A warm welcome to you all for our first Newsletter for 2017.

You will read elsewhere in this Newsletter a detailed report on the progress of the rebuild here at Springs.  When our staff and students returned from their summer break they returned to a dramatically reconfigured school.  There are now some long walks to get to the gym, health/PE classrooms and Te Whakamanu!  In typical Springs style though, both staff and students have adapted to this magnificently.

Athletics Day returned home this year with my goal of 1,000 participants achieved (actually 997 entries).  After the rain of the week before, and the postponement, our northern fields looked magnificent – lush green grass, marquees and gazebos dotted around the site and food trucks adjacent to the gym providing fuel for the human engines.  It was a fantastic day and full credit must go to the organisers, led by our Sports Director Peter McIntyre, ably assisted by Sami Va’auli, Karalee Green, Richard Anderson and our whole team of staff.  House points were keenly contested throughout the day with Oranga coming out on top.  Well done Oranga, and a wonderful testament to collegiality and whanau!

Good news too on the academic front with Springs students maintaining the College’s outstanding record of achievement in NCEA and embellishing this with 32 Scholarships in the national Scholarship examinations.  Notable were the achievement of top scholar in the country status for Molly Snowden in Dance; four scholarships won by our dux Xavier De La Varis (two or these at Outstanding level); the 12 Scholarships won in History (four of the nation’s top ten History scholarship achievers came from Springs), the eight Outstanding Scholarships won by Springs students and the range of subjects where scholarships were won – Art design, Biology, Calculus, Classical Studies, Dance, Drama, English, History, Media Studies, Physical Education, Physics, Statistics and Te Reo Maori.  Four Springs students won two outstanding scholarships each: Xavier De La Varis, as previously mentioned, Ariana Brunet, Fiachra Cullen, Bhargava Gowda and Lucy Moran.

Special recognition must be made with regard to Graeme Moran, the History teacher responsible for the 12 scholarships won in that subject.  Graeme is a Springs legend, a remarkable teacher (just ask any of our students – past or present) and a scholarship guru. Graeme loves this work and puts in countless hours getting his students to scholarship level.  Success breeds success and I am told that we have 30 students signing up for scholarship History this year!!!

On a final note, do put in your diaries our school swimming sports at Westwave on Wednesday March 8th and the New Families BBQ on Thursday, March 9th on the Library Lawn.  Springs, courtesy of the wonderful workers of PAG provides all the food for this, you supply the children!  The BBQ starts at 6.00 pm and I look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
Ivan Davis
Principal

Over the past week year 9 and 10 students have had PAT tests in literacy and numeracy, and soon they will have a shorter vocabulary test which will take place in their English lessons.

We do not use PAT tests with students in order to rank them, report on them, or stream them.  The sole reason for PAT testing is to provide teachers with general information on the core class as a whole, and specific information on individual students.  This information helps our staff prepare lessons and resources that best fit the class and the individual students within the class.

To avoid any anxiety this message was given to all students before they sat their PATS.  The Learning Support Department also identified students who should sit their tests under different conditions, and students who should not sit the tests at all.

Because our Athletics Day was moved forwards this year, our PAT tests were squeezed into just 3 days.  I would like to acknowledge the excellent behaviour of the Year 9 and 10 students throughout the testing, which helped things run smoothly.

Paul Alford
Deputy Principal

Anyone who’s been at school recently will know that demolition of the first lot of buildings has been completed and Western Springs College now has a 126 metre-long construction site and its very own wall, built not only to keep everyone out (à la Trump), but also to help deaden the sound.

On Monday next week the excavation will start - over the next 50 days, a massive 17,000m3 of landfill material will come out of the site and get trucked out to Auckland’s contaminated landfill. Then the hole will be filled with clean material to give us a good base for construction.

As part of our health and safety planning, engineers Tonkin + Taylor have already put some dust mitigation screens on some of the closest classrooms, and they will have a misting system in place to keep dust down once excavation is underway.

We’ve also employed a Health and Safety Officer, who will be on site for five hours a day from now until the end of 2018 to keep a close eye on H&S issues and advise school staff, students and the contractors.
The construction contract should be finalised by early March, so the next phase can progress.

The temporary school is up and running. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a square of relocatable classrooms (some from Bayfield, some from Mangere), with a grassy quad in the middle.

One great thing is that we are free to customise the older ones, as they are being demolished after we finish with them. Lily Laita and the staff and students of the art department have got hold of a load of old paint from Resene and plan to create an urban streetscape on the walls. Watch that space.

Meanwhile, one set of Ngā Puna o Waiōrea’s relocatable classrooms have been re-relocated to the grass at the front of the school and the building work on that site is carrying on in tandem with that on the main site. In addition, work to add a fifth TAPAC studio is also starting.

Kia ora koutou,

The Western Springs College New Families’ BBQ  is on Thursday 9 March from 6-8pm.

This is an annual event for any students new to WSC (from any year level) and their families. It is a chance for you to meet form teachers, class teachers and other families.

The event takes place on the Library Lawn, with parking available in the TAPAC/Zoo Car Park. We will start off clustered in houses so that you can meet the form teachers, and will then mix things up so that you have a chance to meet class teachers as well.

The Parent Action Group (PAG) will be providing sausages (meat and vegetarian) and some spectacular salads. Please look out for signs for recycling, food scraps and waste disposal after you have eaten. For sustainability purposes please bring your own plates and cutlery. We do also have some available if required.

Please join us at this fantastic event. We look forward to seeing you there.

Our 2017 student leaders have been on their leadership camp and are excited to jump in and get started in their roles!

The hot sun beat down on the school van as it trundled along Muriwai road. Its cargo was precious; the many promising faces that make up Western Springs College leadership group of 2017. The camp provided a rewarding experience for all those involved. The several workshops we attended taught us much about leadership; what makes a leader and how to be a good one. We were given the opportunity to develop ideas in collaboration with all the leaders of the school whilst simultaneously getting to know them. The trip culminated in a game of paintball where we were given the chance to showcase our newfound leadership skills. The paintball was a thoroughly enjoyed (if not painful) experience. The camp taught us all about the importance of working together and accentuated our skills as leaders

This camp gave the student leaders’ time to come together and discuss what they wanted to achieve both as a wider senior leadership group, as well as within their individual portfolios. A common theme emerged in regards to what they hope to achieve this year:
• Collaboration
• School Spirit
• Visibility
These three things will underpin everything that the do– with the first events being Athletics Day and then ‘Orientation Week’ in Week 5.

Our 2017 student leaders are:

Board of Trustees: Josh Doubtfire and Natalya Jones

House Leaders
Atea: Logan Brown, Theo Salmon, Lily Chen
Kapura: Theo Habberfield-Short, Jade Hunter, Solomon Moores
Moana: Jack Slater, Hinemoa Fonua, Bella Stanish Smythe
Oranga: Tiaan McIntyre, Kiriataahua Te Maapi Pene, Keiana Arona
Whenua: Oliver Balle, Zarina Hewlett, Jack Lloyd

Wises Leaders
Waste Wise: Max Truell, Grace May, Alex Hannah
Travel Wise: Vikram Setty, Ella Hartley, Talia Fuatino Barclay
Health Wise: Harrison Scholes, Loimataolealofa Fa'alogo-Lilo, Lucas Walsh,

Events Leaders : Magda Paul, Caitlin Moffat-Young, Pomale Luafutu-Tamati and Eamon Tee
Arts Leaders: James MacEwan, Carla Harre and Oscar Furness Wills
Academic Leaders : Zach Monk, Jessica Dallas and Mercy Williams

Pasifika Leaders: Frances Va'auli and Katerina Fale
International Leaders: Harry Lee, Olivia Yang, Jonathan Lo and Louis Mortlock
Maori English Medium Leaders : Rihipaea Maki-Edwards and Reimarie George-Mcrae
Sports Leaders: Milly McWhirter and Rahera Taka-Brown
Peace Ambassador: Lea Rust
Kapa Haka Leaders: Te Waiora Morehu and Te Kaha Jonathan

By Oliver Balle and Lea Rust

Year 9 trips to the zoo
Year 9 science classes are visiting the zoo this term to see some of our endemic & native species, learn some tracking & trapping methods (to find out what introduced species are in an area & then possible control methods) and to begin thinking about an action they could take to enhance the biodiversity of our Green Corridor - the area between us and Pasadena.
They are day trips, so students will need sturdy footwear, sun protection, water and a packed lunch.
Dates are as follows:
Moana - Wednesday 22nd February
9AE & 9AT - Thursday 23rd February
Whenua - Friday 24th February
Kapura - Wednesday 1st March
9AA - Thursday 2nd March
Oranga - Friday 3rd March

Textbooks
If you see textbooks around your house with “WSC” and due dates written on the front, please return these to the office or your student’s science teacher. We are trying to retrieve them all so that we can reissue them to the new groups of learners this year.

ICAS Science Competition
The ICAS Science Competition is a chance for students to pit themselves against students of the same age across New Zealand and Australia. It assesses the higher order thinking skills needed for success in Science.For more information about the test, go to www.eaa.unsw.edu.au.
The entries for the 2017 test close on Tuesday 2nd May, and students then sit it on Tuesday 30th May.
Interested students could speak to Allayne Ferguson, or email fergusona@wsc.school.nz, for cost details and test conditions. They can also have a look at past tests.

Zoological Society of Auckland
Our neighbour, Auckland Zoo, hosts monthly talks from scientists working in NZ. More information can be found here: 

Sir Peter Blake Trust Youth Enviroleaders forum (YELF)
The Sir Peter Blake Trust encourage the development of young environmentalists and equip them with the skills and knowledge to make a difference in their own communities. 
The YELF programme is a fully funded, week long leadership development adventure which is open to all year 11-13 students in New Zealand. Students should be passionate for the environment and want to develop their leadership and teamwork skills. Delegates participate in outdoor and environmental activities to challenge and develop themselves as future environmental leaders. Talk to Kathryn Jenkin for more information, or email jenkink@wsc.school.nz 

We also love supporting the school to benefit our students – in the past year PAG is very proud to have funded a wide variety of items and events, to the tune of over $25,00.00.  These include:
• A covered trailer (sign-written with WSC logo)
• A defibrillator
• Equipment for the WasteWise group
• Costumes for the WSC Hip Hop Dance group
• Training for Youth Leadership and Peer Mediation courses
• An outdoor chess set
• A contribution to the school ball which provided a dance floor & decorations
• A contribution to Ken Havill’s farewell
• Helping students travel to the Model UN in Wellington
• Supporting students with their YES (Youth Enterprise Scheme) projects
To continue funding much-needed items we do need to keep fundraising!  Please support our once-a-term movie premieres, which are an excellent night out.  And please send an email to me at PAG if you’re keen to get involved in fundraising – we need keen & eager organisers!
A few of us will be roaming the New Families BBQ with clipboards, looking to sign you up to our email list.  No obligations needed, it’s just great to keep connected.

Belinda Drake, PAG Secretary

Year 12 and 13 Career Dates for 2017 so far
Every year 13 has a Careers Interview
Every Year 13 will join a Year 13 Careers Classroom. Code jsjy1t7

University Open Days
Otago University Tertiary Open day Monday May 8 2017
Canterbury University Open day Thursday 13 July 2017
Auckland University Courses and Careers Day tbc
AUT University Open day tbc
Unitec Information evening tbc
Victoria University Open day 1 September 2017
Massey University Open days
Manawatu campus Wednesday 2 August 8.30-2pm
Albany Campus Saturday 19 August 10-4pm Albany Campus
Wellington campus  Friday 1 September 9-3.30pm

WSC Career Expo Wednesday 3 May 2.15 - 6.30pm WSC Hall and Library
Auckland Careers Expo 25th–27th May ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane.
Work Choice Day Auckland 14 June
University Liaison Visits to Western Springs College Hall Waiora LUNCHTIME

Victoria University Belinda Pilcher Wednesday 15th March 1.40 Waiora -3.15pm
AUT Wednesday 22nd February Hall 1.40-2.15 Hall and 2.15-3.15 Waiora
Otago University Victoria Gimblett Monday 27th February Waiora 1.30 pm - 3.15pm
Auckland University presentation Wednesday March 1st 1.40-3.15 ,
Financial Scholarships Application advice from Auckland Uni Wednesday May 10 1.40-2.15 ,                    
Waikato University Wednesday the 22nd March at 1:30 pm
Massey Uni Visit Cambell Te Pa  Tuesday 21 March 1.05-2.15
Canterbury University Yafan Guo Wednesday 29th March Waiora at 1.40pm

Gap Year Opportunites and visits to WSC
1. IEP Camp America Thursday 23 February 1.40 pm Hall http://www.iep.co.nz/
3. Lattitude Global Volunteering Paid and unpaid internships overseas Tuesday 28 February 1.05 - 2.15pm Lattitude Global Volunteering Stevie Hight Waiora
AND Federal Volunteer Exchange - Paid exchanges  to Germany for 6 months or 1 year, may include free accommodation Heike Papenthin Waiora Tuesday 28 February 1.05pm
4. Students Exchanges - STS travel, AFS, Your Education will be presenting later in the year.
5.Year 12 Careers assemblies (you could attend but inform form teacher)
Tuesday  11 April 11.35 Savvy Financial presentation to assembly and Kay Applying for Job
Tuesday 4 July 11.35 AUT and Auckland Uni presenting

AFS Newsflash
We are delighted to let you know that 3 of your students have been awarded AFS Scholarships and they will be departing this year.

Spencer Smith received the Sargood Trust Scholarship for $7500 to go to China and in fact he should be on the plane today.

James McEwen received the AFS Friends Scholarship for $7500 to go to Japan and will depart shortly.

Kate Ingold has been awarded the AFS Excellence Scholarship for $5000 to go France this year.

Our warm congratulations to these students and also to Western Springs College.  Your school has received the most scholarships of any school in New Zealand by AFS this year - and I must add that I can't think of an Auckland school receiving more than this in previous years.

Thank you WSC for working with AFS and supporting our charity work of sending high schools students abroad on a complete intercultural experience.

Shirley Webb-Speight
AFS Auckland East Chapter President

Mrs Pascoe and Mrs Storm’s year 11, 12 & 13 classes have planted herbs and mixed greens outside the new cooking room. The goal is once they outgrow the planters, made from recycled bottles- to then shift them into a raised bed and have our own fresh vegetable garden. The students will have a variety of fresh produce at their door.

Welcome back to all students, parents and staff at Western Springs College – Nga Puna O Waiorea.

Congratulations to recently appointed 2017 Arts Leaders – Oscar Furness-Wills, Carla Harre and James MacEwan. 

Their combined talents, effort and incredible enthusiasm for the Arts will promote participation, leadership and success in all that they strive to achieve this year. First on their ‘to-do list’ is elect an Arts Leaders’ Committee to assist with the running of events at school. Students with a passion to develop leadership skills will be asked to put their names forward during Orientation ‘O’ Week (1st – 3rd March) to represent curriculum areas: Dance, Drama, Media, Music and Visual Arts. The group meets regularly and this year will support the Leaders’ Stage Challenge Production whilst also assisting with preparation for the SGCNZ Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival in April at Hobsonville Point Secondary School, Dance, Drama, Music and Media shows and more.

Stage Challenge is the Arts Production for 2017 and auditions/rehearsal for the biennial dance extravaganza get underway this week. This event is designed by students for their peers. A Stage Challenge Committee is already planning this year’s entry so in anticipation of the event they are calling a meeting to register interest. The meeting is for anyone interested and will be held this Tuesday 21st February at lunch in the School Hall with rehearsals beginning regularly on Tuesday’s afterschool. At the registration meeting students will get the opportunity to hear about the 2015 production, what will be on offer this year, how they can be involved and what is required of them. For more details they can check the Daily Notices.

The annual SGCNZ Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival is held at the end of Term 1 at Hobsonville Point Secondary School, Wednesday 5th April. The festival always promotes outstanding drama and the Arts Leaders will mentor any junior/senior students wanting to get involved. WSC has a history of achieving great results in the competition and over the years we have been lucky enough to have had students and teachers get to Wellington, the South Island and The Globe Theatre, London to partake internationally in Shakespearean productions.

Congratulations again to Y13 student Ella McIntosh Western Springs College student selected to perform at London's Globe Theatre for her performances in the 2016 regional Auckland West - Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival and national schools’ production in Dunedin. Ella will travel to London’s Globe Theatre in July. We look forward to hearing more about Ella’s journey and also wish this year’s regional competitors the best of luck.
It is going to be a superb year!

Thanks to Oscar Furness-Wills  – 13Art Design – for the ArtsNews Heading in this issue.

arts@wsc.school.nz                                                                            Kirsty Britton – Arts Coordinator
 

Introducing Oscar Furness-Wills, Carla Harre and James MacEwan

Hi I’m Carla Harre! My favourite subject of the Arts would have to be dance and my goal is to get as many people as possible involved in the Arts and Stage Challenge! This year is a year of Stage Challenge which I will be heavily involved in with both leadership and choreography. Stage Challenge is a short but dynamic dance piece involving a huge number of dance/drama enthusiasts. Everyone is welcome to join in and it's all about fun. And we will do well this year! So… come along Tuesday lunch/ Tuesday after school to get a feel for what it is all about. We will be also be doing an Arts Instagram this year so be sure to follow to stay in touch with the Arts at WSC! @wscarts
Carla Harre

I’m Oscar! I am the representative for the Visual Arts! This year, I would like to accomplish a whole heap of things to promote the Arts. Also, of particular personal interest to me is a project currently in planning which we are keen to name the Village Green Project. In this we intend to rejuvenate and redecorate the Y block area in order to build up a sense of community in our school. We are looking at introducing more furniture, concerts on the green, communal gardens and a communal fridge. We would also like to paint the prefabs in order to brighten up the temporary school, and to make it more liveable for everyone we’d also like to introduce gender neutral bathrooms. So it will be a long year, but hopefully a good year!
Oscar Furness-Wills

G’day, I’m James, and this year as Arts Leader I would like to showcase some of the musical and dramatic talent we have at Springs by arranging regular concerts, every Thursday and Friday lunchtime in the Village Green. Although currently it is little more than a patch of grass, we hope to soon add cover, bean bags and maybe even a stage! So whether it be some afternoon Shakespeare, a dance, a few songs, or even your sick dj set, hit us up at arts_leaders@wsc.school.nz to get a spot in the Village Green Arena!

Year 12 student Top Scholar in Dance!
The Dance Department is excited to repeat the success of last year, with all three of our submissions being awarded Scholarship. Congratulations to Year 13 students Hannah Langton and Eden Galo, and especially to Molly Snowden who was awarded the Top Scholar in Dance, for the whole of NZ.  Molly has done exceptionally well to achieve this in Year 12 as Scholarships are usually awarded to Year 13 students.

The New Zealand Scholarship exams recognise top students in each subject. The award of Top Scholar is given to just one student in NZ in each subject each year. 
Molly’s portfolio submission, including her choreography of A Fragile Shoulder, was given a 100% score. The beautiful, ethereal A Fragile Shoulder communicated the idea that “It’s your time to support them—but you are not capable of holding yourself up, let alone another.”

Molly’s achievement in this prestigious exam, at year 12, is outstanding and we look forward to seeing her choreography this year in 13 Dance.
(below  is Molly Snowden and A Fragile Shoulder group)     Photos by Nina Gastreich

A busy year begins with Drama Scholarship!
A busy year as always in the Drama Department, 2017 will kick off with our students performing a range of 5 and 15 minute scenes at the West Auckland Regional University of Otago, Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival. This will be held at Hobsonville Point High School on the evening of Wednesday 5th April.

Year 11 students will perform Gargantua, by Carl Grose (a madcap piece of very physical theatre about a giant, all-consuming baby) in weeks two and three of term two (3 – 12 May.)
Year 12 students will perform two plays; Wheeler’s Luck (a piece of classic kiwiana theatre) and Karanga i te Pō (a drama in education piece with a strong message around kaitiakitanga - conservation.) The Rumaki students will be working on a script in English, but will rewrite scenes and perform in both English and Te Reo. The dates are weeks nine and ten of term two (28 June – 7 July).

Year 13 students will perform Marat Sade, by Peter Weiss in week four of term 3 (15-18 August) This is a confronting piece of theatre set in a mental  asylum in 1808 with the patients, under the direction of the Marquis de Sade, re-enacting the death of the French revolutionary, Marat.
The PAT students will be kept busy designing sets, props, costume and make up for all the productions as well as helping out on Stage Challenge.

Finally, a hearty congratulations to Murdoch Keane on gaining scholarship drama in 2016. Murdoch is currently in rehearsals for the University Summer Shakespeare’s  ‘As You Like It’ and is looking at auditioning for Australia’s esteemed national drama school, NIDA. We wish him all the best for his future.
Robert Pollock – HOD Drama

Scholarship Success!
With a nod to the recent past, the department would like to acknowledge the success of senior external results from 2016.  A special mention to acknowledge the efforts from the Y13 Art Design students - Catalina Nunez-Elevancini who secured a Scholarship Award and to Siana Rivlin-Myers who gained an Outstanding Scholarship Award.  A fantastic result for these students who have both gone on study at tertiary level.

Although it’s been a disruptive start to the year with our department operating out of Y Block, the resilience of the students, collegial consideration of support staff and patient fortitude of staff have all helped to make the best out of a challenging transition.   Not only are we new in the temporary school – we also have a new staff member to welcome to the department.  With the lovely Judy Chiang securing a fulltime position at Rangitoto College, we were very fortunate to appoint Jacqui Dunningham to the role of Senior Photography Teacher.  Jacqui also specialises in Art History and comes to us from teaching in a range of secondary schools.

Last year the year 13 painters were involved in a tape-art mural for the Maritime museum, this year they are producing individual works for a collaborative display on the ‘wall’ for credits.  Their work (and last year’s tape-art mural) will be the start of the progressive Art works that are planned to feature on the construction wall for the next two years (watch this space/that space throughout the year).

Lastly, a reminder to parents and guardians about the course fees – most starter equipment should be handed out to students within the month, however the fees also cover specialist resources and any subsequent trips/artist talks. 
Ia Manuia                Lily Laita - HOD Art

Leisuretime Learning is closing at the end of Term One 2017

But it’s not too late to book for this term
Classes include Cooking, Sewing, Creative Writing, Organic Gardening, Personal Finances, Guitar, Ukulele, Photography, Pilates, Yoga and Zumba.
www.leisuretimelearning.co.nz
E: info@leisuretimelearning.co.nz; P: 09 815-222