Kia ora koutou

Lord, as we continue in our Lenten period we ask that you help us in our daily life. Help us to remember that you created us to be people of community, persons in our own right, made in the image of you, and made to live in harmony.

St Bede…

It is a busy weekend ahead for many of our students. Our Bishop Lyons team is travelling to John Paul II College in Greymouth for the annual competition and our Rowing team is competing at the South Island Secondary Schools Championships at Lake Ruataniwha in Twizel. Both groups have been working incredibly hard in preparation for the weekend ahead. I wish you all the very best and thank the staff, coaches, parents and managers who make events such as these possible.

Our College and the wider community take great pride in the co-curricular programmes and opportunities afforded to our students. With co-curricular programmes increasing in frequency, it is a timely reminder to all, that participation in these a commitment is secondary to learning and a commitment to living out our values in and around school. We ask our parents and whānau to reinforce this message at home so your sons have the best possible chance of being a man of character both in and out of the classroom.

We anticipate that the PPTA one day national strike will go ahead next Thursday 16 March. The majority of teaching staff are union members, so the College will be closed for instruction. However, should any students need supervision during the day, non-union teaching staff will be onsite duriung normal school hours. I will keep you informed of the situation once official notice of a strike is received.

Mr Paterson, Ms Wilkinson and myself are currently in Wanaka attending the A&P show. We will be hosting an Old Boys and community engagement event at b.social on Anderson Bay Road from 6pm on Friday evening. If you are in the area, do take time to come in and see us.

Ngā mihi nui

J McDowall

Tumuaki / Rector