Thursday 11 April

Message from the Executive Principal

Kia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요 

It feels like the blink of an eye since I wrote to you at the beginning of the school year, yet here we are at the end of the term. We have had a brilliant year to date, and scanning back over previous newsletters highlights the successes of our students, both in and out of the classroom. But that is all just the beginning, and we look forward to continued excellence when school resumes next term.

Cambridge Primary Mathematics encourages a lifelong enthusiasm for analytical and rational thinking. Term One has seen Ms. Coxon lead professional development sessions for the teachers focusing on the development of ‘Mathematical Thinking.’ As an example, our Year 3 students have been challenged to develop reasoning skills whereby they have to convince others of their choices. This includes describing their chosen strategy and giving reasons why this strategy applies to the problem. With these key building blocks being established across all levels in Primary, our students are well set for long-term success.

Monday and Tuesday saw parent conferences for our College students and the feedback from staff and parents has been very positive. These evenings, especially at this time of year, are an excellent chance to identify key areas for development and put plans in place to ensure progress through the remainder of the year. As always, the parent evenings represent a moment in time and if there are concerns in the future, please contact your child’s teacher, it is always better to be proactive in support of learning.

This morning, I had the chance to spend some time listening to the outstanding work of some College music students. They have put a huge amount of time and effort into preparing their performances and the hard work has certainly paid off. The performance was part of their formal coursework preparations and it was great to see how they prepare and overcome the challenges that are set by Cambridge examiners.

It was great to see so many people from our community involved in Shore-to-Shore last weekend. A small typo from me in last week’s newsletter certainly understated our participation with a final number of 303 students and family members participating! I was very impressed with how fast some of our students were, but I was equally proud of the number who simply gave their best in the day. Well done to everyone who was involved and thanks in particular to Carmen Stella, our Events Lead, for bringing our community together.

Good luck to Ms Mel Puckett as the Blues compete in the Super Rugby Aupiki final at Eden Park on Saturday afternoon. With kickoff at 4pm, it promises to be a great game and I hope as many of our community as possible can make it to support her and the team.

At the end of the term, we farewell three staff members. Mrs Dee Rodrigues (Year 5) has proven herself to be an excellent teacher and supported many students on their journey through the Primary School. Mr Grant Saul (Chief Information Officer) played a key role in ensuring continuity of learning using digital platforms during COVID and has continued to drive the school forward in its use of information technology. Mrs Cyndie Augustin has given 15 years of outstanding service to the development of sport in the school and the increased participation and improved performances say everything about what she has done for us. We wish them all the very best in their future endeavours and they should all be proud of the contribution they have made to the school.

Finally, I hope you and your children are able to spend some quality time together over the break. It is important that students take the chance to rest from a very busy Term 1 and make sure they are ready for the demands of Term 2. I can’t wait to see many of our students on stage as we get into productions across the school and we will all try to stay warm and dry as winter sports competitions begin. Holidays are a time to build cherished memories that will last for years to come and I hope you are able to build many over the break.

Take care, enjoy the break and I look forward to seeing you all next term.

Best wishes,

Mike Waller

Dates for your Diary

Term 2

Monday 29 April

Teacher Only Day
Year 9 Camp

Tuesday 30 April

Year 9 Camp
Year 7-9 Korean Exchange Students (selected students)

Wednesday 1 May

Year 9 Camp
Year 7-9 Korean Exchange Students (selected students)
Powhiri

Thursday 2 May

Year 9 Camp
Year 7-9 Korean Exchange Students (selected students)
Year 9-13 NHSS Zone Swimming
Korean Exchange Trip to Museum (selected students)

Friday 3 May

Year 9 Camp
Year 7-9 Korean Exchange Students (selected students)

SEE MORE DATES

Message from the Principal of College

Tēnā koutou katoa

What an amazing term we have had in the College with numerous reasons to celebrate outstanding academic, sporting and cultural successes from our students. I am delighted with the way students have conducted themselves, maintaining positivity and enthusiasm through a long and very busy term. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to some rest and family time over the next two weeks.

Recently we have been engaged in finalising arrangements for events which will take place during the break and the start of Term 2. On Tuesday of next week, Mr Johansen, Ms Anderson and a group of students head off to Borneo where students will Visit Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary and the Bornean Sun Bear Sanctuary, as well as staying at Batu Puteh Camp to participate in reforestation work. This should be a memorable and life-changing experience for the students, and we are looking forward to hearing their stories when they return.

Mr Johansen will then have a couple of days of rest before he leads the Year 9 “Out There” Camp. This camp is a real adventure at which students sail up or down the Hauraki Gulf and enjoy a wilderness camp in Whangarei Heads. There is some trepidation and lots of excitement about the camp and students had many questions when Mr Johansen held a camp meeting with Year 9 yesterday. If you do have any questions about the camp during the holidays, please send me a message.

Parent teacher conferences earlier this week were well attended, and this goes a long way to maintaining the Pinehurst triangle. When we work together, we provide the best opportunities for our students to flourish and grow. We will have further opportunities for parent teacher conferences later in the year and hope to see many of you there. As always, though, if you have any questions or concerns during the term, contact your child’s teacher, Dean or one of the Senior Leadership Team.

Enjoy the school break and we will see students back at school in winter uniform on Tuesday 30 April.

Ngā mihi nui

Dawn

College News

Citizenship Council

The citizenship council would like to say a huge thank you to all of the Pinehurst families who donated items for the food drive. We had 693 donations which is incredible. All donations will be delivered to Love Soup next term. KKP were our overall winners of the food drive and have won a Krispy Kreme donut lunch in Term 2.

Champion of Champions Tennis Tournament

Four of our Pinehurst students recently competed in the Champion of Champions Tennis Tournament. This tournament only accepts the top 16 players in Auckland based on ranking. We were fortunate to be able to send two intermediate tennis players Sean P and Sunny W as well as two senior players, Andrew Y and Jerry Y. Our school is exceptionally proud of their effort within this tournament. Sunny progressed into the semi finals and came 3^rd overall. Exceptional work.

Arts Magazine

The Arts Council this year has decided to create a termly Arts Magazine.

Attached below is the Term 1 Issue. It includes the events run by the Arts Council this term, works from the talented students of the Creative Writing Club, interviews of students involved in the school's music groups, and art pieces from the students.

Please have a read and we hope you look forward to the events the Arts Council will be running next term!

Click Here to read our Term 1 Arts Magazine

We hope you enjoy your holiday!!

- Arts Council 2024

AS Physical Education

This week students have been exploring the idea of angular motion in sport. We used a range of different examples to demonstrate the biomechanical forces at play during different sports skills. Students discussed the concepts of inertia, torque and angular velocity and tried their hands at spinning a basketball, spin passing, spiral kicks, hula hooping and cartwheels.

Year 10 Geography

Year 10 Geography have been learning about coasts and the processes that occur along coastlines. In today's lesson, we were able to use our new knowledge to showcase our understanding of erosion. We used playdough to show the different processes and landforms. We showcased our understanding of wave refraction; the formation of a wave cut platform; and caves, arches, stacks and stumps

Year 8 Social Science VR experience

Our Year 8 Social Studies students have been studying Oceans this term. We rounded off the year this week with a Virtual Reality experience with the Blake Trust.

The students dove beneath the Hauraki Gulf to see areas of thriving ocean environments, but also some damaged and degraded environments. They were challenge to think of reasons for the differences and also solutions and what we can do to help make a change.

It was entertaining to see them all jumping back when large fish or sharks appeared or listening to the calls of 'look to your right', 'what's behind us'............

They all felt it was an enjoyable way to end the topic and they demonstrated some excellent knowledge as Kiatiaki of our Oceans.

Creative Writing Club

The Riddle by Ryan Muganda Year 10

I am A product of light
And akin of darkness.
I was wonderfully brought
For I am of the same likeness
Changing and shifting shape.

You can't outrun me.
You can't get rid of me.
You cannot harm me
I oversee your life

From the moment of birth I watch over you
Till you saw your death bed.
I was at your grave and watched over you.
For I cannot be destroyed.
For I'm enshrouded in mystery.

I'm a symbol to many of:
Protection, secrets,
deceit, shame
Sadness and dread.
For all I'm a symbol of.

I have no mass and material.
I am the absence of honesty.
I can very much tell you I'm real
But I'm full of uncertainty.

I spend my life fleeing.
My mother hates me
My kin's overshadow me.
I'm present, everything.
But I always conquer.

Now, don't get confused
For I am a person.
Just without mind.

You will never get rid of me.
My influence undeniable.
SO treat me better.
RESPECT!

Rock Climbing Success

In the weekend, our Pinehurst students competed in round 1 of the Auckland College Climbing Series which was held at Extreme Edge. It is awesome to see more and more students getting involved in climbing and as a result, our school is now sitting in 8^th position after round 1 in the weekend. To add to this success, Xavier Wasek-Webb placed 1^st Overall in the Junior Boys division. This is an awesome way to start the climbing series and will give Xavier great confidence heading into the Australian Youth Nationals in the holidays. Well done to all of our climbers, we wish you all the best of luck heading into the remaining rounds of the climing series!

Volunteer Club

On Monday, volunteer club members had a very special high tea with the residents of the Settlers retirement home in Albany. Students had the opportunity to talk with the residents over desert and even some musical performances on the harp and the piano from our members!

Thank you to all our members who made this such an unforgettable event and for spreading kindness in our community.

-Katrina and Natalie

Career Education Upcoming Events:

University of Auckland Engineering Info Evenings. Prospective students and their whānau can learn firsthand about the Faculty, the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), and what it’s like to be an Engineering student. Find out about entry requirements, key dates, scholarships, and more. Register here: https://response.auckland.ac.nz/EIE24

University of Edinburgh Global Law Webinar. Dr Gail Lythgoe, Lecturer in Global Law, will provide an overview of the programme and its key features. This degree focusses on solving global legal problems. Students also benefit from a compulsory third year abroad. These sessions will take place on Zoom and will be recorded. Please note the 2nd and 3rd webinars are repeats of the 1st one. Register here:

April 23 14:00-15:00 (GMT+1) Meeting Registration - Zoom (1am on April 24 NZ time)

April 23 18:00-19:00 (GMT+1) Meeting Registration - Zoom (5am on April 24 NZ time)

April 24 10:00-11:00 (GMT+1) Meeting Registration - Zoom (9pm on April 24 NZ time)

UCAT Booking Deadline May 17 https://www.ucat.edu.au/register/booking-your-test/

Victoria University Information Evening June 10, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM in Aotea Centre. Register here: Information evenings | Study at Wellington | Victoria University of Wellington (wgtn.ac.nz)

University of Melbourne June 11 lunchtime in Pinehurst School Theatre. Join Senior Manager of Student Recruitment, Fiona Kelleher to ask questions about studying at the University of Melbourne

Student Leadership Voice

Kia Ora Dylan McKay and Natalie Raphael, your Head Prefects here!!

Firstly, we hope everyone has had an AMAZING Term 1 for 2024!

Whether you’re still adjusting to the school life, had your first tests, made some new friends or tried something unexpectedly new – we hope that this year is a year of growth for all of us, to better ourselves and strive for excellence.

We’ve had an absolute blast leading multiple initiatives alongside our superb team of Prefects. It has been an absolute honour and privilege to be able to represent Pinehurst and we hope to continue to maintain this drive of positive air throughout the rest of the school year!

At the start of the term our prefects hosted our annual Valentine’s day event which sold roses for the Heart Foundation. We also made it our goal to connect the bridge between primary and college by supporting their events such as wheels week, bubbles day and their recent Easter hat parade. We sincerely hope that the future prefects continue on to maintain this in the coming years as we believe it is important to build up our strong sense of community. Overall, this term has been buzzing with events left, right and centre as our dedicated team of prefects, councils, and clubs have worked hard to foster a strong sense of community through the variety of events. From a charity concert, Clubs fair, to Paws leading us, fundraisers, food drives, Earth week, Easter events, Interhouses, visiting food trucks, just to name a few! These events are just one way Pinehurst has fostered a vibrant schooling life.

We hope everyone ended on a positive note today with our POD Challenge and on behalf of 2024’s Prefects, have a restful break and see you all in Term 2!!

*Follow our Instagram account to see what the Prefects are up to: @pinehurst_2024_

- Dylan and Natalie, Year 13

Message from the Principal of Primary

Kia ora,

We made it to the end of Term 1 in great style. Eleven weeks is a long time for little people and everyone is ready for a well-earned break. Even in one term every child has made progress in their learning, made new friends, spent time outdoors and hopefully had lots of fun. Essentially, we are a kiwi school; what are known as academics, numeracy, and literacy especially, are done well and with rigor alongside opportunities for education outside the classroom, physical education, sports, arts, drama and music, languages, enrichment, extension, and support. The wellbeing curriculum is important too, teaching children how to bounce back and take care of their bodies and minds. We have danced, climbed, blown bubbles, rode our wheels and made Easter hats. It was a great term!

The Year 3-6 assembly was hosted and planned by P19 and it was wonderful. It began with the orchestra, which was remarkably in tune, no easy feat! We all sang David Bowie's Major Tom and the older ones amongst us took a trip down memory lane. Ivan wowed us with his solo ballroom performance, the writing examples and friendship poems we heard were fantastic and then we almost took the roof off with an Anzac Day kahoot. It was a memorable assembly, well done P19!

Auditions are completed for this year's production of Finding Nemo Jr and Year 5 and 6 students will soon find out their roles. There is so much talent to choose from and we are looking forward to sharing that with our community in Term 3.

STEM groups in Years 4-6 are planning a new garden for us near the After School Care room and they are very eager to explain their thinking and how they are solving the problems of designing a garden. The project is a practical demonstration of the skills they have been learning in class and a great way to solve real life problems. We are looking forward to watching their designs take shape.

Term 2 means winter uniform from the first day back, be sure to make a time to visit Anna in the Uniform Shop who will be very happy to help you. Enjoy some time with your children and family if you can, we are looking forward to seeing you in two weeks.

Nga mihi,

Sian

Primary News

Year 2 Zoo Ventures

Last week, Year 2 hosted a delightful Zoo Ventures visit that left both students and teachers beaming with joy. The event brought a slice of the woodlands right into our Dance studio. Year 2 learners eagerly gathered, their eyes wide with anticipation. The Zoo Ventures featured an array of friendly animals—soft-furred rabbits, adventurous guinea pigs, exotic lizards, and even a shy turtle. Each child had the chance to stroke their velvety coats, their laughter echoing as they fed corns to the turtle. The Zoo Ventures wasn’t just about fun; it was an educational experience too. Our young learners discovered the basics of animal care, the importance of kindness, and the wonders of our natural world. Amidst the giggles and petting, they learned about habitats, feeding routines, and the unique characteristics of each creature. It was a day of wonder, where our Science topic (Living things in different places) of this term came alive, and the classroom extended beyond walls.

In P8

P8 have spent a large amount of time this term learning about portraits and knowing about the work of a range of different artists. Our inspiration this week was Paul Klee.

The children have used a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour and pattern, using water colours to create a background.

In English Additional Language this week

In EAL, our learning has been around the theme of ‘around our school.’ Within that some groups have been looking at prepositions and prepositional phrases. Other groups have been understanding and using irregular plural nouns correctly. One of the older groups were learning about, then correcting their use of infinitives in their writing. Some of the younger groups have been listening to stories set in classrooms. They had to listen for the past tense, then use the new vocabulary to retell the story. Another group have been writing directions to their favourite place around our school using the correct directional language. Then their buddy had to read and follow their directions, check the directions actually worked and that no one got lost

Mid Bay Swimming Year 4-6 Championships

We had 24 Year 4-6 students competing at the Mid Bay Swimming Championships which was held last week at Northern Arena. At this event, we had placings in almost every event, including all of the relays in which we either finished 1^st or 2^nd. Please see the final results attached. As a result of our awesome performance, we retained the Mid Bay Swimming trophy as our total accumulative points came to 331, which was 100 points above the next school. The same team will go to compete at the North Shore Swimming Championships which will be in Term 2. The students will be training very hard over the holidays to ensure they are ready to perform at the best of their ability at the North Shore Champs. We would like to thank all of our amazing Parent Helpers that assisted at the Mid Bays competition, we could not do it without you.

Please see the students below that placed in the top 3 in their events:

Year 4 Girls:

Freestyle Relay: 2^nd Place (Cynthia C, Katlynn P, Jessica K, Christy H)

Cynthia C:

1^st 50m Freestyle
1^ST 25m Freestyle
1^st 25m Backstroke

Katlynn P:

2^nd 50m Freestyle
2^ND 25m Backstroke

Jessica K:

3^rd 25m Freestyle
2^nd 25m Breaststroke

Year 4 Boys:

Freestyle Relay: 1^st Place (Adrian Z, Quinn S, Leo C, Richie L)

Adrian Z:

1^ST 50m Freestyle
1^ST 25m Breaststroke

Quinn S:

3^rd 50m Freestyle
3^rd 25m Breaststroke

Leo C:

2^nd 25m Freestyle
2^nd 25m Backstroke

Year 5 Girls:

Freestyle Relay: 1^st Place (Jennifer Y, Charlotte Z, Cecilia L, Chantelle C)

Jennifer Y:

1^st Place 50m Freestyle
1^st Place 25m Freestyle
1^st Place 75m Medley

Charlotte Z:

1^st Place 25m Butterfly
3^rd Place 75m Medley

Cecilia L:

2^nd Place 25m Butterfly
2^nd Place 25m Backstroke
2^nd Place 25m Breaststroke

Chantelle C:

1^st Place 25m Backstroke
1^st Place 25m Breaststroke

Year 5 Boys:

Freestyle Relay: 2^nd Place (Andersen Z, Marcus N, Lucas Z, Jasper C)

Andersen Z:

1^st Place 50m Freestyle
1^st Place 25m Backstroke
1^st Place 25m Breaststroke
1^st Place 75m Medley

Marcus N:

3^rd Place 50m Freestyle
1^st Place 25m Butterfly
2^ND Place 25m Freestyle
3^rd Place 75m Medley

Year 6 Girls:

Freestyle Relay: 1^ST Place (April L, Serena C, Eva S, Cynthia S)

April L:

1^st Place 50m Freestyle
1^st Place 25m Backstroke
1^st Place 25m Breaststroke
1^st Place 75m Medley

Serena C:

2^nd Place 50m Freestyle
1^st Place 25m Butterfly
1^ST Place 25m Freestyle
2^nd Place 25m Backstroke

Cynthia S:

2^nd Place 25m Freestyle
2^nd Place 25m Breaststroke
2^nd Place 75m Medley

Eva S:

2^ND Place 25m Butterfly

Year 6 Boys:

Freestyle Relay: 1^ST Place (Jason C, Devin B, Kimi Z, Louis Z)

Jason C:

3^rd Place 50m Freestyle
3^rd Place 25m Butterfly
2^nd Place 25m Freestyle

Devin B:

1^ST Place 25m Freestyle
1^st Place 25m Backstroke
1^st Place 25m Breaststroke
1^St Place 75m Medley

Kimi Z:

2^nd Place 25m Breaststroke

Open Medley Mixed Relay: 1^st Place (April L, Serena C, Cynthia S, Devin B)

The following students also broke records:

Community News and Events

Hyun Jae's Captivating Performance at Mt Eden Art Centre

On Friday last week, Year 12 student Hyun Jae L played in Mt Eden Art Centre. He played pieces by Schumann, Schubert, Bloch and Ginastera. All the pieces that he played were accompanied by Rosemary Barnes.

Schumann Adagio and Allegro, a piece by Schumann originally written for Horn and Piano, a piece in which the first half of the piece is meant to be all about Romance.

Schubert Arpeggione Sonata is a piece by Schubert, written in 1824 for Arpeggione and Piano, but more popularly played for Cello as the arpeggione is rarely played. This piece was written at the time when Schubert was very sick so it is said that this piece is about how he feels about death.

Hyun Jae finished his concert with his performance of Pampeana no.2 by Ginastera is based on the Spanish dance Pampa. The complex rhythms were a standout for this piece which Hyun Jae played with gusto and skill.

It was a privilege to be able to watch Hyun Jae perform and to have a Year 12 student at Pinehurst who can captivate an audience so well with his hour long performance.

Pinehurst Community Shines at the 2024 Harcourts Cooper & Co Shore To Shore Event!

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that this past Sunday, nearly 300 members of our vibrant Pinehurst Community came together to participate in the 2024 Harcourts Cooper & Co Shore To Shore 5km fun run/walk. It was a momentous occasion as it marked the return of Pinehurst to this spirited event after a few years' absence. The energy and enthusiasm displayed by our community members was truly remarkable, and we couldn't be prouder of their participation.

The event proved to be a resounding success for Pinehurst, with our community achieving the distinction of being the second-highest participating school! This remarkable achievement has earned us a $500 voucher, which will be utilized towards acquiring new sports equipment for our school. This not only reflects our dedication to physical activity and well-being but also demonstrates the strong sense of unity and teamwork within our Pinehurst family.

As our community members traversed the scenic route, they were met with breathtaking views and the invigorating atmosphere of camaraderie. Meanwhile, a dedicated team was stationed at the tent site, eagerly awaiting the return of our participants. It was heartwarming to witness everyone crossing the finish line and subsequently gathering to share in conversations and connections, all while enjoying a delicious sausage sizzle.

Looking ahead, we are already eagerly anticipating next year's event and hope to see even more of our Pinehurst Community members joining in the fun. The Shore To Shore event not only promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles but also fosters a sense of community spirit and togetherness.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who participated, volunteered, and supported our Pinehurst team throughout this memorable event. Your enthusiasm and dedication have truly exemplified the spirit of Pinehurst, and we look forward to continuing to celebrate our achievements together in the future.

Here's to many more successful endeavors and joyful gatherings in the years to come!

Uniform Shop Holiday Hours

Please see below the uniform shop open hours during the holiday:

Monday 22 April: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday 23 April: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday 24 April: 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Friday 26 April: 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM (Afternoon only)

Please note: the uniform shop will be closed on Thursday the 25 due to ANZAC Day.

Notices and Events

Build Your Tennis Future with Full Motion Sports

For School Holidays & School Terms

Looking for a fun and engaging way to spend your school breaks and term time? Look no further! Our top-notch tennis coaching program offers an exciting opportunity to learn and master the game of tennis.

What We Offer:

* School Holiday Camps: Dive into intensive training sessions during the holidays, perfect for boosting your game and having a blast at the same time!

* Term-Time Sessions: Keep the momentum going with our regular term-time sessions, designed to fit into your busy schedule while providing consistent improvement.

Special Offer: Join Us for a Free Fun Tennis Course - School Holiday Week 1

When: Monday & Thursday Afternoons
Time: 🕓 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Who: Students of all skill levels welcome!

Limited Availability: Due to Tuesday and Wednesday of school holiday week 1 being dedicated to Great Families Trust, spaces are filling up fast! Secure your spot now for Monday and Thursday afternoon 4pm – 5pm free sessions.

How to Book:

Phone: 021666097
WeChat: 287216798
Email: fullmotionsportsnz@gmail.com

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to elevate your tennis game and have a blast doing it! Enroll now and let's hit the courts together!

The Vantage Blacks Sticks Women (VBSW) are back in action as they welcome No.10 in the world, Japan, to The City of Sails.

Auckland will play host to international hockey for the first time in almost two years when the VBSW take on Japan over two matches on April 13 & 14 at the National Hockey Centre in North Harbour. It’ll be the first time since August last year the Black Sticks have played in New Zealand and the first time since May 2022 that they have played in Auckland. Matches begin at 4pm and we want to see you there!

Children’s tickets are priced at only $5! Get yours today as we rally our wahine to victory!

Brain Play is thrilled to offer an incredible lineup of holiday programmes designed to ignite the curiosity and creativity of Kiwi kids aged 5 to 13. Join us all over Auckland and Hamilton 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.

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