Tēnā koutou katoa ngā whānau,
Throughout the first two weeks of this term, I have observed the peacefulness of our learners and staff as they go about their busy days, engaging in positive relationships with each other. With uniforms, learning resources and all those other necessities organised, our students are now well established in class, and learning is now well underway! Thank you to our parents, caregivers and whānau for the way you have prepared your daughters and sons for the new school year.
Year 13 Learners returned from their “Summit” Journey held at lake Rotoiti earlier in the week. Whilst on the Journey, learners have enriched their spiritual lives, made connections and established enduring friendship within their peer group. I look forward to working alongside our senior learners to support them as leaders in the college. I recognise within all learners a desire to serve and be positive role models to our younger learners. I thank Mrs Lou Maguire, Ms Justine Butler, Mr Paul Bucknell and Mrs Markelle Ward for the support, guidance and care they have provided to our learners throughout the week.
We wish our Year 9 Learners well as they prepare for their “Basecamp” Journey Program in week 4. This is an exciting time for our wonderful new learners to develop new friendships and grow in relationships with each other. We pray that each learner discovers within themselves the wairua of Garin College and a desire to serve and be like Christ to others.
Summer sport online registrations are now open for sign up on our ‘Garin Home Page’; please encourage your students to get engaged in sport and/or the many other co-curricular opportunities we offer within the college throughout the year.
We look forward to our annual Commissioning Mass to be celebrated on Friday 17 February next week at St Peter Chanel Parish in Motueka. Cardinal John Dew will celebrate the Mass in which we come together as teachers and staff from all Catholic Schools in the top of the south to commit ourselves again to the work we do within our schools. Our new staff to Garin College will also be ‘commissioned’ during the Mass.
We look forward with optimism and excitement to the year ahead.
He taonga nui a tatou tamariki – “The greatest gift is our children”
God Bless
Ngā mihi nui
John Maguire