Kia ora koutou,

This term is progressing quickly with three weeks having passed already and only one and half weeks until our senior students leave for their external NCEA assessments beginning on Monday 16 November.

This year at Senior Prize Giving (Wed 11 Nov) we will be celebrating the 'seven years at Hillmorton' group of students who started Year 7 in 2014, following the closure of Manning Intermediate.  These students helped to create the inclusive culture we have of welcoming in new students at Year 9 from our full Primary Schools.

The school has developed a reputation for being inclusive.  Our students come from diverse backgrounds and are very accepting of each other.  Our diversity includes our delightful students in Upland with specialist staff helping these students with disabilities become their very best and to achieve their individual education goals.  I always feel sad, disappointed and angry that these special students, who achieve their individual goals, are then classed as failures by the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority by including them in our school's NCEA results.  

We are working hard planning for 2021 when our new Middle School building, Aonga Ake, will be open.  As soon as I have a date for the 'Dawn Blessing' I will let you know.

There is still much learning ahead this term for our Year 7 - 10 Middle School students.  Our expectations of these younger students remains high for learning and behaviour, we will be consulting with them over a number of matters including the Free and Healthy School Lunches programme, to be provided each day next year to all of our students.

If there are parents wanting to volunteer next year at school with these lunches (which are made offsite and delivered) we would love to hear from you.

A final word... I still enjoy getting up each day and coming to work here at Hillmorton.  Our staff are hardworking and dedicated, our students are polite (generally), and open minded and our parents and whānau are very supportive of their children's education and the school.  This is a wonderful place in which to work!

Ngā mihi

Ann Brokenshire - Principal