News ~ Pānui

Kia ora koutou

This week we had the pleasure of welcoming our local MP, Catherine Wedd, to Hastings Girls’ High School – Ngā Rau Huia o Ākina. Catherine came to see firsthand the incredible mahi happening within our unique lunch programme. We are so proud of the high-quality kai being prepared every day for our students, especially given the tight budget constraints we are working within. Our team continues to innovate and prioritise fresh, healthy food for our young people. However, we know that with additional support, we could do even more. We are actively advocating for the government to increase the current funding from $4 to $6 per student. This would give us the ability to not only continue providing high-quality lunches but also offer kai at interval and ensure fresh fruit is readily available—something we believe every student should have access to.

I would also like to take this moment to remind all whānau to speak with their young people about social media and personal device safety. We are increasingly seeing issues arise from poor decision-making online, often resulting in hurtful and sometimes long-lasting consequences. Students should be changing their passwords regularly, never sharing this information with others, and thinking carefully before they post or share images. A simple check we encourage is: “Would I show my grandmother this?” If the answer is no, it most likely shouldn’t be taken or shared. Next term, we will invite Netsafe into our kura to speak to all students, helping them better understand the law, their responsibilities, and reinforcing good digital citizenship and healthy social media habits.

Next week, we are also looking forward to welcoming Year 8 students from a number of our contributing schools for their ‘Big Day Out.’ We feel privileged to play a part in their transition journey and to help them begin to imagine themselves in a high school setting. The day is designed to give them a taste of what secondary school life looks and feels like—from the pride we take in wearing our uniform, to the way we move around the school with purpose and respect, and the way we learn and stay focused in the classroom. These small but important experiences help students build confidence and prepare for the step up into secondary education, wherever that may be for them. We know that early exposure makes a real difference and we are excited to share a little piece of who we are with them.

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Ngā manaakitanga