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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
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!
This morning the Preparatory School day began with the entire school singing the beautiful waiata Nei Rā te Kaupapa on a glorious blue-sky day. It was a special way to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with all students in Years 1–8 joining in, with a recording being shared with you in the coming weeks.
Students in Years 11–13 have now completed their Prelim examinations and Years 9–10 enjoyed an activities day with a variety of activities. The 'Fush Waka' food truck and free hāngī kai were a tangible way to also celebrate Māori Language Week.
Also, this week I was pleased to drop into the Pre-school to see their impressive art exhibition. The study of some well-known artists from Aotearoa and overseas made for some very impressive creations from our youngest children.
Last weekend the Dance Revue was a great success. It is always great to see the leadership and talent of our various dance and ballet groups on display.
Another highlight I enjoyed was supporting the 14 Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award recipients in our Centennial Chapel. The 14 recipients from St Andrew’s were by far the largest group of recipients from one school, with five still in Year 13.
Tomorrow, our 2024 Robbie Burns Scholars, Olivia Bloom and Jake Elvidge (both Year 12), set off on their four-week trip to Scotland to be hosted at five different schools each.
By St Andrew’s standard, it is a quiet weekend ahead, with the final push next week to the end of term.
Nāku nei
Christine Leighton
Rector
Madeline Davidson (Year 12), representing St Andrew’s College as one of the key partnership schools in the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, has been awarded a place at the World Vision Leaders for Change annual summit. She will have the opportunity to attend four days of global education, leadership development, and social action training in a group of 35 students hosted by World Vision over four days in January 2025. Madeline and her peers will develop their understanding of global issues and be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to lead their communities.
Next week, we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, organised by the Mental Health Foundation. This year’s theme turns our attention to an essential, yet often overlooked, aspect of well-being: community. The slogan for the campaign is "Community is…what we create together.” In this blog post, Head of Well-being, Kerry Larby, reflects on our school community. She considers why it matters for mental health and what is most important in building a strong and connected community.
Read the full blog by clicking here >
This year the focus for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori in the Preparatory School has been to see, hear and speak te reo Māori. Classes have started each day with karakia and waiata and then throughout the day teachers have shared stories, legends, songs, and books in te reo Māori. The library has had a display of bilingual and te reo Māori books for students to browse in their class library time. The tamariki in Years 3–5 have been learning the te reo Māori words for the many different types of fruit we enjoy. They made kepapa huarākau (fruit kebabs) and played a variety of card and running games to help reinforce the new vocabulary.
All Preparatory School classes have learned the waiata Nei Rā te Kaupapa. Class 8C have selected important locations around the College, and Technical Operations Supervisor, Paul Sparkes, is helping them create a video of all the tamariki singing the waiata, which they hope to share at the end of term.
During Māori Language Week, students in the Secondary School engaged in a variety of activities to celebrate and promote Māori language and culture. In The Green Library and Innovation Centre, both staff and students had the opportunity to read simple books in te reo Māori and enter a prize draw by answering questions about the books. They could also earn lollies by speaking te reo Māori when issuing or returning books or laptops. An interactive board also enabled students to express their feelings and update the weather in te reo Māori.
During Friday Quad, the ‘Fush Waka’ food truck offered classic fish and chips, while students participated in several activities. The junior Māori class ran two photo booths, giving out ice blocks to students who spoke te reo Māori, or for performing pūkana. Hāngī packs were also given to those who completed a te reo Māori challenge.
FLICKR >Our Heads of Well-being, Olivia Bloom (Year 12) and Aria Wilke (Year 13), collaborated with students from Hillmorton High School to organise a hui for secondary school students across Waitaha Canterbury. The event focused on ‘actioning compassion’ and creating a support network for students advocating for positive change.
Aria Wilke was chosen as the keynote speaker and delivered a powerful message on the transformative power of forgiveness. Drawing inspiration from Farid Ahmed’s remarkable act of forgiveness towards the March 15 attacker, Aria highlighted how forgiveness can strengthen relationships and improve mental health. She shared how Farid's choices have positively impacted his own life, reinforcing the profound effects of compassion.
The St Andrew’s College well-being committee members left the hui feeling inspired by both the insightful content and the new connections made with students from other schools.
The 2025 Dance Revue, 'Stars on Stage', took place over the weekend, delighting record audience numbers over two performances in the Gough Family Theatre. Expertly led and executed by student Heads of Dance, Shaun Cooper and Sienna Spark, and student Head of Ballet, Siara Clarke (all Year 13), the showcase was slick, lively, and engaging. The eclectic mix of dance genre and styles ensured there was something for all, including Contemporary, Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Musical Theatre. The performances were beautifully choreographed by Ballet Academy Artistic Director Dr Carolyn Cairns, Ms Sandy Gray, Shaun Cooper, Sienna Spark, Siara Clarke, and Xanthe Pearce (all Year 13).
Flickr >
Every Monday this term, Year 10 classes have been assisting with the repotting of native plant seedlings to contribute to the College’s sustainability goals via the EcoAction Project, as well as meet their Duke of Edinburgh service requirements. This involvement provides an excellent experiential learning opportunity as students become more aware of the life cycle of a native tree, having observed it as a newly pricked seedling, repotted the seedling, and then planted a tree in the red zone earlier in the year.
Each week this term, our Year 10 students have been staying at our Castle Hill Lodge, as part of their winter camp. Students usually ski or snowboard at Porters Alpine Resort and spend a night sleeping in a snow cave that they have built. These activities are weather dependent, and if they are unavailable, students can choose alternative outdoor activities. Last week Class 10T enjoyed abseiling through the ‘sky hole’, building shelters, and wood carving. The students did a lot of bush craft and preparation for the Duke of Edinburgh camps, which will be held next term.
On Monday, an enthusiastic group of eight Year 9 and 10 students took part in the annual Canterbury/ Northern Aoraki Get2Go Adventure challenge. This involved four disciplines – canoe/paddle board racing, problem solving, mountain biking, and orienteering. Led by Sophie Paterson (Year 10), the team performed admirably on a cold and blustery day, showing determination and great teamwork. A fantastic time was had by all, and adventure racing within St Andrew’s College looks to have a good future.
Flickr >Today, a great day was had by Year 9 and 10 students at their annual Junior Activities Day. The students, in House teams, galloped around the six different activities, vying for top House. Pushing their physicality and intellect to the brink, they competed in basketball, charades, netball, word puzzles, football, and quiz sessions. In the afternoon, the students practised the school Haka and listened to Dr Kelly Dale, an expert on sleep for teenagers. Thank you to the Middle School management team for organising yet another successful day of fun.
From Sunday 8 – Friday 13 September, a group of 37 Preparatory School students and seven staff travelled to Tauranga for the annual AIMS Games, New Zealand’s largest intermediate sports competition for Year 7 and 8 students. With over 13,000 students from 397 schools participating, the event featured competitions in hockey, football, rugby 7s, swimming, and tennis. In addition to competing and supporting each other, students also enjoyed the local hot pools and beaches, and participated in a quiz night and a bake-a-cake challenge. College piper Alice Glover (Year 8) added a special touch by piping the teams onto the field, much to the delight of all schools present. The school haka was also a welcome highlight.
The biggest achievement for the group was finishing second out of 397 schools for giving back to Tauranga. Each student received 50 points for supporting the coastal clean-up or tree planting, with additional points for taking food items to the collection point where it would be distributed to those in need.
Flickr >
The annual Pre-school Art Exhibition supports and encourages exploration, creative thinking, and confidence in ourselves as artists. This year, the theme of the Art Exhibition was “Everyone is an artist.” Under the umbrella of this theme, throughout Term 3 the Pre-school tamariki have been introduced to a wide range of well-known artists and encouraged to create their own art inspired by these famous works. Finished art was kept as a surprise from whānau until it was revealed at the Art Exhibition, which was an outstanding success.
FLICKR >It was a great honour for the College to host the National Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary awards ceremony last weekend. Seventy-eight rangatahi from across Aotearoa received their Gold Award. There were 14 St Andrew’s College Gold Award recipients, 10 more than any other school. During the event, attendees heard from Sarah Hillary, Youth Minister Matt Doocey MP, and Gold Award Recipient Magdalene Herlihy. Magdalene spoke of how working towards sensible goals alongside mentors, teachers and friends got her to places she never thought of experiencing. Minister Doocey closed by sharing that it was a privilege to be part of this ceremony recognising exceptional young New Zealanders who have completed their Gold Award. Together, they have contributed more than 7,000 hours of service. He acknowledged the valuable contributions they have made to their own growth and development, and to their communities. Congratulations to all our Gold Award recipients – your dedication and service are truly inspiring.
Sarah Anthony (OC 2022)
Abby Baxter (Year 13)
Grace Burnett (OC 2023)
Mia Fraser (OC 2023)
Harrison Justice (Year 13)
Tom Kerry (OC 2023)
Iona Lawson (Year 13)
Gemma Lewis (OC 2023)
Noah Mellish-Temple (OC 2023)
Jake Patterson (OC 2023)
Xanthe Pearce (Year 13)
Cameron Scott (OC 2023)
Campbell Searle (OC 2023)
Sienna Spark (Year 13)
Last weekend, the Junior Debating Regionals took place in the Canterbury region. After a day of challenging debates, finishing with a high quality debate with St Margaret's College in the final, our StAC 1 team of Lachlan Hackston, Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (both Year 10) and Matthew Bluck (Year 11) won the entire tournament. Lachlan also was awarded Best Speaker of the tournament and Cicy was Highly Commended. The Year 9 team, in their first inter-school debating competition, made it to the semi-finals, only narrowly losing against the same St Margaret's team.
Oliver Wilton (Year 9) won the U14 Men’s ski national title for the 2024 New Zealand Junior Freeride Tour last weekend. Ollie placed first at both the Treble Cone and Remarkables events. He unfortunately crashed at the Mount Olympus stop but managed to win the overall title for the second year in a row.
Alexander Black (Year 12) has been appointed by the New Zealand Football Appointments Panel to the 2024 New Zealand Football National League Championship as a referee.
Sea-am Thompson departed Christchurch yesterday to undertake several auditions for organ scholarships at two prestigious English universities, Oxford, and Cambridge. While in the UK, Sea-am will play at King’s College Cambridge, Jesus College Cambridge, Emmanuel College Cambridge, Christ Church Oxford, and New College Oxford.
This year, for the first time, the Preparatory School entered the Canterbury Flag Football championships at English Park. Led by Year 8 teacher, Mason Shaw, the Year 7–8 team went through undefeated to win the tournament. The team are now funded to compete in the National Championships in Wellington in early November, with the winner going to the USA.
A group of Preparatory School students competed in Rotary Speech Finals on Thursday evening.
Emmett Lawler (Year 8) attained the highest score and the fastest time in the Kiwi Year 8 Mathematics Competition administered by the University of Canterbury. This competition was highly contested by students from over 480 schools throughout New Zealand, participating in multiple competitions and year groups.
Georgia Gregg (Year 7) competed at the Oamaru Highland Dance Competition last weekend and was runner up Most Points U12 and Most Points U14.
The Preparatory School recently marked its third consecutive appearance at the prestigious Mike Greer Homes Upper Clutha Schools Race held at Cardrona Alpine Resort in Wanaka. This event brings together schools from across New Zealand. St Andrew's College fielded two primary teams and one intermediate team.
Our Intermediate team, featuring William Patterson, Elliott Harper (both Year 8), Isabelle Greer and Imogen Brooks (Year 7), delivered an outstanding performance, securing an impressive second place overall.
Meanwhile, the Primary team, consisting of Alessandria Greer, Archer Bryant (both Year 5), Francesca Greer (Year 4), and Emilie Bryant (Year 3), also achieved remarkable success. Competing in a Years 1–6 category while having racers only in Years 3–5, they showcased incredible determination and skill, finishing second overall. This achievement highlights the exceptional talent of our younger students and their ability to rise to the occasion, even when faced with older competitors.
Isabelle Greer (Year 7) earned the title of 2nd fastest Years 7–8 Girls and finished 4th overall.
Alessandria Greer (Year 5) secured the 4th fastest Years 1–6 Girls' spot and finished 6th overall.
As we look forward to next year, we are excited to build on this success and inspire even more students to join our racing teams. Congratulations to all our athletes for their remarkable efforts and achievements at this year’s event!
Coby Goode (Year 13) represented New Zealand over the last two weekends as part of the World Beach Rowing New Zealand coastal team in Genova, Italy. The first regatta was a long-distance endurance event (4km) with over 30 Paris Olympians competing. Coby came eighth out of 24 in his heat and made the B final, finishing eighth to place 25th in the World for Open Men’s Solo Rowing.
The following weekend was the Rowing Beach Sprints Championships, with some challenging conditions in terms of waves, and intense heat. There were 26 countries entering athletes into Coby’s event, the U19 Solo, which he qualified for the quarter finals, being knocked out eventually by Germany and placed eighth in the world. The New Zealand team did well as a whole, with Olympic medallist Emma Twigg winning bronze in the Open Women’s Solo.
Georgia Lewis (Year 11) has been selected to represent New Zealand in the International Virtual Dressage Competition (U18 class). The riders all ride the same test and submit their video which is judged by the same international judge. Riders get to experience international competition without having to transport horses outside of New Zealand. Judging will take place in October.
Grounds and Maintenance team member, Sally-James Houlahan, played for Canterbury in the Farah Palmer Cup at Prebbleton Domain last weekend against Hawke’s Bay, and her team won 36–7.
Football Co-ordinator and Head Football Coach, Juan Chang, has become the first ever Head Coach in history to qualify Samoa for the U17 FIFA Women’s Football World Cup, taking place next year in Morocco. Samoa beat the Cook Islands 10–0, Tonga 2–0, Fiji 1–0 and New Caledonia 2–0 and will play the final this weekend against New Zealand. Regardless of this final result, Samoa and New Zealand have both qualified for the Women’s World Cup.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities, including:
Event Information: Tuesday 22 October, 6.30pm–8.00pm, Gough Family Theatre
Are you curious about how to support your child’s interest and engagement in sport? Interested in finding out about athlete well-being and the latest research on concussion? Join our upcoming StACTalk, where we’ll explore practical strategies and insights to support the ongoing development of our students. This event is for parents in the Secondary School who want to understand how to help their young people flourish in sports. Students are also encouraged to attend. The session will include:
Speakers:
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.
A Design and Visual Communication exhibition showing the work of Year 11–13 students in product and spatial design will be held in Week 1 of Term 4.
When: Wednesday 23 October, 5.00pm–7.00pm
Where: The Green Library and Innovation Centre
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 >
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 was 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
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!
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 >
Raffle Draw and Year 12 Agribusiness products: During the Ag Show, a raffle will be run to fundraise the costs of the event. The Year 12 Agribusiness classes will also be selling their products in Gym 1. If you wish to pre-order raffle tickets and/or Agribusiness products, you can do so using the form below. This will be charged to your account and will be available for pick up from Gym 1 between 9.00am–12.00pm on the day.
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.
