Isabella Johansson starting on a jigsaw puzzle

Mrs Marion Hogg with Isabella Johansson and Daizy Thompson-Fawcett with a new Activboard (one of twelve purchased for each of the Years 0-8 classrooms thanks to the Otago Community Trust of Otago and our Parents’ Association).

We express our sincere appreciation also to the Junior School family for generously making the installation of the seven Activboards for the Junior School classrooms possible (three this year and the other four to be done for the start of the new school year).

The five in the Intermediate Department will also be installed over the Christmas holidays thanks to the generosity of an Intermediate Department family.

	Columba College Business Hall of Fame Laureates 2009: Ann Kennedy Perkins and Helen Anderson

	Business Hall of Fame Alcove

The third Columba Business Hall of Fame function was a fantastic success. With Old Girls, students and parents present there was a real buzz at the event.

The induction of the Laureates is the highlight of the evening, and their identity remains a closely guarded secret until the night. Choosing who to induct each year is no easy task for the organising committee comprising Jennie Hughes, Margie Stevely, Amy Collins, Janet Marquet, Leigh Duncan, Vivienne Eason from COGA and Suzanne Bishop and Cecylia Klobukowska from the Commerce Department .

Columba students have done very well over the years and any Laureate has to meet strict criteria so that the standard of Laureate is guaranteed to be high.

The committee looked forward to the event as it was also the unveiling of the cabinets generously donated by Natalie Ellis-Wilson. These cabinets will house the memorabilia of the Laureates so that there will be a lasting reminder to the present students of the Laureates’ achievements. A slight hiccup with the cabinets meant that they were not all there for the night but they are all in place now.

Margie Stevely launched the Columba Business Hall of Fame Charitable Trust at the function. It is hoped that people will donate to the Trust so that the income will assist the funding of future events.

Three students were also honoured for their achievements in gaining Commerce Scholarships. It is hoped that in the future other school Departments will use the function as an opportunity to honour their students.

The response from the Laureates is amazing as their induction to the Hall of Fame has clearly been seen by all of them as a major achievement. There are now seven Laureates across a range of disciplines. There are photo displays around the school and their stories are being used by many Departments to provide inspiration to current students.

Suzanne Bishop, HOD Commerce

	Helen Anderson

Columba Years:1968 – 1973

Current Role: Chief Executive, Ministry of Research, Science and Technology

Helen Anderson is one of New Zealand’s best scientific minds. She is setting the agenda for science and research in this country.

She has achieved significant academic success in her career, graduating from the University of Auckland with a First Class Honours degree and completing a PhD from the University of Cambridge. In 1990 Helen was awarded a Fulbright Senior Research Scholarship for study at the University of California.

Helen has a particular interest in seismology and was selected as the Director of the Earth and Ocean Sciences in Dunedin, a collaboration between the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences and the University of Otago.

In 1997 Helen began working for the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology as its Chief Scientific Adviser. After six years in this position she was appointed Chief Executive of the Ministry. In this rôle Helen provides leadership and direction to staff within the Ministry and co-ordinates Ministry projects with a clear focus on the returns that investment in science will deliver to New Zealand businesses operating on the world stage, which simultaneously increases the wealth of the entire country.

	Ann Kennedy Perkins

Columba Years:1973-1976

Current Role: Founder and Director of AKP Communications Limited – Public Relations Consultancy

Ann Kennedy Perkins did not know what public relations were when she left school; she has, however, always been interested in communication. She graduated with a first class honours degree in English from the University of Otago and worked at both Radio New Zealand and TVNZ, before beginning her career in public relations.

In 1994 Ann established AKP Communications Limited, a public relations consultancy firm which develops and implements communication strategies to help companies achieve their business objectives. Ann believes that through communication she can make human connections, not just provide information.

The small company structure enables Ann to be hands-on and flexible. She enjoys working in partnership with her clients and seeing a brief from start to finish.

Ann possesses a particular skill-set as she is intelligent, creative and an effective communicator. She has achieved many career successes and in 2009 Ann was awarded a Gold Quill Award for Excellence in Communication, presented by the International Association of Business Communications for her “On the Way to the Agency” campaign, a communications project to support the establishment of the NZ Transport Agency. It was her third Gold Quill award.

	Left to right: Alexandra McKenzie, Paige Gale, Rebecca Doré, Charlotte Boyce and Holly Cadzow.

This year the Year 10 German class decided to enter the ShortFilmFest Competition organised annually by the Goethe Institut in Wellington. With the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall being celebrated in November 2009 it was not surprising that this year’s theme for the contest was “Die Mauer” (“The Wall”). We wanted to produce a DVD that would involve the whole class of 24 girls, although some were away on exchanges when we came to filming. After much brain-storming we decided to use the plot of one of Roald Dahl’s short stories, “Mrs Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”, but having the main character as Bärbel Schmidt travelling from West Berlin to visit her Aunt Tanja in East Berlin, crossing the Berlin Wall through the Underground station at Friedrichstraße. The back of Bishopscourt made a very useful setting for the Berlin Wall and the various sitting-rooms and Mr Madden’s BMW provided the other backdrops. We were fortunate to have Mr Baddock to film the work and were lucky to manage to squeeze this into three periods in the last week of Term 3, just in time to meet the deadline on Saturday, 26th September.

We were surprised and thrilled to learn at the start of Term 4 that our DVD, “Roald Dahl an der Mauer: Couscous”, had won First Prize in the Years 7 – 10 section of the competition and that we were invited to collect the prize and see the film on the large screen at the National Film Archive in Wellington on 6th November. Unfortunately, the airfares by this stage were too costly for more than a few to be able to attend so the group was represented by Charlotte Boyce, Holly Cadzow, Rebecca Doré, Paige Gale and Alexandra McKenzie, accompanied by Mrs Doré and Ms Riethmaier. Our second surprise was to find that we had won a cheque for $500.00 which was presented by the German Ambassador and which will be used for purchases for the Languages Department.

Despite the tight time constraint, we had a lot of fun filming the skit and it was pleasing to see the whole class involved one way or another. The three students who had the main parts, Annabel Drummond, Jacinta Dunn and Chloë Anson, need a special commendation for learning their lines so quickly and we also thank Mr Evan Baddock for his patience, skill and willingness to give his time so generously.

Jenness Riethmaier

November 2009

The Parents’ Association voted this past week to accept the above proposal to build the new Outdoor Fitness Centre on the senior school campus. Monies were raised towards this project through the 2007 Columba College business directory, the 2009 School Fair and generous parent donations and grants. We look forward to breaking ground early in the new year and have the Centre ready for use in the first term of 2010.

	Lucy Kent, Amy Chu, Georgina Martin, Nicola Crawford and Alice Marsh.

Warm congratulations to the seven Year 13 girls who have been awarded Tertiary Scholarships. Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships from the University of Otago for 2010:

Lucy Kent, Alice Marsh and Georgina Martin each received a Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship from the University of Otago for study in 2010. Nicola Crawford has been awarded an Alumni Annual Appeal Scholarship from the University of Otago for 2010.

Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarships are worth $5,000, payable against University fees or Hall of Residence accommodation. The Alumni Annual Appeal Scholarship is to the value of first year fees, irrespective of course.

University of Auckland Undergraduate Scholarship for 2010

Amy Chu has been awarded a University of Auckland Entry Scholarship for 2010. The University of Auckland Scholarships are the University’s most prestigious undergraduate Awards. They are awarded to students who have demonstrated academic excellence, all-round ability and leadership. The University received 950 applications for these scholarships and 110 have been awarded throughout New Zealand.

	Mrs S. Bishop

The Otago Regional Finals of Young Enterprise were held at the Otago Museum on the 14th October. We were delighted to hear the announcement that Mrs S. Bishop, HOD Commerce. is to be the 2009 recipient of the Sir James Fletcher Award for Outstanding Contribution to Enterprise. This award is made annually to a teacher in New Zealand who has made a consistent contribution over a number of years to Enterprise, not just within the teacher’s own school but to Enterprise in New Zealand.

Our 2009 Young Enterprise Company, “Lucrative”, also did very well, gaining 1st Place for Best Financial Performance and 2nd Place for Best Marketing Plan.

It was great news to hear that “Lucrative” was one of the two Otago companies to be named to go forward to the National Young Enterprise Finals to be held in Wellington on the 4th November. “Lucrative” has been nominated for an Excellence Award at national level – the category will be announced in Wellington on the night.

Hayley Jenkins-McCaw and Elizabeth Fraser will represent “Lucrative” at the National Awards Function.

A full list of the Year 13 girls who are members of “Lucrative” follows: Hae In Choi, Leah Coghill, Elizabeth Fraser, Alisa Hasdarngkul, Alice Hunter, Sophie Hutchison, Naomi Ireland, Hayley Jenkins-McCaw, Jirachaya Kerdpanya, Alyse McDonald, Kate Manson, Courtney Morton, Libby Richards and Jessica Todd.

	Kate Manson, Year 13 Recipient of a PricewaterhouseCoopers Aspire Scholarship

A total of 16 Aspire Scholarships has been awarded in this the sixth year of PricewaterhouseCoopers Scholarship programme. Of the 16, two were awarded to students in the South Island with one going to Christchurch and the other to Dunedin.

Warmest congratulations to Kate Manson in Year 13 on being the recipient of an Aspire Scholarship.

Kate will receive a contribution towards her University tuition fees valued at $7,000.00 over the course of her degree as well as receiving mentoring support from PwC, the opportunity to develop valuable relationships and networks and summer holiday employment while at University.

	Kim Schultz, a year 8 pupil at Columba College, Dunedin, is raising eyebrows with her research on scoop-served ice cream. Photo by Peter McIntosh courtesy of the ODT

by John Gibb - Otago Daily Times

21 August 2009

RESEARCH by Dunedin school pupil Kim Schultz about scoop-served ice cream was a “timely reminder” about the need for safe food handling practices in stores, a Tip Top senior manager, Mike Leyland, says.

Recent testing of vanilla ice creams bought from 17 Dunedin dairies and other shops showed that five of the cone ice creams were contaminated with E. coli bacteria at levels about those permitted by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.

Kim (12) outlined her findings in a research project she has created as part of the 2009 Aurora Otago Science and Technology Fair, which continues at the Otago Museum today and tomorrow.

Mr Leyland is the general manager for sales and distribution at the Tip Top ice cream company, a subsidiary of the Fonterra Co-operative Group.

Food outlets, under the guidance of local authorities and the food safety authority, could “make a big difference to ensure consumers get the very best quality and safe products”, he said.

Tip Top also operated a food safety and quality programme that included an induction programme for new retailers, with demonstrations and information on how to service freezers and to serve a “safe ice cream”.

The company also held an annual training programme to ensure its sales consultants, during their weekly store visits, were always reinforcing the right way to do things.

Tip Top tested every batch of ice cream before it left the factory and could assure the safety and quality of its products at each step in the production process up to delivery to the retailers, he said.

Kim said she had been surprised and “quite happy” about the media attention she and her research had received this week – including being on the front page of the ODT, appearing on TV3 news and being interviewed on National Radio.

She said she did not want to discourage people from eating ice cream, but hoped her research would help people to “get the message” about the need to improve food hygiene practices.

Wayne Boss, a senior environmental health officer at the Dunedin City Council, said there was no cause for alarm about scoop-served ice cream, which could still be eaten safely.

However, there was also no room for complacency about food safety, Mr Boss said.

The DCC environmental health department would continue to emphasise the necessity for professional hygiene practices, including good hand-washing, at food outlets.

Since the publicity, several retail outlets had contacted the department asking if there was anything they could do to further improve their food safety practices, he said.

This project is featured in the Student Work section of the Columba College website. Click here to read more...

Friday 24th July. 9.00am ~ 1.00pm.

	Click to view the Junior School Production photo gallery.

June 2009

On Tuesday, 9th June, the Junior School children put on the production of “Scrooge – A Ghost of a Chance”, a musical based on “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, with the play and lyrics by Colin Baker and music by Sheila Wilson. This is the fourth musical production for the children and it was evident their excitement has not waned. From the lead characters to the little snowflakes everyone played her or his part with enthusiasm. Once again Mrs Borick and the children are to be congratulated on such a wonderful effort. To manage a cast of 155 children is no easy task and together with the help of the teaching staff as stage managers everything managed to go without a hitch.

We performed “Scrooge” twice on the Thursday, once at 8.30 a.m. for the Years 7 to 13 students at assembly, who were a very appreciative audience, and again at 10.00 a.m. for Kaikorai and Maori Hill Primary schools. Also invited were the residents from Redroofs and members of the Highgate Presbyterian Church. As usual with a production there are always behind the scene activities which must take place to ensure its success. Many thanks go to Murray Ross for assisting with the lighting, Paula Good for the Rock ‘n’ Roll choreography, Charlotte Sutherland who was our guest drummer, the Parents’ Association for purchasing the new sound system in Constance Hall and Kyla and David Jasperse, who once again designed and made the props.

Our sincere thanks must also go to Mr Richard Warnock, who always manages to bring our musicals “alive” with his superb piano accompaniment, Miss Alison Bowcott who so ably teaches and conducts the Junior School Orchestra and of course to our wonderful Musical Director, Mrs Judith Borick, who put so many hours into perfecting and bringing “Scrooge” to life.

Finally, a very big “thank you” must go to all the Junior School children. They managed to showcase their superb talents in a most successful 2009 Musical Production.

Marion Hogg - Dean of the Junior School

For those who may have missed reading the Sunday Star Times on the 17th May, below is the list of schools that were in the Top 10 in New Zealand for their NCEA 2008 pass-rates.

It is very pleasing indeed to see Columba College in this list.

We acknowledge that such lists have their critics, but are also aware that there is considerable public interest in such information.

For the record, Columba students again gained the highest number of Scholarship grades (21) in Otago and Southland for 2008 – a record that has been maintained by the College since the inception of Scholarship in 2004.

Sunday Star Times 17th May, 2009

	Alice Waterman, Alice Marsh and Ava Atkinson-Barclay

Columba College was host for the 2009 Competition which attracted 14 school teams from Otago and Southland.

The Columba Senior Debating Team of Alice Waterman, Alice Marsh (Year 13) and Ava Atkinson- Barclay (Year 12) had a very successful weekend, winning five of their six debates. They won the semi-final against St. Kevin’s College, making it to the final which was won by Otago Boys’ High School.

The Otago/Southland team to contest the national finals in Wellington was announced after the regional finals with two of the three team members coming from Columba: Alice Waterman and Alice Marsh.

Congratulations to the Senior Debating Team on a very successful weekend and to Mrs C. Carrell and Mrs M. Harris who run our Debating Club and supported the girls throughout the weekend.

May 2009

Art classes started operating in Sargood House this week with Ms Field delighted to be able to move in following DCC consent coming through last week.

Converting a domestic dwelling to school use was quite an involved project that took us a little longer than envisaged, however, the outcome looks good and we are confident the Visual Art Department will benefit from the new teaching spaces and the proximity of Sargood House to the Braemar Art Room.

One large classroom has been created out of the former main bedroom, dining-room and front hall, while the front sitting-room will provide a smaller classroom. The former kitchen has been largely gutted to make a large wet area with direct access from the new main classroom. The former laundry has also been gutted to create a second wet area off the kitchen.

Painting of all the above areas, strengthening, fire-cladding of walls, disabled access, security, smoke alarms, new overhead lighting and plugs, a heat pump, new vinyl, pinboards and two whiteboards and an asphalt path for improved access are the main jobs that have been carried out.

There is further scope to create a third useful teaching space at the rear of the house. We haven't touched the back sitting-room and bathroom, and they could, in time, be made into one more useful space.

	Alice Marsh with Columba’s Fair Trade School Certificate

May 2009

Alice Marsh, Head Prefect, had as one of her special projects for this year to see Columba College become a Fair Trade School recognised by the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand. Well done to Alice on this initiative and its success. Columba is now one of eight Fair Trade Schools in New Zealand.

To qualify we had to meet the following criteria:

What is Fairtrade?
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

Fairtrade is an alternative model of international trade, which aims to share the benefits of trade more equitably between consumers, producers and the environment.

Fairtrade guarantees a better deal for producers in the developing world through:

How do I know if a product is Fairtrade?
The FAIRTRADE Label is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. For a product to display the FAIRTRADE Label it must meet international Fairtrade standards. These standards are set by the certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) and have been developed in consultation with farmer, consumer and industry representatives.

Look for the FAIRTRADE Label on a growing range of products.

www.fairtrade.org.nz

April 2009

It was definitely a fun, fantastic and fabulous Fair! We were blessed with another GORGEOUS day, filled with laughter and friends. This year, the "Columba Family" set up and ran fifty-three stalls, games, events, contests, raffles and activities. The tables were laden with donations of clothing, household items, toys, sweets and baking. The upper school girls and their teachers arranged marvellous games that brought beaming smiles to lots of faces. It was great to see so many of the classes really getting into the "Best Decorated Stall" contest and all the fantastic student entries in the cake competition. The judges in both contests truly had a hard time-so many wonderful choices! And WOW! The generosity of the families and businesses donating items and money to the Fair was simply overwhelming and GREATLY appreciated. We had our biggest Dutch Auction ever-three tents were needed to contain it all!

From the Prefects greeting and welcoming our guests to the blast of "Rule Britannia" as the "Queen" graced us with her presence to open our Fair to the eager crowds waiting almost patiently outside for Constance Hall, the Books and Pre-loved Clothing stalls to open and filling the tents on the lawn to the Easter Bunny handing an egg to a delighted child to the satisfied diners at the various yummy food stalls to the eager entrants in the various contests to the fantastic items available at the Dutch Auction to the happy winners at the Tombola to the peals of laughter from the Midway - celebration and fun were in the air. A good time was definitely being had!

Many thanks to all who worked so tirelessly before, during and after the Fair. Weeks of preparation by countless people go into making sure the logistics are ironed out; tables and tents borrowed (and returned!); equipment is ordered; menus are determined and foods are arranged; items found, sorted and priced; volunteers lined up and everything is ready to go on time. The conveners are to be commended for their excellent work (see the list over the page so you can tell them "Great job!").

Every stall was humming with a buzz of excitement. And ALL of you wonderful people who volunteered to put those plans into action before and during the Fair as well those who volunteered to help shut it all down and return everything - you are VERY much appreciated. It takes many hands, heads and hearts to make an event of this scale happen and happen extremely well. It is also so gratifying to see the friends made at previous Fairs reuniting for a good cause. I especially loved seeing our children's names and Year levels on our name-tags and hearing many "Oh! You are so and so's Mum/Dad!" As a school that draws its students from near and far, it is events like this that knit us together as a community.

Many thanks to all the families who donated, made things and baked or cooked- the variety of items we had for sale was astounding. Many thanks to all the businesses who donated prizes for the raffles, Dutch Auction and foods for the Columba Café . It was an impressive (and delicious) array of goods that were enjoyed on the day and the generosity of many will be long remembered.

Through the efforts of the entire Columba community - parents, teachers, students and staff - I am pleased to report that the 2009 Fair raised $48,000. These proceeds will be used to purchase ICT/computer equipment for Years 1 to 8, a new outdoor fitness structure for the senior campus and resources for our new Visual Arts rooms in Sargood House. We can all give ourselves a much deserved pat on the back for a job VERY well done! It was a terrific day and plans are already in the works for 2010. See you at next year's Fair!

Jennifer Anglin 2009 Fair Convener, Mandy Metzger 2009 Fair Logistics.

Read more about the fair in the April 2009 newsletter...

Saturday 4th April 2009 starting at 11:30am

Don't miss the Columba Fair. Saturday 4th April 2009 starting at 11:30am. Click here for more information...

	Back row: Renée Hodgkinson, Holly Cadzow, Zoe Cadzow, Tori Hall, Stephanie Lambie, Nicole Martyn. Front row: Vienna Sutherland, Kimberley Martyn, Jamie Boyce, Charlotte O’Leary, Sarah McDonald, Kirsten Williams. Absent: Charlotte Boyce.

March 2009

Warmest congratulations to our Senior A Waterpolo Team on winning the South Island Tournament.

All the girls in the team can be very proud of this achievement, and also of their overall win in the local Dunedin competition in which they won their final games against Kavanagh College and John McGlashan College (this was a hard-fought game that Columba won 6-5). They are a young (six of the girls are in Year 10 and two in Year 11), fit and well prepared team and thoroughly deserve their South Island win.

In the closely contested semi-final with Villa Maria, the score was 3 all at full-time and 4 all at extra time. The game was won on the penalty shoot-out with Charlotte O’Leary, Zoe Cadzow and Holly Cadzow all scoring, taking the final score to 7-4. The final was against Christchurch Girls’ High School with a win of 4-1 to Columba.

Tori Hall - Most Valuable Player - South Island Waterpolo Tournament.

Stephanie Lambie - Most Promising Player - South Island Waterpolo Tournament

	Back row: Judy Park, Mary-Jane Wennekes, Durga Selvarajah, Imara Jones, Shannon McKee, Kaitlynn Wheeler, Emma Turner, Sarah Dippie, Pheobe Pegg, Ciara Fitzsimons. Front row: Katie Willis, Christina Anson, Olivia McNab, Serena Waterworth, Nicole Ker, Poppy Cooper, Claire Anglin.

December 2008

All the Junior School pupils lined up to see the Year 6 girls cross over to the Bishopscourt campus for lunch on the 4th December.

	Dr M. Fields, Anna Fields, Dr S. Henderson on the 5th December

December 2008

(Gold Medals are awarded to the top 1% of ICAS entrants who achieve the highest score in their Year level in their own country in each ICAS subject)

At the 2008 ICAS Gold Medal Awards Ceremony held at Te Papa, Wellington Anna received a Gold Medal for Science. In the previous year, Anna was the recipient of Gold Medals for English and Science.

Three ICAS Gold Medals is a very special achievement on which Anna is warmly congratulated.

	Jessica Chisholm, Year 13

December 2008

Otago Polytechnic generously funds a Scholarship which covers the first year’s tuition fees to a nominated secondary school student from each school in the region.

Congratulations to Jessica Chisholm on being the recipient of the Scholarship made available to a Columba College student. Jessica will be studying towards a Nursing Degree at Otago Polytechnic.

	Julia Aspinall and Barbara Anderson Photograph courtesy of the ODT

	Amanda Ellis Photograph courtesy of the ODT

November 2008

Julia Aspinall of Genetic Gains Ltd. and Barbara Anderson of BKA Interactive Ltd. were inducted into the Columba College Business Hall of Fame at a special function in Constance Hall on the 10th November, joining last year’s inaugural recipients, Amanda Ellis, Miranda Caird and Sue Stevely-Cole.

Amanda Ellis had been unable to attend the function last year, and so it was a special highlight to have her in New Zealand and able to attend the function on the 10th November. Amanda also spoke at assembly in the morning about her career and work with the World Bank – an inspirational talk for the girls.

Amanda who now lives in Washington, D.C., has been with the World Bank for five years. She heads up the World Bank group gender action plan, a four-year $US25 million programme promoting gender equality within economics, which involves spending much of her time in African countries.

Amanda has worked for Westpac in Australia as Head of Women’s Markets and national manager for Women in Business, the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, OECD in Paris and has managed NZ aid programmes in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Read More...

	Chiao Lin

November 2008

This year there were 9,168 entrants from 202 schools. Columba College students performed very strongly – a view supported by the National Bank representative who presented the girls with their certificates in assembly. She commented that Columba College students received the most certificates in Dunedin from this year’s Competition which is regarded as a particularly challenging one for Years 9 to 11 students.

Special congratulations to Chiao Lin in Year 10 who was 4th nationally for her Year level and the top placed female student

	Deborah Lambie

November 2008

Along with Natasha Keillor, Deborah Lambie is the recipient of a Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship from Otago University and we congratulate Deborah also on this prestigious award.

	Laura Manson

September 2008

Warm congratulations to Laura Manson in Year 13 on winning one of the 16 Scholarships awarded by PricewaterhouseCoopers for 2009. Laura was one of the two South Island recipients with the other 14 Scholarships going to North Island students.

The Scholarship offers recipients summer internships as well as significant monetary allowances throughout the duration of their tertiary education (a package of $7,000 with a further $2,500 to complete a relevant double degree or postgraduate studies).

Laura is the third Columba recipient of a PricewaterhouseCoopers Aspire Scholarship in four consecutive years. She joins Sophie Toomer and Stacey Offen.

September 2008

	Bankable . . . Pictured at the Reserve Bank, back row, from left, are Reserve Bank deputy governor Dr John McDermott, Columba College principal Elizabeth Wilson, Surangna Chansrichavala, team leader Kari Schmidt, Reserve Bank economic analysts Chris Bloor and Hamish Pepper. Front row, from left, Emma Elsom, Erin Wilson and Laura Manson.

By John Lewis - Otago Daily Times

FIVE Columba College pupils proved they had the potential to control the country’s official cash rate after they finished second in the New Zealand Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Challenge in Wellington.

Team leader Kari Schmidt, Emma Elsom, Surangna Chansrichavala, Laura Manson and Erin Wilson were put in the shoes of Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard and using the same information as Reserve Bank economists, the team assessed the economic conditions facing New Zealand to decide an appropriate setting for the official cash rate.

Their reasoning was given in a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 20-minute question and answer session with a judging panel of Reserve Bank economists.

Columba College principal Elizabeth Wilson said the girls coped well with the extreme pressure of the event.

“It was a very high level of competition — it was a signific ant step up from the level of questioning at regional level. The girls handled it extremely well.”

Scots College (Wellington) won, with Westlake Boys High School (Auckland) third.

	The Columba College Monetary Policy Challenge Team (placed second in New Zealand in the 2008 MPC finals). In the Board Room of the Reserve Bank. Left to right – Laura Manson, Erin Wilson, Kari Schmidt, Surangna Chansrichavala and Emma Elsom.

	Photo: Gregor Richardson - Otago Daily Times.

Thursday July 24, 9.00am - 1.00pm

Click on an image to enlarge.

	Annabel Drummond

August 2008

Annabel Drummond in Year 9 has been made a member of the New Zealand Youth Orchestra.

This is a very high achievement for Annabel as members of the NZ Youth Orchestra can be up to 25 years of age.

Annabel has joined the orchestra to give concerts in Wellington, Christchurch, Auckland and Napier from the 20th August to the 1st September.

	Click here to see Photo Gallery... Click here to see Photo Gallery Number 2...

May 2008

On the 11th April six very excited girls and myself departed for a three week visit to Edogawa Girls’ High School.

The girls spent one and a half weeks with each of their two homestay families. All girls stayed with the Edogawa student they had hosted in March 2008 in Dunedin, which was rather special. As one Columba mother said, “The Columba girls were treated like royalty.”

The girls were very good at trying traditional Japanese dishes and all thought the food was delicious. The host families took the girls to many interesting places such as Akihabara, Harajuku, Asakusa, Tokyo Tower, Mt. Fuji, Yokohama, Disneyland and Disneysea. Mr Watanabe, the International Co-ordinator, had planned a very full programme for the three weeks the Columba girls attended Edogawa Girls’ High School. The programme included classes in language, computing, calligraphy, cooking, history, games, Okinawa guitar and Kendo. Time was also spent with the host sisters in their classes and at after school clubs. Visits were also made to Edo Tokyo Museum, Odaiba, Ueno Zoo, Koiwa, Kamakura, Asunaro Kindergarten, Myogonji temple and the Lalaport shopping plaza.

The Asunaro Kindergarten and Myogonji Temple are owned by Mr and Mrs Hashimoto. Mr Hashimoto, a past staff member of Edogawa Girls’ High School, accompanied his students to Dunedin a few years ago and has fond memories of Columba College. Mr Watanabe was speechless when Mr Hashimoto presented the Columba girls and myself with a 200-300 year old coin each, which had been unearthed when the foundations were dug for the present temple. We felt very honoured to receive such a gift.

The final day of our visit to the school was very busy. The Columba girls each presented a speech in Japanese entitled “Dreams of the Future.” They impressed the five judges with their level of Japanese. We then had lunch with the Principal and members of staff.

The day ended with our girls staging a very entertaining Farewell Concert for the host sisters, their families and staff. The trip was a wonderful cultural experience. The girls were a credit to Columba College and a delight to be with. To quote Mr Watanabe, “Please be sure to come again to Edogawa and continue (if possible) your Japanese programme.”

Anne Hancock (Mrs)
Tour Leader

April 2008

Click here to see the Photo Gallery. Read more about the Fair in the April 2008 Newsletter.

	Click here to see Photo Gallery...

February 2008

Columba College has been hosting students from Edogawa Girls’ High School, Tokyo, Japan for the past eighteen years.

The College values its long association with this school and wishes to preserve it for years to come.

On Saturday, 23rd February thirty Edogawa students, one teacher and a J.T.B. Tour Escort arrived in Dunedin for a three week visit. The students were home stayed with Columba families and attended the Otago Polytechnic for the first two weeks and Columba classes for four days during the final week.

The integration programme at Columba College included a welcome lunch, English language lessons, time spent with the Columba host students in their classes, sport, craft, cooking, visits to Olveston, St. Johns Anglican Church, a farm at Taieri Mouth and a farewell party and supper.

	Photo courtesy of the ODT

May 2008

The degree of Honorary Doctor of Literature was conferred upon Cilla McQueen by the University of Otago at the Graduation Ceremony held on Saturday, 17th May 2008.

Cilla McQueen is one of New Zealand’s leading poets. She has written ten books of poetry, several of them award winners.

She was Dux of Columba College in 1965 and went on to major in French at Otago University, graduating with an MA(Hons) in 1971. From 1985-1986 she held the Burns Fellowship at Otago University which gave her time to devote to her writing after working as a full-time teacher.

Cilla McQueen now lives in Bluff.

	Annie Manning and Anna Watson Photo courtesy of the ODT

April 2008

Two of the twelve Alumni Scholarships recently awarded by the University of Otago have gone to Columba College Old Girls, Annie Manning and Anna Watson, who were in Year 13 last year.

The Scholarships cover the first year tuition fees and are funded by donations from former Otago University students and graduates, through University alumni appeals.

The twelve students came from Invercargill to Havelock North.

	See the Year 9 Ski Camp movie (wmv 15MB).

2007 marked the fifteenth year that our Year 9 students have swapped their classrooms for a week in the snow at Coronet Peak. Somehow we managed to squeeze 61 excited Year 9 girls plus the three Strathcona exchange students, two of the parents and the five accompanying staff, Ms J. Riethmaier, Mrs J. McMahon, Mrs R. Skerten, Mr S. Warburton and Emma Petersen, plus the luggage and food for a week into two buses and all in time for a 9.00 a.m. departure from school. After stopping in Alexandra for lunch we drove on to the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Centre to watch the “Secrets of Bungy” show. An added treat here was the offer of a free bungy jump for the teachers but only Mrs McMahon was brave enough to accept. We were all very impressed by her confident, stylish swoop off the bridge and her beaming smile as she came back up the steps amidst applause and cheers.

We then continued on to Coronet Peak and unloaded luggage and food into the two lodges, the Otago Ski Club and Vincent Ski Club Huts, which were to be our bases for the rest of the week. The level of excitement made it difficult for some girls to get to sleep on the first night but the thought of having to get up at 6.30 a.m. to have breakfast and get our ski and snowboarding gear fitted in time for the 9.00 a.m. lesson eventually brought silence to the dorms.

Every day started with a one-and-a- half hour lesson, after which we either had a break or practised what we had learnt. Teachers and parents had their lessons with members of the public and then, after a lunch break, spent the afternoons skiing around and coaxing girls onto the next level. Everyone made impressive progress over the four days but probably the most impressive was Mr Warburton, who initially had not planned to ski but after trying the magic carpet and learners’ slope, graduated very quickly to the chairlift and the “Big Easy”.

We were lucky that the weather and snow conditions were good for most of the week, apart from strong winds on Friday which forced some of the chairlifts to shut down. By then most of us were so tired that we were glad to have to wait in line a bit longer to get onto the lift that was still operating. The good snow also meant that, apart from one dramatic fall which would have been a lot more serious if the student had not been wearing a helmet, there were no accidents which required a visit to the medical centre. We were also fortunate to have three doctors among the parents who came on the camp and who were able to attend to minor aches and pains at the end of the day.

All too soon it was time to pack and tidy up and board the buses for the journey home, which was a lot quieter than Monday’s trip. The camp had been a great success and gave the day girls and boarders a great chance to get to know one another more closely and we all had an awesome time on the slopes. We are especially grateful to the parents, Mr Evan Baddock, Dr Graeme Johnston, Mr Gordon McDonald, Dr Matthew Strack and Dr Hamish Wilson, who came with us and helped, both on the mountain and with meal preparation, and also to Mr Judd de la Roche for joining us for two days. We record our thanks to Mr Baddock for the video record of the week.

- Jenness Riethmaier, Teacher in charge of the Ski Camp.

Columba College hung on, despite a second-half comeback from Waitaki Girls High School, to win the Otago secondary schools premiere girls hockey final at the McMillan Centre.

In the semifinals, Columba had beaten St Kevins 3-1 while Waitaki Girls defeated Otago Girls 3-1.

The final was a fast, exciting and hard-fought encounter, with Columba winning 3-2 after leading 2-0 at half-time. For Columba, Otago under-18 representatives Jessica Shields and Phillipa Tuaine played well, while captain Sarah Aitken was an inspirational leader. The Columba team remained unbeaten during the season, scoring 49 goals for and only 6 against. Congratulations must go to coach Shona Harvey.

This week, Columba is competing in the New Zealand Schools Tournament in Palmerston North.

Article from The Otago Daily Times dated 29th August, 2007

‘Pinnacle Productions’ featured on Channel 9 Television News on Tuesday 24th July. The girls were interviewed at school about their book, ‘Everything you wanted to know but were too afraid to ask.’

Click here to watch the video. (1.5 MB Windows Media Video file.)

By John Lewis

	Breaking the language barriers... Columba College Year 9 pupils (from left) Renée Hodgkinson, Pun Chittapraneerat, Kate Waterman, Gigi Mogil, Penelope Couper and Sarah Agyeman (all 13) study Mandarin with teacher Juliana Pu. Photograph: Linda Robertson of The Otago Daily Times

Dunedin’s sister city bond with Shanghai and New Zealand’s growing trade relations with China have prompted Columba College to introduce Mandarin to the school’s languages curriculum.

Principal Elizabeth Wilson said Mandarin was offered to selected pupils last year as part of the school’s gifted and talented programme, and those who took part showed an aptitude and responded well to the challenge of learning the difficult language.

“The success of this extension programme, along with the decision made by the school’s Japanese teacher to stay on in Hong Kong after her year’s leave of absence in 2006, presented the school with the opportunity to review the three international languages it offers and to consider introducing Chinese instead of Japanese.”

Miss Wilson said given Dunedin’s and New Zealand’s increasing ties with China, studying Mandarin could also strengthen the bonds and provide many career opportunities for the school’s pupils.

“It is spoken by over one billion people and in more than one country.  China is politically and economically important, and will become even more so.

“Learning Chinese will enable students to gain an insight into Chinese history and culture and an understanding of the important developments and changes taking place in China today.”

The school had introduced Mandarin to the Years 7, 8 and 9 curriculum and Japanese would be phased out by 2010 when the last group of students learning the subject would be in Year 13.  Plans were in place to offer Mandarin up to NCEA Level 3 and Scholarship levels, as was the case with French and German, she said.

The Mandarin classes would be taught by University of Otago Chinese Language Courses tutor Juliana Pu.  She was appointed to the school’s teaching position following the success of her extension classes at Columba College.

Miss Wilson said Columba College had established a sister school relationship with Datong High School in Shanghai and pupils at Columba would have the opportunity to practise their new-found language skills when 17 pupils and two teachers from Datong visited in July.

Article from The Otago Daily Times dated 13th June, 2007

Education (citation for the Award):

"A no-frills, robust and functional solution with superlative use of controlled natural light and ventilation throughout. The interior spaces are integrated through a consistent selection of colour and materials. The exterior is integrated with the residential neighbourhood through the use of western red cedar cladding and local aggregate concrete panels."