News ~ Pānui

Kia ora e te whānau,

This week we reach the end of our benchmark examinations, an important step in preparing our senior students for NCEA later in the year. These assessments provide valuable feedback for both students and staff, helping us identify strengths and areas to focus on as we head towards external examinations. We are proud of the way our students approached this challenge and encourage them to take some time to reflect on their results and set clear goals for Term 4.

Our winter sports season is also drawing to a close. It has been another busy and successful season, and I want to acknowledge the effort and commitment of our athletes, coaches, and managers who have given countless hours in support of our teams. Sport is such a vital part of school life, teaching teamwork, resilience, and perseverance. A special mention must go to our Senior Netball team, who travel this week to represent HGHS-NRHOA at the Lower North Island Secondary Schools competition. We wish them every success as they take the court against some of the best teams in the region.

This week we also celebrated both Tongan Language Week and Filipino Language Week. It was wonderful to see our ākonga proudly wearing traditional Tongan dress and sharing their culture and language with us. Alongside this, our Filipino students hosted vibrant lunchtime festivities filled with food, games, and dance. These moments remind us of the richness and diversity of our kura, and the strength we gain from celebrating each other’s identities and stories.

Our Japanese visitors also made the most of the PPTA strike day by heading out to enjoy the sights and sounds of our beautiful region. Their time with us has been a valuable cultural exchange, with opportunities for our students to share their own experiences of life in Aotearoa while learning more about Japanese culture.

This week also marked the first meeting of our new Board of Trustees. It was a pleasure to welcome our new members and begin working together to ensure we continue to grow and strengthen our kura. The Board plays a vital role in guiding our vision and direction, and we are grateful for their service and commitment to our ākonga.

Finally, we extend a huge congratulations to our Dance NZ Made dance crew, who were crowned winners of the regional competition. Their creativity, discipline, and teamwork were outstanding and a credit to both themselves and our kura. We look forward to seeing them shine once again as they step onto the national stage in Palmerston North in just a few weeks’ time.

As we wrap up the week, I encourage all our students to find balance — to keep striving for their goals while also making time to rest, recharge, and look after their wellbeing. Together, we can finish this term with energy, pride, and positivity.

Ngā manaakitanga,