Campion College Newsletter

Loving God,

We pray for our students who will receive the Sacraments of

Confirmation and First Holy Communion this weekend.

May they feel Your presence with them as they take this special step in their journey of faith.

For those receiving First Holy Communion,

may they come to know Jesus more deeply through the gift of the Eucharist.

For those being Confirmed, may the Holy Spirit strengthen and guide them,

filling them with courage, wisdom and love as they continue to grow in faith.

Bless their families, sponsors, teachers and all those who have supported

and encouraged them on this journey.

May each of our young people always know that they are loved by You,

supported by their faith community,

and called to share Your love with others.

Amen.

Tēnā koutou parents, students, staff, and whānau,

There has been plenty to celebrate at Campion College over the past couple of weeks, and once again I find myself incredibly proud of our students and our community.

This Sunday is a particularly special occasion for a number of our young people who will receive the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation at the 9.00am Mass. This is an important milestone in their faith journey and a significant occasion for them, their whānau and our wider faith community. We congratulate each of these students and wish them every blessing as they take this next step in their relationship with God. We look forward to celebrating alongside them on Sunday.

Last weekend’s Campion College Ball was a wonderful celebration. Our students looked amazing, embraced the occasion and, most importantly, enjoyed a really positive night together. There was a fantastic atmosphere throughout the evening, and I was incredibly proud of the way our young people conducted themselves.

One of the real highlights of the Ball for me was seeing the way our students and staff embraced Michael Fraser and made sure he had such a special night. The message we received from Michael’s family afterwards was incredibly touching, but what stood out for me was how naturally our students included him, celebrated alongside him and made him feel like a superstar. The kindness and genuine joy shown towards Michael was something pretty special to witness. Moments like that say a lot about who we are as a College. Our values of Commitment, Community and Compassion are not just words. They are seen in the way our young people look after others, include others and make people feel that they belong. I could not have been prouder of them.

A huge thank you to everyone who put so much work into making the Ball possible, and particularly to the staff who gave up their Saturday evening to help make it such a successful and memorable occasion.

Next week, a number of our students will sit the second round of the Common Assessment Activities (CAAs) for literacy and numeracy. We wish them all the very best. We know they have been working hard in preparation, and we encourage them to approach these assessments with confidence and give them their very best.

It has also been another busy period on the sporting front. We look forward to welcoming our netball and hockey teams home from tournament and hearing about their experiences. We also wish our AIMS Games footballers all the very best as they head away to compete. Representing Campion College is always something to be proud of, and we know they will do so with determination, respect and plenty of Campion College spirit.

Whether it is through our faith, in the classroom, on the sports field, at College events, or simply in the way we treat and care for one another, there are so many different ways our rangatahi continue to make us proud. These moments remind us that education at Campion College is about so much more than academic achievement alone. It is about the education and development of the total person.

Thank you, as always, to our staff, whānau and wider community for the many different ways you support our young people.

Yours in Christ

Karyn Sadler

Tumuaki - Principal

We are pleased to introduce our nominees for the position of Student Representative on the Campion College Board.

Putting yourself forward for a leadership role takes courage, and we commend each of our nominees for their willingness to represent their fellow students and contribute to the ongoing life and direction of our College.

Below, each nominee has shared a little about themselves and why they would value the opportunity to be the student voice on our Board.

We wish all of our candidates the very best for the upcoming election.

Kia ora everyone, my name is Charlotte Kingsford, and I believe I would be a strong candidate for the Student Board Representative because I am approachable, confident, and genuinely care about making sure our voices are heard.

Being captain of the Senior A netball team and a House Captain for the past two years has given me valuable leadership experience and taught me how important it is to listen to others and take responsibility. I feel that I am easy to talk to, and I would make sure students feel comfortable coming to me with their concerns, ideas, and suggestions.

I am confident in asking questions and putting ideas forward when I think something could be improved. If I were chosen, I would make sure I represent the voices of all students and bring their ideas and perspectives to the Board.

I would be proud to represent our students and our school, and I would do my best to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. Thank you for your consideration.

Over the years I’ve spent at Campion, since Year 7, it has become more than just a place I attend school every day. It’s a place where I’ve learned, made memories, and grown within the community around me.

I’m not going to tell you I’m perfect, or that I’m better than anyone else running. I’m simply asking you to vote for me because I care about Campion. I care about the people who make this school what it is, and after everything Campion has given me over the years, I’m ready to give something back.

I’m strong in what I believe in, but I understand that being a representative isn’t about always getting your own way. It’s about being willing to listen, keeping an open mind, understanding different perspectives, and contributing to decisions that are in the best interests of Campion.

If I’m elected, I want to support this community as it continues to grow and improve while making sure students feel like they are part of that process. I want students to know that their ideas, concerns, and opinions are heard, valued, and taken seriously.

I’ll bring integrity, courage, honesty, and empathy. I won’t promise that I can improve everything, because I know I can’t. What I can promise is that I’ll put in the effort, speak up when it matters, and represent you to the best of my ability.

I would really appreciate your vote to be the student voice on the board. Thank you.

Hi, I’m Alia, and I’m standing for Student Representative because I believe students’ ideas shouldn’t just be heard - they should lead to action. After three years on the Student Council, I’ve seen firsthand that students have great ideas, important concerns, and things they genuinely want changed, but too often, those ideas don’t make it past the conversation. I want to be the person who takes them further.

Here are some of the things I will push for when you vote for me as your student rep:

• More classrooms and learning spaces

• Upgrade/more bathrooms

• Reducing caflation

• More uniform options, such as allowing long sleeves under blouses

• Lockers for students

• New water fountains (to maintain students' health because I care about you)

I’m committed to this school and making sure students’ voices are heard where it matters. Vote for me, and I’ll make sure your voice reaches the people who can make a difference.

Our Parents, Friends and Teachers Association (PTFA) AGM is coming up on Thursday 10 September in the Campion College staffroom.

Our PTFA plays an important role in supporting our College through fundraising and helping make some of those extra opportunities possible for our students.

If you’re interested in getting involved with our parent fundraising group, meeting some other members of our community, or simply finding out a little more about what the PTFA does, pop the date in your diary and come along!

There’ll be drinks and nibbles, and we’d love to see some new faces around the table.

📅 Thursday 10 September AT 5.30 PM
📍 Campion College Staffroom

Everyone is welcome – come along and be part of it! 💚💛

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.

It’s not every day we get to celebrate one of our students placing third in New Zealand!

Over the weekend, Hunter Burgess competed in the New Zealand CrossFit Championship Finals in Hamilton, achieving an outstanding 3rd place in New Zealand and bringing home the bronze medal for his division.

This was a significant step up for Hunter. It was his first solo CrossFit competition and his first event where competitors had to qualify and be invited to compete. Hunter found himself alongside some of the very best athletes from New Zealand, Oceania and beyond – and he certainly proved that he belonged there!

His success did not come without an enormous amount of work. For months, Hunter has trained six days a week, often beginning at 5.30 or 6.00am, alongside additional afternoon and evening training sessions. He did the preparation, followed his game plan and gave absolutely everything he had on the competition floor.

While the bronze medal is an incredible achievement, we are equally proud of how Hunter represented himself throughout the competition. Judges, spectators and coaches of other competitors commented on his outstanding sportsmanship, kindness and respect towards the judges and his fellow athletes. Even under the pressure of competing at the highest level, Hunter remained humble, respectful and encouraging of others.

Talent and hard work might get you onto the podium, but character is what people remember.

Hunter, you have every reason to be incredibly proud of what you have achieved. Your dedication, determination and the way you carried yourself are an example to others. Third in New Zealand – what an achievement! Congratulations, Hunter!

What a fantastic night our 2026 Campion College Ball was! It was wonderful to see our students dressed up, enjoying themselves and making the most of such a special occasion. There was plenty of laughter, dancing and great energy throughout the evening, and our students can be incredibly proud of the way they represented themselves and the College.

Events like this don’t happen without a huge amount of work behind the scenes. A very big thank you to everyone who helped with the planning, preparation, decorating and organisation, as well as the staff who gave up their Saturday evening to be there and help make the night such a success.

Most importantly, thank you to our students. You embraced the occasion, looked amazing and created a fun and positive atmosphere that made the evening one to remember. A fabulous night and another great Campion celebration! The official photos will be available next week.

Congratulations to our latest Kāinga Celebration of Learning recipients! These students have been recognised for the way they are living out our Campion values through their learning, attitude and contribution to our community.

Commitment
⭐ Alayna Farr
⭐ Georgie Cumming
⭐ Jethro Hancock
⭐ Ormond Hope
⭐ Yuna Cortez

Community
⭐ Scarlett Ngarimu-Brown

Ka mau te wehi! We are very proud of the way you are demonstrating our values and contributing positively to life at Campion. 💚💛

Our Year 13 Biology students have been exploring the origins of humans and the many changes that have occurred over time to make us who we are today. As part of their learning, students have been studying the different Stone Age tool cultures developed by our ancestors, including Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens.

To gain a better appreciation of the skill, effort and complexity of thought involved in creating these early tools, our biologists put theory into practice — making their own model ‘stone’ tools from potatoes! There were some impressive designs and plenty of practical learning along the way. A wonderfully hands-on way to explore something so distantly removed from the world of smartphones and satellites we live in today!

Our Adventurers module has been exploring the history of Māori navigation and migration to Aotearoa aboard ancient waka. Students have learned about Kupe and the Horouta waka, explored reasons for migration, and investigated the technologies used by early voyagers.

Learning about the remarkable ocean-going waka hourua has been particularly eye-opening. Students gained an appreciation of the challenges these early voyagers would have faced and the skill and ingenuity involved in designing waka capable of navigating long distances across the Pacific.

To put their learning into practice, students created model waka on wheels, experimenting with different sail designs to see which could produce the greatest push force. The competition was intense! Congratulations to the winning waka design, which claimed victory by just a few centimetres over the second-place team. A great combination of history, technology, science and some healthy competition!

Our He Taonga students have been getting creative with printmaking, developing their skills and exploring the different techniques involved in creating their own prints. After beginning with polystyrene to practise their designs and printing techniques, students have stepped things up this week and moved on to lino printing.

It’s been great to see their ideas take shape as they learn the process, experiment with different techniques and build confidence with a new medium. We’re looking forward to seeing the finished prints!

Our dates for when the College is open for instruction in 2026 are:

Term 3

Term 4

Keep up to date with all the wonderful things we are doing on our new Campion College Facebook Page. Head over to Facebook to check it out here.

Instagram page is another place you can keep up to date. Find us here,

If you haven't yet downloaded our College App, please do so. It's an easy way to stay on top of school admin.

We love to hear about and celebrate our students' achievements.

Please share info and/or photos with karyn.sadler@campioncollege.school.nz

Our church is St Mary, Star of the Sea. We are fortunate to have our church onsite. Our parish Mass times are:

Tuesday 5.30 pm

Wednesday and Thursday 9.00 am

Friday 12.10 pm,

Saturday 9 am and Vigil Mass 6.00 pm

Sunday 9.00 am

Children’s liturgy at every Sunday 9.00 am