Star Board Term Two Week Three

Principal's Message

Kia Ora Koutou Whanau

There is a really good vibe in the school and never was it more obvious then at the Open Afternoon this week. The Opens have always been wonderful events but this year’s was simply good fun. Our students, and especially our leaders, were fantastic ambassadors for their school. I lost count of the the number of visitors who said ‘ you must be so proud of your girls’ - I am. I am proud of all who inhabit this space - we are a great team and this team culminated in producing our most successful Open Afternoon to date.

D.A.G Scholarship

This morning it was a pleasure to award the very first D.A.G Scholarships. The scholarship is in honour of Derek Anthony Gill (Tony) who passed away in April 2023 due to Motor Neurone Disease. Tony was my ex-husband and father to my children. He was also my very dear friend. Tony lived his last year of life in the care of myself and my partner Lindsay.

Tony was in the Philanthropic industry, and it was in this role that he was able to provide significant monetary contributions to the Cultural and Sports communities for 20 plus years. In his final months he wanted to donate to St Matthew’s by making an annual financial scholarship of $1000 to be awarded to a student, or shared by two students in their first year of secondary school (year 9). The purpose of the award is to contribute to the sporting and cultural activities costs undertaken by the recipient for the year of the award.

This year’s recipients of the D.A.G are Marilyn Iona and Grace Johnson.

Enrolment Applications Interviews for 2024

These start this week and will take up the rest of this term.

Code of Conduct for Supporters

I am putting this in again to say St Matthew’s is signalling to our school community that displays of inappropriate behaviour during sporting events is unacceptable.

If you have any concerns during a game, please address them with the relevant St Matthew’s coach or team manager. If the issue is not resolved at this level, please contact our Director of Sport and in the unlikely event that the issue is still not resolved, you may bring it to my attention.

Policies Review

If you have the time our Policy up for Review this term is EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) so your feedback on this would be invaluable. Use the SchoolDocs logins provided to you last term to access this information.

Our focus Values

Each week I examine myself and ask – is what I am saying actually what I am modelling? Am I living the Values? I found this and I believe that this is how I see Integrity: It is choosing courage over comfort. It is choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. And constantly practising our values. How we treat people ultimately tells all. I go back to the Open Afternoon - the daughters of St Matthew’s treated every person who walked through our gates with respect and grace. That is what embedded Integrity looks like.

Have a safe weekend, and to the mothers and mother figures – have a wonderful ‘Mothers’ Day’.

Ngā Mihi Nui

Kiri

Around School

Boarding Note

This term we have started running various clubs afterschool on weeknights. Below is a group of students who chose to make cards for their Mothers and Grandmothers at this weeks Arts and Crafts session. Many thanks to our fabulous tutors Eleanor and Flora, and Mrs Wilkinson for their contribution to the first round of clubs for term two.

For those boarders who stayed in on Wednesday, the gym was a great place to burn off some energy. The girls spent time playing on the ropes, practicing badminton, shooting hoops and whatever else they could get their hands on! Well done girls, it is great to see you out of the boarding houses, making the most of our fabulous facilities at St Matthew’s.

Please note that if your daughter is a part time boarder and would like to change her nights due to the strike action, please email me at jo.booth@trinityschools.nz before 6pm Sunday night with your request. Although boarding nights are ideally locked in at the start of every term, we realise the need to be flexible during this time.

Jo

Y11 Art

On Monday afternoon the St Matthew’s Year 11 Art class met with Rathkeale’s Year 11 Art class for lunch. They then attended a drawing workshop in the art suite where beautiful muffins, expertly made by Sophie in the Rathkeale kitchen, were used as life models. The students learnt observational drawing techniques and they all produced fantastic drawings!