On the latest episode of Jordan Simi's Grouse & A Few Reds podcast, released on May 20, the topic of "New Zealand girls" came up.

Simi, a Sydney social media influencer and former rugby league player, described New Zealand women as "not looking nice" compared to UK women, who he described as the "cream of the crop".

Simi, who is Samoan and originally from South Auckland, went on to say: "shout out to South Auckland, where there was an all-girls school there and you would look at them and think, is that a girl?"

His two male co-hosts roared with laughter.

South Aucklander Mariner Fagaiava-Muller posted the audio clip on TikTok, commenting that hearing it made his blood boil.

Fagaiava-Muller's video has been viewed over 47,000 times and counting. Simi later replied to Fagaiava-Muller's video, saying his comments were "just a joke".

There's only one all-girls school in South Auckland and it's McAuley High School.

I went to McAuley High School.

The "joke" that was directed at McAuley students is nothing new.

If you attended McAuley, you were labelled a bulldog.

You were barked at if you were spotted in your school uniform out in public.

Students from other schools mocked us saying we looked manly or for having legs with big taro calves.

I lost count of how many times my school bus had its window smashed by a rock from another school student. Someone even wasted a mince and cheese pie-throwing it at the bus window.

McAuley students, like many South Auckland students at decile one schools, experience marginalisation on a daily basis.

We experience the kind of adversity where a joke about our appearance is just another stress we have to deal with.

McAuley is a school with limited resources and limited subject options, where the majority of families come from low-income households. They don't have the privilege of choosing whatever they want for lunch, having the top stationery brands, or being able to afford a blazer as part of the complete school uniform.

When you are a Pasifika girl from a household juggling study, errands and cultural responsibilities; when self-confidence is already a rarity; and you hear someone from your own community, on a platform with a large following, insult young girls for not looking a certain way - that their dark-coloured eyes, brown skin and black thick hair aren't seen as beautiful - it destroys what little self-belief you had left.

This is why the "joke" is not funny.

Because of those comments made throughout my years in high school, I, like many McAuley students, used it as unspoken motivation to do better, be better.

Since the early 2000s, McAuley has worked extra hard to prove its worth, to prove people wrong about the stereotypes placed on us by others. McAuley was featured in Metro a few times for their high academic rates for a decile one school.

In 2016, the school was awarded both Excellence in Engaging and Education Supreme Awards by the prime minister.

• Elisapeta Toeava of the Northern Mystics;
• Annetta Nu'uausala from the women's Newcastle Knights NRL team;
• Niu FM afternoon radio presenter Sia Petelo;
• prominent New Zealand multi-disciplinary artist Salome Tanuvasa;
• senior urban planner Eseta Maka-Fonokalafi;
• Bernadette Robertson, a member of the South Pacific Professional Engineering Excellence group; and myself,
• Pacific communities editor at The Spinoff.

All schooled at McAuley. All the while maintaining our reputation as "one of the schools to beat" at the largest Polynesian dance competition in the world, ASB Polyfest.

Of course, every high school has students who have gone off to do incredible, headlining, awe-inspiring things. So why do I bring up McAuley alumni's achievements?

It's because a lot of these women have had to face huge obstacles to get where they're at now, have had to work three times harder than students from wealthier schools.

They've had to face the culture shock of leaving their family, their community and a predominantly Pasifika high school to attend a university where being Pacific is a minority, where being humble - a virtue ingrained in Pasifika people - isn't going to cut it if you want to stand out in a class of over 600.

Casually making a "joke" about the appearance of young girls won't affect Simi and his podcast co-hosts, but it will surely hurt the confidence of many of those McAuley students targeted.

I worry they'll lose pride in a school uniform now associated with the "manly" insult lobbed at them by those deemed more powerful because they have a following larger than their ego.

To all past, present and future McAuley students, Domine In Te Speravi - Lord in you I hoped.

It's a motto that lives on for us, alongside our memories of beating the odds in Tamaki Makaurau.

• Sela Jane Hopgood is the Pacific communities editor of Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air. New Zealand born Tongan, she writes stories about issues affecting the Pacific communities across Aotearoa.
• First published in The Spinoff, republished with permission.

Otahuhu Catholic Parish and School communities is sending help to those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in India, says Lyndsay Freer, Media and Communications Officer for the Catholic Diocese of Auckland.

"Calling the earth 'Our Common Home,' Pope Francis asks us to stand together globally, in solidarity, to care for each other as sisters and brothers," Freer says.

She says many members of migrant communities in New Zealand are watching helplessly as their loved ones back home are suffering or have died as a result of the pandemic.

While there are signs of a decrease in daily reported cases in India, there have been 28,175,044 infections and 331,895 Covid-19-related deaths reported there since the pandemic began, she notes.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand will send the Covid-relief fundraiser proceeds to Caritas India. The Indian charity is working on the ground to assist those afflicted with the often-deadly virus.

Auckland's Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn who will attend the Concert, says prayer and the concert will make us more aware of what Indian families here and in India are suffering.

This our small way of supporting them, he says.

Children and young people from the Otahuhu Parish of St Joseph, and McAuley High School, De La Salle College and St Joseph's Primary School will be among those taking part in the concert.

Others contributing to the fundraiser include established artists of many different ethnicities, who are generously offering their services.

Source

• Indian News Link
• Image: Straits Times

The offer of support comes in the wake of the school's board of trustees working through a "confidential personnel matter", ministry spokeswoman Katrina Casey said. Continue reading

Also read

McAuley High School in Otahuhu won the Prime Minister's Education Supreme Award at a ceremony in Auckland tonight.

The school was recognised for uniting with the community to change the way it works with students and their families, building respect for their language and culture, also winning the Excellence in Engaging award.

This new way of working created results for the girls' Catholic school that surpassed those of similar schools, judges said.

McAuley High will receive $50,000 for its two wins, as well a professional development opportunity and the opportunity to represent New Zealand education.

"The school has built a cohesive, respectful and supportive environment for all its students with brilliant results. It has high expectations and strong connections with its parents and the community and the supreme award is recognition of its vision and effort."

Judges also praised the school for its cohesive values where every student and their family is cared for and where they learn to care for others.

Deputy Principal Curriculum, Rachel Williams, said the school was humbled and appreciative."It is testimony to the hard work put in by all staff members over a sustained period of time," she said.

"It is also a wonderful acknowledgement of the commitment that the wider McAuley High School community has made to the education of our young Catholic women."

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: nzlattitudegapyear.blogspot.co.nz

Students wore signs and collected donations while remaining silent for three hours during the first part of the day.

Lead teacher Makerita Loto says the girls found it a challenge to stay silent for so long but "feeling a sense of accomplishment as well as making a difference is really important".

Student leader Iundia Puloka says the school takes part in 'Pledge of Silence' every year "so the tradition lives on".

"It is very important for New Zealand to double the refugee quota because our country would be able to make a big difference if we expand the number."

Amnesty's If I were a refugee, I'd want it for me: Double the Quota! campaign is aimed at doubling the number of refugees New Zealand accepts each year.

"With nearly 60 million people displaced around the world, New Zealand can and should do more."

"For this year's Freedom Challenge we are encouraging New Zealand to save lives by doubling our annual refugee quota."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• amnesty.org.nz
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

Students are trialling a "flipped classroom" as part of a project encouraging innovative teaching in 75 schools New Zealand-wide.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says 39 projects have been funded to the tune of $2.6 million in the first round of the Teacher-led Innovation Fund.

The two-year contract at McAuley is focusing on senior maths, social sciences, chemistry, te reo and junior social studies.

It aims to change class time and reverse lectures and homework to allow students to workshop ideas and ask questions while taking part in hands-on activities.

Year 13 teacher calculus teach Rachel Williams says she's noticing students are working independently and their confidence in solving tasks has improved. Continue reading

• Maretta Tuasivi Solomon and Pulotu Arthur Solomon have been made Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
• Elizabeth Horgan has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of merit.
• Anne Miles has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

The Solomons co-founded the Pacific Peoples Learning Institute, Martin Hautus (MHI) in 1990.

MHI was established to cater for the growing number of predominantly Pasifika learners who were failing in mainstream education.

MHI has around 300 students each year and is considered a leading learning institute for the Pacific.

Elizabeth Horgan has worked at St Joseph's school in Otahuhu for more than 40 years.

For the last 22 years she has been the School's Principal.

She introduced the Reading Together Programme to South Auckland Catholic schools.

The programme fosters parents' involvement with their children's literary development.

Horgan is also involved with the Gladiators of Change programme, organised for parents from Otahuhu and Mangere to be more involved in their children's lives.

Anne Miles has made significant contributions to McAuley High School since becoming its principal in 2003.

She has spearheaded initiatives to raise academic achievement and the decile one school has seen outstanding improvements in NCEA and University Entrance results.

Using the findings of the master's thesis of one of her staff, she has also improved parental engagement with the school.

More than 500 family members were able to improve their skills and gain confidence, leading some into further education, employment or to volunteer for boards of trustees of other schools.

The school's pastoral care network has also been strengthened to provide a support network to enable all students to succeed.

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

She shares the title with Jo-Anne Wilkinson of the Foundation for Youth Development.

"I feel humble and very surprised. When I looked at the fantastic finalists I really didn't think I would win," Miles said.

Miles has been the principal of McAuley, in Otahuhu, Auckland, for the past 10 years and has contributed greatly to the high academic achievement of young Maori and Pacific women.

More than 90 per cent of students at the decile one school now achieve NCEA and 75 per cent gain university entrance.

"As I said in my speech the award belongs to the board of trustees, the staff and above all the students," Miles said.

"A simple philosophy she lives by is to "believe in yourself".

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• fyd.org.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

"When you put yourself on stage, you're putting yourself in a very vulnerable state," says Annonica Mavaega, 16. "Anyone can just stand up and say: 'Be quiet!' They can mock you.

"But once you're up on that stage, people can't help but hear your story. They can't help but respect you."

Annonica and Rebecca Sang Yum, also 16, are two members of the school's ASO Collective - a group that practises performance-based poetry.

"It stands for Adolescents Speaking Out. It also has a double meaning because it's the Samoan word for 'day'. So with every new day, there are new opportunities, new stories to tell, new friends to make and every day there is something for us to discover."

The group will be going to Brisbane this year to perform and attend workshops with international poets.

That trip came after they won the first Auckland secondary schools spoken word competition - Word: The Front Line - this year.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• The New Zealand Herald

Editor Simon Wilson wrote that academic results are critically important, but the best measure of a school is its character.

"In the sense that it takes a village to raise a child, good schools actively foster a community of home and school where each supports the other and they share each others' values."

Wilson cites Catholic schools as "the shining example".

"Pretty much every Catholic school in Auckland is doing remarkably well academically", he notes.

"One big reason is the ready-built home/school relationship they have through the church.

"It provides a set of shared values and an active commitment to each other."

Wilson writes that secular schools can achieve these things too and many do.

"But often it doesn't come so easily to them."

In considering the schools' academic performance, Metro grouped them in decile rankings or noted they were private.

Two Mercy schools, Carmel College on the North Shore and McAuley High School in Otahuhu, were singled out for praise.

Decile 10 Carmel was described as "outstanding", with special note taken that "almost nobody left school without at least [NCEA] level 2".

Decile one McAuley was labelled "a phenomenon", with three quarters of school leavers having level 3 NCEA qualifications.

"There's another pattern in these results. Most of the outstanding schools are Catholic," Wilson wrote.

The article stated there was no one reason for this, before citing the same deduction as its editorial - strong school/family/church ties make a difference.

Elsewhere in Metro, a columnist noted the editor's belief that their annual school edition is the monthly magazine's best selling one for the year.

Source

• Metro
• Image: stuff.co.nz

McAuley High School, an integrated Catholic decile one school for girls in Otahuhu, has seen huge change over the past 10 years.

Principal Anne Miles and the board focused on making the school a safe place to be.

Key to this was community engagement - school leaders and student ambassadors visit the local Catholic churches and 26 feeder schools.

Invitations to school meetings are followed up with phone calls to families, resulting in 90 per cent attendance at parents' meetings.

There, senior students talk about what their parents do to support their learning.

Last year's participation-based NCEA results showed achievement rates of more than 90 per cent at Level 1, 2 and 3, and 74 per cent university entrance.

Miles told the Herald that her staff deserved mention. "Our teachers work incredibly hard over here to support the students, to track their achievement, to guide them and inspire them."

"They keep on their backs - 'get on with your work, do your work, have you finished this' - there's constant pressure and expectation to not only achieve, but achieve with merit and excellence."

"And it's that expectation that is shared by the students, the staff and the parents that makes a difference."

Source

• New Zealand Herald
• Image: McAuley College

Catholic schools of all kinds dominate the top places in the latest Metro analysis of Auckland schools: boys' schools, girls' schools and co-ed schools; high decile and low decile schools. Wilson says these results are a stark contrast to a generation ago when Catholic schools were often at the bottom of performance standards.

But Waikato University Education professor Martin Thrupp said it was misleading to assume Catholic schools are better.

He says statistically modeling is a very sophisticated task, something that even academics have struggled with and the way Metro does it is "so crude and they're wrong to do it."

"Just because the school is top of the pops in the league tables doesn't necessarily mean it will be right for your child. They might not fit the culture of the school," he said.

"I wouldn't pay it too much attention myself, there's other more rounded forms of information like ERO reports."

The CEO of the New Zealand Catholic Education Office thinks that the Christian faith accounts for the academic success of Catholic schools.

Brother Patrick Lynch says that fundamentally a Catholic school "emphasises spirituality, faith, values, attitude, that builds a culture with the families to provide the youngsters a reason for living.

"Once you get those parameters in place it's easier to concentrate on high expectations - when you've got good leadership in schools you've got a better chance of actually delivering a better set of outcomes."

McAuley High School, a decile one school for girls in Otahuhu, has topped the tables this year. The magazine warns that this is not the same as saying it had the highest proportion of success in exams; it was the school most likely to improve its students' performance in exams

The highest proportion of success in exams according to Metro, belongs to three schools: St Cuthbert's College in NCEA exams, ACG Senior College in the Cambridge exams, and ACG Parnell College in University Entrance.

There are ten deciles and around 10% of schools are in each decile. Decile one schools have the highest proportion of students from low socio-economic backgrounds whereas decile ten schools have the highest proportion of students from high socio-economic backgrounds.