Acting Principal's Message

Kia Ora Kevinians and Friends in the St Kevin's Community

Winter sports is well under way this week with football finally kicking off last Saturday.  It seems timely to extend thanks to all of our team coaches and managers who volunteer their time and energy for the benefit of our students.  Their expertise is not taken for granted and they should be proud to share in the great results of the past week (thank you to all of our camera ready staff and parents who send in some great shots).

You may have seen in today's local paper an article about our very own Father Wayne Healey, who celebrates his 40th anniversary as a Catholic Priest on the 7 June.  He has certainly spread the word of the gospel far and wide having spent time in Tacoma, USA, with a congregation of around 1500 people.  Congratulations Father Wayne on this very special day, we look forward to celebrating with you next week.

I will take this opportunity to remind students to listen for notices and reminders regarding the school grounds.  The weather has left particular areas of the playing fields water logged and very muddy and slippery.  Alan Grant and Mark Watson work hard to ensure the grounds are ready for Saturday sport and practices and the co-operation of students is very much appreciated.

Mr Olsen will be back next week from his travels with the Edmund Rice Network in Nairobi and I'm sure we can expect to hear more about the work of the Network in the coming weeks.

God Bless,

Kerry Ryan, Acting Principal

St Kevin's College Feastday 2014 - Images From Mass

Today the school celebrated the Mass of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. This occasion was also the Feast day of our College’s Patron, St Kevin. The introduction was delivered by DRS Mr Mullally, while Head Boy Chris Kearney and Deputy Head Girl Merekite Wahitapu gave a biographical sketch of St Kevin. They stressed the fact that this College is proud to say that we are still live the St Kevin’s Way using the same values which Kevin held intently fourteen hundred years ago in Glendalough, Ireland  - The importance of prayer, the importance of education and the inspiration we can draw from natures environment.

Father Wayne reminded students that the messages in today’s scripture readings are as important now as they were when they were first written.  He used an example from the words of Beatle John Lennon to make the point stressing that no human has even been greater than Jesus Christ. With Miss Mulheron’s inspiring musical accompaniment a stirring version of the St. Kevin’s School Song made for a fitting recessional  hymn to conclude to this special occasion.

Weekend Sports Fixtures

BOYS FOOTBALL
SKC v Roncalli - 10am, St Kevin's College

GIRLS FOOTBALL
No games due to Queens Birthday Weekend

RUGBY
1st XV v Gore High School, Murray Field St Kevin's College

NETBALL
SKC Snr A v WGHS Lightening Strike - 1pm LJ Hooker
SKC Int A v Athletic Gold - 3pm LJ Hooker
SKC Snr Red v WGHS Int Red - 12noon Sport & Outdoor
SKC Jnr A v Excelsior Black - 3pm RD1
SKC Jnr B v Trust Power Titans - 12noon Fitness 24
SKC Int B v WGHS Snr Silver - 2pm Fitness 24
SKC Snr Blue v WGHS Int Silver - 2pm Amcal North End
SKC Jnr Red v NONC Comp Team - 12noon Spic N Span

Year 11 Speech Competition

Congratulations to our Year 11 Speech Competition winner and placegetters!
1st Scott Ruddle
2nd Karan Ratgali
3rd Gypsy-Mae Harihona-Harrison

Girls Rugby Win Over Roncalli

The girls rugby team had a solid win over the visiting team from Roncalli College yesterday with a final score of 20-12.  Try scorers for the game were Sophia Alaloto, Gypsy-Mae Harihona-Harrison and Chelsea Seddon.  Congratulations girls!

She's Got Rhythm

Congratulations to Year 11 student Callie Mills who tapped her way to success at the recent Oamaru Performing Arts Competition, held at the Oamaru Opera House.  She won five out of six dances competed in and was awarded Most Rythmical Tapper, the Shirley Kernahan Memorial Trophy - a special honour being her grandmother's memorial trophy.  Well done Callie!

Aoraki Netball

Back row L to R: Whitney Cleveland, Jenna Stuart, Cliantha Whippy, Zoe McCormick, 

Monique Bolstridge, Nadia Kerr, Ellie Monk

Front row: Micayla Brenssell (Coach) and Jessie Conlan, Absent from photo Aislinn Craig.

Congratulations to the Intermediate A Netball team who came away with 2nd place at the Aoraki Netball Competition on Sunday in Timaru.  They remained unbeaten in their pool, besting Waitaki Girls, Geraldine, Mountain View and Roncalli College.  The girls went on to play Ashburton College in the final but despite a hard fought effort (and pouring rain!) they couldn't clinch the trophy.  However, an excellent tournament for the girls with coach Micayla Brenssell praising the efforts of Nadia Kerr who stepped up from the Intermediate B team, and Zoe McCormick's excellent shooting in the circle.   

Loves Me Not Programme 2014

Year 12 Loves Me Not Programme  2014

This year all Year 12 students at St Kevin's will be taking part in a one day workshop which raises awareness about healthy and unhealthy relationships.

In 2013 we were lucky enough to be one of nine schools throughout New Zealand to pilot this programme.  This year the programme is available for schools nationwide.

The programme is run by the New Zealand Police in conjunction with schools. The development of the programme has come about due to the death of Sophie Elliott and the subsequent wish of her mother to educate young people about relationships. As a school we see this programme as an essential piece of equipment in a young persons tool kit for life.

The one day workshop will be on :

Date: Wednesday June 11th

Time:  9am - 3pm

Where: South Block classrooms, SKC

Uniform: Yes, school uniform

Teachers involved Margaret Burton, Rachel Fowler, Tim Hitchcock, Marc Nyika

If you have any queries relating to this workshop, please don’t hesitate to contact me

Margaret Burton

Year 12 Dean

Loves Me Not Coordinator

Cross Country Champions

SENIOR BOYS - Jinnesh Ramu (Clancy)
SENIOR GIRLS - Sydney Telfer (Whyte)
U16 BOYS - Connor Ryan (Treacy)
U16 GIRLS - Francziska Yanzick (Clancy)
U15 BOYS - Angus Macaulay (Magee)
U15 GIRLS - Brittany Weir (Treacy)
U14 BOYS - Mose Vahai (Magee)
U14 GIRLS - Roshni Crow (Treacy)

Dunedin Performing Arts Success

At the Dunedin Performing Arts competitions over the weekend Year 11 student Riley Chandler won the 14 years and Over Aggregate Cup for highest points over 6 styles of dance, Classical, Barefoot and Demi Character Ballet, National Character (where she performs a Spanish dance), Contemporary and Modern Jazz. This followed on from Oamaru last weekend where she also had some great results.  Congratulations Riley!

Weekend SKC Sport

The weather finally played it's part and allowed football to get under way and while there was a brief frost on the ground the sky was blue!  The rugby boys set up a good omen for the interschool against Waitaki Boys withe a resounding 23-16 win at Milner Park in the 1st XV Highlanders competition.  On the netball courts our girls faced some tough games with wins to both the Junior A and B teams.  A big thank you to the girls who stepped up to help out other teams and a reminder to all girls and parents... as with all sports, if you signed the netball permission slip you are expected to attend all practices and games.  

Well done to all of our SKC sports teams on a great day of games.

Principal's Message From Nairobi

Kia Ora Kevinian's and Friends of the College

As part of the Edmund Rice Education Across Boarders gathering in Nairobi, Kenya, I was humbled to visit some of the nearly 2.5 million local families living in abject poverty. This immersion experience was my first. I met people severely deprived of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter and education. They were living in these conditions through no fault of their own. The visit was an affront to my senses, with the smell of open sewers and fetid rubbish etched in my mind. We were privileged to be hosted by the staff and students of the Mary Rice Centre in the Kibera slum,which is the largest in Africa and one of the biggest in the world. The Centre is a school for the physically and mentally challenged young people of the slum and is run by the Christian Brothers with funding from schools from around the world. We also visited the Ruben Centre which helps locals with medical, educational and financial needs. The scale of the deprivation was overwhelming and as we begin the next part of this gathering, we have our thinking framed by these powerful images of the challenges being faced by those living at the margins. I would ask you to keep our work in your prayers as we chart the direction of Edmund Rice Education at the global level.

God Bless
Paul Olsen, Principal

Aoraki Girls Football 2014

The girls football team had a fantastic day at the Aoraki Tournament, coming away in 3rd place overall.  A top effort with a draw against the tournament winners in a cracking pool game.

SKC 1 Mountainview 1 (overall winners)

SKC 0 Roncalli 0

SKC 6 Craighead B 0

SKC 1 Geraldine 0

A magnificent effort from the squad in 160 minutes of football and a great follow up to the CST last term.

Weekend Sporting Fixtures

Boys Football:
SKC v TBHS - Sir Basil Arthur Park.  Kick off 10.30am (leaving school at 8.30am)

Girls Football:
SKC Blue v Combined Schools - St Kevin's College grounds.  Kick off 9.15am
SKC Red v WGHS - St Kevin's College grounds.  Kick off 9.15am

Rugby:
SKC 1st XV  v WBHS - Milner Park.  Kick off 1pm
SKC U 16 - bye
SKC U 14.5 v Geraldine - Geraldine.  Kick off 11.45am

Netball:
SKC Snr A v Valley Gold - LJ Hooker.  2pm
SKC Snr B v WGHS Lightening Strike - LJ Hooker.  3pm
SKC Snr Red v Southfuels Eastern - Sport and Outdoor.  12noon
SKC Int A v WGHS Int Red - Sport and Outdoor.  3pm
SKC Int B v WGHS Int White - Fitness 24.  1pm
SKC Jnr A v Valley Yellow - 5.  12noon
SKC Jnr B v Papakaio Social - 3.  12noon
SKC Jnr Red v Twizel Black - Smith and Sons.  12noon

Senior Basketball - MONDAY NIGHT
SKC  Random v WGHS Black  - Rec Centre.  5.40pm
SKC Lolez v WGHS Gabi - Rec Centre.  6.30pm
SKC 1sts v SKC Dastipples - Rec Centre.  7.20pm

Intermediate/Collegiate Basketball - WED NIGHT
SKC Celtic - early scorebench duty at 7.20, front court, Rec Centre
SKC Celtic v WBHS Jnr A - Rec Centre.  8.20pm
SKC Sonic - early scorebench duty at 4pm, SKC Gym
SKC Sisters v SKC Stars - SKC Gym.  4pm
SKC Sonic v WGHS Magic - SKC Gym.  4.50pm
SKC Thunder v WBHS Wizards - SKC Gym.  5.40pm

U19 Selection

Congratulations to Year 13 student Hamish Robertson who has been selected for the Otago U19 team which will compete in the national tournament in Nelson, in July.  He had a strong showing at the southern regional U19 tournament in Invercargill, resulting in his selection.  Hamish is a member of our Secondary Schools A Basketball National Champion team and was named MVP for the 2013 tournament.

Memories From China

Our travelers from China shared their adventures at assembly this week - check out their trip!

Kapa Haka Pasifika Performance

The Kapa Haka Pacifika girls gave a beautiful performance at our Open Day last week.  Enjoy :)

WHANAU PACK

WHANAU PACK - TOOLS FOR FAMILIES AND PARENTS WITH TEENAGERS

"You know it.  They know it.  Teenage years are growth years and ones of great change.  Not only are their bodies growing but also their brains - which continue to develop until their early to mid 20's.  Teens need food, sleep and exercise and lots of love and support - the same as for a child, but in different ways "

This is a great resource, simply set out with effect advice and information.  Hard copies of the booklet are available from school but CLICK HERE to download a copy of the booklet now.

Images From The Cross Country

The sun may have been shinning but the recent bout of wet weather made the Cross Country a true "cross country" affair!  Watch for confirmed results soon!

Aoraki Golfers

Congratulations to the St Kevin's College Golf team who secured second place in both the teams gross and net scores at the Aoraki Secondary School's Golf held at the Methven Golf Club on Friday.  Zain Pennycook won the Best Gross overall for all the individuals.  Well done Logan More, Zain Pennycook, Brady Kingan and Keegan Anderson!

Club Day And Weekend Netball Success

Well done to all teams for another great weekend of netball.  Some very tough games out there ending in some close scores.  Well done to the following teams who all had good wins and remain unbeaten in the competition:

-Int A

-Int B

-Jnr A

Also on in the weekend was the St Kevin's College Club Day, with the 1st XV taking a huge win over Central Southland College 65-0 and the Boys Football scoring a hard fought 5-2 win over Geraldine. 

Mobile App For NCEA

NZQA is launching a new mobile App called NCEA Guide written for parents, whanau and employers.

The App will provide quick and easy access to key information about NCEA and makes practical information about NCEA more easily accessible. Parents and whanau will be able to access simple content about how NCEA works and how they can support family members studying in NCEA.

The NCEA Guide App will be free to download from the Apple App store and Google Play Store from early in the week of 26 May. 

Acting Principal's Message

Kia Ora Kevinians and Friends in the St Kevin's Community

The sun has come out on the day of our College Cross Country "take two".  After the disappointment of having to postpone the event last week I extend my sincere thanks to our grounds staff Alan Grant and Mark Watson for their efforts to drain away the water and nurture grass through the mud!  It was a great afternoon and I congratulate all of our students who participated and won points for their houses.

Work has begun clearing the site of our equine arena with several trees being felled.  The recent rain which hindered the cross country last week has also played havoc with surface water around this area and the shallow root systems of the trees were some cause for concern.  However, in step one of the project the machinery moved in and dealt with the trees and once cleared will leave a great space for this fantastic facility.

It was however only one of several highs this week.  Yesterday I was delighted to welcome prospective students and their families to the College as part of our Open Day.  It was wonderful to see such a strong response to our invitation and I was exceptionally proud of our student prefects and leaders who were fantastic role models for our younger students in the way they conducted themselves and advocated for the College.  There were a large team of people who worked hard to ensure the smooth running of both the day and evening sessions and I thank our dedicated staff who invited groups into their classrooms throughout the day and evening.  A special thank you to our Home & School who hosted families for supper in the evening.  Their continued support at these events is a valuable contribution to their success.

As a Catholic School it was pleasing to hold the first of our regular Friday mass celebrations.  It is an important part of our Special Character and we expect a full attendance from all of our students.

Today marks the last day at the College for our Sport Co-ordinator, Mr Nigel Ryburn.  Mr Ryburn has been on staff since the end of 2012 and has encouraged a range of sporting interests to the College.  He has also taught in our classrooms and worked in the hostel as a night supervisor.  I thank him for his efforts during his time with us and wish him all the best, along with his family Cindy, Olive and the newly arrived Otis.

Mr Olsen is away for the next fourteen days with the Edmund Rice Network in Nairobi and I ask that you keep him in your prayers and wish him safe travels.

God Bless,

Kerry Ryan, Acting Principal

True Cross Country Grit

Watch out next week for more Cross Country Coverage!

Senior Speech Winners

This week Year 12 and 13 students competed in the Senior Speech Competitions and as is usual at the College, there was a very high standard amongst the students.  Congratulations to the following:
YEAR 13:
1st - Isobel Ryan
2nd - Kaleisha Jones
3rd - Logan Chandler

YEAR 12:
1st - Sydney Telfer
2nd - Brooklyn Johnston
3rd - Matali Singh

Merekite's Rising Star

Deputy Head Girl Merekite Wahitapu's netball star is rising following her selection to the Dunedin U17 Representative Team.  This team covers players from throughout the Otago and North Otago region and will travel to the national competition.   Merekite was selected earlier in the year for the New Zealand Talent ID programme for Netball South and this latest selection will give her the opportunity to pit her netball wits in front of scouts for a number of high performance teams.  Congratulations!

Help For The Home & School

The Home & School are looking for people to help sell raffle tickets on the following dates:

COUNTDOWN - FRIDAY 23 MAY

SOUTH HILL NEW WORLD - FRIDAY 13 JUNE

NORTH END NEW WORLD - THURSDAY 3 JULY

No tickets are being sent home to sell this time and so any assistance from beyond the Home & School would be very much appreciated.  The prize is a fantastic signed All Black jersey!!  Tickets will also be sold at the St Kevin's/Waitaki 1st XV game on Friday 4 July.

If you can help please text or phone Mandy Farrell on 027 381 4436.

Drive To Survive 2014

Year 12 students attended the Drive To Survive workshop which was held at the Waitaki Recreation Centre today.  This interactive course is put together by the local Police, St John's, Victim Support and the Waitaki Safter Communities.  It is a hard hitting look at the potential consequences of teenagers drinking and driving.  Thank you to Mrs Burton, Mrs Jackson and Mr Dixon for accompanying the students to this important, eye opening display.

SKC Project Runway

Tessa Robertson took her turn to reveal her designs for the SKC version of Project Runway!  Senior students have spent the first term designing and fine tuning a number of designs which were presented to our resident judging panel who selected one design per student for further work.  Following a specific brief based on an ethnicity theme they were today hopeful of a full compliment of 'yes' before the next stage of bringing their creations to life for a grand final at the end of Term 3.

Dancing Her Way To Success

Congratulations to Year 11 student Riley Chandler who danced her way to success at the recent Christchurch Competitions.  She won the Senior Jazz Championship and the Performance Award.  Riley has been dancing from a very early age and last year was presented with a special award at the inaugural St Kevin's College Cultural Awards for her local, regional and national dance success.

VPath In Action

Each week our VPath students travel to Aoraki Polytechnic in Timaru for practical courses in things as varied as cooking to mechanics and Mrs Jackson and Mrs Olsen took the opportunity to check on how things were going on Friday.  VPath is now in it's second year at St Kevin's and is a popular option for students looking at studying trade courses when they finish school.

Opening Day For North Otago Netball

The weather played its part on the Opening Day of the 2014 Netball season and all of our girls are to be congratulated on a great first round.  Each of them made the College proud.  RESULTS:

SKC A - win

SKC B - loss (but they played SKC A!)

SKC RED - loss

INT A - win

INT B - win

JNR A - win

JNR B - win

JNR RED - loss

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Friends in the St Kevin's Community

Welcome back to Term Two. The oaks are bronzed, the acorns have dropped and a unforgiving southerly tell that winter is here at Redcastle. Although we had to postpone the Cross Country this week, we have had plenty to celebrate as we return to the College for a fresh term. 

It was with a sense of relief that we welcome back Mr Ryan and the students on the Confucius Institute's trip to China. We look forward to hearing tales of adventure and intrigue at our next assembly. 

On Monday I enrolled nine new students and it is a pleasure to extend a heartfelt welcome to you. May your time with us be filled with great learning experiences and happy friendships.

Tuesday was our annual ANZAC Ceremony. The guest speaker was Mr Patrick Reilly, Deputy High Commissioner from the British Embassy in Wellington. Thank you to Mr Mullally for organising the service, the combined schools firing party, organised by Mr Derek Beverage and the Waitaki District School's Pipe Band, lead by Mr Ken McMillan. The day was a fitting tribute to those lost in service to our country and it was pleasing to have senior students from St Joseph's joining with us on this poignant occasion.

At Wednesdays's assembly, we acknowledged a number of sporting and cultural achievements that occured over the holidays. One stand out achievement for me was the Teen Ag win at the McKenzie A&P Show on Easter Monday. Congratulations to Ella Sanderson and Holly Malcom (High Country Hillbillies placed 1st), and Georgia Malcom and Brittany Caldwell (Gumboot Girls placed 2nd). They won against 16 other boy's teams.

Today we celebrated the Feast Day of Edmund Rice with a College Mass. The Edmund Rice charism is a lens that we use to focus our understanding of our Christianity and we were delighted to have the Edmund Rice Reflection Group join us. Edmund's story is one of inspiriation and a call to action for each of us. Follow this link for more information. Thank you to the special character team for organising today's mass.

In the Spirit of Edmund

Paul Olsen, Principal

Edmund Rice Feastday Celebrations

On Friday 9 May the College honoured the founder of the Christian Brothers Edmund Rice by celebrating his Feast Day with the inceptional first Friday whole school Mass. Mr Olsen welcomed our special guests from the Oamaru Edmund Rice Reflection group and introduced the theme of the Mass.

Deputy Head Girl Merekite Wahitapu explained some of the aspects of Edmund Rice’s life as seen in the Ed Rice Icon. Head Boy Chris Kearney introduced a video address from Bro. Philip Pinto, Leader of the World Christian Brothers movement.  Our Chaplin Ft. Wayne celebrated the Feast Day Mass for us and contributed his personal reflection on the qualities of Blessed Edmund Rice.  The readings were delivered by Prefects Georgia Holland, Nicole Dowling and Brodie Flannery read the intercessory Prayers of the Faithful.

At the Offertory students presentated the CARITAS Solomon Island Appeal box collection taken up during the Lenten Program in Term 1.  A combination of student and staff Eucharistic Ministers assisted Ft. Wayne with communion. The Edmund Rice Singers under the direction of Ms Helen Mulheron solemnly sung the “Edmund Ignatius Rice” hymn. The Mass concluded with a Blessing from Ft. Wayne and the dismissal by Mr. Ryan. The members of the Edmund Rice Reflection group then joined the Staff and Boarders at lunch in the Colleges Dining Hall. 

ANZAC Liturgy

Images from today's ANZAC Liturgy.

Because ANZAC Day occurred during the school holidays, St Kevin’s College observed the occasion with a Memorial Liturgy on Tuesday 6 May. The service commenced in the Colleges Chapel. In his address Mr Olsen reminded students about the importance of commemorating those who died serving their country in times of war.  Although ANZAC day does not mark a military triumph, it reminds us of a very important part of New Zealand's history, he advised. Forces from New Zealand and Australia played an important part in the Gallipoli campaign and it is this that we commemorate today. Deputy Head Boy Special Character Logan Chandler explained how the Flanders poppy has been linked with battlefields since the time of the Great War, 1914-18. The plant was one of the first to grow and bloom in the mud and soil of Flanders in France.  Deputy Head Girl Special Character, Kaleisha Jones read John McCrea’s famous poem “In Flanders Fields”. The red poppies blowing in the breeze among the graves of the fallen, McCrea considered were a symbol of regeneration and growth in a landscape of blood and destruction. Head Girl Isobel Ryan and Head Boy Christopher Kearney laid an ANZAC wreath at the base of the Altar.

Deputy Head Students Isak Gunnarasson, Merekite Wahitapu and Logan Chandler read a ‘Roll of Honour’ naming former St. Kevin’s College pupils who lost their lives serving NZ during the World Wars. Head Boy Christopher Kearney read  the ‘Ode” from the famous Laurence Binyon poem, “Ode to The Fallen “ . Our special guest speaker Mr Patrick Reilly, Deputy High Commissioner of the British Embassy to deliver our ANZAC Day Memorial address. Mr Reilly gave an informative insight into what ANZAC Day meant from his personal and unique diplomatic perspectives. Together the school recited the ‘Anzac Prayer’ before Y13 students lead students out from the Chapel and over to the Magee Lawn.  Surrounding the Lawn, the school observed a minute of silence before students lowered the NZ flag to half-mast and the ATC Firing party shoot off a three round volley as a salute.  Head Students laid a wreath at the “Old Soldiers” plaque at the stone wall of the Grotto. 

Shirley Boys' High

Congratulations to our 1st XV squad who took a narrow win over Shirley Boys' High School from Christchurch 14-10 in their last pre-season game before the Fulton Hogan 1st XV Competition begins this coming weekend.  This was the last of seven pre-season games of which the side won five and the team will travel to Wyndham on Saturday to take on Menzies College, looking for strong support from past-pupils and friends of the College from the local area.

Teen Ag Regional Champions

There was no rest over Easter for Ella Sanderson and Holly Malcom (High Country Hillbillies placed 1st), and Georgia Malcom and Brittany Caldwell (Gumboot Girls placed 2nd), as they competed in two teams of two in the last Regional Final of the Teen Ag event held at the Mackenzie County Show.   The Teen Ag Competition Series started in 2011 and is run alongside the ANZ Young Farmer Contest Regional Finals across the seven Young Farmer Regions.  The competition is structured into eight modules which can test anything and everything farm related.  The top scoring seven teams continue through to a Race-Off challenge where contestants' team work is tested as they complete a series of tasks as fast as possible.  The top three teams from each Regional Final will battle it out for the national title at the Grand Final held in Christchurch, 3-5 July.  Fundraising will be needed to send these girls to nationals - we wish them all the best.

This success is timely as we are rejuvenating the Young Farmers Club at the College.  A committee has been elected and a meeting attended with other school groups in our region.  There are plans to hold a quiz night, a local "Teen Ag" style event and students also want to learn about stock judging.  If you can offer any expertise, time or resources we would love to hear from you.  Please contact Mrs Eatherley or the Chairperson of SKC Young Farmers, Brittany Caldwell.

peatherley@stkevins.school.nz

bcaldwell@stkevins.school.nz

For more information about Teen Ag visit their website at www.teenag.co.nz