Strata Issue 33

STRATA

STRATA Issue 33. Term 2, 2017

The ACG Strathallan Magazine

We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. And what a wonderful visit it was. Dorothy charmed us with her striking voice, the munchkins entertained us with their antics and we were captivated by the quirkiness of the cowardly lion, the scarecrow without a brain, and the tin man without a heart.

As we well know, to put on a stage show on such a large scale takes a huge amount of effort and strategic planning. Involved in this process was director Penny Stafford-Bush, music director Heather Revell-Knighton and the production manager Sophia Grobler. The three ladies started their planning as early as last December when all their ideas were clearly laid out. Auditions took place in February and then followed weekly rehearsals, with staff and students coming together to rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

Penny has extensive stage experience as an actress, director and behind-the-scenes stage hand both in the UK and New Zealand and attributes the success of the show to the wonderful energy amongst the principal actors. ‘It was a big commitment from the principals and I appreciate the time they

put in. They are students who brought their own infectious humour to their roles. They were well cast.’

Heather acknowledged the hard work that the Production Band put in. ‘I decided that I would invite music students to be involved and they have all rallied around, encouraging one another, practising alone and together and committed to many hours of rehearsals.’

This is Sophia’s 12th year as production manager at ACG Strathallan. She spends her time behind the scenes organising lighting and sound, problem solving and basically making sure everything comes together as smoothly as possible.

All three were assisted by a number of other staff members who supported the production by making creative props and intricate costumes.

At the heart of a school production is the opportunity for students to flutter their dramatic wings on stage or work back stage ensuring that all scene changes flow smoothly.

Fortunately for them, they have some wonderful role models to learn from.

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STRATA

Supporters of Strathallan At ACG Strathallan, we recognise how important it is to have the support of our families. The Supporters of Strathallan (SOS) is a formal committee who actively work to bring the parents and school together.

college and one in the primary, and like many parents, she is kept busy by her work and chasing around after her daughters and their after-school activities. Despite this, ‘There’s always time for something more,’ she says.

Denys Desmond, who was the chairperson of SOS until the beginning of 2017, is very excited about the future plans for the committee. Even though she has stepped down from her role, she is still looking forward to being a part of the committee and being actively involved in future events.

Her plan for the future of SOS is to build on the hard work of Denys and her predecessors in building SOS to what it is today. ‘My vision is to have a large group of SOS members helping build an inclusive culture at all levels of our school.

This way, the workload is spread amongst many and every family can feel they are a part of the ACG Strathallan community, whether they have a three-month-old at the baby centre two days a week or an 18 year-old about to finish Year 13 and head into the world.’

Earlier this year a notice was sent to all families seeking new members to join SOS and this was met with a wonderful response. There are now 33 members on the committee whose involvement can range from full committee support to helping where and when they can on the different events through the year.

As Denys says, ‘It is great that SOS, which traditionally had been predominantly a college initiative, is now involving the whole campus. Bringing together parents and children from all three schools will further strengthen the ACG Strathallan community spirit.’

Kirsten Ruiterman is the new chairperson of SOS. She is a working mum who has two children at the school, one in the

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There is certainly plenty to keep our SOS team busy, as SOS member Sheryn Botherway notes. ‘This year we are involved in the school open days, Grandparents’ Day, the primary and preschool discos, feeding the college school production cast and musicians, the fireworks night, Family Fiesta, Charity Gala and it probably won’t end there! If you want to get involved then please contact sheryn.botherway@acgedu.com with the level of commitment you are happy with and start your SOS journey with us.’

STRATA A taste of things to come College can be a scary experience for many new students but not for our Year 6 students in the Primary School who were treated to a fun-filled Taster Day in the College this term to prepare them for their future learning in the College.

Every year the Year 6 students return to the Primary School buzzing with excitement and this year was no different.

At the start of the day, they were taken up to the College Theatre where they were introduced to their Year 8 buddies for the day. After describing her initial feeling as being ‘bombarded by college giants’, Rasleen Singh was very happy to have friendly Year 8 faces looking out for her.

Students participated in ‘mini’ lessons in Drama, Design, PE and Science, with Science a firm favourite and described by the students as ‘awesome’! Minho Choi loved it because ‘[we] mixed two colours together and BOOM! A yellow solid.’ Melvin Jia and Madeleine Walker agreed, loving the opportunity to be hands on with the experiments.

For others, the favourite part was Physical Education and the Boys vs Girls competition. Jasmine Burson, Leilani Cambie and Charlie Percy all spoke about how they enjoyed the games. Jasmine and Leilani especially liked it when the girls came out the winners! Benjamin Morgan spoke about being excited to go to the College next year because of all the sports equipment in the gymnasium.

The top feedback from Design and Technology was being able to work as part of a team for the tower challenge where the students had to create a tower that could hold an egg for 10 seconds.

After a principal position in the Primary production of The Lion King this year, Sienna Van Baarle felt that Drama was her favourite lesson. During the Drama lesson, the Year 6 students had to act out different emotions without speaking. According to 6HOU, ‘worried’ was the emotion that was the hardest to act out without exploding into fits of laughter!

Overall, the college Taster Day was an invaluable experience for the Year 6 students, helping to alleviate their nerves and boost their confidence ahead of their own college transitions at the end of the year.

Abby Engelbrecht said, ‘It was an amazing day. It was a really informative day to know what it’s like in the College.’

After discussing their favourite subjects, and how there were so many new people at the College, the overwhelming response from the Year 6 students was how excited they were for next year. This was perfectly summed up by the feedback from Hunter Scott: ‘I just loved it all!’

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Farewell to Mr Kirkham Robin Kirkham has made an indelible impression on the students, staff and families of ACG Strathallan. As he prepares to move on to his next challenge, Robin spoke to Strata about his experiences as Executive Principal at ACG Strathallan: What were your initial impressions of the school when you first arrived?

Most importantly – strong academics and confident, well-mannered students.

What were some areas you wanted to make an impact on?

ACG Strathallan had a great feeling of potential, not just academic. I came in thinking about how I could bring a heart into the school and grow on its warm nature. Two major initiatives were to discover and develop what we now agree to be our core values. Initially, it started with twelve principles which were discussed in tutor groups and finally these were whittled down to three: Pride, Respect and Integrity. A second successful initiative was to make the house system a helpful and supportive entity which would give students more opportunities for leadership and a stronger sense of identity and fun.

What have been some highlights for you?

We’ve laid some great foundations in sport which has led us to develop strong relationships with regional associations. This is beginning to have a significant impact and as the region grows and develops, ACG Strathallan will be a more inviting prospect for the young sports stars who live in this area.

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Not only is the school’s academic and sporting excellence a highlight for me, I have also seen ACG Strathallan grow as a multi-cultural facilitator in the region. The Confucius Classroom sees us as a school that has brought greater awareness of the Chinese culture so they have funded the buying of many cultural resources, in particular the Guzheng, an ancient Chinese musical instrument, which students can now have lessons for. This testifies to the holistic development I have had in mind for ACG Strathallan.

What changes do you wish to continue to see?

I believe in the positive education approach which is to get students to understand their mind.

Teaching students the skills to stay positive is essential so they won’t just default to negativity.

The work we do building wellbeing amongst students must continue as it gets to the heart of supporting young people.

Do you have a most memorable teaching moment?

The Preschool is a real tonic. I’ve often volunteered to go down there to help out. I was told by a parent of a preschooler that the family had bought a pet tortoise and her child was given the task of naming it. He called it Mr Kirkham!

Another key aspect is the staff I have worked with. I have learned so much from every dedicated staff member. They put the ideas into action and make this school what it is.

Robin’s vision and aspirations for the school have resulted in some wonderful changes which will leave a lasting mark on the school.

STRATA

Welcome to Mr O’Connor Term Three sees the beginning of new leadership for ACG Strathallan. Danny O’ Connor will be leaving his job as High School Principal at the Dover Campus of the United World College of South East Asia (UWCSEA) in Singapore to begin his role as Executive Principal at ACG Strathallan. We interviewed Danny to find out a little more about him.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and experience in education?

I grew up in South Auckland and, after completing my Bachelor of Education at Massey University, I began my teaching career at St. Peter’s College, Epsom. After a rewarding three years, I headed off overseas where I have had the privilege of working in a number of excellent schools in England, Hong Kong and Singapore.

During my time away, I was also able to further my studies, gaining a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration.

What brings you back to New Zealand?

The decision to move back to New Zealand was an easy one. Living abroad really makes you appreciate everything about New Zealand and how fortunate people are to be able to live in such an incredible country. The people, the sense of community and the amazing natural environment are the envy of so many people around the world and our intention as a family was always to return home at some stage. I knew about ACG Strathallan and its excellent reputation for offering an outstanding education and the

opportunity to lead ACG Strathallan was one of the determining factors in my decision to move back to New Zealand after so many years abroad.

What are you looking forward to the most in your new role as Executive Principal of ACG Strathallan?

Meeting and working with the staff, students and parents to ensure the future success and wellbeing of all students at ACG Strathallan.

What is your vision for the school?

To continue to develop the holistic learning programme offered at ACG Strathallan so that students are provided with opportunities to develop the necessary skills to not only be successful in life but to also be valued members of their communities. My immediate plan is to get to know the staff, students and parents within the ACG Strathallan community. Their perceptions of the various aspects of school life are important and I look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of our strengths and areas for development from them.

Can you share a bit about yourself personally?

What do you get up to in your spare time?

I am married to Alison and I am a proud father of two boys. Outside of school, sport has always played a big part in my life and I still enjoy swimming and cycling. Any spare time is usually spent with my family and we’re looking forward to enjoying life in New Zealand.

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Family Ties The term VIP is often linked with actors, musicians and other famous people. However, when you’re little, you know exactly who the Very Important People are in your life and they are your mum or dad or grandparents. Caroline Lithgow, a teacher in the Preschool, tells us about the exciting VIP Day they hosted recently: ‘Lots of fun was had in the infant class as they jiggled their scarves and ribbons to mat-time tunes and sang along to their favourite teddy bear song, accompanied by real teddy bears - a definite hit with all! After special cuddles were shared, the children gave their “special someone” a colourful, hand-printed picture saying ‘thank you’, a keepsake which we are sure will be forever cherished.

‘In the junior class, the children began their concert joyfully clapping and singing ‘Morena’, their daily good morning song.

This was just a taste of the musical delights that followed, as they sang and performed ‘Giant’s Breakfast’ and ‘Jump, Jump, Star!’ to name but a few in a highly entertaining, energetic mat-time.

‘The seniors eagerly awaited their VIPs and in preparation they drew their special someone and wrote why they were special.

“They give me huggles and kisses” (Ruben), “They make me laugh” (Jake), “We go fishing” (Oscar), “They love me” (Kayla and Zoe) were some of their responses. This work was displayed on the wall and certainly drew the attention of our special guests.

‘The activities were followed by a morning tea of Devonshire scones teamed with jam and cream. A perfect treat to complete a perfect day.’

Meanwhile, the Primary school has been hosting its own VIPs. Grandparent’s Day is always a much-anticipated event held in the Primary School each year and this year was no exception with students very excited to be able to spend the morning sharing their learning with their grandparents.

The day began with a special assembly, featuring performances from the Rock Band, individual classes and whole school musical items. Students were then able to take their grandparents back to class with them, and many students who did not have a grandparent present were ‘adopted’ for the morning.

Across the classrooms there were many different activities taking place, from family vs family Kahoot challenges to scavenger hunts, and the chance to show favourite pieces of school work to very proud grandparents. Many grandparents were also taken on a tour of the Primary School, with the favourite spot for many senior students being the senior playground!

To finish up the morning, the grandparents were invited to morning tea in the Primary School hall. This was set up by a group of parents and SOS members, and packed with an assortment of delicious treats provided by the students. While many grandparents mentioned particular parts of the morning that they enjoyed, the overwhelming response was that they most enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren.

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Rainbow Connections They say that change is as good as a holiday. Well, for the Preschool, this has most certainly been the case. At the end of Term One, we started getting ready for the new transformation that was about to take place, repainting the Preschool walls.

The Preschool has always been true to its colours, and by colours I mean the children’s group colours. As each child moves through the Junior rooms to Senior rooms, they take on a colour that represents the group they will be with while in that room. The different group colours are Blue, Green, Purple, Orange and Red so we decided to use these as our colour palate.

ACG Strathallan’s interior paint-scheme designer, Lou Brown Design, worked very hard with us to come up with a design that was exciting to all. It is vibrant and lively and makes you feel good as you walk in the door, which is key in an early childhood centre. Most of the Preschool teachers worked tirelessly throughout the ‘holiday period’ taking off years of work and fixtures to prepare for the repaint.

The first day of term arrived and we were all anxious about the response we would get from the families of ACG Strathallan, hoping all would appreciate the change. As the children and their parents started flowing in through the entrance you could hear the children’s reactions: ‘Wow! It looks like a rainbow!’, ‘I like the purple best’, ‘It’s sooooo cool!’

- a very positive outcome for all here at ACG Strathallan.

With the new colours depicting the children’s designated group colours, each group teacher has been given a wall to display their children’s learning and goals. In the case of the seniors, the wall displays their future goals and ambitions.

It is here that their parents can come to see what amazing ambitions their child has before they start ‘big school’. It also makes for a great discussion point between teachers, parents, caregivers and the children.

It has been an exciting change and I think it is one that has had a positive impact on everybody here at ACG Strathallan Preschool. A refreshing change makes for a cheerful future ahead.

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ACG Strathallan, Hayfield Way, RD1, Papakura, New Zealand 09 295 0830 | strathallan@acgedu.com strathallan.acgedu.com