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Meet our editorial team Editor: Louise May Designer: Janice O'Kane Year 8 Big Sister Writing Team Grace Steadman Beth Wheeler After School Care article Sarah Talaic Photography BW Media
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the importance of kindness 05 Year 8 Big Sister interview 07 clubs in action 09 term 3 music 13 learning in the classroom 17 physical education 31 cross country 33
What’s inside
welcome from Kerry oldman 03
word search and COLOURING fun 37
Meet Gilbert Gilbert visits our Junior School most Tuesdays. He is beloved by our girls and can be often seen joining classes whilst holding his own leash and sporting his very own Black Watch Tartan St Cuthbert’s bandana. Can you spot Gilbert on each page? 2
Welcome om r f Kerry Oldman
I’m excited to introduce you to another edition of our amazing Little Sister magazine, where you’ll find an array of incredible moments that our Junior School girls have experienced this year. What we all imagined 2020 looking like changed rather dramatically earlier this year, in a way that nobody could have expected. The way in which the girls adapted to StCuths@home and embraced their new learning platform with positivity was a lesson for us all on determination, openness, and growth. I am also proud of the Junior School teaching team, who continued to challenge the girls, by creatively making their learning a meaningful adventure. As you look through this magazine, you will see some of the wonderful adventures that took the girls from “room to zoom” and back again.
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I believe that a sense of belonging within the Junior School is a huge factor in the success and accomplishment the girls have felt during this time. Belonging is much more than merely fitting in – it’s about feeling cared for. It’s knowing that your teacher understands your talents and gives you the space needed to create magic with these talents; allowing them to complement the class as a whole. I am grateful to be part of a school, where we are committed to empowering the girls to be curious, to take risks, to problem solve and above all, to think differently. Ngā mihi
Kerry Oldman
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The importance of kindness Kindness is a key, life-long interpersonal skill and one we teach, model, encourage and reward throughout our Junior School Jill Morrison is St Cuthbert's Head of Wellbeing and we discussed with her the importance of kindness. Jill shared "Kindness is a key ingredient in enhancing positivity and helping children feel good about themselves. Acts of kindness boost our mood levels and activate the area of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust. The giving of our time, being generous, displaying affection, warmth and concern contribute significantly to our level of wellbeing and sense of self". We know that sometimes our Junior girls need a little more nurturing and that is why Gilbert, our By Love Serve dog, has brought such joy and comfort to our school. Gilbert visits each Tuesday and his presence in classrooms or a library session adds just that little extra sprinkle of fun and love, and is truly memorable for our girls in their primary years.
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Kind hearts are the gardens. Kind thoughts are the roots. Kind words are the blossoms. Kind deeds are the fruits.
~ Kirpal Singh
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QA &
Interview with Kerry Oldman Year 8 students interview Miss Oldman Beth Wheeler and Grace Steadman are Year 8 students who have an interest in writing and journalism, and so together form the Year 8 Big Sister Writing Team. They led the following interview in early August... Beth and Grace: Miss Oldman, what school did you attend?
Miss Oldman: I attended John Paul College
in Rotorua and just loved it. In particular I loved the community feel there was in the school and I loved the camaraderie in playing team sport too.
Beth and Grace: Was there anything you didn’t like?
Miss Oldman: Overall I really enjoyed
everything about school although I have to admit, I did find Year 10 (or Fourth Form as it was known then) a challenging year.
Beth and Grace:
Miss Oldman: I taught at three schools
in the 18 years I lived there: Eaton House, an all boys’ school; Thomas’s Kensington in London which was a co-ed school; and The Study Prep, which was an all girls’ school in Wimbledon (and I love tennis), so I had a huge range of independent school experiences to draw on when I moved back to New Zealand. Each of these schools were located in old Victorian houses which were full of history which was so interesting but the down side was there wasn’t much space for the students to run around in… we had to go to Hyde Park for playtime. What I loved about my time there was the amazing culture and huge range of teaching experiences, and yes, I even taught some rather well-known names…
Can you tell us more about the schools you taught at when you lived in England?
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Beth and Grace: You’ve been Head of
St Cuthbert’s Junior School for nearly two years now, what do you most enjoy about the school?
Miss Oldman: The best part of my day is
coming into St Cuthbert’s Junior School and being surrounded by the most exceptional teachers that go the extra mile, and the happy learners. I’ve been made to feel so welcome and love the families I’ve come to know and so appreciate the amazing community that I found here. It’s hard to imagine being anywhere else now!
Beth and Grace: As you started off pursuing a teaching career, was there a particular moment you decided you wanted to become a Head of School instead? Miss Oldman: From all of the experience I have accumulated from teaching at a variety of schools around the world, I realised I wanted to combine different
aspects of all of them into one, and am excited St Cuthbert’s Junior School is the place I get to do this.
Beth and Grace: If you could have any sensible pet, what would it be?
Miss Oldman: It would have to be a dog.
Beth and Grace: What do you enjoy
They are your best friend and you get the challenge of training them!
Miss Oldman: I love travelling and am
Beth and Grace: And, if you could have
doing outside of school?
enjoying seeing parts of New Zealand that I haven’t seen before. I also enjoy sport – especially Tennis. In fact, I was lucky enough to train the ball boys and girls for the Wimbledon Championships while in London which was great fun (that was as close as I got to playing at a Grand Slam). I am also fascinated by people and love people watching – I think airports are fascinating places to watch people.
Beth and Grace: Knowing how much
you love Gilbert’s visits each Tuesday we wanted to ask, do you have any pets?
Miss Oldman: I had a lot of pets growing
up but haven’t had a pet since coming to St Cuthbert’s. I love Gilbert joining us in the Junior School each week and I know the girls gain so much from having him as part of our Junior School team.
any crazy pet what would it be?
Miss Oldman: It would have to be an
elephant. They are incredibly intelligent animals and I have been lucky enough to go on safari with them; searching for the Royal Bengal Tiger. And I love how playful they are too which I experienced in Nepal; playing elephant polo and having water fights (the trunk won!).
Beth and Grace: Thank you Miss Oldman for your time today, we really loved finding out more about you.
Miss Oldman: Girls, thanks to you both,
it was lovely to spend time with you and I wish you well with your passion for writing – I look forward to seeing your articles in the newspaper one day soon!
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Clubs in Action Our teachers and Senior School girls have worked together to create 12 free clubs for our Junior School girls which run before school or during lunchtimes. There's a huge variety of activities girls can choose between to ensure they are not only entertained but learning new skills or further exploring their interests and creativity. There's a Glee Club for budding singers, Book Club for avid readers, a Kapa Haka Club, a German Language Club, Badminton Club, Gymnastics Club, Netball Club, Chinese Dance Club, Wushu Martial Arts Club, Maker Space Building Club and even a Mindfulness Club!
Kapa Haka Ms Boyens has established our Junior School's first ever Kapa Haka Club to help instill a love of taonga tuku iho (the Māori treasures passed down) from a young age.
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Years 5 and 6 Netball
Year 5 and 6 take part in their lunchtime Netball club led by Ms Knight with extra coaching tips given by Senior School students who kindly volunteer.
Maker Space Club Ms Hadfield and Ms Harris run the 'Maker Space Club' on Tuesday lunchtimes which encourages girls to design, build and create new things so they can explore their inner engineer, builder and architect. It's great to see the girls' imaginations run free through building.
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Filler ?
Foundation Fitness
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Little Dance club Year 10 student, Alisa Rao, has long loved dance and decided to set up a lunchtime Dance Club with her Year 10 friends Grace Merrilees and Victoria Jagusch
Each Friday Alisa builds the Junior School girls' confidence and gradually increases their dance skills. Alisa starts each lesson with fun games to the backdrop of our girls’ favourite music. Once their energy is up she brings their focus to specific dance moves, each session building on what the girls have learned the week prior. The atmosphere is electric and fun, and the girls just love catching Alisa’s eye. Alisa, Grace and Victoria have a wonderful rapport with all of the girls in this very popular class and we can’t wait to see it go from strength to strength!
Interview with Alisa: What made you come up with the idea of a Dance Club for Junior School? When I joined the Junior School, I was a shy Year 3 girl who could not say more than two sentences worth of English. This resulted in me not receiving any roles in particular activities that involved dance and drama. This is why I wanted to offer Years 2 – 4 an opportunity to explore artistic expression, as well as build a positive community, and I love dance so I also set it up simply because I wanted to!
What’s your own dance experience? Unlike most of the other dance girls, I started dancing ballet in China when I was quite small. I then started artistic ice skating and then I decided to try ballet at Mount Eden Ballet Academy (MEBA) when I came to New Zealand. Still to this day, I am at MEBA dancing almost every day of the week across many different dance styles.
What do you enjoy most about the Dance Club? I just love seeing the excitement on the girls’ faces when they arrive and how they are always asking about what we will be doing. Their excitement reminded me of what it felt like to be their age when all I wanted to do was show everyone my splits or my new ballet shoes.
How do you know Grace and Victoria who help you out? We’ve been friends since Year 7 and I’m so grateful that both of them dance; they are both so good in their areas and help me so much with the Dance Club. Victoria goes to my dance studio so we see each other around quite often when we are dancing and Grace has known my dream about expanding dance at St Cuthbert’s since Year 8!
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Term 3
Music
in the Junior School Music lessons were jampacked with hands-on fun in Term 3 and the girls loved them! Our youngest students in Years 0 and 1 are working on the fundamentals of music which includes finding their singing voices. The girls wouldn’t realise it but they are, in fact, learning music literacy through highly tailored singing activities and games every lesson. At Year 2, girls continue to build their vocal skills
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with classroom singing and also start to learn the recorder. Girls in Years 3 and 4 are learning about the instruments of the orchestra. Through guidance and practise they are developing their ukulele, piano and recorder skills. Our
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Introducing The Tartan Angels The Tartan Angels is a new choir for Years 1 and 2 students and is proving very popular with the girls! Our youngest girls enjoy visiting the Performing Arts building where they take their lunch with some of our older students from Years 9–11. After lunch they join Ms Jennifer Maybee who teaches them to explore their voices through fun songs, packed with action. Our Senior School students accompany them on the piano and also help lead the singing. We are really grateful for their support and know that their Littlest Sisters look up to them!
Year 5 students are working hard to consolidate their instrument skills for performances and our Year 6 students are working hard on their clarinet and saxophone instruments with a view to joining some senior band ensembles. This prepares them to step up to Year 7 next year, so they’ll feel better prepared to be a part of the Senior School’s co-curricular music programme.
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Lockdown round two August 2020
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Learning in the classroom
Year 0
Our Little Beans Year 0 have had a great time getting to know each other and this term the class learned all about how plants grow. They looked at how plants need water, sunlight and soil to grow and learned about the stem, leaf and roots of a plant. They took this insight and planted beans measuring how much they had grown after 1 week, 3 weeks and 5 weeks. They had great fun creating tulips and their teacher commented that their art was so good it reminded her of her previous Year 2 class. Well done girls!
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Year 1
DAYS
at St Cuthbert’s Junior School! The year is whizzing by and our teachers can hardly believe their lovely girls have been at school for 100 days already! Our Year 1 girls always look forward to the celebration that marks their 100th day at school and many observed this day by dressing up as 100-year-old ladies! Their teachers reinforced the importance of the special number 100 by leading Maths and Literacy activities associated with this number. On the day the classes celebrated together with a delicious shared lunch and a very festive feel. We're so glad you had such a fun 100th Day Year 1!
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Matariki Year 2
Year 2 learned more about Matariki in their classes earlier this term. They enjoyed watching a story video, they read “Matariki Breakfast” by André Ngāpō before practising and performing a play. The girls learned that Matariki is a time to gather with family and friends to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.
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Year 3
Zoom around the world Year 3 started Zooming during the lockdown and wow, did they zoom in style! Our teachers dressed up as flight attendants and took their girls around the world (virtually) to explore different continents and cultures. In Term 3 they visited a close neighbour, Australia. In class the girls enjoyed making Australian Aboriginal Art in the form of Dot Paintings. They discussed the tragedy of the Bushfires.
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Year 4
“Sweet As” This term, Year 4’s P.E.A.C.E. Social Sciences programme is investigating sugar. Through hands-on experiments in our science labs, the girls discovered the different physical attributes of sugar. The girls then learned about the processes involved in transforming the natural state of the sugar cane into the sugar that we use every day. We visited the Chelsea Sugar Factory, where the girls had the opportunity to develop their knowledge, including baking, a factory tour, and an interactive zone. Girls have developed an understanding of the many different aspects of sugar and have enjoyed learning about the history of sugar and the impact it has on our health.
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“What is P.E.A.C.E?” From Year 4 we further develop students’ understanding of the way people participate in society. This includes studies from the past, present and future within and beyond New Zealand.
PEACE represents Philosophy, Ethics, Attributes, Character/ Citizenship, and Exploration (PEACE) and is an extension of our Social Sciences investigations curriculum. Students take part in inquiry-led approaches which deepens each girl’s understanding of topics. We see this nurturing their awareness of the world around her, and inspiring their curiosity and thinking skills. Classes may be learning from the same curriculum, but the experiences of each class will be different, determined by the girls’ own thinking, questions, and approaches. This in turn supports each girl to develop her inner confidence, to express her views and to ask questions.
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Year 5
Investigate Preservation through P.E.A.C.E. investigations Year 5’s inquiry-led P.E.A.C.E. topic for the term was ‘Preservation’. The Year 5 teachers piqued girls’ interest through thought-provoking questions which in turn spurred students on to investigate the topic of Preservation at a deeper level, and one that was relevant to them. It’s so interesting to see what comes out of each inquiry as, whilst the three Year 5 classes were learning from the same curriculum, the experiences of each class were quite different as each was determined by the girls’ thinking and questions.
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Prompting Questions were: What does ‘Preservation’ mean? What are key places in New Zealand that are preserved, and why? How are National Parks, reserves, rivers and oceans in New Zealand preserved. and why? What key areas and places in the world are preserved, and why? How are different places in the world preserved and looked after? What are the impacts of lack of preservation on natural environments and how does this affect our future as well as future generations? What can we do as global citizens to help preserve natural environments?
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Year 6'S Virtual Camp Poor Year 6 were so looking forward to their Camp at Lakewood Lodge but Auckland was declared in another Level 3 lockdown just four days before they were due to leave. Knowing their three classes of Year 6 girls would be naturally disappointed by the change in plans their teachers, Ms Shelley Ireton, Ms Stacey Pinique and Ms Amy Blanchard, showed huge adaptability and overnight launched a virtual camp for their students. On the first morning of camp the girls were asked to sign in for roll wearing their camp tshirts and they joined a virtual journey to camp through hills and woods accompanied by their teachers and Miss Oldman. Once they got to virtual camp the fun really began, with a sneaky dose of learning squeezed in too! Girls were challenged to complete cross words, word searches, maths quizzes and even
French lessons, all of which were camp themed. The girls loved their physical challenges too and made some amazing camp beds and tents, s’mores on a fire, plus flower and leaf art. We really admired your resilience, flexibility and the ability to make light of disappointing times girls, well done!
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Physical Education in the Junior School
Our girls have had so much fun learning from their specialist teachers in their PE lessons this term. Students have had a focus on football, netball and gymnastics. Our Junior girls are encouraged to be part a team whether it’s learning in the pool, in the gym, on the turf, or on our grass fields.
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Cross country
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Have you tried our amazing After School Care programme? Every day after school, our wonderful After School Care Manager, Sandy Thomas, welcomes students from Years 0 – 8 to our After School Care programme. This affordable option, available from 3pm – 5.30pm weekdays, offers a convenient and engaging solution for busy parents. Girls enjoy afternoon tea, free play, work on their homework and engage in craft making and many other activities. Some parents choose After School Care while they take a sibling to an extra-curricular activity elsewhere, or while waiting for later swimming lessons in the St Cuthbert’s pool. Some girls come before or after sport, music or drama practice, while waiting for late buses, or on parent interview days. Others find it a convenient option for a late pick up after work.
We welcome girls on a regular or casual basis. If you are interested in finding out more, please email After.SchoolCare@stcuthberts.school.nz 35
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Colour in this page and return it to our Junior School reception by the end of Term 4, week 1 and we’ll display them for everyone to enjoy!
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Word Search GILBERT KINDNESS ZOOM FRIENDS JUNIOR GIRLS DOG BANDANA BYLOVESERVE DAFFODILS COMFORT AMAZING SWEET MATARIKI BEANS TULIP LOCKDOWN KAPAHAKA JUMPJAM ACTION SKILL REWARD TENT
Z O O M M A T A R I K I B J U N I O R G B R L I K C D A F F O D I L S N A O V M B R E W A R D B P M Z A K
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Until next time...
