From the Principal
He mihi teenei ki te whaanau whaanui
As we come to the end of another term – that’s had the least disruption in about 4 years – we can see the changing seasons. In particular, the signs of Spring – the blossoms – a sign for seniors to get their heads into the exam season: switch off the internet; reduce the socialising and concentrate on bringing all their learning into an exam performance – kia puaawai! We always give Term 3 the label of the busiest term – but I have yet to experience a cruisy term in education – and all the more reason for us to slow down and even stop to ‘listen to the whisperings of Grace’:
We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.
Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trusts the form a day takes.
So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
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He mihi teenei ki te whaanau whaanui
As we come to the end of another term – that’s had the least disruption in about 4 years – we can see the changing seasons. In particular, the signs of Spring – the blossoms – a sign for seniors to get their heads into the exam season: switch off the internet; reduce the socialising and concentrate on bringing all their learning into an exam performance – kia puaawai! We always give Term 3 the label of the busiest term – but I have yet to experience a cruisy term in education – and all the more reason for us to slow down and even stop to ‘listen to the whisperings of Grace’:
We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.
Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trusts the form a day takes.
So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
And for the secret work
Through which the mind of the day
And wisdom of the soul become one.
Excerpt from the blessing, ‘The Inner History of a Day,’ from the book: Benedictus by JOHN O'DONOHUE
As we slow down over the holidays, we can practice patience. It takes patience to appreciate every stage of the climb: the hard beginning, the lofty schedule, and most of all, the wearying repetition of the process. So, when it comes to learning, students must be willing to immerse themselves in each stage of the process – and the ‘head-down’ stage is upon them now! It takes patience to overcome the impulse of distraction, the kind that comes from demanding instant results. Then, like the psalmist, they can “wait in patience for God’s promise is forever” to help them do what must be done...study!
Kia haumaru te hararē...have a safe holiday – one day at a time!
Celebrating our Students
Young Singers in Harmony CHAMPIONS!
Globally recognised as one of the leading barbershop harmony programmes for youth, Young Singers in Harmony (YSIH) is an organisation to encourage musical participation and excellence in barbershop singing in Secondary schools. Our Manawa Chorus has had an incredibly successful year, and attending the National Convention in Auckland last week just topped it off. After many hours of rehearsal, the combined chorus from Sacred Heart and Fraser High School took the top honour of becoming the overall champions for 2023 and first place in the Upper Voices category! Congratulations, girls and to Director Lynn Jamieson for her enthusiasm and passion!
International News
As Term 3 has come to an end, we wave goodbye and say, “Sayonara” to seven of our international students. On Wednesday we had a farewell dinner with the girls and their host families, followed by ice-creams from Duck Island.
A special mention to Yuzu, who received a sports award for the Most Improved Player for Lacrosse. Yuzu was outstanding in how fast she learned the game, and played with determination and at an amazing pace for someone new to the sport.
We recognised our International Student Buddy Committee members this week with a special badge. The committee members organise activities, and help us to ensure that each international student has a buddy to help them integrate into life at Sacred Heart. Well done, girls, your work is a great way to start to develop those leadership qualities!
Enrolment applications for Term 1, 2024 are continuing to increase, so we will soon be looking for caring families to welcome an international student (or two!) into their homes.
Sport
Swimming Sports is back!
It was so wonderful this year to welcome back our Swimming Sports, after 2 years of COVID interruptions! All the 50m disciplines have new record holders this year. Chloe Peters holds the Intermediate Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, and Medley. Paige Rameka is the record holder for Breaststroke! Incredible girls!!
- Senior Champion Urban Cooper; Intermediate Champion Chloe Peters; Junior Champion Madison Marlow.
- House relay, 1st MacKillop, 2nd Barbier, 3rd Avila.
- The obstacle course was a hit with the students. Some keen staff members also participated, making it to the end of the course and some falling in the pool ¾’s of the way!
- The piggyback races were competitive, with some choosing to use their shoulders for a ride – piggy shoulders!!…very impressive!
- Our dolphin diving was a hoot, including pool noodles and hula hoops for the dolphins to dive over and through.
Instead of synchronized swimming this year, we had floating shapes, and students had to have a summer theme. Points were awarded for the most participants making the shape, floating the longest and best. We had joint winners for this, Barbier with their boat shape, and Aubert made some impressive floating sunglasses.
THE OVERALL WINNER ON THE DAY – LISIEUX!!
Photo Gallery
Learning beyond the classroom
Meet Miss Moo, a cow mailbox. I am passionate about woodwork and created Miss Moo for my Technology Standard. Ms. Murphy kindly enrolled me in Te Kura so that I could follow one of my passions. The requirements were for it to be creative, eye-catching, and to include recycled materials. I had some help to build the cow to the design specifications I needed; the fabric was left over from an upholstery project, and the spare ear tag came from my father’s cow shed. A lot of research was required for this project. Miss Moo is currently on the dining room table at home. I am proud of the whole thing, especially the brown spots.
Lizzie Seath – Year 10
Notice Board
2024 Production – High School Musical
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP??
The combined St John’s College & Sacred Heart production has been announced. Check out this great website for more details and the audition form.
Attendance Reminder
If your daughter will be absent from school during the day for any reason, please email the Student Coordinator: absences@shgcham.school.nz or phone the school 856 7874 option 1, giving a reason for her absence. If a student will be absent from school for an extended period of time, whānau must inform Miss Gunn. Please email her PA, Ms Ritchie at pa@shgcham.school.nz explaining the reason for her absence, before the absence commences.
Our Vision
Ignite the Passion: inspiring young women to change the world – me aro ki te hā o Hineahuone!