St Kevin's College News and Reminders Term 4 Week 1
Kia ora whānau and friends of St Kevin's College,
Term 4 here we are! We hope you all had a great 2 week break.
This week we had the 260 Allstars visit SKC on Wednesday and hold four workshops. Students had the chance to get involved in either BMX flatlanding, basketball freestyling, breakdancing, and circus. On Thursday afternoon we also had the Cambridge English exam.
Only 9 weeks left of the school year!
School Notices
- Up to date ATLs have been published and are available to view through the Edge app
- This is a friendly reminder that if students have appointments during the day parents and caregivers must let the office know beforehand. 03 437 1665 or 021 437 176
- Also, students in Years 9-12 are not permitted to leave the school grounds during intervals and lunch breaks.
- All students have been invoiced for this year's school magazine/yearbook. If you do not require this, please contact the school office to have the charge removed from your account.
We will advise when these are ready to be collected.
Whanau Reading Initiative
Do you want to have an opportunity to win $ 1,000.00 for your family or $500 for your students by the end of the year?
Hopefully, that got your attention!
Over the past year, we have been thinking about the problem of how to support families to develop their student's reading abilities. For most families with students of secondary school age, reading is something that is done by the student independently and it can be a struggle to get them to engage.
We invite families who would like to participate in this programme to collect a copy of the booklet from the office. There are 20 activities in the booklet which range from ice breaker conversation starters to how to analyse text.
The activities are designed to be able to be used with any reading material your student is interested in.
Once you have worked through the activities, please date and sign the back page so your students can register for their reading badge at the office and go into the draw for themselves and their families at the end of the year.
This is a first attempt.
All feedback is welcome!
Operation Christmas Child
Please remember to bring an item to fill a shoebox for a child in need this Christmas. For many, this is their first gift ever!
Year 9 - Boy 2-4 Years Old
Year 10 - Girl 2-4 Years Old
Year 11 - Boy 5-9 Years Old
Year 12 - Girl 5-9 Years Old
Year 13 - Boy 10-14 Years Old
Staff - Girl 10-14 Years Old
SKC Caritas Challenge - Labour Weekend
The SKC Caritas Crew are gearing up for the Caritas Challenge, our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we need your help. SKC holds our Caritas Challenge over Labour Weekend, so you can take part wherever you are. Choose your own personal challenge, and ask your friends and whanau to sponsor you.
Every dollar you raise will be matched with another $3 by the NZ Aid Programme, and all money raised this year will go to help people in Fiji.
Please watch this video for more information, and then sign up with a member of the Caritas Crew to take part in the 2023 Caritas Challenge!
School Events
Coming up this term
Tuesday 17th October - Cambridge English exam
Tuesday 17th - Thursday 19th October - Yr 11 PE Camp
Thursday 19th October - Yr 13 Transition Day
Monday 23rd October - Labour Day - Hostel and School Closed
Saturday 28th October - SKC Community Mass - Basilica 5 pm
Monday 30th October - Hostel High Tea
Wednesday 1st November - Senior Prizegiving 6:30 pm
Thursday 2nd November - Writing Common Assessment Activity
Friday 3rd November - Numeracy and Reading Common Assessment Activity
Monday 6th November - NCEA exams start
Tuesday 7th - Thursday 9th November - Year 10 Course Counselling
Monday 13th - Thursday 17th November - Junior Assessment week
Friday 17th November - Subject selection due Year 9 and 10
Friday 17th November - Teacher Only Day
Monday 11th December - Thursday 14th December - Yr 10 Camp
Friday 15th December - Junior Prizegiving
Sports
Sporting Events
Coming up this term
Friday 3rd November - Aoraki Secondary School Sport Awards
Sunday 19th November - Willows Cricket
Monday 20th November - Friday 24th November - Aoraki Junior Sports Week
U13 South Island Basketball Tournament
Over the school break, Summer Colombus and Kayleigh Lucey, both Year 9 students, participated in the U13 South Island basketball tournament held in Ashburton from October 4th to October 7th.
They proudly represented North Otago in this four-day competition and achieved an impressive second-place finish in the B grade category, earning the team a well-deserved silver medal.
This is a remarkable accomplishment! Congratulations to Summer, Kayleigh, and the entire team!
Quinn Selfe and Noah Murdoch also played in the U13 South Island basketball tournament held in Ashburton from October 4th to October 7th for North Otago.
While their team was defeated by Otago, which knocked them out of the finals, they managed to secure the 5th place in the B grade.
Nice work Quinn and Noah!
2023 Aoraki Sports Awards
Congratulations to the St Kevin's athletes who have been selected as finalists for the 2023 Aoraki Sports Awards.
These individuals have shown determination and helped athletes and teams continue to strive and achieve their goals and deserve to be celebrated.
Aoraki Future Champion
Emma Gillies – Equestrian
Samantha Gillies – Equestrian
Quinn Burge -Touch
Quinn Burge – Referee of the Year
Student Contribution
Camden Burge – Student Contribution
School TV
Having the Alcohol Discussion
Having the Alcohol Discussion
With the impending festive season and end of school celebrations, some teenagers may be feeling ready to party, wanting to put the disruptions, frustrations and disappointments of these past years, behind them.
To ensure our young people stay safe during this time, families are encouraged to have the alcohol discussion - no matter how difficult or overwhelming it may be. It is important to outline the rules and boundaries around age-appropriate alcohol consumption and what the legal implications may be.
Young people are at greater risk of alcohol-related harm than adults because their brains continue to develop until their mid-twenties. The safest level of alcohol consumption for teenagers is no alcohol at all, but this may be difficult to enforce and may not prevent them from experimenting. However, families can influence sensible drinking habits and help minimise the risks.
This Special Report offers a series of discussion points to help make the conversation about alcohol consumption a little easier.
If you have any concerns about the well-being of your young person, please get in touch with the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to your special report:
https://stkevins.nz.schooltv.
Extra Curricular
Love Tennis Open Day
Come along to North Otago Tennis' open day, 15th October at 39A Chelmer Street.
There will be free coaching, prizes and a BBQ all day. All ages and abilities are welcome!
Here's how the day is going to run:
5-8 Years: 10.15 am-10.45 am
9-11 Years: 11 am-11.45 am
11+ Years: 12 pm-12.45 pm
Adults: Come along any time between 10 am-4 pm for a social hit!
If you want to get back into tennis, are keen for a hit before the season gets underway, or just want to learn more about our local competitions - there’ll be people around to tell you all about it, help sign you up and have a hit with you!
Link to our Facebook page for more information
Learners Licence Driving Lessons
Y-Drive offers learner licence driving lessons for high schoolers at a discounted rate. These will be starting week 1 of term 4.
Learner Licence classes usually are $50/per hour per lesson, however, they are offering the following:
$150 per student for a Learners Licence course (5 lessons at $30 per hour)
or $250/ 1 hour session with 10 students ($25 per student a lesson)
If you are interested in this or have any questions, please contact:
Lativia (Via) Kaufana
Driving Instructor & Educator
M: 027 227 0335
E: lativia@ymcasc.org.nz
Science Scholars Programme at The University of Auckland
Science Scholars is a flagship programme of The Faculty of Science of The University of Auckland, designed to provide exceptionally motivated students with a unique platform to immerse themselves in a world of scientific discovery and collaboration. Our aim is to nurture the next generation of scientific leaders, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and passion needed to make a meaningful impact in Science.
By joining the Science Scholars Programme, students will gain access to:
1. Exclusive Research Opportunities: having the chance to work alongside our distinguished faculty members on cutting-edge research projects spanning various scientific disciplines.
2. Tailored Learning: Our programme offers specialized seminars, and hands-on experiences that go beyond the standard curriculum, allowing students to delve deeper into their areas of interest.
3. Networking and Mentorship: Scholars will interact in a tightknit community of like-minded peers and have the chance to be mentored by experienced academic staff active in the scientific community, fostering growth and connections.
4. Engaging Events: We host regular and exciting events tailored to Science Scholars students and guest lectures that provide a platform for scholars to engage with current scientific debate and advancement.
5. Recognition and Scholarships: Exceptional performance within the programme will lead to recognition and scholarship opportunities that pave the way for further academic pursuits.
We believe that your school's science enthusiasts possess the potential to excel within our Science Scholars Programme. By promoting this initiative among your top year 13 high school science students, you'll be providing them with a gateway to a world of possibilities, setting them on a path to become leaders in their chosen scientific fields.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Davide Mercadante at davide.mercadante@auckland.ac.nz
Fundraising Events
Hungry Horse Cafe - Te Tgakau Nui (SKC Home and School) Fundraiser
Hungry Horse - a cafe run at the Oamaru Race Course
We need helpers for the Hungry Horse on the following dates:
Sunday 15th October 10:30 am-6 pm
Thursday 9th November 12 pm - 7:30 pm
Wednesday 13th December 12 pm- 7:30 pm
Wednesday 24th January 10:30 am -6 pm
Sunday 4th February 10 am -6 pm
Wednesday 6th March 12 pm -7:30 pm
Sunday 24th March 10 am -6 pm.
Students are welcome to help for Service Hours.
If you can provide support please let Sam Growcott know -0212931158 or email tengakaunui@stkevins.school.nz.
Maheno School fundraiser
Heli-biking fundraiser for Maheno School and Cure our Ovarian Cancer, November 11th 2023.
Heli-bike the 800m descent from the peak of Mt Misery over 15km through Glencoe run and the Herbert forest mountain bike tracks.
The Glencoe Gravity Base Camp is located 25 minutes south of Oamaru on Reid Rd, Herbert.
Food, coffee and a bar will be available.
Hub and Sprocket will have a bike repair station and there will be facilities for bike cleaning.
North Otago Mountain Biking Chocolate Fish Race Series
North Otago Mountain Biking's Spring Series of the Chocolate Fish Race is locked in!!!
Dates: October 15th and October 29th
Where: Oamaru Reservoir
Time: Registration 9.30 am
Who: ANYONE!!
Kids race first starting at 10 am and then adults at 10.30 am
Price: $2 for all
Come for one or enter all of the races and be in to win the overall series
Request to hold a Fundraising Event
If you wish to hold a fundraising event for school sports or recreational activities please follow the appropriate channels by completing this form.
Community Events
2024 Fully Funded Outward Bound Courses for students with disabilities
Enrolments are now open for the following Outward Bound courses for secondary school students with physical disabilities. These courses run once a year in January and April.
These courses are fully funded. The only cost to students is getting a pre-course medical done by a GP and getting themselves to and from Picton via bus, ferry, personal vehicle or air.
These 6-8 day courses are based in the Marlborough Sounds. Students build confidence, resilience, and make new friends through activities such as sailing, waka ama, ropes course, and camping.
YOUTH HORIZONS 2024
A 6 day course for youth with an intellectual disability (16-21yrs)
Sat 6 – Thu 11 Jan 2024
(Supervision on flights from Auckland and Ferry from Wellington is provided for this course)
LEAPS & BOUNDS ACTIVATE 2024
An 8 day course for physically disabled youth (13 to 16yrs) to attend with a parent or caregiver
Sun 7 - Sun 14 April 2024
YOUTH ACTIVATE 2024
An 8 day course for physically disabled youth aged 16-17 years
Sat 20 - Sat 27 April 2024
To find out more see www.outwardbound.co.nz/adapted or contact us:
Email: adapted@outwardbound.co.nz
Freephone: 0800 688 927
Musac Edge portal and app guide
We have an updated guide on how to use the Edge caregiver portal/app that allows you to view school information about your child(ren), and to pay school bills online if your school supports this. The portal & app gives you quick and easy access to the information for the children in your care and can receive announcements and notifications from the school. Please view the guide here
Got any News to Share?
We love celebrating our students' success. Photos are always a bonus! Please let me know via email any relevant news we could share - srees@stkevins.school.nz
You can follow St Kevin's College on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
Have a great weekend!
Ngā mihi
Shane Rees
Communications and Events