Star Board Term One Week Six

Principal's Message

Kia Ora Koutou

We celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday the 8th and I wrote this for Facebook:

Kia Ora Wahine Toa - it is International Women’s Day and I would like to share some words that have resonated with me today with our St Matthew’s Collegiate community: a smart woman learns from her failure, smiles during her lows and grows stronger when faced with challenges. You are one of them. Happy International Women’s Day! . It is fabulous that a day is given over to the recognition of women, but let’s keep on remembering that we are capable of being Wahine Toa/ strong Women- everyday.

Upcoming full day strike

The PPTA are planning a full day strike on Thursday 16 March of PPTA members covered by the Secondary Teachers’ and Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreements. On this day there will be no instruction.

• If you are able to keep your children at home please do so.
• The Boarding house will remain open for boarders.
• School will be as normal on Friday 17th March.

Sunday Services

What is special character? Section 10 of the Education and Training Act 2020 defines education with a Special Character as education within the framework of a particular or general religious or philosophical belief, and associated with observances or traditions appropriate to that belief.

A state integrated school establishes a partnership with the Crown by way of a Deed of Integration in which the special character of the school is clearly defined and articulated.

St Matthew’s Collegiate must ensure the special character of the school is protected and enhanced.

In our last Special Character Review the following was considered “that we explore and enhance the possibilities of Sunday worship, perhaps in conjunction with St Matthew’s parish”.

We have been working with St Matthew’s Parish Church as a consequence of that exploration and have decided to begin House Services this year. An email has already been furnished to you all by Pastor Wendy as an introduction to these events.

There will be one Sunday Service per term and each House will organise one of these Sunday services, each of which will be themed by Marks or Values. Staff and students will attend their House’s Service.

We warmly invite families to attend the services of their daughter’s houses, and to create that Kiwi flavour we ask that you ‘Bring-A-Plate’ for the supper afterwards.

The services will follow Boarders’ dinner, with the service starting a 6:30pm, supper at 7:15pm, and all departing the church at 7:30pm.

We understand that this timing may not work for some families to attend, but we ask that you do your best to get your daughters to their House Service to support their Leaders and Houses.

The order of the House Services to be held at St Matthew’s Church on Church Street:

• Sun 26th March – Batten
• Sun 11th June – Sheppard
• Sun 27th August – Cooper
• Sun 29th October – Wake

Road Code – why we learn this?

I am not about to write anything you do not already know, or that at some stage has been given out as a reminder- because it has. But blow me down - I am about to tell you the road code rules. I need to add that most of our drivers who are a part of our community get it right all of the time, sadly some struggle at times.

Yellow lines are not there to break up the dullness of the tarseal grey- they serve as a reminder to ‘NOT PARK THERE’.

School gateways may look like a tempting place to park, but the reason that there are no cars there is because that is how we access the school. It is not for cars to park across.

We have a speed sign at the entry to our school driveway- 15Kms. It is not a suggestion, it is the actual maximum speed we want you to drive.

The Mobility parks are for those people who carry mobility passes, or are incapacitated in some way. Living with someone who is in a wheelchair – I can state with authority that I fume when laziness compels people to abuse these parking spaces.

Finally, park on the road when dropping off or picking up our students. I would agree that trying to get a park on the school side of Pownall is preferable. However, your daughters are expected to play sport here, they are all engaged in PE, and on the whole, they have fit young legs that will carry them successfully to Pownall street. Of course, there are exceptions if they are injured.

To our students and pedestrians – our roads are thoroughfares, and roadways. LOOK before you cross.

Standards

St Matthew’s has standards and that is one of the reasons you chose us. So please check your daughter’s uniform. The jewellery expectations as one example are clear and like all expectations if a student strays from the lane - she will be redirected.

Cultural Taonga

If your child is wearing one, she can come and see me. This will not come as a surprise, but I know a little bit about them.

Derek Anthony Gill - DAG Sports & Cultural Scholarship

In recognition of Tony Gill who has worked in the Sports and Philanthropic world for the last 20+ years I am making a Sports and Cultural Scholarship available to two year 9 students. Students who have been recognised as having significant sports and/or cultural ability will be eligible to go into a ballot which will be drawn in the Final Assembly. The monies will be used against sports and/or cultural costs incurred by the student in the year they secure the scholarship. The Scholarship is $500 to each student.

As always have a safe weekend. I wish those involved in school activities this weekend best wishes.

Ngā Mihi

Kiri

Around School

Boarding Note

This week we welcomed our next group of Year 13 boarders into the Leaders Apartment in Main House- Rebecca Johnson, Hannah Mathewson, Frankie Blyth, Lucy Boschma, and Kate McKenna. Already the boarding staff have noticed how lovely it is seeing more of the older girls back in Main House. Watching the leaders interacting with the younger girls is exactly what we were hoping to see. A very big thank you to Hope, Kate, Zoe, Sam and Hester for your work over the past 5 weeks. Your efforts have been very much appreciated by us all.