Responsible for continuing the history and traditions of Catherine McAuley, Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, students of St Mary’s College actively live Mercy Values.
St Mary's College Alumni 'Star' Newsletter
February 2022
Kia Ora and welcome,
Happy New Year to all St Mary's College Alumni members. As we enter the New Year with cheer, hope, and joy in our hearts, I wish you all a year full of happiness, health, and success.
I wish to thank those of you who took the opportunity who could make the STMW Alumni Christmas event, where we celebrated and honoured Sister de Porres's enormous contribution to the College. Scroll down to see photos from that event.
On 23rd January 2022, all of NZ moved into the “red” traffic light system setting, it is now more important that we reconnect and reflect with Alumni members and our Sisterhood.
St Mary's College's new Alumni's purpose is to reconnect with both current and old students, parents, caregivers, current and past staff, and the wider college community. We welcome anyone who has an interest in supporting and engaging with the college.
As our students return back to the college nowwould be a perfect time to consider donating a scholarship. Every year we encourage our generous alumni and friends to donate to the Alumni. To learn more about this option, scroll down.
This month I pray for the start of a wonderful College year, as the College reopens on Tuesday 1 February 2022. May God bless and keep us all safe throughout the year.
Our next newsletter is due out at the start of March 2022.
WELCOME BACK STUDENTS, PARENTS, FAMILIES GUARDIANS AND SUPPORTERS!
On behalf of the Board of Proprietors and the St Mary's College (STMW) Alumni we would like to welcome all families joining us in 2022.
We welcome all Year 9 students and family members to the St Mary's College Alumni.
We look forward to meeting and or inviting you to a STMW Alumni event, or seeing you on the College campus over the coming months.
REFLECTIONS FROM THE ALUMNI CHRISTMAS EVENT
Prior to Christmas, we launched our first Alumni event - St Mary's College Alumni Christmas Tour and Networking Event. The event consisted of a tour around the College and honouring Sister de Porres as she stepped away from the Board of Proprietors as a founding member to enjoy retirement.
What was to be a quick tour around the College before refreshments were served, soon turned into memory lane for our guests including Mark Hurley our wonderful tour guide, and Principal, Andrew Murray. The tour came to an end after nearly an hour, before the heavens were about to open.
Our highlight was the tribute to Sister de Porres, who admirably gave a wonderful speech, and yes, there were tears in the audience. Sister de Porres a few days later came back to me to say, 'Thank you for all the work that went into making the Alumni function such a success. Although small in numbers, the positivity was most obvious and I am sure numbers will grow in the future like the mustard seed in the Gospel'. We responded with 'After climbing the mountain, you finally can enjoy the view. Congratulations on your retirement!'
We wish to give thanks to those who make this evening a success, Mark Hurley, Andrew Murray, BoP Members, and our wonderful Alumni members.
Did you know there are 3 types of employees? The way you operate at work plays a crucial role in your career success.
Takers see the world as a hypercompetitive rat race. Since they assume that no one else will look out for them, they place their own interests first and last. They may choose to help others strategically, but only when the benefit seems to exceed the cost.
Matchers operate tit for tat. When people do them a favor, they repay in a capacity that is no more, no less. And when they help someone, they expect the same in return.
Givers focus on others more than on themselves. They pay close attention to what people need from them, whether it’s time or ideas or mentorship. A rarity in the workplace, their style is more typical of the way we treat family and friends.
Without a doubt our Mark Hurley is number 3; he's a man of giving! I am sure that Mark would agree, that we could go further to say that being a giver may actually be a sign of intelligence. Nevertheless, Mark has contributed over 35 years of teaching at St Mary's College, he is teaching generations, he has helped many many STMW sports teams and he has seen the College grow and flourish.
Thank you, Mark, the College has truly benefited from your dedication, commitment, and ideas. Click the below link to read his thoughts and accomplishments.
The beauty of helping students through a scholarship is that your gift will benefit students where they most need help. A scholarship can immediately impact students, giving them a chance, or a second chance, to pursue their education. And the effects of that gift – investing in our future leaders – last a lifetime.
Please help us keep the vision and passion of sisterhood through Catherine McAuley's eyes and endeavours alive as we educate and empower our young women.
We welcome your donations and scholarships, or in kind. There are many ways you can give, other than in monetary terms.
Give today by providing a donation or establishing a scholarship.
Please email or talk to our Alumni team.
The St Mary's College Alumni would love to hear from you, join us through the St Mary's College website, our social media channels, or send us an email.
How can you be involved?
Get in touch, we would love it if you reconnected with us,
Spread the word, we want to make sure that all old girls, families, and faculty are aware of this new initiative,
Pay it Forward, and give back to the college community in kind, or through donation.
St Mary's College has many facilities available for hire during school holidays and weekends. There are spaces for small and large groups to gather with furniture and WIFI supplied, as needed.
OPTIONS
Hall $750.00 per day, or $75 per hour
Gymnasium $350.00 per day, or $35.00 per hour
Classrooms $125.00 per day, or $25.00 per hour
Exclusive of GST.
Note, the hire of this facility is subject to the conditions of the current traffic light system, and any government changes.
This year, St Mary’s College is developing and broadening a work experience programme for our senior students. We are asking local businesses and government agencies to support our programme by hosting one or two St Mary’s students for a small number of work experience days. We are particularly looking for employers who are based close to the College in Thorndon/CBD, or those who have a prior connection with us.
The St Mary’s work experience programme forms part of our Pathways subject course for Year 12 and Year 13 students. The course supports students with career planning and making choices about future employment. One way to do this is by giving them the opportunity to see and experience real workplaces and real jobs, first-hand.
If you are able to help us by hosting a student, we would love to hear from you.
Please let us know if you can help, by emailing Anne Paton or phoning us on 04-473-5554 after Wednesday 2 February 2022 to discuss further.
Many of you would have lived and breathed sport when you attended college. Sport continues to be an important part of our St Mary's college experience. We continue to develop and thrive at our traditional sports of netball, rugby, basketball, rowing, football, volleyball, and hockey.
We also encourage participation in handball, water polo, futsal, badminton, cricket, golf, kio-rahi, touch, and golf, and place great importance on our large amount of social teams in a number of different sports.
We are very proud that a large number of St Mary's students are selected for either Regional, National or International representation.
Help support our students so that they can continue to excel in this area and have the vital equipment they need to play a good game. Become a sponsor to one of the many sports we offer. To learn more about this opportunity, please email us.
INAUGURAL ST MARY'S COLLEGE ALUMNI BREAKFAST
On 23rd January 2022, NZ moved into the “red” traffic light system setting. This change initiated the movement of the below event date tto the end of Term 2, 2022.
Inaugural St Mary's College Alumni Breakfast.
Wednesday 6 July 2022
7.30 - 9.30 am
Banquet Hall, Parliament Buildings
Host: Paul Eagle, MP for Rongotai
Speaker: Dame Fran Wilde
BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Friends of St Mary's College (formerly the St Mary's College Parent Association) is responsible for the hospitality and fundraising at the college.
Join the Friends of St Mary's College meeting for 2022 on Tuesday 15 February 2022, at 5 pm, via Zoom.
We are calling for St Mary's College parents to apply for the following positions in 2022;
Chair,
Secretary,
Treasurer,
Second-Hand Uniform Shop Co-ordinator,
Angels Co-ordinator,
Committee Members.
One-off event-specific volunteers
We welcome parents, caregivers, and extended family to volunteer to help us support our college community. To volunteer, join the group, or get on our mailing list to receive the Alumni monthly newsletters, send your email address to the Friends of St Mary's College.
Protecting the health and wellbeing of our team, students and the wider community is our top priority.
It is our preference during this time that all meetings that involve external participants are held via Zoom/phone call.
If an onsite meeting is required (note our preference is Zoom/phone call), we ask that anyone attending our College office:
Pre-book an appointment, not everyone is working in the office at this time
Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, we will require you to show your Vaccination Passport
Wear a mask (to be worn throughout your visit)
Maintain social distancing
Scan in using the COVID-19 tracer app
Sign in at our reception desk
The College office front door will be closed to limit the number of people entering our office to just our team and students, there will be a drop-off box at the door.
ST MARY'S OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION (SMOGA)
The St Mary’s Old Girls’ Association (SMOGA) is focused on enjoying the friendship of those who have been past pupils of St Mary’s College Wellington. We have a variety of social events during the year and past pupils of all ages are encouraged to attend. We do have a lot of fun and enjoy sharing our lives past and present. While we are having fun we also try to raise money to help the current group of students at the College who are in need.
If you would like more information about these events or would like to join our association then please contact Judy Houlahan by email.
Let us embrace "kaiako" (feeder of knowledge), and embrace leadership that is reciprocal (ie, the teacher and child have opportunities to learn from each other). The spirit of St Mary’s college represents this, we are truly unique, we are all part of one thread, the sharing of knowledge, we are a community that has experiences and memories that span over 170 years.
Today it is so important to network, interact and stay in touch — the alumni network offers students, families, the wider college team a host of benefits. One thing that will always remain is our Sisterhood. It is solid, it is constant, it is a community of women, a family, we are all linked by a common interest. Let us remember that we are all one, embracing all.
We must strive to do ordinary things, extraordinarily well. Catherine McAuley
Our next newsletter will be distributed early March 2022. Newsletter submissions close mid February 2022.
Nga Mihi,
Sally Dunbar
Alumni Stakeholder and Development Manager
P: +64 4 473 5554
E: sally.dunbar@stmw.school.nz
Disclaimer
While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this correspondence is complete and accurate, St Mary's College does not represent or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information, or that this information is suitable for use in every situation. The College, and its directors and officers, do not accept any responsibility or liability arising directly or indirectly from or in connection with your use or reliance on this information, or from any omission in the information.
