Friday 31 October

Message from Mike

Kia ora koutou, good afternoon, 下午好, 안녕하세요 

Dear Parents/Guardians,

What a day of colour and excitement as our students expressed themselves on a casual dress day that has raised a large amount of money in support of the SPCA. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will support their important work.

It was lovely to see a number of you at Coffee Connect this morning. With relatively few events left on the calendar, I hope to see many more of you as we look to finish the year well. While the events are an excellent chance for us to talk, as always, if there are any issues that you would like to discuss in detail, please get in touch.

Our Year 11-13 College students are mostly well over halfway through their Cambridge exams, with some already finished! The mood has been very positive, and I am continually impressed by the maturity shown both ahead of the exam and in the reflective moments afterwards. Based on my conversations, we can look forward to success in January.

Yesterday afternoon, it was great to see our College student competing in a series of games as part of our interhouse challenge. While the competition was fierce (and just a little social), there were lots of smiles and laughs as the students brought a positive attitude to the events. A feature of our school events is the ownership our student leaders take, and I think it is great how our staff step back and let the students take charge.

Over the last two weeks, I have been involved in interviews for internal positions of responsibility for our teaching staff. The quality of the interviews and the way those staff go about their day-to-day work has been very impressive. For every position, it has been a difficult decision, and it has really highlighted the quality of leaders on our staff, regardless of their formal positions.

I am also very excited about the quality of new teachers that we have recruited for 2026. With a very small number of staff leaving at the end of the year, we will enjoy excellent stability in our teaching, and the people joining us are all highly skilled and will add to our community both in and out of the classroom. In the coming weeks, I will share the names of those staff who are leaving and those who will join us.

Next week, our younger Primary students will have athletics on Tuesday, and I am sure they are looking forward to testing themselves across the range of events. In the College, Years 7, 8, and 10 students face the challenge of end-of-year exams, and while I am sure there are a few nerves, they should take confidence in their preparations.

I hope you all enjoy a great weekend and the spooky scenes in your neighbourhoods tonight.

Regards,
Mike Waller

Dates for your Diary

Monday 3 November

Years 7-10 End of Year Exams (All Week)

Tuesday 4 November

Year 0-4 Interhouse Athletics
North Harbour Touch Zone Day (8.30am-3.30pm)

Wednesday 5 November

Year 2-4 Gymnastics Competition (9.00am-2.30pm)
Year 0-6 Primary Solo and Duo Performance Showcase (3.30pm-4.45pm)

Thursday 6 November

Year 5-6 Gymnastics Competition (8.30am-1.00pm)
North Harbour Top Team Zone Day (8.30am-3.30pm)
Year 0-2 Social Event: Bounce (3.30pm-5.30pm)

SEE MORE DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Message from Sian

Kia ora tatou,

As we look ahead to 2026, one of the themes we’ll carry forward is inspired by the book Switch by Chip and Dan Heath: shaping culture by finding the bright spots—those moments that show who we are as a school and when things are going well. This week, some of those bright spots shone through at the Ukulele Festival, which we proudly hosted in the theatre for Year 6 and visiting schools. Another highlight was the Year 3 and 4 Movie Night, where we celebrated a successful year together by watching Pets on a Train. These events remind us of the joy and connection that define our community as well as creating happy memories for our students. This afternoon we are looking forward to hearing all about the Year 6 surfing trip to Orewa Beach, this is a new and exciting event we have added to our outdoor education programme in Year 6.

Events coming up next week:

Tuesday 4 November: Years 0–4 Athletics Day
Wednesday 5 November: Y0–6 Music concert and Y2–4 Gymnastics competition
Thursday 6 November: Y5–6 Gymnastics competition and Y0–2 End-of-year celebration at Bounce trampoline park.

Ngā mihi nui,
Sian Coxon

Primary News

Primary Interhouse Athletics: Tuesday

Year 0-4 Athletics Event

We’re excited to invite all parents and caregivers to join us for a fun and action-packed day at our Primary Athletics Event next Tuesday. This is always a highlight on the school calendar - a wonderful opportunity to cheer on our young athletes as they take part in a range of track and field activities, show their house spirit, and celebrate participation, effort, and teamwork.

Year 0–2: 1.30pm - 3.15pm
Year 3–4: 9.00am - 12.40pm
What to Bring: Students should wear their PE uniform, hat, and sports shoes with socks.

We look forward to seeing you on the sidelines supporting our students and enjoying a fantastic day of fun and fitness!

Primary Gymnastics: Wednesday and Thursday

Students have been developing their strengths and flexibility throughout Term 3 and they have put these skills into learning competition routines. Wishing everyone the very best.

Venue: NHG Gymnastics at Eventfinda Stadium, Wairau Valley
Uniform: Leotard/Singlet will be distributed to students on Monday
Students to bring: Drink Bottle, Snacks, Lunch and PE Gear (Pinehurst Jumper/Hoodie optional)
Transportation: Bus for Year 3 - 6 students (Parent Transport for Year 2 students)

Family and friends are welcome to watch and support the students at North Harbour Gymnastics. Seatings are located in the gallery - please do not enter the competition floor.

Primary Solo and Duo Performance Showcase

Wednesday 5 November 3.30-4.30pm, School Theatre

We are excited to present our final music concert for solo and duo performers for the year in the theatre next Wednesday 5 November. This for children from Years 0-6. The talent is so high and we are looking forward to their performances. Please come and support them!

Year 0-2 at Bounce on Thursday!

Next week our Year 0–2 students will be celebrating the end of the school year with a fun-filled trip to Bounce!

This exciting outing is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enjoy some active play, afternoon tea snacks and spend time with friends before the summer holidays begin. With trampolines, obstacle courses, and plenty of space to move, it’s sure to be a memorable afternoon!

When: Thursday 6 November
Where: BOUNCE North Shore
What to Bring: Wear comfortable home clothes and sport shoes suitable for active play. BOUNCE grip socks (if you have them) -
new ones will be available if needed

We’re looking forward to an afternoon of bouncing, laughter and celebration.

P1, P2, P22 & P23

3.30pm Children arrive
3.30-3.45pm Safety Talk
3.45-4.30pm BOUNCE
4.30-5.00pm Afternoon tea
5.00pm Children depart

P3, P4, P5, P6, P7 & P8

4.00pm Children arrive
4.00-4.30pm Afternoon tea
4.30-4.45pm Safety Talk
4.45-5.30pm BOUNCE
5.30pm Children depart

Message from Dawn

Tēnā koutou katoa

Week 4 ended on a high note with students enjoying a fun but very competitive Inter-House Challenge on Thursday afternoon, followed by a non-uniform day on Friday.

Next week, Year 9 students are in examinations on Monday and Years 7-10 will be taking their examinations throughout the week. I know that students will have been busy preparing for these important end-of-year assessments, and the week will offer them the opportunity to demonstrate their learning. At the assembly last week, I spoke to students about the importance of aiming for their own personal excellence during the examination period. They should avoid comparing their grades to those of their classmates and concentrate on making improvements to their own learning.

Best wishes to all students taking examinations next week.

Ngā mihi nui,
Dawn Sullivan

College News

Cultural Projects: Creativity Through Spanish and Mandarin

Next week, all our students will be sitting their exams, and we wish them the very best of luck!

Once exams are completed, our focus will shift to cultural learning in both Mandarin and Spanish. In Spanish, students will explore creative traditions through activities such as making Ojos de Dios, Piñatas, and performing short plays. Meanwhile, in Chinese, students will take part in hands-on projects including discovering Qinghua Ci, mask-making, and Chinese printing. These activities are designed to help students deepen their appreciation of the rich cultural heritage behind the languages they study. Students will need to bring a few simple resources from home — full details will be shared in a separate email.

We look forward to seeing creativity flourish and curiosity grow as our students immerse themselves in these exciting cultural experiences!

Notices and Events

Measles Outbreak in Northland - Being Aware of Symptoms

There are confirmed cases of measles in Northland. Please help us keep our community safe by watching for symptoms.

Measles can start like a cold, with:

Fever
Cough
Runny nose
Sore, red eyes

Later, a blotchy rash appears – starting on the face and spreading to the body.

What to do if your child has symptoms:

Keep them at home if they show any symptoms
Call your doctor or Healthline (FREE) on 0800 611 116 for advice
If your child is a close contact of a measles case and not immune, they must stay home. The National Public Health Service will advise if this applies.

Check Immunisation:

Please make sure your children are immunised. If you're unsure, talk to your doctor or nurse about catching up on measles protection.

Are you interested in singing lessons with Tim?

Our new singing teacher Tim Wayne-Wright has a few spaces left for singing lessons during the school day, currently on Thursdays and Fridays.

Tim has sung with The King's Singers for ten years, is the recipient of a grammy award, has performed over 1500 concerts in some of the world’s most iconic venues, and taught over 500 masterclasses and workshops. We are very fortunate to have him on our itinerant teaching team.

You can see Tim singing in this performance with The King's Singers here.

If you would like your child to take advantage of one of these limited singing lesson times with Tim, please email cynthia.jaques@pinehurst.school.nz.

Or joining the Pinehurst College Boys Choir?

If your child is in Year 7-13 and would like to join our newly formed boys' choir directed by Tim, please email Cynthia.Jaques@pinehurst.school.nz.

Lost Property Reminder - Primary & College

Has your child misplaced part of their school uniform or PE gear?

Primary: Lost items are often placed in the black bin located in the foyer of the Uniform Shop. You’re welcome to check the bin before and after school or during shop hours. Clearly labelled items will be returned to classrooms by our helpful Primary Head Councillors.

College: Lost property can be found in the storage area inside the purple seat located in The Street at the Junior College. Students are encouraged to check this area before or after school.

Please remember to clearly label all uniform and PE items (e.g. Sam Green or John Brown) to help us return them quickly to their owners.

Donations for Pinehurst Christmas Hampers

Collections start Tuesday 28 October onwards.

It is traditional for Pinehurst to donate Christmas Hampers to those in need.This year we have chosen the charity organisation, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. This organisation supports grandparents who are struggling financially to provide a normal life for their grandchildren, many who have been traumatised, neglected, abused and end up living with them.

We would greatly appreciate donations of non-perishable food, Christmas treats, gift vouchers, toiletries, cleaning products and new toys and games. Your contributions may be given to your child’s homeroom teacher from Tuesday 28 October onwards so that we can make beautiful hampers to present at our Christmas Service. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Christmas Picnic: Market Stallholders Welcome

Wednesday 3 December Christmas Picnic 5.00pm-8.00pm

We're inviting anyone interested in running a market stall to join us at our annual festive Christmas Picnic. There is no stallholder fee - just bring your own table and gazebo (up to 3 metres x 3 metres).

If you'd like to take part, please click on the Register Button below by Friday 21 November. If you have questions regarding the market please email Carmen.Stella@pinehurst.school.nz.

Spaces are limited, so be sure to book early!

Keep up to date via our Pinehurst School (Official) Facebook and Instagram pages

We’re in the process of refreshing our newsletter format, meaning some of our stories and student highlights will be shared on social media.

@PinehurstSchool
@PinehurstSchoolSport

Stay up to date with exceptional achievements, standout student moments, event highlights, and celebrations of our school spirit and community values.

So jump online - it’s the best way to catch quick, inspiring updates and feel-good stories from across Pinehurst.

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