No images? Click here Friday 29 November Message from the Executive PrincipalKia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요 With summer break just around the corner, there is real anticipation for the end of school, but there was also lots of excitement this week, as students were involved in so many activities, from the stage to tramping in Abel Tasman. We are busy until the very end! Last night, I attended the Auckland College Sports Awards and was very happy to see Jack Ji (Badminton) and Nicole Choi (Golf), win the awards for their respective sports. Nicole was then named as a finalist for the overall sportswoman award and won! She was immensely proud of the award and humbled knowing her name was on the trophy alongside Lydia Ko. Earlier in the week, we received the great news that Jack Potier was the winner of the North Harbour Junior Sportsman of the Year award. Our sports programme is undoubtedly on the rise, and we look forward to further success in 2025. On Tuesday, we were delighted by our Year 0-2 classes as they performed on stage in their musical showcase. The smiles on the children’s faces really tell the story of what a great event it was, and I know that all the parents were very proud of their young actors. My thanks to all the staff involved. Bringing a show together with so many young students is a big task, and they did it so well. Elvies Hu, in Year 9, was named the winner of the Barfoot and Thompson Young Authors Challenge for his work Liam’s Creation. With more than 900 entries, Elvies has done incredibly well, showing great creativity. I know he has a great passion for writing, and I am sure we will have plenty of great stories to read from him. At the end of the year, we naturally say farewell to a number of staff members who will be leaving us. For some, there are new opportunities within education; for others, there is relocation, a chance to return to study, and, importantly, to have time with family. We also wish the best to three of our staff who are stepping into a very well-earned retirement. Those leaving will be missed by the community, but they will always be part of our Pinehurst family. The staff that will be leaving are: Delwyn Kruyff - Primary Syndicate Leader Those departures also represent an opportunity for new staff who are excited to join our school. I am pleased with the appointments we have made and confident that they will all make a positive contribution. I look forward to introducing them all to you early in 2025. With the summer break now just around the corner, there is the potential for a very nervous wait for results for some senior students. While some nerves are natural and manageable, they can present greater challenges for some people. If your child needs any support in managing their emotions ahead of results days in January, please do reach out. Next week promises an excellent end to the school year with four prizegiving ceremonies, two concerts, and a picnic. I hope to celebrate with you at these events. Have a great weekend. Best wishes, Dates for your DiaryMonday 2 December
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Message from the Principal of PrimaryKia ora, The week started with a farewell of sorts as we gathered to celebrate our Year 6 students and reflect on their time with us in the Primary. It is wonderful to see the photos of them as New Entrants and to see how much they have grown and the friendships they have made along the way. They will take with them so many memories and hopefully a love of learning that will last them a lifetime. Our students are ready to move on to the next stage of their education, excited, maybe a little apprehensive to enter unfamiliar territory, but well prepared to take on the challenges that the next stage of their lives will bring. They spent Thursday morning in the College, meeting new teachers and students coming from other schools and using their new laptops for learning. They are once again the new entrants of the College and seemed so small, but they will quickly find their feet and be off exploring different opportunities. On Wednesday we gathered with Year 6 at the bowling alley for some fun and a chance to let their hair down. As a staff we reflected on what a great group of students they are, fun, polite, awesome human beings. We wish them all the best and know that they will continue to be a fantastic year group as they go to College. Another of the highlights this week was the New to 2 showcase which was based on the theme of fairy tales. Each class took a tale and recreated it through song, dance, and drama, and it was truly wonderful. The students performed two shows brilliantly, the second had a lot more freestyling by students as they took confidence from their first performance and any nervousness they had was truly gone. The greatest thing about it was how confident they were to be on the stage in front of mums, dads, and families. There were smiles, waves and shrieks of delight from the stage and the audience. Well done to New to 2 students and staff, it was an unforgettably fantastic show! We have our Year 3-4 and 5-6 academic prizegivings next week and we are looking forward to celebrating success. The picnic is on Wednesday and is always a huge highlight and a chance to get together as a community, we can’t wait to see you there. Thursday is the final day of the year for students and the Christmas celebration at 11am in the Gym. Our Year 6 teachers have planned a Christmas extravaganza that is not to be missed so put on your Christmas hat and join us for some festive fun. We will keep working until the end of term so there is still lots to focus on next week as we finish the year strong and reflect on what we have achieved in 2024. Have a great weekend and take care. Ngā mihi, Primary NewsYear 6 Adventure at Birkenhead Leisure CentreAs the school year comes to an end, our Year 6 students enjoyed an action-packed day at Birkenhead Leisure Centre—a perfect opportunity to bond and create lasting memories. The day was filled with energy and excitement as students teamed up to take on the thrilling challenges of the Amazing Race. Racing against the clock, they navigated tricky tasks that tested their problem-solving, teamwork, and determination. From hitting the bullseye in Archery to solving puzzles by finding missing letters on the rock climbing walls, each activity brought its own unique twist. One of the highlights was the chariot-building challenge, where teams worked with minimal materials to create a sturdy chariot capable of carrying a teammate to victory. Their creativity and collaboration were interesting, and impressive! With fantastic weather and high energy all around, the students demonstrated incredible effort, teamwork, and resilience throughout the day. Reading In P5Open a book We love reading poems and stories in P5, New Entrant Room! Primary PrEP Market DayMs Coxon officially opened the 2024 PrEP (Primary Enterprise Programme) market, ready for trading, to eagerly awaiting groups of shopkeepers and buyers. The school market event was a delightful showcase of creativity and entrepreneurship. The New Entrant to Year Six classes transformed the gymnasium into a vibrant marketplace. Our theme for our PrEP unit this year was ‘Upcycling’. Each class displayed an array of handcrafted products which were a testament to their imagination and ability to use recycled goods. The tables were adorned with an eclectic mix of items, ranging from colourful handmade Xmas decorations to hand crafted mushrooms and bird seed feeders. The event not only provided a platform for the students to showcase their talents but considered the economic principles such as profit and loss, market appeal, salary, and price adjustment. In keeping with our theme of sustainability even our currency is recyclable, as we use coloured stones to represent different values. We had many satisfied shoppers and stallholders on the day as classes made their back to their rooms to count the days takings. Hopefully once salaries had been paid stallholders could show a profit. We look forward to doing it all again in 2025. Year 6 GraduationThis week, our Year 6 students celebrated their graduation with a special assembly, marking the end of their primary school journey. A large audience of proud parents watched as their children reminisced about their memorable experiences. They shared stories of scary camp adventures, challenging moments at Waterwise, getting hit by the boom, and their favorite lunchtime activities. The students showcased their musical talents by strumming their ukuleles and singing "The Best Day of My Life." They also performed a unique rendition of "Demons" by Imagine Dragons, aptly renamed "Year 7 Come." Each student received a graduation certificate from Ms. Coxon and Mrs. Jones-Hill. The Year 6 homeroom teachers wrote a heartfelt poem to bid farewell to this year's cohort, wishing them well as they transition to junior college. The assembly concluded with a touching finale from this year's Finding Nemo production, where Nemo says goodbye to his dad and ventures into the big blue world, much like our Year 6 students are about to embark on their new journey. P12 Nga Manu in AotearoaWe began our lesson discussing the unique wildlife found in New Zealand, particularly its native birds. We talked about characteristics and habitats of some of our native manu (birds). We then carefully selected and used a variety of coloured pencils to explore different shading techniques (e.g., blending, layering, cross-hatching). Some of us observed carefully and accurately to represent the features of New Zealand birds (e.g., proportions, shapes, beaks, feathers). We then used a range of colours to create a realistic or imaginative representation of the bird’s feathers. Next, we used a block letter template to draw the Māori name of their chosen bird in the background of the art piece. At last, we integrated text and imagery in an artwork to create a cohesive design. Year 5-6 Social Event 2024: A Night to Remember!On the evening of Thursday 22 November, our Year 5-6 students gathered for a fantastic social event that will be a great memory for years to come! The event was a perfect mix of fun, games, and relaxation, offering something for everyone. The outdoor area was buzzing with excitement as students enjoyed a variety of activities, including classic games like croquet and target practice. For those looking to take it easy, the chill zone provided a cozy spot to unwind and chat with friends. Inside, the disco got everyone on their feet, dancing to the latest hits, while the photo booth captured some hilarious and memorable moments (see below!). The highlight of the evening, without a doubt, was when the much-anticipated pizza arrived! The delicious spread hot pizza was a big hit, and students eagerly gathered around to enjoy a slice (or several!). It was truly wonderful to see our Year 5-6 students relaxing, enjoying themselves and having a great time. The social event was a huge success, and everyone left with big smiles and great memories. A big thank you to all who helped organize this fantastic event—here’s to many more to come! Spanish in Years 1–3Our Year 1 students have been learning about farm animals in Spanish! They had a great time singing a fun song about the animals, which helped them practice their new vocabulary. The students have also been enjoying games that reinforce what they have learned, and the animal masks have become an all-time favourite! Year 2 students explored the topic of food in Spanish, with a special focus on fruits. They discussed their eating habits, food preferences, and what makes up a healthy diet. The students are now confident in naming various fruits and distinguishing between singular (el / la) and plural (los / las) nouns used for food items. This term, Year 3 students learned to talk about their families in Spanish. They can now form full sentences to introduce their family members’ names and ages, using third-person sentence structures. It is wonderful to see them apply their existing knowledge of Spanish to build new skills and extend their understanding. Well done to all our Spanish learners for their amazing efforts this term! We wish all our families a “Feliz Navidad y un prospero año nuevo”. Once Upon a Time...This week, our Year 0-2 students captivated their families and friends with a truly magical showcase that brought classic fairytales to life. Each class put their own unique spin on a beloved fairytale, creating a memorable event for all and celebrating all of the learning that has taken place this year. A standout moment was witnessing every child, from our youngest Year 0 students to our Year 2s, on stage, performing with confidence in front of a fully packed audience. The dedication and hard work they had invested in preparing for this event were evident in every scene, showcasing their commitment and enthusiasm. We are incredibly proud of our students for their efforts and the joy they shared with the audience. The Year 0-2 Showcase was a beautiful celebration of storytelling and teamwork. A heartfelt thank you to all the families and teachers who supported our students and helped make our showcase a success! Year 3 Hato Hone St John visitThis week, our Year 3 students participated in the Hato Hone St John in Schools programme, where they learned essential skills to respond to emergencies. The module covered how to check for dangers around a patient, assess their response, and practise placing unresponsive patients in the recovery position. Students also learned how to treat severe bleeding by applying bandages to their buddies. Hato Hone St John introduced the Five Finger Rule for emergencies: 1) Keep yourself safe, 2) Look at the injured person, 3) Check if they are breathing, 4) Move to their safe side, and 5) Call 111. The students practised dialling 111 and learned the importance of knowing their full address, including their suburb, to assist emergency services. It was a hands-on, educational experience, and the students were encouraged to share these life-saving skills with their families at home. Midbays AthleticsA team of 25 students competed in the Midbays Super Cluster yesterday. It was a scorching day, and students competed well against some fierce competition. We had some amazing individual results. Congratulations to all the students that placed in the top three as listed below: Year 4 Girls: Ruby Pan - 1st Place Shotput Year 4 Boys: Carlo Sutton - 2nd Place Discus Year 5 Girls: Annie Li - 1st Equal High jump Year 6 Girls: April Wu - 2nd Equal High jump Year 6 Boys: Jason Chow - 1st Place Long Jump Road Patrol TrainingThe busyness of Bush Road was treated to a training session on the zebra crossing this week. Our year 5 and year 9 students who volunteered to be part of the Travelwise Road Patrol team next year met with School Community Officer Louise Nicholas to learn the ropes. “Signs out”, “check”, “clear”, “CROSS NOW” rang out across the road as each student took a turn to test out their new. A Road Patrol controlled crossing provides children with a safe place to cross the road. They're installed around schools so school patrols can control traffic and safely guide children across the street. Our controlled crossing operates when our school team of 4 patrollers (1 adult, 1 Year 10 student and 2 Year 6 students) and two fluorescent orange crossing point flag signs (one on each side of the road) are present. The school patrol operates before and after school. When the school patrol displays their STOP signs, traffic must stop. This helps keep our children and families safe when they're going to and from school. When there's no school patrol and no crossing signs, the crossing point is just like any other section of road. A big thank you to Mrs Kelly Clark who has run Travelwise for the last few years, keeping them all in line and nurturing responsible and reliable road patrollers. We would like to take a moment to thank Terry Shepherd, the legend, for his commitment to the Road Patrol team over the many years we have been running it. From next year, Terry will be stepping back from the road patrol team. The iconic voice ringing out across Bush Road will never be forgotten and he has left some very large shoes to fill. “SIGNS IN” Terry, thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Message from the Principal of CollegeTēnā koutou katoa We had a great start to the penultimate week of Term 4. Year 7 and 8 students celebrated the 2024 school year by attending their formal event at Soljans Estate on Monday evening. Mr Reynolds, Ms Rakete, Ms Jackson and Homeroom teachers enjoyed the evening of celebration with the students. It was very exciting to welcome students who will be new to the College in 2025 for a visit yesterday. The ‘hard transitions’ that students go through during their schooling can be difficult to navigate and so it is important for us as a school to ensure that we provide as much support to families as possible during these times. There was lots of excited chatter during the morning and students were able to sample some typical Pinehurst College lessons. We are looking forward to welcoming our new members of the Pinehurst community next year. On Tuesday of this week, a group of twelve students and Ms Ridler flew out of Auckland to complete an expedition as part of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. The group flew to Nelson and are spending four nights at different campsites in the Abel Tasman National Park. The attainment of the Gold award demonstrates strength, determination, leadership skills and high levels of resilience. It is very impressive to see so many of our students working towards the achievement of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award; we are very proud of them and thankful to Ms Ridler for the wonderful work she does in this area. The group will return to Auckland on Saturday evening, bringing wonderful memories and unforgettable experiences with them. Every year at the end of Term 4, the Social Sciences and Commerce departments organise educational visits outside of school for Year 9 students. On Thursday and Friday of this week different House groups in Year 9 visited the museum with their Social Sciences teachers on one day and the Chelsea Sugar Factory with their Commerce teachers on the other day. For Year 8, the Technology challenge this morning was a fun, challenging and interesting way for students to end the week. Next week we have normal school days on Monday and Tuesday, Prizegivings on Wednesday followed by the Christmas picnic, and the much-anticipated Christmas Concert on Thursday afternoon. Students finish school for the year on Thursday and can begin their well-earned break. I hope you have a lovely weekend. Ngā mihi nui, College NewsMiddle School Ethics OlympiadMy name is Yan Tong and a couple of weeks ago, along with nine other students, we faced a range of unique challenges competing in the Middle School Ethics Olympiad against schools all across the north island. We spent the entire day, led by Mr. Johansen, thinking about and discussing ethical issues and pushing our critical thinking and reasoning to our utmost. It was an enjoyable yet challenging event that pushed us to investigate complex moral issues while using various ethical theories to support our discussions and decisions. We looked at utilitarianism, which prioritizes actions based on their effects to achieve the greatest good for the largest number of people and many more theories. The biggest challenge about this was how there was never an obvious solution which required a lot of thinking, collaboration and communication skills. Each theory provided new views, prompting us to think more deeply about the "right" decisions in complex situations. From cases like if 80-year-olds should still have the right to have children to cases like if kids don’t need both a mother and father to live a good life and critical thinking cases like if teachers should be replaced with robots. We confronted many scenarios involving personal responsibility, environmental problems, and fairness, each of which challenged us to think, rethink, and discuss strongly with our teammates. The Ethics Olympiad is a must-attend for anyone in the younger year groups who wants to improve their thinking skills, develop strong moral reasoning, and learn about the fascinating subject of ethics. It not only improves your analytical skills, but it also allows you to think about how your actions affect others & the environment. If you enjoy answering tough questions, this is the event for you. Year 7 Spanish Cultural ProjectOur Year 7 students have been working hard this week to create vibrant Ojos de Dios (God's Eyes) with yarn. These traditional Huichol symbols represent protection and the ability to see and understand unseen things. The Huichol, or Wixárika, are an indigenous people from Mexico, known for their rich cultural heritage, including yarn creations. Through the project, students put their research and artistic skills into practice, delving into Huichol and Hispanic traditions. Their teamwork and creativity shone brightly, broadening their cultural knowledge and fostering a deeper appreciation for Hispanic culture and art. Ka pai tō mahi, Year 7! Year 12 Great Barrier CampA large group of Year 12 students took part in our annual camp, sailing across the Hauraki Gulf to Great Barrier island with the NZ Sailing Trust last week. We experienced four seasons in the five days, covering loads of nautical miles, with visits to Tiritri Matangi, Kawau & Great Barrier island and were lucky to see dolphins and whales. Over the course of the week, all students were taught a range of sailing, navigation, and maintenance skills, along with food preparation and cooking, culminating in the students being responsible for sailing each yacht back to the Auckland Viaduct. Our staff and the NZ Sailing crew were super impressed with our Year 12 students. They were keen to learn, actively engaged and a pleasure to be around for the duration of the week. For those students intending on leaving this year, it was a fitting way to end their time at Pinehurst. For the majority of students returning in 2025, we are looking forward to their contributions in their final year at Pinehurst next year. Barefoot & Thompson Writing WinnerElvies H in Year 9 was presented with his prize for first place in the recent Barfoot and Thompson Young Author's Challenge. Elvies won a personal cheque for $500 and $250 worth of book vouchers, along with $2,000 in money and vouchers for Pinehurst. Please feel free to visit the Barefoot & Thompson website to read Elvies’s work. Congratulations Elvies. https://www.barfoot.co.nz/about-us/supporting-our-community/young-authors-challenge/2024-winners Creative Writing ClubLiving Dead by Ryan Muganda The world weeps and humanity knows it not. I silently sit, lonely on the mountain peak. All are blinded, reality far removed. A cry is heard, bidding all to wake, Year 10 Sports Leadership AwardAs part of their continued efforts to work towards achieving their Level 2 Qualification in Community Sports Leadership, Year 10 students have had the opportunity to apply what they have learnt and lead some of our younger primary students. This week, two Year 10 classes planned and delivered their fun sports sessions which were well received by the Year 3s. Mr Conn and Miss Murray were exceptionally impressed with how our senior students worked collaboratively to deliver their sessions and it was amazing to see their planning come to fruition Year 10 Geography trip to OrewaThe Year 10 Geography students carried out a field trip to Orewa last Monday. They got to practice a range of data collection techniques to help them prepare for the alternative to coursework paper they will take in Year 11. Half of the day was spent on the beach measuring beach profiles, looking at the long shore drift and assessing the quality of different coastal defences. After lunch they took to the town centre to explore the human environment. The complete questionaires, carried out pedestrian and traffic counts and finally graded the environmental quality in different areas. The data was used back in class to produce graphs and analyse findings. Overall, it was a great day out, experiencing geography in the real world, with follow up work that better prepares them for their GCSE papers next year. Year 8 Drama PerformancesThis week the Year 8 drama classes have finished off their first year of drama with outdoor performances of scenes from Commedia Dell'Arte. Commedia is a centuries old Italian theatre form that began as improvisation and later inspired pantomime, jesters and clowns, Shakespeare, mime, Charlie Chaplin and silent film, and modern sitcoms and skit shows like "Saturday Night Live". With moving finally into summer and the warming weather, this was a perfect way to end the unit; especially since traditionally, Commedia Dell'Arte was performed outdoors! The students did a phenomenal job at tackling the specific stock characters like Pantalone and Arlecchino and took on the prescribed physicality and specific voices amazingly. Welcome to the College!We are thrilled to share the exciting events that took place yesterday as we welcomed new and existing students and facilitated smooth transitions for our future Year 7 and Year 9 students into the College. Our Transition Days were a great success, providing Year 6 students moving into Year 7 and Year 8 students advancing to Year 9 with a wonderful opportunity to familiarise themselves with their new surroundings. These days are designed to ease the transition by allowing students to experience a day in the life of their future year group, meet their new teachers, and make new friends. We were delighted to welcome our new students to our school community. These students had the chance to meet their peers and key staff, helping them feel at home from day one. Our goal is to ensure every new student feels supported and excited about joining our school. During both Transition mornings, students attended a presentation about our school values, curriculum, and the wide range of extracurricular activities, service projects, and leadership opportunities available. This session aimed to inspire students to engage fully with all aspects of school life and to understand the importance of our core values – Respect for self, Respect for others, and Excellence. To give students a glimpse of what lies ahead, they participated in sample College classes. This experience allowed them to explore different subjects and get a feel for the diverse learning opportunities that await them. It was a fantastic way to spark curiosity and excitement about their future studies. We are proud of how our students and staff have embraced these transition activities, ensuring a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. We look forward to seeing our students thrive in their new year groups and continue to grow within our school community. A Memorable End to an Amazing Year: The Formal Dinner at Soljian’sLast Monday evening, our students came together to celebrate the end of an incredible year with a formal dinner at Soljian’s, and what a night it was! Dressed to impress and full of excitement, the students made the evening one to remember. The dinner was a perfect blend of style and fun. Students represented themselves brilliantly, enjoying the chance to unwind and share laughs with their peers. Whether it was the friendly competition at the pétanque station or showing off their moves on the dance floor, the atmosphere was one of pure celebration. Photos from the evening will soon be available to download. Parents will receive an email with instructions on how to access the gallery—don’t miss the chance to see some fantastic snapshots of the night! A special thank-you to everyone who helped bring the event to life, including the staff at Soljian’s and our amazing teachers. It was fitting farewell to a remarkable year! Year 7-8 Beach Volleyball Zone DayThis week a select group of Year 7 and 8 students represented Pinehurst at the North Harbour Beach Volleyball zone day. The sun was shining, music playing and lots of students from the North Shore, were having a great time testing out their volleyball skills on the sandy courts. Both the girls and the boys had a great day learning lots of new volleyball skills, how to communicate as a team and how to play together as a cohesive group. Thanks goes out to our Year 11 coaches Tristan, Guy and Alistair for volunteering their time to coach the teams. Auckland AAIMS Interzone Athletics ChampionshipsYesterday, Elizabeth D (Year 7) and our Year 7 Boys Relay Team—John X, Edward N, Matthew B, and Noah R—competed at the Auckland AAIMS Interzone Athletics Championships after qualifying at the North Harbour Athletics Zone Day. The event, held at Mount Smart Stadium, included the top athletes from across the Auckland region. Elizabeth, who qualified for the Discus event, threw an impressive 19.34m, securing 9th place out of 24 Year 7 girls. Meanwhile, the relay team placed 4th in the heats, securing a spot in the finals. Noah, who qualified for the 100m, 200m, 800m, and Year 7 Boys Long Jump had an outstanding performance, jumping 4.75m claiming second place in the Long Jump, and also advanced to the finals for both the 200m and 800m races. These students showed exceptional determination in each event. Qualifying for the Auckland Championships is a tremendous achievement, and these students represented not only Pinehurst but also the North Harbour region with pride. Well done to all our athletes for their hard work and determination! Year 9 Social Science TripYear 9 students went on a Social Science trip where they were fortunate to experience real artefacts at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. As part of the experience, they read about and touched real artefacts from World War II. These include items such as helmets, puzzles, and first aid pieces. This followed on from their Unit on New Zealand History. The second part of the trip included a visit to the Symonds Street Cemetary. This cemetery dates back to the first settlers that arrived in New Zealand. It includes burial sites for New Zealand historical figures such as William Hobson. Volunteers including Lynda and David were very knowledgeable and were able to share some interesting stories about those that are remembered there. Technology Challenge Year 8Today marked the inaugural Year 8 Technology Challenge. The top achievers, Felix L, Lucas L, and Jaden H, secured victory with a score of 9.9m after reaching 11.1m in the qualifying round. The runners-up from Year 8 were Milton, Xavier, and Zac with a distance of 9.3m. Despite having the longest shot at 11.3m, it was invalidated due to rule infringement. Registration is now open for our co-curricular music groups for 2025We offer a wide range of co-curricular music groups that students have the opportunity to take part in. Our music groups are run by Pinehurst teaching staff or by instrumental specialists, all with an impressive range of experience and knowledge, who work to ensure our students get the most out of these musical opportunities. Our groups meet at various times, such as lunchtime and after school, during the school term. More information, including a list of groups on offer, can be found on the Music page on our website. Register now via our website or via Schoolbridge (under Extra-Curricular). Registrations are now open for 2025 Instrumental Lessons at Pinehurst School!Each week we have specialist instrumental and voice teachers come onto campus to share their wealth of knowledge, experience and passion and give one on one music lessons to students. Lessons are open to all students in both Primary and College, from beginners to the more experienced. These lessons also provide a robust foundation for students involved in our College Orchestra and Jazz Band. All students need to register for 2025, including those who have previously taken music lessons at school, even if they have let their teacher know they are continuing with lessons. If you'd like to learn a Brass instrument, we offer a Brass Scholarship programme to help support and develop our Brass players. All information, including a list of music lessons on offer, the link to the music lesson registration form and to the brass bursary application form, can be found on our website. Please email Mrs Jaques if you have any questions cynthia.jaques@pinehurst.school.nz. Register now via our website or via Schoolbridge (under Extra-Curricular). Lessons start in Week 2, 3 February 2025. Community News and EventsPinehurst Uniform Shop Holiday Open Hours 2025The uniform shop will be closed from Friday 6 December 2024. Please refer to the open dates and times for the upcoming school holidays below. Week 1: Monday 13 - Friday 17 January Week 2: Monday 20, Tuesday 21, Thursday 23, and Friday 24 January Hours: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM For anything urgent outside of these hours, please Contact Anna Xu 09 414 0960 ext 629 or anna.xu@pinehurst.school.nz. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I look forward to seeing you in 2025! A Musical Triumph: Students Perform at Carnegie HallWe are thrilled to share the incredible achievement of two of our talented students, Serna Y and Olivia F who recently had the honour of performing at the iconic Carnegie Hall in New York City. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came after their outstanding success at the Pacific Rim International Music Festival, where they placed in the top three for their respective piano performance. Reflecting on the experience, the students shared how amazing it was to play on such a prestigious stage. We are incredibly proud of their achievement. Congratulations to Serena and Olivia—your success is music to our ears! Grace in Motion: Celebrating Serena's Ballet AchievementsWe are delighted to celebrate the remarkable successes of Serena Y, whose dedication and talent in ballet have earned her an impressive series of accolades this year. Serena’s accomplishments include acceptance into the prestigious Alberta Ballet School's Summer Intensive in Canada, a program renowned for nurturing exceptional dancers. She has also retained her place as a National Scholar at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington, an honour reserved for the most promising young dancers in the country. Adding to her achievements, Serena has been accepted into the Australian Ballet School’s International Intensive Training Program in Melbourne, where she will refine her skills alongside some of the finest dancers in the region. Serena’s hard work and artistry were further recognised in her recent Royal Academy of Dance exam results, where she earned a high distinction, achieving full marks in three categories—a rare and outstanding accomplishment. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and look forward to seeing her continue to excel on her ballet journey. Congratulations, Serena. Kathleen's Piano Competition SuccessYear 11 student Kathleen F has made a remarkable mark in the world of music with her outstanding achievements in various piano competitions throughout 2024. At the SAPACS Piano Competition, Kathleen clinched the top spot in both Sonata Class 138 and Baroque Class 141. Notably, she excelled by earning the highest points in the Baroque category among Senior age groups, showcasing her exceptional talent and dedication to her craft. In addition to her success at SAPACS, Kathleen also shone at the NSPAS Piano Competitions where she secured second place in categories such as Pianoforte Intermediate Scholarship and Solo Reading at Sight. These accolades further highlight Kathleen's musical prowess and versatility on the piano keys. Kathleen Fu's impressive performances demonstrate not only her technical skill but also her passion for music, making her a rising star to watch in the world of classical music. Celebrating Lucy’s Science Achievement!We are thrilled to announce that Lucy has been awarded the prestigious Platinum Badge by The Science Award Trust for her outstanding accomplishment of completing 32 out of 33 science badges this year. Her dedication and hard work have also earned her a place on the Honours Board of The Science Award Trust this November. This remarkable achievement reflects not only Lucy’s passion for science but also highlights the incredible talent and determination within our Pinehurst community. Congratulations, Lucy, on this well-deserved recognition! Notices and EventsBrain Play Holiday ProgrammesBrain Play is thrilled to offer an incredible lineup of upcoming holiday programmes designed to ignite the curiosity and creativity of Kiwi kids aged 5 to 13. Join us all over Auckland for Minecraft adventures, STEM workshops, animation, coding, robots and more! We offer a wide range of full day holiday programmes and free workshops! Book your child's spot today at https://www.brainplay.co.nz and unlock their limitless potential. Exclusive Holiday Programme for Pinehurst students Only All products open to all ages 365 Schools - Pinehurst Skills Development Ski and SnB Camp
Term 4 Pinehurst Ski Camp
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