Message from the Executive Principal

Kia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요  

Best wishes, 

Mike Waller 

Message from the Principal of College

Orienteering 

About fifty students have successfully completed the Pinehurst Orienteering Sprint Series to date. Over the past five weeks, the runners have navigated their way through challenging courses set within school grounds of 5 north shore  and further afield schools. The series provided a perfect platform for both seasoned orienteers and newcomers alike, to showcase their skills and passion for the sport. The top 10 runners of each age group within our zone, will be invited to attend the Auckland Regional Final which will be held in two weeks time. This achievement not only highlights the dedication and perseverance of the participating students but also underscores the growing popularity of orienteering within our school communities.

Toi o te wiki 

Toi o te wiki this week goes to AS Art and Design student, Lucy.

Lucy is exploring vulnerability through her art making practise and the important part this plays in connecting in relationships.  This stunning water colour of hydrangeas forms the initial part of her coursework folio where she investigates subject matter that connects with her theme. 

Mahi ataahua, Lucy! Beautiful work!

Paws Leading Us

The Student Council would like to thank everyone who attended our annual “Paws Leading Us” event last Wednesday. Whether you bought ice blocks, merchandise or just hung out to see the adorable puppy Inky, you made it a truly memorable occasion. $1308.40 was raised to go towards the Blind Low Vision Foundation of NZ, we are extremely grateful for everybody’s contributions on the day and we hope to see you there next year as we improve and bring new ideas to the event. 

Thank you for making our event a success, and look out for notices coming for the most iconic event of the year, The Cultural Market, coming Term 2!

Creative Writing Club

The Betrayal  - by Ryan K Muganda Year 9

After supper, with the Teacher, and the rest of the eleven, I snuck out to meet a business friend of mine who had offered money in abundance for the hand of Silus. He was a well-mannered, masculine man, and in charge of a small roman garrison, responsible for the persecutions of criminals in those days. I met him Around midnight, at the confluence of the Yarmouk and Jordan rivers, holding a wooden-fire torch standing near the gargantuan tree and he ushered to me quietly, bidding me to follow him into the open mouth of the forest. 

As We walked in a single file, I noticed the forestry around us closing in and wrapping us in a warm cocoon of mother nature until the moon over our heads was lost to us. We met with other roman soldiers, in the designated area, who were camped around the fire, discussing the capture of Silus, whom they hated. They offered me money, for the hands of Silus and my co-operation. At first, I hesitated, tried to give excuses, but the allure of money, none could resist, so I readily gave up my words of promise. “The One whom I kiss, is the one whom you seek”.

Leading at the front with Lukus, I headed to the open field near the lake, where I knew my teacher Silus was going to be before dawn, there I walked towards him and kissed his cheek farewell. The soldiers quickly sprang into action, Binding Silus hands and feet quietly as not to attract Attention. The rest of the twelve looked at me with conflicting emotions in their eyes as they were held back by soldiers, but I never heeded them. But the look Silus gave me, a look full of disappointment, sorrow, and full of pity, A look that made my heart bleed, made me feel lost, and his last words sent an arrow through my heart “How far have you fallen,” And Deep down I already knew, I had slain an Innocent man, and one I had once held dear, for transients.

Year 7-8 North Harbour Triathlon Zone Day

A few weeks ago, we took a team of 38 Year 7-8 students to compete in the North Harbour Triathlon Zone Day which was held at Long Bay Reserve. The triathlon included a 200m swim, 5km cycle and 2km run for all individual and team athletes. We had 4 individual competitors and 11 teams competing at this event.

Pinehurst would like to congratulate the amazing efforts from all of the students that competed, particular the following students that placed in the top 10 for their category:

Year 7 Individual Girls:

• 3rd Place: Amelia C (7MG)
• 6th Place: Olivia B (7AC)
• 8th Place: Elizabeth (7MG)

Year 7-8 Boys Team Event:

• 2nd Place: Bosco (8NR), Xavier (8NW), Brayden (8GR)

We would like to thank all of our amazing Parent Helpers and also to Mr Conn and Miss Georgia Thomson for managing the team.

Year 7-8 North Harbour Swimming Zone Day

From the Pinehurst Year 7-8 Interhouse Swimming sports, we had 19 students qualify to swim at the Year 7-8 North Harbour Swimming Zone Day which was held last week at AUT. This was an awesome day out with all individuals competing in both individual and relay events. We would like to thank Mrs Peters and Mr Reynolds for managing the team on the day and our amazing Parent Helpers who were officials on the day. 

I would like to highlight the students that placed in the top 3 at the NH Zone Day:

Lucas (7KC)  - 2nd Y7 Boys 50m Backstroke, 1st Y7 Boys 50m Freestyle
Eddie (7RJ) - 2nd Y7 Boys 50m Breaststroke
Tim (7KC) - 3rd Y7 Boys 50m Breaststroke

Relays:
Boys 200m Open Medley Relay - 3rd Place: Brayden (8GR) Eddie (7RJ), Lucas (7KC), Shawn (8LC)
Girls 200m Open Medley Relay - 3rd Place: Amelia (7MG), Lola (8PL), Avianna (8NW), Olivia (7RJ)
Boys 200m Year 7 Freestyle Relay - 1st Place: Eddie (7RJ), Isaac (7MG), Tim (7KC), Lucas (7KC)

The top 3 finishers in the 50m back, breast and free events, as well as the top 2 finishers in the 100m free and 50m fly qualified for the Auckland Interzone Swimming Champs. The top relay team in each relay event also progressed through to the Auckland Interzone Swimming Champs. 

A huge congratulations to the following students who qualified for this event:

Year 7 Boys

• Lucas: 50m Back, 50M Free
• Eddie: 50m Breast
• Tim: 50m Breast

Year 7 Boys 200m Freestyle Relay Team

Eddie, Isaac, Tim and Lucas.

Year 10 Technology Projects

These images showcase the Year 10 students crafting their basketball hoops and nail punches.

Earth Week

This week, Pinehurst took a significant step beyond the international event Earth Hour by celebrating Earth Week, orchestrated by the Environmental Council. Our initiative aimed to shift focus from a singular hour to a full week of environmental consciousness, involving the whole school in activities designed to foster sustainable habits.

Highlighting the week were key initiatives like switching off lights and minimizing paper use to reduce waste. These actions, though small, play a crucial role in our collective environmental impact. Adding an educational twist, the Environmental Council hosted a morning POD quiz, challenging students to think critically about their daily choices and their broader effects on our planet.

Collaborative efforts also shone this week, as we partnered with the Arts Council, Library, and Sports Council to organize eco-themed events. From an environmental art competition to educational library displays and a green-themed interhouse sports competition, these activities not only entertained but also educated our community on the importance of environmental awareness.

Earth Week at Pinehurst was a vibrant reminder that collective action can lead to meaningful environmental change. Through a blend of awareness-raising and fun, the week has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on our school community, encouraging ongoing commitment to our planet.

Student Council Leaders

Hello everyone, we are your Student Council Leaders for 2024!
 
The student council hosts a range of events throughout the year for the student body to enjoy. We have already hosted the Paws Leading Us event which was a huge success and raised $1308.04. We are currently planning our popular Cultural Market which will take place in Term 2.

Message from the Principal of Primary

Wheels Week

Excited students were seen rushing out of their classrooms this week and onto their bikes, eager to pedal their way around the courts or down the hill onto the field. Laughter and chatter filled the air as they rode together, some balancing on two wheels while others were still mastering their training wheels.

Mastering the skill of riding a bike or scooter combines important physical skills of balance and co-ordination and builds confidence to take risks.

Our Primary Council were integral to the running of this weeklong event. Each morning they helped the younger students park their wheels and then set up the riding track, with traffic signs, on the courts. Our iLead monitors came out each day with homeroom iPads to take action shots of speedy scooters and whizzing bikes. Our councillors were at the ready to do up helmets and provide a steady hand on the back of a wobbly bike.

Wheels Week has been enjoyed by all year levels in the Primary.

Kenzie’s Gift

On Friday 15 March Pinehurst school had a non-uniform day to raise money for the Kenzie’s Gift foundation. This foundation has the motto: Healthy Minds, Happy Hearts.

This New Zealand foundation is committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people affected by illness and grief within the family.

They provide evidence based and age-appropriate mental health services to support, restore and maintain good mental health both now and in the future.

We had many superheroes come to school on Friday along with superhero teachers. Thank you to all our families who helped support this worthy cause.

Big Writing in P21

P21 have been on a ‘mission’  to convince Principal, Mr Turner to allow the students at his school to participate in a Time Capsule Project. The students have already written a persuasive letter to convince the sceptical Head Teacher to take part in this valuable school project and have now just finished  writing some examples of written work that could be put into a Time Capsule. One example was a description of a memory, a vivid and interesting personal recount. The memories had to include dialogue and description to develop characters, brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis and punctuation to show clauses and vary pace. 

Click here to read some examples of our memories for your to enjoy.

P15’s Self Portraits

During this term, P15 have been exploring the art of portrait drawing. They have been learning how to draw in proportion and depict different expressions.

In their lessons, students have been practicing the fundamentals of portrait drawing, including paying attention to the proportions of the face and features. They have learned techniques to help them accurately capture the shape and size of the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, ensuring that their portraits look realistic and lifelike.

Additionally, students have been experimenting with different expressions in their drawings. They have been challenged to convey a range of emotions, from happiness and excitement to sadness and anger, through the use of facial expressions. This has encouraged the students to think critically about how to communicate emotions through art.

Come along to P15 to see more creative self portraits.

What’s up in P17?

We are thrilled to share the latest update from our amazing Year 5 class, P17! Over the past weeks, they've embarked on an writing exciting mission titled "Animals in Danger," delving into the world of conservation and wildlife preservation through various creative writing endeavors.

In their latest endeavor, our budding writers have taken on the challenge of crafting biographical articles centered around the esteemed naturalist, Dan Johnson. With dedicated effort and enthusiasm, they've incorporated a range of writing techniques to bring their articles to life.

One highlight of their work has been the implementation of attention-grabbing headings and subheadings, ensuring that each section of their articles captivates the reader's interest from start to finish. Additionally, they've skillfully utilized adverbials of time and cause, enriching their writing with temporal and causal context.

Drawing inspiration from Dan Johnson himself, our students have seamlessly integrated quotations from the renowned naturalist, infusing their biographical articles with authenticity and insight. Furthermore, they've embraced the use of relative clauses to enhance sentence structure and provide additional depth to their descriptions.

Click here for a glimpse of the exceptional work produced by P17:

Year 4 Camp at Peter Snell

Excitement filled the air across the Year 4 classes as camp time drew nearer. We began by counting down the remaining sleeps. Finally, Monday 12 March was here, and students started arriving with their luggage and backpacks ready for an unforgettable adventure!

Once our bags were loaded onto the bus, we found our seats and waved goodbye to our families as we drove off. Some of us giggled and couldn’t sit still and others of us had butterflies in our tummies because it was the first time we had been away from our families for two nights.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by beautiful sunshine and scenery, and our excitement levels rose even further.

The days at camp were filled with exciting and challenging experiences such as the long water slide, confidence and initiative courses, archery, air rifles, rock climbing, bivouac building, frisbee golf, and hobo stoves. We learned to be resilient, working collaboratively with our group, whilst developing new skills and friendships along the way.

The food was undoubtedly one of the highlights as well; everyone tried foods they don’t usually eat and thoroughly enjoyed going up for seconds.

The Year 4 students and teachers would like to thank all the parent helpers who came along to assist us. Our helpers were kind, patient, enthusiastic, and supportive. We couldn’t have had such a successful camp without you. Our camp was truly unforgettable, something we will remember for a long time to come.

Student voice on Camp

Dan “Everything weas really, really fun. My favorite activity was the waterslide because it was really exciting.”  

Wendy” I loved camp because it was amazing and fantastic, especially archery.”

Jessica “I love camp as we did lots of activities. My favorite activity was rainbow tag. When I got into scared, but hugging my bunny helped me not be scared”

Greta “ some of my favourite activities at camp were, hobo stove because I got to make pancakes with my dad and archery because it was really fun. I had a great time building a hut with my friends in the bivouac building”

Jinheun “I love archery because I could try to shoot the arrow onto the board, although sometimes my bow went over the board.  I enjoyed making and eating pancakes at hobo stove too, it was delicious”

Thea “I enjoyed the waterslide because it felt like a roller coaster ride.  Frisbee golf was another favourite, when I reached bucket 6 I almost landed my frisbee in the bucket. I felt happy. At the start I was a little bit embarrsed about wall climbing, but when I managed to get to the top I was proud of me”

Braden “ My favourite experience at camp started on the waterslide where I was a little bit scared going down when my name was called out. But I was brave enough to go down the waterslide and it was so much fun”

Amelia “My favourite experience at camp was the archery because I was very excited to do it ever since camp started and when Mrs Brock showed us how to do it, I was really excited and couldn’t wait for my turn. Finally when it got to my turn Mrs Brock gave my partner and I one extra arrow because we waited so patiently”

Year 5 and 6 Solo, Duo and Ensemble Performance Showcase

On Wednesday this week, we celebrated our Primary School musicians with our first Solo, Duo and Ensemble Performance Showcase for the year.

Sixteen Year 5 and 6 students thrilled us with their outstanding solo and duo performances, along with our Clarinet Ensemble who performed a well-known piece called My Way. We were also delighted to have two Year 6 students guide us through the concert by being our MCs for the afternoon.

We applaud all our performers for the effort they put into preparing for their performance, along with their outstanding talent, and courage in taking to the stage.

Thank you once again to the students and whanau for all their work leading up to the concert.

Year 5-6 Pinehurst Interhouse Swimming Sports

Last week, all of the Year 5-6 students and Staff travelled up to Northern Arena to compete in the Year 5-6 Interhouse Swimming Sports. It was awesome to see all of the students getting in the water and giving it their all during their events. The students excelled in the pool, with 14 records being broken or equalled, in which most records were long standing records.  Please see the records broken or equalled below.  The accumulation of individual participation points and championship points lead us to decide our top 3 placings for each gender/year group. A huge congratulations to the students below that were awarded a gold, silver or bronze medal. A massive congratulations to Rimu who were the overall house champions due to their awesome participation, championship points and relay points.

We have now selected a strong 24 student team to represent Pinehurst at the Mid Bays Swimming Competition this coming Tuesday.

2024 YEAR 5-6 INTERHOUSE SWIMMING CHAMPS

STEM

This term for STEM we have been dipping our toes in to garden design, using the garden space on the primary fields as makeover inspiration. Across the year groups, we have been looking in to seed germination and propagating plants, what would grow well in our climate and how to design a low maintenance garden to suit the needs of Pinehurst primary students. We have spent a lot of time outside seeing what grows well here at Pinehurst and have discovered a lot about the trees and plants in our environment.

In the junior primary, the students have been working towards making a shoebox garden, a miniature representation of their dream garden.  In the senior primary, we have been learning about drawing to scale designs, fitting within a set budget and building a to scale model of our garden designs. The groups are looking forward to presenting their ideas to Ms Coxon and Mrs Jones-Hill later in the term!

Primary Junior Mandarin

In the Junior Primary we have been learning the Chinese phonics and we have discovered that there are letter sounds in Mandarin that sound the same as in English! Even though the two languages sound so different when we speak. Our New Entrants have been working with numbers, we are learning to recognise the number before and the number after. We have had racing games where we tried to say the number before our opponents, and we have worked with our buddy to do sums with dice.
 
The 2024 dragon year has given Year 3 a great opportunity to learn about Chinese dragons. Who knew that there are meanings to each colour found on a dragon and their colours symbolise an idea! We have made our own dragons with colours representing Chinese, New Zealand, our families, and ourselves. Our next challenge is to describe these in Mandarin Chinese.

Our own Nicole C wins major golf championship

In other fantastic news, Nicole (Eunseo) Choi has won the women’s 2024 New Zealand Stroke Play Championships, the biggest win of her career so far. The competition which took place at the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club, Wellington under near-perfect conditions.

‘In the women’s event, Choi also showed maturity beyond her years to capture the New Zealand Women’s Stroke Play title by two over the reigning New Zealand Amateur champion, Faith Vui.

She overcame a dismal opening round of 78 with a course record-equalling seven-under-64 in round two, which included a hole-in-one on the iconic par 3 fifth, establishing a four-shot lead with two rounds to play.

After a third round of even, she retained her four-shot buffer heading into today’s final round. However, her lead quickly became a shot after a challenging start, where she double-bogeyed the third and bogeyed the fourth. Like Turnbull, she quickly regathered herself, making birdies at seven, 10, and 12 to extend her lead to three strokes with a handful of holes to play.

Choi’s lead became two following a bogey at 13, but played her remaining holes in even to get the job done.

The Takapuna Golf Club member says it’s great to add her name to the New Zealand golfing history books.

“It’s amazing to have a New Zealand title on my record now. I saw Vivian’s [Lu] name on the trophy twice, so it’s nice to win one as well after losing to her quite a lot,” she laughs. “It’s great to have followed in the footsteps of all the great players who have won this event in the past.

“I’ve had a great start to the year and I hope this will keep the momentum and my flow going.”

Choi now shifts her focus to next week’s Queen Sirikit Cup, where she will wear the silver fern against 36 of Asia-Pacific’s best amateur women at Clearwater Golf Club.

“This gives me a lot of confidence and proves that I am one of the best players in New Zealand – I’m part of the New Zealand team and the Golf New Zealand National Academy. I now know that despite any future form slumps, I have the game to perform at a high level.

“I’ll be sweet to go next week. I have a few things to touch up, but I feel ready for the Queen Sirikit Cup. Hopefully, I can help the New Zealand team to a historic win.”

She also receives a scholarship from Craig’s Investment Partners following her victory today.”’

https://www.golf.co.nz/news-detail?newsarticleid=32333

Parenting Place

So, you’ve reached the stage where your child wants a phone. Not a plastic phone that squeaks, not an old phone that doesn’t actually work but was a fun addition to the toy box, and not a phone made of cardboard and stickers (all things that may have appeased them in the past). They want an actual, connected, working phone of their own. It feels like just yesterday they were happy enough colouring in pictures of Bluey and swinging from monkey bars... Cue sentimental sigh.

For our young people, phones means connection. If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but reflect on what connection looked like ‘back in the day’... like jumping on your bike to go visit your bestie or handwriting notes and dropping them in your crush’s letterbox. Or – how quaint – using a landline to dial your mate’s number (memorised, of course) and make a plan or just talk (probably about nothing).

Read more

Registrations are still open for Harcourts Cooper & Co Shore To Shore. Register here by Sunday 31 March to join the Pinehurst Community for a day of fun!

Harcourts Cooper and Co Shore to Shore is North Shore’s favourite 5km fun run/ walk, with approximately 5,000 participants entering every year.

The event starts at Takapuna Grammar School, heads along both the picturesque Takapuna and Milford beaches and ends at Milford Reserve and brings together the North Shore community to support local schools by providing them with an opportunity to raise funds for much-needed sports gear.

A great opportunity for Friends, Parents, Aunties, Uncles and Grandparents to get together, dress up, and join us for the fun!

2024 promises to be another great event with plenty of awesome costumes and spot prizes up for grabs!!

If you have any news or submissions you’d like considered for our newsletter, please contact news@pinehurst.school.nz