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The registration form is open for our annual Grandparents' Day. All visitors need to register to attend. This will ensure that the children are released from class to meet with them. Please register grandparents for this special day by clicking here.
Next week, on Thursday 14 August, the Thompson House children can celebrate their victory by wearing a little or lot of green.
The number of families signing up to our Hold the Line 'Til Year 9 Parent Pledge continues to increase. There are now 10 classes with active pledges, with a further four classes sitting on nine pledges: 1A, 1C, 6S, and 7C. Ten pledges per class are needed to activate the pledge. If you would like to sign up, please use the following link: Sign the Pledge.
Earlier this week, the National Party introduced a members' bill proposing to restrict social media access for children under 16. The bill aims to place responsibility on social media platforms to verify users' ages and protect young people from online harm, including cyberbullying, addiction, and exposure to inappropriate content. This initiative closely mirrors legislation passed in Australia and reflects growing global concern about the impact of digital environments on children’s development. As educators and parents, we are increasingly aware of the challenges posed by early and unsupervised access to social media.
Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation offers compelling research that supports this direction. Haidt argues that the shift from a “play-based childhood” to a “phone-based childhood” has contributed to rising levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress among young people. He advocates for delaying social media use until at least age 16 and calls for stronger societal and legislative support to help families navigate the digital landscape.
We continue to prioritise well-being and real-world connection. The Hold the Line initiative encourages healthy boundaries around technology and promotes face-to-face interaction and play. Whether through policy, education, or community dialogue, protecting our children’s mental health in the digital age requires collective action.
StACTalks Follow-Up: Technology Well-being
If you are keen to engage in discussion on this important topic (and following on from our StACTalk), we’re pleased to offer a series of café mornings to continue the conversation around technology, smartphones, and student well-being. These informal sessions will provide:
Session Schedule: Preparatory School Library | Tuesdays, 8.45am–9.30am
Parents/caregivers are welcome to purchase a coffee from Staccato Café upstairs before heading to the Library. No RSVP is required to join these sessions. We look forward to welcoming you and continuing this important conversation together.
Regards
Jonathan Bierwirth
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy for Rector
The sports exchange with Hadlow Preparatory School featured four exciting fixtures, each showcasing grit, teamwork, and school spirit. The St Andrew's Mixed hockey team faced a challenging match, and went down by a significant margin, but kept battling to the end. The Girls' A netball team edged out a close contest with a well-earned four-point victory. The Sevens rugby team fought hard in a physical game, ultimately falling 0–12 in a valiant effort. Football delivered the standout result of the day, dominating with confidence in a 5–1 win. A great day of sport, camaraderie, and learning, well done to all players involved!
The Canterbury Primary Schools Sports Association (CPSSA) indoor basketball tournament was held on Wednesday. The Preparatory School Senior Girls’ team faced a tough opening draw. Despite the early setback, they showed resilience and determination, winning all remaining pool matches to top their group. The girls dug deep in their quarter and semi-final games, to earn a well-deserved spot in the final. The championship match against Kaiapoi North School was a nail-biting battle, with only two points separating them at the final whistle, in Kaiapoi North's favour.
The Senior A Boys' basketball team delivered a dominant performance. They cruised through pool play and the quarterfinals, winning by impressive margins. Their semi-final clash against a talented Christ the King School side was a true test, but the boys held firm to earn their place in the final. The championship game was a point-for-point thriller, with both teams refusing to back down. In the dying seconds Austen Fraser (Year 8) stepped up with a clutch shot. The boys sealed the win, and with it, the tournament title.
Caleb Waines (Year 7) has received Distinction for his LTCL Piano Diploma Exam. According to the Trinity College website, the LTCL Diploma is equivalent in standard to the final year recital of an undergraduate degree – very impressive for a Year 7 student.
Mia Zhang (Year 7) was announced as a laureate in The Frost Entomological Museum 2025 Hexapod Haiku Challenge. This placed Mia first in the category in this international competition.
The Primary and CAIMS Canterbury Duathlon 2025 will take place on Monday 1 September at Ruapuna Raceway.
Students have been asked to register their participation via their classroom teacher, by Friday 15 August. If there are large numbers, we may need to hold a qualifying event at school.
Date: Monday 1 September
Location: Ruapuna Raceway
Format: Individual entries only – all participants complete all three stages (run, bike, run)
Grades: Years 5–8 and AWD categories (all ages)
Race Distances and Times
Join us for the 2025 StAC Ag Show! Students at all year levels can enter several fun categories, such as baking, art, flower arrangements, and Lego creations, with ribbons awarded for first to third place in each category. Some incredible grand prizes are available, including an animal care package from Rangiora Vet Centre for the animal categories, as well as prizes in the plant and food, and art and photography categories. There will be several raffles on offer, and anyone who enters may be in to win a spot prize! There is something for everyone at this free, A&P Show-inspired event. Come along to Gym 1 to experience all the art, baking, and pet entries, as well as the petting zoo – get set for a day of agricultural fun!
Entry cost: $3.00 per category (charged to College Account).
Entries close at 4.00pm on Thursday 14 August.
To enter your child(ren) into the StAC Ag Show, please complete the relevant entry form(s) below:
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).
