Principal’s Message

Tēnā koutou, e te whānau o Cashmere High School – Te Iringa o Kahukura.

This week marks Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, celebrating 50 years since it was first held in 1975. The journey of te reo Māori from what it was half a century ago to what it is today is a clear reminder of what can be achieved through sustained effort over time.

He manawa tītī — a heart like a tītī bird (often translated as people of great endurance) is an apt whakataukī as we finish Term 3 and acknowledge the steady effort shown across our school. It’s been a long term, and we’ve all got there through hard work and determination.

A huge congratulations to our incredible Cashmere Readers Cup team, who flew back from Auckland mid-week after winning the National Title for the third year in a row against strong competition. These students, along with their dedicated staff support, continue to set the bar high for us all. Well done, team!

Thank you to our hardworking teachers, support staff, and volunteer parents in the sports, arts, and service pillars, and to our parents and whānau for the important role they play as partners in our students’ success.

As we head into the break, I encourage students to rest, (read!), and reset. Our seniors, in particular, will need to return ready for the final push towards external exams in Term 4.

Ngā mihi,

John Stradwick
Principal

Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori

What a fantastic week celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. Our kura was buzzing as we embraced this year's theme, "Ake, Ake, Ake" (forever language) – making the language visible. This year was extra special, marking 50 years since Te Wiki o te Reo Māori grew from the passion of the first Māori Language Day in 1972. Our week was packed with highlights; our Māori prefects kicked things off by leading the staff briefing, our senior ākonga visited tīpuna at Rose Court to share kupu and stories, and our powerful kapa haka group performed for the Year 12 assembly. We also had fun ordering tōtiti (sausages) in te reo, and ended the week with a wonderful combined ākonga-staff waiata session.

The final wero was the great faculty cake bake-off, where departments shared the kōrero behind their creations.

Congratulations to our overall faculty winners - the Teimana Bennett taonga

• 1st: Pūtaiao | Science

• 2nd: Akoranga Koiri Hauora | PE & Health

• 3rd: Te Ao Tangata | Social Sciences

Ka mau te wehi! A massive thank you to all the ākonga and kaiako mā who got involved and made the week such a success. Let's continue to speak and celebrate te reo Māori every day.

National Champions for Readers’ Cup 2025

Macy Bull, Bronte Fitzhardinge, Eliza Geddes, Ana Mulliner, and Pippa Reeves—have won the National ‘SLANZA Readers’ Cup’ competition for the third consecutive year. Their dedication to reading and teamwork led them to victory in Auckland, showcasing their literary knowledge and academic excellence.

Read more HERE

CHS Success at Canterbury - Westland Science Fair

Well done to the 29 students from CHS who represented our school at the Canterbury-Westland Science Fair, held at the University of Canterbury. For over 30 years, this fair has been a leading event for young scientists and innovators in our region. Our students presented their projects to judges on Saturday morning and showcased their work to the public in the afternoon. We are incredibly proud of all our participants and excited to announce the following prize-winners.

Our 2026 Winners

• Cat Meharry had an outstanding event, securing three major awards:

  • First Place (Year 9-13) from Environmental Canterbury, winning $350.

  • Best Exhibit by a Female Student (Year 9-13), winning $120.

  • Second Place in Year 9/10 Science, winning $150.

• Iona Thompson-Wild, James Bronwasser, and Andy Liu impressed the judges with their project, earning:

  • The Canterbury Botanical Society Award.

  • Second Place from the School of Psychology, winning $150.

• Finlay Harewood also received two awards for his excellent work:

  • Third Place in Year 9/10 Science, winning $100.

  • Third Place from the School of Psychology, winning $100.

• Arman Rahimi and William Allen took home a top prize in the senior category:

  • Second Place in Year 11-13 Science, winning $150.

• Zoe Colville and Ella Coleman's project was recognised with two awards:

  • Second Place from the NZ Institute of Food Science and Technology, winning $50.

  • Best Exhibit Demonstrating Ideas of Design for Nature.

Successful Start for CHS Duathlon Team

Our Duathlon team had a successful start on Monday at the first event of the JD Duathlon Summer Series, held at the Ruapuna Raceway. The sunny weather provided a great backdrop for the competition, and it was wonderful to see so many parents and supporters out cheering on our students.

Our athletes produced impressive results:

• Thomas Newsom: 1st U18

• Lachie Stechmann: 1st U14

• Zania Roberts: 1st U18

• Abigail Junge: 2nd U14

• Paris Edlin: 2nd U16

We also saw strong performances from Mclane Gordon and Ethan Cox, who both finished inside the top 10, and a great effort from Ko Iwamatsu.

Team Event Victory: Adding to the individual success, our team also secured first place in the team event. The winning team consisted of Lachie Stechmann, Paris Edlin, Mclane Gordon, and Ethan Cox.

Congratulations to all our competitors for their effort and sportsmanship. The team truly embodied the spirit of 'He manawa tītī' — 'people of great endurance'.

Key Dates

School office is closed week one of holidays (22nd Sept - 26th Sept)

Also see our full calendar on our website HERE

• Tuesday 7th Oct - Financial Literacy Evening (Cashmere Parents' Group)

• Friday 10th Oct - NCEA Dance Showcase

• Tues 14th & Thurs 16th Oct - Commerce Market Days

• Thursday 16th Oct - House Cross Country

• Friday 17th Oct - Alumni: 70's Decade Reunion

• Monday 20th Oct - Art Folio Evening

• Tuesday 21st Oct - Late Start - Staff PLD Morning

• Thursday 23rd Oct - Y8 Parent Evening

Prizegivings:

• Tuesday 14th October - Te Tū o Kahukura (Māori Prizegiving)

• Thursday 16th October - Achievers Evening

• Tuesday 21st October - Service Awards & Celebration

• Wednesday 29th October - Year 11 (9am) & Year 12 (11am) Prizegivings

• Friday 31st October - Year 13 Graduation (Town Hall)

• Friday 28th November - Pasifika Fiafia Prizegiving

• Friday 5th December - Te Pukenga Prizegiving

• Tuesday 9th December - Junior Prizegivings

School Board Elections - now closed

Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent school board election. Voting closed today, and we are now awaiting the final postal votes. We look forward to announcing the results next Wednesday, 24th September. A special thank you to all the nominees.

Parent Talks - Cashmere Parents Group (CPG)

Topic 2: Financial Literacy - The Art of Making Choices  

Tuesday 7th October 2025,  6.30pm - 8.00pm RSVP HERE

A great toolkit for Parents and Families, supporting your students for a financially healthy future. Starting with drinks & nibbles served at 6.00pm in the Performing Arts Centre Foyer, come along to learn just what Financial literacy is.  How do Commerce subjects in Cashmere link to Financial Literacy?  Together with Rasha Magdy and Matt Benassi from the Cashmere High Commerce Faculty, we have 3 Professors and Lecturers from the University of Canterbury Business School,  and a Cashmere High School Alumnus running a successful business presenting. They will share and also answer questions to help parents gain knowledge and tools not only for themselves but to support their whānau. 

Alumni News

Cashmere High School 1970s Reunion

Were you at Cashmere High between 1970–1979? It’s time to reconnect, reminisce, and revisit the place where it all began.

RSVP HERE

NCEA Dance Showcase

Get you tickets HERE- be quick!