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22 August 2022
Marian College Feast Day - Year 13s

From the Principal


He mihi maioha, Faa-talofa atu, Greetings,

Feast Day at Marian College - this is the highlight of our year and our most treasured and joyful tradition.  Past pupils and staff will have memories of their experiences, celebrating Mass as a school to honour Mary, favourite House performances and the talent show in the afternoon.  Thank you to Whaea Myra Fidow, Mrs Sharon Gardner our Pastoral Chaplain, Ms Miranda Scott, and all the students for preparing a beautiful mass and to Fr Edwin Colaçfor celebrating with us.  Well done to Brodie who won the singing competition - every house did  a great job as always.  The real highlight was the whole school singing our Samoan pese 'Ua e Manumalo' - you can watch this on our Facebook page.

One of my personal favourite things about Feast Day is the atmosphere at the talent show in the afternoon.  Anyone can choose to perform and it always a special treat when brave Year 9s’ get involved.  The entire school loves this show, supporting every act and getting involved in the performances.  This year was no different with wonderful performances and the audience singing along.  It is a true example of our family school and clearly reflects our special character and our values in action.

We were very pleased to welcome Bishop Michael Gielen to visit for morning tea recently.  He came to meet his new neighbours - our staff and students and get to know us.  He has also visited our new school site and was very impressed with the innovative design and especially the beautiful and unique chapel.  This week all the school staff, some senior students, parish priests and staff in the North Parish will meet with Bishop Michael and other presenters at an event called “Chosen”.  The purpose of this event is to inspire and find new ways to work together.  It is also a chance for us to get to know each other as we move to our new location.  On Thursday 25 August, we will finish school slightly earlier at 2.30pm to allow the whole staff to attend the after-school session with Bishop Michael.



With faith in our future,
 
Mary-Lou Davidson (Mrs)
Principal 
In this Newsletter:

Special Character

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Monday 15 August was the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which remembers the day God assumed Mary into heaven following her death.  Mary’s life was marked by dramatic change and many journeys.  With Mary in faith, ko tātou ko Mere e whakapono ana is our school motto that encourages us all to have faith and trust in Mary, the mother of Jesus, and in God, just as she did.
Let us pray.
Loving God.
all creation rightly gives you praise,
for all life and all holiness come from you.
In the plan of your wisdom, Mary who bore Christ in her womb
was raised body and soul in glory to be with him in heaven.
May we follow her example in reflecting your holiness
and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
Feast Day Mass
Staff Only Day at Rāpaki Marae
Kia mau ki ngā kupu o ngā tūpuna, kia mau ki ngā kupu o te Atua. 
Hold fast to the words of the ancestors, hold fast to the words of God. 

Our day at Rāpaki Marae was spent learning about the tikanga (protocols) and kōrero (stories) of Rāpaki and continuing our Special Character theme for the year of Christian Witness.  We were very fortunate to have Rory Paterson and Cushla O'Connor from the Catholic Education Office to lead the Christian Witness professional development inside the peaceful and beautiful wharenui of Wheke.  This was followed by a heartfelt kōrero from Matua Maui, who spoke about the meaning of the carvings in the wharenui and took us on a hīkoi (walk) to the beach and chapel below the Marae.  Our day of whakawhanaungatanga (kinship) also saw each staff member stand and give their pepeha/mihimihi.  Lastly, we give thanks to Matua Jacob, who was our kaikōrero (speaker) on the paepae (orators bench) and our guitarist accompanying our waiata.  
Mrs Myra Fidow, Head of Ministry
Winter Woolies
During the second half of Term 2 to the beginning of Term 3, our Young Vinnies group participated in the winter woolies initiative.  We asked students to bring in any winter items such as coats, beanies, blankets etc. to donate to St Vincent De Paul.  These items are to be gifted to families and individuals who have been struggling during the cold weather.  We are extremely grateful for all the students and families who donated, thank you!! 
Beautienna Gamble, Head of Service
Marian College Sacramental Programme
Our Sacramental Programme commenced with enjoying shared kai together in the school hall.  The programme has commenced every Friday, with the students who have not yet been Baptised.   These students have asked lots of good questions and will soon be joined by students who have not yet received First Holy Communion.  We look forward to them joining the programme. 

We have been very fortunate to have Alex Chia, from the Catholic Education Office and our North Parish, to help lead this programme.  His knowledge and experience has been very much appreciated.  
Mrs Myra Fidow, Head of Ministry
We are praying for...
We remember students, staff, and members of our Marian College community who are currently in hospital or unwell.

We also remember especially students, staff and their families who have lost loved ones recently. 

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace.  Amen

Congratulations

Marian College Jazz Band 'MC Jammer'
The Marian College Jazz Band, 'MC Jammer', performed at the Ōtautahi Jazz Jam Festival recently.  The group gave a wonderful rendition of Etta James', 'Something's Gotta Hold On Me' with Anna Tuges starring on vocals.  The band also consists of Sandee Sese, Sophie Connor, Ruby Love-Smith, Lydia Iosefo, Lyka Narciso and Graziana Micallef.  The Ōtautahi Jazz Jam Festival is a new event hosted by Christchurch Boys' High School that features top level Jazz music from secondary schools around the South Island.  Click this link to view their performance.
Congratulations to the following students who entered videos (three groups) to a competition the Otago University, Christchurch campus were running about the harmful impacts of vaping.  Our entries won top three!  Each student won a $50 Westfield voucher and Benjamin from Otago University (who appears in the photo) came to present the vouchers to students.  We are very proud of our students for their time and effort.  The Year 9s have been learning about the impacts of vaping on wellbeing in Health class, and five of them were involved in this production.  Excellent work!
Back row:  Megan Rosevear (Head of Wellbeing), Malia Dungey, Neave Patterson, Benjamin (from Otago University)
Front row: Billie Sheed, Bella Lange, Gabriella Bittante
Absent:  Megan Swain, Katelyn Lyth
Congratulations to Katerina Sumner on making the Development New Zealand U15 Softball team to attend the Queensland State Championships next month.  
Congratulations to Mya Jonker who competed at the NZIFSA South Island Figure Skating Championships in Queenstown recently.  Mya placed first in the intermediate Novice Ladies grade and qualified for Nationals in October.  Click here to see two videos of Mya's performance.
Congratulations to the following students who have completed their Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards, through the Joshua Foundation.  They were presented with their badges and certificates by the Mayor of Christchurch Lianne Dalziel and Chris Allen from the Joshua Foundation.  Congratulations for all your hard work. 
Libby Crawford - Bronze
Isla Martin-McKenzie - Bronze and Silver
Johanna Wylaars - Bronze
Niamh Webb - Silver

The following students were unable to attend the presentation and will be given their awards in an upcoming assembly. 
Mckenzie Johnson - Silver
Grace Rotheram - Bronze
Grace Norton - Bronze

Pictured Left to Right: 

Niamh Webb, Libby Crawford, Isla Martin-Mckenzie, Johanna Wylaars

School Life

Marian College Feast Day 2022
Click here to view the Feast Day photo gallery on the Marian College website.
Bishop Michael Gielen visits the new Marian College site
Left to Right:  Father Monty Bamford, Bishop Michael Gielen,
Father John Adams, and Principal Mary-Lou Davidson
“I am delighted to see this innovative approach to schooling for the future.”
Bishop Michael Gielen
The Chapel Foundation has been poured!
Click here to view the latest update on our new school site
5 Schools' Exchange
Students have returned from this ten day experience to Salesian College in Melbourne.  Also attended by students from Toho High School (Japan), and Shirley Boys' High School.  Students were billeted and got to experience the Aussie way.  They also worked as part of the exchange on ways to improve diversity and inclusion in our world.  Our six students, Jasmine Rosengrave, Rosa Ford, Mackenzie Johnston, Amy Regenvanu, Jessica Hughes and Liana Borkus enjoyed many cultural activities across the week and developed many new friendships.  

A special thank you to Miss Kate Allen for supporting our students.
Climate Change Action Day
Year 10 students, as part of their Social Studies programme, have participated in a climate change action day.  This involved working with educators from the Christchurch City Council who ran a series of lessons explaining what climate change is and why it is happening and then a focus on three solutions; these were sustainable food choices, sustainable transport options and sustainable clothing.
The afternoon was then spent with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand who organised a tree planting activity at Dallington Landing, which is within the Red Zone where St Paul’s school was formally located.  The students planted three native species that will eventually form part of a native forest.  In total over 400 plants were successfully planted. 
 Mrs Anna Perry
Head of Social Sciences Learning Area
2022 Maatangi Whenua Geography Quiz
Recently, we participated in the 2022 Maatangi Whenua Geography Quiz run by the University of Canterbury.  We competed in a series of different competitions including a current events quiz, matching Māori place names with their English meanings and interpreting the meanings of maps.  Overall, we placed ‘mid-table’ out of 19 other teams from different schools around Canterbury.  It was a very educational experience and it was fun to meet new people who all also shared an interest in Geography and to see the university buildings.  We thank Mrs Philippa Inwood and Mrs Anna Perry for supervising us at the quiz and being overall very supportive of our efforts (and bringing us chocolates).
Phoebe Inwood, Hayley Chapman, Sophie Lumb and Joanna Flanagan
Year 10 Japanese Culture Afternoon
Recently, the Year 10 Japanese classes attended a cultural Japanese event that was held at Villa Maria.  This involved seven schools with Japanese classes, including Marian College, that attended this event.  A special performance from Sei Tou Ken Yu kai Canterbury, a Japanese kendo club based in Christchurch, showcased the martial art of kendo.  The students also participated in a Japanese quiz with different categories involved in it, and grouped up with students from other schools.  The winners of the quiz earned prizes, and fun dances were shown for a break between the quiz categories.  At the end of the quiz, a traditional farewell chant was sung amongst the students and teachers.  All of the students and teachers had a wonderful time socialising with those studying Japanese.  Click here to view a Kendo demonstration.
Kate Lee
Marian College Netball Club
A huge thank you to all of our teams who played their last game on the weekend.  Our student coaches have been fantastic this year and as a school, we are so lucky to have such committed umpires.

All the best to our teams playing in finals.  This has been a challenging season - yet we have made it!
Mrs Rachel Parkin, Teacher in Charge of Netball

Important Information

Parent Trustee Elections for the Marian Board of Trustees 2022
Just a reminder to vote in the Marian College Parent Trustee Elections.  Nominee profiles were emailed 10 August and voting forms were posted also on 10 August.
  • If you are hand delivering your vote to the Marian College office, it must be  received before 4pm on Wednesday 7 September.
  • If posting (PO Box 27-064, Shirley, Christchurch), it must get to the school by Monday 12 September, before 4pm.

NCEA Changes for 2022

The Ministry of Education recently announced changes to NCEA that recognise the impact that student and teacher absences, due to COVID-19 and other winter illnesses, have had on teaching, learning and assessment this year. 

To acknowledge this impact, NZQA and the Ministry of Education have announced that for 2022, NCEA students will be entitled to 1 Learning Recognition Credit (LRC) for every 5 credits earned through assessment, up to a maximum of ten credits at level 1 NCEA and 8 credits at levels two and three of NCEA.  A further change for 2022 is that for a Certificate Endorsement, students will need 46 credits at Merit or Excellence level, instead of the usual 50. 

University Entrance (UE) requirements have also been modified.  Students will now need 14 credits in each of two UE Approved Subjects, and only 12 credits in a third UE Approved Subject.  For University Entrance, students will still need to attain NCEA Level 3 and meet the regular literacy and numeracy requirements. 

Further information about these changes can be accessed at the following link: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/understanding-ncea/changes-to-ncea-and-ue-for-2022

We believe these changes are a positive step towards supporting our students through the disruptions they have experienced this year.  It is also very important that all of our students attend school as much as possible over the remaining weeks and that they prepare carefully for their derived grade examinations in Week 1 of Term 4.

Ms Victoria Spencer, Deputy Principal Curriculum

Marian College Rowing Annual General Meeting

The Marian Rowing Annual General Meeting is being held in the CEO classroom at 6pm on Tuesday 23 August (tomorrow).  During this meeting, nominations for the 2022/23 season committee will be called for.  The six committee positions are Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Maintenance and Property, Fundraising and Regatta Coordinator.  Any parent or caregiver who has a daughter involved in rowing at Marian College is welcome to attend.

Health Information
Student Mask Wearing
We have now completed into Week 4 of students and staff wearing masks whilst onsite at school.  We have been very impressed by student compliance and appreciate this.  However, a number of our students catching public buses are forgetting to wear their masks correctly, and we are being advised of this by members of the public on a regular basis.  As parents, we request your support to ensure students are helping to keep others safe.

The Board of Trustees has approved the continuation of compulsory mask wearing at Marian College for a further two weeks, until Friday 2 September.  This covers the period up to tournament week and hopefully the last of the bad weather and spate of illness.
Ministry of Health Covid-19 Reinfection Advice
You are more likely to become reinfected as your immune response from the vaccine or your previous COVID-19 infection decreases over time. 
  • If it is 28 days or fewer since the last infection, there’s no need to test. 
  • Within 28 days, symptoms are most likely due to lasting effects of the initial infection or a different new respiratory infection. A new COVID-19 infection is difficult to diagnose within 28 days because symptoms, viral levels and test positivity may fluctuate during this time. 
  • COVID-19-like symptoms may well be caused by other infections like the common cold, flu or a chest infection. 
  • If a person develops new COVID-19 symptoms, and it’s 29 days or more since their previous infection, it’s possible that it’s a reinfection with COVID-19 and they should take a rapid antigen test.  If that test is positive, they will need to isolate for a second time for seven days.
  • For most people, illness caused by reinfection is likely to be no more severe than a first infection, but they can experience different symptoms. 
  • If a person is not getting better, or becoming increasingly unwell, they should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or their doctor/healthcare provider.
More masks are being provided in the community to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and to protect people who are at higher risk of more severe illness if they contract COVID-19. You do not need to have COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms to get free masks.
Ministry of Health - Tips on When to Keep Your Child at Home
Most healthy young tamariki have at least eight viral infections, like coughs or colds, each year and these are a normal part of childhood.

Sometimes you may feel unsure of when to keep your child home to get well and when it’s OK for them to return to school.  Here are some tips:

  • If their symptoms have just started eg. a cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea or a rash, keep them home until they’re feeling better.
  • Do a RAT if your child or someone at home has COVID-19 symptoms.  If anyone has a positive result, everyone living at your home will need to self-isolate for at least 7 days.
  • Call your GP or ring Healthline free on 0800 611 116 for advice if your child has ongoing fever, is getting worse or won't eat and drink – even if they have already been assessed by a health professional.
  • If the illness wasn't COVID-19 and your child has felt well for the past 24 hours and is eating and drinking normally, they can go back to school.
  • If they still have a slight dry cough or runny nose after having an illness, but they’re otherwise feeling well, they're unlikely to be contagious and can be with others again.
If it is an emergency or you, or someone you know, is at immediate risk, call 111
Mrs Carolyn Thomas, Guidance Counsellor
Online School Work
When students are absent from school, isolating or sick, but well enough to work, school work is available on their Google classrooms.  A reminder that all students know how to access this.
Click here for Portal and Report Information
Download the Marian App!
Marian College has a mobile app for notification of absences, notices, events and instant alerts for important news, registrations, reminders and in case of an emergency.
 
Go to the App Store on your Apple device or Google Play on Android and search:  Marian College.  Click to download and select ‘Allow’ to receive notifications. Then you are all good to go!
Term Dates
Term 325 July - 30 September
     Monday 22 August - NCEA Teacher Only Day (no classes)
     Friday 9 September - Mid Term Break

Term 417 October - 14 December
     Monday 24 October - Labour Day
     Friday 11 November - Show Day

Last day for Senior students:  Tuesday 1 November
Last day for Junior students:  Wednesday 14 December


Term 1 2023 begins: Tuesday 31 January 2023
Click here for Important Term 3 Dates
ATTENTION!
Past Students and Staff of St Mary's, McKillop or Marian Colleges
Are you a past student or staff member?

We are currently developing our Past Pupils and Staff Network, Rauru and would love for you to join.  You will be able to connect with past classmates, find out more about our exciting new school project and events and possible reunions at the new school, and share your memories.

Head to 
www.mariancollege.school.nz/rauru to register.
We would strongly encourage past pupils to join the Rauru mailing list for the purpose of inviting you to the new school opening in 2023
Careers - Getting Women into Trades
Registrations are now open for our Wellington Getting Women into Trades event.  This popular free event promotes a career in the trades and potential training pathways to women.  There are hands on “Give it a Go” activities to try all sorts of trades related activities from driving an excavator to putting up a scaffold, assembling a toilet or winching a vehicle.

Exhibitors from trades training, industry and employers will be on hand during the activities to discuss the ins and outs of different trades and their training and career pathways with the attendees.

The activities are followed by food, a keynote address and a panel discussion featuring speakers at various stages of their trades journey.

Spaces are limited so please sign up quickly to avoid disappointment.

Date: Tuesday 27 September 2022
Time: 3pm to 7pm

Address: Air Force Museum of New Zealand 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram, Christchurch
Parking: Plenty of free parking is available at the front of the Museum
FREE Ticket registration:
 https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2022/christchurch-getting-women-into-trades/christchurch
Further information: https://www.womenintradesnz.com/
Mrs Julie Blackwell, Careers Advisor
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