The Palmerston North diocese is continuing its community support following the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. The diocese sponsored a combined parent evening for Sacred Heart College and St John’s College earlier this month. The move follows generous contributions from people around the country who donated to the Diocese’s Cyclone Gabriel appeal. Palmerston North Diocese Read more
James Barr and Ishan Parmar, Year 11 students from St John’s Hastings, locked themselves in a cage for four hours, from 10am to 2pm, to protest against poor living conditions for those in New Zealand prisons. Both students were part of a young enterprise team at their school that had delved into the subject. Read Read more
A foodbank situated 300m from St John’s College in Hastings is a relevant reminder of the effects of poverty on people and their families – and one that has spurred students to create the school’s own National Poverty Index. Year 9 and 10 students from the college spent about a term and a half exploring Read more
A unique enterprise is bringing students from two very different schools together. Five youth prisoners at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison are working with boys from St John’s College, Hastings, to complete Level 4 qualifications, and in doing so, have established a company. For the last six months, the students from St John’s have made regular Read more
On June 27 Justice David Collins ruled the suspension that kept the Year 12 student and 1st XV rugby player out of school for five weeks, was unlawful, and conditions imposed on the pupil’s return to school were unreasonable. After “deliberately” waiting for “things to settle down in the papers”, the ruling said, Mr Melloy Read more
I don’t care how long a person’s hair is. As one of my favourite TV characters once said, “Sit, stand, burn to the ground for all I care.” But I am wondering why this skirmish between Lucan Battison and St John’s College over hair length caused such a stir? Why is it that a disagreement Read more
The chief executive officer of New Zealand’s Catholic Education Office is predicting the start of next term could see pupils testing the limits of uniform and appearance rules. Brother Patrick Lynch said the recent court decision had ramifications for all schools when it came to student grooming. He said a law change may be needed Read more
A number of principals have spoken out in support of the St John’s College which is being taken to the High Court by the parents of a 16-year-old boy suspended because his hair was too long. St John’s College, a Catholic boys’ secondary school in Hastings, New Zealand, suspended Lucan Battison for being in breach Read more
Maori students at St John’s College in Hastings are consistently rising to the challenge of leadership. Although they make up only 20 per cent of the school roll, in the last ten years half of the head boys at St John’s have been Maori. St John’s Principal, Neal Swindells, says one of the several factors that Read more
The honours at the O’Shea Shield this year went to two Hawke’s Bay schools; St John’s College in Hastings, and Sacred Heart College in Napier were placed first equal. St Patrick’s College Wellington was placed second. 350 students from 15 Catholic secondary schools in the Wellington Archdiocese and the Diocese of Palmerston North took part Read more