News ~ Pānui

What an incredible Athletics Day we had. Thank you to everyone for bringing such energy, fun, and laughter to the event. It was wonderful to see students supporting one another, celebrating each other’s successes, and showing true House spirit. A special congratulations to Gold House, who took out first place in the House competition. Two standout moments from the day were the fiercely contested Haka Competition and the vibrant Holi Run, which closed the event in a burst of colour and celebration of diversity, unity and joy. A huge thank you goes to our Sports Coordinators, Finn and Fale, our dedicated teaching staff, and our hardworking, grounds, admin and kitchen teams. Your combined efforts created a day that truly reflected the strength of our school community.

Last week marked the halfway point of the term, and it has been great to see everyone settling back into the rhythm of school life and learning.

Over the past few weeks, I have been meeting with teachers to reflect on how we are living our school values. They shared that, as a school, we demonstrate manaakitanga and whakawhanaungatanga exceptionally well. There is a genuine sense of kindness and care as we move around the school, and I am incredibly proud of the way our students embody these values every day.

The values we now need to strengthen are whakaaute — respect — and what this looks like in our daily interactions. One of HGHS’s greatest strengths is our young, vibrant staff, who care deeply about our girls and their learning. Girls, you are very fortunate to have them. Treating staff with respect and kindness is our Ākina challenge for the rest of the term.

We are also focusing on pono — integrity, and doing the right thing even when no one is watching. Thank you to our senior students who represented HGHS so beautifully on a recent trip to participate in the Spark Tank 2026 Young Enterprise Scheme. They were noticed helping at the venue without being asked and showed both pono and whakaaute by wearing their uniform with pride. Each of these students received a small treat as a token of appreciation. I am very proud of the example they set for our school.

We have also reminded students about the importance of arriving on time each morning and being prompt to every class so they can make the most of their learning. I look forward to seeing this continue to improve as we move into the second half of the term.

Last week, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with an HGHS old girl, Prof Dr Kristina Laver, who was an international student from Germany in 2008. She spoke fondly of her time here, the friendships she formed, and the lasting connections she still maintains. Dr Laver shared how her exchange experience opened her eyes to the world, and how meaningful one-on-one connections with her teachers were in helping her grow academically. She is passionate about the impact of international education, and I was proud to share how our own International Department has evolved since her time here. Having international students enriches our school culture, broadens our perspectives, and strengthens our acceptance of diverse cultures. Under the dedicated care of Ms Fugle, this area of our school continues to flourish as new global connections are built.

Ngā mihi nui
Lisa Akers