No images? Click here 11 June 2021Pinehurst School NewsletterOpening Words from the Executive Principal...Kia ora tatou, good afternoon, 你好, 안녕하세요 It’s the end of a short week, but it’s been a good one. The mist has cleared; a couple of rainbows have poked through the clouds; and this weekend promises to be a brighter one. The Life Education van has been in school this week, entertaining and educating our Primary students; the dentists have been parked in the College car park, checking hundreds of sets of teeth; our College Scholars enjoyed their trip to the Civic yesterday; exam results have all been returned to senior students; and we are hosting about 20 North Shore Principals this afternoon for one our regular catch-ups. I’ll start with a huge “congratulations” to our Year 7/8 Boys’ hockey team, who won the North Harbour Zone Day on Wednesday, beating Murrays Bay in the final. It’s the first time that we’ve won this very competitive event, and I’m proud of all the boys, especially as they won through teamwork and commitment to each other. Auckland final next, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do at AIMS in September. Well done, too, to all our other sports teams: they’re working hard, developing into good teams, enjoying themselves, and playing sport in the right, cheerful spirit. We have two events next week that I’d like to highlight. At lunchtime on Wednesday, the annual Cultural market is taking place: thank you in advance to the parents who are helping out with food and other cultural activities. The School Council has done a great job bringing this together and I’m looking forward to some delicious flavours. The lunchtime market is for the students and staff, but we also have a fantastic new event on Friday evening (June 18th): the 2021 Cultural Night. There will be music and dance performances from all over the world, including a Korean Tea ceremony! It’s on in the Arena between 6 and 8 pm, and tickets are $3, all proceeds going to one of our charities. I met with a group of Primary parents yesterday to talk about extension over a little light breakfast. It was another really good conversation, and I want to thank all those parents who came along, listened, asked questions, shared their views and made suggestions. I know I keep saying this, but these conversations really matter to us. We’re proud of what we do at our school, and we are confident that we are helping, with our parents, to give our children and young people a great experience. But part of that is constantly listening, reviewing, adapting and finding different ways to develop the school, because we can always find ways to improve. Over the last two weeks, there have been a range of interesting, thoughtful ideas, and I feel like I’ve learned a great deal. So if you have any views to share, please share them so we can continue to grow together. Ka kite anō au i a koutou. Have a great weekend. Alex Reed 如需阅读校长的中文留言和重要事件日期,请点击此处 Dates for your Diary Week 7 Kia Ora, Harold arrived this week in the Primary, he is the newest member of our school and he’s yellow with brown spots and he is very tall. He is of course the mascot of the Life Education Trust who visit schools across the country all year round. Harold helps to teach children about a variety of health topics such as healthy eating, physical fitness, the brain, making good choices, friendships and being kind. The programme is facilitated by Charlie Pollard who has taught at Pinehurst in the past and is very familiar with how we teach and learn. This too enables the programme to run really smoothly and for our children to get the most out of the experience. They love going into the Life Education caravan with its lights, video, sound effects and models of major organs to demonstrate breathing or the brain, and it really makes our Health Education programme come alive. The van is here for several more weeks yet and each class will visit at least twice during that time. Buddy classes with the College students were a huge success again this week, the College came to us and made Matariki stars as well as performing the macarena in Maori. Looking at all of the smiling faces it was hard to tell who was enjoying themselves more, the big kids or the little ones! It could also have been the teachers to be honest. We love the opportunities to meet as a school and for our Primary aged children to connect with older students, who they look up to. Being in a Year 1-13 school means we can create times like these which ultimately help students with transitions to the College when they are old enough to go. You may have heard your child talking about two stars and a wish and you will definitely see that in their Seesaw work online. We use the technique of two stars and a wish to help students think about their work in terms of what they have done well, the two stars, and what their next step is, the wish. It is a very effective way of self-assessment and teaching students to take responsibility for their own learning. Each lesson begins with a WALHT, we are learning how to, which is the focus of the lesson and then learners use the WASWW, we are successful when we, to know what to include in their work to be successful. They are the steps for success. We also often use AGOLL, a good one looks like, as exemplars so that students know what a good piece of work looks like and can use it as a guideline. On your child’s Seesaw account there will be a piece of work from each subject each term which has two stars and a wish from the child and a comment from the teacher which demonstrates where each child is at with their learning and what they need to do next. Have a chat with your child about the work they have posted on Seesaw and what they have been learning this term. Your child’s school report will be available on Friday of next week and there will be an opportunity to meet with their teacher over two nights the following week to discuss any questions or concerns you may have and think about the next steps for learning. Teachers take a lot of time thinking about, writing and moderating their comments and grades to produce an accurate reflection of progress to date and to celebrate the gains that have been made in Semester 1. It is wonderful to read all of them and to hear about the successes of each child. Kia pai to rā whakata, have a good weekend. Ngā mihi, Sian Coxon, Principal of Primary P1's Safari Adventure Up, up and away.... We travelled all the way to Africa to explore the Savannah and the animals that live there. It was so much fun! Whilst on safari, we described what we could see and hear. We have learnt all about different animals by comparing and contrasting their features during our Science lessons. Our writing focus this week was to retell our trip to Africa using sequencing words. We created a class story map to practise our sentences using actions. This really helped us when we completed our Big 'WOW' Write on Thursday. Deep down in the sea you could find our new Global Perspective focus this week. We have been investigating our world and what we need to do to look after it, with an emphasis on litter and recycling. We have looked closely at 'The plastic whale' and have begun to create a class art piece using recycled materials. We have also learnt how to separate our recyclables so that we can continue to use this skill at home and out and about in the community. P7 this weekThis week P7 have been reading ‘How Maui caught the sun’ as the shared reading. The students discussed what a Myth and Legend is. Cecilia explains it as “Is a story using a hero from the olden days, or supernatural heroes. People told them a long time ago. The first people who told the story think that they were true. A legend is a traditional story from the past.” The students have listened to a variety of different versions of the story and made comparisons. They looked at similarities and differences and used a Venn diagram to record their findings. P7 discussed the characters and setting and looked deeper into the character Maui. The students have been retelling the story, ensuring they include a beginning, middle and end. As part of an Art lesson, P7 drew Tama nui te Rā (God of the Sun). The students included koru patterns to illustrate their sun, which they had been learning in a previous lesson. P7 are looking forward to reading other myths and legends about Maui. One student said that apparently he caught a big fish! We are excited to learn about that! What’s Up in P11?!In Science, the students of P11 have been working as rock detectives to identify, compare and classify rocks according to their appearance and some of their physical properties. We carried out observations and tests to categorise rocks by their colour, texture, weight and ability to absorb water (permeability). After making a prediction, the students also experimented on some common rocks (e.g. slate, pumice, sandstone and basalt) to test and compare which rock is the hardest. We used a small screw, a coin and a paper clip to determine the strength of the rock. We then organised and recorded our results in a table. The students looked at some uses of common rocks and made excellent connections to the world around us. In Global Perspectives, the students have been learning about living things on our planet and what they need to survive. We delved into an exploration of habitats of living creatures and the adaptations they have made in order to survive in unique locations. Building upon our digital technology skills, we began researching why some creatures are endangered and at risk of becoming extinct. We looked at endangered animals around the world but also some native to New Zealand, such as the Maui Dolphin and the Anitpodean Albatross. The students worked in groups to brainstorm ideas to suggest how we can contribute to saving these animals from extinction. Some suggestions included; planting more trees, stopping pollution, minimising emissions into the atmosphere and recycling as much as we can. The students displayed a caring attitude towards our planet and a desire to do their part to keep our planet clean and safe for all creatures. In art, P11 have been working with paint and colour. The students have been experimenting with identifying and mixing hot and cold colours. They explored the effects of paint and brush techniques using a range of tools, creating an underwater scene in which they blended colours seamlessly to show no definitive lines. The students added a sea creature inspired by Maori motif designs that we had explored in class. They are very proud of their finished pieces! Brilliant Biographies In P18, the students have written a biography about someone else in the class. First was the interview stage, where the students gathered interesting information and key facts about each other, during certain parts of their lives so far; early life, interests and future. Then focusing on one area only, the students wrote their biography. Thinking about purpose and audience, the students were challenged to include sophisticated vocabulary and power punctuation, adverbials of time, place and cause, and relative clauses. The students were enthusiastic about sharing their biographies with others in the class. Super Cluster Cross CountryA huge congratulations to our team of 35 students, who took part in the Year 4-6 Super Cluster Cross Country event yesterday at Sunnynook Park. The overall team finished 6th out of the 8 schools, with special mention to Ryan (4th Year 4 Boys), Serena (4th Year 4 Girls), Bella (3rd = Year 5 Girls), Annie (5th Year 5 Girls), Bonnie (6th Year 5 Girls) and Jerry (6th Year 6 Boys). Thank you to Mr Taylor, Sally and our wonderful parents who supported the students on the day. Shore to ShoreEvery year Pinehurst School participates in the Harcourts Shore to Shore Fun Run, usually a run from Takapuna Grammer school to Milford beach, approximately 5km. This year due to COVID-19 the run was organised slightly differently with runners being encouraged to complete the run at home with their families or in their schools at lunchtime or during an organised event within the school. On Friday 4th June we held our own version of Shore to Shore with students required to run at lunchtime around a set course at school, it was great to see all our students from some Year 1s to Year 6s participating in the event with some excellent runners pushing themselves to complete the course as quickly as they could. Well done to the following 44 runners that completed the 5km course either at home or during school time. Kia Ora, This week our Year 11–13 students received feedback from their midyear examinations. Students should use this feedback to reflect on their progress up to this point of the year and compare this with the goals that they have set for themselves. Teachers will look carefully at the results and plan next steps for students, and we will also look at the best way to support our students who have not made the progress that they had hoped to. Teachers are currently writing student reports that will be sent to parents in the last week of this term. These reports will provide a foundation for the discussions that we will be able to have at our next set of Parent/Teacher Conferences at the beginning of Term 3. Yesterday our Scholars group went to the Civic Theatre to attend the DocEdge Schools showing of a film titled, ‘The Father of Cyborgs’. Our Scholars group provide tutoring for other students throughout the year. As part of the Scholars programme students select an activity each term to attend that will challenge and broaden their thinking. Yesterday’s film followed the research of neurologist Phil Kennedy and his works regarding brain implants for sufferers of paralysis and those with lock-in syndrome, as well as his goal of allowing them to communicate via computers. Watching the research and development of a paraplegic regaining their ability to communicate really challenged the group. Students found the documentary really interesting due to how in-depth the content was and how it made them question the ethics of brain implantations and their usage for both ‘good and evil’. The group enjoyed the Q & A session after the documentary and were able to ask some very insightful questions. Our Thursday afternoon session was spent in the Primary with a focus on Matariki. Students of all ages really enjoyed the event with some of our senior students rediscovering their love of ‘colouring in’. Some of our college students were also shown up by their Primary counterparts as students weaved together strands of wool to make pois, which they later practised with. Next week will be a busy week for our students with lots to look forward to. For Year 7 and 8 students we will have the Life Education van in school. We also have a Non-uniform Day, our Cultural Market Day, Cultural Performance Evening and Mathex. Nga Mihi, Kieran Verryt, Principal of College Careers Speed Meet Evening One of the most valuable things students can do as they consider their life after Pinehurst is to talk to people working or studying in areas they may be interested in. On the evening of 30 June, here at Pinehurst we have an amazing opportunity for them to do just that! We have 29 representatives, a mix of parents, ex-students and members of our community, who have volunteered their time to be available to meet with interested students. Students are able to book 10 minute slots – up to 4 in total. All Y11-13 students have been emailed the link and information today. While this event is primarily targeted at students, parents are welcome to come with them if they wish. We will make this opportunity available to Y11-13 students until Tuesday 22 June. At that time, if there are still gaps, we will allow them to book more than 4 meetings and look to open it to Y9 &10. We are hoping to make this a regular event on the Pinehurst Careers Calendar, possibly every second year. Pinehurst Hockey Boys are North Harbour Champions!This week our Year 7/8 Boys Zone Day Hockey team took part in the annual Hockey Zone Day event. Competing against 14 other schools, Pinehurst had 4 wins from 4 games in Pool Play against Rosmini, Mahurangi, Birkdale & Northcote. Ranking 2nd after pool play, the team played TNIS in the semi-final, dominating the game and winning 2-0. They then faced the top ranked team from pool play, Murrays Bay Intermediate, in the final. The game was incredibly even, with both teams showing outstanding attacking and defensive play. Pinehurst co-captain George finally broke through the defense just before half time to score a fantastic goal and what turned out to be the only game of the match - Pinehurst were crowned the NH Champions for Boys Hockey for 2021 with a 1-0 win. A special mention to our outstanding defensive backs and our goalie, Andrew, who didn’t have a goal scored against them all day. Pinehurst will now go on to represent the North Harbour region at the Auckland Championships in early Term 3. We wish the boys (and their Coach Will Elliot) all the very best – and we look forward to seeing them in action again at the next event! Dear Diary 365 days ago, Percy started a diary. Like the other 21 students in her Year 7 class it was part of the Cambridge Curriculum and a writing form that was to be given particular attention. Unlike the other 21 students in her class. Percy did not stop when the unit was completed. But that doesn’t even tell the whole story. After all, if you asked students at Pinehurst how many keep diaries or write regularly, there surely would be quite a few. What makes Percy’s diary special is that it is a work of art. It is simply beautiful. Each time her English teacher, Ms Daly had the chance to browse through it (without reading it of course) it literally stopped her in her tracks - and not only her. With Percy’s permission, it was shown to others to look at it in absolute wonder. The diary celebrated its one-year anniversary on Friday. A cake, which celebrated the diary’s journey, was brought over to C11 by Percy, and together with her friends we acknowledged the time, effort and commitment that made the diary so special. It should be noted that the cake was also amazing. It was decorated in intricate detail, which perfectly mirrored Percy’s diary. A big thanks to Percy’s mum for organising the delivery to school and together with Percy for organising the afternoon. There was even a short speech by Percy telling us what the diary meant to her. Well done, Percy and thank you for sharing your diary with all of us. No doubt there will be many more anniversaries! Year 8 Social Science In Year 8 Social Science we have been learning about important mapping skills such direction, bearings and latitude/longitude. Two of our brilliant students Zachary and Austin, used their own time to create orienteering maps for our class to do a fun mapping activity finding various locations around the school. Thanks to these two students, our class had a great interactive lesson! Girls Zone Day Hockey 2021On Thursday, our Pinehurst Girls Hockey team attended their Hockey Zone Day for 2021. The girls played some good hockey with really positive attitudes throughout the day. Overall it was a great day, with the girls all really enjoying their hockey and finishing 9th out of 12 teams. Thanks to Ms Anderson for taking the team to this event, and to Denise for supporting the girls on the day. Heart and BodyThe Girls’ 1st XI have done it again, playing a courageous game and putting their bodies on the line to take another win. This time against Kristin 2nd XI, winning by 6 goals. The final score was 7-1 and the girls now move into the crossover rounds after finishing 3rd in their pool. What a team! And with students from Year 8 up to 13, we have lots of opportunities for growth and improvement. Cultural Events The Student Council are very excited for next week’s Cultural Market and Evening events. The Cultural Market will be during lunchtime on Wednesday 16th June. There will be a range of fantastic flavours (and other things) from around the world. This is open to college students so come along and enjoy the market. We will be using the Flag currency that can be purchased during morning tea on Monday 14th June outside the gym by the tuck shop. We also have raffle tickets on sale from reception and they will be available at the market day where you could win over $600 worth of prizes. Friday evening (June 18th) is the 2021 Cultural Night. It a new event for Pinehurst, and there will be music and dance performances from all over the world, including a Korean Tea ceremony! It’s on in the Arena between 6 and 8 pm, and tickets are $3 and are available here or at the door on the night. If you would like to perform and are in Years 9 – 13, please complete the sign up form here. All of the proceeds from these wonderful events will be going to the World Vision charity. Year 10-13 Music students Composition Exploration All music students are required to compose two contrasting compositions and this week we have been focusing on exploring unusual exploration of instruments, a common trend in 20th century music. One example that all students identified with instantly is Justin Beiber’s “What do you mean” arrangement by Jamie Callum. This version includes a couple of percussive uses of a grand piano, as well as string muting and plucking to create a multi-layered version of the well known song. This prepared guitar piece called Drifting by Andy McKee also raised the bar for some of our guitarists who may have not considered the instrument’s percussive possibilities. Click on the images to hear and view these performances. I Spy... poi making in P20... Please return Sports Trophies / Cups Awarded 2020 Would all students who were awarded a Sports Trophy or Cup in 2020, please now return these to Reception or to Mrs Lindsay in the Arena Sports office. Thank you! PhotoLife Online Photo Access Keys have now been given out. Please don't forget to order your photos before Sunday 4th July for free delivery. Volleyball Superstar Alumni Gabi Brown, has recently committed to play Division 1 Volleyball at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA. Gabi's club, Team Colorado Juniors 18Kevin, won a USAV Junior National 18Open Bid by winning Colorado Crossroads 2021 and competed in the Junior National 2021 tournament in Columbus, OH where they finished 43rd in the Nation. |