Term Three Week 1
Message from the Principal
Kia ora koutou,
Welcome back to the first week of Term 3! I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable holiday. We are excited to kick off the term with some wonderful news and upcoming events.
Firstly, we are thrilled to welcome two new staff members to our team. Mrs. Nicky Blakeley joins our mathematics department, bringing her wealth of knowledge and passion for teaching. Ms. Hetty McLennan joins our Learning Support team, where she will be instrumental in providing additional assistance to our students.
We are also delighted to announce the opening of our new school tuck shop, generously donated by Streets Icecream. The tuck shop will be open during interval, and all profits will go directly into supporting our ākonga's sporting, cultural, and leadership endeavors. This is a fantastic initiative that not only provides delicious treats but also supports our students' activities.
Later this term, we will be hosting a Showcase featuring music, dance, drama, and more. This event will highlight the incredible talents of our students. More details will be shared soon.
Senior Ball tickets are now available for purchase! This event is open to all Year 12 and 13 students who are on track with their school attendance. Don’t miss out on this memorable evening – get your tickets now!
To ensure a positive learning environment, we have updated our classroom rules. Please take some time to review them with your tamariki and discuss their importance.
This week, we hosted the Educational Review Office (ERO) here to evaluate how we are performing across all aspects of the school and collaborated on our next steps. There is much to celebrate, and we recognize there will always be room for improvement and growth.
I was also invited to meet with an advisory group to the Associate Minister of Education tasked with problem-solving how we can continue to provide delicious, nutritious food for our students beyond 2024. I am thrilled that our voice is being heard at a national level, and I came away confident that we will be able to continue with lunch provision very similar to our current model.
Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen technical difficulties are Junior Reports will now be sent out early next week.
Lastly, we are excited to announce a collaborative band trip with Lindisfarne College. This will be a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their musical talents and build connections with other schools.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement with our school community. We look forward to a successful and enjoyable term ahead.
Senior Whānau Hui
The final Senior Whānau Hui will be held on Thursday 8 August from 3.30pm-6pm in the School Hall.
Booking instructions will be emailed home on Monday and we strongly encourage you to come along and talk to your students' Ākina Coach and teachers to discuss their progress towards their academic goals.
Senior reports will be sent home on Friday 2 August which will show how students are progressing and facilitate conversations about their progress and next steps to ensure they meet their academic goals in 2024.
Board of Trustees - Term 3 Policy Reviews
Kia ora koutou katoa
The Board of Trustees manages its policies via School Docs. Each term some policies are reviewed.
This term the policies being reviewed are:
Concerns and Complaints, Media, Performance Management, Professional Development, Protected Disclosure, Staff Conduct, Staff Leave (These will have a blue Review button. Review closes 27 Sept)
To contribute to the review:
Visit the website https://hastingsgirls.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
Enter the username (hastingsgirls) and password (huia).
Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
Read the policy.
Click the Start your review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
Select the reviewer type.
Enter your name (optional - but would be helpful!).
Follow the prompts to show that you've read the topic and enter your feedback if you'd like to comment.
Agree to the privacy statement and click “Submit review”.
Reviews are open to board, staff, students, and the school community (parents/caregivers/whānau). Anyone can review any policy/procedure that has a review button.
Note that after the Review closes each term we will email School Docs with any school supplied information that needs updating, and the School Docs Team will consider all the feedback and draft changes to the topics.
If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.
Ākina Group Photos
Ākina Group Photos will be next Tuesday 30 July. Please check the schedule in the school notice times. Uniform must be immaculate!
Learners License Programme
During the first week of the school break, Hastings Girls' High School launched a learner driver licensing initiative in collaboration with HB Police and Drive IQ. These programmes are pivotal for several reasons: they ensure new drivers grasp road rules, signs, and safe driving practices, thereby curbing accidents and enhancing road safety. Moreover, possessing a driver's license is often essential for many job opportunities, particularly those involving transportation or mobility. Learning to drive fosters confidence and responsibility, equipping individuals with indispensable life skills while reducing their reliance on others for transportation, thereby enhancing personal freedom and daily flexibility. Overall, such initiatives are instrumental in preparing individuals for safe and responsible driving, while also opening doors to personal and professional advancement.
Over four days, 55 students participated in the training and successfully obtained their learners' licenses, marking a commendable achievement. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Stacey and Nic from Drive IQ, as well as Constables Chris, Shay, Yvonne, and Mark for their unwavering patience, time, and dedication to our students (ākonga).
Kura Takurua
'Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi ēngari he toa takitini'
During the holidays, some of our girls were given the opportunity to be a part of Kura Takurua along with other students from other secondary schools with The Kahurangi Māori Dance Company of New Zealand. The kaupapa was Te Ao Kapa Haka. Our three participating students absolutely loved this opportunity and were asked to continue to participate in after school trainings. Kei runga noa atu koutou! Big mihi to Kahurangi for this wonderful opportunity.
Outward Bound
Annah, Maia and Ariana, all Year 12 students, had the incredible chance to participate in Outward Bound last term. Annah characterised the 21-day course as transformative, emphasising, "You learn so much, from navigation and compass reading to leadership skills!" Overall, the students cherished their experience, forging lasting friendships and memories. They encourage others to apply for the opportunity, saying personal growth and adventure are valuable outcomes.
Congratulations Tehia
During the holidays, Tehia Taylor, a Year 13 student, participated in the NZ ISA U19 Women's Softball Tournament in Australia. Her team achieved second place, earning the Silver medal after competing against the USA. Congratulations to Tehia for her five years of dedication to this competition!
Sports Update
Across Secondary Schools competitions we are again strong contenders for top honours. We have a number of teams heading into championship rounds undefeated with special mentions to our top Badminton team and Junior Kahu Basketball. This Saturday begins the final round of Netball where Senior B, Junior Kahu, and Junior Huia have their eyes set on a grand final in the Hawke's Bay Netball Premier grades.
Football and Hockey are on the final stretch of a competitive rebuilding season. Meanwhile Rugby are leading into their bid to represent the Hurricanes region at nationals. During August they have two tough clashes scheduled with St Mary’s first up followed by a seasoned Manukura squad.
In other news our “social” Junior Kiwi and Senior Tui Netball teams have been kicked out of the social grades with our Seniors now in Grade 3. While wins and higher competitions are one measure of success, the real achievements are seen in the skill development but more importantly in team bonding and confidence that brings on and off the field or court.
Next Thursday 1 August our Junior Kāhu, Huia and Korimako teams are competing at Hawke's Bay Netball's College Day. Post Netball season we are excited about the inaugural Junior Lower North Island Netball Tournament hosted in Hawke's Bay 5 & 6 September. Trial dates for this team will be announced in the coming weeks.
Next term we will be holding our Sports and Cultural Prize-giving. It is important that we include out-of-school success. Please use this form to update us on student achievements: Sports & Cultural Achievements
Finally, we cannot stress enough how vital our parents, coaches, volunteers, whānaunga, teachers in charge, and umpires are to bringing together sporting opportunities for our kōhine. Truly, we appreciate your mahi!
Sports Results
Badminton
B1 undefeated 6-0 win vs WCC
C1 undefeated Bye
C2 undefeated Bye
D1 5-1 win vs Taradale
D2 0-6 loss vs Taradale
D3 Finished season 5th place
D4 4-2
Football
1 - 10 loss vs Napier Girls High
Hockey
5-2 win vs Napier Girls Colts White
Super Secondary Netball
Senior A win 42-26 vs KKM o Kahungunu
Ākina win 29-19 vs Wairoa
Super Saturday Netball
Senior B won by default vs Iona
Senior Tui won by default vs Iona
Junior Kiwi won by default vs Tamatea
Junior Huia loss 31-20 vs NGHS 10A
Junior Kahu loss 30-27 vs NGHS 9A1
Junior Korimako postponed
University Course Planning Dates
Monday 12 August Waikato University course planning 11.15am
Tuesday 13 August Canterbury University course planning 9.45am
Wednesday 21 August Otago University course planning 1.45pm
Wednesday 28 August EIT course planning 1.45pm
Monday 16 Sept Victoria University course planning 1.45pm
Tuesday 24 Sept Massey University course planning 11.20am
School Calendar
Please keep an eye on the school calendar to ensure that students are arriving at school prepared for the day's activities. You can find the calendar in the drop down menu of our website or click on the link below
School Calendar Link
