Thank you to our school whānau for your continued support of the international department this year, from host families opening their homes (and hearts) through to classroom teachers and students welcoming international students into their learning environment – we have had over 70 international students ranging from short to long term studies in our school this year and we cannot provide them the wonderful experience they have enjoyed in our school community without your support.
The International Student Centre is in the Auditorium building where the NCEA exams have been held. So, although our seniors have been on study leave, we have had the opportunity to see them as they dropped in before and after exams. Some came to use the area as a quiet place for some last-minute revision, and others stopped in to meet their friends and discuss the upcoming or the previous final exam. Whatever the reason, it was always lovely to see them before our final get-together at our Christmas Party.
Our Christmas party gave us a chance to celebrate the end of a busy year and say a fond farewell to those leaving: Andy Huang, Thu Thuy Le, Yuma Morio and the short-stay Columbian group are all heading home, while Tina Zhu is remaining at Sancta Maria College as a domestic student. Each learner brings their own culture and perspective to our school, and we are all blessed from the experience of their time here.
Our international learners have been dedicated to their study right through to the final exam, and once completed they were boarding flights and to join their families in respective countries. Most will be in their home country to celebrate Christmas and to look forward to the New Year.
Our learners in the junior levels have had a busy time with lots of year end events, Year 10 Camp and other exciting activities.
We wish all of our International Students and their families, a very Merry Christmas, safe travels and wonderful reunions with friends and families over the holiday period.
God Bless,
Kendall Watson-Peach
International Student Director
