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Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community
Message from our Tumuaki
Message from our Tumuaki
Kia ora koutou
Celebrating Two Wāhine Toa
At Napier Girls’ High School, we are incredibly fortunate to have staff who dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to our ākonga, our community, and our school. This month we celebrate two outstanding wāhine whose recent milestones remind us of the extraordinary people who make our kura such a special place.
Vicky Lassen – A Lifetime of Service and Impact
Recently, in the King's Birthday Honours, Vicky Lassen was made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in recognition of her outstanding contribution to lifesaving and netball. For over 40 years, Vicky has been a tireless advocate for rangatahi combining high expectations with unwavering care and support. She is renowned for seeing potential in students long before they see it in themselves and for going above and beyond to ensure every young person has the opportunity to succeed.
Vicky’s influence extends far beyond the classroom. Through her leadership in lifesaving and netball, mentoring of young coaches, pastoral care, and countless volunteer hours, she has shaped generations of students and athletes across Hawke’s Bay. Her legacy can be seen in the many young women who have gone on to achieve success in their studies, careers, and communities, carrying with them the confidence and self-belief she helped foster.
Mandy Johnson – 20 Years of Dedicated Service
This year also marks an incredible milestone for Deputy Principal Mandy Johnson, who is celebrating 20 years of service at Napier Girls’ High School. During her time at NGHS, Mandy has made a significant contribution as a classroom teacher, Head of Learning, and now Deputy Principal. She has been a passionate advocate for curriculum innovation, assessment, equity, and giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, while never losing sight of what matters most – our ākonga.
Mandy’s infectious energy, quick wit, love of a good dress-up, and genuine care for people have made her a much-loved colleague and leader. Alongside her professional achievements, she has continued her own learning journey, currently studying Te reo Māori and Tikanga, demonstrating the value of lifelong learning and personal growth.
Both Vicky and Mandy embody the values of our school through their commitment to service, relationships, and personal excellence. Their contributions have enriched the lives of countless students and staff and we are proud to celebrate their achievements. We thank them both for the difference they make every day and congratulate them on these well-deserved recognitions. Ngā mihi nui Vicky and Mandy – two true taonga of our NGHS community.
Celebrating Schools’ Pride Week
This week we recognise and celebrate Schools' Pride Week Aotearoa, an annual event that acknowledges and supports rainbow students, staff and whānau in school communities across New Zealand. The kaupapa for Schools’ Pride Week is simple but powerful: “Celebrating Pride in Every School | Whakanuia te Uenuku ki ia Kura.”
At Napier Girls’ High School, we believe every student should feel a sense of belonging, be able to be themselves, and know that they are valued and respected for who they are. Pride Week provides an opportunity to celebrate diversity, promote inclusion, and reinforce the importance of creating a school environment where everyone feels safe, seen, and supported.
Ngā mihi to our students, staff and rainbow community members who continue to help make NGHS a place where everyone belongs.
Mrs Dawn Ackroyd
Phone: 06 835 1069 Web: www.nghs.school.nz Main Office email: nghs@nghs.school.nz Principal's PA Email: dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz
Important Dates Coming Up
Important Dates Coming Up
JUNE 2026:
Monday 8 - Friday 12: International Languages Week
Monday 8: PTA Meeting, 7pm, staffroom - all welcome
Wednesday 10: Junior Quiz Night, NBHS, 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Monday 15: Dental Planet Visiting, until the end of term
Monday 15: Learning from home day
Monday 15: Senior Parent-Teacher Meetings, online 10am - 2pm, face-to-face 3pm - 6.30pm
Tuesday 16: PNGHS Exchange for development teams
Wednesday 17: Big Sing Regional Festival, Toitoi Arts & Events Centre
Friday 19: NZAJLT Junior Trivia Quiz, Karamu High School, 6pm - 8.15pm
Saturday 20: NZSS XC Champs, Wellington
Monday 22: Showquest HB Regional
Wednesday 24: Young Readers' Cup, Havelock North High School, 4pm - 5.30pm
Thursday 25: Board Meeting, 5.30pm in H7
Friday 26: NGHS Cross Country Champs
Friday 26 - Sunday 28: Art for All Exhibition, NGHS hall
Sunday 28 - Friday 3 July: Year 11 Leadership and Outdoor Adventure Camp (20 students)
Sunday 28 - Friday 3 July: Kapa Haka Nationals
Road Safety Around Napier Girls’ High School
Road Safety Around Napier Girls’ High School
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
I would like to thank all parents who support our community and our road safety initiative around our school. Traffic around our kura remains a challenge and we appreciate your cooperation.
Students should be dropped off in safe areas a little bit further away from our kura to ensure that traffic, including our school buses, will flow smoothly.
There is a major construction site at our school and it will affect Clyde Road significantly. We ask all parents and caregivers to not drive up to our school on Clyde Road. We have seen near-misses in recent days on Clyde Road where students were almost hit by cars. Please support our school and keep our students safe by avoiding Clyde Road unless your student is on crutches. We need all students/parents to be on board.
Walking is healthy, fun and increases well-being. All our students prove daily that most young people can walk hundreds of metres, even up hills.
Safe points to drop off your child are:
Centennial Gardens at the bottom of Coote Road
Drop-off zone on Coote Road (white box behind school buses, two minutes parking limit)
Napier Cathedral
Please avoid picking students up on Coote Road opposite the buses (no parking between 2.30 - 4.00pm)
All these points are within easy walking distance from our school and most of our students walk these distances on a daily basis.
Special note from Napier City Council:
There will be road closures on Thompson Road and Priestley Road for three weeks starting 8 June 2026.
During this period all traffic will be redirected through Seapoint Road.
Seapoint Road is very narrow and with higher traffic volumes there may be delays.
It is really helpful for bus drivers and other road users when parents don’t stop on yellow dotted lines (no stopping lines) on Thompson Road and Coote Road.
Your help with road safety around our school is much appreciated.
Philipp Otto
Deputy Principal
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Dr Karen Grylls
We were delighted to welcome back Dr Karen Grylls to NGHS on 28 May for a day of inspiring musical mentorship. Travelling from Auckland, Karen generously shared her expertise with our talented choral students, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to their preparations for this year’s Big Sing competition.
Both Ad Lucem and Kotahitanga had the opportunity to perform their Big Sing programmes, receiving invaluable guidance from one of New Zealand’s most respected and accomplished choral conductors. Through her insightful feedback, Karen challenged and encouraged our singers to refine their musical interpretation, vocal technique, and ensemble performance, while also providing expert advice to each choir’s directors.
The day was both inspiring and motivating, leaving our singers with renewed confidence and a deeper understanding of the artistry and discipline that underpin outstanding choral performance. We are incredibly grateful to Karen for her time, wisdom, and continued support of our choral programme.
Level 2 and Level 3/Scholarship Performance Evening
On Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 May, audiences were treated to two outstanding concerts showcasing the talents of our Level 2 and Level 3 Music students. Each performer presented pieces they have been diligently preparing throughout the past term and a half, demonstrating not only their growing musical skills but also their dedication and perseverance.
We are incredibly proud of every student who took to the stage. Performing in front of an audience requires courage, confidence, and commitment, and our students rose to the occasion with remarkable professionalism. Whether performing one piece or three, each student delivered a memorable contribution, making these concerts a wonderful celebration of musical achievement and growth.
Chamber Music
The past week has seen the corridors and practice rooms of Nixon Block alive with the sound of beautiful music, as students dedicated countless hours to refining their performances for the New Zealand Chamber Music Contest. From early morning rehearsals to late evening practice sessions, the commitment and enthusiasm of our young musicians were truly inspiring.
Many of the girls also made the most of their long weekend, gathering together to rehearse, fine tune challenging passages, and develop their stage presence. Their dedication ensured they arrived at the competition well prepared and ready to perform at their very best.
Yesterday our music students proudly represented NGHS at the NZ Chamber Music Contest, held at the Blyth Performing Arts Centre, Iona College. Our students participated in ten different ensembles, showcasing their talents in a variety of settings. Some performed in multiple NGHS groups, while others collaborated with musicians from neighbouring schools, highlighting the spirit of teamwork and musical excellence that the event celebrates.
The finals will take place this evening (Friday 5 June) at 6.30pm at the Blyth Performing Arts Centre, Iona College. We warmly invite our school community to attend and support these outstanding young musicians as they take to the stage once again.
Congratulations to every student who participated in this year’s competition. Your hard work, perseverance, and passion for music were evident throughout the term and have been a credit to both yourselves and our school community. We are incredibly proud of your achievements and wish our finalists every success for this evening’s performance. Results will be in the next school newsletter.
Showquest
Inspired by Emma Twigg, our performance brings her journey to life as a young girl from Napier Girls' High School who began rowing at 14 then Head Prefect in 2004. After heartbreaking 4th place finishes at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, Emma reached a moment where she felt close to giving up on her dream. With the support around her and renewed determination, she returned to training and achieved Olympic gold in 2020. Her journey reflects our school mantra, ‘Ki te Mārama’ - towards the light - reminding NGHS students that setbacks can shape us and perseverance leads to greatness.
The students have been rehearsing the past few months and as we get closer to the date, we will see it all come together. Tickets are available here
Footnote
NGHS Dancers had the opportunity to attend a special schools' matinee performance of Modern God by Footnote New Zealand Dance. The powerful and inspiring work combined contemporary dance and physical theatre to explore the influence of technology, social media and online personalities on our lives. Through dynamic movement, striking live video visuals and thought-provoking storytelling, the performance encouraged students to reflect on the ways influencers, digital culture and constant connectivity shape identity, relationships and the world around us. It was an engaging and memorable experience for our dancers.
DanceNZMade
The DNZM app is now live! NGHS is preparing multiple teams to enter and this competition gets bigger every year! Students involved in teams will be entered by the Dance department and students who are entering solos, duos and trios will enter themselves in the app. All students involved will take part in the workshops. Lunchtimes and after school rehearsals will start to amp up over the next few months as we get closer to the regional event in August.
Massive Theatre Company Workshop
On Wednesday Miss Edwards and the Scholarship Drama girls had the amazing opportunity to participate in a workshop run by Massive Theatre Company. Sam Scott the director, flew down from Auckland to take us on a full day journey of devising theatre with a physical focus. The focus of the work was ‘Living Wholeheartedly’. It was an amazing experience, that left our bodies sore, hearts full and minds buzzing.
Shakespeare Finals
Over the long weekend, Amelia Sheridan, Maggie Kerr and Sadie Bond traveled to Wellington to participate in the National Finals Shakespeare Festival. This is an intense weekend of Shakespeare - with 50 performances from all around the country. Their 5 minute scene from Macbeth, performed by Maggie and Sadie, and directed by Amelia was intense and delivered with impact. We are so incredibly proud of the girls for making it to the Nationals. However, great news travelled home with them, as they also received the award for Outstanding presentation of Tragedy, out of the whole festival. Well done girls, you have done such an amazing job!
Youthfest
Youthfest is around the corner and we have two scripted pieces underway with rehearsals. Youthfest is a one act play festival just for high school students. The performances can be student devised or scripted productions from a NZ playwright/Playmarket. Founded last year, it is starting to make headway in many regions across the country. Napier Girls' High School has two scripted pieces, both comedies and involving over 16 senior students. We would love to see you at our event. This will be held at Woodford House on the 15 August, starting early afternoon.
A reminder to contact Liv, music@nghs.school.nz if you have any Performing Arts news or celebrations you would like to share with our school community.
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
Coming up: PNGHS Development Teams Sports Exchange - Tuesday 16 June in Napier
TGC Sports Exchange
Thank you to Tauranga Girls' College for hosting our sports exchange this year. All teams participated in an exciting day of competition in netball, hockey, football, rugby, and badminton. We were successful in 6 out of the 10 encounters to retain the title and return home with the trophy in hand! Ka mau te wehi to all our athletes and thank you to our coaches, officials and supporters who helped make this a fun and successful day.
Congratulations to the players who received the Most Valuable Player and Fair Play awards for their representative teams.
Equestrian
Well done to our riders who competed in the NISS Horse Trials in Taupō recently.
NGHS Rata - Addison Trumper, Chloe Cann, Taylor Bremner and Addison Oliver finished second in the 95cm championship. Chloe Cann won her division and Addison Trumper finished 3rd in her division.
NGHS Akeake - Hebe Truebridge and Olivia Berkett became a composite team with Ruapehu College and Taranaki Dio. They won the 80 cm championship overall with Hebe and Olivia both placing second in their respective divisions.
ECNI Cross Country
The NGHS Cross Country Team had a fantastic day at the ECNI Championships in Gisborne on Wednesday, with every runner giving it their all. 👏🥇🏃🏼♀️
Willow Hambleton was outstanding in 1st place Year 9 Girls’ race. Along with Briar Llewellyn's 6th place, Isla Singer 7th and Maisie Taylor 11th place, they were the second fastest Year 9 team. In the Junior section Isobel Hodgkinson placed 4th, Brielle Field came 7th and Lili Caviale-Delzescaux came 9th, all top ten finishes.
To finish the day, Alyssa Palmer had a fantastic run and placed 2nd in the Senior section.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, made even better by the strong team spirit and support from everyone involved. Ngā mihi nui to Karla Caviale-Delzescaux for her help with transport and supervision and to Mr Roderick our Cross Country team manager.
Hawke's Bay Marathon
Well done to our students who showed amazing commitment and completed the half marathon (21km): Year 13s - Luca Wohlers (time of 1.49) and Sam Simpson (time of 1.37). Also in the 10km: Ona Toska and Georgie Hargrave 👏🏃♀️
Congratulations to all students, staff and Old Girls, who took part or volunteered to help also! 🎉
Staff Achievements
Huge congratulations to Ms Vicky Lassen, who has been included on the honour roll for the New Zealand Order of Merit for her service to netball and Royal Life Saving. Ms Lassen has contributed more than 40 years of voluntary service to netball. During this time she has gone above and beyond for every organisation, team and player she has been involved with. Her guidance and dedication has helped many netballers progress to regional and national levels. She truly has poured her heart and soul into furthering this sport within Hawke’s Bay.
She has been a member of the Hastings High School Old Girls’ Netball club since 1986 where she played 15 seasons for the club. She also served as a coach, secretary, umpire, sponsorship coordinator, and committee member throughout her time. She was a founding member of the Lower North Island Secondary Schools' Management Committee in 1999 and has contributed to the tournament ever since. She has served in various coaching and administration roles for Hawke’s Bay Netball since 1987. Ms Lassen has also committed more than 40 years of service to life saving in Hawke’s Bay serving as an administrator, instructor, and national examiner for the Royal Life Saving Society New Zealand. She was made an examiner of the RLSS in 1986 and received the Bar to Service Cross from the society in 2013.
For her contributions to netball, she received the School Sport New Zealand Service to School Sport Award in 2015 and the Lower North Island Secondary Schools' Netball Life Membership in 2024.
Ms Lassen’s dedication across more than four decades and in multiple organisations and sporting codes exhibits her exemplary service to the community of sport in Hawke’s Bay.
On top of her service to sport in the wider Hawke’s Bay community, during her time at Napier Girls’ High School, Ms Lassen has spent a significant portion of her 30 years coaching, umpiring and managing teams. For 16 of those years, she was in charge of the extensive NGHS netball programme which included 30 teams annually.
Incredibly, she managed all of this alongside her teaching duties. Ms Lassen is a dedicated teacher who embodies manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and kairangi whaiaro. She guides her students towards personal excellence with aroha. To this day, many Old Girls still get in touch with Ms Lassen years after they have left our kura to update her on their successes and achievements. She is a teacher who students know is in their corner and wants them to be the best they can be.
We are so proud of Ms Lassen.
We love to acknowledge student achievements!
If you have any representative selections, results, information or photos from external sporting events that occurred over the holidays or during the term, please send them to sport@nghs.school.nz
This information may be placed in the school newsletter, on social media and on our celebration wall in the gym or held for future consideration for school sports badges and achievement awards.
Mrs MJ Durkin - Head of Sport
Tremains Art for All Exhibition
Tremains Art for All Exhibition
Opening Night Tickets Now Live!
Secure Yours Today
Tremains ART for All Exhibition Sponsorship
The AFAE Committee, on behalf of Napier Girls’ High School, would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the amazing sponsors of this event. Your generous support makes this exhibition possible – we couldn’t do it without you!
Platinum Sponsors:
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
The Tremains Art for All Exhibition is just weeks away — and Opening Night tickets are now officially on sale.
Be among the first to experience this much-loved event and preview an incredible collection of artwork from across Aotearoa New Zealand, alongside pieces from talented NGHS students. With limited tickets available, we recommend purchasing early to avoid missing out.
Why “Art for All”?
Art for All is designed to make art accessible to everyone:
Most artworks priced under $1,300, with select pieces up to $5,000
100% of proceeds go directly to Napier Girls’ High School
Over $250,000 raised to date, supporting ākonga in their academic and creative journeys
Opening Night Function – Limited Tickets Available
Date: Friday 26 June 2026
Time: 5.30pm – 8.00pm
Venue: NGHS Hall
Tickets: Purchase here
Kick off the exhibition in style at this exclusive R18 event. Opening Night offers a first look — and first opportunity to purchase — before the exhibition opens to the public.
Enjoy:
Delicious canapés
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments
Live entertainment
A vibrant, social atmosphere
Exhibition Weekend – Free Public Entry
Can’t make Opening Night? The exhibition is open all weekend:
Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 June
10.00am – 3.00pm daily | NGHS Hall | FREE entry
Featuring 70+ professional artists from across Aotearoa
A unique opportunity to purchase original artwork
All proceeds supporting NGHS
Don’t miss the popular Pop-Up Gallery in the foyer:
Art and design items from $5–$200
Prints, jewellery, ceramics and more
We’d love your support to make this year’s event the most successful yet.
Come along, spread the word, and celebrate creativity while giving back to our school community.
A huge thank you to all of our sponsors for helping make this event possible.
Find out more: artforall.co.nz
Follow & share: Facebook
Questions? nghsaae@gmail.com
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
Hawke's Bay Careers Expo
On Wednesday 27 May, our Year 12 students attended the Careers Expo at Pettigrew Green Arena. The students explored a number of study, training and employment options. The expo provided the students with information from a wide range of tertiary and industry providers. Students were inspired and informed of the many exciting pathways that exist for them in the world of work. Thank you to the PTA for funding the transport for this event.
Year 13 Tertiary Information Sessions
We have held a number of tertiary information sessions this year. It’s been great to see so many of our students attending these sessions and actively exploring their options ahead of the decision-making process.
We have the following sessions booked in for Term 2:
Waikato University Scholarship Presentation - 10 June at 10.35am
EIT Presentation - 11 June at 10.35am
Bond University Presentation - 16 June at 10.35am
Tertiary Open Days
Tertiary Open Days give students and parents the opportunity to explore the campus and experience first-hand what the tertiary environment is like. You are invited to visit special displays and presentations and explore the various facilities students use. We recommend that the students go to the tertiary open days as it is an important part of the decision-making process.
Below are the dates of the Tertiary Open Days for this year:
1 July - Waikato University (Tauranga Campus) register here
24 July - Lincoln University
5 August - Massey University (Manawatu Campus)
15 August - Massey University (Auckland Campus)
21 August - Victoria University
21 August - Massey University (Wellington Campus)
28 August - Canterbury University
29 August - Auckland University
29 August - AUT
Hawke’s Bay Information Evenings
A number of the universities will be visiting Hawke’s Bay this term and hosting information evenings for students and parents to attend. All of the sessions are listed below with most sessions being held at the Napier War Memorial Centre.
Waikato University - 9 June (6.00pm) - register here
Victoria University - 11 June (6.00pm - 7.30pm) - register here
University of Canterbury - 16 June (6.00pm) - register here
Auckland University - 25 June (time tbc) - register here
University Scholarships for Year 13 Students
We have a number of Universities coming into school this term to provide information on Scholarships. Additionally, MoneyHub, a consumer finance website, has published a guide to hundreds of scholarships for any student planning to start university in 2027. The comprehensive list includes scholarships offered by every university as well as those specifically available to local students. A list of privately-funded, Māori, Pacific and International university scholarships completes the list. Applications close throughout the year, with tens of millions of dollars available. MoneyHub has also published a list of tips for scholarship success.
For more details and to find suitable scholarships, visit the MoneyHub Scholarship page
Caroline Johnson, Jess Radich, Deb Verhoeven - Careers Advisers
SchoolDocs
SchoolDocs
Reviewing Board Policies, Term 2, 2026
This term the scheduled review focuses on Safety On and Off School Grounds, and we are inviting input from parents/caregivers:
- Daily School Bus
- School Swimming Pool/Swimming off Site
- Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC)
- EOTC Governance Roles and Responsibilities
- EOTC Risk Assessment and Management
If you wish to be part of this process, please follow these steps below.
1. Visit the website https://nghs.schooldocs.co.nz
2. Enter the username (nghs) and password (adlucem).
3. Click on “Current Review”
4. Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
5. Read the policy.
6. Click the blue “Start your review” button near the top right-hand corner of the page.
7. Select the reviewer type - "Whānau".
8. Enter your name (optional).
9. Submit your ratings and comments.
10. If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.
Thank you and we look forward to your feedback no later than Monday 22 June, 2026.
Phone: 06 835 1069 Web: www.nghs.school.nz Main Office email: nghs@nghs.school.nz Principal's PA Email: dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz
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