WelCom August 2022
Robert Blucher has been appointed chief executive of Te Kupenga – Catholic Leadership Institute. He is currently Northern Regional Manager of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu – also known as Te Kura, the former Correspondence School.
Robert replaces Te Kupenga’s inaugural chief executive, Dr Areti Metuamate, who returned to Australia last year. Nathaniel Centre director Dr John Kleinsman has been acting chief executive.
Before joining Te Kura (with over 20,000 students) Robert held roles as principal at several secondary schools and was a review officer with the Education Review Office. He identifies strongly as Catholic, with Croatian and Māori (Ngāti Kuri) heritage from the Far North. He and his wife Carleen are parishioners in Ponsonby Herne Bay parish.
Robert starts in the role on 5 September and will be based in the Catholic Theological Centre campus at the St Columba Centre in Vermont St, Ponsonby, Auckland.
Worm juice fundraiser for country school
Last year, Years 5 and 6 students of Room 5 at St Joseph’s School in Taihape began learning all about worms from a visiting expert. In his final lesson the expert brought Tiger worms and containers for the students to create their own portable worm farms to take home.
Hīkoi of learning to Far North traces early Marist’s footsteps
Members of Te Āhi Kā o Mātaruranga – a young Catholic adult community from Palmerston North – went on a hīkoi to the Far North late last year to trace the origins of faith mission in this country, through the work of early Marists.
Students awarded Suzanne Aubert tertiary scholarships
Three students have been awarded the Suzanne Aubert Tertiary Scholarship to help them complete their studies in 2023.