Friday 14th September 2018

Opening words from the Executive Principal

Good afternoon, Kia ora tatou, 你好

Our smallest children have taken position at the centre of the stage this week. Quite literally: the Junior Primary have been singing and dancing all week, entertaining full houses with a fantastic production of Seussical! I smiled all the way through both performances, and I hope the parents who came along enjoyed it every bit as much as I did. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this happen: there are some tired looking children and adults today, and I hope they all have a bit of a rest this weekend.

A big thank you to the extensive support crew who have been with our teams in Tauranga this week for the AIMS games. Everything has gone very well, and we’re expecting back some very happy students and staff a little later today. As I write, Yeonsoo Son is second in the golf with one round to play, and there have been great performances in basketball, futsal, hockey, table tennis, basketball, netball, gymnastics… in fact, in just about everything. More details on our Facebook Pinehurst School Sports page.

I thought I’d write quickly about a couple of things connected with study at home this week. Most of our students are now preparing for their examinations in Term 4. The school holidays are just two weeks away, and then IGCSE, AS Level, A Level and Checkpoint exams arrive very fast. Year 10 have their exams a few weeks into Term 4 as well, and we will be doing progressions testing in most years in the Primary School. Our senior students need, of course, to be developing good study habits, making study timetables, writing notes, making sure they are fully prepared, devoting time to study. These are external examinations and all our students need to be ready to take them. At the same time, though, I would expect all our Year 11-13 students to be getting some exercise, building some time for socialising or relaxing, and to be making sure that they are not letting things get on top of them. Please talk to your children and guide them through this. Just ask us if you need extra support or have questions.

Our younger students should not be spending as much time preparing for their exams. These are checkpoints and their main purpose is to provide us with information about the progress of students, and to develop good study habits and exam techniques in our students. In other words, you can rely on the teachers to set the right amount of work for study. We don’t want our younger children to feel pressured, so please don’t feel that they need to do lots of extra work.

I would like to say a few words about technology. At Pinehurst, we do not expect to see students using their phones during the school day unless they are in a lesson and have asked the teacher’s permission to use it for a learning purpose in that lesson. Please support us in this. Next year, we will be asking all Year 7-13 students to have devices with them at school, but these too are for learning purposes and for the classroom or – for senior students – the study room. Devices at school are for study.

Technology at home is often a bit more complicated, and I’ve spoken to a few parents about this over the last week or so. Students will, of course, need to use devices for work when they’re at home, and they will also want to use them for playing games or for socialising. Online gaming and using social media both involve communicating with other people, some of whom will be friends they know, and some of whom they will have met online. It’s important that parents keep an eye on what their children are doing online and talk to them about how to stay safe. 

Enjoy a lovely spring weekend (I’m hoping for warm weather!).

WEEK 9:

Monday 17th September

• Year 5 Auckland Museum Trip, 9am – 2.50pm

Tuesday 18 September

• Primary Parent Conferences, 3:30 - 7pm, classrooms

Wednesday 19th September

• Parent Information Evening for CASE Soace School International Study Program 2019, 6pm - 7pm, College 4
• Mindfulness Year 3 & 5 (8 week programme)

Thursday 20th September

• Whole School Mufti Day
• Scholars Event, Study Skills with Year 9, 1pm - 3pm
• Primary Parent Conferences, 3:30 - 7pm, classrooms

Friday 21st September

• DoE Silver Qualifier Years 11/12/13 Waitakere Ranges
• Primary (Year 1-3) Interhouse Cross Country (Pinehurst School)
• New Entrant Visits, 9am

WEEK 10:

Tuesday 25th September

• Immunisation (HPV 2) for Year 8 students
• Primary (Y4-6) Super Cluster Cross Country (selected students), 9am - 12pm, Rosedale Park
• Primary Music Concert (Y4-6), 3:30pm - 4:30pm, Arena

Wednesday 26th September

• Senior Formal Music Concert, 4:30pm - 5pm

Thursday 27th September

• College (Y9-13) Sport Awards, 1:30pm - 3pm
• Valedictory Dinner, Markovina Vineyard Estate

Friday 28th September

TERM 3 ENDS

如需阅读校长的中文留言和重要事件日期，请点击此处

Kia Ora,

On Thursday afternoon it was a pleasure to welcome a visiting sports group from Santiago College in Chile. It was a great experience for our students who competed against the South American students in Hockey, Volleyball, Football and Basketball.

During the last two weeks of this term Year 11, 12 and 13 students will be concentrating on their preparation for final Cambridge IGCSE and A Level examinations. What students do during the final two weeks of Term 3 can make a significant difference to the outcome of the final examinations. For Year 13 students these are the final school classes that they will ever attend. I encourage all students to make as much use of this valuable time as possible.

The dates of Cambridge examinations determine when year groups begin their study leave. For Year 12 and 13 students study leave commences on Monday 15th October (first day of Term 4). This is because during this week there are 8 different AS examination papers involving the majority of our Year 12 and 13 students. Year 11 students begin study leave a week later on Tuesday 23rd October. When students do not have examinations they are welcome to come to school to study and prepare for their examinations. We do not run our normal timetable of Year 11, 12 and 13 classes, however, teachers are available to help students during their final weeks of exam preparation. We do ask that when students come in to school they sign in at the front desk and wear appropriate school uniform.

I am often asked by parents what can they do to best help and support their child. The first thing that I would suggest is that each student develops a calendar clearly identifying the times and dates of each examination or assessment. Place this in a prominent position in the house, the fridge is ideal. This schedule will help identify pressure points and periods when there may be a significant gap between papers. Students can then plan a study schedule by working backwards from these assessment dates. There are 9 weeks from today until the final Cambridge examination. Students will have to put aside some of the activities that prevent them from studying. I’d be expecting students to be studying with focus whilst at the same time ensure that they maintain balance by taking part in the sports and recreational activities that help them relax from the pressures of study. Parents can play a key role in helping their child organise their time and maintain an appropriate balance. Maintaining regular sleep schedules is very important whilst on study leave. It is very difficult to do your best in a 9.00am examination if for the last 5 days, due to late night study, you have slept in to 10.00am each morning.

Ngā mihi,

Chris Wiggin and Kieran Verryt

Principals of College

Applicants will be expected to undertake a formal interview by two members of the Rotary selection committee.  Rotary will pay $795 towards the total cost of the Forum and students will be expected to pay the remaining $1000.  For those interested in a Science and Technology career this would be highly beneficial and highly recommended.  Applications close October 1.

Tournament Week Hockey 2018

The weather was fickle and changeable, like the hockey.  Before being beaten by the eventual winners in the quarter finals Pinehurst played some good hockey. The week started well and Mt Roskill were two nil down at half time.  Pinehurst then sat upon their laurels and the match finished with an unsatisfactory score level at two a piece.

After a rest and some coaching to sharpen their wits, as much as their game, Pinehurst roared through with a five goals to three victory over Kamo.  Kamo were strong in attack, but their porous defence allowed the attacking three and the mid-field to strike at any opportunity. Next came Cambridge.  This was a closely fought event and after extra-time Pinehurst won in the shoot out by 4:1.

In the draw for the final few games Pinehurst were given the toughest opponent, who dispatched them with a straight forward game of dynamic hockey. Pinehurst did well and finished fourth.  Most importantly the team enjoyed the whole event and the boys would like to pass their thanks onto all the staff and parents who made it happen, and in particular would like to thank Mrs Van der Steeg for all she did for them.

Year 9 Commerce

As part of their Commerce course, the Year 9 students have learnt about factors of production. In groups they had to research the resources needed to make every stage of the life of a mobile phone possible. They then made presentations and what ensued blew all our minds. A mobile phone uses a number of metals such as copper, gold, nickel, and zinc, lithium, aluminium, cobalt, lead, silver and tantalum. Of course, plastic is also used. Apart from this, mobile phones are usually manufactured in countries that have a tradition of poor working conditions for its workers, some of whom were driven to suicide. The metals are also mined by people who work long hours in dark dingy mines. All this misery is caused by just the manufacture of our precious, status and social media driven mobile phones that we cannot do without and that we replace just because we need the newest phone on the market.

So, what happens to the old discarded mobile phones that have reached the end of their life? They normally add to landfill where all the metals leach harmful, toxic chemicals into the earth that is our home. As the future generation, we would like to make an impassioned plea to all of you reading this to please think twice when buying a new phone or discarding your old phone. We cannot do anything about the former, but we have done something about the latter. We have gotten in touch with Swapkit who recycle old and broken mobile phones and make sure that they are disposed of safely. There is box at reception meant to collect these used and broken phones. Could you please deposit your unused phones in the box? We would be so grateful if you could spread the word and get your friends and family to also make use of this facility that we have made available for you.

The earth and future generations THANK YOU!

- Thomas Leybourne

PS If you are still not convinced, please watch the video at this link.

Kia Ora,

What an amazing week we have had in the Primary this week! There has been so much going on in terms of learning, sports and performance that it is hard to believe we have managed to get through so much in the space of just a week.

A huge thank you to our youngest people in the Junior Primary. Your performances of Seussical this week were truly amazing. To see such young children put on a 45 minute musical to a very high standard was wonderful. There have been many hours of rehearsal both at school and at home and all of our performers have given their absolute best every time they have rehearsed.

Thanks also to our wonderful Junior Primary team. The commitment they have shown to Seussical has been outstanding and taken many hours of their time as well as a few sleepless nights as the show week approaches. They have worked together, played to their strengths and created something magical.

We are truly grateful to our parents and families for all of the support you have shown us, from searching for costumes to learning lines, dances and songs, we couldn’t do it without you. We know you will have very tired children this weekend but we hope we have been able to give you some very special memories in return. 

The end of the term is only two weeks away and we are looking forward to seeing you at our parent conferences next week. All students have made progress in their learning this term and it is important to reflect on that and set goals for Term 4. If you haven’t yet booked a time please do so as soon as possible.

Character Development in P21

Writers use words to paint visuals of a character’s movements in the reader’s mind and this art is crucial in making our characters look and act like real people. We have been working on this in our stories. We hope you enjoy the description and can imagine our characters! 

Uniform Requirements for Term 4

Years 1-6 will have the option of wearing summer or winter uniform for the first two weeks of Term 4, 2018.

Years 7-13 are expected to be in summer uniform from the start of Term 4, 2018.

Limited summer stock will be available in the uniform shop from Monday, 17 Sept.

Holiday Hours:

• October 3, Wednesday    10am-2pm
• October 4, Thursday         10am-2pm
• October 10, Wednesday  10am-2pm
• October 11, Thursday       10am-2pm
• October 12, Friday            10am-2pm

Music at Pinehurst

Third Informal Concert

Thank you to all students who performed on the Wednesday night's informal concert and thank you to the parents and family that came to support them. A wide range of age and skills were on display in a low pressure environment in our cozy C2. Thank you to Jed Munro for lending his videoing skills to masterfully capture the event on camera.

Senior Formal Concert - 26th of September

As this term is nearing its end, the senior music students will be completing their performance portfolios. Come along and hear some incredible music from 4.30pm in C2.

Jake Lee (Muriwai), Jang Hyun Lee (Titirangi) and Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora) were the other three tied at the top on the 54th hole but they were unable to match Yeo who puts his name in the history books alongside Jason Day, Adam Scott and Greg Turner.

This title was also won more recently by Daniel Hillier in both 2015 and 2016 who has led our New Zealand team to top spot in the Eisenhower Trophy overnight. All three players in that team played numerous times in this championship which has clearly assisted in their careers.

Congratulations Sung Jin!