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

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

20 March 2009                                                                                
Newsletter no 04/2009

Dear Parents and Boys

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

‘I Don’t See the Wall

I Only See the Gaps’

The billboard in Newmarket with a line of soccer players defending a penalty goal and a striker about to kick, struck me with its simplicity and hope. 

The only things going faster than the world economies deteriorating, are the walls that are going up around the global village – fear, protectionism, right wing social disorder, populist immigration policies, revenge as a form of neo-justice, retreat into rules etc. 

In fact it is becoming difficult to see the opportunities (gaps) amidst all the lack of hope and despair afflicting so many. 

And yet seeing the gaps is what we all need to do. 

What are some of these ‘walls’ in a school/educational sense? 

1            The walls of history/tradition.  “The reason is because we did it this way last month/last year.” 

2            The walls of invisibility. 

It is the can’t see; don’t want to see; no names; mentality.

3            The walls of political conformity.   “What is the latest political craze given to schools?”    

4            The walls of denial. 

“Not at this school/my class/my son”.

5            The walls of victimhood and blame.  

It is the Government/society/school/teachers etc who are to blame. 

Sometimes the “gaps” of family raising are difficult to identify and even harder to implement. 

Many parents put up the walls of protectionism when it comes to their children’s behaviour.  Instead of encouraging resilience and strength of character to break down the walls of fear, lack of confidence etc, they retreat to blaming someone or comments like “Son you don’t need to do this – I will sort it out!” 

The doom and gloom of a recession is difficult to put to one side when family income is reduced, or a house sold under mortgagee sale – but we all need to find the ‘gaps’ of hope, maintain family unity and maintain faith in the future.

In this issue: 

• Upcoming events Congratulations BereavementsGeography Trip  Uniform Parents and Boys & Preloved Sales Music DepartmentSpecial Character News GalaHealth Centre India Trip 2010/2011
• Sport

In His Peace

K F Fouhy

Principal

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday 21 March

• 1st XI cricket vs Rosmini at Rosmini 11.00am
• 2nd XI cricket vs Takapuna Grammar at SPC 12.30 pm

Sunday 22 March

• Senior concert band workshop sectionals 3.00 – 6.00 pm.

Monday 23 March

• 1st XV trial (1) 3.30 – 5.00 pm
• Diary checks at assembly all week

Tuesday 24 March

• Official weigh in for all rugby players at lunch time

Wednesday 25 March

• Rugby position clinic 3.30 pm for all rugby players

Thursday 26 March

ü AS & L3 geography Rotorua trip

• 2nd XV trial 3.30 – 5.00 pm

Friday 27 March

ü AS & L3 geography Rotorua trip

• Edmund’s shop closed for stock take
• 1st XV training camp leave 3.30 pm for Matapouri

Saturday 28 March

• 1st XI cricket vs Rosmini at Rosmini 11.00am
• 2nd XI cricket vs Takapuna Grammar at SPC 12.30 pm

Monday 30 March

• NZSS softball tournament at Lower Hutt
• Rowing NZSS Mardi Cup Karapiro
• Friends of Music meeting 7.00 pm in the music department

Tuesday 31 March

• NZSS softball tournament at Lower Hutt
• Rowing NZSS Mardi Cup Karapiro
• Year 7 camp Motutapu.  Depart from SPC at 10.30 am. 
• Mufti day for gala (items for the fair).   

Wednesday 1 April

• NZSS softball tournament at Lower Hutt
• Rowing NZSS Mardi Cup Karapiro
• Year 7 camp Motutapu
• Year 8 grandparents’ day Mass 9.30am in hall

Thursday 2 April

• NZSS softball tournament at Lower Hutt
• Rowing NZSS Mardi Cup Karapiro
• Year 7 camp Motutapu
• Visit of St Thomas Aquinas College Melbourne music group

Friday 3 April

• NZSS softball tournament at Lower Hutt
• Rowing NZSS Mardi Cup Karapiro
• Year 7 camp Motutapu, return to Half Moon Bay at 2.00 pm.  

Saturday 4 April

• North Island athletics champs in Wellington

Sunday 5 April

College Fair 11.00 am – 3.00 pm

St Peter’s College 70th Jubilee Mass

This year we celebrate our 70th year here at St Peter’s. Please diary this important celebration for the whole school community, past and present:

What: St Peter’s College 70th Jubilee Mass

Where: St Patrick’s Cathedral

When: Thursday 7 May, 7.30pm

CONGRATULATIONS

• To the top Year 9 Humanities students whose Kon-tiki raft designs received top grades. Please visit the library to see the best 10 designs.
• Christian Curtis won 10 year old boys high jump at Auckland Junior Club Athletic Champs.
• Congratulations to the two Advanced Open Debating teams on their wins last week against Pukekohe High and Senior College.
• Maddix Rice and Cameron Bearman both in Auckland U13 softball team who won Auckland title.   

BEREAVEMENTS

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

Jordan Earl – Uncle

Daniel & Peter Gasparini – Grandmother

Alex Rau – Grandfather

Daniel Cavit – Uncle  

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

GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP

Thursday 26 and Friday 27 March to Rotorua.  This fieldtrip forms an important part of Year 13 Geography at Level 3 and A2 . Students will examine the affects of Tourism in a geographic setting - impacts such as urban planning, hospitality and migration will be examined. Tourism is important to New Zealand, as such it is Prime Minister John Key's personal portfolio. Any student who needs to pay their final instalment please go to the Student Centre ASAP.

UNIFORM

PARENTS  &  BOYS

A reminder that in Years 12 and 13, boys are allowed to wear the College Dress Uniform.  The College Trousers are Dark Navy and can be purchased at Elizabeth Michael Ltd our supplier of the College uniform.

Black trousers will no longer be allowed after 2008 as part of the uniform, boys have already been informed of this throughout the last  year.

Parents please do not purchase Black trousers.

We are also proposing a new College Jacket, this is in the design stage at present and the present College jacket will be phased out over a 2 year period.

Boys in Premier Sports teams have been encouraged to wear the College Dress uniform to school in Terms 2 & 3, this initiative has raised the profile of these students and also lifted the uniform standard of the Senior school.

We thank you for making the effort to see that your son is well presented in the correct College uniform.

SPC PRELOVED UNIFORM SALES

 
Second hand uniform is available for purchase at very reasonable prices by phoning Helen 5278638. If you have uniform which you no longer require, please drop it to the main office. The generosity of families who already do this is most appreciated.

All funds from sales go directly to SPC fundraising. 

MUSIC DEPARTMENT

Friends of Music Meeting – Monday 30 March 7pm in the music Department.  All welcome – please join us and help plan for the musical events taking place during the year.

Thanks to the Jazz Combo for a very successful performance at the Aotea Centre for the New Zealand Post Community Awards Dinner.

Thanks to the boys who took part in the funeral service for Brother John Prendergast, ex principal of St Peter’s College – David Evans, Jacob de Lesseps-Swanson, Joshua Pinto, Joseph Nihotte, Christian Malietoa-Brown.

Members of St Thomas Aquinas College, Melbourne, are visiting on Thursday 2 April to practice and perform with St Peter’s College and Marist College students.  Performance Period 6 starting at 2.25pm, to finish by 3.00pm in the St Peter’s College Hall.  All welcome – no charge.

National Concert Band Festival Competition in Rotorua – change of date from 7/8 August to 4/5 September. 

Near-new clarinet for sale. Comes with case. $80.00.  Please call Sharon on 6273073 if you’re interested.

SPECIAL CHARACTER NEWS

Middle School Grandparents’ Mass

Thank you to all Grandparents who joined us on Wednesday 25 February for Mass, morning tea, and a tour of the College Campus. The event was very well attended, with many grandparents taking the opportunity to come and celebrate Mass with their grandsons.

2009 Year 7-11 Service Programmes

Details for the Service Programmes for Years 7-11 will be coming out later this term. For now, students can consider the kind of service that they would like to be involved in. Here are some suggestions:

• Tutoring younger students with homework
• Assisting the sick or elderly, for example mowing lawns or helping in the garden 
• Visiting the sick or elderly
• Environmental Service – e.g. planting trees or clearing rubbish 

Year 12 Service Programme

A reminder to all Year 12 students that they must complete 20 hours of service in the local community this year. The easiest time for this is now, before the busyness of exams later in the year. Plan to do your service in the coming April holidays. There will be an opportunity again this year for students to complete their hours by volunteering to assist teachers at YMCA holiday programmes for primary school children. Mr Kingdon will supply details of how this can be done to all Y12 students.

GALA

Planning is now well underway with the Gala planned for Sunday 5 April - which is creeping up on us very quickly!!

If you have helped at the Gala in the past and would like to be involved again, or are new to the school and would like to help, please e-mail your details to admin@st-peters.school.nz.  This is a great way to become involved and serve the college community.  The more hands we have, the easier the job becomes.  We look forward to hearing from you !!

HEALTH CENTRE

• Physiotherapy ACC related injuries free
• Make appointment with nurse at interval time.  Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1pm till 2pm
• Please update your contacts with the school office.
• All conditions and medications must be brought to our attention for the safety and wellbeing of the students.
• FOR SALE @ HEALTH CENTRE:  Strapping tape for sports injuries $5, Antiflam (small Container) $3. 

- P McNamara RN

INDIA TRIP 2010/2011

Application forms and information packs for the Edmund Rice Network 2010/2011 India Trip will be available on Monday 23 March from the Student Centre or can be downloaded from the College website on www.st-peters.school.nz.  Places are available for staff members and current Year 11, 12 and 13 students.

SPORT

Triathlon

St Peter’s won all three teams divisions at the Auckland Secondary Schools Aquathon held at St Kentigern’s on Monday 16 March. Congratulations to the team for achieving the following outstanding results: 

Junior Boys

1st – Ben Buchanan, Michael Paget

2nd – Kevin Moraes, Jordon Hunter

Intermediate Boys

1st – Andy McEwan, Jamie Newlands

2nd – Craig Fernandes, Tom Taylor

Senior Boys

1st – Thomas McEwan, Jonathan Koh

Rowing

The North Island Championships were held at Lake Karapiro, 13 – 15 March. Months of hard work and commitment paid off for our 30 dedicated rowers. The team gained some excellent results. A special congratulation goes to Joseph Nihotte and Stephen Jones for gaining third place in the U16 Double Sculls. Following are the most notable performances:

'A' Grade Finalists:

U16 Double Sculls - Campbell Rhodes and Logan Rasmussen - 7th Place

U15 Coxed Quadruple Sculls - Rory Small, Beaudene Widdison, Stefan Wypych, Samuel Hines, Harrison Bell (cox) - 7th Place

U16 Coxed Quadruple Sculls - Campbell Rhodes, Stephen Jones, Joseph Nihotte, Logan Rasmussen, Joseph Flaherty (cox) - 4th Place

U16 Coxed Four - Campbell Rhodes, Stephen Jones, Joseph Nihotte, Logan Rasmussen, Chris Jarvis (cox) - 4th Place

U15 Coxed Four - Beaudene Widdison, Rory Small, Lewis Carter, Samuel Hines, Harrison Bell (cox)

U15 Double Sculls - Beaudene Widdison, Rory Small - 7th Place

A number of crews also made 'B' grade finals, from which the most notable perfomances were the following;

U18 Double Sculls - Damien Molloy, Simon Foote - 2nd Place

U15 Coxed Four - Stefan Wypych, Rick Wester, Timothy Neighbours, Jack Wilson, Joseph Flaherty (cox) - 3rd Place

Rugby

Official weigh in for all boys is on Tuesday, 24 March, start of lunchtime in the Hall.

On the 25 March there is a position specific coaching clinic. There are ex players coming from Marist and Auckland to provide specialized position specific assistance to our players. All Yr 11 – 13 players plus U14 and 15 open players are encouraged to attend. Meet at the pavilion after school with a change of gear. The clinic will finish at approximately 5.00pm.

Athletics

St Peter’s were at the forefront of many events at the Auckland Secondary Schools qualifying meeting. Going into the finals night the school is hopeful of gaining top results. The Senior and Intermediate 4 x 100m relay teams qualified first, while the Junior Team qualified second. Ben Lam, Ben Paltridge, Josh Cocker-Valu, and Jaxon Bonnici have all qualified for four events in the top three.

Jaxon Bonnici clears 1.65m to qualify for the Intermediate Boys High Jump final

Tawhiao Rogers leaps 5.54m to qualify first in the Junior Boys long jump

Vince Aso leads the way in his 100m heat.

St Peter’s College Sport Results – Week Six, Term 1

Player of the Week – Zac Maio. Playing for the 4A’s Zac took 10 wickets in the match against Auckland Grammar and scored 40 runs in the second innings.

Team of the Week – Triathlon team. Competing in the Auckland Secondary Schools Aquathon the team won the Junior, Intermediate and Senior teams

Junior Boys – Ben Buchanan, Michael Paget

Intermediate Boys – Andy McEwan, Jamie Newlands

Senior Boys – Thomas McEwan, Jonathan Koh

Congratulations Triathlon team