Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

It is not the usual thing for me to do in this post to recommend television programmes to the community, but I would like to recommend that any of you who have Netflix take the time to watch the four part British series 'Adolescence'.

This series tackles some very relevant major issues around sexting, the Andrew Tate version of masculinity (if you don't know who he is, you need to know), and how social media use can warp a young person's perception of themselves and the world around them.

It is a harrowing series and definitely not one for young teens but as parents and caregivers, it is a very real insight into the often secretive and dark world our young people engage with through social media.

It deals with murder and sexuality. There is swearing and some pretty confronting language however, it is a reflection of the real issues our young men and women face and the messaging is very clear: learn as much as you can about social media and its capabilities, check on what your students are doing, keep the lines of communication open.

It also calls attention to the struggles young men can have in the world today in terms of understanding what healthy masculine role models look like. In NZ 31.5% of young men live in a home without a father and so there can be an attraction to social media personalities who offer advice and guidance on 'being a man' and that can be an incredibly warped view designed to get clicks and provoke controversy.

In the world of influencers, the more times your name is mentioned the more traffic is driven to your site so it doesn't matter if people love you or hate you, you make money. It's easier to make more money by being controversial, which is where we get the likes of Andrew Tate and his like.

Unfortunately, teenagers don't always have the critical thinking skills to sort the rot from the reality. They are often inexperienced, vulnerable, unsure of themselves and easily influenced. This series explores the worst results of this.

Our aim at St Kevin's is to build confident young men who have respect for women and for themselves. Young men who are proud to be young men, who will be good and loving husbands and kind and patient fathers. We want them to enjoy their physical strength, engage in the traditional masculine activities of hunting, fishing and rugby if they wish to or not if they don't. We want them to be self confident enough to know themselves, love themselves and be respectful and supportive to the people around them.

In a co educational community, we are lucky to be able to allow our young people to develop among members of the opposite sex and learn life lessons from each other. But this does not guarantee that our young people are not harmed by the wider world and its nastiness. We just do the best we can as do our amazing parents, step parents and caregivers.

Thank you for everything you do to support us.

Have a great long weekend

God Bless

Jo

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

I am writing today to ask our school community to please remind your students about their school uniform and the reasons we have for wearing these.

We have had a number of issues with regards to school uniforms lately with students pushing boundaries with regards to earrings and nails as well as socks, shoes and jackets.

As young people, students often consider uniforms to be old fashioned and increasingly today we hear arguments about our quashing individual freedom and expression.

To be clear, as a college we are quashing individual freedom for students by imposing a uniform and we make no apologies for that. We are quashing the opportunities for individuals with a lot of money to make other students feel small, we are quahsing an individuals ability to hurt themselves in our tech areas by insisting they wear leather shoes and we are quashing individuals freedom to express that they are above the law by doing what other people know they are not supposed to do.

A school uniform, for many of our students in their first opportunity to experience having to present a corporate image to the wider public. It is their first experience of having to subjugate their own wishes so that they are able to support the wishes of a community. By wearing their uniform well, they are outwardly saying "I support my community as a member of a wider group".

In today's world which is driven by individual wants and the expectation that anyone can do whatever they want when and wherever they want, wearing a school uniform is a uniquely counter cultural thing. It is done for precisely that reason. Whether a student likes a uniform or doesn't, whether it is in their preferred style or not all goes to teach the important lesson that at times, the needs of the group are more important than the whims of an individual.

We would ask that parents support our teaching this important lesson to the young adults who will one day be needing to put the needs of a family, including you, before their own needs.

Basic things to know about uniform:

• Earrings should be simple and only one pair worn.
• Nails - can be false but need to be natural colours
• Make up may be worn, especially when dealing with acne, but needs to be subtle and natural looking
• Necklaces and taonga need to be tucked in under shirts - this includes crosses and crucifixes or rosaries
• Socks need to be regulation
• Shoes must be black and leather in the traditional school style.
• Jackets can be purchased from the uniform shop and I urge students to buy these before winter as well as scarves and hats. The uniform shop is open on a Thursday at lunchtime.

Families struggling to pay for elements of uniforms need to contact their Dean for support with these items.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support.

God Bless

Jo

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

It has been an exciting week as we have shared the plans for the St Joseph's relocation with the community and those of you with students at the College will know that work has begun to clear the site and relocate the Property Manager's workshop so that ground works for that work can begin.

At the same time, we have been delving into our school's history in preparation for the 100 year anniversary of our College. This has been an enlightening endeavour and the more I read and explore our school history, the more I see those who have governed the College in the past and indeed those who have governed the whole of Catholic Education in North Otago have always done that in a very responsive and holistic manner.

St Kevin's College is an amalgamation of several schools. Originally it was set up in 1927 with strong backing from Bishop Whyte and the Dunedin Diocese. There was already a boys boarding school for younger students in Oamaru called St Thomas' Academy (pictured). If we think about the transport arrangements which had to be made to get students from farms into the big smoke of Oamaru at that time, we can see why boarding schools were the choice of the day.

Girls were educated at St Thomas' between the time that the younger boys moved to SKC (yes, we did used to have year 7 and 8 students once) and before borders moved out to Teschmakers (formally known as St Patrick’s Dominican Girls School) where they remained from the 1930's through until the merger with SKC in 1983.

The little school we now know as St Joseph's today began life as a few rooms in the Catholic Presbytery and was staffed by Dominican nuns. Later a school was built that was called St Patricks and run by two Chrisitan Brothers who commuted into the school from St Kevin's College. In 1973, this school was closed and the younger students went to the newly established St Joseph's school while the older boys went to the St Kevin's College site where a third school called St Johns was operated at the end of what was then a driveway which stretched out to what is now the main road.

Our latest iteration in placing St Joseph's School on our current site is part of a long standing tradition of doing what is best for our young people at a particular time . Right now, our focus and our reason for relocating the school is very much about making the most of our resources and being able to easily and simply develop our charisms, strengthen our Catholic identity and practically work together. We have a very strong vision for our future and I for one am very excited about playing my part in this next chapter for Catholic Education in North Otago.

Have a great weekend

God Bless

Jo

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

I'm not sure why I'd do this to myself on a Friday but I started to read the ERO report on NCEA Level 1. Unfortunately, there are a wide range of recommendations which indicate that it is not likely to be fully fit for purpose for some time yet. This does not worry us as we have largely switched to Cambridge IGCSE and those areas still working with NCEA Level One have a clear strategy to connect those areas with our vocational training which is working well for those wanting to move into apprenticeships. However, the report does highlight that many parents still feel uncertain about how to navigate NCEA and in our context with Cambridge qualifications as well, it is really important that families and employers understand what we are trying to achieve.

In essence, if you are going to go into a trade, you may take some IGCSE courses at Level One and mix them up with some NCEA courses which are Achievement Standards based and you also might sprinkle in a few Unit Standard courses. These are usually really specific to the job you are wanting to do for example, 'First Aid Certificates', 'Equestrian Standards' or 'Chemical Handling' to name a few.

This 'mix and match' approach means you will not have a whole qualification, but you will have a record of learning in a range of different assessments. When you are in Year 11, doing Level One standards or IGCSE standards, the idea is that you are having a trial run at sitting a high stakes assessment. In the real world, no one would see any kind of Level 1 qualification as an ultimate goal of education. For that you need either AS or A levels in the Cambridge system or NCEA Levels 2 and 3.

Our plan is for the vast majority of students at SKC to be aiming to achieve three AS or A levels by the time they leave school with high enough marks that they satisfy the literacy criteria for the universities OR that they leave school with at least the Level 2 NCEA qualification.

Because we can't always predict how life will turn out, over the next couple of years at least, we are going to aim to sit the AS levels in 2026 for most students in most subjects whilst at the same time students will complete NCEA assessments where it's convenient. This will give our students the best of both worlds.

An example of this might be that I am studying a novel for my AS examination which I am planning on sitting in June 2026. Whilst I am doing that, I write a practice essay under the supervision of my English teacher. That essay can then be marked by my English teacher so that I can have some feedback, but that essay can also make up part of my portfolio for the writing standard in NCEA Level 2.

By employing clever tricks like this we can ensure that whilst doing the work for Cambridge, we can pick up the credits for NCEA which will be especially important for those students who may or may not be planning on staying until the end of Year 13 or going to University. The same applies for the end of year examination round for the externals.

This approach provides a safety net for those who need it but also does require that families monitor their students progress carefully as we are not employing the tactic of throwing millions of standards at a student and hoping some of them stick, this is a much finer process with little margin for error.

As a final comment, I would like to draw your attention to the picture I have included. This year we have spent $16,000 on upgrading our technology area so that those students who are interested in trade training in hospitality have what they need to learn at a commercially viable level. As an ex hotel manager and man with an incredibly rich background in the industry, we are lucky to have Mr Griggs steering this ship. We are hoping eventually to install a cafe on site so harassed parents can grab a caffeine shot on the way to work in the morning.

Have a great Valentine's day!

Jo

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

It has been with great excitement and some trepidation, at least on behalf, no doubt, of our new Year 9 students, that the year has begun here at SKC.

I thought I would take a few moments to share the wisdom that over thirty years in the secondary system and being a parent has taught me about these initial weeks at school.

For our junior students, the first year is about finding their feet in the school community. This year is divided into sixes: the first six weeks and the first six months. 

In the first six weeks your young person is dealing primarily with the social settings they are finding themselves in.  Whose class are they in?  Do they like their teachers?  Where will they sit?  How will they respond to the undoubtedly harder demands of learning in a high school environment?

Over this period of time, the common challenges that arise are anxiety about classes, especially if they have been moved away from friends, anxiety about the change in approach to work, changing classrooms, and the level of organisation required. Often, very often, in fact, your young person will find that the friendship groups which they clung tightly to in primary school will shift.

Please be aware that if your child has been placed into a class away from traditional friendships, this has been done with a great deal of thought and consultation with their feeder school.  Our aim is for all of our students to do as well as they can academically and socially.  Sometimes initially painful decisions have to be made for the long term good.

Moving into a larger pool of potential friends means that for many students, their close friendship bonds are challenged.  This is especially visible in female friendships.  Where boys just tend to collect other boys and the crowd becomes larger, girls, in turn, seem to transfer their affections to others either wholly or selectively at different times. For example, they may have one friendship set they sit with in class, but that may not be the friendship set they wish to have lunch with. 

This can be very painful and needs to be approached with care.  Your child may appear moody and or tearful as a result, but be assured it is all very normal.  Deans, our counsellor Esther and teachers are all here to listen to both the student and you, as whanau, so please reach out if you need support.

Social media can contribute greatly to the misery students may feel at this time.  We strongly suggest that students do not engage with social media until at least year 11.  Our aim is to empower your student to be their authentic selves and contribute meaningfully to this community in the way that works for them.

The second six is the first six months.  During this period students will establish the pattern which will set the scene for their academic approach to what the College has to offer.  It is very important that, as a family, you are able to support your students with systems that will put them at the best possible advantage to achieve their potential. 

Suggestions I would make to support families with this are as follows:

1. Establish routines around sleep.  Bedtimes need to be firm, and sleep needs to be supported as the physical and mental changes your child is moving through are immense in the next few years (as great a change as when they moved from baby to toddler). Ensure phones, games and computers are switched off once the student has gone to bed.   This not only promotes sleep but also helps with exposure to negative online experiences and mental health.

2. Create time and space for homework.  This needs to be somewhere where other children and distractions are kept away.  In large families, this can be more difficult, but younger children need to know that their College student sibling needs time out from them at a certain time each day.  At SKC, we have provided set study times for senior students, but juniors must complete homework on their own time. Students are encouraged to use the library at lunchtime if it is too difficult to find a quiet space at home.

3. Get your student to school on time and ready to learn, with lunch and equipment, before the first bell. If families are having issues with any of these, please contact the APs, James Devereaux or Carl Herbst. We are here to help.

4. Have your student read for a minimum of 15 minutes a day.  This not only supports their literacy but also their mathematics and every other academic discipline.  There is a temptation these days to try to look for all kinds of methods to shortcut the reading process but unfortunately, the fact remains that the discipline and practice of regular reading is still a great predictor of achievement.  Families can do much to model and support this, and it is never too early to start with younger siblings.  15 Minutes of reading in bed in a quiet space promotes literacy, good sleep and good mental health and gives young people (and parents) a chance to disengage from the worries of the day.

It is at times like this, when I am writing to families at the beginning of their child's educational journey with us, that I wish I was better at platitudes, but the reality is that being a young teenager is hard, and the world our young people are living in is often uncertain and scary.  Coming to secondary school is a huge step, and often, how well a student is able to handle that sets the course of their life.  There will be (and are) challenges, but we cannot grow resilience without conflict, and, at the end of it all, no diamond emerges without harsh polishing.  SKC will be here to help your young person.  We ask that you trust us to do the very best we can for your student.  To share some early wisdom from the great philosopher Mick Jagger,  your young people may not' always get what they want, but they will get what they need'.

God Bless, and good luck to our new families.

Welcome!

Jo Walshe

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

I would like to start this post by congratulating all of the students who passed their NCEA and Cambridge examinations.  Overall we were pleased with the results but exceptionally pleased with our Cambridge results as we were attempting Cambridge for the first time across an entire Year 11 cohort.  Our English Department returned a 90% pass rate for the language paper and a 100% pass rate for the literature paper which was exceptionally good.  Overall, we were very pleased with the pass rates and very pleased with the number of students who achieved excellence awards through gaining A's, A*'s and B's.   Our focus for this year is around embedding the AS qualification for years 12 and 13 and in supporting St Josephs to introduce its Cambridge courses.  NCEA L2 will be available to students as part of our duel assessment strategy. 

We are also hoping once again to have several international students in the College.  This is an incredibly valuable experience not only for our international students but also for our kiwi students to have contact with young people from the other side of the world.  Our role as educators is not just to enable our young people to appreciate and care about New Zealand but to also see themselves as capable of competing, contributing and connecting on the world stage.  As always, we need kind, caring homestay families who would like to offer an international student the chance to become a member of their family.  If you are interested in hosting an international student, please contact June Campbell at jcampbell@stkevins.school.nz

Enjoy the last few days of the holidays.

See you all next week.

God Bless

Jo

Principal's Comment

Kia Ora Kevinians and Supporters of the College,

Yesterday I officially added the first new meetings for the year into my calendar and turned the 6:30am alarm back up on my phone, going through the rituals, as we do, for the beginning of a new year. I have included one of Lorena's amazing shots of the College today as it is a symbol of new beginnings taken, as it is, at dawn. For those of us living in North Otago over this Christmas period, it might also serve as a reminder that the sun actually does shine sometimes!

Our students may be getting a little anxious this week as we wait for examination results. The results for NCEA are available on Wednesday 15th via the NCEA portal. Cambridge results will be available on Friday morning as, although Cambridge releases on the 16th, Cambridge results are released based on Greenwich Mean Time (see quote below) so will not be available until the 17th NZ Time. Students have been given instructions for accessing the portals.

We will release results for Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge O Level on 16 January 2025 at 06.00 UTC/GMT. Schools can issue these results to candidates immediately.

We wish everyone the best of luck! I would also like to remind students and families that IGCSE is a new initiative for us and as such there is plenty of flexibility around how students may wish to approach the 2025 year.  The key to creating a suitable course for your student in 2025 is to ensure that you contact the Deans early to discuss any changes you may feel you need to make from that which you planned during course counselling in 2024. 

Our new strategic plan has been released for the 2025 - 2027 year. It will be attached to our website shortly along with the annual plan. Our foci for the next three years are to continue to improve our pastoral systems responses, to focus on citizenship, to develop targeted transition courses for our senior students and to further develop our Cambridge offerings to AS and A levels.  

Thank you to those of you who fed into the planning.  From feedback from families and local community and business leaders, the focus on ensuring that our students see themselves as part of our wider community with the responsibilities that go along with that was a very strong focus and one that fits with our Catholic special character very well. 

Thank you in advance to you, our SKC family for the support you will give us over the course of this year.  We are very lucky to have such a supportive and hard working parent community.

Have a great week.

God Bless

Jo