Kristin Kaleidoscope 2025

Executive Principal A message from the

Ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa | The child – the heart of the matter. This powerful whakataukī is more than just words – it is the living, breathing spirit that shapes our community. It reminds us every day that our students are the reason we gather, learn and strive to make a difference. As we reflect on a vibrant first two terms of 2025 at Kristin, we celebrate the vision, integrity and love that drive our journey together, always keeping our children and young people at the very heart of all we do.

Vision: Inspiring futures

Kristin’s vision is not just about academic achievement; it is about nurturing well-rounded and wholehearted individuals who are prepared to shape a better world. So far this year, our students have demonstrated remarkable initiatives - whether leading sustainability projects, innovating in technology competitions or advocating for social justice causes. Their courage to dream big and act boldly is a testament to the vision we share as a school community.

Integrity: Leading by example

Integrity is woven into the fabric of life at Kristin. It’s seen in the way students support one another, in the honesty of their efforts and in their willingness to stand up for what is right. Our student leaders have modelled this value through service, mentorship and everyday kindness. Their actions remind us that true leadership is measured not by titles but by our positive impact on those around us.

Love: Building a caring community

Aroha is the foundation of our Kristin way. It is reflected in the friendships that blossom across year levels, the encouragement from teachers and the inclusive spirit that welcomes every child. Already this year, our community has come together to celebrate diversity, support wellbeing and ensure that every student feels valued and heard. From House events to cultural celebrations, love has been at the centre of every gathering.

The heart of the matter

As we look back on Terms 1 and 2, we see a tapestry of student action supported by incredible educators and staff. Each thread woven by our students has been done with care, commitment and joy. Our students' achievements, growth and empathy show that when we place their needs, wellbeing and development at the core, extraordinary things happen. They become confident learners, compassionate friends and courageous leaders.

Ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa

The child is, and always will be, the heart of our Kristin story. As we progress with vision, integrity and love, we honour this truth and look forward to our continued journey of growth, discovery and shared purpose.

Kim Green Executive Principal

From the Board

It has already been an incredibly dynamic and rewarding year at Kristin in all areas of our exceptional school.

Whether it is the success we have witnessed in the sporting arena, the unbelievable Senior School Production of Les Misérables that captured the hearts and minds of our community, the constant magic that takes place within our classrooms from Little Doves right through to Senior School, or the relentless dedication we see toward service initiatives from our students; Kristin is certainly a place that offers a wholehearted eduction in all facets imaginable. Of course, these accomplishments are a testament to our schools' foundation, our history and our staff and students’ desire to make a real difference in their lives and the lives of others.

We welcomed our talented new Executive Principal, Kim Green, at the beginning of the year, and the Board is thrilled with her work and commitment so far and recognise she is going to be an incredible asset for Kristin for years to come.

From a Board perspective, we have been working hard to put plans in place to ensure Kristin continues to lead from the front as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.

A major focus has been on the Gate Two Building, which will provide many classrooms for various faculties, common areas, vital workspaces for staff and students, and ensure we have world-class facilities available for our students to learn in. Earlier this year, we approved AM Architects as the firm to design this facility, and we appreciated the response during our consultations with staff, students and the wider Kristin community. This feedback will be pivotal in shaping the final design of the building. In addition to our architects, we have commissioned engineers, geotechnical consultants, services consultants, facade consultants and fire engineers to complete the building's Concept Design and Preliminary Design stage by the final quarter of 2025.

Another key emphasis for the Board has been the implementation of the School Improvement Plan for 2025, which is designed to promote ongoing growth. This process will culminate in an annual school evaluation, where the school will reflect on its performance, and the Board will review the findings against established objectives and criteria for success. This initiative aims to maintain accountability while aligning with our strategic goals.

In our Board meetings, we've engaged in thorough discussions about critical areas of our strategic plan, which included the Board developing a shared understanding of wellbeing. We have affirmed our commitment to becoming a national and global leader in wellbeing, and we are eager to further articulate this vision in the refresh of our strategic plan that we will undertake from Term 3 2025 to Term 2 2026.

Lastly, we recently approved the establishment of an Advancement Committee and are committed to engaging with the Kristin leadership team to establish our Statement of Investment Policy (SoIP). We are also developing a framework for advancement/fundraising at Kristin. The two key domains of this will be short-term annual giving projects and the longer-term development of an Endowment Fund.

I hope you enjoy reading the many stories, highlights and achievements featured in this issue of Kaleidoscope magazine. I am excited about the opportunity to continue collaborating with our community this year as we work together toward a bright, bold and ambitious future at Kristin.

Richard Sharp Board Chair

Kristin Family and Friends (KFF)

Building an engaged community together

Whānau (family) has been at the heart of Kristin since the school’s establishment in 1973. Kristin School was founded by families with a shared desire for an exceptional education and a strong sense of community.

A group of parent volunteers started a ‘friend-raising’ initiative in 1973, which over the years has evolved into the Kristin Family and Friends (KFF) community. All parents, caregivers and staff (past and present) are part of the KFF community.

Building an engaged community requires a team effort between the school and parents/caregivers. The dedicated Kristin staff work tirelessly to create opportunities for our children to thrive, and the KFF committee is a group of parent volunteers dedicated to creating opportunities for parents and caregivers to feel more engaged with their children at school.

KFF committee members facilitate community initiatives such as the lost property team, the second-hand uniform sales team, Wednesday walks, gardening bees and Performing Arts behind-the-scenes help. Committee members also organise parent social gatherings at school in the Pavilion Cafe and off-site evening functions. The KFF committee’s Junior, Middle and Senior School Deputy Chairs support each school. The Deputy Chairs provide a vital link between school and home, communicating with 29 parent Class Coordinators (Kindergarten/Junior School) and 26 Parent Liaisons (Middle and Senior School).

The Parent Liaisons, Class Coordinators and KFF committee members meet each term with school senior leadership members to discuss key themes, parent feedback and upcoming events. By volunteering for school trips, camps, sports teams and attending KFF and school parent functions, parents and caregivers are collectively contributing to a more connected community.

At Kristin, the parent community raises funds primarily through the sale of second-hand uniforms. By recycling preloved uniforms, parents contribute to the KFF's financial funds while promoting sustainability. Funds are reinvested in various initiatives that directly benefit the community. Examples are purchasing items that can be used for school socials and functions (e.g. stanchions, red carpets, blackout curtains), refreshments at KFF parent functions and maintenance of the KFF caravan. Additionally, funds are available to support student-led sustainability initiatives (Dove Seed Fund) and, if required, individual student needs (Dove Support Fund).

All whānau/caregivers and staff are members of the KFF community and we encourage you to get involved with any aspect of our activities that you have an interest in or capacity to help with. Together, we’ll continue to build a strong community for the benefit of our children!

Rachel Coward KFF Chair

Wellbeing From the Head of Wellbeing

Teenagers today: resilient, creative and facing tough

new challenges.

Today’s teenagers are often misunderstood, yet they’re among the most resilient, creative and socially conscious generations we’ve seen. They care deeply about the world around them, speak out on issues like climate change and mental health and use digital platforms to express themselves and build communities. Many are tech-savvy, entrepreneurial and open-minded, challenging old norms and forging new paths with impressive confidence. But alongside these strengths, modern teens are also navigating a world filled with new and complex pressures, many of which previous generations never had to face.

While full of opportunity, the online world is also a minefield of challenges. Social media can provide connection and self-expression, but it also fuels comparison, unrealistic expectations and a constant need for validation. The pressure to look perfect, be popular and stay relevant can take a toll on self-esteem and mental health.

Online bullying, once limited to school hours, now follows teenagers home via screens. It can be relentless, anonymous and deeply damaging. From hurtful messages to public shaming, many teens suffer in silence, unsure of how to respond or who to turn to.

Unhealthy relationships and coercion are another growing concern. With the rise of digital communication, boundaries can become blurred. Teens may not always recognise manipulation and pressure, particularly in romantic relationships.

Peer pressure, too, has evolved. It’s no longer just about fitting in with the cool crowd. It now includes pressure to share personal images, act older than they are, or present a perfect life online. The fear of missing out – or being excluded – can push teens into choices that don’t reflect their true values.

Despite all of this, today’s teens are remarkably strong. They’re learning to set boundaries, speak up for themselves and support one another. But they can’t do it alone.

At Kristin, we understand that today’s young people need empathetic adults – parents, teachers – who listen openly and create supportive spaces for honest conversations.

At the heart of our Kristin Wellbeing Framework are three forms of Mana: Mana Motuhake, which nurtures strong self-identity and the value of positive role models; Mana Whānau, fostering a sense of belonging; and Mana Tū, building the resilience needed to face life’s challenges.

This year, we’ve partnered with Dr Kris Taylor (University of Auckland) to support our Year 10 pastoral team in designing and delivering a learning programme that brings these aspects of Mana to life. The programme encourages open dialogue, critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for navigating the complexities of adolescence. By equipping students with tools to understand respect, digital safety and emotional wellbeing; we are empowering them to face an ever-changing world with strength, confidence and connection.

Kellie Carpenter Head of Wellbeing

International Services

Forming meaningful connections with the Kristin community

Aroha and a sense of wellbeing are an integral part of a Kristin education. Our international students would like to share how they are experiencing and strengthening their Mana essentials that make up our Wellbeing Framework Mana Model, especially Mana Whānau (strong connections with people) and Mana Ukaipo (a sense of belonging with people and place):

Alex Zhang (Year 11), China

One of my most memorable moments in New Zealand was participating in the National Spanish Speech Competition. Representing Kristin for the first time in a nationwide event was both an honour and a challenge, but above all, it was a moment of connection.

My speech was on the Forbidden City, a place steeped in history and imperial grandeur in Beijing, China. It created an extraordinary bridge between multiple cultures. I was sharing a part of my heritage, not in Chinese or English, but in Spanish. It reminded me that language is more than words; it's a way to build understanding and respect across borders.

When I was announced as the third-place winner, I felt much more than just pride; I felt like I belonged to the Kristin community that has supported me with encouragement and guidance throughout the preparation of my speech. I belonged to New Zealand, a country where diversity is embraced and celebrated. And finally, I belonged to a wider global community that values the sharing of cultures and perspectives.

Through this journey, I’ve learned that identity isn’t something we leave behind when we travel – it’s something we carry forward and share in new ways.

Speaking about Chinese culture in Spanish while living in New Zealand is truly an example of connection. And that, to me, is the heart of Kristin – a place where different worlds don’t collide, they come together.

Sarah Byrne (Year 11), Austria

My experience as an international student has been interesting. I not only get to learn a language here, but I am also learning about the culture and people of New Zealand. To my surprise, I made friends quite quickly and we have a lot

of fun together, not only at school, but also outside of school.

Camp was so much fun getting to know more people and really feeling that Mariner spirit. Sports Day was fun too, and I put my all into it. Sadly, we didn’t win, but I felt a strong sense of Mana Whānau that day. I am also a part of the K-Pop dance group at school; we will perform at the International Peace Night concert, which I look forward to. I love dancing with this group, and I learned a lot of new things. Overall, I am really enjoying my time here at Kristin.

Celine Sun (Year 12), China

When I first arrived, everything felt unfamiliar: the courses, the classrooms and even the way students interact. But everything began to change when my classmates showed me kindness. They were genuinely interested in where I was from and showed respect for my culture. I no longer feel like an outsider. I feel seen, respected and valued for who I am and where I came from. The teachers and students welcomed me warmly into the Kristin community. I began participating in many activities, such as House Sports Day, cheering for my friends, and Market Day, selling food for donations.

These experiences gave me a strong sense of connection not just with Kristin but also with the people and places in New Zealand. They helped me feel at home here and made me proud to contribute to a diverse and inclusive community that truly celebrates belonging.

Helen Kim Manager of International Services

Little Doves Creating a pepeha for our tamariki

Where do I call home? Where are my roots?

Who are the people who have shaped me? What is the meaning of my name?

These are some of the questions that form a pepeha for the children at Little Doves.

A pepeha is a traditional way Māori formally tell of their heritage, stating their iwi, hapū and whānau connections and describing where they come from and who their people are. For Little Doves, the challenge was to create a pepeha that is culturally appropriate for non-Māori and also appropriate for children so young.

After many months of research and advice, the result is a visual pepeha, a collection of photos of the people and places that matter most to a child, created for them by their family.

Parents are first asked about their whenua ūkaipō, or their homelands:

Where do you call home? Where have your ancestors travelled from? Where are the places where you feel sheltered, connected and inspired?

They are then asked about whanaungatanga, or the people and family connections for their child:

Who are your whānau / family who have nurtured and shaped you? Who are the ancestors who have carried your family name?

And finally, they are asked to explain the meaning of their child’s name and how it was chosen, often revealing the aspirations of the child’s family and sometimes even the story of how a name has been passed down the generations.

Once a pepeha has been created by each new family, it becomes an instant treasure for children, and they can often be seen carrying around their pepeha, poring over the photos of the people and places they love, and showing their pepeha to new friends and teachers.

As the children from Little Doves reach the age of four and transition to Kindergarten, they carry their pepeha with them, bringing along the important people and places they cherish for the next chapter of their journey.

Sarah Jones Little Doves Centre Manager

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari taku toa he toa takitini – I come not with my own strength, but bring with me the gifts, talents and strength of my ancestors. My strength is not that of one, but of many.

Kindergarten Building connections in Kindergarten

Kristin Kindergarten is uniquely situated on the grounds alongside the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools. This prime location presents numerous opportunities to cultivate tuakana–teina relationships, where older and younger children share knowledge and learning experiences. This dynamic significantly influences the early development of our young children's aspirations, attitudes and cultural understanding. In every interaction, I often observe a strong connection and admiration as the younger children listen to and observe their older peers. This relationship is reciprocal, as older children embrace the responsibility of engaging with the Kindergarten students, demonstrating interest in their questions and exhibiting commendable calmness and gentleness.

As children grow and develop, supporting their sense of self-worth, wellbeing and manaakitanga (kindness) is essential. With the backing of external influences, such as family, teachers, culture and peers of varying ages, children can flourish into fine young adults, future parents and leaders. There is a lot of research around the development and explicit teaching of social skills and emotions. In Kindergarten, we understand the importance of this development at the age of four. ‘A child’s emotional competence develops over time as a result of whānau, peer and community interactions and the social and

cultural learning opportunities available to them.’ – He Māpuna te Tamaiti. Children who are able to develop these social skills, as they are modelled by the older students around them, are much more likely to grow into self-managing young people and adults with positive life outcomes.

Many of the opportunities for this connection are delivered through the assignment of Senior School students to the Kindergarten and Year 0, who visit the children, reading to them, creating art with them, playing with them and helping us with events such as Matariki. On top of this, we were delighted this year to welcome two Senior School students who had recently visited NASA to support the children with their current inquiry. The boys arrived at Kindergarten well-prepared and brimming with enthusiasm as they presented their custom-made presentation about rockets. This engagement ignited excitement and prompted further inquiries regarding the mechanics of rockets.

We also take great pride in participating in the annual lighting of the candle on Foundation Day, symbolising the strong connection and tuakana–teina relationships we cherish, aligning closely with our core values.

Leila Guillard

Kindergarten Manager and Year 0 Dean

Junior School From the Junior School Principal

Reflect on your own school days: the moments of discovery, the thrill of a new challenge and the pride in achieving something you once thought impossible. At Kristin Junior School, these experiences aren’t just memories, they’re the foundation of everyday. Here, excellence is not a distant goal, but a lived value, celebrated across academics, the arts, sport, personal growth and service to others.

Academic achievement at Kristin is exceptional, but it’s only part of the story. Our students thrive in a culture that values high standards across all pursuits. Whether they’re composing music, performing in a play, scoring goals on the sports field or designing solutions for realworld problems, Kristin students are encouraged to pursue excellence with passion and integrity. The school’s inquiry-based curriculum ensures that learning is always relevant and connected to the world beyond the classroom, fostering curiosity and a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.

At Kristin, striving for excellence is about more than results, it’s about growth. Every child is recognised as an individual, with unique strengths and goals. Teachers nurture a growth mindset, helping students understand that mastery is a journey and that setbacks are simply steps along the path. ‘Yet’ is a powerful word at Kristin: if a student hasn’t achieved something, it means they haven’t got there yet. This approach builds resilience, confidence

and a willingness to take risks.

From creating ‘bath bombs’ with newfound knowledge about chemical reactions in Kindergarten, to Market Day innovations in Year 4, to the action-oriented Year 6 Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition, Kristin students are active participants in their learning. They’re taught to take initiative, collaborate and apply their knowledge to authentic challenges. Service learning is woven throughout the curriculum, empowering students to make a tangible difference in their communities and the environment. Whether it’s through environmental stewardship, social advocacy or creative enterprise, Kristin students learn that their actions matter. What truly sets Kristin apart is its culture. Here, it’s cool to try hard and to have big dreams. Students know that their teachers and peers believe in their potential to shape the future. High standards are celebrated, not as a source of pressure, but as an invitation to grow, explore and contribute. Kristin’s commitment to excellence, creativity, sport, personal development and service ensures that every child is prepared to be a changemaker. They leave not only with knowledge and skills, but with the confidence and compassion to make a difference, starting now.

At Kristin, excellence is more than an outcome; it’s a way of being. And that’s what makes Kristin Junior School truly unique.

Jayne de la Haye Principal of Junior School and Early Learning

Junior School Empowering students through engineering

We are excited to share how we’re nurturing a passion for making and innovating in our Junior School through EPro8 - an inspiring hands-on engineering resource.

EPro8 (Engineer, Problem Solve, Innovate) uses specially designed, large-scale equipment that allows our students to work in teams of four, exploring science and mathematics concepts as they tackle realistic challenges together. This approach not only builds practical skills but also encourages teamwork, creativity and resilience.

Over the past few years, EPro8 has become a highlight of our enrichment programmes and co-curricular activities. For example, in Year 5, every student has the chance to engage with the EPro8 equipment, focusing on applying scientific thinking and problem-solving strategies to new and interesting tasks. Lunchtime and after-school clubs are also popular with our Years 4-6 students.

Each year, eight Year 6 students are chosen to represent our school in the inter-school EPro8 Challenge. Our students embrace the experience and consistently excel. In 2024, our teams achieved outstanding results, placing first and second in the North Shore heats. One team, the Young Doves, went on to win the North Shore semi-final and finished as runners-up in the grand final in Auckland, just a few points behind the winners. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and the way they represented our school.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Approaches to Learning (ATL) and Learner Profile attributes are an essential part of EPro8. The challenges involve a significant amount of collaboration between team members, as well as effective communication skills. At times, the challenges seem overwhelming and mistakes are made. Being a flexible thinker and open-minded to the ideas of others is really helpful. Some challenges take longer than others, so staying focused and engaged is a big part of EPro8.

Thank you to our enrichment team and teacher leaders for

making EPro8 such a valued part of our enrichment and co-curricular offerings. The benefits are clear, and it’s wonderful to see students’ enthusiasm for EPro8 continuing into Middle School, where students have even established their own after-school engineering club.

Sandy Paton PYP Coordinator and Year 6 Enrichment Teacher

Junior School Alumni author captivates young imaginations

We were delighted to welcome back Kristin Alumni and New York Times bestselling author Graci Kim, who captivated our Years 5–7 students with stories behind her enchanting new book, Dreamslinger.

Once Head Prefect of the Class of 2004, Graci’s journey from her time at Kristin to the world stage is nothing short of extraordinary.

During her visit, Graci whisked us through the twists and turns of her remarkable career, sharing tales from her school days at Kristin, her adventures as a diplomat and even her stint as a cooking show host – before finally finding her true calling as an author published by Disney. She spoke openly about the setbacks, rejections and moments of doubt she faced along the way, reminding us all that resilience and determination are the true magic ingredients for success.

Our students were spellbound as Graci described how she poured her heart into her stories, championing diversity

and representation in children’s literature. Her message was clear and inspiring: with courage, persistence and a little bit of magic, dreams really can come true, just like in her new series.

Graci’s visit was more than just an author talk; it was a celebration of hope, imagination and the power of believing in yourself. We can’t wait to see what dreams she inspires next.

Chantel Ashley Assistant Principal

Junior School Community Constable visits on Wheels Day

Wheels Day in the Junior School is known as the highlight of Road Safety Week, and this year it was even better!

Our Community Constable, Tania Wansink, came along for the day to share some important safety lessons with our Years 4-6 students.

Constable Wansink set up hundreds of cones to make a complex bike track, which included a figure eight, a slalom and a narrow straight to test balance and control. After walking through the track to get familiar with it, students jumped on their bikes, scooters and skateboards and tested their skills. Students who hadn’t brought their wheels became traffic directors, holding ‘Give Way’ and ‘Stop’ signs to ensure riders safely navigated the course. With multiple parts of the course crossing over, riders learnt to be aware of what was happening around them, rather than solely focusing on the road ahead.

At lunchtime, the Years 4-6 students implemented their newfound skills and road awareness. The section of driveway between the Chapel and the Roy Munn Gym was closed to external traffic, giving students a long stretch of road to ride. With multiple staff supervising, over 200 students on bikes, scooters, skateboards and roller blades took advantage of the chance to ride through an area normally only open to vehicles.

Not to miss out on the fun, our Years 0-3 students took over the tennis courts, riding their wheels with their friends in a large, open circuit. From bikers with training wheels to competent riders, there was something for everyone to enjoy. To ensure student safety, lessons were also carried out in class, where students learned how to correctly wear their helmets and ensure they were a ‘just-right’ fit. The takeaway from the lesson was the importance of wearing a helmet, which we hope all students will remember before using their wheels: ‘Ready, click, go!’

Nathan Calvert Assistant Principal

Junior School Gardening agrees with us!

The year began with a big clear-out with the help of the grounds team and our gardening club. Amazingly, the potatoes the Year 2s planted in Term 4 last year were ready to harvest in February, so we invited these same students (now in Year 3) to come and help. They each got to take home a spud or two, which we are sure they will have enjoyed.

We then topped up the soil and planted some lovely healthy spinach, silverbeet, carrots, herbs, broccoli, bok choy, lettuce and kale. For the most part, our planting was successful, and by the end of Term 1, we had enough to share with our garden club members and donate to the Salvation Army as part of the Harvest Festival.

At different times during the year, we open the garden to additional student helpers, and we were pleased to see around 20 Year 5 and 6 students come to the rescue when the wet and warm Autumn weather had encouraged so many weeds to grow wild.

We have repopulated the worm farm this year, and our Junior School Student Council members are taking care of this. Each week, a different class is responsible for feeding the worms and ensuring they stay healthy. Plenty of ‘worm tea’ is being produced in our garden to help our plants grow well.

As an International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) school, we connect classroom learning to real life as much as possible through hands-on experiences, including in our Junior School garden. At the end of Term 2, we celebrate Matariki with special planting and harvesting activities. Throughout the year, some students, like our Year 2s, plant native seedlings as part of their learning about how plants grow. We also work with Te Hōnonga a Iwi (Restoring Rosedale Park Project) and Settlers Lifestyle Village to care for the young plants over the hot summer.

Our garden lets students enjoy nature, learn new skills and have fun getting their hands dirty!

Sandy Paton

PYP Coordinator and Year 6 Enrichment Teacher

Junior School Leading the way in digital learning

We are incredibly proud that Kristin Junior School has recently been recertified as an Apple Distinguished School.

This significant achievement underscores our unwavering commitment to fostering an innovative and enriching learning environment through the strategic integration of technology. It recognises our success in cultivating an atmosphere where digital creativity, collaborative projects and critical thinking are at the forefront of our educational approach.

Our school is dedicated to developing and implementing a robust digital programme offering students relevant and authentic learning tasks. These tasks are designed to be engaging and meaningful, mirroring real-world applications of technology. For example, students use iMovie to make videos to discuss and show their learning, developing their communication and presentation skills. They engage with Spheros, Bee-Bots and Indi robots to develop computational thinking skills through handson programming. Students further enhance their digital literacy by coding interactive wellbeing projects with Scratch 3.0, fostering creativity and problem-solving. To support diverse learning styles, students utilise assistive technology to record their thinking in multiple ways, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. They create their images using the photo app alongside Keynote for presentations and projects, and design animated marketing campaigns for Market Day, gaining practical experience in digital media and entrepreneurship.

We firmly believe in preparing our students to be future-focused citizens, equipping them with the skills, adaptability and understanding required to thrive in our rapidly evolving digital landscape. Our progressive curriculum extends beyond mere tool usage; it emphasises the responsible and effective application of digital technologies with effective pedagogy at the forefront of all our decisions. Students are actively guided to understand the crucial ethics of working digitally and are encouraged to approach digital tasks with a critical and discerning mindset. This ensures they develop into responsible, thoughtful and capable digital citizens.

A cornerstone of our successful digital initiative is the support provided to our teaching staff. Our dedicated educators are empowered by a knowledgeable team of Apple Learning coaches who offer continuous professional

development, guidance and personalised mentorship. This invaluable team is capably led by Donna Golightly.

Donna brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her leadership role, with over 30 years dedicated to education in various capacities, including significant classroom and leadership responsibilities. Her profound passion lies in empowering all learners to utilise digital technologies in relevant and authentic ways, with the ultimate goal of maximising productivity and promoting wellbeing. Donna's extensive qualifications include being a Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, an Apple Professional Learning Specialist and an Apple Learning Coach. She is an advisor to Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ), one of the leaders of the Google Educator Group (GEG) Aotearoa and is often invited to speak at local and international conferences. She is also a Ministry of Education accredited facilitator for Digital Technology. Her leadership ensures our teachers are thoroughly supported in seamlessly embedding digital learning into their classrooms, directly enriching the learning experience for every student.

Through our leading-edge digital programme, underscored by our Apple Distinguished School status, and the expert guidance of our dedicated digital coaching team, we are not just adapting to the future of education – we are actively shaping it, ensuring our students are wellprepared for success in an increasingly connected and dynamic world.

Jayne de la Haye Principal of Junior School and Early Learning

Middle School From the Middle School Principal

2025 started with a hiss and a roar in the Middle School. While I reflect on all of the incredible opportunities available to our students and staff so far, I need to be careful not to take for granted the breadth and depth of our offering.

This year alone, we have had students involved with our annual Camp Week, we’ve had one student win an age group world record for fastest 3x3 Rubik's Cube solving, we’ve had Year 7 students involved in a Sports Exchange in Adelaide, and we’ve had 20 students involved in the phenomenal production of Les Misérables. Middle School teachers in the Mathematics and Technology faculties have had specialist International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) training, and we are about to embark on a schoolwide project to define excellence in teaching and learning here in the Kristin context.

My hope for all Middle School students, as well as having a supportive environment to form solid academic foundations, is that they have boundless scope to experience sports, cultural opportunities, clubs, leadership and service opportunities - all the things that turn a standard schooling experience into an extraordinary one. We know that one of the most essential facets of being a Middle School student is forming a solid sense of identity and community. Through these cocurricular programmes, many students find a sense of belonging and form relationships that last a lifetime. All of the ‘in-between offerings’ that lie outside of the core curriculum create the

essence of a rich Middle School experience, and we take the responsibility to offer something for everyone seriously.

Not only do our students get the opportunity to be involved in cocurricular opportunities, but they also get the opportunity to design and lead them. Our leadership opportunities are vast and varied and cause our students to think beyond themselves (a common affliction for adolescents) and look for ways to serve others. This year, the Year 10 Student Council has continued to strengthen their relationship with Lady Allum House, where we visit termly to help with technology education for the elderly, join in crafting activities for ANZAC Day, and create meaningful connections. This is one example; we have students working again with Starship Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, and in Term 1, we raised over $10,000 for So They Can through the 1HumanRace event.

In response to telling people that I am the Middle School Principal, people unfamiliar with Kristin often suggest that working with young teens must be both tiresome and tedious. However, it couldn’t be further from the truth. I am constantly in awe of how big-hearted, brave, honest and hardworking our students are. They are hilariously funny, sharp-minded and learning how to navigate the world in a way that makes me optimistic about our future if these are the ones who are going to be leading the way.

Kate Pollard Middle School Principal

Middle School

Budding news reporter in the Middle School

We have a budding young news reporter in the Middle School in the form of Theo Potter (Year 7), who has recently reported two awesome video news stories for Kea Kids.

Kea Kids is an online kids' news channel found on the New Zealand Herald website and on social media. With the slogan ‘real news for kids by kids’, they have many young people reporting on news stories of interest to kids.

Theo was selected as a reporter when the Kea Kids team did a workshop at his primary school last year, and soon after, he got the call-up for his first gig. There is one main reason why he thinks he was selected:

“I talk a lot, and I talk with confidence,” says Theo.

Theo’s first story saw him go to the Blues Super Rugby Team training facility. Here he got to meet the team, tour the facility, have lunch with and interview some of the players, including All Blacks, while being taught some key rugby skills in the process, such as goal kicking and passing:

“I’m not a huge rugby fan, but I support the Blues. I loved meeting the players; Angus Ta’avao was probably my favourite because he was the nicest. Lunch was really good too,” says Theo.

Theo’s next story was about the incredibly popular Minecraft game, focusing on gold mining in Minecraft. Just like a movie star, Theo was filmed on a green screen, which put him straight into the world of Minecraft.

Theo absolutely nails his videos like a professional, and with these fantastic experiences under his belt, he thinks this could be something he would like to pursue in the future:

“I think I would like to do journalism in the future. Making these videos with the cameras on you, I really like it, it’s kind of like singing, but you don’t have to sing!” reflected Theo.

Theo’s Kea Kids news stories are titled: 'Spider-Man turns the Blues red’ and ‘Minecraft goes IRL! Get inspired to hit the mines like Steve’, and can be found on the Kea Kids social media accounts or their page on the New Zealand Herald website. Make sure you check them out to see Theo in action in front of the camera.

Middle School Kapa haka in the Middle School

Every Friday afternoon in Period 6, over 40 Years 8-10 students descend on the Hockey Pavilion for their kapa haka lesson with Whaea Mary (Mary Clarke), our Curriculum Leader for Te Reo and Tikanga Māori, and Matua Tu (Tuoro Rahui).

Our kapa haka programme returned to the Middle School in 2024, and it has grown in popularity in 2025 with more students participating. The vast majority of these students have very limited kapa haka experience, so the learning begins right at the foundations and understanding of kapa haka and transitions into the students learning the ins and outs of their performances, including the movements and language.

There are many key benefits of learning and being involved in kapa haka, with one being very aligned with our Kristin way. Fostering tuakana-teina relationships across the school, which means forming connections with older and younger students and creating unity, is something that is ingrained in Kristin's values.

Kapa haka is very much about culture and Māori heritage, and this programme ensures exposure and a greater sense of appreciation for Te Ao Māori – the Māori culture and its practices – and offers a safe space to implement and revitalise te reo Māori within our students.

There are also many health and wellbeing benefits, as Whaea Mary describes:

“Participation in kapa haka promotes physical and mental wellbeing. The physical activity involved in the practice and performance improves fitness, while the social connections and cultural pride enhance mental health and emotional resilience. It also empowers national identity and gives our students a sense of belonging and pride in their identity,” says Whaea Mary.

Along with the benefits outlined for our students, we are seeing a lot of enjoyment from the programme and there have been some fantastic transformations for some of the students involved:

“I have observed students who were once reserved or introverted before joining kapa haka become more confident and greater risk takers in the classroom and in other co-curricular activities,” says Whaea Mary.

Our kapa haka students have been working hard to learn their craft before their maiden performance at our International Peace Night at the end of Term 2, and there are plans to perform at other events in the future. Ka pai to Whaea Mary and all our Middle School students immersing themselves within the kapa haka programme.

Middle School Dovetail Exchanges 2025

The Dovetail Exchange Programme provides wonderful opportunities for students. In Term 1, Kristin welcomed a group of exchange students: four from Scotch College in Adelaide, five from Redlands in Sydney and two from Elisabeth von Thadden Schule in Heidelberg, Germany. These students, from Years 9-13, soon settled into our school community and participated fully in daily life at Kristin.

During their three to five weeks here, our exchange students embraced every aspect of school life. They lived with Kiwi host families, participated in classes and joined us for Camp Week, a highlight that created lasting memories and friendships. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the families who generously hosted our visitors and made them feel at home.

As Term 1 came to an end, it was our students’ turn to embark on their own exchange journeys, attending partner schools abroad and experiencing life with their host families. The strong bonds and friendships formed through these exchanges truly reflect the ongoing success of the Dovetail Exchange Programme and our global school partnerships.

We look forward to seeing these international connections continue to grow in 2026.

Student Reflections

Murdoch Forrester (Year 9)

One of the best parts of the exchange was meeting new people. Every day at school and on camp, I met new people and strengthened my friendships with them. They taught me all about the history of the school and the area, how to play Aussie Rules football and all sorts of local wildlife facts. The main event of the exchange was the camp, which was hosted nearby in Adelaide, right in the

bush. It was a great experience and taught me a lot about independence because we had to make our own food and organise ourselves. We also saw local Australian wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas and snakes. The activities allowed us to really challenge ourselves, and through this camp, I developed as a person and made some lifelong memories and friends.

Georgia Heyes (Year 9)

The Redlands exchange 2025 was an amazing experience. My host family was kind and generous, making me feel right at home. They took me to the Sydney Opera House, the Indian Holi colour festival, a range of shops and Luna Park. Life in Sydney was quite different from Auckland, as all the students took a range of public transport to get to school and around the city, making us feel more independent. At Redlands, I got to experience the Australian outdoors where we went hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and camping. We cooked our own food and I saw wildlife we do not have here in New Zealand. For anybody who is thinking about doing the exchange in Year 9, my advice is just go for it!

Havana Poole (Year 11)

Throughout the four short weeks I spent in Germany, there wasn’t a single thing that disappointed me. My exchange partner's family was so accommodating and treated me as if I were their own child. I attended two weeks of school, and all the teachers I met were lovely. I took a few different classes while being there, some with my exchange partners and a few with younger students, helping them practice their English. Everyone I met at school was so sweet and wanted to learn more about me and New Zealand. This has been an eye-opening experience that I’ll truly never forget.

Kathryn Glen Dovetail Exchange Coordinator

Senior School From the Senior School Principal

The year has already run halfway through its course; being immersed in such a busy environment like Kristin, the time really flies by, but as always, there have been plenty of highlights and achievements along the way.

Again, we started the year buoyantly with the knowledge of our exceptional Senior School students’ 2024 academic results. Highlighted by Nicole Wong’s perfect International Baccalaureate (IB) score of 45 out of 45 points, we also had four students score 43 points, and in total, 23 students scored 40 or more points, qualifying them as IB Top Scholars. The results in NCEA were just as positive, with 94% of Level 2 students and 96% of Level 3 students achieving the standard. The statistics I am most proud of are our 100% pass rate in IB and 97% of our Year 13 students gaining University Entrance (UE). These results directly reflect the dedication of our students, staff and community in seeking excellence, and for that, I thank you for your contribution.

In early Term 1, our students departed for Camp Week, an important part of student life at Kristin, where students can enjoy themselves, learn about themselves, challenge themselves and form bonds with their peers and teachers that will last for the remainder of their time at Kristin, and in many cases, beyond. This year was no different, and importantly, our students all returned safe and ready to take on the rest of the year with newfound knowledge and friends.

In the Term 1 holidays, I travelled to Europe for a conference looking at how Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist in education. I also had the privilege of hosting the

Kristin Alumni London Reunion. It was great catching up with so many of our London-based past students. We had such a vast range of attendees, from recent Kristin graduates to a member of the foundation class from 1973.

Kristin spirit was on full show when our 1st XI Boys’ Football team took on KingsWay School in a tightly contested promotion match. I was blown away as the sidelines were packed with supporters wholeheartedly cheering on our team, supporters of whom many were not die-hard football fans, but were brought together by the common goal of encouraging our team to victory.

We can’t forget the French rebellion in the Auditorium in Term 2, which was, of course, the sensational Senior School Production of Les Misérables. The show was at the highest of qualities and I was yet again left in awe by the talents of our students performing on stage. Bravo to all who were a part of this magnificent production.

Recently, we have seen a slip in our students’ uniform standards, and I would like to call upon our community to remind our students of the importance of wearing their Kristin uniform correctly. There are many reasons of importance associated with uniform, such as discipline, belonging, values and standards, and I appreciate any encouragement toward students to take pride in their appearance and representation of our school.

I wish you all the best for the remainder of another exciting and rewarding year here at Kristin.

David Boardman Senior School Principal

Senior School Life-changing tour for Senior School student

Senior School student Angelina Ibrahim (Year 13) joined 20 other young New Zealanders on the trip of a lifetime at the beginning of this year, the United Nations (UN) Youth Aotearoa Global Development Tour.

Angelina was selected for the tour following a rigorous application process that involved writing an application and an online selection interview. She was a high school ambassador of the New Zealand UN Youth Group last year, which meant she was the Chair of the UN Youth Group at Kristin, and this year she is the Chair of the Kristin UNESCO group. This heavy involvement and dedication to these organisations put her in good stead for selection.

The month-long tour took her to some big cities around the world, including Boston, New York, London, Brussels and Paris. There, they met with major humanitarian organisations such as UNESCO, UNICEF and Orders without Borders, with a goal of allowing the group to have more international-mindedness about what these organisations do, primarily focusing on the UN and how they are going about achieving the sustainable development goals for 2030.

One of the significant items on the agenda for Angelina and her group was a model UN conference held at Columbia University in New York:

“It involved around 800 students from all over the world and lasted for four days. We practised things like being in the United States (US) Senate and mocking roles that those people play,” says Angelina.

Highlights for Angelina included going to the UN Headquarters in New York, where she got a full tour, taking in the General Assembly, and in Paris, she visited the UNESCO Headquarters and met with the UNESCO Director General, someone she was honoured to meet as the Chair of UNESCO at Kristin.

Not only did Angelina learn a lot about the organisations she visited, but she came back with a fresh understanding about her future:

“I think going on the trip really helped me decide what I want to study at university and do for a career. Meeting with so many people who studied law and political science, but also some who studied computer or neuroscience; learning what they do day to day and how policy changes can make such a big impact for the next generation was really helpful,” says Angelina.

Angelina is now looking at studying law, political science and neuroscience, focusing on international relations, and following on from her invaluable experiences on this lifechanging tour, it might not be long until we see her working with these organisations on the global stage and making real change in the world.

Senior School Cooper A shley heading to Scrabble Youth World Championships

Senior School student Cooper Ashley (Year 11) will represent New Zealand at the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Kuala Lumpur later this year.

Cooper always liked playing Scrabble as a kid, now and then, but one day stumbled across an American Scrabble grandmaster’s YouTube channel:

“I didn't even know people played Scrabble competitively. I thought that looked really interesting, so I watched all the videos, then downloaded the training software he was using and used it to learn words to get an edge against my family. My mum got sick of losing, so she suggested we see if there is a Scrabble club I could join, and we found one in Mt Albert. Once in the club, I was

encouraged to start playing tournaments. I always like the competitive side of things, so I thought that sounded amazing,” says Cooper.

In less than a year of competitive play, Cooper has remarkably risen to be the number one ranked youth player in New Zealand, the category for players under 18; Cooper is only 15, something he is “pretty pleased with”.

The Youth World Championships in Kuala Lumpur are something he is really looking forward to testing himself in:

“I haven't had much global experience yet, so this opportunity will allow me to see what the game is like at this high level. I am quite excited to be playing in a tournament of this calibre for the first time,” says Cooper.

The competition will be held in a large school hall, a far cry from the Bridge clubs where most of his games are played in New Zealand, and will consist of 24 games across three days. To prepare, Cooper studies the Collins Dictionary and uses special software programmes that allow you to do anagramming with different word lists.

Scrabble is more complex than some might think, but it’s the words that Cooper really enjoys:

“A lot of people like it for the strategy, but I have always been a big fan of the words. Although it is catergorised as a word game, some players like to downplay how much of a word game it is and say it’s more about maths and probability, and it is a lot of those things, but for me its just so exciting to play a really weird and obscure word and think ‘wow I can’t believe I found that’,” says Cooper.

Over King's Birthday Weekend, Cooper competed at the New Zealand Association of Scrabble Players (NZASP) National Championship, where he lived up to his number one ranking by winning the youth category, a fantastic confidence boost before heading to Malaysia.

We wish Cooper all the best as he represents New Zealand on the global stage and look forward to following his journey in the world of competitive Scrabble.

Senior School New Head of Mathematics

We welcomed Eleanor Bram as our new Head of the Mathematics Faculty at the start of this year.

Eleanor has extensive teaching experience in multiple countries and is very familiar with the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, not only as a teacher but also as an examiner for both the Analysis and Approaches (AA) and Applications and Interpretations (AI) mathematics courses.

Eleanor grew up in Cardiff, Wales, with Welsh parents and, as she described, is “Welsh through and through”. She went to university in London, studying a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science at the London School of Economics (LSE):

“I wanted to go into banking and become an actuary, so after my degree, I worked at Lloyds Bank in London. It wasn’t for me. After a few years, I didn’t know what I wanted to do instead, so I left and went travelling,” says Eleanor.

It was in Hong Kong where Eleanor began tutoring, and she loved it from the get-go. She then moved back to the United Kingdom (UK) and started teaching at an A Level College, before moving to an IB School, where she began studying her Masters of Mathematics Education at the University of Plymouth, which focused on an inquiry teaching approach. She then moved to Sweden to teach the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), and then it was onto the United States of America (USA) for six years, before recently landing in New Zealand:

“Partly, I came here for the location. I wanted to move to this part of the world and have a new adventure. I had been Head of Department at a much smaller school in the USA, so the opportunity to be part of something bigger and better here at Kristin was really enticing.

“It is by far and away the best school I have worked at. Watching the recent production [Les Misérables], my mind was blown. How do I create an environment where the maths department can excel like the Performing Arts department excels? That is the goal. My department is phenomenal, they have been so patient and welcoming. Everyone is so competent, knowledgeable and professional. Overall, I couldn't have been more impressed,” says Eleanor.

Eleanor comes from an academic household; her mother was an English Professor, and her father an engineer who became a maths teacher:

“I was always doing maths with my dad and I just loved it really. It came easily, but that is probably because we were doing so much of it. I always gravitated to maths and always wanted to be a teacher,” she explains.

Eleanor loves working in the classroom and has a genuine passion for mathematics:

“A statement that my mother always used to say growing up was that ‘the whole point of education was to teach kids how to think, not what to think.’ I think maths does create that opportunity to get kids to think, problem solve, rationalise and reason, and it's the foundation for so many parts of our lives, from day-to-day numeracy needs to thinking through more complex problems, maths supports the development of those thinking skills.

“I wouldn't ever want to come out of the classroom fully. That joy I have from engaging with students and getting them to really understand something and appreciate what they are doing is fantastic, I've always loved it,” says Eleanor.

As well as leading the Mathematics Faculty, Eleanor is teaching a range of year levels, including Year 8, Year 11 and Year 12 in both NCEA and the IB Diploma. We are thrilled to have Eleanor's experience and knowledge; she will undoubtedly be a fine asset to the school and a strong leader of our Mathematics Faculty.

Senior School Graduating Class of 2024 –destinations

We are incredibly proud of our Class of 2024 graduates. Following some exceptional academic results for this cohort, 91% of students have opted to enter into tertiary studies in New Zealand, Australia, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada, with 9% either having a gap year or taking up full-time employment.

Just over half of our graduates will be studying in New Zealand, with 57% of them studying at the University of Auckland, and a quarter of graduates moving to study at the Group of Eight top universities in Australia. The United States of America is also a popular destination, with 12 students heading to top universities there. We also had six students gain direct entry to study medicine at universities in Australia, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Class of 2024 Destinations

New Zealand universities

Australian universities

Other countries

Gap year or full time employment

New Zealand university destinations Australian university destinations

Tertiary Offers

United Kingdom

Our students gained offers in the UK at top Russell Group universities:

• University of Cambridge

• University of Glasgow

• King’s College (4)

• University College London (4)

• University of Nottingham

• University of Birmingham

• Queen Mary University of London (2)

• Cardiff University

• University of Bristol

• University of Edinburgh (3)

• University of Manchester

• London School of Economics and Political Science (2)

• Imperial College London.

Moving to the United Kingdom

• Stefan Thompson London School of Economics & Political Science (History and Politics)

• Cynthia Zhang University College London (Neuroscience)

• Ellie Ma University of Edinburgh (International Business)

United States of America

Our students gained offers to study at the following top 100 US universities*:

• Stanford University

• University of California - Berkeley (2)

• The University of Chicago

• Columbia University

• Cornell University

• University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (2)

• University of Washington

• Northwestern University

• University of California - San Diego (2)

• Georgia Institute of Technology (2)

• Brown University

• University of California - Davis (2)

• University of Southern CaliforniaSanta Barbara

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• University of Southern California (3)

• Boston University (2)

• Rice University

• University of Florida

• Case Western Reserve University

• University of Southern CaliforniaSanta Cruz

• Georgetown University

• Northeastern University

• University of California - Riverside.

Moving to the United States of America

• Nicole Wong Stanford University

• Byron Gao University of California, Berkeley

• Joey Li University of California, Berkeley

• David Lou The University of Chicago

• Angela Li Cornell University

• Richard Xun

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

• Ryan Shen

University of California, Davis

• Leo Zhou Rice University

• William Grindall

University of Southern California, Santa Barbara

*Times Higher Education University Rankings 2024 (Number in brackets indicates the number of offers for Kristin Class of 2024 students)

• Kerry Meng Villanova University

• Shane Huang Loyola Marymount

• Cole Thurston University of Oregon

Moving to The Netherlands

• Carrie Shi University of Amsterdam

Moving to Canada

• Brandon Han University of Waterloo

Congratulations to the students who gained direct entry to study medicine

• Ariel Yu University of Sydney, Australia

• Rachel Poon University of Sydney, Australia

• Randal Yao University of New England, Australia

• Sehaj Sapra Bond University, Australia

• Claire Bachmann SFU Private University in Vienna, Austria

• K. O. Jiraporncharoen First Faculty of Medicine for Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic

Susan Brosnahan Careers and University Advisor

Enviroschools Council of Sustainability –who are we?

The Kristin School Council of Sustainability (CoS) is a vibrant and inspiring force, bringing together passionate students from the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools to unite the many sustainability initiatives across our school.

Kristin has always been home to enthusiastic advocates and independent projects; the council’s creation has beautifully woven these efforts into a cohesive, powerful movement. By acting as an umbrella group, CoS ensures that all voices are heard and that we move forward together with clear, ambitious goals to create a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable school community.

To us, sustainability means nurturing our people and environment in ways that will benefit future generations. We proudly measure our progress through the prestigious EnviroSchools acknowledgements, which reflect our commitment to five inspiring principles: Sustainable Communities, Empowered Students, Māori Perspectives, Learning for Sustainability and Respect for Diversity. While these principles guide us, CoS envisions an even brighter

future where sustainability becomes a core part of Kristin’s identity, deeply rooted in our values and everyday actions.

In 2024, CoS made remarkable strides by strengthening connections with over 25 working groups, 15 led by students, and launching a dynamic online platform to enhance collaboration and support. Our exciting projects, such as reducing stationery waste through thoughtful data-driven initiatives and creating a fun, competitive paper recycling system, demonstrate our creativity and dedication to making sustainability engaging and effective. As a proud Green Gold EnviroSchool since 2022, Kristin continues to lead the way in environmental stewardship, with CoS aiming to inspire every student, staff member and parent to join us in building a thriving, sustainable future for our entire community. Together, we are making a positive difference today and for generations ahead.

Enviroschools Sustainability updates

Lucas Creek Restoration Council

The Lucas Creek Restoration Council is a group of Middle and Senior School students dedicated to protecting and revitalising Lucas Creek, which runs through Kristin School. Every week, we meet and partake in various activities, such as removing arum lilies that harm the stream, planting native trees to increase diversity and protecting them from being smothered by weeds. We are also planting carex grasses on the stream banks to stabilise the soil and filter sediment from runoff. We are also involved with Te Hōnonga a Iwi, Restoring Rosedale Park, which fosters relationships within the community and encourages us to act as kaitiakitanga for our planet.

Roots & Shoots Waste Team

The Roots & Shoots Waste Team is dedicated to educating and promoting environmental sustainability and proper bin usage. In 2023, an estimated 93 million plastic drink bottles/cartons were disposed of improperly instead of being recycled. Our mission is to reduce litter around our school by supporting school events such as the annual Summer Carnival, where we volunteered to pick up rubbish, promote proper bin usage to reduce our school's general waste, improve attitudes towards recycling and encourage students to care for the environment we are blessed with. This term, we plan to start a new initiative by providing each staff room for each subject department with paper recycling boxes to reduce paper wastage!

Middle School Roots & Shoots

The Middle School Roots & Shoots Club has been busy caring for native trees and growing flowers in the school garden. We have had a great time exploring Lucas Creek and caring for our native birds and insects by catching pests like rats, hedgehogs and even a big possum!

Solar is still shining at Kristin

With the ongoing installation of solar panels at Kristin, our campus now meets nearly a quarter of its power needs, enhancing our sustainability efforts. However, the impact of these panels extends beyond mere energy production. Students are actively engaging with this renewable energy source, gaining insights into how energy and electricity systems function through our Total Utilities system.

Our Year 4 students have been exploring sustainable energy sources and recently took a tour of the campus to observe our 400+ photovoltaic panels. They also had the opportunity to look over the fence at the Albany substation. During the tour, many curious questions arose about the size, materials, costs and storage of the power generated. Lots of learning and inspiration for the future!

Faculty in Focus Technology

The Technology Faculty plays a vital role in life at Kristin, providing students with diverse opportunities to combine their interests, creativity and problem-solving skills to develop a wide range of products and ideas across Food, Hard and Soft Materials Technology, Design and Digital disciplines.

In Years 7 and 8, students explore all technology areas, laying a strong foundation. From Year 9, they begin to specialise, with these pathways continuing into Year 10 and beyond. As students progress, they build on these foundational skills, preparing for the challenges of Senior School classes in Years 12 and 13. Technology at Kristin offers rich learning experiences, equipping students with the confidence and ability to solve real-life problems successfully. Below are some examples of the cool things happening within our faculty:

Digital Technology

A partnership has been created between the Year 9 and Year 3 classes. After reading storybooks to the younger students and helping them pick a favourite, the Year 9s are now turning that story into a LEGO stop-motion movie. This creative project brings the two classes together, giving Year 3 students a chance to see their chosen story come alive in a fun and memorable way.

Hard Materials Technology and Design

In Year 7 and 8, students learn and build on practical skills, bringing simple bits of wood to life through the context of folk toys, adding their own design flair to personalise the product.

In Year 9, students take on a bespoke wall clock design and build, coupled with their first complete design portfolio, touching on research and analysis, concept design, a construction process journal and evaluation. They round out the course by working in pairs to design and fly a model rocket, using digital technology to aid in the design of rocket components.

Year 10 students are introduced to Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to create a step stool with given design parameters, learning workflow, use of specialised design tools and digital working drawings; they then construct the design in the workshop. The second unit brings them together with a Year 2 ‘client’ who decides what kind of wooden toy or puzzle they want designed and built for them. There are interviews, design discussions and visits to the workshop to check progress, culminating in the fanfare of handing over the finished product.

Spatial Design and Visual Communication

Spatial Design and Visual Communication is a subject offered from Years 9-13 that develops students’ understanding of design principles and visual communication skills. The course empowers students to bring ideas to life through practical strategies such as sketching, model making, CAD, technical drawing and digital graphics. Students work on various design projects, using analogue and digital tools to generate, develop and present their ideas. The subject emphasises creative problem-solving, design thinking and an appreciation for

the built environment, preparing students to communicate visually and resolve design challenges across architectural, product and graphic design contexts.

Year 11 student Layla Robinson has designed a bench to hang from the trees in the Junior School. Her ‘Cats in the cradle’ design is inspired by her love of cats and the French designer, Gerard Rigot.

Food Technology

Food Technology is a dynamic field of study that blends food processing, engineering and scientific and business principles to address real-world challenges. It incorporates practical food skills, problem-solving and design, science integration, sustainability, nutrition and cross-curricular learning. At Kristin, Food Technology isn’t just about cooking, it’s about understanding how food works, how to improve it and how to design solutions that benefit people and the planet.

Our Year 11 Food Technology class took on a special challenge of designing and creating a packed lunch for Mr Carr’s Year 5 students. The project started with research: Year 11s investigated what makes a healthy and appealing school lunch. They considered nutrition, taste and practicality, making sure their ideas would be enjoyed by younger students. Next came the design phase. Each student brainstormed menu ideas, selected ingredients and planned the preparation process. They thought about food safety, cost and presentation, ensuring their packed lunches would be safe and attractive.

The real excitement came on cooking day. Working individually, Year 11 students prepared their lunches using their learned skills. The results were impressive, colourful wraps, tasty sandwiches, fresh fruit and healthy snacks filled the sustainable packaging containers. After cooking, the Year 11s presented their packed lunches to Mr

Carr’s class. The Year 5 students were delighted, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. For Year 11, it was a proud moment to see their hard work appreciated and to share their knowledge with younger students.

Textiles

In Kristin's Textiles programme, students explore fabrics' versatility by learning practical sewing skills, designing and customising their projects and experimenting with techniques like appliqué and screen printing. The programme also encourages creativity and sustainability, with students upcycling thrifted materials into new items and gaining an appreciation for the role of textiles in everyday life.

In September 2024, a group of enthusiastic Year 10s set out on a creative mission, scouring the clothing racks, fabric bins and stuffed toy sections of several thrift stores across Auckland’s North Shore.

During their visits, dedicated volunteers warmly welcomed the students, who shared insights into their organisations' vital work. From providing end-of-life care at Hospice, to supporting housing initiatives through Habitat for Humanity and delivering essential first aid with St John, the students gained a deeper appreciation for the impact of these charities in Aotearoa.

Although occasionally distracted by kitsch trinkets and outrageous clothing, the students remained focused on their goal of giving new life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfill. Their upcycling efforts were impressive. Old jeans and a satin shirt were transformed into a stylish backpack, while children’s sweatshirts were reimagined as a vibrant patchwork hoodie. Along the way, the students learned valuable skills in repairing and reinventing old items, discovering the satisfaction of fixing the old instead of buying new.

Events Summer Carnival

The annual Summer Carnival was an afternoon of wholehearted fun, joy and togetherness as we again celebrated Kristin’s Foundation Day in style.

The Auditorium Fields were transformed into an incredible carnival extravaganza with over 50 stalls, including food trucks, carnival rides, special student-led stalls, games and more. The student-led stalls were all raising vital money for various important initiatives, some sporting and some for various charitable groups and organisations.

This year, we introduced the Tūrama Garden Bar, which was very well received and enjoyed by our parent community, and it will certainly be back next year.

Live music from our vast range of musically talented students added to the atmosphere, as students and their families from Little Doves right through to Senior School enjoyed the festivities.

We look forward to sharing this special afternoon with you all again in 2026.

Performing Arts Celebrating the Performing Arts at Kristin

At Kristin, the Performing Arts are more than just a cocurricular activity; they are a cornerstone of community, creativity and personal growth.

Our commitment to the arts is evident in how we encourage students to celebrate their individuality, come together as a community and learn through a rich tapestry of cerebral, kinaesthetic and emotional experiences. Our diverse arts offerings inspire students and teachers to express themselves, forge lasting connections and nurture their creative potential.

The 2025 school year has already been a vibrant one for Kristin’s dance, drama and music departments, each providing unique and contrasting experiences for students. The Dance department, in particular, has launched into the year with remarkable enthusiasm, boasting no fewer than 11 different groups, troupes and crews. A key strength of Kristin’s co-curricular Dance programme is its team of specialist tutors who visit weekly, bringing expertise in hip hop, K-pop, modern dance, and boys’ dance. These new additions complement the ongoing leadership of the curriculum Dance teaching team, ensuring students benefit from a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.

Kristin dancers are preparing for a series of major events, including the Dance Curriculum Assessment Evening, the National Dance Challenge, hip hop at AIMS Games and the school’s signature showcase, ‘Dance in the Dove.’ This unique event is one of the few at Kristin to unite students from Kindergarten through to Senior School, highlighting the inclusive and collaborative spirit of the arts at Kristin.

The Drama department has also enjoyed a dynamic start to the year, with a strong focus on the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) festival competition. At the end of Term 1, Kristin’s Middle and Senior School students brought Shakespeare’s works to life, earning accolades as both gracious hosts and accomplished performers. The King Lear team’s achievement in securing the Best 15 Minute Scene Award earned them the honour of representing Kristin at the national festival in Wellington over King’s Birthday Weekend, where they received the 'Outstanding Presentation from a Tragedy' Award. Beyond the festival, the Year 13 NCEA Drama class impressed

audiences with a haunting production of Coraline, while Year 9 students developed new skills through stage combat workshops. Excitement is already building for the Kristin Shakespeare Company’s radical reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet, set for Term 3.

Meanwhile, the Music department is alive with activity, offering students opportunities across a spectrum of genres and ensembles, from open-mic sessions at the Summer Carnival to concert band, chamber music, choirs, rock and jazz. The department is a hive of creativity, with students eagerly rehearsing during lunchtimes and after school, supported by an extensive itinerant programme now based in Punawai. The year began on a high note, with three groups travelling to the National Youth Jazz Competition in Tauranga and returning with a collection of awards. As the year unfolds, Kristin’s musicians are set to participate in a near-constant stream of concerts, festivals and competitions.

At Kristin, the Performing Arts are woven into the fabric of daily life, enriching the student experience and fostering a culture of wholehearted participation and achievement.

Nick Duirs

Head of Faculty, Visual

and Performing Arts

Performing Arts Director of Musical Theatre Productions joins Kristin

We are excited to welcome Jason Te Mete (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngai Te Rangi) as our new Director of Musical Theatre Productions at Kristin.

Born and raised in Tauranga, Jason studied a Bachelor of Music at Victoria University and is a classically trained pianist. Jason has spent the last five years living in his hometown, but before that, he spent 20 years living and working in Auckland.

Following his studies, Jason “fell into” the musical theatre world and acting, which was always a passion of his on the side. In his early twenties, he broke into the industry, working as a professional actor and performer. He then stretched out into some more behind-the-scenes musical direction and singing coaching.

Jason has significant experience working with school students and has directed musicals at many private schools in Auckland, including King's College, Saint Kentigern College and ACG Parnell, to name a few.

Over the past five years, Jason has been “writing, weaving together and curating” his own work, particularly bringing indigenous stories to life and reimagining what they look like on stage. He also has another successful project on the go, described as a ‘social sing-along experience’: “It’s a cabaret show called Battle Chorus where half the

audience spends half an hour with me and the other half with a colleague. We teach our group 12 choruses and then come back at the end and have a big battle. It’s heaps of fun,” says Jason.

Although Jason is new to Kristin, there are a couple of ‘small-world’ ties to our school, and he knew this was a great opportunity to move back to Auckland and back into the ‘traditional’ musical world:

“I have known of Kristin's reputation; it's the only school I know of that does three musicals a year, which is an amazing focus and commitment to Performing Arts. I’ve known lots of students who have come through Kristin and into the Performing Arts. I even knew Hamish Mouat when he was at school and spent time coaching him, which is a weird reverse circle moment coming back and connecting with him again. I have also known Nick Duirs for a long time. We actually did two musicals together during his time at Senior College,” explains Jason.

Jason is already straight into his work, directing the upcoming Middle School Production of Guys and Dolls Jr, and then the Junior School Production of Disney’s The Jungle Book Kids later in the year. With his wealth of knowledge and experience across all aspects of the performing arts world, he will undoubtedly be a great asset to our team at Kristin.

Performing Arts Les Misérables

Les Misérables is renowned around the world as one of the greatest musicals of all time. It is a monumental challenge for anyone wishing to tackle the production, with its laundry list of immense vocal, dramatic and technical demands. Asking this of student-aged performers requires great faith in their abilities, work ethic and tenacity, and I had full confidence that our 2025 cohort had the potential to create something unlike we had ever witnessed on the Kristin stage.

This very special production was a celebration of the heart of Kristin, featuring 60 cast members from all three of our schools (Junior, Middle and Senior), unifying students of all age groups through the magic of performing arts. Watching our oldest cast members – many of whom starred in Junior and Middle School Productions themselves – walk alongside younger students on the stage was, in a word, inspirational. Collectively, these talented students delivered performances beyond their years, with an overwhelming number of audience members commenting that they could not believe this level of performance was achievable by school students.

Supporting the exceptional performances on stage were over 100 students working in crew roles. Between wardrobe, hair and make-up, set, props, lighting, sound or Front of House, the contributions of these students are vital to the success of a production of this scale. Part of our ethos at Kristin is to instil the importance of every member of the team, regardless of their role, and the contribution that their professionalism makes to the success of the show. Working alongside the students was an outstanding production team, without whom, a production of this scale would never have been possible. I am extremely indebted to this wonderful team and cannot thank them enough.

With record-breaking audience attendance at Kristin, all four performances were met with a standing ovation and incredible feedback. Kristin Board Member, David Kinnear, wrote to the cast and crew: “Coming away from a Kristin show puts you in a good mood for a month. It was an astonishing performance. It was seriously impressive, and if there were no other commitments for the students, staff and parent helpers, we should consider transferring it to the West End.”

I could not be more proud of everyone involved in bringing this epic production to life in 2025, and I am sure that the memories of Les Misérables will live on with all who were privileged enough to witness it for a very long time.

Hamish Mouat Artistic Director of Major

Productions

Performing Arts Chinese Night

This year's Chinese Night concert was a memorable and special experience for those who took to the stage and those who watched in awe. The acts were incredibly varied, impressively showcasing the depth of Chinese culture to its fullest and highlighting our Kristin community's cultural diversity and talents.

Xièxie to everyone who performed, supported and embraced the evening.

Performing Arts Guys & Dolls Jr. set to bring the golden age to the Auditorium stage

Kristin Middle School is no stranger to Guys & Dolls Jr, our 2025 Middle School Production, having produced the show twice before in 2006 and 2012.

This golden age musical, originally performed in 1950, brings all the charm and comedy of classic musical theatre to the stage, making it a perfect production for our Middle School performers.

Set in New York City in the 1950s, the story follows gambler Sky Masterson and the impossible bet he makes to take Sarah Brown, a sister of the Salvation Army, on a dinner date to Cuba. Despite their extreme differences, the pair slowly start to fall for each other. Meanwhile, Miss Adelaide, a local performer at the Hot Box Club, laments her long-winded 14-year engagement to another gambler, Nathan Detroit, however, Nathan’s only interest seems to be in finding a place to hold his games, without being

caught by the authorities. From Times Square to Havana, Guys & Dolls Jr. is packed with witty jokes, catchy tunes and a whole lot of dice!

With just under 100 Middle School performers in the cast, we can’t wait to bring this fast-paced musical comedy back to the Kristin Auditorium in Term 3. Suitable for all ages, this will be another Kristin production not to be missed!

Giving back Creating a legacy that will impact future generations

Jenny Brown was one of the people who had a profound influence on the early formation of our school’s identity. She was among the small group of people who gathered at the very first public meeting held in October 1972, to explore the possibilities of establishing an independent school on the North Shore.

Jenny was the member of the original Steering Committee who proposed that we name the new school ‘Kristin’ - to reflect the ‘Christian living values’ which were at the core of our founding philosophy, and she was an avid and passionate lifelong supporter of the arts. Jenny passed away in November 2023, and through her Will, she left a gift that will help to continue the Kristin legacy for generations to come. Together with her family, we have established two new scholarships named in her honour that will help our young people chase their dreams in the field of Performing Arts.

Jenny’s bequest has enabled Performing Arts students and young alumni the Jenny Brown Memorial Scholarship for Performing Arts. Students and alumni can apply for a scholarship to support their future training and studies and pursue their dreams of a career in the Performing Arts. This year, the amount is $2,500 for a student and $5,000 for a young alumni. Through Jenny’s gift, she will continue to inspire future generations to develop their talents and pursue a career in the Performing Arts.

“We are so proud that Mum’s bequest will keep her vision for the school alive for many years to come.”

- Jenny's family

Giving back A gift of thanks

Pamela Peryman’s relationship with Kristin began as a new parent back in 1994. She became very involved in fundraising for the school, which over time, she took to a whole new level.

Before long, she was recruited to establish the Golf School, then moved to other high-profile projects such as fundraising for the Dove Theatre, the Hockey Turf and an extension to the Chapel. Pamela led fundraising and friendraising at Kristin and retired in 2018 as Director of Development.

Pamela loved and valued the dedication, passion and sense of fun that was fostered through the Kristin community. Thirty years later, her family has returned to us with her two granddaughters who are now at Kristin Junior School and Kindergarten. Pamela is grateful for the nurturing environment her own two children enjoyed at Kristin and loves to see her grandchildren beginning their Kristin journey. She sees how the school has flourished while remaining connected to the original values and ambitions of the founding parents.

Pamela’s retirement gift to the school was a Bequest – a gift of thanks and a tangible contribution to help ensure the Kristin legacy continues to offer a wholehearted, exceptional education for this generation and the next.

We are extremely grateful for these gifts, which will be invested in Kristin’s Endowment Fund. We have a goal to build the most remarkable school and deliver an extraordinary, wholehearted education for our young people. To do this, we are calling on the current generation of Kristin families and the broader community to be part of building our legacy as we set Kristin up for future generations.

Get in touch

If you have questions or would like to help us in any way, please contact Terri Cumiskey in our Advancement team - email advancement@kristin.school.nz or phone 021 432 103.

Sports From the Director of Sport

How to be a great sports parent

I attended the National Division 2 Water Polo Championships with our Senior Boys’ team this past Easter. The manager was Rachel Minn, one of our amazing parents supporting our sports teams. Rachel was an essential part of the team, helping with transport management and providing the team with the much-needed nutrition to ensure peak performance. We are indebted to the wonderful support from our parent body as we continue to build our sports programme at Kristin. Working together, we can ensure that our sports teams have the support they need to perform and provide a positive sporting experience.

The journey of young people and sports is about much more than winning or losing. It’s an opportunity for our rangatahi to develop resilience, teamwork and life skills to help them flourish beyond the playing field, pool or court. As parents, your role is pivotal – not in coaching or pushing for perfection, but in fostering a positive and supportive environment that allows your child to grow as an athlete and a person. At Kristin, we value the life lessons learned when playing sports and being team members. We want a positive sporting experience for all our students, no matter their ability. All our coaches know this and work with all our teams across all sports to support this vision.

Here are some suggestions to help us work together to achieve these goals:

Focus on character over performance

Statistics or trophies don’t define your child’s success in sports. Instead, it is through their growth as people. Encourage respect, coachability, mental toughness and being a great teammate. Celebrate effort and improvement rather than just results.

Be their biggest cheerleader

Support your child unconditionally, regardless of their performance. Let them know they are loved, whether they win or lose. Avoid critiquing after every game, but instead focus on celebrating their efforts and progress.

Let coaches do their job

Respect the coaches’ role and avoid interfering with instructions during games or practices. Trust that the coach is there to guide your child’s athletic development while you focus on emotional support.

Encourage balance

Sports are important, but shouldn’t overshadow other aspects of your child’s life. Ensure they have time for family, schoolwork, music and rest to maintain a healthy balance.

Teach resilience through failure

Help your child understand that setbacks are a part of learning. Instead of shielding them from challenges, teach them how to bounce back stronger. This builds mental toughness and prepares them for life beyond sports.

Support the team

Team sports are about community as much as individual achievement. Cheer for all players, contribute to team activities and foster an environment of camaraderie and mutual respect.

Avoid comparisons

Never compare your child to other athletes or siblings – it can harm their self-esteem and motivation. Instead, focus on their unique journey and progress.

Communicate positively

Talk to your child about their goals in sports and align your support with those aspirations. Open communication helps build trust and ensures that sports remain enjoyable rather than stressful.

See the bigger picture

School sports are not just about today – they’re about shaping who your child will become in the future. Focus on helping them develop those values that will benefit them throughout life.

Lead by example

Your behaviour sets the tone for how your child approaches sports. Show gratitude, maintain composure during games, demonstrate good sportsmanship and model respect toward coaches, officials and other parents.

Being a great sports parent is about creating an environment where your child feels supported, valued and inspired to grow, not pressured to perform or meet unrealistic expectations. By focusing on character development over competition and fostering a love for the

game rather than fear of failure, you can help your child thrive both on and off the field. Remember: sports should be fun, enriching and empowering for children and parents alike!

Sports Updates

New Head of Water Polo and Swimming joins Kristin

We are delighted to have Olympic medalist Sarah Thomas (nee Hardcastle) join us at Kristin as our new Head of Water Polo and Swimming.

Sarah is a former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships, and also represented England in the Commonwealth Games. She specialised in the 400m and 800m Freestyle and also competed in medley races.

Sarah won multiple medals over the course of her career, including individual Silver and Bronze medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics (at the age of 15) and two individual Gold medals at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.

Sarah retired from the sport in 1986, but returned in 1993, winning Gold at the World Short Course Championships in 800m Freestyle in 1995 and reaching the final of the same event at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Sarah’s daughter Eve has represented New Zealand at the last two Olympics in Tokyo and Paris, also specialising in Freestyle events.

Before coming to Kristin, Sarah was working in Australia at St Peter’s Lutheran College in Brisbane – a strong swimming school that had 12 students who were on the Australian Olympic Team, as well as her daughter Eve on the New Zealand team and another student who was on the Malaysian Olympic team.

New Zealand is home to Sarah, and she is thrilled to be back and working at Kristin:

“New Zealand is home. We originally went to Australia for two years in the build-up to the Tokyo Olympics, but with COVID coming along and Tokyo being delayed, we ended up staying through until the Paris Olympics. We actually kept our house while we were overseas, and it’s really good to be back home.

"Kristin is a lovely school, and it's actually really quite similar to the school I came from. I think that’s what my attraction was; they are both 50-acre, co-ed private schools with really good people behind them, and I think that makes a difference,” says Sarah.

We are thrilled to have Sarah leading our Water Polo and Swimming programmes here at Kristin, and with her worldclass experience in the pool, she will no doubt take them to the next level.

Dominic Barton wins New Zealand Open Water Swimming titles

There has been some fine long-distance Swimming from our Kristin students this year. At the 2025 New Zealand Secondary School Open Water Championships held at Lake Tikitapu in Rotorua, Dominic Barton (Year 9) won the U13 Boys’ title for both the 1km and 3.5km distances. His brother Jack Barton (Year 12) won Silver and Bronze in the U19 age group. Amogh and Gyan Tyagi also swam well, recording top-10 finishes in their events.

Three centurions highlight a sensational summer of Cricket

The brilliant summer weather in Term 1 contributed to some excellent cricket from our three teams playing in the Auckland Secondary Schools’ Competition.

There were plenty of runs, with three batsmen scoring centuries for the school. Our Colts captain, Will Clark (Year 10), scored his maiden century with 115 not out against Westlake Boys’ High School in what turned out to be a match-winning knock. At the 1st XI level, Arran Miles and Kyle Windust (both Year 13) scored 100s against St Peter's College, following on from scoring 100s in the Napier Cricket Festival earlier in the year. The 1st XI won five out of seven games this season, and the Colts won three out of six.

We also welcomed our new Cricket coach, James O’Brien, to Kristin, and his passion, drive and organisation at training ensured our teams were ready for action.

Our Girls’ 1st XI had a great season, winning two games against Rangitoto College and their last game against Lynfield College. A huge thanks to Mr Ellegard for his work with the team.

Thanks to the parents for their support, scoring and umpiring this season; without you, the matches wouldn’t be possible.

Basketballers gearing up for USA tour

Fifteen of our best and most promising Basketball players will head to the USA in July for what promises to be an amazing Basketball experience. The team will travel to the renowned Gonzaga University and Eastern Washington University in Washington State to participate in their annual basketball festival, which attracts over 100 high school teams.

They will also take part in the Spokane Hoopfest, the world’s largest 3-on-3 street Basketball tournament, featuring more than 6,000 teams of all ages. Led by Adrian Swenson, Norman Fong, Andreas Fossum and Brent Goldsworthy; the boys will have the opportunity to experience what it’s like to compete against some of the most talented athletes from across the USA.

Regional 3-on-3 Championships

Our team of Zaid Al-Sakini, Jake Bryham, Alex Goodwin, Paul Skoe and Ollie Gibbs took on the best from across Auckland. They played 10 games, winning five, with 1-point losses in three of the other five games, placing 11th overall. It was a great experience, and some of these players will travel on the USA tour in July.

Football Boys’ 1st XI secure promotion

In a dramatic two-game home and away series, the Football Boys’ 1st XI triumphed on aggregate 7-6. The team fought back six times over the two games to claim victory over a competitive and well-organised Kingsway team.

The final leg of the tie, held at Kristin, saw hundreds of supporters line the sidelines to cheer on the Kristin team, and they were rewarded with a spectacular match. Down 2-1 with seconds remaining, the team scored a last-gasp equaliser to send it to extra time, where they went on to score the winner and secure promotion.

Coach Andy Clay was delighted with the spirit and neversay-die attitude of the team, who are now focused on back-to-back promotions.

Volleyball teams do well at North Island tournament

It has been an exceptionally busy time for our senior Volleyball teams this past term. After the local league season, our Premier Girls’ and Boys' teams competed in the North Island Satellite Tournament in Northcote. There were some amazing games, close scores and brilliant plays from both teams. The girls played seven games, winning four and losing the other three by one point in the final set, so close! The boys won their first four games and qualified for the top 4. Again, there were some incredibly close games, and they just missed out on a top 3 placing. Huge thanks to head coach Keegan Hall for his work with the teams and to the teacher in charge, Brent Goldsworthy.

Equestrian team shines in Cambridge

Our Equestrian team has been to two North Island Secondary Schools’ (NISS) Dressage events this year at St Peter's College in Cambridge, with success coming at both events.

The first was the NISS Dressage Carnival, where our Kristin team, made up of students in Years 9-13 and consisting of Lili-May Chamel, Molly Gleeson, Phoebe Webster and Mariella van Houts, placed 3rd overall. Our Year 7 and 8 riders competed as individuals, and both Matilda Cutress and Kingi Davidson came home with placings.

The second event was the NISS Dressage Championships, where we again placed 3rd overall (in a composite team with Ruawai College). Our Year 8 rider, Matilda Cutress, competed as an individual, placing 1st and 2nd in her classes.

Sports Senior School House Sports Day

‘Move it, move it’ was the theme, and well done to all the Senior School students who did just that and participated in an awesome day of physical activity, House competition and fun. Twelve events offered students an exciting range of activities to enjoy throughout the day. In a thrilling conclusion, the students showcased their House pride during the relays. Congratulations to Jupiter House for winning overall by the narrowest of margins, just one point over Mariner in 2nd, with Apollo 3rd and Saturn in 4th. Not to be outdone, Mariner won the bestdressed competition, as announced by the Senior School Senate Leaders.

Junior School Sport

Swimming

Swim Sports Day was filled with joy, competitive spirit and House pride! Jupiter took the lead this year in House points with a clean win of 713 points. Saturn came second with 681 points, Apollo third with 571 points and Mariner fourth with 462 points. Congratulations to our 2025 Age Group Swimming Champions:

8 Years and Under Boys: Zechary Lee

8 Years and Under Girls: Harper Jiang and Renee Tai

9 Years Boys: Marc Zhao

9 Years Girls: Ella Gellatly

10 Years and Over Boys: Joseph Jia

10 Years and Over Girls: Olivia Zhu

A talented group of students proudly represented Kristin at the North Shore Swim event, which featured over 350 swimmers from 27 schools. Our swimmers delivered an outstanding performance, bringing home 19 Gold, six Silver, and two Bronze medals. Kristin finished 2nd overall – a truly proud moment for everyone involved!

Mini-ball

The mini-ball semester one season had five Junior School teams proudly competing in the Years 4–6 Harbour Basketball leagues. We also launched our development programme for Year 3 students, giving them the opportunity to hone their skills and deepen their tactical understanding of the game. Some of these young athletes will even join the semester two competition.

A special congratulations to our Year 6 Thunder team, who (at the time of writing) are ranked second in the top grade, a fantastic achievement and a testament to their hard work and teamwork!

Rippa Rugby

More than 100 Junior School students are enthusiastically training for Rippa Rugby in preparation for the upcoming Rippa festivals at the end of Term 2 and again in

Term 3. We are especially grateful to the many dedicated parents who volunteer their time to coach our teams during lunchtime – their support makes these opportunities possible!

Netball

The Junior School netballers kicked off training in Term 1, with grading games commencing in Term 2. It’s wonderful to see so many new students enthusiastically giving Netball a try. This year, we have seven teams competing across the Years 2-6 leagues, showcasing great spirit and teamwork.

Hockey

Junior School Hockey is thriving with eight teams playing on Mondays after school in the North Harbour Hockey competition, and 53 Year 1 and 2 students are getting to know some Hockey basics on Thursday lunchtimes. A large team of student volunteer coaches are assisting all levels while using the coaching hours towards the William Pike Challenge or the Duke of Edinburgh programme; it is wonderful to have their energy and ideas.

Splash Polo/Newbies Splash

The Junior School has five Splash Polo teams, 48 students, competing in the North Harbour League this year. All teams are being coached by senior students in our Premier or Senior Teams, passing on their passion and skills. It is wonderful seeing the fun they are having in the water and beginning to work together as a team.

Camps Junior School

Camps Middle School

Camps Senior School

Alumni Sherry Feng

From the Class of 2013, Sherry Feng now finds herself at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and development. After gaining an incredible tertiary education in America, she returned home to Auckland to complete her PhD. Sherry has some amazing work experience, including working at the United Nations and for the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor. We caught up with Sherry to find out more about her and the world of AI.

What and where did you complete your tertiary studies?

I did my Bachelor's degree at the University of San Francisco, my Masters degree at Columbia University in New York (both in Computer Science) and my PhD at AUT in Auckland.

What were your doctoral studies based on?

My research explored ways to help Artificial Intelligence (AI) understand language better, while also making these complex systems more transparent so we can actually figure out what they're doing behind the scenes.

Tell us about your work experience so far?

Since beginning my journey in AI during my Bachelor's degree, I've built a diverse career spanning consulting and development roles across the globe. I've worked with startups, government agencies and even the United Nations on various AI initiatives. Here in New Zealand, I've had the privilege of assisting with the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor on several significant AI projects.

What are you doing now?

I’m currently an AI engineer at a start-up in Auckland.

What are your career plans for the future?

I plan to continue working at the forefront of the AI field, focusing particularly on making these technologies more accessible, ethical and beneficial for society. I'm especially interested in bridging research and practical applications.

What are your thoughts on AI? Why has it become such a big thing in the world?

AI has been evolving for decades, much longer than most people realise. I believe its recent prominence stems from a convergence of factors: increased technological literacy among the general population, our inherent human curiosity and the tangible ways AI has already transformed our daily lives. We're witnessing a unique moment where theoretical possibilities are rapidly becoming practical realities.

Should we be worried about AI, or should we embrace it?

I see parallels with previous technological innovations. When the ballpoint pen was introduced, there were concerns that it would diminish our ability to write with pencils. Similarly, the early internet sparked numerous anxieties that now seem quaint. With perspective, we often find that our initial concerns evolve as we adapt to new technologies. That said, AI does present unique challenges – I believe we should embrace its potential while simultaneously doing the critical work of addressing privacy concerns, ethical implications and ensuring equitable access.

What are some of your fondest memories at Kristin?

When Kristin acquired a 3D printer, at a time when this technology was still relatively inaccessible in New Zealand. Did Kristin set you up well for your studies and postschool life?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme at Kristin definitely helped shape me into a more well-rounded individual, encouraging me to explore diverse interests before finding my passion. Beyond academics, the Kristin Alumni network has been remarkably valuable – I've connected with fellow graduates in many different places in the world.

Alumni Sam Leitch

Exceptionally talented artist Sam Leitch from the Class of 2006 has forged a remarkable career in art, creating incredibly unique paintings, sculptures and prints. He has had many solo and group exhibitions, and his art has been sold to locations all over the world. We caught up with Sam to find out where his inspiration comes from and if this love of art was created in the art classrooms here at Kristin.

What did you do when you left school?

I did a Bachelor of Visual Arts, majoring in Painting, at the University of Auckland.

Have you always lived in New Zealand, or has your art taken you overseas?

I’ve always had New Zealand as my home base, but my art has taken me overseas to Sydney and Melbourne for art fairs.

Tell us more about your art?

I create original paintings as well as prints and sculptures. I’ve always been fascinated with what makes a piece of art – the connection between the viewer, the artist and the piece itself is a relationship that dominates my ever-evolving art practice. I’m interested in taking the viewer on a trip within the art. Bringing icons and ideas from everyday life onto the canvas and placing them within surreal locations underlies much of my work. From bottles of wine to bulldogs, birds and people, I explore the world with optimism, raising unanswerable questions that keep the viewer both satisfied and interested.

Where do you find inspiration for your art?

The moments of life. This means I make it a priority to be present in the mundane, in everyday life. The moments and conversations that bring on connection.

Native birds feature a lot in your pieces. Are they something you are interested in?

I’ve always had a strong connection with nature and birds. Birds are the people in my works.

Who is your favourite artist of all time?

Picasso and Bill Hammond.

When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?

It has always been a huge aspect of my life. One moment I remember was the end of my second year at university, we were doing an exhibition, and there was a note beside one of my paintings – a lady wanted to purchase it. A few days later, I met her on the street, and she had happy tears and spoke of the joy of how the painting brought back emotions of her childhood. It was one of the first experiences creating something for me that meant something to someone else. She hugged me and gave me $1,200 for a painting. I was 19 years old. Happy days. I thought – I can do this! Another would be my first solo exhibition, which sold out in 2013.

Do you think your love for art was fostered at Kristin? I do. Phillipa Dyer and Alistair Nisbet-Smith, both art teachers at Kristin, nurtured my art career by creating a safe and creative environment for me to explore ideas.

What are some of your best memories from your Kristin days?

Some of my best memories are playing rugby with the lads, and I vividly remember our trip to Canada with the 1st XV in 2005. I also really enjoyed painting, doing sculptures and outdoor education with John Lane. I cherish these memories.

Any advice for our current students who want to pursue art as a career?

Use high-quality products, go deeper (explore depth), put yourself in environments with other artists, surround yourself with people who are one step ahead, seek criticism and feedback, and stick to your voice. Create for yourself first.

Learn more about Sam’s incredible works by visiting his website and Instagram:

Website: www.samleitch.com

Instagram: @_samleitch

Alumni Carolyn Powles

Over the past few years, Carolyn Powles (Class of 1999) has been on an incredible adventure with her husband and four young boys, leaving the ‘normal’ world behind to live on their yacht, Moon River, sailing around stunning and remote locations whilst enjoying remarkable experiences with her family. We caught up with Carolyn to learn more about this dream that became a reality.

What did you study when you left Kristin?

I studied Civil Engineering at the University of Auckland. I attended a science camp in Year 11 during which I really enjoyed designing a bridge. I’d always had a strong interest in maths, science, design and problem-solving, and engineering seemed like the perfect fit.

Where have you worked?

Over the years, I have worked as a civil engineer for Airey Consultants in land development and infrastructure. I spent my OE working for a government agency in London, writing flood risk management policy and designing flood protection structures.

Did you have much boating experience?

I had some dinghy sailing experience and even raced in the school sailing team. I was also very lucky to get a scholarship through Kristin to attend a 10-day voyage on the Spirit of New Zealand, and I have fond memories of sailing around the Hauraki Gulf with my parents in their yacht. My husband and I rented a yacht to sail around Croatia in our early 20s, but nothing prepares you for coskippering your own yacht, especially offshore with four children on board!

What made you decide to take your family on this adventure?

We bought the yacht and enjoyed a summer pilgrimage to the Far North each year for three years in a row. I had read several books about families sailing the world, and we both had a desire to spend more time together as a family. The idea of an adventure by sea kept surfacing. We began preparing the boat and ourselves, taking survival and medic courses, and gradually building the skills and confidence we needed. However, right up until the moment we departed, it all seemed quite surreal and like a pipe dream.

Where you have been and what are some of the most interesting experiences you have had?

In 2019, we sailed as part of the Island Cruising Rally on a six-month voyage to Tonga, Fiji and New Caledonia. We had an amazing time and decided to head off again in 2021, but were delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2023, we finally got underway again and spent 18 months sailing from New Zealand, through Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Some of our most amazing stops were exploring the mid-ocean Minerva Reefs and the remote atolls of the Lau group in Fiji, meeting the wonderful people of the

Ninigo Islands in Papua New Guinea, diving Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia, Komodo Dragons, surfing Lombok and the Mentawais. The culture we have experienced has been amazing, being able to go ashore and meet locals in places where tourists never go. In one small village, Tifu, we arranged an English lesson on board Moon River, and 40 students turned up! We had an endless stream of children visiting over four or five days.

We’ve dived with whale sharks, manta rays, reef sharks, turtles and dolphins, and we’ve seen turtles hatching in the Arnavon Islands. We’ve drifted down reef passages full of the most beautiful and untouched coral, but we have also sadly seen prolific floating garbage patches, coral bleaching in progress and coral bombing for fish.

Do you work remotely while you are away?

We have just done a six-month stint back home to top up the travel funds, and we hope to do a bit more work. Richie works remotely in tech, and I freelance when I can and homeschool the kids. We live simply and prioritise experiences over possessions.

Do the kids love it?

Yes, most of the time! The boys are adventurous and adaptable. They’ve crossed oceans, caught fish off the back of the boat, made friends in remote villages, learned so much from life and banked some amazing experiences.

What are some of the major challenges of living overseas, with four young boys on a boat?

Space is tight, and privacy is non-existent! Managing logistics like provisioning, route planning and locating anchorages, weather-watching and boat maintenance can be exhausting. Home-schooling while juggling boat life is intense. We really miss our large families and friends.

There are also scary moments, thunder and lightning strikes near the boat on the open ocean, large seas, strong winds and gear failure. During those times, stress levels are high, and we have to make a pretty big effort to appear completely in control so the boys aren’t scared.

Do you have an end date to this adventure?

Our current plan is to sail back to New Zealand over 18 months, spend some time on land, and sail around New Zealand. From our current location, the alternative options are to complete a circumnavigation or sail north from eastern Indonesia and explore Japan and Alaska. Both sound amazing and are hard to pass up, but remain on the list for another day.

What do you enjoy most about it?

The freedom. The slowness. The adventure and romance. Startlit nights on an open ocean, bonfires on deserted beaches. Watching the kids grow up wild and curious and so in touch with the world around them, and the excitement of waking up somewhere new, dropping anchor in a place we’ve never been and discovering it together.

What are your fondest memories of your time at Kristin?

The school camps, in particular Tongariro, training and racing at Ruapehu with the ski team, and the sports, such as playing hockey, soccer, touch, sailing and climbing. There were so many opportunities that I probably didn’t appreciate enough at the time. I remember many of my teachers and coaches with great fondness.

What would you say to anyone thinking about doing the same thing?

Don’t wait until everything is perfect because it never will be. Start small, build experience and take the leap.

Alumni Tom McRae

A Head Prefect from the Class of 1999, Tom McRae will be a familiar face for many of you. In his impressive career, Tom has worked as a reporter for TVNZ as well as working for 10 years as a reporter and news anchor on TV3, and later Newshub. However, in 2022, he made the decision to move his family to the other side of the world for a superb career opportunity as a Senior Presenter at Al Jazeera English-based news in Doha, Qatar.

What did you study when you left Kristin?

I did a Bachelor of Performing Arts majoring in Writing, Directing and Acting at UNITEC.

Tell us about your career journey following your studies? After graduating, I had many random jobs, from working in bars and restaurants, to teaching writing, directing and acting, to starting a production company making short films and theatre productions. From there, I got the opportunity to film a documentary following in my grandfather’s footsteps as a Prisoner of War in World War II called 'Nobody’s Heroes'. An incredible experience travelling from Napier to Crete, where he was captured and taken north to what is now Poland, where he was forced to do manual labour in the work camps. It was featured on TVNZ’s ANZAC Day coverage. It gave me the opening to do work experience in the newsroom, and I’ve been in news ever since.

What does a normal workday look like for you at Al Jazeera?

There is no such thing as a normal day in news. As it is a 24-hour channel, we work around the clock. The nature of news means that anything can, and sometimes does happen, so you have to be prepared for any eventuality.

I usually get in about four hours before my on-air shift starts to get up to speed with the latest developments on the main stories for the day. We generally do a four-hour on-air shift, with some breaks if there isn’t any rolling coverage. On an average day, we speak to half a dozen or more of our correspondents in the field. We also have a number of interviews, on subjects from global tariffs, Ukraine ceasefire negotiations, climate change, the war on Gaza, developments in Syria, US migrant deportations, to name just a few.

What were your reasons for taking the opportunity with Al Jazeera in Doha?

Coming out of the fog of COVID, I was looking for new opportunities. A friend who worked at Al Jazeera got in touch, saying there might be a job going and to flick through my resume and showreel. I did, and six months later, I was moving my family to a place we had never been before and knew very little about. A jump into the unknown is an understatement.

What was it like to move your family to Doha?

It was a huge leap and massively daunting. But we were up for an adventure. With two young children, it was something that pushed us way out of our comfort zone. It is hard to describe just how different it is from New Zealand. Almost every aspect of life here is different. So it definitely took some getting used to. We arrived in July, the height of summer. 45 degrees and 100% humidity is something that hits like nothing else.

What is it like living in Doha?

Many assume it is like Dubai, but apart from being in the Middle East and having some cultural similarities, they are very differant. Doha is like a small village in comparison, with fewer than one million people. It is extremely familyfriendly, and our two children have settled in so easily here. There are incredible international schools, and it is also one of the safest countries in the world; there is hardly any crime, and the health system is world-class. Like anywhere, there are downsides; the summer heat is intense beyond belief, and we do really miss home.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

The fact that every day can be completely different, that you never quite know what is going to come your way. We interview some incredibly interesting people and get opportunities to tell people's stories that can reach a truly global audience.

What stories you have reported on have left a lasting impression on you?

The story that probably impacted me most was the Christchurch earthquake. I was living in Christchurch and working for TVNZ, so it was incredibly personal because you were living the story along with everyone else in the city. Normally, as a journalist, you are removed from the story. It gave me a unique perspective on how it changed every aspect of life. I've also been fortunate to travel a lot to report on major events such as the 2015 Cricket World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Kuala Lumpur for MH370, Paris for the Bataclan terror attacks and Helsinki to interview the Finnish President.

How has news journalism changed during your time?

The fundamentals are the same, and they will never change. However, the way in which it is gathered and distributed is almost completely different. The rise of the digital age and social media has meant that how people get their news is completely different now. You just open your phone, and depending on your algorithms, you get fed what it thinks you want to see. Back in the day, you would have to turn on the 6pm news, listen to the news bulletin on the radio at the top of the hour, or pick up the morning paper and see what was on the front page. But the fascinating thing is that more people consume news content than ever before; they're just doing it in completely different ways.

Any advice for our current students who want to pursue journalism or work in television?

It is an incredibly rewarding career. It gives you a front row seat to the most fascinating aspect of life. Students are now in such a good position to take advantage of that. The industry has undergone a massive change in adapting to digital. But that is second nature for students these days, putting you in a prime position to run rings around those who are still trying to figure out how to install the latest iOS update.

Most newsrooms want people who have a degree or diploma; AUT, Broadcasting School and Canterbury University all offer fantastic courses, as do many others. Start there and work out what is best for you, and show initiative - there is nothing more endearing to a news boss than someone who just gets on and does it, so get in touch and ask if you can go into a newsroom for a day, and don't take no for an answer!

What are your fondest memories of your time at Kristin?

I made some amazing friends, the productions, and a group of us set up the Fashion Show after our good mate Thomas Bridgman passed away in 1999. The fact that

this continued for so long and raised so much money for Canteen and other charities is something I know all of us who were involved with it are incredibly proud of.

Alumni Reunions

Kristin Alumni reunite in London

We were delighted to bring a taste of Kristin to the Northern Hemisphere for our Kristin Alumni London Reunion in April.

The event, hosted by Senior School Principal David Boardman, drew together a vibrant crowd of Kristin graduates, spanning from the school’s earliest foundation years to the recent Class of 2023.

The evening was a celebration of shared memories, as attendees reconnected with old friends, exchanged stories and caught up on the latest news from home. A highlight of the night was an inspiring address from Imogen Harwood from the Class of 2018. Imogen shared her journey and experiences since graduation as she pursues a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Musical Theatre at the prestigious Guildford School of Acting. Imogen also recently received the North Harbour Club AIMES Arts Award in honour of her dedication to the Arts.

The warmth and enthusiasm of our alumni in London were a testament to the fact that, wherever life may take them, Kristin Alumni will always find a sense of belonging with one another.

From the Archives

What’s in a name? How our school came to be called Kristin

What do a certain North Shore school, a misinterpretation of a Swedish word, and a babysitter have in common? The answer is the name ‘Kristin.’

Originating from the vision and tenacity of our founders, the name 'Kristin' unites us under a shared identity and brings us together as a community. Recognised as an iconic school on Auckland’s North Shore, how did this unique name come to be?

In December 1972, with the school’s opening just two months away, a name was needed – and fast. For without a name, a school could not be registered. During a committee meeting, it was decided that no one was going home until a name was agreed upon. Suggestions such as ‘Hillary’, ‘Blue Water’ and practical, yet unoriginal ‘Shore School’ were debated, but none resonated. It was not until a much-needed coffee break that founding parents Dennis and Jenny Brown proposed the name ‘Kristin’.

Jenny, inspired by the school’s Christian ethos, believed it to be the Swedish word for ‘Christian’ – though the correct spelling is actually ‘Kristen’. The name was also influenced by the Brown’s neighbour and favourite babysitter, Kristin Treys. Despite its unfamiliarity and potential spelling challenges, the committee unanimously embraced ‘Kristin’ for its uniqueness and symbolic ties to its Christian significance.

The next day fellow founding parent and committee member Stan Jober visited the Auckland Library to ensure the name carried no unintended associations. He later recounted:

“By 10am, I had about five librarians searching in different directions to find if anyone had murdered anyone by the name of Kristin or some pirate had such a boat… nothing came up."

With no concerning ties uncovered, the name Kristin was officially adopted. Today, the name Kristin continues to symbolise the Christian values of our school and the vision, integrity and love of our founders. A name that honours the past, while inspiring the future.

Want to discover more about Kristin’s history? Visit kristinschool.recollect.co.nz – Kristin’s Archive online platform. It’s a fantastic way to explore Kristin’s rich historical past.

It is always exciting to receive new donations, so if you have any Kristin memorabilia that would be a valuable addition to the Kristin archives, feel free to get in touch via: archives@kristin.school.nz

The Final Shot: Jayden Wang (Year 13, Head Prefect) portraying Jean Valjean in the epic Senior School Production of Les Misérables