September 2026 Edition

View this email in your browser >

Newsletter Week 8 Term 3

Hastings Christian School

9 September 2026

From the Principal

The poet Steve Turner once said, “History repeats itself; it has to, no one listens.” While that may be true for many, I trust this won’t be said of the primary and intermediate students at HCS who were given a great opportunity to learn lessons from the period when Rome ruled the world. Last week’s annual Festival of the Ages theme provided many rich learning opportunities, culminating in students dressing up as characters from that era.

I loved what Jonathan Marinus, the Primary Assistant Principal, shared with the students and parents who attended the parade: everything we have and are, we owe to those who have gone before. For this reason, it is incumbent upon us to learn about people and events—both good and bad—as who we are is deeply shaped by them.

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses repeatedly tells God’s people to remember—not merely so they can pass a history test, but so that remembering God’s past works shapes how they live in the present. Over the course of the week, students learned lessons such as:

History is His story: God doesn’t merely intervene in history occasionally; He is Lord over history itself. As Ephesians 1:11 says, God works all things according to the counsel of His will.

The Romans were powerful, but they weren’t sovereign: Proverbs 21:1 states, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.” I love the opening lyrics of the song Ancient of Days, which say: "Though the nations rage, kingdoms rise and fall, there is still one King reigning over all. So I will not fear, for this truth remains, that my God is the Ancient of Days." I am also amazed by the account in Luke 2:1–7, where Caesar Augustus issued a decree that resulted in Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem, fulfilling God’s purposes concerning the birthplace of the Messiah. It is incredible to consider that this was the period God chose to reveal Himself to us in the person of His Son, Jesus.

Other lessons the students were encouraged to reflect on included:

The faithfulness of God
The consequences of sin and the recurring patterns of human behavior
The development of ideas and cultures
The blessings and dangers of technology and power

In addressing the primary staff, Jonathan Marinus put it well: “My greatest hope is that we gave the students some salt and made them thirsty to learn more about the past! This is one of the most important gifts we can give our students—a thirst for learning and growth.”

Thank you to all the parents and staff who helped make this such a memorable experience for the children.

Gavin Clark

Principal

Introducing the Hastings Christian School Song:

At the senior school assembly this morning, the Proprietors were delighted to speak to an idea that has been on our hearts for a while: a school song. We wished to create a lasting legacy for current and future generations of Hastings Christian School students. Named “The HCS Way,” the words of the song capture the three key values at the heart of our school: Honouring God, Caring for Others and Striving for Excellence. Our aim was to strengthen our sense of belonging, school identity and community, while glorifying God and reflecting on the above Christian values that are interwoven throughout all aspects of HCS curriculum and life.

We are incredibly grateful for the time and talent of Esther Verbokkem (one of the music lesson tutors many of you and your children will know). She thoughtfully and intentionally developed the lyrics and wrote a brand-new piece of music to suit, with support from her daughters, all HCS alumni. Thank you also to Mrs Coates for her work teaching the school choir this song for debut this morning!

Our hope and prayer is for The HCS Way to become an integrated part of future HCS life, being sung together at school assemblies, and formal events such as prizegiving and celebration services. We encourage all students and families to learn the song and join in together as we sing it. The lyrics are below and we will work on sharing a recording of the words to the music shortly.

The HCS Way

Verse 1

God our foundation in Him we stand strong

Praise Him together with voices in song

He has established us firmly in place

Thank you O Lord for your unending grace.

Chorus

Honouring God, caring for others, truthful in all that we do

Help us to live out our lives pleasing you, striving for excellence daily in

all that we do.

Verse 2

Beauty astounds in the world You have made

All of creation around us displayed

Mountains and valleys the sun sand and sea

Greatest of all is that Jesus loves me.

Chorus

Verse 3

His word gives guidance for life every day

Wisdom and knowledge to guide on our way

Teach us discernment Lord help us endure

Faith in our great God will keep our path sure.

Chorus

Benchmark Exams

Senior students in year 11-13 will have their benchmark exams during the last week of term (21-25 September). The schedule for these exams will be published soon.

2027 Course Information

The 2027 Course Information Booklet was given out to year 10-12 students last week with information about choosing their subjects for next year. Please review this booklet with your child to discuss their interests, academic goals, and subject choices. Completed return forms must be submitted to the school office by Wednesday, 16 September.

WANTED: Reader/Writer Volunteers for School Examinations

Mrs Smith would like to hear from anyone interested in working as a reader/writer for the school's Benchmark Examinations during the last week of this term (21–25 September).

Depending on the student, you may be required to read the activity brief or questions, type for the student, or both. While reader/writers need to be familiar with subject-specific vocabulary, expertise in the subject matter itself is not required, and full training will be provided.

If you are able to assist, please contact Anna Smith on 021 528 786 or email a.smith@hcs.school.nz

If you enjoy doing it, there will also be paid opportunities to assist with the National Examinations taking place on various days between 10 November and 4 December.

HCS Board Meeting

The HCS Board will meet this coming Monday 14th September at 7:00pm in the staffroom.

Terms notice for withdrawal

As we continue planning for staffing, class placements, and resources for upcoming terms, we kindly remind all families that one full term’s notice is required if you intend to withdraw your child from school.

If your family is considering a change of school, moving away, or any other circumstance that may affect your child’s enrolment, please notify the Enrolment Officer (enrol@hcs.school.nz) in writing as early as possible - even if still in the planning stages.

Where less than one term’s notice is given, families may still be responsible for fees or charges in lieu of notice, in accordance with the school’s enrolment agreement.

Primary Term 4 Sport Registrations

Registrations are now open for term 4. Further information about each sport is provided on the registration form. If your child is interested in participating in a summer sport next term, please complete the form by Tuesday 22 September. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Mrs Nadia Saathof at n.saathof@hcs.school.nz.

Primary Term 4 Sport Registrations

House Picnic and Mufti Day – Friday 18 September

Our final House event for the year will be an all-in House Picnic on Friday 18 September. Students should bring their usual lunch from home and will gather with their House to enjoy some food, fun and time together.

The same day will also be a gold coin mufti day, raising funds for our Junior High Volleyball A Team as they prepare to attend their national tournament in Term 4. Students are welcome to get into the House spirit by wearing their House colours for mufti if they wish.

Please pray with us for some great picnic weather!

Market Day

Thank you for supporting the Y10 market day today. The students had a lot of fun playing the carnival games at lunchtime!

Netball Tournament

Last week our senior netball team attended the Lower North Island Secondary Schools Tournament in Wellington. This proved to be an test of resilience and heart for the girls, who faced adversity long before the opening whistle even blew. A string of sudden illnesses and injuries left the squad depleted, forcing them to take the court without a full team for their initial matches. The girls rose to the challenge and were bolstered by some team mates arriving during the week. The team ended the week with a number of game wins. Thank you to Mrs Haakma & Mrs Heeringa for accompanying the team for the week.

Support Our Volleyball Team on Their Journey to Nationals

Our school volleyball team is heading to Nationals in November this year, and we are seeking support from local businesses and members of our school community.

Sponsorship will help reduce the cost of transport, accommodation, tournament fees and other essential expenses, making this wonderful experience more affordable for our players and their families.

We are offering the following sponsorship options:

$750 – Major Sponsor: A large logo on the front of the team’s warm-up shirts
$500 – Supporting Sponsor: A logo on the back of the shirts, with space available for four sponsors
$200 – Sleeve Sponsor: A logo displayed on a shirt sleeve

Sponsors will also receive recognition and advertising in the school newsletter, along with the opportunity for a business profile or feature in a future newsletter.

The boys will wear their sponsored shirts throughout the Term 4 volleyball season as well as at Nationals, providing valuable exposure for the businesses supporting them.

We would also be extremely grateful for any businesses, families or members of our community who would simply like to make a donation towards the team. Every contribution, regardless of its size, will help.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our boys to represent and promote our school, demonstrating what a small school like ours can achieve on a national stage. We also hope their journey will blaze a trail for future school volleyball teams and inspire our younger players to keep going and set their sights on achieving the same.

All sponsorship payments will be invoiced through the school and treated as marketing and advertising.

If your business would like to sponsor or donate to the team, please contact Kelly Fenwick at kelfenwick@gmail.com or 021 081 52254.

Thank you for helping our boys represent our school at Nationals!

Student Achievements

Lily Fothergill (Y11) - On the weekend of the 30th of August Lily was in Auckland at the National Fencing Secondary Schools Champs where she came 7th winning her first match 15-1 and captaining her team to second place, winning a silver medal. Well done Lily!

Spelling Bee Competition

Our Spelling Bee winning streak continues! Last Thursday at Toitoi, Year 10 students Micayla Gibbley, Ohunayo Faboyede, Ashley Anish, and Heidi Bull proudly represented our school, competing with impressive confidence against Iona College, Lindisfarne College, and Totara College. As the rounds grew increasingly challenging and the pressure built, our team stayed focused. Eventually, the final two contestants standing were our very own Ashley Anish and Heidi Bull! A massive congratulations to all four students for their hard work and remarkable achievements. We wish Ashley and Heidi the absolute best as they head to Wellington at the end of October to compete in the national final!