Principal's Comment

 Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

This week for Aotearoa New Zealand has been all about celebrating our first Matariki holiday. Like all changes in the way we do things, this has generated a lot of national discussion which can only be good for us. The fact many of us were able to sleep in on a cold frosty Friday was also welcomed!

It has also been a great opportunity for us to 'look up' and appreciate the stunning beauty of the winter night sky. On Thursday afternoon school finished an hour early so that we could undertake some PLD around our Catholic character. This year the staff have been looking at the Jesus of history and what political and social forces shaped his message. We looked at the birth story and among the symbols discussed was the star, said to have rested above his place of birth. This is a tradition applied to many leaders throughout history. That the Matariki cluster is so important as a symbol of new life is not surprising given that we see the same symbols in important religious moments including our own. The fantastic beauty and infinite possibilities that space and all of the magic it brings us; challenges us to understand our place in the universe and in time. It is both beautiful and frightening.

There are many apps available that your students can download and use with their phone cameras to help to understand what stars and planets they are looking at, for example 'Star Walk' and 'Sky Map'. This is a great time of year to try them out.

I would like to thank Brother Frank Perkins for joining us for the session and wish you all a great long weekend.

God Bless

Jo Walshe