St Catherine's College Newsletter
Wednesday 2 December
Kia ora whānau of St Catherine’s College,
The community of Sacred Heart College Lower Hutt has been devastated by the sudden passing of Mrs Ashley Bell. Ashley was a much loved teacher of English and Year 11 Dean this year. She will be missed dearly by her colleagues and students. Our prayers are with her family and the Sacred Heart community as they come to terms with their immense loss and grief.
Eternal rest grant to Ashley
May perpetual light shine upon her
May she rest in peace, Amen.
We’re into the final days of the school year and Year 9 and 10 students have been busy preparing for the Williams Shield. This speaking and drama competition is keenly contested across the Year 9 and Year 10 form classes with teachers coaching a number of disciplines. Ms Deirdre Walsh spends many hours organising and cajoling us all into different roles.
The Year 10 ‘Hands on Science Project’ was on display yesterday. A wide range of innovative enquiries revealed interesting outcomes. I learnt that it is more productive to focus on a single task rather than multi-task, why one sunscreen product is better than another, how my sense of smell influences my taste buds, and did you know that music has an effect on the growth of a plant; rock music is less detrimental than classical music. You learn something new every day they say!
Congratulations to Mrs Kandy Hawkins, our Teacher Aide, who was awarded the Wellington South Rotary Club’s “Pride of Workmanship Award” which gives recognition to exceptional service by employees or volunteers in the workplace.
Our school magazine will be published shortly capturing the milieu of school life for 2020. This is a major undertaking which takes a huge amount of time and organisational energy; we acknowledge the amazing role that Mrs Kathy Ryan undertakes as our editor and chief scribe.
Ms Lisa Lorenzen has accepted a teaching position at another school. Lisa has been teaching at St Catherine’s for the best part of a decade, serving the learning needs of our migrant/refugee students, embracing their cultural and social transitions and giving her time and energy generously, with empathy and understanding to their needs. We wish her happiness in her new position.
I can report that we are fully staffed for 2021 and we have some wonderful new staff joining us who will be welcomed at our pōwhiri in the new school year on 3 February.
Please keep in your prayers at this time the work of The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care which continues to look into what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in care. We pray for survivors for ongoing courage as they share their experience with the Commission. Starting this week, the Royal Commission will focus on cases involving the Catholic Church. While this may be a difficult time for survivors and many in our communities, this is an important process. We listen to the experiences of survivors, acknowledge failings, support the justice and reconciliation process and look forward to the future with hope.
INVITATION
St Catherine’s College
PRIZEGIVING
Thursday 7.00pm
St Patrick’s College Hall
EVERYONE IS WELCOME
The term ends next Monday 7 December with Mass for Years 9 and 10 in St Patrick’s Parish Church at 10.30am You are very welcome to join us for this closing Eucharist before students depart for their summer holiday.
We have twelve Year 12 students attending the Young Catholic Leaders’ camp at Forest Lakes Camp, north of Otaki, for 5 days after school closes. Please keep them in your prayers as they engage in leadership activities with the 2021 school leaders from the other 8 Catholic colleges of our diocese, preparing to lead their schools in the new year.
Start Up - 2021
Wed 27 Jan; School Office Opens
Thurs 28 Jan; New staff induction / Student Leadership hui
Fri 29 Jan; Staff - Special Character Day at Home of Compassion (Island Bay)
Mon 1 Feb; Staff and Yr 12-13 Course Confirmation
Tues 2 Feb; Yr 9 and Yr 13 only at school
Wed 3 Feb; All students - Pōwhiri
We are in the season of Advent - a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus; the reason for the season. I think this year more than ever, Christmas offers a great opportunity for us to consider the hope for love and kindness to bind us all together.
I wish you and your family much peace and happiness for Christmas and the holiday period.
‘Let this Advent candle be a symbol for us
awakening us to the mystery of life.
Inspire us with faith for the journey.
Let your aroha for all people
be the gift we bring to others,
that every heart my know
the peace you promise, Amen
Ngā mihi nui
Steve
Principal