Message from the Executive Principal

Kia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요  

Best wishes,

Mike Waller 

Message from the Principal of College

Toi o te Wiki 

Toi o te Wiki, this week, goes to Year 12 student, Olivia. 

Media Studies Films Premier!

This week our AS Media Studies film openings were submitted and premiered! ‘Crooks’ is a crime thriller produced by Big Door Pictures which focuses on a surprising group of individuals working together in a heist gone wrong. It was said that the house would be empty, but the crims quickly find out it is not.  ‘Lost’ depicts 4 teenagers going for a hike in our beautiful Aotearoa bush landscape, until one of them goes missing. Who has been following them through the bush? And where has their friend gone? This thriller is produced by Midnight Edge.

Creating even a short film takes a huge amount of time and effort, from coming up with the initial idea and plot line, to editing, colour grading, and adding sound effects. The two groups have created work that they should be very proud of.

Pinehurst Students Shine at NZ Chamber Music Competition Finals

It was an absolute pleaser to be able to watch Jade Lyles and Hyun Jae Lee perform at the Secondary School Chamber Music Competition finals at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington last Friday night. Both students were one of eight groups selected for this final which had over 200 entries  from around New Zealand.

Jade’s Debussy trio opened the evening and played beautifully. Jade and her viola player, both in Year 9 were the youngest students there and all other performers were in Year 11 or above. Hyun Jae’s group performed their Rachmaninov piece with virtuosity and vigour and received outstanding praise from the judges.

It was a fantastic achievement to have both of these Pinehurst students performing as part of this event. The standard of the performers was exceptionally high and showed what talented high school chamber musicians can achieve with their dedication and hard work.

A-Level Geography trip to Rotorua

The A-Level Geography groups took a trip to Rotorua last week to study tourism, tectonics and settlement dynamics.

They got to experience many of the tourism activities and Maori culture on offer, from the Agrodome to the Luge and an excellent talk by the staff from Rotorua’s Museum. They also visited Te Puia to see many Māori arts and learned about their Kiwi reintroduction scheme. There was lots of Geothermal activity (and smells) around Rotorua and the students’ made connections to parts of the curriculum they have already or soon will study.

Year 9 Health and PE

Having completed their Leadership Unit and Assessment, Year 9 students are moving on to Training for Sport. In this Unit, the students are gaining an understanding of the different components of fitness such as cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, and agility. They are then moving on to trying a range of methods of training. Some classes have so far experienced circuit training and have developed their own circuit to train for a sport of their choice. 

Organic Chemistry

As part of their learning of Organic Chemistry, AS students have been preparing an aldehyde by oxidising an alcohol. 

Argentina School Exchange

Over the winter break, ten students from Years 9 to 13 embarked on an incredible adventure to Córdoba, Argentina, to visit our partner school. This trip was a unique blend of education, culture, and unforgettable experiences. Our students had the privilege of staying with host families, immersing themselves in the daily life of Argentina. They attended classes with their host siblings, gaining a firsthand understanding of the Argentine Cambridge education system and forming lasting friendships. The itinerary was filled with a variety of excursions that showcased the rich history and vibrant culture of Córdoba. Students explored several local Jesuit ranches, where they learned all about life in Argentina up to 500 years ago. A visit to the city centre included a stunning Capuchin cathedral and a French chateau-inspired palace, featuring an amazing museum exhibition. The group also ventured into the local Las Sierras Chicas mountains, discovering a Bavarian settlement, alongside the awe-inspiring Los Terrones National Park, home to the majestic Condor Eagle. Beyond the cultural trips, our students fully embraced Argentine life. They enjoyed plenty traditional ‘Asado’ barbecues, put their Spanish-speaking skills to the test, adapted to different customs, and experienced the warm hospitality of their host families; a complete cultural immersion that they will never forget. 

This trip was more than just an educational visit; it was a journey of discovery and growth, and experiencing life outside of our comfort zone. We are incredibly proud of our students for their enthusiasm and curiosity, and we hope this will be the start of an incredible exchange partnership with our Argentine friends. Stay tuned for more stories and photos from their adventure in our upcoming publications and assemblies!

North Harbour Netball Zone Day

On Wednesday 31 July two teams consisting of Year 7 and 8 students participated in the North Harbour Intermediate Netball Zone Day, proudly representing Pinehurst School. This event showcased a high level of competition for our students, going up against over 10 schools. Our Year 7 team faced numerous challenges throughout the day, ultimately securing a commendable 6th place. Similarly, the Year 8 team also demonstrated resilience and skill, finishing in 9th place amidst a field of strong competitors. The experience gained from this event will undoubtedly serve as a valuable asset for both teams as they continue to develop their skills in the sport.

11 IGCSE PE

A group of Year 11 students in IGCSE PE this week re-created the pathway of blood as part of knowledge consolidation and application. The group showed the flow of blood through the heart by using bibs, cones and a range of equipment to show oxygenated and deoxygenate blood flow. This group they had drawn a diagram on a mini whiteboard and created a video on an ipad. They then went that next step further to take the class through an explanation with a visual using the terminology below:

• Oxygenated
• Deoxygenated
• Blood
• Heamoglobin
• Major blood vessels (aorta, pulmonary vein, pulmonary artery and vena cava)
• Valves
• Systemic
• Pulmonary

U19 Boys’ Basketball Final

Our U19 Boys’ Basketball team played in the final of North Harbour College Sport last night, and narrowly lost to Hobsonville Point. The score was 39-31.

• There are lots of students applying to Australian universities this year. Please ensure they apply for accommodation soon (and ideally before September 15) as places fill quickly.
• Remember that if your teen is applying for accommodation at an NZ university, they need to complete a request for a confidential reference here: NZCCRF | Student Registration for Accommodation References
• If your Year 13 student is applying to the UK, please remind them to send me their Personal Statement draft as soon as possible, so I can provide helpful feedback. They also need to fill in this form so I can get feedback from teachers to enable me to complete their reference.
• Remember that all upcoming events (including numerous Open Days) can be accessed on the Career Education website: Careers - Organization home (sharepoint.com). Parents or students can also book a time to see me at that link.
• University application deadlines vary depending on country of application, institution, and specific programme. The Career Counsellor will be meeting with each Year 13 student individually in Term 3 to make sure their applications are on track. Generally, it would be good to aim to have all applications completed by the end of Term 3. Please note that scholarship application deadlines for NZ universities also vary and many close on August 15. It is ultimately a student’s responsibility to carefully check deadlines.

Message from the Principal of Primary

‘I have learned to ….’

In Global Perspectives this week,  P23 have been thinking about learning. We were learning how to explain what it means to learn to do something. We began with a class discussion about what it means to ‘learn’ something, which is such a tricky idea for 5- or 6-year-olds to understand. We talked about where learning happens and who learns.

Then we began to think about the different things we have learned since we started school. The task of the lesson was that they had to think back to when they were a younger child and try to think what they have learned (e.g. how to walk, talk, hold a spoon, ride a bicycle, read a story, write their name, use a computer or tablet).

We wrote and drew our ideas, ‘I have learned to ….’

Primary Art Club

Hayley M in Year 6, one of our Arts and Cultural leaders, has taken it upon herself to set up a lunchtime art club for Year 2 students. Kassie Z, a fellow Arts and Cultural leader, is assisting Hayley to run this art themed club.

Here is their first ‘ice cream’ themed session taking place in P6. Each week the girls have organised a different type of arty activity for the Year 2 budding artists to enjoy.

It is wonderful to see our Year 6 students taking the initiative to work alongside our younger students.

Auckland Primary and Intermediate Snowsports Championship 2024

We had 21 little athletes take part in the Primary and Intermediate Snowsports Champs this week, with some amazing results. Check out all the results here.

Overall ranking:

• 3rd place in Primary Boys Ski Stream
• 2^nd place in Primary Boys Snowboard Stream, Primary Girls Snowboard Stream, and Intermediate Boys Snowboard Stream. 

Individual Medal winners: 

In P1

This term, we kicked off our Maths learning by exploring the world of 3D shapes! We've been learning the names and properties of 3D shapes such as cylinders, spheres, and cones, and have been searching the school for real-life examples of these shapes.

We have learned a lot about different 3D shapes, including terms like vertices, edges, and faces, and the differences between a cube and a cuboid. A highlight activity that we all thoroughly enjoyed was creating our own 3D shapes out of nets!

We have also learned (and been practising) a very long word: rhombicosidodecahedron (rhom-bi-co-si-do-dec-a-he-dron). This impressive shape is not only 9 syllables long but also has 20 regular triangular faces, 30 square faces, 12 regular pentagonal faces, 60 vertices, and 120 edges. Wow, that would be a hard shape to make out of a net!

To top off our maths for this week we finally finished counting the days up to 100! That's right, this Friday marks our 100th day of school!

We can’t wait to see what more new and exciting things we will learn about this term!

Computer Science in P14 

In our ICT sessions, students have been exploring the world of audio production using Audacity, a versatile open-source tool. Whether students are recording each other, speeches, editing interviews, or experimenting with sound effects, Audacity empowers them to be creative. By mastering this software, students are not only enhancing their technical skills but also gaining a deeper appreciation for the art of sound. Students are collaborating, sharing ideas, and producing captivating digital audio content. By the end of this term students will have created and edited their very own podcast. 
Here are some photos of us in action today where we were learning to record ourselves clearly, trim sections, and time shift (time shifting works by dividing the audio signal into small segments and then rearranging them). 

P21 News!

It's been a busy and productive week with the students tackling a variety of engaging activities.

Our primary focus has been on progression testing, and as expected the students handled this challenge with confidence and ease. In writing, we've been exploring traditional fairy tales, identifying common features, and comparing them with alternative versions. This exercise has sparked lively discussions and deepened our understanding of storytelling techniques.

Art has taken an exciting turn as we consider the power of change through creativity. In a unique blend of art and design technology, we're in the early stages of planning and designing a pop-up book. This project aims to deliver a positive message that encourages others to think and act differently. The students began by mastering the box fold technique, the first step in creating their pop-up masterpieces.

Planet Protectors

Planet Protectors held our first assembly of the year on Tuesday. Our goal was to raise awareness about what we had been doing at Pinehurst, why, and our plans for the rest of the year.

The first question we answered was why Planet Protectors is needed. We explained that we leave rubbish in the playground, use plastic wrappers in our lunches, and put recyclable paper in landfill. We explained that we need to protect our planet and look after the environment so that everyone, including animals and humans, can enjoy a happy and healthy place to live for a long time! We linked our actions to climate change.

We created an engaging play to explain the greenhouse effect and climate change. We entertained Years 0-6, and by the end, everyone agreed that we knew a little bit more about why we should work together to make a difference. We admitted that dealing with climate change is a big challenge, that it's all a bit scary and that it can be difficult to know how to help. But we argued that if people across the world are already taking action, then we can too.

In the second half of the assembly, we reported that we have already started taking action at Pinehurst, we have done this by thinking about the rubbish we make and bring to school. We reported back on the rubbish audit from Term 2. We reminded students that we collected all the rubbish, not the items that had already been recycled, from one day and sorted it into food scraps and compostable paper, recyclable paper and cardboard, soft plastics, reusables, landfill, and other recyclables. Six college and six primary students, along with five adults, took two periods to sort just over a third of all the rubbish collected.

The weight of all the landfill rubbish for one day was a staggering 75.1 kg, about the weight of a washing machine. So, we estimated that every week around 375 kg of rubbish is taken to landfill, which is about the same weight as a male African lion or polar bear! The whole of primary agreed we could do better.

The Planet Protectors have already tried some small steps. Last year, we introduced Trash Free Tuesdays and Thursdays, which means no rubbish in your lunchboxes on those days. We’d like to try this again. We also emphasized putting paper in the recycling bins. Most children bring reusable drink bottles, we’d like to keep this up. We explained that if we compost the food scraps instead of throwing them into the general waste, methane would be reduced. So, we have set up a worm farm and are now collecting food for our new pets! The worms do not like all our food scraps, so Year 6 also compost all other food waste. We hope the rest of primary will join in with this soon.

We would like to hear your ideas, so if you have another idea, please contact the Planet Protectors. Let's all work together to make Pinehurst and the world a better place. When we take care of the Earth, we can enjoy its beautiful nature, protect animals, and make sure we have clean air and water for everyone to enjoy today and in the future.

Thank you for reading,

The Pinehurst Planet Protectors

A Snapshot in the Life of P9

P9 students have been working on identifying and using powerful sentence openers and interesting speech verbs, as well as writing exciting story openers. "Screaming at the top of my voice in horror because a hairy tarantula showed its fangs ready to poison me" was Stanford’s warm-up sentence.

In maths, we are learning to interpret and present data using pictograms, enhancing their understanding of how to represent information visually.   “The symbols are a key and tell us how to read the data or show it easily.” Celin told me.
In science, we explored the differences in the properties of solids and liquids, sparking our curiosity about the physical world. Vasco shared that if the particles are really close together, then it is a solid; if they are spread out a little bit, then it is a liquid.
Additionally, we learned about the importance of water conservation and effective ways to save water. Ella suggested that taking shorter showers and turning off the taps when not in use are good ways to conserve water.
It has been a week full of engaging and diverse learning experiences for P9!

Supporting Your Child Through Anxiety and Worry: Presentation for Parents 

Exam season can be stressful for everyone involved. To help support your children during this time, as well as any other times they may feel overwhelmed with worry, we have partnered with Parenting Place to offer a talk titled "Supporting Your Child Through Anxiety and Worry.

Please register by Friday 6 September.

New Zealand Robot Olympiad 2024 Results

We are delighted to share that Winston Penghan Yang achieved remarkable success at the New Zealand Robot Olympiad 2024 hosted at the University of Auckland during the 2nd school break. The NZ Robot Olympiad is a highly esteemed and long-standing competition for school students worldwide. Top-performing students from NZRO will be chosen to represent New Zealand at the upcoming International NZ Robot Olympiad 2024 in Busan, Korea next January.

Achievements:

• Gold medal in Formula Racing
• Silver medal in Cyber Robot
• Bronze medal in Battle Cube
• Technical medal in Line Tracer

Congratulations on this outstanding accomplishment! 

South Auckland Performing Arts Competition

Chantelle C (P17) showcased her exceptional talent at the South Auckland Performing Arts Competition (SAPACS). She mesmerized the audience with her harp performance and clinched the 1st place in three distinct categories:

1. General Instrumental Solo 11yrs and Under - Own Selection
2. General Instrumental Solo 11yrs and Under - Trad or prior 1900
3. General Instrumental Solo 11yrs and Under - Contemporary/after 1900

Her remarkable achievement also led to her being crowned as the Junior General Instrumental Championship Winner. Chantelle's unwavering dedication and love for music shine through in her success, making us immensely proud of her accomplishments.