Assembly Notes - 01.05.26

Deputy Rector - Mr Howlett

Kia ora, Good afternoon boys and staff. E noho Please be seated.

As is customary we will begin todays Assembly with a reading from the Bible, read by Head of Boarding Charlie Tizard

Bible Reading:

Luke chapter 12, verse 48:

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

This is the word of the Lord – Thanks be to God.

Deputy Rector

Thank you Charlie

This verse speaks powerfully about expectations. It reminds us that expectations are not placed on people to weigh them down, but because they have been given opportunities, support, and responsibility. Where much has been given, much is rightly expected in return. That idea sits at the heart of what I want to talk about today, because it connects directly to our College and the standards we set for ourselves.

As a College, we are very clear that we have high expectations of our boys. We expect you to work hard, to behave with respect, and to represent the College well in everything you do. These expectations are not about control or punishment; they exist because we believe in your potential. High expectations are a sign of belief. They say that you are capable of more, that your effort matters, and that your actions have meaning.

One of the most visible ways these expectations show themselves is in something very simple: how you wear your uniform. Having your socks pulled up, your shirt tucked in, your top button done up and your tie worn properly might seem like small things, but they matter. They matter because they speak to pride. Pride in yourself, pride in your appearance, and pride in the standards you choose to uphold. When you take the time to present yourself properly, you send a message that you respect yourself and that you care about the environment you are part of.

That pride does not stop with you. The way you present yourself reflects directly on your family and on this College. When you wear the uniform correctly, you are not just representing yourself; you are representing your parents and caregivers who support you, and a College that invests in you and holds you to high standards. Wearing the uniform well shows gratitude for what you have been given and respect for the reputation of the community you belong to. Just as the Bible verse reminds us that responsibility grows with opportunity, pride in presentation grows from understanding what you represent.

These expectations do not stop at the classroom door. They carry through into sport and cultural activities, where character is often shaped just as strongly as it is through academic learning. On the sports field, expectations show themselves in turning up to training consistently, listening to coaches, pushing yourself even when it is uncomfortable, and putting the team ahead of individual recognition. In cultural groups, expectations are seen in commitment to practice, in supporting one another, in striving for excellence in performance, and in taking pride in representing the College with confidence and humility.

Success in these areas is rarely just about natural talent. Far more often, it comes down to discipline, consistency, resilience, and attitude. These are the very qualities that our College expects you to develop, and they are the same qualities that will serve you well long after you leave school.

Life beyond the College gates is full of expectations. Employers will expect you to be reliable and hardworking. Teams and communities will expect you to contribute and to show respect. Families will expect responsibility, integrity, and effort. Learning to meet high expectations now, while you are supported and guided, prepares you for those future demands. It builds habits and character that will stay with you for life.

The message from Luke reminds us that we are accountable for what we have been given. You have been entrusted with education, opportunities, coaching, teaching, and support. The challenge for each of you is not whether expectations exist, but how you choose to respond to them. If you see them as a burden, you will resist them. If you see them as a sign of belief, you will rise to meet them.

My challenge to you is to carry the standards of this College with you wherever you go. Bring them into your classrooms, onto the sports field, into cultural spaces, and into the way you present yourself every day. If you do, you will not only meet expectations, you will exceed them, and you will be well prepared for the future that lies ahead.

Please now join with me in singing our college song -

HYMN – Highways in the Heart

Thank you school, e noho, please be seated.

I would like to welcome Cultural Prefect, Fergus Denton, up to present this week's Cultural report.

Cultural Report

Pipe Band perform at ANZAC Services

The Lindisfarne College pipe band performed at the ANZAC Day dawn service on Saturday morning. In dark and cold conditions, the band met at 5am to warm and prepare before leading the ANZAC guests and dignitaries to the Hastings Cenotaph. After a well-earned hearty cooked breakfast at Clubs Hastings, the band moved to Havelock North to also play at the beginning and end of the Havelock North morning service. This was a big day for the boys as they were the only pipers and drummers at both services. The boys represented the school excellently and can be proud their performances as a band.

West Side Story

Wednesday and Thursday evenings saw the first performances of this year's joint production of West Side Story together with Iona College, directed by Mrs Atkin. The shows have been outstanding, and It's been a massive achievement for everyone involved in the show to finally get underway after almost half a year of preparation. Congratulations to everyone, including the cast, tech team, orchestra, costumes and props, backstage crew and many other helpers doing jobs relating to the production. We look forward tonight's performance and the two performances on Saturday.

Thank you Fergus, I would now like to welcome Sports Prefect, Andrew Wakefield, up to present this week's sports report

Sports Report

In Triathlon/Aquathon

Flynn Dobson was awarded the National Schools Triathlon Year 7 Boys Champion cup and the Triathlon New Zealand National Championship medal and was also recognised for winning overall Intermediate category. Flynn Webber also competed in the event, finishing 8th overall.

In Canoe Slalom

Ollie Fritchley, Oscar Fitness and Leo Baker competed in the NZSS event racing on the Tarawera River and enjoyed a successful campaign. Highlights included multiple podium finishes, with silver medals in Junior C2, Intermediate K1 Team, Intermediate C2, Intermediate Mixed C2, and a standout Downriver result from Leo. Oscar also claimed a silver in Junior C1, while Ollie delivered a series of top finishes across the Intermediate grades, including 4th in both K1 and Downriver, and contributing to team medals across the regatta. The boys finished 2nd overall in the boys' school's category which is a fantastic result!

In Waka Ama

The 2026 Secondary School Waka Ama Nationals were held at Lake Tikitapu bringing together 140 schools and approximately 2,300 paddlers. Our boys competed across multiple divisions throughout the week in only our second appearance at the Secondary School Nationals. In the Te Ihu (Championship Division) J19 W12 250m event, Motutapu Whakatakaia finished 10th overall in Aotearoa. In the Te Ihu J16 W6 250m event, Motutapu Whiwhia finished 2nd overall in Aotearoa.

The paddlers in Motutapu Whiwhia included Leedti John-Heta, Bobby John-Heta, Julius Raihania, Kiato Buxton, Brody Manuel and Davey Simutoga.

In Golf

Cordell Henare competed in the Australian Junior Amateur in Ballarat, Melbourne recently. Cordell was in the mix throughout the week, finishing tied 8th at one under par. George Pogson headed down to Methven to play in the South Island Boys Under 16 Age Group Championships. It was a great experience playing down South with golfers from across the country. He ended up placing 10th after the three days and 54 holes. Cordell also played in the tournament and placed 12th in the Boys under 19 event.

In Swimming

Arthur Betty and Sam Skidmore competed at New Zealand Age Group Swimming Championships over the holidays. Arthur, in the 13-year-old age group, reached both the 50m Free and 50m Fly finals and placed 4th in the 50m Freestyle event. Sam, in the 16-year-old age group, won Silver in the 50m Freestyle, 50m Butterfly, 100m Freestyle and 200m Freestyle. He also came 4th in 100m Butterfly event. Sam broke a longstanding HBPB record in the 50m Free and was also selected for the New Zealand Swimming Team that will compete at the Oceania Championships to be held in Fiji in May.

In Kayaking

Alby Redmond competed in the Sprint National Kayaking Championships held at Lake Karapiro. He competed in the under 12 age group and came second in the 500m event and third in the 100m sprint event.

In Tennis

Bruno Reed represented Waikato Eastern Bays region at the junior teams' nationals. He was the number one seed for the team in the under 12 age group and beat the Canterbury number 1 in singles 6/2 & 6-0 and the Northern number 1 in singles 6-3 & 6-3. Bruno has been selected to represent the New Zealand 11 and under age group. The team will travel to Australia to participate in the Australian Junior Championship event. This is a wonderful achievement

Thank you Andrew and congratulations to all those boys who were recognised today.

Deputy Rector - Concluding remarks

As we look ahead to this weekend, we are given a very real and very public reminder of why meeting our College expectations matters. Our 1st XV rugby match will be televised on TV, which means the eyes of the wider community will be on us. This is an opportunity to showcase Lindisfarne as a top-quality school, not just through the performance of our players, but through the behaviour and conduct of everyone associated with the College. I encourage you to wear red and show your allegiance to our team with pride, but to do so in a way that reflects who we are. How we act in the public eye matters. We are expected to show respect and true manaakitanga to the opposition, to the officials, and to all spectators. In doing this, we demonstrate that our standards are not just words spoken at assembly, but values we live out when it matters most.

As we conclude today Assembly, I would like to congratulate all those who have been recognised or who have played a part in the events and activities mentioned today. Your effort, commitment, and willingness to contribute reflect the best of our College and deserve to be acknowledged. I also want to wish our actors, stage managers, musicians, and technical crew all the very best for the final performances of West Side Story. Your hard work behind the scenes and on stage has been outstanding, and I wish you every success as you finish what has been a tremendous production. To all boys representing the College in sport this weekend and beyond, I wish you well. Play hard, play fair, show respect, and demonstrate determination in everything you do. Remember, too, the importance of humility in victory and grace in defeat. How you conduct yourselves, regardless of the result, will always matter more than the scoreboard. In doing so, you continue to uphold the values, standards, and reputation of our College.

I would now like to invite Reverend Dunnett to close our assembly in prayer.