Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of St Mary’s School,
"Nollaig Shona Daoibh" - in Irish "have a Happy Christmas".

It’s that time of the year, less than ten days to Christmas, when the focus of most of us gradually moves from the looking back at the old year to looking forward to the new.

2014 has been another year of huge developments at St Mary’s—one only has to walk around the school to notice the developments. Our national standards data has continued to be significantly above the

national average.

But the thing that we as a school remain most proud of are our graduating Year Eight class. These are a group of young adults who go out to face the future. The world is a far different place from when I walked in their shoes. In 1975 when I left Paerau Primary School; (it no longer exists as the roll got too low about two years ago) the cold war was still the largest global fear, Apartheid was still the policy in South Africa, Gerald Ford was the US President, James Callaghan was the British Prime Minister, Rob Muldoon was the New Zealand Prime Minister. My favourite T.V. programme was Bonanza and a pint of milk cost four cents.

The world has changed, we now have iphones and ipads and computers.

The world our young people are moving into is a world of new challenges not better, not worse just

different. Everywhere there are good people, people who will and can help with no thought of personal gain. Christmas is a time that teaches us to focus on what is really important.

To all of our supporters and helpers, thank you and we really appreciate all of your work.

In German Huben ein frohes und erfolgreiches neues jahr—have a happy and holy Christmas and a

prosperous New Year.
—Mike Brosnahan