From the Acting Principal Kite ingoa o te Atua, o te Tamaiti, o te Wairua Tapu. Amene.

W hat a start to the term we have had! The Battalion production has been a wonderful success. Those saw it are comparing it to professional productions, it was that good.

Jim Moriarty and Te Rakau Trust worked with our students in association with Sacred Heart to perform the play beautifully written by Helen Pearse-Otene. Audiences were moved, in many cases to tears. Congratulations to all involved with particular thanks to our drama teacher Mrs Petra Jaeger-Letts. Our Kapa Haka group performed the haka for the All Blacks/Wellington/Canterbury ITM cup teams. The Y10 students have had their dance and the Seniors their Ball. Football has toured and winter sports are coming to the end of their competitions. The teachers have also met most parents over two parent report evenings. As I write the RCIA students are preparing for their initiation sacraments which will be celebrated as a whole school community at our Assumption mass. Needless to say all of the other routine lessons, meetings and activities are still happening - and it’s only the end of week two. So it is a good time for us all to consider carefully how we prioritise what we do in life. Typically teenagers want to get involved in everything going. They need to be busy. So long as they still have time to complete their curriculum work to a high standard, then they probably have things in balance. If school-work is getting squeezed out it is a sure sign that a stocktake is needed. It is better to do a few things well than lots of things poorly. Following on from the report evenings, please take time as a family to talk about this and make adjustments to commitments as necessary. NCEA exams are only 10 weeks away. David Sefton Acting Principal

Achieve @ St Bernard’s

August 2013

“The Battalion” SBC/SHC

We are all so proud of our drama boys. You are a credit to your families and your school. Well done, all of you! Ms Petra Jaeger Drama

c ongratulations to all the students who took part in this year’s drama production, “The Battalion” which was

performed in conjunction with Sacred Heart College and Te Rakau Trust (Jim Moriarty). The show ran for one week with 8 performances at the brand new Sacred Heart College Performing Arts Centre. After over 250 hours of rehearsals, the boys starred in a fantastic show that highlighted their massive singing, acting, kapa haka and dancing talents. The shows were very well attended, including VIP guests, with a great majority of theatre-goers coming back to see the show a second and even third time! For many of the students this was also an assessment vehicle as they gained a large number of credits for their performances. Audiences were moved by this production based on the history of the 28th Maori Battalion in World War II. Every show concluded with a korero which gave the audience a chance to speak to the cast and the director, Jim Moriarty. Their feedback was glowing and often included personal family stories and waiata to the cast. There was an extremely moving moment when our own Mr Trip Tuau told us the story of his father and then sang a beautiful rendition of Whakaaria Mai. The students’ hard work and commitment paid off with a show that was spectacular.

Special Characater

Welcome to a busy start to Term 3. Last week we celebrated the Feast of St Ignatius Loyola with Ignatius House. Preparations are now well under way for the commemoration of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on 15 August. The Church teaches us that the Virgin Mary "having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. This feast day is one of two Holy Days of Obligation that we, as a Catholic community, are asked to observe. This year we are focusing on’ Walking in the Way of Mary’, so our Mass will have special significance. Six students will complete their initiation into the Catholic faith during this Mass. Aaron and Ben Marshall, Cameron Palmer-McGruer, Liam Jones, Orban Waitaki-Messenger and Raymond Bewley are the students completing the RCIA course for 2012/2013. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process through which interested students are introduced to the Catholic Church. Their journey began with their Baptism in Term 4 of 2012. We are honoured to celebrate their Confirmation and First Eucharist, and to welcome and embrace them as active and committed members of our spiritual family. Over the next few weeks I will be sending letters to families of new students from Years 7-10, inviting them to consider RCIA for their son, where applicable. This is NOT MANDATORY, but offers a supported introduction and supportive environment to students interested in developing their faith in the Catholic Church. Any students/families wishing to know more detail about the programme are most welcome to contact me at adickinson@sbc.school.nz

Science

Caleb Carrasco (8KT) was recently presented with a leadership award from the Sir Peter Blake Trust by Mr Murray Dahm from the local Westpac bank who sponsor this annual award. Caleb was nominated and accepted to receive this award for his outstanding leadership shown not only as class captain in 8KT but also across the whole Y7/8 Junior Studies Department.

Congratulations, Caleb

Science Fair We had 225 entries this year which is excellent. Each class and year level had their own 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in class. Our judge, Mr Paul King, an ex-science teacher said that he was very impressed with both the ideas as well as the presentation. Thank you to the parents who had to put up with the mess that many investigations created. Great scientists have always started with developing their ideas and coming up with outstanding discoveries.

If you wish to have your display boards back then please get your son to see their science teacher. We have no place to store them so those not collected may have to be thrown out. Other Results:

Science trips: 10AN will be visiting Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt to experience the effects of movement along the Wellington Fault. Y8 students will be visiting four Hutt Valley recycling depots as they see the effort that is put in to ensuring at all materials are able to be reused and thus ensure that our limited natural resources are retained. They will be using recycled paper, metals and plastics. Y12 Science We visited Titahi Bay to investigate the local geological features of folded rock strata, wave cut platforms, stack and arch formation and much more. Very special thanks to Mr Julian Thompson of GNS who ran the field trip. Senior tutorials: David Housden has been holding scholarship tutorials for last term and will be continuing these up to the examinations. Mrs Langford and Ms Too have run them also. There will be tutorials for any other students in Mr Higson’s room initially on Wednesdays but after the football season finishes on Tuesday and Thursdays. Students who attend tutorials on a regular basis greatly increase their chances of passing. End of year practice examinations: These are coming up in September and it will be essential that students are applying themselves fully to this task. There is a very strong relationship between success in the school exams and then in the NCEA finals. Students MUST be giving 2.5 hours a night in revision and study. If students gain a merit or an excellence in the end of year exams then they can be assured of getting into that subject next year but must still get at least “achieved” in the NCEA exams.

Congratulations

Jacob Borich, Y10. 1Jacob Borich, Y10. 1stst Overall Overall

Lachlan Gillespie, Y9 2Lachlan Gillespie, Y9 2ndnd OverallOverall

Thomas Mingins, Y7/8 3Thomas Mingins, Y7/8 3rdrdOverall Overall

Y7/8 2nd Thomas King, 3rd Joshua Bedonia.

Y9 2nd George Barr-Brown, 3rd Declan Wilcock.

Y10 2nd Regan Gilmour, 3rd Rigie Clavano Abadies, Tyrell Juwan Fagaiava, Venasio Tuifao.

Sport Māori

Regional Badminton Championships Congratulations to Lennon Mok who was Runner-up in the College Sport Wellington Junior Regional Badminton Championships held recently at Badminton Hall in Hataitai. Lennon is a Year 9 student so still has another year in this grade.

In the Senior Regional Champs, Wei-Ming Lim made it through to the semi-finals going down in 2 sets to the eventual winner. Andy Su also made it through to the quarter finals being beaten by the eventual runner-up so all in all a great tournament for the boys. They will both be back next year to have another crack at the title. Table Tennis Table tennis is slowly being re-established in the college with one team again being entered into the weekly competition. Congratulations to Abram Goh, Bradley Ebert, Jamie Curtis and Luca Benvenuti who have won the Lower Valley Division 1 competition for 2013 going through the rounds unbeaten.

Many thanks to Mr Des Goh who has been helping the boys, passing on his expert knowledge.

Abram Goh and Bradley Ebert both competed in the Individual Regional Championship with Abram finishing 4th in the Junior section. Abram is only a Year 8 student so was competing against Year 9 and 10 boys from colleges all over Wellington. Football The season is down to its last two weeks. All seven teams have per-formed very well and many are line for the finals. Finals day is Saturday 31 August and will be held at Rongotai College. We pray that we will be represented in the finals. Football tour: At the time of writing the tour is about to start. Results will be given in the next newsletter. Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising by buying chocolates or having their car washed. Football club prizegiving: We will again have our club prizegiving early in September. Supporters: Thank you to all the parents who turn up Saturday after Saturday and support not only their son but also the team as a whole. Thank you also for supporting the opposition by your verbal encouragement. Thanks: The football club would like to especially thank Te Wai Piripi (Head of Sport) and Catherine Brennan (Sports Co-ordinator) for the huge amount of time and effort in ensuring that all our teams were well presented and had the resources we needed.

Coming Up By the time you receive this newsletter most of the winter sports codes will either have finished or be at the finals stage, so results will be updated in the next issue.

Rugby League for both Junior and Senior teams starts in early September

and we are not too far away from sports photos and awards time.

University Closing Dates

Auckland Scholarships - Sept 4 (must enrol first)

VUW Scholarships - Sept 15

Otago Halls – Sept 15

Rest of Country Halls – Sept 15 – 30

VUW enrol by Dec 10

VUW Open Day – August 30

Massey Open Day - August 30

Weltec Open Day – Petone Campus August 22

Wellington Campus August 30

Shane Cotton Exhibition Visits During Māori Language Week last term, all Y7/8’s and Māori language classes attended an art exhibition of Shane Cotton’s work at City Gallery, Wellington. Shane Cotton is a major NZ painter. He was born in Lower Hutt, with Ngāpuhi affiliations and has exhibited at many leading galleries in Australia and NZ as well as in Spain and Prague. Students really enjoyed the opportunity of viewing his work as well as taking part in practical workshops. The workshops and visits, in general, provided lots of opportunities for written/project work back at school, particularly for Y7/8’s. Kapa haka Regionals Success Te Huatai Katorika (the name of our combined St Bernard’s College-Sacred Heart College kapa haka) has won its way through to next year’s national kapa haka finals in Gisborne with a second placing at the regional finals. This will be the group’s second consecutive time at the Nationals having represented the region last year in Whāngārei. Like most other groups in the competition, Te Huatai Katorika invested countless hours perfecting its bracket. Naenae College were placed a deserved first, with a combined Te Ara Whanua-Taita College-Hutt Valley High School combination coming third; Wainuiomata High School, fourth; Heretaunga College, fifth; and Upper Hutt College, sixth. Special thanks to Verenoa Hetet for the use of two korowai for the perfor-mance on the day and making the pake and tatua at such short notice. Thank you also to Mrs Frost of Sacred Heart College and our amazing tutors.

Trip to Kāpiti Island, 19-20 September

All places on the trip are filled. Four teachers are scheduled to make the trip with 26 students. The trip will involve staying on the island for a night .

Trip down the Whanganui River Planning is currently underway for two trips down the Whanganui River for next year. Both trips will be for those students learning te reo Māori during the year. Each trip will take in the history, the marae, the tikanga, the kōrero along the River.

Careers

24 August Rugby grade finals 31 August Football grade finals 2-6 Sept Winter Tournament Week – U15 Rugby 5 Sept Y7/8 Rugby Tournament (Jonathan Collins Cup) 17 Sept Y7/8 Hockey Tournament

Upcoming event: Y7/8s can look forward to another Ki-o-Rahi day on Wednesday 4 December or Thursday 5 December 2013. These days coincide with the second to last week of term 4. It promises to be another great day of fun and excitement.

2013 Term Dates Term 3 29 July to 27 September Term 4 14 October to 10 December

Important Dates 2013

Contact Details

p 04 560 9250 f 04 560 9251 e office@sbc.school.nz w www.sbc.school.nz

Physical/Postal Address 183 Waterloo Road Lower Hutt 5010 New Zealand

August 17 St John’s exchange (away) 20 St Bernard’s Feast Day 22 Y10 NCEA Parents Evening 23 Teacher-Only Day (no school) 24 Rugby grade finals 30 Student subject choice due Y7/8 Retreat September 2 Y7/8 Dental van 3 Y9 Parliament Trip 6 St Bernard’s Day celebrations 9 Senior exam week

Sponsors of the St Bernard’s College Newsletter

Free Doctor’s 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 Wednesday 10.30 to11am 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 accounts@sbc.school.nz or phone the accounts office ext 861

Second Hand Uniform

If your son has grown out of some uniform items that are in good condition and he no longer requires them as they are too small, 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.

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. If you are facing financial difficulties please see the Principal. Thank you.

Important Reminders

PFS News

17 Y10 Money Day 19 Celebration of Music, Maori Kapiti trip, School starts 9.30am. 21 PFS Quiz Night 23 Y7-10 Badge Ceremony, Y13 PED trip 26 School Mass 11.15am 27 Last day of Term 3

October 14 Term 4 commences 8.40am 24 Sports photos

November 1 Sports Awards

BYO Nibbles and drinks Supper provided

$10 per ticket Make up a table of 8-10 and come along for a fun evening. Tickets available from office.

Enquiries Felicity 938 3138

SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 7.30pm

Any donations towards prizes/raffle greatly appreciated

A reminder that the Year 7/8 Retreat is on the 30 August.

If anyone would like to buy Event Cinema Movie tickets to support the O’Shea Shield

Team Trip to Hastings next year please email Nick Wilson nwilson@sbc.school.nz . They are $15 each and can be used in any Event Cinema in NZ and expire in March 2014. These adult tickets are cheaper than buying them at the counter. Thanks for supporting our team.

The Greater Wellington Young Vinnies are holding a book sale to raise funds for

charitable projects overseen by the St Vincent de Paul Society, which is one of the charitable agencies of the Catholic Church. If you have any books that you might like to donate to this drive, can you please send them to school with your son and he can bring them to Mr Wilson in H6. The sale will be 13 October. More details to follow….

Saturday 2 November

G ARAGE

SALE Start cleaning out that garage and

storage area for our annual garage sale which will be held on

We require good quality used items (no TV’s). We are able to collect or store.

Enquiries Elizabeth 971 4408.