Anna Swann, the principal of St Dominic's Catholic College, is strongly urging people not to lay blame on those who are sick after a student at the school tested positive for Covid-19.

"We're a school that's a special character school, and we believe in being kind and being respectful, caring," she said.

"It's nobody's fault this; we're talking about health issues here."

Swann said all students at the school had been asked to be tested.

A few students have been identified as close contacts and asked to self-isolate.

She said she had spoken to the affected student and her whanau.

"I think they feel supported at the moment."

Swann has urged people not to disclose the identity of the infected student or their family.

"If you know the identity of the student or family with COVID-19, please do not disclose their names or details to anyone else.

And discourage your children from speculating or identifying them on social media.

This can lead to online bullying and abuse," Swann said in a letter to parents.

"I know there is a process they have to go through to try and make sure that everybody can be accounted for and all of that factual stuff that needs to come out."

Health Minister Chris Hipkins said the St Dominic's student was linked to a close contact of the church sub-cluster that had not previously been disclosed, and authorities were investigating whether the non-disclosure was on purpose.

Asked about Hipkins's remarks, Swann said, "We take this very seriously because this is a health issue and this is our school, and we care very deeply for it, and that's why we are following the Ministry of Health so closely."

Click here to listen to the interview on RNZ

Click here to watch the interview on Maori TV

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On January 1, The Catholic Institute and Good Shepherd College will merge to become Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute.

The name has been chosen by the country's bishops after careful thought and consultation with staff and students.

The merged organisation will have three operating units - Catholic Theological College, National Centre for Religious Studies and the Nathaniel Centre for Catholic Bioethics.

Te Kupenga means "the net" or "the fishing net" and harks to the first four disciples of Jesus - Andrew, Peter, James and John.

They were called from their boats and nets to become fishers for Jesus' kingdom with the same care, dedication and skill they brought to their fishing.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." (Matthew 4:18-19).

Bishop Pat says the name resonates strongly with Pope Francis' call to the Church to revive its missionary spirit and purpose.

"Te Kupenga will put out into the deep and cast our net wide," said Bishop Pat.

The bishops intend the name to also reflect a contemporary reference to networking, online learning,and linking with others collegially.

They expect Te Kupenga to play a vital role in training, educating and forming Catholic seminarians and lay leaders.

Existing staff, courses and students will carry on from the two existing organisations into the new year.

A new board appoints management and decides the paths taking Te Kupenga forwards.

The Institute will provide a number of degree, certificate and diploma courses.

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• Supplied David McLoughlin Communications Adviser, NZ Catholic Bishops
  Te Huinga o nga Pihopa Katorika o Aotearoa
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After meeting more than 40 members of the school community Hipkins told media he wanted to hear from the community and former students before he made his decision.

"It won't be a matter of months. I do want to get something sooner than that to give certainty to the school community.

But I also do want to stay true to my word and consider the feedback I was given today and the feedback they've been giving me through other means."

This also meant reviewing the advice he had received from the Ministry of Education and the Catholic Diocese of Auckland, he said.

Despite being pressed on the future of Hato Petera College beyond the integration agreement, Hipkins said it was ultimately over to the diocese what happened to the school, including returning the land to iwi.

"That's obviously a matter for the Treaty settlement process. That will fall outside my ministerial portfolio."

The Church has not yet heard from Hipkins but the diocese's vicar of education, Linda McQuade gave the minister her card as he left.

Catholic Bishop of Auckland Pat Dunn said the land was given to the Church by Governor George Grey for the education of children of "both races" Maori and Pakeha, and the Church would honour that.

"Our problem over the years has been that Maori parents have chosen not to send their children here," he said.

"I don't know how to turn that around. Restarting a school from scratch would be a huge challenge."

Earlier this week two families whose ancestors lived around the site of Northcote's Hato Petera College 170 years ago have "repossessed" the land.

Kaitaia-based Kotahitanga Aotearoa Movement leader Reti Hohaia Netana Boynton said the group, representing the Peters and Turoa families from the Ngati Paoa iwi.

They said they planned to reopen a school for Maori on the site in line with an original land grant by Governor George Grey to the Catholic Church in 1850.

Boynton was allowed into the meeting and urged Hipkins to keep the college open.

Ngati Paoa Iwi chairman Gary Thompson said Boynton's group did not represent the whole iwi.

Thompson, a former Hato Petera house parent, said he has told the Hipkins and the Catholic Church that the iwi wants to be involved in any decision about the school, but said he had not heard from Hipkins.

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The graduate certificate programme is aimed at developing leadership capabilities for people who work, or wish to work, in Catholic organisations.

The paper being presented by TCI examines the development and application of core concepts in Catholic social thought.

Participants will explore the key concepts of social justice and examine the application of these concepts in relation to their leadership roles in Catholic organisation.

The course will be made up of four five-day programmes, taking place in January and July in 2018 and 2019 at the Mercy Centre in Thorndon, Wellington.

The Australian Catholic University is the degree-granting body for GCLCC.

The TCI was established by the Catholic Bishops of New Zealand to support their vision of an informed laity who are supported by qualified people working in ministries and for the mission in the world.

It has been commissioned to provide accessible courses for teachers and trainee teachers to ensure they are qualified to teach religious education in Catholic schools and are able to engage in ongoing Professional Development.

Members of the Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand Council are appointed by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference. The Council is responsible to the Bishops' of New Zealand.

Appointments are guided by the trust deed that formed the TCI and are for a three year period.

An effort is made to balance appointments from all dioceses, as well as race and gender, having regard to the particular spread of expertise the Council is seeking to help govern the Institute.

TCI has campuses in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

IT also provides 40 course by distance learning for those who are unable to attend classes because they live too far away or have other commitments, or simply wish to study at home.

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Ann Muir's 45-year career as a teacher at Kamo Intermediate, St Joseph's School and Pompallier Catholic College has endeared her to the community.

"I just love being with the kids and helping them to learn and succeed," Miss Muir said.

Despite retiring in 2011 after a long haul at the teacher's desk, Miss Muir continues to teach special needs children part time, assists with a school lunch programme and provides financial and emotional support to disadvantaged students and their families. Read more

He was present at the recent official opening of a digital recording studio will allow the teaching of NCEA Level 3 Song Writing which has been accredited this year by NZQA.

Other prominent alumni at the opening included Peter Urlich and Rikki Morris.

During the opening ceremony, Rikki and the late Ian Morris, were inducted onto the college's Arts Honours Board along with musician Bernie Allen, sculptor Denis O'Connor and cartoonist Keith Waite (deceased).

They join 17 previous inductees, with famous musicians Tim Finn, Dave Dobbyn, Mike Chunn and Peter Urlich, photographer Peter Bush, pianist Jeffrey Grice, broadcaster - the late Frank Torley and artist Milan Mrkusich to name a few.

Chunn has been advocating the development of the School of Imagination because he want to see musical innovation fostered in the school.

"Now that we've given them a field to play on they'll go into the recording studio and start making records of songs that they have written and all the crafts that come with it," he said.

"To me the School of Imagination is a model for what every school should have."

Chunn said music wasn't a subject when he attended Sacred Heart College in the 1960s.

He recalls sneaking off with Tim Finn and other classmates to pretend to practice piano because that was the only instrument they were encouraged to pursue.

"But it wasn't [piano], we were just dreaming of being The Beatles, Chunn said.

As a result, he and the likes of Finn didn't take music seriously until after they left school.

Chunn is the founder of Play It Strange, a charitable trust that develops musical and writing skills at secondary school level.

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The new Philomena Hall was built over the last four months and can hold around 300 people.

Principal Anna Wormald said the school was lucky to have the facility available, after three years of moving seats out of classrooms to make room for special events.

"As they say, out of some bad comes some good, there's some bonuses for us," she said.

When she was interviewed last year Wormald said "On a weekly basis we empty a classroom and we squeeze into a very small space to get the children in but it's very much limited to parent involvement."

"We are a very close community school and it'll be nice to bring our community back together and for them to feel like they can be there and be part of the things that we do."

"Even little things like practicing for the school dance would be easier as they wouldn't have to wait for a fine day to practise for the concert outside the school office."

The hall has been paid for by the Diocese of Palmerston North and other fundraising efforts and the school.

Last Friday afternoon the students, teachers, parents and grandparents lined up outside the school before walking across the playground and into the hall for the first time.

A table in the hall has been made by the grandfather of one of the students using wood salvaged from the church.

The stained glass windows are also the same colour as the church.

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"In China children in primary schools sit quietly and the teacher tells them everything but over here a teacher is just a facilitator of their learning so it is very different," she said.

Yu, who is originally from the Hunan Province in South-Central China, is spending the year in Taupo as a Mandarin language assistant teaching students at Saint Patrick's Catholic School, Wairakei Primary School and Taupo-nui-a-Tia College.

Saint Patrick's is hosting her thanks to the Confucius Institute at Auckland University which last year sent principal Danny Nicholls to China.

"When I was a child I was forced to learn English because it is a global language and China is getting stronger and stronger too.

"Although I don't think you necessarily need to learn Chinese I do think it is important to learn a second language because it can be be very helpful," Yu said.

"I am also planning to organise some cultural activities for kids who might be more interested in Chinese culture rather than the language such as how to celebrate Spring Festival, how to make dumplings, and shadow cork."

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They have provided a weekly video lesson across New Zealand and 23 classrooms overseas.

The Year 12 students have led 8-10 minutes lessons to some of these schools for more than four years.

The Over the Back fence programme founder and coordinator is Geoff Wood.

He says in 2004 Rosmini students first worked with primary school students at the neighbouring St Joseph's primary school.

They ran hour-long physical activity lessons.

Now the programme has an international reach.

Rosmini College Skypes Stewart Island's Half Moon Bay School and Mangatawhiri School as well as schools in Rarotonga, India, the United States and Finland.

"The students work in small groups and they examine environmental issues that they have and interact," says Wood.

The environmental health part of the programme requires students to identify an issue and work to come up with a solution before implementing it.

From kicking a ball around with students at St Joseph's Primary to discussing issues and teaching schools around the world, Wood says all parts of the year-long Over the Back Fence project are beneficial.

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Now Monte Cecilia school is moving a new site 2 kilometres away.

Auckland Council purchased the current site from the Catholic Diocese in 2010.

The site will be added to Monte Cecilia Park

The new school is located on Whitmore Rd, Hillsborough.

It will be handed over on December 10.

The school will have access to neighbouring St John Vianney Parish.

School principal Michele Mill says they are sad to leave all the history behind.

"The homestead is amazing and you just can't beat the view."

"I will miss that but we are getting a brand new shiny school."

"Here it's a bit squashed," Mill says.

"We've got enough buildings but it's the way the buildings are organised that poses problems."

The new school has 3 Modern Learning Environments that can each accommodate up to 75 pupils.

The move means the school will be able to cater for up to 227 children.

The present the roll is 165.

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In an effort to reduce the Silverdale school's waste, a Litterless Lunch Wednesday scheme was dreamed up by pupils.

Every Wednesday students pack their lunchboxes with compostable foods and reusable packaging.

Any leftover waste goes to the school's worm farm, compost bin, or home with teacher Amanda Bates to feed her pigs. Continue reading

That exceeded the target they had set themselves by $12,000.

Starlit HOPE was started by 13 year old Gabby Devine who died in May from bone cancer.

It is a charity designed to give cheer to children in hospital and their families.

Every year Francis Douglas leaders select a charity that they're going to raise money for throughout the year," head boy Louis Poole said.

"This year we've chosen Starlit HOPE. Unfortunately a few weeks after we made our decision Gabby passed away.

"It's been pretty hard on the family and we're just willing to support them as much as we can and honour our commitments."

The Francis Douglas students recently presented the money to Gabby's parents Roland and Sarah.

Poole, explains Starlit Hope was the school's year-long fundraising project. "We thought this one was close to home and a lot of good deeds were being done from it."

The students held various in-house events, and a community fundraising dinner and auction, held on July 31, which raised $14,000.

"It was an awesome night," he said. "We had a big turn out of people and it was really good to see all the support they gave."

The school's fundraising record from previous years was $6000. "With the great support form the school and community we managed to get everyone behind it and raise $18,000, which is three times what we were expecting," he said.

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