Message from the Executive Principal

Kia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요 

Despite a short week, it feels like we have still packed in five days of activities.

Yesterday, our Year 3 students enjoyed a trip to MOTAT where they were able to get a hands-on experience of the history of transport. These trips certainly create great memories and the smiles on faces highlight how important they are. With other trips coming up for Primary students in coming weeks, I look forward to hearing about all the great things they do.

While it was a rainy end to the week, there was plenty of colour and personal expression on campus as the students enjoyed a casual day today. While there is certainly fun choosing your own clothes, it is important that we remember the purpose behind these days and the genuine difference we can make to the wider community. With the Christmas Hamper drive just around the corner, I do ask you to give generously to those who have little at Christmas.

This week, I have been involved in the first round of interviews for the College Deputy Principal. The quality of the candidates, both internal and external, has been outstanding and we have been able to interview people from around New Zealand and overseas. The excellent reputation of the school has been a driving factor for the applicants and the final shortlist will be very strong.

While the rain certainly dampened the Coffee Connect morning today, it was still great to see and talk to some of you. One of our goals is to bring people together to build the strength of our community. While many of our events have a student or more serious focus, sometimes it is great to simply chat, share a hot drink, and enjoy each other's company.

As a reminder, it is important that you read the newsletter each week, particularly the dates for upcoming events. With plenty happening over the remainder of the term, it is important that you save the dates, we would hate for you to miss out.

At this time of year, many students are having end-of-year exams or assessments, that can create outsize feelings of pressure and anxiety. If your child needs some support in managing their response to stress, please get in touch, our staff are happy to offer ideas to you and your child.

I trust you all have a great weekend and, of course, go the All Blacks!!

Best wishes,

Mike Waller

如需阅读校长的中文留言和重要事件日期，请点击

Dates for your Diary

Monday 30 October

Year 7-10 Examinations

Tuesday 31 October

Year 7-10 Examinations
North Harbour Badminton Boys Zone Day (selected students)
Primary School Solo and Duo Music Concert

Wednesday 1 November

Year 7-10 Examinations
North Harbour Badminton Girls Zone Day (selected students)
Year 1-2 Athletics Sports Day
Year 3-4 Athletics Sports Day

Thursday 2 November

Year 2 Kelly Tarlton's Trip
Year 7-10 Examinations
Year 5-6 Kiwi Kapers Trip: Orchestra Students

Friday 3 November

Year 7-10 Examinations

SEE MORE DATES

Message from the Principal of Primary

Kia ora,

One of the highlights this week was spending time in P2 with our five-year-olds who were learning Spanish. This is not an easy task especially in front of a number of adults on our New Entrant tours, but I am pleased to say that P2 were magnificent. They spoke and sang a song in Spanish to demonstrate their knowledge of numbers and it was wonderful. Our visitors smiled and everyone felt a little warmer inside for the experience. Well done P2!

These occasions demonstrate just how confident our students are at any age, it is one of the aspects of our school that visitors talk about the most. Students are excited about their learning and can't wait to share. In Year 3 the children were talking about lines, the perpendicular and parallel kind. Again, there was a song, a great way to consolidate learning, and a lot of fun. The enthusiasm was infectious and the learning obvious.

We were hoping to get Year 6 out sailing this week as part of the Waterwise programme, where students learn to sail optimist boats but unfortunately with the fringes of a cyclone in the Pacific it was not to be. We check the weather carefully and won't go out on the water if there is any chance of unsafe conditions, but we are hopeful we will have Year 6 out sailing before the end of the year. Year 3 went to MOTAT and probably got the best weather of the week along with a fabulous day of learning at the museum.

We are currently planning social events for each part of the school with Year 0-2 going to Magic Loft, Year 3-4 going to the movies and Year 5-6 are having a disco. It is important to spend time together playing and celebrating the end of a successful year. We love to help families create memories and we know there are plenty more to come before the end of the year. Next week we are looking forward to Year 0-4 Athletics, Kelly Tarletons for Year 2, and a group of students are off to Kiwi Kapers music concert in the city. On Tuesday afternoon we will no doubt be delighted by the musical performances of our students at the Primary music concert. A busy week ahead.

One more game in the Rugby World Cup to go, it will be tense but fun I am sure, how fantastic to be in the final.

Kia pai tō rā whakata, have a good weekend.

Ngā mihi, Sian

Primary News

Exploring the Universe: Our Adventure at Stardome Observatory

Last Thursday 12 October, Senior Year 1 classes embarked on an exciting journey to the Stardome Observatory to enhance their understanding of Science this term, and what a fantastic experience it was! The children's eyes lit up as they explored the wonders of the universe.

They initiated their adventure in the Space Room, where they conducted a classroom discussion with a captivating PowerPoint presentation on our topic: Space. The children were eager participants, absorbing every piece of space knowledge.

Next, they moved to the Space Gallery, where the children could explore the displays and exhibits. They took part in an optional fact-finding team quiz using Stardome iPads. Teams of 4-6 students had a blast testing their newfound space knowledge.

The true highlight of the day was the visit to the Planetarium. Inside the dome theatre, the children enjoyed a live night sky tour and an enthralling feature show. Their eyes sparkled with wonder as they explored the neighbouring planets and galaxies in space.

As they returned home on the bus, our young astronomers couldn't stop talking about their incredible day. It was an educational adventure that will surely ignite their curiosity about the universe for years to come.

P23 Cherry Blossoms

In P23 in Art we have been exploring using different lines, patterns, and textures to enhance our artworks.

First, we looked at and discussed how other artists have used line in various ways. Then we revised drawing thick, thin, dotted, dashed, parallel, hatched, wavy, bumpy, straight, curled, and zigzagged lines using different media. Next, we researched patterns to decorate our vases.

When we had completed the patterning on our vases, we glued them onto a blue background, and added stems and pink crepe paper blossoms for texture.

Nathaniel said, ‘I liked sticking on the texture!’

Katherine said, ‘I liked to stick on the pink crepe paper to make cherry blossoms!’

Danna said, ‘I liked scrunching the pink crepe paper!’

Marcus said, ‘I liked adding the pink texture onto the stems.’

We are very proud that our artworks have the look of spring, and we hope you like our creative outcomes.

P17 Mathematics

P17 has been focusing on multiplication and measurement in mathematics this week. The maths program is cyclical and we revisit and build on concepts multiple times throughout the year. This week we have been revisiting multiplication and focusing on the most efficient method to use for a variety of equations. If we see a number such as 3999 x 7, we may be better off rounding up to 4000 and multiplying by 7 and then taking away 4. When asked questions such as 9336 / 3, we may be better off using mental math rather than writing an algorithm. We can also think about double and halving as a strategy, for example 24 x 16 cold be changed into 48 x 8, which many will find easier to solve. Using factors to find the product of a calculation can also make calculations easier for us. For example, 14 x 24 could be broken down into 14 x 4 x 6 (as 4 x 6 = 24). Students are encouraged to think about efficiency when choosing methods to solve multiplication problems. In maths strand this week, we have been exploring converting millilitres to litres and litres to pints. We know that there are 100 ml in 1 L so we know when we convert between the two, we move the decimal place 3 spaces. Pints has been a new concept for some of us and we have learnt it is a unit of measure in the U.S. customary system and also in the British Imperial system of measurement. We now know that 1 pint is approximately equal to 0.6 litres.

Music in Year 4-6

Our students have been revisiting musical concepts taught throughout the year through Orff arrangements, exploring a variety of instruments such as flutes, violins, guitars, basses, ukuleles, marimbas, xylophones, and even the playful boomwhackers. Additionally, as we prepare for the festive season, our students are also getting ready to perform at the upcoming Christmas Concert and Prizegiving, where they will showcase their talents.

Students in the Primary Orchestra will be receiving some expert guidance as they connect with members of the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra in two mentoring sessions. And to top it all off, they'll have the incredible opportunity to witness a live performance by the orchestra next Thursday.

Primary STEM

Our focus for STEM continues to be The Moon – So far, we have made and launched rockets, designed, and built safe landers and rovers for transport. Now we are designing the very first Moon Base. In small groups we have had to make detailed plans, considering everything a human would need, not only to survive but to thrive, leading happy, healthy, and productive lives on our closest astro-neighbour.

Some tricky questions to answer- how will we produce renewable energy? Where will we get our water from? Will we be able to grow our own crops on the moon?

We have also investigated the theory of Terraforming, which means Earth-shaping. A concept in which we deliberately modify a planet's atmosphere to become more habitable for Earth life. It has been a fascinating concept to explore!

Right now we are in our planning stage, preparing to build our prototype colonies over the next few weeks.

Exploring M.O.T.A.T - A Magnetizing Adventure

As part of our Year 3 Education Outside of the Classroom Experience, P9 embarked on an educational journey to MOTAT, where science came to life! The trip perfectly complemented this terms topic of forces and magnets that the Year 3’s are learning in Science.

The day was filled with awe-inspiring moments, as our young scientists engaged in a plethora of hands-on exhibits and magnetic experiments. They witnessed the principles of physics coming to life before their very eyes. This immersive experience at MOTAT not only deepened their understanding of science but also left a lasting impact.

Aside from the enriching educational activities, P9 were able to explore all that MOTAT has to offer, including historic displays, interactive exhibits, and a journey through New Zealand's technological history. This added dimension to their learning experience, making it both fun and informative.

Year 1-4 Athletics Day

A quick reminder that next week on Wednesday, we have the Year 1-4 Athletics Day with the Year 3-4 students competing from 9:00am – 12:40pm and the Year 0-2 students competing from 1:30pm – 3:00pm.

All students need to wear their PE gear and suitable sneakers. Students should have their hat and bring a drink bottle to stay hydrated. All Parents are welcome to come down and support the students. The event will be held on the back fields at Pinehurst.

Message from the Principal of College

Kia ora e te whānau

I hope you enjoyed the warmer weather and extra time with your families over Labour Weekend. I certainly had a lovely time with my whānau and tried out an escape room for the first time which was lots of fun.

On Tuesday the College got straight back into our usual busyness as students in Years 7-10 prepared for examinations which take place next week. Students in Years 7, 8 and 10 will need to be organised and ready on Monday, which will require some preparation over the weekend to ensure there is no last-minute rush. Mr Johansen spoke to the students at assembly about the importance of looking after themselves during examination week. We are here to help and support them through the week as they take the opportunity to demonstrate their years’ learning.

Cambridge examinations have continued to run smoothly throughout the week and students are coping very well with organising themselves through the process. A reminder to students that, in the interest of the safety of all of our students, they should not park on the school grounds when they drive themselves to school and they should follow all of the rules of their restricted license.

Service and leadership are always high on our agenda at Pinehurst and this week we have been giving thought to leadership opportunities for 2024. Current Year 12 students who have applied for leadership positions will shortly receive an appointment for interview with a Senior Leader and a House Dean. These will take place once Year 12 students have completed their examinations. Year 7 students had opportunities to demonstrate their leadership skills yesterday afternoon as Ms Peters and Mr Reynolds organised a leadership challenge which you can read about further on in the newsletter.

Pinehurst College service awards give students the opportunity to demonstrate servant leadership and to put the needs of others before their own. Simon Penfold (Year 9) received his platinum service award this week. As part of this, he gave his speech yesterday during assembly. To quote Simon’s speech: The service awards are an invaluable part of mine and many others school journeys. It has helped shape me into the person I currently am and will be in the future. It has helped me make many memorable memories with my friends. And it has helped me become someone who I am proud to be. Well done Simon, you have now joined a group of Year 9 students who have achieved their platinum service awards and we are very proud of you all.

Pinehurst School is currently interviewing for an additional Deputy Principal who will oversee teaching and learning in the College from the start of 2024. Mr Waller, Ms Canfield and I have interviewed some fantastic school leaders from a range of different schools this week and we will be shortlisting for the position early next week.

Non-uniform day today is raising funds for the Saving Hope Foundation whose members visited our assembly earlier in the term. Year 8 students have done a great job of advertising and organising the day. Our students are also supporting our local Clemow’s Orchard by organising the collection of newspapers needed by the orchard for sheet mulching.

I hope you have a lovely weekend. For students taking examinations next week, remember to get some rest, eat healthily, get some outdoor time and come to school prepared and organised on Monday.

Ngā mihi nui

Dawn

College News

Senior Girls Touch Team

The Senior Girls Touch team started off the summer season on Tuesday night. Two games and two wins against Kristin and Albany Junior. Way to start girls! Keep up the practice's and good luck for the rest of the competition.

Outstanding Success in Economics

The University of Auckland’s Economics competition runs annually. This year we had our best performance yet, where seven Pinehurst students were presented with High Distinction awards, meaning that they are among the top 10% of entries nationally. They were presented with their certificates at a special awards ceremony in the city last week. Additionally, Winston H (Year 13) and Amy W (Year 12) were presented with a $200.00 gift voucher for their exceptional performance. Students receiving awards: Courtney (Year 13), Jack (Year 12), Gloria (Year 12), Renalle (Year 12), Lewis (Year 12). Thankyou to all of the students and families who represented the school so impeccably.

“A quick message to pass on, as to what a wonderful evening it was last night at Auckland University, for the NZ Economics Awards Ceremony.
Some really interesting guest speakers, and 7 Pinehurst students, were presented with awards in the competition. Absolutely outstanding, as the competition included over 2,000 entries and from over 60 schools nationwide. Very proud of the awarded Pinehurst students last night!” - Melissa Potier

Year 8 Physical Education – Te ao kori

The Spring weather has allowed PE classes to head back outside and enjoy lessons on the field. The Year 8 students have been learning different Māori games as part of their Tea o kori unit. Most classes have started out with Tapu Ae, a traditional game where each team aims to knock over the other team’s tupu. Tapu Ae is a stepping stone to learning Kī-o-Rahi, a game based on the legend of Rahitutakahina and Tiarakurapakewai and played between a defending 'taniwha' team and an attacking 'kīoma' team. Alongside developing their physical skills to play these games, students have also been learning the reo, stories and strategies behind the games.

Social Science

Our Social Sciences students have been working hard in class to prepare for their upcoming exams. Not only have they been doing their own revision outside of class, but in lessons we have been preparing with a range of activities. This Year 7 Social Studies class particularly enjoyed testing one another with flashcards to help with revise content learnt at the start of the year. Year 10 History are utilising a class PowerPoint they created as a team in an earlier unit to help them to revise.

Senior Spanish

As the academic year draws to a close, I find myself feeling so proud of my Spanish Senior linguists. It has been a busy and challenging year, but their dedication and hard work in improving their language skills was impressive.

The AS students have happily completed their Spanish exams this week. What lies ahead for the IGCSE students is the Writing and Listening examinations, and I have no doubt that they will continue to work hard to finish off their academic year on a high note.

I am incredibly proud of these students for their incredible effort, for their willingness to embrace the complexities of a foreign language, and for their courage in stepping out of their comfort zones. They have not only improved their language skills but have also gained valuable insights into the culture. The Argentinian exchange students helped us with that!

To my fantastic AS and IGCSE Spanish students, I say ¡Bravo! and keep up the fantastic work. Thank you for your commitment, your enthusiasm, and of course, the laughs!

¡Buena suerte!

Otago problem solving challenge

Last Thursday a group of students took part in the Otago problem solving challenge. 18 students made the finals from over 21,000 students that originally entered.

The results have now been published and two of our Year 7's have received a distinction award coming 5^th (Doris Xiao) and 6^th (Bosco Jin) out of the participating schools in New Zealand. This quite an achievement!

A Level Music Submissions sent to Cambridge, England

Year 12 and13 Music students had their performance videos sent off to England last week to be marked and moderated there.

Our very successful class of Yu Zhang Wu, (piano) Bella Tan (harp), Thomas Graham (Blues Guitar), Jack Ni (Electric Guitar) and Reynold Yang had their extensive repertoire and skills uploaded and sent to England and account for 25% of their marks (The rest being composition and the Listening exam held later this year).

Head of Music – Hadley Ronayne says - "The exceptional talent of our Pinehurst A Level students this year is plain to see for all. It was also great to have such a variety of genres – Classical, Blues even rock Music."

Well done and good luck to all our Year 12 and13 Music students!

Leadership Challenge

Yesterday, our awesome Year 7 students had a blast during a leadership challenge led by our Year 8 Leaders. It was a chance for both Year 7 and 8 students to boost their teamwork and communication skills.

Together, they cracked puzzles and conquered challenges like pros. Not only did it bring Year 7 and 8 students closer, but it also taught our Year 7's what being a good leader is all about. Great job, everyone!

North Harbour Touch Zone Day

On Tuesday, the Year 7-8 Pinehurst Touch Zone Day team competed in the North Harbour Touch Zone Day which was held at Sunnynook Park. The team competed in the Mixed Grade which saw them compete against 7 other Schools from across North Harbour. The team’s first pool game was against Glenfield and was a very close encounter. The team just lost, scoring 2 tries to Glenfield’s 3. The last pool games was against two of the top teams in the competition, Northcross Intermediate & Birkdale. Unfortunately, the team lost both games however they went from strength to strength throughout the day and every player developed their skillset as the day went on. It was awesome to see the team’s improvement and sportsmanship across the entire tournament. A huge thank you to super Coach; Mr Johansen. We are very grateful for the time and passion that you have devoted to this team. A huge thank you also to Mrs Roodt who managed the team on the day, we could not have done it without you.

Community News and Events

Pinehurst Christmas Hampers

It is traditional for Pinehurst to present Christmas Hampers to those in need.

This year we have chosen to donate to residents of some of our local aged care centres. These Care Centres are homes to the elderly as they move through their most vulnerable stage of life. Only some of the residents will have regular family visits, and some may not be able to leave the care facility, so we’d love to help as many of the residents enjoy Christmas this year.

We would appreciate contributions such as edible Christmas treats, vouchers for local supermarkets/shopping centres, as well as personal gifts of toiletry items (e.g. soaps, hand wash, diffusers, hand/body creams, aromatherapy…).

Your contributions may be given to your child’s homeroom teacher from Monday 30 October onwards. We will take your generous contributions and make them up into beautiful hampers to present at our Pinehurst Christmas Concert. This will be held on Thursday 7 December and parents are warmly invited to attend this traditional Pinehurst event, so book it into your diary!

Pinehurst Christmas Hamper Helpers Needed!

Once we have all our lovely, donated gifts we will need some Parent Christmas Helpers to generously donate some of their time to wrap these into amazing hampers. We will provide all the necessary materials to make these beautiful but will need your help to put them together. These will be presented to the various Aged Care facilities at our special Christmas Concert at the end of the term.

Our Christmas wrapping day will be held on Thursday 23 November, in the Dance Studio and we would require help for a few hours to get everything together.

Your help would be greatly appreciated, and this will kick-start the Pinehurst Christmas festivities. If you can help with this, please email sylvia.lum@pinehurst.school.nz

Air Cadets

Henry’s air cadets skills team came second overall at the nationals, and won the trophy for first in drill. They won other categories too, including shooting and aviation knowledge. It was an awesome experience as they stayed on base, ate at the mess, and met lots of other cadets and Air Force personnel. Their female warrant officer (age 17) was the overall winner of the shooting competition.

Mountain Biking Competition

Sloan and Elizabeth both completed the 25km mountain bike ride at the Whaka100 MTB Event in Rotorua this Labour Weekend, a huge achievement!

Service in the Community - Kai Rākau Project

Savannah Carter-Green leads the Kai Rākau Project which is a community based project responsible for preserving the local heritage of fruit trees across the North Shore area – in particular Clemow’s Orchard just across the Alexandra stream from Pinehurst School. These fruit trees have stood the test of time and will thrive in our specific conditions if we look after them. Savannah was unable to present at our Year 8 – 10 College Assembly this week so she created a video explaining the history of fruit trees in Albany and how the Kai Rākau community project aims to preserve the fruit trees of Clemow’s Orchard.

Our student led Volunteer Club are looking to be involved in this community project in 2024.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HwlLEXqWnY&feature=youtu.be

New Zealand 72nd Open DanceSport Championships

2023 New Zealand 72nd Open DanceSport Championships was held in Wellington on 22-23 October. This year, 12 year old Isabella Z challenged 8 event competitions in the Latin and new vogue categories of youth and adult. After many rounds of selection competitions, she won the first place in Youth B Grade Latin and the first place in Adult B Grade Latin.

She will continue to work hard and get ready for the upcoming international competitions hold in Melbourne and Singapore in December.

Congratulations Isabella!

Notices and Events

Want to learn new skills, get outdoors, and have fun? The skills you learn in athletics are the perfect foundation for almost any sport.
Every student can give athletics a go. Our local athletics clubs are welcoming new members now and we encourage students to get involved and get active.

Contact details for all athletics clubs nationwide are available here athletics.org.nz/clubs/find-a-club/ and become a member.

The Motueka Steiner community warmly welcomes you to its school campus, transformed into a delightfully fun Spring Fair for children of all ages and children-at-heart.

You will be mesmerised as you journey through fairyland, conquer the medieval challenge, watch a puppet show, and experience performances by talented locals. You will enjoy taking home beautiful handicraft and felt toys, winning amazing silent-auction items, and savouring delicious international foods, freshly made pizzas, hot hand-cut chips, tantalising homemade baking, and extra tasty ice creams. Of course, we'll have plenty of freshly-made coffee and cold drinks, too.

You will want to stock up at the market stalls, including secondhand books and clothing, plants ready for your garden, and fresh produce and eco products. Little ones will enjoy playing old-fashioned games, making gorgeous crafts to take home, dipping candles, having their face painted, watching a puppet show, visiting the Fairy Queen, hunting for treasures, winning prizes, and so much more. Join us for a day of non-stop magic and fun!

Parking is free, and we encourage carpooling and cycling to the event. Entry is by gold-coin koha. We appreciate your help in striving for a low-waste event, so let’s all do our part!

Search for "Motueka Steiner School Spring Fair 2023" on Facebook for regular fair updates, or visit via this link - click here. Please, pack your reusable shopping bags and visit us in Lower Moutere with your family and friends for a day of fun at our Spring Fair. We look forward to seeing you there!

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