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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
For Secondary School students this week begins the ‘business end’ of academic studies with school examinations for Years 9 and 10, and the start of NCEA externals. The students I have spoken with seem to be focused on achieving their best. The Year 10 students enjoyed their Te Waka Challenge Day, Years 3 and 8 have also enjoyed field trips, and today Years 4–8 have had a great day for their annual Athletic Sports Day.
This evening, I am hosting the 10 Years On Reunion for our leavers of 2014. Fifty-three have signed up to attend, which is a great turnout, and I look forward to connecting and following their experiences in the 10 years beyond school.
I must also congratulate NCEA Art students on the Art Folios which were displayed in the Centennial Chapel foyer on Wednesday. The quality and creativity of the display was most impressive.
Breaking news … The Preparatory School Years 7– 8 flag football team competed today in Wellington winning the national competition without dropping a game. Flag football is sponsored by the NFL and the trip to Wellington was fully funded. There could be an opportunity for the team to represent New Zealand at the world championships in America early next year. Congratulations to all those involved.
Next week, there will be no Rector’s Comment with it being a short week. Best wishes for a good weekend and to the Pipe Band for their competition at the Hororata Highland Games tomorrow.
Ngā mihi mahana
Christine Leighton
Rector
The Middle School production of Once Upon A Mattress was a successful endeavour involving over 60 students in a musical retelling of The Princess and the Pea. The orchestra predominantly featured young musicians from Years 7–10. The production showcased impressive energy and talent on stage, complemented by clever design elements including the costuming, hair, lighting, and set design, supported by parent volunteers. This Years 9 and 10 production was the third major production this year to take place in the new Gough Family Theatre.
Flickr >On Thursday, the Year 10 cohort embarked on an exciting journey to Christchurch Adventure Park as part of their Te Waka Programme’s Challenge Day. Departing at 8.00am, students participated in a range of activities that emphasised teamwork, problem-solving, and Outdoor Education. A highlight of the day was the challenging 5km uphill walk to the summit of the park, where students were rewarded with stunning views of Ōtautahi before descending via the chairlift. This experience was designed to encourage students to tackle challenges, learn from mistakes, collaborate effectively under pressure, and develop resilience.
Flickr >
On Monday, the Senior Art Folio Exhibition was held in the Centennial Chapel. This was a chance to showcase the amazing work of our senior Art students and to welcome staff, friends and whānau to help celebrate their achievement. On display were the Year 11 general Art folios and the Years 12–13 Painting, Photography and Design folios.
Flickr >This week, staff and children in the Preparatory School have been discussing how to be sun safe during the summer months. There were many children and staff who supported the ‘Get Spotted’ Theme Day on Thursday. Melanoma is a type of cancer that develops in pigment (melanocytes) of the skin.
Please click here to donate to Melanoma New Zealand.
Flickr >
Year 8 students visited Orana Park on Thursday 31 October (8T and 8C) and Monday 4 November (8A and 8S). The purpose of the trip was to observe a selection of animals at Orana Park and find out about their different habitats and adaptations (structural, behavioural, and physiological) to help them survive in their habitats.
On Monday morning, the two Year 3 classes visited Pūtaringamotu/Riccarton Bush and Riccarton House to conclude their learning related to green spaces in our school and local environment. During the bush walk, the students enjoyed closely examining the unique flora and fauna in a truly remarkable part of our city. Some highlights included seeing the magnificent kahikatea trees towering above the other trees, spotting some piwakawaka (fantail), and hearing the korimako (bellbird) in amongst the trees.
The students also had the opportunity to investigate the social history of early European settlement in Christchurch through the eyes of the pioneering Deans family at Riccarton House. First, the students explored Deans’ Cottage and Riccarton House and learnt about the joys and tragedy faced by Jane, John and William Deans as they began a new life in what was to become Christchurch. Lots of fun was had exploring the beautiful Riccarton House and venturing up into the attic where typewriters and old-fashioned games were available for the students to play with. The visit ended with a lovely picnic lunch in the stunning grounds of Riccarton House.
FLICKR >The U16 Boys’ team are South Island U16 sevens rugby champions for 2024. The team travelled to Fraser Park in Timaru to play in the Rugby Sevens South Island Championships event on Saturday 2 November. The players displayed some fantastic attacking to win the competition. They built momentum during round robin play and worked on combinations. The final was a tough game against Christchurch Boys’ High School, but St Andrew’s showed both grit and composure to close the game out successfully.
At the 2024 Zonta Secondary School Sports Awards, which were held at the Hornby Club last Thursday, St Andrew’s College had 11 finalists. Each year the level of our young people gets better and better, with a number representing New Zealand at World Cups and students becoming world champions. The following students were recognised with Highly Commended Awards in their category:
Siara Clark (Year 13), Tavé Stuart (Year 12), Femke McLean (Year 10), and Cameron Lyons (Year 9), all dancers from the Ballet Academy, qualified to compete at the NZAMD National Ballet Scholarship Awards in Wellington last weekend. This is a significant achievement as the event is by invitation only, with a dancer firstly having to gain 97% or above in the annual ballet examinations, as well as an examiner nomination. Both Tavé and Cameron progressed to the finals (out of eight selected) and Tavé was awarded first place.
Shaun Cooper and Flynn Rhodes (both Year 13) won the Best Sound Design award for their short film Knock Knock at the recent School Shorts Screen Competition. The competition showcases the best film-making talents of South Island secondary school students. The awards ceremony was held last Sunday night at Readings Cinemas, where it is great to see all the talent of young filmmakers on the big screen. It is a tough competition and the skills shown just demonstrate the grit and determination and hard work needed for successful filmmaking.
This past weekend, three St Andrew’s College teams competed in the Canterbury Junior Volleyball Championships. The Junior Girls’ A team had an outstanding performance, securing third place in Division 1, with Rosie Gaffaney and Charli McFarlane (both Year 10) earning spots in the tournament team. The Junior Girls’ B team finished fourth in Division 2. Meanwhile, our Junior Boys’ A team fought hard throughout the tournament, ultimately finishing eighth and earning themselves a place in Division 1 at the South Island tournament later this term.
The 1st XI played an away game against St Bede’s College, needing to win to make the top four play-off. A very good bowling performance by Tom Turner (Year 13) 5/21 dismissed St Bede’s for 113. William Carrodus (Year 13) anchored the St Andrew’s College innings with a solid 38 to get us home four wickets down.
In other games, Lucas Jemmett (Year 9) made a very good 54 against St Bede’s and Gus Aldridge (Year 10) took 4/29 against Sydenham.
Emmett Lawler (Year 8) competed at the National Future Problem Solving finals in Auckland last weekend, competing as an individual junior, and won first place in the Junior Division. Coach Sonia Lewis is thrilled for Emmett and congratulates her Year 8 team, which made it through to the national finals also – Ethan Zhao, Joy Zuo, Juno Park and Cong (Zilong) Chen. The students took part in the Global Issues Problem Solving section of the contest, solving challenges and creating future challenges around the topic of Autonomous Transportation.
On Tuesday morning, Year 2–3 Speech and Drama students took the stage for their Speech New Zealand (NZ) Oral Assessment. Dressed in costumes, the students confidently performed plays, then delivered talks and engaging group poetry pieces. At the end of the term each child will receive a report from Mrs Bartlett, a Speech NZ examiner from Hawkes Bay, along with a Speech NZ blazer badge and certificate to celebrate their achievements.
Last weekend, Kelicia Rui En (Kelicia) Purcell (Year 7) competed at Cromwell’s Spring Carnival swimming meet. She raced in 11 events, finishing with eight first placings, a second, and one third place. She also won Highest Points in her 11–12 age group, and additionally was the top female point scorer, receiving a cash prize and trophy for the year.
Georgia Gregg (Year 7) and Ruby Bradbury (Year 2) danced at the Amberly A&P Show last Saturday. Georgia won Most Points U12, Most Points U14, and Most Points of the Day, while Ruby won Most Points U8.
Catherine Cook (Year 12) has been selected for the New Zealand Junior Women's indoor squad for 2024/2025, with her team to be confirmed after a final selection training camp in the new year.
Vincent Gardiner (Year 9) recently represented Canterbury at the South Island U14 representative basketball tournament.
The following students have been selected for Canterbury representative teams:
Marshall Coles (Year 9) has been selected for the U14 Canterbury Black Junior touch team and Vincent Gardiner (Year 9) the U14 Canterbury Red team.
Shilo Klein (OC 2017) has been selected for the USA Men’s Eagles rugby squad. The team will be taking on a nine-test series in Europe, facing off against Portugal, Tonga, and Spain.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities, including:
This year the St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy proudly presents The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is a timeless holiday classic and one of the most beloved ballets around the world, enchanting audiences with its magical storytelling and unforgettable music. Set on Christmas Eve, the story begins at a festive holiday party where young Clara receives a special gift—a nutcracker doll. That night, as the clock strikes midnight, Clara is swept into an enchanting adventure where the Nutcracker comes to life, leading her on a journey through a battle with the Rat King and into the dazzling Land of Sweets. With its blend of joy, wonder, and fantasy, The Nutcracker captures the magic of the holiday season, making it a cherished tradition for audiences young and old. We hope you enjoy the beauty, grace, and excitement of this ballet, which continues to inspire and delight with its timeless charm.
When: Friday 29 – Saturday 30 November 2024 (four performances)
Times: 2.00pm–3.30pm and 6.30pm–8.10pm (Friday), 1.30pm–3.10pm and 4.00pm–5.40pm (Saturday)
Where: Gough Family Theatre – Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adult $35.00 | Student $20.00 (student ID may be requested on entry)
With senior students having departed to prepare for external examinations, starting on Monday 4 November, the Sports Department will be offering an additional slot in the StACFit Fitness Centre, 11.00am–1.00pm, to support student well-being and will be fully supervised. Research shows that doing regular exercise during study has many positive effects which include:
StACFit Operating Hours During Examinations:
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.
