Term Three Week 2

Open Evening is nearly here, and we can’t wait to welcome you.

Our Open Evening on Thursday 6 August at 5:30pm is one of my favourite moments in the school year, a chance for our community to come together and truly feel what makes Hastings Girls’ High School special. HGHS is a place for all girls, where girls learn as girls, where they are seen, supported, and encouraged to shine in their own way.

Our staff and students are preparing a warm, vibrant showcase of the learning, sports, arts, and cultural opportunities that shape life at HGHS. If you are exploring a school where your daughter will be supported to grow, flourish, and feel at home, I would love you to join us. Come and see what’s new, what we value, and how we walk alongside our girls throughout their journey.

As a new Principal, and an Old Girl returning home, I am especially excited to meet you, hear your hopes for your daughter, and talk about how we can support her. If you are an Old Girl too, please come and say hello. Our senior leadership team will also be available to answer any questions.

This week we announced the return of the combined HGHS & HBHS Senior Ball, along with a combined Junior Social later in the term.

Our Deputy Principal, Emma Jensen, and I met with our senior girls to talk about the significance of the Ball on 10 September, a milestone that signals to whānau and staff that they are stepping into adulthood. We encouraged them to lean into our school values, to model them proudly, and to enjoy a beautiful evening together.

A letter will be emailed home outlining expectations. We want to acknowledge the many girls who consistently make great choices, attend classes, and commit to their learning. To attend the Ball, students will need 85%+ attendance and no significant pastoral concerns. Emma and our Deans will be in touch if any follow‑up is needed.

Our junior students have had a similar conversation about expectations and values ahead of their social on 24 September (Week 10). Staff and senior leaders will be there to support them, and we’re looking forward to a fun, positive evening.

I am genuinely excited for both events, moments where our girls can enjoy themselves in a safe, joyful, and supportive environment. These occasions remind us of the strength of our community and the pride we have in our young women.

Ngā mihi nui
Lisa Akers
Principal

One of the things I love most about working in pastoral care is seeing our students create lasting memories together. School isn’t just about learning in the classroom; it’s also about the friendships, connections, and experiences that help shape who our young people become.

Over the coming weeks, our focus turns to two special events on the school calendar: the Senior Ball and the Junior Social. Both are wonderful opportunities for students to celebrate, connect with friends, and enjoy being part of our school community in a safe and supportive environment.

This week I met with both our senior and junior students to talk about what these events represent. We spoke about the importance of respect, kindness, inclusion, and making choices that reflect the values of our kura. These occasions are privileges that come with the responsibility of looking after ourselves, each other, and the reputation of our school.

For our senior students, the Ball is an exciting milestone as they approach the end of their secondary school journey. We are especially looking forward to welcoming our Year 12 and 13 students from Hastings Boys’ High School as our guests, creating an evening that celebrates friendship, respect, and the positive relationships between our two schools.

For our junior students, the Social is often their first school dance experience. We want it to be a fun, welcoming, and memorable evening where every student feels they belong. Over the next couple of weeks, we encourage all students to continue demonstrating excellent attendance, positive behaviour, and engagement in their learning as invitations are finalised.

We are incredibly fortunate to have students who consistently model our school values, and I look forward to celebrating alongside them at these events. Together, we’ll create memories that I hope they’ll look back on with pride for years to come.

Emma Jensen
Deputy Principal – Pastoral

It has been another busy and exciting time in Social Sciences, with our students continuing to explore the people, places, events and ideas that shape our world. Across History, Geography, Commerce, Business Studies, and Travel and Tourism, our students are developing their ability to think critically, ask questions and make sense of the world around them.

A particular highlight has been our Commerce and Business Studies Market Day. The day was a huge success, with our girls showing incredible creativity, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit. The range of products on offer was fantastic, and it was great to see students putting their learning into action as they planned, marketed and sold their products. A huge thank you to Stephen Gardner and Yuhan Liu for all their hard work in supporting the event and, of course, to our amazing students for making the day such a success. We also have our teams heading to the Farmers’ Markets in the coming weeks so look out for some of these special creations if you manage to pop in.

Our YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) Spark Tank event was another fantastic highlight. Held at Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre, the event provided our students with an opportunity to showcase their business ideas and develop their confidence as young entrepreneurs. They got to meet a variety of local entrepreneurs that gave them guidance and helped to inspire. It was a massive success and a wonderful opportunity for our students to take their learning beyond the classroom and into the real world.

Our Level 1 Geography students headed to Tongariro National Park with Mr Orr for an exciting field trip, bringing their classroom learning to life. The trip provided students with the opportunity to explore the volcanic landscape firsthand and deepen their understanding of volcanoes, volcanic processes and eruptions. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect their learning in the classroom with the real-world environment and gain valuable experience as young geographers. A big thank you to Mr Orr for organising and leading the trip.

Across the department, our students continue to engage with a wide range of topics, from exploring Aotearoa New Zealand’s history and the Treaty of Waitangi, to understanding government and politics, investigating how our economy works, and exploring the geographical and social issues that affect our communities. We are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment our students bring to Social Sciences and look forward to celebrating more of their achievements throughout the year.

At the start of the holidays, I had the awesome opportunity to attend the Whakapiki Ake M.A.S.H. programme, which gives Year 12 Māori students a chance to explore different careers in health. Over four days, we learned about various health professions, took part in hands-on activities, and connected with healthcare professionals and university students who shared their personal experiences and advice. It was an incredible way to get a real sense of what studying and working in healthcare is actually like.

The programme was held at the University of Auckland, based at Waipapa Marae. After a warm welcome onto the marae, we got settled into our groups and settled in for the four days.

My favourite part of the whole experience was getting hands-on with the practical activities and learning directly from people working in the field. Having that guidance made navigating a new and unfamiliar environment so much easier. The welcoming atmosphere made me feel comfortable asking questions, trying new things, and stepping out of my comfort zone.

Overall, I got so much out of the M.A.S.H. programme. It opened my eyes to the wide range of career options in healthcare and allowed me to build connections with other students who share the same goals. The experience really motivated me, it pushed Nursing and Pharmacy to the top of my list for future career options and gave me a much clearer picture of what university life is like.

Makayla Walsh, Year 12

Last Friday, the School Hall was transformed into a bustling hub of commerce, creativity, and incredible energy for our annual Senior Market Day. Featuring innovative products from our Year 11, 12, and 13 Business students.

From the moment the doors opened, the Hall was buzzing with excitement. It was fantastic to see a huge turnout of students, parents, and teachers all getting amongst it, supporting our young entrepreneurs, sampling delicious treats, and picking up some unique handmade goods.

Our senior students spent weeks planning, budgeting, creating, and marketing their business ventures, and their hard work truly shone through. The sheer variety of stalls was impressive.

Beyond making sales, Market Day provides our commerce students with invaluable real-world experience. They managed real money, handled customer service on their feet, adapted to supply and demand in real time, and learned the fine art of the pitch.

A massive thank you to all the parents, family members, staff, and fellow students who came along to buy, support, and cheer on our senior students. Your enthusiasm made the day an unforgettable experience for our rising young business leaders!

Our students are hoping to be at the Hastings Farmers’ Markets in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more information.

A huge shoutout to Arnika and Jasdeep for winning our 100% attendance recognition to start Term 3. Being here every day makes a huge difference – keep up the fantastic work and enjoy your delicious sushi vouchers!

We want to see everyone get involved in the action this term. Consistent attendance sets us all up for success, so let’s support each other to stay on track, build great habits, and show up strong every day!

As we head into Week 3, our winter sports season is reaching the business end, with plenty of teams battling for valuable competition points and playoff positions.

Basketball came up against a strong St Joseph’s side, narrowly falling short. Despite the loss, the team remains in a strong position for a semi-final berth in a couple of weeks.

Netball faced Central Hawke’s Bay in a must-win match to keep their semi-final hopes alive. The girls showed outstanding composure and perseverance to hold on for a well-earned 32–28 victory. Meanwhile, our Junior A team proved too strong in their clash with Junior B as they continue their push towards the finals.

Football suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Havelock North in a hard-fought contest.

Our Under 15 Girls’ Rugby team travelled to Central Hawke’s Bay College for a one-off fixture, showcasing both schools to their wider regions. The girls put in an excellent performance and came away with a fantastic win.

Hockey gets its term underway this Thursday evening with a match against Woodford, while our Badminton teams continue to compete both across the region and at home.

There is certainly plenty to look forward to over the coming weeks, and we wish all of our teams the very best as they continue their seasons.

School Calendar