Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Caregivers

Malo e lelei (Tongan) and Ni sa bula vinaka (Fijian). Warm pasifika greetings to our first international exchange students from Tonga and Fiji. The newly established Pasifika Outreach Exchange Programme has been organised through Ministry of Education, giving students from the Pasific Islands an opportunity to study in New Zealand  while offering our students the opportunity to experience an exchange with their counterpart schools. This is an exciting development that I will share more details about in the following weeks.

Last evening Mr Ryan, Mrs Jackson and I addressed the caregivers of the first group of students within the College to embark on the Cambridge IGCSE course in Year 10. This is is a superb opportunity for students to extend themselves with an internationally recognised qualification and at the same time prepare for the demands of achieving excellence in NCEA in the following years. The introduction of Cambridge International Examinations is a point of difference for the College as we are the only College in North Otago and one of a select group in the South Island to be offering this qualification. I am pleased to have staff capable for offering the programme which is beginning with English this year. This development cements our position as a leader in student academic achievement.

Also being launched this week is our newly developed VPath Programme. This is a partnership with Aoraki Polytechnic which offers our students the opportunity to gain credits in trade skills at Level 2 and Level 3. The areas launched this year are cookery, carpentry and a trade taster exploring automotive and engineering skills. The beauty of this partnership is that students can be working towards their NCEA while gaining credits towards an apprenticeship.  We acknowledge the growing need to have trades people available to meet the needs of the Christchurch rebuild and we are giving students the opportunity to leave school "trade ready". I am pleased to report that St Kevin's is leading the way in the trade skills area.

Finally, thank you to our Lions Leo Club and Rugby Club representatives who were excellent ambassadors for the College as they sold raffles at the North Otago A & P Show last weekend. Thank you to the Hostel Matrons, Lou and Leanne, Mrs Austin and Mr Grant for their help and support on the day. This weekend Mrs Austin will have our new marketing tent at the Winchester A & P Show on Saturday. Please feel free to drop in for a chat if you are passing through.

God bless
Paul Olsen
Principal