Preparatory School Newsletter

Thursday 27 July 2023

Despite the cold, it was heartening to see the sun peek through the clouds yesterday. The ongoing rain (at times torrential) has taken a toll on the College grounds and tested the guttering and downpipes. We are hopeful the grass will be back in action soon.

Parent Interviews

Sincere thanks to those of you who have attended interviews this week. The number of parents attending has been pleasing. The teachers have appreciated the opportunity to meet with you and to discuss your child’s learning.

Pre-school Parking Spaces

Just a reminder, the three designated parking spaces in the drop-off/pick-up area are for parents who have children attending the Pre-school. These parking spaces are in operation for the full school day, 8.00am–4.30pm. As per the Resource Consent for the Pre-school, the College is required to have these parking spaces available when the centre is operating.

Gumboot Day

In support of the Boarders’ Assembly on Friday 4 August, the Agriculture Committee will once again hold Gumboot Day to support and raise money for Youth Mental Health.

Students and staff can wear (clean) gumboots to school. The gumboots are to be worn with the children’s school uniform. To donate $3.00, please text BOOTS to 469.

Grandparents’ Day 2023 | Save the Date

Friday 20 October – end of the first week back at school, Term 4

Regards

Jonathan Bierwirth
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy for Rector

Native tree planting next weekend | Sunday 30 July

Native tree planting | Sunday 30 July, 10.00am–12.00pm, 50 Atlantis Street, Christchurch, Red Zone Planting. (Parking on site)

Please join Eco Action Nursery Trust, and help students and communities plant 5000 native trees and plants they have grown. It is a great atmosphere with heaps of fellow student and parent enthusiasts. Please bring drinking water, solid footwear, and your favourite spade if you have one. There will be 450 spades on site, so everyone can help. The more the merrier!

Help our community help itself by developing this Christchurch community asset that will last for generations to come. The grown forest will provide habitat and food for native birds and lizards as well as sequester carbon to help with global climate change. It's also quite fun to plant a few plants!

This is the third of four plantings that will see 20,000 locally sourced, student grown, native plants and trees planted in the ground at 50 Atlantis Street. The last planting day for this year will be Sunday 3 September. Preparatory School students have been involved in planting seeds and potting seedlings on our own nursery for this community project. Students who attend can see Mrs Leota for points towards their Cultural Badge.

StAC Agricultural Show

Join us for the StAC Agricultural Show on Wednesday 20 September. Students can enter a number of fun events, such as baking, art, flower arrangements, and Lego creations, with placings from first to third place receiving a ribbon, and all first place winners will also receive a prize.

There is something for everyone at this A&P Show-inspired event. Come along to Gym 1 to experience all the art, baking and other pet entries as well as the petting zoo – get set for a day of Agricultural fun!

Entries: Cost: $3.00 per category entered (viewing the entries on the day is free). Entries close Friday 15 September 2023. To enter your child/ren into the StAC Agricultural Show, please click to complete the relevant entry form/s below:

Complete Pre-school Entry Form here >

Complete Preparatory Entry Form here >

Complete Secondary School Entry Form here >

Student Successes

Speech and Drama

Congratulations to Violet Winterbourn (Year 3) who recently competed in six categories at the Christchurch Speech and Drama Competition. This included dramatic extract, mime, own poetry and poetry recitals. Violet won gold in four Under 8-year-old categories and silver in two under 13-year-old categories. She was joint winner of the Trinity 125 Jubilee Cup for poetry recitals, and also won the Ann-Maree Bateman Cup for overall success in her age group.

Ballet

Alyssa Geddes (Year 8) recently competed at the South Island Ballet Awards held at the Issac Theatre Royal. This highly regarded competition is run biannually over several days. Alyssa competed against 58 juniors aged 11–14 years old. Competitors completed a technical class, classical set variation and own choice solo for a panel of distinguished adjudicators. As one of the younger dancers in her first year of major competition, Alyssa was delighted to be a semi-finalist and be awarded a training scholarship with the prestigious Melbourne Academy of Arts Dance School.

She was successful in a smaller competition over King's Birthday Weekend, winning the Junior Neoclassical trophy.

Art

Congratulations to Aiden Jia (Year 5) for receiving the H.C. Andersen International Art Exhibition junior group gold award.

Notices

New Metro bus fares

On 1 July the fares on Greater Christchurch public transport, buses and ferry, changed. The 50% fare discount funded by the government has now ceased. Environment Canterbury have now implemented a new fare structure with the following changes:

Single zone – all metro buses are a single zone. The same fare is now charged wherever you board or disembark in Greater Christchurch;
cash fares are $4.00/adult and $2.00/child (under 19);
Metrocard bus concessions are $1.00. These apply for people under 25 years, as well as people with a Community Services card, a Total Mobility card, or who attended a partnering Tertiary provider. For more information on the new fares, please click here;
note: Canterbury has not yet implemented free fares for under 13 years, but expect to release details soon.

What do students need to know?

your date of birth on your Metrocard activates the ‘Under 25’ concession. If a student paid child fares on their Metrocard pre-July, they will receive this concession automatically;
all other Metrocard benefits such as free transfers and capping remain.

2023 Photography Online Orders

The online sales for the following 2023 photographs are now available:

Ballet Academy photo (NEW – option to order A3 now available);
Preparatory School cricket, tennis, water polo, mini jammers basketball, House and Sports Captains, and Librarians;
Secondary School summer sports groups (except for cricket and volleyball);
Secondary School cultural and music groups;
individual student photographs;
Year 9 and Year 13 whole year group photographs;
Secondary School tutor group photographs;
Preparatory School class photographs.

Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website using the button below and you will need to log into StACNet using your St Andrew's College login

If you have any questions relating to this service, please email photography@stac.school.nz

ORDER PHOTOGRAPHS ONLINE >