St Kevin's College News and Reminders Term 4 Week 2
Kia ora whānau and friends of St Kevin's College,
This week we had the Cambridge English exam, Year 13 Transition Day, and the nationwide Shakeout. With such a busy week it is lucky we have a long weekend ahead to relax. Let's just hope we get some nice settled weather.
Enjoy the long weekend!
School Notices
- ATLs for this week 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!
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!
Year 10 Course Counselling
Course Counselling for Year 10 students subject selection is now open for booking.
Parents, caregivers and students are encouraged to attend.
Please use the link or QR code to book a time.
This Week at SKC
New Zealand ShakeOut 2023
Thursday was New Zealand ShakeOut!
ShakeOut takes place across the world to remind people of the right action to take during an earthquake.
Drop, Cover and Hold.
You can also practice a tsunami hīkoi (evacuation walk) if you're in a coastal area.
Here are a few pics of several of our students practising what to do in case an earthquake should occur.
https://getready.govt.nz/en/involved/shakeout/
2023 Leavers Transition Day
On Thursday we held our 2023 Leavers Transition Day.
This day we set up last year as an informative day for our outgoing students to help give them the tools to transition from school to whichever direction they have chosen.
Students had the opportunity to choose the workshops they would like to attend over the course of the day.
The group was given the option of learning aspects from Flat Cooking, Car maintenance, Otago Uni, Budgeting Service advice, how to approach Interviews & create CVs, discussions about Road Safety and Social Media, Employment law, and Health Nurse to share what services are available for you to access as you move away from home and keeping yourselves safe and Total Well-being with Former student Melissa Smith on how to have a balanced lifestyle.
An all-round day of what life after school could look like.
School Events
Coming up this term
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
School TV
Resilience
Resilience is one of those skills that all young people need and should have. It refers to their ability to cope and adapt in situations when confronted with challenges such as adversity, trauma, tragedy, or even stress. It is essential to their mental health and wellbeing as part of their journey to adulthood. It is a skill that can be learned from an early age through the support of an adult role model.
However, being resilient does not mean your young person won't experience any difficulties, but it will better equip them to manage those situations. Over-protective parenting can be viewed as being unhelpful towards the building of resilience. Although this may be a natural instinct, potentially experiencing failure is all part of the process. Encouraging children to take healthy risks will help them trust their capacity to deal with uncomfortable situations and increase their capacity for courage.
In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will gain an understanding of how to support their child’s brave behaviour to help them adapt and build resilience.
If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the Pastoral Care team for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Extra Curricular
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:
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.
Fenwick Gala Evening
Friday 27th October
5-7 pm
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 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
Young Enterprise Scheme Information Session
Young Enterprise Trust has a vision to inspire students and unleash leaders for a more prosperous NZ.
Every year, they run The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) for senior secondary school students to “experience the world of start-up first-hand”.
Participating students create real-world businesses and can enter a range of challenges over the year, competing for regional and even national prizes (over $20,000 in the national prize pool) – while also earning NCEA credits, a micro-credential and/or valuable experience.
Our four local high schools have struggled to independently and sustainably resource the programme over the years. But if we support it together, we can lighten the load and ensure that our local young people don’t miss out on this outstanding opportunity.
Date & Time: Thursday October 26th, 5:15 pm
Venue: The Business Hive, 120 Thames Street, Ōamaru
Your registration is essential as numbers are necessarily limited by venue capacity so they need your RSVP, please.
Go to www.thebusinesshive.co.nz/events/yes-meeting to register.
Multi Colour Dash 2023
Multi Colour Dash 2023 – Saturday 28 October 11 am at the Oamaru Race Course, enter online (Multi Colour Dash Facebook page) or at the Rec Centre. 5km colour dash with fun obstacles, great family fun! Raising funds for Sporting Chance North Otago.
10 week circuit challenge at the Rec Centre
Train with like-minded people, strength & cardio workouts with a focus on safe and effective technique and targeted to individual needs, all levels. Mon / Wed / Fri 9 am, casuals welcome, you can join at any time, creche available.
Check out the Rec Centre website or call Di 021 08150688 for more info
http://www.sporty.co.nz/waitakicrc
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