SCC Newsletter - 1st July 2021
1st July 2021
Tēnā koutou katoa e te whānau
As the term nears an end we will be sadly farewelling a number of our staff. Sue Kemp, our Executive Officer, leaves on Friday the 2nd of July. Sue has been with us since 2016. She has been a valuable member of St Catherine’s and her support, loyalty and work will be missed. We wish her many blessings in her new role as Executive Officer at Wellington High School.
Steve Bryan finishes teaching next week. Although he was formally farewelled as Principal at the end of Term One, he has continued to teach all of Year 11. He has been a huge support to me in my transition into the role of Principal, as a teacher and colleague. Steve has kindly relieved classes and we hope that we will continue access to his expertise, although we do hope he can enjoy more time with his whānau.
Olivia Fraser has been with us this year as Teacher In Charge of Music. Fiona Bell is returning from maternity leave in Term Three, so we will also be farewelling Olivia. We are sad to see Olivia leave us; she has left a legacy with her “This is Us” music tours. These were the visits by our student musicians to our contributing schools, and allowed us to perform to a live audience and to share what St Catherine’s has to offer.
Parent Teacher Interviews
A big thank you to the parents/caregivers who were able to attend. If you were unable to make it but would like to know how your daughter is progressing, please check out the Kamar App - as there will be a comment there. You are also welcome to email staff for an update.
Attendance
We are required to report to the Ministry of Education on student attendance. In Term 4 of last year, our regular attendance was below that of other schools in our area. Research informs us that one of the greatest factors in supporting student achievement is school attendance. I know that it has been difficult for some students following the 2020 lockdown; however we encourage you to support your daughter in attending school each day and arriving on time.
Uniform
We are proud of our school uniform and it looks so smart. We have been checking on this. Please encourage your daughter to wear blazer and tie to and from school, and to ensure that hair is tied back. This week it was pleasing to record during our uniform audit, that all of Year 9 were wearing their uniforms correctly and with dignity.
Year 9 Retreat
Year 9 were on Retreat last Friday at St Joseph’s Church. We are grateful for the loan of this beautiful space that our students were able to use for reflection and connection with God and with each other. The staff feedback on the day was what a wonderful strong group of young people our Year 9s are. We can look forward to great things from this group.
Enrolments
We have had a lot of interest in enrolments for 2022. We currently have a waiting list for Non-Preference. If you know of anyone at a Catholic school, or there is a sibling wanting to enrol for 2022, please encourage them to do so as soon as possible to ensure they do not miss out.
Support NMOTR and WIN!!
Our raffles - Tamariki and Rongoā - for the Kapa Haka 2021 campaign will now be sold online.
If you would like to purchase tickets please click on the link:
https://www.trybooking.co.nz/HUT
Matariki
At our Assembly this week, we welcomed guest speaker, Toa Waaka, who shared his expertise on Maori Astronomy. He was fascinating to listen to and we all are more informed about what exists above us and our relationship with the stars and the universe. Matariki runs from 28 June to 2 July.
Hangi Fundraiser
I hope you all get to enjoy ”hangi takeaway” tonight for dinner. A huge thank you to Kristy and Ants Wilson and the team supporting with this.
Te Whakataetae Kapa Haka o Te Whanganui-a-Tara ki Otaki
The Wellington Regional Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition takes place this Monday at the TSB Arena. We have four students involved in this and have a group attending to support. We wish Paige, Hana, Jordyn and Aaliyah-Grace all the best. We are so proud of them and their hard work.
St Bernie’s Feast Day
St Bernadette’s are looking forward to a wonderful feast day and it will be lovely to see the burst of yellow around the school.
Itinerant Teachers’ Music Concert
On Tuesday 6 July in Studio 2 (Te Atawhai Building) - students who are taking lessons from itinerant music teachers at St Catherine’s will perform pieces they have been working on this year.
Sacramental Programme
The goal of the programme is to guide the youth in our church to encounter the presence and love of God in their everyday lives. We hope that it enables them to understand the wonder of belonging to our church family, understand our mission, and grow in their relationship with God.
If you are interested in your daughter receiving the Sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation) in 2021 please contact Ilana de Vos (Director of Religious Studies) on Ph: 939 8988 or email ilana.devos@scc.school.nz.
Mercy in Action Day
Thursday 8 July - this year’s theme is Manaakitanga and students will be working on practical ways to honour the mana of others. This is the last day of school and is a non-uniform day.
Kāhui Ako Midwinter Hui - Teacher Only Day
Friday 9 July. Only teachers will be at school on Friday 9 July.
Term 2 ENDS on Thursday 8th June for students
Mā te Atua koe e manaaki
Katrina Kerr-Bell
Tumuaki