Kia ora e te whānau

Over the past two weeks, there has been a buzz in the air around the college as our Year 12 and 13 students prepare for their senior ball tonight. This begins with the Netball club fundraiser ball walkthrough at Blessed Sacrament Church, with doors opening at 5.15pm and the parade starting at 5.45pm. I have been particularly proud of the leadership shown by our Year 13 students in planning, resourcing, and producing this evening, and I wish them all a memorable night. Unfortunately, I will not be there tonight as I am currently in Hanmer Springs attending a principal’s wellbeing and professional learning retreat. I am privileged to be a part of a group of fourteen highly motivated and innovative principals from across the country, from both the primary and secondary sectors. Our retreat and training has focused on the three R’s: Refresh, Reconnect, Refocus, and discovering new ways of leading for impact. I am excited to bring back what I have learnt to the St Peter’s College community.

Our Joseph Driessen parent evening on boys’ wellbeing and education also took place this week, and it was great to see a number of families attend in our school chapel. We will be sharing the slide presentation with all of our families as food for thought at home, and our pastoral team is redefining their processes and procedures to fit in with Joseph’s strategic recommendations. St Peter’s College restorative approach to discipline and behaviour has always been forward-thinking and puts the child at the centre of all decisions made. We do not give up on our students, and our suspension and exclusion rates attest to this.

Our values of Community, Commitment and Compassion will be at the forefront next week when we are able to come back together as a whole school in our gym/hall to present the Servant Leadership badges from last year to all of the students who volunteered their time and efforts to plan and complete projects around the school in each of the values focus areas. I encourage more students to apply for the Servant Leadership Council this year as we continue to grow student voice in many of our school wide decisions.

The PTFA continue to meet regularly in our school, and we are meeting twice this term as we work towards meeting our grant and fundraising targets for the refurbishment of the Susan Horrell tennis courts. The parents and friends on this committee do so much to enhance our school community, from raising funds to bringing our community together. I would like to thank all our PTFA members for their time, effort and work, and we are now looking for new members as some have moved on with the graduation of their children. If you are interested in joining our awesome little team, please contact me directly at taraquinney@stpetersgore.school.nz or just turn up at our next meeting on Thursday, April 11th, at 7pm in the St Peter’s College staffroom. Collectively, the drive and passion each and every member brings to the PTFA has been at the heart of everything we have done. Their energy to ensure events have run smoothly has never faltered, and the contribution that all members have made to the college in their roles on the PTFA has created so many opportunities for our students. Thank you all so much.

As we enter Holy Week, please note that the school closes at 1.30pm on Thursday, March 28th, but there is supervision available for bus students and those who need to stay until 3.15pm. School is closed for Good Friday, March 29th, and re-opens on Wednesday, April 3rd, as Tuesday is a Southland school holiday. I would like to highlight that next week, there is the opportunity for our community to attend Holy Thursday Mass at 7pm on Thursday, March 29th, and the Good Friday service at 3pm on Friday, March 30th, along with the Easter celebrations Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

In closing, I would like to share a reflection as we are reminded that the work of those in our community is given and shared through their call to Mercy, which is central to our community’s values and what makes our community what it is, as we strive to empower our young people to challenge and shape their future.

May you meet mercy each day:
In the light of your heart, at the hands of loved ones,
In the eyes of the stranger and the needy
And if by chance you do not first meet it,
Then search your heart for it, listen patiently for word of it,
And it will tap you on the shoulder,
A quiet surprise, a small gesture, the tender look,
Given and received in the encounters of your day.
Mary Wickham rsm

Charity Fulfils the Law