From the principal Kite ingoa o te Matua, o te Tamaiti, o te Wairua Tapu. Amene. Nau mai, haere mai, mihi mai. Greetings to everyone, especially to parents, students and staff new to our College. We welcome you, accept you, value you and we believe in you. These are the core tenets of this year‟s school theme: Family Spirit. It is quite a tall order to fully engage with and live up to this charism of St Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers. Educators in a school that lives its daily life fostering family spirit and upholding family values are called upon “to love their students and love them all equally”. I assure you that we will always walk the extra mile where it concerns the welfare of our students. We welcomed over a 100 new students with our roll going over 570, the highest it has ever been. We have been blessed with 5 new teachers, all committed to do their very best to help our students achieve their full potential. Our family is in good heart and looking forward for a great 2011. At the end of last year at the Awards Giving Ceremony, I noted that we were at that critical junction where the road forks into different pathways – one is complacency and the other excellence. I want to exhort everyone once more to make this year count: spiritually, culturally, academically and on the sports field – ensuring that this College is the first choice for the Catholic education of boys in the Hutt Valley. Excellence in whatever we do, will get us there. We have strong foundations to build on. We continually receive accolades celebrating the behaviour and achievement of our students; we have recovered lost ground on the academic front with our NCEA level 3 results being the best ever. However, we are not yet there. The ethos that continuously focuses on excellence has yet to permeate through everything we do. Excellence is the attitude, desire and passion that we need to instil in the youngest Year 7 student to the oldest Year 13 student. Similarly, such high expectations have to be the benchmarks set by all staff, supported by parents. Lord, help me become a "5-Star" Christian. Let me follow the example Jesus gave to serve others with excellence. Please help me this year have the right attitude towards the families in my life and to show genuine concern for others. Amen. Peter Fava Achieve @ St Bernard’s February 2011 Year 13 Retreat Dean Year 7/8 Ms Kathy Taylor ext 848 Dean Year 9 Mrs Elsabie Prasad ext 871 Dean Year 10 Mrs Liz Thomson ext 854 Dean Year 11 Mr Christopher Hart ext 864 Dean Year 12 Miss Manu Corcoran ext 876 Dean Year 13 Mr Nick Wilson ext 883 Deans, Form Teachers and Subject Teacher Contact Your son‟s Form Teacher and subject teachers can be contacted by 560-9250. To speak to your son‟s dean (the person responsible for your son‟s welfare) ring the school office and the extension below. All deans have answer phones for messages and will contact you as soon as they are able. Please leave a message. Parent Interviews Our first set of interviews for 2011 are to be held on Wednesday 23 March and Thursday 24 March from 3pm to 7pm Students will be issued with parent interview information on Monday 7 March. If your son does not bring home his interview appointment sheet, there are copies available from the school office and on our website. We would like all parents to attend the interviews. It is a good opportunity to see how your son is coping early in the year and to help him sort himself out or seek help if he is struggling. Term 1 Progress Report We will be giving out the progress reports at the above parent interviews. Parents who attend the interviews can collect their son‟s report from the table at the bottom floor entrance. If you are not able to attend the interviews you need to contact your son‟s dean so the report can be passed to you. Our Y13 students gave up Sunday 6 Febru- ary and the next two days to go on their an- nual retreat camp at the Palm Grove Chris- tian Camp out at Paraparaumu. The theme for the retreat was “Family Spirit – God’s love in action”, with the focus being “the human experience – which way to the rest of your life?” Led by Fr John Greally (campus minister) and Mrs. Anna-Marie Dickinson (chaplain) the boys were challenged to af- firm that they were MALE – Men As Leaders and Elders”. Many thanks also to Mrs Thomson, Br Doug and Mr Wilson who came out to help. Retreats are vey demanding because the sessions require the students to move out of their comfort zone and get their heart, mind and spirit into overdrive. The “Human Expe- rience” documentary describing how two young men challenged themselves to find out more about the essence of human spirit and live with the homeless on New York streets, orphans in Peru and lepers in Gha- na, would have left our boys with the feeling that although life at times may be hard for us, we are blessed in many ways. They also would have seen God‟s love in action in each of these communities. While the weather was not that good, the boys still found time to enjoy the outdoors, especially the hill climb and water slide, some still showing their wounds. The family spirit is definitely alive and well and the boys have come back to College all fired up to being MALE.
Transcript
From the principal Kite ingoa o te Matua, o te Tamaiti, o te Wairua Tapu. Amene.
Nau mai, haere mai, mihi mai. Greetings to everyone, especially to parents, students and staff new to our College.
We welcome you, accept you, value you and we believe in you. These are the core tenets of this year‟s school theme: Family Spirit. It is quite a tall order to fully engage with and live up to this charism of St Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marist Brothers. Educators in a school that lives its daily life fostering family spirit and upholding family values are called upon “to love their students and love them all equally”. I assure you that we will always walk the extra mile where it concerns the welfare of our students.
We welcomed over a 100 new students with our roll going over 570, the highest it has ever been. We have been blessed with 5 new teachers, all committed to do their very best to help our students achieve their full potential. Our family is in good heart and looking forward for a great 2011.
At the end of last year at the Awards Giving Ceremony, I noted that we were at that critical junction where the road forks into different pathways – one is complacency and the other excellence. I want to exhort everyone once more to make this year count: spiritually, culturally, academically and on the sports field – ensuring that this College is the first choice for the Catholic education of boys in the Hutt Valley. Excellence in whatever we do, will get us there.
We have strong foundations to build on. We continually receive accolades celebrating the behaviour and achievement of our students; we have recovered lost ground on the academic front with our NCEA level 3 results being the best ever. However, we are not yet there. The ethos that continuously focuses on excellence has yet to permeate through everything we do. Excellence is the attitude, desire and passion that we need to instil in the youngest Year 7 student to the oldest Year 13 student. Similarly, such high expectations have to be the benchmarks set by all staff, supported by parents. Lord, help me become a "5-Star" Christian. Let me follow the example Jesus gave to serve others with excellence. Please help me this year have the right attitude towards the families
in my life and to show genuine concern for others. Amen.
Peter Fava
Achieve @ St Bernard’s
February 2011
Year 13 Retreat
Dean Year 7/8 Ms Kathy Taylor ext 848 Dean Year 9 Mrs Elsabie Prasad ext 871 Dean Year 10 Mrs Liz Thomson ext 854 Dean Year 11 Mr Christopher Hart ext 864 Dean Year 12 Miss Manu Corcoran ext 876 Dean Year 13 Mr Nick Wilson ext 883
Deans, Form Teachers and Subject Teacher Contact
Your son‟s Form Teacher and subject teachers can be contacted by 560-9250. To speak to your son‟s dean (the person responsible for your son‟s welfare) ring the school office and the extension below. All deans have answer phones for messages and will contact you as soon as they are able. Please leave a message.
Parent Interviews Our first set of interviews for 2011 are to be held on
Wednesday 23 March and Thursday 24 March from 3pm to 7pm
Students will be issued with parent interview information on Monday 7 March. If your son does not bring home his interview appointment sheet, there are copies available from the school office and on our website.
We would like all parents to attend the interviews. It is a good opportunity to see how your son is coping early in the year and to help him sort himself out or seek help if he is struggling.
Term 1 Progress Report
We will be giving out the progress reports at the above parent interviews. Parents who attend the interviews can collect their son‟s report from the table at the bottom floor entrance. If you are not able to attend the interviews you need to contact your son‟s dean so the report can be passed to you.
Our Y13 students gave up Sunday 6 Febru-ary and the next two days to go on their an-nual retreat camp at the Palm Grove Chris-tian Camp out at Paraparaumu. The theme for the retreat was “Family Spirit – God’s love in action”, with the focus being “the human experience – which way to the rest of your life?” Led by Fr John Greally (campus minister) and Mrs. Anna-Marie Dickinson (chaplain) the boys were challenged to af-firm that they were MALE – Men As Leaders and Elders”. Many thanks also to Mrs Thomson, Br Doug and Mr Wilson who came out to help.
Retreats are vey demanding because the sessions require the students to move out of their comfort zone and get their heart, mind and spirit into overdrive. The “Human Expe-rience” documentary describing how two young men challenged themselves to find out more about the essence of human spirit and live with the homeless on New York streets, orphans in Peru and lepers in Gha-na, would have left our boys with the feeling that although life at times may be hard for us, we are blessed in many ways. They also would have seen God‟s love in action in each of these communities.
While the weather was not that good, the boys still found time to enjoy the outdoors, especially the hill climb and water slide, some still showing their wounds. The family spirit is definitely alive and well and the boys have come back to College all fired up to being MALE.
Science
2010 NCEA examinations
The science staff would like to congratulate all the senior students on the examination results last year. In a number of cases the after school and Saturday morning tutorial attendance proved very beneficial. Special congratulations go to last year‟s Y10 where 23 students passed all three standards. Special congratulations to Ethan McAuliffe and David Smith who achieved 2 Excellenc-es in their external papers.
Overall results were: 81% passed the astronomy external, 58% the geology external and 79% the internal research topic. THESE ARE GREAT RESULTS. WELL DONE.
Year 11 special congratulations to
Dipak Ranchhod who gained 3 excellences in his 3 externals Arwin Sinnathambi, Damon Hutley who gained 2 excellences and a 1 merit Matthew Boivin, Jordan Lamond who gained 2 excellences, Tim Neild,Yuxuan Zhou 1 excellence, 2 merits Anthony Lim, Daniel Ocampo and Thomas Searancke 3 merits.
Year 12 Daniel Campbell gained 1 excellence and 3 merits in 4 chemistry papers. Daniel Campbell, Saifuddin Ahmed, Terrill Anthony, Kenton Su, and Norman Vasquez all who gained an excellence and a merit for their 2 physics papers.
Astronomy club has started at school. The club will have the expertise of Mr Anthony Gomez, the president of the H.V. Phoenix Astronomical Society. We will be advertising nights when we will be able to view celestial objects using the college‟s 12 inch reflecting telescope. We will also have lectures about astronomical phenomena. Everyone is very welcome to attend. Get your son to listen to the daily notices for information.
Requests. If you have any of the old film canisters, ice-cream containers and yogurt containers we will gladly take them off you. Please send them to college with your son.
Workbooks. In the senior school, the science subjects require the students to purchase workbooks. They contain very valuable lesson support material, homework exercises and practical work. Please try to send in payment for your son to get the workbook as soon as possible.
The Languages Department would like to welcome the following people who have joined the department this year: William Daveis and Felicity McDonnell who are teaching French. It is great to have two great teachers supporting the French students this year. We would also like to welcome Nila Uili back from leave. Nila is teaching Samoan at Year 9 and 10 this year.
The Languages Department will be using the Departmental website extensively this year to assist, especially, the Year 11 students with the new NCEA standards and to prepare the Year 10 students for next year. Please familiarise yourself with the website and encourage your son to use the resources and links provided. The site can also be accessed from http://www.sbc.school.nz/sbc_net/index.htm
Later this term we are once again hosting a group of students from Shibuya Makuhari High School in Chiba near Tokyo and host families are required for the students. If your family can help as host family for nearly 2 weeks, then please contact William Daveis as soon as possible on [email protected] .
Japan Trip
The Japan Trip is on again this year and we look forward to your ongoing support as we fundraise until the end of term 3. We are currently selling Cadbury choc-olate – YUMMY!!! If you know of any fundraising activities available in our commu-nity please let Manu Corcoran know on 560-9250 ext 876.
Manu Corcoran
New Staff Appointments
Languages Department
We would like to welcome the following staff mem-bers to St Bernard‟s College
Maria Fouhy has been appointed as
Director of Religious Studies. Her
teaching background at Marist
College and latterly De La Salle
College where she was DRS, equip
her well for her role at St Bernard‟s
College.
Christina Calcinai arrived during
2010 . Miss Calcinai will be teaching
junior studies.
Dmitri Fedoulov brings his Russian heritage and experience teaching mathematics at Wainuiomata and Newlands Colleges to the Math-ematics department
Tupu Williams is our new Director of
Maori Achievement. He will be Head
of Maori and will lead the college in
the implementation of the Maori
Achievement Plan.
Anna Langford taught for 10 years in
the UK before immigrating to New
Zealand. Mrs Langford will be
teaching Science and Chemistry.
William Daveis was a regular relief
teacher and travelled to New
Caledonia with our French class in
2010. This year he is teacher of
French and international students.
Karen Kehela arrived during 2010. Ms Kehela will be teaching Computer Studies
Annabelle Flood rejoins us as HOD
Music after a year teaching at Taita
College.
Huge Thank You A huge thank you to the following Trusts for their support for St Bernard‟s College Sport. Funding was generously given to help our teams travel to New Plymouth for our annual exchange with Francis Douglas, our Water Polo and Hockey teams were able to travel to Winter Tournament and also many of our students were able to attend a first aid course.
Sports News Welcome to Sport 2011 Summer sport is now underway with teams entered in Cricket, Volleyball, Tennis, Senior Water Polo, Touch, Golf and Bowls which is a new sport for St Bernard‟s College.
All sports draws will be put up on the notice boards in the gym each week along with other relevant information. It is important that all boys check the notice boards regularly and listen out for important information regarding trials, meetings etc in the “Daily Notices”. Boys are also reminded that correct sports uniform should be worn at all times or be prepared to stand on the side lines.
Sports registration fees for ALL sports are due now. This includes all winter sports fees. It is Board policy that sports fees must be paid before you can play sport for St Bernard‟s College. Royal Blue Shorts As of this year royal blue shorts will replace white shorts as part of our sports uniform. The rugby style short is now available from the uniform shop and the new general sport short should be available from mid to late February. We will let the boys know when this style of short is available. White shorts can still be used for PE during 2011 but if you are in a sports team you will need to purchase the new royal blue shorts. (either style)
Football The new season is will be under way before we know it, so if there are any students who have not seen Mr Higson and would like to play for the college this season, please do so as soon as possible. Under the regulations of Capital Football all players 15 and over MUST play for the college. We have also had a junior team, which played in the HV junior competition which we would like to have again. These younger players can play for a club if they wish which will be great. BUT the player wants a change we are able to cater for them. Last year the team played in the 14th grade. If interested in playing for St Bernard‟s please see Mr Higson in Room 26. Football committee. We have a parents steering committee for football which oversees the running of this great sport. If you are interested in being a committee member, a coach, manager, a sponsor, etc then please send in a note to Mr Higson and we will contact you. Last season. We fielded 5 Saturday teams finishing the season with 2 championships, a 3rd, 4th and 6th placing. We want to make the 2011 season even more successful.
Itinerant lessons These will be well underway from Monday 14 February. All students enrolled in Year 10 – 13 music
classes, must be taking itinerant lessons. You can choose from guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, clarinet, saxophone and voice. If you have not returned your form with the $60, you must do this immediately. If you are taking lessons, you must practice. We suggest beginners practice 10 to 15 minutes a day (or as many days as possible in a week) and NCEA music students should practice at least 30 minutes a day. Students who demonstrate a lack of practice will be removed from the itinerant program. Attendance Lessons occur weekly and students are expected to attend every lesson. Students are given a „lesson pass‟ which they show to their classroom teacher and they can keep track of weekly lesson times via this pass and the timetable in the music suite corridor. If students are unable to attend their lesson, they must inform Miss Flood or their instrument tutor as soon as possible. If you miss three lessons without informing us, you will be removed from the itinerant program. Co-curricular Activities: It is expected that students learning through the itinerant scheme will be part of a school ensemble.
Vocal students must be a member of the St Bernard‟s
College Choir and may be a member of a Barbershop Quartet/chorus.
Guitar/bass students may join the Guitar Ensemble
Drum students may join the Percussion group/RnB band.
If you have any queries regarding such issues as payment, instrument hire or joining a group, please do not hesitate to contact the music department on 560 9250 ext 891.
MUSIC
When: Wednesday at 3:15-4:30
Where: Room 48
Milo will be available
BYO snacks
Internet access to get those assignments re-
searched
Computers available to publish any written work
All welcome
Free of charge but a small would go a
long way
Upcoming Events:
22 Feb SBC Athletics Championships Petone Rec 24 Feb CSW Senior Touch Tournament Fraser Park 4 March CSW Athletics for AWD athletes Newtown Park 8 March Hutt Valley Sec Schools Athletics Petone Rec 9 March CSW Senior Tennis Tournament Renouf Centre 10 March CSW Triathlon Scorching Bay 15 March Y7/8 Interschool Athletic Champs Petone Rec 16 March CSW Regional Athletics Champs Newtown Park 17 March CSW Golf Champs Royal Wellington 18/19 March CSW Volleyball Tournament Te Rauparaha Stadium
Athletic Sports
This year‟s athletic sports will be held on
Tuesday 22 February at Petone Recreation grounds 8.40am
All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend to support
your boys
A reminder that boys should bring a hat, sunscreen, lunch and a drink bottle
(A letter has been handed to all students with further details).
PPTA Union Meeting—Wednesday 23 February Students will be released at 12.15pm. A letter with all the details has been handed to all students.
2011 Term Dates Term 1 1 February 15 April Term 2 2 May 15 July Term 3 1 August 7 October Term 4 25 October 7 December
Physical/Postal Address 183 Waterloo Road Lower Hutt 5010 New Zealand
February 22 Commissioning Mass 5.30 22 Athletics Sports 28 Year 12 Retreat
March 2 Year 12 Retreat 4 CSW AWD Athletics 8 Hutt Zone Athletics 9 Ash Wednesday Liturgy 12pm
Sponsors of the St Bernard’s College Newsletter
Free Doctors consultation at St Bernard’s College
Plan to be as fit and healthy as you can be!!
Clinic Open Tuesday 8.30—11.30am
Thursday 12—3pm.
Alex Ferrier-Kerr is our school health nurse. Dr Beena Hegde will be in attendance at the
Thursday Clinic
570-0883 or 560-9250 (College office)
Free Dental Treatment offered by
Graeme Yee Dental Care, 66 Bloomfield Terrace, Lower Hutt,
566-1119.
This free treatment is available to all secondary students until their 18th birthday. All new patients, students and parents are welcome. If
you have any questions please feel free to call on the above number.
Uniform Shop Normal Opening Hours Monday 8:15 to 9:00am Thursday 12:30 to 1:30pm
Uniform on AP
Uniform purchases may be charged to your AP with the consent of the college on a case by case basis. Boys need to bring a signed note from parents. Please email [email protected] or phone the accounts office ext 861
Second Hand Uniform
If your child is not returning to St Bernard‟s next year and has a uniform in good condition that they no longer require, please consider donating it to the school or we can sell on your behalf less a commission. All sales from second hand school uniforms go to the library to purchase new books.
If you have items to donate or sell, please leave them at the school office or if you have any queries, please contact Tania on
587-0024.
10 CSW Triathlon 11 Days Bay Picnic Y7/8 TBC 15 Y7/8 Athletics Champs 18 Winter Sports Organisation and Parent Evening 28 Y11 Retreat 30 Y11 Retreat 31 SBC Swimming Sports
PFS News
Please find inserted with this newsletter a helpers form for the PFS Committee. Our main fundraising activities are a Quiz night, Garage Sale and organising school dances. We also run the 2nd hand uniform sales. We encourage you to get involved to help us to provide those "extra's" around the school. Please return the form to the school office.
We are holding our AGM on Thursday 3 March @ 7.30pm in the school staffroom and we warmly welcome any parents/caregivers who wish to get more involved in their son's education. Enquiries 971 4408.
The Entertainment Book will be on or our major fundraisers again this year. The pre-sales “Bonus Vouchers‟ this year includes a buy one, get one free for the Hur-ricanes game on the 12 March. Pre sale payment of $60 must be made before 12 March. Books will be issued to all Year 7/8 boys on 4 May. Please inform the office if you wish to Pre book.
Preferred method of payment school fees The school prefers all school fees to be paid directly to our bank account. This is a safer means of payment that provides a reliable trail. Our bank account is ASB Queensgate 12-3142-0164653-00. Please include your son‟s first name and surname, and your phone number in the reference fields. Receipts are issued for all payments and given to students in class. Thank you.
VIC Garage (Chris Bailey) has kindly offered 10% off all vehicle services for parents and students of SBC. His garage is situated at 375 High Street, Lower Hutt. 939-0019
Any Year 13 boy who has their heart set on studying the Humanities at Otago Uni, is being offered the chance to apply for an award that flies them to Otago Uni for a look around the campus during their annual open day, meals and accommodation during 4-5th May. You need to apply and be selected. Any students interested in this phenomenal opportunity need to download an application form www.otago.ac.nz/services/liaison_ofice.html and get it to Mr Wilson by 24 March. Any questions, see Mr Wilson. Any boys interested in sailing round NZ on the Spirit of Adventure 15-19 years old for 10 days needs to see Mr Wilson. Funding assistance is available for this opportunity of a lifetime, so get motivated!
