Covid-19 response changes in boarding

Following the dropping of the Covid-19 requirements by the Ministry of Health, we are implementing changes for our boarding students.

Please note the following:

• If a boarder goes to the Health Centre with Covid-19 symptoms, they will be tested.
• If you do not want your son tested for Covid-19, you must contact the Health Centre – healthcentre@christscollege.com – so that this can be noted in your son’s record.
• The intention of testing is so that you and we have a clearer idea of the cause of the symptoms.

We are mindful of the affects of long Covid, and the importance of you and your son preparing for a return to sport or strenuous exercise. We are also aware of the variation in the severity of Covid-19 and the best approach.

With our Years 11–13 students who have minor symptoms, we take the same approach that we do with minor ailments, such as colds. We move the student from the boarding community and school, monitoring him in Jacobs House.

With our younger students, we keep them in the boarding House sickbay overnight and the Health Centre during the day.

If they have severe symptoms, as determined by our nurses, we will ask that the student is cared for offsite by a parent or a guardian or returns to his home. We do not have the medical capacity to deal with severe illness or very contagious illness.

What's for dinner?

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

Examine the best approach to lifting study efforts

A significant term in the academic domain is drawing to a close.

Senior students have completed the Derived Grade exams and are in the midst of receiving their results. It is important to remember that there are still more than four weeks of class time, and about eight weeks until the NCEA exams start. If the results are not at the desired level, there is still time to put in the mahi to lift grades in the final exam. If the results are pleasing, momentum needs to be maintained.

Boys need to build study strategies – such as spaced practice, interweaving, and retrieval practice – into their homework routine. Further information on this approach can be found on The Learning Scientists website. I have shared these resources with the boys in a range of contexts, including Immerse & Inspire and MINDfit.

For the Diploma students, they have been given their latest ‘progress badge’ towards Academic Engagement in Ngā Miha Mātauranga. This is a reflection of the average of all their IPGs for effort and respect during their Diploma years. Year 11 boys have two more IPG rounds to secure their goals for this element. If they are falling short of where they want to be, I encourage them to reach out to discuss specific goals in order to get there. I am very proud of the boys who have taken on board the feedback from these ‘progress badges’ and upped their effort. I have seen this translate to greater learning outcomes, which is the ultimate goal.

Our Year 9 students are in their last trimester. At this time of year, with the junior students more comfortable at school and a hint of spring in the air, their focus can wane. However, they need to keep working to make the most of all their lessons. With some subjects just starting, there is much to learn as a foundation for Diploma courses. Similarly, the year-long courses continue to build on their learning programmes, increasing the depth of topics and expectations of output. I believe our Year 9 students can meet these challenges and ensure a strong finish to the term.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr.

A marvellous magical car, adventures galore, a dastardly villian, and pitch-perfect songs all set the scene for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr.

Join us for a delightful escapade as our joint Years 9–10 Production with Rangi Ruru Girls’ School – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr. – drives into our Old Boys’ Theatre from Tuesday 7 November to Saturday 11 November. Book here.

The much-loved story features eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts, the lovely Truly Scrumptious, and an ingenious flying car, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Along with the Potts children, Jeremy and Jemima, they take a thrilling journey in order to outwit the dastardly Baron Bomburst, who covets the wonderful car. They also then have to rescue the kidnapped children from the clutches of the wicked Baron and Baroness in Vulgaria.

Filled with catchy tunes and magical scenes, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr. is a wonderful theatrical experience for audiences of all ages, so book your seats – toot sweet.

Advertising package

You can support the joint Christ’s College & Rangi Ruru Girls’ School Years 9–10 Production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr. by advertising in the programme.

For only $250 (+GST) you can secure a half-page advertisement in the production programme, as well as two tickets to a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jr. performance of your choice. The programme will be A4, and printed in-house.

To book your advertisement, please contact Senior Development Manager Shelley Keach at skeach@christscollege.com.

Sedley Wells Music Competition

Our annual Christ’s College Sedley Wells Music Competition on Monday 16 October from 7–8.30pm in the Assembly Hall provides a wonderful opportunity for our instrumentalists and vocalists to perform solo items in a formal setting.

The competition is divided into two categories – Junior (Years 9–10) and Senior (Years 11–13) – and features an impressive range of musical styles and instruments. We also have two separate categories for our vocal soloists.

The Sedley Wells Music Competition is named in honour of an Old Boy benefactor, Richard Wells. Richard oversaw the Sedley Wells music store, which was founded by his father, Sedley. Initially, the aim of the competition was to support instrumental performance. Today, it is a premier musical event – featuring both instrumentalists and vocalists across a range of ages – on the College calendar.

Each instrumentalist presents a major work – either with or without accompaniment – and it is assessed on the performance, rather than the musical score. The adjudicator considers the whole performance, communication, ability, and the performer’s skill in bringing the music to life, along with his capacity to engage an audience. These are all critical traits in any musical performance. As with the instrumentalists, the adjudicator notes how well the vocalist communicates with the audience and brings the song to life, along with how well they convey their joy in performing.

Originally, there was no junior competition. However, that is no longer the case and we have appreciated many remarkable performances by younger students in recent years. We also now have separate vocal sections for senior and junior performers and that has been highly competitive over the past few years. It all adds to the diversity of the programme.

Both the senior and junior instrumentalist winners then perform at the respective prize-giving ceremonies at the end of the school year.

If you love musical performances, we look forward to you joining us in the audience.

Everyone's welcome at Chapel services

Tēnā koutou katoa.

Peace to you all in the name of God.

We look forward to welcoming grandparents to Chapel this Friday during their time with us and their grandsons. We also welcome any parents/caregivers, grandparents, and supporters to our Sunday Evening Chapel services, with the next service on Sunday 10 September at 7pm. It will be a final chance to donate foodstuffs to the City Mission as part of our Chapel mission this term. To date, we have delivered more than 500 items to the Anglican City Mission in Term 3. We will distribute more in the final week following the upcoming service and as a result of being able to buy more items through the generous collections.

On Friday 13 October (Week One of Term 4) at 6.45pm, there will be a Baptism Service in the Chapel, welcoming several students to the Body of Christ the Church. Final reminders to the boys, especially in Year 9, will be sent this week. If boys are interested in being baptised, can they please contact me directly. We hope to hold Confirmation classes and a service led by our Warden and Bishop in the new year.

From 1 September through to the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October, the Church celebrates a Season of Creation. It is timely to re-examine our relationship with the environment and the impact of each of us – in our lifestyle choices – on the environment. Thanks to the Eco-Action Nursery and the work of our students with Mr Newton, Christ’s College is well placed throughout the year to focus on good stewardship as a theological model for living.

An interesting film, made by the Catholic Church, addressing the theology of The Season for Creation, can be found here.

I hope the boys enjoy a rest at the end of next week. It has been a busy term at school, and also on the courts and fields, and in the theatres and concert venues around the city.

Yours in Christ,
The Rev'd Cameron Pickering

Covid-19 guidelines update

With the removal of Covid-19 restrictions, please note the following Health Centre advice to minimise the spread of infections:

• Please test for Covid-19 if your son is symptomatic.
• Please keep boys at home while they are unwell, as with any other infectious illness. Most people are highly infectious for the first five days of Covid-19. After this period, transmission rates start to wane.
• On a boy’s return to school, we strongly recommend that they wear a mask for five days, even if they are asymptomatic.
• Please encourage your son to wear a mask for the entire period of his illness when he is symptomatic. We want to protect the medically vulnerable in our community.
• The responsibility remains with parents to ensure their son is well enough to return to school.
• With regard to sport, the coach/manager will assess individual circumstances and conditions to determine an appropriate graduated return to physical activity and play.
• If it is believed your son is not ready to participate, appropriate parent communication will take place to explain the reasons.
• Your son’s health and wellbeing take priority, so if there are concerns, caution will be exercised in the decision.

Year 12 – made-to-measure blazer

If you require a made-to-measure blazer for your son moving into Year 12 next year, please ensure that you contact the Uniform Shop as soon as possible to arrange a measurement fitting. All blazer measurements must be confirmed by 1 November.

In order to meet the demand for College senior blazers, we must provide the supplier with the measurement details as soon as possible. The supplier will not be open in January.

Please contact me directly to arrange a booking for your son, and ensure that he brings his previous blazer for reference, if it is also a made-to-measure blazer.

CHRIST'S COLLEGE & CCOBA EVENTS

Christ’s College Students & Old Boys’ Art Exhibition

A multi-layered exhibition that showcases a stunning array of artworks by Old Boys and students will open at Christ’s College in October.

Featuring a range of vibrant and striking pieces, the Christ’s College Students & Old Boys’ Art Exhibition will be unveiled at a special, invitation-only, opening night in the Assembly Foyer on Friday 13 October from 6–8pm. The exhibition will then be open to the public from Saturday 14 October–Sunday 15 October, from 10am–8pm.

For Old Boy artist and curator Oli Aikawa, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to “showcase the artistic talent that Christ’s College has helped to nurture and develop”.

“The upcoming exhibition also builds on the past, with Old Boys joining with younger artists and students to exhibit a remarkable range of art in the Assembly Foyer.

“Among the Old Boys and students, there are many talented artists with amazing visual arts skills. All want to share their work with a wider audience.

“I am committed to reinstating the tradition of the College art exhibition, and now feel that this integral element of College life has been restored to its rightful place.”

An award-winning painter, Oli has created his own collection of works – titled Kā Pākihi-whakatekateka-a-Waitaha – for the exhibition. It features his favourite moments in time and much-loved Canterbury landscapes.

Exhibition dates

Saturday 14–Sunday 15 October, 10am–8pm
Exhibition (open to the public)

Monday 16 October, 6pm
Open to those attending the Sedley Wells Music Competition

Wednesday 18 October, 10am–2pm
Open to those Old Boys attending the Gentlemen's Lunch and the 65 & 75 Years On Reunion

Friday 20 October, 11am
Open to those attending The Pink Lunch

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:

• Air New Zealand Placement testing for 2024
• NZ Institute of Sport Achievement Scholarship
• University of Otago Performing Arts
• New Zealand Police
• Mensa Scholarship
• Experience Ara – September/October and Term 3 holidays
• UC Open Day
• Where can a BA in History take you?
• Kendall Flutey in conversation with Prajesh (University of Otago) – podcast
• NZ Institute of Sport Open Day

School subject selection – Term 3

Boys choosing their subjects this term – for 2024 – can check out these best preparation links to aid their decisions regarding university and polytechnic study

• University of Canterbury – Best Prep
• Lincoln University – Best Prep
• Victoria University – Best Prep
• University of Otago - Best Prep
• Waikato University – Best Prep
• Ara – Best Prep
• University of Auckland – Best Prep
• Massey University – Best Prep
• Tips for choosing NCEA subjects for 2024

Parents as passengers on their teen’s career journey

Understand the career process so you can successfully guide your teen through the career exploration process. Click here.

Exam preparation

Discover the NCEA resources to help attain the best grades and prepare for upcoming internals and externals.

StudyLink – student loans and allowances

If boys intend to apply for a student loan or allowance, they need to register and apply online through StudyLink. As this can take time, it is best to get under way sooner rather than later.

University study – having a Plan B

As boys leave College, they are generally confident about their future study or immediate career decisions. However, some may opt to change direction during their study. For example, we recommend that students who enrol in Health Sciences First Year have an alternative plan in place in case they do not get into their preferred degree programme. A change is understandable and acceptable.

MoneyHub – a guide to apprenticeships

Learn more about apprenticeships. This guide covers everything you need to know – from what an apprenticeship is through to the process of applying and the eligibility requirements.

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.

Textbooks

When you sign your name in a textbook, you probably do not think that the textbook or your name in it, or even the annotations – useful and humorous – will be around in more than 100 years.

The College Archives have textbooks in the collection and the three earliest examples all relate to Latin – a subject taught at Christ’s College from the very beginning.ⁱ

Thomas Ethelbert Page was an Assistant Master at Charterhouse when Macmillan & Co. published his 1897 translation of Book 2 of Virgil’s Aeneid in the Elementary Classics Series.ⁱⁱ In it, Aeneas relates the storm and sack of Troy and his own escape, along with his father, Anchises, and his son, Ascanius.ⁱⁱⁱ

As the inscriptions show, Noel Anstruther Griffin (1996) was issued the book in 1902 but it was not used again until 1922–1926, when Denis Roberts Balcombe-Brown (3451) took possession of it. Again, another gap until 1946–1949 when Christopher William Chalklin (5553) inscribed his name in it. Exactly which member of the Pritchett family crossed out NA Griffin is unclear, but it does indicate another period of use.^iv

One of these students wanted to be clear whom were the Greeks and Trojans. As a result, the back page has a list.

John Dow Williams (2890), whose name appears in Vergil Aeneid X^v, was in School House from 1915–1918^vi and, like the users of the previous volume, made a list of the main protagonists. He was concerned about the metre in which the story was written.

The Aeneid is written in hexameter verse, which contains six ‘feet’ of which there are only three admissible. The dactyl has one long syllable followed by two short ones, while the spondee has two long syllables. Williams’ notes show how this can be varied.

The story of Aeneas Part 1, translated by A Harrian Allcroft, is, unfortunately, missing its title page, so its date of publication is unknown. However, it was certainly recycled over the years.^vii

Charles Stuart Perry (3061) left a vital clue, along with his signature, and, by using the form lists, it was found that he was in VL1 in 1924. This was a Latin class above his actual form level.

John Hildebrand Holderness (3820) left behind similar clues, and, again, by recourse to the form lists, it was established that he was in Form V2b in 1929. In December that year, he was 5th in a Latin class of 25. His overall class placing was 1st, and he had accumulated five stars over the years. However, he is not mentioned in the Prize List. Books were only given to those placed 1st in individual subjects.^viii

James Francis Robert Cotter (4556) was next to take possession of the volume in his final year at College in 1940 when he, too, was in the 5th Form, this time in V2a. By this date, placings in individual subjects were not recorded.

Ten years later, the volume was issued again. This time to ED Turner, whom, after investigation, was found to be Edgar Dunstan Turner (5628) in Julius House. In 1950, Turner was in the 6th Form. Finally, Greville Christopher Nigel Wilson (7773) inscribed his name in 1968.

ⁱ Lyttelton Times March 8 1851.

ⁱⁱ https://www.publishinghistory.com/elementary-classics-macmillan.html This edition was published in 1897 following revision in October 1893 by Rev’d GH Hall of Westminster.
ⁱⁱⁱ The Aeneid consists of 12 books and is an epic poem.
^iv Delabere Geoffrey Torlesse Pritchett (2365, at College 1907–1911); John Torlesse Pritchett (2661, at College 1912–1914); Keith Cuthbert Torlesse Pritchett (3108, at College 1918–1923).
^v This edition was edited with English Notes by A Sidgwick and published by the Cambridge University Press in 1903.
^vi SHL may be Luttrell.
^vii The initials HH are a puzzle. There is no obvious candidate in either the College or staff lists for the years 1917–1925.
^viii Christ’s College Register April 1930.