Kaleidoscope Issue 65 - Spring/Summer 2017

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ISSUE 65

IN THIS ISSUE 04

Little Doves

11

Writers Workshop

01

From the Executive Principal

02

From the Board

03

Board Changes Campus Greening

04

12

ISSUE 65

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15

Kristin Rocks!

24

Fame

20

CAS Activities

KFF Ladies Lunch Blokes' Breakfast

25

KFF Dads' project 2017

26

Winter Sports Tournament

Little Doves

28

AIMS Tournament

06

Discovering Future Ready

30

Sports Awards

08

An Apple for the Teacher

30

Snowsports Champs

09

45th Celebrations

31

10

Masterclasses 2017

Mt Ruapehu Weekends Girls Football

11

Writers' Workshop Prefect Team 2017/18

32

Rugby Championship Gold

12

Kristin Rocks!

Choral Trifecta

13

Monetary Policy Challenge

14

From Kristin Dance to Bolshoi Ballet

15 Fame

34

Winter Tournament

33

Fencing Championship Orienteering

34

Northern Bays Super Cluster Southwell Exchange

35

Sports Highlights

36

Graduation Walk

37

Alumni Mentoring

38

Elise Beavis - Emirates Team New Zealand

39

Auckland & USA Alumni Reunions

16

Gail Conference

18

PYP Exhibition & Box of Birds

18

Prefect Project

19

Student Leadership Forum

40

Election 2017

20

CAS Activities 2017

42

Kristin Heritage

22

Enviroschools Accreditation

43

KFF Meeting with Tom McRae

23

The Phantom of the Opera

44

Community News

Cover Photo: Rachel Harding and cast in Fame Junior, Middle School Production (Term 3, 2017).

A limited number of extra copies of this Kaleidoscope issue are available by request from the school office.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE

PRINCIPAL THE POWER OF HUMAN CONNECTION Kristin is fortunate to be part of a global alliance of eight schools whose purpose is to develop informed active learning communities that encourage contemporary solutions to international issues through collaboration, inquiry and service-learning initiatives around the world.

Our organisation is known as GAIL (Global Alliance for Innovative Learning; www.gailschools.org) and this year the annual student convention was held at Prestige College, a South African Independent School situated 30 kilometres north of Pretoria (see page 16 for more information).

One of the primary goals of each convention is to build genuine connections based on authentic engagement, meaningful relationships, co-operation and trust, and the theme of the convention was Ubuntu. This can best be described as an African, humanist philosophy in the sense of a way of thinking about what it means to be human, and how we, as humans, should behave towards others. Ubuntu refers to behaving well towards others or acting in ways that benefit the community. Such acts could be a simple as helping a stranger in need, or much more complex ways of relating with others.

For the 80 students and 20 accompanying staff gathered from countries all around the world it was evident from the opening ceremony that the power of human connection was going to make this GAIL convention both successful and memorable. Lifelong friendships were established and life-changing experiences took place over an action-packed six days in residence at Prestige College.

As one Kristin student reflected: “I have learned how such diverse cultures can come together and bond so strongly in a short amount of time. GAIL was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish and remember for the rest of my life.”

When I reflect on the way Kristin approaches the education of our young people it becomes obvious that Ubuntu and the power of human connection permeates much of what we do and how we act. Kristin’s story started with a group of visionary thinkers who were not prepared to accept that a status quo education is as good as it gets. They had a much bigger dream – that children should be prepared for life. As parents, they wanted their children to leave school as good people, ready, willing and able to contribute to the wider world.

"When I reflect on the way Kristin approaches the education of our young people it becomes obvious that Ubuntu and the power of human connection permeates much of what we do and how we act."

Kristin also stood tall by taking a global outlook from its outset: very much part of its local community, nested in serving a bigger world. We were the first school in New Zealand to introduce the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and the school-wide teaching of Mandarin. Being global citizens is part of who we are.

We have established service partnerships in the Asia-Pacific, like Pasifika Kristin.

Earlier this year our Prefects team raised funds and carried out a refurbishment project for the Dingwall Trust, improving the living conditions for young people in need of out-of-home care. Our Middle School students continue to give both time and resources to Starship Hospital and the Ronald MacDonald Foundation, while recently our Junior School hosted a Student Leaders Forum for schools in the North Shore community. Service is an expectation ingrained in a Kristin education.

True to our founders’ beliefs, we will keep developing good people who will make the world a better place and we will remain a progressive school with vision, integrity and love where the soul force of Ubuntu pervades.

TIM OUGHTON

EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL

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FROM THE

BOARD WHAT'S NEXT

CHANGES TO THE BOARD

One of the questions I’m most frequently asked at Kristin’s functions is why I have chosen to be involved in the school long after my own children’s education has finished. There are many reasons why, but certainly one is the pleasure of being involved in an organisation that is constantly changing, and has to in order to remain relevant.

We have seen some changes at Board level over the past six months.

John Lyon (Trustee) and Steve Jurkovich (Governor) have recently retired, after serving eight and five years respectively, and Garth Sinclair will do so at the end of the year, after five years on the Board. Kristin has been very lucky to have people of such calibre willing to give up countless hours to help the school flourish. All of these Board members are extraordinarily talented and, to use an oftquoted but apt phrase, are at the top of their respective professions.

I count myself lucky to have been able to work with and learn from them; and, I hope, to have created lifelong friendships.

As parents, we know that our children change, day by day, in incremental steps which are almost imperceptible. The Kristin environment is always evolving; those who are engaged in it need to be highly adaptive.

In the same way that our educational leaders strive to make our students future-ready, one of the Board’s functions is to ensure that it makes decisions today which will help to secure Kristin for tomorrow. There are many initiatives under way which involve gazing into the future.

Little Doves is nearing completion. We are confident that this facility will be a market-leader in providing a nurturing and enriching environment for our community’s youngest members. Our special thanks go to Junior School Principal Diana Patchett and Director of Business Services Nigel Wilkinson for shepherding the project so well from conception to completion.

Over recent months we have been conducting stakeholder consultation on the Kristin Campus Master Plan with the aim of identifying the priorities, in terms of campus development, for the next 10 to 20 years. Not surprisingly, this process has identified that traffic flow through the school is a top priority. The Board remains committed to doing whatever it can to ameliorate this problem.

An improved sports facility was identified as a high priority, and one which may be able to be tackled by fundraising. More work is being undertaken to identify a project of scale that can be achieved through fundraising efforts.

An aquatic centre, for a long time an aspiration, is likely to remain out of our reach for the foreseeable future as its price tag of tens of millions exceeds the ability of the community to fund by donations.

At this point the Board remains focused on repaying not increasing debt. We are very fortunate that previous Boards’ forward thinking in developing the campus has afforded us the world-class facilities we currently enjoy. By continuing to focus on repaying debt we ensure a strong financial position for the future.

Further work will be carried out over the next few months to identify the projects that will be funded from school fees and those that will require fundraising; we will report back to the community once that work has been completed.

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The Board is very grateful for those who have taken up Board positions to replace those retiring. We thank and welcome Nicky Shave to the Board, as a Governor. Wendy Chen has agreed to move from her Alumni Governor role to become a trustee, so there will be two vacancies as either Alumni or Parent Governors for 2018.

We will be reaching out to the school community for people willing to take on the roles, and with a skill set that is consistent with the Board’s strategic goals.

Good luck to those of our students who are sitting examinations. To the parents of those concluding their Kristin education, and to those continuing with us, thank you for your continued support of Kristin.

PHILIPPA FEE CHAIR

BOARD CHANGES JOHN LYON

BOARD MEMBER FROM 2010 – AUGUST 2017

John has been careful to ensure that the processes the Board follows are complete before committing to what might otherwise seem to be an obvious decision. His experience around governance and risk management has been invaluable.

STEVE JURKOVICH

BOARD MEMBER FROM 2012 – AUGUST 2017

Applying his own experiences as a parent and in senior corporate roles, Steve has provided great insights to support the management of Kristin in understanding how to better market its offerings and the processes used daily by Principals interacting with the parent community.

GARTH SINCLAIR

BOARD MEMBER FROM 2013 – DECEMBER 2017

Garth has raised the bar in many areas through being willing to challenge while always adopting a collaborative approach. He has represented Kristin in important areas such as Finance and as a champion of the Little Doves project, and he has made a lasting contribution to Kristin’s progress.

NICKY SHAVE

CAMPUS GREENING ‘The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second-best time is now.’

Every day, we enjoy the benefit of the legacy from our Founding Families. We are lucky enough to spend our days in an expansive and beautiful natural physical environment. Our founders’ vision to purchase and plant this land 40 years ago delivers benefit every single day. We must now have the same vision for the next 50 years and invest in our campus for the families of the future with pride.

On the first day of spring, we honoured our beautiful campus and created our own new ‘green legacy’ with the launch of our Campus Greening Project. During September, 110 generous families from our Kristin Community donated over $25,000. Thank you!

Then, on 16 October, the first day of Term 4, we were thrilled to be able to drive onto our campus and enjoy the sight of newly planted trees.

Michelle Koster-Crockford, our Manager of Environment and Landscaping Services, and her team, had sprung into action, addressing four areas of enrichment around our campus, as outlined below.

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Iconic Pōhutukawa trees have been extended along the boundary with Albany Highway.

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Stunning Ornamental Pear (Pyrus calleryana aristocrat) trees now welcome us as we drive in through Gate 1.

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Native species that are attractive to birds have enhanced the bush area behind the rear (western) football grounds.

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A productive orchard and mature flowering trees will be planted alongside the new Little Doves Learning Centre next year.

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Board Member since August 2017

It is heart-warming to think that all our future students will enjoy shelter, shade, fun and friendship around these trees. Our Founding Families would be proud, and so are we. Once again, sincere thanks for the gracious contribution to our campus, which will be enjoyed by many students, staff and families for years to come. n

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Four children attended Kristin from Year 0: two are Kristin Alumni; two are current students

Morag Fryer Director of Marketing and Advancement

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Active member of Kristin Family and Friends (KFF) since 2003; KFF Chair 2015–2018

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Comes from a career in paediatric nursing including Clinical Manager in Emergency Care, Paediatric Home Care, Lecturer at AUT, Paediatric Nurse Advisor in the Ministry of Health’s review of Paediatric Specialty Services

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Highly committed to community development and environmental health

NEW PARENT GOVERNOR

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Little Doves Manager Sarah Jones, Kindergarten Manager Leila Guillard and Junior School Principal Diana Patchett, checking on progress at a recent Little Doves site visit.

LITTLE DOVES: PROGRESS WITH VISION, INTEGRITY AND LOVE If ever Kristin’s motto was evident, it is especially now as the walls go up around Little Doves, a premium care and early-childhood education centre set among Kristin’s established 16-hectare school grounds.

Set to open in April 2018, Little Doves will be a place where a child’s innate learning will be enriched by the stunning natural environment and nurturing, attentive people with whom they will interact.

Building on our school’s optimistic vision to recognise and nurture each child’s individual talents, Little Doves aspires to support parents in helping our children to become the happiest and most successful they can be.

Professional, caring teachers will nurture children from six months old through the important stages of their early development culminating in a seamless transition into our well-established Kindergarten at the age of four. Here they will encounter a programme that continues to feed their natural curiosity while preparing them for success at school - whether that is here at Kristin, or elsewhere.

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We at Kristin know that 80% of brain development happens during the first few years of life, and that infants, toddlers and young children absorb massive amounts of information from their surrounds. So, Little Doves will be a rich and stimulating space that respects the child, maximises love and minimises stress.

Architects Collingridge And Smith designed Little Doves to incorporate plenty of natural light and ventilation, a wide verandah and underfloor heating. Glass doors and sash windows allow the users of each room to feel connected to the expansive outdoor area featuring a pint-sized journey around New Zealand, complete with a farm zone, ‘main street’ of shops, and lush landscaping by Natural Habitats. Lead Designer Mark Read relished the opportunity to create such a large space for children to explore through movement and play.

Sarah Jones has recently been appointed as the Little Doves Centre Manager. Sarah’s passion for engaging with children and their learning, her commitment to inspiring and guiding teachers, and her incredible empathy with young ones and their families make her a worthy addition to the Kristin team that will realise Little Doves.

Sarah’s reputation as a professional early childhood educator precedes her. Her career includes teaching at the highly-regarded Tots Corner, Northcote, before being asked to establish and lead the teaching and learning programme at Hobsonville Point Early Learning Centre.

She is an active member of Reggio Emilia Aotearoa New Zealand and also tutors for the early-childhood-related courses in the Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts programmes at the University of Auckland.

Foundation team leaders have also been appointed with Mieke Lyons (Infants and Walkers), Raewyn Simpson (Toddlers) and Hailee Collins (Pre-Kindergarten) all excited to be involved in realising this innovative early learning centre from the start. n Little Doves will open with limited places, to ensure a fabulous experience for the families who join us. For information on waiting lists and enrolment, please contact the Admissions team at Kristin via the school website or email admissions@littledoves.nz.

Interest in joining Little Doves as a teacher or assistant should be expressed to Kristin’s Director of Human Resources Rebecca Isted (09 415 9566 or email risted@kristin.school.nz).

Early Learning Centre 6 months - 4 years old

Opening 30 April 2018 Monday to Friday 7.30am - 5.30pm Closed public holidays and for four weeks over Christmas and New Year "Together, we will move, play and explore; talk, sing and listen; read, count and create. But most of all, we encourage, respect and love our little doves."

Sarah Jones - Little Doves Centre Manager

For more information or to apply, please email admissions@littledoves.nz Little Doves Manager, Sarah Jones with one of the first Little Doves enrolees Sutton Pollard and his mother Kate Pollard (Middle School Assistant Principal)

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DISCOVERING FUTURE READY YEAR 1 DEAN, NATHAN CALVERT Three years ago, I drove into Kristin School for the first time.

The towering trees lining the entranceway caught my eye, but it was two words which captured my attention. These were written directly under the Kristin logo by the main entrance: Future Ready. Future Ready? I pondered. What exactly does that mean, and who does it refer to? What future are we talking about and, most importantly, how do we prepare our students to achieve it?

After two years of conversations about this with staff, parents and students, I felt compelled to explore this area further. I began a Masters of Applied Practice, which requires teachers to undertake an action research project within their own context. With the support of the senior leadership team, I surveyed staff and alumni to gain an understanding of what Future Ready means, in theory and in practice.

Having spent the previous six months researching what others believe future readiness is, I then used this information to design a series of workshops relating to future readiness in education. These 6

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"We need to prepare our students to be ready to create the future in which they wish to live."

workshops were designed to give a representative group of staff the opportunity to explore what it means to be Future Ready within a Kristin context.

The workshop group was made up of nine staff members with representation from Junior, Middle and Senior School teachers from across the five faculties, support staff and the senior leadership team. Some were also Kristin alumni, parents of alumni and parents of current Kristin students, which gave the workshop group multiple diverse perspectives to draw from.

The workshops, led by industry experts, took place over five sessions in Term 3 and focused on five key topics: 21st Century Competencies, Digital Fluencies, Wicked Problems, Action Learning, and Well-being.

We started by asking the group to consider three recent studies from leading international institutions. Each study aimed to define the skills, knowledge and learning dispositions required by students to be ready for the future. Known as the 21st-Century

Nathan Calvert leading Kristin colleagues in a Future Ready workshop

Competencies, the studies gave different perspectives on what a student will need to ensure they are well equipped for their future; they also prompted debate around the importance of subject-specific content knowledge, assessment and the purpose of education.

The second workshop, led by Kristin’s Head of Technology and Design Andrew Churches, focused on the teaching and application of these competencies and introduced the group to the Essential Fluencies of Innovative Learning: structured processes for developing the skills that students need to succeed, today and in the future. Mr Churches’ rationale for the Fluencies is based on the research of Torkel Klingberg, which found that “If you teach a child a structured problem-solving process, you can permanently increase their IQ by up to 10%.” By the end of our second session, the group felt confident they had built a shared understanding of what it means to be Future Ready.

Enter Chris Clay, Founding Education Director of The Mind Lab. Mr Clay led our third discussion on Wicked Problems: problems which span multiple domains that are unsolvable, highly complex, uncertain and value-laden – for example, climate change. His workshop addressed many key issues likely to arise from the exponential growth in computing power, such as technological unemployment and the effects of an automated workforce.

After sharing a dystopian view of the future and its challenges (think Blade Runner), Mr Clay changed tack and challenged the group to view Wicked Problems as Wicked Opportunities: to see the benefits changes could bring, to rethink the purpose of education, and to look at problems from multiple perspectives in order to better understand them.

The fourth workshop moved from gaining a conceptual understanding of Wicked Problems to understanding how to approach them. Ally Bull, an AUT lecturer, guided the group through two techniques designed to help people see complex problems objectively and from different perspectives. These gave the group practical tools with which to engage with complex issues and to help them thrive in times of uncertainty.

Our final workshop, led by Dr Emma Woodward, was focused on well-being and addressed many key issues that our students are likely to face, such as dopamine hijack, relationships without depth, and the merging of the real and virtual worlds. Dr Woodward shared ways in which we can help our students develop positive mental resilience and true connection, by utilising strengths, developing a Growth Mindset, practising gratitude and being authentic with others. The workshop group was challenged to ensure that students’ mental health and well-being are kept at the forefront of our thinking regarding future readiness.

By the end of the series, the group agreed that defining Future Ready is a Wicked Problem in itself, as the world is changing rapidly, the future is uncertain, and readiness can be defined in multiple ways. They concluded that, in spite of these challenges (or more accurately, because of them), it is imperative for Kristin to continue exploring how we can best prepare our students to be ready to face the challenges of an unknown future. Beyond simply coping and responding to challenges, the key message that came out of the workshop was this: We need to prepare our students to be ready to create the future in which they wish to live. n

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AN APPLE FOR THE TEACHER The Junior School became the first school in New Zealand to celebrate 100% Apple Teacher success this year, with an apple for every teacher.

Every one of the Junior School teachers has successfully completed the online professional training and assessment programme, earning them an official Apple Teacher title.

- not only to communicate their understanding of new topics or share their work in a creative way, but the intuitive applications can also establish a valuable foundation for future coding and design.”

The online teaching and learning course includes eight modules on how to make the most of Apple devices and software. During their study, teachers worked through interactive guides that extended their knowledge and skills before being tested on each element.

Teachers remarked on the benefits of the programme in extending their confidence with developing projects in common platforms such as Pages, Keynote, Numbers and iMovie. They said it also offered them the opportunities to explore the rich avenues for using some of these apps together to enable them to be more creative and productive with lessons and student activities.

Junior School Principal Diana Patchett, Assistant Principal (Curriculum) Rob Hutton and eLearning Co-ordinator Timea Willemse led the charge and supported teachers to realise this additional qualification.

Mrs Patchett outlined one of the key drivers for teachers to be confident in this digital space. “Current research confirms that the vast majority of young people (97%) are merely consumers of technology, and we are intent on reversing that trend at Kristin. The Apple ecosystem affords students a plethora of creative opportunities

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“We are incredibly proud of our achievement. It certainly demonstrates our commitment to continual improvement and lifelong learning in support of improved outcomes for our students,” said Mrs Patchett. “By embracing and integrating these emerging technologies in the classroom, we are setting our students up for a successful life outside of school.” n

KRISTIN PREPARES FOR

45 CELEBRATIONS TH

It is with great excitement that we look forward to our 45th Birthday Celebrations in 2018. Behind the scenes our Marketing and Advancement Team, with support from the KFF Executive, has been working steadily on planning the fundraising and philanthropic initiatives for the remainder of 2017 and through 2018.

In September we were delighted to complete a short, sharp and very successful Campus Greening Project for new plantings around our beautiful campus. Extensive research shows the benefit for everyone, young and old, to be surrounded by and have access to the natural environment. In an increasingly urbanised world where ‘nature deprivation’ has been diagnosed in children living in large cities, we are very fortunate to have our extensive campus grounds with room to breathe, space in which to run and trees to shade us.

Towards the end of Term 4 2017 we will launch our Annual Appeal that will focus on a new piano for our Dove Theatre. The Dove Theatre is in constant use as a performance and teaching space with many enthusiastic and talented pianists. It will be wonderful to support our students with a high-quality piano that fully reflects their expertise.

As we move into 2018 we have two major fundraisers. To build up our Scholarships Fund we will start with an Innovative Student Fitness Project that will encourage every student to take on a physical training challenge and gain sponsorship. We will be urging all family members, and particularly Dads, to become involved with activities on campus in March 2018. This will culminate in Dave Scott, Middle School Principal and Mark Haslam, Middle School Assistant Principal, running the Great Wall Marathon in China in mid May. This challenging run is said to be one of the most picturesque with stunning scenery of rural China. Sponsorship of both students and Principals will go towards our Scholarship Fund for outstanding students who would otherwise not be able to attend Kristin.

The 45th Celebration Ball is on 25 August 2018. This will be our major fundraiser for the year to build the Kristin Foundation funds for campus enhancements. Most importantly, this will be a wonderful night to share with friends, a chance to reflect on the warmth and strength of our ‘extended family’ and the friendships we have made and will continue to invest in and enjoy over the next 20 years.

As always, we look to strengthen and extend our strategic advantages for Kristin now and into the future. We take the long-term view and with the generosity and vision of our community look to create a powerful legacy for future students and families. It is with significant gratitude that we relish the commitment and contribution of our Kristin Community, and look forward to a successful 45th Birthday Celebration year. n Morag Fryer Director of Marketing and Advancement

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KRISTIN SCHOOL

MASTERCLASSES 2017

Michael Grose presenting on the issue of the 'spoon-fed generation'

At Kristin, we know that keeping the channels of communication between students, the school and parents open is vital to the success of a thriving relationship. We also know that well-being education is always most effectively delivered when there is a consistent approach to issues both at home and at school. One way in which we have sought to nurture ever-stronger relationships with Kristin families is through our parental Masterclasses each term. The vision for these sessions is to engage regularly with parents, and indeed the wider community, on a variety of wellbeing topics that affect the lives of teenagers and about which parents may wish to learn more.

Topics this year have included the teenage brain, resilience and, most recently, the issue of the ‘spoon-fed generation’. In this most recent Masterclass, Australian author and parenting guru Michael Grose strongly argued that over-parenting is responsible for creating a generation of anxious dependent children. Grose argues that currently we do too much for our kids – we give them too much; expect too little – and are raising a generation of nervous children who fall apart when a skerrick of pressure is applied to them. In the Masterclass, he outlined that our 'spoon-feeding' ways are turning children into dependent adults with limited capability to function in the world. Grose added that this is something that parents he works with come to regret when their children are older.

He relayed that he finds many parents say, “I wish I had let go earlier. I wish I had not done so much for them.” Grose stated that the most poignant comment he hears is, “I wish I hadn’t taken the easy way out”. Among other things, he advised families to adopt a ‘Big Family Mindset’, pointing out that children who are born into 10

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bigger families often have more freedom and space to enable them to develop their independence. While that might not seem so easy in a world where parents are benchmarking themselves against one another, and judging each other, Grose’s message was it might be time to 'swim against the tide'.

Parent and community feedback on the Masterclass initiative has been excellent and one parent described the classes as being “a simple yet effective way to engage parents in a key area of the school’s responsibilities”.

Out Term 4 Masterclass is a real coup. Dr Nicholas Kardaras, the international bestselling author and speaker will be flying in from New York, to speak about the science of screen addiction, findings from his research and his hugely popular book, Glow Kids. We’ve all seen them: kids hypnotically staring at glowing screens in restaurants, playgrounds and in friends’ houses – and the numbers are growing. Like a virtual scourge, the illuminated glowing faces – the Glow Kids – are multiplying. But at what cost? Is this just a harmless indulgence or fad, like some sort of digital hula hoop? n Dave Scott Middle School Principal

WRITERS' WORKSHOP

PREFECT TEAM 2017/18

During the first week of the October holidays, more than 60 students from all over Auckland attended two Writers’ Workshops hosted by Kristin School. The budding authors were mentored, guided and highly entertained by author Brian Falkner, who taught them about the many aspects of story writing.

Congratulations to our new 2017/18 Prefects and House Captains announced at the Service and Leadership Assembly in Term 3.

These students, through their ongoing commitment and approach to all areas of the Kristin community, have shown that they are well deserving of these positions.

The students shared their stories, their passion for writing and their love for books, through their personal writing and group challenges - which were all a lot of fun!

Prefects 2017/18

Each day, after they worked on their stories, students were divided into five teams to play Story Sports. This involved Mr Falkner giving students writing and reading challenges based on well-known classics and popular young adult fiction. The competition was very exciting as each team tried to gain the most points to win.

Everyone who attended worked really hard on their writing and by the end of the camp each of them had completed their own story which they shared with the group on the final day. So many of these stories were really amazing and showcased a great deal of talent.

Three Kristin Middle School students, Kelly Xu, Emma Leonard and Isobel Chilberto, co-ordinated the camp, and worked really hard organising the meals, clean-ups and doing general administration tasks like taking the roll each morning. They also helped as judges in the Story Sports.

Mr Falkner impressed the students with his thoughtful guidance, his amazing knowledge of children’s literature and his great sense of humour. But, most impressive of all, was his astounding ability to say ‘hello’ in every language in the world! Although they tried hard, none of the participants could catch him out. One of the students remarked, “Mr Falkner is definitely a skilful writer, who inspired us with different story ideas starting with ‘If ’. He also has a charming and humorous personality which made the class very exciting.”

Thank you, Mr Falkner for another four days of wonderful Writers’ Workshops and also thanks to all the staff and students who helped make this camp possible. n

Head Prefects Isabella Howarth and Max Ramsay Deputy Head Prefects Tom Codyre and Sally Zhang Prefects Nick Abel Samantha Allan Mathis Bitton Megan Bruce Elodie d’Anglejan Chatillon Oriana Follas Pero Garlick Maddison Gaze Imogen Harwood Sophie Katavich Amara Labb Jake Lyons Holly Ma Teri Marinus Bridie McCullough Angus McGill Clementine Rose Rayaan Shaikh Matthew Williams House Captains Apollo - Cameron Bigwood, Ella Kohn-Taylor, Holly Roberts Jupiter - Tyra Daruwalla, Stephanie Shrimpton, Tim Wang Saturn - James Jacobi, Iliana Ren, Emily Stewart Mariner - Angela Black, Ben Gentry, Nicole Ho Shiqi

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KRISTIN ROCKS!

CHORAL TRIFECTA

Every week, the Kristin Music department sees hundreds of students come through its doors for instrumental or voice lessons, ensemble, band and choir rehearsals or perhaps just to have ‘jam’ and to socialise with friends.

Alongside our reputation for top-class musicals, choral music at Kristin is without a doubt one of our absolute strengths in the performing arts. This has been reaffirmed once again in 2017 with our Junior, Middle and Senior school choirs being recognised with Gold awards for musical excellence at the regional Kids Sing and the national secondary schools competition, The Big Sing.

Of these students, very few are personally driven to take part in competitions to gain personal recognition. Nevertheless, musical competitions and festivals do provide students with a goal to work towards and the opportunity for their hard work, musicianship or creativity to be recognised at local, regional or national level. And this is precisely how things have turned out for numerous Kristin Music students who have seen success in a range of music festivals and competitions this year.

Our sensational Kristin Jazz Combo (Jaffar Al-Sakini, Ali Antaqi, Dougal Clumpas, Ben Kennedy and Alparslan Semiz) has performed regularly at school events and also entered two competitions this year. Unfortunately, the national secondary schools’ competition at the Tauranga Jazz Festival was cancelled due to a cyclone hitting the Bay of Plenty; however, the combo went on to perform at the Auckland Secondary Schools Jazz Band Competition and their impeccable set was recognised with a Gold award.

The success of our Jazz Combo was followed very closely by our String Ensemble being awarded a Bronze award in the Chamber Orchestra category of the KBB Music Festival. This small orchestra rehearses once a week and has developed a fun repertoire of traditional and modern orchestral music.

In addition to these teacher-led ensembles, 2017 has seen a significant influx in student-led rock and popular music groups forming in the school. The Smokefree Rockquest provides an excellent platform for these students and over its 29-year history has launched the careers of many of New Zealand’s top performers.

Of the seven Kristin acts entered into this year’s competition all of them made it through to the regional finals with three placing in the top three in their categories. This exciting success was topped off by Year 12 student Jade Bryham and her band, Daffodils, placing 2nd in the national final for the second year in a row.

We are thrilled to have such an active and successful Music department with amazing music being produced across a wide range of styles and ensembles. n 12

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The Kids Sing is a regional competition that took place in the Auckland Town Hall early in Term 2. This wonderful event is held over two days, with primary schools singing in the competition and then an evening gala concert on day one, with middle and intermediate school choirs doing the same the following day.

Our Year 4-6 choir, The Treble Clefs, delivered an exciting and well-executed repertoire of three works. Their set comprised a festival test piece, a Spanish dance and, most excitingly, a piece of music composed especially for this year’s choir by their very own, talented director, Mrs Edith Poon-Lai. It was a huge privilege for the students to perform a work composed just for them, and the choir and Mrs Poon-Lai were very deserving of the Gold award they received at the Gala Concert.

The very next day our Year 7 and 8 Middle School Choir added to the Kristin success with a second Gold award. Directed by Mrs Fleur Knowles and only in its second year of existence, this choir’s members all sparkled on the stage, delivering a very assured, musical performance enhanced by subtle choreography (or choralography as it is referred to in singing circles!).

Both of these choirs did our school proud, demonstrating excellent discipline and stagecraft, and also saw our students looking immaculate wearing their Kristin uniforms with pride.

Later in the term Euphony was once again hugely successful in the Big Sing national finale, which took place in the ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre. The Big Sing national finale is famous worldwide for the extremely high quality of youth choral singing, and Euphony maintained its reputation of excellence, being awarded one of just four Gold awards in this year’s competition.

As a school, Kristin is very fortunate to have so much singing taking place, and our students benefit considerably from the passion, knowledge and commitment of the staff who provide them with these opportunities. n

KRISTIN SCHOOL

WINS MONETARY POLICY CHALLENGE The Monetary Policy Challenge (MPC) gives secondary-school students an exciting opportunity to put themselves in the shoes of Reserve Bank economists and recommend what the Official Cash Rate (OCR) could be. Using the same information as the Reserve Bank, teams assess the economic conditions facing New Zealand and the outlook for inflation. Based on their assessment of the economy, each team decides on an appropriate setting for the OCR (the interest rate set by the Reserve Bank to meet its inflation target).

This year Kristin School has been named the national winner, with Macleans College (Auckland) placed 2nd and St Patrick’s College (Wellington) 3rd. The other national finalists were James Hargest College (Invercargill), Auckland International College and Takapuna Grammar School (Auckland).

The competition, which has been running for 16 years now, expands students’ understanding of monetary policy and is based on the Bank of England’s ‘Target 2.0’ competition for UK ‘A’-level economics students.

During May, 52 teams from around New Zealand participated in this year’s MPC, presenting their OCR decisions via videoconference. Each team presented a 10-minute justification for their OCR decision and then answered questions from the economists. In responding to the questions, the economists

The team from Kristin School (from left): Amar Hamilton-Vincent, Bruce Zhang, Rory Sutherland, William Baker and Christine Zhang each won $500 for themselves and $2,500 for their school by winning the Reserve Bank’s 2017 Monetary Policy Challenge. Photo: Hannah Richardson

were particularly interested in the students’ verbal reasoning in formulating their responses.

The top six teams were then selected to present in person at the national finals in Wellington.

The national finals took place at the Reserve Bank on Wednesday 5 July, and were judged by Assistant Reserve Bank Governor and Chief Economist John McDermott, and Reserve Bank economists Amber Watson and Amy Rice. The Kristin MPC team consisted of Rory Sutherland (Governor), William Baker, Amar HamiltonVincent, Bruce Zhang and Christine Zhang.

Dr McDermott said: “The Kristin School team showed a sound understanding of factors relevant to monetary policy. They answered tough questions with confidence and clarity and operated well as a team.”

As a part of the prize pack, each team member won a $500 cash prize.

The Kristin students and their teacher, Mr John Osborne, returned to the Reserve Bank in Wellington in August to watch the Monetary Policy Statement media conference with Governor Graeme Wheeler, meet with senior decision-makers and see first-hand how economic theory is put into practice. n The MPC is open to all New Zealand secondary-school senior economics students and runs annually from May to July. A team from Kristin School also won the MPC in 2010.

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HARRIET POWELL -

FROM KRISTIN DANCE TO BOLSHOI BALLET, RUSSIA In Term 1, Year 11 Kristin student Harriet Powell made an appearance on TVNZ’s Seven Sharp in a piece highlighting her experience as one of the members of our Samoan Dance group performing at the ASB Polyfest festival. At this time Harriet would never have imagined in her wildest dreams that later in the year she would be back on TVNZ talking about being accepted into a four-year programme at the 244-year-old Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia.

Out of 90 applicants, 10 girls from around the world were accepted in the latest intake. While a girl from New Zealand has taken part in a one-year programme before, this is understood to be the first time a New Zealander has been invited to train at the Bolshoi for four years.

Harriet’s ultimate goal is to become a principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet Company or the Mariinsky Ballet Company and, without a doubt, acceptance into this programme sets her well on her way to realising her dream.

"Harriet’s ultimate goal is to become a principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet Company or the Mariinsky Ballet Company and, without a doubt, acceptance into this programme sets her well on her way to realising her dream."

Harriet attended a six-day ballet workshop in Sydney run by the Russian school. What Harriet and her family weren’t aware of was that the course was also being used as an audition for the academy back in Russia. Harriet’s mother, Alley Powell, says the once-ina-lifetime opportunity has come as a surprise to the family, who initially treated the Sydney workshop as a training experience. She says she’s petrified but also excited for her daughter.

Ms Powell admits she initially couldn’t tell a pirouette from a grand jeté, and had not realised how talented her daughter was. She was more used to watching Harriet play touch rugby, hockey and football; her daughter only entered the ballet world three years ago as an aid to improving her rhythmic gymnastics.

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As the family prepares for Harriet's departure they will be maximising family time, organising visas and “wrapping her in bubble wrap so she doesn’t injure herself ”. A visit to the academy’s living facilities and seeing the teachers at work with Harriet on her first trip to the Bolshoi has reassured Harriet’s mum that this is definitely an exciting and life-changing opportunity. n

FAME MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION Around 1,500 audience members watched our very own Kristin School students breathe fire on the stage and graduate from the ‘Fame’ Academy in the Middle School’s 2017 production of Fame Junior in Term 3 this year. The students’ passion for the performing arts and their talent and hard work were rewarded with standing ovations and outstanding feedback that followed every performance. Several audience members claimed that it was the best Kristin Middle School production to date.

Fame Junior was indeed the perfect production and platform through which to celebrate our talented Middle School vocalists, dancers, dramatists and crew members, who worked exceptionally hard to contribute to a highly energetic, colourful production. Backed by the fantastic support of a talented group of parents, and a superb production team of staff members, everyone came together to help make magic.

“The journey into a brighter future can begin with a single step into the spotlight, and so was the case for all the students involved in the long-awaited Middle School production of Fame Junior."

Middle School Principal Dave Scott wrote in his Principal’s Editorial, following the performance season: “The journey into a brighter future can begin with a single step into the spotlight, and so was the case for all the students involved in the long-awaited Middle School production of Fame Junior. The performances certainly did not disappoint and maintained the incredibly high standard of performing arts at Kristin School. If there was ever any proof required that performing arts are essential in any balanced education, then this production was the shining example. The life-skills gained from daring to perform in a musical or play, being part of a band, running the lighting or sound desk, assisting with stage management or building the set are immeasurable and add a significant amount to the educational journey of all the students involved.” n

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GAIL CONFERENCE The July GAIL trip to South Africa was an incredible experience, that made a huge impact on all the Kristin students who participated.

GAIL (Global Alliance for Innovative Learning) has an annual conference involving almost 70 students from schools in India, China, Scotland, USA, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

This year the theme was ‘Ubuntu’, which essentially means connectedness and is linked to African culture.

We arrived at Prestige College on 1 July. It took no time before everyone from all the schools were joking around together as if we had all known each other for ages! The conference officially began the next day, marked by a formal opening night ceremony with performances that gave us a real sense of African culture.

Highlights of the conference activities included visiting Maropeng - the cradle of humankind, making fire from scratch (not a match), and learning about our brain profiles. Each night a different school presented a showcase of their culture, with Bollywood dancing, Aboriginal painting and Scottish Ceilidh dancing being particularly fun. A highlight of Kristin’s cultural night was the opportunity to teach everyone the haka, which students and teachers loved!

Despite a full-on week of activities, it was very special to be able to make so many new friends from all around the world.

The conference also involved a collaborative project, with students from different nations working together as a team. On the final day we debated project topics and shared ideas with everyone, which was a positive end to the week and a testament to how hard everyone worked! I think we all gained a greater understanding of other cultures and the meaning of Ubuntu, as well as great memories and new friends.

We then headed off for an amazing trip around South Africa, visiting Kruger National Park and Cape Town, where we visited Table Mountain, Cape Point and Robben Island where we learned a lot about the system of apartheid.

This trip was honestly life-changing, and expanded my knowledge of the world and allowed me to engage with different cultures.

I highly recommend signing up for next year’s conference if you’re currently in Year 10 or 11. n Emily Stewart

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2017 PYP EXHIBITION A CELEBRATION OF AUTHENTIC STUDENT LEARNING The PYP Exhibition requires Year 6 students to engage in a collaborative inquiry process that involves them identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. It provides the platform to enable students to display the skills, attitudes and behaviours developed throughout their schooling experience in the IB PYP.

These are big ideas, and you’d be mistaken if you thought these young people could not make sense of them for themselves.

The ‘action’ aspect of the inquiry process is especially powerful for young people. When dipping their mind into the big ideas around ‘Sharing the Planet’, there were many confronting discoveries. Being able to take positive action in response to this learning affirmed for them that they are not too small to make an impact for good. Many of us benefited from this action.

It was challenging and increased their competencies, giving students a better idea of just what they were capable of achieving.

But moreover, it provided a significant contribution to their understanding of the commonality of human experience and the wide-reaching, transdisciplinary nature of this theme – ‘Sharing the Planet’.

The Exhibition experience in 2017 has been a celebration of authentic student learning, one which the students enjoyed sharing with the whole Kristin community.

The learning journals, inquiry static displays and interactions with the community in the LIC Foyer illustrated that the 2017 Exhibition was a powerful celebration of learning, showing what it means to be a PYP student at Kristin. The Year 6 students were able to apply what they have learnt and have shown who they have become throughout their time in the Junior School. n

This year’s theme - ‘Sharing the Planet’ - offered students plenty of scope to craft an inquiry into rights and responsibilities, in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Our students developed their own central idea, one that was engaging and of interest to them. They were actively involved in their own learning, linking new knowledge to prior experiences.

Rob Hutton Junior School Assistant Principal

A JUNIOR SCHOOL VISUAL ART AND WRITING COLLABORATION

BOX OF BIRDS

“Writing is the painting of the voice.”

The ‘Box of Birds’ biennial literacy exhibition was held in the LIC Foyer during Week 3 of Term 4 showcasing the finished products of this rich writing and art partnership process.

This special evening celebrates the ideas, imaginations and creative spirit of our young writers and artists. We believe that their work has purpose and deserves a wide audience.

The vast array of different writing genres showed an original and authentic voice that other young people can connect to and be inspired by, reflecting the cultures and experiences of life in New Zealand.

The evening clearly demonstrates the school’s seamless writing processes, highlighting the editing process our students use to produce work that, in most cases, exceeds the National Standards.

These focused initiatives ensure that as a student moves to the next year level, the pedagogy of teaching writing does not change. This allows a cohesive language for learning across all levels of our Junior School and nurtures the creative and original imaginations of our students, encouraging them to flourish and grow.

The philosophy behind this night is to treat young writers and artists with respect, handle their work with care and produce a beautifully designed exhibition of high-quality writing which reflects how much we value and admire them as writers. n 11.2017

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2017 PREFECT PROJECT

Every year, the Kristin School Prefect team commits to a cause that they believe will improve the circumstances of people in the community.

Over the July holidays, I had the privilege of being a part of this year’s Prefect Project, which involved the renovation of lodgings at a child-care foster home in Papatoetoe run by Dingwall Trust.

Our first visit to Dingwall in March was an extremely heartwarming experience that introduced me to the great joy and happiness of the kids whose rooms we would be renovating. In six separate groups corresponding to the number of bedrooms in the cottage, we had the opportunity of getting to know who would be living in our room post-decoration and what kinds of things they would like to see changed. Many walls had holes in them, the furniture was plain and conventional, and paint flaked from the window sills. It was clear we had a lot of work ahead of us.

(and avoid traffic). As the week progressed, and with the help of the Troake construction company, old paint was stripped and sanded away, replaced by our carefully-chosen shades of blue, yellow, grey and red. Slowly but surely the rooms began to take on a character of their own. Curtains, sheets and lightshades were all replaced, and soon what had been a mouldy cottage became a palace of renewed cleanliness and adventure. Then there was the playroom, decked out with new computers, and the living room, with quaint footrests galore.

With our newly-instilled drive and a clearer idea of what we had to work with, we began the process of raising funds for the project.

Our main event was a Disney-themed Quiz Night that raised roughly $39,000. Many items were donated by local organisations for auction at the evening including the limited-edition Mini Cooper that featured in the film Pork Pie. It was a jovial occasion in the name of a cause everyone was willing to support.

Everything was in its place when the kids rolled up on the final day of the project. After a quick game of basketball with their new hoop, and a bounce on the recently-installed trampoline, it was time for the great reveal. Nothing can take away my memory of the excitement on those kids’ faces as they ran into their rooms to find everything changed, different, cooler and, best of all, theirs. We left with a true sense of accomplishment that we had left a mark on a very special group of people, who I shall never forget. n

With the budget established and our mammoth shopping expedition complete, the time finally came to begin the project.

We all got up at the crack of dawn to make the most of the day 18

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Oliver Denny

INAUGURAL STUDENT LEADERSHIP FORUM

INSPIRES YOUNG MINDS The inaugural North Shore Student Leadership Forum was hosted by Kristin Junior School on Wednesday 16 August. Over 700 students from 20 North Shore primary schools attended the event and were treated to a variety of inspirational speakers, provocative messages for personal development and resilience, as well as a tasty Eat My Lunch box each.

Local dancer Brylee Mills’ presentation was a highlight for many of the students attending. Her honest, compelling story of overcoming challenges and staying true to her dreams resonated with the audience. She delivered a powerful message encouraging the students not to let obstacles define who they are or what they may become.

Olympic Ambassador and Black Stick team member Brooke Neal and motivational speaker Cam Calkoen also captivated the crowd with their life experiences and lessons learned. Brooke encouraged the students to ‘Dream Big’, sharing her tips on goal setting, focus and determination. ‘Awesome’ was the key word for Cam’s energetic presentation as he inspired the students to ‘not worry about what people might think, but to give people something to think about’.

Maree Bathurst, Principal of Albany Primary, remarked on the value of the day for her Years 5 and 6 students, saying: “The range of presenters certainly gave our students inspiration and they all gained different highlights and messages to take away.”

The energy levels lifted in the final session for the day. The dryice smoke rings from Nanogirl’s mega-airzooka were the most memorable for two Glamorgan Primary students. Launching

these across the Auditorium capped off Michelle Dickinson’s (aka Nanogirl) science and tech demonstration that featured a clever message inspiring young people to find their superpower, work hard and make a positive change. Then, Brylee Mills returned to the stage and joined forces with Dances For School founder Ezra Bush, for a contemporary hip-hop routine before Ezra had all 700 students on their feet for a massed dance number.

Tamsin Neubert, Year 6 teacher at Kristin, shared: “I really enjoyed the day as much as my students did. They came back to class fizzing; we had some great conversations, and they made awesome blog posts from their reflections.”

A special part of the day came just before lunch as the crew from Eat My Lunch thanked the audience for making the day one of their biggest yet. The student lunch boxes were that much more delicious knowing 700 other Auckland students received one as well.

This inaugural Student Leadership Forum was declared a great success, delivering powerful, positive messages to all who attended and Kristin School looks forward to hosting this event again next year. n

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Christine Zhang at her Fair Trade Festival

CAS ACTIVITIES 2017 Every year, Kristin students work on hundreds of Creativity, Action & Service (CAS) activities that make a positive impact within our community: volunteering, mentoring, running clubs, planting trees, event management and much more. This year has been no exception. IB Diploma students have identified a range of community needs and given service on a wide range of collaborative and authentic ‘real world’ projects. The cases highlighted below are examples of where partnerships are being formed and global issues addressed on a local level.

teamwork, seeing the difference in the kids from when they played alone and then playing as a team, I really appreciated how effective the workshops could be.”

One of the special aspects of this project is that it is building a legacy. Dhruv and Sam have built on the work of past students Queenie Yong and James Erskine and they have organised another student to run the event for 2018. Their aim is for students at Onepoto Primary to have a fun, interactive experience offered by Kristin for many years to come. Dhruv reflects on the efforts he

Waste minimisation team waste audit

ONEPOTO PRIMARY SCHOOL FUN DAY One of the key skills that CAS fosters is the ability to organise and mobilise others to make a positive impact. Year 13 students Dhruv Ohri and Sam Bedford demonstrated this when they organised a fun day in April for the students at Onepoto Primary School, located in Northcote on the North Shore. The event involved organising a team of 15 Kristin students, working with the school principal, Mr Dombroski, to provide fun sports workshops including basketball, football and face painting.

Dhruv’s main focus was for the project was to encourage Onepoto Primary’s students to experience team-building skills in sports and other activities that they wouldn’t typically experience in a school day. Kristin students coached, refereed and created drills and games to help develop a range of ball skills as well as teamwork and collaboration skills. Dhruv says: “Although I knew the value of 20

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gave to this event: “I think this project has taught me a lot, and helped us make a better connection with younger generations, which is especially valuable with us now going out into the ‘real’ world.”

THE FIRST FAIR TRADE FESTIVAL IN AUCKLAND CAS can give students the opportunity to take action and address an issue they feel really passionate about. In celebration of the 2017 World Fair Trade Day and World Fairtrade Challenge, Christine Zhang decided to think ‘big’ and organised an Auckland-wide event to promote fair trade in May this year. She contacted local organisations involved in advocating for fair trade issues and asked for their support. With commitment, vision and a lot of dedication and hard work, Christine made it happen! The day-long festival in the CBD included over 20 fair trade stalls, live music, guest speakers (including Green MP Julie-Anne Genter), as well as the first-ever world-record attempt for the largest group of people dancing with Fairtrade Bananas.

Christine’s service experience involved applying for event funding and an official Auckland Council event permit, building connections with sustainable businesses and promoting the event through advertising and social media. When asked what skills she had developed, Christine said: “I acquired a holistic range of life skills such as more confidence in public speaking, time management and how to organise a wide variety of people, with strong communication skills. The most valuable aspect of this event for me, however, was being able to go out into the community and advocate for an issue that I was deeply passionate about.”

This CAS project allowed Christine to connect with people working for charities and non-for-profit organisations, such as Trade Aid and Fair Trade ANZ, and to gain an insight into what these entities do. Her efforts led to national news coverage and a commitment by the various organisations involved to continue the festival in 2018.

WASTE MINIMISATION TEAM TAKING ON TRASH Environmental issues have an authentic place in a CAS project, giving our students an insight into how local concerns are linked to global issues. This is highlighted by our new official Waste Minimisation Team. This group is committed to reducing the amount of waste our school sends to landfill and educating their peers about the importance of recycling and disposing of waste thoughtfully.

team. Key skills such as collaboration and communication are being developed, with a range of different purposes. This includes accessing more recycle bins, helping manage school-based events such as the KFF movie night and the Family Picnic, and working with senior leaders to present at school assemblies.

Angela’s motivation for this CAS project was based on the importance of raising awareness and she hopes that “this will inspire students to be more aware of the enormous amounts of unnecessary waste being generated every day”.

SERVICE LEADERSHIP Our Year 13 Leadership Committees provide authentic opportunities for service that improve the day-to-day experiences of all our Kristin students. A committee working hard to make a difference beyond the school gates, in the wider community, is our Service Leadership Committee. This year it has been particularly busy working to support Age Concern in gaining access to technology, NZ Cancer Society with Daffodil Day and using Valentine’s Day to fundraise for Heart Kids NZ, building on the work of students in previous years.

Continuing to partner with service-based organisations such as Age Concern North Shore was a highlight for the committee. This year our school hosted a technology workshop where 24 elderly participants spent the day receiving one-on-one support to learn technology skills. Service Leadership chairperson Laura McKissock believes the day was really valuable as “it gave us a chance to gain knowledge surrounding an area of society that is ever-changing and often presents as a challenge to them”. Age Concern will continue to work with Kristin to provide events that allow our students to share their skills and connect with older generations.

Laura used this role as her CAS project and said: “Being on this committee was extremely valuable because it gave me the opportunity to work alongside my peers and also with organisations in the community. It allowed me to collaborate and gave me the ability to assist the community with a variety of issues which are also prevalent in our global society. I thoroughly enjoyed the project as it enabled me to work and help the community, even if only in a small way.” n Service Leadership Committee Age Concern workshop

This CAS project began with an investigation - the team completing a waste audit in June where they saw first-hand the improvements that could be made. This influenced their decision to focus on education and they made a video for assemblies as well as signage to show students which bins to use. Team member Angela Black says, “I feel that this project has really opened my eyes to the challenges which come with dealing with environmental issues such as waste management. It has been a testing task attempting to change the ingrained habits of students at school, but also a very rewarding one. In addition, it has been a good opportunity for me to take on a leading role within a supportive and friendly environment.”

The goal of reducing waste at Kristin has meant the team has had to work with many groups, including the school’s grounds 11.2017

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BRONZE ENVIROSCHOOL ACCREDITATION:

FIRST STEPS IN SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is valued at Kristin and recently our students and staff were given the opportunity to reflect on the many ways we pursue sustainable practices in an Enviroschools reflection – a formal step in the process to become a Bronze Enviroschool.

Enviroschools is a facilitated Education for Sustainability programme, offered through Auckland Council, which is implemented through a whole-school approach to benefit the school and wider community. Students develop skills, understanding, knowledge and confidence through planning, designing and working towards creating a sustainable school.

In October, a group of Middle and Senior School students spent an entire morning showing Ms Morag Vasilaki, a Sustainable Schools representative, all the different ways Kristin aligns to the key Enviroschools principles. We were joined by Mr Tim Oughton, Board member Mr Geoff Walker and Kristin parent Mr Rodd Eddy as part of this event.

Ms Vasilaki commented on the vast array of actions, projects and systems that promote a healthy and well-cared-for community and environment that are in place here at Kristin. The Middle and Senior Schools have now been awarded the Bronze level, joining the Junior School which had already achieved this accreditation. Five students have now been selected to attend the Auckland Sustainable Schools event in December, where our award will formally be presented.

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The Enviroschools principles require Kristin to focus on five key areas. These include carrying out sustainable practices, learning for sustainability in the curriculum, empowering students, embracing Māori perspectives and respecting diversity. Highlights of the Bronze reflection included a new student-led waste minimisation team, increased recycling of plastic, soft plastic and batteries, water quality testing in our local stormwater pond, the $80,000 raised in 2016 for charity groups and communities in need, a large number of student leadership teams and clubs – including a new political club – and much, much more.

Promoting the values of an Enviroschool and working our way to becoming a Green/Gold school (the highest accreditation within the programme) are key goals that many of our students, staff and families are striving for. The school is encouraged to include the whole community in this journey and we cannot reach a Green/ Gold level without all members of our Kristin Community making a contribution and promoting best practices in sustainability. In 2018, our students and staff will be working towards meeting the standards of a Silver school, which will involve more recycling, adopting our local stream, promoting increased cultural connections and sharing more of what we do to inspire others. n Sarah Wakeford Service Learning Co-ordinator

THE PHANTOM IS COMING TO KRISTIN Earlier this year, in Term 2, Artistic Director of Productions Lorna Rood took to the stage at a Senior Assembly to make a very special announcement: The Phantom of the Opera is coming to Kristin.

It was an early announcement; the release of the next year’s Senior Production traditionally takes place at the Cultural Awards in early Term 4. However, the significance of this show deserves to be celebrated, and the demands will require intensive preparation for all involved. “This is good news that needs to be shared and celebrated with our community as you are the ones who will be a part of this incredible theatrical experience in 2018,” Lorna said in her announcement.

Early in 2017, Origin Theatrical (Australia) took the unprecedented step of announcing that – for 2018 and 2019 only – Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and The Really Useful Company would be considering applications from schools in Australasia to stage Phantom, one of Webber’s (and the world’s) greatest musicals. Kristin applied immediately and we were ecstatic to be granted the performance rights.

Senior School Production 2018 16 - 20 May Tickets on sale via iticket.co.nz from March 2018 Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Charles Hart

“On behalf of us all, I thank Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber for giving Kristin the honour of being one of the first schools in Australasia to stage this spectacle, in our 45th Anniversary year,” said Lorna in her statement to the school.

Additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe

And so, a theatrical journey of courage and exhilaration has begun.

The show is scheduled for May 2018 and there will be much to do to prepare the cast, crew and production team for the challenge ahead.

Based on the novel 'Le Fantôme de l'Opéra'

by Gaston Leroux

Preliminary discussions by the creative team are already under way regarding the stage design, wardrobe, orchestration and technical special effects. There is widespread interest amongst our students, parents and wider Kristin Community who wish to be a part of the process, and we look forward to involving you all as we journey towards the magic that is The Phantom of the Opera.

By arrangement with ORiGIN Theatrical On behalf of the Really Useful Group Limited

Book by Richard Stilgoe & Andrew Lloyd Webber

TM

Logo TM & ©1986 RUG Ltd

This event will indeed be a team effort and promises to be a highlight of Kristin’s 45th Anniversary.

In the words of the Phantom himself:

YOU ALONE CAN MAKE MY SONG TAKE FLIGHT HELP ME MAKE THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT....

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KFF LADIES LUNCH

BRICK BAY SCULPTURE TRAIL Brick Bay in Matakana was the destination for the KFF Ladies lunch this year. Outdoor sculpture trails and tasting of local wines attracted a good crowd of Kristin parents. The morning began with the ladies being treated to coffee made by our very own ‘barista students’ under the guidance of Sandra Milliken, before we boarded our bus.

We settled into some animated conversation as we welcomed the sunshine which had been missing over the past several weeks.

Upon arrival, each armed with a map and poncho raincoat (thankfully not needed), we set off to discover the outdoors, looking forward to seeing the sculptures, flora and fauna. Certainly some of the highlights included ringing Archie McCahon’s ‘Bells’, seeing modern sculptures such as Anna Korver’s Red Dress and Ben Foster’s The White Deer in stark contrast to the natural landscape, and listening to the birds chatter high up in the Kauri trees. The trail took a relaxed hour to complete, which was just long enough for the group to work up an appetite for lunch.

Along the trail, wonderful conversations were taking place, from familiar faces to new parents warmly welcomed to the group; we were all eager to hear each other’s journey from Kindergarten through to Senior School.

The relaxed seating plan enabled everyone to share the delicious food platters and provided the opportunity to enjoy more quality time together.

The KFF creative workshops helped fill the three raffle hampers consisting of ‘Christmas’, ‘Kitchen’ and ‘Pamper’ themes. Funds raised from these hampers as well as other events throughout the year have enabled us to donate generously to the Little Doves outdoor space.

With happy chatter, smiles and new friendships formed, we headed back towards school. Brick Bay and KFF had brought us all together and all up it was a wonderful day.

Sarah Amos KFF Executive Committee

BLOKES' BREAKFAST

On a cold but clear Friday morning our Blokes’ Breakfast was held to help raise funds for Ronald McDonald House. This is an annual gathering of Dads and their kids to get a glimpse of ‘big boys’ toys’ while they sip coffee (or hot chocolate), have breakfast and breathe in the petrol fumes from the grunty race cars.

From Lamborghinis to El Caminos, race cars, rally cars and prototype vehicles to drones - we had a fantastic range of exhibits for everyone to look at, and this certainly kept everyone intrigued long after the bell to start school sounded.

A sincere thank-you to the families in our community who brought along their prized possessions to help this event be so successful, and to those long-standing companies which help support us with their exhibits.

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KFF DADS’ PROJECT 2017

After the success of last year’s KFF Dads’ Caravan Project, we decided to add another construction initiative to the list - building playground structures for the new Little Doves Early Childhood Education Centre.

The overall concept for the playground at Little Doves is a journey through New Zealand history. After some searching via the internet, we found plans for some agricultural structures, namely a tractor, hay cart and caboose. Finding the plans online made the building planning simple, as everything became a ‘build-by-numbers’ project.

This allowed people of all skill levels to contribute.

Our first couple of Sunday afternoons were bathed in sunshine, with good attendance. It would be fair to say the first Sunday we probably had too many hands to actually keep busy, but good progress was made and a lot of planning issues were resolved. We were a fairly varied bunch, from complete novices to semi-experts, but everyone contributed, and as the structures came together there was a great sense of achievement.

I would personally also like to thank all the Dads (and one Mum so far) who have currently contributed to making this project such a success. As a member of the school community, being able to leave a legacy project like this is a fine achievement. I think I probably speak for us all in saying that I can’t wait to see all the structures in their final positions on site, and hope they will be climbed on and used to spark imaginations for many years to come. n Paul Stables KFF Executive Committee

During the winter months, it was more the hard-core of enthusiasts who showed up (both young and old), but show up they did and work continued. First the tractor was completed, then the caboose.

At our last session the stain was applied, and finally we got to see the finished products. While we still have several more sessions planned, and there is still one more structure to complete, I think the whole project has been a great success.

We would like to thank Mitre 10 Mega Albany for their very generous sponsorship of the building materials and hardware to make this project possible. They also kindly supplied some toolkits for our little helpers who turned up with their Dad to spend a Sunday afternoon hammering and sawing. Without their sponsorship this whole project would have been a lot more difficult to achieve.

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NEW ZEALAND

SECONDARY SCHOOLS WINTER SPORTS TOURNAMENT 2017 This year we had teams in Badminton, Basketball, Football, Hockey and Netball compete against the best schools in New Zealand in what is always a fabulous opportunity for our sports teams. It really was a week of exceptional sporting moments with some exciting matches across all our teams. I am delighted to report that all our participants never ‘gave an inch’ and never stopped trying. It is the chance to test yourself and the team against the best schools in New Zealand. Congratulations to all involved and a special mention to our coaches, managers and staff who were involved. Every year it is a big week and requires passion and enthusiasm.

Also in Napier, our Senior Boys’ Badminton team competed in the division two national finals. The team was competitive and forced many close matches into third sets. They placed 11th out of 20 teams. The squad all return next year; so with this experience under their belts and with continued hard work and focused training, they can build on this result.

In Napier, our Girls’ 1st XI competed in the tier one National Championships while the Boys’ 1st XI Hockey team were in Hamilton for their tier one National Championships.

Out in Papakura the Boys’ 1st XI Football team were in fine form, undefeated after four games. A 0 – 1 loss to Cambridge meant they missed out being in the top eight. However, they did finish the tournament well, winning a penalty shoot-out against Onehunga High and placing 14th out of 32 teams. They were very competitive in all their games, playing with tremendous spirit.

Both teams were competitive and gave it their all. The girls’ team got off to a great start with a 3 – 1 win over Epsom Girls Grammar and also had wins over Baradene and Otumoetai colleges with one-goal defeats to Tauranga Girls’ and Saint Kentigern colleges.

They placed 22nd out of 36 schools and retain their tier one status for 2018.

The Boys’ Hockey 1st XI in Hamilton were in a tough pool but managed a very good win over Rangitoto College, 3 – 2. They had two further wins over St Patrick’s from Wellington and Burnside High from Christchurch. These victories ensured, like for the girls, that they retained their tier one status for 2018. Captain Connor Greentree was the tournament’s top goalscorer; his impressive tally of 17 was four more than the next player’s.

Our Girls’ Netball team have battled injuries all season. This continued at the UNISS tournament in Auckland. Despite this our girls never stopped trying and finished the tournament with some exciting play. They defeated Rosehill College in their final game to ensure their status in division two for next year.

Also at Papakura, our Junior Boys’ Basketball team, consisting of Year 9 and 10 students, competed in their Northern Championships. They started with two great wins over Te Aroha and Hauraki Plains colleges. A narrow 2-point loss to Sacred Heart College followed. The team then defeated Tauranga Boys’ College by 15 points. A real team effort. Eventually, in the play-off match for 9/10th placing, we were beaten by Sancta Maria College. This team played with purpose and skill throughout the tournament. n Rob Taylor Director of Sport

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AIMS TOURNAMENT 2017 Our largest-ever Kristin team headed to the Bay of Plenty for the annual AIMS Games on Sunday 10 September. Excitement reigned with the anticipation of competing in the largest sporting competition in New Zealand with over 10,000 Year 7 and 8 students involved.

Tauranga and Mt Maunganui are the perfect venues with excellent facilities across the sports. The Kristin teams and staff stayed at either the Reef Apartments or the Mount Backpackers in Mt Maunganui where Mr Haven Collins took over the kitchen and did a wonderful job ensuring all were provided for and looked after superbly.

In Hockey, our boys’ team were too good for the opposition, taking out the overall title with a stylish win over Cobham Intermediate from Whangarei. This game was streamed live back at Kristin, much to the delight of the Middle School students who were able to watch and support. To find out how they did, check out the story on the opposite page.

Competition began early for some, with the Yachting group battling gusty, windy conditions. This did not stop our sailors and by Tuesday we had a champion crowned. George Rush finished in top place out of 95 other competitors. The contest did go down to the last race with George needing to win the final race overall to claim the title. Well done, George.

Our Hockey girls’ team performed well too, finishing in 11th position. They played with determination and focus, as did all the other teams involved. The Water Polo team won and lost matches in penalty shoot-outs, showing great desire and coming back from goals down to a draw in some matches. Our Netball girls finished in style winning both their matches on the last day, as did our Football team. In Basketball, the boys competed strongly, playing with skill and determination; they never gave up and were always a handful for the opposition.

A special mention to our Badminton team. They had long days out at Badminton Hall in Tauranga but they were always in good form.

Well done to the boys for finishing runners-up in the Division Two boys’ doubles. In Tennis and Golf, Olivia Lai and Aiden van der Nist represented Kristin with pride showing tremendous courage in challenging conditions. Again, a wonderful opportunity for them to play against top competition.

A week away playing sport is a highlight for many, and this year was no exception. Despite the windy weather and the odd downpour, all Kristin teams and athletes can pat themselves on their backs; a job well done. To the staff, coaches and managers, an exceptional effort; a busy week but you were all brilliant. Thank you to Deborah Plummer, who co-ordinated Kristin’s participation in AIMS Week, for her overall management and organisation. n

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AIMS TITLE SPORTS FOR HOCKEY AWARDS BOYS With a team of top young athletes from Years 7 and 8 our Intermediate A Boys’ Hockey team has gone from strength to strength this season. The culmination of that success was winning the coveted AIMS 11-aside final in Tauranga this year.

The Intermediate Boys’ A team started off the season by making it to the top six of the North Harbour competition. This put them through to the play-offs for the leading spots in the tournament. With hard work and dedication, they were able to win the A-grade 11-aside competition for the first time since 1988. Securing this win leading into AIMS 2017 gave them the confidence to compete with the best boys’ teams in the country. The team set themselves goals throughout the week, the first one being to make top eight, then top four. After these goals were achieved the excitement of a possible final started to set in. With the guidance and expert coaching from Sam Bartholomew the boys stayed focused on the semi-final. They put out an impressive performance against Whakatane Intermediate School to secure a top-two finish.

Finals time! The final was against Cobham Intermediate School from Christchurch. Cobham was the team that knocked us out of top-four contention in 2016. That loss hit the boys hard. They had something to prove this year and, led by Karl Wallace, went out to play a great game of Hockey. With goals from Nicholas Sparg, Karl Wallace and Dom Pietersen the team took the lead. Cobham tried to fight back but with some incredible saves in goal from Finn Burridge it just wasn’t to be. It was an incredible week of Hockey with outstanding sportsmanship, teamwork and performances from both teams. In the end Kristin took out the top spot to win AIMS 2017! What an outstanding achievement and a fitting way to bring their stellar season to a close.

Shiloh Gloyn Teacher-in-Charge, Hockey

This year we celebrated our annual Sports Awards Dinner at North Harbour Stadium. The Senior School Sports Committee, led by Sports Captain Jamie McInnes, chose the Lions Tour of New Zealand as the theme for the night. The venue was adorned in red balloons, Lions flags and place mats, displaying player details from the touring Lions squad.

Appropriately, Sir Graham Henry was our guest speaker. Sir Graham was in fine form, sharing stories about the All Blacks but also offering plenty of sound advice. His chat with Jamie McInnes and Head Boy Rory Sutherland was certainly a highlight of the night. The boys were able to enjoy some ‘banter’ with Sir Graham as well as him telling us what life was like at the top-level coaching. Sir Graham congratulated the winners while presenting the awards and acknowledged the obvious school spirit that was evident on the night.

Before dinner was served the 400 plus crowd was privileged to hear Hannah Reddy sing Hallelujah. It was a memorable performance

by Hannah, who also received acknowledgement for her fine achievement on being selected for the New Zealand Under 18 Futsal Football team that won the Oceania Championships. This result means the team has qualified for next year’s Youth Olympics in Argentina.

Particular congratulations to Connor Greentree for taking out the supreme overall award, the Firth Cup. As is school tradition, the winners of the Middle and Senior School Sports Person of the Year awards are recalled to the stage and the Firth Cup is then presented to the winner. This cup has a fine history, having first been presented in 1985. Connor was a fitting winner as the next day he was named in the 34-man New Zealand Black Sticks squad for their end-of-year training camp. Well done, Connor!

Huge thanks to the Sports Office staff and the student Sports Committee for putting together a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Rob Taylor Director of Sport

Jamie McInnes and Rory Sutherland interviewing Sir Graham Henry.

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SNOWSPORTS NORTH ISLAND CHAMPS JUNIOR, MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL STRIKE GOLD Juliette Perera

Term 3 has seen the winter produce some great results for Kristin Snowsports. With five different school competitions across the term it was great to see Kristin students on the podium in every competition.

At Whakapapa the first of the competitions saw the Year 7/8 students competing at the North Island Intermediate Schools Ski Champs. The Senior Girls’ competition was dominated by the defending champion Mikayla Smyth, who retained her title as North Island Champion, going back to back in the Giant Slalom in a time well clear of the rest of the field. She was supported by Michol Hinton who placed 2nd, behind her. They were an impressive duo in a field of over 120 girls.

Mikayla Smyth

The next week saw the Year 1-6 students competing. Here, it was the turn of young Year 3 Jarred Ferguson. He won the Year 1-4 Junior Boys’ competition with an excellent performance to become North Island Champion. Again, this saw a big field of more than 60 athletes.

The third and final event on the calendar for the primary and intermediate aged students was the Snowboard competition.

While we only had one student participate in this competition, he dominated the event in the Year 1-6 category. Rio Bidois, took to the podium in all three disciplines of the event: 1st Banked Slalom, 1st Boardercross and 3rd Slopestyles. These results saw him take out first place overall and win the teams’ event for the Years 1-6 category.

Ollie Whiley

Tess Porter

After a couple of weeks’ break from the mountain our Snowsport entrants returned for the secondary-school events, this time to the other side of the beautiful Mt Ruapehu, to the Turoa ski field. The North Island Secondary School Skiing Champs were up first. It was the skiing of Tess Porter that found the podium; she placed 3rd in the Giant Slalom in the very competitive Junior Girls category in another huge field of in excess of 120 athletes.

The following week saw the snowboarders hit the mountain, the boys’ team having won the team competition the year prior and they were hoping to repeat their efforts. Once again, another dominant display from Oliver Whiley spearheaded the boys’ team to victory, back to back North Island Champs. Oliver’s own performances were also outstanding, seeing him make the podium multiple times: 1st Boardercross, 3rd Slopestyles and 1st Senior Boy overall for the second year running. Adding to the team result and securing another podium was a strong performance from Dion Tulloch, 3rd in the Dual Giant Slalom.

In the girls’ event, it was Juliette Perera who once again returned to the podium, here she too has dominated the women’s snowboarding: 2nd Slopestyles, 2nd Boardercross and 1st Senior Girl overall. This also spearheaded the girls’ team leading them to 3rd-placed team overall.

A great winter on the snow!

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KRISTIN LODGE

MT RUAPEHU WEEKENDS Kristin Lodge, set amongst the majestic mountains in the Tongariro National Park, is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the warmth of good companionship, hot Milo, and movies in PJs, whilst waiting for the excitement of whizzing down the slopes on Whakapapa ski field. This is what sums up the Mt Ruapehu weekend experience.

Students of all levels have been enjoying this ski/boarding ‘getaway’ for the past 16 years. Many return each year, starting in Year 4 and continuing on into Senior School, eager to hone their skills and push their boundaries as they negotiate yet another run. Lessons are organised on both the Saturday and Sunday and there is also time for ‘free’ skiing/snowboarding with the staff. The lodge is ideally situated at the bottom of Bruce Road, with very easy access to the mountain and the delights of Whakapapa Village. There have been a few occasions when the road up the mountain has been closed due to heavy snowfall; a good time to wander down to the area in front of the Chateau and build forts and snowmen! Albie and Alex, two

FOOTBALL GIRLS

INVINCIBLE SEASON The Girls’ 1st XI Football was the flagship Football team this year in terms of success and achievement, with a hard-fought but well-deserved league title coming back to Kristin.

The girls kicked off their 2017 season with the disappointment of narrowly losing the 2016 title by a single point fresh in their minds. The girls’ team lost several influential Year 13s from the 2016 season and knew that going one step further and winning the league this year would take everything they had.

students who are in their last few years of Middle School and have been coming on the weekends since Year 4, remarked that they love the fun and freedom the weekend offers, and the wonderful sense of family that abounds. They also enjoy the excellent food that our chef serves up – better, we suspect, than the restaurant at the Chateau!

The lodge is available for Kristin families and friends to hire, during both the summer and winter months. The rate is extremely reasonable and the accommodation is comfortable. The kitchen is well equipped, making it easy to cater for small and large groups. If you are interested in finding out more about it, please email Ngaire Clayton at nclayton@kristin.school.nz.

We are already planning for next year’s weekends, with an eye on doing some night skiing. So, keep an eye on our website and register your son/daughter from March 2018.

In the words of Dr Seuss – ‘Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so… get on your way."

undefeated in all games, and clear champions of the North Harbour Senior A league.

The team had the best attacking record in the league, scoring 75 goals, including 15 in pre-season. Striker Hannah Reddy provided 18 goals, with Aleisha Chalmers and Evelyn Marshall adding 17 goals each.

At the other end of the field, we also had the best defensive record, with goalkeeper Lucia Birley only conceding six goals all season.

The 1st XI Girls, dubbed the ‘Invincibles’ by Executive Principal, Mr Oughton, have now achieved three consecutive top-two finishes in the league. This is also their second league title in three years, with this season’s win joining the 2015 title in our trophy cabinet.

Our 1st XI have firmly established themselves as a force within the North Harbour region, and we now turn our focus to a play-off to join the elite schools in the Auckland Premier League in 2018.

The girls started their pre-season campaign with wins against local rivals Carmel College, Albany Senior High and Pinehurst, which added to the hard work they had put into training and the gym to make a very positive pre-season campaign.

The season kicked off with a draw against a tough KingsWay School team, but in the 14 weeks that followed, the girls won 12 entertaining games and drew two games to finish the 2017 season 11.2017

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RUGBY

CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD The 1st XV Rugby team was the winner of the North Harbour 1C Championship for 2017. This win was the culmination of a few significant factors.

First was the great core group of Kristin boys who have played together from Junior School. The experience and skill of many of these students added tremendous value to the team.

The second factor was the emergence of some very exciting Kristin players who were new to the 1st XV set-up. The obvious talents of Levi Collett and Jack Gulliver, both in Year 10, give us a great sense of optimism for the future.

The third factor, and one of my highlights of the season, is the growing relationship we now have with City Impact School and the new relationship with Hobsonville Point Secondary School. It was wonderful to see how the boys bonded during the season.

The boys started the season with a big loss to Westlake Boys’ 2nd XV, and at the post-match, Rory Sutherland promised the parents that the boys would improve, and they did. The draw to Rosmini College’s 2nd XV launched the boys into an outstanding season.

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The 1st XV had a great season overall, playing a total of 12 games: lost four, drew one and won seven. Kristin played Northcote College in the 1C championship final and beat them 15-10. The cherry on the top for the 1st XV was having two boys selected to play North Harbour Representative Rugby. Levi Collett was selected for the U16 Cardinal team and Jamie McInnes, for the North Harbour U18 team.

One of the other highlights has been the privilege we had in hosting St George’s School from Argentina, and the amazing experience of meeting three members of the touring British and Irish Lions who came to visit Kristin, namely Rory Best, Alun Wyn Jones and Jonathan Joseph. The 1st XV boys had a game against Northcote College just after the Lions players left and they had the rare honour of having a pre-match pep-talk from Alun Wyn Jones.

In all, it’s been a great year and we are looking forward to 2018 where we can build on the growth and experience of this year. n Reverend Rodney Ramsay Rugby Manager

FENCING

NZSS CHAMPIONSHIPS The Kristin Fencing team had a great time in Wellington for the NZSS National Championships, from the novice/less-experienced fencers who continued to gain experience and confidence to our senior Fencing teams. Our Kristin Girls’ 1 team (Olivia Roberts, Anriena Zen and Sally Zhang) achieved great results, finishing up National Champions in the Epee teams’ final (Anriena - Captain) and runners-up in the Foil teams’ competition (Sally - Captain).

Sally also performed extremely well in the Individual Girls’ Epee competition finishing in 3rd place.

Kristin Fencing has a solid base of support from parents and this Wellington trip was no exception. Thank you to the many parents that travelled and ensured our team were best prepared physically and mentally for this event. The Nationals organisers commended the sportsmanship shown by competitors and supporters and the Kristin Fencing community always models high values. This is the first year that Kristin has employed the services of a team coach at

ORIENTEERING

AKSS RELAY CHAMPIONS

This year was always destined to be one for our Senior Girls’ team to tick off some final boxes. With Tegan Knightbridge and Georgina Dibble (both Year 13), joined by Megan Bruce (Year 12), this multiple-title-winning trio was ‘leaving nothing out there’ as the team prepared to run their final schools event together.

the Nationals. Thank you to Judit Fliszar for her work in bringing the team together socially in Wellington and for her invaluable support ‘off the piste’ for individual students and teams.

Sally Zhang (Year 12) Review: “The National Secondary Schools’ Championships is an event that every fencer looks forward to each year, not only because you get to compete at a high level but also because you get to meet fencers from all over the country. The Kristin Fencing team performed extremely well and it was rewarding not just to see them fence at such a high level but also to see them supporting each other throughout the tournament, despite being fellow competitors vying for the top spot.

Many thanks to our coach, Judit, and to the many parents who came to support us during this weekend.”

Nigel Messervy Clubs Manager

remained near the finish line to support and encourage our other team members - a common sight in a challenging sport where competitors often look out for one another.

Finally, thank you to Kay Knightbridge, who attended her final event as Kristin Orienteering parent manager. Kay has travelled all over New Zealand with our teams in the past five years, was a driving force behind getting Orienteering started at Kristin and she will be sorely missed. Likewise, she has been supported throughout this journey by team coach Renee Beveridge. Renee and Kay have grown this sport at Kristin, encouraging many Kristin families into the local club scene and ensuring all of our students (novice to experienced) were well looked after and supported at events.

Nigel Messervy Clubs Manager

Early spring weather met the Kristin Orienteering team as they arrived at a farm at the back of Waimauku on Thursday 24 August.

Recent rain meant conditions were still extremely muddy and coupled with a mixture of steep hills and dense forest, the AKSS Relays were always going to be a fun and challenging event.

After three difficult relay legs, it was amazing to see our girls finish and win their age-group championship. This was a fitting way for this team to end five years of amazing results across regional and national events. This outcome also saw Kristin finish 3rd in the top schools (girls) division. In true Kristin style, these girls also 11.2017

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NORTHERN BAYS SUPER CLUSTER

WINTER SPORTS DAY 2017 The annual Junior School Winter Sports Day started off with ominous clouds moving in, solid rain kept us guessing whether or not the games would go ahead, then thankfully the sun came out and it proved to be a great day for winter sport.

The Winter Sports Day is an opportunity for participation and for young sportspeople to experience a tournament situation, often for the first time. It can also be a chance for some students to represent Kristin for the first time, as teams are not always made up of the regular players. As there are five codes playing tournaments on the day, players that would usually be in two codes can only participate in one, creating potential for others to be involved. This is great for friendships and the inevitable positive social interaction. It is also a great opportunity for Kristin to add a second team in to some competitions, such as the Football this year: a whole team of players was able to experience some great coaching and a tournament situation. Most students are from Year 6, some from Year 5 and occasionally there may be a Year 4 student involved.

The nine visiting schools arrived and found their way to the five sports venues around the school: Hockey, Netball, Rugby, Football and Miniball. Kristin Sport Managers ran each of the tournaments, keeping the umpires organised, collecting results and ensuring games were running to time. Visiting schools supplied their own coach and/ or manager and some assisted with the organising also.

Kristin teams fought well, all performing in the middle of the group with: Hockey 3rd in their pool; Football Team 1, 4th and Team 2, 10th; Netball 6th; and Miniball also 4th. A tired but happy group found their way back to classes at the end of the day to share their individual and team successes with friends.

Fiona Ackroyd Junior School PE Specialist / Sports Co-ordinator

SOUTHWELL EXCHANGE This year the winter exchange between Kristin Junior School and Southwell was held at Kristin on 14 June. A game began, we could see intense effort on all players’ faces and concentration on the ball. All skills were deftly executed, footballs were flying, netballs were sailing, hockey balls slamming from stick to stick and, of course, smiles for miles. A howling westerly wind and freezing showers did little to dampen anyone’s spirits.

In the Netball, it was an exciting end-to-end even contest throughout the match with a close result, 9-8, going to Southwell. Possession was fought for and held well by Kristin over much of the Football game. In the end it was a brilliant and convincing win by our Kristin Football boys - a top effort, winning 6-1. It was a tough match for the Kristin Hockey mixed team this year, up against a very experienced

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team, but there was no giving up. It was a determined fight, with the win going to Southwell, who dominated from the start.

Great teamwork and sportsmanship were exhibited by all teams: Netball, Hockey and Football. There was a tangible vibe and friendly atmosphere throughout the morning, with memories made in team and individual contests on the field or court, and lively conversations at lunchtime within the codes. Final result: Southwell keep the cup… this time!

We are grateful to the families who came to watch; it is always wonderful to have support on the sideline.

Fiona Ackroyd Junior School PE Specialist / Sports Co-ordinator

HOCKEY NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Congratulations to the North Harbour U13 boys’ Hockey team who won the National Championship ‘Hatch Cup’ for the first time since 2003. We had six Kristin students represent North Harbour in this team: Finn Burridge, Milan Hood, Indy Hubbard, Nicholas Sparg, Karl Wallace and Rian Wongsarot. These boys, along with the Kristin Intermediate boys’ team, have had an outstanding Hockey season.

CHEERLEADING SELECTIONS Congratulations to both Erika Bruce and Victoria Ford in being selected for the New Zealand All-Girl Cheerleading team, and Erika for also making the New Zealand Junior All-Girl Advanced team (U16). These girls will be off to compete at the ICU World Championship in Orlando, Florida, in April 2018. Both are dedicated, hard-working sportswomen and thoroughly deserve the opportunity to represent their country.

TOP RUNNING RESULT Evelyn Power, from Year 5, came 3rd in the 10-years-and-over age group in the Northern Bays Super Cluster Cross-Country this year, held at Long Bay Regional Park. Evelyn put in a strong steady run, taking the last-minute course changes effortlessly.

INTERNATIONAL TENNIS Macsen Sisam (Year 12) has been away competing in China in the Guangzhou and Beijing ITF Youth Tennis Tournaments over the recent holidays, where he made the semi-finals and top 16. Macsen then returned to New Zealand to compete in the ITF Auckland Youth Indoor Tournament, where he won both the Boys’ U18 singles and Boys’ U18 doubles titles. He then travelled to the Waikato to compete in the Open U18 ITF Tournament, winning again, this time in both the singles and doubles.

FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS Congratulations to the Kristin students who represented New Zealand and placed highly at the Oceania Cadet Championships in Noumea, New Caledonia, over the October holidays. Sally Zhang won the Women's Epee Individual Bronze Medal, a Women's Epee Team Silver Medal and a Women's Foil Team Bronze Medal. Olivia Roberts also won a Women's Foil Team Bronze Medal, and Cameron Grimwade walked away with a Men's Foil Team Gold Medal. These fencers also represented Kristin with distinction and their success is well deserved.

JUNIOR BADMINTON SUCCESS Our Junior School Badminton Team 1, made up of all Year 5 students this year, came 2nd in the first grade at the Primary School Badminton Competition. Team 1 rarely lost a match and played seven ‘ties’ during the day. Congratulations to Team 1 players: Benny Chen, Ricky He, Dan Kim and Jayden Wang; plus all other players - Reuben Clancy, Erin Lee, Richie Liu, Jonathan Mueller and Bob Zheng.

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GRADUATION WALK CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2017 I have had the delightful privilege of attending nine Graduation Walks while performing my role as PA to the Senior School Principals. This is an annual tradition of the graduating students taking a final walk through the community and surroundings that have been their home of learning, building friendships and exploring their passions and talents, during their years at Kristin.

When my son walked with his fellow graduates in 2015, the ceremony became even more emotional for me, knowing that this would nearly be the last time he saw most of his peers together. It was a symbolic ‘rite of passage’ as he headed into his final prizegiving ceremony.

With the Junior and Middle School students watching with wide eyes, handing the students artwork or flowers, or running up to give them cuddles, it is truly a moment when you realise again that we are a united community; that we feel and share in this excitement and milestone together.

Ann Tuxford Retiring PA to the Senior School Principal

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For more photos of the 2017 Graduation Walk, see the Kristin School Facebook page.

Alumni Speaker Jess Quinn (Class of 2010) addresses guests at the Year 10 Girls' Leadership team Pink Ribbon Breakfast.

ALUMNI MENTORING Every year, Kristin students are faced with big decisions about their future, whether they’re Middle School students making subject choices to enable a future pathway, or our Year 12 and 13 students who are looking towards their next steps beyond Kristin.

For many, the options can seem daunting and the best path forward can be hard to find. As with all of life’s major decisions, the more information that is available the better equipped we are to make the right choices – and the best place to source information is from those who have navigated a similar path.

We are very lucky to have an incredible network of people around us at Kristin. For 45 years, this school has brought together skilled, talented and accomplished individuals: students, parents, teachers and staff. Almost 10,000 Kristin alumni have gone on to study and work in an incredible array of industries, specialities and emerging fields. We have an amazing community – over 20,000 strong – full of thinkers, makers, doers and leaders.

Our challenge is to ensure meaningful connections exist across our community so we can best support each other when needed.

To this end, a new mentoring programme was launched in Term 3 which aims to connect Kristin alumni with students, families and teaching staff. Our goal is to facilitate partnerships that help and support members of our school community, while providing opportunities for Alumni Mentors to grow their own networks and experiences. Alumni are invited to register for the programme in any of following five key categories:

KRISTIN ALUMNI UNIVERSITY CONTACTS University Contacts are Kristin alumni who are willing to share their experience of a tertiary institution or pathway.

KRISTIN ALUMNI DESTINATION CONTACTS Destination Contacts are Kristin alumni who act as local contacts for families who are looking at tertiary options in a particular city, country or region. They help out with local know-how and are a friendly face in the neighbourhood.

KRISTIN ALUMNI INDUSTRY CONTACTS Industry Contacts share their professional expertise with Kristin students, or other alumni, who are interested in learning more about a particular industry or speciality.

ALUMNI SPEAKERS Alumni Speakers have always been a favourite feature of Kristin assemblies and special occasions. The involvement of past students has also become an important part of our pastoral programmes, particularly in the Middle School when a speaker’s personal experience can provide a valuable context for student learning.

GETTING INVOLVED IN THE CURRICULUM A myriad of opportunities exist for Kristin alumni who wish to get involved with what’s going on in the classroom, and for our teaching staff who wish to provide real-life contexts by involving industry specialists. We’re creating a database of alumni who are keen to be involved when opportunities arise.

Since the launch of the programme in September, we’ve had an incredible response - with alumni signed up from across New Zealand, Australia, USA and the UK, representing classes from 1989 to 2016. Our first speakers to be drawn from the programme will be visiting the Middle School in Term 4 and our first University Contact partnerships are already under way.

We have no doubt that the partnerships developed through this programme will have a lasting impact on those involved and we encourage anyone who would like to join us to register their interest via the following pathways: Kristin Alumni: To register as an Alumni Mentor, visit: www.kristin.school.nz/alumnimentors Senior School Students: To request an Alumni Contact, speak with your House Dean.

For all other enquiries, contact: Alumni Manager, Lucy Wilson, alumni@kristin.school.nz 11.2017

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ELISE BEAVIS EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND Five years ago, Elise Beavis was preparing to graduate with the class of 2012. She was stepping out into the world with a love of sailing, a passion for Maths and Physics, a plan to undertake an Engineering degree and a dream to work for Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ).

It’s incredible what can happen when you put your mind to it. After achieving a score of 40 in her IB Diploma, Elise fast-tracked her four-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree into three with the University of Auckland’s Accelerated Pathway programme.

By December 2015, Elise had secured her dream role as a Performance Engineer with ETNZ. Elise has since carved her place in the team that brought the country to a standstill with the ultimate David and Goliath battle: the 2017 America’s Cup. We caught up with Elise to find out what it’s like to be living the dream and learning from the world’s best engineers, innovators and leaders.

ETNZ’s victory was a dream come true for all involved. What were your favourite moments from your team’s journey to the America’s Cup 2017?

The launch of our test boat is one. A lot of work went into making it as close to an AC50 as possible. It was a step ahead of the other teams’ test boats due to aspects such as the rudder daggerboard separation, the systems on board and a complete fairings package.

One of my major areas of work was designing the fairings, so seeing our boat sailing whilst our opposition trained with less refined fairings packages was a great feeling.

On our first day sailing our race boat, the world saw the bikes. We had kept this secret for so long, so it was great to have it out in the public and be able to share a little of what we had been working on behind the scenes.

Winning the Cup itself was the biggest highlight. Our team had been striving towards a common goal and had made so many sacrifices to 38

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get there. Nerves were high throughout the racing, so it was a huge relief when we finally crossed the line and won the America’s Cup. That relief quickly turned into massive jubilation!

You’re surrounded by some of the world’s best engineers, sailors and leaders. What does it mean to you to be immersed in this kind of environment?

ETNZ has been a great learning environment. I’ve had the opportunity to work on things such as aerodynamics, 3D modelling and 3D printing, running and analysing the results of velocity prediction programs and a small amount of programming. If I’m ever stuck or have a question, there is always someone I can ask for assistance. It is inspiring to witness the expertise within the team.

At 23, you’re one of the youngest in the business, the only female engineer at ETNZ and one of very few women to be involved in the America’s Cup. Does this have any bearing on how you approach your work?

It doesn’t really bother me being one of the few women at ETNZ and I don’t think if affects my work. I think being young and having a willingness to learn has been an advantage. It has allowed me to work in many different areas, which has enabled me to see what I’m most interested in, to work with different people and have variety in my job.

Do you see yourself as a role model for other young women who have ambitions in tech, engineering or other traditionally maledominated fields?

I didn’t expect to become a role model; however, it seems that I have. It’s amazing how many people have contacted me to ask what I studied, how I became involved with ETNZ or asked for other advice. I think my story shows young people, regardless of gender, that if you aspire to a goal and work hard then you have a chance of achieving your goal.

For the full interview visit: https://goo.gl/r3P3Qj

AUCKLAND ALUMNI

REUNION It was a joy to welcome back over 150 past students and staff for our 2017 Auckland Alumni Reunion on 1 November to celebrate the special anniversaries of the classes of 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012. The reunion was a lively and social event with guests overflowing from the Auditorium Foyer as everyone reconnected and reminisced of years gone by.

A tour of the school was an opportunity to view the grounds through the lens of time. For those who hadn’t been back for 35 years, the changes were immense although the origins of the school are still visible in our Middle and Junior School landscapes. For others who have been back more recently, the difference was more a matter of scale with the Junior School somehow shrunk from the classrooms of memory. The venue itself also sparked reflection, with the entire 2007 cohort taking to the Auditorium stage for photos and a jovial rendition of Sing Kristin.

The unique nature of Kristin means that these seven year-groups represent every year of Kristin’s 45-year history; we had students, families and teachers from Kristin’s foundation years in Campbells Bay (1973-1978); there were students who joined in the Kindergarten in the ‘80s alongside others who attended the Senior School 10 or 20

USA ALUMNI This year, in June, we had the exciting opportunity of connecting with US-based Kristin Alumni at our first-ever reunions in San Francisco and New York City.

Thanks to the generosity of one alumni family, our West Coast event was hosted in the exquisite Tu family home in Woodside, California, a short drive south of San Francisco. Albert and Shanny Tu, parents of Wayne (2004) and Beny (2005), were joined by Wayne’s wife, Sarah, and their granddaughter, Ashley (5). Together, they welcomed 15 guests to their beautiful home, including Senior School Principal Dave Boardman and Middle School Principal Dave Scott. It was a very diverse group with alumni from 1984 through to 2012; software engineers alongside entrepreneurs, lawyers, designers and consultants. Conversation flowed freely and there was great enthusiasm for growing the alumni networks, both locally in San Francisco and across the USA.

years later. It was a true snapshot of our Kristin Community and a night to be remembered by all who attended.

For more photos of the reunion, visit our Kristin Alumni Facebook page: www.facebook.com/kristin.alumni

Alumni in New York and there was a strong desire to build the network and support others who may be looking to make NYC their home.

Our thanks go to everyone who attended the reunions, especially the Tu family for their support of our San Francisco event. While these reunions were a great opportunity to build face-to-face networks, we have also seen connections expand to other Kristin Alumni across the continent who were unable to attend this time around. Many North American alumni have already registered as alumni mentors or expressed a willingness to connect with and support other past Kristin students who are based in the region.

Any members of our student or alumni community who would like to connect to these networks should contact Alumni Manager Lucy Wilson via alumni@kristin.school.nz.

The Tu family with our San Francisco Reunion guests

Two days later, our New York reunion was an afternoon affair at a sophisticated family-style Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village.

Again, a diverse group congregated for warm conversation and community-building hosted by Mr Boardman and Mr Scott. There were graduates from the class of 1998 through to 2014 and despite there being few personal connections beforehand, the atmosphere was friendly and jovial. For many, it was a surprise to find so many Kristin 11.2017

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Erica Standford and family

ELECTION 2017 The 2017 New Zealand General Election has been at the forefront of the country's media for the best part of the year. Regardless of your political affiliations, the activities of the campaign and the ultimate result of the election has impacted us all. For many members of the Kristin Community, the 2017 General Election has provided the opportunity to work alongside fellow New Zealanders and to be a part of the process that shapes our country's future.

We caught up with a few of these individuals to find out what roles they played in the election and to understand what drives them to be involved

ERICA STANFORD (NÉE POPPELBAUM) Kristin Alumni: Class of 1996 (Years 3–8 / Std 1–Form 2) National MP for East Coast Bays BA (Hons) – Political Science What does it mean to you to be the new MP for East Coast Bays?

This area means a lot to me: I was born and raised here; I met my husband at Rangitoto College and now we are raising our family here. It is particularly special to be the first female MP for the area and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people of East Coast Bays for their support. The people of this community are my inspiration and the driving force behind my decision to stand. Growing up here, having a family here and working in the electorate office have introduced me to so many people in various community groups, schools, organisations and businesses who are working so hard to make the community a better place. It means a lot to me to be in a position to be able to advocate for them as their local representative.

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What do you think are the most important issues facing New Zealanders today?

There have always been two things that drive me. One of those things is the environment, which is the greatest gift that has been bestowed upon us. I’m a member of the Blue Greens, which is the environmental group within the National Party. The East Coast Bays is a big part of why I feel so strongly about this; at one end we have the majestic Okura Estuary and marine reserve, and our coastline is peppered with beautiful beaches that all need protecting. I will be a strong voice within National ensuring that we place a high degree of importance on sustainability issues.

It is important to me that New Zealanders are able to reach their goals, dreams and aspirations, and we are there to make sure they are provided the tools to be able to achieve them. A strong economy gives government the means to provide with those tools; so the way in which we manage our economy is paramount.

What is your message to young New Zealanders about getting involved in politics?

I know that it can seem like Parliament and the decision-makers are far away in Wellington, and that the work that we do is not relevant to the lives of young people. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I want young people to know that every single decision that is made in Parliament affects every New Zealander. Their future is dictated by the work we do; so it is important that everyone is involved in that decision-making process. Around 86% of seniors in the East Coast Bays vote and the inverse is true for the younger voters, around 68%. The message I give to young people is that decisions about their futures are being dictated by others. As a local representative, I want to engage with young people to show them that politics is local, it is relevant, it is accessible and that it does make a difference to their lives.

ANALIESE JACKSON Kristin Alumni: Class of 2005 (Years 7–10) Co-Campaign Manager for Jacinda Ardern, Labour Communication and Content Manager, Media Design School BC, BA (Hons), PGDipBA – Marketing, Media Studies, Business Communication What has been your biggest challenge during this campaign?

Prior to 2017, I had been involved in several Labour Party campaigns in various capacities, but this was the first campaign that I had been invited to take on the role of local Campaign Manager for the electorate of Mt Albert (which Jacinda Ardern had previously won in the February 2017 by-election). Because of the scale of the task, and not to mention working full-time, I took on the role of a Co-Campaign Manager with another Labour volunteer who had also been heavily involved in the by-election campaign. This was a fantastic opportunity as I got to look after the aspects of the campaign I most enjoy – primarily Social Media, Communications and Volunteer Engagement. Being able to shape a local-level campaign was incredibly challenging but just as equally rewarding.

Learning how to run a political campaign as you go is particularly challenging, but when your candidate is elected Leader of the Labour Party part-way through the campaign – that’s a whole other (rather exciting) story!

What do you think are the most important issues facing New Zealanders today?

I think it’s incredibly hard to generalise what matters most to all New Zealanders but, from talking to people from across Auckland on the campaign trail, I think that housing affordability, improving New Zealanders’ access to health services (especially mental health) and ensuring that future generations have access to quality education are all issues that resonate on some level with all Kiwis, irrespective of where they live or their circumstances.

What is the best thing you’ve seen come out of the 2017 General Election?

Obviously, the Mt Albert campaign team was exceptionally happy with the end result of the General Election but, at a more local level, our amazing network of volunteers (which grew throughout the course of the campaign!) helped Jacinda increase the electorate vote majority and the Labour Party vote in Mt Albert. This result is a testament to the work that our volunteers put in during the campaign

ROBYN STABLES

Kristin Staff: Specialist Support, and Kristin Parent Voting Place Manager, Greenhithe “I have worked in the past three elections, but this was my first time as a Voting Place Manager. I wanted to take on the challenge of ensuring Election Day runs smoothly for voters. I also wanted to challenge myself by working under pressure with strangers to get a successful end result.”

Analiese Jackson

JACK DONOVAN

Kristin Alumni: Class of 2015 (Years 9–13) General Executive Officer, Victoria University Political Student Society Studying a BCom in Finance and Accounting at Victoria University, Wellington.

“As the General Executive Officer at Victoria University Political Student Society, I’ve been involved with holding events related to the election and I moderated an electorate debate for the candidates for Wellington Central. I’ve always been interested in politics and I think it is important to help people learn as much as they can. My role allowed me to get invested in politics from a neutral position, so I could learn a lot from people from varying perspectives and put on unbiased events to help people like myself to be as informed as possible.”

DECLAN WEIR

Kristin Alumni: Class of 2015 (Years 7–13) Issuing Officer, Northcote Electorate Studying towards a Bachelor of Urban Planning (Hons), University of Auckland “My role involved issuing individuals with their voting papers on Election Day. As I suspected, the voting booth staff were dominated by older people. There had been a lot of focus in the media about young people voting, but not about their involvement across other aspects of the election process. I’m a firm believer in the need for a representative cross-section to participate in our democratic processes, so I was there representing my generation.”

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CELEBRATING KRISTIN HERITAGE Kristin is preparing to celebrate 45 years in 2018. Since 1973, over 10,000 students have passed through our school gates and found a home in our classrooms, alongside teachers, support staff and Kristin families. Together, all have contributed to making Kristin the school we know today; but, how often do we stop to pay tribute to those who have been here before?

Here, we have collated a few bites of Kristin’s heritage: places and landmarks that are a part of the daily fabric of life at Kristin and tie us to Kristin’s founders, leaders and the early school community.

ROY MUNN GYM The Roy Munn Gym was named after Kristin’s Founding Principal.

Mr Roy Munn joined the Kristin staff in 1972 when the school was but a vision for a small group of North Shore families. Mr Munn, inspired by the principles on which the school was founded, gave up a secure and more financially beneficial position in a state school to guide and promote Kristin through those early pioneering years, when the campus was based at Campbells Bay. Much of what he put in place ensured the success of Kristin and made it the unique place of learning that it is today.

The early days of Kristin were very much ‘all hands on deck’. In an interview conducted in 1991, Mr Munn described the immense community efforts: “We had a lot of work to do at Campbells Bay and we had to do everything, from meeting teachers to knocking out walls. The workers were all parents; some 50 or 60 would be working, doctor with lawyer, cleaning out spouting, scrubbing classrooms.” In a Principal’s report dated February 1973 (when Kristin first opened), Mr Munn stated: “I would personally express my sincere appreciation to all the committee members and many Roy Munn

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Kristin School, 1978

parents for the great assistance I have been conscious of in regard to preparation of the buildings for the school year. The school environment is one in which we can all find pleasure and will assist greatly in the early establishment of the school.”

The tremendous personal contribution of Mr Munn, and his leadership of the school community over those foundation years, was recognised by Kristin’s Board in 1999 when the Roy Munn Gymnasium was officially opened by Honourable Murray McCully, the then-Minister of Sport, Fitness and Leisure.

KRISTIN APPLE TREES Before our current campus became a school in 1978 (when Kristin moved to Albany from Campbells Bay), this land was a commercial orchard. As the school has grown and evolved, so too has our environment. Areas which once were dotted with orchard trees are now home to classrooms and learning facilities; however, when you look closely, a few relics remain. One example can be seen next to the Old Gym, in front of the Middle School Playground. Here you will find the last apple tree from a grove that stretched from the then-Gate 1 driveway, right around the side of the gully.

Thanks to the efforts of one Alumni family, the legacy of Kristin’s apple trees continues. Grafts have been taken from this special tree

Kristin Apple Trees

and a very limited number of young plants will soon be available to members of our Kristin Community. If you’re interested in growing a little piece of Kristin in your own backyard, please contact Alumni Manager Lucy Wilson via alumni@kristin.school.nz.

JUNIOR SCHOOL FLAGPOLE The flagpole that currently stands outside the Junior School Office has been with Kristin since the very beginning. Yvonne Shorter was a foundation parent, joining the school with her daughter, Victoria, in 1973. In 1998, to commemorate the school’s 25th anniversary, Yvonne shared the following story: “I could have cried at the Official Opening day at Park Rise [Campbells Bay], it was so exciting. We lived at the bottom of Tiri Road in Milford and our house had a flagpole which had been there since 1922. The school needed a flagpole for opening day, so a team of men arrived at the house with spades and dug up this huge concrete base and transported the whole thing out to Park Rise so we could raise the flag for the Governor-General. When the school moved to Albany, the pole went in front the of the old administration block [now the Junior School Office]. It looked so small once all those new buildings were built around it.” n

Junior School Flagpole

KFF CITY MEETING WITH

TOM McRAE Early in Term 3, over 40 Kristin parents joined us for our second annual KFF City Meeting. The networking lunch brought together a diverse group of parents and grandparents who were keen to hear from our guest speaker, Tom McRae, Kristin Head Boy from the Class of 2000 and well-known reporter and presenter for TV3’s Newshub.

Tom shared some of the most memorable moments of his career so far, from the shocking realities of covering the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011 to being called up to the Lindt Café siege in Sydney in 2014 and the Paris attacks in 2015. He spoke of the rapid changes taking place within the media industry and the need for today’s students to be nimble, creative and resilient in the face of a fast-changing media landscape – both as the makers and consumers of media content.

Tom also spoke of the as-yet-undefined nature of what will be our students’ future work environs. The need for resilience, having a willingness to take risks and being open-minded were work skills that Tom highlighted as prerequisites for future employees. Junior School Assistant Principal Rob Hutton chaired a dynamic Q&A session, blending in current leading-edge educational research.

The KFF City Meeting was established last year to provide city-based parents with the opportunity to connect and network over their lunch break with Executive Principal Tim Oughton and other members of our parent and school community.

We would like to thank our host Gary Holden, CEO of Pulse Energy, Tom McRae and Rob Hutton for a highly valuable presentation.

For those who were unable to attend and would like to view Tom’s talk can do so it at: https://vimeo.com/230686411 11.2017

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COMMUNITY NEWS FAREWELL SHARON FORDHAM Junior School Assistant Principal (Student Care) Sharon Fordham will retire at the end of the 2017 school year after 12 years of service to Kristin. Sharon demonstrates an incredible generosity of spirit and has touched the lives of thousands of students, their families and her colleagues.

Chantel Ashley, current Year 6 Dean and upper-school Literacy Co-ordinator, will step into the role in the new year. Chantel’s experience as Kristin alumni, a Kristin parent and a skilled educator will see her well placed to continue Sharon’s work in identifying students at risk and supporting improved outcomes for all our students.

BURROWS WEDDING Congratulations to Matt and Kimberley Burrows (nee Leece) who were married at St Matthews-in-the-City on 1 July 2017.

Matt and Kimberley have been together since Kristin where they shared the responsibility of leading their year group as Head Boy and Head Girl in 2012. We wish them all the best for a long and happy life together.

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FIDDLER ON THE ROOF WEDDING Who remembers the 2004 production of Fiddler on the Roof? Two of our lead performers (whose characters, Chava and Fyedka, married on stage 13 years ago) tied the knot in real life earlier this year.

Congratulations to Arne Hilke (2004) and Kirstie Hilke (nee Gray, 2005),we wish you all the best.

ADAPTIVE LEADERS’ PROGRAMME Five Kristin teachers have been awarded the Adaptive Leaders’ Award for their completion of a new programme of professional development. The programme, designed by Middle School Principal Dave Scott as part of his Masters research, brings together professional and academic expertise to support the development of educational leaders from within our teaching staff.

The innovative programme focuses on combining high quality on-the-job experience with collaborative partnerships and formal mentoring, drawing on the expertise of other Kristin staff as well as educational specialists from schools and institutions across New Zealand.

Megan Bennett, John Cho, Megan Darby, Alistair Ferris and Gabriela Maldonado are the first Kristin teachers to receive the Adaptive Leaders’ Award. A new cohort of four teachers from the Middle and Senior Schools will undertake the programme in 2018.

NATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARDS Kristin Kindergarten Teacher Daisy Docherty has been awarded an ASG National Excellence in Teaching Award (Regional). Daisy is one of only five early childhood educators to be recognised in the 2017 regional award list, which recognises the work of 18 educators from across New Zealand, selected from over 200 nominations. Six National Awards will be announced in February 2018, the recipients of which will receive professional development grants.

Six other Kristin teachers were also recognised alongside Daisy in the 200-strong nomination list: Chantel Ashley, Bianca Chapman, Shayne De Beer, Hayley Hunter, John Lockyer and Nigel Messervy.

MARK HASLAM ISNZ HONOURS AWARD Mark Haslam, Middle School Assistant Principal, was one of eight national recipients awarded the Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ) Honours Award this year, for his work in the area of Pastoral Care and Student Well-being.

We are very proud of Mark’s award and the recognition for his outstanding work from this national body.

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PO Box 300 087, Albany 0752, Auckland, New Zealand 360 Albany Highway, Albany 0632, Auckland, New Zealand

Ph 09 415 9566 www.kristin.school.nz