Rector's Comment

Friday 15 September 2023

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Kia ora koutou katoa.

I am beginning this week’s message with something I feel strongly about. On Tuesday I was invited, along with Principals and two students from other schools in Ōtautahi, to the unveiling of an impressive sculpture which represents support for an important new facility for teenagers in Canterbury. The new facility will replace the “old broken buildings” in the current location for around 400 children per month who are referred for specialist support for their mental health to CAF (Canterbury Child, Adolescent and Family Outpatient Service). I, and the two students, Charlotte Galvan and Saige Maraki (both Year 10), who attended the event, were very moved by the cause and the young man at the heart of the Māia Health Foundation fundraising campaign. Māia Health has launched a five-week campaign to raise $1 million in support of this new facility and I would like us as a St Andrew’s College community to donate to this campaign.

I am aware, after 40 years in education and support of our rangatahi, that mental health is a growing concern. At St Andrew’s, our young people are supported by teachers and our wonderful, experienced guidance team, who in turn reach out to community support. But the wait list for those in need is long and the facilities available are inadequate. Our rangatahi are precious and we want to support not only those in our school but also those in our wider community.

If you would like to support the Māia Health Foundation Better Space campaign, and our youth of Ōtautahi, please donate via the button below. All donations to the Better Space campaign will be doubled by the Rātā Foundation, which has promised to match every dollar up to $500,000.

DONATE NOW TO THE MĀIA HEALTH FOUNDATION BETTER SPACE CAMPAIGN >

Celebrating Māori Language Week
Te wiki o te Reo Māori, whakanui i te reo rangatira o Aotearoa. Whakapau kaha ki te ako, whakamahi i te reo Māori i ngā wāhi mahi, kura, whare wānanga. Whakapakari i te whakarauora reo, whakapau kaha i te reo Māori hei reo matua o Aotearoa. Kia kaha te Reo Māori!

In celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori this week, our rangatahi organised a number of activities to encourage participation from everyone. The Preparatory School held a whole school celebration hui, last night’s Board meeting began with a karakia and presentation from College Archivist and Special Projects Manager Pip Dinsenbacher and me on the beginnings of our St Andrew’s College Cultural Narrative. At this morning’s Years 9–10 International Assembly I commended the students stating; “I am proud of the efforts we are making in our kura to provide opportunity for you to learn and appreciate the significance of Te Tiriti and the obligations we have as New Zealanders to uphold its principles. At St Andrew’s College, this means each of us engaging with learning more Te Reo Māori, becoming familiar with our history of Aotearoa and the impact this has had on today’s society, understanding and becoming confident with Tikanga customs and practices, and celebrating the unique perspective and influence of our Māori people on future society”. (see more below from my assembly address).

The assembly also celebrated our International students and staff who carried flags from their country of origin and spoke a few words in their language. It was a special occasion to celebrate our indigenous people and the language of Aotearoa along with the diversity and uniqueness of us all.

Kei tēnā, kei tēnā, kei tēnā ano.
Tōriā ake ahua. Tēnā ake mauri. Tōnā ake mana.
Each and everyone has their own uniqueness, life essence and presence.

Along with recognising the phenomenal success of the Pipe Band and their third place in the world, we also celebrated individual teams and top performance in Mathematics, Ballet, and a variety of sports. A special congratulations to James Hart (Year 12), Millie Keith, and Luke Wylie (both Year 13) who came second to St Margaret’s College in the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Debating competition.

Two student items featured a K-Pop performance from Yinan (Vivian) Lu (Year 11) and RuoLin (Lauren) Li (Year 9) and an excellent musical item from Stacchorus performing Java Jive.

On a very busy day, I made time to view the impressive Pre-school Art Exhibition this morning and also hosted the Year 8 and Year 13 Prefects to a pizza lunch in the Strowan House dining room. It was great to see the Prefects chatting comfortably with each other, despite the five-year age difference. There was a brief reflection on leadership and lessons learned from their experiences this year.

Best wishes to those involved with the Film Fest this evening and Dance Revue over the weekend. The Pipe Band Art Fundraiser looks fantastic in the Centennial Chapel foyer, and I encourage all who can to get along and have a look.

Nāku nei

Christine Leighton
Rector

Around the College

INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY

This morning saw the International Assembly take place as part of the Years 9–10 assembly after four years of absence. Our flag bearers represented 11 countries from Asia, South America, the Pacific and Europe. They provided a welcome and introduced themselves in their native tongue. Next was a prayer in Mandarin from Makayla Dai (Year 13) followed by a karakia from Hanaatia-Te Kani Hakiwai (Year 9).

Tim Hellman (Year 12) from Leipzig, Germany provided us with an insight into his nine-month journey to date, highlighting differences between New Zealand and Germany, with a twist of humour. Cartier Barrett-Rawiri and Milla Hooker (both Year 10) provided us with a recap of their Presbyterian Ladies College, Sydney exchange and reasons why more students should take up the opportunity for future Exchanges. Our last item was a great introduction to many with a K-Pop performance from Yinan (Vivian) Lu (Year 11) and RuoLin (Lauren) Li (Year 9).

Awards > Rector’s Address >

FLICKR >

TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI – SECONDARY SCHOOL

Happy Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori whānau! What an amazing week it was at St Andrew's College as we celebrated Te Wiki o Te reo Māori – Māori Language Week. It was inspiring to see students throughout the Pre-school, Preparatory School, and Secondary School celebrate this cultural week through the participation of many different activities and traditions. The week began with our Whakatauki, Phrase, and Kupu o te rā (Word of the day) challenges which were introduced to the students each morning. These challenges differed each day and aimed to teach our students new and easy te Reo that they can incorporate into their everyday lives.

On Thursday we had many different activities, beginning with the Inter Tutor Group Te Reo Quiz Competition. This was a competition between the tutor groups across the Secondary School to test their knowledge around the Whakatauki, Phrases, and Kupu o te rā that they had learnt throughout the week. Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori was also incorporated within our weekly chapel as Head of Māori and Pasifika, Holly Maraki (Year 12) began the service with a karakia and whakatauki, followed by an insightful message from Mr Hughes about the importance of connection. Lastly, Friday's International Assembly was opened by Hanaatia-Te Kani Hakiwai (Year 9) delivered a karakia to bless the day.

This celebration of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori across St Andrew's College provided a new level of exposure to te Reo Māori and culture throughout the school, extending our community’s understanding and appreciation of our native te Reo Māori here in Aotearoa – Written by Head of Māori and Pasifika, Holly Maraki (Year 12)

TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI TE KURA TUATAHI – PREPARATORY SCHOOL

This week the Preparatory School kaiako and ākonga have been celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and using te reo Māori in their everyday conversations and lessons. Each morning classes started their day with karakia and waiata followed by a Kahoot around a daily theme. Each day huarere (weather) has been discussed in te reo Māori as well as days, months and dates. For many kaiako and ākonga, this is second nature now.

Students have been engaging in tuakana/teina learning opportunities with older students helping younger students create a booklet about themselves and younger students teaching older students the waiata, Te Taukaea o Te Aroha. We have had an ongoing scavenger hunt with new kupu (words) appearing each day for all learners to add to their kete (basket). At each year level stories and music in te reo Māori have been shared and it is heartening to see and hear the enthusiasm from so many of our students and teachers for te reo Māori. Kaiārahi (leaders) have been encouraged to read and share stories with ākonga in te reo Māori and there is a display of bilingual and te reo Māori books in the library available for borrowing.

On Friday morning students had their Mahuru (September) Moment with the whole Preparatory School gathering for waiata and haka, followed by singing with Matua Steve, our Kapa Haka tutor. Ka rawe!

FLICKR >

ENCORE CHORAL FESTIVAL

The Independent Schools Encore Choral Festival took place on Wednesday, at the Christ’s College Assembly Hall. Hundreds of Year 7–11 students from St Andrew’s College, Christ’s College, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, St Margaret’s College, The Cathedral Grammar School, and Medbury School performed in this special festival concert.

Watch the Festival performances >

FLICKR >

RUGBY PRIZEGIVING

All rugby players assembled at the annual Rugby Prizegiving on Wednesday evening to celebrate and conclude the 2023 rugby season. It was important to take this moment to acknowledge the achievements and hard work of all players, the contribution of our coaches and managers and the incredible support provided by parents, caregivers, and extended family. It has been an enjoyable and very positive season. Much learning, enjoyment and development has happened along the journey, and this is where the ‘real gold’ lies as we strive to help to develop good young people with strong values and character by using our rugby at St Andrew’s as the vehicle.

Rugby Prizegiving Awards >

FLICKR >

THEATRE SHOWCASE

On Tuesday night, Year 12 students Xanthe Pearce, Tamaroa Connelly and Jack Flanagan organised an event for our musical theatre community called Miscast. Students from Years 9–13, plus one staff member, sang songs that they would not usually be cast in. There was an enthusiastic turnout, with some fantastic performances, as well as some good laughs and whole-group singing at the end.

YEAR 3 BEE VISIT

Yesterday the two Year 3 classes concluded their Inquiry learning related to ‘Bees’ with a visit to the Climate Action Campus in Avonside. At the campus, the students had an amazing opportunity to experience an in-nature bee experience. Small groups of students put on PPE gear and headed into the hive enclosure to observe bees and their hives up close. Kathryn Jer, of Clever Little Bees, a Christchurch-based apiculture business, taught the students about some of the basics of beekeeping, while also teaching them about the importance of bees in nature and the role they play in a sustainable future. During the field trip, the students also enjoyed putting on their gardening gloves and helping the Climate Action Campus staff to weed, plant and make compost. Some even got to see the worms living on their farm inside a bath.

FLICKR >

PRE-SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION

Our annual Pre-school Art Exhibition supports and encourages exploration, and creative thinking, and instils confidence in the children as artists. This year, the children’s creations for the Art Exhibition are just a little bit different, aligning with the College-wide goal of moving towards more sustainable practices, all of the art pieces have an element of recycled or reclaimed materials. This morning, the Pre-school whānau and other special guests were invited into the Pre-school to view the Art Exhibition, showcasing the creative efforts and thinking around being kaitiaki (guardians) of our natural world.

FLICKR >

Student Success

DEBATING

The StAC White debating team of James Hart (Year 12), Millie Keith, and Luke Wylie (both Year 13) took a tough loss against St Margate’s College Tui last night in the Grand Final of the Canterbury Secondary Schools Debating Competition. Both teams came out strong in a truly incredible debate surrounding the ethical legitimacy of international adoption. While the team didn’t walk away with the trophy, the debate certainly marked the end of a phenomenal season for all three speakers. More important than any result, was the hordes of supporters of all ages that StAC White drew in last night, a reflection of an incredible culture built by these three seniors over the past year.

WORLD VISION LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

St Andrew's College has earned recognition as one of New Zealand's top-performing secondary schools in the 2023 World Vision 40-Hour Challenge. As a result, St Andrew’s has secured a coveted spot for one of our students at the prestigious World Vision Senior Scholarship Summit. The recipient of this esteemed scholarship is Samuel Ferguson (Year 12), a dedicated Community Service leader who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to community service initiatives throughout the year. Samuel will participate in a three-day programme encompassing global education, leadership development, and social action training, hosted by World Vision in January, alongside 35 other students from around New Zealand.

ADVENTURE RACING

Last Saturday, Elliot Graves, Hugo Ranken (both Year 12) and Ethan Griffin (Year 11) travelled to Napier to compete in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Senior Boys Adventure Race. The race took place on Mohaka River Farm and consisted of mountain biking, kayaking, rogaining, and team activities that had to be completed over 12 hours. The team started well in the mountain bike leg, but from there on it was tough going. The boys never gave up and were challenged through the race to finish the 12-hour race with five minutes to spare, placing mid-table.

EQUESTRIAN

Georgia Lewis (Year 10) has been selected as the non-travelling reserve for the New Zealand team competing at the International Mounted Games Exchange hosted by Pony Club Australia, held in New South Wales in November.

MATHEMATICS

4800 students in Years 9–11 around New Zealand participated in the 38th Annual University of Otago Junior Mathematics Competition. St Andrew’s had Certificates of Merit awarded to 17 students and Certificates of Distinction to 12 students. Joshua Exon (Year 10) placed in the top 30 students in New Zealand.

FRENCH

Isobel Forsey (Year 12) has won the Alliance Francaise Year 12 French Speaking Competition for Canterbury. The top candidates nominated by each secondary school were interviewed by a panel of native French speakers. As the winner of the regional competition, Isobel will now be assessed on Saturday 23 September at the Alliance Française, and her interview will then be filmed and judged by an independent panel to find the national winners. The winner of the national competition wins a two-week trip to New Caledonia. Félicitations Isobel et Bonne Chance!

VEX ROBOTICS

Last weekend saw the final VRC and IQ Robotics Scrimmage of the term. The scrimmage took place at Te Pae and was part of the Smart Cities Innovation Expo. In the VEX VRC Competition (Secondary School) St Andrew’s fielded five teams into the VEX Over Under Competition. This scrimmage saw a changing of the guard with our top-placed Team 88397A, Team Integral made up of Kyle Sander, Naomi Dana, Daniel Robertson, and Bailey Moir (all Year 13) being taken out in the finals.

In the VEX IQ Division (Preparatory School) St Andrew’s fielded two teams into the VEX Full Volume Competition. The Year 7 team did not fire this week and it was Team 88397E (Cinimiminim) with their robot ‘Beetle’ that made the finals – Charlotte Withers (Year 8), Matilda Atkins, and Zoe and Lyra Spenner (all Year 8). Unfortunately, when the scrimmage started, they had the wrong controller so they did not get out off their starting position.

FLICKR >

TRAP SHOOTING

Marcus Ferguson (Year 10) competed in the Waihora Trap Shooting Competition last weekend, achieving first place in the Single Rise. Marcus also placed second in the Triples in the Canterbury Provincial Trap Shooting Championships in Timaru.

CREATIVE WRITING

Thomas Butterfield (Year 13) and Luke Manson (Year 10) had poems published in the National Poetry Day Given Words Competition. Each entrant had to include five words (broken, path, reflection, paint, disappear) in a poem of 200 words or fewer. Tom’s poem, rainbow like the trout, was judged in the Adult category, whilst Luke’s poem, Non-Euclidean Geometry was judged in the Youth section.

AIMS GAMES

On Sunday 3 – Friday 8 September, 20 students and five staff from the Preparatory School travelled to Tauranga for the annual AIMS Games. The AIMS Games is an intermediate sports competition for students throughout New Zealand. With over 12,000 students and 377 schools involved, it is the largest competition of its kind in New Zealand for Year 7– 8 students. Along with competing against other schools in hockey and netball, the students also visited the local hot pools and beach, took part in a Quiz Night, and supported each other at the various games. This year, the group was also fortunate to have College piper, Alice Glover (Year 7) who piped the teams onto the playing field, much to the enjoyment of all schools at the tournament. The girls represented the College with distinction, with the Preparatory A netball team finishing in their highest position, 35th out of 144 schools, and the Preparatory Girls’ A hockey team finishing third out of 30 schools to secure the bronze medal.

RESULTS >

FLICKR >

CPSSA WINTER TOURNAMENT

On Thursday, four Preparatory School teams took part in the CPSSA Winter Tournament after qualifying from the zone tournament earlier in the term. Netball was represented by both our Year 5–6 team and the Preparatory A team, hockey by the Girls' A hockey team and football by a selection of players from the Preparatory School 1st XI. Games are shortened, modified games for this tournament. Each competition was out of 32 schools, with the football team finishing 11th, the Year 5–6 netball and Girls' A hockey finishing 17th, and the Preparatory A netball team finishing third overall.

FLICKR >

BALLET

Alyssa Geddes (Year 8) competed in the South Island Ballet Awards, where she made the semi-finals against tough competition and was awarded the Associate Intensive Program Short-Term Scholarship at Melbourne Academy of the Arts 2023/2024. Alyssa has also won a trophy for her Neoclassical this season.

SPEECH AND DRAMA

On Thursday, 77 students from nine schools took part in the annual Papanui Rotary Junior Speech Contest for Years 5–8 at Heaton Intermediate School. The top three Preparatory School students from Years 5–8 delivered their speeches at the Speech Prelims.

Year 5 – Jessica Whitehead, Gwendolyn Zhao, Harper Keith;
Year 6 – Grace Donnelly, Oliver Hodgson, Austen Fraser;
Year 7 – Tasmin Wingfield, Addison Fleming, Xue Qi (QiQi) Tang;
Year 8 – Eva Crawford, Alyssa Blackman.

The judges had a very difficult task of selecting the top four students in each age group to appear in the finals.

Eva Crawford (Year 8) placed third equal in the Year 8 division;
Jessica Whitehead (Year 5) – Highly Commended;
Austen Fraser (Year 6) won the Year 6 division.

Canterbury Representatives

RUGBY

1st XV Player Radford Powell (Year 13) has been selected for the New Zealand Schools Barbarians rugby team.

1st XV Captain Lucas Te Rangi (Year 13) has been selected for the New Zealand U18 Māori Team.

The following students have been selected into the Canterbury U18 Representative Girls’ rugby team: Lucia Croft, Savannah Caulfield, Holly Rossiter (all Year 12), and Penelope Taulafo (Year 13).

ICE HOCKEY

Carter Summerfield (Year 6) and Ming Macarthy (Year 4) both played in the recent Canterbury U12 Ice Hockey Tournament hosted by the Canterbury Ice Hockey Association. It was a hard-fought competition and the boys’ team came away with third place overall.

New Zealand Representative

RUGBY

U15 Open player Findley Curtis (Year 10) saw incredible success in Paris recently, with his New Zealand Condor Sevens team winning the Sevens Tournament at the Rugby Heritage Cup Pontlevoy 2023.

Old Collegians

INDYCAR

Marcus Armstrong (OC 2018) has been named the 2023 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year.

ROWING

Ben Taylor (OC 2017) has qualified for the Paris Olympics in the Men’s Pair, at the Rowing World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

RUGBY

Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (OC 2021) has been selected to join the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua team for the upcoming 2024 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season. Isaiah currently plays for Manawatu Turbos in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship and was also part of the Hurricanes Academy and the Hurricanes U20 team in recent years.

QUEEN’S SERVICE MEDAL

A belated congratulations to Richard Lemon (OC 1968) who was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal in June for his services to the Agricultural and Pastoral industry. Richard has been involved in the Agricultural and Pastoral (A&P) events in the Canterbury and Ashburton regions since 1976.

Good Luck

Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities, including:

Film Fest;
Dance Revue;
SISS Snowsport Championships.

Notices and Upcoming Events

ACADEMIC CONFERENCES | REMINDER

Academic Conferences are scheduled for Thursday 21 September 3.20pm– 6.00pm (Year 11–13 Day students) and Friday 22 September 1.30pm–3.30pm (Year 11– 13 Boarders), with an email on how to book sent out earlier this week.

These conferences provide Year 11–13 students with an important opportunity to discuss their prelim examination results and their next steps in preparation for the NCEA examinations in November. As preparation for this, students will be guided by their subject teachers and their tutor next week to understand their strengths and their specific next steps for success.

We would like to encourage you to also read the Effective Learning and Study resources for parents/caregivers now available on StACNet by clicking here. Students also have access to resources specific to them at the same link.

Please note, all students (Years 9–13) will be finishing early on both of these days and whānau of Year 9–10 students have been emailed by the Head of Middle School, Matt Parr regarding this.

NEW ZEALAND ARTISTS @ ST ANDREW’S | ON THIS WEEKEND

The Pipe Band art show is back! Showcasing the work of talented professional artists, the art sale offers you the chance to own remarkable local art while supporting our Pipe Bands. With many wonderful artists from all over New Zealand contributing artwork, this is a fabulous opportunity to snap up a unique piece for your home or office.

Your purchase will directly contribute to our Pipe Band 2023 World Championships and 2024 National Championships fund. You will also have the chance to win $500 towards a piece of your choice with our Art Show raffle – entry forms will be available in the Centennial Chapel throughout the Art Show.

Friday 15 September | 9.00am–9.00pm | $10.00 entry
Saturday 16 September | 9.00am–5.00pm | $10.00 entry
Sunday 17 September | 9.00am–4.00pm | $10.00 entry

PRE-PURCHASE ART SHOW TICKETS (OR PAY AT THE DOOR) >

FILM FEST | ON TONIGHT

Please join us for the annual St Andrew’s College Film Fest on tonight from 7.00pm in the Senior College Common Room. This is a fun, family-friendly event where we celebrate our talented St Andrew’s filmmakers, so please support by coming along to celebrate with them. Prizes will include Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Actor/Actress, and many more, including some cool spot prizes.

Tickets are $5.00 (no door sales).

BUY TICKETS ONLINE >

DANCE REVUE | THIS WEEKEND

The St Andrew’s College annual Dance Revue is back! Containing an eclectic range of dance styles including Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Musical Theatre and Contemporary, this fast-paced evening of dance will have something for all to enjoy. Performances will come from St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy, StAC Dance, soloists, groups, and guest artists. Come celebrate dance!

When: Saturday 16 September, 7.00pm–8.30pm and Sunday 17 September, 2.00pm–3.30pm
Where: St Andrew's College Gym 1
Tickets: $15.00

BUY TICKETS ONLINE >

ROCK NIGHT | TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER

Rock Night starts at 7.00pm on Tuesday 19 September. It’s the Music Department’s second annual Rock Night at A Rolling Stone on Colombo Street, Christchurch. This is an awesome live music venue, and there will be eight St Andrew’s bands performing, with each band playing two originals and one cover. It was one of the highlights of the year for the Music Department last year so please do come along to support and enjoy.

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE KERRIN P. SHARPE'S BOOK LAUNCH

Join St Andrew’s College and Te Herenga Waka University Press to celebrate the launch of our Writer-in-Residence Kerrin P. Sharpe’s new poetry collection, Hoof.

When: Thursday 19 October, 6.00pm–8.00pm

Where: Rentoul Senior College Common Room

Kerrin will read from Hoof along with St Andrew’s College students who will also present their poetry. Light refreshments will be served following the launch. Hoof will be available for purchase for $25.00 (cash or EFTPOS).

We hope you will be able to join us. Please RSVP your attendance to this free event by Monday 16 October at the link below.

Complete your RSVP here >

PTA Christmas Goodies | Order Now

Delicious Christmas goodies, locally made with the highest quality ingredients. The perfect gift for Christmas or keep to treat your own family! All proceeds will go towards the PTA 2023 fundraising drive.

This year the PTA are introducing two brand-new offerings outside of the cake category:

Christmas Truffles (box of 6) | $17.00
Christmas Shortbread Trees (box of 8) | $14.00

The PTA is also again offering a range of Christmas cake options, all beautifully presented in a gift box:

2kg Traditional Christmas Cake | $77.00
2kg Traditional Christmas Cake – gluten free option | $79.00
450g Cathedral Cake – gluten and dairy free | $31.00

More information about each of the PTA’s Christmas Goodies, including the ingredients list, can be found at the link below.

Closing date for orders: Friday 20 October 2023
Cake collection: November 2023 (date TBC), Second-hand Uniform Shop

ORDER CHRISTMAS GOODIES >

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION: DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID | SELLING OUT FAST!

We are delighted to share this version of Hans Christian Andersen's most well-known classic story of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’. Come and join King Triton's daughter, Ariel, along with her colourful friends from under the sea as she meets Prince Eric from the world above. Our incredible cast, crew and creative team will be joined by our fantastic live 18-piece orchestra. Immerse yourself in the magic of this beautiful love story for all ages. Book your tickets today and be part of a truly magical experience!

Where: St Andrew's College, Gym 1
When: Wednesday 25 October – Saturday 28 October, 7.00pm–9.30pm (all shows)
Tickets: Adults $35.00 | Students $17.50 (student ID may be requested on entry)

PURCHASE TICKETS >

STAC AG SHOW | WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER, GYM 1

We warmly invite you to join us for the StAC Agricultural Show on Wednesday 20 September. There is something for everyone at this A&P Show-inspired event. Come along to Gym 1 to experience all the art, baking, flower arranging and pet entries – and don’t forget the ever-popular petting zoo! Get set for a day of Agricultural fun!

The top three placements in each category will be awarded ribbons, with special prizes for the first-place winners. Two grand prizes, generously donated by Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, are also up for grabs. Please note that while entries have now closed, attendance on the day is free of charge. We hope to see you there.

VOCAL CONCERT | WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER

The Music Department’s upcoming Vocal Concert is a celebration of the incredible musical talent within our College community. It is free to attend this showcase, which will involve Secondary School and Preparatory School choirs, boys’ Barbershops, and a range of fantastic solo items. We look forward to sharing this memorable musical experience with you. See you on Wednesday 20 September, 7.00pm, in the Centennial Chapel.

GRANDPARENTS’ DAY | FRIDAY 20 OCTOBER

This year, Grandparents' Day will be held on Friday 20 October. This special occasion will commence with entertainment in the Centennial Chapel at 10.45am. Following this, everyone will leave the Centennial Chapel and meet up with the Preparatory and Secondary School students waiting outside. There will be a photographer available to capture this special day for those who would like this option. Please note, there is no morning tea this year. The number of people attending Grandparents’ Day has risen beyond what can be safely accommodated.

Visitors on Grandparents’ Day need to register to attend. This will ensure that the children are released from class to meet with them. Please use the link below to register for this special day.

GRANDPARENTS' DAY REGISTRATION >

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 >

COMMUNITY BUSINESS DIRECTORY

The Community Business Directory is on our website under Alumni & Community and represents over 100 parent businesses. Please take a look at how many businesses you can support locally.
The St Andrew's College Community Business Directory >

If you would still like to register your business, complete the following form.
Community Business Directory Registration >

COVID-19 UPDATE

Effective from 12.01am Tuesday 15 August, the seven-day mandatory isolation period for positive COVID-19 cases has been removed. The Ministry guidance is to stay at home for five days if you test positive for COVID-19, but this is not a requirement. However, for any illness, students should stay home if unwell. Any student should also feel free to wear a mask if they wish to do so while at school.

Ākonga Absence and Ill-health
A polite reminder that any ākonga who are unwell should not attend school. For any absence, whether ill-health or otherwise, the College’s preferred platform for reporting this is via our online form below.
Recording a Student Absence >

If you are not able to report your child's absence using the online form, please report their absence via the relevant email address below. If you cannot get through to us via the form or email, please call our attendance line on +64 3 940 2031 (term time only).

Years 1–8: prepschool@stac.school.nz
Years 9–13: attendance@stac.school.nz

KEY DATES

Friday 15 – Sunday 17 September – New Zealand Artists @ St Andrew’s (Pipe Band Art Show), Centennial Chapel
Friday 15 September – Film Fest, Senior College Common Room
Saturday 16 – Sunday 17 September – Dance Revue, Gym 1
Wednesday 20 September – StAC Ag Show
Wednesday 20 September – Vocal Concert, Centennial Chapel, 7.00pm
Friday 22 September – End of Term 3 | start of holidays
Monday 16 October – Term 4 starts
Thursday 19 October – Kerrin P. Sharpe's Book Launch event
Friday 20 October – Grandparents’ Day
Wednesday 25 – Saturday 28 October – Middle School Production: The Little Mermaid, Gym 1, 7.00pm–9.30pm

For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the fixtures page on StACNet.

Rector's Comment

Friday 15 September 2023

Around the College

INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY

TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI – SECONDARY SCHOOL

TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI TE KURA TUATAHI – PREPARATORY SCHOOL

ENCORE CHORAL FESTIVAL

RUGBY PRIZEGIVING

THEATRE SHOWCASE

YEAR 3 BEE VISIT

PRE-SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION

Student Success

DEBATING

WORLD VISION LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

ADVENTURE RACING

EQUESTRIAN

MATHEMATICS

FRENCH

VEX ROBOTICS

TRAP SHOOTING

CREATIVE WRITING

AIMS GAMES

CPSSA WINTER TOURNAMENT

BALLET

SPEECH AND DRAMA

Canterbury Representatives

RUGBY

ICE HOCKEY

New Zealand Representative

RUGBY

Old Collegians

INDYCAR

ROWING

RUGBY

QUEEN’S SERVICE MEDAL

Good Luck

Notices and Upcoming Events

ACADEMIC CONFERENCES | REMINDER

NEW ZEALAND ARTISTS @ ST ANDREW’S | ON THIS WEEKEND

FILM FEST | ON TONIGHT

DANCE REVUE | THIS WEEKEND

ROCK NIGHT | TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE KERRIN P. SHARPE'S BOOK LAUNCH

PTA Christmas Goodies | Order Now

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION: DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID | SELLING OUT FAST!

STAC AG SHOW | WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER, GYM 1

VOCAL CONCERT | WEDNESDAY 20 SEPTEMBER

GRANDPARENTS’ DAY | FRIDAY 20 OCTOBER

2023 PHOTOGRAPHY ONLINE ORDERS

COMMUNITY BUSINESS DIRECTORY

COVID-19 UPDATE

KEY DATES

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