Our Principal Marie Gordon welcomes us to 2023, highlighting some exciting key updates.

We have had an incredibly busy term with our school community settling into school routines. It has been a good start to the year, and has certainly made me realise how difficult it was this time last year, and how now we are making the most of normality.

We welcomed 385 Year 9 students to our kura this year, and for many, this was certainly a big change coming into a large school of 1730. We are thankful to the Year 13 students who have led the Connections programme with our Year 9 students, ensuring that the transition into a secondary school has been made easier.

NCEA Achievement

After three years of Covid and such a badly disrupted year for so many last year, we weren’t sure where the results would land. So we were delighted when we saw them. The data includes every student on the roll in each year group, regardless of whether they attempted any credits, or in some cases, even attended a class last year because they were so unwell.

Congratulations to our students who achieved their NCEA L1, 2 and 3 and Scholarship. You will find an article re our 2022 student achievement later in the newsletter.

Cyclone Gabrielle

Our thoughts have been with everyone who is suffering from the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. We were very grateful for the lead from our Sonninghill Hostel students to gather donations for the whānau on the East Coast. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of families with donations that ranged from gas bottles to boxes of gumboots through to non-perishables and many other products. Once again ... thank you.

Student Leadership

Our Prefects have done a stunning job leading events this term. Congratulations to all of you for the wonderful work, and for continuing to lead with passion and conviction.

Performance, Health and Wellbeing Centre (new Sports Centre)

We are excited that the Capital Works project, led by the MOE, is well under way and we hope to share plans with the staff and wider community by the end of Term 1. It is hoped that excavation will begin at the start of 2024.

Summer Sports Tournament

All the best to our sports teams as they have prepared for the Summer Tournament this week. We know this is a big ask of families re the turnaround of sports tournament fees and ensuring that your young person is well prepared. A special thank you to the coaching management and teaching staff for giving up their time to take our teams away.

Expectations of our teams are high and we expect exemplary behaviour while they are away representing HGHS. We wish all teams the best of luck.

Ngā mihi,

Marie Gordon

Principal