Salutation:
Greetings your Eminence and fellow Apifo'ou Family! I trust this finds you all and your respective families, wherever you are, in good health, despite the relentless threats from COVID-19.
Admin Briefs:
~ This is the end of the first week of school. We managed to start classes on Wednesday even though the complete timetable is still on trial.
~ The Catholic Education System was planning to hold our Opening Mass today at the Cathedral but it has been postponed due to bad weather conditions.
~ The roll of students who have registered as of this week is around 900. We envisage that it will hit the 1,000 mark by next week or two. Late registrations of students are ongoing as some students went to the outer islands during the Christmas break. Furthermore, some students from the Ma'ufanga area are yet to register. This has been the norm for Ma'ufanga students and parents as they claim this is their school!
~ The students are enjoying their new classrooms environment. Not only that they have 35 and less students per class but their new classrooms still smell fresh!
~ One of the key areas that we remind the teachers and students is the maintenance of these new buildings and classrooms. We rely on a good roster of duties for each class to ensure that they are kept neat and tidy each day. Teachers' supervision and presence, of course, must be consistent.
Immediate obstacles:
It has been raining everyday this week. You can see from photos 001 & 008 the amount of rainfalls as most areas around the college premises are flooded. Fortunately, the new buildings have been elevated plus the sheltered corridors which enable the staff and students to walk on dry footpaths.
Photo 001
Photo 008
Inter-House Sports:
This weather pattern is predicted to continue in the next couple of weeks. This will adversely affect our sports training . The different Houses are daring to start training this week, rain or hail! The respective Houses have moved up the ante as I've announced that our Inter-House Athletics competitions will be held at Teufaiva Stadium on the 11th & 12th of next month!
Well, with the pools of water right around the campus perhaps Kayak training is highly prescribed!
New IT Teacher:
The IT computer technology Department is delighted to have a skillful computer person to join them this year. Fr. Mika Misinale sm joins AFC this year while doing some studies at the Teachers Training to obtain his teaching certificate. Fr. Mika has obtained a degree from USP in Suva and will be very instrumental in this dept. You can see from photo 003, Fr. Mika means business as he cleans out the second computer lab and starts installing the computers. We've been trying to set up this room for a few years now but like the saying, "cometh the hour, cometh the man"!
Photo 003
Presentation of Final Reports:
The Reconstruction Committee chaired by Lord Sevele of Vailahi plus the other members presented the Final Reports of all the construction and renovation works done at Apifo'ou College since cyclone Gita in 2018 (photo 011).
Photo 011
His Eminence was very pleased and expressed his profound gratitude to Lord Sevele and the core committee members for all the sacrifice and hard-work. According to Lord Sevele, that concluded the mission vested upon the Committee by His Eminence to orchestrate the mammoth tasks of rebuilding our beloved college.
Timely Gifts:
Photo 013 shows off the smiling faces of our Librarian, Mrs. Seini Kisina and a few students who help out at the the college library. These books were selected ones and kindly donated to the school by former Principal Mr. Laurie Williams and family. These books are unique as the authors are from Oceania and they will be in the reference section at the Pacific Collection corner.
Photo 013
A big vinaka vakalevu to you Laurie and your beloved family for this generous contribution to the college.
Conclusion:
Well, AFC Family, our journey for 2021 has begun! Our beloved college needs you all to propel our boat forward. May Mary our Mother, the Star of the Sea, continue to skipper our AFC Boat amidst stormy and turbulent waters ahead.
Viva AFC!
Ekuasi