A Message from our Principal

There is so much to celebrate at present! It has been busy (as always) but we feel so blessed to have successes and celebrations to share.

I was privileged to be part of the Bishop’s Shield Team that spent the weekend before last in Invercargill, for the 80th Bishop’s Shield Public Speaking Competition between the four Catholic colleges. The camaraderie, jovial rivalry, and the rekindling of friendships between students from different schools, was great to watch. The Catholic character of our four colleges was a true shining light throughout the weekend. The overarching theme of “Human Exploitation – A Call to Action” gave students plenty of room to discuss the importance of Human Dignity and the Catholic Social Teachings within their debates, speeches and drama. I think our communities of the future can take heart that young people growing up in our Catholic schools have their priorities right!

Finals time for sports is well underway and there has been plenty of cause for celebration in the last couple of weeks. An impressive display in year 7&8 miniball, which showcased the value of our Basketball Academy which is growing in quantity and quality, is exciting for the future. Hockey enjoyed two finals wins this week and I know these wins will be held dear by the Year 13s who have committed to this sport and played for Trinity for many years. To round out the week, we have Netball and Basketball finals, and I encourage any whānau who would like to see some quality displays of sportsmanship and talent, to come along and support our teams.

It was truly special to be part of our Trinity Day Mass last Thursday. Thank you to Mrs Michelle Tili who prepared the eighteen candidates, including two staff, who were confirmed and/or made their first communion sacraments last Thursday. Congratulations to all of these people who have now made this important step in their faith journey. The rest of the day was a great celebration of who we are as a college community and the fact that our seniors asked if we could sing the school song to finish the day – just as they were about to be dismissed to go home! – warmed my heart. Congratulations to Rice House, the overall winners on the day.

Lastly, but definitely not least, we are moving quickly towards the suspended timetable and practice exams for years 11-13. Along with committed service to activities outside the classroom, excellence in academics also requires students to dig deep, prepare well and train hard. Our suspended timetable week beginning in week 8 is coming up fast and students need to be preparing well and training hard now. Please ensure that your young people at home are preparing well for these exams. The old adage ‘failing to prepare is preparing to fail’ still has a lot going for it!