Kristin Kaleidoscope Issue 68 by Benefitz

Kaleidoscope

I N T H I S I SS UE . . .

From the Executive Principal

From the Board

Introducing Mark Wilson

Respect & Gratitude

Academic Results 2018

Farewell Mr Oughton

Science Successes

Coming up at Kristin ...

Kristin Camps 2019

Summer Carnival 2019

New Parents Dinner

Masterclasses

KFF Update

Prefects Quiz Night

Euphony European Tour

Peru Service and Action Trip

Grandparents Day

Chicago

Jane Goodall Visit

Silver Enviroschool

Monetary Policy Challenge

CAS at Kristin

Shakespearean Successes

GAIL students on global adventures

Introducing New Staff

Kristin Sports: Participate, engage, progress

House Sports Day

Cross-Country

Kristin Rugby

Swimming Sports

Kristin Snowsports Stars

Sports Highlights

Alicia Cheong

Marco Tyler-Rodrigue

Daniela Kraus

Upcoming Alumni Reunions 2019

Sydney & Melbourne Alumni Reunions

The First Kristin School Picnic

Cover Photo: Dr Jane Goodall and some Year 5 students enjoying a bush walk during her visit to Kristin School on Monday 27 May. Photographer: Hamish Thornton, Year 13.

05 Introducing Mark Wilson

Summer Carnival 2019

24 Chicago

29 Monetary Policy Challenge

40 Swimming Sports

44 Alicia Cheong

A M ESS AG E F ROM THE

Executive Principal Reflections on 43 years of teaching It is fair to say that teaching is, and always will be, in my DNA. My dear mother was an inspirational teacher, not only in the classroom but also around our family home. Her mother, my grandmother, was also a teacher as was my grandfather’s mother, who was a pioneer in establishing a small rural primary school in the boggy burns of the central Southland plains. My first permanent teaching position was at Central Southland College, Winton, beginning January 1979. I returned to Southland and the town of my birth to become a fourth-generation teacher in the district. I am not sure many other people could make that claim to ‘fame’; suffice it to say the legacy is now broken: none of our three children are teachers. Heather and I married that same year before venturing south and so began a teaching journey that has taken us many places throughout New Zealand, Australia and, indeed, the world. Heather, like my mother, is also a truly inspirational teacher, and a great mentor to have nearby. Despite the sometimes cool climate, I can thoroughly recommend Southland as a place to begin a teaching career - if I had my time again, I would do exactly the same thing. It was the people that made the difference and Southlanders are very kind and cooperative people, generally speaking. After five wonderful years in the most friendly and hospitable rural community imaginable, we returned to the home of

My time in the tertiary sector came to an end because I missed the lively, daily interaction with students; it may be hard to believe but I genuinely missed teaching teenagers. They are fascinating people to deal with and, unlike the views of some of my colleagues, I believe teenagers today are more interested and interesting than teenagers of my generation. They have information at their fingertips and they are more deeply engaged with global and societal issues.

“Farewell to a school and a profession that I hold dear to my heart.”

the majority of my own primary, secondary and tertiary education – Christchurch. Following very happy and stimulating Science and Chemistry positions at Christchurch Boys’ High and Rangiora High School respectively, I was fortunate to be

During my past three Headships, I have tried to remain as close to the classroom practice as possible; even at the ripe old age of 64 my passion for teaching, especially teaching the subject I have dedicated much of my professional life to, Chemistry, has never dwindled. I enjoy teaching students T I M O U GHTO N these days as much as I did 40 years ago. In many ways, time out of the Executive Principal’s office engaging with students in the classroom has kept me grounded and in touch with what matters most - the education of young people.

appointed to a senior lecturing role in Science Education at the then Christchurch College of Education, now subsumed into the Education Faculty of Canterbury University. Throughout my teaching career I have always been interested in teacher education and professional learning, most especially in Science and Chemistry teaching; so the opportunity to work with beginning teachers was incredibly fortunate and rewarding. Those six years in teacher education were some of the most formative times in my career; I had the privilege of visiting and working in more than 200 secondary schools throughout the country. The most important thing I learned was that each school had its own unique culture and climate, very much influenced by the strength of their community and the vision and leadership of the school Board and Senior Leadership teams. Nothing has changed in that regard!

I found the most engaged learning happening in those schools where teachers truly collaborated, where positive relationships were the norm, and where both staff and students smiled a lot, i.e. happiness prevailed. I also learned that many teachers often feel isolated and unsupported professionally, and as a consequence I became more determined than ever to share best practice in schools as often as possible. It is so heartening to observe the focus Kristin places on professional learning and development; the greater the investment in that aspect of a school’s budget, the better the outcomes for the learners.

It goes without saying that we are in a period of extraordinary change and development in the education sector. Teachers will have an even more pivotal role in developing young people into the future – they will never be replaced by robots because effective teaching and learning is very much an interpersonal human activity. I don’t believe the pace of change will ever slow down but we need not be intimidated by that. Some fundamentals, however, should always underpin periods of rapid change. Firstly, staff focus must be continually oriented towards teaching and learning. We, the teaching staff, should all have a sound understanding of teaching and learning processes – what it means to be an effective teacher, what classroom conditions favour effective learning, the importance of critical reflection in teaching growth and development as well as the importance of a positive, caring and individualised learning environment.

It is my strongly-held belief that powerful, meaningful learning will only occur if positive relationships exist within the classroom, both between teachers and students and the students themselves. Students will not learn if they are anxious or unhappy – teachers know that and, as is the case at Kristin, our staff are very successful in creating happy, stress-free learning environments. Positive staffroom relationships are also essential. No school can operate effectively if staff, both teaching and support, can’t demonstrate the very qualities they are trying to engender in their students – qualities like tolerance, honesty, integrity, loyalty, cheerfulness and, my favourite, optimism. There is absolutely no place for pessimism in a school - there is more than enough of it out in the wider community. Secondly, I have always believed that the whole school community should never underestimate the values and principles upon which the school was founded and differentiated by. The ability to lead a moral life and a commitment to the wider community should be part of the educational aims of a school. I have always wanted students and staff to care about each other and people beyond Kristin’s walls. My final underpinning relates to the pride and passion all members of a school community need to have for their school; once again, Kristin has ticked that box and there are few schools that can boast the real sense of commitment our community demonstrates on such a regular basis.

A few years back when I was Headmaster of Scots College in Wellington I had a conversation with a Year 13 student who was in my Chemistry class. He entered my office with a slightly shy, embarrassed smile and began the following dialogue: “Mr Oughton, do you mind if I ask you something?” “Of course not – go ahead.” “Well, the thing is, I’ve been wondering why you are doing this?” “I’m sorry?” “Doing what you are doing.” “Doing what?” “Teaching. Why are you teaching? Why are you in a chemistry lab?” “Do you mean I shouldn’t be teaching, that I’m past it and should remain locked in my Principal’s study?” “No, Sir, I don’t mean that – I mean why did you get into teaching? I mean, the thing is, you could be doing something with your life!” “Something worth doing, you mean?” “Yes.” Naturally the student was meaning to be supportive, possibly even flattering. Teaching, obviously, didn’t rank very highly in

Tim with Jayne de la Haye, Dave Scott and David Boardman, Principals respectively of Kristin Junior, Middle and Senior Schools

The photo used in 2014 to announce Tim's appointment as Kristin's new Executive Principal

Top: Coach Tim with 1st XV Rugby and Senior Tennis teams at Central Southland College, 1980. Bottom: Tim with his PA Trudy Newman

Tim and Trudy Newman dressed up for Kristin Junior School's Book Character Parade in 2018

his list of worthwhile careers. I told him that if I had my choice of career again I would choose to do the same thing. And I still believe that. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing you can make a positive difference in a young person’s life. He viewed teaching as subject delivery. I tried to persuade him that the really exciting and interesting part of teaching involved interacting with young people – teaching a subject was simply the vehicle for those interactions. We teach people and not subjects – we need to remind ourselves of that regularly. A teaching mentor once told me: “Teaching is the most inherently hopeful act that I know.” In his eyes, teaching is inherently hopeful because every individual student has the capacity to succeed in life, to be happy, and to be proud of themselves. No matter what the background of the student, no matter what they believe and think of themselves right now, they have the keys to success within them. When an individual teacher believes this, he or she can improve a life. When large numbers of teachers believe it, especially those working as a team within their own organisation, they can do a whole world of good. There is systematic evidence that teachers who have a strong sense of their own efficacy, who believe they can make a real difference in their students’ lives, really do. This is so true in the case of the Kristin teaching staff. And their students will verify it! Kristin is a school that resonates strongly with my personal beliefs. It is a school with great community strength, a clear vision that enables its students to be future ready, and a place with love at its heart where there are no barriers to learning.

Our students are the greatest manifestation of what it is to be Kristin. They are resilient. They are lifelong learners. As our students become our alumni, we know they go into the wider world as good people, equipped for lots of great adventures. By offering our students varied experiences inside and outside the classroom, that transcend cultures and borders, we set them up to lead fulfilled lives, with the imperative of stewardship of the planet and for others. We are not the least bit shy that our aim is world peace. Kristin will always keep developing good people who will make the world a better place. So as the curtain draws on a long career in education, most of my life in fact, I can look back with a great sense of fulfilment and satisfaction knowing that I made the right decision when tossing up between a career in teaching or veterinary science. I have been able to influence a significant number of lives, hopefully positively, and that is the privilege of being a teacher. It has been a fantastic journey; I have met so many wonderful people throughout the world and I want to maintain as many of my prior connections (students, parents, colleagues, etc) as possible. My journey would never have been the same, or in fact possible, without the support of my wonderful family; to James, Emily, Sam and my dedicated wife and best friend Heather, thank you so much for enabling the journey.

Tim Oughton E X E C U T I VE P RI N C I PA L

From the Board Next year marks 20 years since I was a student at Kristin. As an alumnus, I

the classroom + supportive teachers who connect with students and expect the best each student can give.

appreciate the school more so now than I

In other words, A is what the individual contributes, B the family,

ever did when I was a student. It’s an honour

impact on at least one of these areas, but not all. Note that I chose

to be able to give back to the organisation that played such a formative part in my life.

and C the school. Each person who might be reading this has an to denote each factor as a multiplier, and not simply an additive. When I was a teenager, A was the only part of the equation I really gave much thought to – i.e., that whether I was smart, whether I worked hard or not, would determine whether I

I am not an educational expert, but how I think of what any given

succeeded academically. Which is true, to an extent. What I

student might get out of a school experience is that it’s a bit like

failed to appreciate at the time was the importance of the other

a mathematical formula with multiple inputs. I don’t think there

factors that would boost my chances of doing well – not just

is an exact science, but my analogy goes something like this

academically but doing well in life, as a whole person.

(forgive me, Mr Burge; the peak of my mathematical ability was when you taught me):

Now, when I look back on my years at Kristin, it is the combination of inputs from all those who influenced me that I

A x B x C = student experience

most value and appreciate. I wonder what the current students will say in 20 years’ time.

Where: A is a student’s innate ability or aptitude +/- personal attitude – volatility from hormonal and emotional development (if any); B represents the values taught in the home + habits and

Wendy Chen T RU S T E E

environment conducive to study and learning; and C is the breadth and depth of learning opportunities in and out of

Financial health report for 2018 ASSETS $99M 85% Land and Buildings ($85m) 7% Cash ($6m) 5% Investment Properties ($5m) 3% Debtors and other ($3m)

HOW THE ASSETS ARE FUNDED 67% Equity ($66m) 14% Bank Loan ($14m) 8% Fees in Advance ($8m) 6% Staff and Suppliers ($6m) 5% Kristin Education Bond ($5m)

HOW INCOME IS ALLOCATED Salaries Administration Depreciation Repairs and Maintenance Finance costs Class expenditure Transport Other Surplus Income

$22.9m $2.2m $1.7m $2.0m $0.8m $0.8m $0.4m $0.4m $1.7m $32.9m

THE SURPLUS* WAS APPLIED TO: Repayment of borrowings Property, Plant & Equipment Total

$2.0m $2.1m $4.1m

*Plus $2.4m balance from depreciation and reserves

K R IST I N ' S N EW E X E CU TI VE PRI NCIPAL FROM T ERM 3

Introducing Mark Wilson Finding the right leader for Kristin was both a straightforward and a challenging task for the Board. It was straightforward because we were guided through the process by experienced board members, and the executive search firm we engaged excelled in finding a pool of high-calibre talent. This is where it became challenging – narrowing down the long-list and then the short-list of high-quality, experienced and well-regarded candidates to find the one person with the best fit for the school. In Mark Wilson, we feel as a Board that we have found someone who is aligned with the school’s values, as well as bringing the vision and style of leadership that the school needs at this time. Mark has spent the last 10 years at Cashmere High School in Christchurch. He is known in Canterbury and in New Zealand

Mark Wilson

education circles as an inspiring leader of people, with a commitment to developing the senior leadership within the school. Mark worked hard on the culture at Cashmere, and to quote the chair of the board at Cashmere, Mark’s “highly valued” leadership had helped grow the school’s reputation and success. Through the earthquakes and aftermath, and the more recent tragedy in Christchurch, Mark led the school through some extreme difficulties and challenging times. The resilience of the students and staff of Cashmere High School is a testament to the culture and the values that Mark instilled in that community. As was previously mentioned in the Board’s announcement of Mark’s appointment in January, Mark was awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship in 2018 “to recognise and reward excellence in education”. His teaching and leadership experience spans a range of different schools: Hamilton Boys’ High School, St Peter’s School, St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton Girls’ High School and Matamata College. Becoming the Executive Principal of Kristin School will be a new and worthy challenge for Mark. An Executive Principal position at

offering is comprehensive and holistic – one may also read that as complex. Thanks to prudent management and oversight over recent years, the school is in good financial health and the roll is strong with waiting lists in many year levels; this also means that there are many opportunities on the horizon to grow and become stronger. Mark has been appointed because he has the suitable attributes and attitude to lead Kristin into its next phase, with “vision, integrity and love”. We as a Board pledge to provide Mark with the scope and support to flourish. All of us play a part in the success of the school, and as a Board, we know and trust that the whole school community will welcome Mark and unite to provide support for his integration into the school. ¯ ¯ ko ahau ki tenei ¯ “Ko koe ki tena, kiwai o te kete” – You carry that handle, I will carry this handle and together we will carry the woven basket.

an independent school, leading three excellent school principals,

Wendy Chen

is not a common management structure in the New Zealand

T RU S T E E

education sector. From Little Doves through to Year 13, the Kristin

Respect & Gratitude GEOFF WALKER - A SERVANT LEADER It is with great sadness that I write this tribute to Geoff Walker, a wonderful man, a wise mentor, trusted adviser and a moral guide who sadly passed away last month. Geoff’s ties to the Kristin Community were deep and longstanding. All three of his children had been taught at Kristin. His oldest daughter, Louise, was the Head Girl in her year and married a fellow alumnus, Mitchell Cooper. Rachel graduated in 2006 and Michael, in 2009. In 2013, when a vacancy for a Trustee became available, Geoff was approached to join the Kristin Board. This was the beginning of six years of outstanding service as a Board Trustee. He was the Deputy Chair. He was on the Banking Committee during the school’s period of maximum debt – a role that required considerable skill, and even more courage. Geoff was a huge support for Kristin’s two Directors of Business Services, Hock Gan and Nigel Wilkinson. Geoff was a champion of Little Doves, Kristin’s early childhood centre, serving on the subcommittee the Board formed to shepherd the project to completion in May 2018. At the dawn ceremony and the subsequent Kristin Community event to mark its opening, you could see that Geoff was beaming with pride. Not only was he immensely proud of the beautiful grounds and building but, being the fiscally prudent man that he was, he was also very proud that the building was debt free in one year! Even more significant than the formal roles he played were the countless Kristin functions he attended regularly - the School Productions, the International Peace Nights, the New Parent Dinners, the Senior Management Team dinners and staff end-of-year BBQs.

Around the board table, Geoff was a deep, reflective thinker. He rarely spoke first, except perhaps when it concerned the more arcane principles of accounting standards; he did so because he knew that we relied on his analytical skills and expertise. He was an exceptional listener, a quality that a number of Kristin parents have commented on and been grateful for. When he spoke, it was so often to guide the Board’s decision to the one which was based on moral and spiritual integrity. He rarely articulated in an open way his spiritual dimension, but it inspired his behaviour at all times. I believe Geoff loved being involved at Kristin because it was a way in which he could serve, to listen, to reflect and to give back. I also believe that Geoff’s love of Kristin was a reflection of his love of family, of God and for his fellow human beings. In return, the Kristin Community loved him back.

Philippa Fee B OA RD C HA I R

RICHARD WILKS STEPS DOWN FROM BOARD Back in March this year, the Kristin Board and Senior Leadership Team celebrated with Richard and Diana Wilks as Richard stepped down as a Trustee from the Kristin Board of Govenors, after making a very significant contribution. We are very grateful for Richard’s wise counsel. Richard is a very experienced Director and Governor and he shepherded Kristin through its outreach to the community to select four new Governors. The Wilks family has played a significant role in the heritage of Kristin. Richard’s mother Dawn was our founding kindergarten teacher and part of the steering committee that established the

school. His sister, Liz Darlow is a former Kristin Board Chair and Parent’s Committee Chair. Richard’s four children Richard, Sarah, George and Toni all attended Kristin. Thank you, Richard, for your valuable contribution to Kristin we’re very fortunate to have you and your family as part of our Kristin community.

Academic Results 2018 In the 2018 examinations, Kristin students once again did themselves proud and showed the benefit of their diligence and the support from their teachers. NCEA Level 1

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Achieving an Excellence for a single unit of work or NCEA

Eleven of our students received Excellence certificates for

standard is very difficult as grading criteria are aimed at the top

achieving 38 points or more in the IB Diploma, out of a maximum

10% of students. At Kristin last year, 80% of our Level 1 students

score of 45.

gained Merit or Excellence certificates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 36% Excellence endorsement.

A total of 19 students received Distinction badges for achieving a score of 40 or more. This was 25% of the cohort and places them

Special mention goes to two outstanding students: Vanessa

in the top 8% globally. Out of the 67 students in New Zealand

Xiong, for gaining Level 1 Excellence endorsement as well

who were recognised at the Top Scholars Awards, the largest

as Scholarship Calculus; and Kunli Zhang, who achieved an

group again came from Kristin.

Excellence endorsement in Levels 1 and 2 and a Scholarship in Calculus.

Special mention goes to Imogen Cunningham, who achieved an Outstanding in Scholarship Biology, and Jake Lyons, who

NCEA Level 2

achieved Outstanding in Mathematics with Calculus and Physics.

An outstanding 83% of our Year 12 NCEA students gained Excellence or Merit endorsements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is our best-ever

International Cup

result for endorsements at Level 2. Casper Wong achieved a

Donated by the Mittiga family, this cup is awarded to the top

Scholarship in Calculus as well.

student in the IB Diploma. This year, with a perfect score of 45, the cup was awarded to Kane Wang.

NCEA Level 3 Last year, 67% of our Year 13 students gained Merit or

Scholarships

Excellence endorsements. Scholarships were achieved by

There was a total of 13 Scholarships awarded to Kristin students

Cameron Bigwood in Drama and Jingshu Xu in English.

in 2018, with excellent results in a range of subjects, but special mention this year goes to Drama and Dance.

National Qualifications Trophy Donated by the Neely family, this trophy is awarded to the

Other outstanding results

student with the highest Grade Point Average. The recipient for

A special mention goes to Tianyu Zhang, who received an ICAS

2018 was Year 13 student Bobo Chen, who achieved an incredible

medal and Distinction certificate for being one of only two ICAS

71 credits at Excellence.

Mathematics medal winners in New Zealand.

12 of the 19 Kristin IB Top Scholars together with David Boardman and Debbie Dwyer at the IB Top Scholars National Awards Ceremony

Farewell Mr Oughton E X E C UTI V E P RI NCI PAL

Term 2 saw several events across the community to farewell Mr Tim Oughton, who retires not only from Kristin but also from his career in education after 41 dedicated years of service to many schools, finishing with Kristin where Tim has been our Executive Principal since 2015. Tim and his wife, Heather, were guests of honour at all three schools’ assemblies over the past few weeks. These assemblies were an opportunity for Tim and Heather to say farewell to students and parents. There were some great tributes and in particular some excellent student performances, something that has always been close to Tim’s heart in all the schools he has worked. The final farewell was a ‘This is Your Life’ event put on for Tim and Heather to which all school staff were invited. This was a surprise event (months in planning), and Tim knew nothing about the format or who had been invited. The event began with a modified graduation walk with a route lined by students from all of the schools. As it was also Heather’s birthday,

there was even a rendition of Happy Birthday from a Junior School group. Following the graduation walk, members of the 1st XV performed a haka and then staff went into the Dove Theatre for the main event, which saw a series of surprise guests from Tim’s time in education come onto the stage. Guests included Tim’s mother, who flew up from Christchurch, all three of his children including his sons, who flew in from Boston and Adelaide respectively, old school friends, and colleagues from many of the schools Tim had taught at during his time in education (Southland, Christchurch, Wellington and Adelaide included). There was a student performance and also performances from the staff band. ¯ The event concluded with the presentation of a korowai (Maori Cloak), a mark of prestige and honour, which was beautifully conducted by staff member Mata Mataio. Tim and Heather were thrilled with the event, which recognised not just Tim’s contribution to Kristin in his time as Executive Principal but also his outstanding contribution to education over more than 40 years. We wish Tim and Heather all the very best for the next stage of their lives away from school and thank them for their dedicated service to Kristin.

Dave Scott M I D D LE S C HO O L P RI N C I PA L

Nate Leavy, Zoe Reis and HeeSeo Kim at the inaugural NZ Young Scientists' Tournament

Finn McClellan (fourth from right) with other participants at the UC Elaine P Snowden Astronomy School

Science Successes Carl Sagan wrote: “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” Well, over the past months Kristin students have certainly tried their best to do something about that. During the summer holidays, Chris Brand and Hugh Parsons

for the New Zealand team of six students in the International

participated in the Rotary National Science and Technology

Young Naturalists’ Tournament in Minsk, Belarus, later this

Forum – a two-week camp in Auckland, where they experienced

year and has been assigned new problems for the larger, global

University modules in physics, chemistry, biology and

competition.

mathematics, as well as psychology, robotics, computer-aided design, game development, molecular biology, sports science,

Kristin students have also excelled in both the Biology and

biomedical engineering, biomedical science, microbiology and

Chemistry Olympiads, with both Christine Li and Jaqlin van

food science. Similarly, Sophie Shannon and Aurora Kilfoyle

Schalkwyk progressing to the top 30 students nationally for

travelled to Christchurch to participate in the University of

the international Olympiad selection camps over the Easter

Canterbury (UC) Science Summer Camp, where they attended

holidays. Jaqlin attained near-perfect scores in the practical

lectures and worked in the laboratories with current students

and theoretical examinations and was selected for a team of

and staff. These experiences have given Chris, Hugh, Sophie and

four students to represent NZ in the international Chemistry

Aurora a real taste of University life and first-hand experience

Olympiad in Paris in July. This is a fantastic achievement for

of what studying the sciences is like so they can make informed

Jaqlin, who has shown herself to have sublime potential in the

decisions about their tertiary futures.

field of chemistry.

In March, Kristin entered a team into the inaugural Young

Chris Brand and Finn McClellan recently returned from the

Scientists’ Tournament hosted at Wellington High School.

UC Elaine P Snowden Astronomy School. The camp is highly

The team of Hee Seo Kim, Nate Leavy and Zoe Ries have

competitive with only 20 students selected nationally from over

been working on the open-ended problems released by the

200 applications. Chris and Finn spent time at the UC campus

competition since late last year. The problems include describing

attending lectures in astrophysics and astronomy and a couple

and explaining the patterns of seed in sunflowers, starting fires

of days at Mt John Observatory in Tekapo with exclusive access

with a magnifying glass, investigating the elasticity of chicken

to the internationally renowned astronomical instruments

bones in acidic conditions, researching the rate of multiplication

and research.

of yeast and discovering the apparent size of the moon. Over the course of the weekend, Kristin climbed the rankings to make the grand final on Sunday afternoon. It was a very intense round of ‘science fights’ where students presented their solution to the problem, followed by an opposition team debating with them as the teams each furthered their scientific understanding. The Kristin team came a very close 2nd place, just 0.06 points behind the winning Auckland Grammar team. Hee Seo Kim impressed the judges with her scientific communication, quick thinking and debating skills and was subsequently selected

This is an incredible array of achievements and experiences which have been inspirational for our budding young scientists. I am sure Carl Sagan would approve of them as they realise their scientific promise and take their places in the technological world.

Matthew Campbell HE A D O F S C I E N C E

Coming up at Kristin ... FROM 6.00PM Current Year 8 and 9 students and parents

Academic Pathways

FROM 6.45PM Current Year 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13 students and parents EVENING AGENDA: Information on International Baccalaureate, NCEA, course selection, subject pathways and tertiary futures.

& Tertiary Futures Evening THURSDAY 1 AUGUST

Music by Alan Menken

KRISTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL PRODUCTION OF

Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice Book Adapted and Additional Lyrics by Jim Luigs Music Adapted and Arranged by Brian Louiselle

6th- 7th September 2019 www.iticket.co.nz

Dance

Based on the Screenplay by Ron Clements and John Musker Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio

Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia). All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.

IN THE DOVE / 2019

15-17 August 2019 www.iticket.co.nz

Kristin Camps 2019 MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL From 24 February to 1 March, Kristin’s Middle and Senior School students and staff were off campus enjoying ‘Camp Week’ in a number of different locations around New Zealand. Camp Week constitutes one of the most formative aspects of a Kristin education; and it is an extraordinary logistical feat providing over 1,000 students with a memorable outdoor experience all at the same time. There is not another school in New Zealand that sends that many students on a variety of challenging, adventurous outdoor activities across the country simultaneously. The staff and volunteers who make this possible cannot be praised enough for the time they give up away from home and for the commitment they make to allow Kristin students a camp experience second to none. With age-appropriate activities carefully selected and experienced staff and facilitators guiding them, students had a remarkable opportunity to explore the superb outdoor environment that New Zealand is so blessed with while concurrently developing positive relationships with their peers and teachers.

At Kristin, we believe outdoor experiences are critical in developing teamwork, independence, resilience and an appreciation of our unique environment. The research evidence on such experiences is overwhelming. Some of the most critical qualities of character can best be developed through meaningful engagement with the challenges of the outdoors – resilience, self-awareness, perseverance, teamwork and self-discipline, to name but a few. These experiences are a deliberate and carefully thought-out part of our educational programme – certainly not ‘time out’ or an optional-extra. The learning which comes from this approach is not just about acquiring new knowledge, skills and information but gaining a deeper level of personal development and understanding as well.

Tim Oughton E X E C U T I VE P RI N C I PA L

JUNIOR SCHOOL Kristin provides a unique opportunity for students to begin their outdoor education experience at the age of seven and gradually build on it throughout their time at school. The carefully structured programme on offer in the Junior School provides age-appropriate locations, activities and time away from home. We begin with Year 3 on the back field at Kristin spending the night in a tent, enjoying a range of different activities from cooking to rock climbing and bush art. For some students, this is the first night they have ever been away from home. Year 4 increases in length to two nights away, one in a cabin and one in a tent surrounded by pigs, chickens and the odd cow. The children enjoy cooking their own dinner, exploring, fishing for eels and even brushing their teeth without a sink! Kawau Island is the setting for Year 5 to get away from it all for a week. Getting there is an adventure in itself. We load the bus, drive to Sandspit wharf, unload the bus, load the ferry, sail to Kawau, unload the ferry and then there is finally the opportunity to make your bed! Fitting in fishing, sailing, kayaking, abseiling, swimming, playing, kicking a ball around and night-time wallaby spotting makes for a fun but very tiring time, and plenty of washing. Over the last few years, Year 6 have spent time at Lakewood Lodge in the Waikato. Aside from cooking their own dinner over

an open fire, checking out the stars, getting very muddy and feeding the farm animals, our Year 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get the chance to ride a horse, shoot an arrow or two and party hard at the end of camp disco, which provided memorable highlights. Next year we have managed to secure a date in Term 1 at a new location, Tui Ridge Park in Rotorua, for our Year 6 camp. This will bring with it warmer weather, a range of new camp activities, and a really long flying fox. Camps provide the opportunity for our Junior School students to step out of their comfort zone and try new things, form relationships with their teachers and peers, and experience a sense of achievement in a safe, positive and supervised environment. There is little doubt that camp is one the highlights of the school year, no matter where you go or what you do.

Rob Hutton JU N I O R S C HO O L A SS I S TA N T P RI N C I PA L

Summer Carnival 2019 After having to postpone to our rain date, 15 March was a beautiful day for the 2019 Summer Carnival. This event provides a lovely relaxed and fun atmosphere for students to enjoy some time with their friends, and for parents to mix and mingle and get to know each other at the beginning of the new school year. It was lovely to see families from Little Doves right through to Senior School at the Carnival. We had a record-breaking 30+ stalls this year, offering a huge variety of food, drinks, games, treats and fun for all ages. Collectively the stalls raised over $14,000 for a number of different causes within the school. This is the only event during the year where students can fundraise for their own trip, team or group on campus, and all those who participated saw some great returns for their efforts.

There were some new features in the amusement ride line-up with bumper soccer for the older students, lawn games for more group fun, and an area for our Little Doves and Kindergarten children. The now-famous Middle School Spooky House and Junior School cake stall continued to be a huge hit with queues of people waiting for these stalls. Thanks to all those who worked hard to put together a stall, to those who came and supported the stalls, to all our amazing students who kept the atmosphere buzzing with their outstanding musical talents, and to those behind the scenes who helped put the event together

New Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dinner Kristin welcomed our newest parents to the Kristin Community over drinks and dinner at our annual New Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dinners. Held on 27 and 28 March, this was a fantastic opportunity for parents of students who are new to Kristin to mix and mingle with other parents with students in the same year group, and to also meet a number of staff and members of the Board. Hosted by Tim Oughton, more than 200 guests were treated to stunning musical performances from some of our Senior School students, as well as some great stories from our Head Prefects and an address from members of the Board. The atmosphere was lively throughout these evenings with parents enjoying the opportunity to make new friends over some great food. Thanks to all those who attended and welcome to the Kristin Community.

Sam Brown EV E NTS MANAGER

Masterclasses DON ' T WO R R Y AB OU T THE ROB OTS The future of work is one of the hottest topics around, especially within the education sector. It was with this question in mind that we welcomed our Term 1 Masterclass speakers – and co-authors of the book, Don’t Worry About the Robots – Dr Jo Cribb and David Glover. Kristin, as a school that educates children from Early Learning through to Year 13, I am sure like many schools is wrestling with the plethora of information that abounds on this topic. The conflicting information from various experts on the future of work leaves plenty of room for debate around what the actual impact automation technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics will have on jobs, skills and wages. This engaging Masterclass taught us that when this topic comes up, there are three or four issues embedded within it. First, there’s the question and discussion around the impact of AI, automation on work and jobs, and whether we’ll have enough work and jobs left after that. A second part of the conversation is around the changing models for work and work structure. This involves questions around independent work and the gig economy. It also raises the question as to whether any of those kinds of evolved work models are going to become the future, and whether people can work productively and sustainably and earn a living. The question of income is the third issue. We know that most advanced economies, over the past decade, have seen a lag in terms of wages and New Zealand leads the way in many respects with income stagnation, especially for wage-driven incomes for workers and households. This also ties into the inequality debate, and whether people work and earn enough to be able to make a living or not. The big question then is, will technology make that

even worse as we look forward? Finally, everyone is asking the question, how will workplaces actually change? Now I am no expert on this topic but what I do know is that all schools need to be thinking hard about what we are doing and how we are preparing our students for the future. As David Perkins, Professor of Education at Harvard University and author of Educating for the Unknown, puts it: “What’s worth learning?” I think education and the schools sector, in particular, has an important responsibility facing it and I believe the insights gained from this Masterclass went a long way to giving the audience some surety on the future and indeed why we should not be worried about the robots!

UPCOM ING MAST ERCL ASSES Term 3, 19 September – Michael Crossland – What Does Success Look Like? For more information, see: https://discoverkristin.school.nz/news-events

Dave Scott K RI S T I N M I D D LE S C HO O L P RI N C I PA L

What does success mean?

KRISTIN SCHOOL

SERIES

THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2019 • 7P M

Presented by Michael Crossland – author of #1 bestseller ‘Kids Don’t Get Cancer’.

$10

Michael Crossland is an extraordinary young man. He has not only defied the odds of life-threatening cancer, but he was also the sole survivor of a horrific

He has built a life of exceptional achievements. An accomplished businessman and an elite sportsman, his life is a remarkable success.

Book now at Raw, real and truly life-changing, Michael is one of Australia’s most sought-after inspirational speakers. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity!

KFF Update When I stepped into the role as Chair of the KFF last year, I inherited a fantastic Executive team – 14 fellow parents, a strong group of like-minded individuals, all keenly motivated to continue to build the connectedness and community spirit that exists at Kristin School.

We are so fortunate to have such great support from the parent body and the school administration for all the things we do to support the school and build the loving, caring relationships within the community that Kristin is well known for. Over the past year and moving into this year, we have supported the school on many fronts and our mission is to continue to do just that. We have helped out by welcoming prospective families and answering their questions at events like School Tours and Open Days, for example. We also mobilised our parent networks to spread the word about the four remarkably informative and educational Masterclasses – all of which enriched not only our Kristin Community but served as outreach into the wider community as well. The KFF were present each evening to welcome parents and guests to each Masterclass.

year in March too. Join us for School of Rock and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead this September.

Some of the new things we tried that have been met with wide support are the Kristin Family and Friends Toastmasters Club, our new “Tastings Nights” (Whiskey and Champagne) for During 2018, we hosted a variety of different relationshipparents, as well our small-group sessions for parents building events to promote and encourage community to get creative (pottery, wreath making, etc). In spirit and to provide opportunities for parents to response to ongoing requests from the parent connect with one another. We kept the tried community, we initiated Second-hand and true, but we also introduced some new Uniform Sales (donated items), for which opportunities and ways for everyone to feel we have received overwhelmingly involved. We strive to meet the needs of positive feedback and support, and the diverse group of parents that make we are also developing a centralised up our Kristin Community by offering system for unnamed Lost Property. innovative, inclusive, informative and We formalised and have grown the entertaining activities and social events. service to families in need within the Kristin Community with our “Food We carried on with the very successful Angels” who provide meals to families Neighbourhood Parent-hosted Morning who are struggling with long-term illness, Teas, reaching out to new parents as well or tragedy in their families. HE LE N K E LLE R as introducing families to others who live in their vicinity. We modified our Creative Arts The past year has been a tremendously Workshops moving to a more sustainability-focused successful one for KFF because of the support we model in 2018 to help shift the school towards its goal receive from the community to serve the needs of our of Enviroschools Silver, while also supporting several needy school community and build relationships within that community. organisations with items made by our parents – hand-knitted The year ahead is looking great. We are here for you, so please don’t blankets and booties for premature babies, for example. Our hesitate to reach out to any one of the Executive members anytime. Wednesday Walking Group continues to thrive as their committed Our contact details are on the KFF page on the school website. leader, my Vice Chair, Christina Hoseason, leads the intrepid group around new parts of our great city each week, always ending with a Patricia Holden coffee and catch-up at a neighbourhood café. Our Arts and Cultural K FF C HA I R group took in several productions together last year and a few this

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Mr Boardman and the Prefect team

Prefect Quiz Night This year’s Prefects held their annual fundraiser, “That ’70s Quiz Night” on 5 April. It was a chance for the parents to dig out their brightest costumes, flared pants, wigs and accessories for this night. Special guests included Sir John Key, who shared his thoughts about the relevance of looking after our environment, the aim of our Prefect Project. Murray Deaker was present also, to provide

his entertainment skills to keep everyone engaged with the trivia questions. Through auctioning off the Prefect boys to provide lads’ labour, to selling an e-bike, funds were raised throughout the night in silent and live auctions. The grand prize was a popular one: the chance to spend the day at a renowned golf course, Tara Iti, with Sir John Key himself with helicopter trips included. Through this night we have raised funds to allow us to finance our goals of our Prefect Project. This year we have chosen to focus our efforts on improving the Kristin Community, specifically the way we interact with the environment. We have seen first-hand the importance of stewardship and guardianship and hope to create awareness and a sense of responsibility within our community. Following the Quiz Night, we are making plans to build a learning and relaxation outdoor seating area by the Science Block, open for use by everyone. Through this and by renovating our neglected greenhouse, we hope to make the area a more welcoming place and to work towards improving the health of Lucas Creek and the surrounding environment.

Swati Puri HE A D P RE FE CT

Special guest John Key

Euphony European Tour Euphony embarked on an 18-day Spring Tour to Europe on 12 April. The tour included a competition and many opportunities to perform. Staff led 41 students through to Hungary for their first stop: The Budapest International Choral Festival. Euphony competed in two categories, Youth Choirs of Equal Voices and Sacred Music. Over the five days in Budapest, they competed, sang in Friendship Concerts and explored this amazing city. Euphony was also invited to be one of six choirs to perform in the final Grand Prix concert that would close the competition. They were awarded two Golds for their categories and placed 1st and 3rd. Budapest is a beautiful city set on the Danube River with Roman and Baroque architecture. Spring was the perfect time to be in Europe with cherry blossoms in bloom and the beauty of the season all around us. After Budapest, Euphony moved onto Austria with a visit to Eisenstadt to see the home of the famous composer Josef Haydn, and the Esterhazy Palace where he worked. In Vienna we visited the Haus der Musik, had a choral workshop and performed at the Easter Markets and the Vienna Community Church. Salzburg was the next stop with a city tour, then a Sound of Music tour of places from the classic 1965 movie. Euphony joined with a local choir to perform together to a full audience in Strobl. We then moved onto Prague, another beautiful city in the Czech Republic. A dinner cruise on the Vltava River was a perfect way to see the city full of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, including Prague

Castle and a performance at the beautiful Clementinum Chapel of Mirrors. The final country we visited was Germany. Euphony spent the day in Nuremberg on a walking tour of the city and then finishing in Munich. We toured the city and had our final dinner at the famous Hofbrauhaus. Euphony flew by way of Bangkok, having a day to explore the Ancient City (Muang Boran) and end with a bit of retail therapy. The 18-day tour afforded Euphony the chance to perform and experience a once in a lifetime tour through the classical music capitals and places of rich cultural and historic significance for musicians. Thank you to my colleagues Mr Duirs and Mrs Backhouse-Smith and to Mr Squire and Gracie Francis, as well as Brent Imrie and the local guides who led Euphony through this tour. Euphony is the longest-running cultural group at Kristin and serve as not just ambassadors for our school, but make our school proud by representing New Zealand.

Megan Bennett YE A R 7 A SS O C I AT E D E A N

Peru Service and Action Trip 2019 In the April holidays 33 students and four teachers embarked on a trip of a lifetime to Peru. The excitement was palpable when we finally arrived in Lima after a long flight via Chile. Everyone was eager to discover more about the country, its history and traditions. Little did we know that this would be a life-changing experience! Our adventure started among the community of Misminay, a remote village in the Andes at an altitude of 3,500 metres. After the formal greeting, we commenced learning some basic Quechua. Over eight million people in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador ¯ speak this language and it is as different to Spanish as Maori is to English. The Quechua people call anyone their “sister” or “brother” and their friendliness was contagious. We also experienced the Quechua ritual performed to ensure a good harvest during which they recognise their connection to the mountains. Señora Maldonado performed the ritual on our behalf and was asked to recognise not only the local but also the New Zealand mountains. The connection to the land and the sense of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) was clear. Our next exciting experience was visiting the local school for which we had fundraised since Term 4, 2018. The results of our efforts were apparent – curtains for the classrooms, tables and benches for the dining room. We were greeted by the students performing a traditional dance to which we replied with the ¯ ¯ Iwi, as we all came together as one. It was song Tutira Mai Nga wonderful to interact with the students during their English class and play sports and games together. From there we went on to try our hand at building adobe blocks. While the job seemed simple, making the bricks solid enough to build walls or stoves was no easy task. We spent hours sieving sand, mixing it with water and straw with our bare feet, and later

carrying blocks up and down the hill, all the while gasping from the lack of oxygen. Our final job was to construct the bathroom walls and kitchen stoves under the supervision of an experienced tradesman. Our enthusiasm was rewarded with homemade food and heaps of smiles, although only a few of us tried the special treat cuy (guinea pig) on the last day. We had expected to see poverty but witnessed the richness possible in self-sufficiency, the gratitude for the simplest of things and a contented community. Our final challenge was the four-day-long Inca trail to Machu Picchu. Everyone was suitably apprehensive, and the second day challenged us to our limits – almost 1,200 metres vertically to the highest pass at 4,215 metres; the stairs were never ending! Rain set in on the third day, and some of us were feeling the effects of altitude sickness! The guides and porters were super-human, sprinting ahead carrying more than 25 kilograms and setting up camp before we got there. The feeling was indescribable when we reached the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu. We had made it, despite our weakened and tired bodies, to gaze through the thick mystical clouds onto the ancient Incan city. The song with which we had ¯ started now embodied us – Ki-a ko tapa tahi, ki-a ko-tahi ra,

tatou tatou e – Think as one, act as one, all of us. ¯ ¯

Monika Schnibbe-Bhargav C U RRI C U LU M LE A D E R S PA N I S H A D M I N I S T RATION YE A R 1 0 - 1 3

Grandparents’ Day Over 600 proud grandparents and special friends filled the Junior School for what most call the best day of the year – Grandparents’ Day.

It is a special affair, at which the students can show their

Families are now often spread across the globe, and children

grandparents around Kristin, fully immersing them in classroom

may need to adopt or share grandparents on these special

and specialist room activity and, most importantly, to celebrate

school days, yet grandparents have a generosity of spirit that

the learning that their grandchildren have achieved during

makes all children feel like the centre of attention. We were blessed at our Grandparents’ Day this year, with

the term.

the return of retired Kristin teachers, and of great-aunts and uncles, who warmly adopted

At Kristin, we never underestimate how important grandparents are to us, our society, but more especially to their grandchildren. As we know, many parents

work

increasingly

longer

hours, so grandparents are often doing the dropping off and afternoon collections from school and helping with after-school activities. This can give great joy to both grandparent and grandchild as they build their own special

“Young people need something stable to hang on to – a culture connection, a sense of their own past, a hope for their own future. Most of all, they need what grandparents can give them.”

relationship. Many families could not get by without assistance from grandparents.

JAY K E S LE R

a few grandchildren for the morning. We know that fostering a connection across generations is an important foundation of growing up, learning from the wisdom and past experiences of others, and sharing delight in the wonders of the present. Thank you so much, our wonderful Kristin Grandparents – grandchildren can be a link to the future, and you, our Kristin Grandparents, are their link to the past.

Children’s author Charles Morse illustrates this when he says, “A child needs a grandparent, anybody’s grandparent, to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world.” Anyone who walked through the Junior School on this

Chantel Ashley JU N I O R S C HO O L A SS I S TA N T P RI N C I PA L

very special day would have noticed the unconditional love in the air, and this was shared not only with their own grandchildren but with all the students as well.

S E N I O R S C H O O L PROD U CTI ON

Chicago

With an incredibly talented cohort of students comprising the cast, crew and band, the timing could not have been more perfect to bring Chicago to the Kristin stage. It is easy to see why Chicago is the longest-running American musical in both Broadway and West End history. The deliciously devilish story of aspiring vaudeville stars Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly has ‘razzle-dazzled’ audiences around the world since

Kristin’s Senior School is proud to have

premiering in 1975. Chicago, a satirical musical (crafted by

been one of the first schools in Australasia

director and choreographer Bob Fosse), is based on the 1926

to be granted the rights to a newly adapted

award-winning songwriting team Kander and Ebb, and original play of the same name, penned by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins. The play was developed around actual criminals and

High School Edition of the musical Chicago,

crime that Watkins reported on – referencing the “celebrity

transforming the award-winning production

corruption in the administration of criminal justice.

into a show that was more appropriate for a

With the show’s announcement in October 2018, keen students

wider audience.

and call-back process, which culminated in confirmation of the

criminals” that were prolific in Chicago’s Jazz Age, and the

immediately began preparing themselves for an intense audition

cast members in December. Students worked diligently over the summer break to familiarise themselves with the uplifting score and famous script. Simultaneously, members of the Production team began collaborations: designing and visualising how we could transform the Kristin Auditorium into a vaudeville-style theatre in the late 1920s, and how we could cohesively match this with clever and era-appropriate costuming. Rehearsals officially began in Term 1, with students instantly diving into the memorable music and challenging choreography. Staging was developed with individual talents in mind – an onstage violin player, circus tricks such as juggling and ribbon work, and characterisations that stayed true to the story but better reflected the unique style of our cast members. Noting how vital the music is to the piece, the decision was made to put the band on stage for the first time in over 10 years. Our band, including Kristin students, staff and community professionals,

Chicago was seen by more than 1,800 audience members across the three-night season and was met with astoundingly positive feedback. Executive Principal Tim Oughton wrote this to the cast and crew: “It had all the hallmarks of professionalism and excellence… the guests I had with me were stunned by the quality. Performing Arts defines Kristin in many ways – it demonstrates exceptional quality, real commitment and a wonderful sense of togetherness and community.” Collectively, as a Performing Arts community, we can be so proud of our 2019 Senior School Production and I wish to thank everybody – students, staff, parents and community members – who contributed to making Chicago another flagship Kristin Production to be remembered for a long time.

Hamish Mouat A RT I S T I C D I RE CTO R O F M A JO R P RO D U CT I O N S

became part of the visual spectacular on stage, and added to the atmosphere of all the iconic production numbers.

A ‘T WI C E I N A LI FE TI ME ’ E X PE RI ENCE…

Dr Jane Goodall visits Kristin again! Dr Jane Goodall returned to Kristin on Monday 27 May, eight years after her first visit in 2011. At 85 years of age and named one of the 100 most influential people on the planet by Time magazine, it was an immense honour to host Dr Jane. Kristin is one of the few schools in New Zealand to have a Roots and Shoots club, and our strong service programme made us the perfect place for Dr Jane to share her message of hope during her 2019 Rewind The Future tour. “What was the defining moment, when you stopped focusing your life on Gombe chimpanzee research and began dedicating your time to Roots and Shoots?” asked a Year 12 student during a Q&A session with Dr Jane as part of her visit. Over 40

students from eight different schools participated in a onehour workshop, exploring the challenges of making positive changes within our local communities. Dr Jane listened and shared her own experience of trying to improve the conditions of

captive chimpanzees and helping African communities protect forests around primate sanctuaries. Everyone was mesmerised as she talked about influencing world leaders and working collaboratively with others to get things done. Year 13 student Samantha Dixon helped organise the workshop and said:

“Dr Jane was captivating and her energy inspiring. To gain insight into such an incredible mind and life was a once-in-alifetime opportunity.” Another highlight was Dr Jane’s bush walk, with selected Year 5 students, on our newly created Lucas Creek track. As they walked, the children shared interesting facts about our local biodiversity which they had learnt as part of their conservation ¯ unit this term. Together they planted kotukutuku trees and Dr Jane unveiled two wooden plaques with her inspiring, worldrenowned conservation messages and te reo translations. Year 5 student Holly MacKay said, “It was amazing planting trees with

Dr Jane Goodall. She has a tradition of kissing the leaves of each tree she plants and we did this together. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined I would get this opportunity.” Finally, after a busy afternoon, Dr Jane entered a jam-packed Auditorium where more than 1,000 people were eagerly

Africa and her reason for hope today: the conservation work young people are doing all over the world. She inspired all who attended and received a well-deserved standing ovation. Azaria Eddy (Year 10) said, “Being a part of the crowd that attended Dr Jane Goodall’s talk was incredible; being there was out of this world.” Students from our invited schools all had a few minutes on stage to share highlights of their action projects including stream restoration, art for peace, beach clean-ups, social enterprises, volunteering in the Pacific and educating primary-school children about endangered species. These all gave the audience a sense of just how dedicated our youth are to building a better future for the planet. It was a wonderful end to a very special day. Dr Jane Goodall’s visit will have a lasting impact on the Kristin Community. She shared her wisdom and grace and we are all inspired by her message: “Every individual matters; every individual makes a difference”.

Sarah Wakeford S E RVI C E LE A RN I N G C O - O RD I N ATO R

anticipating her presentation. Teachers and students from all over Auckland were invited to this free event, to promote the development of more Roots and Shoots clubs in the wider community. Dr Jane shared stories of her amazing life in

A S T R O N G S TA RT TOWARD S B E I NG A

Silver Enviroschool Kristin is making 2019 the year to gain our Silver Enviroschools award. To help us on this journey is the newly formed Council of Sustainability (CoS), a student-led team empowered to help make positive changes in the school. Year 12 council member Victoria Deschamps gives us an update of some of the highlights so far this year. “One problem Kristin clubs and teams face is a lack of funds to complete ambitious sustainability projects. CoS used the Summer Carnival to generate a ‘sustainability fund’, by selling handmade beeswax wraps, tote bags and reusable fruit ‘sacks’. At the same time, we promoted eco-friendly options within our local community. These will continue to be available at more events throughout the year and help our wider community reduce their use of plastic! Our Junior School members have also been hard at work organising a rubbish sorting competition that promotes friendly competitiveness and raises awareness regarding the different recycle and waste bins available.”

Other highlights include the KFF helping plant over 80 trees near the school stream and a popular garden team that donated beetroot, cabbages, lemons and carrots for the Salvation Army. We were really proud to have also raised more than $6,000 for the Christchurch fund, helping survivors of the mosque attack in March. All these actions help show how important community well-being and the environment are to Kristin.

Sarah Wakeford S E RVI C E LE A RN I N G C O - O RD I N ATO R

Monetary Policy Challenge From left to right: Phoebe McKellar, Finn McClellan, Jonty Grant, Joshua Heatley and Jaqlin van Schalkwyk

K R IST I N WI N S RE SE RVE B ANK MO NETARY POL ICY CH AL L EN GE FOR T H IRD T I M E Kristin School took out the top honours in the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's 2019 Monetary Policy Challenge. Designed to expand students’ understanding and appreciation of

Their presentation had solid framework and structure. The students

monetary policy, the Monetary Policy Challenge has been a long-

also worked exceptionally well together in answering some very

standing competition organised by the Reserve Bank since 2002.

tough questions” Mr Hawkesby said.

This year, 32 schools from across New Zealand participated and presented their monetary policy and Official Cash Rate decisions through video submissions. Teams took into consideration the changes to the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy mandate - which now requires maximum sustainable employment to be considered alongside price stability. Six teams were selected as finalists and discussed their presentations with the judging panel, composed of Reserve Bank economists Evelyn Truong and Jamie Culling and Assistant

Kristin is the first school in New Zealand to have won the title three times. The school also won in 2017 and 2010. This year’s winning team members were students Jonty Grant, Joshua Heatley, Finn McClellan, Phoebe McKellar and Jaqlin Van Schalkwyk who were mentored by economics teacher Mr John Osborne. Well done team! The team received $2500 in prize money for Kristin School and each team member also received prizes worth $500. They will also visit the Reserve Bank in Wellington to watch the Monetary Policy Statement media conference on 7 August. The students will have a

Governor and General Manager of Economics, Financial Markets,

full-day of learning how economic theory is put into practice as they

and Banking Christian Hawkesby.

meet with Governor Adrian Orr, members of the Monetary Policy

“Overall, we were impressed with how the six finalists demonstrated

Committee, and senior decision-makers.

their knowledge of economic concepts. Kristin School particularly

“These young economists […] show great potential,” Mr Hawkesby

stood out as they characterised a sound understanding and in-depth

said. “They’ve been guided well by their teachers and all their

research of various factors relevant to monetary policy.

preparation and research came through during their presentations.”

Jessica Liu (Year 12) performing at Aria Gardens Home and Hospital

Centre: Christina Min (Year 13) who created dental hygiene classes, and together with student helpers from other countries, delivered these to primary schools in Nepal

Beibei Liu (Year 12) performing at Aria Gardens Home and Hospital

CAS at Kristin It is easy to see Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) as being just for IB Diploma students because it is indeed one of the three core components of the programme. However, it is a celebration of ALL things happening outside the classroom at Kristin and beyond our walls, embracing and including everyone. It is a privilege to introduce the following CAS commitments, driven by students, putting into action their own initiatives and ideas.

A group of like-minded students are running a campaign in the Senior School, alongside Politics Club in its second year, around civic education, encouraging young people to vote and become interested in politics. New clubs have been established this year; for instance, Stock Trading Club, where students learn about share trading and financial ethics involved in other markets such as derivatives, and Folk Arts Club, where all forms of traditional folk arts from different cultures are brought together, taught and performed in school and to the local community throughout the year. Later this year, other students will be working towards projects such as a blood donation drive, Junior MasterChef for the Middle School, and creating an ultimate Frisbee team at Kristin.

Kristinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Year 13 students, expanding their focus to both local and global issues.

Locally, students are testing and monitoring water around the school, where water data, such as temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen concentration, is continuously measured in various waterways around the school, with reports sent to Auckland Council for their general monitoring purposes. Some students are serving as moderators and content creators for the K-pop (Korean pop music) appreciation community! Other projects are being planned, too â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example, running, dance and music workshops at local primary schools, or working with students with autism at a local special school. Kristin-AlbanySenior Model UN has also taken place, organised by a group of

Let us consider the breadth and depth of these projects, run by secondary-school students, which are just small tips of big icebergs of Creativity, Activity and Service outside the classroom at Kristin School. Then, let us marvel at what Kristin students will be able to achieve in the future.

Two Kristin students are running a new logo competition for the Global Alliance for Innovative Learning (GAIL), which Kristin is a member of, along with seven other schools across the world. There have been dental hygiene classes created by a Kristin student, delivered to primary schools in Chitwan and Kathmandu in Nepal. Another student is serving Afrika Tikkun Tech as a service leader, tackling the issue of the gender and wealth gap seen in the IT field in South Africa. Another programme is being planned to help Equity Brilliant School, a fee-free school for underprivileged families in Kenya.

John Cho I B D I P LO M A CA S C O - O RD I N ATO R

Shakespearean Successes “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” - Hamlet While some people think of Shakespeare’s work as difficult and intimidating, many of Kristin’s students, led by Mrs Sykes and Miss Johnston, spent Term 1 of 2019 thinking of the wonderful challenges presented by the work and embracing all things Shakespearean. At the end of Term 1, a group of 24 dedicated Middle and Senior School students created, rehearsed and presented scenes from a range of Shakespeare’s plays at the West Auckland Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival, hosted in our own Dove Theatre. At the awards ceremony after the final performance, assessors Ben Henson and Rita Stone commented on the quality of all of the performances and performers they had seen, before announcing a number of awards. It was thrilling to find that students (and staff) from Kristin had gained the following awards: Best Stage Design: Julius Caesar, Kristin School Best Communication with the Audience: Isla Sangl, Kristin School Most Promising Actor: Tim Gunn, Kristin School Best Non-Student Director: Miss Tessa Johnston, Kristin School Even more exciting, we then learned that our 5-minute Julius Caesar scene - performed by Theo Kleiman Canizares, Jamie Clumpas, Alex Gordon, Tim Gunn, Kaelyn McGhie, Cam Scott and Kester Sykes - had been chosen as the Best 5-Minute Scene, and that Emma Hoseason had been chosen as the Direct Entrant to National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP).

The Julius Caesar crew

On the first day of the National Festival our performers took to the stage at the Michael Fowler Centre and performed their scene from Julius Caesar to a large and enthusiastic audience. After two full days of performances the Prize Giving and Scene Award Ceremony included outstanding performances from the 2019 SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company. “Company member Bella Howarth was particularly inspiring for the Kristin students as she performed in an extract from Much Ado about Nothing, sang a wonderful duet and then led two amazing waiata” said Leigh Sykes, Curriculum Leader of Drama at Kristin. “Our students were already aware of how much they had achieved by being chosen to attend the National Festival, but were blown away when they received a collection of prestigious awards” she said. These were: Outstanding Student Direction Award: Alex Gordon,Kristin School Outstanding Student Direction Award: Cam Scott, Kristin School Best Voice Projection [Whole Cast] Award: Julius Caesar, Kristin School Outstanding Presentation from a Tragedy Award: Julius Caesar, Kristin School Most Promising Actor Award: Cam Scott (Brutus), Julius Caesar, Kristin School These fantastic results also mean that Cam Scott and Alex Gordon will join Emma Hoseason in the SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production.

Cam Scott and Alex Gordon

GAIL students on global adventures Cam Scott (Year 12) and Havana Pick (Year 11) in the Himalayas

Y E A R 12 S TU D E NT CAM SC OTT RE FL ECT S ON H IS FOUR-WEEK ADV EN T URE I N I N D I A, W H ER E HE ATTE ND E D WOODSTOCK SCH OOL IN T H E HIMAL AYAS. “I decided to make the leap to go on an exchange and represent myself, my family and my school at Woodstock. I honestly could not have asked for a more enjoyable time. Every new day brought new experiences, for which I am truly thankful. For example, when I first went to the bazaar; I was overwhelmed by the chaos and was so impressed by the mixture of cultures present. After I became acquainted with how the bazaar worked, I became just another person in the crowd, making my visit feel authentic.

The opportunity to participate on school trips to the surrounding communities made the biggest impression on me. I was introduced to new cultures I had never had the chance to meet before, such as the Tibetan people. This was important to me because we had only recently experienced the terrorist attack in Christchurch and learnt how important it is to value and celebrate all people and live in harmony together. Visiting the Nepalese school was a genuinely humbling experience that I will never forget. Being able to meet communities who have very few material resources but are rich in their cultural and religious heritages made me further appreciate the incredible experiences that I have been afforded on my exchange. I have learnt a lot about myself on this journey and found it easy to integrate with everyone at Woodstock, who made the trip so positive, with their kindness and support and willingness to help. Gaining a deep level of friendship with some special students from the other side of the globe holds the greatest value for me personally as it provides present and, I hope, future connections. My GAIL exchange has been a trip of a lifetime and I’ll never forget the experiences I have had at the foothills of the Himalayas. I want to thank everyone involved.”

Phoebe Dennis (right) with KUA friend Hannah

Phoebe skiing in New Hampshire during her exchange at KUA

Y E A R 11 S T U D E NT PHOE B E D E NNIS SH ARES SOM E M EMORIES OF H ER FOU R W E EK S I N T H E U NI TE D STATE S. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the summer holidays, I went on a GAIL exchange to Kimball Union Academy (KUA), an independent boarding and day school in Meriden, New Hampshire. The school has a tight community of around 360 students on a rural campus, where most students are boarders. My days would begin with walking through snow to the dining hall for breakfast and then classes began at 8:30am but, unlike Kristin, finished at 1:15pm. I took part in classes such as English, Maths, American History and Ceramics. Here I gained much knowledge on Thomas Jefferson, who I later learnt about on returning to Kristin. Classes were all fun and I loved sharing about New Zealand as everyone was so interested in our country. I participated in recreational skiing and would visit three mountains a week, skiing most days. I absolutely loved this because our group was allowed the freedom to go off and ski anywhere. The scenic views were breathtaking and I made sure to take many pictures. In the evenings we would support the KUA Wildcats in either an ice hockey or basketball game. These games were the highlight of my entire exchange. The atmosphere at every game was incredible as the whole school would watch, cheer and shout in support. I had never seen ice hockey before and I quickly grew

to love the sport. I had never experienced such a supportive atmosphere before - it was amazing! As I was a boarder at KUA, weekends were always occupied with many activities to entertain students. There were trips into town, local cinemas, and stores, many sports games etc. One weekend, there was a trip to an ice hockey game at Dartmouth College, an Ivy League university, which was such a cool experience! I highly recommend a GAIL exchange, as it is full of new and amazing experiences. KUA is such a close and welcoming community and anyone considering this exchange will enjoy it immensely.â&#x20AC;?

Introducing ... K R IST I N WAS D E LI GHTE D TO WE LCOM E T HE FOL LOWING N EW MIDDL E AN D S E NI O R S C H O O L TE AC HI NG STAFF TO OUR FAM ILY T H IS Y EAR. D E B RA CATHE RWOOD PE & HEALTH TEACHER / YEAR 7 & 8 NETBALL CO-ORDINATOR MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL Debra holds a Bachelor of Physical Education from the University of Auckland and has recently returned home after living and teaching in the UK. Before her OE, Debra was Head of Health Education at Long Bay College and before that taught Health, PE and Science at Carmel College. Debra is a competitive Premier club netball player as well as a Netball Coach, so her skills are being well utilised taking over from Katie Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien as the Year 7 and 8 Netball Co-ordinator.

B RI GI D COSTE LLO DANCE AND D RAM A T EACH ER MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL Covering a period of parental leave, Brigid has been a recent addition to the team. Joining us from several years working as the Director of Movement and Choreography for the Globe Pop Up Theatre, she did shows in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney. Brigid has also taught at Northcote College and set up Dance and became Head of Dance at Tawa College in Wellington. She has a wealth of experience in choreography and we look forward to seeing her magic in performances throughout the year.

B ASSANT I B RA HIM C HE MI STRY AND SCIEN CE T EACH ER MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL Joining us from Westlake Boys this year, Bassant comes to Kristin with teaching experience from both Westlake and Botany Downs Secondary School. Delighted to be based on the North Shore, close to her family, Bassant is a welcome addition to the team. Her area of speciality is Chemistry, with a Bachelor of Science in Medicinal Chemistry and a Master of Teaching.

TE SS A J OHN S TO N DR A MA TE ACHER M IDDL E /SE NIOR S CHO O L Also covering a period of parental leave, we welcomed Tessa to the Visual and Performing Arts faculty this year. Tessa holds a Bachelor of Arts, with a double major in English and Drama. She is a beginning teacher who we are delighted to support in her continuing development in Education. Tessa has settled into the Kristin Community very well and, working alongside Leigh Sykes, Curriculum Leader Drama, gained outstanding results in the recent Sheilah Winn Shakespeare awards.

D E RRI CK NE WTON OU TD OOR E D U CAT ION T EACHER MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL Derrick is covering for Jono Taylor, who is taking his sabbatical leave and a period of leave to be a stay-athome dad. We were very fortunate to secure Derrick as he has a wealth of experience in the outdoors, both locally and internationally, including in Alaska, Canada, Australia and the USA. Knowledgeable on the Duke of Edinburgh and William Pike programmes, he has been able to hit the ground running. Derrick joins us from Westlake Boys and holds a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation with a major in Outdoor Education.

JOSHU A TAYLO R YE AR 7 HOME ROOM T EACHER MI D D LE SCHOOL Joshua, or Mr T as the children affectionately call him, joins us from Oteha Valley School where he spent five years upon settling here from the UK. He is married to Josie, one of our Junior School teachers, and has a real passion for the Middle School students and the outdoors. Joshua also teaches PE and is an avid footballer.

CHRI STI AN TREM BL AY PHYSI C S CU RRICULUM L EADER MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL Holding a Bachelor of Education and Science from the University of Alberta, Canada, Christian is now studying towards a Master of Education. Extremely knowledgeable in IB and NCEA Physics and Science, he joins us from Diocesan School for Girls. As well as Canada, Christian has taught in Peru and was a valued member of the team on our service trip to Peru this year.

JU STI NE WE D GE CU RRI CU LU M L EADER OF IB EN GL ISH MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL Another valuable recruit from overseas, Justine has taught in international schools in Dubai, China, USA, Malaysia, Mexico and United Arab Emirates. Originally from South Africa, she has joined family in New Zealand and brings a wealth of IB knowledge and training. Justine has a BA in English and Information Science from the University of Pretoria, and is also keen on the outdoors and the Duke of Edinburgh programme.

E RI C WHE ATE R PSYCHOLOGY T EACHER SE N I OR SCHOOL Eric has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Experimental Psychology from the University of York (UK) and joined us from Avondale College where he was the Acting Director of the Social Science faculty. He was also Head of Psychology and is a National NCEA Moderator of Psychology. Eric is teaching Psychology and IB individuals and societies. He is passionate about snow and water sports and is also an International Kiteboarding Organization-qualified Kitesurfing instructor.

LI SA WHI LE D I GI TAL TE C HNOLOGY T EACHER MI D D LE / SE N I OR SCH OOL We were delighted to welcome Lisa into our Technology and Design faculty with her many years of experience in teaching and pastoral care. She was an Assistant Dean and Head of Department at Whangaparaoa College, and previously a teacher at Massey High School. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Information Sciences with a joint major in Computer Science and Information Science.

Kristin is alway keen to hire exceptional talent ....

Know of someone who would love to join the Kristin team? Tell them to check out our careers site for potential teaching and support role vacancies: www.kristincareers.nz 35

K R I S TI N S P O RTS

Participate, engage, progress. It has been another exciting and action-packed start to our sporting programme at Kristin this year. And pleasing again to see the large number of students engaged in our school-wide sports programme across a wide variety of sports. Congratulations to our Senior Girls’ Water Polo team that placed 3rd in New Zealand at their national championships. They had a great tournament and deservedly placed in the top three in NZ. Well done, girls!

championships have all seen some great competition and engagement amongst the students representing the four school Houses. As mentioned, our sports numbers are very healthy indeed for

In Tennis, our mixed team qualified for the top division at the NZ Schools championships held in Christchurch. The team played some fine Tennis and placed 5th overall. With five of the team members returning next year, they are well placed to improve on this result. Our Colts Cricket team made the final of their grade following five wins on the bounce. They played some exciting Cricket and performed well as a team. In the final against Howick College, they came up short by 30-odd runs but were still in the match for a large part of the game. Plans are well underway for a tour to Napier in January 2020 and then hopefully overseas in 2021. Head of Cricket Simon Mesritz is working closely with the parents to ensure the boys have the chance to develop their skills and that they have the support needed for the continued success of the sport.

This year we have 27 Basketball teams across the three schools with 10 Mini-ball teams in the Junior School and 17 teams from Years 7 - 13. Simon Mesritz, the head of our Basketball programme, has ensured the coaching staff are well supported to coach the teams across all the age groups effectively. Our Netball programme continues to flourish under the expert leadership of Kate Denman. This year we have 24 teams involved across the three schools. Again, the quality of coaching and support for all involved will mean another exciting season ahead for all our netballers. In Hockey, the Junior School teams have increased by three teams this year. Sam Bartholomew, the Head of Hockey, has worked closely with Fiona Ackroyd to build the Junior programme to ensure we have the numbers coming through into the Middle and Senior Schools in the future. In addition, Sam has been asked to help out with the senior

The training and preparation for all our winter codes were well underway during Term 1 and we have seen increased numbers involved in our main sports. It is also exciting to report that both our senior and development Netball teams headed to Melbourne for the annual Trans Tasman Tournament. This was hosted by Ballarat School where Adam Heath is the Headmaster; he was previously head of our Middle School. Kristin will host the 2020 Trans Tasman Tournament and we look forward to having Adam and the other schools here in NZ.

NZ women's squad during the World League as well as being

The 1st XV Rugby team headed to Vancouver to play four games as preparation for their upcoming season. They were hosted by Lord Byng Secondary School and St. George’s School, which have also previously been hosted by Kristin. Our team played Brentwood College and James Bay Community School too. Our host at James Bay was Greg Clague, brother of former Executive Principal Peter Clague. The Kristin boys managed two great wins over Lord Byng and St. George’s and narrowly lost the other two games.

strength and conditioning coach, Andreas Fossum, has worked

The school-wide Sports Day for the Senior School, Swimming

D I RE CTO R O F S P O RT

Sports for Years 7 - 13 and the school Cross-Country

2019. The winter sports programme is the largest in the school.

appointed as a selector for the NZ Under-21 team during the national tournament. We are delighted that Sam can use this experience to benefit our own Kristin Hockey players. Across the other main sports, we have eight Football teams covering Years 9 - 13 and 12 Water Polo teams which include four Flippa Ball teams in the Junior School. The pre-season programme for all our Premier teams has seen an increased focus on strength and conditioning. Our resident across all the main summer codes as well as the winter codes to ensure our students are fitter faster and stronger for the upcoming season. In addition, Andreas is working alongside the Junior School’s PE staff to help support them in their teaching programmes. This will enable all students to develop their basic movement competency - a key to future success in all sports.

Rob Taylor

S E NI O R S C H O O L

House Sports Day The 2019 House Sports Day took place on the immaculate sports ground at Kristin on Wednesday 20 March. The full day of physical activity, incorporating team as well as individual events, brought out the best in House spirit and competition. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senior School Sports Committee led the way with a detailed 12-event programme that included sprints, relays, field events and team games - a new concept this year to enhance the House competition and increase student involvement in the overall competition. The Senior Sports Committee were detailed to organise the event and ensure as many students as possible participated. It was a beautiful day of fun-filled House sports. There was also some fierce rivalry as each House competed against the others to see who would come out on top. The House relay finals at the end of the day truly captured the intense competition that the day provided. Well done to all the Senior students in attendance. You gave your all for your House! It was also great to see the staff fully engaged in supporting as well as participating in

events to ensure their House was given every opportunity to perform. The final House points results saw Saturn House on top, with Jupiter 2nd, then Mariner and Apollo very close for 3rd and 4th respectively. Huge thanks again to the Senior School Sports Committee, Senior School staff, and Sports Office staff for their efforts to make sure the day was a success. As mentioned, the grounds were in grand order - a direct result of our fabulous ground staff. Thank you all!

Rob Taylor D I RE CTO R O F S P O RT

Cross-Country 2019 M I D D LE & S ENI OR SCHOOL The sun was out, the course marked and the students were all ready for the challenging course around the school campus. It was another wonderful sight to see all the students in their House colours running the Cross-Country to contribute towards points for their House. The Year 7 - 9 students ran once around the 3.2-kilometre course. Again, like last year, the course took in the 500-metre loop around the native bush down by Lucas Creek. All runners then had to work their way up the hill alongside the Bass Road fields. This is indeed a genuine test for all. Congratulations to all Middle and Senior School students who ran the course. It is Kristin’s expectation that all Middle School students participate. It was pleasing to see that the students took up the challenge and completed the course to the best of their abilities. The House spirit continues to build across the Senior School and this year, we had over 80 entries for their 4.4-kilometre Cross-

JUNIOR SCHOOL Our luck held with a clear window of good weather for the Junior School Cross-Country day on 6 June. This year we had a firm surface underfoot with the year-level courses taking advantage of the expansive space behind the grounds sheds for all and the tough hill beside the Bass Road car park for the nine-year-old group. Each age group ran exceptionally well, showing great form and condition with a fast pace set. Tremendous attitude was demonstrated by all who participated, meeting their goals to achieve and finish the race. It was also great to see family members supporting their children and a huge thanks to the Year 10 Sports Academy group for assisting runners, marshalling and helping with results - top job! Finally, congratulations to the winners for 2019.

S E NI O R S C H O O L RE SU LTS

Year 9 Boys 1st: Cody Jones, 2nd: Fraser Turner, 3rd: James Zhang

Year 11 Boys 1st: Haochen Wang, 2nd: Jeffrey Zheng, 3rd: Riley Smith

Year 9 Girls 1st: Keira Spilling, 2nd: Wendy Wen, 3rd: Charlotte Bowden

Year 11 Girls 1st: Nicole Yong, 2nd: Lucy Xu, 3rd: Izzy Gaze

Year 10 Boys 1st: Charlie Bowden, 2nd: Leon Xu, 3rd: King Du

Year 12 Boys 1st: Adam Sharp, 2nd: Jackson White, 3rd: Leo Mark

Year 10 Girls 1st: Cece Jenkins, 2nd: Belle Li, 3rd: Sophie Brosnahan

Year 12 Girls 1st: Lulu Grimes, 2nd: Madeleine Dawson, 3rd: Vanessa Xiong

Middle School House Points: Apollo 2,938; Jupiter 2,532; Mariner 2,444; Saturn 2,287

Year 13 Boys 1st:Alex Crook, 2nd: Fergus Scott, 3rd: Max Osborne

JUNIOR SCH OOL 1st PL ACE WINNE R S

Year 13 Girls 1st: Amber Paki, 2nd: Aleisha Chalmers, 3rd: Anna Wallace Senior School House Points: Jupiter: 109; Apollo: 92; Mariner: 68; Saturn: 64

Country event. It was also great to see Mr Burge challenge all runners to “surge past the Burge” by running the course and to see the other Senior Deans take part as well.

Year 1: Lexie Link and Samuel Xu Year 2: Hao Hao Chen and Isabel Holdsworth

M I D D L E S C H O OL RE SU LTS

7 years and under: Yolanda Shen and Keith Li

Year 7 Boys 1st: Lechuan Xiao, 2nd: Archer Leavy, 3rd: Josh Cabraal-Schmidt

8 years: Lucy Jack and Ryan Zeng

Year 7 Girls 1st: May Peng, 2nd: Kaitlyn Donald, 3rd: Rebecca Shi

9 years: Nikolina Stulich and Hamish Duggal

Year 8 Boys 1st: Cooper Clague, 2nd: Jerry Xuan, 3rd: Krrish Hira-Patel

10 years and over: Kennedy Shields and Jake Bryham

Year 8 Girls 1st: Eloise Raper, 2nd: Lily Rushworth, 3rd: Mara Ziegler

Junior School House Points: Mariner: 262; Apollo: 215; Saturn: 200; Jupiter: 197

Kristin Rugby 2019 Rugby at Kristin has been on the move – literally and figuratively – in 2019. From rekindling the traditional Alumni vs 1st XV match to touring Canada, to moving back up into the Open B-grade competition, the Rugby programme has set itself up for a big year and a promising future ahead. Pre-season training began the second day of classes, with a fourstop tour of Vancouver on the horizon in April. There was a need to get some early competitive matches under the 1st XV’s belt and who better to call on than our own Kristin Rugby Alumni? The graduates sent out a formidable squad on 25 March and went hard from the outset, eventually winning 37-19 on the back of tries from Paul Beale (2013), Marcus Copson (2018), Tait Gaze (2013), Matt Selak (2010) and Alistair Walker (2011), while star 1st-five Damien Mapapalangi (Year 13) scored all three of the young boys’ tries. The post-match function and silent auction at the New Brew was a time to tell old stories and raise money for the upcoming tour. Battle-hardened, the 1st XV hit Canadian soil on 10 April ready for a challenge – four matches in 10 days against some top Vancouver sides in mid-season form. Besides the task of actually playing the matches, the boys had also challenged themselves to learn the Ka Mate haka. Inspired by the leadership of Year 13 Reid Cowlishaw and under the scrutiny of coach Shane Wijohn, the boys opened each match with a haka performance better than the previous one. And then they backed it up. Despite going down two tries early in the first match against old rivals Lord Byng Secondary, the 1st XV was able to find its feet.

Like heavyweight prizefighters, the two squads exchanged blows and the score went back and forth until Kristin finished with a flurry and the win, 38-26. In a true display of Rugby brotherhood, it was the same Lord Byng players who filled the sideline three days later to support Kristin in its match with St. George’s School. This time, Kristin got going a bit quicker and walked off with a convincing 32-5 win. The most bruising of the four matches occurred at Brentwood College’s ocean-front campus on Vancouver Island, with the hosts prevailing 29-7 in a well-fought battle. The final match of the tour, against a select side representing James Bay Community School, was nearly as physical and equally well contested. With two key starters out as a result of injury, Kristin held its own but went down 28-19 in the end. The trip – including some team bonding on the slopes of Whistler Blackcomb – has set the Kristin 1st XV up for promising 2019 season. Names to watch: Year 13 Damien Mapapalangi (tour-high eight tries, plus seven conversions, and two Man-ofthe-Match recognitions); Year 12 Levi Collett (four tries in three matches); Year 12 Jack Gulliver (two tries and one Man-of-theMatch recognition); Year 12 Zach Pickles (impressive in a new role at half back) and young up-and-comers Zach Lloyd (Year 11) and Solomona Mulimuli Utuvai (Year 11).

Michael Badger YE A R 9 D E A N

Swimming Sports 2019 JUNIOR SCHOOL It was great to see all the Year 4-6 students having a go at friendly or competitive races on Wednesday 20 February at the Junior School Swimming Sports at the Northern Arena swimming pool. This year the strongest House relay team was Mariner – not quite strong enough to beat a stacked staff and Year 10 team and also Dean Kent, an Olympic swimmer, but good enough. Next in was Saturn, with a close finish between Apollo and Jupiter. Congratulations to our 2019 age-group swimming champions. This year there was a tied result in the boys’ 8 years and under age group: Caelan Wang and Harrison Yin. The winner of the 8 years and under girls was Molly Yang; 9-years-old girl and boy: Melody Xue and Mao Dong Li; and 10-year-old girl and boy: Jenny Zhang and Eric Yan. Thank you to the terrific group of hard-working parent timekeepers and the Year 10 Sports Committee members who assisted tirelessly throughout the day.

J UNI O R S C H O OL NORTH SHORE S W I M M I N G C O MPE TI TI ON 2 0 1 9 The Junior School swimmers who were selected to attend the North Shore Swimming Competition at the Sir Owen G. Glenn

National Aquatic Centre had a great day of swimming while competing against 26 other local primary schools on Tuesday 2 April. As a team, our girls came 2nd out of 26 schools with 458 points and our boys’ team came 6th overall out of 24 schools with 335 points. It was a very successful and rewarding swimming day! Some terrific personal and team achievements resulted from the competition. Congratulations to Eddy Gottschen, Mao Dong Li, Han Ming Shen, Ben Sly, Melody Xue, Harrison Yin and Jenny Zhang, who achieved a 1st, 2nd or 3rd in one or more of their individual races. We also combined well in the relays to finish 1st in the Boys’ 9 years and under Medley relay, 1st in the 9 years and under Girls’ Medley relay, 2nd in the Boys’ 9 years and under Freestyle relay, 2nd in the Girls’ 11 years and under Freestyle relay and 3rd in the Girls’ 9 years and under Freestyle relay – top teamwork! It was fabulous having the support of families at the pool. Special thanks to parents Kee Peng Lai, Abby Sly, Iva Stulich and Anita Zheng for assisting with the timekeeping on the day.

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOLS Congratulations to the individual winners and House Swimming champions for 2019 following our Year 7 and 8 and Year 9-13 Swimming Championships for 2019. Y E A R 7 AN D 8 SWI MMI NG

Following on from our successful school

C H A MP I O N S H IP RE SU LTS:

swimming sports, our top swimmers headed to

Year 7 Girls 1st Helena Thompson, 2nd Storm Barker, 3rd Olivia Shine

the North Harbour Championships and also to

Year 7 Boys 1st Johnny Li, 2nd Kobe McKee Wright, 3rd= Kalani Mataio and Jayden Wang Year 8 Girls 1st Eloise Raper, 2nd Kaelyn McGhie, 3rd Caitlyn Hoggard Year 8 Boys 1st Shane Huang, 2nd Cooper Clague, 3rd Randal Li House Points: Apollo – 386, Jupiter – 372, Mariner – 360, Saturn - 359

Y E A R 9- 13 S W I MMI NG RE SU LTS: Congratulations to Cole Tetro, who, in winning the Intermediate Boys’ Backstroke, broke the 2006 school record (32.30) in swimming 31.56 for the 50m. Junior Boys 1st James Zhang, 2nd Oscar Greenwood, 3rd Finn Dowling Junior Girls 1st Wendy Wen, 2nd Una Dennehy, 3rd Keira Spilling Intermediate Boys 1st Cole Tetro, 2nd Luca Harris, 3rd Seungyoon Han Intermediate Girls 1st Belle Li, 2nd Lauren Raper, 3rd Arabella Thompson Senior Boys 1st Jackson Zhang, 2nd James Reid-Akehurst, 3rd Dennis Yang

Dunedin for the National Championships. In Dunedin, Cooper Clague, Oscar Greenwood, Kaelyn McGhie and Cole Tetro were competing at the National Division 2 Championships. All students qualified for the finals with Cooper finishing 2nd overall in the 50m Breaststroke - an outstanding effort by Cooper. A team of 17 Kristin students from Year 7 and 8 competed in the North Harbour Swimming Inter-school Zone Day at the National Aquatic Centre. They competed in the 100m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly events, plus relays. The top 10 swimmers of each event went through to the finals with Kristin School well represented. Eloise Raper, Year 8, made the finals in all of her events and placed top four in the 50m Backstroke, 7th in the 50m Freestyle and 8th in the 50m Breaststroke final. Shane Huang, Year 8, also made the final in the 50m Freestyle, placing 5th overall, and Caitlin Hoggard, Year 8, placed 7th in the 50m Backstroke. Kalani Mataio, Year 7, came top 10 in the 50m Breaststroke final. At the North Harbour Secondary School Championships, nine students from Year 9-13 represented Kristin. Of these, Clodagh Weir and Wendy Wen qualified for Auckland Secondary School Champion of Champions by winning their events. Well done to all those who represented Kristin School.

Senior Girls 1st Lucia Doak, 2nd Clodagh Weir, 3rd Alice Steele

Cole Tetro

Lucia Doak

Jackson Zhang

Kristin Snowsports Stars Over the summer months here in New Zealand, some of Kristin’s Snowsports athletes were abroad honing their skills and competing for New Zealand in the Northern Hemisphere.

Over the Easter break, while most were enjoying the autumn sunshine and eating chocolate eggs, Mikayla and Michol Hinton, Year 10, travelled to Canada to represent New Zealand on the world stage at the Whistler Cup, the only FIS (Federation of International Snowsports) - sanctioned event of its kind in North America. The girls competed against 500 athletes from more than 20 countries. On the first day, Mikayla finished 2nd overall in Slalom; on the second day, her team took 3rd in the Women’s Team Dual Slalom; and on the final day (her 14th birthday), Mikayla took 1st for a Gold medal in the Giant Slalom - with a smashing 3.29 second winning margin. Unfortunately, Michol had a high-speed crash on the first day, which saw her complete the event under a concussion watch. While Michol was disappointed to not be at her best for the event, she still finished inside the top 30 in a field of over 120 athletes. All in all, it was great to see our students out there doing it and a huge congratulations to Mikayla and Harrison for winning on the World Stage! Mikayla Smyth wins Gold at the Whistler Cup

Mikayla Smyth, Year 10, has been training and competing in Europe. In February she travelled to Slovenia (where Harrison Messenger, Year 11, also raced) and Croatia for International Children’s races. On the World Cup course in Zagreb, Mikayla won Gold in the Giant Slalom and Silver in the Slalom events for her age group. Harrison Messenger, Year 11, spent most of his summer training and racing in Switzerland and parts of Europe. He achieved some excellent results there: 1st Giant Slalom, Albisrennen, Oberiberg Roggen, Switzerland 3rd Slalom, Raiffeisen Cup, Flumserberg, Switzerland 3rd Giant Slalom, Silvesterrennen, Hoch-Ybrig, Switzerland (started 181st) 4th Slalom, Borrufa International Race, Andorra 8th Giant Slalom, Pokal Loka, Slovenia

Harrison Messenger

Sports Highlights FINN BURRIDGE In Tennis this year, the highlight has been Finn Burridge, Year 10, winning the Auckland Schools Champions of Champions U14 title. Finn then joined with Robbie King to place runners-up in the Junior Boys’ Doubles. Finn was also part of our Senior

From left to right: Finn Burridge and Robbie King

Mixed Tennis team that placed 5th overall at the NZ Schools’ Championships held in Christchurch during the summer schools Tournament Week. This team played outstanding Tennis all week and only missed out on 3rd place on countback. Five of these players will be returning to school next year, so the team has some exciting times ahead. Playing at number two, Finn won 3 out of 5 singles matches and was inspirational in his play in the doubles matches.

Junior Girls’ Javelin. On the track, Pippa Plummer (Year 10) joined King Du on the podium, placing 3rd in the Intermediate Girls’ 400m in a time of 1.00.82. This was indeed a great effort by these athletes and to those others who took on the best in Auckland. Congratulations to you all.

To add to this, Finn then threw the javelin to place runner-up at both the Auckland Schools and North Island Championships having previously won the North Harbour title.

NORTH ISLAND ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS Back on the track, King Du in Year 10 who had won both North

WATER POLO

Harbour and Auckland 100m junior boys titles, then placed 2nd at the North Island Championships. His time of 11.64 was

Our Senior Girls’ Water Polo team have had a great season.

a personal best. King was then part of the victorious 4 x 100m

They placed 3rd in the NZ Schools’ Championships following on

North Harbour team that took out the Relay title. His storming

from their 3rd placing in the Term 1 Auckland Schools League.

finish to claim the win was a great effort.

This confirmed their place as the top North Harbour school for 2019. Led by captains Alice Steele in goal and Clodagh Weir, and

Earlier in the year, Holly Barry (Year 11), representing Auckland,

with NZ representative player Lucia Doak in fine form, the girls

won the National U18 Girls’ Javelin. Holly produced a great

have achieved what they set out to do. Thank you to manager

throw of over 40m to claim the title. Unfortunately, injury

Michelle Steel, coach Ricky Thompson and Head of Water Polo

curtailed her progress in the later part of the season.

Sherren Findley. A great team effort! Also, our Senior Boys’ team qualified for the top-tier National Championships and improved their pre-tournament seeding to place 11th in NZ.

ATHLETICS

MIKAYLA SMYTH On her 14th birthday, Mikayla raced down the Whistler Mountain’s Giant Slalom course in British Columbia, Canada, to win the

Our top individual athletes competed in the Auckland Schools

prestigious international Whistler Cup title by over 3 seconds.

Athletic Championships at Mt Smart Stadium following on

Mikayla also placed 2nd in the Slalom and 3rd in the Team’s event

from the North Harbour event. There were some outstanding

representing NZ. The international event attracted more than 20

individual results.

countries and 500 athletes to the famous mountain.

Competing against the top sports students across Auckland,

This caps off a fantastic season for Mikayla. Previously in

Kristin’s athletes gained two Golds. King Du (Year 10) won the 100m

Europe racing at the Zagreb International trophy, she won the

Junior Boys’ title in a time of 11.69. In the Triple Jump, Worren Li

Giant Slalom and took Silver in the Slalom event. Mikayla has

(Year 11) took out the Intermediate Boys’ title with a leap of 12.20m.

worked incredibly hard on the snow and in the gym to achieve this amazing feat. Well done, Mikayla. Congratulations also to

Finn Burridge (Year 10) placed 2nd in the Junior Boys’ Javelin

Michol Hinton (Year 10) for her selection in the U16 NZ team at

with a throw of 36.92m. Keira Spilling (Year 9) placed 3rd in the

the same event.

K R I S TI N ALU MNI - LI FE LONG LE ARN ER

Alicia Cheong When Alicia Cheong finished school in 2006 she already had a keen passion for health sciences and a career aspiration of becoming a doctor. Fast-forward 13 years and she is now working as a resident radiologist in Toronto, Canada, and is still studying - well aware that a career in medicine is a commitment to a lifetime of learning. “The breadth and depth of medicine continue to astound me, and 13 formal years of training so far is merely the tip of the iceberg!” she says. In 2005 Alicia and her family moved to Montreal, where she began to carve an education path to pursue her ambition of becoming a doctor. After completing four years of undergraduate studies at McGill University focusing on Immunology, followed by another four years of medical school (also at McGill), she moved to Toronto in 2014 to specialise in the field of radiology at the University of Toronto. Alicia loves the diversity of her chosen speciality, where no two days are the same – “Residency training provides us exposure to all of radiology – paediatric and adult care, in the domains of general and subspecialty surgical and medical services, from prenatal to forensics and post-mortem imaging… It truly is the whole gamut!” she says. “Being in medicine has forced me to walk the entire spectrum of life and death. It is stressful; it is emotionally challenging; the days are long, not including the extended work hours when on call. The profession is not without personal sacrifices and most importantly, we bear an immense responsibility: the lives of others are placed in our hands,” she says. Alicia says her time at Kristin were formative years of her educational and career journey. “My career path has been

rigorous and demanding, requiring dedication, focus and mental stamina – these qualities were cultivated from my time at Kristin. The education and support as a student were remarkable, not only in my academic pursuits but also in my other interests such as music, French language and culture and in all the enriching camping trips where I developed a love for the great outdoors.” The learning never stops… With her five-year general radiology residency in Toronto drawing to an end in June, Alicia is moving to California where she has been accepted as a fellow at Stanford University to pursue a radiology subspecialty focusing on Body Imaging. A global citizen, Alicia has been fortunate to live and work in a variety of places around the world. “I am often asked where I am from, or where is home, though I still find it a difficult question to answer! Home has never been a set place but, rather, a culmination of my experiences and memories which evoke a deep sense of belonging – and I have never doubted for a moment that I belonged at Kristin School and in the beautiful land of Aotearoa.” A small nugget of advice for aspiring doctors out there to take away: “Work hard, stay focused – keep the goal in sight. The journey is long but not impossible.

K R ISTI N ALU MNI - ROC K E TMAN

Marco Tyler-Rodrigue Marco Tyler-Rodrigue recently secured a highly-coveted summer internship at Rocket Lab. The internship was the fulfilment of a long-held ambition, which he hopes will be a stepping stone to propel his passion for aerospace even further! Marco is currently studying at the University of Canterbury, in his final year of a Mechatronics Engineering degree. We caught up with him recently to find out all about it. When you left school, was this the path you expected to be on? It’s one of those funny things in life as when you’re a kid, everyone’s answer to what they want to be when they grow up is an astronaut! As I grew up, that dream stayed with me and expanded into more avenues of the aerospace field such as rocketry and robotics. Tell us about how you came to secure an internship at Rocket Lab. Ever since high school I’d heard of Rocket Lab and researched how I could get a job there. In my final years at Kristin, my mum even suggested I email them to show my interest early on so

that when I was eligible to apply for an internship, they would understand my passion. Since that time, I kept up my interest and looked out for when they would release internship positions to University students. I applied and after an extensive internship test and interview process, I was lucky enough to be offered a summer internship between November 2018 and February 2019. So, what was it like working at Rocket Lab? It was an absolutely incredible opportunity working at Rocket Lab and an experience that has definitely shaped my plans for the future! I was a Propulsion Operations Intern, based at the Rocket Lab Test Facility where all rocket engines are tested prior to flight. At the Test Facility, I had a wide variety of tasks from software development to facility development and upgrades. I was given the opportunity to work hands-on near rocket engines and to be fortunate enough to see engine test fires, which became almost normal to watch! How do you feel your time at Kristin has shaped your path beyond school? The International Baccalaureate degree, my teachers and my time in the Kristin robotics team all set me up for both University and my career pathway. IB was an exceptional system to prepare me for how an engineering degree expects you to learn and how it tests you; so I felt ready for my courses as soon as I began. My teachers not only taught the lesson content but also the process of learning itself, along with life lessons through being friends as well as teachers. I had decided I wanted to study mechatronics engineering ever since I had joined the K-Force robotics team in Year 7, which I believe has shaped my path the most beyond Kristin. I am extremely grateful to Mr Allen and Mr Churches for the mentorship they provided through taking part in their programme. Any words of wisdom for current students who might be considering a similar pathway? It’s absolutely possible for you to grasp that dream! Although I’d been wanting to work at Rocket Lab for years now, I didn’t think I’d manage it, let alone so early on while I was still studying at University. I’ve come to realise that, although cliché, if you keep striving for a goal and push when you must, there’s a good chance you’ll reach it.

K R I S TI N ALU MNI - X VE NTU RE

Daniela Kraus You may be familiar with XVenture if you’ve been watching TV3’s recent show: XVenture Family

Challenge. One of the powerhouses behind the show is our very own Daniela Kraus from the Kristin class of 1998. We caught up with Daniela in Sydney recently, to find out what she’s doing now and to hear more about XVenture’s plans beyond the recent TV series. Daniela was also kind enough to speak at our recent Sydney Alumni Reunion, sharing a little of her journey since Kristin with the wider Alumni group. So, what are you doing these days? I’m one of the Directors and Chief Operating Officers of XVenture. Can you tell us a little bit about XVenture and what you do? We’re a learning, leadership and media group focused on creating ‘winning minds’ working globally with elite sports teams, high schools, universities, corporates and most recently

Daniela on Today Extra (Australia) sharing results of XVenture’s high schools’ resilience programme.

families (in the TV series XVenture Family Challenge, sponsored by ecostore). Our key areas of focus are developing emotional agility, resilience and leadership in individuals, in a team context. And how did you come to be working there? I met my now business partner Mike Conway at a charity event I volunteered at. Mike was the Managing Director of The Wiggles Pty Ltd at the time. I ended up being hired as the Global Licensing Manager for The Wiggles, working with all our partners globally with a portfolio of over 120 licensees, across 800 to 1,000 products at any given time. It was a massive learning curve – rewarding, yet challenging at the same time! I was there for three years before I left to take care of my terminally ill mum (Hannelore Kraus, former Kristin teacher) and joined forces with Mike again when I moved back to Sydney and he had founded XVenture. I am inspired by what we do every day - our work is very rewarding, particularly working with young people. How do you feel your time at Kristin has shaped your path beyond school? I’ve always been grateful for the well-rounded education that Kristin provided. I appreciated the opportunity to complete IB with a broad spectrum of subjects, as well as CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) and Theory of Knowledge. Not knowing exactly what I wanted to do, it created the perfect foundation for me. Teachers who had a profound impact on me were Miss Morrison, Mrs Bradstreet, Mr Speedy, Mrs Lewis (then Pigou) and Mrs Gottard. If you could give a message to students, what would it be? Always do your best. You are creating the opportunity of having choices in the future. Say yes to opportunities which present themselves. You never know where they will lead. When you meet someone who inspires you – introduce yourself and be sure to make a positive impression. You never know where this may lead. Never give up. Develop your resilience by taking yourself out of your comfort zone. If you fail, get back up and keep going. When you win, celebrate, then keep going.

Daniela with Graham Arnold, then Sydney FC Coach (now national coach), and Mike Conway when Sydney FC won the A-League Grand Final in 2016/17.

What’s ahead for you in 2019 and beyond? Our work with national sports teams (and individuals) will continue to grow, which is really exciting. In June we launched XVenture in a Box, which enables businesses to curate, create and design their own tailored programme for their employees using all our tried-and-tested content, challenges and EARL Measure.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the Kristin Community? I’d like to take the opportunity to acknowledge and do a shout out to my beautiful mum, Hannelore Kraus, who was a teacher at Kristin for several years. We lost mum to cancer in 2012 and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all those students, teachers and colleagues who made mum’s time at Kristin such a wonderful experience.

The other project which is under wraps is a new TV-style programme for high schools. Watch this space!

Upcoming Reunions 2019 All Kristin Alumni and past staff based in the following centres are welcome to join us at our upcoming reunion events: N Z REG I O N AL RE U NI ONS D UNED I N R EU NI ON TU E SDAY 6 A U GU ST C H R I S TC H UR CH RE U NI ON WE D NE S DAY 7 A UGU ST

For more information or to register for any of the any of the regional reunion events, please contact Alumni Manager Victoria Morris, vmorris@kristin.school.nz If you would like to receive invitations to Alumni events and reunions, make sure you update your contact details and let us know where you’re based. Simply pop over to our ‘keep in touch’ form at www.kristin.school.nz/keepintouch

W E L LI N GTO N RE U NI ON THUR S DAY 8 AUGU ST A U C K LAN D R EU NI ON FR I DAY 1 N OVE MB E R This Auckland Reunion is for the classes of 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. Past staff from these years are also welcome to register their interest.

SY D N EY AN D ME LB OU RNE

Alumni Reunions This year’s Australian Alumni Reunions proved without doubt that the Kristin spirit is alive and well across the ditch! Our two events, held in Sydney and Melbourne, drew strong attendance from a wonderful cross-section of our Kristin Alumni community from a variety of peer years. Both events provided valuable opportunities for Alumni to reconnect with school friends, build networks and hear news from home. At this year’s trans-Tasman events we invited a member of each Alumni group to speak, sharing a little about their career pathway, and how their time at Kristin helped to shape who and where they are now. At our Sydney event, hosted by Executive Principal Tim Oughton alongside Alumni Manager Victoria Morris, our group featured Kristin Alumni from the class of 1994 through to 2017. Daniela Kraus from the class of 1998 spoke to the group about her journey since Kristin – check out page 46 to read more about her endeavours. In Melbourne, Marketing and Advancement Director Morag Fryer and Victoria hosted an enthusiastic group of Alumni who have enjoyed reconnecting over several years now. We were also delighted to welcome a group of new grads into the fold, who relished the opportunity to connect with other Kristin Alumni and provide them with a strong local network for support and guidance in the years ahead. Anna Song (class of 2001) shared her reflections on her time at Kristin and how it shaped her pathway beyond school (see right).

Elisa Wagstaff and Daniela Kraus at our recent Sydney Alumni Reunion

ALUMNI REFLECTIONS… ANNA SONG, KRISTIN CLASS OF 2001 ANNA’S SPEECH FROM THE MELBOURNE ALUMNI REUNION IN MAY Hi everyone, My name is Anna and I’ve been living in Melbourne since graduating from Kristin. I studied Political Science for undergraduate and International Law for my master’s degree at Melbourne University. I work for the State Government here and have been an Advisor to the Secretary and an Aide to the Governor. I’m currently the Senior Advisor, Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions. What this means is I provide advice to ensure over 2,000 staff in our department are of diverse backgrounds and come to work feeling it’s an inclusive place.

Anna Song at the Melbourne Alumni Reunion

When I was asked to speak, I thought back on my time at Kristin and remembered two things. At the time, I was a shy person. Speaking in front of people like this was not my strength. You see, it was my brother, James, who was the popular one, the charismatic one: who did the Korean boyband thing on the stage of the Auditorium with his boys, like Hun-jae here. One day Mrs White, who I remembered as my classmate Bridget’s mum, asked my mum to come see her at school. I got a little worried about this - wondering if I had got myself into trouble. This was not likely, as I was a good student, but why else is my mum being called to school, I thought. I remember walking into one of those [wooden] houses on Kristin’s beautiful grounds where the kindergarten kids usually were, with my mum. We went in, to meet with Mrs White, who told us that I have been identified for the Gifted programme. There was a bit of a silence. Surely, this was a mistake, I thought to myself. I am clearly perfectly ordinary; who learnt English at age 10 when my family became immigrants. Being ‘Gifted’ was not part of the picture. Mum and I never really talked about this meeting. It was too far removed an idea. [Mum did wonder momentarily if the school identified many students for this programme, so that the parents feel less bad about paying so much in school fees!] Looking back now, it was an example of Kristin approaching its students in a more holistic way than just from one test to another. And this meeting clearly stayed with me. It has helped me to build confidence. To expect, perhaps, a little more from myself. So, this was the first thing.

as an exchange student. Such an experience of course expanded my horizons, broader than that of the safe suburbs of the North Shore. And to pursue a higher level in Photography, which was offered in both my American school and Kristin. This helped me nurture my creative side during the high-pressured final years of high school. Tonight we are here in Melbourne, attending our New Zealand high-school reunion, with a lovely spread and drinks put on for us. When I say this to my work colleagues, some ask me, “what kind of school did you go to?” Not everyone’s school does this. We, here tonight, are privileged. As we saw today in the 45th anniversary video, Kristin in its history has parents whose love for their children has been expressed in the form of an excellent education. Not every parent does this. I’m currently reading last year’s bestseller titled Educated by Tara Westover. While she is highly read with a Cambridge PhD now, she grew up in rural Idaho under a severe Mormon father who deprived her of schooling. We, here tonight, have received such love and such a gift of education. Reflecting back to Kristin’s motto of progressing with vision and integrity, I would like us to reflect on our privilege, our education and the gift and the love we have received as we go about in our work and our lives. Thank you.

The second thing I remembered was that Kristin offered IB, which at that time was only one of two schools in New Zealand to do so. This allowed me to do the first year of my IB in the US

Melbourne Alumni: Lewis Tai, Lucy Bayliss, Callen Baxter, Anthony Tuxford and Lingshu Liu

Campbells Bay campus 1975

Early School Bus, Campbells Bay 1974

K R I S TI N H ER I TAGE - ME MORI E S OF

The first Kristin School picnic Lynn Williams was one of the foundation staff and parents of Kristin School, from its early beginnings in Campbells Bay to establishment of the Albany campus. Lynn visited school this year on the day of our Summer Carnival, which inspired her to share her memories of the first summer picnic held in Albany in 1974. Kristin opened, against all the odds, in 1973, in the old Campbells Bay Health Camp. It had not been easy to get to that point. When Kristin took it over the place was a shambles, as it had not been used for some time. The inside of the buildings was filthy and the rooms were full of old mattresses and rubbish and the blocked gutters and downpipes dripped. The grounds could have been mistaken for an unused tip as they were full of over grown bushes, brambles and well-established ‘cutty grass’ - toitoi, rusting corrugated iron and broken glass, tangled wire and old containers, but this did not stop our excitement as we, parents of newly enrolled students, got together for weekend-long, hard-working working bees to clear the site and clean the buildings so that the school could open there. Day after day we scrubbed and painted, carried away rubbish to the real tip in Rosedale Road and hacked at the tangled masses of kapok vines, prickly gorse and thorny legcatching tendrils of blackberry bushes.

Doing all this hard, manual work, side by side, we built strong family friendships, many of which have lasted through all these years to the present day, as all of us were united in the excitement of helping the new school to open on time for our children. We were all committed to making the school a success story even though many people - perhaps most of the Auckland community - were sceptical about its chances of survival. Private schools were not well known or popular in New Zealand at the time and there was a strong feeling in the community that the local school should be ‘good enough for anyone’ and there was no need for anything else. There was also a large number of people who were actively against the idea of private schools opening in New Zealand. The freshly painted, clean and tidy school opened with some areas of the grounds ‘out of bounds’ because they still had dangerous rubbish in them like barbed wire and broken glass. OSH would never have let us open, had they been in action at that time!

Every weekend, the foundation parents were involved in clearing more of the grounds for use and in fundraising activities jumble sales, white elephant stalls, cake stalls, at local markets - and in keeping the school in good order as demanded by our tenancy agreement and our own keenness to have a beautiful and safe setting for our children. This built a tremendous spirit of camaraderie and goodwill and it was truly like one big extended family. Everyone knew everyone else and social status didn’t matter. We had a common purpose. The school flourished and we knew that we could not stay in rented accommodation at Campbells Bay for ever. We were proving ourselves capable of educating children and giving them individual attention, and the steering committee worked tirelessly to find a new site that could be our very own. In those days Albany was seen as ‘out in the backblocks’ - too far from the built-up areas of the North Shore and people said that no one would be willing to take their children ‘that far’ to school. But that is where land was found. Land big enough for growth. Excitement was high on the day it was announced that the steering committee had succeeded in purchasing the land and invited us all to have a picnic on it to celebrate. None of us could really believe that this had come to fruition. Luckily the day was fine and sunny as we parked at the edge of the property and walked past the old, green painted farmhouse, between the ancient trees that had been planted by their forebears early in the 20th century - a coral kaka-beak tree, and a massive tulip tree amongst them. Carrying our picnic bags and rugs and with some people bumping pushchairs over the rough ground, or piggybacking small children, we made our way about a quarter of the way down the property between bramble and gorse bushes and the old gnarled fruit trees, to find a place to sit and eat our shared picnics.

their ‘official tour’. The orchard still had fruiting peach, apple and pear trees down most of its length. We could see the neglect and the lichen growing on the old trees but were soon making plans to teach the children how to look after the trees and to raise money by selling the fruit in season. Spirits and our confidence were high. We were sure we could clear the scrub and plant and make the site a beautiful one that later on others would envy. We scrambled through gorse and blackberry bushes right down the property to Lucas Creek, excited to think that one day it might be possible to teach canoeing in our own backyard and to clear some of the orchard and bulldoze to make playing fields. We stayed until darkness fell and went home scratched and sore from the brambles and gorse but thrilled with the site and the potential it offered. “Fancy the steering committee being able to find a site as good as that,” we said, as we drove home exhausted. “How wonderful it is that there were people willing to underwrite the purchase.” “How courageous they are to do that without any surety of the school’s survival - past the knowledge that we had succeeded in building a student base and an ethic that could carry a school forward at Campbells Bay.” Those of us who had not had to do any of that went home humbled and grateful that there had been people who could, and would do that for our children and the many who would follow. We were united in our appreciation of the foresight and trust shown by these visionary people and very determined to work together to ensure that the school would succeed. The picnic had consolidated our commitment and fired our determination. Kristin was more than a school to all of us. The picnic united us even more than the work at Campbells Bay had done. We had become a family with the same pioneering purpose and we could not wait to get started on building our permanent home.

Soon the children of all the families were playing hide-and-seek behind the bushes, having impromptu races, climbing the trees, and making up imaginative games, until the adults were ready for

Lynn Williams

Lynn Williams 1973

Aerial view of land for Albany Campus 1969

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