Comments from the Principal

Not quite winners, but we are very happy with the result for this year’s Bishop’s Shield – 2nd by only half a point!  We had a wonderful time at Verdon College, Invercargill, last weekend competing in the 76th Bishop’s Shield Public Speaking Competition. The team we had competing this year, show real promise leading into the next few years and I want to say a huge thanks to all those staff who take this on every year as an ‘extra’ to everything else they already do, coaching our students ready for this important event on our calendar.
 
Similarly, the Film Festival was very well received on Wednesday night at the theatre. There are no other schools I know of that give their film-making students in media studies, the opportunity to have their work screened in a public theatre with a community audience. Well done to all the film makers and to Mr Nathan Munn for his work in this area.
 
Today we farewell Mr Brian Coyle from the Technology department. Brian has only been with us since the beginning of last year, but we have truly valued his contribution to St Peter’s in the classroom, staffroom, and in the respectful, genuine relationships he has formed with so many students in his care. Ironically, our loss is due to him living out everything we talk about when we encourage our students to take risks, keep learning, step outside of one’s comfort zone and so on. We wish Brian all the very best as he moves out of teaching into business ownership. We are pleased to let you know that Mr John Watkins will take up the role of Head of Technology (a job he has done very well for so many years at his previous school), and Mr Steve Chernishov will begin on Monday as the second teacher in this curriculum area for the remainder of the year. 
Best of luck to all our netball teams competing in finals playoffs tomorrow at the MLT Stadium, and to our Year 7/8 rugby team who are playing in the final for their division at school tomorrow morning. If you are looking for some finals action, pop along and support our teams.
Next Wednesday afternoon is Whanau Conferencing. Please ensure you book to see your child’s teachers. During this time, we will have a display in the hall about our health and sexuality curriculum for parent consultation, which we are required to do every two years. If you are unable to attend on Wednesday and want to be part of this consultation, please contact Mr Brendan Terry at school.

‘Laudato si' is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle "on care for our common home". In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take "swift and unified global action." 
There are very similar messages in ‘Laudato Si’:
“Pray for, and with Creation; Live more simply; Advocate to protect our common home”.
and in NZ/Aotearoa’s Climate Declaration:
“We, the people of Aotearoa commit to urgently transforming society to achieve climate stability for future generations. We will create a climate-safe Aotearoa, based on economic fairness, democracy, respect for human rights and the intent of Te Tiriti of Waitangi, where we live in harmony with nature and with each other”.
Together, let’s make the difference.

Kate Nicholson - Principal

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Brian Coyle