Values Refresh

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As we have progressed through the values review, I keep coming back to a Brené Brown comment, which said this about the importance of bringing values to life by ‘living into’ them.

‘A value is a way of being or believing that we hold most important. Living into our values means that we do more than profess our values, we practice them. We walk or talk - we are clear about which we believe and hold important, and we take care that our intentions, words, thoughts and behaviours align with those beliefs.’

I shared this passage with the junior students at our assembly, as part of an update about the values review. A survey was sent to them, which asked for their choice of three possible values from a shortlist of eight. The shortlist was the result of student surveys, the parents and whānau survey, and the mahi of a staff focus group across two workshop sessions. From the get-go, it was important to me that this was a community consultative process and that we collectively had ownership of the reset values going forward. 

The eight shortlisted values are: Integrity, Respect, Empathy, Service, Manaakitanga, Resilience, Courage and Excellence.

These are not new, but are drawn from our heritage. They have always been there and have been lived by members of the community since 1918. Our focus with this review has been to interrogate, reset, clarify, and amplify our values. It has been an incredibly positive experience and has presented an opportunity to bring the community together around a common goal over the past few weeks.

As part of our review process, we were keen to bring together an array of voices to speak about what the college means to them, and their hopes for the future. To that end, we gathered in the ELC to hear from current students, Old Collegians, parents, and teachers. This was a humbling and inspiring experience for all who attended.

We started with two senior students, our outgoing Head Prefect, Angus Burns, and our incoming Head Prefect for 2026, Charlie Falconer. Angus joined us as a day boy in Year 7, and Charlie as a boarder from the Maniototo in Year 9. This kōrero took the form of a panel discussion. Charlie talked about the support the school provides to students in whatever they want to do. He pointed to the ‘atmosphere’ helping students to aim high and feel happy to be here. To Charlie, our special character is reflected by how people interact and how students enjoy being in the classroom. The values that Charlie connected to are respect, manaakitanga, and humility. Looking to the future, he hoped that helping each other would be the default, and that students would see working hard as being ‘cool’ and celebrated.

Angus echoed these themes and said the best thing about being a student at McGlashan is that no matter who you are, you are always welcome, and that every student and staff member has a place. He valued the foundations for life that we build and the ‘brotherhood’ that creates ‘unity and camaraderie’ for the students. Angus’ hope for the future was that the influence of Te ao Māori continued to grow and strengthen at our school, a sentiment that received effusive agreement from the audience.

Steward McDonald’s connections to John McGlashan go deep and take several forms. He is an old boy of the college, joining us in 1988 as a Year 7. His mother was a teacher here, as he is today, and he is the father of a current student. Stewart grew up in Māori Hill, and our fields were his playground as a young boy. He talked about the huge number of opportunities we have, which is something that stands out about the college, when he was a student, and today. He referenced our passionate staff and the involvement of so many parents. Stewart also talked about the importance of our Christian heritage and values, and how this creates a ‘natural and positive’ environment.

Whaea Lizzie Clark’s first impression of McGlashan was when a student helped her carry her belongings when she moved into the boarding house. Our boys, Lizzie explained, are good people and give back to their community.’ The college holds a special place for Lizzie and her husband Glen Clark (also a teacher at McGlashan), as they married in our chapel. She sees students feeling safe to be themselves here, but challenged to grow. They are determined to succeed and show initiative, to be the best version of themselves. Kā mihi nui, whaea!

Ainslie Anderson is one of our Assistant Principals and has worked in the school for over twenty years. Ainslie talked about the culture of high expectations and high levels of support that pervade the college. Students feel safe, known, and cared for, and the size of our schools means staff know all the boys, and the boys know the staff. This enhances connection and belonging. Ainslie values the confidence the students show in their abilities and their willingness to grow. Going forward, she urged us to continue working together towards the same goals.

Following Ainslie, John Hale, an Old Collegian (Head Prefect of 1994) and classmate of Stewart McDonald, board member, and parent of Lucas in Year 9, talked to us about his experiences at the college. John values always having a go, lives by the mantra that easy is boring, and seeks challenges every day, which are derived from his experiences at McGlashan between 1988 and 1994. Being the best that you can be was part of the culture at the time, and teachers made a difference. John valued the opportunities available during his time at the college, and those his son Lucas experiences now. Thinking about the school’s values, he felt that it gives students the tools to be the ’right person’ in a ‘kind and respectful way’, that they carry beyond school and into their lives.

Rosemary Stevenson has been the matron in the boarding house for over twenty years. She talked about it being her dream job. Her five sons also attended the college, each of them unique in their own way, and experiencing their individual journeys. Rosemary sees her position in the boarding house as a privileged one, being there to ‘encourage the boys to find their sense of belonging’, and helping them to solve their problems. She feels strongly about promoting connection and cohesion between boarding and day boys.

Our Head of Art, Bryn Jones, has taught at McGlashan since the mid-nineties, and values the connectivity of our community, the feeling that McGlashan is a family, and the absence of a ‘tall poppy syndrome’. Over his time, he has established strong bonds with different generations of McGlashan students. Looking forward, Bryn reminded us to never ‘take our eyes off the ball’, of what we are about and why we exist.

We started with two senior students, and with an eye to the future, concluded with two Year 9s. Noah Konia talked passionately about the ‘countless’ opportunities and ‘endless’ support from the staff that he had experienced and seen on a daily basis. He wants the college to continue to inspire students and help them become the best version of themselves. He urged students to wear ‘that crest on your chest’ with immense pride. 

Likewise, Lucas Hale shared similar sentiments. He valued all the people in our community and feels that we have a positive environment where we help each other to grow. He said that respect, kindness, and responsibility are values that best represent our community. He wants us to uphold these in public, and sharing a comment by his PE teacher, Andrew Hore, that resonated with him, he asked that the students strive to be ‘better men every day’. You can read the full transcripts of Noah and Lucas’ speeches in this edition of the Pilkington Press.

While each speaker’s experiences were unique to them, common themes of community, connection, and belonging emerged. This sits alongside values of integrity, respect, kindness, and humility, grounded in our Christian and Te ao Māori cultural values. Our community encourages members to aim high and take up the myriad opportunities, amidst a culture that promotes effort, challenge, and always working to be the best version of themselves.

We are close to finalising the core values that capture who we are, which we will situate alongside a rearticulated vision and mission. Our school motto, ‘Lex Domini Lux Mundi’ - the word of the Lord is the light of the World - He Atua, He Marama - embodies our belief that knowledge, faith, character, and service show us the path to personal excellence and meaningful contribution to the community. It was humbling and warming to see this on show at the values event.

Dr. Aaron Columbus

Principal | Tumuaki