Happy New Year to you all and welcome to the start of the 2020 school year

Dear Parents & Caregivers

We have completed our first week of term 1 and it has been a very smooth start. The students returned to school looking smart in their summer uniforms and generally excited about the year ahead. They have also settled quickly into their courses and are already well underway with their learning programmes. I have been visiting classes on a regular basis and am pleased to see some engaging and innovative teaching across the levels. Education certainly has changed since I attended school. I remember spending several years sitting is straight rows and copying notes from the chalk board that I could memorise for a test.

I would like to thank all our parents and caregivers for ensuring that students started the school year with the proper uniform and stationery items. I was very pleased overall with the standard as I am aware that it is increasingly difficult for some families to outfit students with uniform as well as laptops and stationery items. This is the world we live in.

The new year 9 students are now well acquainted with the College after their induction and gaining a bit of confidence and the year 13 leaders are doing a great job setting the tone for the year. They are a very enthusiastic and able group and keen to get some new initiatives up and running.

This year we welcome five new teachers to Roncalli College 

Miss Rachael Burrowes (English and Religious Studies)

Mrs Kelby Hackler (English and Yr 9 Dean)

Mr David Hines (Spanish/Languages and Social Sciences)

Mrs Ashley Herbert (Curriculum Leader of Science)

Mrs Wandi Le Roux (Commerce)

We have taken great care with these new appointments and are very pleased to have such talented and committed professionals join our staff. We are also thrilled to welcome back Mrs Mary-Anne Ward who has been relieving this week in the Mathematics department.

Sadly we farewell Mrs Vicki Healy who has been a teacher aide at Roncalli for 18 years. We thank Vicki for her caring service and extend our best wishes to her for her new position.

Here are a few things that may be helpful to our new families:

• All College information including the College calendar can be found on the Roncalli College Website (www.roncalli.school.nz)
  
• Newsletters are published three times per term, the College also has a facebook page https://www.facebook.com/roncallicollege/ which is updated as events and notices come to hand
• Student/Parent Portal - the College office have just sent notification access, if you require assistance with accessing the parent portal, please contact the office for their help 
• School is closed Thursday 6 February (Waitangi Day)

If you have any queries regarding your student, please do not hesitate to contact the school. The first point of contact is the House Group Teacher, followed by the Year Level Dean. All staff can be contacted by using their first initial followed by a dot and then their last name (ex. John Smith j.smith@roncalli.school.nz). We welcome and encourage parent input.

Until next time,

Chris Comeau

Principal