Term Four Week 4
Principal's Message
Kia ora e te whānau o Ngā Rau Huia o Ākina
This week has been filled with moments of celebration and reflection. Our Senior Prizegiving on Thursday evening was a beautiful occasion — a chance to honour the achievements of our students and acknowledge the hard work, determination, and courage that have shaped their journeys. My heartfelt congratulations to all of our award recipients, and to every student who has given their best this year. I also extend my sincere thanks to our staff and whānau for the aroha and support that enable our girls to shine.
On Thursday morning, we gathered for our Year 13 Leavers’ Breakfast — a special time to celebrate this remarkable group of young women as they prepare to spread their wings beyond Hastings Girls’. Each student received a personal statement from their kaiako, acknowledging their individual contributions and the legacy they leave behind. It was a morning filled with laughter, emotion, and pride.
We also held our Gateway End-of-Year Morning Tea, recognising the outstanding commitment of our students who have combined classroom learning with valuable workplace experience. Their success reflects the strength of our community partnerships and the hard work of our Gateway team, who continue to provide rich and authentic learning opportunities.
With study leave now underway, we wish our seniors all the best as they prepare for their NCEA external examinations. Tutorials and revision sessions continue to be available — please encourage your daughters to take full advantage of these opportunities.
The weather has been glorious, and it’s been lovely to see students enjoying the sunshine during breaks. As we head into the final weeks of the term, our expectations remain high for our juniors. The Kawa o te Kura and Kawa o te Akomanga continue to guide how we learn, behave, and interact with one another — showing respect, taking responsibility, and demonstrating pride in who we are as Ngā Rau Huia o Ākina.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our juniors in the weeks ahead.
Ngā mihi nui
Catherine Bentley
Good Luck to Our Senior Students!
We want to send a huge message of good luck to all our seniors as they head into their upcoming external exams! We know how much preparation you've put in, and we're so proud of your dedication.
Exam Day Logistics - What You Need to Know
To ensure a smooth exam period, please remember these important details:
Read Your Information Carefully: Please thoroughly review the exam information you received from your Ākina Coach. This document contains essential rules and instructions.
Arrival Time and Location: On the day of your exam, you must report to the outside space between the 20s and 30s by the time indicated on your personal exam slip. Being on time is crucial!
See below attached Exam Timetable.
Important Information for Y13s
Important Heads-Up: Saving Your School Account Data
As the year winds down for seniors students, we have an important reminder about your school google account.
Please be aware that all student school accounts will be deactivated around mid-December. This means that if you have any work, important files, or memorable information stored in your school account that you want to keep, you need to copy it across to a personal account right away. Don't wait until the last minute!
It's also crucial to update your NZQA profile now. If you used your school email address for your NZQA account, you must change it to a personal email address ASAP. After the mid-December cut-off, your school email won't be accessible, and you won't be able to retrieve vital NZQA updates or information.
Keeping Our School Community Safe from Measles
Health New Zealand has alerted schools to an escalating national risk of measles, following confirmation of 13 new cases since 20 October. Measles is now circulating in Northland, Auckland, Manawatū, Nelson, and Wellington, with further cases expected across Aotearoa.
This is a concern for schools, as measles can spread rapidly in education settings. New Zealand’s low immunisation rates mean our communities are more vulnerable when outbreaks occur.
What to watch for:
Measles usually starts with a fever, cough, runny nose, and sore eyes, followed by a blotchy rash that appears a few days later.
If you or your child develop symptoms, stay at home and call your GP or Healthline (0800 611 116) for advice. Anyone exposed to a confirmed case will be advised by Health New Zealand about isolation requirements and when it’s safe to return to school or work.
Immunity and vaccination:
People are considered immune if they’ve had two doses of the measles vaccine (from 12 months of age) or have previously had measles.
Anyone born between 1969 and 2004 may have only received one dose and might not be fully protected — it’s safe to get an extra dose.
You can:
Check your family’s immunisation status through My Health Record – Health New Zealand
Book a free vaccine online or by calling the Vaccination Helpline (0800 28 29 26)
For more information:
Together, we can help keep our students, staff, and whānau safe.
A massive shout-out and thank you to our incredible Junior Leaders!
This morning, this fantastic group worked hard to clear the Hall and get it perfectly set up as our dedicated examination centre. It was a big job, and they tackled it with efficiency and enthusiasm! Their effort ensures that our senior students have a calm and organised space for their upcoming exams. We truly appreciate their leadership and commitment to supporting the entire school community. Great job, team!
Congratulations Mr Gardner
A huge congratulations to Kaiako of Year 12 Business Studies Stephen Gardner, awarded the YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) Teacher of the Year for Hawke's Bay at the recent regional awards.
Running the YES programme as part of the core class provides his students with multiple opportunities to have an authentic experience of what it is like to plan, pitch, produce and sell a product out into the local community.
Stephen has worked tirelessly to ensure that all our students are supported to explore their innovative ideas and achieve success, and is a familiar face at the local Farmers market. Young Enterprise acknowledged that not only is he there supporting our students, he is there championing all students and on hand helping wherever assistance was needed.
Thank you for all the guidance and inspiration provided to our ākonga.
A Celebration of Academic Innovation!
We are incredibly proud to congratulate our Year 12 high-achievers, Kanishka Pokhriyal and Seneesa Lamahewa, on securing highly-competitive scholarships for the Hands-on Otago University Experience in January 2026.
This is a massive achievement—they were successful amongst over 1000 applicants! This scholarship ensures a fully funded, week-long immersion in university life at the University of Otago, where they will live in the halls of residence and explore their chosen subject areas through specialist workshops.
Congratulations, girls!
100% Superstars
We would like to congratulate our latest 100% Superstars! This group of outstanding ākonga has demonstrated incredible commitment and application to their learning journey—a fantastic example of the innovative drive we champion at our school.
Your daily effort is paying off, and we are delighted to reward your focus with a well-deserved Sushi Club voucher. Well done Bailey, Lainey, Iesha and Khaji.
Important Dates
Monday 3 November
Year 10 Self Defense Classes
Conservation clean up at Te Mata Peak
Tuesday 4 November
NCEA External Exams
Thursday 6 November
Year 9 Outdoors Elective Peak Walk
Friday 7 November
Year 10 Outdoors Hub Tutira Challenge
Ahuriri Beach and BBQ Day for Regional International Students
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Monday 10 November
NCEA External Exams
Tuesday 11 November
Gisborne Girls' High Junior Sports Exchange
Junior Leaders at Frimley School
Wednesday 12 November
Year 10 Outdoors Hub - River Day
Thursday 13 November
Year 9 Creative World Hub - Art Trip to Napier
Friday 14 November
Teacher Only Day
School Calendar
A key change this term is that our senior students are now on study leave, dedicating this time to final preparations for their upcoming exams. We wish them all the very best with their studies!
We're also looking forward to celebrating the achievements of our junior students. Please keep an eye on our pānui and social media for information about upcoming prizegivings and end-of-year events.
School Calendar Link
Menu for Week 5
