Principal's Message

Greetings, Kia ora, Talofa, Malo e lei

It is important that we remain humble in our own success. It is equally important that we celebrate the success of those around us.

Yesterday we continued the tradition of gathering in the hall whenever a National Title has been won by the College. Kavanagh College Girls won gold at the National Secondary Schools Handball tournament in Christchurch last weekend and the Kavanagh College Boys won silver. Congratulations also go to Lewis Chinula and Grace Apuwai-Bishop who were both named goalies of the tournament and Annalise Wilson who was the girls top goal scorer. The College also acknowledged Corentin Manti who has been selected in the Gymnastics New Zealand Under 17 Double-Mini Trampoline team to travel to Australia at the end of May. We wish him well.

We had teams competing in the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival yesterday and my thanks go to our three student directors Savannah Laws, Kaiser Coles and Valentina Yanez Flores. An amazing effort to organise and direct a scene for the festival to a high standard. Secondly, congratulations to Valentina's piece staring Maeischa Fox and Travers Bloomsaat, in a scene from Taming of the Shrew, which made it to the top three of the festival. Valentina won Best Student Directed piece and Maeischa Fox has won entry to the National Shakespeare Schools Production. Only one student from Otago receives this. She will go to Wellington during Queens Birthday Weekend to compete.

My thanks to students, parents and coaches involved in our summer sports teams as well as those getting under way with winter sport. I also know that staff and students, along with some parents, have been working hard in the background preparing for this year’s production of Annie next term.

Staff PLD (Professional Development and Learning) has continued this term with the staff engaging with four main inquiry themes. These themes are being investigated by the Catholic primary schools as well, with this work being part of the Kahui Ako Community of Learning.

1. Developing Learner Agency in Writing

2. Student Goal Setting

3. Feedback to students

4. Learner Capabilities

More about this important focus next term.

The year is racing by and it is hard to believe that we are already at the end of Term One. I wish staff and students a well-earned break after what has been a tough term for our community. Your resilience and faith has been inspiring. We are now entering the most important part of the church year with the death of Jesus on Good Friday and the celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

God Bless
Steve Read
Acting Principal