This Friday evening, 13 March, we are looking forward to watching our Carmel and Rosmini Tongan group perform at the Fiefia Night being held at Rosmini. I encourage everyone to make an effort to attend and support our students as they head into their final week of preparations for Polyfest, where they will take the stage on Friday 20 March. Details about Fiefia Night on Friday 13 March can be found in this newsletter and on our social media pages.

Looking ahead to next week, we look forward to seeing the school turn green for St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17 March. This will also coincide with our annual coin trail, which, over time, has evolved from using actual coins to colourful chalk markings, as lower-denomination coins are now less common in circulation. Our Heads of Arts and Culture student leaders, Sophia Adamson and Zoya Wamoto, spoke at assembly last week where they reminded students that;

‘St Patrick’s Day is also about more than shamrocks and the colour green. It honours the faith, courage, and missionary spirit of Saint Patrick, who brought the message of hope, justice, and God’s love to others. Like our founder Catherine McAuley, we are called to respond to the needs of the poor, the vulnerable, and those experiencing injustice. All funds will be going towards the Caritas Lenten Appeal, which this year will go towards Kenya and the Holy Land.’

They also reminded students that on St Patrick’s day they are able to make donations by visiting the wonderful lunchtime stalls, offering treats like spiders, sherbet, and of course, delicious home baking, and, as always, there are prizes for the best chalk design, the best dressed, the most money raised and house points awarded to the Atawhai who creates the best retelling.

While the school year is now well underway and our calendars are filling up with school events and extracurricular activities, our core mission of learning and teaching remains central. To best support and prepare our young women, it is essential that clear goals and plans are set. As parents and caregivers, I encourage you to support your daughter in setting her goals and to regularly check in with her progress. If you ever have concerns or feel she needs additional support, please do not hesitate to contact her dean as a starting point.

Below is the message I gave at our scholar’s assembly on Wednesday.

Before we move into the formalities of today’s assembly, I first want to take a moment to thank everyone involved in yesterday’s Athletics Day.

To those who planned the day, those who arrived early to set up and stayed late to pack up, those who rallied the troops with house chants and encouraged others to give events a go, those who broke their PBs or tried something new, those who helped keep the day running smoothly, and to the staff who marshalled, monitored, recorded results and even gave some events a go themselves — thank you.

It was an amazing day for so many reasons, but what stood out most was the overwhelmingly positive and inclusive atmosphere. The energy, the support for one another, and the sense of school pride throughout the day were nothing short of phenomenal.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making it such a great day.

Every year our students achieve outstanding outcomes, but last year’s results were truly exceptional. In 2025, 99% of our Year 12 students achieved NCEA Level 2, 95% of our Year 13 students achieved NCEA Level 3, and 92% gained University Entrance. These results are significantly above the national averages and are something we should all be incredibly proud of.

However, these results represent much more than statistics. They reflect the commitment and perseverance of our students, the dedication of our teachers, and the support of families and whānau. They also reflect what we value as a school community, the balance of academic excellence alongside faith, wellbeing, and a strong sense of belonging.

While today is a celebration of the success of all students, the focus of this assembly is on those who have reached the very top of their year group academically, our scholars.

To those who will be acknowledged, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you. You have worked tirelessly to reach these academic achievements. Your dedication, discipline, and passion for learning have paid off, and today we recognise your accomplishments in front of your peers, your teachers, and your families.

Today as we acknowledge and celebrate our 2025 scholars I challenge each of you to reflect on the celebrations in the hope that they will inspire you to set your own academic goals for the year ahead. Whether you are receiving an award today or sitting in the audience, remember that the spirit of Mercy calls us all to be our best selves, to challenge ourselves, and that our vision is for you to be empowered to challenge and shape your future whilst striving to reach your own personal excellence.

As we celebrate last year’s achievement and look ahead to this academic year, I encourage all of you, no matter where you are in your academic journey, to dream big. Visualize where you want to be and what you hope to achieve by the end of the year. Just as important is breaking those dreams down into smaller, more manageable steps. Setting ambitious goals is fantastic, but it is through a steady, consistent effort that we make real progress toward them. Your goals should challenge you, but they should also be realistic enough for you to approach with confidence.

Maybe you want to strengthen your skills in a particular subject, aim for an endorsement or perhaps you wish to develop a more balanced approach to your studies and well-being. Perhaps you want to be more involved in service to others, or join a new club, try to learn a musical instrument or join a sports team. Whatever your aspirations may be, take time to reflect on what’s truly meaningful to you and set goals that will help you move closer to those aspirations.

Remember, the journey will not always be easy. There will be challenges along the way, new learning is challenging. But it is in those moments of struggle that we are called to live out the values of Mercy; to have maia/ courage whereby we embrace experiences and trust in God. Do not be discouraged by setbacks, see them as opportunities for growth and self-discovery, and always remember that within our community you are not alone and will always have the support of your teachers, friends, peers and family.

One other important announcement made during assembly was the appointment of Ms Rosanna Fouhy as the new Principal of Marcellin College. This is a wonderful and thoroughly deserved opportunity for Rosanna, and we are incredibly proud to see her step into her first principalship. While we will have time to properly acknowledge and celebrate her contribution to our community, we congratulate Rosanna on this significant milestone and wish her every blessing as she prepares to take up this new role.

As we head into week 9 and the last 3 weeks of term, and as we continue on our lenten journey, may we all continue to strive to live by our Mercy values whereby we are compassionate and respectful, where we seek justice for others and ourselves, and where we have the courage to pursue our ambitions.