Campion College Newsletter

KARAKIA

E te Atua

As we near the end of this term,

we give thanks for all that we have shared, learned and achieved together.

Give us the strength to finish well,

the patience to care for one another when we are tired,

and the wisdom to recognise the gifts in ourselves and in others.

Help us to be people of compassion, commitment and community,

and to carry your love into all that we do.

Amene

A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Tēnā koutou parents, students, staff, and whānau,

As we head into the final week of Term 3, I have been thinking about the importance of finishing well. It has been a strong term at Campion. Our students have worked hard in their learning, represented us across sport, the Arts and many other activities, completed assessments, taken on new challenges and contributed positively to College life. There has been a lot to celebrate and much to be grateful for.

At this point in a busy term, though, it can be tempting to start winding down a little early. We are all getting tired and the holidays are getting closer, but there is still another week of learning ahead of us.

Finishing well means continuing to turn up, being ready to learn and making the most of the time we have left. It means maintaining the routines and expectations that have served us well throughout the term. It is also about continuing to recognise the gifts we have been given and using them well, while showing compassion, patience and kindness to those around us. Sometimes these things matter most when we are tired and the finish line is in sight.

We also have a great way to finish the term together, with our House Singing Competition on Friday. I am really looking forward to seeing Marcellin, Hato Maria, MacKillop and Gregory come together and bring plenty of House spirit to the final day. Events like this bring students across different year levels together, strengthen our sense of belonging and give everyone an opportunity to contribute.

There is something satisfying about reaching the end of a term knowing that you gave your best right through to the finish. So, my challenge to our students for the week ahead is a simple one: keep going. We have had a strong Term 3. Let’s finish it just as strongly, celebrate together on Friday, and then take some time over the break to rest and recharge.

Yours in Christ,

Karyn Sadler

Tumuaki - Principal

CHANGE TO THE PUBLISHED CALENDAR

We want to let you know about an important change to our previously published school calendar. Friday 16 October (Show Day) was originally scheduled as a Teacher Only Day. This has now changed, and Campion College will be open for instruction as normal on this day.

As a result, our final day of school for students will now be Friday 4 December, following our Christmas Liturgy, rather than Monday 7 December as previously published. We appreciate that some families may have made plans based on the original calendar and apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause. We are providing as much notice as possible to support families with their planning. Please update these dates in your calendars.

AIMS GAMES SUCCESS

AIMS Games – Individual Athletes

We are incredibly proud of our individual athletes who represented Campion College at the Zespri AIMS Games in Tauranga. Each showed commitment, determination and pride while competing alongside young athletes from schools across Aotearoa.

Swimming – Eli Gray & Andi Manangan

Eli and Andi both represented Campion College strongly in the pool.

Eli competed in seven events, achieving a number of personal bests across the competition. He placed, on average, between 20th and 25th in his age group, competing in fields of more than 40 Year 7 boys.

Andi also had a great AIMS Games experience, achieving two personal bests across her five events.

Both swimmers can be very proud of their performances and the experience they gained from competing at this level.

Mountain Biking – James Blake

James had a fantastic experience competing in the mountain biking event, finishing 44th out of 115 riders in a highly competitive field.

He was sitting in 34th place at the halfway point before losing some ground towards the end of the race. James was pleased with his performance and came away having learned plenty about pacing and race management that he can take into future events.

Badminton – Amanda Macmac

Amanda represented Campion College with pride throughout the badminton competition.

She finished the elimination round in the top two, earning a place in Division 2 out of six divisions. Amanda then progressed all the way to the quarterfinals, narrowly missing a place in the semifinals by just two points.

This was an excellent achievement and a great reward for the work Amanda put into her preparation.

Orienteering & Cross Country – Jethro and Anica Hancock

Jethro and Anica had an awesome week representing Campion College in both cross country and orienteering.

A highlight was the Year 8 Mixed Rogaine, where they teamed up to achieve an outstanding 4th place. They successfully collected most of the checkpoints around the McLaren Falls course and made it back to the finish with just three minutes to spare.

Rogaining combines running or walking, navigation and strategy. Teams decide which checkpoints to target based on their value and difficulty while carefully managing their time, making Jethro and Anica’s result a fantastic combination of fitness, decision-making and teamwork.

They also competed individually in the orienteering sprint, successfully navigating the course and finding all their checkpoints in the correct order, before taking on the AIMS cross country alongside fields of around 150–160 competitors.

Gymnastics – Ayla Jarden & Willow McArley

Ayla and Willow had an outstanding competition and gave us plenty to celebrate!

Ayla achieved an excellent 2nd place on floor, while Willow had a remarkable competition, finishing 1st on floor, 1st on bars and 2nd overall.

These are fantastic results. Both girls can be extremely proud of the hard work, dedication and confidence they demonstrated while representing Campion College.

For some of our individual athletes, attending the AIMS Games Opening Ceremony was another highlight of the week and gave them the opportunity to experience the scale and excitement of being part of one of New Zealand’s largest junior sporting events.

We are incredibly proud of Eli, Andi, James, Amanda, Jethro, Anica, Ayla and Willow. Whether achieving personal bests, navigating checkpoints, progressing through competition rounds, racing against huge fields or reaching the podium, each of them represented Campion College with pride.

Ka mau te wehi! Congratulations to all of our individual AIMS Games athletes.

AIMS Games – Campion College Football Team

The Campion College Football Team made history this year by becoming the first team from the College to represent Campion at the AIMS Games, joining more than 14,000 students from across New Zealand at this national sporting event.

Representing Campion were Max Allan, Chelsea Brooking, Rithwik Chandra, Damian Donnelly-Collins, Maycee Foss, Braeden Mihaka Governor-Wawatai, Connor Harrison, Avery Hogan, Ormond Hope, Fiske Johanson-Robinson, Lachie Paterson, Rafaele Rivera and Nathanael Tambudze.

Across six days, the team played nine games, challenging themselves against teams from across the country, including Blockhouse Bay Intermediate, Rototuna, Mangawhai, Kamo Intermediate, Auckland Normal Intermediate, Helensville, Maidstone Intermediate, Aquinas and Havelock North.

While the focus was on football, the AIMS experience provided the players with learning opportunities well beyond the football field. Being away from home for six days challenged the students to become more independent and responsible. They developed important life skills through cooking, making beds, doing dishes, managing their time, looking after their equipment and supporting one another. These experiences encouraged the players to step outside their comfort zones and develop greater self-awareness, resilience and responsibility.

A particularly memorable part of the week was the team performing the Paikea haka before each game. The haka was warmly received throughout the tournament, attracted large crowds of spectators and featured strongly across AIMS social media during the week. The team represented Campion College, their whānau and our region with pride, demonstrating mana, respect and a strong sense of identity wherever they went.

The players also made significant progress in their mental skills and self-awareness throughout the week. They were challenged to manage pressure, respond to setbacks, communicate effectively, stay focused and work together as a team. These lessons will remain valuable long after the tournament has finished.

The team finished the tournament with a memorable 4–3 victory over Havelock North in their final game, securing 39th place out of 69 teams.

A huge thank you must go to Coach Ian Allan, Manager Sarah Shanks and Mr Hart for the time, energy and commitment they gave to making this experience possible. Taking a team away for six days is a significant undertaking, and we are incredibly grateful for the way they supported, encouraged and looked after our students throughout the week.

More than the final placing, the AIMS experience was about representing Campion for the first time, embracing new challenges, building relationships, developing independence and creating memories together. Max, Chelsea, Rithwik, Damian, Maycee, Braeden, Connor, Avery, Ormond, Fiske, Lachie, Rafaele and Nathanael can be extremely proud of the way they represented themselves, their whānau, Campion College and the wider Tairāwhiti region.

He waka eke noa – we are all in this together.

CELEBRATING TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI

He wiki whakahirahira tēnei! It has been a fantastic week at Campion as we joined communities across Aotearoa in celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.

Throughout the week, there have been plenty of opportunities for our ākonga, staff and whānau to get involved, have some fun and grow their confidence in te reo Māori. Lunchtime games and quizzes, activities within classes, daily social media challenges and spot prizes have all helped bring te reo Māori to the forefront of College life.

It was great to see so many people giving it a go and joining in with our competitions, both at kura and through our Facebook and Instagram pages. Ka mau te wehi! Congratulations to everyone who took part and to our many prize winners.

Yesterday, we held a lunchtime sausage sizzle as part of the week’s celebrations, with students and staff coming together to enjoy some kai. He mihi nui ki te whānau Nankivell for their generous donation in support of the week. A big thank you also to the students and staff who helped plan and run the activities throughout the week. Your mahi helped make our celebrations such a success.

While Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate, this kaupapa is much bigger than one week. At Campion College, we want te reo Māori to be heard, valued and increasingly used as a natural part of who we are as a kura. Every kupu spoken, every new phrase learned and every time someone has the confidence to give it a go helps strengthen te reo Māori within our College community.

Enjoy this selection of whakaahua from a great week of celebrating te reo Māori at Campion.

Kia kaha te reo Māori! Kia māia, kia manawanui!

TAEKWONDO

Congratulations to our Campion College students who competed at the Bay Open Taekwondo Tournament in Tauranga last Saturday. We are very proud of their hard work, dedication and sportsmanship, with some outstanding results.

Poomsae – Individual
🥇 Santino Camero – Gold
🥇 Hans Ashford Dela Torre – Gold
🥉 Daphne Dale Dela Torre – Bronze

Poomsae – Partner
🥇 Hans Ashford Dela Torre and Daphne Dale Dela Torre – Gold

Kyorugi (Sparring)
🥇 Sebastian Ulan – Gold
🥈 Hans Ashford Dela Torre – Silver
🥉 Daphne Dale Dela Torre – Bronze

It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to represent Campion College through their commitment to Taekwondo. These results reflect the dedication, discipline and perseverance they bring to their sport. Congratulations to Santino, Hans, Daphne and Sebastian on their achievements!

KAINGA CELEBRATION OF LEARNING

Congratulations to our students recognised at this morning’s Kāinga Celebration of Learning.

These students were acknowledged for demonstrating our College values, the 3Cs, as well as for achievement beyond the classroom:

Community: Ayla Jarden and Godwin Jose
Compassion: Siya Mhambi
Commitment: Stephen Opuku-Kwarteng and Mantej Sahota
Player of the Day – AIMS Games: Avery Hogan

Ka mau te wehi! It is always a pleasure to recognise our ākonga for the many different ways they contribute, achieve and live out our College values.

Congratulations to you all!

JUNIOR ARTS NIGHT

What a fantastic two nights celebrating the Arts at Campion College! Both of our Junior Arts Nights were sold out, with our students sharing their talents with packed audiences of whānau and friends. Each evening began with an incredible mātātaki to welcome everyone and set the scene for what was to come.

Across the two nights, we enjoyed group and solo music performances, group drama and monologues, alongside a wonderful array of visual art and sculpture on display. It was fantastic to see so many of our young people involved and such a wide range of creativity and talent being celebrated.

A huge amount of work went into bringing these evenings together. Thank you to our Arts Department, the many staff and students who contributed both on stage and behind the scenes, and our Food Technology Department for providing kai for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you also to our whānau and friends for filling the venue across both nights and supporting our young people. Most importantly, congratulations to every student who performed, created, exhibited or contributed. What a wonderful celebration of the Arts at Campion!

TERM 4 SCHOOL EXAMS

Our Year 11–13 school examinations will take place from Monday 12 October to Thursday 15 October. Please take the time to read the following information carefully and ensure students know the day and time of each of their exams.Important information:

If you are timetabled for two exams in the same session, please see your Learning Mentor or Mrs Hyland by Thursday 10 September.
Exams can only be sat at the times stated on the examination timetable. Please check with your teachers if you are unsure of your exam dates or times.
Any application for a variation to an exam time or day must be made to Mr Deane by Thursday 10 September.
(D) indicates a digital exam and (P) indicates a paper exam.
All examinations will be held in the Gym.
Students must arrive at the Gym 15 minutes before their examination begins.
Correct school uniform must be worn.
Each examination session is three hours, and students may use the full three hours if they wish.
Students must remain in the examination for a minimum of one hour per standard.

During the examination period, Year 11–13 students are not expected to be at school unless they are sitting a timetabled examination or choosing to study onsite.

Students who choose to study at school must be in correct school uniform and must sign in and out at the school office.

We encourage all students to check their examination timetable carefully, prepare well, and speak with their teachers if they have any questions or concerns.