It was one of those throwaway lines from a movie - a political drama with the President speaking to his aide:
“ your job is to tell me the truth...My job is to do the lying”
If there is one thing our Corona cousin has taught us - quite painfully - is to listen more to the scientific truth.
Not to listen to the political “truth”.
Not to listen to the economic “truth.”
New Zealanders have listened to the scientific truth of how a virus takes hold of a community Our reward is a virus free community.
Not so other countries who have either been lied to or been in denial about the virus. They have suffered death and tragedy on a huge scale.
We can be grateful for our leaders in this crisis.
I found it very interesting when President Trump suggested that the way to kill the Corona Virus was to inject household disinfectant into one’s body.
Interesting... not because of the comment’s obvious stupidity, but because the cleaning manufacturers needed to remind people that such an action was dangerous! Some serious science education is needed.
There is almost an immunity to the Truth among some people!
We are living in times where we simply need to know the truth about things.
Not alternate facts.
We need to believe in those people who can tell us the Truth.
Not fake prophets.
In these recent times we have seen a bespectacled Director of Health tell us each day at 1.00 pm about the state of the NZ virus.
No emotion. A clear grasp of the facts. No politics. Inspiring.
Data is his disinfectant!
We can believe in him.
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"We can be grateful for our leaders in this crisis.”
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In NZ we can believe the teachers in our schools have their students learning to the fore and will do the right thing.
We can believe in our NZ health systems, our NZ police force and our NZ Church to fundamentally do the right thing by the people they serve.
In these days we need to increase our trust in the educated expert.
The soothsayers, the doomsday artists, the snake oil salesmen and those educational theorists who test their ideas on other people’s children (not their own) need to be quarantined in their own bubble!
I am reminded that we can really believe in our God, the bedrock of life, the source and summit of Hope in these days of this dark ballet dance!
REMINDERS:
1. Remote learning continues. We are working under the usual timetabled classes. Well done on those who are making a huge effort.
2. Weekly Engagement grades for year 7 and 8 will not be part of the Junior Diploma and Headmaster endorsement while the lockdown continues.
Parents, continue the great work you have begun with your son’s remote learning at home.
Check often he is actually doing the work.!
In His Peace
K.F.Fouhy
HEADMASTER
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UPCOMING SCHEDULE
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College open to Yr 7- 10 students ONLY, whose parents have notified us in advance. |
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All other SPL students learning remotely. |
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THE CUTEST DEPUTY HEAD EVER?
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Families can feature large in all our lives during lockdown and Acting Deputy Head Pastoral Care & Operations,
Mr Samuel Tanielu, had his young son with him last week when he went into his office at school to organise some matters. Eleven-month-old Emmett Tanielu happily sat at his Father's desk looking like he was ready to run the show.
Apologies to both our Deputy Heads Craig Borich and Sam Tanielu but the general consensus amongst staff is that if Deputy Heads were chosen on cuteness alone Emmett would win hands down!
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Above: Mr Tanielu's young son Emmett trying out his Dad's Deputy Head's chair for size.
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Guide for parents*
Managing NCEA
assessment remotely during COVID-19 Alert
Levels 3-4
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VIDEO OF YR 7&8s LOCKDOWN PE CHALLENGE
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Teacher Mrs Molly Tagaloa has set a PE lockdown challenge called 'Move 30' for her Year 7 and 8s for which they have to move for 30 minutes every day, sometimes with family joining in. She's compiled the Move 30 photos and videos the Year 7 and 8 boys and their parents have been sending her into this mini-movie you might enjoy watching.
PS: Molly asks us not to be concerned about the toddler featured tipping his trike as it's her two-year-old son Malakai who thinks its funny to intentionally tip himself and his trike over!
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STUDENT'S ANZAC DAY TRIBUTE
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Year 9 Navajo Linggar's Mother, Dr Donna Achmadi, contacted St Paul's Director of Music Glenn Stanbridge and Band Director Suli Hoponoa to thank them for the positive impact they've had on her son.
Dr Achmadi says: "On Anzac Day morning Navajo answered the call to play 'The Last Post' on his saxophone for Dawn Parade in our bubble. It was a humble yet sincere and genuine tribute to the sacrifice by our fallen ones.
"We are all immensely proud to see him actively participating in this event (albeit from our doorstep) and giving back to society in the midst of this pandemic with the skills you taught him.
"Thank you to the music teachers and all staff at St Paul’s College for teaching our son to take courage and be a man."
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Above: Navajo Linggar (Yr 9) in his bubble playing 'The Last Post' on his saxophone for Dawn Parade.
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Year 7&8 students have a weekly video rehearsal log to complete in Google Classroom, and each week earn points for creativity and learning new skills. This week extra points were awarded for including something that identifies St Paul’s College in their rehearsal video. I've enjoyed watching these and seeing our young men add some humour to their rehearsal time. One parent decided to encourage her son by also submitting her recorder practice and I think next week I will have to offer bonus points for anyone who’s parents want to submit a video of them giving music a go with their sons in lockdown!
Our itinerant music teachers are working tirelessly to teach as many students as possible on their performance instrumental. For those who are unable to have lessons at this time for whatever reason, these teachers are looking forward to reconnecting once we’re all back at school.
I want to thank the itinerant teachers and music administrator Mrs Burr for going the extra mile during lockdown.
-Director of Music, Glenn Stanbridge
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Year 11 Justin Baekdal combined exercise with being helping during lockdown when he dug a couple of new rows for his Mother's vege garden in time for winter planting.
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Above: Justin Baekdal (Yr 11) working hard in his Mother's vege garden.
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Requesting photos of St Paul's students doing good deeds during Lockdown, please:
While lockdown continues we'd like to continue including one or two photos each newsletter of our students doing things such as helping their families or society or doing schoolwork at home.
Parents or SPL students can email appropriate photos for next Friday's newsletter:
Email to communications@stpaulscollege.co.nz
By 10am next Wednesday May 6th
...and we'll choose a couple of the best.
Please don't forget to include the student's name and a brief description of what they're doing!
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HOD TECHNOLOGY Mr ARUNESH KUMAR: |
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With Technology sometimes being a 'hands-on' subject you might wonder how students can study remotely away from our school's workshop. HOD Technology Mr Arunesh Kumar explains the principles of what his students are learning remain the same even though remote learning may require using slightly different techniques or materials.
He's juggled the order seniors are doing some of their work to fit with remote learning, moving them on to another NCEA standard involving the planning stage of a project. His Year 7s have been designing virtual reality headsets and there is ingenuity going on as they use recyclable materials to make models of the headsets at home. At-hand materials are also in play while his Year 8s make rubber-band powered cars. Mr Kumar has stipulated parents must supervise if his Year 9s want to test at home the water bottle rockets they're making. His Year 10s are working on making board games.
His bubble consists of his wife (also a teacher, also teaching remotely from home), their two children and his wife's Mother-in-Law. Arunesh is enjoying walking and running during lockdown.
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Above: HOD Technology, Arunesh Kumar, getting ready to teach remotely from his home bubble.
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Yr 7 & 8 TEACHER Mrs MOLLY TAGALOA: |
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Year 7 & 8 teacher Mrs Molly Tagaloa is putting effort into devising creative and fun assignments and resources to keep her young students engaged during remote learning, as illustrated by her 'Move 30' PE challenge detailed earlier in this newsletter. In Humanities her students are learning about significant places in NZ so she has Year 7s making a comic strip about Kupe discovering Aotearoa. Her students are learning about the beginning of the Catholic Church in NZ for R.E.
Molly says: "In Health they're looking at friendships, bullying and cyber safety which is quite apt at this time seeing they're online so much learning remotely."
Juggling is common in her bubble as she and her husband, St Paul's HOD Science/Health Science Mr Geraint Tagaloa are both teaching, planning and marking with their children four-year-old Skyla and two-year-old Malakai on hand.
Lockdown downtime might involve walking with her family or enjoying the chocolate brownie recipe she perfected lately.
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Above: Yr 7 & 8 teacher Molly Tagaloa is getting to grips with teaching remotely with two toddlers in the house during lockdown.
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ST PAUL'S 2019 RECYCLING RESULTS
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The finalised figures for the amount of paper and cardboard St Paul's College collected for recycling in 2019 are in:
 20,880 L paper and cardboard recycled 2.75 tonnes saved from going to landfill
22 m³ space saved at landfill 15.18 tonnes of carbon emissions reduced from the landfill site
As a result, the The Tindall Foundation (a partner in the national Paper 4 Trees Programme) will donate 11 kowhai trees to our school.
SPL Property Manager, Mr Marcel Schmidt, says: "A big word of thanks to SPL staff and students for their efforts toward this very worthy cause. A very special thanks to Mr Dominic Schryvers and the Vinnies students for their very unselfish involvement in this project - without them it would not have been possible."
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Reminder: ZOOM LINK FOR DISTANCE LEARNING
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Dear families & students, for those of you not aware of how to load zoom on your devices, please follow the steps below.
Click on the ZOOM link
Click on "Sign up Free"
Enter date of birth if asked
Enter your school login and password.
NB: When a Zoom meeting has been scheduled, you'll receive a link from the teacher who has set it up.
Please click on this link to enter the meeting.
If you are still unable to join the meeting please email the teacher involved to let them know.
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WHEN HOME BECOMES THE CHEMISTRY LAB
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Our Yr 11s studying towards Level 1 NCEA Chemistry are still able to conduct experiments even though they're at home explains Science teacher Dr Manik Tamanam.
Photos from an at-home experiment they've done illustrating factors affecting the rate of chemical reaction are shown below. The experiment showed that it took a shorter time for crushed M&M lollies (or similar) to dissolve in water than for whole M&Ms to do the same because smashing the M&Ms makes them into smaller particles and particle size affects the rate of reaction.
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Above: Whole coated lollies (on the left) dissolving slower than their crushed counterparts (at right) during the experiment.
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St Paul's Librarian Mrs Kath Twomey's Father-in-Law, Maurice Bernard Twomey
Our condolences to our Librarian Mrs Twomey, whose Father-in-Law Maurice Bernard Twomey (known as Bernard) died 21 March 2020 at Mercy Hospice Ponsonby, aged 82 years. The Sacred Heart College Old Boy was married to Margaret for 55 years, a beloved Father to four, Father-in-Law to three and Poppa to seven grandchildren with one more due any day. R.I.P.
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Above: St Paul's Librarian Mrs Kath Twomey's late Father-in-Law, Maurice Bernard Twomey (known as Bernard), pictured in 2018.
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St Paul's Old Boy ('68-'76) Ratu Alifereti Finau Mara, known as Alfred Mara
St Paul's Old Boy Ratu Alifereti Finau Mara, known to those who attended our school with him from 1968 to 1976 as Alfred Mara, passed away in Suva on April 15 2020 at the age of 62, after a short illness. The eldest son of Fiji's founding Prime Minister the late Tui Nayau Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, he was a Fijian chief, lawyer, politician and diplomat. He is survived by his wife Vitinia Buadromo, his two children, his four sisters and one brother, one son-in-law and two grandchildren. R.I.P.
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Above: The late Ratu Alifereti Finau Mara, known to schoolmates as Alfred Mara - an Old Boy from '68-'76.
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St Paul's Old Boy ('71-'77) Dallas Anthony Leonard
It is with sadness we hear that St Paul's Old Boy Dallas Anthony Leonard, who attended our school from 1971 to 1977 passed away on the 5th of April 2020 at the age of 60. Dallas, whose St Paul's schoolmates affectionately gave him the nickname 'The Fauve' is survived by his four children and grandchildren. R.I.P.
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FREE books, FREE magazines, FREE movies and much more...
Join Auckland Libraries to get access to their collection of ebooks, audio books, magazines, movies, databases... the list goes on!
Please find details here: eMembership
All that is needed is an email address to get set up and it only takes about 3 minutes. And it's all FREE. Happy Reading!
-Mrs Twomey, College Librarian
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EMERGENCY DENTAL TREATMENT
FOR STUDENTS DURING LOCKDOWN
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School nurse Carla Manolo informs us there are 30 funded dental practices across Auckland catering for students who need emergency dental treatment. If students are experiencing dental pain they should ring 0800 TALK TEETH
(0800 825 583) to be directed to which dental clinic to go to.
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"We can live this life to the fullest – with our feet firmly planted on the ground –
and respond courageously to whatever new challenges come our way."
-Pope Francis
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