Dear Parents and Caregivers,
A Note from The Principal
It is a very warm welcome back to Term 4, which is one of my favourite times of the year. There are a lot of functions where we come together to reflect on the year, and have the opportunity to celebrate together. St Hilda’s Day is a key event on the calendar this term, we count it as an official school half day, so it is important that all students attend. Parents, grandparents and families are also very welcome as we celebrate this significant day in the school’s history.
I wanted to formally announce that Mrs Nicki Holtz has been appointed to the HOD Languages position and Mrs Alison Bromley to the Spanish specialist position. I am delighted that both these staff have committed to permanent positions with us.
I also have great pleasure in announcing that Amanda Burke has been appointed to the position of Director of Development. This is a new position reporting to the Boards which will spearhead our capital development programme to support our buildings plan. Amanda has a long association with St Hilda’s as an old girl, staff member, board member and parent and is passionate about assisting the school to be future focused.
We have also advertised for a HOD Visual and Performing Arts.
Jackie Barron
Key Dates for Term 4 – Monday 15th October – 5th December 2018
Monday 22 October – Labour Day – School and Hostel closed
Friday 26 October – Blues Evening – Chapel, 7 pm
Sunday 28 October – St Hilda’s Cathedral Service – St Paul’s Cathedral, 10 am.
Thursday 1 November – Last day for Seniors
Monday 12-16 November – Year 10 Camp
Sunday 25 November – Carol Service – Chapel, 5 pm
Tuesday 4 December – Leavers Dinner – Museum
Wednesday 5 December – Prize Giving – Edgar Centre, students to be seated at 4.45pm for 5pm start.
RSVP’s
Blues Evening – Friday 26 October, 6.50 pm for 7 pm
Please RSVP to admin@shcs.school.nz
St Hilda’s Day – Sunday 28 October, 10:00 am
It is an important time for our School Community and it is expected that all students will attend the Service on this morning. Any absences for St Hilda’s Day must be emailed to Geraldine Corkery, with a reason, care of admin@shcs.school.nz.
Guidance
As exams approach it is important for us to consider how we can support students with any exam stress they are feeling. Click here for advice from ReachOut about how you can best assist your daughter during this time.
Passion Project
Support needed for vulnerable teens fundraiser.
Annually a number of St Hilda’s students attend these very worthwhile courses.
In today’s ever-advancing world, we are living at the speed of science. New Zealand students can be at the forefront of this exciting era. Students today will have an average of four careers and 17 different jobs in their lifetime. It is so important that they learn and master critical transportable skills to successfully navigate the fast-changing workforce shaped by automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and globalisation.
Today, our girls have an opportunity to get ahead, to learn and apply these skills at Space School, an immersive international study program designed to inspire a new generation of STEAM-skilled leaders.
Our school is participating in the 2 week Space School Expedition to NASA in the USA during July 2019 along with other Alliance Schools from Christchurch and Dunedin. We are currently filling the last remaining places in the senior and junior groups by 26th of October 2018.
The program comes highly recommended by both teachers and parents of previous students that have participated in Space School. For those parents that were unable to make the Information Evening recently held and would like further information, you can find video resources of both programs below
This is a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in activities and projects not possible in the school environment. For more info: www.actura.co.nz/alliance
Student Achievement
Congratulations to Eliabel Legrand and Evie Rose Grace who have been accepted to the Prestigious Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences.
As members of The Junior Academy, Eliabel and Evie will have the opportunity to collaborate with 2,000 students from 85 countries on virtual challenges sponsored by industry leading companies. These challenges are designed by the Academy’s education experts to help students develop 21st Century skills as they prepare for the jobs of the future.
This year, the GSA received more than 6,500 applications of which 586 students from 57 countries were selected for the programme. To be accepted into the program students must fill out an application, write an essay and have a teacher recommendation.
The annual ReDraft competition publishes the best young New Zealanders’ writing. Sophie Armstrong features in this year’s publication along with Megan Foster. Sophie’s writing is entitled “The Second Time”, a short story of a girl’s heartbreak experiences with a great twist and Megan’s “Our Generation” is a poem that you have to read twice – once from top to bottom and then from bottom to top. Catherine Davidson and Emma De Lange were also highly commended.
Congratulations Lily Chamberlain who has lived a less than ordinary life. From having an alter ego Professor Lily to her years of babysitting experience with her 3 younger siblings, dealing with being extraordinarily tall, and learning to tough it out and turn the other cheek especially when dealing with cyberbullies thanks to her parent’s Catholic beliefs, Lily shared her less than ordinary life experiences and how they had shaped her in a humorous and engaging speech.
EDICM/Future Schools asked six schools to send a representative to share their life experiences so far and to consider how they had shaped them for their future. In return, two of these participants would be offered the chance to have a 12 day cultural trip to Japan. And at Otago Boys’, on Sept 30th, Lily Chamberlain gained one of those places.
Lily will fly out to Japan and spend time in Tokyo before spending a week in a host family and attend Sundai Kofu High school, Yamanashi Prefecture, Kofu, Shiobe. The previous years’ winners shared their experiences and photos of their time there. They painted a picture of an amazing immersive cultural exchange where they learnt so much about a culture unlike our own and experienced sights, sounds, food, and classrooms so different from our own. For ten days, they lived a life less ordinary and had an experience that was by their accounts inspirational and impactful.
Lily will fly out on December 7th, to begin her amazing experience to add to her life story.
Congratulations to Ella Morshuis and her horse, World Famous who won their first South Island title over the break,
Ella & World Famous
South Island FEI 3 Day Event
CNC95 Under 21’s Champions
Congratulations to Olivia Andrew, Izzy Gold, Nicole Heaton and Natalie Hutchens who qualified for the New Zealand Open Short Course Swimming Champs and competed in Auckland 2-6 October. Highlights were:
- Olivia achieving 11th national ranking in her age group in 50, 100 & 200m backstroke;
- Izzy achieving 12th in 50m Breaststroke;
- Nicole achieving 9th in 50m Backstroke;
- Natalie achieving 6th in 50m Freestyle.
Congratulations to Cecilia Crooks who had a big 2 weeks of Cycling events over the Holidays. Cecilia competed at the New Zealand Secondary School Cycling Championships placing 18th in the Road Race and 4th in the Points race, she then competed in the Junior Tour of Southland and after 6 stages was the eventual Women’s U19 Champion.
Congratulations to the Senior A Netball Team who finished 8th at the New Zealand Secondary School Netball Tournament in Timaru over the holidays. St Hilda’s were the only South Island School to make the top 8
Careers News and Events
To view visit the Career Events calendar.
A reminder to check the Sports Draws page of the website to keep up to date with match times. The netball draws are posted each week in readiness for the weekend’s matches.