End-of-year event dates

In the period leading up to Years 12–13 students going on exam leave, all day Houses will hold their prize-giving dinners in the Dining Hall.

Thursday 30 November
6–7pm – Carols on The Quad
7pm – Boarding Houses prize-givings and dinners
7pm – Advancement Cocktail Party for donors

Friday 1 December
10.30am – Year 13 Boarding Parents Brunch
1pm – College Prize-Giving for whole school and parents at the Christchurch Town Hall
4pm – Year 13 final Chapel Service

Saturday 2 December
7pm – Leavers Ball at the Air Force Museum in Wigram

School Travel Plan

The Christchurch City Council is working with schools to develop a School Travel Plan.

The Travel Plan aims to:

• Improve the safety of school travel
• Reduce the level of congestion at the school gates
• Encourage more walking, cycling, and scooting to and from school
• Improve the health and wellbeing of students.

Information from a Council survey will help identify what needs to be included in the Travel Plan in order to address the needs and concerns of school communities.

It would be appreciated if you could please complete the Council survey via the link here.

A taste of boarding life at College

It was lovely to welcome prospective students – along with their parents – into Jacobs House at the weekend. It has been a couple of years since we have been able to give the Year 8 boys a taste of boarding at College. While only a snapshot, it gives the boys a sense of the boarding experience and the chance to find out whether it suits those students.

We do not underestimate the importance of this decision and want the students to be well-informed before they commit to boarding with us. It is also an opportunity for parents to see us in action, offering as much of an authentic experience as possible.

It was also great to catch up with many members of our boarding community at the Wanaka A&P Show and the joint Christ’s College/St Margaret’s College/Waihi School Community Visit at Lake Hayes. These occasions – in addition to the Friends of Boarding events – are ideal opportunities for the parent voice to be heard by us.

Homesickness

As we move into the latter part of Term 1 and the boys – particularly the Year 9s – become a bit tired, we often start to see an increase in homesickness. Be reassured that this is a normal part of boarding. Sometimes, it comes out of the blue for students who have been tracking really well and, all of a sudden, start to feel anxiety and a desire to be at home.

If you believe this is happening with your son, please encourage the boys to use the support structures in place at College. A talk with a tutor, mentor, matron, Deputy Housemaster or Housemaster – and some reassurance – is often all that it takes to help a boy. We also work closely with our counsellors, Riki Clark and Kirsty Robinson, who are part of our Wellbeing team, if the boys want to talk to someone outside boarding on a one-off or regular basis. Riki and Kirsty can help the boys with tailored coping strategies and work with the House teams to make life a little happier and more comfortable.

Boarding activities

Over the past few weekends, our boarders have enjoyed solving challenges at Escape Artists and tucking into their pizzas after a busy day at Airsoft.

What's for dinner?

View the Dining Hall menu produced by the talented team at Spotless.

Measured approach to assessments

As we approach the end of Term 1, learning feedback will be appearing through Schoolbox. Our Years 12–13 students have had several internal assessments or tests on external assessment content. This is a good measure of whether boys have stepped up to what is being asked of them and, if not, allowing them to respond accordingly next term.

Year 9 boys and their parents will have noted that Learning Progressions have begun to appear in your Schoolbox notifications. Years 10–11 Learning Progressions will start to be reported over the next week as well, with all four period subjects providing feedback by the end of the term. We are now in our second year of reporting against learning progressions, with a focus this year on helping the boys to look at these for the next-step guidance provided by the rubrics.

I created this Loom video for our boys last year. It may be useful in understanding how to read a Learning Progression report.

For a general overview of our reporting, I encourage you to visit the Parents’ Guide to reporting on our website.

Parent/Student/Teacher interviews

In addition to our learning feedback on Schoolbox, next term there will be the opportunity for all year groups to have Parent/Student/Teacher interviews for more individualised feedback. This begins with Years 12–13 interviews on Monday 24 April (note – that means classes resume for Term 2 on Wednesday 26 April). Parents of boys in these year groups will receive the email to sign up for these interviews next week.

Last year, we canvassed parent opinion on the format of Parent/Student/Teacher interviews. About 75% of those parents who responded wished to keep these online. Many comments noted the convenience of being able to fit these meetings around work schedules, the ability for parents to join from various locations (when someone was out of town for work, for example), and the efficiency of running more to time.

Some of the remaining 25% did note missing the face-to-face contact. We can certainly appreciate that point. With this in mind, we will continue with online interviews at present but re-canvass parent opinion in Term 3. It may be that a year down the track the convenience is outweighed by the desire to reconnect face-to-face in a post-pandemic world. Similarly, you may tell us it continues to work better online.

I wish everyone a relaxing and restful Easter break and some time to enjoy a good book.

College concerts capture stunning sounds

Two special nights of music will showcase an array of superb student performances at Christ’s College this month.

Music Scholars Recital

Tonight, we present our annual Christ’s College Music Scholars Recital in our Assembly Hall at 7.30pm. Featuring our outstanding music and choral scholars, the recital will share the range of instrumental and vocal skills fostered at College. The scholars will perform individually and as part of a combined choral or instrumental performance. We look forward to members of our wider College community joining us for this wonderful occasion.

Orchestral Extravaganza

On Wednesday 29 March at 7.30pm, we welcome everyone to our Annual Combined Schools’ Orchestral Extravaganza in the Assembly Hall.

Featuring outstanding musicians from Christ’s College, St Margaret’s College, and Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, the annual event is a highlight of the College calendar. It will open with the Combined Christ’s College and St Margaret’s College Orchestra, led by New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra concert master Joshua Hooker.

The Combined String Orchestra and Rangi Sinfonia will also be in the spotlight. It is the perfect opportunity to experience the wealth of young musical talent in Christchurch.

All instrumentalists will combine to present two stunning works by Tchaikovsky and contemporary composer Chuck Mangione to conclude the evening.

Gold coin donations to support the Maia Foundation will be appreciated at the Annual Combined Schools’ Orchestral Extravaganza.

We look forward to seeing everyone tonight for the recital and again on Wednesday 29 March for the orchestral evening.

Whole-School Wellbeing Conference – Cultivating Connections through Community

We are pleased to announce that we are hosting the inaugural Whole-School Wellbeing Conference – Cultivating Connections through Community from 3–4 April at Christ’s College.

This conference is for school leaders, educators, and counsellors.

Click here to register.

Wash your hands

As many of you are aware, we have had a recent outbreak of ‘gastro’ or stomach flu in both the day and boarding Houses.

If your son develops any symptoms, such as nausea, abdominal cramping, vomiting or diarrhoea, please keep him at home until he has been symptom-free for at least 48 hours. If he returns before that period, he may still be infectious.

Just a reminder that one of the best preventive measures is regular hand washing, particularly after using the toilet, and sanitising prior to eating.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Unity in diversity

Tēnā koutou katoa.

Lenten greetings to you all.

The next time I write for In Black & White, we will have traversed Lent and be in the season of Easter. I encourage each of you to reflect over the upcoming school break on the significance of Holy Week and the Easter story – particularly as it heralds us beloved of God, something we each share in and through, all our wondrous diversity.

The new Diploma Course for Religious Education in 2023 carries three strands: Belonging, Unity and Diversity, and Meaning and Purpose. These strands waft and weft their way through our lessons and conversations, and we are intentional in linking these – in wonderful Anglican broadness – to our common experience of Chapel.

This past week was Pride Week in Ōtautahi Christchurch. In a profound gesture of love and courage, one man shared his experience and the capacity of others for generosity and welcoming inclusion. He also discussed the effect of institutions and others who had sought to exclude or condemn him and other LGBTIQA+ people.

I do not shy from the fact that this has traditionally been challenging territory for the church, but I will repeat for the wider readership that there is a place for us all in God’s heart, and the person of Jesus Christ has shown us the way. Our Chapel, and the name we bear, signals and symbolises welcome inclusion for all. Honouring diversity is one of the things that unites us.

The past week was also Unity Week in our city, coming four years after the terrorist attacks which left 51 peaceful worshippers dead. We were joined in Chapel by Dr Hafsa Ahmed, who was recently honoured by King Charles with The New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to the Community.

Dr Ahmed spoke to the students on the theme of ‘Hope and Service’, and gave breath to the hope for light in even the darkest places.

It was fitting we gathered on Sunday night in Chapel for our Eucharist Service at the end of the week of celebrating unity and diversity.

The words from the Great Thanksgiving took on added import: “We who are many are one, for we all share the one bread.”

I was humbled to welcome both speakers in these past 10 days. Their messages are Gospel for those who feel their difference a cause for self-diminishing, an antidote for those who mar our community with bigotry or racism, and an expression of our Lenten hope, that the God of Love reigns forever.

May that same God bless you all this week.

Yours in Christ,
The Rev'd Cameron Pickering

CHRIST'S COLLEGE & CCOBA EVENTS

SAVE THE DATE

Upcoming careers dates

Christ's College CareerWise

The Christ’s College careers website, CareerWise, is a rich source of information about all things related to career information. Check it out and sign up for weekly alerts by subscribing here.

Below are recent postings on the College careers website:

• Camp Counsellors USA GAP Programme
• Ara Information Evening
• Yoobee Colleges Newsletter and April holiday short courses
• Med Entry UCAT
• Just the Job videos

Rabobank FoodX four-day agricultural camp hosted by Lincoln University

Monday 17 April–Thursday 20 April
Accommodation – Christchurch Boys’ High School Adams House

An all-expenses paid educational camp for Year 12–13 students, FoodX offers four days of interactive site visits to help students gain an understanding of the different stages of the food and fibre supply chain from 'gate to plate'. It will start with visits to cropping, dairy, and sheep farms, and continue through the supply chain. Students will also hear from Lincoln University graduates working in the food and fibre industries, as well as visiting businesses such as Synlait and fresh produce producer Oakleys. The camp will be held during the Term 1 school holidays. Students will need to be comfortable staying away from home.

For further information, contact Mr Sellars.

Ara newsletter – Information Evenings

Learn all about Ara at the City campus in Madras Street. Watch a short presentation about the Ara Advantage, the learning environment, and the subjects on offer. Click here for more information.

University of Otago podcasts – Young people’s journeys

Produced by University of Otago school liaison officer Prajesh Chhanabhai, these podcasts cover the journeys that young people have taken to get to where they are, or where they are headed. Find out more here.

MoneyHub – studying Health Sciences or Biomedical Sciences next year?

MoneyHub has published a guide for Year 13 students planning to study Health Sciences or Biomedical Sciences at the University of Otago or the University of Auckland. The guide has been prepared by 4th year Auckland Medical School students and is the first of its kind in New Zealand. Learn more here.

MoneyHub – money guide

MoneyHub has published a money guide for students to give you the tools and information so that you can develop a great relationship with money. Check it out here.

MoneyHub CV and related tasks

MoneyHub has updated three essential guides:

• Student CV Template

• Student Job Cover Letters

• Student Job Interview Practice Questions

University of Melbourne – 101 Webinars

The University of Melbourne regularly runs webinars for interstate and New Zealand students interested in knowing more about the university and the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) application process. Click here to read more.

In Black & White – Careers

I share a range of relevant information with parents and boys via In Black & White. However, I am aware that not all boys read the school newsletter, so I hope parents will use the information provided as a springboard for investigation, discussion, and inspiration to support their sons as they consider their futures. Please contact me with any suggestions regarding careers, or if you require any career-related advice for your son.

Vice-regal visitors

This In Black & White article is the result of being sidetracked, an inevitable and delightful part of an archivist’s work. It has struck me that we have a long history of vice-regal visitors, both governors and governors-general.

As far as I can tell, the first one was Lord Ranfurly on 8 November 1897. The Christ’s College Register of December that year records that, accompanied by his wife, he inspected the cadets on the Quadrangle and received three hearty cheers from them and the rest of the College who were in front of Big School. After a tour of College, he asked for a whole holiday to commemorate his first visit. In December 1900, he made another visit at the time of College’s Golden Jubilee. He inspected the cadets and complimented them on their efficiency and referred to the Old Boys fighting in South Africa.

In 1908, Lord Plunket laid the foundation stone of School House.

In 1922, Viscount Jellicoe laid the foundation stone of the Dining Hall.

Sir Charles Fergusson laid the foundation stone of Jacobs House in 1930.

In 1950, Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg laid the foundation stone of the gateway block that did not proceed.

In June 1957, Lord Norrie, along with his wife, and son George, visited Christ’s College as part of his farewell visit to Christchurch before returning to England to take his seat in the House of Lords.

Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson laid the foundation stone of the Assembly Hall.

Viscount Cobham visited in 1959 when his son, John William Leonard Lyttelton (6710), was in Richards House.

On an inclement day in 1987, the Right Rev’d Sir Paul Reeves laid the foundation stone of the Administration building.

On an even more inclement day on 12 October 2000, Sir Michael Hardie Boys addressed the College and assembled guests at the time of the College Sesquicentennial.

A summary of governors and governors-general who have visited Christ’s College, and their time in office.

Governor

1897–1904 Sir Uchter John Mark Knox, Earl of Ranfurly GCMG
1904–1910 Sir William Lee Plunket, Lord Plunket GCMG KCVO

Governor-General

1920–1924 Sir John Rushworth Jellicoe, Viscount Jellicoe GCB OM GCVO
1924–1930 General Sir Charles Fergusson Bt. GCMG KCB DSO MVO
1946–1952 Lt Gen. Sir Bernard Cyril Freyberg, Lord Freyberg VC GCMG KCB KBE DSO
1952–1957 Lt Gen. the Lord Sir Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie GCMG GCVO DSO CB MC
1957–1962 Sir Charles John Lyttelton, Viscount Cobham GCMG TD
1962–1967 Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson GCMG GCVO DSO OBE
1985–1990 The Hon and Right Rev’d Sir Paul Reeves GCMG GCVO QSO
1996–2001 The Right Hon Sir Michael Hardie-Boys GNZM GCMG QSO