Hato Paora College, in Cheltenham, near Feilding in New Zealand has won a National School of Character Award recognising its efforts in encouraging positive results for student behaviour, citizenship, school culture and academic achievement. Winning schools are those able to demonstrate outstanding character education initiatives fostering success among students. The Maori boys’ Catholic boarding school Read more
The Rua Rau Festival celebrated last weekend in Parramatta, Australia commemorated the common history that has linked Māori Sydney and the Parramatta region for over two hundred years. 51 elders from the North trekked across the ditch to Parramatta for the celebrations, which recognise an enduring relationship between their ancestor Ruatara and the Anglican minister Read more
Christchurch City Council will provide $43,000 for a damaged Little River church, despite the building’s long-term future being uncertain. The 89-year-old heritage-listed building, opened in 1925 and owned by the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, was damaged by the September 2010 earthquake. It needed strengthening and weather proofing to prevent further damage, a council report said. Read more
The Catholic Diocese of Christchurch in New Zealand has sold a damaged church in Templeton to developers. St Brendan’s church is likely to be demolished and the diocese will use the proceeds from the sale to to upgrade facilities elsewhere. The original stained glass windows and door hinges will be used in an extension to Read more
Tu Taua, a military focused academy for school students will open at Hato Petera College in Auckland, New Zealand in 2015. It is aimed at senior students wanting to enter the army, navy or air force. It is a partnership project sponsored by the College, the Ministry of education and the Defence force. Continue reading Read more
Many Pasifika mothers hope their children will belong to a church. However european mothers are far more likely to hope their children would grow up to respect cultural diversity. This is one of the findings survey of about 7000 expectant parents of children born in Auckland and Waikato in 2009-10. The $3 million-a-year Growing Up Read more
Young people need to study ethics and values in school to help them navigate the complexities of an increasingly diverse society says Catherine Syms. She is undertaking doctoral research through the Institute of Education to gauge the diverse views of intermediate-age students in a multicultural state school. She’ll then use her findings as the basis Read more
The Forsyth Barr Stadium will temporarily become the House of God this weekend, as hundreds of Dunedin residents gather for a combined Catholic Mass. The Mass on Sunday will be part of Kavanagh College’s 25th jubilee celebrations and will attract all schools and parishes in the city. Continue reading
A Dunedin minister is ”quite humbled” to be named as the next leader of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. On Tuesday the Rev Richard Dawson was announced as moderator-designate, and will become moderator in late 2016. Mr Dawson (56), who is minister at St Stephens Leith Valley Presbyterian Church, said he was surprised Read more
The principal of McAuley High School, Anne Miles, has won the Social Enterprise category at the 2014 Fairfax Women of Influence Awards. She shares the title with Jo-Anne Wilkinson of the Foundation for Youth Development. “I feel humble and very surprised. When I looked at the fantastic finalists I really didn’t think I would win,” Read more