Preparatory School Newsletter

Thursday 3 August 2023

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.

Te Wiki O Ngā Pukapuka (Book Week) 18–22 September 2023 | Theme: Who’s Your Hero?

Excitement is starting to build for our annual Book Week at the end of this term. We have five days of activities and fun planned around the theme of 'Who’s Your Hero'?

We will be joined by New Zealand author Maria Gill, who is best known for her non-fiction books about our home-grown heroes. We will be celebrating all book heroes during this week, not just those with capes!

The highlight of the week will be our annual Book Parade. This will take place on Thursday 21 September starting at 12.00pm.

All students are invited to dress up as book characters for the day and join in the fun.

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

Canterbury Indoor Basketball Tournament Year 7/8

On Wednesday our Year 7/8 A basketball teams competed in the inaugural Canterbury Indoor Basketball Tournament. We ventured out to MainPower Stadium in Rangiora to take part in the highly competitive one-day tournament. The boys had a tough pool that ended in a three-way tie for first place. On a countback the boys qualified for the quarter final against an aggressive Halswell team. The game was scrappy with a lot of body contact. Unfortunately, the end result wasn’t in our favour and the boys had to settle for a top eight finish.

In the Girl’s Division our Girls' A team came out firing. They won all their pool games convincingly with tenacious defence and accurate finishing. Only conceding six points in total over their five pool games had them confident going into the quarter finals. The girls won the quarter final game against Russley 25–0 and moved onto their semi-final against Hillview. The semi-final was a lot more aggressive, and the physicality was brutal. However, the girls held their nerves and won 13–4. Their final opponent was Kaiapoi North. Quite evenly matched, we knew we had to move the ball and be aggressive. The girls played with great courage and fought for every position. Hayley Stowell (Year 8) hit a flush three-pointer which gave the girls some wriggle room in the final minutes. In a fast 10-minute game, the girls played smart, winning the game 13–4 and being crowned Canterbury Champions.

Eco Action Planting Day

Last Sunday St Andrew's College students participated in the Eco Action planting day in the Christchurch Red Zone. Along with students from the Secondary School and other Christchurch schools, Sophie Jacobs (Year 5), Juno Park and Eva Willcox (both Year 7) came with their family members to help in the planting of 20,000 trees, shrubs and grasses. The next community planting day is Sunday 3 September and all St Andrew’s College Preparatory students and families are invited to don their gumboots and gardening gloves and come along and help finish planting this student grown forest of the future.

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

Christchurch Speech and Drama Competition

Congratulations to Ben McKendry (Year 6). He entered eight competitions and was awarded the highest number of medals in the under 12 category. He won the Louisa Williams Cup, five gold medals, two silver medals, and one bronze medal.

Ballroom Dancing

Congratulations to Holly Hembry (Year 8) who competed at the recent top-level Ballroom Dancing Exams, called Oscars. Holly achieved an Honours level pass in all three types – Ballroom, New Vogue and Latin. This is the highest pass mark able to be attained.

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 >