Inside this issue

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School

Private Bag, KaroriPhone 04 476 8707

enrol@marsden.school.nz

PO Box 58040, WhitbyPhone 04 234 1070whitby@marsden.school.nz

www.marsden.school.nz

Ad Summa Greetings to the Marsden Family

Issue 6 | November 2011

Creative Enquiry Symposium 2

School Leaders 2012 3

Uniform Shop 3

Sponsoring a student in Ghana 4

French Speaking Competition 4

Homestays for 2012 4

Middle School Leaders 5

Library Reading Room 5

Science News 5

Marsden Whitby 6

Marsden Primary 8

Jenny Williams

Principal

This time of the year I often have people saying to me ‘oh things must be starting

to wind down at school’. This causes me to smile as Term 4 is probably the most

frenetic term of all, and follows a rather busy Term 3.

Here are just some of the Karori Upper School highlights.

During Term 3 we had the magnificent House Music competition towards the end

of term. The extraordinary thing this year was the amount of student innovation and

creativity shown within the chosen pieces. The annual Swainson Concert was the

show case for the talented musicians in the school.

In Term 4 Leadership appointments were made for 2012 - involving speeches

and voting; the Fashion Parade highlighted the creative skills in the technology

department and introduced girls to modeling and dance; Old Girls Day saw nearly

100 Old Girls – of all ages, converge on Marsden for Chapel, Breakfast, Assembly,

Tours, AGM and of course the Decade Dinner.

The Cultural Awards night provided a venue where the music, drama, debating and

performance in the school could be celebrated – a truly creative experience. Our

sportswomen were celebrated at the Sports Awards dinner the next evening and the

crowd was impressed by the large number of girls who have represented Marsden at

Wellington, North Island and National level.

The inaugural Senior Art Exhibition displayed the diverse and imaginative work by

the Painting, Photography and Design students. The annual Creativity Symposium

occurred recently for year 9 students. For three days they were informed,

investigated, imagined and created round the theme of Earthquakes. One highlight

was the live Skyping session with students from Avonside Girls.

Of course through all this time the senior students had mock exams and students

in years 11-13 are currently sitting their final NCEA, Cambridge and Scholarship

examinations.

Personally the Chapel Service and breakfast for the year 13 students was a moving

and inclusive end to formal school for the students.

Still to come are more examinations, the community carol service, the school carol

service, prize giving, final assembly and the ultimate in events – the Leavers Ball.

So school is certainly winding up for the year – but in a grand and exciting fashion!

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Creative Inquiry SymposiumIn 2010 our Year 9 students took part in a Creative Inquiry

Symposium to investigate how we can best prepare ourselves for

a major earthquake. Following events in Christchurch, it seemed

most appropriate to revisit this theme with the Year 9 students of

2011. Students were able to access a wealth of recent and relevant

material as part of the inquiry process.

A key note address from WEMO (the Wellington Emergency

Management Unit) set the scene for the inquiry on Day 1. Students

visited our local Civil Defence centre, participated in a rescue

workshop with the Fire Service and learned about earth tectonics

from a GNS scientist. A practical experiment allowed them to re-

create the liquefaction process as well as a model-sized tsunami

- all in the Geography classroom. A highlight was the opportunity

to Skype with a group of Year 9 Avonside Girls’ High students in

Christchurch and learn first hand of their experiences. This warm

and friendly conversation among girls gave earthquakes a personal

context.

On Day 2 a field trip into the city took girls to the fault line and also

to the base isolators of Te Papa. They followed the shoreline prior to

the earthquake of 1855 which is marked out along Lambton Quay,

and also discovered the blue tsunami warning lines painted on

streets in our low-lying suburbs. Afternoon workshops tested our

emergency supplies and the girls practised cooking up baked beans

without access to standard cooking equipment. A fantastic range

of experiences over the two days ensured our students had the

resources and inspiration to come up with some thinking of their

own: just how should we Wellingtonians prepare for the Big One?

On Day 3 students tackled this important question in groups,

responding creatively to the challenge. We look forward to sharing

some of their thinking with you via the web. We hope that many

families have had the opportunity to discuss a family emergency

management plan in response to their daughter’s learning.

Ms Jane Campbell of the Volunteer Karori Civil Defence shows students through the Civil Defence Management room at St Ninians church.

Mr Peter Bruere of the NZ Fire Service, Karori Station, runs a workshop on rescue techniques before being called away to attend a 111 call.

Michelle Smith of NZ Red Cross ran a First Aid workshop for the Students. Georgia Burns role-plays an injured patient.

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Uniform ShopUniform Shop Hours 2012:

Monday : 8.00am to 9.00am 11.30pm to 4.30pm Wednesday : 11.30am to 4.30pm

Thank you to the parents who gave their time to the

Uniform Shop during stock-take this year. Felicity, Pauline

and Alison really appreciated your help.

End of Year/New Year Dates:

Wednesday 7 December 2011

The Uniform Shop closes for the year.

Thursday 26 and Friday 27 January 2012

The Uniform Shop will be open for individual fittings for

new entrants to Marsden (by appointment only).

Second hand

Clothing may be dropped off between 9.00am and

10.00am on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 January 2012.

Blazers, skirts and pinafores must be dry cleaned and in a fit

condition to sell. A Uniform Exchange form will need to be

completed at the time of depositing clothing.

We cannot accept any items left at the Shop without

a form.

Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 January 2012

the shop will re-open for general purchases between the

hours 9.00am to 3.00pm

Wednesday 1 February 2012 - 8.00am to 4.30pm.

School Leaders 2012Head Girl Antonia Leggat

Deputy Head Girl Penny Thompson

School Council Chair Evie Wills

Head of Senior School Ella Snedden

Head of Upper School Pernilla Scott

Head of Middle School Alice McDouall

Head of Primary School Jemima Holborow

Cultural Captain Schyana Sivanantham

Head of Houses Camille Wrightson

School Sacristan Madeleine Baughen

Sports Captain Anna Ruben

Deputy Heads of School

Primary Sam Elston

Middle Hannah Mills

Upper Lauren Spring

Senior Stephanie Taylor

Deputy Cultural Captain Angel He

Deputy Sports Captain Lauren Turner

Assistant Sacristan Rachel Helu

School Council Deputy Chair Rachael Wiltshire

Cosy atmosphere

Three private rooms

BYO Wine and Fully Licensed

Phone 499 0567 328 Tinakori Road, Thorndon

www.tinakoribistro.co.nz

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Are you able to offer a caring Homestay for 2012?We are looking for caring and inclusive

New Zealand families who would enjoy

having a Marsden international student

stay with them for the year. Hosts

must be able to offer a girl her own

room, space to study, three meals a

day, involvement in family life and lots

of conversation! Payment is $240 per

week.

For more information please contact

our Homestay Manager, Mrs Rosalind

Young, AC International Ltd.

Phone 384 6735

email ryoung@acinternational.co.nz

Girls in 9Cr, 9Jo and 7Ha have been

communicating with young people who

live at Mama Laadi’s Foster Home in

Bolgatanga Ghana, in Africa. Several

months ago the girls sent letters, cards

and some small gifts over to introduce

themselves. Since then we have received

heart-warming letters and cards back,

and even a few treasures the extremely

generous young orphans sent to us.

This has been a highlight for many

students as they reach out their hearts

and hands to these amazing young people

in Africa. A box of wonderful cards and

letters are now winging their way back

over to Ghana to surprise all the children.

A bake sale was held at school to raise

funds to send Janet Adoku, a 14 year old

girl to Primary School. Janet lives at Mama

Laadi’s and is not receiving sponsorship.

Students are organising a fundraiser movie

preview of The First Grader Sunday 27

November 2011 6.15pm at the Penthouse

$15 per ticket. Tickets available at the

school office or from 9Cr or 9Jo students

Sponsoring a student in Ghana

Results were:

Year 10 Melanie Cresswell 1st, Rebecca Goddard 4th

Year 11 Isabel Kelly 4th

Year 12 Camille Wrightson 1st, Rachael Wiltshire 2nd,

Rhiannon Gibbs - Harris 3rd

A number of students participated in the

Alliance Française Regional French

Speaking Competition held in August.

Year 10 students delivered a passage

chosen by the judges and had a short

conversation in French. Years 11 and 12

wrote their own speech and had a

conversation with their judges.

A nationwide draw for a trip to

Caledonia was on offer to one lucky

Year 12 New Zealand student, although

not won by a Marsden student this year.

Marsden was the highest performing

school in the competition and we

congratulate all of the students who

took part.

A letter written to Katie Reed

Janet Aduko who we are fundraising for to pay for her education

Mercy with a painting sent to her by Maddy Reynolds

Alliance Française French Speaking Competition

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Middle School Leaders Term 4

Form Captain Deputy Form Captain

7Do Georgia Karantze Ashley Parker

7Ha Meggie Morrison Lucy Preston

7Sl Jessica Seow Kristi Fitness

8Co Isabella Yu Olivia Smith

8Wa Rosie Wall Nicole Kennedy

8Wi Molly McDouall Olivia Wheeler

9Al Lucy Chandler Nyere Gibson

9Cm Casey Williams Anna de Boer

9Cr Emma Fulbrook Georgia Burns

9Jo Gabrielle Palado Gaenor Gibbs-Harris

New Reading Room in the LibraryThe Library staff are very grateful to the Parents’ Association for

giving us a new glass partition in the library. This creates a private

and quiet space for reading, for study and for meetings. Although

not sound proof, the space allows senior students a degree of

peace from classroom research and other activities. The space can

be booked by staff or students.

New Reading room

Science News Congratulations to Alice McDouall and Rachael Wiltshire who

have been selected to attend the prestigious Rotary National

Science and Technology Forum which will be held over two

weeks in Auckland in January 2012. The forum is run for

outstanding science students throughout New Zealand and is

conducted by Rotary and Tertiary Institutes.

Congratulations also to Rachael Wiltshire who has qualified,

through a challenging written paper, as one of 70 students

across New Zealand to take part in the New Zealand

International Biology Olympiad online tutoring programme.

There will be a test early in Term 1 to select a group of

students for a residential camp. Four students will be chosen

at the camp to represent New Zealand at the International

Biology Olympiad.

ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for School) Science Competition 2011 ResultsA number of students in Years 7 to 13 chose to enter the ICAS

science competition this year. The results were very pleasing

with 3 students gaining High Distinction (placing in the top

1% of all students sitting the competition) and a further 25

students gaining Distinction (in the top 10%).

High Distinction

Year 7 - Grace Kay-Blake

Year 8 - Sofia Letteri

Year 11 - Hannah Sampson

Distinction

Year 7 - Claudia Cunningham, Aimee Leard, Catherine Reed,

Jessica Sampson, Jessica Seow

Year 8 - Caitlin Cresswell, Kate de Boer, Julia Gluyas, Sophie

McArdle, Alice Mellanby, Alexandra Moffat, Emma Shepherd

Year 9 - Emma Carruthers, Anna de Boer, Shenna Dunn,

Harriette Dunphy, Yu Hong Fan, Gaenor Gibbs-Harris, Olivia

Pearless, Jasmine Seidelin, Madeline Whyte, Emily Wood

Year 11 - Morgan Archer, Emily Fiennes

Year 12 - Rachael Wiltshire

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Marsden WhitbyWe are now working our way through the final weeks of the school

year and what an action-packed, successful and enjoyable year

it has been. There have been so many highlights and it is a true

privilege to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community.

The next building project for Marsden Whitby is well underway.

The long term plan is for a 2-storey multipurpose classroom block

adjacent to the gymnasium but, in the meantime, to cope with our

growing roll, we are having two brand new temporary classrooms

constructed which will be ready for the beginning of Term 1, 2012.

Our first visiting students from another country had a chilly

start to their stay in New Zealand, having left Nishio, Japan with

temperatures in the 30s! Porirua City Council ran a very busy

and fun-filled programme of events for the group each morning

and their Marsden Whitby host families provided a great many

interesting and fun events for them to do during the evenings and

at the weekend. The students were officially welcomed to Porirua

at a special meeting of the Porirua City Council group and then

to the school during a special assembly. They sang for the school

and our Taiko drummers impressed them with their drumming

skills! This visit was a most wonderful experience for all concerned

and the young people involved were superb ambassadors for their

respective countries. The Marsden Whitby community welcomed

them with warmth and generosity and we are greatly enriched for

their having been among us. I look forward to continuing this event

on an annual basis and to the future experiences which will arise

out of the friendships which have been made.

This year has seen a significant amount of sporting success ending

with the Marsden Karori First XI Girls Soccer team finishing 3rd

overall in the Winter Tournament. This is an excellent result and our

congratulations to all the team but especially Caitlin Foster (Year 10)

and Joanne Sullivan (Year 13). The final game of the hockey season,

against Wellington College, resulted in a very narrow defeat and

the hockey team is to be congratulated on an excellent season. Ably

lead by Jarred Pead they have been a tight, cohesive and intelligent

team and the games have always been of an exceptionally high

standard.

Year 8 students have been working in conjunction with Partners

Porirua and with City Life News, which publishes eight local

newspapers each week. Their papers include Kapiti News, Porirua

News, Independent Herald and Cook Strait News. Working with the

team from City Life News students were charged with researching

stories, selling advertising and designing their own unique 16 page

newspaper. The students picked up on Whitby’s nautical theme in

their title ‘The Compass Chronicle’ and the paper featured local

stories from Whitby, Porirua, Plimmerton and the Kapiti Coast.

The students took responsibility for every part of production –

writing copy, taking photographs, organising layout and design

and sourcing advertising and the finished product. The Compass

Chronicle - is truly magnificent. The paper is interesting, diverse and

eye-catching and I should like to pay special tribute to Ms Sonia

Visser who was the staff member responsible for coordinating the

project from its inception. I look forward to many more ‘education

in action’ projects in the future.

In September the Porirua City Council and Chamber of Commerce jointly

hosted the Mayoral Showcase of Porirua Expo at Te Rauparaha Arena.

Delighted Simon Yip, Captain of Adventure House, receives the House Music trophy

Resolution House girls during House Music

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Marsden Whitby continued

Marsden Whitby took a stand at the Expo featuring a PowerPoint

presentation on the life of the school, a tailor’s dummy modelling

the senior uniform and lots of photographic collages from various

events in and around school. A wonderful team of student helpers

happily fielded the queries which came our way. We were the only

school to have a stand, which drew some interesting comments,

but the students were a wonderful tribute to themselves, their

families and the school values. When asked by one visitor what was

the best thing about Marsden Whitby the answer was unhesitating

– “We all know each other. We all look out for each other.” Truly a

community of which to be proud.

The standard of group performance at House Music once again

raised the event to a whole new level. Each House performed

three songs – a waiata, a version of Nickelback’s “If Everyone

Cared” and then a song of their own choosing. The variations in

interpretation and presentation style were tremendous and hugely

entertaining. The performances were imaginative, amusing and

toe tapping in the extreme. Special awards were:- Best Conductor

- Joseph Henshaw; Best Backing Band - Adventure House; Best

instrumentalist - Tom Mason; Best Showmanship - Adventure

House; Best Arrangement - Discovery House; Best Singing - the girls

of Endeavour House; Best soloist - Chris Turner (Discovery House);

Best pick-ups - Endeavour House; Best ensemble/unit - Adventure

House.

The competition was a very close run event but the eventual

winner was Adventure House, ably led by Simon Yip and Rochelle

O’Donnell. Second was Endeavour and equal 3rd place went to

Resolution and Discovery Houses.

Term 3’s Music Showcase Concert was a veritable musical

smorgasbord of creative and artistic talent, ranging from classical

to contemporary, solo to ensemble and voice through to dance. It

was a highly entertaining event and great testament to the musical

talent of our students and the work and energy of Mrs Edgecombe,

and other staff, in guiding and nurturing that talent.

A team from ERO (Education Review Office) visited Marsden Whitby

on Tuesday 20 September. They commented on the positive and

respectful staff and student relationships; the quality of classroom

teaching; the pastoral care initiatives undertaken this year and the

genuine warmth and high regard students showed for their school.

Our 2012 senior student leadership team candidates gave their

candidate presentations during a special assembly at the beginning

of Term 4 and showed they already exhibit many fine leadership

qualities. The team will be announced at the end of this term and I

look forward to working with them all in 2012.

We are finishing the year with a series of service projects

undertaken by the Vertical Tutor groups. Year 7-8 students have

joined their older peers in Years 9 and 10 and are variously making

Christmas cards, organising shoe boxes of gifts for the Samaritans

to send overseas; organising food to give to the City Mission;

making books for a reading session with local primary age children

and providing afternoon tea and carol singing for a local rest home.

Giving back to the community is something we encourage strongly

given that, as a school, we appreciate the fortunate position in

which we find ourselves.

It has been a marvellous year for the Marsden Whitby community

and I look forward with great excitement to 2012 and the

challenges and rewards of a new year.

Anne Winnall, Director Marsden Whitby and Tom Quin of Eberts watching construction of new classrooms

Fox Roberts, Ethan Comer, Gabrielle Johnston, Georgia Alston the Compass Chronicle Advertising Team

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Marsden PrimaryOur girls have competed in two major sports events recently.

Following our School swimming sports, 15 of the Year 4-6 girls

represented Marsden Primary at the Western Zone Swimming

competition and of them Victoria-Rose Y4, Emma and Katie Y5,

and Georgina Y6 represented us at the Interzone competition.

Congratulations to these girls. Athletic Sports were held on

a typical Karori day which saw a cool start first thing in the

morning with the weather warming up for the afternoon events.

Everyone participated in sprint, high jump, long jump, vortex and

quoit events and 26 girls will represent us at the Western Zone

competition. The netball and hockey season concluded with prize

giving at the beginning of Term 4. At this function, girls were

recognised for their sportsmanship and skills in their chosen sports.

A special congratulations to our two players of the year: Georgina

(hockey) and Brittany (netball). Thank you to the parents who have

helped us at all of these sporting events.

A successful book fair was held at the beginning of this term and

$3,800 worth of books were sold. From these sales 45 books have

been purchased for the Primary Library and a selection of new

hardback books will be taken to St James School in Fiji next Easter.

Thank you to Mrs Nicholas and her parent helpers.

The School Council girls organised a successful mufti day, raising

money for the Cancer Society in Term 3. This was a colourful day

as girls were encouraged to wear yellow or spring colours. Our

Term 4 mufti day will have an election theme with the Council

girls campaigning on four issues which their parties have chosen

and that relate to the Primary School. Electioneering has started in

earnest and votes are being sought from their fellow students in

Years 1-6. Money raised from this day will go to the Red Cross.

Mrs C McCarthy

Director of Marsden Primary

Alisha, Lizzie, Anna, Maddie and Laura Y4 ready to race

Georgina and Brittany Y6 Hockey and Netball players of the year

Emma Y6, Malika Y4, Rebakah Y6 and Jemimah Y5 in mufti working on their podcast

Katie Y6, Maya, & Isabella Y5, Anna Y4 ready for customers at PREP Market Day

Frankie and Isabella Y6 looking at our new books

Supercalifragilistic- expialidocious with Y6W at Grandparents Day