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

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

20 February 2009                                                               Newsletter no 02/2009

Dear Parents and Boys

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

PREDICTION

How Will my Son Turn Out?

I am continually amazed (and occasionally frustrated!) at the predictive function on my Cell phone. The predictive function is about the future word. 

But as N Bohr the famous Physicist said “Prediction is very difficult especially if it’s about the Future!”

And it is the future which is behind the unspoken questions of every Parent. How will my son turn out? What does the future hold for him? Will he repeat the success (or failure) of his older brother, his cousin his Grandfather or the…? Is he a Beckham or an All Black in the making?

Is there any way we can predict a boy at 11, 12...15 etc will turn out to be a good man.   The simple answer, despite all assertions of the snake oil salesmen, is of course NO.

But may I suggest 4 philosophic ways we should all consider in this predictive quest?

• Don’t force Adulthood onto our boys. Maturity is not a race. We use silly adult words like “I wish you would grow up” when we really mean “Son, I wish you would think first and put that head on!” In fact we should be insisting that our sons “grow down!” and be within the confines of boundaries and routines which allow them to grow at their own pace.

• Teach our boys how to weep! A generation of men who came back the war arena interiorized their horrific experiences into silence and bred fear of intimacy into ongoing generations of men. We need to teach boys about sadness and about accepting failure as much as we need to teach them about achievement and ego esteem. I think there is a need for a male initiation rite where tears are expected! A big challenge here.

• Teach our boys to toughen up! This is not in contradiction to teaching boys how to weep! The cross of failure is always with our sons and building resilience to handling life’s situations is critical. Toughness is not of the clenched fists or pumped up biceps. It is the mental toughness of persistence, determination and solving the problem to completion. I see parents who simply lack discernment in this area e.g.  They make their son’s lunch and when he leaves it on the kitchen bench, they bring it into the school office! When he cheats in a school exam the same parents defend their son!!

• Walk with our boys. Many boys (and some men!) don’t get it! They need example when the words fly over the top. Is it any coincidence that the word MALE could stand for Men As Learners and Elders where we invite boys to learn by example what is beautiful in life and mentor them about the roads that should not be travelled.

Our invitation should be about Loving and Serving!

The Emmaus journey is brilliant in this respect.

How will my son turn out??

In this issue: 

• Upcoming events Congratulations BereavementsAcademic Results from 2008 Special Character NewsSacramental ProgrammeMusic NewsHealth CentreAttendance OfficeAthletics Sport
• Community Notices 

In His Peace

K F Fouhy

Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday 21 February

• Tennis starts
• Senior concert band workshop.  (See music notice in newsletter.)
• Kapa Haka live in continues

Sunday 22 February

• Senior concert band workshop
• Kapa Haka live in continues

Monday 23 February

• Year 12 retreat group 3
• Gateway students 1st aid course
• Friends of Music meeting 7.00 pm

Tuesday 24 February

• Year 12 retreat group 3
• Academic assembly year 12 and 13, 10.00am in the hall.   
• Year 8 camp Hunua
• Gateway students 1st aid course

Wednesday 25 February

• Ash Wednesday, Liturgies for all
• Year 8 camp Hunua
• Year 7 grandparents’ day.  Liturgy in hall at 11.35 am, followed by tour of school and light luncheon.    
• Gateway students 1st aid course
• Swimming AKSS Cen/west zone

Thursday 26 February

• Year 8 camp Hunua
• Edmund Rice student leadership programme commences 7.00 pm at Marine Education and Recreation Centre Long Bay.   

Friday 27 February

• Year 8 camp Hunua
• Edmund Rice student leadership continues
• Choir workshop 3.30 – 5.30 pm in music department

Saturday 28 February

• Edmund Rice student leadership continues
• KR3 rowing Karapiro
• Kapa Haka live in continues

Sunday 1 March

• Edmund Rice student leadership continues
• KR3 rowing Karapiro
• Kapa Haka live in continues

Monday 2 March

• 5.30 pm rugby committee meeting – staffroom
• 7.00 pm athletics meeting – staffroom
• 7.30 pm PTFA meeting in library

Tuesday 3 March

• SLT/PTFA/BOT inservice PD 5.00 – 8.00 pm in library

Thursday 5 March

• Year 7 & 8 central zone softball at Wesley College

Friday 6 March

• Year 13 success integrated motivation seminar in hall 9.00am – 12.50pm
• Year 9 & 10 social in hall 7.30 – 10.30 pm.  Tickets $6 from the main office.  Proceeds to music.   

CONGRATULATIONS

• Campbell Robertson 3rd place in North Island  National Downhill MTB Cup.
• Isaac Snoswell (Year 13) who came first in the Cambridge History of Art Exam in New Zealand.  Congratulations also to his teacher, Mr Stradwick.
• Rory Kelly - Striker for Under 20s Auckland City Soccer team.
• Conor Kelly (year 9) EDCA cricket (under 14) representative for the Vector five day tournament A team. 
• Sam Cameron and Liam Matheson EDCA cricket (under 14) representative for the Vector five day tournament B team.
• Daniel Shanahan selected to trial for the NZ U15 waterpolo team to play Australia in July. 

BEREAVEMENTS

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

Mate Botica – Grandmother

Timothy & Louis Neighbours - Grandfather

Jeremy D'Souza - Grandmother

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

ACADEMIC RESULTS FROM 2008 (part 2)

EXTERNAL EXCELLENCE GRADES IN NCEA:

a)       ART:

L1 ART:

L2 PAINT DESIGN:

L2 PHOTOGRAPHY:

L3 DESIGN:                 Mikhail Rodricks

L3 PAINTING:              Matthew Gruiters

L3 PHOTOGRAPHY:     Li Zeheng

b)       COMMERCE:

L1 BUSINESS:

Nam Yeol Kim            Sam Prangnell

L2 ACCOUNTING:       Andrew van Ross

L3 ACCOUNTING:       Min Hyuck Lee

L3 ECONOMICS:

Min Hyuck Lee          Alex Rowland

c)       ENGLISH   

L1 ENGLISH:                Sean Cribbens

L2 ENGLISH:                Eugene Narayan

L3 ENGLISH:                David McDonald       

James McNicholas     Luca Volante

d)       HUMANITIES

L3 CLASSICS:               David McDonald

L1 GEOGRAPHY:         Daniel Ashton

L2 GEOGRAPHY:         David Thom

L1 HISTORY:

L3 HISTORY:               David McDonald

L1 LATIN:        Christian Malietoa Brown

Michael McLeod        Jeevan Miranda

e)       LANGUAGES

L1 MANDARIN:           Gerald Chen

Jimmy Dai                    Tony Ju

James Magee             Ethan McCambridge

Liam Small                   Miguel Valero

L2 MANDARIN:           Freddy Tiong

L3 MANDARIN:           Wai Leung Kun

Zeheng Li                      Mathew Zhou

L1 FRENCH:                 Daniel Cavit

f)       MATHEMATICS

L1 MATHS:                  Sean Cribbens

Jimmy Dai                    Cameron Kanaris

Nam Yeol Kim            Matthew Pomare     

Jacob Smith                             Adam Yukich          

L2 MATHS:

L3 CALCULUS:

L3 STATISTICS:         Matthew Insull

Wai Leung Ku            Dan Rodricks

g)       MUSIC

h)       SCIENCE

L1 SCIENCE:                Adam Yukich

i)        TECHNOLOGY

L1 INFO MANAGEMENT:  Sean Cribbens

Special Character News

St Peter's Inaugural Mass

Thank you to all parents who braved the heat and celebrated our Inaugural Mass with us on 10 February. The Mass was very well attended and much enjoyed by the College Community.

Congratulations to our student leadership team for 2009:  Wiremu Tapara (Head Boy), Brendan Abley, Rory Kelly, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Dominic Malo (Deputies) and to our portfolio leaders: Matthew Gandy (Sport), Dean D’Souza (Academic), Jarred Blakiston (Communications), Jason Sharma (Culture), Zachary Castles (Edmund Rice), Cameron Matamua (Art), Thomas Masters (Music), Praminda Fernando (Young Vinnies) and to our Special Character leaders inducted at the Mass.     

Year 12 Service Programme

Congratulations to all Y12 students who have completed their 20 hours of community service. Please remember to come deliver your completed service hours to Mrs Rattenbury in the Student Academic centre.

Years 7-11 Service Programmes

Keep an eye out for details regarding the Service Programmes starting later this term.

Y12 Retreats:

Year 12 Retreats began in Week Three at Willow Park, Eastern Beach. The dates for the groups are as follows:

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME

Any parents of students in Year 8-13 who would like to enrol their son in a sacramental programme (Baptism, Eucharist and/or Confirmation) please contact Mr Hall at 524 8108 ext 7613 or email jhall@st-peters.school.nz

MUSIC NEWS

Friends of Music Meeting – Monday 23 February at 7pm in the Music Department.  All welcome.  The year 9/10 social to be held on Friday 6 March will be discussed amongst other items.

Itinerant lessons commenced 16 February – please ensure you check the noticeboard each week for the lesson times.

Concert Band Workshop – starts after school Friday 20 February 3.30-4.30pm and continues Saturday and Sunday (times to be advised on Friday).  $20 per head for the weekend.  Money to be in by 3.30pm Friday – please bring to Mrs Kofoed at interval or lunchtime.

HEALTH CENTRE 

• Hours are 9.00 am to 3.00 pm
• Situated in the Christian Brothers Building.
• Must have written permission from the teacher of the class that they may miss.
• Only to come in class time if it is URGENT
• Physiotherapy ACC related injuries free – make appointment with nurse at interval time for Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
• White Cross referrals. Boys seen free of charge at any of the White Cross Clinics in Auckland. Small cost for radiography & plastering.

Please update your contacts with the school office.

All conditions & medications must be brought to our attention for the safety and wellbeing of the students.

- P McNamara RN

ATTENDANCE OFFICE

The Automated Absentee System will begin again in the next week.  This means that any unexplained absences will have automatic messages generated and sent to parents.  Please ensure that phone contact is made by 8.30am each morning that your son is away to explain absences and late arrivals.  All boys arriving late must visit the Attendance Office.
Please note it is important that you notify us if you change your telephone numbers, or the system will not work.

ATTENDANCE OFFICE - 5248108 EXT 7341

ATHLETICS

A meeting of parents and boys on Monday 2 March at 7.00 pm in the staffroom. 

We are interested in establishing an Athletic Academy for talented athletic boys at St Peter’s College.  If your son is keen, talented and dedicated (from year 7 to year 13), then this meeting is for you. 

SPORT

a)          Athletics Day

Senior boys enjoying the 1500m

Athletics Day last Thursday saw high spirited house rivalry. Bodkin led by highly motivated house leaders Dominic Malo, Levi Holland and Cole Tewhiu surged to the front early in the afternoon and could not be headed. This is the first time Bodkin has won the Athletics Day title for a number of years.

House points were as follows;

1st Place – Bodkin, 1964 points

2nd Place – Nolan, 1789 points

3rd Place – Treacy, 1647 points

4th Place – Lynch, 1581 points

The crowd get in behind the runners in the senior 100m final

All boys are to be congratulated for their high level of participation and enthusiasm displayed throughout the day.

There were some outstanding individual performances with over twenty boys bettering qualifying standards for the Auckland Championships. Congratulations to the following boys for gaining a top three overall placing’ in their respective grades.

Ben Paltridge leaps 6.43 metres to the senior boys’ long jump

Senior

First Place – Ben Paltridge – 1st 100m, 1st 200m, 1st 400m, 1st Long Jump

Second Place – Ben Lam – 1st Shot Putt, 1st Discus, 1st High Jump, 2nd 100m

Third Place – Isaac Fitzgerald

Ben Lam clears 1.75 metres to win the senior boys long jump

Intermediate

First Place - Jaxon Bonici – 1st 400m, 1st Long Jump, 1st High Jump, 2nd 100m, 2nd 200m

Second Place – Josh Cocker-Valu – 1st 100m, 1st 200m, 1st Shot Putt, 1st Discus

Third Place – Matthew Leahy

Junior

First Place – Tawhiao Rogers – 1st Long Jump, 1st High Jump, 2nd 100m

Second Equal – Jonah Sofele, Michael Paget, Junior Lolohea

Year 7 & 8

First Place – Taylor Sommerville

Second Place – River Mario

Third Place – Nigel Tausie

b)          Rowing

An excellent performance by St Peter's College Crews with outstanding results in particular from the following students:

1st Place Under 16 Double (Div 1) - Stephen Jones and Joseph Nihotte

2nd Place Under 16 Double (Div 2) - Logan Rasmussen and Campbell Rhodes

2nd Place Under 16 Coxed Quad - Stephen Jones, Joseph Nihotte, Logan Rasmussen and Campbell Rhodes.

3rd Place Under 16 Coxed Four - Stephen Jones, Joseph Nihotte, Logan Rasmussen and Campbell Rhodes.

3rd Place - Under 15 Coxed Quad (Div 1) - Rory Small, Beaudene Widdison, Stefan Wypych and Sam Hines (Harrison Bell coxswain)

Our rowers now head down to Lake Karipiro for their final regatta before the upcoming North Island Championships with the season culminating in the National Maadi Cup at the end of March.

c)          Yr 7 & 8 Swimming Sports

Ben Tunui - Year 8 Overall Winner – First in Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke and Freestyle.

Timothy Kwok – Year 7 Overall Winner – First in Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Freestyle.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

• Volunteer Appreciation Day - Bishop Patrick Dunn and his Staff at Pompallier Centre invite all volunteers within the Parish, School or local community to a rolling BBQ and a chance to tour the centre and grounds.

Where: Pompallier Diocesan Centre, 30 New Street, Ponsonby

When: Saturday 28 February, anytime between 11.00 am and 2.00 pm.

Parking is restricted to surrounding streets – car pool if possible. St Mary’s

College has limited parking available.

• Marriage Encounter Weekend – 20-22 March.  A chance to enrich your marriage, as well as rediscover and strengthen your love.  Phone 0800 ENCOUNTER (0800 362 686) for more information.