From the Principal
Please Don’t Stop the Music!
After months of preparation, practice, planning and more than a few moments of wondering whether it would all come together, “Please Don’t Stop the Music” certainly delivered! Last Wednesday night, our Secondary students took us on a wonderful trip down music memory lane with an evening packed with music, dance, creativity, fun and plenty of laughter.
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The five Houses each brought their own unique energy and creativity to the stage, producing a night that was both entertaining and engaging. There were some outstanding performances, plenty of surprises, and more than a few moments that had the audience singing, clapping and laughing along.
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Our judges, former HCS teachers Herman and Judith Phillipsen and Janneke Kirikiri, had the unenviable task of deciding which acts were the standouts. It must have been a little like asking a group of chocolate lovers to choose their one favourite chocolate bar from a shelf full of delicious options—there were plenty of great choices, and selecting the winners was certainly no easy task!
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While the evening was a fantastic celebration of the Arts, I suspect the real winners were the students themselves. Events like this provide so much more than an opportunity to perform. They develop camaraderie, leadership, resilience, creativity and confidence, while giving students and staff the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, work together and contribute to something bigger than themselves. The memories created through these experiences are likely to last far longer than the trophies or results.
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A huge thank you to our House leaders and to all the students who stepped up, took responsibility, learnt new skills, supported one another and helped make the evening such a success. It was wonderful to see students taking ownership and discovering what can happen when people work together towards a common goal.
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And a particularly big thank you goes to the amazing Emma Nicoll, who coordinates our House competitions. These events don’t simply happen by themselves! The organisation, planning, encouragement and behind-the-scenes work that Emma puts in throughout the year makes opportunities like this possible. We are very grateful for all that she does.
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So, after an outstanding Secondary evening, the focus switches back to our Primary School this week for our annual Festival of the Ages programme.
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Parents are most welcome to join us tomorrow as our Primary students step back in time and come together in their Roman attire for a dress parade, along with all the fun activities their teachers have planned. It promises to be another memorable HCS occasion!
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More information and photos from the Festival of the Ages will be shared in next week’s newsletter.
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Benchmark Exams
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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.
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2027 Course Information
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The 2027 Course Information Booklet will be released shortly to help students in year 10-12 with 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.
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WANTED: Reader/Writer Volunteers for School Examinations
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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).
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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.
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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.
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Market Day
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Year 10 Market day is next Wednesday 9th September from 12:45 - 1:30pm. This year is a Carnival theme where the students have created seven different carnival games for the primary students to play. All games start from $1 a turn. Please send your child to school with a small amount of change so they can have fun playing some carnival games.
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Please Don’t Stop the Music!
What a night! Our Please Don’t Stop the Music House Competition was an incredible celebration of talent, creativity, teamwork and school spirit, and I am sure it will be a highlight that many of our students remember for years to come.
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Each of our five houses did an amazing job designing, preparing and producing their own performances. From choreography and costumes to song choices, staging, creativity and sheer enthusiasm, our students took ownership of the event and created something really special. It was wonderful to see them using their God given gifts and talents, stepping outside their comfort zones, encouraging one another and working together to create performances they could be proud of.
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A huge thank you also goes to our staff who got involved, supported practices, joined performances and helped create such a fun atmosphere. Thank you too to all the parents, whānau and members of our wider school community who came along to support our students. The energy in the gym was fantastic, and it was certainly a fun night for everyone!
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A big congratulations to Harakeke and Mako Houses, who tied for first place! Unfortunately, I misread my results on the night and announced Toki alongside Harakeke as the joint winners. We corrected this with the students the following day, and I was incredibly proud of the grace and maturity with which they handled the mix-up. Toki immediately congratulated Mako, while Mako were already on their way to acknowledge Toki. It was such a great reflection of the culture we want to continue building in our school, where students can compete wholeheartedly while still being genuinely excited to see others succeed.
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Congratulations to every student who took part. You made the night what it was, and you should be incredibly proud of what you achieved. - MRS NICOLL
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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.
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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.
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We are offering the following sponsorship options:
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- $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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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All sponsorship payments will be invoiced through the school and treated as marketing and advertising.
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If your business would like to sponsor or donate to the team, please contact Kelly Fenwick at kelfenwick@gmail.com or 021 081 52254.
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Thank you for helping our boys represent our school at Nationals!
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Student Achievements
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Congratulations to Layla and Edie (E2) who competed at a recent gymnastics competition .
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Well done to Grace M (E2) who received a sash (2nd place) for her horse riding!
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Pizza Lunches
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Available every Friday - order outside the staffroom before school.
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The Vine Student Podcast
Here is this week's episode.
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Community Events
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General Election Jobs
As we get closer to the 2026 General Election, we are beginning to build our local election team, and we would love your help in spreading the word.
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Working for the Electoral Commission is a great opportunity to be part of something that makes a real difference to our communities. Our election teams are made up of people from all walks of life, and the skills, knowledge and connections that local people bring are incredibly valuable.
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If you have staff at your school, whānau, friends or members of your local community who might be interested in supporting the delivery of GE2026, please encourage them to consider applying.
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There are a range of temporary election roles available, with opportunities to work alongside a great team and play an important part in making sure people can have their say.
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Term Dates for 2026
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Term 3 Monday 20th July - Friday 25th September
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Term 4 Monday 12 October - 9 December (approx)
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Tuesday 2nd February Y1-8 Start & Y9/13 Orientation
Wednesday 3rd February Y9-10 Start & Y13 Start (camp)
Thursday 4th February Y11/12 Start
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Monday 8th February Waitangi Day Observed
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Tuesday 9th February Whole school in attendance
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Term 3 Events
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Wed 9 Sep - Y10 Market Day
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Wed 9 Sep - Primary school Interschool Cross Country
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Wed 9-Thurs 10 Sep - Y9 Ski Trip
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Monday 14th Sep - A3 trip
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Tuesday 15th Sep - Y7 Immunisations
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Mon 20th - Fri 24th Sep - Benchmark Exams for Y11-13
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Friday 24th Sep - Last day of term
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