July 2026 Edition

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Newsletter Week 2 Term 3

Hastings Christian School

29 July 2026

From the Principal

Anō te pai o tēnei pō, he huarahi mīharo hoki ki te whakanui i ngā menemene me ngā meko Te Kura Karaitiana o Heretaunga! What an outstanding night and a fantastic way to celebrate the different cultures at Hastings Christian School!

Thank you so much to all who attended last week’s Fia Fia celebration. It definitely lived up to its name as a time for joy and celebration!

It was lovely to see the pride, passion and joy each cultural group had in celebrating their unique distinctives. It certainly was a beautiful way to celebrate the values we hold dear of:

Whānaungatanga – belonging, tuakana/teina relationships, friendships

Kotahitanga- Unity, working together, mahi tahi, team work

Manaakitanga- Care for others, service opportunities, volunteering, taking responsibility.

A huge vote of thanks to Whaea Marie and the team of supporters that helped her. We really value all you did to help celebrate the various cultures with our school.

It was so lovely witnessing the pride, passion and joy that the students had in celebrating what makes their country of origin so special and unique.

Gavin Clark

Principal

Sports Exchange

Well done to all the secondary students who competed at the sports exchange against Cornerstone Christian School & Longburn Adventist College in Palmerston North this week. HCS was victorious and bought home the trophy! Look out for a more detailed report and some photos next week.

Primary Cross Country Day

On Friday, 21st August, our Primary students will be heading out for our annual Cross Country event! It’s going to be a fantastic day of fun and adventure.

Event Details

Date: Friday, 21st August
Location: Still Waters (2501 Middle Road)
Time: 9.45am-2.00pm

We Need Your Help!

Events like this can't happen without our awesome parent community. We are looking for volunteers to assist on the day with:

Track Marshals (guiding students along the course and cheering them on)
Food & Refreshment Helpers (setting up and serving snacks/drinks to our busy runners)

If you can lend a hand for a couple of hours or the whole event, please contact Nadia Saathof n.saathof@hcs.school.nz

Secondary Parent Portal

Results are published on our parent portal, including the upcoming attitudes accompanying the reports. Y9-10 reports went home last week and Y11-13 reports will come home at the end of next week. The link to the portal is: https://hcs.school.kiwi/ If you have lost your login or password, please contact Renée Ford at r.ford@hcs.school.nz with your child's name, and she will reset your password.

Intention to return

2027 intention to return responses would be appreciated but the end of this week. Please check your inbox and spam folder and reply to the email that was sent out last term.

Please Don't Stop the Music 2026

One Stage. Five Houses. One Unforgettable Night.

Get ready for one of the highlights of the Hastings Christian School calendar.

Our Secondary House Event, Please Don't Stop the Music, will be on Wednesday 26 August as a spectacular retro music awards night. This is far more than a performance. It is an opportunity for every secondary student to belong, contribute, encourage one another, and create lasting memories together.

Throughout the term, each house will work together to produce a unique performance celebrating iconic hit songs from across the decades. Whether students are performing on stage, helping behind the scenes, creating costumes and props, or supporting their house from the audience, there is a place for everyone to be involved.

The evening is always one of the most anticipated events of the year, with houses competing not only for performance excellence, but also for house spirit, creativity, teamwork, and entertainment.

Event Details

Dress Rehearsal and Matinee Performance
Wednesday 26 August
1:30 pm
School Gymnasium

Our secondary students will present a special matinee performance for our primary students, along with any guests who are unable to attend the evening event.

Performance Evening
Wednesday 26 August
6:00 pm
School Gymnasium

Join us as all five houses take to the stage for an evening of music, energy, and entertainment as they compete for the 2026 House Event title. All school families are welcome.

How Families Can Help

House Event is at its best when students embrace the opportunity to step outside their comfort zone and participate wholeheartedly. We encourage families to:

Encourage your child to attend house practices and rehearsals.
Support them in learning choreography, lyrics, or other responsibilities assigned by their house leaders.
Help them prepare any simple costumes or themed clothing requested by their house.
Join us on the evening of Wednesday 26 August at 6:00 pm to cheer on every house and celebrate the incredible talent, creativity, and teamwork of our students.

These events are often remembered long after students leave school, not because of who wins, but because of the friendships, laughter, and shared experiences created along the way.

We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a fantastic celebration of our school community.

One House. One Stage. One Night to Remember.

Ngā mihi, Emma Nicoll

Scholastic Book Club now open

Issue 5 of the Scholastic Book Club is now open for ordering.Physical catalogues available at the school office or order using the LOOP app: https://www.scholastic.co.nz/parents/book-club-parents/Each order earns 15% value for books for the HCS library PLUS you get a $5 voucher to spend on the next issue PLUS a $10 Spotlight voucher for Festival of the Ages (Ancient Rome) costumes.