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

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

6 March 2009                                                                Newsletter no 03/2009

Dear Parents and Boys

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

TEARING DOWN

The Lessons of Demolition

I am writing this just after the Catholic Netball pavilion, built (circa 1930s), has been demolished as part of the SPC Gymnasium and Rail station developments off Khyber Pass. Demolition of this dilapidated building took only a couple of days with a good crane, and a chainsaw! We rescued hundreds of photos, trophies and memorabilia from the 1930s to the 1990s of the Catholic Netball Association. The last few years of which were a lingering demise of past glory.

For 70+ years the Catholic Netball Association was a carefully nurtured community of young women and their families who competed weekly in netball competitions. It was like the Church of the time, based on a tribal fear of engagement with the world.  The Association did not expand much beyond the narrow confines of Khyber Pass and Mountain Rd.

Are there lessons to be learned from the demolition of this Pavilion?

There are several.

• It is really easy to demolish a building, a family, a tradition or a personal reputation by simply not investing time, thought or money into those people or activities. The village gossip over the village cafes can do more to demolish people and institutions than the brute force of a crane and chainsaw. The neglect of investment of money into buildings and activities is demolition by another name.

• It is also really hard to build and nurture people and communities. It takes time and sweat by everyone.  Demolition of communities occurs when there is a centralization ethic and a don’t-care, not-my-problem, approach. 

• Growth in any activity or institution is essential for survival. In comparison to other businesses, Education has been neglected by wisdom and money in recent years. Our NZ place in the modern world has been slowly demolished by this neglect.

Postscript: We have hundreds of old photos of netball games, social activities etc. Would anyone like to bring some holy order to this post Catholic Netball tradition? Please contact me.

In the meantime, my Lenten resolve is to build up, not tear down.

In this issue: 

• Upcoming events Congratulations Check Point Science Academic Results 2008 (Part 3) Bereavements Young Vinnies Edmund Rice Library Entertainment BooksMusicMarae TripHealth Centre
• Sport

I challenge you!

In His Peace

K F Fouhy

Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday 7 March

• 1st XI cricket vs McLeans at SPC 11.00am
• 2nd XI cricket vs Rosmini at Rosmini 12.30 pm
• Kapa Haka live in

Sunday 8 March

• Kapa Haka live in

Monday 9 March

• Tennis Champion of Champions juniors, intermediates and seniors.  Venue TBA.    

Tuesday 10 March

• Open day sessions 11.00 am and 1.30 pm.  Assemble in college hall.  Parking available on cage. 
• Athletics AKSS qualifying meet at Mt Smart 9.00 am – 3.00 pm.   
• BOT finance meeting 5.30 pm
• 7.00 pm Dedication Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral.  St Peter’s special character group serving supper. 

Wednesday 11 March

• Year 7 & 8 central zone swimming at Roskill Aquatic Centre.   

Thursday 12 March

• New parents dinner from 6.30 pm.  Assemble near Middle School and dinner follows.    

Friday 13 March

• Rowing AKSS champs Karapiro

Saturday 14 March

• Rowing Karapiro
• 1st XI cricket vs McLeans at SPC 11.00am
• 2nd XI cricket vs Rosmini at Rosmini 12.30 pm
• SPC/St Mary’s orchestra workshop 3.00 – 6.00 pm
• Kapa Haka live in

Sunday 15 March

• Rowing champs Karapiro
• Kapa Haka live in

Monday 16 March

• Fia fia night 7.30 pm at SPC. 

Tuesday 17 March

• BOT meeting 7.00 pm

Wednesday 18 March

• Athletics AKSS champs at Mt Smart 3.30 – 7.30 pm.   
• Rite of acceptance Mass St Benedict’s years 7 & 8

Thursday 19 March

• Progress reports posted
• ASB Polyfest Maori performance 2.00 pm

Friday 20 March

• ASB Polyfest continues    

PTFA AGM:  Monday 4 May 7.30p.m. Put it in your diary now!

CONGRATULATIONS

• 1st 1X Softball team who won the Auckland Secondary Schools Championship, beating Massey High School 3-0 in the final at Rosedale Park Albany.  Well done to Captain Alex Rau and his team.
• Bryn Hall on being named in the national U17 rugby training squad.
• Ethan McCafferty and Mathew Keenan reached the finals in the recent Central Zone Tennis Tournament for Years 7 & 8 boys at Windmill Rd on Thursday 26 February.  Overall these boys came second to ANI in the Doubles Finals. The team: Ethan, Mathew and Alex Milne all from Year 8 and Luke Masters, Vincent Farane and Ian Cairns had a great day of tennis and were a credit to St Peter's College. 
• Jonah Sofele 3rd shot put, 3rd discus in North Island Colgate Games held in Wanganui in January.
• Year 12, 2008 tie scholars:  Brendan Abley, Saahil Castelino, Paul Harris, Robert Hill, Jaeho Kwon, Charles Lilly,  Thomas Masters, Thomas McEwan, Fraser McKay, Liam Neuwelt Kearns, Jason Sharma, Isaac Snoswell, Andrew Twort.    

CHECK POINT SCIENCE

At the end of 2008, 31 year 9 boys were selected to participate in the CIE checkpoint science examination.  This is an examination set by Cambridge and sat by students all over the world.  The paper is then assessed in the UK and each pupil given a level according to their ability.  Level 1 is the lowest and level 6 the highest.  The St Peter’s average score was 5.5, a remarkable achievement.  In addition to this, the following pupils achieved the maximum level of 6, ranking them amongst the best year 9 scientists in the world.  They were: 

Nathan Brown, Jacob De Lesseps-Swanson, Ryan Hayes, Kevin Moraes, Mark Southcombe, Thomas Taylor, Nicholas Twort, Jerome Ty. 

Congratulations to these boys and all the others who participated.  This year all year 9 boys at St Peter’s College will compete – your challenge has been set! 

ACADEMIC RESULTS FROM 2008 (part 3)

NZQA Scholarship Winners:

Brendan Abley (History)

Kirushikesan Arunthavosothy (Calculus)

Stephen Bergin (English)

Zachary Castles (History of Art)

Matthew Gruiters (Painting)

Rehan Sequeira (English)

Patrick Bekhit (Physics, Statistics)

Mikhail Rodricks (Design, English, History of Art) 

Individual Performances of Note by Year 10 Students:

Dylan Tolua, Sujay Barua, Nathaniel Bearman, Dave D’sa, Joshua D’Silva, Sunimal Fernando, Joel Parker, Dwain Quadros, Nicholas Glucina, Andrew McEwan.

Individual Performances of Note by Year 11 Students:

Joshua Brajkovic, Matthew Considine, Ralston D’Souza, David Evans, Bhenjamin Goodsir, Callum Martin, Michael McLeod, Jeevan Miranda, Neil Moraes, Keith Pereira, Denver Saldanha. 

Individual Performances of Note by Year 12 Students:

Brendan Abley, Saahil Castelino, Paul Harris, Robert Hill, Jaeho Kwon, Charles Lilly,  Thomas Masters, Thomas McEwan, Fraser McKay, Liam Neuwelt Kearns, Jason Sharma, Isaac Snoswell, Andrew Twort.

Individual Performances of Note by Year 13 Students:

William Harris (Dux and Top Scholar), Aamir Bonamis, Ben Curtis, Finnbahr Boyle, Patrick Bekhit, Matthew Campbell, Aisea Sundin.

BEREAVEMENTS

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

David & Nathan Cooper – Grandmother

Nevin Matautia – Grandfather

Taka Vuni – Grandfather

Caleb & Jared Tofaeono – Great Grandmother

Luther Su’a – Grandfather

Samuel Prangnell – Great Grandmother    

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

YOUNG VINNIES 

The Young Vinnes’ of St Peter’s College is offering ‘Free Computer Tuition’ for grandparents and other family members of students. The classes will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 – 4:30 pm.  If you are interested to be part of this programme do contact – Mrs. Carmeline D’Souza on the school email cdsouza@st-peters.school.nz; or the student could give your contact details to his (class/form) teacher who would then pass it on to the teacher/leaders  of Young Vinnes.

EDMUND RICE LIBRARY

Congratulations to Sehan Jayetileke who has been elected Head Librarian, who will be assisted by his team of over 30 librarians!

Our Senior Librarians, some of whom have served the Edmund Rice library for 5 years, are Brendan Abley, Daniel D'sa, Cameron Matamua, Cameron Bell, Jarred Blakiston, Paul Menzes, Zachary Castles & Erinc Yikar.

Callum Martin, Tommy Alsemgeest, Adam Yukich, Kenny Keppel, Eugene Narayan & Romulus will become senior librarians this year if they earn their seniority.

Tutungata Ama, Jason Pinto, Stephen Duggan, Robert Smit, Liam Thomas, Lucas An & Jed Murzello are librarians.

We have 13 new librarians this year, including Jason Sharma, Avi Prasad, Bhenjamin Goodsir, Rohan D'Souza, Fred Ponifasio, Joshua Taylor, David John,  Jayanth Miranda, Zac Williams, Daniel Danilo, Nathan Sharp, Daylyn Concessio, & Amadeo Abrogena who are already proving to be reliable!

The library has been very busy so far this year with over 60 boys in before school and at lunchtimes. At present there are over 350 boys with books issued and 2 have already read more than 10 books! The Year 7 classes continue to have the highest usage/books issued rates, followed by some Year 8 classes and one Year 9 class!

We have already purchased and processed over 60 new books including 2 copies each of the very popular Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer and several copies of the Classical Studies workbooks and study books.

- Mrs M Smith (Librarian)

ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS

These are sold through the main office at the school. The cost for 2009 is $65.00, the same as for 2008. They represent great value for families, with vouchers for a wide variety of activities in addition to deals for many restaurants around the wider city area.

2008 books are valid to the end of June, but the 2009 book may be used once it is purchased – usually available by the end of April.

All cheques should be made out to St Peter’s College, and/or cash, eftpos payments made through the front office.

Early payments will guarantee delivery, and enable purchasers to be advantaged in pre-season draws. All profits are directed to the development of rugby in grades below the 1st XV at the College.    

• Peter Watt

MUSIC

The SPC Jazz Band has been invited to play at the New Zealand Post Community Dinner on Wednesday 4 March in the Aotea Centre.

There are still a number of boys who are not turning up for their instrument lessons.  All boys need to read the timetable to find out when the lesson is each week.  They are up in the music department, on the notice board outside the teaching rooms, for the whole of term. 

Can all boys who are involved in instrumental lessons ask their instrumental teachers or the music office for a printed sheet to go inside their diaries, if they do not already have one?

Choir:   

Junior choir – Friday lunch time in the Music Department.

Senior Choir – Monday lunchtime in the Music Department until further notice.

Jan Balzer has a Trumpet and Trombone for sale - $200 each (Getzen brand).  Phone 624-1166 if you are interested. 

MARAE TRIP

All Year 7 classes go on a marae trip during Week 3 of Term 2. Each boy will need to bring $14.00 to cover the cost of the education programme that is run at the marae, as well as transport costs. A newsletter with more details about what the boys will be doing, will be sent home later this term but this is just to warn you of the impending cost for each boy. Families who have never been on a marae will be most welcome to join us so keep the week of 11-15 May free. Any queries please ring Tania Siueva, Maori teacher, phone 524 8108 ext 7630 at school.

HEALTH CENTRE

Dental:  For those students turning 18 this year, you will have to PAY for your own dental work from now on.  Get an updated list of dentists who will treat you for FREE from the Health Centre.  This is now your responsibility. 

Optical:  If you are 15 yrs or UNDER, you may qualify for a subsidy on your glasses or treatment.  Find out from the Health Centre.

SPORT

First IX qualify for Nationals

The First IX qualified for the Nationals by winning the Auckland Secondary Schools one day tournament. The side led by Alex Rau played consistently to a high standard throughout the day to win the title. The results were as follows;

Vs Mount Albert Grammar, 7 – 1 win, Most Valuable Player – Clarke Trethowan

Vs Westlake Boys, 7 – 0 win, MVP – Alex Rau

Vs Onehunga, 6 – 0 win, MVP – Cameron Bearman

Semi Final, vs Auckland Grammar, 7 – 5 win, MVP – Afu Nichola

Final, vs Massey High, 3 – 0 win, MVP – Clarke Trethowan

Clarke Trethowan was awarded MVP for the tournament for his outstanding pitching and power hitting.

Cameron Bearman slides into third base

Afu Nicholas celebrates a home run with the rest of the team

Jonathan Kawau looks to steal a base

Swimming

Our swimming team gained some excellent results at the Central/East Auckland Championships held last week. These included;

Andrew McEwan, Intermediate Boys – Second in Breaststroke, third in Butterfly, fourth in Freestyle and Backstroke.

Thomas McEwan, Senior Boys – Second in Butterfly and Backstroke and fourth in Freestyle.

The Intermediate relay team made up from Andrew McEwan, Lawrence Hull, Sam Tui, Craig Fernandes and Daniel Shanahan won the breaststroke relay and placed third in the backstroke and medley relay.

1st XIV Touch team makes an excellent start to the season

The 1st XIV have started the season in superb form having won three from three games. Scoring 42 tries in the process and not conceding one. Stand out players thus far have included Brandon Fonoimoana, Robert Sanele and Tivoli Guthrie.