Campion College Newsletter

Lord,

Teach us a new freedom.

Freedom to reject comparison

And to embrace uniqueness.

Freedom to cut ties with greed

And feast on love.

Freedom to abstain from over indulgence

And feast on self-control.

Freedom to leave behind selfish thoughts

And to focus on the needs of others.

Freedom to fend off insecurity

And to embrace grace.

Lord, at this time of Lent,

Thank you for the freedom you bring.

Amen.

Today we received notification from the PPTA that members voted for a strike on Wednesday, 29 March. The PPTA National Executive are meeting this Saturday to consider whether progress made in mediation on Friday gives any reason not to proceed with the strike. On Monday, we will confirm if the strike will take place on Wednesday.

We would like to say a massive thank you to Verdon College and Aquinas College who both held mufti days in support of our Campion College. The funds raised will go towards helping those in our community who have been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. Both of these school communities are showing faith in action and we thank them for responding so generously.

If you wish your child to be Baptised, receive their First Communion or be Confirmed into the Catholic Church please contact Chris Goodwin (Director of Religious Studies) directly at gn@campioncollege.school.nz. An extensive programme will be run with these students in Term 2 in order to prepare them to receive the Sacraments.

The St Mary Star of the Sea cyclone support fund provides small amounts of money ($1000-$3000) to help those who have suffered loss. The form can be completed by others on the behalf of those who have been affected. This form can be completed online or returned to the Campion College office. If you would like any assistance in filling out the form for yourself or on behalf of someone, please do not hesitate to contact the college office.

The form can be found below

https://forms.gle/5eNeVtiQA6ebybMc9

Youth Mass Saturday 25th March at 6.00pm at St Marys' Star of the Sea Church followed by Youth Group in the Parish Centre led by the NET retreat team. Pizza will be provided. Youth Group will conclude at 8.30pm. Please email chris.goodwin@campioncollege.school.nz with any questions.

All Year 11-13 students will be involved in a retreat day next week in the Parish Centre led by the NET retreat team. Students should come to school as normal, go to vertical and then go over to the Parish Centre as the retreat will begin at 8.40am (Monday-Thursday) and 9.30am on Friday. Students and parents have been emailed the details of which day they are on retreat.

It was fantastic to see so many of our students getting involved on athletics day. We started the day with four passionate house chants and things just got better from there! While the official results are still to come out, we congratulate Gregory House for winning the house chant and MacKillop House for winning the most points on the day. We will announce student champs and official results in next week's panui. In the meantime, see if you can spot yourself in the amazing photos that Mr Matt King and Year 13 student Ella Saunders took.

2023 Athletics Day - photographs taken by Mr Matt King and Ella Saunders

We are thrilled to report that two of our school's talented surf life savers, Yahni Brown and Alice Sparks, showcased their exceptional skills and abilities at the recent Christchurch Surf Life Saving Nationals. Despite the challenging conditions with huge surf, they both demonstrated their commitment, resilience, and perseverance.

Yahni Brown, a Year 12 student, put on a truly remarkable performance, earning several podium finishes. In addition to winning the under-17 male iron man race and being named the best competitor in the under-17 category, he also secured second place in the ski race, second place in the board race, third place in the board relay, and first place in the under-17 surf teams race. His achievements are a testament to his hard work, dedication, and talent.

Alice Sparks, a Year 12 student, competed in her first ever nationals and made her mark in the big surf. Despite the tough competition, she made it to several finals and achieved an impressive fourth place in the 2km run. Her skill and determination bode well for her future in the sport.

Surf life saving demands not only physical fitness and skill but also mental toughness, strategic thinking, and teamwork. Yahni and Alice embody all these qualities and more. Their achievements at the Christchurch nationals are an inspiration to us all, and we congratulate them on their outstanding performances.

Congratulations to our Senior A netball team who participated in the Kathleen Henderson Tournament last weekend. It's great to get the first tournament of the year under our belts!

Sandira Halaifonua defending the goal. Photo supplied by The Gisborne Herald.

Alice Sparks works on an intercept. Photo supplied by The Gisborne Herald.

Congratulations to Charlotte Kingsford who was invited to take part in the Sport New Zealand Youth Engagement hui in Auckland. Charlotte had the opportunity to be a part of the national conference of sport leaders and listen to some of the work impacting young people in sport across Aotearoa. The theme for the hui this year was connection, development and belonging. Charlotte was able to provide a perspective on youth sport from her experiences with Gisborne Netball. Well done, Charlotte.

Charlotte Kingsford fourth from left.

Congratulations to the following students who were recognised at this week's Year 7 & 8 Celebration assembly. These students have demonstrated one or more of our 3 C's; Commitment, Community and Compassion and are well on the way to becoming Disciples of Christ.

Isabel Murphy, Willow Brodin, Elias Burgess, Isabella Anderson, Braden Foss.

On 15 March we had a small group of committed SADD (students again dangerous driving) students working with the regional SADD Programme Delivery Leader, Renee Leabourn. Our SADD group planned various ways to promote safer driving within our community. Renee was very impressed by the enthusiasm and creativity that our group displayed. All students are welcome to join the group. They meet at interval every Monday in the library.

Kale Te Kira, Annalise O’Sullivan,Tanay Goldsbury, Pippa Rhodes, Kylie Pinto, Isabelle O’Sullivan.

Student Progress Reports will be emailed out on Monday. There will be a parent afternoon the following Monday, 3 April during which you will have the opportunity to discuss your child's progress with individual teachers. Information on how to book an appointment will be in next week's newsletter. In the meantime, if you have any queries about your child's learning, please contact their learning mentor.

We love hearing from our former students and seeing where they are now. It's great to see last year's Year 13 student, Bobby, putting his Campion values to good use. We wish you well, Bobby.

With our main water pipeline still out of action, we continue to be in a water crisis. This is likely to continue for some time and the more awareness shared about water conservation, the better.

The Gisborne District Council has created ‘Wero Tiaki Wai’ – a challenge to reduce water use. They're encouraging schools and communities across the region to send through photos, poems, stories, tips, videos, and drawings – and we’re asking you to get involved!

We want to hear about everything and anything you think of when you hear water conservation.

Please see Mrs Sadler if you would like to make an entry or if you have any super ideas.

In support of the season of Lent, Caritas is again hosting the purple ribbon appeal. Lent leading up to Easter and the resurrection of Jesus is a time for us to reflect on aspects of ourselves. It is a time to make prayer, almsgiving and fasting a priority and wearing the ribbon can act as a reminder of this commitment. Purple was the colour of the robe Pilate placed on Jesus, and while it is associated with repentance or pain, it also represents ambition for growth and dignity.

This year's Caritas theme is John 8;12, “I am the light of the world”,

which is something we should all strive to uphold.

Ribbons will be available from verticals by a donation. We want everyone to get involved and there will be a mystery prize for the vertical that collectively sells the most ribbons. You can bring money to your vertical form teacher, use eftpos in the office, or donate via the KINDO APP here.

If you, or anyone you know, needs any support with food, bedding, furniture or clothing then please contact the Saint Vincent de Paul Society on 020 4171 8608. They are a local Catholic organisation who is able to provide for those in need. We thank the Vinnies for all the wonderful work they do for our community, quietly and humbly in the background.

Volunteer Teams: We continue to offer assistance to any families in need in our community. Please contact Paul McGuinness 027 226 7466 if you, or someone you know, requires assistance.

Staying connected is now more important than ever. Please keep up to date with all the wonderful things we are doing on our new Campion College Facebook Page. Head over to Facebook to check it out here.

If you haven't yet downloaded our College App, please do so . It's an easy way to stay on top of school admin.

Our church is St Mary, Star of the Sea. We are fortunate to have our church onsite. Our parish Mass times are:

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9.00 am

Friday 12.10 pm,

Saturday 9 am and Vigil Mass 6.00 pm

Sunday 9.00 am

Children’s liturgy at every Sunday 9.00 am

We love to hear about and celebrate our students' achievements.

Please share info and/or photos with karyn.sadler@campioncollege.school.nz