De La Salle College Newsletter “A Catholic School for Boys in the Lasallian Tradition”

in this issue

TERM 2 WEEK 4- COLLEGE NEWSLETTER

College Principal - “Investment in Our Future"

Associate Principal - "Outstanding"

Special Character - Ministry & Mission

Deputy of Curriculum - Curriculum

Deputy of Pastoral - "Supporting Your High School Child to Stand Up Against Bullying"

Academic Year 7/8

Literacy Centre

The Inaugural House Haka Competition

Spoken Word Poets

2024 Model United Nations Assembly: MUNA

1st XV Rugby

Gateway & Careers

In the Community

Notices

Enrol Now

Contact Us

Front cover Spoken Word Poets- Team One

“investment in our future”

Mr Myles Hogarty

College Principal

The new College Classroom building is beginning to loom large on the skyline and there is an air of excitement and optimism from the College community who have witnessed the growth of this building.

The new building is a very significant investment in the future of De La Salle College, a powerful statement that we are here for the long term to provide an outstanding Catholic, Lasallian education for the young men and families of South Auckland.

Our new building is the result of a strong partnership between the Catholic Diocese, architects, designers, builders and the College. The priority was to create modern, spacious and state of the art teaching and learning facilities which I can report has been accomplished.

The construction company have given the College a date for completion of the new building as the 28th November 2024, so all going to plan we will be able to move in over the last two weeks of school this year, fully ready for the start of the new school year.

B & C block buildings

The original College buildings of B & C blocks will be demolished starting in December this year and the area will be landscaped, with seating, shade areas and trees. These two blocks were the original College buildings and are 70 years old.

Old Boys, many of whom started their College years in B Block may get the opportunity to buy a brick from this building as a souvenir, we will keep you posted on this proposal.

The new building will have 19 new teaching classrooms to replace those original rooms in blocks B & C.

The top floor will be the base for all of our Year 7 & 8 classes who will enjoy the 70 sq.metre rooms which are a huge size increase compared to their current rooms.

There is a new Music teaching room with attached rehearsal rooms, a recording room and musical equipment storage areas.

A new Food Technology and Hospitality room will also be on the ground floor being able to open out onto a covered courtyard area which can be used to host Parent groups and community events.

The ground floor will also see a range of Student Service spaces for our Nurses, Social Workers, Counsellors, Physiotherapist and Doctor.

To add even more investment into the College we have upgraded and refurbished our Library. This area will also be used as our very successful Literacy Centre, giving our young men far more space and linking to the new building by a courtyard.

I have attached some of the most recent photos, the height and overall size and scale of the new building is very impressive and gives a whole new view of the College landscape from the top of the second floor.

The College staff are keen to move into our new building and the prospect of having this wonderful space is a real shot in the arm for the whole College.

associate principal

Mr Dermot English

OUTSTANDING

In the last week we have had a range of events. De La Salle Day was outstanding, with the first ever House Haka competition, a wonderful mass with great singing, and a celebration time with Lasalle Jukebox. It was a testament to the work of staff but mainly to the Year 13 senior leaders who really did lead the day.

Haka competition https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZJo1pqDazVDLr5p57
Fijian hymn 'Noqu Masu' sung at mass https://photos.app.goo.gl/WGEVG2e8LhGksJFk9
Year 13's singing 'Joyful & Hope, Patient in Affliction' https://photos.app.goo.gl/WeTTgfAyuaN91ry76

Its hard to explain what a boost it is to the spirit of the College when De La Salle Founders Day goes well and everyone who is here participates.

Tuesday night our Year 11 Spoken Word Poets competed in the first regional heats of Word the Frontline: Spoken Word Competition. They were outstanding, the only groups that had completely learned off all their poems by heart.

Not everyone performs to their best at all times, but when they do its good to acknowledge their outstanding efforts.

special character

Assistant Principal Mission- Mrs Teuila Vaotuua

Shine TV - Pentecost Mass

“ALLELUIA – RECEIVE THE POWER TO BE A LIGHT UNTO THE WORLD”

Extremely proud of our students who participated in recording the Pentecost Mass for Shine TV. With your collective efforts in offering the Mass, you have shared your light with the world and enabled others to receive the Power of the Holy Spirit in their homes!

Thank you to the team for their significant efforts, Campus Minister Niko, Mr Williams –Folau and Mrs Olive. Check out the video below and some great feedback from the community.

From an 82 year old Sacred Heart Ponsonby Parishoner

“it was the best mass I’ve ever seen”

“Loved how the priest engaged with the young people and made the topic relevant to this day and not from 1000 years ago”

“it really made my day”

And from a viewer in Wellington

“It was an uplifting experience”

“These young men were inspiring to watch as they prayed, sang hymns and did readings and prayers”

“The music in particular stood out and it was great to hear again the song written for World Youth Day in Australia. I also really enjoyed the final hymn and the dancing and clapping led me to clap along too.”

“If these young men are an indication of the calibre of students at your school, then I’m sure the Spirit is alive and well at De La Salle”

DE LA SALLE DAY MASS

On De La Salle day, the Mass is the high point of our celebrations. First, we process the statue of our Patron Saint with the sound of the soul-stirring conch welcoming him into our presence, accompanied by flags and candles of our house saints.

Bishop Steve Lowe celebrated our Founders Day Mass joined by our College Chaplain Fr Martin. Bishop challenged the boys about being proud Lasallians, that they regularly examine what kind of Lasallian they are. He recalled his last visit to Mr Tuiasau, that while Mr Tuiasau was dying he wanted the Bishop to know that the boys at De La Salle, are extremely resilient. Bishop then encouraged the boys to continue being resilient and embrace their gift of education and fraternity that De La Salle college provides.

Thank you to the team for your instrumental work in the background, Campus Minister Niko, Mr Williams Folau and Mr Ngan Woo.

YEAR 6 RETREATS

This week year 6 retreats have begun with St Joseph’s Otahuhu and St Johns facilitated by Campus Minister Niko. The boys experience the school environment and learn about what the Lasallian Charism on this retreat. When I visited them, it was very special to encounter their enthusiasm and hear them recall many facts about St John Baptist De La Salle.

This week, ten year 11’s accompanied by our Service Co-ordinator Chad Tuli, went to Young Free and Pacific held at a venue in Ellerslie. This is a Christian based leadership programme held over 2 days for Auckland schools, with 1 day for Males and the other for females. The main aim is fostering influential leadership amongst Pacific Youth. It’s a great opportunity for the boys to learn with a Pacific approach, weaving in performing

Live Jesus in our Hearts forever

curriculum

Deputy Principal Curriculum- Mr Phil Doyle

Literacy and Numeracy CAA update

Well done to the over 50 Year 11 students who have completed the Reading, Writing and Numeracy Common Assessment Activities [Lit/Num CAA] online assessments this week. They are working towards meeting the same requirement that over 42 500 students across New Zealand have also attempted.

Next week Year 10 students will attempt the assessment. Students will receive an email reminder. Students who don’t complete this round get another opportunity in September.

We remind students to bring their own laptops to the assessment. However, there will be school laptops available as well. The other big lesson from today is to make sure students have logged in to the NZQA website beforehand. Please get your son to check with their homeroom teacher that they have done so.

SCHOLARS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Mr M. Futialo & Mrs C. Ainiu

We congratulate Mr Mika Futialo and Mrs Christina Ainiu, both graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching English to Students with Languages other than English [Grad.Dip.Tessol]

A fantastic achievement and example to our students.

pastoral

Deputy Principal- Mr Elton Charles

Supporting Your High School Child to Stand Up Against Bullying

As parents, ensuring our children feel safe and supported is paramount, especially when they face the challenge of bullying. Bullying can have profound effects on a child’s mental and emotional well-being, but with the right support, children can learn to stand up against it. Here are some strategies for parents to help their high school child confront bullying and advice on how to interact with the school when bullying is suspected.

EMPOWERING YOUR CHILD

Open Communication: Create an environment where your child feels comfortable talking about their day-to-day experiences. Regularly ask about their friends, school activities, and any problems they might be facing. Active listening and showing empathy are crucial.

Build Self-Esteem: Encourage your child to engage in activities they enjoy and excel at. This helps build their confidence, making them less likely to be targeted and more resilient if they are.

Teach Assertiveness: Help your child learn how to assertively stand up for themselves. Role-playing different scenarios can be an effective way to practice responding to bullies in a calm and confident manner.

Develop Problem-Solving Skills: Encourage your child to think through different ways to handle bullying situations. Discuss various strategies, such as walking away, seeking help from a teacher, or using humour to deflect the situation.

Online Safety: Educate your child about safe online behaviour. Monitor their social media use and discuss the importance of privacy settings and not engaging with bullies online.

INTERACTING WITH THE SCHOOL

Gather Information: Before approaching the school, gather as much information as possible about the bullying incidents. Document dates, times, locations, and any witnesses. This will provide a clear picture of the situation.

Contact the School: Reach out to your child’s teacher, school counsellor, or principal to express your concerns. Schedule a meeting to discuss the issue in person. Be calm, respectful, and prepared to share your documentation.

Collaborate on a Plan: Work with the school to develop a plan of action to address the bullying. This might include increased supervision in certain areas, counselling for your child, or a meeting with the bully’s parents. Ensure the school outlines specific steps they will take and a timeline for follow-up.

Understand School Policies: Familiarize yourself with the school’s anti-bullying policy. Understanding the procedures and consequences for bullying can help you advocate effectively for your child.

Follow Up: Maintain regular contact with the school to monitor progress. If the bullying continues or the school’s response is inadequate, escalate the issue to the school board or seek external support from local educational authorities or child advocacy groups.

Support Network: Encourage your child to build a support network within the school, such as joining clubs or groups where they can make friends and feel a sense of belonging. Peer support can be a powerful deterrent to bullies.

CONCLUSION

Supporting a child through the challenge of bullying requires a combination of empathy, empowerment, and proactive communication with the school. By fostering open dialogue, building self-esteem, and working collaboratively with educators, parents can help their children navigate these difficult experiences and emerge stronger and more resilient. In Auckland, where schools are committed to providing safe and inclusive environments, parental involvement is key to effectively combating bullying and ensuring every child can thrive.

Academic Year 7/8

Assistant Principal- Mr Herbert Tanuvasa

This week in the Year 7/8 faculty we have been fortunate to have Deputy Prefect in charge of Sports, Deverrel Samasoni, organise our boys Lunchtime House Competitions, which will carry on throughout the year. The boys are very excited to be representing their house and play fairly and fervently. Regarding houses, the Year 7/8 teachers were given the floor plan for their new classrooms in 2025 and are also very excited about being in house pairs and colouring up the rooms in their house colours. Perhaps large house banners hanging from the balconies? We shall see 😊

This week we also implemented our class rotations (one lesson a fortnight) as part of our Community of Learning activities. Our school goal is “Informed Teaching, Independent Learners, and Connected Community” and so to get them connected better in our learning community they need to experience being with the other Year 7/8 teachers. From wrestling to human bingo, the teachers had the opportunity to teach from an interest of theirs and consequently bond with the students.

The Environmental Czar, Mr Anderton has started to collect fruit scraps from the classrooms for the compost bin. He plans in 2025 to create a bigger garden next to the new buildings, though he may also have to build a chicken run with all the chickens that have started to hang around B block!

By the time you read this it will be Samoan Language Week. Ia manatua ua tatou i ai i le afioaga paia o le Atua!

In Christ

literacy centre

The Inaugural House Haka Competition

During our Founder’s Day our Year 13 leadership team decided to have a House Haka competition. A school haka is a powerful tradition that fosters unity and pride among students. It serves as a symbolic representation of heritage and identity, connecting individuals to their cultural roots. Performing a haka instils discipline, teamwork, and respect for one's peers, teaching valuable life lessons beyond the classroom. As a Year 13 Cohort we would like to ensure that the haka is done with respect and mana, as it reflects our school values of faith, service, excellence, and community. Our school haka is an embodiment of our brotherhood.

2024 spoken word poets

by Steven Taufa

Joining spoken word was an opportunity for me and my brothers to have a voice, to get the chance to speak our minds and to talk about the things that we don’t normally talk about. There were two teams of us year 11 boys who went to compete in the regional heats of the interhigh-school spoken word competition called Word The Frontline.

TEAM ONE L-R William, Kaharau, Peto, Steven and Josiua

Team one included myself, Josiua Kolo, Kaharau Gilbert, Peto Paulo and William Edwards-Finau. Team two consisted of David Kolo, Frank Sio, Mala’efoou Ufi, Aitasi Smith, Valentino Pulu and Lipooti Apulu. We wrote poems about domestic violence, school, being Tongan, music, the future and about our prime minister Christopher Luxon.

TEAM TWO L-R Lipooti, Aitasi, David, Frank, Mala'efoou and Valentino

Even though we are trying something new and outside of our comfort zone, I’m glad we all joined. Doing Spoken Word connected us and built stronger relationships between us and helped us to gain trust from one another. We were able to communicate more honestly, convey our emotions, and write better thanks to Spoken Word. Now, we are awaiting the results to see who will make it through to semifinals.

Wish us luck and watch this space!

2024 Model United Nations Assembly: MUNA

Wishing our 2024 MUNA students all the best! They've prepared their speeches, research and costumes for their respective countries for this annual competition.

Purpose:

To simulate the working of the United Nations Assembly by having school teams of three Year 12 and 13 (Forms 6 and 7) students representing a particular UN country in debates on matters of world politics and social concern.
Debates are held from Friday morning until Saturday afternoon.
To develop bridges of goodwill for the furtherance of world peace and understanding.

Goals:

To develop in college students an awareness of the United Nations and the international situation of the countries of the world.
To enable students to improve their public speaking and debating skills.
To encourage students to make informed comments on world problems.
To encourage students to share their opinions and friendship with students from other schools

DLS 1: Russia - Year 11 Gideon Aialeo-Fa'aoti, DJ Daniel Lee Lo and Marques Tominiko.

DLS 2: Sri Lanka - Year 10 Noah Mati, Leroy Lauvao and Steve Roberts

DLS 3: Australia - Year 10 Anthony Pelenato, Darnell Armstrong and Lelava Sauioge.

Special thank to the Fernando family (Adeesha Fernando) for helping with sourcing the traditional Sri Lankan attire for this year.

1st XV rugby

The 2024 1st XV consists of twenty-five players across three year groups, which started during the Christmas holidays as a wider group training at Fale Dojo, before being eventually narrowed down to the current squad. The coaches are Bond Tagaloa and Oto Tuia; supported by four trainers, Pati Alapati, Fred Leniu, Herbert Tanuvasa, and John Ikitule, as well as Allen Chang the team physio. Bev So’oa is the main coordinator for parent support and Dermot English is the school TIC.

As students, ten of the twenty-five players are school leaders (ranging from house leaders, prefects, deputy prefects and head boy). The team has a median school attendance rate of 94% (with three players sitting at 100%). The Year 12 and 13 players in the team have previously attained NCEA Level 1 and 2, 80% completing enough credits for merit or excellence endorsement. The players are actively involved in various roles of service in school community events and represent De La Salle in a variety of initiatives and activities outside the school.

Amongst the coaching staff, five of the six coaches work in South Auckland schools; passionate about students reaching their potential, whilst the sixth coach (Coach John) has a personal connection with the school (two of his sons are currently enrolled as students; one of them a member of the 1st XV). Head Coach Bond (a music teacher at Viscount Primary School) talks about the players journey, “Rugby is an extension of their education, particularly when it comes to developing their life skills.”

Head Coach Oto and Coach Fred are former students of De La Salle College. Coach Fred describes the special affinity as an old boy interacting with the players, “As a former student of De la Salle College it is an honour to come back and serve the school. It really is great to be giving back to the boys, understanding their background and being in their shoes, helping build their relationships with each other, it’s all about respect, trust, and helping the boys prepare for the big world.”

“We are a pretty good solid group because it’s been pretty much the same group since when we played Under 15s”.

Troy Sanday (Head Boy) when talking about the trust and unity in the team reflects, “We are a pretty good solid group because it’s been pretty much the same group since when we played Under 15s”. He does acknowledge however that this hasn’t stopped Coach Bond in taking risks with selection, choosing boys based on merit rather than association or blind expectation. One of the new players selected from the younger year groups is Year 11 student Ignatius Schmidt, (the younger brother of Deputy Head boy and co-Captain, JP Schmidt). When speaking about the selection of his younger brother, JP acknowledges his sibling’s perseverance,

“My brother, he is a hard worker who shows his commitment through his actions, his dedication, his drive for the team. He is not full of himself; he just gives his full commitment in everything.”

JP Schmidt giving praise to younger brother Ignatius

Another Year 11 player (who was selected in 2023 as a Year 10 student) is Nokise Manuleleua. Coach Pati marvels at Nokise’s natural talent with Coach Tanuvasa describing Nokise; “He is a genuine athlete at such a young age and a proud competitor, but he plays his ability down and oftens says to me whenever I compliment his play, ‘It’s the team sir it’s the team”.

This year off the field, the team have experienced funding issues and as a result have taken an understated, humble approach to the season regarding their lack of team apparel (compared to other teams in the 1A). These setbacks have galvanised parental support with Bev So’oa coordinating the parents to meet the needs of the team with things such as after match hosting, score taking, and remarkably “jersey hemming” (unlike other 1A teams, there is only one set of jerseys with mostly XL sizes). She speaks about the parent’s commitment to the boys,

“When the 1st XV team witness their support team is 100%, then it will help motivate them to work as one on the field. Great performance and discipline starts at home. As parents of our boys this is something we have to do ourselves, being present at all times and being good role models for our boys.”

Bev So'oa- Parent coordinator

Bev’s son, Genesis, is (along with JP) the co-Captain of the team, a school house leader and a youth leader at his church. He talks about his hopes for the season.

“I find myself developing as a leader and gaining the skills to use in future possibilities in sport, life skills, communication skills, things like preparation, getting things ready early in the morning, dedication, all that stuff. I also want to help the new boys have those skills and hope they pass it on to other new boys in the future…you know, to have a stronger connection with the brothers. I want us to win the 1A and to prove others wrong who don’t think we can do it.”

Genesis So'oa, co-Captain

Genesis and the team badly want to win the 1A, yet to their loved ones, they are already A1. They are the products of almost two decades of faith, family, friends, church, school, club, and community input in their young lives. When they run on the field to “Fight the Good Fight of Faith”, they are not just showing others their commitment to the faith as Lasallians, they are also showing the faith others have in them.

gateway & careers

We are into week 4 now and the Careers & Gateway department continue to be busy. This is great as it shows us that our students are becoming serious about their future.

The Careers team are continuing to work hard on Scholarships with First Foundation prominent with a number of our students doing their first stages of their proposals and CV’s. There are a number of scholarships yet to do but it is encouraging seeing our students applying for these scholarships.

Following the success of seeing up to 45 students gain their learners licence, it is important that we keep that momentum. There are 14 students at present doing practice and it is hoped that we will have at least 20 doing the test during the term and holidays.

Many students are working on their CV’s, especially year 12 and year 13 students. The CV’s then can be ongoing and updated throughout the year.

The Trades programme is now into term 2 and we are waiting for credits from NZMA to see how our young men are progressing.

We are in the second week of Countdown and The Warehouse and the students are doing a great job. It was great seeing Fred Sola learning to fold towels. I discussed with him that his mother might be able to help him as well.

Fred Sola

The Work Experience programme is going well and we are seeing students choose their options for Work Experience. We have Tesi Samani at the moment at Bakers Delight in Manukau as he is looking to become a chef. We have had a number of young men who have indicated that they would like to work in a sports shop so a number of sports retail shops have been visited and offered work experience There has been discussion with a Barber chain that students were interested in and visits have been made to them. All are interested in bringing our young men in which is great. This is looking to start on week 6.

Tesi Samani

The part time work programme has already begun and students are being asked to gather information in order for them to be accredited for the programme.

We are pleased with the activity building and are planning to work with more students.

in the community

Cyrus Holloway pictured with L-R Tohu Harris, Dylan Walker and Te Maire Martin

Congratulations to Cyrus Holloway one of four rangitahi representing Aotearoa for One NZ Warriors at the NRL Indigenous Youth Leadership Summit in Sydney this week. Watch the jersey presentation below and follow along on their journey at NRL Community facebook page.

notices

Second game of the season for our Premier 1st XIII league team winning against MAGs earlier this week. Next Wednesday the team play Aorere College, kick off 4.00pm @Aorere