News ~ Pānui

Dear HGHS Whānau

Nau mai, hoki mai ki te kura - Welcome back to school for 2026 and a warm welcome to our new students who are joining us here at Hastings Girls’ High School this year. I am hoping you have all had a wonderful summer break full of whānau gatherings, sun and laughter and that you are fully refreshed and ready to embark on a new school year.

Vision
Through knowing their story and supporting them in their learning today, our ākonga will be best prepared for their tomorrow.

As the new Principal I know you will be wondering who I am and what my vision for the school in 2026 is and will your daughter be well served. I can assure you that with the support of the wonderful staff and hard-working senior leadership team we are well placed to support your daughter as she journeys through Hastings Girls’ High School. Building on 70 years of tradition and underpinning the idea that this is a “school for all girls”. I have two aspirations for the school.

Firstly, building a robust learning foundation that sets your daughter up for success which starts with attending school regularly. This means having less than 5 days absent per term (this is one week off school). Together we need to make this an important focus, building regular attendance habits will ensure that the girls are well placed for learning success. I will be calling on all whānau to support this focus and collectively as a school community we will work towards this goal. Our attendance management plan will be available online shortly for you to refer to and digest in the coming weeks.

Secondly, encouraging and building on our academic success. With our newly appointed Learning Support Coordinator, I am looking to allocate support and extension for students who may need it. I am excited by the new scholarship programmes that are being grown at Level 3 and I am encouraged by our growing Merit and Excellence endorsements from our 2025 NCEA results. I am reminded of the significance of our School Motto - Ākina - to challenge, to strive for excellence. This support will be an individualised approach and I am looking forward to meeting with whānau and discussing what this might look like for your daughter.

Expectations
Our school values are a large part of who we are at Hastings Girls’ High School and as an old girl I am aware of how important they are in shaping our girls as they look to the future.

Whakaute: Respect, respect our staff, our environment and our students.

Pono: Integrity, always do the right thing, even when no-one is watching.

Manaakitanga: Caring for each other.

Whakawhanaungatanga: Building good relationships with staff, students, whanau and our community.

Kaitiakitanga: Looking after and valuing our traditions, our curriculum and our environment

When we are ready to learn we demonstrate our values through actions and mirror our school values. That means arriving to school on time wearing the correct uniform and adhering to the school policies on uniform, cell phones, behaviour and general conduct in our school. As a parent I would encourage you to familiarise yourself with our school policies on school
https://www.schooldocs.co.nz/Home/SchoolLogin .There is an expectation that you show up every day ready to learn and aim for excellence in your studies. You are capable of so much more than you think.

Ngā mihi nui
Mrs Lisa Akers