News ~ Pānui

Kia ora koutou

It’s been another busy and productive week at Hastings Girls’ High School – Ngā Rau Huia o Ākina.

Our senior students are now well into their external NCEA exams, and it has been heartening to see high levels of participation across all year levels. In a national climate where student attendance and engagement remain areas of concern, we are proud of the commitment our ākonga continue to show. This is a reflection not only of their personal determination but also of the clear and consistent guidance they’ve received from teachers and whānau throughout the year. We wish them all the very best as they continue to strive for success.

This week we were delighted to host the annual Junior Sports Exchange with Gisborne Girls’ High School — a fantastic day of competition and connection. Our teams gave it their all in Volleyball, Netball, and Rugby 7s, with Gisborne taking out the overall exchange 2–1. We’re proud of the way our girls represented our kura and look forward to visiting Gisborne for the return leg next year.

Our Outdoor Education programme has also been in full swing. The Year 10 Outdoors class visited a local awa as part of their term focus on rivers and lakes — exploring where rivers begin and end, how their water quality changes, and what that means for the ecosystems they support. Students tested water at multiple sites to track purity and observe how this impacts what grows in and around the river. Next week, our Year 9 Outdoors class will head out to the Tukituki River — one of the most significant waterways in the Hastings area — to explore its recreational uses and connection to community wellbeing.

A timely reminder as we approach the summer season: there has been a measles outbreak in several parts of the country. Measles is highly contagious, and we encourage all students, staff, and whānau to check their immunisation status. Please ensure your vaccinations are up to date — it’s a small step that protects not only your whānau but also our wider school community.

Today, our staff are out across the region participating in professional learning with colleagues from other secondary schools. These regional curriculum days are a valuable opportunity to strengthen subject knowledge, share ideas, and continue building a future-focused curriculum. On Monday, our whole staff will be onsite working together on professional development aimed at strengthening our teaching practices, programmes, and outcomes for all students.

Finally, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank Deputy Principal Christian Pera, who finishes at HGHS next week to take up a new role as the founding Principal of Altum Academy in Wellington. Christian has been a member of our Senior Leadership Team for nearly six years and has made a significant contribution to our kura during that time. We wish him every success in this exciting next chapter.

Ngā manaakitanga
Catherine Bentley