Kaleidoscope Magazine July 2022 by Benefitz

Kaleidoscope I S S U E 71 • J U LY 2022

IN THIS ISSUE... 01

From the Executive Principal

From the Board

Campus Update – Auditorium Upgrade

Junior School Welcome Centre / Transport Plans

An update from KFF

Foundation Day 2022

Wellbeing Update

Parent Masterclass / Little Doves

Junior School Update

Middle School Adventure Days

Senior School Update

CAS Update

Staff Updates

Innovative Technology in the Library

Performing Arts Update

Shakespeareans Soar at Kristin

Council of Sustainability

International Services

Sports Update

House Sports Day

Water Polo

Swimming Sports

Cross Country

Cricket

Sports Highlights

Junior School Sport Update

Tennis

Alumni – AIMES Awards

From the Archives

50 Years of Progress with Vision, Integrity and Love

Alumni – 2021 Reunions

Alumni – Graci Kim

Alumni – Joe Davis

Alumni – Jamie Phillips

03 Auditorium Upgrade

Leadership Programmes

16 Duke of Edinburgh Award

26 Performing Arts

31 House Sports Day

44 Cover photo: Every cloud has a silver lining, and for Kristin, it was the opportunity for our musicians to practice and perform outside, much to the pleasure of all staff and students (and the occasional sparrow!)

Alumni Profile Joe Davis

A M E S S AG E F RO M T H E

Executive Principal Hope is the expectation or trust of something to happen – an aspiration and sense of optimism that sees us through the darkness. Our sense of hope has been strengthened over this first half of the year, as we continue to emerge from the restrictions and challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic. With escalating community transmissions of the virus, it is quite remarkable how well we collectively managed throughout Term 1 and into Term 2. We have not had any campus closures, rotation of students being sent home, year-level movement to home-based learning, or stopping of most of our wider-school opportunities. This was achieved through our collective determination; we knew that having our young people here at school is best for their learning, social development, as well as their mental and physical wellbeing. We maintained all our school classes and usual timetables thanks to our pool of relief teachers as well as other teachers and staff covering classes. My sincere thanks to all our staff for how professionally and selflessly they covered for absent colleagues and ensured school operations continued smoothly. Kristin’s significantly lower number of cases and absences, compared to the rest of Auckland (and New Zealand), were down to our high vaccination rates, strong face mask compliance, enhanced ventilation measures (e.g. air purifiers), good hygiene practices, physical distancing, and the reduction of external people on campus. We were able to proceed with our summer sports offerings, with some wonderful successes including: our Kristin Yachting team placing 3rd in the New Zealand National Schools’ keelboat championships; in Tennis, we won the Auckland Secondary Schools Intermediate Girls’ doubles and placed 2nd in the Senior Boys’ doubles. There was a range of medals won in the Auckland Secondary Schools Athletics meet including Finn Burridge winning the Senior Boys’ javelin title; our boys’ 1st XI Cricket team enjoyed a first-class season with their pre-season Hawke’s Bay tournament and finished in the top of their local competition. Now we are embracing the exciting start of our winter sports season.

shifting down to ‘Orange’ settings, we moved to further opening opportunities with the planning and rehearsing of a combined Middle and Senior School production. Our exceptionally high-quality academic programmes were confirmed in March this year when we hosted the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) for our five-yearly review as an IB World School. The evaluation from our visiting IB Team has been extremely positive and affirmed the school’s self-evaluation in our areas of strength and consideration, and no matters of concern to be addressed. As we continue to navigate through these uncertain times, Kristin is a safe haven for our students. This is a place where they can come and be with trusted adults, foster critical social connections with peers, and grow and prosper within our school structures and extensive opportunities. We can continue to look forward with hope and confidence to a bright future full of possibilities.

Mark Wilson E X E C U T I V E P R I N C I PA L

Left: Foundation Day

service with Kindy students Leo Ingram and Lauren Duck.

In our Performing Arts, the sounds of music were heard across our campus in Term 1 within various groups rehearsing outside. Then with the increasing removal of restrictions, including

Left: Serving up kai from the hāngī on the Year 8 Tikanga Day. Right: With Year 5

students on the annual 'Coast to Coast Walk', from Waitematā to Manukau.

From the Board Tēnā te ringa tango parahia. This is the hand which pulls out the weeds. This whakataukī (proverb) refers to a hard worker. In some parts of Aotearoa, the kūmara plantations were overrun by a small plant called parahia, which had to be kept weeded in order to give the kūmara plants room to grow. I would like to acknowledge and thank all of our hard workers – our staff, our students and our families – all working towards the same shared goal of preparing students to be future ready. We are united in our desire to become, and do, our very best in order to make a real and positive difference in our world. I also like this whakataukī because it suggests that sometimes what we need to do to help others is not necessarily to apply a heavy hand but simply to remove obstacles and enable them to have room to grow in their own ways. Our positive start to the year demonstrated both interpretations of this whakataukī. Despite the Omicron wave causing disruption in schools and workplaces throughout the country, Kristin succeeded in keeping the campus open to all year levels throughout this time. The hard work of our staff played no small part in this success, enabling our students to continue their educational experiences at school.

face the potential impacts of macroeconomic challenges such as the pandemic, war and climate change. The Strategic Planning Day was one of the first opportunities for some Board members to be on site at the campus in more than nine months. We took the chance to tour parts of the campus, which was helpful for our Property Master Plan discussions. We were pleased to learn of the popularity of Tūrama among the students for both curricular, co-curricular and social activities. Another positive development noted was the progress on the new Junior School Welcome Centre.

Next year marks a significant milestone of 50 years since Kristin School was founded. “...sometimes what Compared with many other independent schools in Aotearoa, we are relatively we need to do to help ‘young’. Fifty years is enough time, others is not necessarily to however, for us to develop some apply a heavy hand, but simply traditions, while still being connected to the founding spirit. If you are an Alumni to remove obstacles and enable member or Alumni family reading them to have room to grow this, I encourage you to reflect on your experiences at Kristin, and share your in their own ways.” Our four new Parent Governors appointed story with us: https://www.kristin.school. last year have already contributed nz/50th/dove-tales-share-your-story/. immensely and as I write this article, we Mark your calendars for 23 to 26 March 2023, are in the process of recruiting Board Trustees. as all are invited to celebrate, connect and reflect Board succession planning is an ongoing focus. We on Kristin’s journey. Although it’s almost been 50 years, are fortunate to be able to draw on the excellent caliber of in some ways it feels like our journey’s just beginning, and many these community volunteers, as we carry the school’s pioneering paths are set before us… history forward in building a vision for the future. In March the Board held a Strategic Planning Day, with a particular focus on sustainability and what this means for our school and community. At this meeting the 2021 Annual Report was presented and approved, and we reaffirmed our Strategic Plan. Together with the Executive Team, we are working towards developing a Property Master Plan for the next 10 to 20 years. Those readers who are familiar with Kristin’s financial history know that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008 had a major impact on the school community and on the school itself, and that the effects of the GFC continued for more than a decade. Kristin is now in a much more positive financial position, just as we start to

Wendy Chen INTERIM BOARD CHAIR

C A M P U S U P DAT E

Auditorium Upgrade Since its development back in the 1980s, the Kristin Auditorium has represented the beating heart of our school. It enables our Kristin Community to come together to enjoy world-class school productions, celebrate our amazing students, hear from inspiring speakers, congregate for school assemblies, compete for points in House Music and so much more. However, in recent years this facility has been needing refurbishment. So, back in May 2021 the Board approved a proposal to replace seats and make improvements including rebuilding the front of the stage and stairs, painting, enhancing the acoustics and installing a new stage curtain, lectern and carpet. This work included modernising the colour palette from the old red and creams to a cleaner light grey along with the Kristin teal. We’ve also installed air conditioning, which had long been needed to provide greater comfort levels during hot summer special assemblies and ceremonies. This refurbishment work started in October 2021 and was completed over the summer break, on schedule for the start of school in February 2022. However, the Government’s COVID-19 Protective Framework (CPF) ‘Red’ settings restricting large gatherings meant the school was not able to fully utilise the

upgraded facilities until the start of Term 2, with the CPF setting moving down to ‘Orange’. We are delighted with the changes and that they’ve been able to be completed in time for Kristin to celebrate our 50th anniversary in March 2023. ‘ TA K E YO U R S E AT ’ C A M PA I G N

Our ‘Take Your Seat’ fundraising campaign, initially launched on 16 August 2021, seeks donations for the Auditorium Upgrade through offering ‘naming rights’ to variously priced new seats within our refurbished Auditorium. The donors have their names acknowledged on a plaque on their chosen seat. There is a total of 1,023 seats available for people to name, and almost one-third of these seats were immediately donated. However, soon after launch Auckland found itself in the longest Alert Level 4/3 lockdown period from 17 August through into November 2021, putting our fundraising campaign on hold. Our ‘Take Your Seat’ campaign relaunched in Term 1 this year, and will remain live at https://takeyourseat.kristin.school.nz/ until August 2022. With about a third of the seats still available for naming rights donation, we welcome the Kristin Community’s continuing support of this campaign. For further details, please contact our Events Manager, Tash Bartlett, via email: tbartlett@kristin.school.nz.

Nigel Wilkinson and Mark Wilson D I R E CTO R O F B U S I N E S S S E R V I C E S A N D E X E C U T I V E P R I N C I PA L

C A M P U S U P DAT E

Junior School Welcome Centre Our new Junior School Welcome Centre is coming to life! This ambitious project is seeing our old Junior School reception area transformed into a welcoming and contemporary space built with students, parents and staff front of mind. The site was one of the original Lockwood buildings from Kristin’s foundation years that also housed administration offices and the staffroom. In recent years the building has been in need of some tender loving care and the Kristin Board saw an opportunity to create a new building that would provide a welcoming reception area for parents, multi-use places for staff and student small-group learning, as well as social spaces for staff. Design work for a refurbishment was undertaken through 2020, with a business case gaining Board approval in May 2021. Building costs were confirmed by the Board and the building consent was approved by Auckland Council in September 2021. Demolition of the old administration building was undertaken late last year, and initial construction started over the Christmas break. The project is progressing well – it is on budget and on schedule for completion by the end of 2022. All going well, we’ll be celebrating the opening of this centre in time for the start of 2023.

Architect's concept drawing of the Junior School Welcome Centre

T Ū R A M A – O U R C OV E R E D M U LT I S P O RT C E N T R E Our new Tūrama facility has proven to be a valuable addition to our campus, and we were delighted when this new building was one of the Gold medal winners in the Education category, and the winner of the Value Award for projects of $1-$3 million at the recent Commercial Project Awards in Christchurch.

T R A N S P O RT M A N AG E M E N T P L A N S We are focused on making further changes to improve traffic flows through the Kristin campus. After several years consulting with Auckland Council about access for our school from Bass Road, we have achieved agreed conditions that will allow access through the gate. Before this happens, there are some roading changes to be designed, certified and constructed. This is a very positive outcome, and we will let you know, nearer the time, when the gate at Bass Road will be open for you to use. We are planning changes to our bus bay area to improve safety. A proposal for the development of a new bus bay facility at the front entry of our school is currently at the design stage, and would then require Board approval. The aim of this new bus bay is to: – – –

Stop buses coming further into our campus Allow buses to have a more direct entry and exit point Keep bus access close to the entry on Albany Highway to encourage student use.

This will be a purpose-built bus bay that will include shelters. Our plans for a new bus bay follow improvement works completed last year, including providing a new sealed car park opposite Little Doves and a double exit lane to improve egress from Gate 1.

Kristin Family and Friends (KFF) Update We are fortunate that from the very foundations of Kristin, nearly 50 years ago, parents have been a vibrant thread in the fabric of the school. The Kristin Family and Friends (KFF) provides a structure around which the community rallies to support the school and our students in many different ways. Our primary objective is to build friendships, enabling families to feel better connected by holding social events, morning teas and evening drinks each term. Our Wednesday Walks continue to discover new paths and friendships, and over the past year we have added weekly sessions of yoga and tennis. We also provide opportunities for parents to become more involved with the school, helping to facilitate a range of volunteer positions. As a parent community it is important for us to recognise where we can be most useful in supporting our children at school, to focus on areas where we can make a positive difference. This year Kristin will be hoping to achieve recognition as a Green-Gold Enviroschool. To support this endeavour and in the interests of sustainability, affordability and recognising a demand, the KFF started secondhand uniform sales at the beginning of 2019. We are pleased with the success of the uniform sales and, after a few changes this year, hope to grow it into an even bigger success in the future by offering greater access and more regular sales. Since its inception the sales have made over $50,000. That’s a lot to spend on tea and cookies! So where does that money go? We have pledged half of our annual proceeds to the Kristin Foundation Scholarship Fund, specifically providing a bursary for current students at Kristin who may be eligible for support. After a few operating costs, the rest of the money goes into our Dove Seed Fund, which sponsors student-led community enrichment projects and sustainability initiatives around the school campus. Over the past year, we have facilitated the purchase of some green cones, a worm farm and the materials for a friendship bench in the Junior School. We have also made a significant contribution to Kristin’s “Take Your Seat” Fundraiser and look forward to further supporting the refurbishment of the school Auditorium.

Building friendships and fitness on our Wednesday Walks.

None of this is possible without the kind donations of pre-loved uniforms. Anything unable to be sold or, in the case of outdated uniforms, unsuitable for donation to the Pasifika Project, is given to our student upcyclers, who transform discarded items into wondrous new objects! We’re proud to have helped to generate a little circular economy and will endeavour to continue to find ways to reuse, recycle and reinvest in our community however we are able.

Christina Hoseason and Sarah Amos KFF CO-CHAIRS

The Friendship Bench.

THE KRISTIN EXPERIENCE

Foundation Day On Friday 18 March, Kristin celebrated our Foundation Day, honouring the stories of our beginnings; recognising the vision, leadership and commitment of Kristin’s founders to create and build the school we love and appreciate today. Kristin’s founding story is unique – a school created in 1973 by families, for families, by a group of pioneering North Shore parents, guided by the Christian values that are still at the heart of our school today: progress, vision, integrity and love. This diverse group of families came together to imagine, build and grow a school for both their own children and for future generations. This unified team of parents collaborated, and personally invested their time and resources to create a school. These families were unified by high aspirations and desire for the very best educational experience and opportunities for their children. This pioneering spirit of our founders is still evident in our innovative and progressive approach, including our holistic offerings, a student-centred focus and the IB curriculum.

This year, we were not able to gather together for our traditional Foundation Day Assemblies and Summer Carnival, so we recorded our traditional candle-lighting ceremony and shared this with our community. This ceremony included two of our youngest Kindergarten students, Lauren Duck and Leo Ingram, together with Head Prefects Cece Jenkins and Jamie Richardson, lighting a candle to symbolise the light of our founding Christian values, with us from the school’s foundation in 1973. Knowing our origins and foundations is critical in helping us understand ourselves and our community. Foundation Day provides Kristin with an opportunity to honour our past and understand where we have come from, to ensure we are future ready for our pathways ahead. We are delighted to see an increasing number of past Alumni enrolling their own children here at Kristin – helping to create a tangible link of past pupils with our new generations of students.

Tash Bartlett EVENTS MANAGER

“As we look back to the day of our foundation, 49 years ago, it is clear that the Christian values on which this school was founded remain as strong today as ever. The lighting of this candle represents the light of those values, with us from our beginning.”

Head Prefects Jamie Richardson and Cece Jenkins, and Kindergarten students Leo Ingram and Lauren Duck lighting the Foundation Day candle.

THE KRISTIN EXPERIENCE

Wellbeing at Kristin The beginning of 2022 included starting with a new team of counsellors and the addition of a firstaider to our nursing team. These changes have enabled us to better meet the needs of our diverse student population and increasing demands related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we implemented a new referral system that makes it easy for students to self-refer and for parents to get in touch with us. The implementation of a new wellbeing software platform called Orah is the second tool that will be available to all students from Year 4 upwards. We are taking part in a pilot to help develop this tool to specifically meet the needs of our unique Kristin community. Initially it will provide a ‘pulse check’ for all students. This then allows their teacher, dean and wider support team to track when students start to show a decline in an area of overall From the start of this year a new Year 9 Wellbeing subject has been wellbeing. By identifying this early we can respond before it introduced and is being delivered by our specialist Health Teachers. may worsen to become a bigger issue for the student. It also This new subject is being trialled for 2022 in providing practical enables us to track wellbeing of the overall student population, strategies for Year 9 students around strengthening their personal and identify what the triggers are for declining wellbeing. This wellbeing and seeking to address topics they have identified by information is then used to fine-tune our wellbeing initiatives surveys and feedback. and approaches. In the long term this will integrate a parent portal to allow you to also understand what All these new initiatives have received very is happening for your child, and provide on tap positive feedback so far, and have resulted wellbeing information to our students to As in an increase of students and families assist them in building their own toolkit to we move accessing our Wellness Centre for manage their wellbeing on a day-to-day support. These new strategies are all basis. towards a preventative vital parts of moving forward to our model of wellness we proactive approach to wellbeing. As we All of these new initiatives are part move towards a preventative model of of the whole-school Wellbeing need to ensure that our base wellness we need to ensure that our Framework that is currently being is strong, supportive, and base is strong, supportive and offers a developed, based on best practice and high standard of care to our community. offering a high standard of existing research, and will be released for community consultation as the year care to our community. In addition, we have introduced two progresses. tools that will help us measure and take a K Y L I E RYA N proactive approach to student wellbeing this As part of this whole-school approach, year. GoodSpace is a survey-based tool that has we continue to focus on staff wellbeing too, two purposes: firstly, to identify students who may and ensuring that we are developing a framework be struggling in a number of different areas, and secondly, and processes that enables our staff to have the resources to help us understand the health and social issues that a year level and tools – not only to support students but also to access a may be struggling with. This allows us to address these concerns on high-quality support and learning for themselves. a population basis – not only for this group but proactively with the As we continue to navigate our way through 2022 we look forward year levels below as well. In 2021 this was successfully trialled with to providing our community with many opportunities to have input our Year 9 group; in 2022 we have extended this to all students in into our new Wellbeing Framework and the exciting associated Year 9 and above, scheduled at different times throughout the year new initiatives, while we manage the challenges that the world to assist us in managing the flow of students through our service. brings to us. To date, results from Year 9 and Year 11 have been integrated into our new Year 9 Wellbeing classes and this has helped us make some modifications to our existing Year 11 Learning for Life classes. This is part of our wider whole-school strategy around expanding Kylie Ryan our wellbeing support beyond the Wellness Centre and into the D I R E CTO R O F W E L L B E I N G classrooms and approaches and practices throughout Kristin. There have been other changes to our wellbeing systems, such as a new counselling notes system and the use of screening assessment tools to identify wider student issues as well as any at-risk students not being referred. We have also arranged for an external Clinical Psychologist to be available for students during school time from the ease of our on-site Wellness Centre.

E A R LY L E A R N I N G

Masterclass on Social and Emotional Development If we take a moment to ask ourselves, what is it that we really want our children to learn and develop in this life, what would you say? Well this is a question that was asked at our latest Masterclass webinar focusing on social and emotional development presented by Barbara Watson (pictured above). For many people it is important that their child grows and develops into a kind and understanding person, a person who is filled with happiness, who holds a fulfilment of self-worth and success in their endeavours, and a feeling of empowerment in their self-intelligence. As I thought about my own children and the children I teach, I wished for them to not only attain the attributes pointed out above, but to also hold empathy and understanding for all people, for it is this open-mindedness that will allow our children to hold a perspective of the beauty of the difference in each individual they meet and an understanding of living in harmony.

crumbling moments that we should see teachable opportunities in the development of their emotional needs. Here we can talk about emotions. Understanding emotions is the first step towards self-regulation. We should encourage children to name their feelings and what caused them – “I can see that you are frustrated”. You can help your child find appropriate ways to react to strong emotions. There is a range of breathing techniques you can use, or simply supporting your child in knowing that reading a book or building with LEGO® can be calming. It is OK to feel angry, but it is what we do with that anger that is important. Be patient – it is a learning curve for both the child and the parent as we navigate the complexities of EQ . Barbara asked us to explicitly model self-regulation; this can be achieved by engaging your child in unpacking some of the emotions they may have experienced. This can be accomplished through reading books or role-modelling and is best achieved during calm times of your child’s day, not within the emotional episode.

"Don't do for your child what they can do for themselves".

One of the biggest takeaways from this Masterclass can be applied to our everyday life for every child. Always remember … “don’t do for your child what they can do for themselves”. This can be from carrying their own bag, to resolving small conflicts and disagreements with their peers. These small acts can empower your child to be independent, competent and to feel important and listened to. It will help them to develop an understanding and awareness of others and will provide them with opportunities to develop perseverance and self-pride in their personal achievements.

During this webinar, I was delighted to be reminded of an interesting Otago B A R BA R A WAT S O N University study. This study followed the lives of 1,037 babies born between 1 April 1972 and 31 March 1973. Part of their findings (still ongoing) found that children who had developed strong emotional regulation and social competencies at age four were very likely to have It is our job to empower all children to have the skills to a successful future regarding the aspects I mentioned previously, build a kinder tomorrow. particularly in relationships and work life. For me, this highlighted the importance of supporting our children in developing these skills early, and the impact that we have as parents, caregivers and teachers on the future of our tamariki. To all of our relief, Barbara was able to shed light on how we can support our children in developing socially and emotionally. She shared some examples of moments when the world can come crumbling down, and your child is upset or angry. It is in these

Leila Guillard K R I S T I N K I N D E R GA RT E N M A N A G E R

E A R LY L E A R N I N G

Acorn adventures at Little Doves

The garden at Little Doves.

The garden is at the heart of life at Little Doves for children under the age of four. All three classrooms open out onto the garden, offering everyday opportunities for children to connect with the natural world, explore and make discoveries, and play and learn alongside one another. The garden is also the scene of many learning inquiries and projects.

Concentrating, observing and drawing so carefully... Imogen hard at work.

Collaboration in inquiry... Liliana and Stella.

This year, when the giant oak tree in the garden produced another bumper crop of acorns, the two-year-olds were smitten. The acorns became treasures to be discovered, collected, sorted, swapped and examined in great detail. The spirit of research and inquiry is very clear in such moments, and the children soon became acorn experts! As this process unfolded, they were drawn into creatively expressing and communicating their thoughts and ideas too. Soon, the children’s attention was focused on the movements of acorns and a whole repertoire of movements was devised: the twirly-whirly acorn, the jumping acorn, the wibbly-wobbly acorn… and these movements were drawn and discussed and acted out. They became a shared ‘language’ of movements. Then one day these movements turned into story, when one child narrated “and the jumping acorn jumped out to see the world…” and soon a collaborative story was underway. Each day, the children have gathered together to tell, share and build stories of the jumping acorn’s adventures. Using their ‘language’ of movements, they have created stories full of drama, rescue and adventure for the little acorns.

Scribbles and drawings tell the story of the adventures of an acorn.

Moments like this captivate the imaginations of the children but also demonstrate their capabilities. Their curiosity and drive to explore, their ability to work together, share their ideas and learn from each other, and their instinct for storytelling is very clear, even at the tender age of two!

Sarah Jones L I T T L E D OV E S C E N T R E M A N AG E R

The adventure of an acorn in pictures.

KRISTIN JUNIOR SCHOOL

Junior School Update The idea of balance is one which is very much at the heart of our approach to learning in the Junior School. It’s increasingly common for adults to reflect on the importance of balance in their lives; often relating to work-life balance, but less discussed is how this same concept applies to the wellbeing of children. As educators of young children, we are keenly aware of the benefits a balanced approach to learning has on their wellbeing. One way we achieve balance is through the curriculum, which in the Junior School is under-pinned by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. This unique international curriculum enhances the essential educational elements: Physical, Social and Personal Education, Language, Social Studies, Mathematics, the Arts and Science.

programme. We are focused on ensuring that the essential skills of social interactions are broken down, practised and reinforced. Taking time to equip children with the fundamental skills of self-awareness, self-management and emotional literacy enhances their personal development too, which allows them to reach their potential. Our values-based approach, reinforced through Chapel, assemblies and student leadership opportunities, sets the tone for a positive, supportive and healthy culture that is fundamental to supporting wellbeing for all Equipping our students.

Language includes not only a structured approach to literacy in English, but also acknowledges the significant benefits of speaking more than one language. Exposure to Mandarin Chinese and te reo Māori ensures children with the our students develop their linguistic fundamental skills of selfskills while opening a window into awareness, self-management understanding other cultures as well. The contribution that a strong Arts education makes to wellbeing has long been recognised. We are therefore fortunate to have a passionate team of specialist teachers whose expertise ensures learners also become confident at expressing themselves through a variety of creative and performing arts: Music – vocal and instrumental, Drama and Visual Arts.

However, it is through the outdoor education, co-curricular clubs, music and sport opportunities, outside of the and emotional literacy regular programme, which elevate the experience of our students to ensure enhances their personal the element of balance in their lives. development and allows Being able to stimulate intellectual them to reach their curiosity during the school day and then potential. participate in choir, sports or a fun club, such as cooking, art or technology, gives everyone the balance in their lives that is such an important protective factor to life’s stresses and strains.

Knowing that physical development supports social, personal and emotional development, our specialist PE classes enable our students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to participate in a diverse range of games and sports. This starts a journey that includes finding the spark for exercise that will keep them literally ‘moving’ for life. Our commitment to explicitly teaching social and personal development as a core curriculum area rounds out the

The focus of our children’s Junior School experience is to embrace the wide variety of activities available, be open-minded to new ideas and skills, and have multiple opportunities to shine. As a result, we see well-balanced individuals prepared to take their next steps.

Jayne de la Haye P R I N C I PA L O F J U N I O R S C H O O L A N D E A R LY L E A R N I N G

JUNIOR SCHOOL

EOTC B E AC H DAY To kick-start Term 1, Year 6 had a wonderful day at Long Bay Beach, getting to know our new students and families. We went swimming, made sandcastles, played sports and capped it off with a refreshing treat from Mr Whippy.

Sailing skills to rival Team New Zealand.

Some of us would have spent all day in the sea if we could, and all of us made new friends.

B U S H DAY Once again Year 6 had the fantastic opportunity to take part in an Outdoor Education Day facilitated by Craft Lab. This was a full day of working in teams to solve challenges while fostering new relationships.

The calm before the cannon.

Still smiling after a 12 kilometre walk!

Our activities included preparing a hāngi for the evening, constructing rockets to see how high they could fly, making fire the old-fashioned way (so hard!), building teepees and hammocks in the bush, and learning how to safely harvest harakeke to create flax art. Finally it was time to eat our dinner, and many of us lined up for seconds!

MARITIME MUSEUM The Maritime Museum is always a highlight of the Year 5 unit all about migration. As well as human migration, we learnt why and how creatures like whales, eels and godwits migrate. We learnt how Kupe found New Zealand and then how Abel Tasman came too but never landed. And then finally Captain Cook. We were able to share our family migration stories too and we learnt how New Zealand has become a multicultural country with people from over 200 different countries living here. The stories and artefacts from the past helped us understand the challenges, risks and opportunities of all migrants. And our museum visit wouldn’t have been complete without watching and hearing the cannon blast at midday!

C OA S T TO C OA S T WA L K

Triple hammock stack? Yes please!

We wanted to see how migration has changed Auckland over time. We started our 16km walk at Auckland’s first harbour – Onehunga. We saw how the landscape had developed over time, including the motorway. We learnt how Māori lived and defended themselves on some of the Auckland maunga and how Mrs Ashley’s great-great-grandfather founded the first zoo in Auckland. We also walked through many lovely parks, some donated to the city by wealthy landowners and some with very old historic houses and buildings used by the first settlers. We live in a wonderful city. It was great to explore it with one eye on the past and observe the changes that people bring. And the bonus was we had the company of Mr Wilson (Executive Principal) – thanks for joining us and sharing your history knowledge!

What could make a day at the beach even better... Sherbert-coated ice cream!

Tired legs appreciated the lunch break at Melville Park.

Amy Chen helping research with Year 6 students for their 'Farm to Fork' Unit of Inquiry.

Zoe Chia having fun with Year 1.

Emma Gentry exploring treasures with Year 1 in the sandpit.

KRISTIN JUNIOR SCHOOL

Leadership Programme Leadership initiatives are based on our founding Kristin values – progress, vision, integrity and love. Our Prefect team at Kristin are expected to set high standards, to serve the school and their peers. It is said that true leaders rise by lifting others, which is why service is such an integral part of our leadership model. Throughout our Junior, Middle and Senior Schools, our Service and Leadership programmes encourage students to participate in a variety of activities serving our local and wider communities. This is an integral part of our IB curriculum and life at Kristin.

encouraged to develop and use their initiative and leadership in the classroom, in the playground, on the playing field and in extra-curricular activities, following our school motto “Progress with vision, integrity and love”.

Progress, vision, integrity and love are the values within which we stand as a school community, and these are the guiding words behind all we do at Kristin. One such special leadership programme is our Prefect mentoring of our younger students. This initiative is much loved by our oldest and youngest students alike.

Our older students see themselves as valued participants involved in the teaching and learning of others. Being ensconced in this mentoring role, older students experience positive feedback from caring about someone else and so feel valued, while younger students experience a sense of worth and observe and receive kindness. Our Kristin ‘buddy programme’ provides an opportunity to create authentic relationships between our younger and older students. Each Prefect is assigned a Junior School class to assist with once a week. They delight, as do the younger students, in developing this mentorship and establishing authentic relationships which enrich the lives of each group.

We believe we need to help grow and develop young people to be the best that they can be, in order that they can go out into our wider community and world to make a real and positive difference. Our Year 13 pupils have the opportunity of being considered for a formal leadership role. All our Year 13 students are expected to serve and lead, whether they hold a specific role or not. As the most senior in the school, these students are the role models and the guardians of Kristin’s procedures and expectations. They are

Chantel Ashley J U N I O R S C H O O L A S S I S TA N T P R I N C I PA L

“ Mā te tuakana ka tōtika te teina, mā te teina ka tōtika te tuakana” “

“IT IS THROUGH THE OLDER SIBLING THAT THE YOUNGER ONE LEARNS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS, AND IT IS THROUGH THE YOUNGER SIBLING THAT THE OLDER ONE LEARNS TO BE TOLERANT.”

E X P E RT L E A R N E R S Through the IB’s Primary Years Programme we make realistic connections to life beyond school to help give meaning and purpose to our inquiries. To do this, we can approach our learning through the lens of different ‘experts’. So far this year, Kindergarten learners have been expert designers, engineers and construction workers through their inquiries into how the world works. Junior School Principal Jayne de la Haye with Overall Poetry Cup Winner Yee Zhao and guest judge Meredith Caisley.

Our stellar group of finalists.

JUNIOR SCHOOL POETRY COMPETITION On 24 March the Junior School once again held their annual poetry competition, this year hosted by Hazel Choi and Harry Gilder (Year 6).

Our Year 1s have been scientists and environmentalists finding out how we share our planet with other living things. Examining the roles people play in emergencies has engaged Year 2s as community workers, while Year 3 learners have been zoologists and geographers investigating living things and biomes that make up our wonderful world. The scientists in Year 4 have been conducting research into water quality in our local environment. An inquiry into the risks, challenges and opportunities offered by migration has engaged Year 5 learners as historians, and in Year 6 our learners have been social scientists and economists looking into systems that support sustainable food production. Taking the perspectives of these experts equips learners with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to inquire into complex ideas and ensure relevance to the real world.

Sandy Paton J U N I O R S C H O O L PY P C O O R D I N ATO R

All students from Years 4 to 6 had the opportunity to share a poem within their class and the top two students from each class then progressed to the finals in the Auditorium. This year, due to the COVID-19 settings, only the finalists and two of their family members were in attendance. The competition was fierce throughout the afternoon and the judging for 2022 was carried out by Meredith Caisley, a registered Speech Teacher, an examiner and for many years a trustee of Speech New Zealand. Mrs Caisley was looking for a poem that included descriptive and figurative language, to see that the meaning of the poem was interpreted and clearly conveyed and, of course, specific presentation skills.

Year 5 historians engaging with Pacific migration stories at the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

Prior to announcing the results, Mrs Caisley took the time to speak to the audience, sharing some fabulous tips and then commending all of the participants for the very high standard of their presentations. The winner as well as the runner-up for each year level were presented with an award and this year the Overall Poetry Cup was won by Yee Zhao (Year 5) for his recital of The Dragon of Death by Jack Prelutsky.

Dale Connell J U N I O R S C H O O L L I T E R ACY C O - O R D I N ATO R A N D E N R I C H M E N T T E AC H E R

Year 4 environmentalists testing water quality.

Year 3 scientists researching biome plant life.

THE KRISTIN EXPERIENCE

Middle School Adventure Days A classic quote by John Lubbock perceptively stated “Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountains and the sea are excellent schoolmasters, and teach of us more than we can ever learn from books.” Over a century after Lubbock’s comments, at Kristin School we do not underestimate the value of Outdoor Education in providing young people with the opportunity to grow and develop, personally and socially. As well as offering our students Outdoor Education as a curriculum option, in February each year every Middle and Senior School student and staff member embark on Camp Week at various scenic locations across New Zealand. Friendships are established and strengthened; essential ‘soft skills’ of cooperation, teamwork, leadership, adaptability and problem-solving are enhanced; and a curiosity and appreciation of protecting and caring for our environment are fostered. Alas, this year, COVID-19 curtailed our annual Camp plans. As an alternative, in testimony to our commitment to providing a holistic range of educational experiences, Kristin Middle School hosted an Outdoor Adventure Day for each year level in conjunction with the outdoor provider Bigfoot Adventures. Kristin is privileged to have a beautiful campus backing onto Lucas Creek. The opportunity to use our extensive grounds and immediate environment during a school day was an essential component of this experience. As Year 10 student Leisha explained, “We didn’t let COVID beat us; we still got to enjoy camp right here on Kristin’s grounds!”

as well as outdoor first aid, “My highlight? Learning how to tie a sling and make one out of your jersey” (Alys). Meanwhile, for Year 9, their Outdoor Adventure Day was about providing “a great way to catalyse our friendships” (Imogen). In addition, Adventure-Based Learning games helped “develop a stronger sense of connection with the year level” and rewarded “good teamwork” among coaching groups . And finally, all of our Year 10 students had the opportunity to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Training Day. “We got to do some fun activities like navigation and orienteering, rope tying, bivouac building, packing a tramping bag, and we even managed to cook our lunch on a portable stove using gas cans!” (Leisha). Focusing on the skills and knowledge required for the DOfE Adventurous Journey, the Year 10’s day provided a means of self-discovery, increasing self-confidence and helping enhance values and ideals as responsible citizens of the world.

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, teach of us more than we can ever learn from books.”

Although our Middle School students were unable to traverse the Tongariro Crossing or surf at Raglan this year – arguably iconic New Zealand outdoor experiences – they were able to enjoy and J O H N LU B B O C K discover our own beautiful backyard. Any opportunity to appreciate nature “reminds us that we are part of something bigger” (Ben PalmerAs a brand new cohort, Year 7’s primary focus was Fry), and, for many of our students, it deepened their on social connections. Students participated in various sense of belonging and connection to Kristin at the beginning of a activities in their tutor classes, ranging from mountain biking new school year. to archery, and making bivvy shelters to rock climbing our own Kristin climbing wall. Akaal summed up the experience perfectly, What’s more, amid a COVID-19 pandemic and disturbing images “Adventure Day was so much fun as we got to try so many new of war in Ukraine, for our young people to be outside and things. I was so pleased that my class was the overall winner but, immersed in nature away from devices, “it grounds us, calms us” more importantly, we made new friends.” (Ben Palmer-Fry). With Year 8 participating in the William Pike Award this year, their focus was on developing skills to survive outdoors. As a result, the year level came away from their Outdoor Adventure Day far more knowledgeable about bush survival, pack making and “...how to tie a bunch of different knots and to pitch a perfect tent” (Kara),

Deborah Plummer A S S I S TA N T P R I N C I PA L , M I D D L E S C H O O L

Caption: Our students enjoyed challenging activities, developed teambuilding skills and established friendships during their Adventure Week.

KRISTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Duke of Edinburgh Award The Duke of Edinburgh set up the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DOE ) over 60 years ago. The aim was to encourage young people to take on new experiences and develop themselves into ‘more rounded people’.

pandemic have all contributed to damaging mental health and physical wellbeing. Being able to escape for a while into nature on an expedition without a mobile phone allows the opportunity for students to reset their minds and evaluate priorities. Community service has long been a part of Kristin’s educational offering. Alongside our altruistic service programme, the DOE community service element helps students understand the concept of leadership as service to others or the environment. Understanding leadership and service in this way can expand horizons and put things into perspective. Being a regular at Year 10 Camp and on qualifying tramps, I have seen the positive impact the DOE has on students' general wellbeing. Many students have told me that the DOE is fun and an opportunity to make new friends as well as face new challenges. The DOE also has a positive impact on students’ confidence and resilience. Since our focus on all those in Year 10 taking the award, teachers have reported that students are generally more confident in difficult situations, have the opportunity to experience new challenges and feel more independent and responsible.

Carl Murray, as Kristin’s Director of Special Programmes and leader of the DOE programme, has noticed a positive impact on student levels of communication, teamwork and There are three different levels to attain “Being able to leadership skills. Carl says that much – Bronze, Silver and Gold – and four of this impact comes from the benefits escape for a while into sections, including expedition planning of learning how to work with others to and completion, getting fitter, helping nature on an expedition solve problems, feel more confident in the community and developing new without a mobile phone about speaking to people they do not skills. Therefore, it seems natural that know well and understand how to take allows the opportunity for Kristin, a school offering a holistic responsibility for others. And that’s educational experience, should promote students to reset their where I think the answer lies. The and offer the DOE. All our Middle School benefits to our Middle School students minds and evaluate students in Year 10 are encouraged from completing the Bronze DOE are to take on the Bronze Award. The Year priorities.” enormous and will help steer them through 10 Camp experience has been developed life. Facing personal challenges, acquiring over recent times to make the process easier, skills to cope with challenging situations, with all Year 10 students completing the practice time management, leadership, teamwork and elements of the expedition during Camp Week. communication – these are all necessary qualities for being successful in life. I firmly believe that the DOE enhances confidence and communication skills in our students. The soft skills enhanced by the DOE experience are highly relevant in helping teenagers cope with the pressures young people are living with today. Peer Dave Scott pressures, social media influences and, more recently, the issues associated with lifestyle changes enforced by the COVID-19 M I D D L E S C H O O L P R I N C I PA L

Duke of Edinburgh students participated in a sea kayak camp in the Hauraki Gulf, kayaking from Kawakawa Bay to Milford.

KRISTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Client: Kristin School Date: 05/12/2018

Middle School Coaching Programme The

0mm

Arm for spiral spine insertion

Growth Model

What do yo u need to ac hi eve?

R E AL I T Y

O PT I O N S

WILL

What i s happeni ng now ?

100 110

What w i l l yo u do ?

What co uld yo u do ?

GOAL S

How and w hen w i l l yo u do i t ?

H AB I TS

140

How w i l l yo u sustai n success?

170

Figure 1.

160

twitter.com/benefitzdma

R E S U LTS

Celebrat i ng t he results

150

TACT I C S

130

120

www.benefitz.co.nz

Dave Scott M I D D L E S C H O O L P R I N C I PA L

190 200

www.facebook.com/bene

180

In essence, our coaching programme in the Middle School is about creating the best possible environments for students to learn for themselves. Coaches help students assess their current situation and set realistic and meaningful goals. Regardless of how these goals are defined, it is paramount that students are encouraged to articulate their commitment and the potential benefits of following these through in their context. The focus is on developing student success to assist students in taking responsibility for their school work, activities and time. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with students in this way and get to know them in different ways outside of the norm. Our aim for coaching is that the approach is tailored to the individual, so that the outcomes are based on each student’s own needs and learning requirements. We recognise that no two students are the same, and coaches aim to identify the key focus points for each student, equipping them with a toolkit and strategies they can use to assist them at school and in life.

These conversational opportunities aim to support students to learn, reflect and develop, thereby enhancing their ability to achieve more of their untapped potential. In addition, we want to increase students’ self-awareness and sense of personal responsibility for their development, both inside and outside the classroom. Our teacher-coaches facilitate students' self-directed learning through questioning, active listening, and appropriate challenge in a supportive and encouraging climate.

B ui ldi ng t he t r ust

R E L AT I O NS H I PS

Plastic Bookmarks for Diaries Quantity: 380 Size: 70mmW x 230mmH Print: Full Colour / 1 Side Stock: 0.8mm Polypropylene Finish: Diecut arm for spiral spine insertion

Account Manager: Mike Nolan Designer:

After two years of piloting student coaching in the Middle School, 2022 has seen our new coaching programme launch. The programme is predominantly focused on Years 9 and 10 and is based firmly on the Growth Coaching approach (see Figure 1). All students are in groups of 10 to 12 alongside a Growth Coaching trained staff member. Coaching takes place three times a week in one 15-minute and two 25-minute sessions. The small groups make for a more intimate atmosphere, and a central aim of the programme is that each student is known as an individual, both as a person and as a learner. Alongside a well-developed weekly programme that focuses on 21st-century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking and self-efficacy, coaches also take the time to meet with students in one-to-one coaching conversations. There is also the opportunity to discuss and debate topical issues and engage in discussions that may not otherwise take place.

Job number: KRI210927 Job description: Plastic Bookmarks

“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest things can happen.” Pete Carroll

KRISTIN SENIOR SCHOOL

Senior School Update While the start to 2022 has had its differences, with the use of face masks, increased ventilation requirements and limitations on indoor events, what really stands out is the level of normality that has prevailed. Many, myself included, were disappointed when we had to cancel Camp Week and this, combined with an 11-week run through to the Easter break, has ensured that while Term 1 seemed to go on forever, it was also an incredibly productive time, with students increasingly able to participate in activities, both in and out of the classroom. Events like House Sports Day continued and were generally well supported. The importance of these events during such a time cannot be underestimated. While much has been written regarding the ongoing wellbeing of students around the globe, having and holding events that remind us that we can still take part in such things, come together as a community and enjoy interacting as a large group are critical in reinforcing the positives that still exist. Sports as a whole are an important part of school and supporting wellbeing. It has therefore been very uplifting to see many codes continuing this term and a clear momentum building as we approach the winter sports season.

Term 2 will be an exciting and busy time among the Performing Arts students, as they prepare for the combined Middle/ Senior School production later this year. This decision allows these students the opportunity to showcase their skills, while maintaining the opportunity to give justice to two amazing shows in 2023 with Wicked and Frozen. Both of these deserve the full ‘Kristin experience’ and I look forward to the build-up to, as well as watching those performances take shape.

“While Term 1 seemed to go on forever, it was also an incredibly productive time, with students increasingly able to participate in activities, both in and out of the classroom.”

Another example reinforcing this has been the approach of many of our orchestras and musical groups. While Term 2 will bring relief and the ability to move into our newly refurbished Auditorium, it has been refreshing and an outstanding example of resilience and adaptability to see these groups practising outside in the Octagon area. Hearing the determination and pleasure that these times have brought to students, under Mr Lisi’s clear and well projected guidance, again reminds us that we are incredibly

fortunate to be able to continue with most of the activities that make Kristin such a special school.

Our Drama students relished success during Term 1 too, as Kristin hosted the only competition in Auckland that was able to take place. Historically we have often put forward the groups to beat in these competitions and 2022 was no exception, with several students being invited to progress to the next stage in Wellington later in the year – needless to say our wishes travel with them.

In Term 2 we enjoyed increasingly relaxed restrictions, which allowed us to reconnect as a community in assemblies, parent meetings and shows, and draw together our whole community – all of which sets Kristin apart from other schools.

David Boardman S E N I O R S C H O O L P R I N C I PA L

KRISTIN SENIOR SCHOOL

Excellent Academic Results for Kristin Academic excellence is one of the key drivers for families in choosing a Kristin education for their children, and Kristin’s proud record in this arena has been further strengthened with another set of excellent examination results for 2021. Kristin’s Senior School students choose to follow either the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme or NCEA pathway in roughly equal numbers, and the 2021 results are evidence of the strength of both programmes of study at Kristin.

NCEA pass rate of 97%, Kristin’s commitment to the national qualification is celebrated throughout the school. A total of 190 students sat Level 2 and 3 NCEA at Kristin in 2021 and of those, over 70% were awarded Merit or Excellence-endorsed certificates, while 97% of Kristin’s Year 13 who sat NCEA Level 3 achieved University Entrance.

A total of 100% of Kristin’s IB candidates were successful in gaining their diplomas in 2021. Stella Mackenzie, Sam Zhuang and Lucy Xu achieved the perfect score Senior School Principal David Boardman is of 45 points, placing them in the top 1.5% of incredibly proud of his students’ achievements. “To candidates worldwide, and Shirley Bian, “The 2021 year was challenging for all have endured Amy Chen, Sally Kim, Ethan Miller-Goulter, students and schools across Auckland. a pandemic and met William Parton, Veronika Sevastyanova, With a number of lockdowns early in the Kevin Wei and Guy Williams followed year and shifting to remote learning for the challenge of IB whilst closely on 44. These were among the 37 the majority of Term 3, our students maintaining friendships and Kristin students (43% of IB candidates) have shown that they possess the to achieve a score of 40 or more points, resilience and determination to achieve, building support systems qualifying them as New Zealand IB Top even when faced with such challenges. is a uniquely impressive Scholars. The average score of Kristin The excellent results achieved in 2021 achievement.” students was 38 points, compared to the are a testament to the hard work of both world average this year of 33. students and their teachers, ensuring that they can achieve at the highest level possible STELLA MACKENZIE With over 30 years of experience in offering the and receive a world-class education. I wish IB Diploma Programme, Kristin had the largest them all the best with their future studies and number of candidates of any New Zealand school in adventures.” the November examinations session. Thrilled with her perfect score, Lucy said: “I am so thankful for my cohort – full of smart, talented, passionate people that I aspire to be like. Although sometimes IB was tough, I wouldn’t trade my experience for the world!” Sam reflected: “Despite the difficulties of the past two years, I am incredibly proud that our cohort were able to achieve these amazing results together, and I am grateful for what I have received.” Also delighted with her score, Stella said: “I am so immensely proud of my friends and classmates this year. To have endured a pandemic and met the challenge of IB while maintaining friendships and building support systems is a uniquely impressive achievement.” Kristin’s NCEA results also demonstrate the excellent level of academic achievement by Kristin students. With an overall

David Boardman with 2021 IB students Sam Zhuang, Lucy Xu and Stella Mackenzie who all gained a score of 45.

David Boardman S E N I O R S C H O O L P R I N C I PA L

C A S U P DAT E

Developing Habits of Mind While a significant proportion of school life is spent on academic learning, Kristin’s focus on getting the students ‘Future Ready’ emphasises the importance of learning as a personal journey of selfdiscovery, which takes it far beyond learning in classrooms. Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development through opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others” (IBO.org, 2022). It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm of our new Diploma students exploring different CAS opportunities, and the usual hustle-and-bustle return to our Year 13 students’ co-curricular commitments. Appreciation of CAS as a counterbalance to the academic pressures of the Diploma Programme, alongside an incredible set of academic results, attests to the quality of the holistic education Kristin provides. We recognise that learning is not just about academic content but it is about how we approach life as lifelong learners. An important part of this is the capacity to reflect, a skill set that our CAS programme is designed to teach to enable its expansion into other areas of learning. A framework we have introduced to teach the students how to reflect is “Habits of Mind”. For each cycle, students are introduced to a Habit of Mind (such as persisting, listening with understanding and empathy, thinking about thinking, thinking flexibly), encouraged to think about it in all aspects of their lives, even out of school, and given opportunities to reflect on it. It is also a chance to get students more familiar with unpacking IB Learner Profile attributes and Approaches to Learning. I have the huge pleasure and privilege of being able to read the reflections of our IB Diploma Programme students: a wonderful insight into their commitment to learning, the experiential learning journey they are on, and their consequential growth, which ultimately is what CAS is all about. I wish I could share so much more of these reflections in all of their glory; enjoy the snippets of Habits of Mind reflections from a handful of Senior School students this year.

L I S T E N I N G W I T H U N D E R S TA N D I N G A N D E M PAT H Y

"This week was quite busy with assessments but I took time to listen to the feelings of others who must have been feeling stressed. Even though I had my own worries and pressures, I listened empathetically and gave them encouragement. I understood how they were feeling because I had felt the same before. I didn't draw attention to my own struggles at that moment but comforted them. Doing this actually relieved some of my own worries as the words of support I was telling them were applicable to me as well.” PERSISTING

“For this cycle, it was important to persist in my studies and extracurriculars, especially in physics and chemistry, of which tests are upcoming within the next week. The physics content has been difficult to adapt to, and I often found it discouraging when my answers were not correct. However, I realise it takes practice to regulate this, and I practice every day to maximise my improvement. Unfortunately, this sounds a lot easier than it actually is. In future, I would like to learn to ease the pressure I put on myself for making mistakes, as this appears to be the hardest response when practicing persistence.” T H I N K I N G F L E X I B LY

“Last week, I thought I lost my AirPods. Because I was so determined on my logic of last seeing my AirPods at school, I thought I've lost it at school and someone had taken it from where I've left it. But I couldn't find them anywhere. When I returned home, I had to re-think my logic. A more thorough search in my room found the Airpods in my closet, camouflaged on a white plastic bag. The lack of possibilities I thought of and my stumbling logic contributed to the stress built up over losing my AirPods, which showed me how I required more flexible thinking in daily life. Thinking flexibly to me means to rethink of possibilities in a logical way and take on significant perspectives that would allow me make a wise decision and take an informed action.”

John Cho C A S C O O R D I N ATO R

STAFF UPDATES

Introducing ... Kristin was delighted to welcome the following new staff to the family this year. JUNIOR SCHOOL

Left to right: Donna Golightly – Year 6 Teacher, Tracey Poulter – Year 4 Teacher. Sharon Smith – 'Connected Plus' Learning from Home

Coordinator, Sandy Paton – PYP Coordinator & Year 6 Enrichment Teacher, Budd De Silva – 'Connected Plus' Learning from Home Teacher, Fritha Jones – Year 2 Teacher (Alumni), Absent: Sandy Dagnino – Year 6 Enrichment Teacher, Raewyn Jack – PE Teacher, Sophie Hamon – Junior School Learning Assistant and Pip Boaler – Kindergarten Learning Assistant.

R E T I R E M E N T A N D N E W S TA RT E R Kristin has always been a school that values family connections. One of our precious families has taken this approach to the next level! Jan Lewis, a well-loved member of our Business Studies team, recently retired from Kristin after an incredible 31 years of teaching. Finding someone to fill the amazing shoes of the enigmatic Mrs Lewis was a tall order, however we were lucky to find the perfect solution! Meet our new Business Studies teacher, Sarah Pigou. Not only is Sarah an exemplary teacher, she’s also Jan’s daughter, and Kristin Alumni from the class of 2007. Sarah joins us from Rangitoto College, where she was Curriculum Leader for Business Studies, and says coming home to Kristin felt like a natural progression. “Every single day, at least one person has commented on "that's exactly what your mum said!" so the apple clearly doesn't fall far from the tree.”

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL

H E N RY G O D K I N

M A D DY G U P PY

Y E A R 7 H O M E RO O M T E AC H E R

YEAR 8 HOMEROOM TEACHER

G A B E E VA N S

JESSICA LANE

T E C H N O LO GY TEACHER

ENGLISH TEACHER AND YEAR 11 C U R R I C U LU M LEADER

LU CY RO B I N S O N

R AY YO U N G

ENGLISH T E AC H E R

C O N N E CT E D P LU S TEACHER

I VA N K A R Z C E W S K I

CARMEN H E N RQ U I U E X

FRENCH TEACHER

S PA N I S H TEACHER

SAM SWINDELLS

N ATA L I E VA N D E R SANDE

MUSIC T E AC H E R

M AT H E M AT I C S TEACHER

OLIVER KING

JUSTIN PETERS

M AT H E M AT I C S TEACHER

P SY C H O LO GY & HUMANITIES TEACHER

SCIENCE Left to right:

Sean Crossen – Physics & Science Ben Plummer – Head of Faculty Pip Wood – Biology & Science Archana Lal – Chemistry & Science Teacher

I N C LU S I V E L E A R N I N G Left to right:

Glenda Keith – Head of Inclusive Learning Gail Strauss – Learning Assistant Katie Riley – Inclusive Learning Teacher Amy Russell – Lead Teacher (SEN) Sharon Morgan – Administrator

S P O RT Left to right:

David Green – Head of Hockey Niall Thompson – Sports Office Manager Cecilia (CJ) Molesworth – Sports Administrator Katrina Chatfield – Head of Netball

DICK T H O R N TO N - G R I M E S

K RY S TA A R D E R N P R OJ E CT A D M I N I S T R ATO R

H E A D O F H E A LT H AND SAFETY

V I CTO R I A C H U RC H

S U P P O RT S TA F F

TA N I T H C A R R O L L

F I N A N C E M A N AG E R

C R E AT I V E S T U D I O M A N AG E R

A RO H A W E B S T E R HEAD OF BRAND, C O M M U N I CAT I O N S , & COMMUNITY R E L AT I O N S

LITTLE DOVES

SHAUN TIPPETT A S S I S TA N T P R O P E RT Y M A N AG E R

R E T I R E M E N T S / L E AV E R S Kristin would like to recognise the significant achievements and service for the following staff that retired or left at the end of 2021. Jan Lewis – Business Studies Teacher & Curriculum Leader (31 years) Jenny Taylor- Director of International Services (28 years) Rob Hutton – Assistant Principal, Junior School (17 years)

Left to right:

Katie O’Brien – PE & Health Teacher, Year 11 Dean, Year 7 and 8 Netball Coordinator (17 years).

Narelle Barron (Teacher, Oaktree Room), Tania Peterson – Teacher, Cedar Room and Linda Giblin – Centre Assistant.

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

L I B R A RY U P DAT E

Innovative Technology in the Library The Kristin School Library has a collection of over 35,000 print items. One of the primary roles of our Librarians is to identify and provide specific targeted resources and instruction to support literacy, student wellbeing and the PYP, MYP, IB Diploma and NCEA programmes; however, a considerable amount of staff time is taken up with the circulation and return of books. Prior to the COVID-19 situation in 2020, we issued more than 40,000 items annually (approximately 1,125 items per week or 224 items per day). These items are effectively ‘double-handled’ if they’re returned to the Library, so up to 500 items might be processed by Library staff in a day. Budget approval was granted for a project in 2021 to update the Library circulation system from one utilising scannable barcodes to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system.

With the completion of the Library RFID project, we are adding RFID tags to the 2,500 textbooks, novels and plays that are issued to students throughout the year. This will streamline the return of textbooks at year-end. The final piece of equipment that will support this process is an almost magic scanning ‘wand’ that can read the tags in books and textbooks as they are swept along the shelves. The wand detects any book with a tag that hasn’t been marked as returned and can update the student Library record via a mobile tablet that communicates with the Library system.

After a rigorous evaluation process FE Technologies from Melbourne was selected as our partner. Luckily the tags and basic RFID equipment were supplied well before the August lockdown. During Terms 3 and 4 of 2021 while the Library was closed, Library staff added RFID tags to over 30,000 books. From the moment the system went live we noted an improvement in the speed and ease of issuing and returning books.

This investment in innovative Library management technology will make a significant impact on the services provided by our Library team. I would like to thank the Board and the Executive Leadership Team for their support of this project, which has fulfilled its promise of significantly reducing the time Librarians spend handling books, meaning more time to support teaching and learning across our three schools.

In Term 2 of 2022 this project was completed with the installation of a self-issue kiosk for students to use with their ID cards and an auto-returns shelf. As students from upper Primary through to Senior School independently check-out their books at the kiosk, this frees Librarians to spend more time with students helping them as they choose their books. As books are placed on the auto-returns shelf, the loans are cancelled simultaneously in the Library account.

Alison Hewett H E A D O F L I B R A RY S E R V I C E S

R A D I O - F R E Q U E N CY I D E N T I F I CAT I O N ( R F I D ) U S E S A W I R E L E S S R A D I O SY S T E M TO T R A N S F E R D ATA F R O M A TA G AT TA C H E D TO A N O BJ E CT, S U C H A S A B O O K , S O YO U CA N I D E N T I F Y I T A N D T R A C K I T S U S E . T H E TA G C O N TA I N S E L E CT R O N I CA L LY S TO R E D I N FO R M AT I O N O N A M I C R O C H I P W H I C H I S R E A D BY A N R F I D R E A D E R O R S CA N N E R . R F I D TA G S R E P L A C E L I B R A RY B A R C O D E S . M U LT I P L E R F I D TA G S CA N B E R E A D AT A T I M E , U N L I K E B A R C O D E S W H I C H CA N O N LY B E R E A D O N E AT A T I M E .” ( R A D I O - F R E Q U E N CY I D E N T I F I CAT I O N , N . D .) . Reference Radio-frequency identification (RFID). (n.d.). National Library of New Zealand Services to Schools. Retrieved 15 May 2022, from https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/school-libraries/librarysystems-and-operations/library-operations/radio-frequencyidentification-rfid

P E R FO R M I N G A RT S

Music in ‘Red’ Setting Throughout history, times of crisis and difficulty have regularly led to increased levels of creativity and expression in the arts. Alongside developments in technology, composers, artists and writers have often been inspired by challenges and constraints resulting in evolution and development across a range of disciplines. Without a doubt, the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have seen all of us navigating diverse and complex disruptions to our lives, and consequently seeking new outlets for relief and normality. For many, music and the other arts have provided solace and a sense of connection. In both the arts and education sectors, organisations have been forced to become extra creative and come up with innovative ways of keeping the arts alive. Initially, digital platforms were the most viable way of delivering the arts to audiences, and here at Kristin we were able to share visual art, dance, drama and music through our Facebook page, and also in pre-recorded assemblies and livestreams. Nevertheless, despite being able to find these small opportunities to share our creative work, the limitations of the COVID-19 Protection Framework still led to the cancellation of many of our major performance events, and brought a halt to numerous Performing Arts activities that are a central part of Kristin’s dayto-day timetable, as well as our school spirit and culture. Everyone was extremely pleased to start 2022 on site at school with students attending their lessons in person rather than online, as was the case in late 2021. However, there were many guidelines we needed to work within to ensure the health and safety of our students and their teachers. Very few of us in the Music Department would ever have imagined that in our teaching careers we would see the Ministry of Education deem singing and playing the flute as ‘high-risk activities’, yet this is exactly what happened. Owing to the nature of singing and playing wind instruments, the Ministry of Education set guidelines that banned singing and playing of wind instruments indoors. Here at Kristin, this meant

that our choirs and Senior School production could not prepare and rehearse as usual; all wind and vocal itinerant lessons were put on hold, curriculum Music classes were affected significantly and our wind instrument ensembles could not proceed. However, across the country Music teachers stayed resilient and sought out solutions that enabled as many activities as possible to continue. In most cases, this meant taking things outdoors. Fortunately, this all took place during the summer term, so for the most part we were able to proceed in the sunshine. Throughout Term 1, staff and students across the school were party to the sounds of bands, choirs and classes echoing out across the Kristin campus. In normal times these activities would have been relegated to the Music Department; however, it was clear that people loved hearing the music and seeing the students in action in spaces like the Octagon and Cafeteria deck. It was definitely an exciting novelty for many, and wonderful to be able to share the music in a time of stress and strain. For our musicians, the move to ‘Orange’ was well-timed with the weather becoming colder, wetter and windier (flying sheet music definitely makes performance more challenging). As Term 2 of 2022 gets underway, we are now able to sing and play indoors, and also welcome parents into the school as audiences. All of our itinerant teachers are now able to teach face to face, and there is a real buzz as we start to plan to share our students’ work with audiences for the first time in many months.

Nick Duirs H E A D O F FA C U LT Y V I S U A L & P E R FO R M I N G A RT S

P E R FO R M I N G A RT S

Shakespeareans Soar at Kristin Over the last few years, Kristin students have played dozens of characters from a wide range of Shakespeare’s plays; they have created striking and original interpretations of scenes; they have learned a great deal and they have also enjoyed great success at the Regional and National Shakespeare Globe Centre (SGC) University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festivals. Kristin’s students have been recognised with Regional awards such as Best 5 Minute Scene at the Auckland West Festival in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and Most Promising Actor in 2019 and 2020. The Direct entrant (one of only 24 across New Zealand) to the SGCNZ National Shakespeare Schools Production (NSSP) has been a Kristin student in 2018, 2019 and 2020. This year has proven to bring further success at the Auckland West Regional Festival, with Kristin’s students being acknowledged for Best Connection Between Two Performers (Isla Sangl and Rebecca Weatherly) and as the Best 15 Minute Scene (Naomi Harwood, Millieke McKay, Olivia Sewell and Kelea Wendelborn). Along with a second group who were also selected (Sonny Pring, Kester Sykes and Finn Theodore), it is thrilling that these students will now have the opportunity to share their work with a much larger audience at the National Shakespeare Festival in Wellington. At the SGCNZ University of Otago Sheilah Winn National Shakespeare Festivals in 2019 and 2020, our students were recognised with a range of awards including Outstanding Student Direction, Best Vocal Projection, Outstanding Presentation from a Tragedy, Most Promising Actor and Best Connection with the Audience. In 2018 and 2019, Kristin students were then selected to join the SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company, representing New Zealand through training and performing at The Globe Theatre in London, and this representation is now set to continue following the most recent iteration of the NSSP.

In January this year, two of our Kristin students, Isla Sangl and Rebecca Weatherly, travelled to Wellington to take part in a variety of workshops delivered by industry-professional tutors, and to rehearse for a public performance of Wars of the Roses. Following that public performance, we were absolutely delighted to find that both Isla and Rebecca had been selected to join the 2022 SGCNZ Young Shakespeare Company. This is an immensely prestigious and exciting achievement for Isla and Rebecca, and it is even hoped that they will be able to travel to The Globe Theatre this July! Whenever they do go, they will travel with a group of talented performers from across New Zealand to learn from the outstanding tutors at Shakespeare’s Globe, before performing on the magical Globe stage. They will also have the opportunity to explore theatres and other iconic sites and activities in London and Stratford-upon-Avon. It seems clear from the recognition that Kristin’s students and groups have received so far that they bring great commitment, creativity and talent to their work. Kristin’s students have overcome many obstacles to achieve such great success and we are confident that they will continue to soar.

Leigh Sykes Y E A R 1 1 H O U S E D E A N – A P O L LO C U R R I C U LU M L E A D E R D R A M A

Council of Sustainability The Council of Sustainability (CoS) is a student-led organisation that works to promote sustainability at Kristin. We started the year with a weekend of team-building and planning, which also included a beach clean-up at Sulphur Bay. We hope this year will be our best one yet, so we have set many goals. Our most important goal for this year is to achieve Enviroschools' Green Gold status. In 2019, Kristin achieved a Silver status and this year we’re going for the Gold! On 6 July, the CoS and various other supporting students will undergo a reflection to decide whether Kristin supports and promotes the five pillars of Enviroschools to a high degree. These pillars are: sustainable communities, learning for sustainability, empowered students, Māori perspectives, and respect for diversity. The full-day reflection event will include our Principals, members of the Board, Auckland Council, Upper Harbour Local Board members and many more interested parties. Some major actions we have taken since our 2019 reflection are: implementing the student-led proposal of five new compost bins for everyone to use, the calculation of Kristin’s carbon footprint, the initiation of the Bicultural group and the development of the Interschool Sustainability Series (an online community forum for secondary school students around Auckland to share their school’s sustainability progress, created by Year 13 student Azaria Eddy). Through our Enviroschool planning days, we have created advertising initiatives, communicated with the Junior School, organised the reflection itinerary and more. The CoS and the Reflection Team look forward to the possibility of achieving this awesome status for the school. Other goals we are working on include being more inclusive of our younger students. Kristin is a school of many ages and we have now appointed new Junior School members to represent and share their views.

The tuckshop and café at Kristin are areas where many students don’t consider the impacts for sustainability. Research is in progress on alternative packaging, waste issues and how well our suppliers meet our goals to be more sustainable. One of our aims from last year, yet to be achieved, was to provide a platform for all of the sustainable groups of Kristin to provide insight on. Well, that’s underway too! And we are now working very hard to include Māori aspects into school life, with the introduction of a new Bicultural team. If you are interested in learning more about what the Council of Sustainability is doing, you can access our website through the Kristin Portal. On our website, you will see weekly updates on our progress and other interesting bits of information such as Kristin’s Carbon Footprint Report, where you can see what we spend energy on in specific categories. Through all of these goals, the CoS hopes to make Kristin even more sustainable in 2022 and we look forward to being a Green Gold Enviroschool in the near future! Top left: Lucy Bolger, our Council of Sustainability Chair getting student voice at the Senior School Market. Bottom left: Our Enviroschool reflection team, brainstorming ideas

for our Green Gold reflection day.

Right: Council of Sustainability members at our "camp" event, a

beach clean up at Sulphur Bay in Auckland.

Imogen Forrester C O U N C I L O F S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

I N T E R N AT I O N A L S E R V I C E S

Farewell Jenny Taylor There is the well-known saying about ‘The Ripple Effect’; “Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget, But there’s little waves a-flowing and there’s ripples circling yet, And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown; You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.” For the thousands of pebbles Jenny Taylor has dropped in the water of the Kristin Community, the ripples are endless! She first started teaching at Kristin School as a Japanese and Spanish language teacher but soon after, she took on the role of the Director of International Services and developed the International programme and Dovetail exchange programme. The International programme benefited students from across the globe and the Kristin Community equally benefited from these programmes in cultural diversity and language exchanges, adding to the international character to the school. The breadth of the impact she had on the students, their families and the rest of the school community over her 28 years at Kristin is difficult to describe in words but the cards and letters from the students give insight to the impression she made; “Thank you for helping to make my time at Kristin unforgettable. You are such a lovely person. I’ll never forget you. I’ll come back to visit New Zealand with my family! Lots of love from your Brazilian student.” Barbara Chanin, 2001

Thank you, Jenny – your students will forever take a part of you into their futures and your colleagues a part of you in our hearts. Your legacy will continue.

“Kristin benefited from the programmes in cultural diversity and language exchanges, adding international character to the school.”

“When I came to New Zealand, you took care of not only me but my parents in Japan. You not only helped me academically, but socially as well” Mizuha Hirano, 2021 Also, the words from staff member Gabriela Maldonado: “It is a privilege for me to share these brief words on behalf of the Faculty of Languages in recognition of Jenny’s work as the Director of International Services. Magically weaving together integrity, people skills, sensitivity and open-mindedness, Jenny establishes and maintains strong relationships with people from across the globe, literally.

International Peace Night Concert Finale.

Our International students and their families know that she’s always there, willing to listen, advise and support them. In addition, her vision and leadership in initiatives focused on recognising, developing and strengthening cultural diversity in our community have been fundamental in the steps we have made and continue to make as an IB school. Thanks, Jenny, from the bottom of our hearts, for your leadership of services and love.”

I N T E R N AT I O N A L S T U D E N T U P DAT E The class of 2021 graduated with the unique but difficult experience of going through a number of lockdowns and the challenges were especially highlighted for International students who have been stranded in New Zealand for the past two years. However, this did not stop them from achieving examination success in both NCEA and IB. Two students gained IB grades of 40 and above and four attained a score of over 38.

2022 started with 30 students who held out hopes that they might return home for a much-needed family reunion. For those who normally spend the New Year’s celebration with family, it was their second year away from their home country. Instead, International students celebrated the beginning of the new term in each other’s company at a picnic at the Wenderholm Regional Park. For those who missed out on celebrating lunar calendar New Year with their family, food parcels were prepared with some traditional food from their own cultures.

Helen Kim M A N AG E R O F I N T E R N AT I O N A L S E R V I C E S 2022 New Year's Picnic at Wenderholm Park.

FA C U LT Y O F S P O RT

Sports Update and Initiatives Wow – what a term of action it’s been, despite the COVID-19 threat! Our sports programme has continued to deliver and we were all excited to be able to complete the major school-wide events including Swimming Sports Days, Senior School House Sports Day, Cross Country and the Year 7 sports afternoon. There was 100% engagement from all students in attendance. The 2022 summer sports season has been another successful The Yachting team placed 3rd in the NZ National Schools’ Harken one with some great results overall. Leading the way were our Keelboat Regatta in what was an incredibly close contest. The Premier Boys’ Tennis team, who placed 5th in Auckland in the Kristin team, skippered by Mattias Coutts, did extremely well in top boys’ league. The team, led by Finn Burridge, played some some challenging conditions against the best in NZ. All the crew amazing Tennis and enjoyed immensely the new indoor courts at will be back next year and are already planning for an improved Tūrama. Some of the matches were outstanding and many close result! tie-break games were played. The feedback about Tūrama Another powerful addition has been the continued from all involved has been most complimentary. advancement in our strength and conditioning Utilising the new facility, Head of Tennis Amanda programme run by Andreas Fossum, our on-site Stuart organised the high-performance Tennis strength and conditioning specialist. Both “Playing programme with Lavie Academy. This has our Water Polo teams have been dedicated been a positive addition to the Tennis sport and keeping to early-morning starts in the fitness programme and will ensure that our active helps you to centre working through a programme young players moving up through the overcome challenges... to build their strength and conditioning. grades have the opportunity to be the Our Hockey and Basketball teams, as always give 100% no matter best they can be. Congratulations to our well as our Year 9 Academy and Year A3 Girls’ team, who placed 2nd in their the situation or how you feel... 10 Sports Studies students, are part grade, and to the A3 Boys, who placed if you can only give 50% of this extensive programme also, to 3rd. A special mention to our Auckland develop and progress all students’ levels then give it all that 50!” Secondary Schools Intermediate Girls’ of strength and fitness. This will ensure doubles champions Muhan Cui and Mina E L I Z A M C C A RT N E Y longevity in sports and help to reduce Zhang and in the Senior Boys, our Auckland injuries and enhance performance. Secondary Schools runners-up Finn Burridge and Robbie King. Finn was a semi-finalist in the This year we ran our own Touch module here at boys’ singles also. Kristin. Staff from across the school were involved, along with Middle and Senior School students. Throughout the term, In Cricket, our 1st XI Boys were in fine form – winning 5 out of games were arranged with teams made up of the different schools 7 games to sit in the top three of the 1B Auckland Secondary and staff. Organised and managed by Dave Green, ably supported Schools competition. Their season continues in Term 4 and we by Niall Thompson, each Tuesday’s match ensured all those hope that they can continue to play well and make the final. involved enjoyed a fun-filled action-packed hour of both Touch Alex Godward was the overall top run-scorer in the grade. Fine and Rippa Rugby. It was certainly a fun activity overall and great to achievements indeed. see both young and old showing their paces. Special mention to Our Water Polo teams continued the positive results from the Mr Nathan Calvert, who showed ‘more toe than a Roman sandal’, term with both our Premier Girls' and Premier Boys' teams burning up the grass on many an occasion and leaving defenders winning Silver medals at the NZ Schools National Division Two in his wake. Championships, played during the second week of the school holidays, with the girls in Tauranga and the boys in Rotorua. Both finals were nail-biting matches with the girls losing by 1 goal (7-8) Rob Taylor and the boys going down in a penalty shoot-out, 9-10. D I R E CTO R O F S P O RT

SENIOR SCHOOL

House Sports Day Great spirit and competition embraced the 2022 Senior School Sports Day. In a hectic finish with House pride at stake, the Senior School put it all on the line in the House Relays. Congratulations to Apollo House with 441 points, taking out the 2022 competition from Jupiter on 421, Saturn 366 and Mariner on 339. These final placings were announced by Mr Burge at the end of the day. The senior leaders of each House then accepted their acknowledgment, much to the delight of the student body. There was something for everyone with plenty of challenges and some great contests across all 12 events. It was also great to use Tūrama for the first time and play netball in the abbreviated FAST5 format. This is truly a wonderful addition to our sports facilities. The weather was again kind to us, allowing for a colourful scene to unfold throughout the day. All 12 events were part of the overall programme, which meant there were some tired bodies at the end of the day. From the 100m sprints through to beach volleyball and yoga, everyone had the chance to shine and be part of the House Competition. The popular challenge tic-tac-toe ensured there was some fierce competition with some of the loudest cheers being heard during that event. Huge thanks to Rebecca Wilkins and Thomas Zhou from the Sports Committee who ran the long jump event all day and the PE and Sports staff leading the other events. Their passion and drive ensured all the events ran smoothly and engaged all the students. Thank you team. Overall, there was 100% engagement from the Senior School students who attended. Well done!

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

S P O RT S

Water Polo Water Polo, the sport that never sleeps, has already had a busy year for our Premier Boys' and Girls' teams in Term 1 including a pre-season training camp in Mt Maunganui and the Super 6’s Tournament over Auckland Anniversary Weekend, the North Island Champs and the New Zealand Secondary School Nationals. In the College Sports leagues, both sides finished in positions that will see them playing in promotional games to compete in division one in 2023. Phew – and breathe. Meanwhile, our other senior sides have continued to develop and build depth across our Water Polo programme – all the while negotiating traffic light settings and player unavailability through isolations. Our junior teams competed in their respective College Sport oneday tournaments (over three different days) with the Boys A team having some tough games in the A league and the Boys B team steadily improving over the three days and having some good wins. Our Girls A team drew one game and won all the rest, so well done to them. All of this is building the strength and depth of Kristin Water Polo.

Matheo Fisher, team captain in action!

Premier Girls' team ready for action!

On the representative front Una Dennehy continues to excel, making the North Harbour Senior Women’s team and the NZ Youth Squad, while Kristin Alumni Lucia Doak is making waves (pun intended) in the US College system turning in some eyecatching performances for the UC San Diego Tritons.

Sherren Findley H E A D O F WAT E R P O LO

Una Dennehy about to unleash another powerful shot!

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL

Swimming Sports Kristin Swimming Sports Days, held at the National Aquatic Centre, were successfully held in COVID-19 'Red’ on 9 and 11 February. The event on 9 February saw the college-aged students (Years 9 to 13) compete in circumstances very similar to that of non-COVID times, sans parent timekeepers, with the Senior School Sports Committee filling the void. The Junior Girls saw Ruby Qu winning a perfect 5 from 5 across the various disciplines, taking out that title, with Anika Sinclair and Jenny Zhang taking out the minor placings. The Intermediate Girls’ title race was a closer affair with Katie Black winning narrowly from Isla Jamieson by virtue of the fact that she won all three of the events she competed in. Catie Hoggard finished 3rd. No surprises that Rebecca Wilkins was the top performer in the Senior Girls given her swimming pedigree. Una Dennehy had a strong day also, picking up five 2nd places to take 2nd overall with Keira Spilling, who finished 3rd. In the Senior Boys, James Zhang was unbeaten across five races to take the title comfortably from Thomas Dunn and Matheo Fisher. In a large Intermediate Boys’ field, Matthew Zheng was another who was victorious in all five events, with Sam Hewlett narrowly taking out 2nd from Randal Li. In a close contest the Junior Boys’ title went to Arvin Alipourrezaee over Harry Shine, with Austin Zhang 3rd. The Year 7 and 8 Swimming Sports Day was sadly downsized from its normal numbers to adhere to ‘Red’ rules. Unlike the Year 9 to 13’s day, which caters to the more competitive swimmer, the Year 7 and 8’s event is normally open to swimmers of all abilities, with a mixture of shorter races and novelty events. This year it had

Ready... set... go!!!

to be limited to just the more competitive swimmers of Kristin, robbing the day of its usual raucous atmosphere. However, it was still an excellent day of swimming for those who attended, with the Middle School Sports Committee taking up the timekeeping duties and the whole day running like a well-oiled machine. The Year 7 Girls’ swimmer of the day was Karishima SharmaBarrow with just one point separating Ashley Spencer from Bella Zhang in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Grace Van Der Eijk swept every event to comfortably take the Year 8 Girl’s title, with consistent swimming helping Hannah Chang achieve 2nd and Ulyana Ruzich 3rd. In the Year 7 Boys, Sebastian Leigh prevailed in a tight contest over Samuel Shen, with Jerry Zhao 3rd. And finally in the Year 8 Boys, there was no doubt who the top swimmer was with Alec Guan winning every event, followed by Josh Li 2nd and Kevin Xu 3rd. All in all, it was a great couple of days in the water for our Kristin swimmers. We look forward to seeing how some of them perform this year at North Harbour, Auckland and national events.

Sherren Findley S P O RT S M A N A G E R – S W I M M I N G

S P O RT S

Cross Country A week out from the big day of Kristin CrossCountry there was a sense of foreboding as ex-tropical cyclone Fili looked to dampen our fun (OK, not everyone thinks running a Cross Country is fun but I do). Every relevant staff member was on their favourite weather website trying to predict the path of the aforementioned weather system. Stalwart of too many school Cross Country events to count, Mr Burge was of the completely correct opinion that Cross Country is a winter sport, and it should be run in the rain if necessary. I even asked Reverend Ramsay if he might ask for some divine intervention. I was told it doesn’t work that way. Happily for all concerned, the threat of a storm remained just that and the day, one of the biggest of the year for the Sports Department, went off as smoothly as one could hope for. Thanks to all who helped out in the Sports Department, the PE Department, the Middle School staff and all others. Congratulations to all who took part and of course to our winners. Let’s do it all again next year!

Top: Mackenzie Eriksen is taking it all in her stride in the 2022 Kristin cross country.' Middle: : Cece Jenkins seems to be enjoying her run a great deal more than Mr Darrow. Bottom Left: Sarah Alshaar is probably thinking there's easier ways to take in the Kristin campus scenery.' Bottom Right: Saturn show team work comes in many forms in the 2022 edition of the Kristin school cross country.

Andrew Clay H E A D O F C R O S S C O U N T RY

S P O RT S

Cricket on a Roll at Kristin The 2022 Cricket season has seen our 1st XI hit their straps, winning their first four games and have finished the Term 1 season in 2nd place with a 5-2 record. The side, coached by Juan le Maitre, has been able to score plenty of runs, often batting first and setting a target for the opposition to chase. Year 10 student Arran Miles has performed admirably opening the batting and has scored 233 runs in seven innings with a healthy 38.83 average. Alex Godward has batted with authority, including a couple of knocks in the 80s. Captain Lachlan Wallace scored a fine 75-not-out against Long Bay College. The Kristin

bowlers worked as a unit all season and young leg-spinner Arahan Chattopadhyay chimed in with some crucial wickets. Ollie Birch and Lachie Wallace represented North Harbour U17 earlier in the year as well as playing for the Kristin team in Napier at the Cricket Festival in early January. It’s been a busy season for our cricketers in 2022. Congratulations to Year 11 student Krrish Hira-Patel who scored his maiden century against Avondale College in the first game of the season. His 103-not-out enabled the Colts team to secure their opening win in that inaugural game for the year.

Simon Mesritz S P O RT S M A N A G E R – C R I C K E T

Alexander Godward launches into another six.

Year 10 Arran Miles crunches one through the leg side.

Colts captain Krrish Hira-Patel leads from the front as he slashes one through the off-side.

Sports Highlights

S N O W S P O RT S Year 13 student Mikayla Smyth’s hard work paid off with her selection to the NZ Junior World Youth team for the world championships this year. Mikayla is the current NZ champion in alpine ski racing and has trained hard over our summer in North America. She was the only female ski racer to make the team. Snowsports NZ have also confirmed her selection into the NZ Alpine development squad for the 2022/2023 season. Back at school, Mikayla is also part of the Senior School Sports Committee and recently placed 2nd in the school Cross Country Championships.

FENCING Under the expert coaching and guidance of Junior School PE teacher Judit Fliszar, Kristin Fencing has been a leading contender at all school Fencing competitions. Already this year our two top fencers – Year 13’s Azaria Eddy and Leo Zhou – have competed at the National level. Both placed 3rd at the Waitangi Day Open Championship in Wellington in February. Both Azaria and Leo have been selected to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Championships in London. The Foil discipline is their main event and both have been involved in promoting the Kristin Fencing programme throughout the school. Azaria and Leo will this year spearhead our senior teams as they once again compete for the spoils in Auckland and NZ School Fencing championships later this year.

SWIMMING Year 13 student Rebecca Wilkins has had a memorable summer Swimming season despite the disruptions. Her 3rd place in her favoured event, the breaststroke, and personal bests at the NZ Open championships confirmed her selection in the NZ Junior Pan Pacific team to compete in Hawaii. Rebecca is a proactive member of the Senior School Sports Committee and won all her races at the Kristin Swimming Championships.

FINN BURRIDGE The 2022 Kristin Sports Prefect has been leading from the front across a variety of sports, including Athletics, Tennis, Hockey and Cross Country. He led the Kristin Premier Tennis team to 5th place in the top Auckland Schools Boys competition. He teamed up with Robbie King to be runners-up in the Champion-of-Champions tournament in doubles, and in the singles, he just missed qualifying for the final. In Athletics, he threw the javelin at a personal-best distance of over 51m and won the Auckland Secondary School Senior Boys title. He placed 3rd in the NZ U18 Pole Vault. Then in the last week of the term, he won the school Cross Country race for the senior Year 13 group. Finn is also in the North Harbour U18 A Hockey team.

YAC H T I N G Mattias Coutts (Year 12) helmed the Kristin boat in the Harken Schools Keelboat Regatta and, along with fellow Kristin Year 12 crew members Sam Elworthy, Kelian Landry, Tom Rebbeck and Ashton Williamson, qualified first on day one. On finals day the Kristin team finished 3rd overall in what was the most competitive regatta against the best in New Zealand. The boys were delighted to have Sir Russell Coutts coach them prior to and during the regatta and all are looking forward to the 2023 event.

JUNIOR SCHOOL

CRICKET The Kristin 1st XI team have had a great first half of the season, winning 5 of 7 games played. They have been led by two fine young cricketers, Year 13 Lachie Wallace (captain) and Alex Godward. Their Cricket development while here at Kristin has this year seen them dominating the averages in batting and bowling. This has been pleasing to see. Lachie as captain has responded well to the coaching and mentoring from 1st XI coach Juan Le Maitre. Alex has top-scored across the competition this year with an average of 36 and two scores in the 80s. In a memorable match vs Northcote College Alex scored 84 and Lachie 75 not out to dominate the innings.

AT H L E T I C S Year 13 student Maya Grundy has had an amazing summer in Athletics. In what has been a busy summer season Maya soared through the air to win the NZ U18 Girls’ Pole Vault championship in Hastings. Maya has been working hard at the AUT Millennium HighPerformance centre all summer. She also represented the school at the AKSS Championships, placing 2nd. In addition, Maya is a key mid-court player for our Premier Girls’ Netball Team.

Sports Term 1 came with restrictions as we operated under the ‘Red’ settings of the Government’s COVID-19 Protective Framework (CPF). Our scheduled inter-school tournaments were postponed until later in the year. Despite missing out on tournaments during Term 1, our young athletes had plenty of opportunities to train and develop their skills in preparation for competitions to be held later this year. Lunchtime and after-school practices went ahead with students participating in Athletics, Playball, Tennis, Golf, Touch Rugby, Running, Volleyball, Miniball, Cricket and Rock Climbing. As well as these sports, we had our Years 2 to 6 gymnasts working hard on Friday afternoons, while our Year 1 students got to experience balancing, rolling, swinging, climbing and more during their Friday lunchtime training sessions. The Saturday Fencing classes are providing a great opportunity for students to learn new skills and challenge themselves in their decision-making. Splash Polo, otherwise known as Flippa Ball, was able to continue under strict guidelines with no spectators. There were consequently some very quiet games! The Stingrays, our Year 2 and 3 team, are developing well for defining the future of Water Polo at Kristin School. The Year 4 and 5 Kingfish and Year 5 Swordfish teams continue to cement their talents and the Year 6 Seals team are showcasing some exceptional Water Polo skills. All teams are coached by current Year 10 to 13 Water Polo Premier players, which is a huge commitment as this sport is one that is played in all four terms.

M I N I BA L L Miniball is organised into two ‘half year’ seasons. Currently we have two Year 6 teams and one Year 5 team playing in the North Harbour Primary School Competition. Our Year 3 and Year 4 students are training to improve their skills and tactical understanding in preparation to take part in the competition which runs in the second half of the year. Notably, our Year 6 Breakers are in 4th place in the top grade with a record of four wins, one loss and one draw.

FO OT B A L L Another significant sports highlight was the exciting win by our 1st XI Boys' Football team against Birkenhead College. Down 0-3 they showed plenty of fighting spirit to score four unanswered goals and claim the win. Michael Deng scored the winning goal from the penalty spot... no pressure Michael!!.. after Ted Stapleton (Year 10) was brought down late in the game. Great fightback boys!

Raewyn Jack JUNIOR SCHOOL PE SPECIALIST

S P O RT S

Tennis Robbie King

Mina Zhang

The 2022 Tennis season got off to a great start in Term 1, with Tūrama setting the scene for some exciting Premier Tennis matches. Our Premier Boys, led by Captain Finn Burridge, played in the Auckland Premier division. The level of Tennis was outstanding with competitive games throughout the season, including wins against Macleans College, Saint Kentigern 2 and a draw with Botany Downs College. Our Premier Girls team, made up of predominantly Middle School students, played in the Auckland A2 division, finishing the season with two wins. The Senior B Girls and Boys teams played in the A3 Auckland division on Saturday mornings, both finishing their season with wins at home, placing 3rd in their grades. In the North Harbour competition, our three boys and girls teams played on a Monday afternoon, having a lot of fun throughout the season, with our girls finishing 2nd in the A grade!

Muhan Cui & Mina Zhang

This year our Tennis Beginners Programme ran on Tuesday afternoons in two groups, with the number of participants doubling from the previous year. In Term 1, for the first time, we have introduced the year-round Kristin “Lavie Tennis Academy” in Tūrama. These lessons are aimed at a small group of our competitive Tennis players, with each training session targeting specific tactical, mental and physical aspects of the game. We look forward to seeing this programme develop over the course of 2022. The Auckland Secondary School Tennis Champion of Champions Tournament was played over four days from 7 March. Eight Kristin students competed in eight singles and three doubles events. Both boys and girls had some great wins in the first and second rounds with Finn Burridge, our Sports Prefect and Captain of the Premier Boys team (Senior Singles), Muhan Cui and Mina Zhang (Intermediate Girls Doubles), Jamie King and Joey Li (Intermediate Boys Doubles) and Finn and Robbie King (Senior Boys Doubles) making it through to the semi-finals. Congratulations to Muhan and Mina, who then went on to win the Intermediate Girls Doubles title with a thrilling triumph against Macleans College in the final. The scores were tied one set all but our girls came through in the tie-breaker to win 10 points to 6! Finn and Robbie made it to the finals after a nail-biting semi-final against King’s College. Playing Saint Kents in a brilliant final that was close all the way, the Kristin boys went down 7/6, 4/6, 10/8. This match was played in fine spirit and was an absorbing contest highlighted by some amazing rallies. We look forward to seeing more Tennis action in Term 4.

Amanda Stuart Finn Burridge

S P O RT S M A N A G E R – T E N N I S

K R I S T I N A LU M N I

Kristin Alumni Shine at AIMES Awards Congratulations to Kristin Alumni Zoe White and Murdoch Thomson, who received scholarship grants at the North Harbour Club AIMES Awards Gala Dinner in May. Gifted dancer Zoe (class of 2017) was the recipient of the 2021 AIMES Arts Award and was also awarded the coveted Supreme AIMES Award. Murdoch (class of 2014), a legal expert with unique expertise in privacy and information security, was the winner of the 2021 AIMES Innovation Award. Provided by the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust, the awards celebrate excellence in the areas of Arts, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport and Service to the Community. Each year, around 20-25 young people from the region are awarded scholarships in their chosen fields. Kristin sponsors the Education Award at the ceremony, which was originally due to be held last year but was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Zoe, an AIMES Emerging Talent winner in 2017, studied in London for three years at the prestigious Rambert School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance. Her third year, due to be filled with stunning performance opportunities, was cut short due to COVID-19 cancellations. However Zoe pivoted (or pirouetted!) to use this time to achieve a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Contemporary Dance from the University of Kent via correspondence. Zoe's AIMES Award grant of $30,000 has helped towards her preprofessional year with the Sydney Dance Company and will support her creative and professional endeavours going forward.

University of Buckingham Law School (UK), finishing top of his class with first class Honours. Next, he went on to complete an LLM in international and commercial law, graduating with Distinction. Murdoch then followed his passion for emerging technologies, completing an advanced LLM in cyber space and telecommunications law at the University of Nebraska (USA). After a varied career advising Fortune 100 organisations and governments on space policy and security in the UAE and USA, Murdoch recently returned to New Zealand. He is currently the Governance, Risk & Compliance Manager at Cyber Research NZ and he also spends time supporting emerging talent, mentoring students and lecturing on emerging technologies. Murdoch received a $15,000 grant, which he will use to seek admission to the New Zealand Bar. Murdoch says: “I am genuinely very humbled to be awarded the AIMES Innovation Award; it’s a vote of confidence that the work I’ve been doing the last few years is paying off.” Murdoch says the support, opportunities and guidance that he received at Kristin has been invaluable. “What I learned at Kristin, I have carried through to my career. It’s also great that Kristin is involved in the AIMES Awards through sponsoring the Education Award and being part of a community that celebrates excellence.” Kristin Executive Principal Mark Wilson says: “Kristin is immensely proud of our 2021 AIMES Award winners. It is wonderful to see their incredible achievements recognised and we look forward to seeing what they do next in their careers – congratulations Zoe and Murdoch!”

Zoe says it was a complete surprise to win the Supreme Award: “It’s incredible to be recognised among all the other people and what they have achieved. Dance is a hard road so it is amazing to see that it is valued.” Zoe says she skills she acquired at Kristin stood her in good stead for her experiences to follow. “The education I had and skills I learnt in analysis and critical thinking really set me up for my education at Rambert. The Kristin teachers believed in me and supported my work to give me the confidence I needed in performing arts,” she says. Now that she is back in New Zealand, Zoe is reconnecting with the local dance scene and hoping to spend some time giving back to the community through teaching. Murdoch Thomson is an impressive legal talent, completing three law degrees by the time he reached the age of 21. After graduating from Kristin, Murdoch pursued a law degree at the

Zoe White

Murdoch Thomson

K R I S T I N A R C H I V E S – H E R I TAG E

From the Archives In preparation for Kristin’s 50th celebrations in March next year, we have been organising and digitising historic material from the archives. This includes items like publications, formal class and staff photographs, objects, film, and many informal photographs, like these gems pictured here from the earliest years of the school. Leading up to the 50th we will be busy implementing a digital platform where we can share special material like this with the wider Kristin community. This is a very exciting project for the Archive. Traditionally ‘gatekeepers’ of information, initiatives like this allow us to open the gates and let people in, to explore the collection at their leisure, share, and comment on items. Together we will preserve and celebrate the unique history and story of this special place. Keep an eye out for more news in this space as the year progresses, and in the meantime, feel free to get in touch with any questions or donations at rbell@kristin.school.nz or +64 9 415 9566 extn 2452. We always love to hear from you!

Rachel Bell A RC H I V I S T

Top: c1974 Sport at Campbells Bay 2nd row Left: c1976 Kindergarten Teddy Bears Picnic 2nd Row Right: 1976 Terry Findlay's class making picnic tables 3rd Row: 1977 Kindergarten Bikeathon Bottom: 1976 Kristin Midgets Soccer Team

K R I S T I N H E R I TAG E

50 Years of Progress with Vision, Integrity and Love.

the

23 26 TO

MAR 2023

With less than a year to go until Kristin celebrates its 50th Jubilee in March 2023, preparations are well underway. Kristin’s pioneering history is unique, and our 50-year milestone is one that is well worth celebrating. We can’t wait for our whole community to come together to mark this special occasion. Kristin’s 50th will be marked by a programme of celebratory events that will blend the past with the present. Our Alumni Cocktails evening on 23 March will launch the celebrations as we welcome our Alumni back onto campus to mix and mingle and reconnect with their peers.

There will be something for everyone over our extended weekend of celebrations – whether it is attending the Grandparents’ Lunch or our Chapel Service, spending quality time with family and friends at the Summer Carnival or watching our top sports teams challenge Kristin’s Alumni across a number of sports. We look forward to you attending our Gala Dinner or maybe it’s our Performing Arts evening, which will showcase the best of Kristin, past and present, that piques your interest. Bringing our Kristin Community together, the 50th celebrations will be a catalyst for the rekindling of old friendships and the making of new ones. We look forward to welcoming you on campus.

Administrator Zena Foyster is our very own Sherlock Holmes, tracking down ‘lost’ Alumni to reconnect them with Kristin. To help us update our records, if you’re a past student or staff member, please complete our ‘Keep in Touch’ form so that we have the correct contact details to help ensure you’re part of the Jubilee celebrations in March. www.kristin.school.nz/ keepintouch.

Kristin’s remarkable 50-year history is being charted in a commemorative book, written by author Debra Millar. The book will be a landmark piece, chronicling Kristin’s unique story from its foundation by a small team of enthusiastic parents and hard-working staff, and its growth into the inspiring place we know and love today. Available early 2023, with a limited print-run, visit our Kristin 50th website to register to secure a copy for you and your family. Our Alumni Department is working to ensure that our database records support us to reach our entire community, to give them the opportunity to be part of our celebrations. Alumni Database

Kristin’s archivist Rachel Bell is also busily preparing our fascinating rich archival material for the 50th. Our archives are a treasure trove of memories that our community will love to see, and Rachel is working to bring these to life for everyone to enjoy – both online and as part of the archival displays that will support our celebrations in March 2023.

Like any major event, Kristin School is seeking partners to support the success of our 50th. We would like to encourage you and your business to take advantage of the enticing sponsorship opportunities on offer. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Tash Bartlett at tbartlett@kristin. school.nz. By partnering with us, together we can make this a wonderful celebration that our community will talk about for the next 50 years! For more information, visit www.kristin.school.nz/50th

Tash Bartlett & Victoria Morris E V E N T S M A N A G E R & A LU M N I M A N A G E R

K R I S T I N A LU M N I

2021 Alumni Reunions Kristin’s Alumni network continues to strengthen, supported by a growing community who are part of KristinConnect, our exclusive online networking platform for Kristin Alumni. Our reunion events and social media engagement have also galvanised our community, who continue to stay connected to their teal Kristin roots beyond school. KristinConnect has proven to be invaluable when restrictions surrounding COVID-19 have prevented us from coming together in person for reunions. Over 900 Kristin Alumni working in a vast variety of fields and locations across the globe are embracing the platform – connecting and supporting one another via KristinConnect. It’s a fabulous resource for our recent graduates in particular, who can lean into their Alumni network as they navigate next steps and look to move away from home for study or other opportunities. Kristin’s supportive Alumni network is ready and willing to support our students as they journey beyond school. Our reunions in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin were a highlight of our 2021 Alumni events programme, and provided a wonderful opportunity for some of our most recent graduates to come together to reminisce and support one another as they forge new pathways after Kristin. Our special guest hosts were crowd favourites: Carl Murray in Dunedin and Mark Haslam in Wellington. We’re looking forward to a busy Alumni events programme during 2022, culminating in our Auckland ‘Mega’ Reunion in November – a combined 2021/2022 reunion event (following the cancellation of our 2021 Auckland reunion) – which is shaping up to be our biggest yet!

Victoria Morris A LU M N I M A N AG E R

KristinConnect T H E O N L I N E N E T W O R K FO R T H E K R I S T I N A LU M N I C O M M U N I T Y

RECONNECT

GIVE BACK

EXPAND

ADVANCE

Reconnect and stay in touch with fellow Kristin Alumni

Find a mentor or offer to mentor other Kristin Alumni

Expand your professional network

Advance your career through Kristin Alumni connections

www.kristinconnect.nz T H E O N L I N E N E T W O R K FO R T H E K R I S T I N A LU M N I C O M M U N I T Y

K R I S T I N A LU M N I – B E S T S E L L I N G A U T H O R

Graci Kim Graci Kim, Head Prefect from the Class of 2004, is a dynamic force – a bestselling author with a background as a diplomat for the New Zealand foreign service. Graci’s debut novel: ‘The Last Fallen Star’ is book one in the Korean mythology-inspired trilogy published by Rick Riordan Presents, is a New York Times bestseller, as well as a 2021 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for “Best Middle Grade & Children’s Book”. Graci’s ‘Gifted Clans’ trilogy has also been optioned by the Disney Channel for a live-action television series! Graci inspired our Year 7 students recently when she visited Kristin to speak, sharing stories from her early years through to her fascinating varied career and becoming a bestselling author. She talked about how aspiring to always be brave and curious has guided her decisions and how she chose to focus on being positive when facing challenges. The students loved hearing from Graci and asked many questions including how she stays motivated, how she overcomes writer's block and how she overcame some of her challenges. There was a message for everyone in Graci's presentation: One situation has two outcomes, which path will you choose?

But when I wasn’t working, I was restless. Somewhere deep down, there was a small voice willing me to stop—to consider whether I was, in fact, progressing with “Vision, integrity and love”. Kristin taught me to strive for excellence. Was I doing justice to my vision? Or had my vision changed? Then one sunny day in Beijing, I was told that without emergency surgery within the following 24-72 hours, I would go blind. In the proceeding months of darkness, as I recovered from surgery, I was forced to truly stop. And the little voice inside me began to grow. “Have the integrity to listen,” it urged. “Do the thing that makes your heart sing.” The voice was mine—but from an earlier time, before exams and adulthood and the pressure to achieve became too loud. And when I lent an ear, I learned that my heart sang its loudest song when I put my pen to paper.

Graci was kind enough to share some more of her story and reflections with us:

Growing up, I didn’t see kids who looked like me in books. We were invisible. And I wanted to be part of the movement that put us on the page. Because everyone deserves to be the heroes of their own stories. Our voices deserve to be heard too.

“When I graduated Kristin in 2004, I thought I knew exactly where I was headed. Kristin’s motto of “Progress with vision, integrity and love” was deeply instilled in me, and I wanted to put that into action through a career in diplomacy. After all, what greater service was there than representing my country?

My first novel was a failure. But I kept writing. And the day I found out I was pregnant, I got my first book deal with Disney. Now I write full time, and my books have become bestsellers, won awards, and been optioned for TV.

The decade or so I spent as a diplomat included some of the most exciting years of my life. I got to negotiate wine trade agreements in South America, lead initiatives on women’s economic empowerment in APEC, help in the post-earthquake effort in Christchurch, and even walk down the red carpet. I got to see so much of the world, learned languages for a living, and lived in beautiful places like Taipei and Beijing.

My journey is still not over. Writing is a privilege, and the path is windy and tortuous. But for now, my heart is full. I pour myself into my words because I now have an honest vision of my purpose. I dedicate my days, with integrity and love, to the kids out there for whom representation matters. And I have Kristin’s values to thank for that.“ For more information, visit www.gracikim.com

Above: Michelle Dickinson aka Nanogirl in action. Right: Joe Davis

K R I S T I N A LU M N I – C O - FO U N D E R O F N A N O G I R L L A B S

Joe Davis Joe Davis (Class of 1998) is an innovator, change-maker and inspiring human! Co-founder of Nanogirl Labs with wife Michelle Dickinson, Joe and his team are changing the way STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is delivered, making it accessible and inspiring for a broad spectrum of audiences globally. Joe has also recently published his first book, 'Silver Linings', sharing inspirational stories of courage and growth that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Tell us about what you’re currently doing. At the moment I’m leading a social enterprise called Nanogirl Labs. My now wife and I co-founded the business in 2016, and it’s been an awesome journey so far… We’re on a mission to ‘ignite the change-maker’ – to make STEM learning, and all the opportunities that flow from that, available to everyone. Is there such a thing as a typical workday for you? What does it look like? What are the parts of your job that you enjoy most? As a CEO in a mission-driven start-up, every day brings something new. We’re a significantly larger organisation than we were pre-pandemic, and that’s changed the nature of my role day to day a fair bit in the last few years. I’m still firmly connected to our business development and growth efforts; I’m less directly involved in our operational delivery now… our team really lead that work now. That’s great for the business – though I have to admit I miss being ‘on the tools’ sometimes (every now and then I get to write some code still, and I get a kick out of that!) A lot of my time and focus is spent in service of our team: understanding and clearly articulating what’s important, making sure they have the support they need to bring their magic to our work together, and ensuring that we’re honouring our promises and continually living up to our values. It’s a real privilege to lead – we have such an amazing team of smart, talented, driven and thoroughly decent people. It’s the most challenging and rewarding part of my role for sure. How has the landscape for your work changed in the last two years? How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way you live and work? Our COVID-19 story is really what prompted me to kick-start and co-write 'Silver Linings', and the book tells the story best. In

short, the pandemic was transformative for us at Nanogirl Labs. Pre-pandemic, we’d just opened our offices in California, and registered our US company. We were running a strategy that used live events – explosive, funny science theatre – to introduce our ‘Nanogirl’ brand to families. All that evaporated in half a day as pandemic restrictions came into force around the globe. We made a major shift in focus to online learning, and engaged more than 340,000 young people in 57 countries as a result, and were able to do that in a way that helped us fund work with families and communities that would otherwise have been left behind. It was a profoundly challenging time – exhilarating, exhausting – but ultimately a real positive for the business… the lessons we were able to learn were incredibly valuable. Tell us a little about your career pathway to becoming Founder and CEO of Nanogirl Labs. When you left school, was this the path you expected to be on? When I left in ’98 I was planning to read law… I thought I’d be a barrister. I’d always had the entrepreneurial bug, though – inherited from my dad, I reckon – and ultimately that won the day. When I was at school I had a computer sales and web development business. From 5th Form (Year 11) on, I’d change my tie and jacket after school and walk into the Albany commercial district and go door to door, selling my work to the companies there. Two weeks after my last exam my phone rang – a company I’d visited had a major web application project they needed help with. That led to another job by recommendation, that to another, and before I knew it, I had a consultancy practice building around tech and web development (as it was in the late ’90s).

My career since has involved a lot of work in and around tech, but has bounced all over the place – that’s been such a joy! I was involved in founding the National Youth Theatre Company with an amazing group of friends, had the great privilege of leading Coastguard through a time of substantial change, and before Nanogirl Labs I spent a number of years consulting with companies to help them solve challenges around innovation, strategy and growth. At one point I even considered entering politics.

me really think about how I see the world, and what matters to me – it’s all had a huge impact in the years since… the stuff outside the classrooms as much as what we learnt in them.

Did I expect to be here? Not at all. Our work at Nanogirl Labs addresses a problem that, prior to meeting Michelle, I didn’t really know existed – ensuring that everyone, everywhere has access to world-class education. When I realised the gap in opportunity for young people in New Zealand – let alone around the world – I saw a mission that I felt deserved urgent and real attention, and an opportunity to make a dent.

Two specific experiences, though, shaped me profoundly: first, it was my work in the theatre with the brilliant Andrew Churches, who ran the Auditorium tech alongside his teaching practice back then. Long hours rigging lights and sound systems, and learning to design and operate shows. Those experiences, and the love of theatre that ensued, led directly to my contribution in building the National Youth Theatre, and more recently to building a global touring live science theatre show. More than that, though – it was where I really started to cut my teeth as a leader, figuring out what worked and (just as importantly) what didn’t in leading teams. The value of hard work, the power of stories – it all shines through in live theatre, and I’m so grateful.

There’s a Steve Jobs video online where he talks about things making sense when you look back on them. That really resonates with me. I’ve always loved leading great people in meaningful, exciting work. Combining my passion for business and love for charity work – trying to build a ‘socially conscious business’ that achieves both profit and impact – really seems to make sense at the moment. What inspired you to write Silver Linings and what has the response to the book been like? It was our journey through the pandemic that inspired me to kick-start and co-write 'Silver Linings', and I’m so grateful to my co-author and good friend David Downs for coming on the journey! The pandemic was – and continues to be – an incredibly challenging time. There’s been so much pain and suffering… but there’s also been some incredible examples of resilience, agility and humanity. I felt that those stories deserved to be told. Between us, David and I interviewed more than 100 business and community leaders about their experience during the pandemic. I learnt so much from those conversations – it was an incredible privilege – and the feedback we’ve had from readers is that those lessons resonate for them too (phew!), and have value outside the immediacy of COVID-19 in shaping their businesses and their mahi as leaders. Are there any life lessons you’d like to share? Life is short, life is uncertain, and it’s such an epic adventure. Success means different things to each of us, and that’s beautiful… I’m not sure there are any ‘secrets’ really. I think the best lessons I’ve learnt so far come back to putting first things first – remembering what’s important (it’s not often work), looking after your health, giving time and energy to the people you love, and being as present in every moment as you can possibly be. Really just make the most of it, and try to leave this place a bit better than you found it. How do you feel your time at Kristin has shaped your path beyond school? Kristin was the most incredible place to start. So many of the opportunities I enjoyed at school – the chance to try stuff (and learn from mistakes), the amazing people who took time to help

What do you look back on as the highlights of your time at Kristin? I genuinely enjoyed school – I love learning, and friendships formed in those years have remained incredibly dear to me in the years since and I’m so grateful for that.

Secondly, it was an opportunity given to me by Rodney Ford. Mr Ford taught Information Technology back then, and invited me to help teach IT to some of the junior classes when I had free periods, and created a space where I could experiment with technology in a way that I couldn’t during our usual curriculum work. The heated debates I’d have with Mr Ford about life, a deep appreciation for soul and blues music, the huge value in learning to teach something – to pass on knowledge in a way that made sense to younger students – and the incredible lessons learnt in tinkering have all had a profound impact! If you could give a message to students looking to pursue a similar path, what would it be? If you see a problem in the world and think ‘someone should do something about that’ – and if you really care about it – then know that you are that someone. Whether it’s fixing something in your neighbourhood or building a global business, get amongst it and learn every lesson you can along the way. Your community – the people you walk through life with – are so unbelievably important. Leadership and entrepreneurship can be lonely sometimes. Nurture a community that you can lean on when you need to, and be there for them when they need you in turn. Is there anything else you’d like to share with current students, staff, parents or the wider Kristin Community? Kristin’s a really special place, and I’d just acknowledge everyone who’s played a part in building that – staff, parents, students and supporters alike. Progress with vision, integrity and love seems like a pretty good idea, all the more so in the times we live in.

For more information visit www.nanogirl.co and www.silverlinings.nz

K R I S T I N A LU M N I – S U S TA I N A B L E D E S I G N E R

Jamie Phillips Jamie Phillips (Class of 2001) is using his specialist design expertise for good. Jamie has merged beautiful design with sustainability to create yesēco, a brand that strives to reduce unnecessary waste by creating eco alternatives. Jamie’s Kristin experience ignited his passion for design: “Thanks to a 7th Form year that was full of the Arts, I was lucky to leave Kristin knowing exactly what I wanted to do... to pursue a career in design, and graphic design was where I wanted to start,” he says.

Jamie’s mission made him reflect on his own life and everyday items he uses that need a shake up and a fresh set of ideas to bring them to life with ecovalues. His first target... the humble dish brush!

“My [school] portfolio – which included graphics, photography, art design, painting and English – was good to go and I was accepted into the Bachelor of Art and Design at AUT, majoring in Graphic Design and Photography."

Yesēco’s flagship product, the ONE BRUSH, launched in November 2021 via Kickstarter, and has already smashed its initial launch targets, attracting 1,700 backers worldwide in the 30-day campaign. It may be hard to fathom that a dish brush can be described as a thing of beauty, but that is exactly what Jamie has created – the ONE BRUSH has recently won Gold in Product Design at the 2021 Good Design Australia Awards.

After gaining experience as a graphic designer and art director in New Zealand, Jamie moved to London, and later Australia where he honed his design skills, identifying the areas that lit his fire, specialising as a creative retoucher. “It’s a very technically challenging job that moulded together my passions of photography, design and art directing and took my eye for detail and pursuit of perfection to the next level,” he says. Jamie established his own post-production house, Pixel Social Club, enabling him to continue the work he loved under his own brand. However, he found himself wanting for more. “Retouching and Pixel Social Club are great and I love the work... but something was missing and my love for the ocean and the environment, along with the growing awareness around plastic waste, was starting to weigh heavily on my mind... The truth be told, I didn’t want to look back in 5, 10, 15 years and say ‘Why didn’t I try to help?’ “I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be part of the solution rather than just talking about what was wrong with the world. I realised consumers aren’t the problem; it was the lack of alternatives in the market. I wanted to start solving small problems on a big scale.”

Jamie Phillips

Looking ahead, Jamie has his sights firmly set on bringing yesēco to the world – yesēco has been showcased at recent trade shows in Chicago, Sydney and Melbourne, with ONE BRUSH manufacturing now underway. As he reflects on his journey so far, Jamie recognises some key influences from his time at Kristin: “Looking back, there were many kind staff and individuals at Kristin who helped shape me – a young man who was more interested in surfing and having a laugh than anything else! But the two who definitely stand out are Mr Ken Coulson and Mrs Debbie Dwyer, who both helped to nurture and grow my passion for the arts (design and photography especially) and the pursuit of taking a concept all the way through to a final product and to enjoy all of the trials and tribulations along the way. I’m extremely grateful for their patience, passion and all round good vibes to start me on my path in design.” For more information, visit www.yeseco.life

Coming up at Kristin Academic Pathways & Tertiary Futures Evening

T H U R S D AY 4 AUGUST

Dance IN THE DOVE

18-20 AUGUST 2022

We’re looking forward to bringing our alumni community together at these upcoming reunion events. You can register your attendance via the reunion event links on www.kristinconnect.nz. If you would like to receive invitations to alumni events and reunions, simply update your details via our ‘Keep in Touch’ form at: wwwkristin.school.nz/keepintouch

SY D N E Y R E U N I O N Wednesday 29 June DUNEDIN REUNION Tuesday 16 August W E L L I N GTO N R E U N I O N Wednesday 17 August C H R I S TC H U RC H R E U N I O N Thursday 18 August K A U R I C LU B & S TA F F R E U N I O N Wednesday 21 September A U C K L A N D ' M E GA ' R E U N I O N Friday 4 November (2021 & 2022 combined reunion for the classes of 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017)

Harcourts Cooper & Co – proud to support Kristin School

Imagine. Believe. Achieve. Proud to support the youth of today with the dreams of tomorrow Scan here for more information

50 1973 2023 TO

In 2023 Kristin will celebrate 50 years

the

23 26 TO

MAR 2023

since the founding of our school in 1973. It’s our opportunity to acknowledge the people and experiences that have shaped our school over its inspiring 50-year history. Our school was founded by families, for families and we place huge value on the spirit, integrity, passion and diversity of our community – from our visionary founding families to our resilient, proud yet humble present-day students.

Together, we are Kristin. CELEBRATE

CONNECT

REFLECT

our achievements with old friends on our journey For more information & to register, visit www.kristin.school.nz/50th

PO Box 300 087, Albany 0752, Auckland, New Zealand 360 Albany Highway, Albany 0632, Auckland, New Zealand Ph 09 415 9566

W W W. K R I S T I N . S C H O O L . N Z

Kaleidoscope Magazine July 2022

Articles inside

Alumni – Joe Davis

Alumni – Graci Kim

Alumni – Jamie Phillips

50 Years of Progress with Vision, Integrity and Love

From the Archives

Alumni – AIMES Awards

Tennis

Junior School Sport Update

Sports Highlights

Cross Country

Cricket

Swimming Sports

Water Polo

Sports Update

International Services

Council of Sustainability

Performing Arts Update

Innovative Technology in the Library

Middle School Adventure Days

CAS Update

Shakespeareans Soar at Kristin

Junior School Update

From the Executive Principal

Parent Masterclass / Little Doves

Wellbeing Update

Junior School Welcome Centre / Transport Plans

Campus Update – Auditorium Upgrade

From the Board

An update from KFF

Foundation Day 2022