4 July 2008

Dear Parents,

I hope and trust that this finds you warm and well.  What a variety of events to conclude our second term: our annual House Music and Science competitions, our biennial Soirée and our triennial ERO visit.

Roll:

Sadly we bid farewell to the following pupils:

Chelsea Bundren (Year 6), Robert Lee (Year 6) and Daniel Ha (Year 8).

It is my pleasure, on your behalf, to welcome the following new pupils next term:

Brooklyn Muir (Year 0), Camille Perelini (Year 0), Benjamin Moore (Year 0), 

Thomas Lightfoot (Year 0), Jacky Chen (Year 0), Kiritowha McLeod (Year 0), Dylan Smith 

(Year 0), Rachel Chon (Year 6), Sang-Yun Lee (Year 5)t.b.c. and Sang-Min Lee (Year 7)t.b.c.

Board:

There have been some recent changes to the personnel appointed to our School’s Board of Governors:

Warden: Bishop of Christchurch

Chairperson: Mrs Patricia Anderson

Synod Representive: Mrs Lyndsey Sturge

Vestry Representative: Mrs Johnann Williams

Vestry Representative: Mrs Margaret Yorke

Vestry Representative: Dr Robert Maclagan

P.T.F.A. Representative: Mr Amo Perelini

P.T.F.A. Representative: Mr Hamish Kenworthy

Staff Representative: Mrs Julie Lee

Principal: Mr Kevin Boyce

Vicar: Fr Peter Williams

Board Secretary: Mrs Dorothy Burrows

Year 5 Appointment:

It is my pleasure to inform our School community that Mrs Elspeth Godfrey-Chatterton, currently a Year 5 teacher at Linwood Avenue School, was the successful applicant.

On your behalf, I thank Joe Holmes for her service to St Michael’s.  Bon Voyage Joe.

ACADEMIC 

Christ’s College Scholarship: 

We were thrilled to receive the news that Lucas Perelini (Year 8) was successful in gaining a Headmaster’s Scholarship for entry to Christ’s College.  Well done Lucas.  Callum Salt was also placed 5th in the Shirley Boys’ High School Scholarship.

Science Fair:

The overall standard amongst our pupil entries, for this year’s Science Fair, was very high: Year 0 - 8 inclusive.  May I congratulate the following pupils, whose entries will be submitted to the Canterbury/Westland competition, mindful that our Year 6 entries will be compared to Year 7 and 8 exhibits. i.e. There is no category specifically set aside for Year 6 exhibits.

Year 6

Priyanka Nathu What’s that smell?

Letasha Lowe Maggots

Harry Briggs-Jones Popcorn

Megan Lord Brain Power

Tyler Smith * Solar Water Heater

Year 7

Rebecca Tang How safe is a kiss from your pet?

Laurel Gregory Weather Forecast Accuracy

Blake Clark Pumped

Ella Todd Memory Mania

Emma Pearson * Push Power   

Raphaela Walsh * Does cat litter have nine lives?

Year 8

Te Teira Pitama A flaming disaster

Lucas Perelini Waiting for grass to grow

Pippa Nicholls Fabulous fortunes

Beatrix and Thomasina Loeffen      Don’t get sizzled

Drew Mathieson and Daniel Ha      Buzz off

Kempton Haitana* Now showing...Your drink holder

(*denotes Technology entries.  All others are Science entries)

May I also take this opportunity to thank, on your behalf, Mr Jon Russell, Mr Tony Kendrew and Mr John Somerville for the time (hours and hours) that they devoted to assessing our pupils’ exhibits.

Portfolios/Reports:

Your child’s/children’s Mid-Year report accompanies her/his/their portfolio, which are being sent home at the end of this second term.  Again, this is an opportunity for parents to offer: advice, encouragement and then to set new goals for input during Term Three.

CULTURAL

The Soirée:

Our biennial Soirée, which has become a traditional event of our School and has been happening since 1982, proved to be a memorable occasion.

I thank Mrs Lynne Horwood, Mrs Margaret Provan, Mr Tony Kendrew and Mr John Somerville for their attention to detail and to all of our St Michael’s staff team for their contribution to activities on the Soirée night, which corporately ensured the success of the 2008 event of the year!

Pupil Thespians:

Olivia Parker (Year 8) and Briarna Murray (Year 3) are congratulated for gaining roles in the Kidsfest “Pied Piper” and Original Scripts “Wot’s the Buzz” respectively.

Festival Special Choirs

It is most pleasing to report that we have been successful in being offered four places in Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival special choirs.  There were 652 pupils auditioning for 400 places in the special groups.  Well done to:

Anastasia Loeffen (Year 6): Special Junior Choir

Simone Gale (Year 6): Special Junior Choir

Olivia Parker (Year 8): Special Senior Choir

Rebekah Boyce (Year 7): Special Senior Choir

Chess:

The second term ends with the top five places on the chess ladder being held by Vincent Kenworthy (Year 4), Robert Lee (Year 6), Olivia Ong (Year 7), Florence Fournier (Year 8) and Sebastian Gurobi-Hines (Year 7).  Robert has held first place for much of the year and has proved himself worthy of an elevated position on the ladder with his attacking style.  Robert is now returning to Korea and his skills will be missed.

Early in term three, the Press Interschool Competitions will be held.  That for Year 7-8 will be held on 24 July at Medbury School.  Our team consists of Olivia Ong, Florence Fournier, Thomas Pearson and Thomasina Loeffen.  The Years 1-6 competition is to be held on 5 August at Burnside Primary.  Our team consists of Vincent Kenworthy, Letasha Lowe, Daniel Alexander and Nicholas Stevens.  We wish these two teams well.

H. Kenworthy 

SPORTING  ROUND-UP

v Cathedral Grammar:

v Netball A 11-12 loss

v 1st XI Hockey 3-2 loss

v 1st XI soccer 2-0 loss

v St Mark’s Church School

v Netball 28-14 loss

v 1st XI  Hockey 3-1 win

Cross Country (Independent Schools)

10 year old girls: Simone Gale 1st

10 year old girls: Anastasia Loeffen 2nd

9 year old boys: Davis Gale 4th

Well done to the three of you.

SPIRITUAL

Baptism:

The following pupils were baptised at our 25 June service: Saskia Rankin, Brooklyn Jones, Patrick Harrison, Isabella Culver, Nikita Yates, Daniil Teplovs, Ella Stewart and Briarna Murray.

Entrance to Communion:

We welcomed Cole Smith and Alexander Howie-Smith to Holy Communion on 2 July.  Next term we will also welcome Isaiah Schwanen and Lochlan McNicholl. 

Year Eight Assembly Leaders this month have been: Blake Morgan, Courtney Clyne, Thomasina Loeffen, Oliver Dunne, Florence Fournier, Ashleigh Macdonald, Kempton Haitana, Te Teira Pitama, Samantha Knegt, Victoria Allan, Beatrix Loeffen.

 

Bible Readers at recent School masses have been: Annabelle Priddy, Thomas Pearson, Taylor Alexander, Victoria Allan.

SYNDICATE REPORTS:

Senior Syndicate:

The Senior Syndicate has had a busy, but very enjoyable last month.  We have had a number of visits to help our understanding of Early Christchurch.  Seeing the children dressed up at Ferrymead and tackling domestic chores as a pioneer was a sight I won’t forget easily!

The Victorian Soirée was a highlight of the term, and it was a pleasure to see all attendees join in the spirit with their costumes.  The dancing was a credit to Mrs Margaret Provan and Mr John Somerville, who gave up their own time to teach both pupils and parents.  A special thank you must go to Mrs Horwood who co-ordinated the preparation for the evening.

Around the corner for the Senior School is our Northern Tour and Year 7/Year 8 ski trips, but we should all allow ourselves a break first!  Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

A P Kendrew  

Middle Syndicate:

It is with sadness that we bid farewell to Mrs Holmes.  She was appointed in 2005 as a beginning teacher in Year 5.  On behalf of the syndicate of children she has taught, both Mrs Lee and I would like to thank her for her professionalism and friendship over the past four years.  We wish both her and Ben all the best for their travels.

Middle Syndicate Science is alive and well as was evidenced during the recent Science Fair.  The Year 4 class studied Sound, Year  5 with a technology bias studied Levers and Pulleys, and Year 6 chose a topic and completed an experimental process.  Several children from Year 6 were chosen to participate at the Canterbury Westland Science Fair.  They were: Priyanka Nathu What’s that smell?, Letasha Lowe Maggots, Harry Briggs-Jones Popcorn, Megan Lord Brain Power, and Tyler Smith Solar Water Heater.

Congratulations to James Nicholls (Year 6) who competed at the recent CPSSA Gymnastics and was placed second in the Bar.  Selected also to represent the ISSA Zone at the CPSSA Cross Country was Davis Gale (Year 5), Simone Gale (Year 6) and Anastasia Loeffen (Year 6).

This term has certainly been productive and busy.  We hope you all have a restful break and enjoy the company of your children over the holiday period.

J C Russell

Junior Syndicate:

This month the junior classes were involved in completing a scientific investigation on magnets. The children enjoyed making discoveries about magnets and magnetism and each class displayed their findings in the atrium for the Science Fair.

Constable Brunton from the New Zealand Police has taken lessons with all the junior classes this month in our 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' unit. The children have benefited from the discussions and activities in this unit.

A highlight for this term, for both the children and the teachers, has been the introduction of 'Movers and Groovers.' This is a weekly session which enables the children to participate in a rotation of Music, Drama, Dance and Physical Education. 

There appear to be a number of junior reading books which have not been returned to school. If parents find any school reading books at home could they please return them to school as soon as possible as they are expensive to replace. Thank you.

T V Price

Principals’ Tips: 

As we bid farewell to our Education Review Officers, I am pleased to report their candid comments to our Senior Management Team and me, were that we have: “a learning rich environment” where “our pupils love their learning”.

Have a relaxing holiday in the company of your children.

All the best.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Boyce

Principal