Celebrating Excellence

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

We are currently in a special time of year when we celebrate excellence across all areas of school life. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the hard work, dedication, and perseverance of our students recognised through various events. We celebrate excellence because it inspires our community, sets a standard for what is possible, and motivates everyone to strive for their best. Achieving great outcomes requires consistent effort and commitment to clear goals. I wish all our Seniors the very best for their NCEA exams.

Over the past weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of attending and celebrating excellence at several key events: the Achievers Evening, the Academic Prize-Giving for Years 11 and 12, and our annual Year 13 Graduation at the Christchurch Town Hall. This memorable evening included the presentation of our premier awards, Ruby Geddes - Dux, Rosara Ward - Proxime Accessit and Tom Freedman - All Round Excellence.

Hearing about our graduating students' future plans—whether pursuing further study, entering the workforce, or travelling—fills me with great optimism for their next adventures.

We have also proudly announced our 2025 Head Students and House Captains, who will lead us through the new school year.

Our junior students remain focused as the academic year comes to a close, with exams and various activities still ahead. It is crucial to maintain high standards in punctuality and uniform, as these expectations positively impact learning, self-confidence, and a sense of belonging here at Cashmere High School. For our Year 10 students, the transition to becoming seniors is near. This shift brings new responsibilities, including NCEA coursework and exams, which will require careful planning and sustained effort.  My message to our junior students is clear - finish the year strong, be organised, work hard on your revision and of course, be respectful to your peers and teachers - this will only bode well for 2025. 

Lastly, I am thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievement of our mountain biking team, who once again won the NZSS competition. Congratulations to Ngata House for winning the House Shield, and a huge thank you to all who contributed to our inspiring Service Awards Night. The selfless acts of giving back to our community will undoubtedly yield benefits in ways you may never expect.

Seniors Final Effort

We continue to wish our seniors every success for their final exams preparations and future endeavours. Success on exam day starts with getting the basics right. Students should plan to be at school well before the exam begins. It’s essential for students to double-check their exam schedule, including the exact date, time, and location. 

Nutritious food, regular physical activity, and plenty of rest can make a significant difference in managing stress and maintaining focus. While socialising and staying connected matters, setting aside social plans during exam season will allow students to give their studies the priority they deserve.

This is the time for one final big effort. Go well!

Head Students and House Captains 2025

Volleyball Champions

Congratulations to our 10A Girls Volleyball team who are the Canterbury Junior Champions!

Special mention to Georgia Martin who was named in the tournament team and Lola Harris who was named Tournament MVP.

Our four teams had a great weekend playing against schools from throughout Canterbury with all teams finishing in the top 10 for their division. This tournament is a great experience for these teams as they look towards the South Island Champs in a couple of weeks time.

Many thanks to the coaches and managers for your dedication to these teams.

In other volleyball news, massive congratulations to Will Hull who has been named in the New Zealand Junior Men's squad to compete in the Asian Champs and Isaac Rademaker who was named in the Junior Men's Development squad.

Attendance

One of the things we are continuing to focus on this term is student attendance and punctuality.  You will hear us talking about this with you, with our students and it remains a strong subject of conversation in the staff room. If a student misses one day of school every two weeks, they miss more than a whole year of school by 16 years of age. The school day begins at 8.40 for an 8.45am start of lesson, so, we encourage students to arrive on campus by 8.35am in order to be be punctual - this is a key habit that will leave a great impression beyond the high school years! Thank you for your support in this and for letting the school know if your child is going to be absent or intends to be absent for a portion of the school term for whatever reason.

Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) Regional Results

On October 30th, the Y12/13 Cashmere Young Entrepreneurs won 7 out of 8 awards at the Regional Finals.

Customer Engagement: Maddi McIvor and Montana Woods for “Dad Sitting”

Innovation, Sustainability, Technology: Cairo Akehurst for “Cattle Credit”

Finance, Social Enterprise, Regional Title: Niko Docking, Alex Gardiner-Innes, and Tanaki Fasi-Smith for “Dust”

Cairo - Cattle Credit will be joining the Regional Winners: Dust at the National Finals, to receive his National Excellence Award in early December. 

Past students also participated, with Wayo Whyte as the Alumni Speaker, Jayden Rosanowski as Assistant Regional Coordinator, Alex Boot performing with his jazz band, and Mitchell Cozzone as the event photographer. The entrepreneurial spirit at Cashmere High School is thriving!

60's Reunion

Attending our 60’s Decade Reunion on October 24th was a truly wonderful experience. It was fantastic to hear stories from the past and reconnect with our very first pupils. The event was filled with nostalgia and joy, making it a memorable occasion for everyone involved.

From the Archives

Our first school tractor (1956)