Mountain Rd – Epsom – Telephone (09) 524 8108 – Fax (09) 524 9459

Email: admin@st-peters.school.nz     -  Website: www.st-peters.school.nz

Friday September 25, 2009                                                                                               Newsletter No. 15/09

Dear Parents and Boys

“MAGIS”

(More is More)

A by-word among Jesuit schools is the word ‘MAGIS’ – Latin for ‘More’.

There is both aspiration and discontent behind the word. Aspiration for seeking what is of best and true in life. Discontent in never settling for comfort, security and mediocrity.

The word came to me while watching the All Blacks play Australia. They were not content to simply win. The urgency and hunger of that final try was testimony to that word!

Boys and institutions can revert to comfort and clichés very quickly. They sense the satisfaction of job completed, a term completed and they start to rest on their laurels.

Satisfaction and comfort happens in sport - before the final whistle of the tournament or the game.

The word ‘achieved’ in exams has a  disorientation about higher honours for many boys.

The lack of external bench-marking in school activity, in exams, etc. can cause teaching staff to seek the minimum as a standard.

So as the report for seniors in Term 3 and some preparation for exams gets underway – may the word MAGIS (more) be underneath the efforts of all.

As in all things there is the downside(s) of the word.

The current recession can be traced back to a systemic failure in the use of the word ‘MORE’. The ‘me’ generation is about ‘more’ for oneself. etc.

Maybe if we seek more of the Kingdom of God, then all these (other) things will be given to us.

Have a good break for both parents and boys.

See you all back at 8.40am on Monday, October 12.

In His Peace

K Fouhy

Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday 28 September

• Reports posted

Monday 12 October

• Start of Term 4 @ 8.40. Staff Mass @ 8.00am

Tuesday 13 October

• Special Group (mainly non sport)  Photos – Hall 9.00am – 1.00pm

Wednesday 14 October

• Year 7 & 8 Mass @ 9.40am

Friday 16 October

• Junior Water polo starts
• Final day for CIE YR 11-13
• 1st XI Cricket Team Quiz Night @ 6.45pm
• Dismissal of some boys for CIE exam

Saturday 27 October

• Tennis competition starts

Tuesday 20 October

• 2010 Course and Camp Information evening for Year 9 boys @ 7.30pm – College Hall

Wednesday 22 October

• Senior Sports Awards Dinner @ 6.30pm. Guest speaker Steve Tew – CEO NZRFU.

COMING UP THIS TERM

Friday 30 October

• Year 7 & 8 Social for Rowing
• Senior Art, Graphics, Furniture and Hospitality Exhibition 5.00-7.30pm in the Library Foyer

Tuesday 3 November

• New Entrants 2010 Night for Parents and boys @ 7.30pm

Friday 6 November

• Leavers Mass @ 5.45pm @ St Michael’s, Remuera followed by Dinner in the College Hall

Monday 9 November

• Last day for NCEA students

Monday 30 November

• Year 9 Camp Begins
• Year 10 Activity Week commences

Friday 4 December

• Year 7 & 8 Picnic

Wednesday 9 December

• College Prize Giving @ 7.30pm @ Logan Campbell Centre

Thursday 10 December

• Last day for Years 7-10

STAFF MOVEMENTS FOR THE END OF TERM 3 

Mr James Woodford (Technology) has been promoted to Head of Department of Technology at St Kentigern School. James has been at the school two and half years. His position is taken by Mr Kevin Jacobs an experienced teacher of technology.

Mr Dominic Anderton (Year 7) is moving to Mary McKillop School in South Auckland after nearly seven years at St Peter’s College. His position has been taken by Mr Paul Maskery an old boy of St Peters College.

Mr David Law (English) has been promoted to a position in English at Whangaparoa College after five years at St Peters College. His position will be covered by several teachers including Dr John Geraets who has secured a permanent appointment.

We thank these men for their generous service to St Peters young men over the many years. We wish them well in their new positions.

We welcome Mrs Clare Conroy (RN) as our new nurse following the departure of Mrs Paula McNamara.

BEREAVEMENTS

Our prayers and thoughts are with these families at this time:

Harrison Cunningham - Grandfather

Jacques Bell – Aunty

Ben Arthur-Worsop - Great Grandfather

If there are other close relatives who have suffered bereavement – please let us know.

CONGRATULATIONS

Brandon Patterson, Year 7 has just been selected for the U12 Auckland Football Weir Rose Bowl Tournament to be held in Cambridge during the holidays.

Ran Rajapakse, Year 13 earned an 87% in his Grade 7 Trinity College Effective Communication Exam.   

Christopher Oleva 7G entered the Auckland Primary Principals' Association 2009 Samoan Speech Contest on Thursday 17 September, at Sutton Park. He was awarded 1st Place in the Year 7 Contest and the Overall Winner's Trophy in the Years 7 & 8 Contest with his speech "Anti-Violence" delivered in the Samoan language. Christopher was the overall winner in the St Peters College Years 7 and 8 Speech Contest with this same speech in English, prior to the Samoan language Contest.

Cameron Proctor on being selected for an STS High School exchange to the USA.

Paul Harris who received a Top 100th place and Vincent Paget a Certificate of Merit in the recent New Zealand Senior Mathematics Competition. These awards are in the top 1% and 5% of New Zealand respectively.

Patrick Fitzgibbons and Bhen Goodsir for being the highest ranked Year 12 Team in the Inter-schools Impromptu Debating Competition.

Joseph Flaherty, William Gregson; Michael Jenner; Cameron Insull; Timothy Neighbours; Samuel Wojcik; Liam Kelly and Joseph Macedo for being crowned U15 World Series Indoor Cricket Champions at Action Indoor Sports on Sunday 20 September.

YOUNG VINNIES

Congratulations to the following Year 7 and 8 boys who have committed themselves to the Young Vinnie’s. They have shown leadership and the values of love and service, through their work within the Young Vinnie’s. The Year 7s and 8s were instrumental in the Coin Trail fundraiser, which raised over $500 for World
Vision, (the total raised by the school was $2012) and the Daffodil Day collections, which brought in over $1100.00 for the Cancer Society. We hope these boys continue their role in serving the Young Vinnie’s and the wider community. Some of the boys are pictured below and their names follow.

Charles Ablan, Jamie Bell, Connor Bellett, Eugiene Bulog, Ian Cairns, Ryan Curtis, Shane D'Silva, Jervis D'Souza, Denver D'Souza, Vincent Farane, Craig Fernandez, Craig Franswah, Cory Fray, Michael Green, James Heard, Sam Hooper, Ben Hughes, Tim Hunt, Matthew Jonas, Timmy Kwok, Connor Leech, Sam Loveday, Austin Magasiva, Luke Masters, Eamon McArdle, Sam Moloney, Andrew Moore, Sam Pallas, Josh Piper, Carson Rodrigues, Nathan Rodrigues, Vincent Sacay-Wu, Matthew Shelton, Bailey Smith, Jethro Tuburan, Daniel Vessaokar, Robin Vortanov, Jake Watkins, Jamie Whynn, Sean Wilson.  

SLEEPING BAG APPEAL - MANY THANKS

Thank you to those families who supplied sleeping bags for the homeless of Auckland. The old boys group appreciated your thoughtfulness and will be repeating this exercise again. Any further sleeping bags please drop into the College office.

NORTH ISLAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS SKI CHAMPS by Damien Molloy Team Captain

St Peters sent an elite force of 10 young skiers to the slopes of Mt Ruaphehu for the F.I.S. sanctioned North Island Secondary School Skiing Champs which were held from earlier this month. There were 104 teams entered with 519 competitors taking part. Over the two days the St Peter’s team competed in three separate events, Giant Slalom, Dual Slalom and Slope style competition.

Great weather and good snow conditions helped the team to a series of wins against some of New Zealand’s toughest ski racers.
Guy Thompson was placed 3rd in the slope style competition; Sam Pendreigh claimed a top 10 finish in the Junior Men Giant Slalom event while Mike Tamis finished in the top 20 in the same event.

The “A” team that consisted of Damien Molloy, Mike Tamis, Cameron Ashby and Sam Pendreigh finished well within the top half in the teams event. The “B” team made up of Mitchell Molloy, Harry Milne, Louis Foot and Sam Hines finished just outside the top half in the teams event.

.

A big thank you to all the parents who helped make this possible.
The results are as follows:

1st Liz Molloy - Ticket No. 01395,
2nd James McIntosh Ticket No. 13942,

3rd Owen Flores Ticket No. 04412

1ST XI CRICKET QUIZ NIGHT AND AUCTION

To be held Friday 16 October from 6.45pm in the school hall. All money raised goes toward the team trip to Brisbane in January for a 10 day cricket tournament.  It is a fun night with LOADS of prizes - not just the winners!  Plus an excellent auction of with a

range of items. $15 tickets or a table of 10 for $135.  There will be a bar offering reasonably priced drinks and platters of nibbles.  Contact Judy Insull on 6252598 if you would like to purchase a ticket or table.

SPORTS ROUND UP

SENIOR SPORTS PRIZEGIVING DINNER

Thursday, 22nd October, 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start. Venue is the College Hall. $30.00 per head. Tickets are to be purchased from the Student Academic Centre by October 19. There will be no door sales.

Guest Speaker – Steve Tew, CEO NZRU.

Parents and students are warmly invited to attend the Senior Sports Prize giving Dinner to celebrate St Peter’s outstanding sporting year.

FRANCIS SAILI gains selection for New Zealand Secondary Schools - Francis Saili is preparing to play Australia Secondary Schools on October 9th. The side will also play Waikato U20’s and Australia A.

1ST XV RUGBY COACH 2010

Applications are invited for the St Peter’s 1st XV coaching position for 2010. Please send a brief rugby Curriculum Vitae and covering letter to Mark Wilson at mwilson@st-peters.school.nz by Friday October 2nd.

 ANNUAL SCHOOL SENIOR EXHIBITION

Friday 30th October 5pm -7.30pm

Showcasing the best of

senior Visual Art, Graphics,

Furniture and Hospitality.

WORK EXHIBITED IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY FOYER,

All welcome to celebrate the creative achievement at St Peter's College