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This week the Preparatory School students celebrated Matariki. The service started with a Year 3 musical composition based on Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God: the skies proclaim the work of God’s hands.” Year 2 students shared their star dance, and the Year 4–6 students' written prayers were displayed. We sang waiata written for the New Zealand context, and some Junior children shared their art process in a delightful video.
Preparatory School Chaplain, Mrs Jillian Fenton, spoke of the Matariki holiday giving us time to rest, remember and make new resolutions for the year ahead. She encouraged students to ask their families to share stories together over the coming weekend. The service ended with an upbeat musical video by Year 7 and 8 students.
Happy Matariki!
Congratulations Rutherford House – winner of the end of Term 2 StAC-Up House competition. The children in Rutherford House may like to wear a little or lot of blue next week on Thursday 26 June.
We have 97 families signed up to our Hold the Line 'Til Year 9 Parent Pledge. This represents 142 children and four classes with active pledges. There are another four classes that are close to the 10 children needed to activate the pledge. If you would like to sign up, please use the following link:
The pledge is a way to commit to delaying smartphone ownership for your child until at least Year 9. It aligns with the College’s position of encouraging free, unstructured play, adults modelling healthy technology habits, and introducing social media gradually and thoughtfully – ideally not before age 16. If you missed the recent StACTalk on this topic you can view the slides at the following link:
VIEW THE PRESENTATION SLIDES >
The interviews next term will be in-person and spread over four days. Please note, all Year 4–8 children are required to attend the interviews.
Please enter and leave the Junior Department via the gate behind the Pre-school.
Entry to the Years 4–8 building is via the front door, and exit via one of the two maglock doors either beside Year 5 (at the end of the building) or beside Year 4 (in the middle of the building).
Please contact Reception if you experience any difficulty making a booking. Bookings will close 4.00pm Friday 18 July. If there is no suitable time available for you, please contact your child’s class teacher directly (via email) and another day and time will be arranged.
Site link: www.schoolinterviews.co.nz
School code: 9vm6s
At this interview, your child’s mid-year report and results will be discussed. Please note, Alex Kelley (Year 7) and Vicki Pettit (Year 8) are available to talk about their respective Mathematics classes.
Please note, Anna Wylie and Heather Orman’s classes are not included in this interview round. They have a different interview timetable. You will be contacted directly by the class teacher with the interview details.
Please ensure you use the Normans Road crossing before and after school if you are within 80m in either direction.
Regards
Jonathan Bierwirth
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy for Rector
One aspect of Matariki is celebrating and spending time with family and friends. It is about relationships, connections and sharing knowledge. The Junior Department has welcomed the opportunity to reaffirm connections across the College by inviting the Pre-school tamariki to join in the fun. Thursday morning included making Matariki kai, woven mats, stars, lanterns, and kites. Waiata and karakia set the tone, and Māori legends were also an important part of the event. Year 7 and 8 classes also enjoyed buddying up with Junior classrooms for their annual tuakana-teina Matariki celebrations over the past two weeks. There were lots of craft-based activities, and the older children appreciated the opportunity to mentor younger students, and to create artistic representations of the Matariki cluster.
Flickr >
A small group of students joined Mrs Mary Leota on Sunday morning at Atlantis Street in the Red Zone, to continue planting trees and shrubs in the native forest restoration project. It was a beautiful winter’s morning, with a big blue sky, and gumboots were the order of the day after recent rains. Around 5000 plants were planted by families from many different Christchurch schools working together.
The next family planting day is in Term 3, on Sunday 27 July. All St Andrew’s families are welcome to come along a plant a few giant trees to add to this forest of the future.
The Junior Department celebrated Cultural Week in Week 7. Each day children ‘visited’ a different country and experienced a taste of their culture. This included performances from the Junior Pipe Band and Kapa Haka, a Martial Arts performance from Health and Safety Manager, Art Preuss, and a wonderful relaxing session of Yoga with parent, Georgie Priest. Children had the chance to share their own cultures with their peers and partook in many other exciting activities within their own classrooms. The week was finished with a Cultural Discovery morning, and then the children showcased what they had learned over the week in a Cultural Assembly.
Flickr >
On Wednesday this week, a team of 13 runners travelled to Ngā Puna Wai for the Canterbury Primary Schools (CPSSA) Cross Country event. Qualifying for the event is a huge achievement, well done to all of our students who represented the College. The runners showed determination and sportsmanship throughout the day. The track at Ngā Puna Wai was full of ditches, puddles and difficult terrain, and our athletes persevered to perform at a high level. Each race featured between 150 and 200 participants, making it a highly competitive event. Results:
All results can be viewed by clicking here.
Flickr >
The following 18 Preparatory School students successfully auditioned for representative groups in the 2025 Christchurch Schools’ Music Festival:
Last weekend, Kelicia Rui En Purcell (Year 8) competed in Ashburton Splash 2025, winning the 100M Butterfly and 50M Backstroke. She came second in 50M Butterfly, 200M Individual Medley (achieving a PB), and 50M Backstroke, as well as gaining a third placing in 50M Breaststroke. The 200IM result was 3.07s underneath the qualification time for the New Zealand Short Course Championships, which will take place in late September.
The College has commenced work on the Religious Education (RE) block in the Secondary School campus. This is the building adjacent to Strowan House and the front field. This work will involve renovation and strengthening, along with classroom expansions, and will take approximately 6–7 months to complete.
A range of controls will be place directly outside the RE block to keep students and staff safe from the activity occurring within. It is important to note, the Papanui Road entrance will be used as the main road into the construction site. We will monitor vehicle movements onsite to ensure safety is adhered to.
On Papanui Road there will also be a full traffic management system set up, to manage the influx of vehicles entering the campus. Please be mindful of the additional congestion this may cause.
Thank you to the families who have supported the World Vision Challenge this year. We have extended the Challenge time another week, and encourage students to put down their devices this weekend to support the people of Solomon Islands.
We’re encouraging students to take part in the World Vision Challenge this month. This initiative asks them to disconnect from a chosen aspect of their daily lives for 20 hours (Preparatory School). This could be social media, gaming, the internet, or even electricity. All funds raised will support communities in the Solomon Islands, where access to food is becoming increasingly difficult. Students who sign up will also gain house points!
This is a great opportunity for young people to reflect on their daily habits, bond with friends and family, and contribute to an important cause. We would love your support in encouraging them to take part.
Students can sign up on World Vision's website with St Andrew’s College Preparatory School by clicking here.
After signing up, students can collect an information booklet from Preparatory School Chaplain, Mrs Jillian Fenton.
Experience the thrilling sounds of StAC Attack 2025! A St Andrew’s College Pipe Band event at the prestigious Christchurch Town Hall – James Hay Theatre, this highly anticipated showcase guarantees an unforgettable evening of traditional Scottish entertainment.
Immerse yourself in the rich harmonics of the bagpipes, the infectious beat of the drums, and the flair of the Highland dancers as they take the stage. With talented St Andrew's College students from Years 4–13 showcasing their skills, StAC Attack promises to be an action-packed performance.
Be a part of the magic at StAC Attack 2025!
When: Sunday 27 July, 4.00pm–6.00pm
Venue: Christchurch Town Hall, James Hay Theatre
Tickets: Adults $59.50 | Students $38.80 (student ID may be requested)
PURCHASE TICKETS >Get ready to jump into June! We are excited to announce that our school will be participating in Jumping June, starting next week. This fun-filled event, organised by the Heart Foundation, encourages students to stay active through skipping, while raising awareness and funds for heart health. Participation is optional, and, to make it even easier to participate, jump ropes will be available at lunchtimes, encouraging students to move and be active. Students will take home a brochure with further information, and we will share more with the students during Preparatory School Assembly on Monday.
How to Register:
1. Watch the Jumping June Student Sign Up Tutorial video on YouTube by clicking here.
2. Complete the registration as a parent/guardian and create your child’s profile by clicking here (select St Andrew’s College as your child’s school).
If you have any questions, please email info@jumpingjune.co.nz or call 0800 377 170.
We will be running a Sport Holiday Programme for Year 1–8 students during the first week of the Term 2 holidays (Monday 30 June – Friday 4 July).
The sessions will be run by a variety of staff. The sports included are invasion games, frisbee golf, basketball, cooperative games, futsal, pickleball, and more. Lunch will be provided and must be pre-ordered.
Please complete the online permission form below, and complete the lunch order form, by Friday 27 June at 3.00pm.
COMPLETE THE ONLINE PERMISSION FORM HERE >
A Year 7 Parent/Caregiver Gathering will be held on Wednesday 25 June, 6.00pm–8.00pm at Hotel Montreal, 363 Montreal Street.
Platters will be provided by Thomas and Jo Patterson (owners of Hotel Montreal and current Year 7 parents.)
Drinks and other food available for purchase at the bar.
This is a great opportunity to meet other parents in your child's year.
Please register for this event by Monday 16 June.
A reminder that in Terms 2 and 3, the Preparatory School Pastoral Care team run several lunchtime clubs. These are overseen by a teacher with support from our Senior students. There is no registration required for clubs, with the exception of Code Club. More information can be found below.
Monday 12.50pm – Vex Robotics (Mrs Kamo) Years 7–8
This is for current VEX teams in Years 7–8 and will be when Mrs Kamo is on hand to support with builds.
Venue: Green Centre, email AMO@stac.school.nz.
Tuesday 12.50pm – Dance Club (Mrs Fenton)
A hip-hop dance class – run by two Secondary School students and supervised by Mrs Fenton.
Venue: Prep Drama Room, email JFE@stac.school.nz.
Wednesday 12.50pm – Coding Club (Mrs Pettit) Years 5-8
Come and learn how to code with CodingNZ. Parents can sign up at www.codingnz.com/enrol.
Venue: Food Room, email VPE@stac.school.nz.
Wednesday 12.50pm – Minecraft Club (Mrs Feller) Years 4–5
Dive into a Minecraft world and create new and exciting builds.
Venue: Downstairs learning hallway, email MFE@stac.school.nz.
Thursday 12.50pm – Chess Club (Mrs Gilray) Years 4–8
Preparatory School students verse each other in a game of chess.
Venue: Learning Hallway downstairs, email LGI@stac.school.nz.
Thursday 12.50pm – Drawing Club (Mrs Meyers) Years 4–8
A mindful and quiet space and time to work on self-directed drawing projects. Students can bring along props to sketch, or online tutorials to follow on their laptop. Headphones for music are also welcome.
Venue: Art Room, email KMY@stac.school.nz.
Friday 12.50pm – Stitch Club (Mrs Cronan) Years 4–8
A club to grow skills in needle felting – follow a pattern or go free style with an original creation. Students will also have the option to hand stitch their own sock monkeys.
Venue: Spanish/Future Problem Solving room, email ICR@stac.school.nz.
The following 2025 photographs are now available to purchase online:
Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website using the button below and you will need to log into StACNet using your St Andrew's College login.
If you have any questions relating to this service, please email photography@stac.school.nz.
For any illness, students should stay home if unwell. Any student should also feel free to wear a mask if they wish to do so while at school.
For any absence, whether ill-health (including COVID-19) or otherwise, the College’s preferred platform for reporting this is via our online form which can be found at the button below:
If you are not able to report your child's absence using the online form, please report their absence via the relevant email address below. If you cannot get through to us via the form or email, please call our attendance line on +64 3 940 2031 (term time only).
