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At the end of last term Mrs Perniskie and Brendan Terry spent some time with the Year 13’s, speaking about scholarship and hall applications and all things tertiary related. This term is filled with closing dates that students should be aware of and should be at the Year 13 briefing each day. Hall applications open 1st August, they close at the end of September so students should allow plenty of time to get their application right before submission. Note Otago Polytechnic Hall is open all the time for 2020 applications. Scholarships are rolling in and will be featured on the Career pathways page. Currently the Keystone and MENSA scholarships are featuring. Congratulations to Teegan Hall who applied and received $750 from the Gore Garden Club towards her study next year. Joy Delahunt Gateway Co-Ordinator/Careers Administration 
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This Tuesday afternoon, saw a train of 172 students wending its way down Robertson Street from St Peter’s to the Calvin Church. And then the fun (oops, sorry, learning) began! In allocated groups of four, students played a strategy game using balls. They had four iterations during which they had to figure out the best way to increase the number of times they could pass the balls from point A to point B. Because the groups were allocated, many students had never even spoken to each other before – interesting times… On Wednesday things became even more interesting as each group had to plan and create a prototype of something futuristic in the space of an hour. Amazing, innovative pairs of shoes, vehicles, rainy day indoor games and even a healthy dinner for a family of four were rustled up out of cardboard, paper and tape and by day three the Calvin auditorium and foyer took on the atmosphere of a bustling marketplace as the students critiqued and exhibited their creations. It’s incredible to think that in the space of six periods – one school day, the whole of years 8 – 10 created, critiqued and exhibited 42 different mini-projects. Each one of the students had engaged in the opportunity to reflect effectively on their ability to communicate, collaborate and create as well as plan, re-evaluate and engage in iterative cycles of problem solving. Congratulations to every single one of these students – you faced a challenge, you met it head on and over-came it – way to go! Bridget Ryan Deputy Principal  Tickets available from the Main School Office and door sales subject to availability. Come along to a fantastic night! Media students sitting NCEA will be showing their short films. Who needs an excuse to grab yourself an ice cream and have a night off with a few laughs.   Welcome back to Term 3. It is certainly good to have some sunnier days with the promise of spring in our sights.
We are looking forward to our Open Night this week. I enjoy this event every year because of the affirmation it gives our school community. Our students who volunteer to tour new families through the school and offer to help in some of their favourite subject areas, and the staff who willingly prepare their areas and talk about all the great learning that is happening in their spaces, remind me of the wonderful things happening at our place and the pride that all of us have in St Peter’s. We want to share this with as many people as possible. This is not just about new enrolments – anybody is most welcome to come along and see what is happening at our College. Spread the word with those who might be interested. Everyone is most welcome. I am pleased to announce that Mrs Kathryn Pinckney has begun as our new Sports Coordinator this week. Kathryn has done this role before at St Peter’s and I know she will continue the good work that has been happening in this area. With Tournament Week coming up fast, she has hit the ground running and you will have already noticed plenty of information coming your way through the sports Facebook page and the newsletter about upcoming events. We are disappointed to say goodbye to Mr Brian Coyle (HELA Technology) in a few weeks when he leaves teaching to purchase a business. We have really enjoyed having Brian as part of the staff and I know he is going to be greatly missed by staff and students alike. This week has seen the exciting launch of our Project Based Learning Programme. The PBL Team will be updating you on progress regularly within this newsletter. The programme is taking place at the Calvin Church for the first couple of weeks so we can take advantage of the larger spaces available there, while all students are developing and refining skills required to move onto smaller group work. Student voice tells us we are on the right track, with plenty of positive feedback from the students and staff involved. Good luck to the students who are modelling in the Hokonui Fashion Awards this weekend, and we also wish those students who have entered garments the very best of luck in their competition. It is great to see our students taking advantage of the opportunities available to them within our local community. Remember to get your tickets to the annual Film Festival. The students have been working hard on their films and I am sure the outcome will be the same high-quality entertainment as it has been in past years. Nga mihi nui Kate Nicholson Tickets for the St Peter's College Annual Film Festival are available from the Main School Office. It will be a fantastic night with such a variety of movies created by our students for NCEA. Bring your family, friends and spread the word. Don't forget to bring your phone for voting.  This week we feature more Gateway students that have been following their career paths this year. Svetlana McGregor has been working at Camp Columba and is seen learning how to programme events at the camp. Next term more students will be joining the Gateway programme as they plan their future pathways. Joy Delahunt Gateway Co-ordinator/Careers Administration   A big thank you to Jude Taylor, chef extraordinaire, whose magic and skill created the stunning 50th Anniversary Feast Day lunch. There were 400 very grateful St Peter’s College students and staff at the conclusion. Thanks also to Julie Watkins, Jo Holland, Lisa Perkins, Shona Baillie, Rosie Hickey and Year 12 and 13 students for all your hard work in helping to make the event become a reality. Also to the students who kindly offered to help with making the bunting.   Ex- St Peters College student Siobhan Marshall (nee Gulliver) and her husband Joe, live in a small village up the Whanganui River called Rānana. Joe is born and bred Ngati Hau and he and Siobhan recently hosted the St Peter's Kapa Haka group up at their local Marae at Hiruhārama, (Jerusalem), a beautiful peaceful place nestled amongst the banks of the Whanganui river. Siobhan and Joe thought this a fitting occasion to gift a traditional Kahuhuruhuru (feathered cloak), woven by Joe's cousin Rehutai (also from Jerusalem) to the Kapa Haka Roopu (group). This most generous gift from the people of Te Ati Hau Nui-ā- Papārangi, made especially in the colours of our College, was such an honour for the group to receive and forever links the people of St Peter’s and Jerusalem together. Thanks so much to Siobhan and her whanau for their generosity and aroha. Feast Day Mass was again a special occasion and even more so when the special gift of the Kauhuruhuru was presented during the ceremony. We also had the chance to farewell Tony Hanning who was the Director of the Dunedin Catholic Education Office. We wish Tony all the best for a great retirement and thank him for the many years of supporting St Peter’s College and our community. Thank you to Father Vaughan Hook who celebrated the Mass alongside Father Vince Smith. Darren Jack Deputy Principal   Term 2 is done and dusted, and what a busy and productive one it has been! It is always a highlight to end this winter term with our consistently high-quality Eisteddfod Concert at the St James Theatre and last night continued this tradition of polished performance. Thank you to all those involved behind the scenes and out front on stage. Congratulations to our three Eisteddfod Champions – Samantha Marsh (Junior), Seba Metzler (Intermediate) and Grace Turipa (Senior) and Rosmini House who took out the honours for highest points during the Eisteddfod. Today we will be finishing a great term with a sausage sizzle for lunch and the annual staff-student netball game at the stadium. Our Open Night will be held on Tuesday 30th July. Many of our students volunteer to help with this evening and show off their school by taking tours. Please note this date on your calendar and encourage any friends and neighbours to pop along for a look. Many people enjoy the opportunity to have a tour around our college and meet with staff and students even if their children are not yet in year 6. Next term we launch project-based learning for our year 8-10 students. This exciting new initiative is the culmination of nearly two years work by staff and has the financial backing of the Ministry of Education through the Teacher Led Innovation Fund. We have many excited students ready to move into more student driven learning and we are looking forward to the skills and capabilities that this will develop for them. There is an email being sent to all families of year 8, 9 and 10 students that will give you more information about the process. Good luck to our students who are involved in various activities and tournaments over the holiday period, along with the 1st XV who compete in the local derby against Gore High School tomorrow on home ground – I know they would really appreciate your support and encouragement. Everyone is well ready for a holiday, but I am also aware that there have been happenings in Gore of late that is making families more aware of security and safety for property and for their families. With this in mind, we intend to run a parent education evening in term 3 particularly in terms of drug education. There will be more information sent out to families in due course. In the meantime, stay safe and enjoy the special family time that the school holidays offer, and we look forward to seeing everyone back safe and sound on July 22nd. Nga mihi |
