Message from the Executive Principal

Kia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요  

Best wishes,

Mike Waller 

Message from the Principal of College

Australasian Economics Olympiad (AAEO)

Participating in the Australasian Economics Olympiad (AAEO) was an extraordinary experience. Being selected to represent New Zealand on the national team was both an honor and a responsibility that I embraced with dedication. Our preparation was intense, involving deep study of economic theories and strategic teamwork.

The competition was a rigorous test of our knowledge and analytical skills, with each round presenting complex economic scenarios that required both theoretical understanding and quick thinking. The atmosphere was charged with intellectual energy as we engaged with top minds from across Australasia, forging new friendships and exchanging ideas.

Meeting and connecting with like-minded peers was one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience. We shared not only our knowledge but also our enthusiasm for economics, forming bonds that I hope can last beyond the Olympiad.

When our team was announced as the first-place winner, the sense of achievement was immense. It was a moment of deep pride for both ourselves and our country, highlighting the importance of perseverance, collaboration, and excellence in the field of economics.

 - Amy W, Year 13

Maths Competitions

University of Otago Junior Maths Competition

We are pleased to report that 5 students scored marks that placed them in the Top 30 of all competitors in this year's Second Round of the Junior Maths Competition for Years 9 to 11. They were: Cindy Cao, Jack Chen, Linda Chen, Yicheng Wang and Cesar Xu.

All those who sat the Second Round paper, after a preliminary round, scored in the top 50%, with 28 gaining a Distinction Award for placing in the top 15%.

New Zealand Maths Olympiad: Round 1 of Qualifying

After a gruelling 2-hour paper with very hard questions, 3 students have been selected to advance to Round 2: Jerry Li, Kaibo Jin (Bosco), Wen Yao Zhong. Congratulations to all students who were prepared to try out for NZMO and special commendation to these 3 who can now look forward to a 3-hour paper on August 30.

These are great performances by Pinehurst students in challenging competitions. We hope they all enjoyed the experience!

IGCSE Design and Technology Projects

I would like to showcase IGCSE Design and Technology Projects – they are the result of a year’s worth of hard work of Brief writing, Researching, generating and developing design ideas, testing processes, materials, and finishes, planning the production and finally making, evaluating and improving the chosen project. 

Like the Olympians said many times, a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into these projects, bundled with oodles of extra time spent in the workshop during lunchtimes and for some students even during the holidays. 

University of Auckland Engineering Science Competition

This past Saturday, four dedicated teams from Pinehurst School participated in the University of Auckland Engineering Science Competition. This annual event challenged our students to apply their knowledge in mathematics, physics, finance, and more to solve a complex, real-world problem.

For eight intense hours, our students engaged in deep analysis, research, and collaboration to tackle the problem: "How many airships would be required to replace the Cook Strait ferry service?" With solutions ranging from three to twenty-eight airships, each team brought unique perspectives and innovative strategies to the task.

Year Twelve student Oren shared, "Collaborating and working together has never been more exciting." Wanyu, another participant, reflected, "It was fascinating; it challenged my mathematical skills in very creative ways." Year Eleven student Linghan found the experience "enjoyable and memorable," highlighting its value for team collaboration and critical thinking. Devin described the competition as "a challenging yet electrifying experience" that taught the importance of teamwork under pressure.

The competition highlighted the importance of teamwork, critical thinking, and perseverance, along with the essential skills of analysis, planning, defining a scope, choosing and defining reasonable assumptions, and self-management. We are proud of our participants and eagerly await the results from the university administrators

Year 10 Speech Competition

The Year 10s attended the speech finals on Wednesday in the theatre and it proved to be an entertaining and thoughtful experience. 

Topics ranged from “Why we should exterminate mosquitos” to “Why we should speak one universal language”.  All participants were well-spoken, confident and challenged the audience with thought-provoking ideas.

The overall winner was Wen Yao Zhang with “Why I should win this speech competition”.  An unlikely winning topic but it proved to be witty, entertaining and a very well-presented speech.  Jules Pan received 2nd place with “Why naps should be part of the school day”;  the audience were overwhelmingly in favour of the idea.  3rd place went to Ryan Muganda who spoke with confidence and passion discussing the idea “Is technology a boon or a curse”.

Well done to all contestants for putting yourselves out there and setting such a high standard.  Thank you also to the judges: Ms Acharya, Mrs Curtis and Mr Berghuis

Auckland Secondary Schools Climbing Series

Toi o te wiki

Toi o te wiki this week goes to IGCSE Art and Design student, Cindy.

This stunning painted final outcome for Cindy's coursework folio explores the connection between humans and the natural world. The work examines the life cycle and the interconnectedness that exists in the world on a material, physical and spiritual level. 

Our Year 11 IGCSE students are now creating a new folio of work in preparation for their 8-hour examination. 

Junior College Debating

Thank you to Wilson, Daniel, Oscar, Ethan, Oliver and Mateo who entertained us with a well-prepared debate. The motion was, “AI is not a threat to our society.”

Both teams presented really strong arguments. Ultimately, the affirmative team won by a slight margin. A big congratulations to both teams for participating and to Oliver Feng for being nominated as our best speaker.

AKSS - Auckland Secondary Schools Badminton Championships

The AKSS Championships advertises itself as a competition for ‘elite badminton players’ from schools throughout Auckland. Players at this level are energetic, committed to winning every point, and are either current or were Club Representatives, or the best in their school. Pinehurst took its largest team to any badminton event so far when they attended the AKSS Championships on Thursday 15 August. Nineteen students were entered from Year 9 – 13 playing either singles or doubles in two Divisions – Junior Year 9 - 10 and Senior Year 11 - 13.

We took more students than previous years, so that more of them could benefit from the experience and be in a better position next year to improve on their personal placing.

Jack Ji won the AKSS Senior Boys Singles title claiming another outstanding achievement this year to come first against thirty-two ‘elite’ competitors playing in the Senior Boys Singles competition.

Twenty-four doubles teams competed in the Senior Boys Division to try and be the best of the best. Tony Yu and Jack Zeng won the AKSS Senior Boys Doubles title with aerobatic performances from both players as they stretched and dived to return the shuttle and win another point.

The grit and perseverance they showed after playing so many games throughout the day from 9:00am in the morning, to then win their finals which started after 3:30 in the afternoon, demonstrated their incredible skill level, sportsmanship, ability to focus, and positive attitude after such a long day of play. 

And thank you to the rest of the Pinehurst team who fought hard for every point won and lost. When not playing they either supported each other during the day, umpired games (thank you Wen Yao for doing far more than your fair share) or sat on the sideline watching each other play and cheering each other on. Although not all the players can win a medal, all the Pinehurst players showed total commitment and a winning attitude. They all showed the Pinehurst values of Respect for Self, Respect for Others, and Excellence in all we do.

Pinehurst wins Gold: AKSS Senior Boys Singles and the Senior Boys Doubles titles for 2024.

• UAL – University of the Arts London will be at Pinehurst on 19 August. Victoria University Open Day in Wellington 23 August. Register here: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/study/events-visits/open-day
• University of Auckland Open Day on 24 August. Register here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/manawa-mai/open-day.html
• AUT Open Day on 24 August. Register here: https://www.aut.ac.nz/events/aut-live-our-university-open-day
• University of Canterbury Open Day on 30-31 August. Register here
• Final Reminder – if your teen is looking to apply to NZ university accommodation, they need to complete a CCRF: https://ccrf.ac.nz/students/

Message from the Principal of Primary

APO Mentors Inspire Primary Orchestra

This past Tuesday, our Primary Orchestra had the incredible opportunity to be mentored by members of the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra (APO). The day began with a performance of "Anchors Aweigh," followed by sectional rehearsals on challenging pieces such as "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and "Peter and the Wolf." After a productive morning, the students reconvened in the Theatre for a final run-through of the repertoire. The session concluded with a fantastic performance, showcasing the hard work and growth of our students. A huge thank you to the APO mentors for their time and expertise, and congratulations to our students for their dedication and impressive progress!

Netball Super Cluster

Our Year 5 and 6 Netball teams competed in the Super Cluster last week. We had 7 other schools (14 teams) attending the event at Pinehurst.

Our Year 5's did an amazing job on making the final.  They fought hard but came up short - taking 2nd place. Our Year 6's place 3rd.

Thank you to the Coaches and College students who umpired on the day.

Primary Hockey News

This year, our hockey teams have expanded. We are thrilled to introduce a new girls’ team for Years 3-4, complementing our existing Year 5/6 boys’ team and Year 3-4 boys’ team. It’s inspiring to witness the sport’s growing popularity each year. This growth is a testament to our dedicated and enthusiastic students who invite their friends to join, fostering a sense of community. Many of these students will likely continue playing together throughout their schooling at our school, which offers education from Year 1 to Year 13.

Our Year 5-6 boys’ team, coached by Carol James, our new Primary Sports Coordinator, continues to demonstrate strength and skill, mirroring their success from 2023. They are currently performing exceptionally well, ranking near the top of their division with only a few games remaining. Our Year 3-4 teams are fortunate to have Kass Allot, an experienced college coach, guiding our younger players. The teams’ impressive growth and skill development can be attributed to her patient and effective coaching approach.

As the winter season approaches its conclusion, we will soon share details about summer hockey. This presents an excellent opportunity for students to explore a new sport or, for those passionate about hockey, to maintain their skills during a fun, short summer competition alongside their friends.

In P8 for Science we have been Learning How To Identify Illnesses

We discussed things that can happen to our bodies when we are ill such as high body temperature, body aches and pains and stomach upsets. These are ‘signs’ that we have an illness. The learners were able to understand and explain what happens when we have an illness. They know our bodies do not work in the way they usually do, and this can lead to unpleasant effects like the ones they have described.

Year 5 Students Explore Sustainability at Waitakere Waste and Refuse Centre

Last week, our Year 5 students embarked on an exciting educational trip to the Waitakere Waste and Refuse Centre (The Zero Waste Zone!), where they dove into the world of recycling, rubbish sorting, and sustainability. The visit was an eye-opening experience, showing them the importance of small, everyday actions in helping our planet.

The students were guided through the various processes of the centre, starting with how different types of waste are sorted and recycled. They learned about the significance of correctly separating materials and the impact that improper sorting can have on the environment. The hands-on demonstrations were particularly engaging, as the children got to see first-hand how much waste can be diverted from landfills simply by making smarter choices at home.

One of the highlights of the trip was the worm farm section. The students were thrilled (and some a little squeamish) to hold the worms and learn about how these little creatures play a crucial role in composting organic waste. The worm farms at the centre are a fantastic example of how even the smallest organisms can contribute to reducing waste and creating nutrient-rich soil.

Throughout the day, our young environmentalists discussed various ways they could make small changes in their daily lives to support sustainability. From using their food scraps bins more often at home to being more mindful about reducing, reusing, and recycling, the students came away with a deeper understanding of their role in protecting the planet.

The trip to the Waitakere Waste and Refuse Centre was not just a fun day out, but a valuable lesson. Our Year 5 students are now more motivated than ever to implement what they’ve learned and encourage others in the community to do the same. We’re incredibly proud of their enthusiasm and commitment to making a positive difference!

Here are some student thoughts on our trip:

Gabrina: I loved learning about worms and getting the opportunity to hold them was really cool.

Austin: I enjoyed all of the different areas that we could play around the Zero Waste Zone and it was hard to believe that it was all made out of recycled materials.

Wawa: It was a super fun place to visit and I learnt lots about worms and different ways that we can sort our rubbish so that we can help to protect the planet!

Exciting Updates on Our Primary Production: Finding Nemo Jr.!

Rehearsals for our Primary Production of Finding Nemo Jr. are going swimmingly (pardon the pun!), as our Year 5 and 6 students dive into their roles with enthusiasm and energy. Every day, the school is filled with the sounds of singing, acting, and dancing as our young performers bring this beloved underwater adventure to life. With all hands on deck, the production promises to be a thrilling showcase of the incredible talents of our students.

It's been heartwarming to see the commitment and teamwork on display, with students working hard to perfect their performances. Whether it’s nailing a tricky dance move, delivering a powerful line, or hitting the perfect note, each child is contributing to what is shaping up to be an unforgettable show. And if the buzz around the school is anything to go by (with many of us going home humming the catchy tunes each day!), Finding Nemo Jr. is sure to be a hit.

We’re incredibly proud of the effort our students are putting in, and we can’t wait to share their hard work with our school community. The curtain rises on September 3rd, with a second performance scheduled for September 5th. Tickets will go on sale soon, so keep an eye out for your chance to secure a spot at what promises to be a spectacular event!

Artists of P13

Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist who is sometimes called ‘the princess of polka dots'. Although she makes lots of different types of art – paintings, sculptures, performances and installations – she has become known for the one thing they have in common, DOTS!

P13 studied Yayoi Kusama and learnt that she was from a rich family and her parents didn’t want her to have a job, so she moved to New York to study art. All her work is covered in dots!

The students created an art piece in the style of Yayoi Kusama.

Here are the steps to our artwork: Orlando says to start with black paper for the background and choose a colour for the background pattern.

Angus explained that the first step to the artwork was lining up the stencil and dipping the roller into paint. While holding the stencil on the paper, lightly roll the roller over it and then move the stencil to the next place.

Xavier clarified that we needed to wait for the background to dry, while we made the art in the foreground.

“Using a black vivid I drew the outline of a sea urchin which was kind of oval. I drew the lines curvy and then added the spot on the inside of the curvy lines,” shared Chloe C.

Rex explained that once you had drawn the pumpkin and sea urchin you had to cut them out and glue them so they were overlapping, he said that you could draw multiply things as long as they didn’t full up the page.

P13 thought that the art was very effective as they were simple and looked exactly like something Yayoi Kusama would create!

Yu Zhang accepted to the prestigious University for Music, Theatre and Media in Hanover, Germany

Pinehurst School is most proud of our Year 13 student Yu Zhang W who has been accepted into the very prestigious University for Music, Theatre and Media in Hanover, Germany. Yu Zhang successfully auditioned for this university and also the University of Music in Berlin. 300 students auditioned for a place in each of these institutions and Yu Zhang was the only person to be accepted into both – an even more remarkable achievement given only 4 students gained a place in one of these institutions and 6 students gained a place in the other! Yu Zhang chose the Hanover university because she said she felt she related particularly well to the piano teacher there.

Pat Hanley Finalists at the Auckland Art Gallery

Congratulations to Rosie Wang and Hailey Li for becoming finalists in the Pat Hanley Creativity Awards 2024! Their artworks will be exhibited at the Auckland Art Gallery from 30 August.