Welcome to Term 3

I trust your son had a relaxing break with family and friends and is now settling back into boarding life. We have a busy term ahead. Please see below some information about events and matters to be aware of.

House Music – Thursday 6 August

Boarding House Parents’ Drinks & Nibbles
The Parents’ Association House Music Festival will be held on Thursday 6 August in the Douglas Lilburn Auditorium, Christchurch Town Hall, from 7pm. It will be great to be back at the Town Hall for this wonderful whole school event, and our three boarding Houses are busy rehearsing for their performances. Prior to House Music, we will host a combined Boarding House Parents’ Drinks & Nibbles function in the Dining Hall from 5pm. For catering purposes, please RSVP to your respective Housemasters if you plan to attend. It will be good to see you there.

Friends of Boarding

The next Friends of Boarding meeting will take place at the beginning of Term 4 on Sunday 11 October, in the Chapman Room from 4pm. More details to follow later in the term.

Health & Hygiene

Hygiene continues to be a significant part of keeping on top of any illness (not just Covid-19), and this includes our expectation that the boys will maintain high standards of handwashing and sanitising and adhere to coughing and sneezing etiquette.

Our health guidelines are based on normal health procedures, as well as Ministry of Health recommendations. Important points to note include:

• Boarders should notify House staff at the first sign they feel unwell.
• A facility has been set up in Jacobs House to enable isolation of students from others in the House, should they become unwell. This facility is seen as a waiting room for boys prior to being picked up by their parents, a relative or friend.
• If a boarder becomes unwell, his parents must be in a position to take him home or to a local relative or friend within 12 hours of the request.
• Parents need to ensure their son has recovered and been symptom free for 72 hours prior to him coming back into boarding.
• If your son has been away from College unwell, he will be given a quick health check at the Health Centre to confirm no signs of illness before returning to his boarding house. He will need to return to College during the school day to allow this to happen. If this is not possible, he will return to the sickbay in his House or to the Jacobs House isolation area overnight until he can be checked.

Medication & Medical Appointments

To assist boarding staff with regard to management of medication or appointments, please note:

Medication
All medication your son needs to take should be stored with his House matron, so she is aware of what he is taking and the correct dosage, and to ensure the medication is kept safe. This includes panadol, ibuprofen, antihistamines and the like. Your matron should also be aware if your son carries an inhaler or epipen or similar.

Appointments
All appointments – for example, orthodontist, physiotherapist, or specialist – you have organised for your son should be communicated with your son’s House matron well in advance. If you require a matron to attend an appointment with your son, please be aware our matrons have time off during the day from 10am until the end of period 6. Therefore, when booking an appointment, please make sure it is outside of these times and contact your son’s matron to confirm her availability.

While we appreciate your communication on these matters, we also expect your son to take responsibility for communicating with his Housemaster or matron well in advance of any appointments or activities that may take him away from College.

Year 12 Leadership

Believe it or not we are at the stage of the year when our Year 12 students begin the process of applying for leadership roles at College in 2021. In boarding this means our Year 12 students step up in their respective Houses to be prefects on duty, helping the master on duty with morning and evening routines. I have said it before, but the 24/7 nature of a boarding House can provide great opportunities for seniors to lead and mentor the junior students.

The Year 12 “Leading with Integrity” Day held at the end of Term 2 has hopefully given the students an opportunity to reflect on who they are as young men with regard to their values and leadership potential. I have previously alluded to leadership in the context of the words “respectful” and “respected” and understanding the different meanings of these two words – you cannot expect to be respected if you are not respectful yourself. Similarly, you cannot be a good leader if you do not possess good character attributes. I would like to think the students take this into account as they work through the application process.

Boarding Programme

I am pleased to report the Boarding Programme is back up and running this term. Another full programme of activities has been organised, which can be viewed here. The first weekend saw the boys head to the Super Rugby Aotearoa game between the Crusaders and Hurricanes, and on Sunday the boys were involved in the Eco-Action tree planting activity in the Red Zone. The workshop was also open for boys to continue to work on class or personal projects.

Be informed about options and subject choices

It is great to get Term 3 underway. It is always significant, especially for our senior students as they get to the “business end” of NCEA. Although it feels hard to believe, it is also the term when our students start to consider their subject options for next year.

All students in Years 9–12 will be asked to select their option choices for 2021 starting in Week 4, Monday 10 August. The Curriculum Studies Guide will be released on Schoolbox and the College website the same day. Next week we will hold compulsory lunchtime sessions for students in Years 10 and 11, as these are the year groups faced with the most significant changes in how their classes will run next year.

Very importantly, we will host an Options Evening on Tuesday 11 August in the Chapman Room from 7–8pm – and I do hope you take the opportunity to attend – click here to register.

The evening will commence with a short presentation summarising the key points to consider for NCEA courses and pathways. Liaison officers from the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, and Ara will be present, as feedback provided by parents who attended last year told us being able to speak to these liaison staff and ask questions about their son’s specific interests was particularly valuable. We have also asked our curriculum leaders to attend, to provide opportunities to speak to individual departments about course options. Rather than sit through extended presentations that may or may not apply to your son, we will have Q&A stalls around the room for the various departments and tertiary institutions. Having a look at the Curriculum Studies Guide prior to the options evening may help you identify who you wish to speak to, and Careers Advisor Chris Sellars will also be available on the night.

We hope this evening will enable parents to find out more about what their son(s) might choose to study next year. As they progress through secondary school, their option choices grow, and it is always our aim to support the boys in making the best choices for them.

For parents in our boarding community who may be unable to attend our options evening, I recommend they watch this Understanding NCEA video. In addition, our Heads of Department, Chris Sellars, and I are always happy to answer any questions via email that may arise after reading the Curriculum Studies Guide.

Self-compassion and adolescent wellbeing

Self-compassion and gratitude are two powerful positive psychological concepts that have been shown to be associated with improved wellbeing, greater life satisfaction, optimism, and emotional and social intelligence. This month SchoolTV turns the spotlight on Happiness & Gratitude.

The road through adolescence is marked with challenges and transitions. During this developmental stage, young people experience rapid physiological growth, including changes in both structure and function of the brain. This rapid development often has dramatic effects on the ways in which adolescents perceive, understand, and interpret their daily experiences, particularly those that occur in social and emotional domains.

Identity exploration, a process central to this stage of development, may stimulate adolescents to self-reflect and to consider their relationships with others, their belonging within their peer group, and their role in society. As they compare themselves with their peers, adolescents often engage in self-doubt and self-criticism, which may contribute to a negative self-image and social isolation.

In contrast to the factors that may adversely impact developmental processes, the science of positive psychology has placed emphasis on psychological wellbeing, and strategies that may buffer young people from stress and vulnerability, increase resilience, and enhance the likelihood of positive developmental outcomes.

It has been suggested that while self-compassion may be particularly low during the period of adolescent development, it is instrumental for positive development. By learning to accept difficult emotions, rather than resisting or suppressing them, self-compassionate behaviours are posited to engender positive emotions and are associated with psychological strengths (Neff & Dahm, in press).

The positive psychology movement recognises factors that promote flourishing and resilience. Through its associations with wellbeing, self-compassion can therefore be considered as one such factor. By intentionally teaching young people to be self-compassionate, to courageously approach rather than avoid difficult emotional states, we may be able to enhance wellbeing and buffer young people from stress and mental health difficulties.

Student representatives at Synod

I am delighted to announce Year 12 student Freddie Sudell will join Year 13 student and Chapel Prefect Ederick He at the Anglican Diocesan Synod this year. Ederick has speaking and voting rights, and Freddie has speaking rights this year and will take up the voting right next year when Ederick has left. Congratulations to Freddie on this new appointment.

Remembering Will

Young Old Boy William Quin (“Quinny”) tragically died in a car accident in Dunedin in early July. Last week, on Thursday 23 July, I was part of leading the funeral for Will, which was held at the Transitional Cathedral. In Year 13 in 2017, Will was also Head of Sport, and there was a minute of silence in his memory before the College vs Christchurch Boys’ High School rugby match on Saturday 18 July. Will and his brother Matthew were students in Somes House, and last Tuesday I went to Somes and spoke to the House about Will and prayed. On Wednesday in Chapel the whole school remembered Will, his family and friends with a prayer, and on Thursday morning at assembly Head Prefect Dominic Edmond spoke about Will and about his memory of looking up to him as Head of Sport, and we again had a minute of silence.

Matariki

Last Friday 24 July we celebrated Matariki in Chapel, looking at the usefulness at this stage in the academic year of taking stock of where we have come from and how we might improve or make a fresh start for the future at this Aotearoa New Zealand New Year celebration. I don’t think I embarrassed myself too badly in my attempt to blow the shofar – the ram’s horn traditionally used in Jewish religious festivals – to welcome the New Year.

International Week

As always, our International Week began in Chapel with the International Languages Chapel Service. This service is a way to acknowledge the languages learned and languages spoken at College and celebrate diversity in our community. Thanks to all who contributed to making it such a successful event.

In the classroom

It was great to talk to so many of you at the Parent–Student–Teacher interviews at the end of last term and start of this.

In Year 9, after having covered the sagas from Abraham to Joseph, we have moved on to the Moses story. These stories are foundational to our culture, and also great frames for exploring and discussing our own values.

In Year 10, we are exploring different world religions and the philosophy of religion – connections and contradictions between religion and other dimensions of our life.

In Year 11, we are now well underway with studying and assessing our understanding of the Reformation, a watershed moment in history. Our school and our city would not be here without that event.

Upcoming Chapel Services

• Sunday 9 August
  
• Sunday 23 August
• Sunday 6 September

Upcoming careers dates

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Options Evening – Tuesday 11 August

It is time to start thinking about subject choices for 2021. Therefore, to help with planning and decision-making, I recommend parents and boys attend our Options Evening on Tuesday 11 August, Chapman Room, 7–8pm. The meeting will start with a short presentation on NCEA pathways by Assistant Principal – Curriculum Nicole Billante, then you will have the opportunity to talk with Nicole, our Heads of Learning, Careers Advisor Chris Sellars, and liaison staff from the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University and Ara Institute of Technology. You might find our Subject Options – Career Pathways booklet a useful resource. It is available online at https://online.flippingbook.com/view/368933/

Curriculum Vitae

A curriculum vitae (CV) shows who you are, what you have done and what you are good at, outlining personal details, academic qualifications, community service, achievements and interests. The aim of a CV is to help you get an interview. Our online flip book Preparing for the workforce has information on writing and designing a CV, and includes information about identifying skills, writing a cover letter and preparing for an interview.

I recommend all Year 12 and 13 boys create a CV, which should include information about subjects, evidence of leadership (in and outside school), and involvement in sport, cultural activities and community service. Universities require such information, as will Housemasters who will be writing references.

University Accommodation and CCRF

The New Zealand Common Confidential Reference Form (CCRF) is an online university accommodation reference form. Students should fill in the CCRF at the same time as they apply to the halls of residence for their chosen university (or universities – they have the opportunity to register for accommodation at several universities on the one form). Accommodation applications open Saturday 1 August and close Wednesday 30 September. The student registration for the CCRF can be found at https://ccrf.dotnous.com/students

Otago scholarships

The University of Otago has made changes to the application process for its entrance scholarships. Students no longer select a specific scholarship, instead they answer a series of questions that will filter down to the best scholarship fit for them, based on information they provide during the application process. All applications must be completed via Otago’s eVision platform. For more information, go to https://www.otago.ac.nz/future-students/fees-and-scholarships/scholarships/index.html

Combine your passions

Most universities offer conjoint programmes or double degrees. A combined degree – whether a Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom), Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc), Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc) – allows you to follow your passions and expand your career opportunities. For example, a BACom graduate will have both a business and creative background and exposure to multiple fields of expertise. Options include communication studies and marketing, geography and economics, English and human resources, politics and management, philosophy, politics, economics and finance, or you can choose to create your own combination that reflects your interests and aspirations.

Immerse & Inspire – Year 10 Careers

As part of the Careers module in the Immerse & Inspire programme all Year 10 boys will complete a student workbook that looks at personal qualities, jobs by interest, and a career investigation. They will also be shown how to use digital platform MyMahi, which is designed to support their learning development, future pathways and personal wellbeing. On MyMahi the boys can follow the newsfeed, and add to their profile: reflections – character strengths, passions, weaknesses and ways they prefer to learn; goals – about self, hauora (wellbeing) and academic; plus complete a pathway planner and CV builder.

Henry Jacobs’ Licence

A person can be ordained deacon or priest but they cannot function in a position or location without a Bishop’s Licence. So it was with Henry Jacobs, except his was a little late.

To explain …

When George Augustus Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand, visited parts of Banks Peninsula in January and February 1844 and again in June 1848 there were no clergy to licence. He sailed to Lyttelton again in January 1851 to meet with Bishop designate Thomas Jackson. At that time, he licenced several clergy at a meeting which he described as “pleasant and useful”.ⁱ Jacobs’ licence was to be Master of the Collegiate Grammar School with responsibility for the Māori population, particularly those at Rāpaki.

But his licence is not dated early 1851. It is dated November that year. Did Selwyn not bring the necessary forms with him earlier in the year, or did he expect Jackson to issue a licence once he had been consecrated? The answer probably lies in the various documents relating to exactly which portion of the country Selwyn was resigning. The original document included the whole of the South Island, but he only wanted to include the areas that covered Canterbury and Otago. Finally, Selwyn resigned the southern portion to Jackson, but Jackson withdrew in October 1851 over financial matters.

So Selwyn sailed south again, with his wife Sarah and son John Richardson, and by 28 November 1851 he was in Lyttelton. At a meeting with the clergyⁱⁱ, John Robert Godley and Christopher Calvertⁱⁱⁱ he made arrangements, which he believed would be temporary, until the whole question of a Bishop for the Diocese was settled. This meant it was necessary to nominate two clergymen who would act as his commissaries “whose direction and opinion should be taken as that of himself, in all matters in which such aid was required”.^iv Octavius Mathias and Robert Bateman Paul^v were appointed.

Henry Jacobs’ licence was finally issued on 29 November 1851. It not only has Selwyn’s signature, but also his seal and the signatures of the two commissaries.

ⁱ Tucker, HW 1900 (3rd ed) Memoir of the Life and Episcopate of GA Selwyn DD. London, Wells Gardener, Darton & Co p352.
ⁱⁱ The clergy who attended were Henry Jacobs, George Cotterill, Edward Puckle, Robert Bateman Paul, Octavius Mathias, William Wellington Willock, Benjamin Woolley Dudley and George Kingdon.
ⁱⁱⁱ Godley was agent of the Canterbury Association and Calvert was Secretary to Thomas Jackson.
^ivLyttelton Times 6 December 1851.
^v Both these men would later become Fellows of Christ’s College.

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