Tēnā koutou katoa ngā whānau,
As we come to the end of another school week, I enjoy the late afternoon sun filtered through a tree bare of leaves, casting dappled light on my desk and warning of the cooler months to come. For some we love winter and all it brings, for some we dread the cooler short days, however we can only but marvel at the beauty of God’s creation and how the seasonal change transitions and enhances our life. With winter we look forward to the spring and the new life and freshness this brings – let’s hang in there now and bask in the beauty and joys of winter!
I am fortunate that with the support of our Garin Board and our college community, I have been given the opportunity to take a short break for the next two weeks. This is a special time to rest, reflect and refresh following the particular demands of the past few years. It was this weekend exactly 7 years ago that I travelled from the deep south to Nelson to begin my leadership at Garin. These years have flown by, each day I continue to give thanks for our wonderful College that is so supported in outstanding ways by our learners, our staff, our parents and community. Garin continues to go from strength to strength for our learners and their learning outcomes. I look forward with great positivity for the future of Garin College and our Mission; As a Catholic community striving to grow as a centre of excellence for Education and Faith development in Aotearoa.
In my absence over the next two weeks, Mr Jeremy Marshall steps into my role as Acting Principal. I thank Jeremy, our senior leadership team and all teachers and staff for their leadership and care for learners. The Wairua of Garin College is alive!
We wish our students and staff every success as they travel to Wellington to compete in the Sheilagh Winn Shakespeare Festival, NZ Nationals this weekend. After winning the regional competition and a significant number of specialist area awards, I am confident our team of fourteen Year 12 students will have an outstanding impression on the audience and judges. Thank you to our Drama Teacher, Annie Millard and Arts Coordinator Sarah Pumphrey for travelling with the team and providing the care and coaching our learners so well respond to.
We look forward to Te Wairua O Ngā Mahi Toi – The Spirit of the Arts festival at Garin in week 9 this term where the talent, gifts and creativity of all learners is celebrated in the College. This is an exciting time too, as we prepare for the rising of Matariki in our skies and celebrate the Māori New Year. Please encourage your student/s to sign up for the numerous fun and creative events for the week of Mahi Toi on the students website home page.
Please also read Archbishop Paul Martin’s first newsletter (attached), this an exciting new beginning within the Archdiocese of Wellington as Archbishop Paul begins his journey as our spiritual guide. We look forward to the opportunity to welcome Paul to our Garin community in the near future.
Thank you, parents and caregivers, for your support and encouragement in guiding your student/s to succeed at Garin. Your dedication and belief in their abilities play a vital role in their accomplishments. We are grateful for you partnering with us in their education.
I wish you all a peaceful and restful King’s Birthday weekend.
Me ngā manaakitanga o te atua
John Maguire
Principal
Take a Moment
Tukua kia tū takitahi ngā whetū o te rangi
Let each star in the sky shine its own light
Whakatauki