Tempus WOODFORD HOUSE MAGAZINE ISSUE TWO > 2016

Tempus WOODFORD HOUSE MAGAZINE

ISSUE TWO > 2016

COVER DESIGNED BY YEAR 13 STUDENTS Make-up and Photography, Lydia Hill. Model, Hope Phillips

Principal’s Perspective An important pillar of the Woodford House philosophy is to Cherish the Past. It is a reminder that we must take a moment to appreciate where we have come from and who we have crossed paths with as these connections are our blueprint for a bright and sustainable future.

Research shows that students who align themselves with an active alumni association have increased career opportunities, stronger networks and a greater sense of giving back, as supported by the findings of The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in England. The mutual benefits of these key relationships are evidenced by successful and influential outcomes for current and past students.

This year I have had the privilege of cherishing our past by connecting with our alumni community, the Woodford House Old Girls.

A strong alumni association also provides our current students with the opportunity to build ties with role-models, mentors and potential employers while instilling the value of service to others.

It has been fabulous to attend reunions, see photographs of weddings in the Chapel, meet alumni who pop in for a visit, read emails filled with wonderful stories and, of course, engage with parents and staff who also attended Woodford House. I also had the opportunity to connect with Old Girls who reside in the United States of America during a recent holiday to see my son in New York. I hope to do the same while in Asia and Australia later this year. Our Old Girls are a valued community of Woodford House and it is essential that their relationship with their school is ongoing. Just like education, meaningful relationships are a valuable gift that comes free of an expiry date or deadline. We recognise that a well-connected and active alumni association is greatly beneficial for all students, both present and former.

We are always excited to hear from our Old Girls and we are constantly impressed by their amazing stories of impact and influence. We are looking forward to welcoming about 300 Old Girls to the 1960 - 1970 Reunion in November. This will be a fabulous opportunity to reminisce with friends and see how the School has progressed. I encourage Old Girls to foster their relationships with the School and, for those who have lost touch, I invite you to reconnect today. We would love to hear from you.

Julie Peterson, Principal Issue Two

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CONTENTS LEARNER CENTRED 4-7 ........ A roaring passion for fashion

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FAMILY FOCUSED 8-9 ........ Getting to know our girls 10 .......... Big Sing finale 111 ......... Student-led Chapel services

FORWARD THINKING

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12-13 ..... Flexible boarding for day girls 14 .......... Five years from now

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15 .......... Sports Academy helps grow athletes 16-17 ..... Girls embrace public speaking

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SECURING OUR FUTURE 18-21 ..... Old Girls’ News 22 ......... Archivist farewell (History) 23 .......... Grannies’ morning tea (Cherishing the Past)

OUR COMMUNITY 24 .......... Parents’ Association News 28 .......... Board News and Foundation News

Tempus is the official magazine of Woodford House. It is designed to share information with our school parents, families, old girls, and the wider community. It is prepared and distributed by Woodford House, copyright 2016. All editorial and advertising enquiries should be addressed to Woodford House, Private Bag 1001, Havelock North 4157, New Zealand, Telephone: +64 6 873 0700, Email: [email protected]

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LEARNER CENTRED

Magical Musical Disney’s The Lion King JR has captivated the imagination of audiences around the world and, for the first time in Hawke’s Bay, this inspiring musical has graced our local community. Students from Woodford House and Lindisfarne College put on five spectacular shows of Disney’s The Lion King JR, attracting a full house at every performance. The unforgettable cast of characters brought the African Savannah to life as they made their way from Pride Rock to the jungle and back again. The show involved more than 80 students from both schools with some being involved in the management, the promotion, set design and costume and make-up design. Director Kathy Atkin says this beloved story combined the richness of the African desert, the vibrancy of the classic Disney movie and the inspiration of one of the most successful stage musicals of all time. “I have been humbled by the immense amount of dedication and the sheer talent of the students. This production has been a huge team effort and would not have been possible without the collaboration of both schools,” Kathy says.

Tempus Woodford House Magazine

Issue Two

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LEARNER CENTRED

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The journey begins with brainstorming Lion King characters.

The body shape of Ruby Andrews, who is wearing the gazelle costume, is researched and taken into consideration.

Fabric samples are tested to see how they look under stage lights, how they stretch, how comfortable it will be and how it can be coloured using fabric paints.

Passion for Fashion Like many little girls, Hope Phillips loved playing dress up. She would wear dresses over shorts and squeeze as many handbags onto her tiny arms as possible. She would cover herself in her mother’s make-up and put lipstick and mascara on anyone who was willing.

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After researching the African food chain, Hope realises that gazelles are graceful, but not extravagant, so she simplifies her costume to a basic body suit and felted horns.

While she had no clear style back then, there was a passion for fashion that grew as she did. Hope received her first sewing machine on her 11th birthday and from that moment on she was hooked, spending every spare minute teaching herself how to make toys, bags and dresses. “I would Google or YouTube everything. I learnt a lot by making mistakes and through trial and error,” Hope, a Year 13 student, says.

2 Hope researches African designs, cultural acts, cultural sensitivities as well as other Lion King productions and puts everything together to create an inspiration board.

Hard work and dedication to fashion has led Hope to some fantastic opportunities including signing up to a modelling agency in Auckland. Last year she took part in the Eastern Institute of Technology Trades Academy where she studied fashion and received an award for being the top student in her class. Now in her final year at Woodford House, Hope has continued to embrace all things creative. She is Head of Make-up and studies Materials Technology, Photography, Digital Design and Art. Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning Dionne Thomas says the meshing of all of Hope’s creative talents is that, this year, she is on a Gateway placement at Alteration as part of her studies. “This is an opportunity for Hope to use her knowledge and skills learnt at school in a real workplace context,” Mrs Thomas says. Hope also weaved Disney’s Lion King JR, a joint production between Woodford House and Lindisfarne College, into her NCEA Level 3 portfolio. For Materials Technology, Hope designed and made a gazelle costume, which is worth 16 NCEA credits. She will also submit her portfolio for an NZQA Scholarship. The design process involved researching African culture, including symbols and patterns that were culturally appropriate, studying gazelles from the way they move to where they sit on the food chain, investigating fabrics from their durability to how they looked when stretched under stage lights and how to extract colour from natural products. She also took her client’s body shape into consideration and worked with cost and time constraints. Hope has been fortunate to work alongside her best friend Lydia Hill, also a Year 13 student, who designed the make-up for 25 cast members, including the lead characters of Mufasa, Simba and Nala.

3 Hope turns her ideas into sketches for a gazelle costume. She starts with grand designs that include capes, extravagant felt horns and bold neck pieces.

7 Hope spends a lot of time measuring materials, sewing and painting the body suit. With the help of expert felter, Ellen MichelaLooij, Hope creates gazelle horns out of felted wool.

She spent about six weeks sketching and researching each animal on how they looked in the wild as well as in the Lion King show on Broadway. “Every night leading up to the performance week I worked on finalising and rendering each make-up design to be simple but effective,” Lydia says. Lydia’s work will also be assessed for NCEA credits, and one of her test designs features on the cover of this Tempus magazine.


8 The final gazelle costume is ready for a spectacular performance. Issue Two

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FAMILY FOCUSED

You recently went to Europe on a school trip, how was that experience?

Getting to know our girls Every Woodford Girl has a unique story to share about where they have come from, what interests them, and why they chose our school. It is our girls’ stories and their journeys that help form the special character of Woodford House. Deputy Principal Catherine Bentley talks to two students about their journey.

Georgina Gibbs Year 12, Day Girl How long have you been at Woodford House? A. I started here in Year 9 after attending Saint Joseph’s in Hastings. I remember thinking how much busier it is here at Woodford House, there was so much more going on. Although I was the only girl coming from a previous school, I knew other girls who were coming at the same time. When did you know you would be attending Woodford House? A. I was always going to Woodford House. My mum and my aunties are Woodford House Old Girls, so my name has been on the waiting list for ages. I have a cousin and second cousins here with me too. What makes Woodford House special?

GEORGINA GIBBS

A. I think it is the opportunities. I do not think I would be where I am in my sport if I hadn’t been here. I feel like the School pushes you along and the other girls do the same. Everyone encourages each other and this has helped me improve a lot. There are so many opportunities at Woodford House, but it is up to the individual to utilise them. Tell me about your love for sport? A. I have always been involved in sport and it is something I really enjoy. It is a great way to meet people and we learn lots about each other. I have learnt a lot about myself and developed skills in my chosen sports as well as some important life skills.

LUCY GEE-TAYLOR

How do you manage to perform well in sport and in the classroom? A. I think that because I am so busy, I do better academically. I have to set aside time to study and be extremely organised. I use my sport as a break and this helps me with my learning. As weird as it sounds, the


busier I am, the harder it is, but the better I can be. I really enjoy the challenge of fitting everything in. This is my third year in the Woodford House Sports Academy. I have got lots out of the weekly sessions and coaching. During the first two years, I felt like the Academy gave me lots and this year it is my time to give back. I am currently helping mentor other students and I have led the Friday sessions. Leading the sessions is challenging and you have to be well planned. I have made friends who are all quite similar to me; they too keep busy with other things such as sport, music, or other interests.

A. The 2016 Europe Trip was an amazing experience! It was incredible to visit many of the iconic European attractions and experience European culture (and a bit of the Asian culture too with our 14 hour layover in Hong Kong). Every day we were able to visit exciting, new places - I still can’t believe just how much we managed to do in only three weeks. I definitely gained a great deal of knowledge about the historical sites we went to. However, experiencing the European transport, budgeting each day and also organising ourselves for our daily activities were great skills to learn. It was also great to get to know the other girls, and also the teachers who were on the trip. By the end of the trip we all felt comfortable making our way around the busy cities. All of the places we went to were incredible (it was impossible for me to pick a favourite), and it has definitely lead me to want to travel more in the future. A big thank you to Mrs Roberts for making the trip possible - her planning and hard work for it was years in the making. Thank you also to Mrs Morice and Mr Plant for their organisation and support.

Lucy Gee-Taylor Year 13, Full Boarder Tell us a about yourself.

A. I didn’t find the change difficult at all. Yes, the classrooms are really different, but the girls were so welcoming it felt as though I had been here since Year 7.

A. I have been at Woodford for eighteen months, I started in Year 12. I come from a little farming community called Rangiwhaea in the Manawatu. I ride horses and motorbikes. I am a real rural girl.

If you were able to turn back time and talk to Year 8 Lucy, what would you tell her?

Why did you choose Woodford House?

Homerooms are relatively new to Woodford House, how do you find them?

A. The education was the big one for me. In my previous school I wasn’t achieving well and I felt that I needed a change before going on to tertiary study. I looked at about five different schools but decided on Woodford House. What has changed since joining Woodford House? A. I felt that the teachers are really willing to teach me, they are focused on all of the girls achieving, not just those at the excellence level. The teachers here really believe in me. With the belief of the teachers and of the girls, I now have belief in myself. I feel I can achieve more now than I ever could before. When I look at my results, I can see a huge difference; NCEA Standards that were once Not Achieved are turning into Merits. What was the hardest thing about changing schools?

A. Just to do your best in everything you do and not to worry about what other people think.

A. It is quite good because we are relating to the younger year groups; instead of being separated into our year groups we get to mix with the other girls. I think it would be really good for younger or new girls. What are your goals for next year? A. I plan to take a gap year and head to the United States where I want to ride horses for six months then ski instruct for six months. After this, I will have a clearer idea of what I would like to do in the way of further study. My goal is to leave here with Level 3 and University Entrance; this would not have been my goal in Year 11. In Year 11 I would look for the easy way of passing NCEA and took lots of Unit Standards, now I take the harder road. I am a different Lucy now. Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 9

Student-led Chapel Services Embrace 20/20 Vision

FAMILY FOCUSED

BY ANDREA JACKSON, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING COORDINATOR

Bronze at Big Sing BY JOSEPHINE CARPENTER, DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS

It began with 9000 student singers from around New Zealand and culminated with 24 choirs of 860 students in Dunedin for The Big Sing Finale. There was no choir more thrilled and awed to receive an invitation to compete at the national event than our Chapel Choir. It signalled that their pursuit of excellence, the ambitious choice of repertoire and their dedication to hard work had paid off – they had reached a national standard. It was an achievement the whole school community were excited about as it had been 17 years since our Chapel Choir had been to a finale and coincidentally the last time was also in Dunedin. It also turned out to be a test of resilience. Most of the girls were also in the Disney Lion King Jr production and more than half of them fell ill with the gastro bug that hit Havelock North. The need to recover, the closure of the school and the postponement of our final Lion King performance meant

that precious rehearsal time leading up to the event was lost. There were major logistics to be organised to

get 19 girls and staff to Dunedin and a big thank you to the Woodford community for your support with this. After the first day at the finale, held at the Dunedin Town Hall, we soon realised that this was the big league. We were from the smallest school in the event with one of the smallest choirs and all the others were regular attenders at this level. As an example, the choir that won the Platinum Award was from Westlake Girls’ and Boys’ Schools with a combined school roll of more than 4000 students. Following a rehearsal and sound check, the girls were nervous as they waited backstage for their first recital of three songs, which they performed beautifully. There were a number of highlights, including singing the national anthem with 1000 other singers accompanied by the enormous Town Hall pipe organ, visiting Baldwin St, the steepest street in the world, and a visit to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory where we sung at the top of the purple silo. During their time in Dunedin, the girls also visited Otago University’s Music Department where they met professors and lecturers, and were treated to a range of

performances by some talented students. The girls were buzzing with the possibilities of continuing their love of music beyond school. Throughout the competition we were marvelled with the standard of choral work and the variety of music and instruments, from electronic to accompaniments with wine glasses and the pipe organ. In addition, more than 15 different languages, including Maori and Pacifica, were sung throughout the competition. The girls were excited to see our Principal, Mrs Julie Peterson, who came especially to the Gala along with a number of their parents. The piece chosen by the three adjudicators for our choir to perform at the Gala was Tree of Life, which was commissioned by the Old Girls’ Association for the choir in 2015 and composed by David Hamilton. They performed this perfectly to a full Town Hall. The announcement that the choir had been awarded Bronze was a thrill and a welldeserved accolade for the girls and Ms Tess Tobin, their talented Director. The power of a shared experience, the joy of music, an insight into the national standard and a lesson in resilience – these are just some of the lasting memories of The Big Sing Finale 2016.

Girls join in the Echo Mime with Samantha Walsh and Imogen Mickleson Insults are being hurled from the pulpit during an argument between Year 10 students, Sarah Kean and Lily Brittin. “You make me so angry, you little upstart,” Lily says. “Sounds to me like you’re jealous,” Sarah retorts. A packed Chapel of students listen intently, wondering what might happen next. The girls are acting out a play Who did you say was lost? by Rina Wintour, based on the biblical story, The Prodigal Son (John 15:1-3, 11-32) as part of their student-led Chapel service. Earlier on, Year 12 student Samantha Walsh and Year 13 student Imogen Mickleson performed an Echo Mime as a precursor to the play. Enthusiastic gestures ensued with crossing arms, thumbs-up, snatching, giving, fist pump, hands up, head down and hands together pleading. The girls in the audience were caught up in the flurry of activity trying to follow along in time. This is the first service that follows a new format where girls base their student-led Chapel service on one of the four strategic priorities - Learner Centred, Family Focused, Forward Thinking and Securing our Future. Wallingford (WHM) House were the first group, and they chose to base their service on a Family Focused theme. Throughout the next year, each House will explore the four strategic priorities on a rotational basis.


The idea was developed following a staffroom conversation between School Chaplain, Reverend Joy Hamilton-Jones and Head of Physical Education, Charissa Barham to envisage a creative way for our girls to bring the School’s priorities to life. Echo Mimes are often performed at studentled services, where stories from scripture are supported by the girls miming at the front of the Chapel. These have been introduced by Reverend Joy over the past three years. The girls’ actions create a contagious excitement as the student audience joins in by miming along. This innovative approach by Reverend Joy plays to the girls’ strengths by using their speech and drama talents. “It excites me to see that the girls enjoy taking an active part in these services. It creates a buzz because everyone gets involved,” Reverend Joy says. This new style of student-led Chapel service was introduced to the girls by Principal Julie Peterson at the end of Term 1. Mrs Peterson held up the Holy Bible describing it as the bestselling book in the world, powerful words that captivated the students. “All of the advice we need is in this book,” Mrs Peterson said. The Holy Bible is about love – 66 books written by 40 different authors. The number four being significant as the number of strategic priorities set out in the Woodford House Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan brings us full circle and refocuses our vision on the key areas that have always been sacred to our special

school. Woodford House girls have been living these values since the School began. Founder Mabel Annie Hodge poured hours of her time and energy into forward thinking and securing the future of the School. The inaugural students relished their opportunities to learn and supported each other through thick and thin. Student-led Chapel services are all about supporting each other. Reverend Joy sees these services as an opportunity for the girls to gain confidence. She says it can be a juggling act when trying to give every girl a part to play in Chapel services as some girls require a little more encouragement than others. “Girls can be very nervous during our Chapel practices, but it always impresses me how the girls give their very best, which brings the service together on the day.” She says the girls get involved at every level from the opening procession as acolytes (candle holders) and crucifer (carrying the cross) to planning and taking part in the service. The girls work together to support and encourage each other. Reverend Joy believes that focussing on our strategic priorities will enable the girls to strengthen their commitment to these values and create a framework to support personal growth. “Embedding our strategic priorities into the culture of Woodford House is a whole educative process for students and staff alike – we are all on this journey together.” Issue Two

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Case Study

FORWARD THINKING

BY MADDY THOMPSON, WOODFORD BOARDING HOUSE

Flexible Boarding for Day Girls

As a Flexi-Boarder I am able to choose what two days I stay in the boarding house. This helps when I have hockey games on Thursdays as it makes it easier for mum not having to go back and forth to pick me up when the games are late.

BY ANGE RATHBONE, DIRECTOR OF BOARDING

Benefits of Flexible Boarding • Increased interaction between day girls and boarders. • Provides a platform for the girls to share with each other and create a better understanding of another girl’s world. • Increases the opportunity for boarders to visit day girls at their families’ houses. • Communication between our boarder and day girl families will grow. • As relationships develop, day girls will start to spend time with our boarding families during the holidays and exeat weekends.

Woodford House has successfully launched a new boarding initiative that allows day girls to experience boarding two nights during the school week. The initiative, called Flexible Boarding, was introduced on Term 2 to help ease the pressure of busy families and girls who are involved with activities across the School’s cornerstones – academia, sport, cultural and spiritual. The Flexible Boarding experience has opened the doors for girls to build relationships within the Woodford House community while providing parents with peace of mind knowing their daughters are in a safe and comfortable environment. Sal Lowry, mother of Year 7 student Rosa Lowry, says it has been a “win-win” for her busy family.


“Flexible Boarding has suited our family so well. Rosa has loved the experience. She has made new friendships in the boarding hostel, enjoyed prep at school and generally had a ball. I have enjoyed not travelling to Havelock – less time in the car is always a bonus as I have two younger children.” Flexible Boarding has been beneficial for the girls in many ways and it has helped strengthen a sense of belonging, both in the boarding environment and at school. Year 8 student Isobel Ham, who experienced boarding in the Morea Boarding House, says she has gained key skills in self-management and relationships.

“As an only child, boarding has taught me how to live with other people, which is a skill I can use in later years,” Isobel says. “It is also easier because I live quite far away from Woodford House and waking up at 5:50am is a pain so it is nice to get some more sleep. The girls in my house have helped make Woodford life easier too as we compare notes on what uniform to wear and what to take to school that day.” This term we have welcomed 12 Flexible Boarders, including five girls who returned after experiencing boarding in Term 2.

I have got to know the boarding girls in my year group really well. Before going into boarding, I did not know who half the Year 9 girls were, and now I have had the chance to get to know them and mix with other year groups too. This year, as a Year 10 student, I am doing a course in Contemporary Issues and I am able to go to prep at least once a week which is helping me to improve in my studies. The House Supervisors and Year 12 girls are so supportive as they are there to help when you get stuck. Having breakfast and dinner at school has helped me get into a morning and afternoon routine. The boarding community at Woodford House is very welcoming and I absolutely love being a Flexi-Boarder. Issue Two

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FORWARD THINKING

Five Years From Now BY TONI DUNSTAN, DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION

Five years from now, 35 per cent of the skills that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed.

3. Creativity: As the girls produce screen prints in art class they learn and apply highly skilled and creative techniques. 4. People management: Organising Home Rooms’ Chapel services so everyone has a role is part of the girls’ weekly routine.

By 2020, the Fourth Industrial Revolution will have brought us advanced robotics and autonomous transport, artificial intelligence and machine learning, advanced materials, biotechnology and genomics. These developments will transform the way we live and the way we work. Some jobs will disappear while others will grow, and jobs that do not exist today will become commonplace. There is a level of uncertainty as we progress at such speed and it is both daunting and exciting as we are challenged to step out of our comfort zones and take risks in order to move forward successfully. Amongst the unknown is one certainty and that is that the future workforce will need to align its skillset to keep pace. A World Economic Forum report, entitled The Future of Jobs, looks at the employment, skills and workforce strategy required for the future. When looking at skills specifically it revealed that social skills such as persuasion, emotional intelligence and teaching others will be in higher demand across industries than narrow technical skills, such as programming or equipment operation and control.

5. Co-ordinating with others: Working in a group, the girls come up with products to buy, produce, market and sell at Market Day in Year 10 Business Studies. 6. Emotional intelligence: Throughout all courses and extra-curricular activities, the girls learn to recognise their own responses to stressful situations and identify strategies to help.

“In essence, technical skills will need to be supplemented with strong social and collaboration skills.” So what are the top 10 skills identified to be important in 2020 and how is a Woodford Girl gaining these crucial skills? Let’s follow a student through a potential day at Woodford House to see how these skills are encouraged: 1. Complex problem solving: In Social Studies, the girls are researching refugees. They are required to identify issues, obstacles and opportunities then develop and implement effective solutions to help recent refugee arrivals settle in the community. 2. Critical thinking: A science experiment encourages them to look at the facts and combine that with their observations to determine the validity of a hypothesis.

7. Judgment and decision making: The junior netball coach deals with a hard call during a training session. 8. Service orientation: A group of girls volunteer as bed-pushers on a Sunday morning at Hawke’s Bay Hospital as part of the Chapel team. 9. Negotiation: The boarding leaders work on a social activity with Lindisfarne and Iona students. 10. Cognitive flexibility: As a member of a debating team, girls have to develop their ability to think about multiple concepts simultaneously. Change will not wait for us so we need to be forward thinking and, as a community, committed to ensuring our girls are well prepared and equipped with skills for their futures, today.

Industrial Revolutions

Developing as people as well as athletes BY CHRIS MCIVOR

Four years ago I was awarded a New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council (NZSSSC) Scholarship to visit Maribyrnong Sports Academy in Melbourne. This academy was a state-funded initiative where students mixed training in state-of-the-art facilities with everyday classes at a school next door. During my time at Maribyrnong Sports Academy I observed smiling athletes who enjoyed interacting, feeding off each other and driving each other to be better athletes and better people. Everyday courses such as mathematics and English were mixed with strength and conditioning, leadership, sport specific training and life skills. Athletes were from all walks of life, not just the medal prospects. In 2014, I launched the first Sports Academy at Woodford House. It began with 15 students and now has 40 dedicated and committed students. While I am yet to break into the mainstream school day, I have created an environment where students are driving each other to success.

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Water and steam power are used to mechanise production.

Electric power creates and allows production on mass scales.

Electronics and information technology automate production.

The digital revolution blurs the lines between physical, digital, and biological spheres.


At first, the focus was just about sport, but now we have grown to focus on leadership and service. We are not only producing good sportspeople but good people too. We have many prefects and community volunteers within the Sports Academy. Sport is the vehicle for many of us, it certainly was for me, and I want to ensure our young people receive all the help they can get, whether they are nationally ranked

or simply have a willingness to work hard. Last term, the Woodford House Sports Academy shared their philosophy and expertise with students from across Hawke’s Bay through a Growing Athletes event and a School Holiday Programme. The inaugural Growing Athletes event was an initiative to bring young athletes together for a series of engaging presentations on mental skills, strength and conditioning, nutrition, talent spotting, sports scholarships in the United States of America and leadership. Guest speakers, including Hawke’s Bay Magpies assistant coach Danny Lee and Hawke’s Bay Rugby Academy manager Joe Payton, NZ U20 women’s football coach Leon Birnie, Indigo Hawks veteran and academy co-head Paora Winitana, Netball NZ high performance coach Charissa Barham and recently retired All White Ben Sigmund shared stories of hard work, resilience, vision and self-belief.

The School Holiday Programme was an opportunity for Sports Academy students to put their theory into practice and give children, aged 5 to 10 years, an insight into what aids them to be successful.

The event also included presentations from Life NZ Leadership coach Robert Miller, Hawke’s Bay United strength and conditioning coach Brandon Campbell and US scholarships coordinator Katie Sleeman.

Specific code practices, fundamental skills and leadership activities were rolled up into a ball of fun giving these budding athletes an action-packed week with a clear insight into sport at Woodford House. Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 15

FORWARD THINKING

Isobel Ham, Charlotte Pettigrew-Heeps and Phoebe Burns at Radio Kidnappers.

Debating

Girls Embrace Public Speaking BY JOSEPHINE CARPENTER, DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS

Debating is a growing activity. Class debates are a feature of every English class where the girls learn the rudiments of this valuable skill. Every Year group has at least one team that debates another school in the Hawke’s Bay competition. Our Year 7 and 8 debaters are currently at the semi-final stage of the Radio Kidnappers Intermediate debating competition.

University of Waikato Mooting An exciting extension this year was the University of Waikato Mooting competition. Three senior girls, who are interested in law, embraced the challenge to prepare written and oral submissions based on a real case, using legal language and court etiquette. Claire Scannell, a lawyer from Bannister von Dadelszen Law, mentored the girls on a weekly basis leading up to their appearance in front of a judge at the Hastings District Court. Their assurance as public speakers shone through as they were able to think on their feet and answer questions from the bench. The team came through as first equal.

Community service Community Prefect Abby May has employed her public speaking skills to benefit both the community and herself over the past year. In 2015, Abby won the East Coast Regional RSA Speech Competition, which resulted in a special trip to ANZAC Day celebrations in Gallipoli. She has since shared her experience with the RSA, Rotary, Probus and many schools in the lower half of the North Island.

Cilla Hewitt, Abby May and Samantha Walsh with Claire Scannell at the University of Waikato Mooting competition.

Speaking in public is high on the list of most people’s fears. However, whether you are dealing with one person or 1000, the ability to transmit ideas in a coherent and compelling fashion is one of the most important skills you can develop. Communication is the backbone of our society. It allows us to form connections, influence decisions, and motivate change. Without communication skills, the ability to progress in the working world, and in life itself, would be nearly impossible. Feeling comfortable about sharing ideas is also closely related to self-esteem. Here at Woodford House, developing confident and competent communicators is part of the holistic package offered to every girl. In the classroom, the opportunity to share an understanding orally is regularly offered from Year 7. At senior level, NCEA credits are offered which require formal, researched presentations, and more informal discussions and debates are an integral part of everyday teaching and learning.


In Year 13, girls deliver a speech to the whole school in assembly. There is a great range of approaches to these speeches but they always contain words of wisdom or advice for the younger students and the inclusion of a quote, which upholds the Woodford House tradition. Chapel services provide every student an opportunity to lead worship with either a reading or prayers or developing a theme for the service with their class. Some senior students have also taken up the opportunity to preach. House events such as House Drama, Academic Quiz, Woodford’s got Talent and House Debates are golden opportunities for girls to try out their presentation skills to a receptive audience.

Girls are also offered public speaking classes with examinations assessed by Speech NZ.

This year, Abby represented an MP at Youth Parliament in Wellington and she came second in the National Final of the Lions Young Speechmaker Competition.

While speaking in front of peers is great practice, we encourage the girls to step outside of their comfort zone and speak in front of people they do not know and in new environments.

“Developing confident and competent communicators is part of the holistic package offered to every girl.”

Last term, some of our girls took part in the following competitions and speaking events:

Nga Manu Korero Hawke’s Bay Secondary School Speech Contest Year 13 student Kendall Grace competed in the Nga Manu Korero Hawke’s Bay Secondary School Speech Contest. The topic of her speech was “Future focused, ancestrally driven”. Kendall entered the Korimako (Senior English) section of the contest and performed a two-minute impromptu speech. Both were delivered to a large crowd and Kendall gained a third place.

Abby May

Kendall Grace

Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 17

SECURING OUR FUTURE

Hayley Bastin

Production and Design Assistant at Trelise Cooper 2006-2011

Register for 1960 -1970 Reunion Girls who started at Woodford House between 1960 and 1970 inclusive are invited to a reunion on Saturday 19 to Sunday 20 November 2016. The event on Saturday 19 November will be held at Woodford House. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and tour the School to see how much it has changed. Please contact us to make sure you are on our database: [email protected]

When Hayley Bastin was in Year 10 she bravely stood in front of her peers at Woodford House and spoke about her role model Trelise Cooper. Now the 23-year-old is working for the internationally renowned fashion designer as a Production and Design Assistant for Cooper.

Register for the reunion here: www.woodford.school.nz/reunion

During her time at Woodford House, from 2006 to 2011, Hayley was encouraged to pursue her fashion dreams and goals by teachers, friends and her mother who was a professional sewer.

Hayley has always been interested in fashion. She grew up watching her mum make dresses and received her first sewing machine at 16 years old.

News from the President Angela Henderson

Head of Change Management at Westpac 1986-1992

It is with great pleasure I announce this year’s recipient of the Woodford House Old Girls’ Tempus Award for outstanding achievement in her field: Jane Cunliffe (WH 1969-74). An outstanding New Zealander and Old Girl of Woodford House, Jane has had a high-flying international career in trade and diplomacy. Since 2015 she has been the Trade Commissioner for North and East India, and prior to this she was the Director of New Zealand Inc Relationships, based in Wellington. She has had numerous other international postings, including New York and Milan. Jane was the Head Prefect of Woodford House in 1974 and was in Rouncil House. We are truly fortunate that Jane will be with us in November for the 1960-1970 decade reunion, when we will present her with the award. If you were at school during that decade please register early for what will be a very special occasion using the link below. The Tempus Award builds pride in our school and Old Girls, and their accomplishments. Previous recipients are Dame Kate Harcourt, actor and broadcaster, and international equestrian Tiny White. Ms Susan Pattullo, WHOGA President


Angela Henderson spent a lot of her time at Woodford House on the netball court and the cricket pitch and, with her subject selection and multiple sports colours, anyone would have been right to think she went on to pursue a career in sport. But that was not the direction Angela took after leaving school. Instead, she entered into the world of business and management. So, what path did Angela follow to get to where she is now as the Head of Change Management and Enterprise Programme Management Office (EPMO) at Westpac New Zealand as well as a trustee for the Valens Group? Angela says her time at Woodford House taught her many things, the most important being resilience. “Back then Woodford was very different from the forward thinking school that it has become, and although I was not an ‘A’ student by any means, I learned that with sheer determination and by remaining true to my pathway, despite the views of others, I could succeed in life,” Angela says. Using this determination, Angela gained a University Bursary (NVQ3) and studied at Victoria University where she gained a degree in Politics and Social Policy. She then went straight into a role at New Zealand Post Electoral Enrolment. Her career took a change in direction when she moved to the United Kingdom and started by chance in project management.

She ended her time in the United Kingdom at Lloyds Banking Group as the Head of Planning and Assurance in IT. Angela says her career path was achieved through the inspiration of others. “I have met many inspiring and capable people across my career, however, my inspiration and motivation to succeed has come from my family,” she says. “From an early age both my grandfather and my father have been very encouraging, guiding and coaching me to reach my goals no matter what I wanted to do. “I have also been lucky to have great bosses and leaders who have helped me along the way and who have always let me be myself within a role.” This inspiration has led Angela to be a trustee at the Valens Group, which has been established to “educate and grow the confidence of women in organisations wanting to grow and develop into new roles”. Like most, Angela’s fondest memories of Woodford House are the time spent with friends - all of whom she still remains close to today. Angela now juggles a busy career with motherhood and wants her daughter and other young women to be able to succeed in industries that are traditionally male dominated. “There is a need for more skilled women in technology based roles. There needs to be more emphasis on mathematics and science based subjects,” she says. Her advice to today’s Woodford House girls is that “you don’t need to know what you want to do right now, just take all of the opportunities that come your way when they arise and, above all, keep learning”.

She won several major awards at regional and national competitions and in 2011 her designs secured her a place at the prestigious Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan where she worked with top designers and industry leaders.

“Woodford House also gave me the confidence to travel and meet new people, and to learn how to stand up for myself and follow my dreams.” Hayley went on to study a Bachelor of Design, majoring in fashion, at Massey University in Wellington. She graduated in 2015 with Honours. During her university holidays, Hayley would travel to Auckland for an internship at Trelise Cooper which she says was “one of the best decisions I have ever made”. “I took an internship paper in my third year and I approached Trelise Cooper’s company. That is how I started my path towards being part of the Cooper brand.” “Trelise became a role model because she isn’t afraid to design garments that were out of the box. We share similar styles. Trelise is a confident woman who isn’t afraid to go after something she wants.” Hayley encourages other students to be brave, follow the path they are interested in, and apply for as many internships as possible.

“Internships help you learn about what you do like or do not like. Working in a company is very different to the work you do while studying.” Hayley says the skills she learnt at Woodford House helped guide her towards her dream career from time management to having a strong work ethic and being a confident public speaker. “Woodford House also gave me the confidence to travel and meet new people,

and to learn how to stand up for myself and follow my dreams,” Hayley says. However, like many other Woodford House Old Girls, her fondest memories are the friendships she made during her six years at school. Hayley’s primary goal is to launch her own label in both lingerie and clothing – but not before she explores the world and works for international fashion companies, she says. Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 19

OLD GIRLS’ NEWS

Old Girl Updates Sarah Anderson (1990- 1994) was appointed Executive Director of the new University and Tertiary Sport New Zealand entity this year.

Georgina Langdale (1980-1982) has returned to New Zealand after 23 years overseas working for organisations including Kew Gardens, running a communications consultancy in London and working for the United Nations. She is now living back in Hawke’s Bay and has her own company Archeus. Cassandra McTavish (1999-2003) Left to right: Jane Perry, Kelly Ives, Emily Miller-Matcham, Belinda Averill, Suzanna Elliott, Fiona Mackenzie, Anna Bone.

Old Girls join Woodford staff It is always exciting to hear from Old Girls and discover what they have gone on to after graduating from Woodford House. We are fortunate to see some of our Old Girls every day as they are now part of our wonderful staff dedicated to ensuring future generations have the opportunity to a holistic education that encourages personal excellence, independence and global connectedness.

two children, Hannah (WH 2014-2018) now living and working with people with disabilities in Auckland and William who is an actor in Sydney. Emily Miller-Matcham (nee Miller) (WH 1992-1993). Emily is the Teacher in Charge of Curriculum Drama. She is married to Phil Matcham and they have two sons, aged 5 and 3.

Amy Nilsson (nee McAra) (1987-1992) has started up ‘Outfoxed’ in Hawke’s Bay with her husband. Outfoxed is an outdoor pursuits company offering claybird shooting, archery, golf driving, paintball, and cricket at the Clifton County Cricket Club’s ground.

Rebecca Huckle (nee Henderson) (1986-1990) has returned to Hawke’s Bay after 14 years as a project manager in London and is now the secretary for the Woodford House Old Girls’ Association. Olivia Glazebrook (2004 - 2011) is now working for Lewis Road Creamery as their Product Manager.

Marriages

has recently graduated from Massey University with a Masters in Social Anthropology with distinction. She presented her research in Sydney, Queenstown and Palmerston North to international audiences. Cassandra has also recently become a mother and will be publishing research later in the year before starting her PhD.

• Hayley Michelle Baker (WH 20002004) married Benjamin Robert Heather at the Woodford House Chapel on 9 April, 2016

Monique Brough (2002-2006)

• GIBBS, Brigit Elizabeth (nee Plummer) (WH 1948-1953). Passed away on 22 June 2016.

currently lives in Edinburgh. She is working full time in compliance for a major British company and studying part time through the University of Leicester for a Master of Museum Studies, which she will complete next month. In her spare time, she is Curatorial Intern for the Girl Museum, which is an online museum seeking to provide a forum for girls and women to have a space to discover and discuss girlhood.

Deaths It is with sadness we advise the following Old Girls have passed away. Our condolences to their families.

• IZARD, Patience (nee Holmes). Passed away in September 2015. • OLSEN, Ngaire (nee Ellingham) (WH 1944-1948). Passed away on 16 August, 2016.

Kelly Ives

Physical Education Teacher 1991-1995

What was your overall experience as a student at Woodford House? I appreciated the options that were available to students especially the sport and small academic class sizes. I loved the history and school values and what students and staff had achieved to create and maintain such an amazing environment. I also made a lot of friends from all over the country and overseas.

We are privileged to have seven Old Girls as part of our team at Woodford House, and each one brings their own unique set of skills, experience and values to the School, both in teaching and administration roles.

Fiona Mackenzie (nee Sutherland) (WH 1985 - 1988). Fiona is the Arts Co-ordinator and a Speech and Drama Teacher. She is married to Ant Mackenzie. They have two daughters who attend Woodford House, Ella is in Year 9 and Rosa is in Year 7.

Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning Dionne Thomas says when an Old Girl joins us as a staff member it acknowledges the special connection alumni have with the School.

Jane Perry (WH 1981-1985). Jane now lives in Havelock North and is a STAR-Gateway Co-ordinator, Teacher of Social Sciences and reliever at Woodford House.

“These women seamlessly embrace the present and cherish the past, often sharing anecdotes of their time at Woodford like it was just yesterday,” Dionne says.

Kelly Ives (nee Freer) (WH 1991 - 1995) Kelly works full time as a Science, Physical Education and Health teacher. She is also Frimley’s Year 7 and 8 mentor. Kelly is married to Duncan and they have four children, Harvey, 12, Madeleine, 9, Freddie, 8, and Lily, 5. They live in Havelock North where their children attend Havelock North Intermediate and Primary Schools.

I was awarded Sports Prefect for 1995 and supported our Head Prefect as we didn’t have a deputy.

Suzanna Elliot (nee Irvine) (1983-1986). Suzanna works part-time in the Administration Office at Woodford House. She returned to Hawke’s Bay after spending time on an OE, working in the travel industry in Auckland and wine industry in Hawke’s Bay. She married Duncan Elliot in 1999 and they have two sons and a daughter, all at different schools. They live in Havelock North and she recently had a great time catching up with the 1983-1987 Old Girls.

I travelled to the United Kingdom in 1996 to experience a GAP year. I worked at a prep school called Holmewood House. I then applied to Greenwich University in London where I gained an Honours degree in Physical Education and Sport Science. I worked for seven years at Sevenoaks School in Kent, which is one of the top coeducational private schools in the United Kingdom with a role of 990 students. I managed one of the girls’ boarding houses for four years as a live in member of staff.

The following Old Girls are Woodford House staff members: Anna Bone (nee Ritchie) (WH 1983 - 1988) Anna Works in the Administration Office at Woodford House, and is a trained nurse. She is married to Kim Bone and they have three children together - Henry, who is 18 years old and attends Lindisfarne College, and Hannah, 16, and Amelia, 14, who are both at Woodford House. Belinda Averill (nee Robinson) (WH 1975-1980). Belinda is now the Tauroa Dean and Teacher of Mathematics, Social Sciences and Te Reo Maori. She is married to Sam Averill. They have


• TAIKI, Kere Merehira (nee Tutaki) (WH 1982-1985). Passed away on 12 May, 2016

What was your greatest achievement while at Woodford House?

What did you do in between leaving Woodford House and returning as a teacher?

When did you come back to Woodford and why did you decide to return? I started working at Woodford House as a relief teacher in Term 4, 2014. I then became full time in Term 2, 2015. Who wouldn’t want to work here? We have a fabulous group of staff, the vibe and culture is fantastic and everyone genuinely cares about the teaching, learning and the all round experience that we are giving the students of today.

What significant changes have you noticed? The relationships between staff and students are more open and equal. There are fewer restrictions around the specific curriculum that is taught and there is a greater focus on the individual student as opposed to a collective group being taught the same way. Boarding has changed immensely. The ‘home away from home’ feeling is brilliant when you walk into the boarding houses.

If you could go back and tell the ‘student Kelly’ a message, what would it be? Study harder and try to experience everything that an education, in a school like Woodford House, has to offer. I shied away from curriculum areas like music and drama, but I wish I hadn’t. I remember having to have private lessons with our speech and drama teacher at the time I was made a prefect. This was because I lacked confidence in public speaking and needed practice in preparation for the numerous speeches I had to make in Year 13. Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 21

History Enduring Connections

OLD GIRLS’ NEWS Jane Perry

STAR-Gateway Co-ordinator and Teacher of Social Sciences

A farewell for Gaye Robertson

1981-1985

BY CHLOE JOHNSON, COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

What was your overall experience as a student at Woodford House?

What did you do in between leaving Woodford House and returning as a teacher?

What significant changes have you noticed since being back?

This new role meant Gaye could focus solely on the archives, bringing pieces of the Woodford story together while building a reputation as the face of the archives.

• Loved the environment

• Attended Otago University for seven years and graduated with a Master of Arts

• Not so strict, more permissive

• Worked in London for two years

• More open learning activities • Better relationships with teachers

• Made some lasting friends

• Completed teacher training for one year in Christchurch

• Challenging (strictness and behaviour of some girls)

• Taught at New Plymouth Girls’ High school for five years

She adopted the mission statement from The Friends’ School in Hobart, which reads: “The archives are the keeping place of our school story. This story does not just belong to us, it belonged to our forebears and it will belong to our descendants. It is not our property to do with as we like, we are trustees for those who come after us”.

• Loved the opportunities in sports, arts and house activities • Liked the tradition

What was your greatest achievement while here? • House Prefect in Form 6 (Year 12) • Head Prefect Form 7 (Year 13) • Being awarded 12 sporting colours

• Taught English and trained teachers in Japan for five years

When did you come back to Woodford and why did you decide to return?

• Less time in Chapel

• Warmer classrooms

If you could go back and tell the ‘student Jane’ a message, what would it be?

There have been many great moments for Gaye but highlights included creating the archivist role, the centennial celebrations in 1994 which included research for the school history book Beyond Blue Hills and 100 Years on the Hill in 2011, connecting with Old Girls and past staff, introducing an Old Girl Grannies’ morning tea and writing about the School’s history in publications such as In House, Tempus and Woodford Chronicle.

Be happy with who you are.

I returned in 2012 after spending five years in Japan. I was unable to get the work I wanted in Hawke’s Bay so I did relief teaching for a while. Then I managed to secure the position at Woodford House, which I really wanted as I still love the environment here.

During her 28 years, Gaye herself witnessed history in the making, including changes in the uniform, the escalation of technology, the comings and goings of students and staff and the demolition of buildings and creation of new spaces.

After 28 years as a librarian and archivist, Gaye Robertson is swapping school research and historical records for family, gardening, church archives, golf and travel as she steps into a welldeserved retirement. It is with sadness and gratitude that we farewell Gaye, but also a sense of happiness as we reflect on her time at Woodford House.

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Gaye came to Woodford House in 1989 from St Matthew’s Collegiate School in Masterton where she was a librarian. Her first job at Woodford was shared with Margaret Mackie. She later gained additional hours to include archival research and became a fulltime librarian in 1991. The Woodford House library was then tucked away at the end of a corridor at the top of the School, and a new library was under construction in a more central location. With the opening of the new library in 1990 and introduction of computers, intranet and a library database in 1991, Gaye says it was an exciting time to be there. “It was a steep learning curve for me and I loved it – it helped me to stay in tune with the digital age we are in now,” Gaye says. Gaye also became responsible for the


arrangement and description of the archives, tracking down information on Old Girls and past staff, sharing stories about Woodford House and maintaining the PastPerfect archive database. In 2001, after receiving a letter from a Brian Kipping, of Nottingham, inquiring about his Aunty who had taught at Woodford House in the late 20s and early 30s, Gaye discovered there was no record of teaching staff prior to 1959. She then set out to create a staff database including boarding, ancillary, administration, grounds and domestic staff who all contributed to life at Woodford House. Gaye says this was accomplished with help from Old Girl Anna Wood (nee Bygum) who perused through 60 years of Chronicles to find staff. After 18 years as librarian and archivist Gaye created a part-time archivist role with the support of Principal Rebecca Cody – the third out of six Principals appointed during her time at Woodford House.

She says one of the more unusual tasks was to find a home for a koiwi, a Maori skull that had been around the school for more than 70 years after girls brought it back from a trip to Waimarama Beach. “The skull was housed in the Art Room and Science labs but one of the Chapel Prefects was disturbed by the presence of it and asked for it to be removed. Various Chaplains had been unable to determine what to do with it so my mission was to dispose of it sensitively. After much research and deliberation and with the help of the Cultural Officer from the Hastings Council, the koiwi was returned to Waimarama marae with a traditional and moving ceremony. My role was certainly varied.” Principal Julie Peterson says Gaye will be deeply missed at Woodford House. “Gaye has become the face of our historic records. She has been at the helm of cherishing our past and her passion and enthusiasm for the School and all of its magnificent stories. We wish Gaye all the best for her retirement.” Gaye would like to acknowledge the invaluable help she has had from many Old Girls, in particular Jackie MacIntyre, Jude McHardy, Anna Wood, Pat Dickson and the late Audrey Kettle. Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 23

Cherishing the Past

Parents’ Association News

Top Left Photo

BY ROBYN BURNS, PRESIDENT

Back L-R: Elizabeth Harvey, Ava Bake, Alison (Chambers) Kitchin (WH 1945-1949) Megan (Symes) Harvey (WH 1954-1958) Shirley (Chambers) Wood (WH 1947-1951) Bianca Kitchin, Hannah Bone, Amelia Bone.

This year’s Winter Solstice Dinner fundraiser was a sold out event that brought people together for a social evening of delicious food, fine wine, great company and lots of bidding.

Middle L-R: Cecile (Robertson) Buchanan (WH 19621965), Jennifer (Whyte) Bate (WH 1946-1951) Ann (Stead) Bary (WH 1953-1956) Alison (McNeill) Greville (WH 1955-1959) Rosalind (Ryan) Phillips (WH 19491953) Ann (Rainbow) Ritchie (WH 1960-1962). Front L-R: Isobel Greville, Charlotte Bate, Lily Nilsson. Milly Waldin, Lucy Buchanan, Zara Waldin, Tessa Waldin. Bottom Left Photo Back L-R: Bianca Kitchin, Alison Kitchin, Shirley Wood, Zara Waldin. Front L-R Tessa Waldin, Milly Waldin. Photo 1. Cecile Buchanan with grandsaughter Lily Nilsson

Bridging the Generations BY GAYE ROBERTSON, ARCHIVIST Since 2010, we have invited Old Girl grandmothers who have granddaughters at Woodford House to a morning at school. This is a lovely opportunity for grandmothers to share stories of present and past life at Woodford House with their granddaughters. On Monday 9 May, we held the fourth grandmothers’ gathering, which was attended by the Principal Mrs Julie Peterson and nine grandmothers and their granddaughters. The gathering started with a morning tea followed by a group photograph and a delightful Chapel service led by the Year 7 and 8 girls. The Chapel service was specifically designed to talk about ‘grannies’. Some of the quotes by the girls were: “God could not be everywhere so he created grandparents.” “Grandma’s baking makes the world go round.” “A grandparent’s love is strong and deep, filled with memories to cherish and keep.”

After Chapel the grandmothers visited the boarding houses and viewed the new buildings under construction. The following Old Girl grandmothers who now have granddaughters at Woodford House were unable to attend the event:

Photo 2. Jennifer Bate with granddaughter Charlotte Bate. Photo 3. Lucy Buchanan and grandmother Ann Bary. Photo 4. Three generations, Amelia and Hannah Bone, their mother Anna (Ritchie) Bone (WH 1983-1988) who now works in the administration office and her mother Ann (Rainbow) Ritchie.

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• Judith (Nelson) Bean and granddaughter Ruby Chadd • Jenny (Norwood) Brown and granddaughter Abigail Manthel-Brown • Susan (Hartgill) McKellar granddaughter Jessie Macfarquhar

2

• Colleen (Mossman) Bull and granddaughter Tessa Wallace • Henare (Hassall) Williams and granddaughter Jemma Williams • Susanna (von Dadelszen) Grace and granddaughter Olivia Ward

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The Winter Solstice Dinner, held at Sileni Estate on Friday 17 June, was the Parents’ Association’s major fundraiser for the year. Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to catch-up with old friends, meet new ones, and spend time with like-minded parents and supporters of Woodford House. A large number of new parents and those from out of town attended the event this year, which was fantastic to see. We relocated to an offsite location, which wasn’t without challenges, but it provided the opportunity for everyone to let their hair down and the evening was a resounding success. In true Woodford House style there was great banter with Auctioneer Todd Foster working hard to keep the enthusiastic crowd in line. The event raised $15,000 and proceeds will go towards a new adventure learning playground. This ‘outdoor classroom’ is part of a wider landscape upgrade and the facility will double as a recreational area for our boarders after school. You can expect to see ropes, swinging logs and a number of obstacle challenges for everyone to enjoy. We anticipate it becoming a place for the girls to chat, a prep area, a debating chamber and a general chill-out space for the girls. Feedback has highlighted that our parents and school supporters highly value our social events and we are looking at another opportunity to get together in early November at a pre-Christmas event. A special thanks to everyone who made the Winter Solstice Dinner possible – our fabulous sponsors, MC Brent Paterson, Auctioneer Todd Foster and everyone who helped put the event together and make it a success.

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The Parents’ Association has been supporting a number of other projects including: • $1000 for Lion King make-up • $500 towards the Big Sing National Finale • Purchase of board games for boarding houses


Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 25

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Issue Two

| 2016 | Page 27

Board News BY ALISON SOUNESS AND PHIL WILLIAMS A strong theme from our community feedback during the Strategic Plan process was a desire for the girls to learn and model the ethos of service to others. If you take a glance around the school during any week you will see evidence that the ethos of service and contribution to others is alive and well at Woodford House. As ever, we are grateful for the ongoing contributions of the wider Woodford House family. Every week there are parents, Old Girls and members of the wider community who contribute positively to the School, and often for no reward except the knowledge that they are advancing our girls.

beyond. While we are proud of the academic results and being recognised as a leading girls’ school in New Zealand, it is perhaps this ethos of service that sets Woodford House apart. We continue to be grateful for the contributions that families make to the School, both in terms of expertise and financial support. One of the many ways that parents contribute is as a member of our Boards. We are delighted to welcome three new trustees to the Board of Trustees and two to the Board of Proprietors.

These contributions make Woodford House the fine school it is. Not only do they add a great deal to the School in terms of resource and expertise but, perhaps more importantly, they provide the girls with positive role models of service without expectation of personal reward.

The new Board of Trustees members are Lorna Morice, as Staff Representative, Natalie Stent, mother of Amelia Foster, and Jo Harvey, mother of Lizzie Harvey.

Our teachers and staff often work above and beyond what is expected of them, all in the spirit of contributing to the School.

Our grateful thanks to Louise MacGillivray, former Board of Trustees Chair, and Rod Miller and Murray Richardson, former Board of Trustee members, for their sterling job and service while on the Boards.

Unsurprisingly, in turn, we regularly see our girls giving their own time and energy to contribute to the School community and

The new Board of Proprietors are Lynda Croft, mother of Eva and Molly Goodisson and Andrew Ritchie, father of Emma Ritchie.

Foundation News BY SUSAN PERRY, PRESIDENT It is with immense pleasure and huge excitement that we announce the Woodford House Foundation is the recipient of a very generous donation by the Bernard Chambers Charitable Trust. Woodford House and the Foundation are humbled and grateful to be the recipients of a six figure sum. This extremely generous donation will go towards a Founders’ Room, which is part of the Woodford Block rebuild. The Bernard Chambers Founders’ Room will be a multi-purpose room at the front of the School and a focal point of the new build, where the architecture is in sympathy with what presently stands. It is envisaged the room will have a flexible seating capacity to accommodate up to 50 people. This will enable it to be a multi-purpose space for the use of staff, students, Old Girls, parents and the wider Havelock North community. We are looking forward to continuing to work with the Trustees of the Bernard Chambers Charitable Trust as we move towards the end of the build and fit out of the room. Philanthropy in its purest form is an awareness of empathy with others. The Chambers Family has shown true philanthropic generosity towards


Woodford House throughout the past 100 years. Thomas Mason Chambers gifted 20 acres of land in 1909 enabling Mabel Annie Hodge to move our school to the Hill where it currently resides. It is appropriate that now there is a Bernard Chambers Founders’ Room in appreciation and recognition of the Chambers family’s on-going commitment and passion to Woodford House. The Woodford Block rebuild has been a huge undertaking for the School. In 2010, the building failed to meet new seismic standards and as the safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount to Woodford House, the School and its Boards committed to strengthening the building, alongside several others. The Board of Proprietors saw this as an opportunity to also refresh the front of the School and provide areas that were fit for purpose. This included a new dining area with an outdoor deck, kitchen, health and wellbeing centre and laundry. Board of Proprietors Chair Phil Williams and members must be congratulated on their foresight and motivation for the future of the School in taking on this massive project.

Building a Greater Hawke’s Bay

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