News and events for the week ending 23rd August 2019 Friday 23rd August 2019 Opening words from the Executive PrincipalKia ora tatou, good afternoon, 你好, 안녕하세요 We have been selling yo-yos at reception for the past three days. Clusters of excited children have been choosing between exotic variations that don’t seem to bear much similarity to the wood-and-string toys I had as a child (yes, I’m that old). The yo-yos are a “pay it forward” way of funding the brilliant “NED” show that travels around primary schools, and which our students have had the pleasure of seeing this week. “NED” stands for “Never Give Up, Encourage Others and Do Your Best”, and their show is part of our character and resilience programme that runs all the way through the school. Just this week, our Year 10 students had a session on “Mates and Dates”, supporting them to make good choices in their social relationships; and, of course, our Year 8 students have been out at Ski Camp all week. These experiences are a core part of educating young people, and run throughout the school year. I was also delighted to hear this week that we now have 24 students in Years 10 to 12 who have signed up to be part of the Commerce and Universities tour to the USA next July. This is a very exciting trip, and if you’re hearing about it for the first time, please contact Mr Verryt for more details. We are currently planning our long-awaited South American exchange, and our Year 7-9 Korea/China exchange as well, so we should have more details for you about those later this term. Many thanks to those parents who came to the AS and A Level Options Evening on Monday. Mr Wiggin is available if you have any questions at all about options for next year. We make sure that we offer a very broad range of subjects, and that students have a wide variety of choices, but of course there are difficult decisions to make at times. A big thank you as well to the parents who came along to hear the finalists of the Senior Primary Speech Competition on Wednesday. I had the privilege of being a judge again this year, and I think the standard was even higher than last year. I am always so impressed by the confidence, wit and panache of the young people delivering speeches in a way that few adults would be able to match! The overall winner was Harry Shine, who explained with clever wit and humour why he isn’t a huge fan of trees, but we wished we could give prizes to all those who took part. I think this was my highlight of the week. Finally: it’s Mock Exams time in College. Good luck to all those students in Years 11 to 13, and just remember that these are the practice exams: prepare as well as you can, and use them to work out what you need to do before the real things in October and November. We have, by the way, now completed our tutorial schedule for Term 4 that I promised earlier on in the year, and we will be sending it home, talking to students about it, and making it available on Schoolbox in the week or two after the exams period. Have a lovely weekend. Abby Exon, Pinehurst Graduate of 2016After Pinehurst, Abby went on to study Business Innovation at the University of Bristol in England. We recently caught up with her to hear how things are going...
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect because it was something completely new. I believe wherever you go, it is all about your attitude and outlook on things and whether you are willing to make the most of opportunities. I try not to put expectations on things anymore and go in with an open mind. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed my university experience so far.
Being overseas has exposed me to lots of different views and ways of thinking; which has allowed me to further evolve my unique perspective on the world. I have had the chance to meet new people from different countries – two of my best friends are from Spain and France. When studying in the UK, Europe is right on your doorstep and it is rich in different cultures and ways of living. Being away from home is difficult sometimes as you are far away from family and friends, but on the flip side it allows you to become more independent and develop into your own person.
The world is changing so fast that it is difficult to say. My overall goal is to work towards improving the world that we live in through creating, designing or problem solving. My degree programme provides a good environment for students to work together to start their own business venture or gain experience working for clients to solve their problems. I have gained some experience in computer programming through my degree, so after my undergraduate I would potentially like to look into studying Computer Science. Two areas that I think are key for the future are technology and the environment. Technology is changing the ways in which we live and work however we need to balance this with creating more sustainable ways of living.
Pinehurst provided me a safe space to learn and grow. There were lots of opportunities whether this was through sports, academics or the arts. For me, this was through Lacrosse and Duke of Edinburgh. I also had a good group of friends at Pinehurst; and I think this is one of the advantages of a small school. Everyone is approachable and supportive of one another.
Take opportunities that are given to you – you will probably regret not trying. I know the school has lots going on, so get involved! Many students feel pressure immediately after school to go straight to university and they may be unsure of their degree. There is no pressure and there is nothing wrong with taking a bit of time off. Just remember that everyone is different, so don’t compare yourself to your friends. A key lesson I learnt is don’t be afraid of failing. You will get to where you want to be if you are passionate and persistent. There are plenty of opportunities out there, you just have to be open to them. WEEK 6 Monday 26 August
Tuesday 27 August
Wednesday 28 August
Thursday 29 August
WEEK 7 Monday 2 September
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, I have just returned from Year 8 Winter Camp where our students are having a brilliant time and the teachers and parents with them are looking forward to the quiet of their normal household after five days of a very busy camp. The students spent Tuesday and Wednesday skiing on the Whakapapa ski field in a mixture of the challenging and excellent conditions that you normally get there. It was fantastic to see students who skied for the first time on Tuesday, completing runs on the lower mountain on Wednesday with huge smiles on their faces. Yesterday students enjoyed white water rafting on the Tongariro River, and indoor rock climbing. This camp puts students well and truly out of their comfort zones and it is great to see how this group have responded and supported each other. Regarding challenge, our Year 11 students started their mock examinations yesterday and Year 12 and Year 13 students will begin on Monday. Mock examinations are a good challenge for our students, and they should be well prepared for these. Please check with your son or daughter to see that they are organised and aware of when each examination is, and what the structure of each paper is. A quick reminder to parents around our policy for collecting students during the school day. If a student is feeling unwell at school, they are expected to check in with their POD teacher or Dean who will provide them with a note to take to reception. In reception students will be placed in the sick bay and the staff there will make a decision as to whether the student is well enough to remain at school. Parents will then be called and asked to collect their son or daughter if necessary. It is important that students follow this process and do not make direct contact with home. This process ensures that communication is clear and keeps staff informed of where students are which is essential in keeping them safe. If you have a scheduled appointment for your son or daughter please email their Homeroom or POD teacher who will pass the message along to reception, again ensuring that everyone is kept informed. Ngā mihi, Chris Wiggin and Kieran Verryt Principals of College Senior College Table TennisAnother good weekly result for Senior College Table Tennis:
Rimu are the House Champions for 2019After 2 and a half terms of competition, 6 lunchtime sports (Juniors and Seniors), plus the 3 big sporting events – Athletics Day, Swimming Sports and the Cross Country, Rimu have retained the Senior College Sports Shield. With an unassailable lead of 40 points going into the final lunchtime sport – Senior Dodgeball, the mighty Rimu House finished a solid second against Totara House. Totara had an amazing turnout of 31 players in the final Dodgeball competition. Well done to Mrs Rea, Claudia Goodacre and Subin Wui for motivating more or less the entire complement of Year 11, 12 and 13 students. Many thanks to the member of the Sports Council for organising another successful programme of sport. The final standings were as follows; 1st = Rimu 700, 2nd = Totara 670, 3rd = Matai 580, 4th = Kauri 570. Finally thanks to all the students who participated and supported their House. All of this helps to develop ‘house spirit’ and ‘healthy’ rivalries between the students of the 4 Houses. Magic Moments on the MountainYear 8 students have enjoyed a wonderful action-packed week in Tongariro National Park. Students have challenged themselves in a range of physical outdoor pursuits including skiing and snowboarding at Whakapapa, rafting down the white water rapids of Tongariro River as well as rock wall climbing challenges at the Turangi Vertical Assault Climbing Wall. The week gave students great opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills, perseverance and resilience as well as empathy for their fellow class peers as they pushed their personal boundaries. Life time memories have been made! Staff vs. Student 5 Match Challenge 2019This week the Senior College students took on the staff at Volleyball. Despite a good effort by the students they were beaten 30-14 by the victorious staff. This means that the Staff vs Senior Challenge Shield is all ‘tied up’ at 1.5 – 1.5 with 2 sports to go. Many thanks to the Sports Council for coming up with the idea. The Shield will be presented at Sports Prizegiving on Thursday 26th September. Pinehurst Enviro CouncilAnna Harrison from Auckland Council came to visit the Enviro Council this week to discuss our plans to reduce waste at our school. She provided the students with some great tools and ideas for educating others about disposing of their waste appropriately. The council students have been working hard to research and devise a plan that will improve the bin infrastructure at Pinehurst. We hope to educate our community and to make some positive changes that will be up and running for the start of next year. If you are interested in getting involved in any of our exciting projects, please touch base with either Tara O Driscoll or Elise Callagher (Student Council Leader). Rotary Interact ClubIn Term 2, the Rotary Interact Club held a school community based clothing collection for Women’s Refuge. An incentive was offered of a free pizza lunch for the two classes that collected the most household items. Congratulations to POD RBC and 7EC for their great effort for such a worthwhile charity. Hockey 1st XIPlenty of goals were scored during this crucial match and most of them by Pinehurst. Takapuna Grammar were a great bunch to compete against and it was often the Pinehurst supporters who cheered for them when they made some good plays. The match was contested with a vast amount of effort, a modicum of skill and a plethora of cardio-vascular effort. Pinehurst were confident and thereby created a strong team spirit which enhanced their self-belief and ability to communicate. These attributes lead to a match played with a combative nature, plenty of competition and a level of humour which Pinehurst directed at themselves. It was good to see the team was confident enough to be able to muse at their mistakes rather than point the finger of blame at team mates. Nathan opened the scoring and Harry soon pitched in. Oli scored and by half-time it was 4:0. Oli then made it a hat-trick and CJ or Toby shared a goal. Takapuna claimed one goal, and this is when all present gave their loudest cheer. Man of match must be Will, who has been injured for several weeks but still attended all the matches to back his team (unfortunately he missed the final team photo of the season). The evening was punctuated with down pours and dazzling low level sun which in typical Auckland fashion kept the supporters tightly huddled under the corrugated iron and the players suitably chilled so running was an agreeable pastime. Kia Ora, The wind made some of us a little wild this week but it was all good with lots of opportunities to play outside and run off some excess energy. We all enjoyed the return of the NED show and the infamous yo-yos and have managed to sell so many we can pay the NED show forward to several other schools. The Senior Primary speech competition was a definite highlight and the standard of speeches this year was exceptional. I loved the confidence that such young children displayed in being able to stand in front of a large audience and argue a point. Public speaking is essential in so many of the situations we encounter as adults and to develop the necessary skills is a great tool for life. Well done to all of our competitors and especially to Harry Shine in Year 6, the overall winner of this year’s competition. You may have seen an article in the news this week about how we should teach reading in New Zealand schools. Several years ago we chose to incorporate phonics into our reading programme based on a wealth of international research that presented hard data on the benefits of learning to read in this way. Recently we have refined our programme and introduced resources that are having a huge impact on our young learners. We are also extending those resources into spelling for the whole Primary by next year. Although there have been a variety of theories in New Zealand in past years as to the best way to teach reading the tide is turning towards a more phonics based programme. We are very proud to have been at the forefront of learning and to see the progress that our students are making. All of our teachers have been engaged in professional development to better understand phonics based teaching and we will continue to refine our skills through research and evidence based professional learning. Just a thanks and a reminder to keep going with Maths-Whizz, we have noticed an increased uptake in students getting green ticks for making their weekly progressions and we know from our own data that students who regularly engage in the programme make greater progress in Maths. The Maths-Whizz programme relates specifically to the work we do in Cambridge Maths and allows students to work through the concepts taught in class each year. Maths is taught in a spiral with the same concepts being taught year after year at increasingly complex levels. The reason we chose Maths-Whizz over other programmes is that it allows each student to progress at their own level and receive individualised tutoring. Please continue to support your child with the programme at home, it really pays off. Ngā Mihi, Sian Coxon, Principal of Primary The Power of PersuasionThe Primary Year 4-6 speech competition saw 5 finalists from each year group setting out to engage, inform and persuade the audience to believe in their carefully crafted argument. Some of the speeches even challenged the audience to rise up and take action. Our finalists confidently spoke in front of a large audience and judging panel. We were impressed with their ability to effectively deliver their speeches using pausing, pace, tone and pitch to build levels of excitement, humour and persuasion at every turn. An interesting choice of topics were chosen this year ranging from, “Why we need a golf course at Pinehurst School,” to “Why teachers should be paid more.” A highlight of the speech competition was the attention-grabbing opening statements that captured the audience’s attention. Once our attention had been captured, they set about presenting a range of well thought out, researched ideas to convince us to agree with their opinion. Our clever speech writers constructed their arguments to appeal to our emotions, morals and sense of logic: “Save the world.” It should be noted that parents and teachers were mentioned on more than one occasion in these often humorous and certainly persuasive arguments: “Why exams are bad for you.” However, I am not sure that Ms Coxon or Mr Reed will agree with that one. Mr Reed and Mrs Jones-Hill were faced with the difficult task of choosing the winning speech in each year group. It was a tightly contested competition with few points separating the top contenders. We would like to congratulate all of our competitors on their ability to deliver powerful speeches with strong introductions and well-developed arguments. The winners in each year group are as follows:
Netball Have a Go DayThe weather smiled upon Pinehurst last week and we managed to get two action packed days of Netball skills and drills underway. The Year 1–4 classes were invited to attend a fun-filled session to introduce the skills that are developed when playing netball. We were lucky to have our Year 4 and 5 netball players to assist in all the fun. We focussed on driving forward to receive a pass, zig-zagging our way across a court and of course shooting a goal. The Winter Netball season is nearly finished so we are looking for existing and new players to join us in the Spring League. Spring Netball is a six-week, non-competitive league which provides the perfect opportunity to build on existing skills or develop new ones. Those players new to netball are supported by the umpires who will coach them on the court. We look forward to working alongside your child to help them develop their ball skills and provide them with a fun way to interact in a team sport. NED’s Mindset Mission Show Visits PinehurstNED’s Mindset Mission, a positive behaviour assembly visited our school on Tuesday. A world-class performer, Nicole, took our students on a 45-minute journey filled with storytelling, illusions, yo-yo tricks and humour. NED’s message and memorable friends inspired our students by promoting academic achievement and supporting the development of a growth mindset using the letters of his name N.E.D. Never give up Encourage others Do their best® NED’s mission is to help students develop a growth mindset where they see that they can grow their talents and abilities with effort. NED’s adventure demonstrates effort as the tool that achieves success, overcomes challenges and helps us persist in times of challenge. Our school received this assembly at no-cost because another school community has paid-it-forward to us. We would like to thank you for your outstanding support in purchasing the NED-messaged yo-yo and accessories in order for us to pay-it-forward to another school community. The yo-yos are both a mindset tool and tangible reminder of NED’s message. While learning to master the yo-yo children will make mistakes, try again, and improve. News from P1Our new students in P1 have settled so well, they have adjusted to all new routines and are slowly becoming more confident with recognising words in their reading and writing. They have been in ‘big school’ for only 5 weeks. Here they are last week presenting their self portraits. Our focus in the classroom for Art has been ‘All about me’ – their names, colour of their hair and eyes and what they like and dislike, pop into the classroom and come have a look. Very proud of you all P1! Kindness in P16Kindness is a key ingredient that enhances positivity and helps children feel good about themselves. Children with a positive outlook have greater attention spans and more willingness to learn. Here are some of the ways it’s promoted in P16 every day. “Be kind to your friends and they’ll be kind to you, especially if you smile at them your whole day through” This is the morning pledge that we say in our class each morning and starts us thinking about kindness. - by Mikey Aakjaer At the end of each day, we tell Mrs. Lindsay the names of class members who we personally think were being kind that day so that they have a chance to get the Scooby kindness award. We put their named stick into a raffle and Mrs. Lindsay (our teacher) pulls a stick out of the box, the person with their name on the stick gets the Scooby award. We also have the kindness pockets and the kindness police, at the end of each day, each of the Kindness Police gets to write two kindness notes which they then put into a person’s pocket envelope. Finally, we get ten house points for each note. This is how we promote kindness in P16. - by Daniel Yu Wearable ArtsThis term all the Year 5 and 6 classes are busy recycling their trash into fashion. You may have seen P21’s amazing designs in a previous newsletter. Now, as we enter the second half of the term, the senior primary students are busy turning their design into a piece of Wearable Art. Students are utilising the materials they noted were in abundant supply in their trash audit and no bought items can be used apart from glue and paint. Hopefully, your rubbish bins are not getting as full! Teams of students are working cooperatively to identify any potential problems that will need to be overcome whilst particular emphasis is being placed on the durability and creativity of the artwork. Teachers are asking the teams to consider how they will ensure that their artwork won’t fall apart. If necessary, the original design will need adaptations and modifications so that the team is satisfied of their final product. Here are some photos of P18 beginning the construction process. At the end of the term there will be a Wearable Arts show for all Year 5/6 parents to come and view our amazing designs. I Spy in the PrimaryI Spy...Trash to flash creators! I Spy....Pinehurst 6/1 and 6/2 finishing the winter netball season off with a nice hot chocolate! I Spy…Speech Finalists! I Spy...Ned growing our mindset! I Spy...Rocco finding worms! In Music this WeekBronze Awards for Orchestra and Jazz Band at KBB Competition Congratulations to both the Orchestra and the Jazz Band for winning Bronze Award at the recent KBB competition. Pictured are representatives of the Orchestra (Seina Murakami and Shuan Liu) and Jazz Band (Jemma Goeldner) who came to the GALA awards evening held on Saturday the 17th of August at the Holy Trinity Cathedral and accept the awards. The judges were impressed with the range of repertoire our students performed including the impressive vocal and instrumental solos featuring an impressive number of students from both of these groups.
Harp Ensemble Thursday mornings in C2 from 7.30am A harp ensemble will be meeting in C2 on Thursday mornings from 7.30am, let by our own itinerant harp tutor Anna Dunwoodie, with the goal of performing at the Informal Music Concerts at the end of every term. If your child plays the harp and would like to join the group, please complete the enrolment form at the bottom of this page. Harps are available for hire. Parent Consultation Evening with AlexTuesday 27th August, 6:30pm, Alex's office Discussion will be about the 5 year property plan, curriculum and parent engagement. Parents as Career EducatorsThis seminar is facilitated by a Career Consultant from University of Canterbury. Please note that the Pinehurst Career Counsellor is considering holding a similar presentation next year if there is sufficient interest. Please email kaye.griffiths@pinehurst.school.nz if you would be interested in attending one at Pinehurst School. In the meantime, this year, this will be a valuable session to attend
Guiding teenagers through various career and study options available to them in the modern world can be a challenge. Parents and caregivers of secondary school-aged children are invited to attend a seminar where UC Career Consultant Sarah Tabak will talk with you about how you can support your child's career decisions. Please note that this is NOT about study options at the University of Canterbury – it is designed to help parents to help their teens consider ALL their options whether this is work, university, polytechnic, apprenticeships or other possibilities. The free seminar will cover:
Please register by Monday 26 August. https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/events/active/uc-events/parents-as-career-educators---auckland.html Swimming SensationLast weekend Year 8 student Jack Potier competed at the Bay of Island Spring Swimming Championships. Jack won 7 medals in his age group – 4 x Gold & 3 x Silver. Congratulations Jack! Charliee HawkingsYear 6 student Charliee competed in the Showcase Regionals Dance Championships in Whangarei last weekend, and had a successful day coming home with two firsts and a second. Charliee also received a spot in the Top Ten, and went on to be named 3rd overall! Charliee has now qualified to compete in January at the Showcase Nationals 2020. It is the first time ever they are bringing the Showcase Nationals to New Zealand (Christchurch), this event is usually hosted in Australia. Charliee not only competes in dance, but also takes part in vocal and acting competitions throughout New Zealand in between performing in stage shows. Her dance styles includes Lyrical, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Contemporary and Tap. We wish Charliee all the best for the Nationals! Waterwise Instructors WantedAre you interested in becoming a Waterwise instructor? We are now looking for parents/friends of the school, to be a part of an exciting water safety programme. No prior experience is required. The training will be held at the Murrays Bay Sailing Club. Please email your schools Waterwise co-ordinator kelly.clark@pinehurst.school.nz if you are interested. A meeting will be held to discuss the course. Date TBA. |