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"I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have made this final term so memorable for me."
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou katoa
St Andrew’s College has enjoyed a very positive end to the school year and there has been time to reflect upon the many achievements and successes, individual and collective. Now that NCEA examinations and classes have finished, the campus is quieter, however, property maintenance is underway and most support staff are still busy with transitioning to the new school year.
Our traditional Prizegiving ceremony was a wonderful celebration of so many student successes and the entertainment from our talented musicians, singers, dancers, kapa haka and Pipe Band, was first class. The coverage by our talented Media Tech crew was very slick and professional. The finale, Viva La Vida, did not disappoint and showcased a number of our talented Year 13 students.
The final Preparatory School Prizegiving, Pre-school Christmas Concert, and the Junior School Graduation, 2025 Prefect camp at Castle Hill, the Year 13 Leavers’ Dinner, the Ballet Academy’s production of The Nutcracker, and the Highland Fairy Tale production were other special events over the last two weeks which celebrated the various stages in the lives of our tamariki. As always, it was lovely to celebrate these occasions with whānau and I thank you all for your support, not only of your children but all those who are part of this special StAC community.
Our staff have finished the school year with some professional learning and Secondary School teachers took part in a community service day, raising funds of volunteering for different charities. There have also been opportunities to thank our staff and farewell those who are leaving at the end of this year.
This is my final message to you as Rector and I extend my thanks to those who have sent good wishes on my retirement. It was very humbling to be acknowledged with the Secondary School haka at Prizegiving, and walking out to the pipes one last time was an emotional moment. The recognition by the Board in the presentation of the ceremonial korowai and the pounamu mere was also a proud moment. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all who have made this final term so memorable for me.
Best wishes to all families for a blessed Christmas and holiday with those who are special to you.
Ngā mihi o te kirihimete
Kia noho haumaru koutou katoa.
Christine Leighton
Rector
Head Prefect: Kate Simcock
Head Prefect: Jake Elvidge
Deputy Head Prefect: Sophia Voice
Deputy Head Prefect: Ricky Kotepong
Head of Girls’ Boarding: Cata Serrano Burgos
Head of Boys’ Boarding: Lachie Sidey
Ruby Allan
Joshua Adams
Cameron Aldridge
James Anthony
Olivia Bloom
Toby Browne
Isabella Cody
Noah Cole
Oliver Cotter
Madeline Davidson
Jake Elvidge
Noah Fanene
Connor Frew
Ava Gardiner
Hazel Hall
Ethan Higgs
Jasmine Hooker
Ricky Kotepong
Jonty Lang
William Lindores
Rylee McBride
Lily McHarg
Mia Montgomery
Nikao Panapa
Maria (Masha) Pospolitak
Ivan Ren
Jonathan Rogers
Catalina Serrano Burgos
Elia Short
Lachlan Sidey
Katherine Simcock
Milla Smith
Sophia Voice
Madison Wallace
Emma Bailey
Hamish Bray
Fletcher Cairns
Hanxi (Cicy) Chen
Jai Curtis
Carter Evans
Eliana Gibbons
Samuel Hardy
Tom Heiler
Edward Keenan
Max Kinney
Oliver Kirk
Sophie Lampe
RuoLin (Lauren) Li
Clara-Jane Long
Noah Martinez
Maggie McConnochie
Isaac Seatter
Yuhan (Uny) Shao
Adele Sherborne
Grace Smith
Heidi Smith
Piper Stone
Jack Topless
Genevieve Wallis
Katrina Wallis
Isabelle Williamson
Sam Wilton
Thank you to all the families who gave a gift to the Christchurch City Mission this year. We had the largest response to date, with an outstanding and humbling response from students. The Christchurch City Mission is truly grateful for these gifts, which will be given to the many families in need this Christmas.
JANUARY
29 Term 1 Commences Years 1–9
30 Term 1 Commences Years 10–13
30 Secondary School Mihi Whakatau and Assembly, 8.30am
31 Secondary School Leadership Assembly, 8.25am
FEBRUARY
6 Waitangi Day observed – College closed
9 Boarders' Chapel Service, 6.30pm
13 Year 11 NCEA Information Evening, Centennial Chapel, 7.00pm
14 Secondary School Academic Awards Assembly, 8.25am
19 Secondary School Wednesday Summer Sport Competition commences
19 Senior College NCEA Information Evening, Senior College Common Room, 7.00pm
23 Middle School Chapel Service, 7.00pm
28 Secondary School Athletic Sports Day
Please view the fixtures on the College intranet for more upcoming events. The intranet is updated daily.
Thanks to the generosity of previous Board member, Jay Scanlon, each Prizegiving we recognise a teacher with the Marily Scanlon Award for Teaching Excellence. This year’s 18th recipient is Head of English, Rebecca Ball. Rebecca has taught at St Andrew’s College for nine years and is not only an outstanding teacher and strong leader as Head of Department, but she has also worked hard to establish a culture of writing across our school.
Over 220 students have become published writers or represented St Andrew's in national competitions over the seven years Rebecca has overseen the writing programme. It was wonderful to recently learn that Rebecca had been named as the overall winner of the prestigious national Sunday Star-Times Short Story competition which is superb recognition of her undeniable talent.
The winner of the David Wilton Prize for the Dux of St Andrew’s College for 2024 is Aaron Moore.
Aaron was also awarded the Physical Science Prize and the English Literature Prize, and received an ICAS Gold Medal Award for Science.
Megan Simpson won Proxime Accessit, runner-up to the Dux for 2024. Megan was also awarded the Suter Family Cup for Best All-rounder in Year 13 (Girls), the Clive Crozier Memorial Prize, Brookes Family Cup for the Head Girl, a Biology Prize and Mathematics with Statistics Prize.
The J R Bierwirth Cup for Dux of the Preparatory School: Cong (Zilong) Chen
The M J Hill Cup for Proxime Accessit of the Preparatory School: Emmett Lawler
David Wilton Prize for the Dux: Aaron Moore
Proxime Accessit: Megan Simpson
Amelia McGoldrick Memorial Cup for the Best All Round Sportswoman in Year 8: Tayla Ford
Cartwright Cup for the Best All Round Sportsman in Year 8: Joshua Stewart
St John Trophy for the Best All Round Student in Year 8: Isla Marshall
Dennis McIlraith Cup for a student making a Positive Contribution to the Year Group (Year 9): Iosefo Tito
St Andrew’s Cup for All-round Excellence in Year 9: Samuel Hu
St Andrew’s Cup for the Best All-round Junior Sportswoman: Sophie Lampe
Mauger Family Cup for the Best All-round Junior Sportsman: Jairo Senio
St Andrew’s Cup for the Most Positive Contribution to the Year Group (Year 10): Edward Keenan
J R Little Memorial Cup for All Round Excellence in Year 10: Hanxi (Cicy) Chen
Box Family Cup for Middle School Sporting Excellence (Boys): Jake Wilson
Scott Family Cup for Middle School Sporting Excellence (Girls): Metua Cranwell
Burrows Family Cup for the Most Valuable Contribution to the Year Group (Year 11): Isla Kempthorne
S J Long Cup for All-round Excellence in Year 11: Charlotte Galvan
Bill Thompson Memorial Cup for All-round Excellence in Year 12: Katherine Simcock
E. N. T. Reese Memorial Award for the Top Academic Performance in Year 12: Daniel Officer
Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Gold Awards: Isobel Bhatia, Hannah Burnett, Lucia Croft, Leon Dias, Jack Flanagan, Henry Forgie, Noah Grossmith, Madison Hughes, Harrison Justice, Grace Kempthorne, Iona Lawson, Hunter Lewis, Max Murphy, Jayden Okeroa, Xanthe Pearce, Hugo Ranken, Billie Revis, Holly Rossiter, Joseph Ryan, Samuel Scott, Megan Simpson, Sienna Spark, Grace Vincent Parr
Tuu’u Family Cup for an Outstanding Contribution to Intercultural Relationships: Hoi Sang (Kevin) Chen
Collins Cup for Culture: Jenna Howell, Xanthe Pearce
Charles Young Cup for Senior Music: Jack Flanagan
Prize for Excellence in Chamber Music: Miu Kim
Duncan Field Cup for all-round contribution to Year 13: Hannah Burnett, Samantha Hooker
Tapper-Green Cup for Citizenship: Sea-am Thompson
A. R. Liddell Memorial Trophy for Service to Sport: Liam Hackston
Rocklea Cup for Champion House (Tompson 2023): William Carrodus, Addison Williams
Bruce Ullrich Trophy for all-round Sporting Excellence (Boys): Bronson Curtis
Ladies Circle Cup for all-round Sporting Excellence (Girls): Orla Motley
Trophy for Senior Sportsman of the Year: Samuel Mustchin
Ladies Committee Cup for Sportswoman of the Year: Amber de Wit
McKenzie Cup for Service to the House: Gretal Tavendale
D. C. Wilson Memorial Prize and the Dianne MacDonald Cup for Head of Girls’ Boarding: Gretal Tavendale
D. C. Wilson Memorial Prize and Letham family Cup for Head of Boys’ Boarding: Alexander Kinney
Oughton Cup for Deputy Head Girl: Holly Maraki
Newton Cup for Deputy Head Boy: Carter Rhodes
Clive Crozier Memorial Prize and Brookes Family Cup for the Head Girl: Meg Simpson
Clive Crozier Memorial Prize and Yee Family Cup for the Head Boy: Hugo Ranken
Faletoese Cup for best all-rounder in Year 13 (Boys): Hugo Ranken
Suter Family Cup for best all-rounder in Year 13 (Girls): Megan Simpson
The Tuuta Iho Pūmanawa Award: Holly Maraki
The Christine Leighton Prize: Hayden Lam
Secondary School Prizegiving WinnerS FULL LIST > Preparatory School End of Year Assembly Award Recipients >
Each year thousands of students sit these examinations in various subjects and most years at our Prizegiving we recognise one or two of our students who achieve an ICAS Gold Medal, gaining the top mark in New Zealand for their year group. This year, three medals have been achieved in Mathematics, Science and English:
Over the last term all Year 10 students have completed their Qualifying Journey for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award at Castle Hill. As each class came off camp, they were required to reflect on their journey by completing a report and submitting it online. Students also worked hard to complete all other aspects of the award, so that their award can be signed off over the Christmas Holiday period. In Year 11, a group of 36 students completed their Silver Award over the course of the year and can now step up to the challenge and begin their Gold Award next year. The Gold Award takes at least 14 months to complete and for most 18 months.
We are delighted that St Andrew’s College students have achieved the largest number of Gold Awards across all organisations that offer the award in New Zealand in 2024, and to once again have a large number of recipients celebrate the completion of their Gold Award at our recent College Prizegiving, with 23 Year 13 students completing the award this year, the highest number of awards in a given year for St Andrew's College.
Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Gold Award Recipients: Isobel Bhatia, Hannah Burnett, Lucia Croft, Leon Dias, Jack Flanagan, Henry Forgie, Noah Grossmith, Madison Hughes, Harrison Justice, Grace Kempthorne, Iona Lawson, Hunter Lewis, Max Murphy, Jayden Okeroa, Xanthe Pearce, Hugo Ranken, Billie Revis, Holly Rossiter, Joseph Ryan, Samuel Scott, Megan Simpson, Sienna Spark, Grace Vincent Parr
The 2024 Leavers’ Dinner was a memorable event, marked by a special surprise appearance from the Year 13 Dean, Riley Gain, who received a standing ovation from the year group. Held at Te Pae, the Christchurch Convention Centre, the 204 Year 13 Leavers and their parents/caregivers were treated to a wonderful social occasion to reconnect and celebrate together. This amazing, resilient, and grateful cohort celebrated their achievements with a few musical performances, creating a wonderful atmosphere. A heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making the evening so special.
The 2024 Leavers’ Gift is an artwork designed by the Year 13 students, representing the Balance is Better @StAC sports framework, which was introduced at St Andrew’s College this year. The artwork will feature four thistles, each symbolising one of the framework’s key concepts: Deep Roots (Whanaungatanga/Show Respect), Strong Stems (Rangatiratanga/Take Responsibility), Mighty Thorns (Kia Māia/Show Courage), and Vibrant Flowers (Whai Wāhi/Stay Engaged). The artwork (concept pictured) will include the te reo Māori headings for each concept, and will be installed in a prominent location on campus.
The St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy proudly presented The Nutcracker as its production for 2024 – the first to take place in Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre, Gough Family Theatre. Under the guidance of Ballet Academy Artistic Director, Director Dr Carolyn Cairns, the talent of dancers from all year levels shone through this timeless holiday classic. Audiences thoroughly enjoyed the beauty and excitement of this ballet, the graceful and elegant dancers, and the stunning costumes on stage.
FLICKR >The Te Waka homecoming ceremony was a significant and heartfelt milestone for our Year 10 students as they continue their journey into adulthood. The event highlighted the themes of resilience, responsibility, and respect, with inspiring messages shared by teachers, students, and the Heads of College. A memorable musical performance and a powerful haka from the Preparatory School added to the occasion's sense of unity and support. Meeting with parents/caregivers afterward allowed students to share their goals for the coming year, culminating in breaking their boards – a symbolic and empowering act of determination to achieve their aspirations.
FLICKR >
A group of 80 Year 11 and 12 Peer Support Leaders were involved in a busy two days last week. The aim was to learn activities and games which will help with their leadership skills and which they can then use with the incoming 2025 Year 9 students. Discussions on leading, supporting and being in charge of equipment were had, and it was wonderful to see them get into the spirit of things. There was also a spectacular fashion parade as the groups made a future St Andrew's College uniform with just newspaper and a bit of ingenuity.
On Monday last week, 28 Middle School Leaders arrived for a leadership camp at Castle Hill. The young team did some brainstorming and group work in deciding what their culture for 2025 is going to look like. Through a variety of group activities such as The Floor is Lava, the Spiderweb, and carrying an egg, the students worked on skills such as trust, communication and respect for each other. They also managed to cook some delicious burgers. We look forward to working with these young leaders and their initiatives in 2025.
On Tuesday last week, class 9S visited Monique O’Sullivan’s Year 2 class to share their shoebox dioramas and stories. Students worked on these as part of their end of year project creating beautiful shoebox ‘theatres’ full of magical worlds and accompanying stories. The idea came from a desire to see students creating without using computers and working with students as an audience from the Preparatory school. The Year 2 students were delighted with the shoeboxes and the wonderful stories that were shared by the Year 9 group.
Last week, the Preparatory A netball team faced their toughest game of the year, against the Preparatory School Teachers' A team. The game was played in a great spirit with the Prep A student team taking a first quarter lead 7–5, however the teachers used a growth mindset to expand their game, took a few risks and when the final whistle blew, the teachers had prevailed 13–10. Fitness certainly played a part, and the teachers were relieved that quarters were only five minutes long. Congratulations to everyone involved with special thanks to Olivia Quane and Chelsea Li (both Year 8) for ensuring rules were observed by both teams!
Stacchorus spent the afternoon at the Diana Isaac Retirement Village last week sharing a programme of Christmas songs for the residents. This was followed by an afternoon tea together.
FLICKR >Last Friday, the Preparatory School drew the year to a close with the End of Term 4 Assembly. The Pipe Band, supported by singing from Year 7–8 students, started proceedings with a bang as they performed, From Now On from The Greatest Showman, arranged by Cammy Barnes. School Principal, Jonathan Bierwirth presented the departing Rector with a special gift put together by Assistant Principal, Heather Orman, a book produced by the Junior School that reflected the impact of Christine Leighton's tenure to the Preparatory School. Baizhen (Tony) Chen (Year 8), Music scholar and accomplished violinist and pianist, performed Kabalevsky’s Violin Concerto in C major, Opus 48, 1st Movement accompanied by Sarah Kang. The entertainment didn’t stop there, with a performance by the Preparatory School Kapa Haka. The Year 8 leavers' message demonstrated their ability to dance, also involving another leaver in 2024, Rector Christine Leighton! It was a wonderful way to finish the year as many students also crossed the stage gaining recognition for their achievements throughout the year.
FLICKR >
The children in the Junior Department spent last Friday morning doing all things 'Christmassy', dressed up in Christmas clothes of their choice. The children have enjoyed a Christmas Circus show by Sport Suzie, including balancing candy canes, magical underpants, juggling presents, circus tricks, and much more. Next was a Superhero Science Show by Nanogirl, which was 45 minutes of interactive, and explosive live entertainment. Her message highlighted the superpowers of science and engineering through experiments and demonstrations. Next, author Sue Heazlewood spoke to the children about her books while she did a cooking demonstration with them. Finally, the children decorated Christmas biscuits. Everyone has had a great morning and are all very much looking forward to Christmas.
FLICKR >On Tuesday last week, the Junior Department held their Christmas Concert and Year 3 Graduation. The students sang six Christmas carols together and each class also performed an item. These included action songs and dances, a Christmas Bell song and a beautiful umbrella dance.
It was also a special time for Year 3 tamariki to share their school memories. We wish our Year 3 leavers all the best as they transition into Year 4 next year.
FLICKR >
Twenty-six St Andrew's College students were in the cast of 'The Highland Fairytale' production, which was a very successful showcase in the Gough Family Theatre on Saturday 7 December. Students in Years 2–3 were the cutest mice, along with horses and coachmen from Years 5–8 who accompanied Siara Clarke (Year 13) in her role as Cinderella. A special thank you to Theatre Operations Manager, Stuart Lloyd-Harris, for his skillful lighting and stage effects which ensured truly magical stage settings.
Over the past few weeks as the Pre-school year has drawn to a close, many learning experiences have focused on exploring ideas about Christmas. The children have discussed how Christmas is celebrated differently in different homes, created lots of Christmas arts and craft, and of course, held the Pre-school Christmas concert! This year the Pre-school was able to use the new Gough Family Theatre for the concert for the first time – this could have been the first step to a career on the stage for quite a number of the Pre-school tamariki. The Pre-school was so proud to invite whānau to hear the performance – there weren’t many dry eyes left in the audience! Merry Christmas.
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In a new initiative for 2024, Secondary School teachers and Support Staff who were able, were involved in a Community Service afternoon on Thursday. Role modeling service and giving, an integral part of the College student experience, this is a way to allow staff space and time to give back to a range of charity groups and organisations close to people's hearts. A number of staff coordinated various activities for people to be involved in across the city. Those with green fingers were able to do some gardening at Ōtakaro Orchard, plant native trees for the College EcoAction Nursery, or clean up local reserves and parks. Some chose to work onsite sewing dresses for the Dress a Girl Around the World organisation and making Santa sacks and huggable hearts for the Neo-natal ward at Christchurch Hospital and the Christchurch City Mission. A large group have spent the last few weeks baking Christmas treats for over 600 primary school students involved in the Full Bellies programme. Groups also provided a helping hand at Waimairi School, Kairos Food Rescue and Clothed in Love. Pet lovers also had a couple of options, with a pet day for the SPCA raising over $1400, while another group were able to help with gardening and maintenance at the SPCA Centre in Hornby. Some took to kayaks to clean up the Avon river thanks to the support of Antigua Boat Shed, whilst another group was involved in a research and beach clean up for Blue Cradle, a global organisation working to clean up the oceans. Mathematics teacher, Jon Fahlander, ran 45km in the heat to raise over $400 of funds for people in need. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon with staff embracing the opportunity and enjoying the time together.
FLICKR >The fourth Annual Staff Lawn Bowls function at Elmwood brought Paris 2024 flair to the green, with record attendance and standout performances. 'The Gold Medalists' team clinched the win, and Dan O'Reilly dazzled with both skill and his costume as a Turkish sharpshooter taking out the best bowl award. As always, the event showcased creative costumes, including French Riviera glamour and the quirky 'E. coli in the Seine'. The day reached peak excitement during the choreographed catwalks, where Clare Register’s dazzling portrayal of Ragun earned her the title of Best Dressed for 2024. From show-stopping performances to friendly competition, it was a day of fun, camaraderie, and unforgettable memories.
The St Andrew’s Mixed touch team travelled to Rotorua to take part in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Touch Championship, among 43 top teams from around the country. The team had eight games over the weekend and endured hot, sunny playing conditions. All of the hard work put in by the team in Terms 1 and 4 paid off and they made it to the final for the second year in a row. They came away with a silver medal after an 11–7 loss to Mahurangi College, but can be proud of all of their performances through the tournament and being ranked second in New Zealand. The livestream commentators spoke highly about the talent within the team, the way the players didn’t get their heads down when the opposition scored, and the way they continued to work hard together right to the end of the game. A highlight of the tournament was their exciting quarter final win over Manukura School. The game was 6–6 at full-time and went to a ‘drop off’ with 4 vs 4, then 3 vs 3 players, with Nikao Panapa (Year 12) scoring to secure the win. A large crowd watched the tense finish and the team was thrilled to take the win. The team wants to thank the departing Year 13 students that have been part of the team for a number of years: Macklan Robertson, Samuel Mustchin, Tom Turner, Rafferty Powell, Ophelia Powell, Holly Maraki, Milla Downing and Addison Williams.
The 1st XI had a great win over Christ's College in the One Day final. Batting first, College got away to a great start but Otis Wheeler (Year 11) bowled very well, picking up three wickets and putting the brakes on the scoring. This was backed up with Tom Turner (Year 13) two wickets and some very good catches taken to dismiss College for 183.
Tom Turner again got off to a great start, scoring 46 off 26 balls, but it was William Carrodus (Year 13) 44 n.o and Toby Smith (Year 13) 44 n.o who came together with a 82 run partnership, which saw the team home in the 42nd over four wickets down. It was a great way for the Year 13 boys to finish their 1st XI playing days at St Andrew's.
Liam Costeloe (Year 11) scored an impressive 107 against Shirley Boys' High School for the 3rd XI.
Other notable performances were:
Wilde Brabazon-Fleming (Year 9) was the scoreboard keeper at the United States vs New Zealand youth polo tournament 'A Day at the Polo' organised by Ronald McDonald House.
Wilde also played his first A grade level match at the South Island Schools and Universities (SUPA) polo tournament at Waireka Polo, where he played on the Christchurch Boys' High Combined team against the Christ’s College team and the Christchurch Combined A team. In the end it was a draw for first place with Wilde's team and Christ’s College, with both teams sharing the victory of the Wood Cup.
Luca Rose, Joshua Morrow and Toby Wilson (all Year 11) took part in the OxMan Multisport event, comprising of a 2km run, 46km road bike, 14.5km and a 10km kayak. They came second in the male team event.
Louis Hyland (Year 8) has been awarded with his Platinum Award, for completing 30 Science Badges. He also has his photo displayed on the Science Award Trust Honours Board. Only seven other students in all of New Zealand have attained this award this year.
Keer (Tessa) Meng (Year 9) and Elina Wang (Year 7) were also recently presented with their Bronze Star Badge for completing five Science Badges. Well done to all Science Badge students who have been part of the club and have completed badges and activities throughout this year. It is so great to see you engaging in scientific activities that broaden your knowledge and further develop your passion for Science.
The Senior Girls' rugby sevens team achieved an eighth place finish out of 20 teams National Condor Tournament in Mount Maunganui. This follows their second place finish in the Canterbury region. Day one saw the girls secure three impressive wins, while day two brought tougher challenges. The team was defeated in the quarter-final against Auckland Girls' Grammar School. However, despite playing with only nine players for a significant portion of the game, our team scored two tries. In the final game, the girls fought valiantly with just seven players, ending in a nail-biting 28–26 loss against Fielding High School. This eighth place national ranking is an improvement from last year's 10th place and is a testament to the team's dedication and skill.
Also at the National Condor Tournament was the Under 15 Girls' seven-aside rugby team. The team played with courage and represented the thistle with pride. It has been a great experience and the team improved with every performance.
A team of 14 athletes from St Andrew's competed at the New Zealand Secondary School Athletics National Track and Field and Road Race Championships in Timaru last weekend. Almost every member of the team achieved at least one finals result and personal best performances. The best individual results were produced by Oliver Jackways (Year 11) and Orla Motley (Year 12) with each picking up a bronze medal. The Junior Mixed 4x400 relay team won silver with .01 of a second. The same team members had also placed second the previous year.
FLICKR >
Last Monday, the Preparatory School hosted Medbury School for the annual Summer Sport Exchange. The weather put on a show as games were played in warm conditions. The Preparatory A tennis team completed a clean sweep for the year as they defeated Medbury, 11 matches to four. The cricket games were also eagerly contested and despite a wonderfully crafted half century by Oliver Morrow (Year 8), the 1st XI were just defeated with a couple of overs to go, Medbury successfully chasing down St Andrew's 133 in 28 overs. Both cricket games reflected the great sportsmanship between the two schools. Thank you to everyone who took part in the final sport exchange of the year.
FLICKR >St Andrew's fielded three teams in last Sunday’s Vex Robotics scrimmage. In the Vex IQ Competition (Preparatory School) St Andrew's fielded two teams into the Vex Rapid Relay Competition. StAC Team 88397F, with their robot Terry, finished first equal with alliances from Rangu Ruru Girls' School and Hillmorton High School. This team was made up of Alex O’Neill, Jacob Brinch, Ethan Waines and Harry Kempthorne (all Year 8). The second team, SCP173, made up of XiaoYa (Cynthia) Zhou, Emma Theobald and Mira Singhal (all Year 7) has also made great progress with the re-build of their robot.
The VEX IQ Nationals were held in Palmerston North last weekend. Run by Kiwibots the VIQC Nationals is where teams compete for qualification spots for the VEX World Championships in Dallas, Texas 2025. This is the largest VEX IQ event run in NZ and this year was the biggest nationals so far, with 67 teams across two divisions teams competing for the two World Championship spots. The competition this year was called Rapid Relay, and the object of the game was to score as many points as possible by firing the soft yellow balls into four goals, clearing the four switches. The teams also must compete in a series of driver and autonomous programming challenges and the entire process of the design, development, building and programming of their robot needs to be documented in an Engineering Notebook that shows their understanding of the design process. This year St Andrew’s College was represented by the two teams from the Preparatory School. The VEX IQ Nationals was held over two very long days, with over 180 practice and qualification matches taking place across the competition. By the end of the first day the Year 7 team was placed 27th and the Year 8 team was 25th. The second day of competition saw more qualification matches, with the teams trying to make the top 10 places for the finals matches. In the end the Year 7 team finished 34th overall in the main competition and 33rd in the skills testing. The Year 8 team finished 21st overall and 22nd in the skills testing, placing them as the top Canterbury team and second in the South Island.
The following students have been accepted into the 2025 New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra (NZSSSO):
Ethan Waines will also be one of four soloists performing a movement in the Vivaldi Concerto for Four Violins with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra at the February 2025 Mitre 10 Sparks event in Hagley Park.
The Christmas Eve Chapel Service will take place on Tuesday 24 December at 6.00pm in the Centennial Chapel.
Everyone is welcome to this family-friendly service.
Wednesday 29 January
8.20am Classes as normal.
Wednesday 29 January
8.20am Peer Support Leaders guide students to the Secondary School Quad
8.30am–9.00am Welcome from Head of Middle School, Mr Matt Parr in the Centennial Chapel
9.00am–9.30am Chapel service, Centennial Chapel, Welcome Year 9.
Thursday 30 January
8.00am Dean and student buddies meet new students in front of the Middle School Centre.
8.25am Mihi Whakatau and Assembly in Quad (Gym 2 if wet).
Thursday 30 January
8.25am Mihi Whakatau and Assembly in Quad (Gym 2 if wet).
You are warmly invited to join Rector Christine Leighton tomorrow evening for a special evening of music hosted by St Andrew's College in our Centennial Chapel.
Samuel Jeon (OC 2021), who has continued to shine since his last memorable performance at the College in 2021, will be joined by his sister Christine Jeon (OC 2024), for this special end-of-year chamber music concert on piano and cello. Ethan Waines (Year 8) will also perform, with his brother Caleb. In 2021, Samuel and Christine, with their trio 'Vich Perfect', captivated us with their breathtaking performance of Shostakovich's Piano Trio No.2 in E minor (Op. 67), winning the NZCT Chamber Music Contest. Christine Leighton is honoured that Samuel and Christine wish to recognise her time as Rector in this way, and will be delighted to introduce the performances.
Donations Welcome | Support 'So They Can'
Any donations received will support our charity partner, So They Can (supporting education in Tanzania). Choose the donation option when you register, or use our donation form by clicking here. Cash will also be accepted on entry.
At the beginning of next year, St Andrew’s College is delighted to host Dr Tony Fernando, whose wisdom and calm presence have inspired audiences worldwide. An academic psychiatrist, researcher, ordained Buddhist monk, and best-selling author from the University of Auckland, Dr Fernando is a leading expert on strategies for staying calm and resilient in a busy world.
Drawing from his latest book, Life Hacks from the Buddha: How to Keep Calm and Connected in a Chaotic World, Dr Fernando will share practical tools and insights to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease. In this special parent presentation, he will explore how managing expectations, practicing mindfulness, and cultivating self-compassion can transform the parenting journey.
When: Monday 27 January, 5.30pm–6.30pm
Where: Centennial Chapel
Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to be inspired by Dr Fernando’s practical wisdom. Parents/caregivers will be emailed further information and the link to register in the new year.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The St Andrew’s College ICT Services team will be offering an opportunity for new students to have their laptop set up in preparation for the new academic year. To book your time slot, please visit:
Day Students: stac.nz/ICT_Onboard
Boarders: stac.nz/BoarderOnboarding
Day Students:
This will take place in The Green Library and Innovation Centre (entrance from the main Secondary School Quad).
Tuesday 21 January, 9.00am–4.00pm
Wednesday 22 January, 9.00am–4.00pm
Thursday 23 January, 9.00am–4.00pm
Friday 24 January, 9.00am–4.00pm
Boarders:
This will take place in ICT (upstairs in the Technology Centre, accessed through the Secondary School Quad).
Monday 27 January, 11.00am–4.00pm
Tuesday 28 January, 10.00am–4.00pm
Current Students:
Current students who will have a new device in 2025 have the option of booking an on-boarding session, or setting this up from home by following these instructions.
The opening hours for the College Shop – Thistles are as below:
The last day for 2024 is Friday 20 December.
The first day for 2025 is Thursday 9 January.
Opening Hours – Holiday Time
Monday of the first week of holidays: 11.30am–3.30pm
Friday of the last week of holidays: 11.30am–3.30pm
Opening Hours – Term Time
Monday and Tuesday: 7.45am–9.45am and 12.00pm–4.30pm
Wednesday: 7.45am–9.45am and 12.00pm–3.30pm
Thursday and Friday: 7.45am–9.45am and 12.00pm–4.30pm
Click here for further information about the College Shop, Thistles.
The Second-hand Uniform Shop is located beside the College Shop – Thistles, next to the Normans Road carpark.
Opening Hours – Holiday Time
In January 2025, the Second-hand Uniform Shop will be open at the following times:
Thursday 23 January: 10.00am – 4.00pm
Friday 24 January:10.00am – 4.00pm
Monday 27 January: 10.00am – 12.30pm
Tuesday 28 January: 3.00pm – 4.30pm
Please note: numbers in the Second-hand Uniform Shop will be restricted which may increase waiting times.
Opening Hours – Term Time
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3.00pm–4.30pm
Before school starts back for 2025, you can drop off any good quality, clean uniforms and/or purchase second-hand uniform items. 70% of the sale price on uniform items goes back to the parent/caregiver and the remaining 30% goes to the PTA. More information can be found here.
