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Issue 32. April 2017 The ACG Strathallan Magazine
Preschool Celebrates Chinese New Year
The ACG Strathallan Preschool hosted a wonderful Chinese New Year celebration providing a great
learning opportunity for the little ones to experience and appreciate a different culture.
So what is Chinese New Year all about? Michelle Chang,
a teacher at the preschool explains:
Chinese New Year is a very important festival to all
Chinese communities in China as well as overseas. In China,
it is the only time people can take some time off to be with
their families.
The meaning behind Chinese New Year is to be reunited so
it is a time for all people to connect with their 5,000 years of
history and feel proud to be Chinese.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, families have a special
dinner, they receive red envelopes from parents and
grandparents, a lion dances in the street, poetry couplets are
placed on the door, pictures of good fortune are displayed,
water dumplings are eaten and fireworks are let off.
This certainly sounds like a lot of fun. The senior classroom
was able to experience this celebration in a number of
thrilling activities.
Caroline Lithgow, also a preschool teacher, explains:
We wanted our children to understand and celebrate all that
it is to be Chinese at this special time of year. Only through
exploring it could they truly understand and embrace
Chinese culture. With this in mind our learning began with a
magnificent show. The children were lucky enough to watch a
Never be tired of learning or teaching others Confucius
Chinese lion dance performed by Michelle and Weina, two
teachers at the preschool. The purple, shining lion moved
and danced to the rhythm of the cymbals, the gong and
the beat of the big drum. Then the children had the chance
to play the instruments and dance inside the lion costume
- what an experience! Following the show Miss Yu-Mei Lin
visited us with her class from the college to tell the story
of Nian, the story behind Chinese New Year. The children
especially enjoyed the quiz that followed with some of
them very excited to win a hung bao, a red envelope with
stickers inside. Sorry no money this time!
Our children learn through their senses and what better
way than a cooking class from two of our mums, on how to
make Chinese dumplings. The children watched to begin
with and then had a turn at making their own dumplings.
They learnt that the shape of the dumpling was the same
shape as the ancient Chinese money, so they eat dumplings
on Chinese New Year to encourage good wealth for the
year ahead. The children enjoyed eating their dumplings
at lunch time, there were certainly lots of happy faces and
contented tummies!
With language learning an important component of the
primary and college curriculum, it is only right that our pre-
school children have their own cultural learning experience.
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Shakespeare Live
this term, our college students had the opportunity
of attending different Shakespearean productions.
With Shakespeare being a very significant part of
our Cambridge English Literature syllabus, there was
no question of whether it was To be or not to be?
Some of our seniors headed off to the Pop-Up Globe
Theatre while the juniors watched the Ugly Shakespeare
Company at school.
The Pop-Up Globe Theatre is in Ellerslie this year and
provides quite a unique experience for theatre-goers
as it is a full-scale replica of the original Globe Theatre
in London, exactly the way it looked in 1599. When
audiences attend today, they are still entranced by the
experience and charmed by the actors who make the
language clear and comprehensible.
Flynn Fromont in Year 12 shared his experience of
watching Much Ado About Nothing with us:
Even from walking into the theatre, the atmosphere
instantly feels different. Standing in the pit or yard
where the peasants would have stood gives you a real
sense of the bustling audience back then. From the
pit, you can take a look around at the gallery seating,
traditionally for the nobles and royals. Its impressive.
During the show, actors sometimes appeared from
amongst the crowd and asked us questions which was
quite exciting. We were no longer an idle audience but
part of the play. The actors were amazing, not breaking
character on or off stage.
I was lucky enough to see the same play again
with my family at the weekend and it was just as
exciting. I believe that seeing the play live is a very
good experience.
2 The object of art is to give life a shape William Shakespeare
Not only does it take you back in time and show
you what plays would have been like back in
Shakespeares time, it also helps you to visualise the
play more clearly which will assist us in analysing and
writing about similar plays in our essays at school.
That same week the Ugly Shakespeare Company
visited our juniors. Christian Whyte shared
his experience:
The company is made up of three men who bring a
light-hearted, comedic tone to Shakespeare and at
the same time convey the key messages of the plays.
They performed adapted versions of Shakespeares
The Merchant of Venice for Years 7 and 8 and
Macbeth for Years 9 and 10. One highlight was Portia
from The Merchant of Venice who was played by a
male actor, as they did in Shakespeares day. She
declined two suitors rather abruptly saying that they
should Go away; theyre boring. These modern takes
on Shakespeare helped the students see exactly
what was really happening in these scenes.
Another highlight was Lady Macbeth from Macbeth
performing a short tap-dance in high heels with a
full length dress on a true show-stopper! After their
delightful performances, each audience member left
with a smile on their face and a new view
of Shakespeare.
As well as being highly entertaining, watching a live
performance brings Shakespeare to life and makes
any study of his plays more meaningful. As Christian
quite rightly puts it, It isnt just words in a book, it
is a performance made for people to appreciate and
laugh at.
Credit: Peter Meecham
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Celebrating Success
the Cambridge system truly allows for students to
excel in a variety of curriculum areas. From the Arts
and Sciences to Physical Education, ACG Strathallan
students are given the opportunity to build on their
individual talents and to choose subjects that will reflect
their passions and interests. Nothing could have been
more clearly evident at the Outstanding Cambridge
Learner Awards Ceremony where four of our top
students were acknowledged in their diverse fields
of study and awarded either Top in New Zealand or
High Achievement Awards, as noted in the table below.
Besides the commendable results of these students,
A and A* passes seemed to be the order of the day
at all levels of the school. At Year 10, students who
committed to taking courses at IGCSE level showed
determination to be successful. Twenty-one students sat
IGCSE Combined Sciences and all students remarkably
achieved high A or A* passes. Of the 23 students who
undertook the study of Global Perspectives, nearly all
scored A or A* passes.
In Year 11, Flynn Fromont, Anastasia Gater, Danielle
Harris, Rene Ryall, Sahil Tiku and Christine Wheeler truly
rose to the challenge at this level. They passed all their
courses with either A or A* grades, a true indication of
the persistence needed to be successful.
At Year 12, Benjamin Christy excelled in all four of his
courses with all As at AS Level and Xiangyu Ouyang
also completed his course with four As at AS level and
an A* in A Level Chinese.
Year 13, the final leg of high school, can often be
the greatest challenge of all for students as they
start to make plans for their future. Their results
often determine the paths they can choose. Aimee
Bebbington has maintained a consistent approach in
her studies, passing all her A Levels with 3 A* and one A.
Aimee will be attending the University of St Andrews in
Scotland, to study Biology and Mathematics.
Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards
Cambridge Qualification Syllabus
A Level Chinese
A Level Physical Education
AS Level Computer Science
AS Level Applied Information & Communication Technology
We rise by lifting others Robert Ingersoll
Aimee shared a key skill that has helped her with her
studies - focus. Being able to sit down and maintain
my concentration for as many hours as were necessary
to dissect a question, write an essay or come up
with yet another set of study notes ... but remaining
disciplined with ones mind is even more important;
figuring out how you think, why you feel as you do, and
what set of thoughts you find the most motivating.
Gareth Hall was another Year 13 student who excelled
in the 2016 examination. He achieved two A grades
in AS Business and AS Computer Science and two
A* in A Level Chemistry and Physics. Gareth went
on to receive the Te Paiwai O Te Rangi scholarship
for academic achievement from the University Of
Waikato. This is where he will be pursuing his studies in
Engineering. Gareth shared with us the habits of mind
that influenced his success: If you dont understand
something, take the time to work it out and get
assistance until you get it right consistently. When
you learn something properly once, its far easier to
revise later.
Students from left to right: Xiangyu Ouyang,
Julia Nicholson and Gareth Hall
Student Name Cambridge Award
Xiangyu Ouyang Top In New Zealand
Julia Nicholson Top In New Zealand
Gareth Hall Top In New Zealand
Katarina Lum High Achievement
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Coaching Matters
Good coaching can make a huge difference to a As part of the role Joe will also coach and provide
sportspersons career. It also provides the finer skills to support to Counties and Midlands hockey teams.
shape a students natural ability and to motivate them
Joe is looking forward to continuing his experience
to do their best. Without a good coach, those talented
within Midlands, Counties and ACG Strathallan as a
students may never realise their true potential in their
Coach. I hope to quickly establish myself within the
chosen sport. Strathallan is fortunate to have some very
hockey community and contribute and learn as much
exciting coaching for our students.
as I can, he said.
Hockey has been identified as a real strength at our
Equestrian is another sport which draws many students
school. As a result, Joe Hanks, who recently captained
at our school. Annie Styles coaches our teams in this
the Central Region Hockey team to a top-three finish in
sport. She was drawn to coaching after returning from
the National Hockey League, has been named Midlands,
a campaign in the UK with her top horse in 2011. I had
Counties and Strathallans Development Coach.
sold my other top horse to fund the UK trip and, upon
Starting immediately, he will be based at our school, my return, I had only youngsters to ride so my focus
training the schools First XI Boys Hockey team and shifted. Ive always been hugely passionate about the
providing coaching support for other teams. sport and really enjoy helping others achieve their
His appointment is part of Midlands Hockeys strategy goals, so it was a natural progression.
to grow Hockey excellence in the region.

I love helping the kids learn about sports, sharing my

love and passion for sport with them and helping them to
improve and become better.
Hunter Sheperd

4 Coaching is unlocking a persons potential to maximise their growth John Whitmore

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My aim is for every rider
to go away from a lesson
having grown in confidence
Annie Styles
Annie has ridden professionally as an event rider for
many years, but her competitive career has taken a
backseat over the past five years to focus on her young
children. Although she continues to ride, her focus has
switched from high-level competition to producing and
selling young horses.
Annie brings a wealth of expertise to her coaching. She
sees herself as a stickler for doing the basics correctly.
Position, straightness, rhythm and balance are aspects
of riding that I focus on as a coach. I also ensure I give
plenty of positive feedback and my aim is for every rider
to go away from a lesson having grown in confidence
from their ride with me that day.
It is not what the coach knows; it is what his players have learned - Winston Churchill
In the Primary School, students have been fortunate
enough to receive specialist, skills-based coaching
in both golf and cricket this term. Cherie Boucher-
Cunningham shared what has been going on:
There were two cricket skills sessions and five golf
skills sessions, with primary school students reporting
that learning both sports was a fantastic experience.
The golf sessions were taken by Coach Hunter Sheperd
who has been coaching golf as part of his role with Kelly
Sports for around two and a half years. Kelly Sports
believe in teaching the basic fundamentals and skills of
the sport so everyone can have fun while learning and
participating. Coach Hunter was a favourite with all the
classes and said he hopes to be back at ACG Strathallan
primary to teach a new sport in the near future. I love
helping the kids learn about sports, sharing my love and
passion for sport with them and helping them to improve
and become better.
We are certainly privileged to have experienced sports
coaches like these to support our students in achieving
their best.
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Collaborative Learning
Teamwork. Group discussion. Negotiation. The work
place is becoming more and more demanding with its
expectations of potential employees. Employers are
looking for young people who can interact effectively
and communicate successfully. No longer is it enough
to be able to quietly get on with your work at your desk,
but you are expected to work collaboratively. In order
to teach our students these necessary soft skills, ACG
Strathallan takes the approach that the sooner you learn
these skills, the easier your transition will be into the
future. As a result, even students at our Primary school
are learning how to work like this.
Cherie Boucher-Cunningham, an ACG Strathallan
Primary School teacher, shared some of the innovative
ways in which collaborative learning takes place in their
learning environment:
When walking through ACG Strathallan Primary School
during school hours, the junior atrium will be filled
with students working in small groups on their big mat
area and the senior atrium will have students working
on specialist furniture that has been purchased over
the last year. There are specific areas being set aside
in classrooms, such as bean bag areas, to help foster
collaborative learning, and the mini senior atrium is set
up as a collaborative learning space with furniture for
the Year 5 students. All atrium environments are further
enhanced by relevant displays and student resources
created in a collaborative learning environment that are
showcased around the walls.
While there are certain subjects, social science in
particular, that lend themselves well to a collaborative
6 Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much Helen Keller
learning approach, collaborative learning is very often
displayed across all curriculum areas, across all Primary
School year levels. During maths lessons, junior students
will often work in mixed ability groups at various work
stations, guiding and questioning each other as they
build up their fundamental numeracy skills.
During health lessons, mixed class groups of year
six students can be seen working across their three
classrooms as they focus on not only increasing and
deepening their knowledge of their current learning
topic, but also fostering their leadership skills and their
ability to relate to and work alongside their peers.
As we move more into the 21st century and prepare our
learners for the skills that they will need to be successful,
collaborative learning finds itself at the forefront of
an effective teaching vision. Through collaborative
learning, ACG Strathallan Primary students learn to
develop key social skills and are given opportunities
to foster the development of leadership skills. They
become more than just passive listeners. They become
active participants of their school community who
have the focus, self-belief, respect, and drive to enable
them to become not only successful at set tasks and
assignments, but well-rounded individuals who are
able to manage themselves, relate well to others, and
become the masters of their own learning journey.
Through the process of collaborative learning we are
able to prepare our 21st century learners for success in
their future.
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Student
Council &
Leadership
Camp
A CG Strathallan student leaders got together before
the school year started for a weekend of team building
at Kauaeranga Valley Camp in the Coromandel. This
provided the perfect setting for friendships to blossom
and strategies to develop.
Caleb Pahina, Student Council President, recounts
the time away and the Student Councils plans for the
year ahead:
The camp offered a myriad of activities, from
archery and air rifles to building rafts and kayaking
in the gorgeous Kauaeranga River. The camp events,
accompanied by the beautiful summer weather,
definitely allowed our team to enjoy every moment to
its fullest. Perhaps the most noteworthy activity was on
the second night, where we split into groups to perform
an act in front of each other. Not only did it break the
ice, but provided many laughs and smiles which are truly
representative of our awesome team spirit.
ACG Strathallan, Hayfield Way, RD1, Papakura, New Zealand
09 295 0830 | strathallan@acgedu.com
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other John F Kennedy
...the most noteworthy activity
was on the second night,
where we split into groups to
perform an act... Not only did it
break the ice, but provided
many laughs and smiles...
The leadership camp served perfectly as an opportunity
to not only get to know each other, but also build a strong
team morale which will most certainly be key to our
success this year.
As individuals, we learnt many valuable things such
as effective communication, problem solving and
organisational skills. We were also able to celebrate our
strengths and confront our weaknesses.
Returning to school to start the academic year, they were
able to put their plans into action:
As the Student Council, we set out to empower and share
students ideas in order to give them a voice. We also
aim to be positive role models, contribute to the school
community and assist with the organisation of school
events and activities during 2017. In doing so, we want
to have an active role in creating an enjoyable school
environment which aligns with our core school values.
We started Term 1 very well with a successful Valentines
Day fundraiser! This involved a lot of organisation,
planning and teamwork to bring hundreds of roses,
chocolates and notes to our staff and students. We
are extremely proud to have raised $1090 for the New
Zealand Heart Foundation. The council team worked
tremendously hard and were rewarded by a
fantastic result. Add to this the success of the junior social
and the money raised from Relay for Life and we are
already well on the way to achieving our goals.
Overall, this term has been an extremely successful and
enjoyable learning experience for the team so far and we
are looking forward to the future events on the calendar
which will provide further opportunities for us council
members to grow as leaders.
acgedu.com
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Let the Show Begin
The Hawkins Theatre will soon host ACG
Strathallans performances of The Lion King and
The Wizard of Oz. What a treat awaits us and
what a fantastic experience for the many students
who are involved. It is the last performance for
the musical directors of the Wizard of Oz, Heather
Revell-Knighton, and Lynnette Leggett, who is
directing The Lion King primary show. There are
countless students past and present who have
benefited from the opportunities provided by
these passionate and talented music teachers.
I am sure they will continue to have this positive
influence and we wish them every success in
the future.
Performance provides a rich context for learning.
Strong impressions, lasting memories, lifelong
lessons are features of this. Theatre, performance,
dance, drama, on-stage, back-stage, front of
house, make-up, costume, music and lights - what
opportunities drama creates for young people!
I write from personal experience. One of my
earliest memories of school was as a seven year
old dressed in a sack cloth skirt, barefoot waiting
to run down the grassy bank onto the lawn in my
first on-stage role as Flute the Bellows Mender causes very high levels of activity in the brain.
in A Mid-Summer Nights Dream. Amidst screams
of Help! I was to have the skirt ripped off by a
marauding lion as part of a play within the play.
Great excitement for a young boy who always
took delight in making an exhibition of himself!
The first act had gone off well with no lines to
speak I only had to remember where to stand.
Puck and a fairy had started Act II then my older
sister, who was playing the part of Titania the
Queen of the Fairies, opened her mouth for the
first line. What, jealous Oberon! whereupon
there was a loud thunder clap, the heavens
opened and audience and cast were forced to
carve a path through the herbaceous borders and
tangled wisteria to the shelter of a nearby gazebo.
I felt for my poor sister missing her moment of
glory but I remember we did perform the play
in the end so there must have been a gap in
the English weather. My experience in primary
school and further encounters with Shakespeare
at grammar school established close and long-
lasting ties with drama and 17 years later I was
touring the cities of Europe as a street performer.
I am an unashamed Shakespeare fan but I
am also aware that when asking the question
Why should we teach Shakespeare at school?
you will receive vehement arguments on both
sides. On the one hand, it is seen as archaic and
impenetrable for todays youth. On the other it
contains timeless images and archetypal stories
which never lose their relevance especially to
young people as they develop their sensibilities.
To have the opportunity to watch Shakespeare
on the stage is an essential part of any childs
education so I am pleased that the Pop-Up
Globe is providing this chance for many students.
Research on the brain suggests that creative work
Drama and dance provide vital opportunities for
growing minds to test the world around them and
explore the world within them. These elements
of the curriculum are brought to life through
performance which is such an important part of
what we do at ACG Strathallan.
Robin Kirkham