St Catherine's College Newsletter
Dear Parents, Caregivers and Whanau,
Welcome to the new school year and a special welcome to our new Year 9 students and their families.
Next week the school really hums into life with students arriving for a variety of activities. Some important dates and times for all students –
Monday 27 January 1pm - Yr 12 and Yr 13 Course Confirmation
Tuesday 28 January 9am - Yr 13 Peer Support training
Tuesday 28 January 10am - Yr 9 introduced to their Year 13 tuakana
This day is a non-uniform day for a peer support programme for Yr 13 and Yr 9 students. Lunch (BBQ) will be provided.
Wednesday 29 January 8.55am start for ALL students
All students will be at school this day in full school summer uniform. There will be a powhiri to welcome new staff and students - all family and whanau are welcome to attend. The powhiri starts at 9.45am.
Lunch Options 2020
In response to concerns raised during the two years in which students have been permitted to purchase their lunch in Kilbirnie during Break 1, namely that students:
1. use the opportunity to go off-site without any intention to purchase food
2. make unhealthy lunch food choices
3. return to school too late to consume their food in Break 1
we have decided that students will be required to manage themselves this year to ensure that they:
1. prepare their lunch before leaving home in the morning or
2. purchase their lunch on the way to school
as there will be no opportunity in 2020 for students to leave school grounds during the school day to purchase food.
While we continue to support healthy food choices by our students, we expect, that however students decide to organise their lunch, they will continue to meet the school’s FAITH expectation of punctuality - 8.55am (Mon; Tue; Thurs; Fri) and 9.10am (Wed).
Change of Bus Stop.
We have received this notice from Metlink: In Term 1 2020 – January 26, the Route 772 (Island Bay – Owhiro Bay – St Patrick’s and St Catherine’s Colleges) will have a Change of Bus stop. This is to reduce the congestion at Reef Street. The bus stop is now relocated to Bus stop 7157 The Esplanade opposite Beach Street. The students will need to disembark from here. They will be able to view these changes on the Metlink Website https://www.metlink.org.nz/ from January 2020 for their convenience.
Staffing
At the end of 2019 we received the resignation of Matua Whetu Henry. Whetu has been our Te Reo Māori teacher since 2013. He has served St Catherine’s College with generosity, passion, and great mana. Whetu has also taught Social Studies and Food Technology and has been our Kapa Haka leader and kaumatua for many celebrations and on countless occasions. Whetu is taking up a teaching position at the school he attended, Rongotai College. He has always held the dream of returning to his old school. We wish Whetu every blessing, much happiness and fulfilment in his new role. There will be a chance for students to farewell Whetu at our first assembly next week.
At a breakfast meeting I attended with four of our junior leaders at the end of last year the Right Honourable Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, addressed the audience. In response to a student question about what has been important in his political career, he said,
“You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”.
I encourage all students to make their school start for 2020 impressionable.
The next newsletter will share information about 2019 NCEA results and plans for 2020.
Ma Te Atua koutou e manaaki e tiaki
(May God bless and care for you all)
Steve Bryan
Principal