3 March 2020 Tena koutou katoa, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Kia orana, Ni sa bula, Marhaba, Namaste, Mabuhay.

Thank you to the large number of parents who attended our informal meet the teacher afternoon. It was a fantastic turnout and showed our girls that they are well supported. Thank you also to our Year 9 parents who attended the information evening, it is nice to be able to meet some of our community at times like these. It has been a busy fortnight. We held our academic assembly, where students who obtained Merit or Excellence in NCEA received their badges. It was lovely to be able to share this occasion with some of the proud parents. Congratulations to the 140 Year 12 and 13 students who received badges. On Wednesday morning we held a very moving Ash Wednesday liturgy where all students received the ashes as we marked the beginning of Lent. On Friday we held our Athletics day. This was a fantastic event with large participation and a really positive, fun atmosphere. All of these occasions help us feel like we are part of the McAuley family, especially for our new students.

Polyfest is now only three weeks away and students (and teachers and parents) are hard at work in the afternoons practicing. I look forward to seeing the performances on the day. Students who are not in a Polyfest group are expected to be at school during the days of the festival.

We still have a number of other co-curricular events to get through before the end of the term. We have more year level retreats, swimming lessons and a swim carnival for Year 9 and 10. We have also completed the first week of Lent. The theme for Lent 2020 is “Renewed by the Spirit” – taken from Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate – Rejoice and Exult. This theme reminds us of the call to encounter God and allow him to guide us, giving us the strength to live out our journey of faith and invite others to join us on our way. The particular focus for Sunday was State of the Environment for Oceania - Caring for our Common Home, and the prayer by St Theresa of Avila is a nice reflection on this focus: Christ has no body now on earth but yours. Yours are the only hands with which he can do his work. Yours are the only feet with which he can go about the world. Yours are the only eyes through which his compassion can shine forth upon a troubled world. Christ has no body on Earth but yours. E te Atua, remind us when we feel alone that we are part of the Body of Christ. May we work together with our brothers and sisters to build a better world. E te Ariki. Whakarongo mai ki a mātou. Domine in te speravi.

Jan Waelen Principal

McAULEY HIGH SCHOOL P O Box 22480, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand

Telephone 09-276 8715 office@mcauleyhigh.school.nz

www.mcauleyhigh.school.nz

Board of Trustees We are pleased to announce that the new Board of Trustees Chairperson is Damon Salesa and the Deputy Chairperson is Bernice Mata’utia. Also, the two new Proprietor’s Representatives on the Board are Mrs Taupule Po’e and Mrs Tangi Tahaafe.

Student Leaders Congratulations to our student leaders who were presented with their badges at Dedication Mass. Proud parents, staff and students witnessed the leaders accept the challenges of leadership in 2020. Thank you to Fr Kerry Prendeville and Fr Martin Wu for leading our celebration. Head Girl Lusia Tapui Deputy Head Girl Savannah Tuiafitu Board of Trustees Representative Frances Sa’u Mercy Leader Cilia-Marie Po’e Liturgy Leader Victory Vitolio Social Action Prefects Jennifer Huynh, Margaret Bartley Social Justice Prefects Helena Mikaio, Marilyn Singh Student Council Prefects Haven Tofa, Maria Hughes Academic Prefects Theresa Viane, fifita Fuimaono Sports Prefects Brigid-Anne Sifakula, Paradice Tarapa Arts Prefects Juana Pahulu, Psalms Lameta-Sione Menorah Leatigaga, Havannah Tovio Cultural Prefects Carol Agafili, Ruby Lilo Health Prefects Leanna Petelo, Mary Lale House Prefects - Carlow Seriya Aioso-Tuitama, Grace Collins - Coolock Harmony Iakopo, Iliganoa Taito - Stormanstown Mele Hifo, Dunmore Kama - Tullamore Ursola Eteru Fuailefau, Dafena Fepuleai Peni

Ash Wednesday On Ash Wednesday our school community gathered together with a Liturgy to recognise the commencement of Lent. Student leaders led the Liturgy and distributed the ashes.

Academic Assembly Congratulations to the following students whose NCEA endorsements were acknowledged at a special assembly last week.

Level 1 Excellence Rosita Auvele, Emily Beniamin, Octavia Fa’aea, Trista Faalogo, Kakala Faavesi, Angela Filimoehala, Olofa Iuvale, Makeleta Lataipangai, Monette Macdonald, Genevieve Pedebone, Maycee Riley, Mahalia Salesa, Melissa Sieu, Siniva Sopoaga, Josephine Swanney, Luisa Taupo, Katarina Tominiko, Nikole Tahaafe, Samara Yaku. Level 1 Merit Keryn Amosa, Valerie Anderson, Lydia Anthony, Jana Autagavaia, Nora Bloomfield, Roselyn Bourne-Olive, Olivia Caqeta, Maima Fasa, Angelique Faumuina, Mele Fifita, Maretta Filiva’a, Lupe Fonua, Sia Halatanu, Masina Henson, Anna Iakopo, Athena Jarret-Tuisila, Sheryl Kennach, Biblina Kiyork, Melody Lale Peteru, Bethel-Rose Lameta-Sione, Saitutuila Leaupepe, Faith Luamanu, Sabrina Ma’ilei, Theresa Mafoa, Elisiva Mafuahingano, Loretta Mano, Lesieli Masi, Senia Mauia, Angel Mika, Angel Muliaga, Cyrellia Nakaora, Rosemary Oppatt, Penina P E Iosefo, Raihara Passfield, Aivale Peilua, Neona Ioani Gamotin Piad, Joshika Prasad, Palasi Pritchard, Madison Pula, Joscelin Raymond Taugasolo, Salome Samiu, Paulina Seko, Peniel Sinclair-Fui, Brooklyn Tainefu, Charlie-Kennedy Tagipo, Tahnee Te Puia-Afoa, Madison Te’o, Claudia Terepo, Loriah Tiumalu, Pina Toeava, Lilyann Tuila, Jayne Vea, Caitlin Vitolino, Susana Vitolio, Shareen Yalda. Level 2 Excellence Fifita Fuimaono, Harmony Iakopo, Airi Ishida, Dunmore Kama, Sophia Laurenson, Menorah Leatigaga, Celine Leatinuu, Ruby Lilo, Isabella Maletino, Joni-Faye Maravilla, Claudia-Francine Nimeti, Juana Pahulu, Brigid-Anne Sifakula, Lusia Tapui, Melessa Lemapu Tenari Pese, Havannah Tovio, Theresa Viane. Level 2 Merit Jacqui Atonio, Lareen Brown, Agnes Carter, Grace Collins, Ruth Davies, Harsha Devi, Ursola Eteru Fuailefau, Juliett Faamoana, Faatamalii Faataui, Leleai Felise, Dafena Fepuleai Peni, Folauhola Fohe, Tokilupe Fohe, Michelle Hananto, Maria Hughes, Jennifer Huynh, Siiaana Iakopo, Isabella Iosefo, Mary Lale, Psalms Lameta-Sione, Joy Lautua, Kirita Leavasa, Regina Lemanu, Heather Mailau, Melemata Makasini, Juweriya Nazir, Isabella Ngametua, Fifita Paea, Lolie Pahulu, June Papalii, Bernadette Paseka, Julyn Perla, Leanna Petelo, Cilia-Marie Po’e, Maria Prendergast, Regina Purcell, Frances Sa’u, Sarah Sa’u, Charity Savelio Mataia, Iliganoa Taito, Michelle Talo, Faatamalii Toeava, Haven Tofa, Liana Tua, Savannah Tuiafitu, Junina Unasa, Mele Vaka, Victory Vitolio, Charlotte William.

Year 11 Parent NCEA Information Evening There will be an open invitation to all parents and guardians of Year 11 students to provide information about NCEA and how parents can support their daughter to be successful in their first year of national assessment. The keynote speaker will be Nafanuatele Lafitoga Peters from NZQA. Parents will also hear about how McAuley High School administers assessment and uses the results to prepare students for their final exams. Parents will have an opportunity to ask questions or have details explained. Please make a note of the date - Wednesday 18th March, 6.30pm in the school gym.

Enrolment Evening Enrolment evening will be held on Tuesday 31st March, from 4pm to 6.00pm. Tours of the school will be led by students and there will be an address by senior staff. Enrolment packs will be available and enrolment forms taken, but no enrolments will be confirmed until after interviews are held.

Library News We have had a busy start to the year in the library with all the books issued over the summer holidays being returned. The importance of continuing to read over the holiday period when there is no school cannot be stressed enough and we are very pleased that more than 350 books were borrowed by students and staff over the holidays. Research shows that reading over the summer helps ensure students keep the reading and other learning gains they have made during the school year.

Orientations were done for all Year 9 classes on their first visit to the library and they are now into a steady borrowing routine. Other classes have settled well into their weekly library visits. School and class librarians have been chosen and are working well to help keep the library running efficiently.

Our featured display in the library at the moment is based on this year’s school theme: Whakarangatira - Respect. Showing respect to the library space, its contents (the books and computers) and its staff is a very important part of our work at McAuley High School.

Careers Corner General news Our lunchtime visits from University and other Tertiary institutes will begin after Polyfest.

Gateway 2020 Gateway will be running again this year for our students. For our parents who may not be familiar with Gateway, it is a tool used in ‘teaching’ students about work. Gateway allows high school students the opportunity to be placed into a safe work environment to learn more about particular industries (areas of work) by way of work experience. The bonus of Gateway is that if the student completes their work placement and workbook they will also earn credits that will be recorded on their NZQA record. Any costs for the course will be covered by our school.

McAuley High School has been very lucky so far, to be involved in the following programmes:

Air NZ Front of House - Domestic Airport

Retail - Spotlight Manukau

Makeup - Cut Above Academy, Auckland City

Community - Auckland Council, Otara, Mangere and Manurewa

Cultural Camp - Piritahi Marae, Waiheke Island

Students are reminded that Gateway is a privilege for our school. Learning more about the world of work will help you with some very important decisions in your life. It will help you to understand the importance and value of why we work, how we work and the behavioural aspect of how to work.

Fa’afetai lava, Mrs Fiaola Careers Advisor & Gateway Coordinator

Polyfest Performance days and times for our groups are: Maori Stage Wednesday 18th March 3.30pm Samoan Group Friday 20th March 8.20am Diversity (Indian) Friday 20th March 9.40am Tongan Friday 20th March 9.10am and 1.30pm Niuean Stage Saturday 21st March 11.20am

Waka Ama - Auckland Championships McAuley High School took a senior team to the Auckland Regatta on Saturday 29th February. The team was entered for two categories, the 250m and the 500m (which included the turn). The team comfortably progressed through the heats of the 500m and, with a third place in the semi-final, they progressed to the final. The 500m final was extremely close and it all depended on the turn. If you come out of the turn well you can make up a lot of places, which is what McAuley did. They left the turn in second place and on the home straight caught up with first place. The battle for first place was now on and, with a photo finish, we were just squeezed out. First place had a time of 2.55.85, while McAuley’s time was 2.56.03. In the 250m McAuley got into the final in lane 6, which meant we had one of the slowest qualifying times but this did not deter the team. From the start, McAuley held a good position, battling for the lead and again it was a close finish. McAuley came second with a time of 1.18.31, just beaten by a time of 1.17.82. It was an excellent day’s racing. Bring on the Nationals at Rotorua at the end of the month! McAuley is ready!

Ms A Hogan

Athletics Day Results Stormanstown 933, Tullamore 674, Coolock 525, Carlow 522.

Level 1 Geography On Friday 21st February the Level 1 Geography students went on their first fieldtrip. They were investigating the traffic management systems around McAuley High School as well as the issues facing teachers, parents, students and visitors coming to, and parking at, McAuley High School. The students enjoyed identifying and photographing the “naughty” cars that had parked on speed bumps, grass verges and blocking fire hydrants. At the same time, they discovered the environmental impact on parking on the pavements and on the grass. As well as the social impact the heavy traffic can have on the local residents. The students enjoyed learning about a local issue which they could help to change.

Mrs Kauhalaniua

Important dates for the rest of Term 1 March Wednesday 18 Year 11 Parent NCEA Evening Polyfest begins Friday 27 Junior Swimming Carnival Tuesday 31 Enrolment Evening

April Thursday 9 Holy Thursday END OF TERM 1

Coronavirus The first case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in New Zealand, however the likelihood of a widespread outbreak is low-moderate. The Ministry of Health's expert advisory group provides a list of countries or territories of concern on their website. The Ministry of Education is working closely with the Ministry of Health to provide the most up to date information to schools, families and caregivers. Please continue to send students to school as normal. McAuley High School has procedures in place should there be any concern for the safety and wellbeing of our students. Everybody should follow these basic principles to reduce the risk of any type of infection (not just Coronavirus) or illness or passing it on to others:

regularly washing hands (for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap and dry thoroughly) covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze staying home if you are sick avoiding close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms if you feel unwell you should avoid public gatherings and events cleaning surfaces regularly (when infection is suspected).

Links for the school Facebook page and Instagram

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