STRATA

STRATA
Issue 33. Term 2, 2017 The ACG Strathallan Magazine

Were off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. put in. They are students who brought their own infectious
And what a wonderful visit it was. Dorothy charmed us humour to their roles. They were well cast.
with her striking voice, the munchkins entertained us with
Heather acknowledged the hard work that the Production
their antics and we were captivated by the quirkiness of the
Band put in. I decided that I would invite music students to
cowardly lion, the scarecrow without a brain, and the tin man
be involved and they have all rallied around, encouraging
without a heart.
one another, practising alone and together and committed to
As we well know, to put on a stage show on such a large scale many hours of rehearsals.
takes a huge amount of effort and strategic planning. Involved
This is Sophias 12th year as production manager at ACG
in this process was director Penny Stafford-Bush, music
Strathallan. She spends her time behind the scenes organising
director Heather Revell-Knighton and the production manager
lighting and sound, problem solving and basically making
Sophia Grobler. The three ladies started their planning as
sure everything comes together as smoothly as possible.
early as last December when all their ideas were clearly laid
All three were assisted by a number of other staff members
out. Auditions took place in February and then followed
who supported the production by making creative props and
weekly rehearsals, with staff and students coming together to
intricate costumes.
rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
At the heart of a school production is the opportunity for
Penny has extensive stage experience as an actress, director
students to flutter their dramatic wings on stage or work
and behind-the-scenes stage hand both in the UK and
back stage ensuring that all scene changes flow smoothly.
New Zealand and attributes the success of the show to the
Fortunately for them, they have some wonderful role models
wonderful energy amongst the principal actors. It was a big
to learn from.
commitment from the principals and I appreciate the time they

1
 STRATA
Supporters of Strathallan
At ACG Strathallan, we recognise how important it is to have
the support of our families. The Supporters of Strathallan
(SOS) is a formal committee who actively work to bring the
parents and school together.
Denys Desmond, who was the chairperson of SOS until the
beginning of 2017, is very excited about the future plans for
the committee. Even though she has stepped down from
her role, she is still looking forward to being a part of the
committee and being actively involved in future events.
Earlier this year a notice was sent to all families seeking new
members to join SOS and this was met with a wonderful
response. There are now 33 members on the committee
whose involvement can range from full committee support
to helping where and when they can on the different events
through the year.
As Denys says, It is great that SOS, which traditionally had
been predominantly a college initiative, is now involving the
whole campus. Bringing together parents and children from
all three schools will further strengthen the ACG Strathallan
community spirit.
Kirsten Ruiterman is the new chairperson of SOS. She is a
working mum who has two children at the school, one in the
2
college and one in the primary, and like many parents, she is
kept busy by her work and chasing around after her daughters
and their after-school activities. Despite this, Theres always
time for something more, she says.
Her plan for the future of SOS is to build on the hard work
of Denys and her predecessors in building SOS to what it is
today. My vision is to have a large group of SOS members
helping build an inclusive culture at all levels of our school.
This way, the workload is spread amongst many and every
family can feel they are a part of the ACG Strathallan
community, whether they have a three-month-old at the baby
centre two days a week or an 18 year-old about to finish Year
13 and head into the world.
There is certainly plenty to keep our SOS team busy, as SOS
member Sheryn Botherway notes. This year we are involved
in the school open days, Grandparents Day, the primary and
preschool discos, feeding the college school production cast
and musicians, the fireworks night, Family Fiesta, Charity Gala
and it probably wont end there! If you want to get involved
then please contact sheryn.botherway@acgedu.com with the
level of commitment you are happy with and start your SOS
journey with us.
STRATA

A taste of
things to come
College can be a scary experience for many new students
but not for our Year 6 students in the Primary School who
were treated to a fun-filled Taster Day in the College this
term to prepare them for their future learning in the College.
Every year the Year 6 students return to the Primary School
buzzing with excitement and this year was no different.
At the start of the day, they were taken up to the College
Theatre where they were introduced to their Year 8 buddies
for the day. After describing her initial feeling as being
bombarded by college giants, Rasleen Singh was very
happy to have friendly Year 8 faces looking out for her.
Students participated in mini lessons in Drama, Design, PE
and Science, with Science a firm favourite and described
by the students as awesome! Minho Choi loved it because
[we] mixed two colours together and BOOM! A yellow
solid. Melvin Jia and Madeleine Walker agreed, loving the
opportunity to be hands on with the experiments.
For others, the favourite part was Physical Education and
the Boys vs Girls competition. Jasmine Burson, Leilani
Cambie and Charlie Percy all spoke about how they enjoyed
the games. Jasmine and Leilani especially liked it when the
girls came out the winners! Benjamin Morgan spoke about
being excited to go to the College next year because of all
the sports equipment in the gymnasium.
The top feedback from Design and Technology was being
able to work as part of a team for the tower challenge
where the students had to create a tower that could hold an
egg for 10 seconds.
After a principal position in the Primary production of
The Lion King this year, Sienna Van Baarle felt that Drama
was her favourite lesson. During the Drama lesson, the
Year 6 students had to act out different emotions without
speaking. According to 6HOU, worried was the emotion
that was the hardest to act out without exploding into fits
of laughter!
Overall, the college Taster Day was an invaluable experience
for the Year 6 students, helping to alleviate their nerves
and boost their confidence ahead of their own college
transitions at the end of the year.
Abby Engelbrecht said, It was an amazing day. It was a
really informative day to know what its like in the College.
After discussing their favourite subjects, and how there
were so many new people at the College, the overwhelming
response from the Year 6 students was how excited they
were for next year. This was perfectly summed up by the
feedback from Hunter Scott: I just loved it all!

3
 STRATA
Farewell to Mr Kirkham
Robin Kirkham has made an indelible
impression on the students, staff and families of
ACG Strathallan. As he prepares to move on to
his next challenge, Robin spoke to Strata about
his experiences as Executive Principal at
ACG Strathallan:
What were your initial impressions of the school
when you first arrived?
Most importantly strong academics and
confident, well-mannered students.
What were some areas you wanted to make an
impact on?
ACG Strathallan had a great feeling of potential,
not just academic. I came in thinking about how
I could bring a heart into the school and grow
on its warm nature. Two major initiatives were
to discover and develop what we now agree to
be our core values. Initially, it started with twelve
principles which were discussed in tutor groups
and finally these were whittled down to three:
Pride, Respect and Integrity. A second successful
initiative was to make the house system a helpful
and supportive entity which would give students
more opportunities for leadership and a stronger
sense of identity and fun.
What have been some highlights for you?
Weve laid some great foundations in sport which
has led us to develop strong relationships with
regional associations. This is beginning to have a
significant impact and as the region grows and
develops, ACG Strathallan will be a more inviting
prospect for the young sports stars who live in
this area.
4
Not only is the schools academic and sporting
excellence a highlight for me, I have also seen
ACG Strathallan grow as a multi-cultural facilitator
in the region. The Confucius Classroom sees us
as a school that has brought greater awareness
of the Chinese culture so they have funded the
buying of many cultural resources, in particular
the Guzheng, an ancient Chinese musical
instrument, which students can now have lessons
for. This testifies to the holistic development I
have had in mind for ACG Strathallan.
What changes do you wish to continue to see?
I believe in the positive education approach
which is to get students to understand their mind.
Teaching students the skills to stay positive is
essential so they wont just default to negativity.
The work we do building wellbeing amongst
students must continue as it gets to the heart of
supporting young people.
Do you have a most memorable teaching
moment?
The Preschool is a real tonic. Ive often
volunteered to go down there to help out. I was
told by a parent of a preschooler that the family
had bought a pet tortoise and her child was given
the task of naming it. He called it Mr Kirkham!
Another key aspect is the staff I have worked
with. I have learned so much from every
dedicated staff member. They put the ideas into
action and make this school what it is.
Robins vision and aspirations for the school
have resulted in some wonderful changes which
will leave a lasting mark on the school.
STRATA
Welcome to Mr OConnor
Term Three sees the beginning of new
leadership for ACG Strathallan. Danny O Connor
will be leaving his job as High School Principal at
the Dover Campus of the United World College
of South East Asia (UWCSEA) in Singapore to
begin his role as Executive Principal at ACG
Strathallan. We interviewed Danny to find out a
little more about him.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and
experience in education?
I grew up in South Auckland and, after
completing my Bachelor of Education at Massey
University, I began my teaching career at St.
Peters College, Epsom. After a rewarding three
years, I headed off overseas where I have had
the privilege of working in a number of excellent
schools in England, Hong Kong and Singapore.
During my time away, I was also able to further
my studies, gaining a Masters Degree in
Educational Administration.
What brings you back to New Zealand?
The decision to move back to New Zealand
was an easy one. Living abroad really makes
you appreciate everything about New Zealand
and how fortunate people are to be able to live
in such an incredible country. The people, the
sense of community and the amazing natural
environment are the envy of so many people
around the world and our intention as a family
was always to return home at some stage. I knew
about ACG Strathallan and its excellent reputation
for offering an outstanding education and the
opportunity to lead ACG Strathallan was one of
the determining factors in my decision to move
back to New Zealand after so many years abroad.
What are you looking forward to the most in
your new role as Executive Principal of ACG
Strathallan?
Meeting and working with the staff, students
and parents to ensure the future success and
wellbeing of all students at ACG Strathallan.
What is your vision for the school?
To continue to develop the holistic learning
programme offered at ACG Strathallan so
that students are provided with opportunities
to develop the necessary skills to not only be
successful in life but to also be valued members
of their communities. My immediate plan is to
get to know the staff, students and parents
within the ACG Strathallan community. Their
perceptions of the various aspects of school life
are important and I look forward to gaining a
deeper understanding of our strengths and areas
for development from them.
Can you share a bit about yourself personally?
What do you get up to in your spare time?
I am married to Alison and I am a proud father
of two boys. Outside of school, sport has always
played a big part in my life and I still enjoy
swimming and cycling. Any spare time is usually
spent with my family and were looking forward to
enjoying life in New Zealand.
5
 STRATA

Family Ties
The term VIP is often linked with actors, musicians and other
famous people. However, when youre little, you know exactly
who the Very Important People are in your life and they are your
mum or dad or grandparents. Caroline Lithgow, a
teacher in the Preschool, tells us about the exciting VIP Day
they hosted recently:
Lots of fun was had in the infant class as they jiggled their
scarves and ribbons to mat-time tunes and sang along to their
favourite teddy bear song, accompanied by real teddy bears
- a definite hit with all! After special cuddles were shared, the
children gave their special someone a colourful, hand-printed
picture saying thank you, a keepsake which we are sure will be
forever cherished.
In the junior class, the children began their concert joyfully
clapping and singing Morena, their daily good morning song.
This was just a taste of the musical delights that followed, as they
sang and performed Giants Breakfast and Jump, Jump, Star! to
name but a few in a highly entertaining, energetic mat-time.
The seniors eagerly awaited their VIPs and in preparation they
drew their special someone and wrote why they were special.
They give me huggles and kisses (Ruben), They make me
laugh (Jake), We go fishing (Oscar), They love me (Kayla and
Zoe) were some of their responses. This work was displayed on
the wall and certainly drew the attention of our special guests.
The activities were followed by a morning tea of Devonshire
scones teamed with jam and cream. A perfect treat to complete a
perfect day.
Meanwhile, the Primary school has been hosting its own VIPs.
Grandparents Day is always a much-anticipated event held in the
Primary School each year and this year was no exception with
students very excited to be able to spend the morning sharing
their learning with their grandparents.
The day began with a special assembly, featuring performances
from the Rock Band, individual classes and whole school musical
items. Students were then able to take their grandparents back
to class with them, and many students who did not have a
grandparent present were adopted for the morning.
Across the classrooms there were many different activities taking
place, from family vs family Kahoot challenges to scavenger
hunts, and the chance to show favourite pieces of school work
to very proud grandparents. Many grandparents were also taken
on a tour of the Primary School, with the favourite spot for many
senior students being the senior playground!
To finish up the morning, the grandparents were invited to
morning tea in the Primary School hall. This was set up by a group
of parents and SOS members, and packed with an assortment
of delicious treats provided by the students. While many
grandparents mentioned particular parts of the morning that
they enjoyed, the overwhelming response was that they most
enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren.

6
STRATA
Rainbow Connections
They say that change is as good as a holiday. Well, for the
Preschool, this has most certainly been the case. At the
end of Term One, we started getting ready for the new
transformation that was about to take place, repainting the
Preschool walls.
The Preschool has always been true to its colours, and by
colours I mean the childrens group colours. As each child
moves through the Junior rooms to Senior rooms, they take
on a colour that represents the group they will be with while
in that room. The different group colours are Blue, Green,
Purple, Orange and Red so we decided to use these as our
colour palate.
ACG Strathallans interior paint-scheme designer, Lou Brown
Design, worked very hard with us to come up with a design
that was exciting to all. It is vibrant and lively and makes you
feel good as you walk in the door, which is key in an early
childhood centre. Most of the Preschool teachers worked
tirelessly throughout the holiday period taking off years of
work and fixtures to prepare for the repaint.
The first day of term arrived and we were all anxious
about the response we would get from the families of ACG
Strathallan, hoping all would appreciate the change. As the
children and their parents started flowing in through the
entrance you could hear the childrens reactions: Wow! It
looks like a rainbow!, I like the purple best, Its sooooo cool!
- a very positive outcome for all here at ACG Strathallan.
With the new colours depicting the childrens designated
group colours, each group teacher has been given a wall to
display their childrens learning and goals. In the case of the
seniors, the wall displays their future goals and ambitions.
It is here that their parents can come to see what amazing
ambitions their child has before they start big school. It also
makes for a great discussion point between teachers, parents,
caregivers and the children.
It has been an exciting change and I think it is one that has
had a positive impact on everybody here at ACG Strathallan
Preschool. A refreshing change makes for a cheerful
future ahead.
7
ACG Strathallan, Hayfield Way, RD1, Papakura, New Zealand
09 295 0830 | strathallan@acgedu.com
strathallan.acgedu.com