ask you to acknowledge, thank and wish well all our leavers gathered here today. There are two key groups who significantly influence the nature of College. First, are our parents. Whether as members of the Parents’ Association, or through various ‘Friends of’ committees, or by attending our various events, or just being alongside their boys, parents are involved in school life and make an appreciable difference in so many ways. I would particularly like to acknowledge Christ’s College Parents’ Association President Catherine McClean and Richard Polson, President of our Old Boys’ Association, for their ongoing efforts in ensuring connection through their leadership and support. As the year concludes, we can reflect on a number of changes across roles of responsibility, and staff we farewell. At the beginning of the year we welcomed to the teaching staff Robbie Turrell in Commerce, Joshua Kim in Geography and History and Erin Rutherford in English. We were fortunate to welcome two new Heads of Departments – in Drama – Hannah Clarkson, and in English – Chris Waugh. Lionel Randall was appointed as the Housemaster of Flower’s House – teaching within the Physical Education and Health Department. Paul McCarthy was appointed as
our International Student Manager, replacing Deanne Gath; Rachel Trengrove started as a nurse in our Health Centre and, through the year, Kay Robson-Thomas joined our Advancement team to cover the parental leave period taken by Melissa Hogan. Internally, Ben Vink was appointed to the Executive team as our AP – Boarding and Immerse & Inspire Programme, Emma Bracken became the Head of Advanced Learning, Amanda Lester moved into a research role within the Centre for Teaching Excellence & Research (CTER), Emily Priest took a watching brief over student reporting and Henry Smith was confirmed as the Head of Department for Physical Education and Health. At the end of the first term, we farewelled Melissa Campbell to an Executive position at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School after time spent at College as a teacher, Assistant Head of Department of English and Head of Learning within the CTER. Nikki Bleyendaal took over the role vacated by Melissa in the CTER at the beginning of Term 2. At this time, we farewelled our Custodian, Marg Wilson, after her second tenure in this role and welcomed Martin Guttman as her replacement. Mid- year, we farewelled, after seven years as our Hagley groundsman, Peter Domigan, who retired to
Dunedin, paving the way for David Miles to jump the mound from Hagley Oval. Penny Whyte finished in her final role as receptionist, having initially joined the school as a teacher aide and having also assisted in the library. She was replaced by Alison Macnee. In the spring, we were fortunate to welcome back Tony O’Connor after a very successful Olympics campaign with the New Zealand men’s rowing eight. As the year concludes, we congratulate and thank both Arthur Wood and Matt Cortesi for their service as Housemasters. Arthur’s five-year tenure in School House sees him complete 16 years within residential communities. The boys of School House have been fortunate to have such experience and wisdom at their helm during Arthur’s time and it is encouraging that he will step into a role of coordination of the non-academic component of our new Diploma in Years 10–11. Matt’s eight years in Harper House have been filled with a balance of laughter and purpose and the boys and families he has served hold him in the highest regard. We are fortunate that Matt’s energies will be channelled into his role of Director of Character & Leadership. Callum Bell departed the school part way through Term 3 having developed Psychology as a subject, having begun his teaching career in the Biology department in 2017. His move to his alma mater of Kaiapoi High School was a loss to the school but his legacy of a new subject with popularity and relevance is significant. At much the same time, our highly respected Finance Manager, Connor Phipps, left the school to take a promotion as Chief Financial Officer for Core Education. Farewells are inevitable at the end of year and today we say goodbye to Carey Prebble for a period of maternity leave and wish her the very best. To our three wonderful GAP students – William Braham, Hugh Jordan and Jeremy Riminton, who have, as a trio, been a three- peat all of their own. Thank you my fellow Wallabies, and we wish you
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