Issue 40 March 2013 - The Academic Colleges Group

ACG Head OfficeA night of success for ACGat Cambridge International Awards CeremonyAt the awards ceremony for the Cambridge International Exams in Auckland, itwas very clear which schools creative students should attend if they want to dowell. Out of 15 Art and Design awards, 11 went to students from ACG schools.The ceremony was held at Auckland Grammar School with 92 students receivingawards. It was an entertaining night with performances from students BenjaminKubiak on the piano and Jessie Li on the violin. Speeches were given by SimonPeek (Senior Schools Development Manager for New Zealand, Australia andPacific Islands), John Morris (Senior Education Advisor, Cambridge InternationalExaminations) and student Howell Fu, who has just been accepted into OxfordUniversity in the UK to study medicine.More than 10,000 New Zealand students sat the Cambridge Exams in 2012 andthat number is growing annually as schools look for more internationally-recognisedqualifications. Ben Schmidt, Regional Director Asia Pacific for Cambridge says“Teachers and learners can be confident that Cambridge qualifications arerecognised by universities and employers worldwide, providing learners with apassport to global success. They have a proven reputation for being an excellentpreparation for universities, employment and life - supporting Cambridge learners tobe confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged”.ACG is extremely pleased with the amount of awards per capita. ACG Strathallanwon ten awards as did ACG Senior College and ACG Parnell College won 11. Thesewere all amazing results especially for ACG Parnell College with only 600 students inYears 9 to 13. ACG Strathallan’s Eric Jou also deserves special mention for winningthe Best Across Three Cambridge International A Levels premier award. This is afeat in itself but even more astounding when he is only a Year 12 student, effectivelysitting these exams a year early.Congratulations to all award winners.ACG Parnell College ACG Senior College ACG StrathallanWilliam Stupple receiving Top in the World in AS Level Geography.Phoebe Frances Joiner receiving High Achievement in AS Level History of Art.Brittany Smith receiving Top in New Zealand in A Level Art and Design.Laura Rachel Nementzik: Top in the World in IGCSE Mathematics.Sunny He: High Achievement in AS Level Art and Design (Printmaking).ACG Strathallan 2012 Cambridge International Award winners.ACG Parnell College students received 4 Tops in theWorld and 7 Tops in New Zealand! Laura Nementzikgained 100% in Maths and Olivier Longley gained100% in Art and Design (Photography). PrincipalLarne Edmeades proudly says “We are thrilled for allour students especially since 96% of them passedat IGCSE, 92% at AS Level and 100% at A level butthese two really have produced outstanding results.“Two other students who have done incredibly well.Francesca Templer gained A* grades in 5 IGCSEsubjects and achieved A grades in her other two ASsubjects, which she sat a year earlier than most. AndWaikohu Ranginui, who just three years ago wasliving in Opotiki attending an immersion school tillshe won a government Aspire scholarship to come toACG Parnell College, gained a phenomenal two A*,two A and two B grades at IGCSE. All this from a girlwho had to teach herself to write English when shecame out of Te Kura Mana Maori o Maraenui School.ACG Senior College has also had some extremelyimpressive results, especially in painting whereeveryone at IGSCE level gained A* grades (13students) and no student got under a B at anylevel. Andrew Strachan, the teacher is very proudof his students. He has an amazing history withCambridge having had nine students gaining Top inthe World and one Top in New Zealand in his time atACG Senior College. Principal Kathy Parker says;“He is a phenomenal teacher who in a quiet,supportive, knowledgeable way somehow managesa miracle every year and has a number of studentsstudying overseas, including at Parsons in New York.“We are understandably delighted,” saysACG Strathallan Principal Robin Kirkham. “We havea very strong Art and Design department and notonly had five talented students gain 100%, but outof the 28 who sat the AS Photography examinationall gained A grades. At A Level seven got an A*grade (90% or over) and four got A grades. We areincredibly proud of them all.”It’s also been a year for sibling success atACG Strathallan. Brothers Glenn and Eric Jou bothgained all A grades with Eric, whilst still in Year 12,getting A* in A Level Chemistry and Physics and aremarkable 99% in Maths.2 News at ACG ■ March 2013

ACG social media and Open DaycampaignACG social media continues to grow! It was a fantastic beginning of the yearfor our Facebook pages which now reach more than 320,000 people (fans andfriends of fans) per week.Our current online campaigns consist of:• Five new videos and promotional concept for the Open Days: “Take some timeto visit our school.” Within the first two weeks of uploading the new videos onYoutube, they had been viewed a total of 3,242 times.• More than 30 new landing pages. To view one of the March Open Day landingpages, go to www.acgedu.com/openday• Google ads, Facebook ads and for the first time advertising in the New ZealandHerald online (and many other websites and newspapers)• Guided tours and preschools now form part of an active 302-day promotionalonline campaign.ACG marketing internsMeet our current internship students and learnhow Chinese, French and German people reallyare… or not!ACG’s marketing department is currently hostingfour international internship students; Miya Mafrom China, Raphael Renaut from France, MarenLuelsdorf from Germany and Ayat Almahasnahfrom Saudi-Arabia. We asked three of the fourinterns about their work, their dream jobsand what they think about the other interns’countries…Why did you choose New Zealand?Miya: My mother wanted someone to take care ofme when I was abroad. My aunt’s family are all inNew Zealand. So, here I am!Raphael: Because I like to travel and NZ has verybeautiful landscapes and views. It’s also for theculture, the nice people and the climate. Moreover,I had never been to Oceania before coming here.And now I like it more than Antarctica.Maren: There are 3 main reasons: Because of thelanguage, I like the kiwi-accent. And as I am a LesMills Instructor I wanted to see the main Les MillsGym on Victoria Street. Beside this, I wanted toknow how it feels to be that far away from home.(It feels good for a limited time).Maren: (Only) 5 months, because the internship ispart of my degree and I have to return to my studies.What do you do at ACG?Miya: Well, lots of things. Mainly marketing andcommunications, plus some administration duties.Raphael: I’m in charge of the updating the website andfixing any website problems. I support the eMarketingExecutive in his tasks. I also audit the website.Maren: I’m helping Jim with social media andupdating the ACG Facebook pages.What are you studying and what isyour dream job?Miya: I have just graduated from The Universityof Auckland where I majored in Accounting andEconomics. Actually, I don’t really have a dream job.The most important thing for me is to feel happyabout the colleagues that I worked with.Raphael: Currently I’m in my third year of businessschool. I study marketing, accounting, law andbusiness ethics. I haven’t really a dream job becauseI always want to discover new jobs, companies andtasks as opportunities arise.Maren: I’m studying Multilingual Communication,English and French and want to become a specialisedinterpreter.What do others think about peoplefrom your country?Miya: Friends who come from different countrieshave different impressions about China, such as thelarge population, always kind, eating lots of rice anddrinking a lot of tea etc. Actually people in the southprefer rice while the northern people prefer foodmade from flour, for example noodles and steamedbread. Also, older people like tea better.Raphael: When I say that I come from France,people say Paris. They know the Eiffel Tower andthe Triumph Arch. People also associate France withwine and gourmet food.Maren: They say Germans are hardworking andserious, make good quality products and love beerand sauerkraut. Well, I have to admit we drink a lot ofbeer and eat sauerkraut, but not every day. Germansare very work-focused, that’s true and that’s what Ilove about kiwis, they are more relaxed and knowhow to enjoy life.How long have you been staying here?Miya: Almost four and half years.Raphael: This time I am staying for only four monthsbecause after that I’m obliged to go back to Francefor my studies. But next time I don’t know, maybefor life.L to R: Raphael, Maren and Miya.News at ACG ■ March 2013 3

ACG Parnell CollegeACG Parnell College topsthe world in CambridgeInternational ExaminationsIt’s been an exciting start to the year for ACG Parnell College.Our students received a total of eleven awards at the CIE ceremony on21 February: four Tops in the World and seven Tops in New Zealand.Indigo Paul received a High Achievement at AS level in drama. Indie oftenlands lead roles in school productions and has successfully scared audienceswith her own productions. The ACG Parnell College Drama teacher KellyVercoe says “Indie is an exceptionally intelligent, talented and teachablestudent, fabulous to direct as she has so many creative ideas of her own andalso takes on board her director’s vision and advice.”Principal Larne Edmeades goes onto say, “The success of these studentsis remarkable. They have put in some extremely hard work and have beenchallenged by our talented team of teachers. I whole-heartedly congratulatethe winners of these awards for their persistence in the pursuit of excellence.”Below are CIE award recipients from ACG Parnell College, including Top in theWorld and New Zealand award winners:Extreme sailing!Hamish Hall-Smith (9BRE) enjoyed an amazing day afloat recently at theEmirates Team NZ Buddies Day.He met Grant Dalton, DeanBarker, Rob Wadell, TonyRae and Jeremy Lomas,and spent time watching thewing lift, rudder attachmentand launch of the cat froma crane. After a welcomeETNZ breakfast they wentout on a 700hp chase boatto follow the AC72 throughsome gybing drills and sailtesting. Also the secondAC72, Prada, is in Aucklandat present and she joinedthem later in the day.Name Award SubjectTaylor Brown Top in the World, AS Level AccountingWilliam Stupple Top in the World, AS Level GeographyLaura Nementzik Top in the World, IGCSE Level MathematicsDuncan Milne Top in the World, IGCSE Level Physical EducationOlivier Longley Top in New Zealand, AS Level Art and Design(Photography)William Stupple Top in New Zealand, AS Level Biology andBusiness StudiesGabriella Templer Top in New Zealand, AS Level EconomicsFrancesca Templer Top in New Zealand, IGCSE Level HistoryHamish O’Neill Top in New Zealand, IGCSE Level Information andCommunicationTechnologyIndigo Paul High Achievement, AS Level DramaOpen Mic NightMeg Riegel, a ACG Parnell College Year 11 student, organised the school’sfirst Open Mic Night.Held after school recently at our new performance venue, The Upper Room (onGeorge Street next to the ACG Primary), students and their families were treatedto 2 hours of superb music-making in a relaxed, social and laid-back setting.The Senior Rock Band provided a set of music to the appreciative audience,whilst appearances were also made by thetalented young crooners Flynn Melhopt andKane Chong, who later provided a guitaraccompaniment to his younger sister andfriend. Instrumentalists had the chance to‘strut their stuff’. Mace Wilkin performed asolo on the sax and was then coaxed backonto stage to perform an impromptu encorewith the Jazz Combo, which Reuben Gotz-Wyllie followed with a sentimental andstirring violin solo, ‘Meditation’ by Thais.Waikohu Ranganui and Amber Bunninperformed a beautiful duet with pianoaccompaniment, followed by a vocal soloby Amber characterised by her distinctivelypoignant and unique vocal style. Meg’solder sister, Kate Riegel (an ex student ofthe school and emerging young singer/songwriter talent), had volunteered tohelp out with pizza sales but was latercajoled onto stage to perform one of heroriginal songs.A wonderful night was had by all. A bigthanks to the many talented performerswho were brave enough to give it a go!6 News at ACG ■ March 2013

Mentoring from theAuckland PhilharmonicOrchestraYear 7 and 8 campsStudents, accompanied by a parent, in Years 7 and 8have enjoyed three weekend camps recently arranged byAdventure Specialties Trust.They visited the Karangahape Gorge and enjoyed a rangeof activities including abseiling, kayaking, orienteering andmountain biking.The certainly had action-packed weekends with plenty ofopportunities for leadership skills. A student has given thefollowing programme that her camp followed:On Saturday 16 February, musiciansfrom the ACG Parnell College ChamberOrchestra and Concert Band enjoyedthe undivided attention of some ofNew Zealand’s finest instrumentalmusicians.With two hours of specialisedinstrumental coaching being offeredon various instruments by members ofthe Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra,students worked on learning difficultpassages in the ensembles programmesthat will be performed at competition laterthis year.2013 APO mentors included Bella Leslie(bass), Mark Bennett (violin), ChristineBowie (viola), David Garner (cello), JenniMori (flute), James Fry (clarinet andsaxophone) and Brent Grapes (trumpet).• 10:30pm: Arrived at KarangahapeGorge, set up camp, had Milo andwent to bed.• 7:30am: Woke up Saturday morning,bacon and eggs for brekkie, followedby camp clear up.• 9:00am: Mountain biking 10km.• 1:00pm: Swim in river then lunch.• 1.45pm: Abseiling.• 3:00pm: Back to camp, followed byriver swim at 4:00pm.• 8:00pm: Cooked steak and salads fordinner.• 9:00pm: Stories and marshmallowsaround the campfire.• 10:00pm: A game of spotlight.• 8:00am: Sunday morning, breakfast,followed by climbing and balance ropesat 8:30am.• 11:00am: Everyone handed a can ofcoke and the cans were then used tomake meths cookers.• 12:00pm: Cooked pancakes with ourcan-cookers.• 1:00pm: Tramp to a water hole -huge 4 metre jump into the water.Prefects ensure a busystart to 2013Under head prefects Taylor Brown and PrajayPatel, the team of Prefects has ensured thatstudent life at the College has got off to a goodstart this year. Already lunch-time quizzesare taking place in the Student InformationCentre every Friday and these are enormouslypopular. Also the prefects organise sports onthe Domain during the first break for everyonewho wants to take part.Two primary Drama Clubs are underway andled by senior students, for Years 1 to 3 and Years4 to 6. Invitations have been sent out to familiesabout the Round the Bays race and fundraiser,and also about the Annual Quiz that will takeplace later this term.Environment Week is planned which includesa presentation on growing vegetables, andeach tutor group will be expected to grow andnurture a plant for the rest of the year, andrecycling systems have been put in place.Vex RoboticsThis year students at ACG Parnell College aretaking part in the VEX Robotics Competition.The VEX Robotics Design System offers studentsan exciting platform for learning opportunitiesspanning science, technology, engineering andmathematics. Beyond science and engineeringprinciples, a VEX Robotics project encouragesteamwork, leadership and problem-solving, andcan be tailored to meet the appropriate level ofstudents’ abilities.The VEX Robotics Competition offers challengingteam-based games that put intermediate and highschool students’ science and engineering skills tothe test. Students, with guidance from teachersand mentors, collaborate to build the mostinnovative robots possible and work togetherduring competitions to obtain the most points.The VEX competition is launched in April eachyear with an announcement of the new game.Local and regional competitions operate untilMarch the following year. The NZ VEX RoboticsNational Competition is held in Auckland at thebeginning of March.News at ACG ■ March 2013 7

ACG Senior CollegeRelay for lifeRelay for life is an important event for thestudents at ACG Senior College as it is anopportunity to support cancer research.The 32 students who took part split into threeteams - the Pink Flamingos, White Wombatsand the Purple Panthers. They gathered at theMillennium Stadium on the North Shore and from4pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday, the goalwas to keep walking the track. Having a teammade it easier as they all took turns and some didLydia Bensky gets publishedover 100 laps. Daniella Schoefisch-Rebstock ran40 Kilometres to help the cause.The day began with a lap by those who hadsurvived cancer and at 9pm a candle-light tributeplaced emphasis on why people were there. Thesmall group of students raised over $1,700 for thiscause. The social awareness and the environmentleaders, Alex Birchall, Lucy Kenner and FalineZhao can be extremely proud of their efforts inorganising this worthwhile event.The street is complete!For nearly all of 2012 Lorne and Rutland Streetresembled the streets of Christchurch CBD as theupgrade of the roads and pedestrian access to this areawent through the final phases.Originally scheduled to be completed in September, the finalfour months of construction tested the patience of staff,parents and students.During winter the main Lorne Street entrance took the bruntof the disruption with dirt paddled in and out of the building,this resulted in new carpet having to be laid in the receptionarea, dust found its way throughout the building to all levels.However now the work is completed everyone agrees thenoise, disruption, dirt and general inconvenience is well worthit. The new stairs at the top of Lorne Street, the remountingof the Roderick Burgess statue “Aspiration” together withthe recently planted trees provide a much lighter, open urbanfeel to the area.Council has installed external lights in the Lorne Streetfootpath and have two lights on the Rutland Street verandaand one on the Lorne Street veranda. These lights providea spectacular backdrop in the evening which highlight thebuildings unique masonry.In coming weeks when university students return to the areathis thoroughfare will be alive and busy with pedestrians.There is nothing more wonderful for a writer than to bepublished.The launch of Signals, the Michael King Foundation’s first issueof a young writers’ journal to be published annually took place on6 December 2012 at the National Library in Parnell. Two of LydiaBensky’s pieces of writing, a poem and an extract from a shortstory, were selected for publication. She read the extract from hershort story at the event. About ten or so others also read their work.It is certainly an honour to be published since only 12 studentswere selected from the 60 odd who attended the workshop earlierin the year. Lydia is not only a clever writer but also a successfulactress. There is definitely a career shaping up for her.Year 11 camp - what a way to start the year!This year, all Year 11 students began the year by attending acamp located on a very popular and beautiful beach - Long Bay.The Sir Peter Blake Trust MERC Centre was the ideal place tolaunch the group. With beach sports competitions, building andsailing rafts, lots of positive team work was necessary and ithappened. With the help of this year’s Senior Leaders and a groupof teachers led by Year 11 Dean, Christine Williams, the studentsenjoyed the well-planned menus, the constant supply of homemademuffins and the barbeque.Whilst the camp was focussed on team building and introducingthe students to all that was available this year at the College interms of extra-curricular, there was also time to relax, socialiseand make new friends. The students and teachers alike foundthis a great way to start the year - sure beats being inside in suchbeautiful weather.8 News at ACG ■ March 2013

Surgeon in the makingMonica Chen is a student of which ACG Senior College is very proud.In her final year at the college, there was nothing she would not doto gain good grades, help others and support the College. Havingbeen awarded the honour of Valedictorian and winning the cup forService to the School, Monica has been successful in her applicationto the prestigious MBBS Bachelor of Medicine/ Bachelor of Surgeryprogramme at the University of Adelaide.Monica is an outstanding scholar having scored four A* grades inher A-Level examinations English Literature, Biology, Chemistry andMathematics, with a remarkably consistent 92% in each subject. Shealso achieved 91% in AS-Level Physics! In addition to her excellentacademic achievements, Monica’s contributions in the wider schoolcommunity were very impressive. She organised and led groups ofstudents in many social awareness activities, ranging from tree plantingexpeditions to assisting the staff at the City Mission. She will becomean outstanding doctor if her record to date is anything to go by.Love is in the airIt would seem that ACG Senior College always looksfor an incredible challenge when undertaking ashow. This year is no exception.At the recent audition for Xanadu, all thestudents were asked one important question- Can you rollerskate? Whilst the answer did notdominate decisions for casting, it did help.It would seem that now the show has been cast, many areon a steep learning curve. Recently, the cast embarkedon a weekend skating experience where they receivedinstruction on all sorts of skating tricks, the best being- how to stop. Believe it or not, many showed greatpromise in roller skating and we have high hopesthat everyone will be able to sing, dance and act onrollerskates. Not only will the audience gain a visualfeast but they will be treated to many hits fromthe eighties.It is with great pride that ACG SeniorCollege have won Most OutstandingMusical in the Showdown Awardsceremony for the last four out offive years. It would seem that witha talented cast, Simon Coleman asDirector and Nick Duirs as MusicalDirector, they may just do it again.Valentine’s Day took on some new meaning for ACG Senior College this year. The leaders holding theSocial Portfolio are very focussed on school spirit and celebrating key days in the year - what betterway to start than with a day filled with “love”. And love abounded in the College by way of a newactivity. Students could book a singing telegram for a student the week before and on the day, skilledcrooners entered the classroom and took a mere five minutes of teaching time to sing to the luckyand embarrassed person a tune of love. With roses and even cakes delivered, the love songs werein fact the icing on the cake on a great day thanks to Diva Giles, Michaela Shea and Mayur Azam.ArtAuctionFor many years, ACG Senior College has produced somephenomenal art, achieving a Top in the World or Top inNew Zealand award for the last ten years in a row. It seemedpertinent to share this art with a wider audience. What bettervehicle than the launching of the ACG Senior College Trust.On the last week of school, even though the college was busypreparing for prizegiving and the Leavers’ dinner we wereambitious in putting on our first art auction.With Debbie McLachlan and Andrew Strachan at the helm,aided by a great team of parents, the preparations took somefive months and, on the night, we were not disappointed. Theentire library was transformed into an exhibition displayingthe work of present and past students complete with artistCath Lewis, an up and coming Auckland artist exhibiting andselling her beautiful glass work.The night was led by new student leaders Michaela Sheaand Hugh Stephens. Dawn Jones, the founding principal ofACG Senior College, launched the Trust and Gordon Nolanfrom the Board of Academic Colleges Group was on hand toaccept donations and to support this new venture.The works sold at great speed and the auction part ofthe evening progressed with some delighted buyers. It isunfortunate for many that the precious Top in the Worldpaintings were not for sale as they could have sold manytimes over. However, these will remain in the College as webuild our archives.A new tradition has started at ACG Senior College as thiswill become an annual event. Who knows, one buyer mayhave purchased the work of a future celebrated New Zealandartist. What a great investment!Max makes top universityMax Jeffs was extremely pleased when he received thePrincipal’s Award - the equivalent of Dux - at the ACGSenior College prizegiving last year. It just so happened thathis father was sitting on the stage at the time having justpresented The University of Auckland scholarships to ourstudents.However, in spite of the link to The University of Auckland,Max has chosen to attend the Australian National University(ANU) in Canberra and has begun lectures, studying fora PhB - the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours). This is anexciting research-focussed degree and perfect for max whowas one of the students who undertook to complete a 5000word thesis last year as part of his Global Perspective andIndependent Research CIE course. This ANU course inScience is for intellectually ambitious students who want tostudy at the highest level and Max is a prime candidate to dowell especially as every student receives intensive individualattention and is supported by their mentor.Max achieved outstanding academic results whilst studyingat ACG Senior College and he was awarded Top in NewZealand for IGCSE Music. At A-Level, Max passed Chemistry,Physics, Music and Mathematics, allwith A* grades and passed AS-LevelEnglish Language with a score of 95%.He also entered NCEA Scholarshipexaminations and achieved anOutstanding Scholarship pass in Physicsand a Scholarship pass for Chemistry,despite not following NCEA courses.Max is a focussed and diligent studentwho we are certain will embrace everyopportunity available to him at ANU.

ACG StrathallanBelle of the BallEvery year, ACG Strathallan holds a fundraisingevent for the Senior Ball and each year, a groupof students work tirelessly on perfecting the eventin order to raise as much money as possible andstage an enjoyable night for the audience.The event: The Belle of the Ball.The Belle of the Ball showcases the latest ball trendsfor dresses, hair, make up and suits which are modelledby senior students, a nerve racking experience for manyof the male students! Luckily our MC was a male, thefamous kiwi musician, Massad Barakat-Devine, whichhelped to put the boys at ease after he took to the stageto model himself. We were also extremely privileged tohave him sing two of his chart-topping songs, ‘Tear MyHeart Out’ and ‘Holiday’.The organising committee also gained a huge amountof support from businesses for the evening. Thesecompanies, big and small, allowed us to provide everymember in the audience with goodie bags filled withdelicious treats and additional gifts who also went awaywith a head-start on what’s hot this ball season.Australian Youth Olympic FestivalYear 13 student, Aimee Moss, representedNew Zealand in swimming at the AustralianYouth Olympics in January. Here she reflectson her experience.Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to beselected for the Australian Youth Olympic Festivalheld at the Sydney Olympic Park. This event tookplace in January from the 13th through to the 21st.I had been selected for the 200 metres freestylebut was later also entered into the 100 and 50metre freestyle. After being informed of myselection, I had approximately two and a halfmonths to prepare. In order to increase my fitness,I tried to run at midday and would train religiouslymorning and night.My training times were great leading up to thecompetition. However, despite enjoying everyminute of my training, the hardest thing was thetiming of the event. I could only take Christmasand New Year’s Eve off training and even thenthere could be no binge-eating - salads, meats andwater were my only food friends at Christmas.I would have none of my own coaches joiningme on tour and I did not know anyone particularlywell on the team (nine girls and nine boys fromaround the country) so this was a completely newexperience.As with the actual Olympics, we attended anopening ceremony and also met with the other150 athletes from New Zealand for a barbecue.Height-wise, we ranged from tiny gymnasts totowering rowers. The tallest boy measured 6 feet5 inches. He was only 18.Despite my knowledge of how swimmingcompetitions usually run, I was shocked at howdifferent an international event was.We were labelled on our first day with passeswhich allowed us access to the places we needed.Even in our sports gear and racing togs, we werenot seen as ‘permitted athletes’ if we did not haveour passes visible. Without these, we could beescorted out of the venue or denied access tocertain areas. Thankfully, I was never caught out.My 200 Freestyle was my first race. I felt readyand my substitute coach in Sydney was pleasedwith my training times. However, by placing highexpectations on myself to do well, I crumbledunder pressure, missing the times I wanted to.My manager and coach worked on me throughoutthe week trying to calm my nerves before eachrace. Although I did improve my times the moreI competed during the week, they were notpersonal bests and not what I was aiming for.I was thankful to be selected for the 4 x 100m relayand 4 x 200m relay.Representing New Zealand at an international levelwas a huge privilege and definitely something Irecommend all athletes strive towards. However,it does place the worst amount of pressure onyou as you want to represent your country withpride. Although I was upset that my performancesdid not reflect how hard I had been training or thetimes I had been accomplishing, it was definitelymy most memorable competition to date and Iwas thrilled to be a member of the team. I createdfriendships with people from all over the world.That is something I would miss Christmas puddingfor any year.Campus improvementsACG Strathallan has a great deal of construction,landscaping and ground improvement going onright now.The whole school community are very excited to havenew facilities for the upcoming winter sports season.Hockey musters are more popular than ever as teamsprepare to take advantage of the new internationalstandard turf which will be ready to use in April.The ACG Strathallan rugby and soccer teams are alsopreparing for a much less muddy season now that thefields have been professionally drained. New grass hastaken well thanks to a wonderful supply of water from thebore hole and a great deal of hard work from some verydedicated grounds staff.By the next summer season ACG Strathallan studentswill be able to start to enjoy a new cricket oval on thesouthern fields which were previously unusedscrub and grassland. In a few years this will beone of the most beautiful ovals in school cricketbuilt as it is, in such a stunning location. “I canhear already the sound of wood on leather asparents and staff gather under shady trees towatch the ACG Strathallan team play on thisbeautiful facility.” The Principal muses.The entrance to the school has undergone a bigchange to make the site more attractive and enhancethe facilities for students. Native trees, shrubs andplants are bedding in well and shady seating andrecreation areas will soon start growing in.ACG Strathallan is a haven for birdlife from theestuary. Waders are a common sight. ACG Strathallanwants to build on this as students get involved inenvironmental projects such as tree planting. It isthe goal of the school to have other birds as regularssuch as the New Zealand wood pigeon or ‘Kereru’as it is known.As ACG Strathallan grows and develops its facilities itwill begin to enjoy a community facility comprising aninternational quality hockey turf set in an environmentthat abounds with opportunities for a range ofsporting, environmental and outdoor activities.10 News at ACG ■ March 2013

World Challenge: Cambodia and VietnamThirty-two students and four teachers in twoteams took part in a World Challenge expeditionto Vietnam and Cambodia in the summer holidays.Year 13 student, Shirin Chen, tells her story.After a year of build-up and anticipation two teamsarrived in South East Asia for 21 days of backpacking- team one starting in Vietnam (with Ms Clark and MrBuchan) and team two starting in Cambodia (with MsBush and Dr Greenley). Not only was the 30 degreeheat and high humidity levels difficult to acclimatiseto, but the crazy traffic in Ho Chi Mihn City with itsseemingly endless supply of motorbikes never failedto amuse us all. Whether it was a family of four sittingon a motorbike clearly designed for two, or mattressestied to the back seat, these things seemed to be thenorm in this country.Along with acclimatisation, the other three phasesof the trip included trek, project and R&R. For manyteam members, this was the most challenging partof the trip. Team one trekked in the central highlandsin Dalat (Vietnam). The first day we climbed up LangBian mountain which was mentally and physicallyexhausting but the spectacular view after reachingthe top made it worthwhile. Each night we created ateam toilet by digging communal holes in the groundwhile wet-wipe baths became the luxurious mediumof ridding ourselves of the dirt we had accumulatedeach day.Team two trekked in the Ratanakiri National Park(Cambodia), an extremely remote jungle area. Thejourney to the start of the trek was via the back of atruck, where everyone got covered in dust, followedby a 40-minute wooden boat trip. They slept inhammocks, swam in waterfalls, visited small villagesand saw some incredible fauna and flora.The project phase was perhaps the most memorablepart for both teams. Team one volunteered at anorphanage on the outskirts of Phnom Penh inCambodia. Our days consisted of pulling out weeds,making a frame for crops, hoeing banana trees,re-furnishing a path, and sanding and painting theplayground. We also donated bags of rice, money forpaint, brushes, bamboo for the garden frame and $750for new playground equipment.Team two worked in a disabled Orphanage in district2 in Ho Chi Minh City. Of the 200 children, over 100were blind. The team were able to renovate a roomand transform it into a music library. They also boughta brand new keyboard, 4 guitars, a sound system, lotsof little flutes and tambourines, furniture and plenty oflollies and toys!Being able to spend quality time with the orphanswhilst improving their living conditionsand sharing the details of our lives inNew Zealand was truly a rewardingexperience. For many it was the primaryreason why we had signed up for WorldChallenge. We were all very proud of thedifference we had made.In the Rest and Relaxationtime, both teams visitedthe world heritage siteAngkor Wat, with teamtwo cycling around thecomplex and team onewatching the sun riseover it on ChristmasEve. Both teams alsopayed their respects tothe Cambodian peopleby visiting the KillingFields and S21. Alongwith the War RemnantsMuseum in Vietnam,these historically important places gave us a valuableunderstanding of the Khmer Rouge regime and theVietnam War. On a lighter note some team membersattended Vietnamese cuisine cooking classes andeveryone got to experience the art of haggling at themarkets. You would be surprised at what you can getfor US$10!Everyone came back to New Zealand with a newfoundappreciation for the basic things such asrunning water and 24-hour electricity. It opened oureyes to the reality of life in third world countries andhelped us gain a better understanding of the world.This student-led expedition enabled us to embraceleadership roles and made us all feel extremely proudof overcoming the challenges of being pushed outsideour comfort zones. Not only did this trip help build ourindependence and team work skills but it allowed usto give back to people and makea difference. World Challenge isso much more than a trip, it’s alesson and an experience thatwe will treasure for the rest ofour lives.Student Leadership CampTwenty-seven Council members and house leaders left behind the comfortsof home to take part in a three-day team building camp at YMCA CampAdair in January..Thanks to the unpredictable weather, three days camping in tents became threedays luxuriating in cabins, a welcome relief to all. The fellowship created duringthe initial icebreaker sessions was further developed in the workshop that tookplace after dinner. All campers were split into three groups, each group being seta task to define the purpose of the house system and student council and how tobe effective leaders in these roles. By the end of the workshop four values wereestablished - respect, responsibility, honesty and trust - and agreed as the essenceof building a strong student body and an efficient leadership team.The next day was challenging and eventful with students split into three teams totake part in rock climbing, walking across the Rambo Bridge and jumping off thePamper pole. These daunting yet exhilarating activities challenged team membersto be vulnerable in front of each other and pushed people to take a leap of faith(metaphorically and literally!), trusting team members with their safety. Manymembers were tested to overcome their fear of heights and team-support andresponsibility proved to be crucial to building trust. The confidence course wasa fun way to conclude the activities propelling all members to get thoroughlycovered in mud. The campfire was a favourable way to end the exhausting daywith team members being able to further develop the camaraderie.Leadership camp was not only fun but everyone left Camp Adair with theachievement of conquering some aspect of their weakness, whether that wasleading a team activity or jumping off an eighteen-metre pole. Despite the shortperiod of camp, ACG Strathallan student leaders are ready and eager to tackle theyear ahead.News at ACG ■ March 2013 11

ACG SunderlandWorld Challenge: Cambodia and VietnamTwelve students and two staff headed off to Cambodia last Decemberas part of the World Challenge Expedition.The expedition started with a four-day project working with orphaned children.The team worked very hard in the heat, moving bricks and mixing concrete for buildersto use. The students also got to spend a day with the children, teaching them to learnEnglish and played games. Students travelled by Tuktuk each day to buy food andhelped prepare our meals.Some sightseeing was undertaken while taking the bus to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)in Vietnam where students and staff did a five-day trek through farmland and forests,over lakes, up hills, down valleys - the scenery was just stunning. Christmas Day wasspent in Hoi An before a train ride back to Saigon for a farewell dinner. All involved learntso much about the people and the culture. They also learnt a lot about themselves andeach other.Parents and Friends PicnicWhat a great success our annual Parents and Friends Picnic on Friday15 February was.Celebrating the spirit of ACG Sunderland - family, values, and gettingtogether as a community. From face painting to pony rides, fire engines,sack racing, picnicing and family fun. Our students, staff, parents andfriends had a great day.12 News at ACG ■ March 2013

Scooter DayOn Friday 22 February, we held our first ‘Scooter Day’ in the Primary. Students were able to bring their scooterand helmet along to school so they could ride them at interval and at lunchtime. As you can tell from thephotos it was well supported with many students on the specially built tracks (one for the Lower Primary andone for the Upper Primary). This will be one of many to be held.Property worksConversion of the PE Office into a PreSchool isreaching the final stages of building work; thishas been a complicated conversion requiring agreat deal of consultation with the Departmentof Education, Health and Council.The internal fit out is almost completed, the exteriorof the building is to be painted with the final touchesto the playground and outdoor play area completingthe project.Once completed the next phase is that of Ministry ofEducation and Health Department sign off.Weather tightness: At the end of NovemberAndrews Property Services (APS) were awardeda contract to carry out an intensive programme torenovate and apply a membrane sealer to all areas ofthe roof and gutters, the final phase of this work is toseek a suitable solution to skylights above the atriumand auditorium.Grounds: As the neighbouring development nearedSwimming CarnivalAs everyone poured in, there was excitementin the air as the first school sports event ofthe year was about to begin.All decked out in House colours, everyone wasready for their first race. As the races startedHouse support started too, and soon everyonecompletion the opportunity to reuse the mountain ofusable dirt stockpiled was too good to turn down,as a result the area close to the gym which waspreviously covered in trees and bush and the landleading down to Central Park Drive will now beturned into a usable play space.Contactors have completed spreading and levellingof the dirt. In mid-March screened top soil will beadded and seed will be sown if there is sufficientmoisture is available.was cheering on their House members. As theday went on the House support increased,culminating in the House relays. Even underthe water you could hear them going crazy.The highlight has to be the students for the firsttime beating the teachers in the Leaders Relay.ACG Sunderlandstudent cleans upCambridgeInternationalExaminationsAlexander Parker takes doing wellin his exams to the next level.A Year 11 ACG Sunderlandstudent, Alexander not only gotstraight A’s but also took morepapers than most students in theCambridge International Examinations.Sitting 8 IGCSE’s Alexander really stretchedhimself. Most students sit between 5 and 7papers in a year. In 7 of the 8 papers he scoredA*s, which means 90 percent and above, whichis a remarkable achievement. He received A*sin: History, English Literature, First LanguageEnglish, Foreign Language Spanish, Maths,Chemistry and Physics.“Alexander has worked really hard to getthese fantastic results. We’re so proud of hisachievements and we’re looking forward to hiscontributions to ACG Sunderland this year,”says Principal, Nathan Villars.In previous years Alexander has also beenpart of the senior football team and he is thenumber one player in the ACG Sunderland topBadminton team which he captained last year.The team was runner up in west Auckland in2011 and third place last year.“The CIE system offers us a global qualificationwhich is flexible providing breadth and depth.The courses are extremely rigorous andthey provide the students with internationalbenchmarking. We’re finding these elementsare increasingly important with more and morestudents heading overseas to university,”says Mr Villars.With two more years of study left beforeuniversity, Alexander has many opportunities leftto explore before he makes any decisions on hisnext steps.News at ACG ■ March 2013 13

ACG International School JakartaArt focusIn February, nine students attended an artworkshop at the British International School.There has recently been an amazing revival of interestin art thanks to the hard work of Ms Marni.During the day students were able to experimentwith different art techniques in individual workshopsconducted by teachers from other schools. Theseworkshops explored texture, etching and silk screening.The students had a very creative time exploring theirartistic talents through a variety of art mediums.The Year 9 students have also been engagingin some interesting art projects and used theirhands as a canvas to create different characters.Students have been exploring creations by MarioMariotti and Guido Daniele. They investigated theirtechniques and then recreated images utilisingtheir own hands. They were then given two classesto transform their hands into amazing works of art.Autism Awareness DayOn Monday 25 February ACG Jakarta celebratedAutism Awareness Day where the internationaltheme for this year was ‘Bubbles’.This concept was explained by the teaching staff thatoften children with Autism may seem like they live ina bubble. They can see and hear the people aroundthem, but it’s often difficult for them to connect andcommunicate the same way as other children. In classdiscussion students explored that often the social,emotional and communication areas need intensivesupport and specific teaching skills to develop.Everyone was quite surprised at the latest statisticsstating Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and1 in 54 boys.We also expanded on the fact that no two childrenwith Autism are the same - just like the bubbles,which explains why we prefer to use the term“Autistic Spectrum Disorder”. We have severalstudents in our school who have been diagnosedwith this challenge, and we enjoyed highlightingtheir very creative talents and celebrating havingthem as a friend here at ACG!Valentine’s DayValentine’s Day is another fun celebration in Jakarta.Our Primary students really enjoyed creating theirtwo heart shaped biscuits with members of our PSG(Parent Support Group). Each class took their turnto come to the new canteen where the mums haddecorated a special area to encourage the student’screative skills. Each student had to decorate two heartshaped cookies and then carefully place them in a goldbox to take home - and some actually made it home fortheir parents! Amazing! Thanks to our PSG mums whogave up their morning for our students to have somefun and investigate another international celebration.Our Secondary students were more upbeat andenjoyed a disco with friends from the New ZealandInternational School on the Friday evening. Our newcanteen was totally transformed by the StudentCouncil into a pulsating disco dance area filledwith flashing lights and pink decorations. Mr Guy,Mr Mike and Mr Russell supervised and servedpizza and soft drink to keep the students energised.It was great to welcome and meet students fromanother International School, and enjoy the eveningin a safe environment. Events like this for teenagersare rare in Jakarta. Thanks to Mr Guy for organisingand we look forward to more social events with ourJASIS school friends.Book Week celebrationsIn the last week of Term 2 ACG International School Jakarta celebratedBook Week to make this end of Semester 1 a fun learning period and keepeveryone engaged in meaningful literacy activities.The theme for our celebration this year was ‘Champions Read’. ACG studentswere challenged to ‘Read 5,000 pages in a week’. It was amazing to see studentsshatter this goal and read 10,856 pages!During the week there were guest storytellers and authors, a variety of contestsand fun activities to keep everyone actively participating. Dr Suyadi (Pak Raden),a well-known Indonesian storyteller, launched Book Week celebrations in aspecial assembly where he shared some of his traditional Indonesian stories.He mesmerised everyone with his skills and proved to be a great role model forthe students.Two additional authors also presented their stories, and the arduous but creativewriting process with the students. Mike Brumby (previous ACG PETeacher) shared his new book with the central character being ‘AlistairThe Armadillo’. It was great for our students to see the writing processin action and the rewarding story book on completion of the task.Secondary students were also able to learn about comic book script,layout and design by the very talented Marcellino Lefrand. Studentsfound this to be a particularly inspirational session.Throughout the week all parents were encouraged to read, read,read with their children at home. Students also really enjoyed havingvisiting teachers and teacher assistants from other classes come andshare their favourite stories.Once again our PSG members were very active in ensuring this wasa week to remember and assisted with posters, decorations andseveral activities.14 News at ACG ■ March 2013

Student-led ConferencesEarly February, the Primary school held theirannual PYP Student-led Conferences.Parents were invited into their child’s class to sharein the learning process with them. The students wereable to report on their learning and demonstrate howthey are learning in class. The class teacher does notparticipate in this event, except maybe as a timekeeperso conferences continue flowing.It was exciting to see the wide range of activitiesstudents proudly demonstrated to their parents:• Jolly Phonics in Kindergarten• Touring the role play areas in Year 1 relating to theirlatest unit of inquiry on communities• Journal writing in Year 2• Designing banknotes in Year 3• Persuasive writing in Year 4• ICT software tasks in Year 5• Sharing the inquiry cycle in Year 6.In addition to these activities, each child sharedtheir portfolio and reflected upon their work withtheir parents. The Student-led Conferences providean important opportunity for educational dialoguebetween students and their parents.By completing the parent and student reflection sheetstogether; students were also able to collaborate withtheir parents in defining their individual future goalsfor learning. Most parents were delighted and veryproud of the high level of learning taking place, andcommented how pleased and surprised they werewith their child’s understanding and knowledge oftheir learning.Humanities ExhibitionIn November, ACG Jakarta hosted its firstHumanities Exhibition for our secondary studentsin Years 7 to 9.This was a voluntary project and provided studentswith opportunities to ask essential questions,recognise patterns of behaviour, think critically, createsolutions, predict outcomes and draw conclusions tohelp them learn to solve world problems.We were incredibly proud to have more than 20students participate in this non-compulsory academicevent during the busy end of Semester period. Theyclearly demonstrated a very positive attitude to lifelonglearning and a desire to know and explain theworld in which they live.The participating ACG students also demonstratedtheir resolve to show their best learning strategiesand practices, and we were overwhelmed at thehigh quality presentations prepared. Students workedextremely hard to polish their research papersand carefully represent their investigation indetail on individual display boards.Parents, visitors and other students were welcometo visit the exhibition to view the students’Humanities exhibits and for the awarding of trophies,certificates and prizes. We had an impressiveJudging Panel comprised of Mr Anthony Cottan(Director of Starbucks Indonesia) Mr David Treacher(NZ Embassy), Mrs Risti Brophy (Jakarta Now ChiefEditor), and Mr John Howe (Aus Aid).Thanks to Mr Russell for creating the firstHumanities Fair for ACG which we hope will nowbecome an annual event on our secondary calendar.It was rewarding to see so many of the studentsvolunteering to do their projects and demonstratesuch commitment to learning. Participating in thissignificant event was noted on their Report Card.It was particularly pleasing to see the quality ofthe projects and the amount of work students hadinvested. It also presented the Judges with a verydifficult task! Congratulations to the Winners - LucasOng (Year 7), Lily Wells (Year 8), and Chesney Collyer(Year 9) for their excellent presentations.Chinese New YearEvery year in Indonesia the Chinese New Year celebrations continue toexpand with joyful celebrations after being supressed for so many years.This year at ACG, we welcomed the first day of the Lunar New Year with a LionDance and martial arts performance. However, the event was made even moremeaningful and exciting as two of our very own students - Marco and Marlo,performed their first ever Lion Dance for our school community. The Widodofamily have always treasured their Chinese New Year celebrations and theboys have watched the Lion Dance performance every year since they werelittle. Combining a strong base of martial arts talent (from joining the ACGAfterschool Activities) with a good knowledge of internet-based researchskills, Marco and Marlo taught themselves how to do the Lion Dance as away to celebrate their Chinese heritage. They asked their mum to buy thema Lion Dance costume - and then planned the event themselves! On the dayof the CNY assembly the boys practised with the real Lion Dance troupe forabout 30 minutes before their performance. The two boys were amazing, andwe all cheered them on to demonstrate our pride in their achievement. Theystole the show with their artistic movements and adorable costume whichwas later on display at the PSG table.The lively Lions entertained us with their playful poses and acrobatic skillswhile accompanied by the music of beating drums, cymbals, and gongs.The martial arts experts were skilful in their movements and had us spellbound.Following the performance, the whole school engaged in a variety of culturalactivities to celebrate our Internationalism and the influence of the Chinese onour differing cultures.Our wonderful PSG once again supported this school event with an amazing arrayof various Chinese treats to sample. Thank you ladies - delicious!It was a most pleasurable morning - full of smiles, happy children and lots of redclothes to ensure good luck and fortune for the New Year. Thanks to Ms Lily andher team for organising such a great event for us to all enjoy.News at ACG ■ March 2013 15

ACG International School VietnamDalat campLast November, Years 5 and 6 spent an unforgettableweek in Dalat, building rafts that float in water,climbing trees, visiting historical sites and mostimportantly, strengthening friendships.Over 50 students went on camp and reported that itwas one of the best experiences they have had.“Dalat camp was a valuable and exciting trip, andenabled the students to be risk takers in a variety ofways.” commented Mr Hale, a Year 5 teacher.“Highlights of the camp were: students working as ateam to build a raft, racing the raft, eating great food,high ropes activities, team-building activities andplaying flashlight tag at night. All the students wereable to do the high ropes activities and many foundthem easy because they knew they couldn’t fall.It was great to hear whoops as students raced overthe zip line over the lake. Other students who werechallenged by the activities completed them to theencouragement of their classmates and felt very proudof themselves afterwards.” added Ms Weir, a Year 6teacher.IBDP students teach English atVietnamese orphanageThis year, 37 IBDP students are engaged in theCreativity Action Service as part of the IB DiplomaProgramme.It is an integral, non-academic component of theProgramme that aims to extend students’ personaltalents and social commitment through major projectsof community worth. Over an 18-month period, studentsare expected to complete approximately 150 hours ofactivities.A number of IBDP students have taken the initiative ofteaching English to children at the Ba Chieu orphanageevery Saturday. They provide one-to-one support to theorphans, hence considering their individual abilities.Our ACG students have organised and plan this wholecommunity service activity all by themselves. Throughthis CAS programme, our students have come to valueeven more their privileged access to private education.Attendance and commitment are strong qualities inour students and they have supported the orphansrelentlessly every weekend of Term 2.VietnamFest: a cultural celebration of TetKindergarten and Primary students andteachers celebrated Tet, the Lunar NewYear, on Wednesday 6 February 2013 witha courtyard filled with traditional activitiesincluding clay modelling, Vietnamesecalligraphy and origami using coconutleaves. Students thoroughly enjoyed theability to experience the unique culture andcustoms of Tet, in Vietnam.Students also got to taste the flavoursomedelicacies and sweets of Tet, provided by theparent community at ACG International School.The day closed with a whole school assemblywith special performances from Primary andSecondary students. It was a memorableoccasion for all.16 News at ACG ■ March 2013

Secondary schoolproduction:Grease, the MusicalThe cast is set and rehearsals are underway for this year’s epicmusical production: Grease!Students across our Secondary School, including students asyoung as 12 in Year 7, have been meeting every Saturday for thelast 4 weeks to practice their lines, vocal chords and music scoresfor one of the most anticipated event of the year.More images of the students in rehearsals can be found on ourfacebook page at: www.facebook.com/ACGVietnamTop in Vietnam Cambridge learnersWe are delighted to announce thewinners of the Outstanding CambridgeLearner Awards, Vietnam.The awards celebrate the outstandingacademic achievements of secondaryschool learners in Vietnam in June 2012Cambridge Examination series.Six students received awards forexceptional performance in CambridgeExaminations, including 3 students whoattained the ‘Top in Vietnam’ in a singlesubject:• Dao Trong Tuan Khai, Top in Vietnam,Chemistry, IGCSE• Le Nhat Long, Top in Vietnam, Physics,• Nguyen Thanh Truc, Top in Vietnam, Physics,IGCSE• Yap Qian Ci, High Achievement, FirstLanguage Chinese, IGCSE• Lai Ching Lin, High Achievement, ForeignLanguage Mandarin Chinese, IGCSE• Tran Yen Nhi, Top in Vietnam, BusinessStudies, AS LevelThese students out-performed thousands ofcandidates worldwide who sat examinations inCambridge IGCSE and Cambridge InternationalAS Level.These outstanding results will be recognised byemployers and universities around the world asproof of academic excellence.Vietnam Fest dance concertA cultural celebration of Vietnam throughtraditional songs and dances from variousregions of the countryIn December, Kindergarten and Primarystudents performed to parents and teachersa collection of beautifully choreographedtraditional dances from various regions ofVietnam. Students spent four weeks withdance instructors to learn the traditionalVietnamese dances. For many, this was thefirst experience of another culture outsideof their own. Students had great fun takingpart in this event and there were hundreds ofproud parents in the auditorium that evening.News at ACG ■ March 2013 17

Australian International SchoolACG International SchoolVietnam and the AustralianInternational School to merge“Coming together to inspire excellence”.Two of HCMC’s best known international schools are to merge from1 July 2013.ACG Vietnam and AIS were both established in 2006, and are owned by thesame two companies, ACG (Academic Colleges Group), and Thuy Chau Co.,Ltd of Vietnam.The schools announced the merger to staff, students and their parents onFriday 5 October.Nigel Russell, the Chairman of both schools, said “We are very pleased andexcited to be announcing this merger, which will bring together a communityof over 1,100 students and 100 teachers, at three campuses in District 2.”“Combining the two schools will provide tremendous benefits to all ourstudents. A broader range of subjects will be offered at senior levels; andacademic and sporting competition will be enhanced both within the schooland with other schools in HCMC and the region. The diversity of the studentpopulation will also increase, with over 35 nationalities represented.”The merged school will be called the Australian International School (AIS).According to Clarence van der Wel, Operating Officer of ACG (Academic Colleges Group),the merged school will have a strong focus on academic excellence and will offer aworld-class education. “The curriculum will include the International Baccalaureate’sPrimary Years Programme (PYP), the Cambridge Secondary Programme with IGCSE inMiddle School, and a choice in Senior School of either the IB Diploma or the University ofNew South Wales’ Foundation Studies Year 13 Curriculum.”“An emphasis on specialist teachers who are highly qualified and trained to educate andhelp each student become a confident, articulate young person with a strong sense ofself-belief and integrity will be a feature of the merged school”.Spring danceA big Thank You also goes out to the Student RepresentativeCouncil (SRC), the School Captains, and the numerous studentand teacher volunteers for their efforts in putting together therecently held Spring Dance.This year’s dance was a special one as it included support from the ACGSRC and student body as well. Both SRC’s worked together to makethe Spring Dance a resounding social and financial success. Held at abeautiful outdoor venue in town, over 130 students enjoyed dancing toa DJ, student performances, and prize distributions.ISA testsOn 20 and 21 February, students inYears 3-5 sat the International Schools’Assessment tests in Reading, Writingand Mathematical Literacy.The ISA assessment programme isdesigned especially for students ininternational schools in Grades 3 to 10.It is based on the internationally endorsedreading and mathematical literacyframeworks of the OECD’s Programme forInternational Student Assessment (PISA).We use the results provided from the ISAtests for a range of purposes:• To measure individual students’achievement in order to reflect on andaddress strengths and weaknesses• To monitor an individual’s or group’sprogress over time• To evaluate instructional programmesagainst objective evidence of studentperformance, to diagnose gaps,and to measure growth in learningbetween grade levels and from yearto year within one grade level• To compare subgroup performance(e.g. girls and boys; students fromdifferent language backgrounds) tosee where there may be unexpectedresults and try to understand them• To provide data in relation to other‘like schools’ to see “how we aredoing”Later in the School year, parentswill receive individual data regardingtheir child’s performance in theseassessments.18 News at ACG ■ March 2013

Swimming classesWe take our swimming programme seriously and endeavour to ensure that allMiddle School students participate in swimming classes on a regular basis.When students do not attend classes they don’t just miss out on a PE activity,they deprive themselves of an important life-skill.Another practical issue which arises when students miss swimming class is that we areunable to assess their progress and assign a grade. To ensure this is not the case thissemester, students who are not able to participate in regular PE swimming classes willundertake written projects for which a grade will be given. These projects will be basedon a wide range of theoretical issues related to swimming and water safety. Studentsshould know in advance that these projects may well require after-school and weekendtime to complete.Early childhood and primary eventsTet Fair: 1 FebruarySwimathon: 15 MarchBook Week: 25 Feb - 1 MarchNews at ACG ■ March 2013News at ACG ■ March 2013 15 19

Congratulations!ACG is proud to acknowledge the outstanding success of our students in the 2012 Universityof Cambridge International Examinations.Success at this level can only be achieved by talent, dedication and a passion for learning.Qualities we foster in all our students.TOP IN THE WORLD AWARDS - AS LEVELAccounting Taylor Amanda Brown ACG Parnell CollegeGeography William Michael Stupple ACG Parnell CollegeLiterature in English Rosie Hunt Docherty ACG Senior CollegeTOP IN THE WORLD AWARDS - IGCSEMathematics Laura Rachel Nementzik ACG Parnell CollegePhysical Education Duncan Alexander David Milne ACG Parnell CollegeTOP IN NEW ZEALAND AWARDS - A LEVELArt and Design Brittany Smith ACG StrathallanArt and Design Melissa Kelsey ACG Strathallan(Photography)Biology Shelley Shu-Yu Lin ACG StrathallanMathematics Eric Jou ACG StrathallanTOP IN NEW ZEALAND AWARDS - AS LEVELArt and Design Oliver Emile Longley ACG Parnell College(Photography)Biology William Michael Supple ACG Parnell CollegeBusiness Studies William Michael Supple ACG Parnell CollegeEconomics Gabriella Ellen Templer ACG Parnell CollegeArt and Design Ye Jin Jeon ACG Senior College(Photography)English Language Benjamin Goldson ACG Senior CollegePsychology Katarina Zujovic ACG Senior CollegeArt and Design Benjamin ACG Strathallan(Photography)Van Het BolscherArt and Design Chelsea Turner ACG Strathallan(Photography)Art and Design Sunia Sun Shui ACG Strathallan(Photography)Art and Design Liam Julian ACG Strathallan(Photography)Art and Design Saebom Kang ACG Strathallan(Photography)TOP IN NEW ZEALAND AWARDS - IGCSEHistory Francesca Eden Templer ACG Parnell CollegeInformation and Hamish Ross O’Neil ACG Parnell CollegeCommunicationTechnologyArt and Design Eden Antonia Wilson ACG Senior CollegeHIGH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - AS LEVELDrama Indigo Cody Tollemache Paul ACG Parnell CollegeArt and Design Sunny He ACG Senior College(Printmaking)Chinese Language Hang Siu ACG Senior CollegeGlobal Perspectives Faline Zhao ACG Senior CollegeHistory of Art Phoebe Frances Joiner ACG Senior CollegeSociology Elise Campbell ACG Senior CollegeTOP IN NEW ZEALAND- BEST TOTAL ACROSS THREE A LEVELSA Level Eric Jou ACG StrathallanACG Senior rCCollegeACG StrathallanACG Parnell CollegeFor more information, please visit www.acgedu.com or www.facebook.com/ACG.SchoolFind us on:www.facebook.com/ACG.Schoolwww.youtube.com/ACGSchools