Last night, JC Chalmers Hall was transformed to a dinner venue to welcome 168 guests for this year’s Roselle Foundation New Parents’ Dinner hosted by Principal, Mr Peter Cassie and the Boys’ School Development Committee. Families whose boys have started or will start at the School during the course of this year were invited to join together with staff and other parents for an evening of socialising and dining.

While pre-dinner drinks and hors d’oeuvres were served, the Jazz Band played before Mr Cassie invited guests to take their seats. In his opening address he told the parents that, ‘Saint Kentigern is much more than just a school. Families are welcomed and encouraged to be involved - it’s a way of life based on a combination of values, tradition and excellence combined with innovative thinking and approaches that the future will demand. We want our boys, your sons, to be proud of themselves, their families and their school. By the time they leave us they will be prepared to take on board all challenges that life offers, with knowledge and confidence.’

Following the main course, this year’s Head Boy, Benjamin Lerner, came to the stage to speak to the parents about the eight special years he has spent at Saint Kentigern. It would be hard to find a more passionate advocate for the School than this young man who, along with his two brothers, has loved being a son of Kentigern.

Head of Primary, Dr Sandra Hastie also welcomed the new families to their ‘new, special extended family.’ In affirming their choice of school she said, ‘Academic achievement has a lot to do with student work ethic, discipline and application. It is also the result of quality teaching and leadership and I know that at Saint Kentigern, our teachers are focussed on raising strong educational outcomes for your children.’

Chairman of the Roselle Foundation, Mr Greg Horton was invited to speak. Greg and his wife, Shelley have two sons at the Boys’ School and a daughter at the Girls’ School and are passionately committed to their children’s place of learning. He said, ‘Many of you will have seen the School’s secret weapon; a Year 7 or 8 child who shows you around the school on your first visit and you come away thinking, ‘Wow I want my child to be like that!’ We think it’s a fantastic environment and we have seen the positive changes and growth in our own children over time and those benefits are in many aspects completely immeasurable.’

He told his fellow parents that he became involved with the Development Committee and the Roselle Foundation because he wanted to make a contribution back to the school that is providing such a positive foundation of care for his own children. He explained that this this special environment comes at a cost, and that cost is not one that is met solely by school fees, nor can it be ever be met by school fees. ‘It comes from the hard endeavours of a hard working Trust Board and of people who prior to today have put their heart and soul into creating the facilities that you see around you.’ 

Greg alluded to a major fundraising programme that will get underway in the near future for major development across the campus, beginning with the transformation of Roselle House to a Learning Commons. ‘For those of you whose children are joining in the early years of the School, your children will enjoy the tangible benefits that are created by the very projects that we are talking about.  For those of you coming for Years 7 and 8, you are enjoying the benefits of things that people have fundraised and paid for in the past.  There are a lot of reasons to give to the School.  When people ask that why Shelley and I give to the School it’s simple, it’s because we are passionate about it.’

In closing Mr Cassie thanked the principal sponsor ANZ and Ray White – Megan Jaffe Real Estate along with the support of Villa Maria NZ. He also thanked Mrs Sue Bowskill and Mrs Karyl Kidd from the Roselle Foundation Development Office and Admissions Secretary, Mrs Julie Rand for all their work to bring the evening together.

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