August 2026 Edition

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Newsletter Week 3 Term 3

Hastings Christian School

5 August 2026

From the Principal

Term 3 has certainly got off to a flying start! Beginning with the Fia Fia Night in Week 1, Week 2 saw the secondary sports exchange in Palmerston North, together with a concert by the iconic Christian folk singer Jules Riding. There has certainly been plenty to keep everyone busy.

The pace doesn't let up this week, with the Proprietor carrying out its annual Special Character audit, a Year 9–10 Get to Go Challenge, a chess tournament for some of our secondary students, a visit from the University of Waikato for our senior students, and finishing with a Careers Day inspired by one of our primary students. Please read on in this newsletter to find out more about all of these exciting events.

Another way you can keep abreast of what is happening at HCS is through The Vine, the weekly podcast faithfully produced by our senior student leaders. Both Jules Riding and Hazel Phillips, the inspiration behind our Careers Day, were interviewed by our student leaders. I encourage you to listen to this week's episode and even to go back and enjoy some of the previous recordings.

Alongside these special events are the daily lessons that your child's teachers faithfully prepare and deliver. I encourage you to keep our teachers and support staff in your prayers, particularly as they navigate the many changes currently facing New Zealand's education system. To say that the pace and scale of change are unprecedented is by no means an overstatement. We will share more information about these developments in future newsletters. In the meantime, please continue to pray for our staff as they seek to serve our students with wisdom, faithfulness, and excellence.

Gavin Clark

Principal

Absences

With increased absences this term due to winter illness, we do ask that you please remember to notify the office by 9:00am if your child is going to be away for the day. Please send a message via the school app or give us a ring & leave a message on the answering machine. Thank you - this does save us a lot of time following up absent students.

Tummy Bug

The tummy bug has been doing the rounds :( This illness spreads very quickly through school environments. To help us stop the spread, we ask for your absolute cooperation with the following health directives:

The 48-Hour Rule: If your child vomits or has diarrhoea, they must not return to school until 48 hours (2 days) have passed since their very last episode. Even if they feel better sooner, they can still shed the virus and infect others. Thank you for your co-operation with this.

Mufti Day this Friday

This Friday is a mufti day for the Careers Day. Students can come dressed as thier "future selves". Gold coin donation please. More info below.

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

Save the Date - Senior Formal

Formal Attire

Need someting to wear to the formal?

The students are organisng a clothes swap/borrow. See dates below.

If any parents have items they would like to donate/lend please message Mrs Andrews. r.andrews@hcs.school.nz

Sports Exchange

The CLASH Sports Exchange was a memorable experience as we travelled to Palmerston North for our annual exchange with Cornerstone Christian School and Longburn Adventist College. One of the best parts of the exchange was the opportunity to come together as Christian schools in a spirit of friendly competition, building friendships, encouraging one another, and sharing our faith both on and off the field. We were thrilled to bring the CLASH trophy home, making all the hard work and dedication throughout the year worthwhile.

It was a successful few days of sport, with our girls' netball team winning both of their games, the boys and girls' volleyball teams claiming convincing victories, and our girls' football and basketball teams putting together some fantastic, winning performances. Our Ultimate Frisbee team celebrated a major milestone by winning our first-ever games, an incredible achievement considering the sport was only introduced at our school this year. Dodgeball was another highlight, with our team securing a great win to round out an exciting weekend of competition. Every team represented our school with pride, demonstrating determination, teamwork, and outstanding sportsmanship throughout the exchange.

We are very proud of all the students who represented HCS throughout the exchange. Their positive attitude, dedication, and Christ-like qualities reflected our school values on and off the court. A massive thanks to coaches, teachers, and hosts, whose commitment and hard work made this a great experience and opportunity for the students.

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.