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LogoutDear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
There are many special moments and things to celebrate in the life of a school and, for many students, a highlight is to represent St Andrew’s College at Winter Tournament Week. After an intense winter season our top teams have taken on the best in the South Island and Aotearoa. Every team has represented StAC with pride and respect for the other teams and schools. Thank you to our coaches, managers, teachers, and parent supporters who put so much into these opportunities for students. It is certainly an intense week, and it is a huge team effort.
Congratulations to all our teams and of course we celebrate along with those all who have achieved recognition in achieving their best or gaining top 5 placings in premiere grades. Two teams have secured the best ever placings for St Andrew’s:
I had the pleasure of supporting the netball and football this week and saw the girls’ football team secure their bronze medal position, which was wonderful to witness.
The Junior Girls’ basketball won the South Island finals earlier in the week and our equestrian team placed fourth in the South Island competition. Whakamihi nui ki a koutou. The senior basketball and hockey results won’t be known until tomorrow.
Another highlight of the last week was the wonderful entertainment of the Jazz Bands at Fat Eddies in the city last Saturday evening. It was a great way to show case some incredible StAC talent and honour our singers and musicians who we have watched develop over the years. Thank you to our music tutors, teachers, Head of Music Duncan Ferguson, and Performing Arts Co-ordinator Ginnie Thorner. The Jazz Bands are busy again this weekend performing as part of the Ōtautahi Jazz Festival.
In the Preparatory School, congratulations to the Preparatory A netball team and the selected Years 7–8 mixed hockey team who won their competitions yesterday at the CPSSA Tournament. Also, a special congratulations to Cong (Zilong) Chen (Year 8) who for the second year in a row has achieved a perfect score in the Junior Division of the Australian Mathematics Competition, winning once again the Peter O’Halloran Award.
Best wishes to all for a good weekend and to our senior students for their Prelim examinations next week.
Ngā mihi mahana
Christine Leighton
Rector
laTEST RESULTS >EQUESTRIAN EVENT FLICKR >WINTER TOURNAMENT WEEK FLICKR >
At a recent Senior College Chapel Service, Co-Head Sacristan, Emily Morgan, spoke about the value of responsibility. This value is a fundamental cornerstone of our sporting symbol, the StAC Thistle.
Rangatiratanga encourages everyone to take responsibility for their actions and behaviours. This principle extends beyond our students to include coaches, parents, and supporters, emphasising the importance of doing the right thing in any environment.
The ‘Strong Stem’ of the thistle symbolises strength and resilience, guiding us to lead ourselves and others in making the right choices, even when it’s sometimes easier to take a different path. In this blog post you can read Emily’s inspiring speech.
Thank you to all the supporters to came and made such a great atmosphere for Jazz Club 2024 at Fat Eddies last Saturday. The audience enjoyed performances from the Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combo, Soul Band and Big Band.
flickr >The Junior Dance went off without a hitch last Friday night. There was plenty of dancing, jumping and swinging of glo sticks as the Years 9 and 10 students pulsed to the beat of DJ Zane. There were prizes for Best Dressed and Best Dancing. A big shout out to the seniors who volunteered their time to help out being security guards which ensured a smooth evening. Thank you also to the Deans, James Jenkinson and Liz Gormack who organised the event.
flickr >As part of their Dinosaur Inquiry, the Junior Department had a wonderful visit from Anthony Hennig from the Canterbury Museum. He shared with the children his amazing knowledge of dinosaurs and brought with him some special items such as real Moa bones and replica dinosaur bones.
Flickr >Rylee McBride (Year 12) has been named in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 Target Squad for Swimming Canterbury. The squad includes many overseas racing opportunities including Victoria State Championships in Melbourne and a mid-year tour of the West Coast USA for 2025.
Shey Doerner-Corson (Year 11) had another highly successful weekend, placing:
Lucas Paterson (Year 13), Maggie McConnochie (Year 10) and Pipe Band Director, Richard Hawke (as tutor), have arrived back in New Zealand after a successful and enjoyable trip to Scotland to compete in several Highland Games and Major Solo Championships.
Glenisla Highland Games: Maggie won the 2/4 March and Lucas was the runner up. Lucas won the Strathspey and Reel and Maggie was second.
Lonach Highland Games (18 and Under): Lucas won the 2/4 March and was second in the Strathspey/Reel and Piobaireachd events. Maggie was second in the 2/4 March and was fourth in the Strathspey/Reel and Piobaireachd events.
The Northern Meeting – Inverness, Eden Court Theatre (Under 18): Maggie won an incredible third place in the March, Strathspey and Reel competition, playing The Duke of Roxburgh’s Farewell to the Blackmount Forest, The Shepherd’s Crook and Alick Cameron.
Lastly, a special bagpipe moment awaited Maggie and Lucas when they visited Blair Castle near Pitlochry. The Blair Castle Ballroom is the venue for the prestigious Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship, which is the world solo piping premier event held in October each year. Maggie and Lucas were permitted to play a few tunes in the ballroom as pre-arranged. What an amazing memory for them.
Interviews for the Spirit of Adventure and Outward Bound Scholarships have recently taken place, with Coco Schwass (Year 12) and Max Bell (Year 11) our 2024 recipients. Coco heads to Anakiwa to complete a 21-day Outward Bound course in January 2025 and Max will embark on a 10-day sailing on the Spirit of Adventure in next year’s April holiday break.
An Old Collegian is the generous supporter of the scholarships, which are awarded each year and gifted to enable young people to develop personally through outdoor adventure. The sponsors were impressed with the calibre of those whom they interviewed and look forward to hearing from Coco and Max when they return.
Congratulations to all the dancers on their results in the recent annual Ballet examinations. Preparatory School dancers who attained ‘Gold with Excellence’ (highest mark for Year 4 and over) are:
Secondary School results:
NZAMD Scholarship Nominations were awarded to the following dancers: Cameron Lyons, Holly Thirkell (both Year 9); Femke McLean (Year 10); Neve Aitken (Year 11); Tave Stuart (Year 12); Siara Clarke (Year 13). These dancers are recognised of being amongst the highest level in their age group, and can now compete at the National Scholarship Awards event, held in Wellington later this year.
For the second year in a row, Cong (Zilong) Chen (Year 8) has achieved a perfect score in the Junior Division (Years 8–9 in Australasia) in the Australian Mathematics Competition. He has won the Peter O'Halloran Award along with a prize. This is a huge achievement and even more outstanding doing it two years in a row.
Ming Macarthy (Year 5) has been selected to play ice hockey for the Kung Pow Kings in a tournament taking place in Malaysia at the end of September.
Last Saturday, the Canterbury Road Race Championships were held at Bottle Lake. Congratulations to the following students:
Class 6T has proudly secured ninth place out of 163 schools in the national Times Tables Rock Stars competition, demonstrating exceptional skill and teamwork. Top performers included Jack Blyde, who achieved first place, Max Yandle second, and George Nicholls third. Their impressive individual results, combined with the collective effort of the entire class, contributed to this outstanding achievement.
On Thursday, the Years 7–8 football, hockey, netball teams, and a Years 5–6 football team took part in the annual Canterbury Primary Schools Winter Tournament, bringing together the top 32 teams from across Canterbury for each code. All teams gave everything and represented the school proudly. The Years 7–8 football team made it through to the quarter finals before a 0–1 loss resulted in an eighth overall finish, and the Years 5–6 football team finished 12th overall. The Preparatory A netball team and a selected Years 7–8 mixed hockey team won their tournaments to be crowned Canterbury Champions for 2024, a fantastic achievement for both teams. The Preparatory A netball team went through the competition unbeaten.
Jonah Cropp (OC 2023) competed in the 10,000m Race Walk at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, coming in at 31st place.
Harry Allan (OC 2015) and Jamie Carr (OC 2020) have both been named in the Canterbury B’s Squad for 2024.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities, including:
Delicious Christmas goodies, locally made with the highest quality ingredients. The perfect gift for Christmas or to treat your own family! All proceeds will go towards the PTA 2024 fundraising drive.
This year the PTA are introducing a new offering to tempt your tastebuds:
Beautifully presented in a gift box, the full range of products on offer this year includes:
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 1 November 2024.
Cake collection: Orders will need to be picked up from the College Second-hand Uniform Shop (there is no delivery option) from 3.00pm to 4.30pm during the following dates: Tuesday 12 November; Thursday 14 November; Tuesday 19 November; Thursday 21 November; Tuesday 26 November; Thursday 28 November.
ORDER CHRISTMAS GOODIES >Choirs, Barbershops, solo performances, staff items and Kapa Haka performances will all be on show at the upcoming Vocal Concert. This is a free event, taking place on Wednesday 25 September at 7.00pm in the Centennial Chapel.
The canoe polo team has partnered with Fairlie Bakehouse to bring you a delicious way to support the St Andrew’s College team. By placing an order, you will help them cover essential equipment costs and ensure the team is well-prepared for the upcoming canoe polo season.
Collection Details: Collection of orders must be made on Thursday 26 September between 2.30pm–5.30pm in the Secondary School Cafeteria. Please factor this into your decision on whether to place an order, as there will be no capacity for uncollected orders to be refrigerated.
Please complete the order form by clicking the link below before 3.00pm on Wednesday 18 September. Thank you for your support!
PURCHASE PIES >This year, Grandparents' Day will be held on Friday 25 October. This special occasion will commence with entertainment in the Centennial Chapel at 10.40am. Please note, the PTA’s special Christmas cake will be present to sample before going into the Chapel. Cakes can also be ordered at this time.
Following the entertainment, everyone will leave the Centennial Chapel and meet up with the Preparatory and Secondary School children waiting in anticipation outside. There will be a photographer available to capture this special day for those who would like this option.
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 >
Academic Conferences are scheduled for the final two afternoons of Term 3, Thursday 26 September 3.20pm–6.00pm (Year 11–13 day students) and Friday 27 September 1.30pm–3.30pm (Year 11–13 day students and boarders).
These conferences will provide your child with an important opportunity to discuss their Preliminary Examination results and their next steps in preparation for the NCEA examinations in November. Prior to the conferences, students will receive feedback from their teachers and be supported in interpreting this to plan their next steps.
As we move into Preliminary Examinations for Year 11–13 students in Weeks 8 and 9, 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, on these days Secondary School students will finish school as below:
An email with instructions on how to book an Academic Conference with your child’s tutor will be sent out in Week 8.
Step back in time with us for a delightful twist on the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea. First gracing Broadway in 1959, Once Upon a Mattress has charmed audiences for decades. In a distant kingdom, Queen Aggravain has decreed that no one may marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, finds a suitable bride. Many princesses have tried and failed to pass the Queen’s rigorous tests. But everything changes with the arrival of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone. Will she succeed where others have failed…? Join us for an evening of laughter, music, and enchantment as we bring this beloved story to life!
When: Wednesday 30 October – Saturday 2 November, four shows, all 7.00pm–9.00pm
Where: St Andrew's College, Gough Family Theatre, Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adults $35.00 | Students $17.50 | Staff $17.50
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, and groups. Come celebrate dance!
When: Friday 13 September, 7.00pm–8.30pm | Saturday 14 September, 7.00pm–8.30pm (two shows)
Where: Gough Family Theatre – Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: $15.00
Join us for the StAC Ag Show on Thursday 26 September. Students at all year levels 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. Some incredible grand prizes are up for grabs including an animal care package from Rangiora Vet Centre for the animal categories, a Willowbank Family pass for the plant and food categories, and a Willowbank Family pass for the art and photography categories.
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!
The Year 12 Agribusiness students will be selling their food and animal products at the show, including deer velvet dog treats, rocky road, and lolly packs. Eftpos will be available, and a pre-order form will be sent out a week before the show.
Entries: Cost: $3.00 per category entered (viewing the entries on the day is free). Entries close 4.00pm Friday 20 September. To enter your child/ren into the StAC Agricultural Show, please complete the relevant entry form/s below:
Complete Pre-school Entry Form here >
Complete Preparatory Entry Form here >
Complete Secondary School Entry Form here >
The online sales for the following 2024 photographs are now available:
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
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.
For any absence, whether ill-health (including COVID-19) or otherwise, the College’s preferred platform for reporting this is via our online form which can be found at the button below:
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).
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 >
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the fixtures page on StACNet.