Kia ora koutou katoa

It has been a great start with a large number of new enrolments and more seniors choosing to stay at school to work towards their level two and three qualifications. Our sincere thanks to our students and their families who have made John Paul II their school of choice.

You will see in this Pānui details of our NCEA results from 2024. I wish to acknowledge the superb work done by our NCEA Level One students with an incredible 97% pass rate (national average 45%). To our teachers and support staff who have supported our learners, thank you all for your efforts. I wish to thank Celia Costelloe for her work as Year 11 Dean last year in supporting and mentoring the Year 11s and working hard to find them pathways to achieve these outstanding results. Our Level Two and Three students also performed admirably with our students achieving significantly higher rates of Merit and Excellence Endorsements than national averages. 

Our staff retreat on Monday 27 January was an enjoyable way to reconnect as a staff and welcome the new faces to JPII. You will find their profiles later in this Pānui. A very warm welcome to our new staff members - we hope you love JPII as much as we do!

- Abby Hamilton - LAL Social Sciences

- Colin Robertson - Teacher of IT & Commerce

- Sandra Robbins - Teacher of Mathematics, Sciences, and Year 9 Dean

- Dylan Graham - Teacher of Chemistry, Science, and Year 11 Dean

- Shalin Nandini - Teacher of English & Drama, ORS teacher

- Angela Turnbull - Attendance Officer

- Kaylee Hales - Learning Assistant/Teacher Aide

- Geniee Hunt - Learning Assistant/Teacher Aide

Today we celebrated our opening school Mass at St Patrick's church. Thank you Fr Mathew for celebrating this with us. Our Mission Team, musicians, and Dr Roberson, along with parents and students made this a special way to dedicate our year to the Lord by acknowledging and celebrating our shared Catholic faith. 

On Monday, I asked our students to focus this year on being kind. Below is a short excerpt from my address to the assembly that I thought pertinent to share with you, too.

Each new year is a fresh start—an opportunity to set new goals, try new things, and become the kind of people we aspire to be. And this year, I want to challenge each of you to live our LIGHT values in all you do by choosing kindness and putting others first.

We live in a world that often tells us to put ourselves first—to demand what we think we deserve. But true strength is not found in what we take; it’s found in what we give. Choosing kindness is an act of courage. It’s standing up for someone being left out, offering a word of encouragement, or simply treating others with respect by being focused and diligent in the classroom and beyond. We all have the choice to be kind to each other. Imagine if every one of us chose to act with kindness daily – imagine the compounding impact of that kindness and what an extraordinary impact we could have on each other and our school, flowing into our homes and communities.

Sir Edmund Hillary, one of New Zealand’s greatest explorers, once said:
"It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."

That mountain isn’t just about climbing peaks—it’s about overcoming selfishness, pride, and entitlement. When we reject the mindset that the world owes us something and instead focus on what we can contribute, we become stronger, better, and more fulfilled people. I encourage each of you to truly get involved this year: in your academics in class and through tutorials, in sports, cultural activities and kapa haka, through committees and service opportunities. 

As we celebrate or commemorate Waitangi Day, I want you to think carefully about our responsibilities to each other as partners in Ti Tiriti. It is difficult to avoid news of the divisive politics abroad, of billionaires throwing nazi salutes, of people divided like never before. Let us be beacons of unity and instruments of peace in our homes, school, and community.

As we start this year together, let’s make John Paul II High School a place where kindness is the norm, where gratitude replaces entitlement, and where we lift each other up rather than compete to get ahead. Let’s live the LIGHT together.

Nō reira, kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui—be strong, be brave, be steadfast. Let’s make 2025 a year to be proud of.

Ngā mihi nui

Renee Hutchinson

Principal