Star Board Term Three Week Two

Principal's Message

Kia Ora Koutou

Yesterday we celebrated our Anglican Character as a Trinity family. The Trinity service was a beautiful collision of Anglican Faith, a family of schools, and tikanga.

It has become commonplace for us to sing the The Lord’s Prayer in Te Reo. There are a few translations of the hymn of which this is one; the Bible has many translations as an example. What you will read below is a Te Reo to English translation of the The Lord’s Prayer which I hope you will find useful.

Focus Mark TEACH

This Mark of Mission has been a theme of services and in curriculum considerations for the last while. I spoke to it in my assembly delivery, and I wanted to share some of what I said in this message.

The Mark TEACH means to teach, baptise and nurture new believers. Learning and study is an important part of being a Christian.’

It can mean as lifelong learners providing opportunities to meet to learn in groups like Youth group, or in a Trinity Service as mentioned above, or Chapel- all to meet and share the experience of faith.

Education and schools like ours have Religious Education in which we teach lessons about prayer, Christian festivals, heritage, history, religion, and social justice.

What Is Social Justice?

Social justice refers to a fair and equitable division of resources, opportunities, and privileges in society. It was originally a religious concept, and it has come to be conceptualized more loosely as the just organization of social institutions that deliver access to economic benefits. In understanding Social Justice, it is worth knowing the phrase "social justice" draws its roots from Christian theology.

Social justice also considers gender inequality, racism, and discrimination in all its forms.

Social justice is simply an application of justice to social affairs and holds that people should do what is right – not that different from having INTEGRITY.

Social justice is a moral obligation for people within a society to work for the common good.

We all attend, work in, and are a part of a school that has at its core- a set of Values and Marks of Mission that should set our path as we navigate this school journey, otherwise they are just words on a page. It is not a demand for perfection.

We need, as a school community, to live our Values every day. Our focusing on the Marks and Values is not putting up a sign with a word on it. It is a signal to remind us to ask What have we done about this Value, and this Mark lately?

Monday July 31 - Teacher Only Day

This is the day when teachers from all Wairarapa Secondary Schools, and some from outside our region, descend upon host schools St Matthew’s and Wairarapa College, for continued professional learning around NCEA changes ahead for 2024.

Facilitating us are Ministry Learning Area Leads who will update, clarify, and ultimately fill our curriculum knowledge cups.

Please update your calendars

John Parsons is going to talk to parents on August 3 at 7pm about the Online world and how to travel it safely. You need to know what he knows. If you missed Rob Cope do not miss John Parsons.

With those words of safety echoing in my mind we send best wishes to our Hokonui Awards finalists, and for us all - please have a safe weekend.

Ngā Mihi

Kiri

Around School

Boarding Note

Welcome to Ceres Chan, our new international student who has joined us this term from Hong Kong. Ceres and her friend Sabrina are talented dance students who enjoy spending time in the dance studio at school during the week and in the weekends. It is great to see boarders making use of our fabulous facilities at St Matthew’s.

In Week 4 we will be celebrating National Boarding Week. The purpose of this week is to raise awareness of the unique experience boarding has to offer and showcases the positive and lasting impact it can have on students’ lives. It is also a chance for day students and school staff to gain a clearer understanding of life in boarding. We look forward to participating in a week full of fun house activities.

A reminder that although Monday 31st July is a Teacher Only Day, the boarding house remains open.

Enjoy the weekend.

Jo

Trinity Service

Yesterday we held our first trinity service since 2021. Rathkeale staff and students were joined by St Matthew's and Hadlow staff and students for an afternoon activity of creating a collaborative artwork followed by a brief chapel service. It was a great afternoon enjoyed by the Trinity Schools being together.