Caring for Our Community (C4C)
With the holiday season almost here this is the perfect time to show some community spirit, and give back to our community, neighbourhood and school.
Bronwen Wilson and her support team have spent months preparing events and activities covering a wide range of projects to give our Year 9 and 10 students a fun and engaging way to end the year. This was an opportunity for them to learn new skills, to learn about our area, meet new people and make a difference!Held over two sunny days on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 November and supported by all our staff who ran workshops, transported students and managed events.
Some examples of the workshops that students were involved in:- Working with Youthline
- Baking 180 Christmas cakes,100 pkts gingerbread and shortbread biscuits lovingly made and packed for Age Concern, Bellyful and Donovan St Retirement Village
- Beautifying local parks
- Making bird feeders
- Beach and Cemetery clean-ups
- Knitting for charity
- Helping senior citizens
- Care packages for those in need
- Charity carwash.
We have received great feedback from members of the community who worked with our students:
"Just wanted to once again say a massive thank you on behalf of our Central Auckland Bellyful branch for the delicious Christmas cakes and cookies! It’s great to have schools like yours to get involved in initiatives like this and give back to communities." Ericka"I am writing to express our sincere thanks and gratitude to the group of students who took time out last week to come and do some volunteer work at Waikumete Cemetery. We are approaching a really busy time in our space both with burials and with an increase in the number of visitors. We were very appreciative of the help in maintaining the headstones in the allocated area.
The students were respectful, attentive and did a great job of cleaning the headstones. Their work has made a big difference visually. They really have made a valuable contribution to our space and in turn, to the wider community. Again, many thanks and thanks for the time and effort in coordinating the trip – I am sure it takes a lot of time and effort." Nikki
Special thanks to those who provided generous sponsorship, equipment and ingredients.
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Major Redevelopment of Lynfield College
PRESS RELEASE: 26 NOVEMBER 2019
Lynfield College is set for a major upgrade, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.“The school’s administration building will be rebuilt and a new block of 30 classrooms will replace an existing block that has fallen into disrepair,” Chris Hipkins said.
“Extra teaching space will also be added to make sure the school is future-proofed in the years to come and a dedicated cultural space is also planned.”
Existing buildings at the school have suffered weathertightness issues over the years and a major revamp is needed, Chris Hipkins said.
“Once completed, the $26 million investment in Lynfield College will ensure its 1600 or so students have somewhere warm and comfortable to learn, and future generations will be guaranteed enough space.
Labour MP for New Lynn Deborah Russell said: “The College briefed me on what was needed almost as soon as I was elected and I have been advocating for this since then. I’m delighted to see that this work is now getting underway.
“This is a huge boost for the students and staff whose learning and teaching conditions will be greatly enhanced.”
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Year 8 Taster Days 2019
On 19 and 20 November Year 8 students were welcomed to Lynfield College this week through the Taster Days. These mornings saw over 300 students from Blockhouse Bay Intermediate, Glen Avon School and Waikowhai Intermediate experience classes across the curriculum to give them a taste of what to expect when they start their secondary education next year.
Students had opportunities to use forensic methods to solve crimes, bake pizzas, create their own fantasy worlds, and show off their general knowledge. Other activities included Art, Maths, Phys Ed, Robotics and learning another language.The students were buzzing after their experiences, and more than 30 Lynfield teachers were impressed with the Year 8s’ enthusiasm for learning.
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Junior Piano Competition
Lunchtime on Wednesday 6 November was an opportunity to enjoy our Year 9 and 10 musicians in the Junior Piano Competition. Our judges this year were Cathy Feist and Sigmund Sue.
Congratulations to all the contestants who gave technically and musically advanced performances that were throughly enjoyed by an audience of their peers.The winners were:
Lorelle Kemp who performed Tarantella by Pieczonka
Runner Up Equal: Oscar Evans performed All is Calm by Dennis Alexander
Runner Up Equal: Sejal Bhowmik performed Vincent by Don McLean
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Fiafia Night to Celebrate our Pasifika Pride Students
On Tuesday 5 November our Pasifika Pride students, families and staff shared and acknowledged the Year 13 Pasifika leavers and their journey through the 2019 Talanoa.
The evening was facilitated by the students whom not only summarized their positive experiences but also provided the opportunity for celebration, introduction and welcoming of the future Head Leaders for 2020.
The evening was a great success recognizing the importance of Talanoa and the significance of ensuring strong connections and collaboration with our families and community.
In the words shared by Jeremiah Tauti from Mana connections "why aim for the stars when there are footprint's on the moon?" Thank you Jeremiah for your relentless focus to ensure our Pasifika students are one step closer to the moon.
To our Pasifika Pride Students, we are proud of you and would like to thank you for your contribution to Lynfield College. Learn to Live
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Welcome to our new Deputy Principal Lisa Wichman-Kelly
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On Monday 4 November, we welcomed our new Deputy Principal, Lisa Wichman-Kelly, who joins us from James Cook High School.
The pōwhiri was led by our talented Kapa Haka, supported by Whaea Leauga. Our speakers were Deputy Principal Richard Winn and BOT Student Trustee Simote Funganitao and Principal Cath Knell.
The guest speakers for Lisa were Taiwhanga Wikaire-Kelly (son), Grant McMillan (Tumuaki James Cook High School) and Hammond Matua (HOF Puutake James Cook High School). They were effusive in their praise for Ms Wichman-Kelly, reminding us that we were being gifted a taonga for which we had to care. Our Year 9 students also attended the pōwhiri to honour the significance of the occasion.
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| Taiwhanga Wikaire-Kelly | Hammond Matua, HOF Puutake James Cook High School |
Richard Winn (seated at left),
and BOT Trustee Simote Funganitao |
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| Grant McMillan, Tumuaki James Cook High School | Cath Knell, Tumuaki Lynfield College |