interest in any of the competitions below early in Term One via a Google Form and entry will be confirmed upon payment of any fees involved.
1. SuperTMatik Mental Maths Competition(Year 7 - 10):
The top mental Mathletes from each year level will go forward to compete in an online final in May. Students are presented with questions involving order of operations and they must answer as quickly as possible. Time penalties are given if an answer is wrong but you get three attempts of which your fastest time is recorded. Cost: no cost to enter - $6 for finalists.
2. Australian Mathematics Competition - AMC (Year 7 - 10):
Australia’s longest running, largest and most well-known competition, which is a 60 - 75 minute online test held during 5 - 7 August. Contains unique problems designed to challenge and extend students’ problem-solving skills. There are 30 questions - 25 multiple choice and 5 integer. Awards are given from Participation to High Distinction (top 5%) along with Best in School and AMC Medals for deserving students. Cost: $10
3. Otago Junior Maths Competition - JMC (Year 9 - 10 ONLY):
An Otago University competition for older children, this competition extends the focus on problem solving and communication of mathematical reasoning and is aimed at strong candidates. This competition is held in two parts - the first being a 50 minute multiple-choice and short answer exam sat online early April, while the second part is a paper exam in May limited to the top 15 percent of participants in the first part. Where the Problem Challenge looks for final answers, the Junior Competition is looking for full working and explanation of HOW you solved the problem if you make it into Round 2. Cost: $5
4. Great Kiwi Mathematics Competition (Year 7 - 10):
These tests are administered by the University of Canterbury and cover curriculum level 4 and 5 in a 50 minute online multiple choice format. Sat at the end of Term 2, detailed results are available in Term 3 and awards given from Participation to Distinction. Cost: $10.
5. Mathex (Year 7 - 10):
This is a challenging and fast-paced contest where teams of four students compete against each other to answer questions as quickly as possible. There are local competitions and the Auckland competition is run in August at Selwyn College. Cost: none but travel is involved to get to the competition.
Students must have registered their interest via the Google Form and paid any fees by 1 March. No late entries will be accepted after this date. If you have any questions regarding maths competitions please contact Krista Rabulall on [email protected].
There is a math competition Google Classroom where students can find copies of past papers and further information. The classroom code is f2vhw7d.  Sport
ST-IG Sport 2025 – Get Involved!
After an incredible inaugural year of sport in 2024—where we proudly sent two teams and two individual athletes to the AIMS Games, competed in over 18 one-day tournaments, and represented 13 different sporting codes—we are thrilled to build on this success in 2025.
Looking ahead to the Year 7 & 8 AIMS Games, we will be entering the following teams:
Girls Netball
Girls Football or Futsal
Boys Basketball
Mixed RIP Rugby
For our seasonal sports:
Year 9 and 10
Rugby
Touch
Futsal
Volleyball
Badminton
Hockey
Swimming
Mountain Biking
Orienteering
Tag
Football
Touch
Football
Year 7-10
Basketball
Netball
Waterpolo
Archery
Equestrian
Netball 2025 will be competing exclusively in the Wednesday night Counties competition at Papakura.
Preseason training for all year levels will take place on 12th, 17th, and 19th February from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm.
Trials will be held on the 3rd March: Year 7 & 8 3.30 pm-5.00 pm, followed by Year 9 & 10 5.00 pm-7.00 pm
Listen out for notices and check the sport classroom for all other sport sign-up details, trials and key dates.
We are also looking for expressions of interest for coaching across all sports.
If you’re keen to be involved, please use the link below to register your interest.
https://forms.gle/x13si32EGtv51Jy69
If you are involved in other sports, have expertise to share and wish to grow that code within our school, please contact our school sports team.
Let’s make 2025 another year to incredible year in sport!
Melanie Kemp - Director of Sport
[email protected]
Theresa Knight - Sports Coordinator
[email protected]
   Ākonga Elective
All students who made selections for the electives in 2024 have these choices recorded. Final organisation around these electives is currently occurring and these will be added to the student timetables shortly. Ākonga electives are not due to begin until Week 3. As this is finalised you or your child may see additions or deletions occuring with their timetable online with SchoolBridge (Electives only), please ignore this as data is entered and numbers are sorted. Thank you for your patience.
Ākonga Acheivement
Elysia Rollo competed in the NZ Secondary Schools Harlequins Zonal Open Water Champs last Saturday, and placed 2nd in the 12/13 yr age category. This was a 4.6km swim. Competitors took the ferry to Rangitoto then had to swim back to St Heliers beach!
Elysia also placed 2nd in NZ in the 13/14 yr age group for the 7.5km swim in the NZ Open Water Championships at Lake Taupo. Although it was summer the water temperature was only 19.1 degrees and had to be swum without a wetsuit. This is an endurance event that takes drive and determination just to complete and finish.
Congratulations Elysia!
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School Uniform Update
We have been delighted with how smart and well presented all ākonga/students have been on their return to school. Their pride in representing the school has been evident, and we truly appreciate your support in upholding these expectations.
With the forecast predicting warm weather next week, we have decided to temporarily adjust our uniform expectations to ensure the comfort and well-being of ākonga/students. From Monday February 10 to Friday 14 ākonga/students will not be required to wear their blazers to school. All other uniform requirements remain unchanged.
We will continue to monitor the weather conditions and will inform you if this adjustment needs to be extended beyond next week. Technology Fees and Online Learning Subscription Fee (now overdue)
Thanks to those families that have paid the technology and online learning fees already.
These fees are used to help purchase supplies and online subscriptions which your child/ren use in the classroom.
If you are making payments via a payment plan these fees will be paid first before your payments are assigned to other charges.
These were due by the end of January 2025, so we kindly ask for these outstanding charges to be paid as soon as possible.
Technology Subject Fee $60.00
Online Learning Subscription Fee $95.00 |
Athletics Day
Our annual St Ignatius Athletics Day will take place on Wednesday, 19th February at Navigation Stadium, Pukekohe.
This is a whole school event that kicks off the first of many of our loved House Activities.
All students must arrive at school dressed in their house colours. We will have buses to transport everyone to the venue and will leave school promptly at 9 am
Please note, that this is a student-only event, with no drop-offs or pick-ups at the stadium. To ensure a fun and safe day, students must bring sunscreen, a hat, a water bottle, a packed lunch and suitable running shoes.
We will return to school by 2:45 pm, allowing students to catch their usual buses home.
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Devices and Parental Locks
To ensure your child can access their school’s Google account, please note that any parental locks or restrictions on their device must be turned off. These settings can sometimes interfere with the login process, and disabling them will ensure smooth access to school resources. |
2025 SCHOOL PRODUCTION: '
SHOWSTOPPERS - The Best of Broadway'.
School Production rehearsals commence in Week 3 of this term for all cast members. Tuesday 18th February 3.05-4.30pm in 02.
Year 7's still get a chance to audition next week and should have signed up for an audition through the Performing Arts Google classroom page: nrjmvf6
There will be a meeting for ALL CAST members at lunchtime on Friday 14th February where a full rehearsal schedule will be provided.
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Meet the Teacher evening
We look forward to welcoming all parents and caregivers who are new to our community to our 'Meet the Teacher' event on Thursday, 20th February. Details and tickets will be in next week's newsletter. Welcoming Our Japanese International Students to St Ignatius
This term, we are delighted to welcome four international students from Japan—three boys and one girl—who have joined our Year 10 cohort. From the moment they arrived, they have embraced life at St Ignatius, quickly becoming a valued part of our school community. Their warm and friendly nature has made them incredibly popular among their peers, and it has been heartening to see our students extend kindness, leadership, and support to help them settle in.
Staying with local homestay families, our Japanese students are enjoying a true Kiwi experience, immersing themselves in both school and community life. At the same time, their presence offers our students a wonderful opportunity to learn about Japanese culture, build global friendships, and develop a deeper appreciation for diversity.
Later this year, we will be offering further opportunities for families to host an international student. If you are interested in being part of this enriching experience, keep an eye out for applications opening in the coming weeks.
Ngā mihi nui, and a warm welcome once again to our new students!
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  School Health Services 2025:
You can find our Registered Nurse, Emily, in the health clinic behind reception on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
The services she offers include first aid, sore throat checks and treatment, skin infection check and treatment, head lice check, vision check and eye health, hearing check and ear health, emotional wellbeing support, as well as support with asthma and allergies.
Your child will only be seen by Emily if consent has been given and she will always contact caregivers if any treatment, referral, or plan is needed.
ALL care and treatment provided through the nurse is FREE.
Akonga can go to the school health clinic when needed during break times or caregivers can refer their child to the nurse via email: [email protected] or phone to reception.
If you would like more information please email [email protected]
For 7 - 10 who did not complete a paper form during one of our transition events at the end of the year, please see schoolbridge app to sign new Health Services Consent Form for 2025 onwards.
Dental Services 2025
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
The Auckland Regional Dental Service (ARDS) is a Te Whatu Ora-operated service, which provides free dental care to children across the greater Auckland areas. In order to prevent any eligible children missing out on receiving free dental care, ARDS is cross-checking their own records with school rolls.
For our children’s better oral health and wellbeing, our Year 7 and Year 8 school roll will be shared with the service as required.
To find out more information about ARDS, please visit ards.co.nz or call 0800 TALK TEETH (0800 825 583).
If you DO NOT want your child/ren's information shared with Te Whatu Ora please contact the College at [email protected] by Friday 14th of February 2025. WhānauSmiles FREE Student Dentalcare
Enrolment Opportunity for St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College for Year 9 & 10 Students
If your child was in Year 9 last year and you enrolled them, there is no need to re-enrol.
For all 2025 Year 9s and any new year 10 students, please see information below:
WhānauSmiles mobile clinic will be on-site at the school for 2 weeks Monday Feb 17th - Fri Feb 28th
As a registered mobile dentalcare provider, WhānauSmiles is committed to ensuring all students under the age of 18 have access to FREE comprehensive dental care. Our team of experienced dentists 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 comprehensive 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,
WhānauSmiles!
Bus Service 2025
Our 2025 Bus Service is now up and running. Please ensure that your child knows which bus they have been allocated.
The Ministry of Education carefully designs our bus routes based on students' home addresses, ensuring as many eligible students as possible have access to transport. This service is provided at no cost to families, and students are welcome to get on and off at any of the designated stops along the route they have been allocated.
With the expansion of our school this year it means that all bus routes for 2025 are currently at capacity. It is therefore important that students only get on the bus they have been allocated based on their home address. If they choose to get on another bus it means that there will not be space for the students who have been allocated to that route.
While we understand that some families may have changing needs due to extracurricular activities, we are not able to accommodate requests for students to swap buses. If the Ministry funded school bus schedule does not suit your whānau, caregivers are under no obligation to use this service and may arrange alternative transport.
Thank you for your understanding and support in ensuring our bus system runs smoothly and safely for all students. |
Year 7 Retreat - Wednesday February 12th
Whanau Smiles Dentist (Year 9 &10) - February 17th - 28th
Monday Community Mass - each Monday of term time at 7:30am
Athletics Day - All day Navigation Stadium Wednesday February 19th
Meet the Teacher - Thursday 20th February
Year 7 and Year 8 Social - Friday February 21st at 6.00pm
Dedication Mass - Monday February 24th
House Parades - Monday February 24th
Swimming Sports - Tuesday February 25th
Barbier House Mass - Wednesday 26th February
Pickleball PTA Whānau Social - Friday 28th February
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FOSI (Friends of St Ignatius) News
Welcome to a New School Year!
We’re thrilled to welcome both returning and new families to another wonderful school year! FOSI is excited to collaborate with you all to support our students, teachers and community. Our first meeting has come and gone – and we’re looking forward to an exciting year ahead!
Be sure to save the dates for these upcoming events:
Year 7 and 8 Social – 21 February
Community Pickleball Tournament – 28 February
Cookie Dough Fundraiser – Starting 7 March
Quiz Night – 9 May
Christmas Picnic – 10 December
Pickleball Tournament
Get ready for our first-ever Community Pickleball Championship on 28 February! Form your team and play for bragging rights – and a trophy! More details will follow soon. Team registrations can be sent to [email protected].
Quiz Night – Our Big Fundraiser
Our major fundraiser this year is the Quiz Night! We’re aiming to raise funds for the shade sails for the Hungry Wolf. We’d love your help in reaching out to community contacts for sponsorships, auction items, and raffle prizes. Any support is greatly appreciated to help make this event a success.
Please contact [email protected] if you can contribute.
Next PTA Meeting
Join us at our next meeting on Thursday, 6 March at 6:30 PM in the school staffroom. New members are always welcome – we’d love to have you join us! |
St. John de Britto SJ
On Tuesday, the Church celebrated the feast of St. John de Britto SJ, the Portuguese Jesuit missionary to India. We are fortunate to have a second-class relic of his in the altar in the Companions of Jesus Chapel. It was fitting that his feast day coincided with our pōwhiri and is close to Waitangi Day, as he was an advocate for cultural preservation. During his time as a missionary in Southern India, he worked to establish a Catholic Church that reflected the local culture and its people. He learned the local languages, wore traditional attire, and lived among the local communities. His life serves as a reminder that while God transcends culture, He can also be found within it. This idea has been particularly evident in the life of the Church since its beginnings. At Pentecost, the disciples preached, and all the people listening “heard them speaking in their native language” (Acts 2:6). Pentecost highlights how God uses culture and language to connect with His people where they are. While this may have occurred 2000 years ago, the principle remains evident in the Church today.
Waitangi Day can highlight cultural differences, but it can also prompt us to find God. It should encourage us to reflect on the goodness, truth, and beauty present in all cultures, as these are spaces where God can be found—just as St. John de Britto SJ exemplified during his life. This does not mean we should wear rose-tinted glasses when celebrating culture; no culture is perfect, for only God is perfect. Every culture has its issues and requires the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about the Kingdom of God.
At St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College, we believe that culture is a gift from God and an essential part of each person's identity. Celebrating this is integral to our journey of discovering God in all things. Examples of this celebration include pōwhiri, cultural and language weeks, and international exchanges. God is present in each of these activities, and together they serve to bring Him greater glory. So next time you are in the College Chapel, remember St. John de Britto SJ, a missionary whose life exemplifies the importance of culture.
St. John de Britto SJ… Pray for Us.  |
Vacancy
Receptionist/Administrator – Catholic Social Services, Auckland.
Catholic Social Services is looking for a part-time (20 hours - 3 days – hours can be negotiable) Receptionist/Administrator based in Ponsonby. As a faith-based professional service Catholic Social Services provides social work, counselling, out-reach and support to individual people and families.
The successful applicant would be required to provide efficient, effective, and professional reception and administrative services to the team at Catholic Social Services.
For further details please go to our website www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz, Diocesan Services and staff vacancies. |
Year 7 First Day Portraits
Welcome to Our Year 7 Ākonga: First Day at St. Ignatius - Monday February 3rd 2025. | |  |
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Pōwhiri 2025
Pōwhiri Tuesday 4th February 2025 | |  |
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