Kaleidoscope June 2015 by Benefitz

06.2015

ISSUE 61

IN THIS

ISSUE 61

ISSUE 06

Fallen Poppies

06.2015

The Hub of Technology

From the Executive Principal

From the Board

Friends of the Foundation

An Interview with Mr Oughton

Fallen Poppies

The Hub of Technology

Enhanced Learning

Academic Results

Spotlight on Sport

FIFA U-20 World Cup

Spotlight on Sport

Noises Off, Miss Saigon

Walking with Dinosaurs Food for Thought Quiz Night

The Liggins Institute UN Youth Declaration

St George’s Exchange

Swimming Sports

26 Athletics 28 Cross-Country 30

Water Polo

Sports Exchanges

Fleet Racing Champions Top Placings for Kristin Equestrians Trans-Tasman Netball Tour

Hawke’s Bay Cricket Tour Trans-Tasman Titles for Macsen Sisam

Connecting our Community (KFF)

Family Picnic New Parents’ Dinners Sculpture on The Gulf

Camp Week

Season Highlights

Noises Off

Community News

Miss Saigon

Alumni: Jess Quinn

Live Streaming For Grandparents’ Day Euphony Performs at Auckland Arts Festival

Alumni: Sam Leitch

Space Apps

Alumni: Motion Sickness Studio

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FROM THE EXECUTIVE

PRINCIPAL Research is now beginning to show that Positive Education programmes decrease stress and anxiety as well as increase self-efficacy, self-esteem and optimism.

KRISTIN’S FUTURE IN POSITIVE EDUCATION Early in 2008, during a professional learning course at Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia, I was introduced to a new term – positive psychology. Geelong Grammar was hosting a world authority and founder of the Positive Psychology movement, Professor Martin Seligman from the University of Pennsylvania. Seligman was a totally compelling, enthusiastic promoter of student well-being – the more I listened to him and the more I read about his work, the more convinced I became about the critical importance of teaching effective wellbeing programmes throughout the curriculum as well as the importance of maintaining a culture of optimism and positivity throughout the school community. Seligman referred to it as “maximising the happiness factor”. Seven years later, after participating in the successful implementation of a Positive Education programme in my previous school, I remain more convinced than ever of the importance of well-being (physical, mental and spiritual) in the development and growth of the young people in our charge. Without doubt, the same rationale applies to all members of our community, particularly staff and parents. Since the early 20th century, the fields of psychology and psychiatry have focused on fixing mental problems rather than on promoting human flourishing and increasing wellbeing. The Positive Psychology movement has engaged the scientific exploration of human well-being and optimal functioning to help people not only mend what is broken, but go on to expand their potential and thrive. The prevalence of depression amongst young New Zealanders is disappointingly high, given the quality of life our wonderful country should provide. I am sure this epidemic can be countered with effective education. Research is now beginning to show that Positive Education programmes decrease stress and anxiety as well as increase self-efficacy, self-esteem and optimism. Evidence-based Positive Education programmes are playing a crucial role in teaching the skills of well-being and promoting positive health for students.

Geelong Grammar School, a pioneer in developing a wholeschool approach to Positive Education, focuses on four key elements: Learn It, Live It, Teach It and Embed It. The school believes in the importance of all staff learning and living the skills and concepts that are taught at the school. In the next few months, Kristin will develop its own Positive Education model using best practice from other countries and its own talented team of enthusiasts. A recurring theme within education and psychology research is that motivation to learn and achieve one’s best is linked with higher levels of well-being — ‘feeling good and doing good’. At Kristin, we want to ensure not only that our students experience a positive school culture and environment, but that they will be taught skills in how to enhance their well-being, cope with life’s challenges, live purposeful and meaningful lives, strengthen their relationships with others and have real aspirations. There is no doubt that focusing on these skills will set our students up for lifelong learning and meaningful futures. Just what kinds of skill might be taught in an effective Positive Education programme? Seligman and Peterson have defined 24 character strengths (and prepared an associated survey, which can be used to determine any individual’s top strengths: www.viacharacter.org/survey) that have been used to good effect in a number of schools as a goal-setting and reporting mechanism. Also, other skills can be taught to increase resilience, demonstrate gratitude, practise mindfulness, share good news (Active Constructive Responding), and recognise positive and negative emotions. There is an abundance of stimulating resources available to assist effective curriculum design. Over the next year it is our intention to put together a coordinated, whole-school programme that sets Kristin apart and ensures all of our students have the skills required to thrive, no matter where life takes them: a positive future, without doubt.

TIM OUGHTON

EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL

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FROM THE

BOARD OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION

The change in Executive Principal represents an opportunity for the Board and the Senior Management Team to take a fresh look at the way we do things at Kristin.

One of the Board’s key functions is to evaluate and determine Kristin’s strategic direction in the short, medium and long-term future. Each year the Board and the Senior Management Team (comprising the Executive Principal, the Principals and the Finance Director) carry out a strategic planning exercise. The fast pace of change in these times makes foreseeing beyond the medium term extremely difficult so, increasingly, the Board’s focus has been on ensuring that it has the skills and networks to sense what lies ahead and to adjust the strategic direction to respond to changing circumstances. The Strategic Planning Workshop this year will be particularly important. The change in Executive Principal represents an opportunity for the Board and the Senior Management Team to take a fresh look at the way we do things at Kristin, to evaluate whether we are still following best practice and to ensure the school’s values and practices are aligned. As preparation for this process, we have commissioned external consultants to carry out research to ‘take the temperature’ of our stakeholder groups. Thank you to everyone who has participated in our recent surveys and focus groups. The information we have gathered will inform the strategic thinking that we undertake.

CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMME The current economic conditions, while still a little volatile, are nonetheless the most benign they have been since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) began in 2007. While Kristin weathered the GFC storm well, its roll was, nonetheless, impacted. This, in turn, had an effect on Kristin’s capital works development programme. When the Building Greatness programme was launched prior to the GFC, it contained two significant projects – the Hockey Turf and the Aquatic Centre. The Hockey Turf has been completed. The Aquatic Centre remains on the Board’s capital works programme since the case for such a facility is sound from an educational point of view. Always, the construction of the Aquatic Centre was going to be dependent on the economic conditions being favourable so that the project was financially prudent. In 2007 the estimated cost of the Aquatic Centre ($7.0m) was to be funded by a mix of bank borrowing ($4.0m) and fundraising

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($3.0m). The project assumed that the average roll of the school prior to 2007 (1,650) would continue and that the debt associated with the project would be repaid aggressively within 10 years. Sensing the impact the GFC would have on the prevailing economic conditions (including on the average school roll), the Board refocused its priorities to prudent cost containment and debt repayment. We believe that this was the best strategy for Kristin to adopt. Since 2007 Kristin has reduced its long-term debt by more than $5.0m. Priority was given to capital works projects which were necessary to maintain the value of the school’s educational facilities and to improve access to and from the school as part of Auckland Transport’s project to widen Albany Highway and signalise the Rosedale Road intersection. Another capital development priority was to pursue projects which make the most of the school’s assets to increase and diversify Kristin’s sources of income. The new Medical Centre is such a project, which now provides an income stream independent of school fees. In a similar vein, the Board is very excited by the proposed development of an Early Childhood Centre, to be known as ‘Little Doves’. While the project will require further refinement before it is signed off, the business case for the centre is compelling. It will provide a significant income stream and will provide another entry point for students into the school. Funding development by means of voluntary donations from the Kristin community will remain a necessary and integral part of our development strategy. With the worst of the GFC behind us and a new Executive Principal leading the school, the Board is excited by the prospect of the innovation and change which this strategic planning process represents. We hope you share our enthusiasm and look forward to providing the community with feedback on the outcome achieved.

PHILIPPA FEE CHAIRMAN

FINANCIAL HEALTH REPORT FOR 2014 In last year’s May edition of Kaleidoscope, the Board reported to the Kristin community the key elements of the school’s financial position; we now present an update of the school’s performance for the year ended 31 December 2014. Key Elements • The Board’s strategic financial goal remains similar to that of last year: namely, to operate the school to achieve a prudent financial surplus, consistent with the Trust’s objectives of delivering the highest standard of education. • At the end of 2014, Kristin has assets of more than $83.0m – an increase of $11.0m from last year, of which land revaluation accounted for $8.3m. We repaid bank debt of $1.4m and trust funds increased by $9.5m. Kristin has substantial equity (60%) and long-term financing arrangements in place. • Kristin generated an operating cash surplus of $3.2m. This was used primarily to invest in fixed assets ($1.5m) and to repay loans ($1.4m). We also borrowed $0.7m for the purchase of the new Medical Centre. The results show that Kristin’s financial position has continued to strengthen from year to year. We thank all parents for their continued commitment to a Kristin education.

FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION Kristin was built on a culture of philanthropy and service. A quick look back through the archives shows parents and students, side by side, preparing pizzas to sell within the community, organising fundraisers, mowing sports fields and building classrooms. While things look a little different today, the same principles underpin everything we stand for. Our students are involved actively with the community and, throughout the school, we teach the importance of leadership through service. Kristin is the school it is today because of the generosity and dedication of those original families, and it is thanks to the ongoing support of our school community that we are now in a position to give back. Earlier this year the Board announced significant changes to our scholarship programme, including the introduction of additional Kristin Foundation Scholarships to support students who would not otherwise be able to benefit from a Kristin education. There are now places available to students enrolling in Years 5, 7, 9 and 11. Funded by the Kristin Foundation, which is managed by the Board

ASSETS $83.2M

HOW THE ASSETS ARE FUNDED 59.6% Trust Funds ($49.6m) 23.2% Bank Loan ($19.3m) 6.8% Fees in Advance ($5.7m) 5.8% Kristin Education Bond ($4.8m) 4.5% Staff and Suppliers ($3.8m)

93.3% Land and Buildings ($77.6m) 3.3% Cash ($2.8m) 1.8% Other Fixed Assets ($1.5m) 1.5% Debtors and other ($1.3m)

OPERATING CASH SURPLUS $28.3m

$2.7m

($18.7m)

($8.5m)

Tuition Fees Government Staff Remuneration and Other Grants Income

Suppliers

($1.2m)

$0.6m

$3.2m

Interest

GST

Operating Cash Surplus

USE OF CASH SURPLUS $3.2m

($1.5m) $0.7m

($1.4m)

$0.1m $1.1m

Operating Cash Surplus

Capital Expenditure

Kristin Borrowings Education Bond

Loan Repayments

Increase in Cash Balance

of Governors, these scholarships reflect the school’s commitment to delivering the best education opportunities to our community. While these Foundation Scholarships are currently funded by personal donations and corporate sponsorship, it is the aim of the Board to build the programme to be self-funding to ensure many more students will benefit from its support in the years ahead. A number of fundraising initiatives have been put in place to help us reach this goal. Board Chair Philippa Fee introduced Friends of the Foundation last year to formally recognise families who make significant contributions towards the scholarship fund by donating their bonds, while the Kristin Annual Giving Appeal will provide annual support for the Kristin Foundation as well as raising funds for new initiatives that sit outside the normal school budget. When it comes to achieving these goals and making a lasting difference to the school, every gift counts. The Board would like to encourage all members of the Kristin community to consider making a contribution to help ensure the values on which our school was founded are carried forward into the future. If you would like more information on how to make a donation to the Kristin Foundation, please contact Pamela Peryman on 09 415 9566 Extn 2820 or email pperyman@kristin.school.nz 06.2015

AN INTERVIEW WITH

MR OUGHTON My kind of school is one where people make genuine attempts to get on well with each other. The beginning of 2015 ushered in a new era at Kristin with the arrival of new Executive Principal Mr Tim Oughton and his wife Heather. Several months in and the Oughtons are well and truly at home here. Mr Oughton has made himself very available to the school community throughout his first months here: meeting with students, staff and families at school events, hosting social gatherings, attending Camp Week and initiating a series of individual interviews. However, we thought it was about time that we knew our new leader better. Head Prefects Lucy Josephson and Conrad Edwards sat down with Mr Oughton earlier this term to find out what makes our new Executive Principal tick.

In your opening address at the beginning of Term 1, you said, “This is my kind of school”. What is it about Kristin that resonates with you? My kind of school is one where people make genuine attempts to get on well with each other (all stakeholders in the community), where student well-being is at the centre of what we do, where an abundance of quality opportunities and experiences is available, where people work hard and strive for excellence, and where there is palpable evidence of happiness – I can bear witness to all these things at Kristin.

I never really saw myself as a principal when I first began teaching but I was given the opportunity to lead a school in Christchurch (St Andrew’s College) for a year and that experience convinced me that I really could make a difference to a school’s culture and student outcomes, if I could take people with me. Leadership is all about service, mentoring and coaching, thinking strategically, listening carefully and creating the most effective teams possible – this is a real challenge but I do like it. One of the aspects of my work that I like the most is working with people and encouraging them to realise their talents and potential – staff and students. Motivation and positive thinking are significant parts of my job. Why do you see leadership as such an integral part of student life? Because to lead you have to serve and I truly believe all students should have to serve others – their peers, those in different age groups and those who are less privileged than they are. Every student should create their own leadership opportunities and not have to wait to be picked as part of a special group.

Every school community has its strengths. What do you see as the particular strengths of Kristin and how are they different from those of other schools you have worked in?

At 42 years old, Kristin is a reasonably new school. Where do you see the school in five years’ time and in which direction do you wish it to grow?

The greatest strength is the quality of teaching on offer but allied to this is the quality of staff, both teaching and administrative/support staff, who go the extra mile to ensure every student makes the most of their potential at Kristin. Our grounds and facilities are also exceptional – few schools have such attractive surroundings.

I hope the values and culture evident in Kristin today endure well into the future. It really is a wonderful school in which to learn and teach; it has a genuine sense of community and students are very happy and motivated. The members of staff work extremely hard and the outcomes are marvellous right across the broad spectrum of our educational offerings. I would like to increase the enrolments to a level which could support the construction of a world-class student well-being centre – physical and mental health will always loom large on my agenda. Also, I would like to see sport as a focus for development.

I am equally impressed by the quality and authenticity of the relationships between the teachers and the students. Positivity abounds and it is woven into the fabric of our school. These relationships don’t end when school does; we have a fantastic Alumni community and many Alumni who have now returned as parents, which is a testament to the quality and longevity of this relationship-based culture.

Has being a principal changed how you see yourself as an individual? What is it about your role that inspires you?

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We’re always encouraged to be involved in co-curricular activities. What do you see as the value of this and how should we approach choosing what to do? You should choose something you like doing and something in which you have skills and talents – that could be anything from debating to dancing, playing in the orchestra or performing in the major production, being a member of a sports team (something I really would encourage because being a part of a team teaches wonderful skills) or completing a Duke of Edinburgh Award. School is the ideal place to try something new – you never know where your talents might lie! School can be pretty hard at times. What advice do you have for students who are facing big challenges? Bring everything into perspective. It is vital to maintain personal health and well-being – nobody can operate efficiently and effectively if they don’t look after themselves in the best way possible. I include diet, exercise, sleep and social habits here. Being organised and being able to prioritise really helps and, remember, procrastination is a root cause of many problems for teenagers. Just keep up with your work and life tends to operate far more smoothly. You’ve said on a number of occasions that you are a fourthgeneration teacher. Did you always know this was what you wanted to do? What advice do you have for students who are trying to find their own paths? I have always liked helping people and, when I was at school and university, I found I could explain things relatively simply – the explanations weren’t always entirely accurate but that is another matter! I have really enjoyed my teaching career and I still enjoy teaching my favourite subject – chemistry. If you are trying to find your own vocation, make sure you have a good understanding of your own particular skills and talents. Your subject teachers should give you reasonable ideas on where you skills lie and there are plenty of online surveys that assist talent identification and potential career pathways. I would encourage all students to do this, at least by Year 11, and then take advantage of the information and support offered through Kristin Futures. These are exciting decisions so do your research, know yourself and follow a path that inspires you.

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FALLEN POPPIES COMMEMORATING 100 YEARS SINCE GALLIPOLI

One hundred years after the Anzac forces landed at Gallipoli, the Kristin community has remembered those who have given their lives in service to our country and the contribution and sacrifice of our returned service men and women. A series of events was organised in the lead-up to, and the days surrounding, Anzac Day to enable members of the school and local community to come together to acknowledge the significance of the centenary. Preparations began on the evening of Tuesday 17 March, when parents, students and staff gathered in the Dove Theatre to hear Kristin teacher Richard Darrow present Fallen Poppies, a compelling lecture on the role of the Anzacs in World War I. Mr Darrow’s presentation gave life to the significant and devastating events that determined New Zealand’s involvement in the war, and the social, political and economic legacies that still exist today. The opportunity to gain insight and understanding of such a significant moment in our country’s history, from one of the school’s specialist teachers, was particularly appreciated by the parents in attendance. A thought-provoking question-and-answer session followed the formal presentation, with students, staff and parents all taking part in the discussion forum. Official Anzac Day commemorations were held throughout our region with Kristin students representing the school in parades and services at Browns Bay, Coatesville, Takapuna, Devonport, Albany and Hobsonville. Our own commemorative assembly was held at Kristin on 28 April. Rows and rows of white chairs filled the LIC courtyard, greeting students as they arrived back from their break and calling to mind the white crosses of those lost in battle. The rain and wind that passed through during the assembly reminded us of the realities of those who fought, and a moving personal account of the impact of war, shared by Mr Oughton, made the memories tangible. Flying Officer Emma Taylor of the Royal New Zealand Air Force spoke on behalf of Alumni and fellow former student Caleb Bridle played the Last Post and Reveille. Over 1,650 members of our Kristin community attended the moving service, paying their respects to the fallen; we will remember them.

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Rows and rows of white chairs filled the LIC courtyard, greeting students as they arrived back from their break and calling to mind the white crosses of those lost in battle.

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THE HUB OF TECHNOLOGY AT KRISTIN “Right now we have students building dynamic and responsive websites, developing their own apps and games, and designing and programming Arduino circuits – all while working collaboratively with teachers and peers.”

With a constant stream of innovative digital tools being used to facilitate teaching and learning across the school, a purpose-designed learning space has been created to support digital technologies at Kristin – The Hub. Located on the ground floor of the Humanities and Commerce building, The Hub is an open-plan learning environment that has the capacity to hold multiple classes simultaneously. Designed for flexibility, the space provides integrated tools to enable easy collaboration between groups and individuals. Head of the Arts and Technology Faculty, Andrew Churches, believes the new facility is already having an impact on the way students are learning, interacting and exploring technology. “In creating The Hub we have developed a dynamic learning environment. There is no ‘front’ to the classroom because we are teaching alongside our students. In the same way that the Cloud Creative Suite has enabled them to explore their learning through

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new creative means, The Hub is providing the tools for students to develop and discover technical skills and to engage with technology in a meaningful way. “Right now we have students building dynamic and responsive websites, developing their own apps and games, and designing and programming Arduino circuits – all while working collaboratively with teachers and peers, both within The Hub and remotely.”

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CURRICULUM The global evolution of digital technologies in education has enabled Kristin to incorporate elements throughout the curriculum across all three schools; however, the creation of The Hub has brought with it an exciting new opportunity for Senior School students. A brand new Computer Science syllabus has been introduced for Year 12 and 13 students within the IB Diploma, with the

first cohort of Year 12s enjoying the more technical course this year. Focused on computational thinking, code development, databases, and object-orientated programming, the IB Computer Science course provides a technical option within Experimental Sciences, and sits alongside the already well-supported IB Humanities subject, Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS). NCEA students continue to have the opportunity to study coding, development and technical skills through Level 1, 2 and 3 Digital Technologies.

CODING AND GAME DESIGN Outside of class time, many co-curricular groups are utilising The Hub for their computer-based activities. Students from the Middle and Senior Schools have been attending Decode workshops (collaborative sessions that focus on improving coding and programming skills, established by former Deputy Head Boy Christian Silver) and the Junior School Coding Club

has brought Kristinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youngest technical enthusiasts into the digital learning space. Teams of students from Years 3 to 13 are coming together to work collaboratively, experimenting with game and app design and learning together. The nature of development has created a culture where the more experienced programmers are sharing their skills and each student is working to overcome new technical challenges in pursuit of their creative concept. Junior School Principal Diana Patchett says students are learning vital skills through the process of coding and game design. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These digital learning programmes and activities are about more than putting children in front of screens. The students are not just using these tools; they are learning to understand them. The process teaches essential skills such as problem solving and creativity, but, perhaps more importantly, our students are learning to be confident producers of technology, not just being consumers.â&#x20AC;?

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ENHANCED LEARNING All aspects of teaching and learning at Kristin are based on the fundamental principle that every student deserves to learn in ways that will maximise their potential to achieve to the very best of their ability. There are many facets to how this is accomplished; however, at the heart of the philosophy is a commitment to personalised learning. Anne Sturgess is Head of Enhanced Learning at Kristin – a new role that was introduced at the beginning of this year. Anne is a passionate educator, with a background in educational psychology, who has come to Kristin from the University of Waikato where she was a facilitator for Gifted and Talented Education, Blended e-Learning and Leadership. Anne’s appointment has heralded a new focus on differentiated teaching and learning practices across the school. A new Enhanced Learning structure has brought together the many support and extension programmes already in place, as well as the dedicated teaching and support staff who administer them. Now working together as the Enhanced Learning team, this group includes four fulltime Enhanced Learning specialists and a wider network of 22 staff who have Enhanced Learning as a part of their role at Kristin and who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Kristin community. Together, the team provides personalised assistance to students who require modified learning programmes 10

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to enable them to progress appropriately. This process involves extensive collaboration between teaching and support staff, the students themselves, and their families, and is focused on making sure that the proper level of support is in place at each stage of a student’s academic journey. Enhanced Learning emphasises individualised teaching and learning, pedagogical and curriculum development, differential diagnosis, and leadership. Anne is reviewing the processes that support students throughout the school to ensure there is an easy and natural transition between levels of schooling in a way that enhances each student’s academic growth and sense of belonging. “Our objective is not only to look at a student’s strengths or weaknesses, but also to support their holistic development, so they are fully supported in reaching their potential across all aspects of their academic, social and creative development,” she says. “In all cases, the focus remains on the student developing the necessary skills and knowledge base to be an effective and progressively more autonomous learner in the classroom.” When it is identified that additional support may be of benefit, the student’s Dean will refer the student to the Enhanced Learning team, in consultation with the family. Parents who recognise areas where their child is struggling at school, or where they feel extension may be required, are encouraged to contact the Dean.

Enhanced Learning emphasises individualised teaching and learning, pedagogical and curriculum development, differential diagnosis, and leadership.

ACADEMIC RESULTS RECORD RESULTS FOR 2014 GRADUATES When the 2014 academic results were announced at the beginning of this year, Kristin students had cause to celebrate. The level of achievement across the entire student body was excellent with a record-number of students receiving Distinction and Honours awards for individual results in both the IB Diploma and NCEA. In the IB Diploma, Elizabeth Lunn achieved the perfect score of 45, placing her in the top 1% of candidates worldwide. Emma Bower, Francesca Jenkins, Jenny Lei, Jason Ng and Kirsty Sutherland followed closely behind, on 44. Of our 98 IB Diploma students, 30% achieved a score of at least 40 out of 45, qualifying them as New Zealand Top Scholars. These students were recognised at the National IB Top Scholar Awards, which was hosted by the GovernorGeneral at Government House in February. The maximum IB Diploma score of 45 includes six subjects that are graded out of 7. A total of 66% of grades awarded to Kristin candidates were 6’s and 7’s, compared to the global average of 28%. Kristin’s NCEA results also demonstrated a consistently high level of academic excellence with a 95% pass rate across the school. Of the 363 students sitting Levels 1, 2 and 3, 77% were awarded Merit or Excellence-endorsed certificates.

The level of achievement was excellent with a record-number of students receiving Distinction and Honours awards. The University of Canterbury’s scholarship programme equates an NCEA Level 3 Excellence Endorsement to a score of 40 in the IB Diploma, and with 21% of our NCEA graduates achieving at this level, the quality of the results across the school is clear. Combining the two qualification pathways, 51% of our Year 13 cohort achieved at a ‘top scholar’ level. Senior School Principal Brendan Kelly is incredibly proud of his students’ achievements. “It takes an immense amount of hard work, dedication and perseverance to achieve results like these,” he says. “To have students achieve so highly and consistently in both NCEA and IB is fantastic. Their legacy is an inspiration to everyone – staff and students alike.” Our 2014 graduates were invited back for the Academic Awards Assembly at the start of Term 1 where the school community celebrated their achievements. A record 19% of the graduating class was presented with Distinction or Honours in recognition of their final academic results. Honours Awards were presented to Phoebe Anscombe (NCEA Level 3) and Emma Bower, Francesca Jenkins, Jenny Lei, Jason Ng and Kirsty Sutherland (IB Diploma: 44 points). Celeste Yeung was awarded Honours and the Neely Cup for being the highest-achieving NCEA student for 2014, and Elizabeth Lunn received Honours and the International Cup for being the top IB Diploma student (45 points).

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SPOTLIGHT ON

SPORT

“Our aim is to create positive, high-quality experiences, to promote participation and provide a pathway for every student.”

There is no doubt about the vital role that sport plays in student development, learning and well-being. It teaches teamwork, resilience, integrity and fair play; goal-setting and self-management are essential for success, and the simple act of regular physical activity has long-reaching and undisputable benefits for student learning. Last year, the Board initiated a comprehensive review of Kristin sport to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current programme. Overseen by the Senior Management team on behalf of Tim Oughton, the review included a school-wide survey and a series of focus groups administered by Mr Barry Maister, ONZM. Valuable information has been gathered, thanks to the many parents, staff and students involved, as well as from key education and sporting experts from across the country. Mr Oughton says that the information collected through this process has been comprehensive and the recommendations from the review will form the basis of a new focus on sport at Kristin. “Through this review, we have been able to identify the core strengths of our sport offering and the priorities of our community. We are using this information to develop a revised sport strategy in preparation for the arrival of a new Director of Sport later this year. “We have heard the message from families that staff involvement is key and will be inviting staff to be more involved in all aspects of sport. We also understand that quality coaching is allimportant across all sports and age groups and we are adapting our coaching recruitment to reflect this. The new coaching model that has been successfully implemented within Football over recent seasons will be extended to cover all of our major sports.”

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Pathways for high-performing athletes will be in focus, also, with new relationships being formed between Kristin and local high-performance and elite sport groups. “Another of the things that came through strongly was the need for improved communication practices,” says Mr Oughton. “We are currently working on developing systems that will lead to higher-quality, more-consistent and timely communication. “The purpose of this review and subsequent changes is to improve the delivery of sport within the school. Our aim is to create positive, high-quality experiences, to promote participation and provide a pathway for skill development for every student. We will be implementing new strategies progressively to achieve these goals and to grow the profile of sport within our community.” Mr Oughton is confident that the coming years will represent a new era for sport at Kristin. “We are coming through a time of significant fact-finding and initial planning. Mark Haslam has done a great job leading the sport team as Acting Director of Sport over the last six months and we are well set to move ahead. Our focus is now on ensuring structures are in place and that the essential strategic thinking has been done about the leadership and management of sport going forward.” More information about the future direction of sport at Kristin will appear in the Strategic Plan, which is timed to be released after the appointment of the new Director of Sport, a position currently being recruited.

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP As the FIFA U-20 World Cup takes off across New Zealand, a number of international teams are making Kristin their home ground. Our main football pitch was selected as an official training venue for the four Group A teams during the early stages of the competition and will be utilised by other teams also as the event unfolds. The Kristin field is the only school facility to be selected for use as part of the high-profile FIFA tournament. Over the past 12 months, extensive testing has been conducted by the UK-based Sports Turf Research Institute, on behalf of FIFA, to identify New Zealand’s best playing surfaces. Results from these tests ranked our number-one football pitch as one of the best fields in New Zealand: on a par with some of the country’s major stadiums. The third-largest sporting event in the world, the FIFA U-20 World Cup will be broadcast to approximately 100 countries with a global TV audience of 170 million. In addition to the 10,000 international visitors, there will be more than 100 international media representatives covering the event, many of whom will visit Kristin to report on the teams’ training. It is an exciting opportunity for students to see the world’s best in action. Kristin’s grounds team has been working in collaboration with FIFA officials to ensure the field preparation and maintenance is in line with the organisation’s exacting standards. While some changes have been made to meet these standards, the overall quality of the pitch is the result of the team’s long-term maintenance programme. Craig Owen leads the grounds team in the care of Kristin’s sports fields and believes that it is the ongoing maintenance that makes the difference. “These fields have always had an excellent reputation,” he says. “We’ve had a lot of national and international teams come to use them over recent years; they know they can rely on this surface.” While the number-one pitch will be off limits while FIFA teams are in residence, the rest of the Auditorium Field, including the number-two pitch and rugby field, are open and available for the winter sport season.

The Kristin field is the only school facility to be selected for use as part of the high-profile FIFA tournament. 06.2015

CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY KRISTIN FAMILY AND FRIENDS (KFF)

YOUR KFF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE NAME

ROLE

Nicky Shave

Chairman

Christina Hoseason

Vice-Chair, Junior School

Ava He

Treasurer, Kindergarten

Philippa Edgar

Secretary, IT Focus

Claire Abel

Kindergarten

Vicki Clague

Middle School, later years

Janine Jurkovich

Junior School, later years

Paula Le Noel

Junior School, early years

Jane Liu

Chinese Liaison

Rebecca McCarthy

Class Coordinator Liaison

Loraine McInnes

Senior School

Antony Thimbleby

Fathers, Senior School

Keren Wallace

Events/Planning

Julia Wei

Middle School, early years

Kristin Family and Friends is entering into a new phase this year. Under the stewardship of a new chairman and with a renewed emphasis on grassroots involvement, the parents’ collective is focused on finding new ways to support the Kristin community and grow parent engagement across all areas of the school. 14

06.2015

Nicky Shave was formally appointed as KFF Chairman at the AGM held at the end of Term 1. No stranger to the responsibilities of the role, Nicky, mother of four Kristin students, has been a Class Coordinator for a total of 12 years and KFF Vice-Chair last year, stepping in to cover when Priscilla Collins resigned as Chairperson at the end of last year. She has gathered a 14-strong Executive Committee – a rich mix of fresh and familiar faces — to support her with the formal operations of KFF and, together, the team is working hard to ensure all families at Kristin have the opportunity to connect with one another, access support from the community and help with school-related activities. With a focus on growing engagement and involving people, Nicky knows that the only way for KFF to achieve its goals and fulfil its purpose is to make opportunities accessible. “By definition, all parents are part of KFF; we are a big team of which I am only one member. From the parents who cheer from the sidelines every Saturday, to those who support teachers and students on school camps, to the members of the KFF Executive Committee, we all work hard to support each other and our school. Our role as a committee is to facilitate and potentiate this support and do what we need to do to be connected, on many levels, to our community. “Each member of our Executive Committee represents an area of the school related to their own children or personal interests. These are the people you are most likely to see at Junior, Middle or Senior School events, productions or sports matches. They are the friendly faces you’ll recognise in the car park and the ones who are committed to helping you access the right support and information.” Nicky also believes that an important function of KFF is to help individuals find meaningful ways to become more involved in school life. “It isn’t always about helping out with the activities that your children are participating in. If you have a particular interest – perhaps a passion for sport, literature, community service or performance – there are opportunities to be involved and contribute, and to do so in ways that really make a tangible difference to students and the school as a whole. “I invite each parent to seek to understand where they would like to be involved and we will support them to affirm their influential and valuable place within the school community.” If you would like to know more about Kristin Family and Friends or would like to be involved, please email Nicky Shave on scottshavefamily@gmail.com or call 027 270 2736.

FAMILY PICNIC A little rain couldn’t stop the crowds who made it to the Family Picnic on Friday 6 March. Approximately 700 members of our community visited throughout the evening to enjoy the fun rides, activities and delicious food on offer.

The Middle School Student Council’s Spooky House presented a terrifyingly fun way to stay out of the rain, and it wasn’t long before the showers passed and it was time to take a seat and enjoy the live music on offer.

While the giant slide, inflatable obstacle course and sumo wrestling are always incredibly popular, the rain added a whole new dimension to these picnic favourites. A complete lack of traction made for speedy descents and hilarious sumo battles, but getting back up to vertical was a bit more of a challenge.

A wonderful range of homemade food was on sale by student groups and the KFF, with teams of parents and students working hard throughout the evening to keep everyone well fed and entertained. Thanks to everyone who came along and contributed to making this year’s picnic another great success.

NEW PARENTS’ DINNERS More than 200 parents were welcomed to Kristin at the beginning of Term 1 at the annual New Parents’ dinners. Over two entertaining nights, new families appreciated the opportunity to meet Tim and Heather Oughton, and mingled with Department Heads and senior staff, while enjoying a delicious meal and presentations from each of the four Principals, the Head Prefects and Board Chair Philippa Fee. It was a great way to welcome the many new members of our Kristin family and we hope everyone had an enjoyable evening.

SCULPTURE ON THE GULF On Friday 13 February, straight after the morning drop-off, a group of Kristin parents made a beeline for the Devonport ferry. The occasion: a day out at Sculpture on the Gulf on Waiheke Island. Organised by KFF, the excursion was a great way for parents to reconnect after the summer break, get to know some new faces and enjoy the iconic event in the beautiful Waiheke sunshine. Highlights included Angus Muir and Alexandra Heaney’s Field Apart and James Wright’s Target. 06.2015

CAMP WEEK

06.2015

NOISES OFF SENIOR PLAY

Without a doubt, Noises Off was a huge undertaking for our cast and crew.

A production like Noises Off is no easy undertaking. The comedic playwithin-a-play, by Tony Award-winning English playwright Michael Frayn, is renowned for keeping performers on their toes and audiences on the edges of their seats as they navigate the farcical scenarios faced by a small theatre company that takes a production on tour.

Without a doubt, Noises Off was a huge undertaking for our cast and crew so it was fantastic to see all of our students embrace the challenge wholeheartedly. The result was hilarious and compelling: quite simply, one of the funniest productions I have seen ever on a school stage.

The show opened at Kristin on Friday 20 March with a cast of nine Year 12 and 13 students. Comedy is an immensely difficult genre to master; however, this young troupe took charge of the stage, delivering confident, hilarious and insightful performances with perfect comedic timing every time. Faced with a notoriously complex script, each performer was required not only to embody their own character, but also to depict the roles of that character throughout a theatrical season â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something each and every student achieved with immense skill and subtlety.

The cast of Noises Off included Mitchell Hageman, Lucas Hinton, Andrew Lee, Maite Rojas McKenzie, Gracie Scott, Cameron Stables, Jamie Todd-Brown, Sophie Vincent and Livia Wicks. In addition to the performers, a 10-strong student crew operated the lighting and sound and took full responsibility for all backstage management.

06.2015

LORNA ROOD DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS

MISS SAIGON SENIOR PRODUCTION Kristin Performing Arts was proud to stage the hauntingly beautiful musical Miss Saigon, with a talented cast and crew of over 100 students, for this year’s Senior School production. Written by the same creative team as Les Misérables, which was performed at Kristin last year, Miss Saigon is currently one of the biggest theatrical attractions in London’s West End. The powerful story, breathtaking score and highly theatrical moments – including the landing of a helicopter on stage – culminated in Miss Saigon’s opening night being one of the most anticipated events of the term. Vocal audiences filled the Auditorium with standing ovations after every performance and the profound respect and admiration the school community felt for the talented performers was palpable. Executive Principal Tim Oughton attended two of the three shows and shared the following message for everyone involved: “I just wanted to say how proud I am of your collective efforts. Miss Saigon was the best school production I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot, believe me) – and it more than matched the professional production I saw in London some time ago. “[Your] voices, acting, teamwork, timing and obvious enjoyment were testament to your collective skills in the performing arts. I enjoyed the last performance just as much as the first - in fact, I probably enjoyed it a little more because I noticed all the little nuances more clearly. My hearty congratulations to you all.”

Vocal audiences filled the Auditorium with standing ovations after every performance. 06.2015

LIVE STREAMING FOR GRANDPARENTS’ DAY Grandparents’ Day is one of the most highly anticipated events of Term 1 for our Junior School students. Held this year on the last Friday of term, it was an opportunity for students to play host to family members while reflecting on what they have achieved over the preceding weeks. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 took great pride in leading their grandparents by the hand, introducing them to their teachers and working alongside them in the classroom. For the first time this year, the special Grandparents’ Day Assembly was broadcast via a live stream on the Internet. More than 120 families tuned in throughout New Zealand, with a few in Australia and the UK too. Kay and Tony Smith, from Wiltshire in the UK, said, “It was wonderful to be able to watch the children in the assembly. To be able to see [our grandchildren] at school, taking part in the proceedings, was more than we could wish for.”

EUPHONY PERFORMS AT AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL Our Premier girls’ choir, Euphony, was invited recently to perform alongside some of the best young voices in New Zealand at the Auckland Town Hall as part of the Auckland Arts Festival’s Ata Reira. The girls sang together with the New Zealand Youth Choir and Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir in the spectacular show, heralded as a ‘choral celebration of light’. Together, the choirs performed Bob Chilcott’s Canticles of Light, a three-movement work that first asks for protection from the night and concludes with a song for the morning. Other works included Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque, Schafer’s Epitaph for Moonlight, settings of O nata lux by Tallis and Lauridsen, and a choral setting of Elgar’s Nimrod with the text ‘lux aeterna’. The choirs were also proud to present a newly commissioned work in te reo Maori by Tuirina Wehi. William Dart from The New Zealand Herald said, “Ata Reira promised an evening of award-winning choirs, majestic voices and te reo Maori in song. Both separately and together [the choirs] delivered all this... and much more.” The concert was also an occasion to celebrate the success of two Euphony old girls and recent Kristin graduates, Phoebe Jasper (2013) and Hannah Schunk-Hockings (2012), both of whom are now members of the New Zealand Youth Choir.

06.2015

SPACE APPS

Project 42’s Orion Launch Manager was one of three New Zealand projects to be reviewed by NASA executives in the International Space Apps Challenge.

Four Kristin students caught the attention of industry experts at the 2015 Auckland Space Apps Challenge – a NASA and European Space Agency event hosted by AUT University and the United States Embassy in April. The first secondaryschool students to ever take part in the event, William Baker, Finley Campbell, Oliver Denny and Scott Haysom, took out the People’s Choice Award for their Orion Launch Manager. Competing in the 48-hour global event, the boys joined forces with software development engineer Will Leizerowicz and mechatronics engineering student Ben Chang to form Project 42, and together they set out to solve a set Space Apps Challenge. Focusing on the process of launching a rocket, the Project 42 team was challenged to develop an experience that captures all the variables involved in making the launch decision. They had to include the analysis of data from the rockets, weather, range safety and more, and enable user decisions in relation to the launch. Their solution: a pre-launch program and command console. Set on boosting public interest in the field of space science, the team developed the Orion Launch Manager to provide advanced viewing of the rocket launch process to the public, while also enabling visualisation of pre-launch phases for the technical launch team. Taking the project one step further, the Project 42 members conducted a full demonstration of their program, launching a model of the New Zealanddeveloped Electron space rocket 80 metres into the air over

the Auckland Domain. In a statement outlining their project, the Project 42 team described the Orion Launch Manager as “a web-based program to manage the launch countdown process with launch-staff integration and a public outreach interface. Project 42 is pulling the launch process into the age of media and communication.” Responsibilities for the project were shared within the team, with specific tasks being delegated as necessary. Across the board, the boys were involved in design, building the launch console and website, logistics and the production of critical presentation elements. They learned a great deal from the process and were impressed by what their competitors achieved too. “The project’s definitely inspired me to learn more about web development and coding,” said William. “I was in awe that you could create something like what the other teams created, or even the technical side of our project, in just one weekend.” Space Apps Challenge Judge and specialist engineer Avinash Rao said the four Kristin students were a good fit with the other competitors: “They were intelligent and interested – the type you’d expect to see at a Space Apps Challenge.” As the People’s Choice Award winners from the Auckland event, Project 42’s Orion Launch Manager was one of three New Zealand projects to be reviewed by NASA executives in the International Space Apps Challenge. For more details on Project 42, visit https://2015.spaceappschallenge.org/project/project-41-/

06.2015

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS There was much excitement at Kristin on Thursday 12 February when a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex was let loose on students from our Kindergarten to Year 8. Kids of all sizes clambered to avoid the snapping jaws and quickmoving tail of the dinosaur as it prowled the perimeter of the Roy Munn Gymnasium. The baby T-Rex is a star of Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular, which was on at Vector Arena in March. While he’s one of the smallest dinosaurs in the show, the cretaceous giant was anything but ‘baby’, standing a solid 2 metres high and 4 metres long and towering over the students. Sophie Williams (Year 6) said afterwards: “I thought it was really cool but I was scared out of my mind! It was very realistic as well. They did a really good job.” A video of the visit can be viewed on the Kristin School Facebook page: www.facebook.com/kristin.school.nz

FOOD FOR THOUGHT QUIZ NIGHT On Friday 27 March, the Prefects team transformed the Common Room into the Kristin Kitchen for the Food for Thought annual Quiz Night. At 6pm we held pre-drinks in the LIC Foyer where parents were introduced to the night’s prizes and the purpose of the event, fundraising for our Prefect Project. This year we had some of the best items yet: a Harley Davidson bike, stand-up paddleboard and two weeks’ accommodation in Canada. At 7pm the Common Room doors opened and the real festivities began. The quiz proved rather challenging for all guests and, for the first time in the school’s history, our previous year’s Prefects returned to take out 1st place! Thanks to the support of everyone who came along, we raised $21,000, which will go towards our Prefect Project. This year the team has decided to focus on healthy, sustainable food in schools. We have partnered with Favona Primary School to help them teach food literacy, nutrition and cooking skills to their students. We plan to convert a portable building into a fully functioning food technology classroom while also improving their school’s gardens. The team enjoyed themselves immensely during Quiz Night and we were surprised and humbled at the generosity of so many parents. We look forward to working with Favona and assisting them in providing their students with this valuable knowledge and set of skills. AMELIA VINCENT AND DECLAN WEIR DEPUTY HEAD PREFECTS

06.2015

THE LIGGINS INSTITUTE Early in Term 1, our Year 10 Science class had the opportunity to visit the Liggins Institute at The University of Auckland. After covering a few basics on genes and DNA, we were asked to do some practical work. We each took a sample of our own cheek cells and extracted our DNA. We learnt how to use a micropipette to measure microlitres of food colouring. Once we were confident with this instrument, we carried out gel electrophoresis to check the quality of rat DNA. Gel electrophoresis is the technique used for pulling apart the DNA so that an ultraviolet picture can be taken and analysed. After lunch, we met three scientists and had the opportunity to find out more about what they do and why they became scientists. We also asked some of them about university and the different courses we could take when we reach that stage. We all found this really helpful and it was interesting to find out that there are more subjects within the main fields of science than we had realised before. One of the scientists was working on a cure for neck/spinal injury! It would be amazing if she actually discovered the cure! Overall, it was a really great day and the things we learnt were a great help with our research assessments later in the term. IMOGEN HARWOOD

UN YOUTH DECLARATION Over the recent April holidays, we were fortunate to be selected to attend the 2015 Aotearoa UN Youth Declaration, a four-day conference held at The University of Auckland. We joined 160 other students from around New Zealand who all shared the common goal of creating and implementing a positive change within New Zealand society. The Youth Declaration, which has a notable impact on our government, is a way to capture and encompass the voices of Aotearoa youth through a means of formal documentation including both value and policy statements. Out of the 13 focus groups, we were assigned individually to Ethics and Equity, and Social Development – topics that we each feel strongly about – and, through these groups, we were able to broaden our understanding and opinions of governmental processes in these areas. Ethics and Equity focused on the fair treatment of marginalised communities in our society, specifically on media representation and education. Social Development focused on making structural changes to improve society and the lives of its members, addressing many of New Zealand’s most controversial issues such as domestic violence and state housing. We spent a day learning about an organisation entrenched in our chosen section of society. Ethics and Equity went to Rainbow Youth, a programme in Auckland that supports the LGBT community, and were taught of the main issues that they face. Social Development went to Lifewise, a social and community development agency that provides critical services to those in need. Here we discussed the problematic nature of having an exclusively reactive social work system and explored New Zealand’s foster care system. We spent two days discussing, arguing and, eventually, creating our seven main statements. The process was often difficult as we had to encompass others’ ideas and find compromise amongst different points of view. After the three days, we spent several plenary sessions striking or amending particular statements and, eventually, creating the Aotearoa UN Youth Declaration 2015. This was presented to several MPs in a closing ceremony and has been presented to Parliament in the past few weeks. The process taught us both many things about ourselves and our country. It was an inspiring few days and we are looking forward to continuing our work in the organisation and using our newfound knowledge and passions to continue to implement change. RILEY BEHRENS AND CATHERINE KHAN 06.2015

ST GEORGE’S

EXCHANGE

After a twelve-hour delay, l left my home in Auckland at 3am to begin my journey to Argentina. I had a seven-hour wait in Santiago before successfully navigating transit and boarding another plane for the two-hour flight over the Andes to Buenos Aires. On arrival, l was greeted by my host Juana, and her mother Maria, who live about 40 minutes from the city in the same closed country compound as St George’s College North. St George’s College North is an IB school that also uses some Argentinian syllabus. Classes are taught in Spanish and English so that students will be bilingual. I found that it was quite difficult to understand most classes in Spanish, but I tried hard to listen in order to improve my language skills. Because it is an IB school there are some similarities with Kristin but some things are different. School starts at 8am and finishes at 4.20pm, and it is much smaller than Kristin; there are only about 45 students in Year 12. Sometimes, after school, I would join Juana for a horseriding lesson. The Argentinians love horse riding so the facilities, which were in the country club also, were amazing. I had great fun and learnt so much. One night, after horse riding, Maria took us to a small museum in the city to see an exhibition by a friend named Vivianne Duchini. She is a well-known artist who creates bronze sculptures of horses and dogs. She understands the anatomy and movement of a horse so well and is able to capture every feature beautifully. It was interesting to see how she made the moulds first and then the final pieces. I also met many of Juana’s friends and family members who were there. We spent Easter at Juana’s grandparents’ house in Punta del Este, Uruguay, which involved a one-hour ferry ride from Buenos Aires, across the Rio de la Plata, to an old town called Colonia, and then another five-hour drive to Punta del

06.2015

Overall, my exchange trip to Argentina was one of the greatest experiences I have had. Este which is a seaside resort town about 140 kilometres east of the capital, Montevideo. Lots of Argentinians go there, especially during the summer holidays. My busiest weekend began with a horse-jumping competition that Juana was competing in. Halfway through the day, Maria took me to a small farm where there were many gauchos (Argentinian cowboys) and local people. We talked to a man who told us about all the traditional activities they do, like horse racing and barrel racing. Once Juana had finished competing, we drove an hour to her Dad’s (Pablo’s) farm, which is 400 hectares with three polo fields and a little house where people can stay the night. At 10pm we left to go to Pablo’s other farm, where we had an asado (Argentinian roast) as it was his birthday. It was very nice to meet all of Juana’s family and friends, and we all talked and sat around the fire until 1am when I went to bed. It is typical of the Argentinian people to stay up late and everyone else stayed up until 3.30am. I thought it was crazy when we didn’t get up until 12.25pm the next day, but Pablo and the others said this was usual! After an afternoon breakfast we went out to explore the farm. It was a great weekend and I saw a new side of Argentina. Overall, my exchange trip to Argentina was one of the greatest experiences I have had. It was a chance to learn and experience another culture, to live with another type of family and to meet new people and make friends that I know I will keep in touch with. The experience forced me to be independent and learn to look after myself. Coming back to New Zealand, I have been able to recognise similarities and differences between my exchange student and me, and the differences in how we live our lives, and appreciate things more. FREYA DE RAADT

SWIMMING

SPORTS House spirit was high and a good time was enjoyed by all at our three Swimming Sports events, held over three days early in Term 1. The Junior School competition was held at the Northern Arena, while the Years 7 and 8 and the Years 9–13 events took place at West Wave Aquatic Centre. The extra space out West meant that we were able to have two pools in operation – one for our more serious swimmers and one for those who wanted to join in with the atmosphere and have fun. We had some great results from our competitive swimmers with some hard-fought battles determining the final rankings. One swimmer whose results speak volumes is Year 13 student Kelsi Boocock. After taking out the Senior Girls’ title, Kelsi went on to compete at the North Harbour Secondary Schools Championships the following week, where she secured 1st place in both the 50m Breaststroke and the 50m Backstroke, and 3rd in the 50m Butterfly. More recently, at the National Age-Group Championships, Kelsi won Gold in the 200m Backstroke and 4x200m Freestyle Relay, Silver in the 100m Backstroke and Bronze in both the 50m Backstroke and 4x100m Medley Relay in the 17-18 Years division.

KRISTIN SWIMMING SPORTS RESULTS GIRLS BOYS 8 YEARS AND UNDER 1st Sophia Maud Hisashi Ariga 9 YEARS 1st Keira Spilling

Jung Woo Yoo

10 YEARS AND OLDER 1st Chantelle May

Remo Lock

YEAR 7 1st Grace Kingsnorth Thomas Wallace 2nd Georgie Shotter Larry Lambourne 3rd Milla Brooke Cole Tetro YEAR 8 1st Ayla Hall John Quirk 2nd Lucia Doak Angus Syminton 3rd Lena Jacob Hunter Jackson JUNIOR 1st Nora Zhang Josh Sampson 2nd Claudia Morgan David Park 3rd Katrina Miehlbradt Dylan Brooke INTERMEDIATE 1st Sarah Swanepoel Alexander Kiechle-Cornish 2nd (=) Jessica Swinburne Oscar Gunn/Zachary McKee Wright 3rd Julia Marsh SENIOR 1st Kelsi Boocock Taylor Gauld 2nd Olivia Williams Michael Atkinson-Norton 3rd Britt Kindred Fraser Cotterill

The current holder of 12 Kristin records (two of which were previously set by New Zealand Olympian Lauren Boyle), Kelsi is a member of the New Zealand Youth team. She is working hard towards her goal of making the New Zealand Open team and her effort and dedication to her sport make her a fantastic role model for our younger swimmers. STACEY MORGAN SPORTS MANAGER, SWIMMING

We had some great results from our competitive swimmers with some hardfought battles determining the final rankings. 06.2015

ATHLETICS Kristin Athletics is back on track! We have had a very successful season this year with more athletes than ever before taking part. The best example of this was at the North Harbour Secondary Schools Zone Championships where we had 66 athletes competing on the day – our biggest team ever at this event and one of the largest teams from any school on the North Shore. Traditionally, we have been strong in the girls’ Relay events but it is very pleasing to see strong Relay teams developing in the boys’ grades too. It is also pleasing to see our Pole Vaulters continuing to impress at local, national and international events. Special congratulations must go to Olivia McTaggart who, in her first year of competitive Athletics, came 3rd in the Australian Age-group National Championships. Our eyes are now fixed firmly on the New Zealand National Secondary Schools Championships in Timaru in December, where we anticipate sending a very strong and competitive team. DENNIS BROWN TEACHER-IN-CHARGE, ATHLETICS

06.2015

KRISTIN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONS JUNIOR 1st 2nd 3rd Track Champion Field Champion

BOYS Tim Wang Tim Hassall Thomas van Tilborg Tim Wang Tim Hassall

GIRLS Aleisha Chalmers Ella Tobin Tess Heath Aleisha Chalmers Aleisha Chalmers

INTERMEDIATE 1st 2nd 3rd (=) Track Champion Field Champion

Sam Gentry Rory Sutherland Peter Troake Rory Sutherland Peter Troake

Georgina Dibble Grace Hickson Eleanor Dewar/Emily Stewart Grace Hickson Emily Stewart

SENIOR 1st 2nd (=) 3rd Track Champion Field Champion (=)

Connor Petrie Peti Fagueli Fuimaono Henry Will Connor Petrie Peti Fagueli Fuimaono /Henry Will

Grace Dibble Sasha Tetro/Grace Tobin

NEW RECORDS Curtis Blanchard Jake Weink

Junior Boys’ Discus Senior Boys’ Shot Put

Grace Dibble Sasha Tetro

28.20m 11.81m

NORTH HARBOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS Eden Caudwell

Intermediate Boys’ 100m

4th

Intermediate Boys’ 200m

4th

Aleisha Chalmers

Junior Girls’ Javelin

4th

Peti Fagueli Fuimaono

Senior Boys’ Javelin

3rd

Sam Gentry

Intermediate Boys’ Long Jump

2nd

Daniel Harris

Junior Boys’ Javelin

1st

Junior Boys’ Long Jump

5th

Grace Hickson

Intermediate Girls’ 400m

4th

Ben Kennedy

Intermediate Boys’ Hurdles

1st

Ryan Le Gros

Intermediate Boys’ Triple Jump

5th

Hannah Lunday

Senior Girls’ High Jump

2nd

Jocelyn Rooke

Senior Girls’ 200m

4th

Rory Sutherland

Intermediate Boys’ 400m

3rd

Sasha Tetro

Senior Girls’ Long Jump

2nd

Senior Girls’ 100m

4th

Ella Tobin

Junior Girls’ 100m

2nd

Grace Tobin

Senior Girls’ 100m

1st

Oliver Trengrove

Intermediate Boys’ 1500m

5th

Thomas Trengrove

Senior Boys’ 1500m

5th

Peter Troake

Intermediate Boys’ Discus

5th

Tim Wang

Junior Boys’ 100m

1st

Junior Boys’ Long Jump

1st

Junior Boys’ 200m

4th

Henry Will

Senior Boys’ Shot Put

5th

Senior Girls’ Relay team 4x100m Relay

1st

(Olivia McTaggart, Jocelyn Rooke, Sasha Tetro, Grace Tobin) Junior Girls’ Relay team 4x100m Relay

2nd

(Aleisha Chalmers, Tess Heath, Ella Tobin, Anna Wallace) Intermediate Boys’ Relay team 4x100m Relay

2nd

(Eden Caudwell, Ben Kennedy, Ryan Le Gros, Rory Sutherland)

AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS Eden Caudwell

Intermediate Boys’ 400m

7th

Sam Gentry

Intermediate Boys’ Long Jump

7th

Intermediate Boys’ Triple Jump

7th

Daniel Harris

Junior Boys’ Javelin

2nd

Grace Hickson

Intermediate Girls’ 400m

7th

Ben Kennedy

Open Boys’ Pole Vault

1st

Intermediate Boys’ Hurdles

1st

Olivia McTaggart

Open Girls’ Pole Vault

2nd

NORTH ISLAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS Ben Kennedy

Open Boys’ Pole Vault

Olivia McTaggart

Open Girls’ Pole Vault

1st

2nd

ATHLETE PROFILE:

BEN KENNEDY Ben Kennedy has had an outstanding year in his chosen sport of Athletics. Not only has he claimed the championship Pole Vault title at the North Island Secondary Schools Athletics Championships, but also Ben has secured one U18 regional title, Silver medals at both the U18 and the U20 national events, and a top-ten New Zealand ranking within the Senior Men’s Pole Vault category. Not limited to one discipline, Ben also claimed the North Harbour and Auckland Secondary Schools Intermediate Boys’ Hurdle titles and finished second at the North Island Secondary Schools tournament. This level of sporting achievement takes exceptional dedication and hard work. Like many athletes of his age, Ben is still growing, which means he has to take care when managing the physical demands of his training programme and he has suffered a few recent injuries. Despite this, Ben has enjoyed one of his most successful seasons to date. He is a tremendous young athlete with great potential for the future.

06.2015

CROSSCOUNTRY BOYS YEAR 7 (2.7KM) 1st Jack Unwin 2nd Thomas Wallace 3rd Arthur Elworthy

GIRLS Nicole Yong Cristelle Blanchard Soraya Melsness

YEAR 8 (2.7KM) 1st Diogo Oliveira 2nd Jett Thompson 3rd Luca Seerden

Tess Porter Ayla Hall Yasmine Knight

JUNIOR (2.7KM) 1st Mitchell Davern 2nd Thomas van Tilborg 3rd Leroy Devereux

Katrina Miehlbradt Jenna Sparg Kaitlin Windmeyer

INTERMEDIATE (4KM) 1st Oliver Trengrove 2nd Haoting Ma 3rd Stewart Komie

Annabel Lister Eleanor Dewar Sophie Katavich

SENIOR (5.3KM) 1st Thomas Trengrove 2nd Connor Petrie 3rd Joel Cattell

Hattie Jones Olivia Kitson Sam Taveras

06.2015

Kristin’s annual Term 1 Cross-Country run was a great success with students from the Middle and Senior Schools taking part in the event. As is so often the case, a beautiful autumn day greeted the runners as they were cheered on by their peers. The 2015 event, with its new-look course, saw some newcomers to the podium finishes and the action at the finishing line made for exciting entertainment with sprint finishes demonstrating the grit and determination of the runners. In particular, the Junior Boys’ race, over the 2.7km course, saw Mitchell Davern and Thomas van Tilborg crossing the line within 0.1 second of each other – a truly exciting way to end the race. So many students pushed themselves outside their comfort zones. Congratulations to all the runners for doing themselves and their Houses proud. The carnival run saw many participants from the Senior School enjoying the experience too. This fun run is all about being involved: a philosophy the students embraced with great enthusiasm, donning fancy-dress outfits and immersing themselves in the spirit of the day. Personal records, coupled with a fun and supportive atmosphere ensured the 2015 Middle and Senior Schools Cross-Country Day was a great success.

AUCKLAND SECONDARY SCHOOL ZONES The North Harbour/West Auckland Cross-Country Championships were held at Moire Park in Waitakere on Tuesday 12 May. Ten Kristin athletes braved particularly wet and windy conditions across a testing course, going up against strong compeition from schools across the region. Our Intermediate runners achieved our best results on the day with Elenor Dewar finishing in 8th position in the girls’ 4km event and Haoting Ma taking 9th for the boys. MALCOLM MACPHERSON SPORT MANAGER, CROSS-COUNTRY

Junior Boys’ race, over the 2.7km course, saw Mitchell Davern and Thomas van Tilborg crossing the line within 0.1 second of each other – a truly exciting way to end the race.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CROSS-COUNTRY A shift to the Bass Road fields for this year’s event made for a fun day, full of new challenges, at the Junior School CrossCountry on Thursday 21 May. With use of the Auditorium fields being restricted in preparation for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, a new course was designed to utilise our back fields and the undulating bush track. Speeding down the hill, the students delighted in the change; however, it appeared less popular when they were faced with running up the other side! It was fantastic to see such great sportsmanship across all races. Congratulations to the winners in each division. GIRLS YEAR 1 1st Nikolina Stulich 2nd Lucia Amos 3rd Lexie Freeman YEAR 2 1st 2nd 3rd

Kennedy Shields Miqi Su Francesca Maud

BOYS Hamish Duggal Scott Long Samuel Chua

Heinrich Otto Harrison Fulop Christopher Rystwej

8 YEARS AND UNDER 1st Hazel Hall 2nd Edie Martin 3rd Rachel Poon

Lachie Heath Cooper Clague Joey Li

9 YEARS 1st 2nd 3rd

Leo Clancy Max Gulliver Tom Logue

Hermione Aris Jacqueline Tsui Angela Pei

10 YEARS AND OVER 1st Keira Spilling 2nd Kylie Holgate 3rd Kate Stables

Nicholas Sparg Luke Swanepoel Kurtis Taff 06.2015

WATER POLO

“The girls came to the game with a big heart. We were enormously proud in making the final. They did everything I asked of them and for that I am very proud.”

Water Polo is one of our fastest-growing sports here at Kristin. Increased numbers are taking up the sport with great enthusiasm and our top-level and experienced players are proving to be fantastic mentors to the younger squads. This year we have close to 100 students playing Water Polo or Flippa Ball and new coaches have been recruited to assist with the growing number of teams. Already we’ve seen some brilliant results this year including our Junior Boys’ and Girls’ teams qualifying for the A grade in Term 2, the Year 7 Water Warriors finishing 2nd in their league and the Year 7 All Blues taking the top spot in theirs. The Year 5 and 6 Barracudas finished 5th in the top league and the Year 8s had a great season but were unfortunate to finish without a final ranking after their last games were cancelled. Our Senior B Girls’ team had a stellar run to finish 2nd in its league in Term 1. Buoyed by this result, the girls travelled to Hamilton during the April holidays to play in the Division 2 Secondary School National Championships, where they finished 12th. Our Premier Boys’ and Girls’ teams had a roller coaster season in Term 1 with some big challenges faced by both teams; however, everyone had their eyes on the prize when they headed to the North Island and National Secondary School Championships. At the North Island event, our boys finished 6th in the plate round and our girls took 5th equal in the cup. Nationals presented a number of rematch opportunities with many of the same teams from the North Island Championships competing. Our boys delivered the first upset of the tournament, taking down Mount Maunganui College on 30

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the first day; however, they were unable to maintain the momentum, ultimately finishing in 12th position. Our Premier Girls’ team had a fantastic run in what was their third-ever appearance at Nationals. Flying through their initial two games, first against fellow Aucklanders St Mary’s College and then Wellington East Girls’ College, who had the home ground advantage, the team worked well together to claim its first two wins. They took a hit on Day 2 against Westlake Girls High School but pulled it together to claim four successive victories against Baradene College, Epsom Girls Grammar School, Rangitoto College and St Cuthbert’s College. This put the team up against Westlake Girls once more, this time in the final. The highly anticipated match delivered intense excitement and brilliant sport from both teams. Ultimately, it was the Silver medal for Kristin, with Coach Davor Carevic commending the girls on their fight to the finish. “The girls came to the game with a big heart. We were enormously proud in making the final. They did everything I asked of them and for that I am very proud.” In addition to the brilliant team result, Year 13 player Grace Tobin was selected to join the Tournament team. Further to these results, star player Liana Dance has gone on to achieve even greater heights with her selection into the New Zealand Senior Women’s team to play in the FINA World Series. Liana was a key player in the team that finished 7th at the Intercontinental Tournament, held in West Auckland in early May. SIMONE SMALL TEACHER-IN-CHARGE, WATER POLO

SPORTS EXCHANGES DEVELOPING YOUNG ATHLETES

The single, most effective action that a student can take to help themselves to improve in any given field is to be involved. In sport this means embracing opportunities, both social and competitive, to develop and test your skills in a fun environment. At Kristin we are fortunate to have a great series of sports exchanges that have been in place with partner schools for many years now. Every season – both summer and winter – students from the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools either travel offsite or host competitor teams for a match, a day or a tournament, testing their skills and vying for top honours in the annual bouts. The importance of these exchanges cannot be underestimated. Strong bonds can, and often are, formed not only with team-mates but also with opposing players. Independence, self-confidence and trust are developed through the experience of being involved; the benefits of these can be applied to all areas of life. They also provide a valuable opportunity for our younger teams to test their mettle in competitive environments, particularly at levels where teams do not have access to regular local competitions.

SUMMER SOUTHWELL EXCHANGE In Term 1, I was fortunate enough to accompany a very talented, passionate and well-coached group of Junior School students on the summer Southwell Exchange. While watching the athletes in action in their respective codes, I witnessed perseverance, humility, teamwork and support – not only of their own team-mates but, importantly, for the individuals and teams they played against. This was never more evident than in the deciding Touch game where the result would determine which school would take out the

Independence, self-confidence and trust are developed through the experience of being involved; the benefits of these can be applied to all areas of life. tournament. With the game going to a second period of extra time, Southwell snuck in with the win by the narrowest of margins. Despite the close loss, it was extremely heartening to see individuals selflessly putting the needs of the team before their own. The members of our Touch team did themselves proud, as did our cricketers, who delivered a tough challenge to their opponents, and our Tennis players, who finished their series at the top of the table.

TOORAK EXCHANGE – MELBOURNE Over the April holidays our Year 6 and 7 girls had the opportunity to travel to Melbourne for the ninth annual Toorak Exchange. Our Football team did very well to win all of its games in spite of having only three specialist Football players. The rest of the team was drawn from the Netball teams and was coached prior to travelling to Melbourne. Our Year 6 Netball team did very well in its competition; while they were not overall winners, they certainly demonstrated a great competitive spirit. Our Year 7 team won all of its games to make the final but, ultimately, it was Toorak who took the win. One of the things that makes this exchange such a valuable and memorable experience is the social interaction of the teams. As we were the visitors this year, our girls were billeted with Toorak families for the duration of the trip. This immersive experience helps the students develop and revisit friendships and provides a rich and memorable experience for everyone involved. We look forward to welcoming the Toorak teams to Kristin next year. MARK HASLAM ACTING DIRECTOR OF SPORT

06.2015

FLEET RACING CHAMPIONS

TRANS-TASMAN NETBALL TOUR On 8 April, Kristin’s Senior 1 and Development Netball squads ventured to Geelong, near Melbourne, to take part in the annual Quadrangular TransTasman Netball Tournament. With our players ranging from Year 8 to Year 13, the primary goals for our two teams were to develop skills, enhance team dynamics, reconnect with friends and prepare for the upcoming season. We would be facing teams from St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton, Scotch College Adelaide and our wonderful hosts, The Geelong College, Victoria.

Our Kristin Yachting team has been successful in winning in the 64th Annual Secondary Schools Fleet Racing Regatta at Wakatere Boating Club. This regatta is the largest inter-school fleet event in New Zealand and Kristin hasn’t had its hands on the cup in 33 years so it was a great experience to win back the trophy. The conditions on the Thursday, with light winds and variable tide movements, made for challenging and highly competitive racing across all fleets; however, it was the Kristin team that was best able to master the conditions to win the main competition for the prestigious interschool Sailing team cup – the Epiglass Trophy – ahead of the other 18 schools competing in the event. While they were outnumbered on the water, our sailors performed exceptionally well in a large field across multiple boat classes. Highlight performances included those by Josh Berry, who was first in the Optimist category, Jackson Keon and Kate Stewart, who were first and eighth in the Starlings, respectively, and Lachy Grimwade, who was second in the Laser Radial. Joshua, Jackson and Lachy all won races on the day and were able to finish in the top three in all races in which they participated. Also competing as part of the Kristin team and doing well in the Optimist class were Digby Eele, Zach Pickles, Jack Rush and Cole Tetro, who contributed significantly to Kristin’s success on the water. LACHLAN GRIMWADE TEAM CAPTAIN

TOP PLACINGS FOR KRISTIN EQUESTRIANS The Intercollegiate Ribbon Day is an annual event, hosted by Kristin, in which riders compete in a series of events on the flat and over hurdles across three levels – novice, maiden and open. This year’s event was held at Coatesville Pony Club and attracted 120 riders from 26 Auckland secondary schools. It was a brilliant day for our riders. The Kristin Blue team of Lucarne Dolley, Peta Kuluz, Bridie McCullough and Clodagh McCullough won the team competition by collectively achieving the highest total of points. In addition, Clodagh and Lucarne took out the top two spots in the individual competition, being named Overall Individual Champion and Reserve Champion respectively. This result was extremely close with only a point separating the two girls. Bailey Dobbs, Olivia Foster, Madeline MacRae and Eadi Scott competed in the novice rings and, together, these girls made up the Kristin Green team. They represented the school admirably, coming away with a selection of ribbons. Our thanks go to Kim and Alix Campbell for their help in organising a well-run and successful ribbon day. GAENOR CLARKE TEACHER-IN-CHARGE, EQUESTRIAN

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The three-day tournament comprised fun ventures and vigorous amounts of Netball. It began with a chapel service and also included activities such as a quiz night, surfing and shopping, which allowed the girls to taste Melbourne’s culture whilst enabling us to socialise with members of all the other teams. Each team played a total of nine games over the duration of the tournament, each consisting of four ten-minute quarters. This tested everyone’s character and, regardless of injuries and fatigue, our girls pushed through and managed to achieve personal and team goals. With the support and assistance of Abbey Beaumont, Stacey Morgan, Katie O’Brien, Sarah Underdown and Colleen Wassung, our Senior 1 and Development teams finished 3rd and 6th respectively. The experience was incredibly worthwhile and beneficial for everyone involved; friendships flourished within and between teams and our players were provided with many opportunities to improve their games. We are very excited that we are to host next year’s tournament here at Kristin and preparations are already well under way to ensure the 2016 Quadrangular Tournament is as successful as it was this year. LUCY JOSEPHSON, KATE MANIHERA AND GRACE STEELE

TOUR TRANS-TASMAN TITLES FOR MACSEN SISAM Year 10 Tennis star Macsen Sisam has claimed dual championship titles in both New Zealand and Australia following a brilliant competitive season.

HAWKE’S BAY CRICKET TOUR On Sunday 18 January, a young and ‘new look’ 1st XI Cricket team embarked on its pre-season tour to Hawke’s Bay. The tour schedule included three one-day matches against the three powerhouse Cricket schools in the region: Napier Boys’ High School, Hastings Boys’ High School and Lindisfarne College. Captain Edward Henning and vice-captain Marko Garlick took up the reins, leading the team into what was, inevitably, a challenging season, given that they were the only two students returning from 2014. The tour began with the boys’ toughest match against Napier Boys’ High School. Our ten-man team was reduced to nine when wicketkeeper Nicholas Thompson fell ill with a 24-hour virus, which meant both the coach and the manager were required to play. After losing the toss and being put in the field, we baked in the Napier sun for three and a half hours before coming out crispy with Napier Boys’ at 275/5. We struggled to score runs against a very strong bowling attack and fell well short of the total: all out for 92. A better batting performance against Hastings Boys’ High School saw us facing more overs than we had done in the previous match; however, we were still short on the scoreboard with 97 runs after 45 overs. Hastings Boys’ reached the total after 20 overs without losing a wicket, just before the heavens opened.

The first of these titles came across the ditch in December, when Macsen won the prestigious Australian 14U Boys’ Singles Championship, taking a convincing 6-2 6-2 victory over third seed Alexander Crnokrak. He followed this up with a win in January against top seed Chris Zhang at the 2015 New Zealand 14U Singles Championships, 6-0 7-5. Impressive on their own, these results capped off a big year for Macsen, who competed with the New Zealand U14 Boys’ team at the 2014 World Junior Tennis Finals in the Czech Republic in August following a 2nd-place finish at the Asia/Oceania qualifying round in India. He was also a singles semi-finalist at the Tennis Europe Meppel Storks Cup and Amstelpark Tennis Academy Trophy, and claimed one doubles win and one 2nd-place finish with partner Finn Reynolds. These exceptional achievements have resulted in the 15-year-old being named by Tennis NZ as one of three Elite Targeted Athletes. This means that Macsen is considered to be an athlete who, through his current on and off-court performance, has the potential to be a top 150 ATP-ranked singles player in the future. It is inspiring for students and staff alike to witness Macsen’s success, brought about by his hard work, dedication and commitment to his sport. And, even with his intense training schedule and busy school life, Macsen continues to make the time to give back. With the support of the Acting Director of Sport, Mark Haslam, Macsen ran a recent three-day workshop with a group of keen Junior School Tennis players. The lunchtime programme clearly illustrated the power of positive role modelling with the young athletes gaining tips on how to approach training, skill development, fitness and nutrition, and each delighting in the opportunity to face off on the court against their Kristin Tennis idol.

Game three against Lindisfarne was our best bowling and fielding performance and we restricted our strong opponents to 200 runs. Year 10 student Matt Spicer performed outstandingly well with the ball and finished with three wickets from 10 overs for just 25 runs. We continued to struggle with the bat and, although there was some fortitude in the tail, we were all out again with fewer than 100 runs. Regardless of the results, the tour provided an invaluable opportunity for our boys to prepare for the season ahead. The comradeship that the team developed over this short space of time had an immediate impact on its performance, thanks to the leadership of Edward and Marko, who brought the team together well. Facing high-calibre teams provided many opportunities for our boys to learn from their opposition and great relationships were formed throughout the tour. SIMON MESRITZ SPORT MANAGER, CRICKET 06.2015

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL FOOTBALL TALENT CENTRE AFFILIATES HOCKEY TOURNAMENT Connor Petrie took part in a successful campaign at the Affiliates Hockey Tournament in Napier during March. Connor was initially selected for the NZ Maori Junior (U21) Men’s team but, due to a shortage of players for the Affiliates Tournament, was asked to play in the NZ Maori Senior Men’s team. The team won every game, qualifying them to claim the Dave Craven Trophy. They were also awarded the Derek Wilshire Trophy for top overall points throughout the tournament.

KARATE Isaac Hoshi brought home two medals from the Australian Open Karate Championships in April where he won Silver in both the Junior and Senior Kata events. These great results followed his earlier success at the Hamilton Open in March where Isaac won Gold in both events.

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Up-and-coming Football star Hannah Reddy (Year 9) has been reselected into the NZ Football Talent Centre (FTC) for 2015. Nominated without having to trial, Hannah has been selected above her age group. Through the National FTC, Hannah will be actively involved in NZ Football’s development programme for future U17 representatives.

FEI WORLD DRESSAGE Lucarne Dolley, Year 12, has achieved an FEI World Ranking following a fantastic performance in Dressage at the 2015 Horse of the Year Show in Hastings in March. Riding her horse Mzungu, Lucarne won the Overall Reserve Champion Young Rider of the Year in the internationally recognised CDI youth competition. She is currently ranked 257 in the FEI Youth World Dressage ranking list.

NATIONAL ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS Sophie Wallace has achieved outstanding success at the National Rowing Championships, winning Gold in both the Novice Coxed Quad and Novice Coxed Eight and Bronze in the Novice Double. These results came off the back of a great North Island Rowing Club Championship tournament where Sophie won Gold, Silver and Bronze in the same events, and a local schools’ regatta where she represented Kristin in an U16 Girls’ composite crew to take 1st in the Coxed Quad and 2nd in the Double Sculls.

ALBANY LAKES SERIES Katrina Miehlbradt and Haoting Ma competed in all three races in the Albany Lakes Summer Series. Katrina placed 3rd overall in the Women’s 5km series, winning the 15 and under category, and Haoting placed 2nd in the U20 Men’s 10km series.

SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS At the Northern Regional Surf Life Saving Championships, Kelsi Boocock won Gold in the U19 Surf Race and Board Rescue, Silver in the U19 Run Swim Run, Taplin, Board Relay, Surf Teams, Open Surf and Tube Rescue events, and Bronze in the Open Surf Teams, Ski Relay and Open Taplin. Angus Syminton won Gold in the Men’s U12 Beach Sprint and Bronze in Beach Flags, while Ayla Hall won Gold in the U14 Diamond Person and Bronze in the Surf Race, Board Race and Beach Flags. At Nationals, Kelsi went on to win Gold in the Open Tube Rescue, Silver in the U19 Surf Race and Bronze in the U19 Taplin event. Ayla competed at Junior Nationals and took Gold in the U14 Board Race and Bronze in the Board Relay.

OCEANIA ORIENTEERING Tegan Knightbridge took part in the Oceania Orienteering Championships in Tasmania in January as part of the NZSS team. Tegan placed 1st in the Relay Test Match and 5th in the Individual Test Match. Also competing in the Women’s 16 and Under Relay team, Tegan achieved a number of top-10 finishes including a win in the Relay event.

CRICKET BLITZ Our Year 5/6 Cricket team had a great season in the 8-a-side Cricket Blitz competition. Superbly coached by Richard Harle, the boys won the North Division final against a very determined and focused St Joseph School’s team.

FENCING NATIONALS Our fencers produced great results at the NZ U15 and U17 championships over Easter. Rhys Davies and Chantelle May both took Gold in their respective U15 Foil events, with Chantelle also coming 3rd in the U17 Women’s event – a fantastic achievement for the 11 year old. Sally Zhang finished 2nd in the U15 Women’s Foil and Nicholas Miehlbradt finished 3rd in the U17 Men’s Foil.

29’ER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Jack Rogers has claimed the 29’er National title after a great championship regatta in March. Jackson Keon finished 3rd, Oscar Gunn 5th, sisters Kate and Greta Stewart finished 7th and Max Rose was 11th. Kristin had great representation across the board and this was a brilliant result for Jack.

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS Bella Cooper, Leenie Kim and Dasha Ruzich won Gold representing Kristin in the Novice Group Competition at the Millennium Cup International Invitational in Vancouver, Canada, in May. The team produced a fantastic performance to finish six marks ahead of their nearest rivals.

06.2015

COMMUNITY NEWS INNOVATION AWARDS FOR MR HUTTON Junior School Assistant Principal Rob Hutton has been recognised for his leadership and contribution to curriculum development with two highprofile awards. The first is the Independent Schools New Zealand (ISNZ) Honours Award for Leadership and Innovation in Curriculum Development and Emerging Technologies. This award recognises the significant work Rob has carried out in integrating new technologies in the Junior School curriculum and across the school. He has also been named as an Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) in recognition for the work he is doing to utilise digital tools to support teaching and learning, both inside and outside of the classroom. Rob is the second Kristin teacher to be selected as an ADE – Andrew Churches received this accolade in 2013. Amidst his many responsibilities in the Junior School, Rob oversees the implementation of technology-based tools in the curriculum and is behind the rapid rise of participant numbers in the Junior School’s Coding Club. He has recently completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital and Collaborative Learning) through The Mind Lab by Unitec. 36

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FAREWELL WENDY HAY At the end of Term 1 the Kristin community said an emotional farewell to a very special person. Wendy Hay has been a PA at Kristin for 28 years, during which time she has supported seven principals and executive principals and been an essential part of the behind-the-scenes running of the school. Wendy has fantastic plans for how she intends to spend her retirement, starting with travelling the world with her husband Chris and spending as much time as possible with her grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by everyone at Kristin but we wish her well and extend our greatest thanks for everything she has given to our community.

Otis

WEDDED BLISS Congratulations to Year 7 Tutor Rebecca Coldicutt and Josh Muir who were married in a spectacular ceremony on Waiheke Island over Easter. Rebecca and Josh met when they were both students at Kristin (2004). Their very special day brought together friends and family from all corners of the world, including Rebecca’s brother Sam who is now a London-based lawyer, and Josh’s brothers Kieran, who studies medicine in Sydney, and Kyle who is a Senior Developer at Intergen. All five have known each other since their days at Kristin and are excited to now be one big happy family.

Felix

INTRODUCING… Introducing the newest member of the Kristin Science faculty, Otis George Tong – born 5 January 2015 and weighing in at 7lb 2oz (3.3kg). Andrea Tong is having a great time with this smiley chap and we can see why! Spanish oral teacher Karen Torrealba and her husband, Mark, have also welcomed a new addition to the family. Benjamin Edward Webber was born 28 April, weighing 8lb 8oz (4kg). And in latest news, Senior School Dean Rebecca Simpson and Alex Ingram are celebrating the arrival of a perfect little baby boy, Felix Alexander Ingram, born 26 May and weighing in at 6lb 9oz (3.13kg). Congratulations to all.

ALUMNI

JESS QUINN DESIGNING HER FUTURE Every year, the achievements and contributions of New Zealanders who live with disability are recognised and celebrated at the annual Attitude Awards, a high-profile event hosted by The Attitude Trust. In 2014, Kristin graduate Jess Quinn (PY 2010) was awarded People’s Choice for her dedication, passion and inspired approach to transforming the way prosthetics are seen and experienced. Jess has worn a prosthetic ever since she was nine years old when a broken leg uncovered a tumour in her thigh. Chemotherapy followed, and then the decision was made to undergo a radical surgery called rotationplasty. This procedure involved surgeons removing her thigh bone and reconstructing her leg, using her ankle as a knee joint. Jess made a fantastic recovery and has worn a prosthetic leg ever since. Having recently completed her Bachelor’s degree with First-Class Honours in fashion design, Jess is committed to changing the way prosthetics are perceived. She believes that people should be able to have a prosthetic that is not only functional as a medical device but also fashionable as an accessory, allowing the person wearing it to have options about how they look and to feel pride in their appearance. Upon completing her Honours year in 2014, Jess joined the team at a newly established innovation lab, Design for Health and Wellbeing (DHW), which is a multidisciplinary creative hub within Auckland Hospital, run by AUT. Bringing together graphic, product and service design, the DHW Lab is dedicated to solving complex hospital-based design problems through an empathetic user-based approach. It has been a valuable experience for Jess, who has enjoyed working directly with medical professionals such as doctors, surgeons and nurses, as well as with members of the public. Alongside her studies and career, Jess is a mentor, supporting other young cancer patients and amputees as they undergo treatments like rotationplasty or recover from limb loss. “It is such a complicated surgery and it’s something that is really difficult to wrap your head around. I do this because it would have been awesome [for me] to have had someone walk in who had experienced this and is out there just loving life.” Currently enjoying a three-month OE in the UK and Europe, Jess has big plans for her future. On her return, she intends to expand on her Honours project and establish a business that will provide alternative prosthetics to amputees. Already she has designed a range of interchangeable 3D-printed prosthetic leg covers and plans to develop a website that will make medical products such as ‘legwear’ and ‘armwear’ more accessible than current medical devices. “I am really excited about setting up this company and am looking forward to the future, but, for now, Europe is where it is at. I’m taking a much-needed break and exploring the world!”

Jess is committed to changing the way prosthetics are perceived. 06.2015

ALUMNI

SAM LEITCH UNDER THE ARCHWAY

The 25-year-old held his third solo show, Highway to the Skyway.

Sam Leitch (PY 2006) has found his way onto the radar of some of New Zealand’s most respected art critics with his growing portfolio of work. The 25-year-old held his third solo show, Highway to the Skyway, in February and is already preparing for his next exhibition, Under the Archway, in September.

In addition to producing his striking large-scale canvases, Sam was one of 100 Kiwi artists invited to create a giant egg for the 2015 Whittaker’s Big Egg Hunt in support of the Starship Foundation. His egg design was based around the idea of combining a bird in the incubation stage with a bird during its hectic exploration of the world.

Highway to the Skyway was a great achievement for Sam who had some of his best-ever sales at the show. This work, combined with his earlier sell-out exhibition - Tui (The Poi Room, 2013) - has attracted the attention of buyers in Sydney and the UK, as well as back home in New Zealand. A major piece entitled Go was purchased by Smyth Galleries owner Kieran Smyth, who reviewed Sam on his website: “Sam Leitch is a young Auckland artist who has emerged with a glowing future… striking originality permeates his uplifting artworks. Watch his career grow quickly in stature.”

Sam recently also joined forces with fellow Kristin alumni at Motion Sickness Studio to create a video that encapsulates his painting process. The result, which can be viewed on Sam’s website, is beautifully textural and will be used to promote Sam’s work as he continues to pursue his creative vision.

The Denizen website profiled Sam as a “burgeoning, undeniable talent”, likening him to Kiwi greats Bill Hammond and Dick Frizzell. “With a nod to two of our nation’s art legends… his work still exudes originality and an energetic vibrance that’s been adeptly captured on canvas… emanating an optimism from his pieces that give them an uplifting aura.”

‘The little birdies of November 2012’ 1600x1400mm oil on canvas 2015 $5900

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Four respected galleries now represent Sam across the country: The Poi Room and Smyth Galleries in Auckland, The Artist’s Room in Dunedin and Toi o Tohuna in Queenstown.

UNDER THE ARCHWAY – SAM LEITCH 8 Drake Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland Opening night: Thursday 24 September 7 to 9pm Thursday 24 September - Saturday 3 October Open daily 10am to 4pm

WWW.SAMLEITCH.COM

ALUMNI

MOTION SICKNESS STUDIO It has been an exciting and rewarding few years for three Kristin Alumni who teamed up to establish a creative agency with a difference. Jono de Alwis (PY 2008), Samuel Stuchbury (PY 2008) and Alex McManus (PY 2009) are the power behind Aucklandbased Motion Sickness Studio. We caught up with Jono recently and asked him to tell us how they did it. Here’s what he had to say.

We are Motion Sickness Studio (MSS): a full-service, independent, creative agency, specialising in digital content and social media. We do videography, photography, graphic design, web development, social media strategy and general marketing, and operate out of our Newmarket-based studio. The directors and founders of the company are Samuel Stuchbury, Alex McManus, and myself. We’ve been full time with this company for nearly three years now. Before this, we were students at the University of Otago and, before that, we were Kristin kids. Sam and I are products of Ken Coulson’s IB Visual Arts class at Kristin or, as I like to call it, ‘Coulson’s Cauldron’. We both always had a passion for graphic design and, through Coulson’s class, we were able to explore different elements of design and find out which facets appealed to us the most. That was the great thing about the IB Visual Arts course; you could more or less do whatever you wanted, as long as you followed the proper processes and documented your journey correctly. This opened us to the world of video, as well as to general graphic design and photography. I may not have been a perfect student at Kristin but Coulson’s class was definitely a place that I put in 100%. It was fun and I could see a future in it. After graduating from Kristin and taking some time off to go and see the world for a few months, we all found ourselves at the University of Otago. While it didn’t have the best graphic design course, it did have what was, to us, a pretty enticing student atmosphere. Sam ended up studying marketing and graphic design, Alex wound up in the law faculty and I focused on graphic design and music, and a touch of marketing.

During our last year of Uni, through a series of fortunate events, we found ourselves shooting videos with young Dunedin fashion label, Moodie Tuesday. This eventually led to the idea of using our skills as videographers and graphic designers to set up a company, and trying to find some work around Dunedin. Part of the motivation for this was the idea that it would be great to leave Uni and work for ourselves and not for some guy in a grey suit with a bad haircut. In the beginning, we focused solely on video as there was a huge gap in the market in Dunedin at the time. We weren’t pros at video but we figured it out. We made it work. However, the plan, always, was to expand and, eventually, do a bit of everything. We spent around a year in Dunedin, building MSS and working with many businesses around the South Island. When the time came to head north and back to Auckland, we already had quite a substantial catalogue of clients in our portfolio, which made the transition to the big smoke quite smooth. Upon our arrival in Auckland, we started to really push the social media side of our business, and landed a contract with Emerald Foods, to handle the social media for their brands Mövenpick New Zealand, Killinchy Gold and New Zealand Natural Ice Cream: our big break. We’ve been operating in Auckland for just over one year now and have been lucky enough to work with quite an extensive list of notable companies. Stolen Rum, Burger Burger, Maserati Auckland, Liquor Centre, Desperados beer, The University of Auckland, BePure health and Dunedin Tourism, as well as a bevy of musicians, artists and other popular New Zealand brands have had the MSS touch. We’re always busy with work and we’re proud to say that we love what we do. Kristin hired us to film a series of videos for its website while we were still living and working in Dunedin. The school flew us up and even gave us free sushi from the Pav Café. We now also sponsor the Kristin 4th-grade Rugby team. It’s cool to see it all come full circle. So, to any current Kristin students reading this, we would say trust your abilities and just try stuff; it might work out well. And to any current Kristin parents reading this, feel free to contact us about work. We’re busy but we always have time for Kristin parents...

WWW.MOTIONSICKNESSSTUDIO.COM 06.2015

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