Covid Update

As you will be aware we have sent out another email to parents requesting that you complete your child’s vaccine status via the portal and attach the necessary evidence. It is important to note that the requirement to maintain the register is through a Direction issued by the Secretary for Education under the Education and Training Act 2020 Schedule 25, Clause 3.

I understand that many of you will have questions about how the school will operate under the new Covid traffic light system. When we receive information from the Ministry of Education, we will communicate this to you.

Year 13 Graduation

On the 11th of November we held our Year Graduation. This was a fantastic opportunity to honour the class of 2021. While we were disappointed not to have family and whānau present, I appreciate that many of you joined us via the livestream. These events are significant milestones for our students and we wish them all the very best in the next chapter of their lives. Haere rā!

Senior Prizegivings

On the 17th November we held our Year 11 and Year 12 Prizegivings and on the 9th November we held Te Tū o Kahukura (Māori Prizgiving). Congratulations to all our senior students, but particularly our award winners. A special thanks to our musicians who performed brilliantly throughout all the prizegivings.

Head Students

I am delighted to announce the Head Students for 2022:

Head Boy - Toby Hull

Head Girl - Bella Paerata

Deputy Head Boy - Jack MacDonald

Deputy Head Girl - Polly Daniels

House Captains

Congratulations also to our House Captains who were announced during the Year 12 Prizegiving:

Blake House Captains: Madeleine Devos and Grace Wells

Britten House Captains: Isabella Zinzan-Dickie and Archie MacDonald

Cooper House Captains: Emily Simpson and OJ Fialele

Ngata House Captains: Millie Roy and James Brittain

Rutherford House Captains: Keira Hill and Theo Fink

Sheppard House Captains: Bella Whyte and Joe Flynn

Year 12 Service

This year a number of our students, mainly Year 12s, have been involved in a service programme supporting Hōhepa Canterbury. This is a wonderful opportunity for our school to give back and keep connected to our local community.

Whos who at Cashmere High School - Clayton Hiku

Ko Ngā Toki Matawhaorua te waka

Ko Whakatere te maunga

Ko Waimā te awa

Ko Tuhirangi te marae

Ko Mahurehure te hapū

Ko Ngāpuhi te iwi

Ko Clayton Hiku tōku ingoa

Tēnā koutou. My name is Clayton Hiku and I am the Assistant Head of Music for 2022. I joined the music team here at Te iringa o Kahukura at the start of this year and have loved becoming part of such a vibrant and creative kura. I have a passion for music of all styles but especially love getting to help the jazz and contemporary groups play, perform and compete.

Since graduating from the Christchurch Jazz School (Ara) in 2005 I have taught bass and guitar at dozens of schools in Christchurch and toured the country performing in support of acts such as L.A.B, Katchafire, The Blacks Seeds, The Feelers, Salmonella Dub, Opshop and more. I still regularly perform music myself and get excited every time I take to the stage. There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing that same excitement in students' eyes when they get to go on stage and perform under lights to an audience for the first time. As a bass teacher I also developed a YouTube channel called Clays Bass Lessons that has gathered over 13,000 subscribers.

My wife and I have two small tamariki at home and are both music teachers. Aside from singing teacher, my wife also creates children’s music in the group Itty Bitty Beats and we produce her music and videos from our home studios, which resulted in her winning a Tui for NZ Children's Album and Song of the Year in 2016.

Music tells our stories, our history, and defines our cultural identity. Whether it’s helping ākonga write their first song, improvise their first solo or overcome their nerves to perform for the first time, I feel very privileged to be a part of so many musical journeys. As Victor Hugo once said "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." 

Mauri ora.

From the Archives 

1966 - Overseas students

Fortnight Ahead