Mid Term Break/ Meet the Teachers

This Wednesday AT 12.30pm is meet the teachers day. The purpose of this is so that you get to put a face to the names of the teachers your boy has. It is an opportunity for you to hear about the programmes each teacher offers and what their expectations of their students are.

It is often the first and only time to meet your boy's teacher before parent teacher interviews at the end of term two. You can of course contact any teacher if you have questions or concerns and arrange a meeting throughout the term.

CHECKOUT IS STRAIGHT AFTER AT APROX 1.30pm. There are no provisions for late pick-ups so please ensure someone is available to collect your boy at 1.30pm.

Have a great Easter and enjoy the time with your family.

Cotter House BBQ and Chapel

Thank you to all who attended our chapel service. Matron Davies did a terrific job organising the service. Well done Matron!

A highlight for me was seeing so many relaxed people making new friends (and of course the weather/food).

                     The boys'  best zombie impression whilst waiting to go for a swim after chapel.

Visit to St Marks

To conclude our Founders' celebrations the Junior Campus held our chapel service at St Marks church on Remuera Rd. Dilworth has a strong connection with St Marks as it was the church of James and Isabella Dilworth who were active members of the congregation.

Dilworth boys also attending St Marks for all their chapel worship for the first 53 years of the school. The new boys got an opportunity to see the headstones of James and Isabella and where they are buried.

On the last day of school the boys in Year 13 again return to St Marks to visit our Founders' resting place. A tradition the boys began years ago themselves.


The Dilworth flag flying above St Marks

                                                   The resting place of James and Isabella

Cotter House Chapel 24th March

This Sunday is Cotter House's BBQ and Chapel Service. It is an opportunity to strengthen ourselves as a community as we come together to share food and worship together.

The BBQ begins at 5pm and we ask that you bring a some food to share. This might be a dessert, a salad or a cooked main. If you bring 2 people, bring enough food for 2. If you bring 10 people, then please bring enough for 10. We will provide drinks and be cooking up about 100 sausages.

The Year 8 boys will be leading the service with a theme of Justice and Love.

After talking with the Year 8 Leadership Team about justice and our roles as young men we decided that there will be a collection during the service with all the proceeds going to support Womans Refuge. It is a sad reality that our society has need of such a service, but as long as it does, we will support such charities.

Photos of the boys rehearsing for chapel.

Tongan Performance

Last Thursday the boys were treated to a very energetic performance from the Senior Campus Tongan group as they prepared for Polyfest.

The Junior Campus Kapa Haka kicked things off with songs and a Haka.

Apologies

I'm sorry to say that all my previous photos seem to have vanished into the ether. I will do my best to retrieve and re-post.

It seems that the original cause has been rectified.

Heath

Ultimate Frisbee

Cotter versus Gibson in a match of ultimate frisbee. Yes, Cotter won...of course.

Sunday Blues

The honeymoon period is over. You’re starting to dread Sundays and the inevitable tears, tantrum, sulking or unhappiness from your boy. You begin to question yourself and whether what you are doing is worth it if your boy is so miserable. Am I a terrible parent? Am I doing the right thing?

The answer is YES and no. Yes you are doing the right thing. Yes it is natural for your boy to be homesick and not want to come to school on Sunday. Who really wants to come to school or work on a Sunday? Since Dilworth began over 100 years ago, boys have been homesick and the Sunday Blues have been around ever since.

No. This will not last his entire Dilworth journey. It will likely be sporadic for the first two years. He does miss you, his family, his home, which is natural and you should take it as a positive reassurance of the great job you’re doing as a parent.

What you don’t see as a parent is that 9 times out of ten, within 5 minutes of him being back in Cotter House he is smiling and laughing and tearing around with his mates. Unfortunately you leave school thinking your boy is miserable and you have the rest of the night to beat yourself up. Please don’t. He truly is fine.

So what can you do to lessen the Sunday Blues?

1.    Be organised. Give yourself plenty of time to get to school without rushing.

2.    Make chapel a ritual for you and your boy.

3.    If you have other children, put aside 30min for your boy to have one to one time. Go for a walk, kick a ball, prepare a meal together or play a board game. Remember, boys like to talk when they are doing something.

4.    Write a letter once and a while and encourage grandparents and relatives to the same.

5.    Have an organised time during the week for your boy to call you.

A Dilworth scholarship really does transform boys’ lives. Remember that.

Swimming Sports

This year's swimming sports was another success with all the boys giving it their best. The picnic lunch with parents was a fantastic way to start the day and the turn out from Cotter House parents was terrific. Enjoy the pictures.

Heath