On Saturday 16 March 2024, we welcomed back former board and establishment members, proprietors, staff, students, and friends of the college to celebrate our 20th year. What a terrific turn-out it was. The staffroom was a buzz as people caught up with one another, connecting and sharing stories with lots of laughter.
During formalities, we heard from Fr Ezio, the establishment Priest of St Luke’s Parish whose work occupied the now, International Student area. All Masses, including on Sundays were held in our school’s Auditorium until St Luke’s Parish was built and opened. Fr Ezio talked about the significance of our Special Character using The Visitation story of Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, which we honour every year on our Feast Day.
Michael Stride, Establishment Board and Chair of the BOT, gave a summary of the commitment and drive to have a Catholic school in east Auckland, what led to the college site decision, the naming of Sancta Maria College and the huge task of preparations leading to its opening while navigating a few challenges along the way.
Paul Daley, Foundation Principal is well known for telling a good yarn, and he didn’t disappoint! He talked about the very short timeframe to recruit staff, get the school ready for the grand opening, which included frantically removing a classroom of computers from their boxes the night before the opening ready for students to use the following day! We heard some of his favourite assembly stories, as well as the messages that he left etched in the hearts and minds of staff and students.
Thank you to our own Ian Vickers and Tracy Kopua (Former Senior Leader) who kept us entertained between speakers, as our MC’s.
Behind this successful event was a hard-working team of staff that put a lot of time into preparing the staffroom area with amazing decorations, table settings that changed the atmosphere from a ‘teacher staffroom’ to a warm and friendly gathering space appropriate for this purpose. There were lots of people involved in helping – thank you for all the preparations beforehand in the setup, the design brief and making the area something very special!
A special thank you to Anita Heffernan for steering the organising committee, everyone did an amazing amount of organising, and of course, Margaret Littlejohn, Foundation Staff Member, who also spearheaded the entire event – it would not have been possible without you both.
Out of this event, our Alumni was launched, an online database set-up to capture our connections and bring us all together for our 25th celebration five years from now. Please click the following link to join our Alumni association Alumni | Sancta Maria College
It was only right that the final word of the formal part of the celebration was a reminder of the value in belonging to a ‘faith community’ and to keep feeding our personal faith journey each day so that we may grow in love and understanding…and it is indeed what sets us apart from many other schools. ‘Faith is our Compass’.
Thank you to all current staff who also came to share in this celebration with us.
