Tēnā koutou katoua ngā whānau,
This morning, like many of us, we woke to the sad news that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away on September 8 ending her reign that lasted more than 70 years. Today we remembered her in prayer and lowered our NZ flag to mid mast as a sign of reverence and remembrance to the Queen. Each of us will reflect on her life and service with our own understanding. I wish to respectfully share with you the message from Pope Francis “To His Majesty the King, Charles III,” as I believe his prayer reflects our message also as a community.
“I willingly join all who mourn her loss in praying for the late queen’s eternal rest and in paying tribute to her life of unstinting service to the good of the nation and the Commonwealth, her example of devotion to duty, her steadfast witness of faith in Jesus Christ and her firm hope in his promises,” Pope Francis
This week we celebrated our annual Sports Evening. With students from all codes seated with their teammates alongside their coaches and managers, the stage was set for a true celebration. We enjoyed the company of parents and staff who were there to celebrate the success and participation of all students in sport. Our keynote speaker for the evening, New Zealand Olympic athlete Toni Hodgkinson shared her journey in sport from training for and representing NZ at many events including the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. Toni remains the holder of middle distance records in the 800m and 1500m. An outstanding feature of the evening was the large number of students who have been selected in representative sport at a local, regional and national level; this is a true reflection of each student’s dedication and commitment to their sport. I thank all our coaches, managers, parents, teachers and staff who have supported our students throughout the year and particularly our Sport Coordinator Mrs Martine McCabe for their leadership in providing sport opportunities for our students. Ruiari Moorehead and Grace Roberts have been dedicated sport leaders throughout the year and are commended for this outstanding organisation and presentation of the evening.
Last week we had our Mixed Hockey, Netball Senior A team, and Junior Basketball team players competing in the NZSSSC Winter Sports Tournament. We are pleased to hear of the success and positive experiences shared by each team throughout the week. My thanks to Justine Butler, Tracy Stock, Henry Kersten, and the coaches and managers who have supported our teams to prepare and compete in these tournaments.
With the start of spring and the warmth of the sun today, I enjoy writing this newsletter listening to the excited voices of our learners as they engage in their PE lesson out on the sports field. After the challenges of a wetter winter, covid-19 and winter illnesses, I am sure we are all pleased to be on this side of winter. We look forward to the weeks ahead and I wish our senior learners every success as they prepare for their derived grade exams coming up in week 9.
Have a restful weekend,
God bless,
Ngā manaakitanga,
John Maguire
Take a moment
““Peace begins with a smile”
Mother Teresa