2021 Spring Evergreen

Annual Appeal November 2021

Growing Bright Futures

To donate: charidy.com/stmargarets2021 03 379 2000

Contents Opening Remarks

2

Boarding

18

St Margaret’s College Old Girls’ Association

3

Out & About – Senior Ball & Semi Formal

19

Alumni Profile – Ella Greenslade

4

Out & About – Hawkes Bay Regional Event and

Alumni Profile – Rosalind Buddo

5

Bridge Tournament

20

Molly Campbell

6

Pam Wauchop

21

Kathryn Gray

7

Descendants of Old Girls 2021

22

Meet our new Director of Community Relations

8

Cynthia Blair

23

Stepping Out in Faith

9

Our Sad Farewells

23

Pre-School

10

Remembering Avenal McKinnon

24

Junior School

11

Remembering Pip McCrostie

25

Sport

12

St Margaret’s College Foundation

26

Middle School

14

From the Archives

27

Senior School

15

In Closing

28

The Arts

16

Poem “Beginnings” by Anna Babington

29

4

12

11

19

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Opening Remarks Do you remember Spring 2020, when we were all starting to feel more optimistic?

The only thing that has become clearer, she says, is that

We thought the worst of the pandemic was over and

It is important that we recognise these feelings in our

we were looking forward to no more lockdowns, a happy

own girls, as caregivers, and within each layer of our

Christmas with family and friends, and a return to

school pastoral support structure. Cuddy and Riley

overseas travel. Do those days seem long distant now?

encourage us to take comfort in this shared feeling,

Are you finding it difficult to summon up the energy

which can help us to connect with our girls and provide

or enthusiasm to get through each day, let alone think

them with the reassurance and support they need.

about Christmas or plan a trip away?

are now recognising that we are in a state of “constant flux”, hence the name “pandemic flux syndrome”.

As we launch into the final weeks of the school year,

It turns out that you are not alone. The arrival of the

there is a great deal for us to look forward to. While

Delta strain of COVID-19 has plunged the world into

some of our special events might look different this

a new round of uncertainty, with many people feeling

year, they continue to hold us together as a school

anxious or depressed, thinking about making a dramatic

community. We are looking forward to recognising the

change in their life, or feeling like their emotions have

extraordinary accomplishments of our girls at

become ‘blunted’. In a recent Washington Post article,

prizegiving, the rescheduled performances of Annie

Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, and JillEllyn Riley,

Jr., and to the beginning of the summer sports season,

an author on confidence in girls, write that these

where in addition to our traditional roster of sports, we

feelings are now being referred to as ‘’pandemic flux

are seeing growing numbers in cricket, equestrian and

syndrome”.

rugby sevens.

We have found ourselves living with uncertainty and

While the world remains uncertain, sharing good news

unpredictability for over 18 months, feeling like we are

encourages optimism, and this edition of Evergreen is

riding a rollercoaster that never ends, and wondering

filled with positivity, while demonstrating the enduring

why we feel so disappointed and confused. Cuddy and

connections across our St Margaret’s community.

Riley write that “people are awash with conflicting feelings as they grapple with the swings and mixed signals of threats, shifting public health policies and uncertain social behaviour”. This internal conflict is taking a toll on our mental health because uncertainty and lack of clarity make us feel uneasy.

Talking about her article to well-known American professor, author and TED talk presenter Brené Brown in a recent podcast, Cuddy said that the lack of clarity

2

things are “less and less clear”. Indeed, psychologists

about the future is really being amplified at the moment.

Diana Patchett, Executive Principal Brown, B. & Cuddy, A. (2021, September 13). Brené with Amy Cuddy on Pandemic Flux Syndrome. [Audio podcast and transcript.] Dare to Lead with Brené Brown. Parcast Network.

Retrieved from: https://brenebrown.com/transcript/ brene-with-amy-cuddy-on-pandemic-flux-syndrome/ Cuddy, A. & Riley, J. (2021, August 11). Why this stage of the pandemic makes us so anxious: Many of us are suffering from ‘pandemic flux syndrome’. Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/08/11/ pandemic-anxiety-psychology-delta/

St Margaret’s College Old Girls’ Association Welcome to our Spring edition of Evergreen. For many of you, you will be receiving this edition by email rather than a printed, hard copy.

We are very conscious of taking responsibility to reduce the environmental impact that paper, and mailing has, therefore emailing Evergreen, is and will be, our preferred option. All those aged 70 years and over will still receive a hard copy unless you have already advised you are happy with an electronic version. However, that being said, please, if you still wish to receive a printed hard copy contact our Old Girls’ Co-ordinator Emma

invited the Cranmer ladies to an assembly and morning tea but unfortunately the annual Chapel service for this group had to be cancelled because of lockdown.

Bradley either by phone or email emma.bradley@

Plans for our annual Reunion weekend have been

stmargarets.school.nz and she will facilitate this.

rolled over to 2022 and we look forward to bringing the

We were very fortunate that many of our events had already been held before lockdown struck once again.

The annual golf and bridge events attracted good attendance, as did our Margarita events in Auckland

01’s and 02’s together next October. We are crossing more than fingers that the Leavers’ Ball the Association hosts in early December will be able to go ahead. We may have to ‘pivot’ as they say!

and Dunedin. The school has held regional events

I encourage you to frequently check the website

around the country and where possible either our

www. stmargarets.school.co.nz/old-girls-calendar/

co-ordinator, one of our committee or I have attended.

as there may be an event on you would like to attend.

It’s always so uplifting to connect with our members

Similarly ‘like’ the SMCOGA Facebook page. We not

as the bond of being a St Margaret’s Old Girl runs deep.

only post event notices on there but interesting news

This year for the first time we held an event in Hawkes

and achievements of past students. Please share any

Bay and we invited our Executive Principal, Diana

news you have, we’d love to know.

Patchett to attend and meet this wonderful group of ladies. It was such a fun evening, and we were delighted a couple of ladies drove from the Gisborne area to join in!

The annual Cranmer lunch continues to be popular with over 80 ladies attending and enjoying a presentation by Peri Drysdale, Founder of Untouched World and yes a past student, albeit for a short while. The school

Our mission is Nurture Connections so please, if you know of someone who does not receive communication from us, encourage them to contact our office and update their details.

Enjoy summer and before we know it, we’ll all be saying Merry Christmas again! Keep well.

Susan Mohammed, SMCOGA President

St Margaret’s College Old Girls’ Association

Annual General Meeting Thursday 11 November 2021, 6pm St Margaret’s College Staffroom 12 Winchester Street, Merivale, Christchurch

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Alumni Profile: Ella Greenslade No better time to get into rowing

Olympic gold medallist rower Ella Greenslade learnt early that hard work is always going to outgrow natural talent.

SMC Old Girl Ella began rowing in 2012 in Year 10 and credits the sport she loves with teaching her many of life’s lessons.

“I think I really found my ‘thing’ at SMC rowing. I like doing other sports but rowing was a sport where I could really let my competitive nature and determination run wild, where resilience is an absolute must to be

positives. For instance, if I have a bad training session where nothing goes well, I still know I’m fitter than the day before.”

successful. During the summer is where you get picked

Ella pays tribute to her parents’ steadfast trust and

for a boat, and pretty much every day you have to go

belief in her.

out there and prove that you are good enough to be in

“I knew they would always be a safety net if I did fail.

a top boat. That kind of pressure and environment can be really tough to handle.”

Being a professional athlete isn’t the easiest, or sometimes the most realistic career path, but they

Ella attributes her early success to SMC rowing head

never doubted I could do it. Just knowing that they

coach Ian Smallman and manager Trudy Keys.

would be there if everything came to a screaming halt,

But it wasn’t always an easy path, she says, remembering the devastation one season when she and half the senior team contracted glandular fever, severely impacting their success.

It was a precursor to further setbacks along the way, especially the advent of Covid last year and the delay of the 2020 Olympics.

“Every day in training there is a setback or something to overcome. There are days when you get out of bed and your back feels like it’s hanging by a thread.

Rowing isn’t a glamorous sport. Some days it just isn’t that fun, like when it’s raining for three weeks straight

or I got injured or dropped, really made me be relentless in my pursuit to be the best. I didn’t have to look back or second guess myself because I always knew they were there. They never tried to steer me down a different road.”

Ella advises girls thinking about trying rowing to keep an open mind.

“You don’t have to be sporty, it can grow and develop.

I personally think that sport doesn’t build character, it reveals what’s already there, so rowing is a great opportunity to see who you are as a person and to test your boundaries.

or you’re in the middle of the hardest week of training

“So for those of you who are interested in pursuing

you have ever done and know that next week is going

a sport, rowing is amazing and it’s an excellent time

to be worse.”

to be part of it – especially women’s rowing – we won

It’s only during the two weeks of tapering ahead of a major event that Ella has energy for other things.

4

you have the worst day ever, you can still take small

more medals at the Olympics this year than the men for the first time ever. If you want an Olympic gold, or if you are wanting to join something that allows you to

“Sometimes it’s hard to think straight when you’re

have so much fun spending time with your friends and

being pushed to the limit day in and day out. Even if

learning a lot about yourself, rowing is your sport.”

Alumni Profile: Rosalind Buddo

A zest for life and a head for numbers

It’s hard to know where to start telling the story of our Old Girl Rosalind Buddo. The biggest challenge is to convey just how lovely this woman is and the pleasure of spending an hour talking with her. Funny, kind, gracious, grateful, and with a deep faith.

Rosalind celebrates her 90th birthday next January but her recall would put many of us to shame as she recounts all sorts of stories about her time at St Margaret’s between 1942–1949.

“It was wartime, so we had to wear little pockets around our necks that contained a cork, ear muffs and our names. The cork was to put between our teeth if there was bombing so that we didn’t bite our tongues. We had to wear the pocket all the time. We practised air raid drills.

When we heard them testing the sirens, we had to quickly walk from Cranmer Square where St Margaret’s was then based, down Kilmore Street and over a bailey bridge to Hagley Park where they’d dug trenches.

“You can never forget those things. They were scary and

Old Girl and was president of the Association for two years, and her nieces Virginia, Juanita and Angela Broughton continued the family tradition making three generations of Old Girls. Strengthening the family ties even further was Rosalind’s father who served a term on the SMC Board.

A diligent student, Rosalind particularly excelled at numbers and grammar. When she left school, she went to university for a year before joining a bank where she

we knew we had to obey instructions to the last second.”

thrived, before getting married to husband David in

Rosalind vividly remembers her teachers during those

January 1955 and moving to his family farm in

years, particularly the headmistress Mrs Young and the

Poukawa, Hawkes Bay.

PE teacher Miss King.

She and David still live in the farm cottage they first

“We had such full days and had so many wonderful

moved into, and there raised two daughters and two sons.

experiences. There was something for everyone and

Throughout the years Rosalind has played the cello in

school taught us that everyone is unique. There is no

a variety of orchestras, has been a long time member of

one the same. By offering so many different experiences,

the Association of Anglican Women, and for the past 25

everyone was able to find something that suited them –

years has practised Tai Chi.

not that we probably realised it at the time.”

“I have had a huge and marvellous life. I have been very

Rosalind’s surname was Roy-Smith, she attended St

blessed. I’ll always remember the saying that used to be

Margaret’s with her sisters Jocelyn Broughton (who

on the wall in the classroom when I first started at St

has now sadly died) and Enid Forsyth, who lives in

Margaret’s as a 10-year-old. “Good, better, best. Never

Queensland. Their mother, Pearl Roy-Smith, was an

rest until the good is better and the better best.’”

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Molly wins top national design award Year 13 Molly Campbell has won a major national design competition, sponsored by Weta Workshop and Massey University.

Molly is planning to pursue Fine Arts either at the

Dubbed Earth Guardians character design, the competition

Rebekah Tisch, Art Director at Weta Workshop, said

searches for the best young concept designers, who are

selecting a winner was a challenge.

charged with creating a character to defend the earth, using nature and the elements to inspire their work.

design or the visual arts.

“While our primary interest was in the images of the creature designs; the story, depth of thinking and

Molly’s Earth Guardian, the fictitiously named

creativity shown in the written descriptions was what

Wareware is primarily carnivorous and naturally

helped us come to the ultimate decision. Molly’s

aggressive and fiercely protective of biodiversity. It

design and description of the ‘Wareware’ guardian

spits a boiling concoction of what resembles local hot

was nuanced, considered, and showed bold design

springs water scalding potential polluters and those

decision-making.

who seek to harm its territory.

“We particularly liked the way she explained the

“I’m really thankful for the achievement and I’m so

features of her guardian and noted both biological/

happy that I had a chance to design something and

physiological traits as well as the fantastical/

work out of my comfort zone. I'm so excited for how the

mythological. The design is packed full of lots of

prize will impact my design possibilities and hopefully

interesting details. Yet it works well as a whole and

take anything I conceptualise to another level.”

doesn’t feel cluttered or piecemeal. The artwork itself

Aside from winning the New Zealand Ultimate Concept Artist Award in the Earth Guardians character design

6

University of Canterbury or Massey, and is considering

is clear and confident. It’s great to see the creature in multiple poses and attitudes.

2021 competition, Molly was also one of five Traditional

“Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the idea, that within

Media award recipients who visited Massey University

the design, we can find elements of extinct fauna. I also

and Weta Workshop in the school holidays alongside 12

love that this creature is both protecting nature as well

winners of other prizes.

as protecting the memory of the past.”

A work in progress and a masterpiece: the Middle School years

The middle school years are some of the most challenging for girls.

Kathryn Gray, Head of Middle School at St Margaret’s College for the past decade, is acutely aware of the varying needs of the girls as they navigate those years.

Her work with our Years 7-10 has won the attention of the ISNZ (Independent Schools of New Zealand), which has presented Kathryn with an Honours Award for all she has achieved.

Kathryn says the challenges at this age are huge.

“Friendships are the best and worst thing about being tweenagers and teenagers. Social media is huge, there’s pressure from a range of sources – external and internal – and the girls are trying to find who they are and what their place in the world is.

During her tenure, Kathryn and her colleagues have implemented myriad programmes to help prepare their students for the Senior School.

The social, emotional and academic needs of Middle School students are distinct from the primary or secondary years and as such programmes should be tailormade to suit these needs, she says.

Modest of her achievements, Kathryn instead points to her colleagues who she says continually inspire her and are absolutely dedicated to their students by: › Encouraging and building strong family and community relationships › Creating opportunities for personal leadership and growth for the students › Enhancing opportunities for exposure to a range of role models and alumni › Having wellbeing programmes that support

“These four years are second only to infancy in the

personal growth and encourage self-reflection

number of changes the girls go through, so it’s an

› Growing an awareness of wider world issues and

enormous time of personal growth and development.

encouraging the girls to understand they are

They need to be surrounded by great people who can

part of something bigger than themselves.

allow them to learn and grow and encourage them to be the best they can be.

“They need social connection – and this stage in their lives is where the connection to peers becomes stronger

“How lucky I am to work in an amazing environment that focuses on empowering young women; I learn as much from them if not more than they learn from me – they are amazing young people who are our future.

than to parents. Friendships start to dominate many

And our future is bright.

aspects of their lives and girls, in particular, ruminate

“The girls are a total inspiration and often I get to see

on many aspects of their social groupings.”

them at their worst and their best as they navigate the

Kathryn says what the girls need goes far beyond

challenges of the middle years. It’s a privilege.”

quality instruction. “Adolescence is a time of immense

Executive Principal Diana Patchett says Kathryn has

change and young people need to be given the time to

fostered incredible support and respect from parents,

create their identity, explore a range of opportunities,

colleagues, and students.

and experience a broad curriculum. We need to allow them to find their passions, to try and fail in a safe and encouraging environment that values them and the contribution they make to the world.

“She is an inclusive and collaborative leader of learning and demonstrates true service leadership. She has initiated and led the change management for the introduction of new learning and pastoral care

“The girls are both a work in progress and a masterpiece,

initiatives across the Middle School and has realised

they are full of hope for the future, they are passionate

an outstanding model of independent education for

and fun, they are enthusiastic and a breath of fresh air.”

our girls.”

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Meet Jane Lougher, our new Director of Community Relations Where are you from and what’s it like?

I grew up in Cardiff, Wales, in a village where Roald Dahl once lived. I was lucky to live in such a great city, close to the mountains and the sea. The Welsh are generally pretty friendly, completely obsessed with rugby, and take great pride in their native language (Cymraeg) and culture, so there are quite a few parallels with New Zealand.

I then lived in London for 15 years, many of them in Camden Town, which was great for people watching. For a while we lived around the corner from Amy Winehouse.

I loved London, but I always missed being able to get out into nature easily, and the lack of spontaneity.

I've just finished reading Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart,

What attracted you to New Zealand?

and although his account of child poverty and the grip

My husband is a Kiwi, and I've been lucky to visit New

of addiction was heartbreaking, it's beautifully written.

Zealand with him several times. The scenery is just

Zadie Smith is one of my favourite writers and I really

breathtaking, particularly here in the South Island,

enjoyed Intimations, a collection of essays she wrote

and I love how easy it is to get out into the wilderness.

last year, in the period between the onset of the

New Zealand's global reputation for empathy, and the

pandemic and the murder of George Floyd.

culture of whānau was also a major draw. I’m enjoying learning more about Tikanga Māori, and picking up a few words of Te Reo Māori, although my pronunciation needs a lot of work.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I love being outside, so hiking in the winter, and in the summer, kayaking and paddle boarding. My mum is an amazing cook, and always knows the latest food trends so at weekends I try to replicate her recipes for a taste of home. Pre-pandemic, I loved to travel, and I'm excited to explore more of the South Island, and eventually be able to experience more of the Pacific once we are able to travel more freely.

What’s your top pick to watch on Netflix?

I love Call my Agent. It's set in a Parisian talent agency, and each episode features a cameo by a French actor.

The agents lurch from crisis to crisis, typically triggered

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is an exploration of the different paths we can take in our lives, and what makes life truly fulfilling.

Mindset by Carol Dweck provides great advice for developing the growth mindset that can help you flourish, whether at school, work, on the sports field, or in the arts.

And I know I'm not sticking to the brief here, but I'd also recommend buying a newspaper. Quality, impartial journalism is dying, and we are really going to feel its loss if we don't support it.

Do you have a dog or cat? Tell us about him/her.

I've wanted a dog since I was a child, and am planning to get a rescue dog in the next few months. We are about to move into a house with a chicken coop, so we are also weighing up getting some chickens. Any tips would be welcome!

by their celebrity clients' enormous egos, and having

What’s the most important piece of advice you have for

started my career in a PR agency, the situations they

young women?

face feel a little close to the bone at times!

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What five books would you currently recommend reading?

"Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you

I also enjoy Midnight Diner, set in Tokyo, where a group

love" (Brene Brown). Avoid paying too much attention

of diners connect over different traditional Japanese

to your inner critic, instead, give yourself the advice

dishes. It's gentle and charming, and always concludes

you would give to a close friend in the same situation,

with a beautiful recipe.

and be kind to yourself.

Stepping out in faith The world of girls is a familiar one to our new Chaplain, Reverend Stephanie Clay. She has three daughters – but just to balance the ledger, she also has three grandsons.

Stephanie says she felt led to St Margaret’s College.

I have a passion to help empower all people to realise their full potential

“I felt a real call on my life to apply for the position and see where God was leading me, it was an exercise in stepping out in faith! I have a passion to help empower all people realise their full potential, gain the tools to live their life to the fullest and know they are not alone and I saw lots of opportunities to do this at SMC. “In recent years, I’ve really noticed that young women are often dealing with issues of self-worth, shame, guilt, anxiety, personal safety, grief and depression. They are often having to deal with so much pressure from themselves and society – life is about balance.

“I’d like to be someone the girls, and staff, can trust to be approachable and non-judgmental, offering them a place where they can be seen and heard.”

Stephanie comes to SMC from the Anglican Parish of Amberley where she was vicar for five and a half years.

“I loved every minute of it! I loved the diversity in the age range from leading a pre-school music programme to taking rest home services and everything else in between.”

Stephanie and her family have lived at Waikuku Beach for more than 15 years. They have six hectares, mostly lagoon and wetland, which they’ve been planting out in stages to encourage better water quality and more diverse wildlife but they also keep a couple of cows and sheep.

Her daughters are aged 24, 22 and 11 and her three grandsons four years, 17 months and six months. Any spare time is taken up with spending time with family, facetiming her parents in the UK, reconnecting with friends and going for walks on the beach.

“If I’m really lucky, I may get time to read a book or two.”

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At the heart of effective technology integration, technology offers opportunities to be more actively involved in the learning experience.

Pre-School Our Term two inquiry focused on how children utilise digital technologies to extend their learning and interests.

questions. Children were encouraged to use iPads to

The children took responsibility for the daily diary,

and how to make it a meaningful experience for the

taking photos and videos of the happenings in the

tamariki. Together we all researched ways to present

programme which were shared with families on Google

Matariki in our classroom.

Classroom. Their photos were a great reminder of our different visual perspectives.

Small groups of children explored the range of digital technologies we have available, to learn basic concepts of coding and transferred this learning to include literacy

independently investigate a variety of topics, such as the Olympics, and to share their research and findings.

Matariki became an event of particular interest as the teachers were keen to learn more about the celebration

The walls became interactive places to tell stories, shelves were filled with natural baskets and taonga, dress ups, instruments and songs were learned.

The children were excited to present their work to their

and numeracy activities. Through digital technology

families and whanau, it was wonderful to come together

they learned how to make a bird house and used this

and celebrate Matariki. The children were the leaders

information in their woodwork technology class.

of group activities where opportunities for weaving,

The teachers set up areas to encourage the children to think about topics of interest and we developed an

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Vanessa Vega, Edutopia Research Analyst.

‘I wonder’ wall to document their thoughts and

collaborative art and performing waiata were enjoyed by all.

Sarah Bradley, Director of Pre-School

Dear Milly, Thank you so much for your lovely letter. I am glad you had a nice 8th birthday while we were in Lockdown. I am glad you and your brother could practice your ballet, it's good to keep practicing.

No, we did not have an iPad when I was at school, nobody had made one in those days. What would we have done in Lockdown then ??? We did have a car but didn’t use it because there was a war on and there was no petrol. So mum biked to the shop with a basket tied on the handlebars to get the groceries.

Yes, I had an older brother and sister, who went to SMC also.

I made lots of friends (and still have several) at Selwyn House

School which I went to when I was your age, it is just around the corner from SMC. I loved the Nature Notes and the wonderful art we looked at, also we enjoyed music.

We had a Corgi dog, called Dewi, whom I loved and used to take for walks. Paul sends his love, He (aged 92) has gone skiing today with his son Antony and his two grandsons .

Lots of love from both of us, Paul and Nicky.

My sister Jennifer and myself with our ponies.

Junior School Lifelong learning – What exactly does this mean? According to the Ministry of Education, the following are characteristics of a lifelong learner:

learning. But what happens when these learners are

Everyone is a learner: Enrolled in the education

to use fellow learners from the T3A class to help them

system and in it for life.

Everyone is a teacher: Peer-to-peer teaching is part of learning. Citizens with skills contribute their expertise.

united, not by age, interest and perception? What happens when two completely different groups of learners use their knowledge and expertise to help each other learn?

In Year 3, the students have taken the opportunity learn for their Past and Present Social Science inquiry.

T3A is an adult class held at SMC to build confidence in digital technology.

Learning is highly collaborative. New partnerships link

Year 3 has been interviewing class members to help

educators, learners and their whanau and communities.

them understand past school life and what it was like

Students learn through collaboration with others.

to grow up in their era at the same age. In return, the

‘Learning to learn’ is a key component of the New Zealand Curriculum: With complex problem solving, communication, team skills, creativity and innovation recognised as necessary skills for success.

Learning centres accommodate learners of all ages: Learning is a genuine community activity.

Learners may be connected to several learning centres

Year 3 students have been helping T3A to learn and practice new skills using their technology. Connecting online during lockdown proved to be a highlight for all involved. Meeting during the last week of term to share learning and connect face to face was a truly wonderful experience for all involved. Lifelong learning in its purest form.

offering a range of specialised learning opportunities

Julie Calder, Head of Junior School

face-to-face and virtually.

New Zealand Education 2025 LifeLong learners in

This term, our learners connected to share their

a connected world. https://www.education.govt.nz/assets/

expertise, collaboration and innovation to enhance their

Documents/Ministry/Initiatives/Lifelonglearners.pdf

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Sport ‘Balance is Better’ is about creating quality

background has on long term performance due to

experiences for all young people to keep them

athletes being able to transfer skills and tactical

active and in the game.

The Value of Variety

exposure to a variety of sport environments,

“Variety is the spice of life” – When it comes to youth

which means exposure to different coaches,

sport, this old saying is apt for summing up the benefits

coaching styles, sport cultures and friend groups.

young people get from being exposed to a variety of

There is evidence to suggest this will contribute

sport and physical activity experiences.

to young athletes becoming more resilient, empathetic,

A key principle of the Balance is Better philosophy is –

and coachable. › Increased ‘match efficacy’ – by trying lots of different

All young people should be supported to

sports there is an increased chance that an individual

participate in a range of activities and play

finds the ‘right’ sport for them, that is one that

multiple sports.

matches their biological, social, and psychological

But why?

make-up and needs. This in turn means that person will be more likely to continue playing that sport

The benefits of participating in multiple sports also

through out their life, and should they aspire to

called sampling has been shown to advantage young

compete at a high-level, be successful.

people in the following ways: a wider breadth of movement patterns and tactical

Playing multiple sports counters the risks associated with early specialisation.

problems, in contrast to the exposure one would get

Additionally, research shows that specialising early in

from playing one sport. Elite athletes and coaches

a sport can:

also recognise the added benefit a robust multisport

› Increase the risk of overuse injury

› Improved skill development, due to exposure to

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problems from different sport domains. › Improved psycho-social development, due to

› Increase the risk of overuse syndrome and burnout › Increase the likelihood of dropout.

incorporating cricket, equestrian and rugby sevens into

What counts as a different sport?

our programmes.

Another important consideration to think about is

We will look at the opportunities available to, and the

‘what counts as a different sport’? Some considerations

success of, our national White Ferns Cricket and Black

include:

Ferns sevens teams as inspiration and motivation in

› Physical differences – types of fitness and

building a strong platform for our players.

movement patterns required › Cognitive differences – tactical challenges, and constraints › Emotional differences – temperament required and motivations for playing › Social differences – individual verses team sport, different social groups and different coaches.

At St Margaret’s College we offer a wide range of sporting codes that take into consideration varying

We are putting a supportive and recognizable SMC equestrian programme in place for our riders that will include agistment opportunities for our boarding families to allow them to bring their mounts to Christchurch.

There will be training days, competitions for different disciplines, and educational opportunities with specialised coaches to provide holistic benefits to the riders.

physical, cognitive, emotional and social differences

Stay tuned for our cricket, equestrian and sevens sisters

that provide variety and balance for our young athletes.

making an impact out on an oval, in the arena, or on

A consideration for us in the immediate future, alongside our core sporting codes, is a focus on

the field.

Helen Belcher, Director of Sport

13

Middle School This year has seen the introduction of the Middle School Aspiring Leaders Programme. In spite of the disruptions due to COVID 19 we have been able to realise three programmes this year.

with an emphasis on leading ourselves. This gave the

The first was a Year 10 Leaders Trip to Wainui where we

ing little to no attention to where they are going, This

ran a series of workshops and activities based on the

was one of the first things we turned on its head as the

key elements of leadership. The students had to plan

girls followed the map to get us to many of the venues

and run activities during the day such as a tramp, service

that were within walking distance.

activities and plan and do all of the catering. It was a huge learning experience for all concerned and the girls came away with a greater understanding of how to communicate ideas, plan activities and reflect on what they needed to personally improve. The girls did

themselves - are they good at self managing? Coping with greater independence? Being organised and able to contribute to discussions? For many of the girls it was the first time they had increased responsibility, for example, when our students go away with their families we as parents often lead the way and they follow, pay-

The students were an absolute pleasure to take away and even a middle of the night fire alarm resulting in us all being evacuated and out on the street was a learning curve that the girls handled like seasoned professionals.

an amazing job of planning, ordering and cooking the

Finally the third trip we have managed in 2021 is the

meals, although they have all learned a lot about

Aspiring Adventures Programme to Wanaka. Here the

quantities, particularly of spaghetti and meatballs!

girls experienced tramping, mountain biking, rafting

In July we embarked on a Year 7 & 8 trip to Wellington where once again the focus was on leading ourselves

and camping out. A bonus was a spring snow fall at the top of the Crown Range.

first. The students were involved in an action packed

It is within these types of opportunities where I believe

five days which included a visit to Question Time at

character is built. Living and working as one of a group

Parliament, making a short film at Capital E, visiting

of approximately 20 people for 10 days provides

Te Papa, the Space Museum and the Island Bay Marine

numerous challenges. The attitudes and skills that are

Centre. For many of the girls watching parliament was

built during these times outlast the experience and

a highlight and much discussion followed about the

help set our students up for the future. I have no doubt

behaviour of the parliamentarians.

the stories and memories will remain long after the

The focus of this trip, “Great leaders don’t set out to be

14

students opportunities to reflect on how they saw

great leaders, they set out to make a difference,” started

sore muscles have recovered and the washing is done!

Kathryn Gray, Head of Middle School

Senior School As we enter the last term of 2021, the Senior School is focused on preparing for their final assessments and their transition to 2022.

Every year this is a time of heightened stress as most of the Senior School is working towards their external examinations, completing art and technology portfolios and for our Year 13s, submitting applications for their next steps and waiting for the responses. This year is no different, however, with the state of flux that the global pandemic has added to the mix.

Students, both at St Margaret’s and across the country, have shown great resilience in dealing with lockdowns, remote learning and the regular changes that are made to life both in and out of school. As with any uncertainty in life, this can lead to issues with mental health and wellbeing. The best way to combat this fluidity is to ensure that we aim to control the controllable in our lives. For students at this time of year, that involves a number of strategies to help with organising their study, setting goals and ensuring a balance between school and social life.

We often say to our students that “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. When it comes to studying, organisation is the key. Having a defined space, with minimal distractions sets the tone for any study time. Putting phones on “do not disturb” will help with this! Having a plan of what needs to be done and prioritising based on time frames and the subjects that need more

complete 20 revision questions; write a practice essay; get 25 flash-cards right. When those goals are achieved, they can have a break and a small reward. This helps to build motivation and maintain momentum. Finally, we all need balance in our lives. This is not the time for student to remove themselves from their friends, family or their passions. Encourage them to make time for themselves with friends and family. Taking those breaks with people is incredibly important for our well-being; we are social animals. With these few tips, studying can be an enjoyable experience and girls are more likely to see success.

Wellbeing at St Margaret’s College is an important element of our learning programmes and our pastoral care system. Year level deans and leadership are always looking at ways we can improve our offering and our monitoring of students’ mental health. We are currently planning the implementation of a new wellbeing monitoring platform – Komodo. This web platform will enable students to reflect on their own wellbeing on a regular basis and give meaningful data to deans and leadership which will allow us to respond to the needs of both individuals and entire cohorts.

I am proud of the care that our staff continue to show during such uncertain times and of the resilience our students have demonstrated in responding to the regular changes that are put in front of them. We will continue to develop and deliver useful programmes and content to students that help them to maintain and manage their own wellbeing.

attention will ensure that any study time is focused.

James Evans, Deputy Head of Senior School

Students should always set small goals for themselves –

(Student Care)

15

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.

The Arts The theme “It’s your masterpiece” has well and truly come to life in the Arts... ...a lovely Twilight Concert, a memorable EGGS Factor, an amazing senior Performing Arts collaboration – and then we decided to do something completely different – celebrate Shakespeare…. in the Transitional Cathedral… with a stage made of scaffolding… first rehearsals in the venue the day before opening night….

With an audience sitting at banquet tables dining on platters of canapes….! The Banquet was spectacular, it celebrated the best of music, drama and dance with a uniquely SMC twist –- Dr Millican riding his motorbike into the Cathedral, Helena and Hermia running into the Cathedral screaming as loud as possible, the

our everyday life. Ashley Bloomfield became the 1pm highlight of lockdown while teaching us about genomic sequencing and R-values. Everything stopped, learning went online, the perfect plan went out the window, events were rescheduled, and then rescheduled once more, but we made it! What has become very apparent this year is that the Arts at SMC continue to shine through the most challenging circumstances.

The IB Visual Art students staged the most fabulous art exhibition which was the culmination of two years of hard work and dedication, we celebrated the achievements of the senior students at the Arts Assembly, awarding pockets to 35 students and honours to 10 students across all areas of the arts. And as I write this we are coming up with unique ways to stage Annie Jnr given COVID restrictions that are in place.

Macbeth witches gathering around a bright pink

It might not be the masterpiece that we had planned

caldron and a sword fight through the audience.

at the beginning of the year but I think it is one that we

And then we were back in lockdown, once again the

16

Vincent Van Gogh

words COVID, alert levels, clusters have became part of

can all be proud of.

Gill Blackler, Arts Facilitator

17

Boarding

Ponies at school Boarders at SMC can now ‘bring their ponies to school’ in a new pilot programme.

Since then, she’s competed up to one metre but is currently loving a more chilled out life getting fit again for the season. She has a few quirks but is exactly what

In an initiative to enhance the boarding experience, the

my riding needs to improve - so everything has worked

school is using stables at Clarkville, on the outskirts of

out perfectly.

Christchurch, where the girls can now keep their horses and are taken to see them twice a week.

“Having the opportunity to ride regularly and compete, while boarding at SMC, is really big for me. I was

Director of Sport Helen Belcher says it’s an idea SMC

originally a bit reluctant to move away from home

has been thinking about for a while.

because I thought I wouldn’t be able to look after

“We have a good number of our boarders who have their own ponies at home and we’ve fielded quite a few

a pony and continue riding. I feel very lucky that such an amazing opportunity has come up!”

enquiries at our regional events when we meet

Brooke is looking forward to competing again this

prospective parents and their daughters.

season and is eventually looking at increasing the

“We want to be able to provide something for our

heights at which she competes in the ring.

boarding girls to help them settle into their home away

“But for now, I’m quite happy to just see what happens

from home. The girls are really enthusiastic about it – to

as Prada and I are still quite new to each other.”

be able to have their ponies close by is really important for them.”

Brooke Gore and Ellie Scotland, both in Year 9, are the first to try out the new initiative.

Ellie Scotland is from Kurow, a small town in the Waitaki Valley. She too has been riding since she was young.

“My mum had a Palomino horse that I rode and I got my first pony when I was eight. I was really keen on show

From Lake Hayes in Queenstown, Brooke started riding

jumping but I didn't get into it properly until I got Piper

when she was seven years old, and has a particular

in 2019. She came back up with me at the start of term.

interest in show jumping but loves giving different things a go.

18

sweet, full height pony, who was once a rescue pony.

“It’s really good to be able to go out and ride in the week to keep Piper fit for the season and feeling good. Long

“I don’t have a horse at home any more but I’m able to

term, I want to get to the pony Mini Prix and by the end

use a horse called Prada out at the stables. She’s a very

of the season hopefully be doing a few 1.10m.”

Out & About

Senior Ball & Semi Formal

19

Out & About

Hawkes Bay Old Girls’ Event

Ange Mill (Hampton), Phyllida Gibson (Hudson)

Jan King (McPhail), Rosalind Buddo (Roy-Smith), Diana Patchett (Executive Principal)

Jacqui Gray (Palmer), Jan King (McPhail), Sue Fox-Warren

Susan Mohammed (SMCOGA President), Julia Watson (Hurst)

Deb Woodhouse (Palliser), Jo Tietjen (Taylor), Rosey Craig (Hamer)

Bridge Tournament

20

Marilyn Belcher (Mantell)

Ngaio Lewis

Mary Cullen (Watkinson), Sue Davey (Wilton)

Louise Goodwin (Hill), Erica Toomey (Withell), Katie Caseley (Larnder)

Pam Wauchop 100 years old Pam was born in Christchurch in 1921 – the first child of World War 1 returnee, Billy Mower, and his wife Ivy. She grew up in Sumner, a sporty girl, a swimmer, a runner and a tennis player – sports she continued for much of her life.

Her early school years were at Sumner school – she graduated to St Margaret’s senior school in the mid 1930s. She and her best friend Lorrie Archibald (née Dawe) would catch the tram from Sumner into Cathedral Square and walk the remaining few blocks to St Margaret’s in Cranmer Square. Pam made friends for life during her time at SMC. And she would return to the school as a committee member of the Old Girls’ Association, and as Vice President for the Golden Jubilee year in 1960.

A debutante in 1938, she caught the eye of the handsome young Hal Wauchop, and in 1941 they became engaged.

Hal had enlisted in the army, and Pam joined the Women’s Auxiliary Airforce (WAAF) in 1942. They married while Hal was on a week’s leave in 1942.

She resigned from the WAAF at the end of 1944 to have the first of her four children in 1945.

The 1950s were the family years – with picnics, camping trips and parties with friends and neighbours in Glandovey and Ilam Roads.

saw first hand the riots in Los Angeles and Paris. They also saw Miles Davis up close at the Village Voice!

With the children reaching independence, Pam opened her own business – a craft gallery in the McKenzie and Willis Arcade. The family home became a gallery in its own right as choice pieces became too irresistible to sell!

Pam continued to play tennis at the Elmwood Club, but she also took up bridge. She and her partner Yvonne Shepherd were formidable players – right up until a couple of years ago.

Her legacy to her family – alongside the beautiful house and garden she has created in Maidstone Rd –

Pam and Hal had their first big overseas adventure in

has been – and continues to be her everlasting curiosity

1968, just as the world was turning on its head. They

and her enduring interest in the world around her.

21

Descendants of Old Girls new to SMC 2021 Robyn Watson (Coxhead)

Emma Steel (Giles) Mother

Rosie Petrowski (Lawerence) Mother

Natasha Lacey (Burrell) Mother

Victoria Gibbons (Halliburton) Mother

Martha Drummond (Ackroyd) Mother

Lulu Steel

Zoe Watson

Year 10

Year 9

Grandma

Lily Petrowski

Tilly Rookes

Year 7

Year 9

Georgia Lacey

Maddy Mackie

Year 4

New Entrant

Audrey Gibbons

Jemima Jackson

Year 9

Year 9

Ella Drummond

Sammy Donovan

Year 7

Year 7

Miranda Ballin (Astley) Mother

Lily Ballin

Lily Beaven

Year 9

Year 9

Amiria BaldwinSmith

Lily Abbiss

Mother

Shelly Jackson (Cridge) Mother Tess Donovan (Collingwood) Mother

Mother

Mother

New Entrant

Year 9 Peri Drysdale (Richards)

Christena Brown (Johnson) Mother

Grandma

22

Lucy Mackie (Faull)

Veronica Baldwin

Grandma

Great Grandma

Mother

Erin Beaven (Davies)

Rachel Blundell (Cooper)

Enid Richards (Stone)

Victoria Rookes (Clouston)

Lucie Dean

Lucy Brown

Year 7

Year 7

SMC

Loma Johnson (Luney) Grandma

Miss Cynthia Blair Principal 1981-1986

Cynthia Blair made a significant impact as a staff member at St Margaret’s College for 25 years.

Head of Department for Geography, Deputy Principal, and Principal from 1981 to 1986, Miss Blair was a prime mover in setting up the tramping club and in the purchase and establishment of Paterson Lodge.

Amongst other innovations introduced by Miss Blair were keyboard studies, computing, courses in P.E and

with the red sashes for sporting achievements. During the school preparations for the 75th Jubilee in 1985 Miss Blair’s enthusiasm and attention to detail is credited for making the event so successful.

six subject options for all Year 11 and 12 students. She

Cynthia passed away on September 20, 2021 – she is

also recognised the importance of cultural achievements

remembered for her refreshing sense of humour and

with the awarding of silver sashes for Honours to equate

sincere interest in the welfare of others.

Our Sad Farewells #1106

Marian Harris

died 2016 at 91 years

#2614

Mary Ross

#1228

Pamela Howarth (Williams)

98 years

#2673

Margaret Watson (Boon)

#1365

Elizabeth Sellwood (Wait)

92 years

#2720

Judith Roper (Miller)

83 years 80 years died 2013 at 75 years

#1432

Iris Brown (Johnston)

98 years

#2739

Helen Boyce (Croft)

83 years

#1445

Jean Crockett (Austin)

97 years

#2750

Judith Richards (Wright)

83 years

#1466

Margaret Alleyway (Lockwood)

96 years

#2754

Juliet Holden (de Castro)

83 years

#1515

Irene Hodgson (Ennis)

96 years

#2763

Judith Little (Fairbairn)

81 years

#1541

Jean Ellis (Ritchie)

94 years

#2772

Felicity Knubley (Guinness)

83 years

#1634

Valerie Bettle (Wilson)

93 years

#2799

Diana MacMillan (Thorpe)

82 years

#1657

Elizabeth Fraser (MacFarlane)

89 years

#2908

Marie Ellis

81 years

#1692

Judith Hadfield (Hobbs)

85 years

#2922

Rosemary Patterson (Gardner)

80 years

#1708

Marian Hughey (Minty)

90 years

#3062

Lynne Rowe (Wardell)

79 years

#1719

Rae Blackmore (Radcliffe)

94 years

#3127

Helen Silke (Brownie)

died 2013 at 71 years

#1807

Helen Perry

died 2019 at 88 years

# 3155

Jeanette Southgate (Hulston)

80 years

#1832

Joan Bidwill (Chennells)

93 years

#3377

Vana Leeming

75 years

#1877

Fay McCracken (Downey)

died 2005 at 76 years

#3774

Rosemary Smith (Clay)

died 2017 at 68 years

#2051

Dr Margaret McLaren (Lewis)

88 years

#3852

Sally Spencer (Thomas)

71 years

#2146A

Margaret Welsh (Carter)

87 years

#4258

Julie Adamson (French)

died 2020 at 60 years

#2152

Judith Timpany (Ellis)

87 years

#5008

Robyn Cameron (Cran)

died 2019 at 61 years

#2278

Julia Tierney (Dunn)

87 years

#5050

Pip McCrostie (Monk)

#2297

Pamela King (King)

86 years

#5183

Mili Lauti

#2357

Patricia Joseph (Brown)

83 years

#5425

Jeanine Latham (Creighton)

60 years

#2405

Janet Johnson (Whitehead)

85 years

#5545

Katherine Gin

51 years

#2483

Joanna Innes-Walker (Niblock)

86 years

#11116

Libby Daly-Lemon

25 years

#2554

Katrina Arnott (Anderson)

83 years

63 years died 2004 at 47 years

23

Remembering Avenal McKinnon Avenal was a rare heiress among several heirs to the fortune of her grandfather Tracy “T.T” Gough.

Contests over T.T’s complicated 1954 bequests and control of the family heavy machinery trading company was subject to dispute in the highest courts for much of her life.

The couple were posted to Washington DC, Australia, at the UN and to China.

Living back in Wellington Avenal is best known as a long-time director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery (2005-14), for which in 2015 she was invested into the

Avenal studied English Literature at the University

NZ Order of Merit. Avenal excelled as a curator and art

of Canterbury where she is remembered for motoring

historian, diplomatist, property developer, forester,

around town, along with twin brother Antony, in a pair

toy maker, homemaker, mother and grandmother, She

of Isetta BMW two-seaters, Avenal often accompanied

is survived by her husband John, children Alexander

by her 60 kilo St Bernard called Marcus.

(Sasha), Matthew and Sophie, her three brothers Tracy,

In London in 1972 she met John McKinnon who would become her husband of 45 years. Avenal studied under Sir Anthony Blunt at the Courtauld Institute and John graduated from the London School of Economics to start what became a foreign service career.

Harcourt and Antony Gough, and her five grandchildren.

She died on March 2021 and is buried at the St Matthais churchyard in Makara, a stone’s through from where she used to bring her family for picnic swims.

Exerts by Matthew McKinnon – grandson.

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The Craigs Investment Partners Limited Financial Advice Provider Disclosure Statement and the Craigs KiwiSaver Scheme Product Disclosure Statement can be viewed at craigsip.com/tcs. Visit craigsip.com.

24

Remembering Phillipa McCrostie (née Monk) Pip was a pupil at St Margaret’s from 1970 to 1974.

During her time at school, she gained an ‘A’ Bursary while also playing competitive squash at an international level, being ranked number 4 in junior squash for New Zealand. Pip credited her then headmistress, Molly Mullen, as having a big impact on her and her subsequent career success. In those days girls were

in 2016. During her time leading the Corporate Finance

generally encouraged to do teaching, nursing, or physio,

business, she transformed and rebranded it, trebling

but not in Molly’s school. Pip had decided at the age of

its global revenues and achieving the highest growth

14 that she wanted to be a lawyer, and Molly strongly

of the firm’s four businesses. In 2009 Pip was ranked

encouraged and supported Pip to pursue her dream.

in the top 100 most influential women in finance by

After leaving St Margaret’s in 1974, Pip went on to Canterbury University, where she completed a Bachelor of Law with Honours. She began her career as a lawyer with Duncan Cotterill in Christchurch, before moving to Wellington and eventually joining Arthur Young (now EY). During this time, she also completed a postgraduate accountancy qualification at Victoria University.

Pip’s career with EY spanned 38 years. She moved to London with the firm in 1987, working in both their Tax and Corporate Finance businesses. Initially, Pip advised UK corporates on their UK tax position, and later specialised in the taxation implications of mergers and acquisitions, particularly cross-border deals. She became one of the youngest Partners to be appointed in the UK, established the Transaction Tax practice at EY, and in 2008 was promoted to the role of Global Vice-Chair of Transaction Advisory Services, one of the firm’s four global businesses and leading around 11,000 staff across 100 countries. She was a member of EY’s

Financial News. She was described as someone with “unrivalled energy, enthusiasm and commercial know-how” and as someone who “never failed to leave those who she met as if the sun shone on them.”

On retiring from EY Pip went on to a career in governance, initially as a Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit Committee for Inmarsat Plc, a global mobile satellite communications company, as well as becoming a board member of the Peterson Institute for International Economics based in Washington DC, where she was Chair of their Audit Committee. Most recently Pip was a Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee member for Marks and Spencer Group Plc, before she retired in April this year due to ill health.

In 2017 Pip received an Honorary Doctorate in Commerce from her alma mater, the University of Canterbury. She was also a regular contributor and guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, Reuters, CNN and Forbes.

Global Executive Board, the organisation’s most senior

Pip passed away in London in May of this year after

management body, for eight years before her retirement

a courageous battle against cancer.

25

Foundation

Growing Bright Futures

Hattie Compton-Moen has a world of opportunities ahead of her, thanks to your generosity.

Supporting her education was a wonderful decision

At SMC, Hattie discovered her love of robotics and

projects such as the restoration of our much beloved

other STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. Her education was made possible by a Year 9-13 academic scholarship.

Now an Old Girl, Hattie is finishing her first year at Victoria University, studying for degrees in law and science.

Hattie says attending St Margaret’s College opened her eyes.

The generosity of other donors has also helped families economically impacted by Covid 19, and funded 115 year old St Mark’s Chapel.

The 2021 SMC Foundation Annual Appeal, Growing Bright Futures, will make a difference in the lives of our present and future girls. The appeal will run throughout November. From scholarships to student wellbeing, teacher development to campus improvements, every contribution helps us to make a difference.

For 111 years, St Margaret’s College has educated and

“I was able to take the International Baccalaureate and

empowered girls to enter the world on their own terms.

follow my passion for STEM subjects. Being on

Your support is vital to helping us continue to grow

scholarship grew my personal confidence and inspired

bright futures for years to come.

me to make the most of every opportunity. It really made a difference to my life.”

Hattie’s scholarship was funded by Rick and Nina Acland, parents of two St Margaret’s College graduates.

We know that for some people times are tough. But, if you’re in a position to give to the appeal, please contact Claire Robb, our Philanthropy Development Manager, at claire.robb@stmargarets.school.nz to discuss

One of their two daughters also attended SMC on

your vision for the future and how you might be able to

a scholarship.

make that a reality. Alternatively, you can make

“After our girls left the nest and our financial burdens

26

and we’re very happy about the outcome,” says Rick.

a donation at charidy.com/stmargarets2021.

lifted, we wanted to give back by helping another

By ‘paying it forward’ future generations can benefit

student in a similar situation. Hattie has been an

from everything that belonging to the St Margaret’s

absolute gem. We’ve loved following her progress.

College family offers.

From the Archives Memories

It might be a scent, or a snippet of music, even a glimmer of something out of the corner of your eye, when a memory comes along and elicits a smile, or maybe, a tear. For our Year 13 girls preparing to leave the SMC nest and all those that have gone before them, we hope that when they see or hear “SMC” they rock back on their heels and think “Those were the days!”

Archives’ mandate is to maintain the memories of our college, from storing items safely to making them accessible for the wider school community to use. This ranges from documentation of the running of the school, yearbooks, retired sports trophies, uniform, photos, and our Year 13 time capsules. The information comes from the entire school, Board of Trustees, Parents’ and Friends’ Association, and Old Girls’ Association.

Not all of this material can be digitised, but our digitisation of photos is coming along well and developments in the Archive database mean that we can see a photo on the screen. There is a way to go before we can make the database available for people to search and use, but we are hoping that will be the case very soon. A search screen has been developed with parts of the results screen able to be expanded allowing the contents to be seen clearly.

We would also like to be able to include PDF versions of our old year books. Our recent lockdown did provide the opportunity to get more years scanned and prepared to be searchable and available for online use.

Vickie Ward, Archivist

27

In Closing With each change in life comes a period of mixed

faith? These are a sample of the questions that get posed

feelings, uncertainty and grief combined with

to me and they are questions that many people have

excitement and potential. The writer of Ecclesiastes

wrestled with over the centuries and continue to do so.

hit the nail on the head when they penned Chapter 3.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” The cycle of our lives is summed up between these verses (1-8).

change is a constant part of our lives, we cannot freeze time. The Year 13’s will soon leave to start another exciting chapter of their lives, some of our wonderful

Whilst a part of me is feeling the loss of past connections,

members of staff will be retiring or taking up other new

this is quickly being salved by the fostering of new ones

opportunities, new students and staff will become part

within the SMC whānau.

of the SMC family. Some too will experience the tension

As Chaplain I have the unique privilege to get to know students, staff, parents, and Old Girls.

It is a constant delight to see the smiling faces of the pre and primary school students and dance along with them in Junior School Chapel, to then changing tack and discussing with the older students the notion of what it is to be fashioned in the image of God along with other big questions such as – what is truth? Why

28

We are more than aware living in Canterbury that

does evil exist? Is there conflict between science and

between grief and excitement, sadness and joy, yet thankfully we never go through these times alone.

Spring has sprung, the cycle of new life begins and soon we too will be remembering another important birth, a birth that heralded change throughout world.

A birth that showed humanity a better way… the way of forgiveness, grace and love.

Blessings and aroha, Rev. Steph, Chaplain

Poetry Winner Anna Babbington (Year 10) Winner of a poetry competition hosted by the Canterbury English Teachers' Association on the theme of 'Beginnings'. sitting on the bus ripped patterns, hunchback seats, they sagged into the bus and we sagged into them with the graceful callousness that adolescence had draped our legs with you pointed at your veins said ‘this is where the stardust is kept’ we have graveyards of celestial bodies hidden in our veins the night sky’s afterlife is contained within our bodies, sitting on the bus we were the heirlooms of the universe did i ever tell you that i’m scared? scared of of all the little things that i lose so carelessly like you i lost you like another pair of socks gone now... i am scared of being gone as well i am now gone to you you sound like my greatest fears like the regrets of war heroes who sit by rivers scrubbing at their hands because the crimson won’t come off blood is a promise blood is the religion that the blade prays to can you begin again? i know beginnings are hard, like starched clothing they don’t fit at first, they are suffocating but you can squeeze into them. it feels like falling at first inhale that vertigo, repeat my name and spit it out into the throbbing air, rid yourself of who we were unshackle your tongue of the shape of my name so please tell me tell me can you begin again?

i’m not sure i can i didn’t do a proper apology i hope you saw the apology in my eyes but i think i forgot to put it there instead it ferments in my head an alcoholic manifestation of my tears you can drink it if you ever want to forget and begin, begin again do you see me everywhere? i see you you’re in the bright grinning fruit at the supermarket you dance in between the cracks in the concrete my stupid laughter at internet memes is lonely without your voice there too it hunches over falls like a dying action figure trips over its own feet cos there ain’t no one else there to trip over i didn’t see you til i don’t see you anymore there’s a certain lulling homesickness in my heart it drowns me whenever my eyes fall onto my veins because i remember the stardust and i remember the stars that you lathered my world with and all i can see is the too dark night sky

29

N SALOIONAL SS S E F O PR ODUCT PR

Northlands

Westfield Riccarton

The Palms

Hornby Hub

P 354 4494 P 385 5525

P 348 8837

P 344 3129

@synergyhairnz

/synergyhairnz

www.synergyhair.co.nz

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WELLINGTON

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