Sacred Heart Girls College is a state integrated Catholic

Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand

The Catholic Church in New Zealand is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, which, inspired by the life, death and teachings of Jesus Christ, and under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Roman curia in Vatican City is the largest Christian church in the world.Catholic settlers first arrived...

 Girls' secondary school

Secondary school

Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...

 in Hamilton

Hamilton, New Zealand

Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...

, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. The school was established by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions

Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions

The Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women. They were founded in Lyons, France in 1861 by Euphrasie Barbier. The Congregation's presence is felt worldwide...

 in 1884. The school crest features the monogram SH

Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....

 and the symbol †

Cross

A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...

, with the motto "Age Quod Agis" across the bottom, translating loosely into "What ever you do, do to the best of your ability".

Sacred Heart Girls' College has a strong relationship with its brother Catholic school, St John's College

St. John's College, Hamilton

St John's College is a state-integrated Catholic boys' secondary school in Hamilton, New Zealand. The school was established by the Marist Order in 1961 from Marist School . The school crest features the eagle of St. John the Apostle, with the motto "Caritas Christi Urget Nos" strewn across the...

, with whom it holds a yearly ball and social/discos, a St Johns College and Sacred Heart Girls College Combined Concert Band, and bi-annual musical play/production, along with numerous other activities.

History

In 1884, Sacred Heart Girls College was opened as a Catholic Secondary School by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions to provide an education for the Catholic woman in the Waikato. It was a very small school but has now extended and has 4 netball courts across the road from the school which are very useful and they also brought some more land and built an auditorium

Auditorium

An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...

. It is now a very successful school with more than 900 students.

Uniform

The school colours are maroon red and black. Third formers(year nine's) through to six formers(year twelve's) wear white fitted blouses with the words SHGC stitched on the top left collar (from front view), a black and red patch work type skirt, an optional jersey with the school logo imprinted with the motto (Age Quad Agis) on the top right. A maroon blazer with the school logo and motto imprinted on it is compulsory for all students from year nine to year thirteen. Also black stocking with black leather lace up shoes are worn through all years in winter and black roman sandals are worn in summer. The seventh formers (year thirteen's) wear a plain white blouse which is needed to be tucked in and a plain black skirt. Year thirteens are also made to wear a tie all the time through winter and on special occasions in summer along with the regulation blazer and shoes.The jersey is also optional for year thirteens.

Sports

Sacred Heart Girls College has facilities for physical education and allied sports with its gymnasium, tennis and netball courts and use of Steele Park.
Yearly sports days are held for swimming and athletics.

All practices of the major sports are held outside class times, with games being played after school and in the weekends. Students have been selected as Waikato representatives in most sports, and many have gone on to win national and international honours.

Netball is particularly strong in the school, with 30 teams fielded every Saturday morning, giving opportunities at all levels, from top grade to social. Senior students are trained as umpires and scorers, as well as junior team coaches.

The current sports at Sacred Heart are : aerobics, athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, cycling, duathlon, equestrian, fitness centre, golf, gymnastics, hockey, kickboxing, netball, rowing, rugby, soccer, softball, squash, talent squad, tennis, touch rugby, triathlon, volleyball, waka ama and waterpolo.

Enrollment

Enrollment was traditionally by academic examination followed by an interview. Alternatively a student might be enrolled if she had a family connection to the school, or she is a baptised and a confirmed Catholic, and/or she used to go to a Catholic primary school in Waikato, or she goes to church and gets a letter of recommendation from a Catholic priest. If she is Catholic she has a very high chance of getting in.

External links

• Sacred Heart Girls College Website