St Hilda’sparents.shcs.school.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/... · 9/29/2017  · being able to persevere with optimism. newsletter St Hilda’s Collegiate School No. 3 | 29 September

PrinciPal’s Message

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

(Matthew 11.28-29)

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of St Hilda’s

Term 3 has been a term of considerable success and celebration across a range of endeavours. I continue to marvel at the accomplishments of our girls and all that we achieve when you consider that we are a small-medium sized school, competing against schools much bigger than us.

Madeleine Whittaker was accepted for the prestigious Youth Science Forum in London and Issie Robertson had her ethics paper published in the Journal of Medical Ethics – a world first for a secondary student. We had teams of girls at the National Robo Cup competition for the first time.

Our netball, basketball and football teams won their respective South Island Tournaments at the recent South Island Secondary Schools’ sports week. Our Kapa Haka group performed with real class at the Polyfest competition – with over 30 girls now in the group, they continue to grow and flourish under the wise and thoughtful tutelage of Mariana te Pou.

Our girls continue to impress me with their work ethic, vibrancy, and pursuit of their passions. They face a changing world and we are committed to supporting them as they navigate their own paths in that world – while acknowledging that it is not always easy, nor will their pathways look anything like the traditional routes that many of us took in our own careers. This was made particularly evident to me while I was on sabbatical last term.

My sabbatical study was based on researching best practice and published articles on developing and enhancing the wellbeing of girls in high decile/integrated/state/independent single sex girls’ schools. I visited several schools and attended an international conference for girls’ schools, while also undertaking research and a University paper in Gender Studies.

While “wellbeing” has become a widely used term in modern lexicon, it is clear from the research that ‘wellbeing’ is not about being ‘happy,’ but rather about self-managing emotions, being self-aware, being able to handle disappointment, and being able to persevere with optimism.

newsletter

St Hilda’sCollegiate School

No. 3 | 29 September 2017

In this issue

Page PagePrincipal’s Message 1 - 2 Special Character 2 - 3 Departments 3 - 7 Sport 7 - 9 Cultural 9 - 12 Prefects and Student Leaders 12 - 16 Board of Trustees Report 16 -17 Community 17 - 18End of Term Round-up 18 - 20

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I was most interested in investigating practices that enabled girls to self-manage, be resilient in the face of challenges, and to enjoy and learn from the daily successes, challenges, and failures that combine for a rich and rewarding life. There is no doubt that the wellbeing of many secondary school girls is at risk and they need help to build resilience, perseverance, and grit, so they can be effective and optimistic members of our communities in a world where rapid change is the new normal and their roles, now and in the future, are more pressured and less clear.

Globally, the issues for young women are the same. Many are exacerbated by social media, the changing stereotypes and expectations on young people, and how we view our roles as parents. These include:

- The rise of anxiety, depression and poor mental health amongst girls predominantly caused by striving for academic excellence, trying to measure up to their own and others’ expectations, not managing disappointment, and fearing failure.

- The associated ‘toxic perfectionism’ and the widespread belief that girls have to be ‘perfect’ at everything and the consequent poor ability to take on board feedback and guidance.

- The issues of comparison – girls comparing themselves to ‘perfection’ and each other - on physical, sporting, social, and/or academic levels.

- The way social media is exacerbating the problems for girls, with the relentless exposure to cyber-bullying, celebrities, and manipulated images.

- The sexualisation of girls’ images, the consequent shaping of how girls see themselves physically and socially, and the normalisation of pornography that again manipulates how girls think they are expected to look and behave.

- Parents wanting to ‘protect’ their daughters from negative experiences, stop them from feeling disappointed, frustrated, and sad, leading to ‘over-parenting,’ high parent involvement in school assessment and results, and students not feeling they can experiment, risk mistakes or ‘fail .’

Schools that are systematically, purposefully , and carefully building a cohesive and positive culture that gives girls the opportunities to build skills and dispositions that enhance their wellbeing are making the difference to girls’ lives.

To develop a school wide “Wellbeing Programme,” programmes and initiatives need to be internally driven; school wide; have a strong student voice; a common language that is widely shared and understood; be able to adapt to the needs of their individual communities; have buy-in from staff who are well trained and committed; and be shared with, and supported by parents and the wider community.

I finished my sabbatical confident that St Hilda’s has many of those criteria in place already and we are prepared to do more. There is also a total commitment, both within the school and the community, to the wellbeing of young women, an awareness of the role and responsibility of the school in developing that wellbeing, and a dedication to building strong and capable young women for the future.

While there is much to be concerned about and much to do, there is also a lot happening that bodes well for the future.

“If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.”

- Carol S. Dweck

Mrs Jackie BarronPrincipal

sPecial character

Chaplain’s Chat

Ordinary things - water, stones and flowers

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“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little extra.” At this time in the church calendar, we are in the middle of what is called Ordinary Time, the time between Easter and Christmas. The word ‘Ordinary’ comes from the mathematical idea of ordinal numbers - when we order them, 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc.

There are 34 weeks of Ordinary Time in total, and so at the moment, we are counting the weeks until Christmas. In our lives, we might also be counting the weeks until NCEA exams, or perhaps to a special birthday or holiday, and it is tempting to see the days and weeks between now and that important event as just plain old ordinary and not very special.

But I think one of the challenges we face is to make each day special by noticing the little things, and being appreciative of ordinary, everyday things. In chapel this term we have been experiencing the extraordinary situation of having only half the whanaungatanga groups present each time (because of health and safety issues). This has given us extra space and the opportunity to be a little more creative in how we use the extra-long chapel time. One activity we did centered on some ordinary, everyday things, giving them the opportunity to speak to us in extraordinary ways.

Each whanau group was given a glass bowl of water, some stones, and some flowers. While we listened to Cat Stevens’ song “Morning Has Broken,” we each took a stone and - as we held it - we thought of the things in our lives that might be hard, troublesome, annoying, or that make us stumble or trip up, or that we need to let go of. Then we placed the stone into the bowl of water. Then we each took a flower, and as we held that soft, fragile, light, beautiful, ordinary thing, we thought of peace, joy, and hope, and how we might be open to cultivating these gentle and precious qualities in our day-to-day lives. Then we placed the flower into the bowl of water as well. While the stones sank to the bottom of the bowl, the flowers sat on top of the water, covering the stones from view.

Ordinary things like water, stones and flowers have the chance to speak to us in extraordinary ways if we let them. And every day is special, and extraordinary in its ordinariness. As the Psalmist says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Ps 118. 24).

Dr Gillian TownsleyChaplain

DePartMents

International Department

Another term has come to an end and that also signals the end of their time at St Hilda’s for a number of our International girls. Term 3 has seen a group of International girls with us for a short stay of one term and also marks the end of her stay for Reona Fujiwara. Reona came from Ikubunkan School in Japan and has been with us since the start of 2017. As is usually the case, it feels that we now have to say goodbye too soon! Reona has been a popular member of our international group and proven herself to be a diligent student.

Reona Fujiwara

Highlights of her time in Dunedin include volunteering at the Otago Farmers’ Market and at for Trade Aid. At St Hilda’s she has enjoyed making a dress and finding interest in art and fashion in textiles. She also started going to yoga. Since enjoying watching home renovation shows on TV with her hostmother, Reona has also developed a keen eye for interior design and is pondering this as her future career. We wish you all the best in pursuing your dreams Reona!

Thank you for your positive contribution to the school and the wider Dunedin community!

We also say farewell to six students who have been with us for Term 3. Anne Ohnuma, Tomoko Ueno, Yuko Fujiwaka (from Japan), Natalie Neulist, Sara Taube (from Germany), and Bridget Smith (from Australia). It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming these girls at Orientation and enjoying the view from the top of Baldwin Street. We hope you have enjoyed your short time with us at St Hilda’s.

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They have all engaged in the Outdoor Education programme with Mrs Bradfield which has given them some wonderful experiences, including a trip to the famous Tunnel Beach, making s’mores at Long Beach, mountain biking, and a trip to the Organ Pipes at Mount Cargill.

They have even taken part in a hip-hop and contemporary dance performance with Mrs McMillan.

Recently, they cooked dishes from their own culture and served these to teachers and students in the Quad. That was a wonderful experience and the girls really enjoyed getting to share a little bit of their own culture with the rest of the St Hilda’s school community. It was a great opportunity to engage with Kiwi girls using English to describe what their dish was and how it was made.

International Cuisine

Presenting food

Serving delights

During the Benchmark Exams some of the International Seniors who do not do NCEA were able to take part in Activities Week. This involved doing a photo project for a Power Point presentation and sharing some highlights of their time in New Zealand.

Some of the activities also included going on a walking tour to Toitu Settlers Museum and the Art Gallery. On the way we stopped and admired the Dunedin Railway Station.

We wish all of our international leavers the best in their future endeavours. They have contributed so much during their time with us and we thank them for coming a long way around the world to share their culture, language, personality, enthusiasm, positive attitude, and commitment to global citizenship.

It is a brave thing to do and we know they will take their positive experiences of Dunedin and St Hilda’s back home to share with their communities. It is the sharing of these stories that promotes intercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and a willingness to try new things – all important values of St Hilda’s.

Sara Taube, Bridget Smith, Natalie Neulist, Anne Ohnuma, Yuko Fujiwaka and Tomoko Ueno

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Rena Katayama’s achievement in Basketball

Rena Katayama

Rena Katayama is a member of the St Hilda’s Senior Basketball team which recently won the South Island Schools’ Championship. She will now join the team to compete at the Nationals in Palmerston North in October. This is a real honour as only five teams from the South Island get to attend the Nationals from a pool of 24 teams in total. This is a big deal for St Hilda’s and a fantastic opportunity for Rena. Well done Rena and the best of luck!

Ms Ange SpearsDirector of International Students

PE, Health and Outdoor Education

Student achievement and engagement has remained at its productive best during Term 3. Our senior girls have been embarking on numerous endeavours which come to a conclusion around this time. The Year 13s have recently been delivering physical activity initiatives to a range of groups ranging from International students, Year 7 and 8 and even students at local primary schools. This Year 13 group have been extremely industrious and their achievement to date is very admirable.

The Year 12 NCEA PE class has just completed the Dunedin Moro Quarter Marathon for their performance standards. These girls performed extremely well in cold and windy conditions. The event takes the competitors from Logan Park to Port Chalmers. The girls have achieved very well and a special mention goes to Georgia Mitchell who completed the 11.7 km course in a time of 50.14 minutes. She was the third woman home and the 10th runner overall - a fantastic effort!

Mikayla Hill, Melissa Gray and Darcie Crowle after completing the Dunedin Moro Quarter Marathon

These students now move into their Leadership Unit where they will be coaching the Year 7 and 8s in Touch Rugby.

The Year 11 NCEA PE class has just completed their Anatomy and Biomechanics Unit which involves a trip to the University of Otago’s Anatomy Museum. This is a fantastic resource for the city and one I would encourage everyone to visit as it stimulates interest in Human Anatomy and Physiology - maybe just not after lunch though!

Year 10 Korfball finalists

The Year 10 PE classes have again completed the traditional interclass Korfball tournament, which is a St Hilda’s tradition. Well done girls for the energy and enthusiasm you bring to every lesson, and special congratulations to our 2017 champions, the ‘Dehydrated Fresh as Fruit’ team.

Term 4 holds more opportunities, primarily for our junior students through camps and Rich Tasks. We look forward to the long hot days of summer.

Mr Alan WestHOD PE, Health and Outdoor Education

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Tolcarne Boarding Residence Report

This term has been stacked with goodies. The girls have been given the opportunity to listen to different well-being presenters, the opportunity to enjoy the company of other local boarding schools, and also to participate in a variety of weekend activities.

Wellbeing Presenters:

• Sara Richardson, a Dunedin based Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist presented to the Juniors and Seniors about basic nutrition and making better food choices.

• Robert Pereria provided staff training and facilitated evening workshops, specifically helping us understand the thoughts of the bully and the victim, and most importantly, how to become an empowered bystander.

• The Year 12 boarding leaders and Head Boarders were inspired by Janine Southby who chatted with the girls about her own leadership journey.

Social Activities:

John McGlashan dinner swap

• The JMC dinner swap was held, with half of our girls having dinner at John McGlashan College and the other half hosting the boys in our dining room. The boys at Tolcarne enjoyed our favourite lasagne and chocolate brownie and everyone participated in a fun quiz and ‘getting to know you’ speed game.

Junior Social

• Our Junior Social was a highlight; the senior organisers created a fantastic atmosphere with their photo booth, decorations, and music choices, not to mention the delicious ginger lemon punch, fruit and vege platters, as well as the mini savouries, hotdogs, and cherrios.

The Junior girls have been encouraged to particpate in the weekend activities. In the past, this has often been met with resistance, with students not wanting to commit and very few students choosing to participate. As a result, we made a few weekend activities compulsory for the Year 9 students that were in the hostel for the weekend. This engaged the year group and provided the girls with an opportunity to create a lasting boarding memory. Next term there will be some compulsory activities for both Year 9 and 10 students, and their feedback from this will help us plan the 2018 weekend activity participation expectations.

Warrington Beach Trip 2017

The Year 9 students recently went on a Sunday trip with Mrs Rathbone to Waitati and Warrington. They walked around Waitati and went to the beach for some sea air and sand time.

Marcelle Nader-Turner presented a workshop for parents entitled “Rescuing or Empowering your Daughter.” As a parent, it is often hard to know when to step in and rescue or when to step back and empower. This decision can be made more difficult due to the instantaneous nature of today’s communication.

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There is often very little time for the situation to naturally unfold and ‘sort itself out.’ The outcomes of both parenting options, and how to manage our own anxieties as physically distant parents, were also discussed at the seminar. A new initiaitve this term was the hostel conferences with parents, students and the year level Dean. It was great to see some families take advantage of this opportunity.

In addition, both Josie and Maddie, the Sacristan Prefects, came into the hostel for an evening in Week 4 of this term. They sat and chatted with the Year 9 girls about “what being a student at a special character school has meant to them.” The Junior girls enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and felt comfortable asking the Sacristans questions.

The term ended with a very successful ski trip with 38 students participating in the weekend away. Robyn and I loved being part of the ski weekend, and in particular, we enjoyed being with the girls in a different environment.

Mrs Ange RathboneHead of Boarding

sPorts

Aerobics The aerobics squad had their first competition, the NZCAF Regionals, on the 19th and 20th of August. We had 24 routines entered; 14 Individuals, seven Teams (Pairs/Trios), and two Fitness Teams. St Hilda’s were very successful in the event with 15 routines making it to the finals and 9 routines making Top 3 in their categories.

All 15 routines qualified for the NZCAF National Championships at the end of September. Everyone had a great time at Regionals, cheering for one another, doing each other’s hair and makeup, and having fun out on stage. All the girls are now working hard to improve their routines, getting ready to do it all over again and do their best at Nationals.

Emma AlcockAerobics Liaison

Badminton

St Hilda’s has had a very successful winter season. Last term we entered numerous teams in the Senior Inter-schools’ competition. The girls enjoyed the social aspect of the competition as well as improving their skills. After a close final, the Senior A team were awarded the title of the Otago Interschools’ champions.

Winter Quad was held in Christchurch this year, and the Senior A team had a terrific win. This event was lots of fun for the girls, giving them a chance to showcase their skills against the other schools’ A teams. This impressive win meant that overall St Hilda’s placed 1st-equal at the tournament.

Senior A Badminton Team with Mrs Coutts

Also this term, the Year 7 and 8 girls have been taking part in the Intermediate Inter-schools’ competition. The girls have been having lots of fun and have already improved their skills considerably at lunch-time practices.

Overall this badminton season has been really good, and it is great to see such a large number of girls participating and improving their skills.

Emily Perry Badminton Liaison

Curling

This season for Curling the school has seen a rise in team numbers which we hope to continue on into next year. We have had five teams in the local competition; three in the Novice grade and two in the Experienced grade. All teams were placed in the bottom of their grades but this didn’t stop the girls from giving it their all in their games. It has been great to see the novice teams’ improvement over the season, making the school’s future in the sport look very promising. We had a team entered in the SISS Curling competition who placed 4th after a close game in their final against Columba, losing 6-4 after Columba won the last end by 2 points. The participation has been great and we hope to see more girls give the sport a go in the future.

Katherine InderCurling Liaison

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Football

The 2017 Football season again has been a very successful one. The 1st XI placed second in the 1st division Dunedin competition to Otago Girls’ by only one point and the 2nd XI also finished second in the 2nd division Dunedin competition. The following players from St Hilda’s have been selected in the 2017 Otago Representative teams:

• U12 Girls Hannah Langsbury and Bella Gilmour

• U14 Girls Summer Cooper, Emma Andrew, Grace Cotter, and Anna McIntyre

• U17 Girls Emma Black, Kate Higham and Georgia Mitchell

The 1st XI team attended the Lotto Sportswear Tournament in Invercargill during Tournament week and performed well, winning the tournament and being unbeaten overall.

Georgia MitchellFootball Liaison

Hockey

St Hilda’s has had an awesome season of hockey in 2017 with three teams competing in the secondary schools’ girls’ competition and a Year 7 and 8 team in the Kwik Sticks competition. Everyone involved has really enjoyed their season and the improvement in skills is huge! The 1st XI unfortunately lost 2-1 in the final against Columba, but were happy with the result. Our C team had a very successful season, winning the final to place first in their grade. The St Hilda’s 1st XI also competed in Winter Quad in Christchurch where they were placed third overall. We had a huge number of players representing the region across all the age groups. Jessica Faulks, Taylor Duffy and Olivia Hall all made the Southern Regional Under 18 Women’s team. Lucy Girvan, Ana Rathbone, Sarah Johnstone, Brooke McAlwee, Anna McIntyre, and Jordan Meltzer made the Otago Under 15 team. Charlotte Chapman-Cohen, Penelope Chapman-Cohen, Hayley King and Molly Loe made the Otago Under 15 Development team. Demi McAlwee made the Otago Under 13 Collier team while Georgie Lawson, Lily McLaughlan and Chloe Deerness made the Collier Development team. It has been awesome to see the large number of students participating and improving their skills, and the enthusiasm and competition has been amazing!

Taylor Duffy Hockey Liaison

Netball

What an amazing netball season we have had. It is hard to summarise all the teams across all the grades since so many teams achieved great results.

Highlights include:• Fourteen teams finished in the Top 4 in

their respective grades.

• Year 7A, Year 9A and Senior A were all Otago Champions.

• Year 10A were the Dunedin Secondary School Premium Club competition winners.

• Year 9A were Runners-up in the Junior SISS Year 9 competition.

• Senior A were the SISS 2017 back-to-back winners and Runners-up in the Dunedin Premium Club competition.

• Thirty girls were representative players.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the coaches and managers who have given of their time, energy, skills and abilities to assist with developing players and netball at school.

Mariah NelsonNetball Liaison

Winter Tournament Week

Basketball - Junior

The Junior A Basketball team competed in the Junior South Island Tournament in Ashburton, which was a great learning experience for the majority of the girls who were attending the tournament for the first time. After four big days of basketball the girls finished 14th overall.

Basketball - Senior

They got through the pool play comfortably with only seven players before the return of some of the Netballers. The girls then went on to play Christchurch Girls’ in the final, which they managed to win 58 - 43 to remain unbeaten for the tournament and become South Island Champions.

Curling

The South Island Champs for Curling were held in Dunedin and after a big day of competing the team finished 4th, going down narrowly in their last game of the day.

Football

A fantastic four days of Football was had down in Invercargill; it was lots of fun and some exceptional Football was played. The girls beat Roncalli College 2-1 in the final of the Lotto Sportswear Tournament and in doing so cemented a spot at Nationals in 2018.

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Hockey

1st XI Hockey Team with Mrs Dey

It was a big week of hockey in Dunedin for our girls, and they started the week with some convincing, although at times very nail-biting, games. They went on to finish 4th in the Audrey Timlin Tournament.

Netball

The girls faced some challenging conditions for the first three days playing outside but took this in their stride and progressed through to the top four. The girls then overcame St Margaret’s in a tough semi-final, going on to beat St Andrew’s College 38-33 in the final, remaining unbeaten for the tournament and becoming back-to-back South Island Champs.

Rugby - Highlanders Region U15 Tens

The girls had an outstanding day of rugby, going unbeaten to take out Kavanagh in the final 46-0.

Swimming Sports

Havelock House - winners of the House Cheerleading competition

Swimming Sports took place on Tuesday 1st August. It was a fantastic afternoon of cheerleading, swimming, supporting and house chanting. Congratulations to Havelock for taking out the House Cheerleading

Senior 1st - Cecilia Crooks 2nd - Nicole Heaton 3rd - Nicole Ruske

Intermediate 1st - Jessica Scott 2nd - Olivia Andrew 3rd - Natalie Hutchens

Junior 1st - Emma Andrew 2nd - Meg McLaughlan 3rd - Sophie Smith

Year 7 and 8 1st - Ella-Rose Crooks 2nd - Laura Milne 3rd - Amelia Johnstone

Diving Champion - Harriet Jolly

Mr Callum WardellHead of Sports

cultural

Arts Corner

What a busy, exciting, and vibrant term it has been for Arts and Culture at St Hilda’s. We have had Stars On Stage, the Secondary Schools’ Music Festival, Polyfest, the NZCAF Regional and National Competitions, the St Hilda’s Annual Photography Competition, Window Art for Spirit Week, students involved with the JMC Production “Rock of Ages”, our choirs participating in community events, and so much more. Thanks to all the staff and students who continue to contribute to the growing Arts and Culture environment here in our school.

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Kapa Haka

This term has been a very busy term for the Kapa Haka roopu. We have recently gained a new tutor, Lyric Bird, who worked alongside Mariana Te Pou to prepare us for the 2017 Otago Polynesian Festival at which the group performed. For many of the members this was their first time performing at a Polyfest. It was a great experience for the group and we are now working hard toward our important performances at the end of year Prize Giving.

Dayna GallagherLiaison for Kapa Haka roopu

Drama

Year 13 and 12 Drama class on the Turret of Larnach Castle

This term the Year 13 and 12 Drama class worked on “devised theatre.” They were given the location of Larnach Castle as a starting point for this Internal.

The class visited the castle and learned about the scandalous lives of the Larnach family as well as the history of this iconic castle. As a result of this great starting point, the class have created excellent productions.

Eve Scott, Amy Jones and Tamara MasonTheatre Sports Squad

The Theatre Sports Squad also had three girls competing in the Inter Schools’ Theatre Sports’ competition which is an improvisation competition held annually. Tamara Mason, Eve Scott, and Amy Jones performed well under pressure, competing against large teams from different school around Dunedin.

Imogen CorbettOn behalf of the Liaison for Drama

Stars on Stage

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Wish I may wish I might = The name of the performance brilliantly executed at the Regent Theatre on 6 September by all Year 7 and 8 students.

This uplifting item was produced by the Year 10 Performing Arts class: Have you ever made a wish? We think a wish is more likely to come true the more you believe in it. Our performance looks at some of the different opinions people hold about stars.

Tickets were hard to come by and if you did manage to see “Wish I may wish I might” we really hope you thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mrs Rachel McMillan, Mrs Carla Joint and Mrs Shannon Prentice - TIC Stars on Stage

Dance

Ballet

The Year 12 and 13 Dance class have performed five dances at five specific Toitu Museum sites.

Hip Hop

Dance

The Year 12 students had fun getting into theswing of Social Dancing with help from Swing Riot dancer Kieran and Dunedin Rock ‘n Roll enthusiasts Gill and James. They also performed a Charleston (choreographed by Mrs McMillan) in the art deco bus depot. The Year 13 students had to display an even more diverse skill-set with Ballet and Hip Hop in their “Repertoire of Dance.” Dunedin provides us with access to brilliant locations and tutors so we are grateful for the support we received to make this internal so memorable.

Mrs Rachel McMillanPerforming Arts

Debating

The debating team had a very successful Winter Quad. The team was Amy Jones, Isabelle Robertson, and Tamara Mason. After losing their first debate to Columba, the team came back strongly against Craighead in the second round securing a solid victory. The last round saw the team up against a very strong St Margaret’s side, affirming the moot that, “This house supports the development of self-aware artificial intelligence technologies.” In what was a very close and tough debate the girls managed to secure the win, placing the team in a very commendable second place overall. This was the last debating event for the year and it was wonderful to see the girls finish so strongly.

Isabelle RobertsonLiaison for Debating

Visual Arts

Sophie Conner Year 11 - Level 1 Visual Arts - Painting

2017 Submission

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Lucy Cotter Year 11 - Level 1 Visual Arts - Painting

2017 Submission

This term has been a very busy one for all of our Art and Photography students, with the deadline for Senior Art portfolios drawing closer. All of the students have been hard at work trying to complete their panels; for Level 3 students this means moving onto their third panel, while Level 1 and 2 students do two panels. The portfolios are all coming together nicely and the students should all be proud of the amazing work that they have accomplished!

Also this term, the Otago Polytechnic Secondary Schools’ Art Exhibition was held, with each school entering five art works and five photographs from their students. An award of Excellence was given out to one student from each school who entered and our recipient was Charlotte Dippie for her abstract painting.

This term we have also held a schoolwide photography competition based on the theme of “Turangawaewae,” meaning “a place to stand.” This has been a great success with many different entries all portraying the students’ ideas and giving them an opportunity to show others what and/or where their “place to stand” is.

Katherine InderLiaison for Visual Arts

Choirs

The Junior Choir has been involved in lots of different concerts this term, including the Otago Secondary Schools’ Music Festival and the Dunedin City Choirs’ Lullabies concert. Both were amazing shows and great fun for the younger students of the school to take part in. We are all looking forward to next term and what it will bring.

Meg McLaughlanLiaison for Junior Choir

In Term 3, the Madrigal Choir spent their rehearsal time preparing for the widely enjoyed Otago Combined Secondary Schools’ Music Festival. This is an event celebrated every year where all Dunedin Secondary Schools’ choirs join together to sing a repertoire of great songs. The concert was on Monday September 11th and went well, with lots of good feedback given from family members who attended. Madrigal enjoyed themselves, especially when they performed the well-known favourite, the Lion King Medley. For the rest of the term, Madrigal has been preparing for the Bishop’s Ordination and the Eucharist Service. Overall, this term has been a very busy one for Madrigal!

Te Maia Johnstone-WatsonLiaison for Madrigal Choir

Sings Hilda

This term has been a busy one for Sings Hilda. We have been rehearsing hard before school twice a week. This term we have learnt and almost perfected two new songs which we have performed at school assemblies, the PFA Mid-Winter Festival, and at concerts around Dunedin, such as the City Choir of Dunedin’s concert - Lullabies - which was held at Knox church in early September. We were also a guest item in the annual Secondary Schools of Dunedin Music Festival. We have received lots of positive feedback from all events, and in particular, from the composer of one of our songs.

Samantha EllisonLiaison for Sings Hilda

Prefects

Josie CookSacristan

When I first started at St Hilda’s, I was a curly-haired, above-average height, Year 7 student with a reputation for being a chatterbox. I was always one to secretly love school, and walking through the Archway on the first day, I knew I was going to love it. Now seven years have passed and everyone seems to have caught up to me in height, and in just a few weeks’ time I am going to walk under the Archway for the last time.

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Being a Sacristan has been such a privilege and I believe I have learnt a lot in this role. I am humbled to be able to present and share important messages with the student body on a weekly basis, as well as uphold the special character of the school. Working with Maddie Guthrie has been a breeze, and with her at my side I felt confident we could tackle any task thrown at us. This role has allowed me to work and communicate with so many different people in the school community and to develop my own leadership style, while giving back to St Hilda’s.

St Hilda’s has provided me with so many opportunities throughout my six years, such as being involved with Netball, Futsal, Social Basketball, Stage Challenge, Musicals, the Magazine committee, Duke of Edinburgh, Crafty Critters and so much more. Most importantly, I was lucky enough to be a member of the rowing squad for four years; the lessons and discipline I have learnt from this mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging sport have been instrumental in how I live my life. The girls I have met through this sport have become some of my closest friends, and getting to know the wider squad members in other year levels has also been a highlight - the sisterhood atmosphere and the summers in Twizel will be missed. Like rowing, social basketball on Friday nights will always hold a special place in my heart. I never knew that you could have so much fun playing “socially” and I will always remember the infectious positivity in the Hustlers team.

Next year I am planning to study at Otago University and complete an LLB/BSc degree, majoring in genetics. I am really excited for what the future holds, although I will be really sad to leave St Hilda’s - writing this even required some tissues! It has been such a privilege to be a leader in my final year of schooling and I have so many fond memories.

The students and staff have been pivotal in my love for school and their drive and passion in the classroom has allowed me to succeed to my full potential. The Year 13 group this year are an amazing bunch of talented women and I am so excited to see where everyone ends up in ten years’ time. Going through school with such an awesome group of people has made schooling that much easier, and with 2017 nearing a close, I will cherish these last few weeks at St Hilda’s.

Josie CookSacristan

Maddie GuthrieSacristan

In February of 2013, I as a lanky and annoyingly jubilant 13-year-old began what would ultimately be one of the most challenging yet occasionally rewarding journeys of my life. Coming to St Hilda’s in Year 9 was the biggest change I had ever experienced in my 13 years and I think I knew even then to a certain extent, that I would leave an entirely different person.

Being named as one of the 2017 sacristan prefects, was admittedly the most terrifying prospect I have ever faced, however the amazing support from Dr Gillian Townsley and of course my wonderful sacristan partner Josie Cook, has made the experience of being a sacristan an inherently enjoyable, and gratifying one that I am so indebted to have been afforded. In 2018, I will begin studying towards the completion a Bachelor of Laws alongside a Bachelor of Arts: majoring in politics and minoring in film and media studies at Otago University.

Rather than talk about myself any further, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing teachers at St Hilda’s who have over the years, taught me so much more than how to correctly name organic compounds, or why 18-25 year-old males love the slasher sub-genre so much, or what profound universal truth Katherine Mansfield’s ‘intelligent’ use of colour symbolism was meant to teach me in ‘Her First Ball’. (I would argue that she only used it to show off how elegantly she could couple adjectives, but I suppose that’s irrelevant to the point I’m trying to convey). Ultimately, these amazing people have taught me that learning is an art - an art which we by definition will never master, and I believe that is the most beautiful part of being able to know things.

My time at St Hilda’s has instilled in me, what I consider to be a lifelong lust for knowledge which is entirely accredited to the hard work and perseverance of the unique educators who may dejectedly, never know just how much they have shaped my life, but to whom I am so utterly thankful for.

Maddie GuthrieSacristan

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Jess FaulksSports

I came to St Hilda’s as a boarder in Year 9. I was a fresh-faced kid who was very excited about all of the new experiences St Hilda’s would bring. Five years on, having taken almost every opportunity thrown my way, I am glad to say that I have made the most of my time here at St Hilda’s.

At the end of last year, I was given the role of Sports’ Prefect. This has been a great experience for me and has enabled me to develop leadership skills in all areas of my life. Being a prefect at St Hilda’s is a privilege and there are definitely some big boots to fill, following in the footsteps of the previous prefects. This year as Sports’ Prefects, Nicole and myself have had a focus on House and School pride to bring an extra level of spirit and competition to our school community. Swimming Sports, Cross Country and Athletic Sports were some of our focus events, and we were both extremely pleased to say that with the help of the awesome House Captains and the Year 13 group, the participation in all three of these main events was very high.

It has also been great to see all the blue blazers out in force at the sports events showing support for the girls competing, whether it be on the court, field, track, or stage.

For me, St Hilda’s has given me many sporting opportunities and over the years I have taken part in Hockey, Touch, Netball, Volleyball, Basketball, and Sevens, in various social and competitive grades. Sport has an amazing way of bringing people together and allows you to make friendships for life. This is no different with the St Hilda’s sports teams I have been part of and it has connected me with people of many different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

Now that I am in my last few weeks of school I am beginning to look forward to the next chapter of my life and the new experiences this will bring. Next year I hope to study Nursing, either at Otago or Canterbury.

I will really miss my fantastic year group and the homely nature of school but I know that it is my turn to move on and let a new era of St Hilda’s girls enjoy all that I have over the past five years.

Jess FaulksSports Prefect

Nicole RuskeSports

Walking under the archway for the first time as a 13 year old girl I was terrified. I spent the best part of half an hour on my first day trying to make sure my tie was done up to perfection. However, within five minutes of being a “St Hilda’s girl” I knew there was nothing to be afraid of and that I was in for the ride of a lifetime.

I signed up for as many sports and activities as possible and made a bunch of new friends. Little did I know that four years later I would be leading girls as a Sports’ Prefect for 2017 alongside one of my best friends, Jess Faulks. Through the time spent in this role I have learnt so many valuable lessons, met so many great people, and had some outstanding opportunities to grow and further my leadership abilities. A big part of our job is to encourage and set an example for girls on sports’ days, at various sports’ grounds, and by our general school behaviour. I believe our positive, enthusiastic, “give it a go” energy has really helped us lead and encourage girls around the school. We have really made a conscious effort this year to make the sports’ sector of the school greater than ever, planning Junior House sports’ events and Shrove Tuesday games.

I am so grateful for the many things St Hilda’s has had to offer me over the years and the wonderful girls it has helped to shape, many of which I know will be friends for life.

I have been given the opportunity to take part in many events and sports such as Basketball, Netball, Volleyball, Water Polo, School Council and the Production. As an upcoming St Hilda’s graduate, I feel more prepared than ever for the future and I am excited to step out into the real world and study next year, either at Otago University or a college in the USA.

St Hilda’s has taught me life lessons I will never forget and has shaped me to be the strong, enthusiastic leader that I am proud to have become.

I will miss the school and the girls a lot. And I could not have fonder memories than those I have created alongside my friends in my final year of school. I cannot wait for what comes next.

Nicole RuskeSports Prefect

stuDent leaDers

International Student Leader

Tiffany (Huiqiu) Zhou

Coming to St Hilda’s three years ago was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This school and this country have helped me discover myself. Before I came here, I was one of those very hard-working students in China. I would wake up at 6am in the morning and then school didn’t finish until 10pm. All I cared about was my overall ranking in my year, so all the exams, exercises, and books piled up like mountains. As a result, I got into the best high school in the city. In that school, most students could not finish their homework on time. The really diligent ones would have to keep a torch on at night and do their homework secretly under their bedsheets. Some chose to wake up really early at 4am and then continue fighting against the unbearable workload that the teachers assigned to us. Although the academic pressure was intense, the five months I spent at this high school were still fun because there were plenty of clubs and student-run associations, and the canteen was just incredible. The canteen building alone was spread over three floors with various dishes at extremely cheap prices: it cost less than NZ$3.00 for a really good, yummy, yet healthy, meal. The teachers were strict, but most of them were really nice people, just like the teachers here at St Hilda’s.

When I first came to New Zealand, there were a few things that I had to try hard to adjust to, such as the Kiwi accent. Kiwis usually pronounce the E character as ‘ii’, and when my Homestay family first asked me if I wanted some eggs, I was absolutely lost; what are “iggs”?

It was also very interesting for me to see Kiwis walking barefoot, or wearing pyjamas in supermarkets.

I was amazed by how Kiwis could embrace nature, be so relaxed, and just generally not have heavy etiquette burdens on them. Other examples that really warmed my heart are how people always say “thank you” to the bus driver before getting off, and even strangers will say “Good day!” to each other with a huge smile.

Homesickness hasn’t struck me too much during the three years I’ve been here. This is partly because the people around me are so nice.

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stuDent leaDers

International Student Leader

Tiffany (Huiqiu) Zhou

Coming to St Hilda’s three years ago was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This school and this country have helped me discover myself. Before I came here, I was one of those very hard-working students in China. I would wake up at 6am in the morning and then school didn’t finish until 10pm. All I cared about was my overall ranking in my year, so all the exams, exercises, and books piled up like mountains. As a result, I got into the best high school in the city. In that school, most students could not finish their homework on time. The really diligent ones would have to keep a torch on at night and do their homework secretly under their bedsheets. Some chose to wake up really early at 4am and then continue fighting against the unbearable workload that the teachers assigned to us. Although the academic pressure was intense, the five months I spent at this high school were still fun because there were plenty of clubs and student-run associations, and the canteen was just incredible. The canteen building alone was spread over three floors with various dishes at extremely cheap prices: it cost less than NZ$3.00 for a really good, yummy, yet healthy, meal. The teachers were strict, but most of them were really nice people, just like the teachers here at St Hilda’s.

When I first came to New Zealand, there were a few things that I had to try hard to adjust to, such as the Kiwi accent. Kiwis usually pronounce the E character as ‘ii’, and when my Homestay family first asked me if I wanted some eggs, I was absolutely lost; what are “iggs”?

It was also very interesting for me to see Kiwis walking barefoot, or wearing pyjamas in supermarkets.

I was amazed by how Kiwis could embrace nature, be so relaxed, and just generally not have heavy etiquette burdens on them. Other examples that really warmed my heart are how people always say “thank you” to the bus driver before getting off, and even strangers will say “Good day!” to each other with a huge smile.

Homesickness hasn’t struck me too much during the three years I’ve been here. This is partly because the people around me are so nice.

But also, it is because I can always video-call my family and friends over on the other side of the ocean. However, I can recall that there were nights when I just really missed my family and friends because they were not by my side. The saddest moments for me are when I fly back from China to New Zealand, knowing my family are watching me, having to pretend to be strong and independent, and to keep walking without looking back, so that they won’t worry about me. They know I am just fine by myself, but I know that just as I was weeping, so were they. And this saddest moment never changes, after so many flights from and to New Zealand. It is impossible not to cry when you know you will be leaving your family again and won’t be able to see them for six or maybe even nine months.

However, life here is still wonderful. Dunedin as a university city is very student-friendly. There are lots of restaurants and cafes, and plenty of libraries. Although winter can sometimes be wet and cold and windy, sunny days do still exist. Beautiful scenery, fresh air, flowers and birds - everything that eyes can see, the nose can smell and the ears can hear - these things can make a person happy. It is always a pleasure to walk around the city and enjoy the sunshine or soft rain.

St Hilda’s is a great school. Sometimes people ask me, “How do you rate your school?” My answer is always, “Full score!” The students and staff here are so friendly and helpful. Year 13s don’t have to wear uniform, which is the best thing about being a Year 13 at St Hilda’s, plus our amazing common room. I bet every Year 13 girl in Dunedin would be jealous of us St Hilda girls. In this school, you don’t live under any major pressure; while there are internals and exams all the time, these are things every student has to deal with anyway. Moreover, you can always find help if you need it from any St Hilda’s staff or other students. It’s a small school and we all love this school.

Tiffany (Huiqiu) ZhouInternational Student Leader

Māori and Pasifika Student Leader

Dayna GallagherMāori and Pasifika Student Leader

Kia ora! I’m Dayna Gallagher. I have been at St Hilda’s since Year 9 and I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of being a Hilda’s girl. Now, I am not going to lie, but before starting at St Hilda’s, I wasn’t too keen on coming.

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I was absolutely frightened by the thought of having to leave my family, friends and home. I was comfortable where I was and I didn’t want things to change.

But looking back now I can honestly say that I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and embraced the change.

My favourite thing about St Hilda’s is all the amazing opportunities available and things to get involved in. I would encourage anyone to take on any opportunity that comes their way even if it is a little out of their comfort zone. I have been playing for the St Hilda’s 1st XI hockey team since Year 10, during which time, I have learnt the importance of management and teamwork. I also have been involved in many other groups and teams at St Hilda’s such as Madrigal Choir, Peer Mentoring, 1st XV Rugby Team, Senior ‘A’ Sevens Team and I have also been a proud member of the St Hilda’s Kapa Haka Group since Year 9. I love Kapa Haka as it allows me to embrace my Māori heritage and also share the Māori culture with everyone.

This year St Hilda’s inaugurated a Māori and Pasifika student leadership position. The aim was to increase the involvement of students with Māori and Pasifika cultures. I applied for this position because I have a passion for Māori and Pasifika cultures. I wanted to create a better Māori and Pasifika culture within my school, not only among the Māori and Pasifika students, but also within the whole St Hilda’s community. I have come up with many ideas, most notable being the idea of writing a school waiata, with a twist. As the waiata is for the school I wanted it written by the school. As this is still a work in progress it is difficult to judge whether there has been an increase in students involvement in the Māori culture. However, I have had many students approach me commending the idea and also inquiring about the significance of waiata. This role has taught me the importance of effective communication. I believe that when I leave I will have produced a strong foundation in this role which will allow future Māori and Pasifika leaders to further enhance our school involvement in these cultures.

I am also passionate about health, helping others and science. I hope to go into a career which has a combination of these three things. I am not only interested in a career in health that looks at how to treat health problems but also a career that looks at how to prevent health problems, especially with Māori health in New Zealand. Next year I plan on doing first year Health Sciences at the University of Otago. Next year is going to be a big change and I am definitely going to be stepping out of my comfort zone. But if I’ve learnt anything from my time at St Hilda’s it is to take a leap of faith and step out of your comfort zone. So in true St Hilda’s fashion I’ll leave you all with a quote.

“Your life doesn’t get better by chance. It gets better by change. “

Dayna GallagherMaori and Pacifika Student Leader

BoarD of trusteesDuring Term 3 the Board have met on 29 June, 17 August and 28 September 2017.

Presentations

The Board received a report on Social Sciences at the 29 June 2017 meeting which included discussion around an increase in senior student numbers in this curriculum area and the varied courses on offer. Student voice by way of surveys and discussions at the end of each topic and year end enables continuous feedback for the department to better know the learners in order to enhance the programmes.

EOTC has been included this year with students visiting Port Otago and Cadburys for Economics, Toitu for History and the Buddhist Temple for RE. Visiting speakers have been encouraged. Old Girl Anna Ross from Kester Black spoke to Year 12 and 13 Economics students last week and this was well received.

The Board received a report on Digital Technology at the 17 August 2017 meeting reporting on Technology and the new Design Technology which is to be part of the curriculum next year. The Board is happy with the solid progress and foundations being put in place across the school as Digital becomes embedded in many areas of the curriculum and as a stand alone subject.

The professional development and growth area in the Textiles, DVC and Soft Materials Technology going forward will be e-Textiles and digital design (2D and 3D modelling, 3D printing and laser cutting). Digital Technologies (programming, robotics, digital media) will be physical computing (e-textiles, Arduino, Picaxe, conductive materials and electronics. Soft Materials Technology will be around Food Technology.

This year has seen the introduction of the Digital Technologies in Year 7 to 10 along with working on the development of the curriculum.

There are two strands, Computational Thinking and Designing and Developing Digital Outcomes. The stand-alone strand could be the Designing and Developing Digital Outcomes (DDDO). Computational Thinking could be embedded into the whole school curriculum.

Year 7 have started Computational Thinking/Designing and Developing Digital outcomes. They are currently developing a cross curricular project with Science to develop a watering system for the front garden.

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Year 8 having been working on the context of robotics which encompasses programming of the robotics. All Year 8 students attended Robocup regionals and we have four teams going onto nationals to be held here later in September.

Year 9 have been working on the first strand of the curriculum, Computational Thinking and Designing and Developing Digital Outcomes. This includes working on a cross-curricular theme with textiles to create an e-textile garment which will follow with a wearable arts fashion show. They have also completed a cross-curricular project with visual arts for Te Reo week which the students made an interactive e-mural. The cross curricular project with Maths and Scratch Programming included writing a practical application that tested for divisibility. Year 10 have been working on a module of computational thinking, learning programming and digital technology pathways. There have been guest speakers coming in to speak to the students to talk around career pathways of where this curriculum area can lead. There has been an entry made into the Superhero competition with results to come out in September.

Reports

Reports received from the Student Trustee highlighted students’ achievement and initiatives. The Principal reported to the Board against the National Administration Guidelines (NAGs), student activities, health and safety, community and special character and International programme.

Minutes from the Board’s various committees were reviewed.

Self Review

Policies reviewed and adopted by the Board this year are:

Reporting PlanTravel PolicyEntertainment & HospitalityProtected DisclosuresPrivacyAppointmentsCommunity Consultation

General

The next Board meeting is scheduled for 26 October 2017 in the Library at 5:30 pm.

Members of the school community are welcome to attend Board meetings.

Neil Finn-HouseChair, Board of Trustees

coMMunity

Old Girls’ Association

The Old Girls’ Association continues to develop and grow its membership. It has been great to see some year groups of Old Girls enjoying their recent reunions, and there are several other groups planning to hold events in the future. The newsletters sent out by email once a term are enjoyed by recipients, and the website is being added to each term. There are some Dunedin events in the planning stages for later this year and early 2018, and the annual Auckland Branch Christmas Party is planned for November 19th. Anyone interested in any of these events can contact me at [email protected] for more information.

Mrs Amanda BurkeOld Girls’ Association President

Parents and Friends Association

At the AGM held this term, our Chairperson Nick Simpson stood down from the role. Nick has contributed to the PFA with enthusiasm and we send many thanks to him for all his hard work. Our new Chairperson is Ali Copeman. Along with a new Chair we have had some new members join the PFA, but there is always room for more; if you would like to become a member, please call the school office for details.

Our Winter Extravaganza evening at the end of Term 2 was an incredible success. It was wonderful to see the girls showcasing a wide variety of talents. Thank you to all the staff, girls and parents for their hard work and contributions which made it such a wonderful evening.

Our next fundraiser is bound to be very popular; a cooking demonstration by Judith Cullen with nibbles created from the recipes in the DUNEDIN Fonebook. This book is produced by Judith and Michelle Chalklin-Sinclair, and Michelle will also be offering advice on how to take perfect photos with your phone. Copies of the DUNEDIN Fonebook will be available for purchase, just in time for Christmas. This event will be held on the evening of November 2nd . Please look out for details as tickets will be limited and you won’t want to miss out.

Lastly, please keep Saturday 17th March, 2018 free. This is the date for our biennial school fair. Get ready for the information coming your way; as always, we will need school community support to ensure it is a success.

Nga mihi

Ali Copeman and Lisa MasonChairperson Secretary

Anglican Family Care Collection

Dr Gillian Townsley, Olivia Brown and Murphy Scott presenting Lucy Summers from AFC with our

contributions

During our school year we end Terms 1-3 with a Eucharist Service, and each service is also linked to a collection for Anglican Family Care (last term it was the $5.00 Challenge which raised over $5000!).

This term we partnered with AFC to provide school stationery items for students in low decile schools in Dunedin. AFC have a Social Workers in Schools programme that supports vulnerable children and their families, and one need they have is for stationery items that the students can use for homework tasks and projects. Each whanaungatanga group collected up items and these were all brought forward during the offertory hymn in the service. Lucy Summers, the Fundraising, Marketing, and Communications Manager for AFC, collected the items and said she was once again humbled by the generosity of the St Hilda’s school community.

Dr Gillian TownsleyChaplain

enD of terM rounD-uP

NZCAF National Championship for Hip Hop and Aerobics

Travelling Aerobics Squad

The NZCAF National Championship for Hip Hop and Aerobics was held in Christchurch over the weekend of 22-24 September. This year, another large group from St Hilda’s had qualified for the National competition with 41 students making the trip.

The Hip Hop Competition was held on Friday night. Two crews from St Hilda’s took to the stage, and even though they did not manage to qualify for the finals, they both represented the school with determination and a highly polished performances.

On Saturday morning, heats for the Competitive Aerobics Championship began, with 29 athletes representing St Hilda’s. A very successful day saw intense competition with all athletes qualifying for their finals on Sunday.

The students all impressed with their ability to raise to the challenge and were rewarded with some impressive results.

The prized NZCAF School Challenge Shield was again up for grabs, decided based on Most 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings by a school. For the second year in a row, St Hilda’s has won this award.

It was an exceptional weekend of team work, perseverance, support and outstanding execution. It is always impressive to see the months of hard work coming to fruition and the girls reaping the rewards of their dedication.

A big thank you to the staff that attended the event, the coaches and the ever supportive parents.

Results from the weekend are as follows:

Intermediate TeamSummer Cooper and Stella Rathbone - 4th

Rookie Team Year 9-13Annie Timu and Zoe Whyte - 2nd Natalie Hutchens and Ella Rose Capil - 3rd Rosalie Leaper and Analee Toro - 4th

Secondary Junior TeamsMaia Lamb and Gabi Horo - 4thBrizella (Bella Devereux, Izzy Johnston, Branwen Jones) - 5th

Secondary Senior TeamsZara Anthony-Whigham and Isabel Woodhouse - 3rd

Secondary Novice Year 9-13Trinity Maydon - 3rd

Secondary Junior Open NoviceGrace Brenssell - 1st

Secondary Senior Open NoviceSian Hanlin - 1st

Secondary Senior OpenEmma Alcock - 2nd

Secondary Fitness TeamsParty Rockers (Emma Alcock, Hannah Alcock, Sian Hanlin, Lydia Holmes,Georgia Rathbone, Millie Scully) - 2nd

Sassters (Libby Ward, Isabel Woodhouse, Zara Anthony-Whigham, Amelia Phillips, Lily Mole, Madi Thomson) - 3rd

La Fiesta (including Lily Hornal) - 4th

Mrs Donna SmithTIC Hip Hop and Aerobics

Bishop Steven Benford’s Ordination

We have a new Bishop! On Friday September 22nd, at St Paul’s Cathedral, Rev Dr Steven Benford was ordained as the tenth Bishop of Dunedin. The Cathedral was packed with people from every corner of the diocese, all wanting to be part of this special occasion.

I sat next to a couple who had come down from Oamaru, and they said that they had also been to the ordination of Penny Jamieson in 1990, who then became the first woman in the world to be ordained as a diocesan bishop in the Anglican church. While this latest ordination might not be as historic as that one, any ordination of a Bishop is still a significant event in the life of our community. After all, in the almost 150 year history of our diocese, we have only had ten such ordinations!

Steven and his wife Lorraine have come to New Zealand from London, although they have previously lived in Oamaru where Steven worked as a GP. During this time, he also set up a free clinic and worked at the Dunedin Hospital one day a week. Lorraine was born in Dunedin and grew up in Gore, so for her this shift back to New Zealand is like coming home.

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Secondary Senior OpenEmma Alcock - 2nd

Secondary Fitness TeamsParty Rockers (Emma Alcock, Hannah Alcock, Sian Hanlin, Lydia Holmes,Georgia Rathbone, Millie Scully) - 2nd

Sassters (Libby Ward, Isabel Woodhouse, Zara Anthony-Whigham, Amelia Phillips, Lily Mole, Madi Thomson) - 3rd

La Fiesta (including Lily Hornal) - 4th

Mrs Donna SmithTIC Hip Hop and Aerobics

Bishop Steven Benford’s Ordination

We have a new Bishop! On Friday September 22nd, at St Paul’s Cathedral, Rev Dr Steven Benford was ordained as the tenth Bishop of Dunedin. The Cathedral was packed with people from every corner of the diocese, all wanting to be part of this special occasion.

I sat next to a couple who had come down from Oamaru, and they said that they had also been to the ordination of Penny Jamieson in 1990, who then became the first woman in the world to be ordained as a diocesan bishop in the Anglican church. While this latest ordination might not be as historic as that one, any ordination of a Bishop is still a significant event in the life of our community. After all, in the almost 150 year history of our diocese, we have only had ten such ordinations!

Steven and his wife Lorraine have come to New Zealand from London, although they have previously lived in Oamaru where Steven worked as a GP. During this time, he also set up a free clinic and worked at the Dunedin Hospital one day a week. Lorraine was born in Dunedin and grew up in Gore, so for her this shift back to New Zealand is like coming home.

The ordination service began with Steven and his family being called into the Cathedral by representatives of Kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki. Many Bishops from all over New Zealand were present, while the Archbishop, The Most Rev Philip Richardson, presided over the service. St Hilda’s students also took part in the service, singing in the Cathedral Choir, meeting and ushering guests at the doors, and taking the collection up to the altar.

The most interesting role, however, was carried out by one of the Sacristans, Josie Cook. Once a Bishop is ordained, they are escorted to their cathedra - the special “throne” on which they sit (which is why the building is called a cathedral, since it houses the cathdra which represents the authority of the bishop). Therefore, as a chosen representative of the people of the diocese, Josie, along with three other representatives, escorted Steven to his cathedra. Sometimes the new bishop is actively taken by the hand and led to the cathedra, but Josie tells me that this didn’t happen this time.

After the service, about 60 students from Selwyn College welcomed our new bishop with a beautiful waiata and an intense haka. A light supper followed, accompanied by several welcome speeches, and everyone drifted home with a sense of being part of something very special.

Next term will provide our school community with some opportunities to meet Bishop Steven, at Prize Giving and Leavers’ Service, but also hopefully at our St Hilda’s Day Service on October 29th.

Dr Gillian TownsleyChaplain

Learning Conversations

The Learning Conversations will take place on Monday 16th October throughout the day beginning at 9.30am for all levels and on Thursday 19th October from 6.00pm to 9.00pm for senior students and their parents only.

School will be open for Learning Conversations all day on the Monday and there will be no formal timetabled classes. Girls will not be required to attend classes, but will be expected to attend the Learning Conversation meetings as booked. Girls do not need to wear school uniform on this day.

Appointments can be made through the website https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/ and you can log in with the following code: k9u52

The site has been open for bookings from Friday 29th September and will close on Friday 13th October at 4:30 pm.

Mrs Judy MawAssistant Principal

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Library Week

Evie Rose Grace, Hannah McCoubrey and Amelie Warlow enjoying their Harry Potter

theme for dress-up day

Library week had another successful year. Benchmark exams were happening during part of the week, so we planned accordingly to have a junior student focus for the beginning of the week and a whole school focus at the end of the week. Staff members were involved this year by passionately sharing some of their favourite reads with the students during Junior Assembly, as well as providing a bit of guessing fun with their Selfie Shelfies. Students were asked to guess which staff member’s selfie matched with the correct photo of their bookshelf. The girls had a great time scratching their heads, trying to make the correct matches.

On the Thursday of library week, we celebrated our love of reading by having a dress-up day where students and staff were invited to dress like a favourite character from a book or create a costume inspired by a book. Many participated in this fun event, getting creative and wacky with their costumes. During assembly Whanau groups also presented the books they chose to donate to the library. Thanks to our Whanau groups, we have a great selection of new reads that add some excitement to our growing collection.

Additional competitions were held this year as well. We created Book Spine Poetry by crafting poems using the titles on the spines of books, stacking them one on top of the other, and using the titles like lines of poetry. We also ran a Blackout Poetry table during lunch time so that the students could try creating poems out of old newspaper articles or book pages.

They drew boxes around keywords or phrases to create a poem, and shaded in the rest of the words with a black pen. Some people got really creative and created images with their shading as well.

Lastly, we also included other activities such as daily quizzes, book sales, Love Letters and Break-Up Letters to the library, find the hidden Pippis and a Book Face gallery where girls took a photo of themselves, using the face on a book to cover their own.

Thank you to all who participated and helped make Library Week 2017 a rousing success!

Library Week Winners:Selfie Shelfies: Tessa Putt, Year 8

Book Spine Poetry: Rosa Smith and Hannah McCoubrey

Year 7

Blackout Poetry: Emma Boult, Year 8

Love Letters and Eliabel LegrandBreak-Up Letters to Year 7the Library:

Mrs Carlyng WhenhamLibrarian

Arts Assembly

Fresh Prince Hip Hop Crew

The Term 3 Arts Assembly was held on the final Tuesday of Term and was a wonderful celebration of the Arts and Culture happening at all levels throughout St Hilda’s. Hip Hop, Senior Kapa Haka, Highland Dance, Aerobics and Satire all featured along with prize giving for the annual photography competition and fond farewells to members of the St Hilda’s student whanau.

Highlights are hard to pick because everyone was phenomenal but the surprise appearance by the St Hilda’s Staff Hip Hop Crew - complete with a boom box toting Mrs Barron has to rate way up there! The crowd was wowed!

Thanks to everyone who performed and happy holidays.

Ms Barbara PowerArts Coordinator Page 20