Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School

Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School (commonly known as PNINS - said PIN-INS) is a state coeducational intermediate school for year seven and year eight, boys and girls located in the central area of Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Students are placed in a composite class on the first day of Year 7 where they will remain for the two years of their time at the school. As of 2013, there is now a quite high chance of moving teams/classes at the end of the year.

Sports Exchange

The school has an annual sports exchange with Hawera Intermediate school and an annual performing arts exchange with Taradale Intermediate school.

PNINS are also a regular participant at the AIMS Games in Tauranga each year.

Sports

PNINS has a compulsory Cross Country event, Athletics day and Swimming Sports (which are held at the school pool and/or the Lido Aquatic Centre), which are held once every year.

Some of the more popular sports played at the school are Football, Basketball, Rugby union, Netball and Hockey.

At lunch students commonly play Handball and Kickball using the courts and nets provided.

History

The school was founded in 1941.^[2]

The building was used as a military hospital in World War II for wounded soldiers. And many of the doors in the main building were double hinged to allow stretchers to be transported more easily, most still remain.

Aim

The school's goal is to prepare students for their secondary education.

Teams

The school is composed of six teams that are denoted by groups of classrooms. Each team having either 3 or 4 classes. The teams are:

• Arataki - Path to Knowledge (Red) - Rooms 1-4
• Ikatere - Fast Fish (Purple) - Rooms 5-7
• Rangitane - Local Māori tribe (Yellow) - Rooms - 12-15
• Tangaroa - Sea God (Green) - Rooms - 22-25
• Kahukura - Rainbow (Orange) - Rooms - 26, 27, 29 and 33
• Manawanui - Strong Hearted (Blue) - Rooms - 34-37

Log Book

Students are given a log book at the beginning of each year with their stationary. The purpose is for students to write down homework or notes to remember (eg. what day of the timetable it is). Also it is a way for parents to communicate to teachers and vice-versa.

Blue Badges

Blue Badges is a scheme that was introduced in 2004. Every year students receive four pieces of paper. On these are the criteria required to receive a blue badge. Students must tick four boxes of criteria in order to receive the badge in a "Blue Badge assembly", which are held throughout the year. It is not compulsory to get a blue badge but there are very few students who choose not to strive to achieve them. When students receive a blue badge it is to be sewn under the school logo on the school jersey (Order does not matter).

The four blue badges currently available are:

• Academic
• Citizenship
• Performing Art(s)
• Sport(s)

Timetable

The school runs on a six day timetable, each team has a different activity(es) each day. For example: Arataki could have Team Sport (which happens after lunch) on a Day 1, while Manawanui could have Team Singing (also known as Team Music). Friday's are not part of the six day timetable.

Activities are:

• Team Sport - Generally the students team is divided into at least 2 groups and will play a game or sport and most of the time swap to another game about half way through.

• Team Singing - Whole team assembles in Te Tihi (Auditorium) and Mr. Jones (the music teacher) will play songs on a piano and the team is expected to sing. Songs sung are generally current, easy and fun to sing.

• Nga Tohunga - Technology day, students par take in a range of technologies offered by the school. This also runs on a cycle so every student gets to try everything offered.

• Library - Students spend about an hour at the Library, opportunities to issue books and read during class time. Classes spread out times in the Library. eg. Room 14 could be in before interval and Room 12 could be in after lunch.

• Gym - Classes have about an hour in the gym. Up to the Teacher to decide what the class will do.

• Day 0 - Every Friday is a Day 0. Anything available can happen on this day.

• Day 5 - Often called a 'nothing day'. Like Day 0 anything can happen on this day.

School magazine

Every year since at least 2011, the school organizes a committee of both students and teachers (known as the yearbook team) to design, print and publish the "Yearbook". Every class have their own page in the book which always has the class photo taken at the beginning of the year, every year can change so class pages may have all sorts of content. Every team gets a page to signal their section of the book, which can have photos or text from every class in that team. There are also pages on featured events during the year.

There are about 500 copies printed each year, which means not every student receives one. "First in, first serve". Books are sold for either $15 or $20 NZD and can be purchased at the school library during school hours.

75th Jubilee

On April 8th and 9th of 2016 PNINS will host their 75th jubilee.

Notable students

• Trevor de Cleene (1933–2001), former MP representing Palmerston North^[3]
• Kayla Sharland, former Black Sticks captain, married to George Whitelock. (See below)
• Levi Sherwood, Freestyle motocross rider
• Sam Whitelock, All Black
• Nick Wilson, Men's Black Stick
• Aaron Cruden, All Black
• Luke Whitelock, All Black
• George Whitelock, All Black
• Adam Milne, Black Cap
• Alex Rufer, Wellington Phoenix Football Team
• Jacob Oram, Black Cap
• Emily Naylor, Black Stick
• John Clarke, Comedian sometimes known as Fred Dagg

References