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Te Kura Kōhine o Ahuriri

Pānui

Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community

Message from our Tumuaki

Tēnā koutou katoa. 


2025 has got off to a great start. Our kura is in good spirits and it is pleasing to see our ākonga settle into life at school.


Our annual Founders' Day Assembly was a wonderful occasion with a large number of students honoured for their fantastic NCEA results for 2024. Congratulations to our ākonga who attained scholarships in a wide range of subjects - this is the pinnacle of academic achievement.


Connecting the generations, we had Penny Madden, President of our Old Girls' Association, cut the cake with our youngest ākonga, Caridtha Tepthaiamnuai.  


It was an absolute honour to have Mrs June Clifford play our school song. She penned a verse to acknowledge Founders' Day when she was here at NGHS. Mrs Clifford started as a teacher at NGHS 70 years ago. A very cherished moment indeed. 


Our Founders' Day is a special occasion linking the past with the present. Acknowledging our past gives us a sense of connection and a sense of belonging to something that has stood the test of time.


Our school opened on this site 141 years ago, on 29 January 1884, making us one of the oldest girls' schools in New Zealand. It is appropriate for us to remember that, and we owe many of its traditions and innovations in the 21st century to those who worked so hard to establish and maintain them since the 19th century. Past Principal, Miss Yvonne Walker established our Founders' Day service. Napier Girls' High School started with two teachers, 33 students and one boarder. 


Miss Hewett was was appointed Principal at just 26 years of age. Our values — Manaakitanga (Respect), Personal Excellence (Kairangi whaiaro), and Whānaungatanga (Relationships and Connections) — reflect the qualities that Miss Hewett embodied in her leadership. 


Manaakitanga was central to her approach, as she fostered a respectful environment where every student had the opportunity to grow. Her commitment to Personal Excellence inspired us to push the boundaries of learning, encouraging us to excel in subjects previously not available. Whānaungatanga was at the heart of her vision, as she established strong, supportive relationships within the school, setting the foundation for the close-knit community we cherish today.

 

Sadly, Miss Hewett’s time with the School was short. She resigned in 1892 due to serious illness and passed away the following year at just 34 years of age. In accordance with her wishes, she was buried at sea off Napier, a tribute to her father’s connection with the Royal Navy.

 

Today's school owes a great debt to the wisdom and energy of the early founders. Ka nui te mihi whānau for your ongoing support, ensuring the continuing success of our students and school as it is today.


At the assembly, our 2025 prefects were also presented with their badges.  We wish them all the best for their leadership. It was wonderful to celebrate Founders' Day and the success of our ākonga with our whānau. 



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

FEBRUARY 2025

Friday 21: Noho Marae, Pukemokimoki

Saturday 22 & Sunday 23: Duke of Edinburgh silver/gold training

Monday 24: Te Matatini 

Tuesday 25: Fono with Pasifika whānau

Wednesday 26: Swimming Sports, Hastings Regional Aquatic Centre/Onekawa Pools

Thursday 27: Board Meeting, 5.30pm in H7

Thursday 27: Level 2 Biology Rocky Shore Trip

Friday 28: YES Spark Tank Event, Toitoi, 9.30 – 11.30am

MARCH 2025

Tuesday 4: Year 9 Whānau Evening, 5.30 - 7.30pm

Thursday 6: Year 11 Mātauranga Māori Day

YEAR 9 WHĀNAU EVENING

TUESDAY 4 MARCH, 5.30 - 7.30pm

Please save the date - our Year 9 whānau evening takes place on Tuesday 4 March, 5.30 - 7.30pm. The first part of the evening includes a mix and mingle with our vertical form teachers and presentations from our Principal, Year 9 Dean, and the Heads of Sport and Performing Arts about the wide range of opportunities available to ākonga at NGHS. You will also be able to meet the families of other students in your daughter’s horizontal class, hear from older students about their experiences and find out about our academic and pastoral programmes. 

Reviewing Board Policies

Reviewing Board Policies, Term 1, 2025

This term the Napier Girls’ High School Board of Trustees is reviewing the following policies and are inviting input from parents/caregivers:


·           Health, Safety, and Welfare Policy 

·           Safety Management System 

·           Risk Management

· Worker Engagement, Participation, and Representation

   ·       Healthcare 

 ·         Recording and Reporting Accidents, Injuries, and Illness

If you wish to be part of this process, please follow these steps below:

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 Friday 28 March 2025.

Every Day Matters

We all know that attending school every day leads to higher student engagement, stronger academic achievement, and supports general wellbeing. We become concerned when student attendance is not regular (90% + of term time), and will monitor a student’s attendance closely if it becomes moderate (70-80% of term time). 

 

As part of the partnership between school and parents/caregivers, we need whānau to be responsible for making sure their ākonga are enrolled in school and attend school every day. Parents and whānau also know when students are missing too much school, and it is vital that we maintain open communication about the reasons for absences. We acknowledge that exceptional circumstances may affect attendance. Please contact your daughter’s Dean in the first instance if you are concerned.


How to Report an Absence
 Whenever the school is open, all students must attend all classes for which they have been enrolled. No student may leave the school during the school day apart from the exceptions below. Leaving the school grounds without permission means students cannot be accounted for in the case of an emergency evacuation. 


Absence Explanations
 When a student is absent, the parent/caregiver is requested to contact the Student Liaison Officer with the reason for absence on that day. An easy way to do this is via the Schoolbridge app, pushing Report Absence and then selecting from the options. Alternatively, phone 835 4199, text 021 477 550 or email absentee@nghs.school.nz.  

Appointments
 Every attempt should be made for appointments to be made outside school hours. If this is unavoidable, the parent/caregiver can go to the Schoolbridge app, push Report Absence and then select from the options. Alternatively, phone 835 4199, text 021 477 550 or email absentee@nghs.school.nz prior to the appointment. The student needs to sign out, and back in again, at the Student Centre. Hair appointments and driving lessons are not to be made in school time. Students cannot sign out of school unless we have heard from a parent/caregiver.


 Planned Absence from School (Leave Request)
 If parents know in advance that their daughter is to be absent from school, for example for sporting or cultural participation not organised by the school, or a family event or holiday, an email should be sent to the Student Liaison Officer (absentee@nghs.school.nz) or a Planned Leave Request filled out via the Schoolbridge app. This needs to be applied for at least one week in advance of the absence. This enables the Principal to ensure that the absence will not unduly affect the student’s education. Each case is dealt with on its individual merits. The absence will be deemed as either “approved leave” or “unapproved leave” (explained). Teachers are not required to provide work in advance for unapproved leave. 

 

Parents are able to access student attendance ‘live’ via the Schoolbridge app or through the parent portal via our website. Please call the school if you are unsure of how to access this information.

 

- Megan Mannering, Deputy Principal


Congratulations to all our students 

on their impressive achievementS 


This is outstanding recognition 

of the hard mahi from our tauira 

and their dedicated kaiako. 


Ka mau te wehi!


NZQA Scholarship Success

We are very proud of the 13 students who collectively gained 17 New Zealand Scholarship Awards. NZ Scholarship represents the highest possible achievement in secondary school academic education. Approximately three percent of all students studying each subject at Level 3, who achieve 14 or more credits in the subject, are awarded Scholarship if they reach the standard that has been set.  


Warmest congratulations to our three top-achieving students:


Special mention also to three Year 12 students who gained Scholarships: 

Jorja Miles (Health & PE), Mia Nichol (Geography), and Sally Standish (English).


These students also gained Scholarship in one subject.

Toi Whakaari-  Performing Arts

ITINERANT LESSONS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 

What an eventful and exciting time we are experiencing in the Performing Arts department.


Itinerant lessons are up and running for music and speech & drama. Co-curricular activities in music, dance, and drama are also taking place now. Please check the Nixon noticeboard for more details. If you have any queries about your daughter’s involvement, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Tess Tobin ttobin@nghs.school.nz 

FOOTLOOSE

Last Thursday, over 50 girls stepped up and auditioned for the combined Napier Boys' and Napier Girls' High Schools' production of ‘Footloose’. There is so much talent, and I am sure the selection process will be a challenging one. Callbacks will be next week, and the girls will be notified if they have made it through to the next round. Well done to all who auditioned.

 

DRAMA CLUB is up and running for ALL levels on Wednesday lunchtimes.  This is a fantastic way to get involved, have fun, and gain confidence. See you there.

FESTIVAL OPERA

On Monday 17 February, 75 students were charmed by the Festival Opera performances of 'Dido and Aeneas' and Gianni Schicchi at the Napier Municipal Theatre. Two operatic worlds separated by over two centuries. Purcell’s Baroque tragedy and Puccini’s Modern era and brilliant comedy were both powerful and contrasting performances. For many, this was their first experience of Opera, and the girls LOVED it. The performers were outstanding and such a delight to watch. 


Two of our very own talented students were involved on stage and behind the scenes. Tula Pancotti (pictured right) who starred in the role as the second woman in Dido and Aeneas as well as performing in the main chorus and Eva Aparicio-Pierard ensured sets and scene changes were presented and transitions were smooth. Congratulations to both girls for their involvement.

NZ ARMY BAND

Wow! Wow! Wow! The school was fortunate enough to have the NZ Army band visit on Tuesday afternoon. What spectacular musicians and performers. The band presented several well-known melodies such as, Bruno Mars' ‘Too Hot’, an Ed Sheeran medley, and Robbie Williams' ‘Let Me Entertain You’ to name a few. These were blasted out by the amazing brass section, incredible pianist, and awesome vocalists. The level of energy that was in the hall period 5 was evidence of the excitement and enjoyment had by all.

Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts

Hākinakina  -  Sports

IMPORTANT DATE COMING UP

Wednesday 26 February 

Our annual Swimming Sports is here! This year due to Frimley Pools being closed, things are a little different:

 

🏆 Swimming Champs 

- at the Regional Aquatic Centre

Swimmers who have signed up can meet at the venue by 8.45am or travel by bus which will leave Coote Road at 8.15am


💦 Non-Champs Splash & Dash Day 

- Fun races/activities at Onekawa Pools

All students need to be at the venue by 9am for roll call. All students will be dismissed at 2.30pm.

Futsal

Congratulations to Izzy Dunning (Year 12) who has been selected for the NZSS Football team heading to Dallas in April! ⚽️🙌🏾


Also congratulations to Nina Giacometti (Year 10) who has been selected to represent the ‘All Stars’ team to play at the World Futsal tournament in Florida, USA in July 2025. Nina was selected while recently playing in the Gold Coast international futsal tournament by independent coaches who viewed all the teams to scout for players to represent the All Stars team.

Aluma

Congratulations to aluma Grace Gibson who represented an NZ hockey team at the 2025 indoor World Hockey Cup in Croatia earlier this month.

Triathlon Blue Lake Festival

Well done to our ākonga who participated in the triathlon and biathlon events in Rotorua over the holidays. In the U20 category Anatea Caviale-Delzescaux placed 7th in the sprint triathlon and the 2km open water swim, and 11th in the Aquathon. 

Lilli Caviale-Delzescaux (Year 9) won the youth triathlon. 

Canoe Polo

A team of five students played in the Atahua cup at the end of February winning their 3rd & 4th place game against Sacred Heart seniors. Four of the girls played for their respective A & B grade games too!

Meg Ronberg

Ophelia Booth

Greer Hambleton

Charlotte Martin

Lucy Parker

Term 1 Summer Sports and NGHS Sports & Performing Arts schedules:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-mqV-4lPhJLuZoX0DpWzeOrNCBTMQgpbHIaArwq2uMI/edit?usp=sharing 

b-ball flyer v1 2025 - shorter version.doc

Basketball

C.A.N.I. ACADEMY 

If interested, please contact Coach Clifton:

Clifton Bush Jr. – C.A.N.I. Academy Head Coach

Ph 021 1234 200, email cbII_23@hotmail.com 

Triathlon HB Summer Series Race 6 CLUB & HBSS Championship

WHEN: 9 March 2025

WHERE: Pandora Pond, Napier

ENTRIES CLOSE: Midday, Saturday 8 March 2025

For more information, click on this link 

If you have any further questions, please contact Jeremy at events@trihb.kiwi

Teachers Corner

Congratulations to Miss Anna Parsons who completed the 2-day Coast to Coast Challenge over Waitangi weekend!

Athletics

Paige Dobson competed in the NZ Continental Tour with her first race in Whanganui recently.  Paige raced in the Cooks' Classic women’s open international mile coming in 16th (PB 5.02). She ran alongside eventual winner Linder Hall from Australia, who is ranked 15th in the world!

Cricket

Congratulations to Jenna Alison, who was selected for the Hawke’s Bay senior womens' cricket team over the holidays. Jenna made her debut mid-January, with a convincing win against Wairarapa and played two one-day domestic matches against Taranaki last weekend.

Equestrian

Congratulations to Lucy Robinson (Year 12) who won the Puhinui international 3-day horse trials in Auckland on her horse "Pioneer Tenacity".

NGHS Wall of Fame

💙🏆 💙🏆 

This week, we proudly unveiled the NGHS Wall of Fame in our school gym — honouring our elite athlete alumnae and celebrating their incredible achievements.

It was fantastic to have some of our featured stars join us in person: Renee Baarspul (Weightlifting), Forne Burkin (Rugby), Hannah Cotter (Hockey), and Kaitlin Cotter (Hockey).

A huge thank you to Parris Petera and Sarah Raggett for their mahi in bringing this project to life. What a powerful way to inspire the next generation of NGHS athletes!

Mana Wahine Flyer.pdf

Send Us Your Sports News!

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 and on our celebration wall in the gym or held for future consideration for school sports badges and achievement awards.

MJ Durkin - Head of Sport

NGHS Students Serve as Lifeguards at Hawke's Bay Beaches Over Summer

As the golden sands of Hawke’s Bay beaches become a summer playground for locals and visitors alike, a dedicated group of Napier Girls’ High School students has taken up the vital role of ensuring beachgoers stay safe while enjoying the region’s beautiful coastline.


These remarkable young women commit countless hours to lifeguarding, offering an invaluable service that combines public safety with community education.


For many of these NGHS students, lifeguarding is more than just a summer job. Their involvement in surf sports keeps them fit and agile throughout the year and hones the essential skills they need to handle the unpredictable challenges of the ocean.


Competitions and regular training sessions demand a high level of physical fitness and mental resilience, qualities that seamlessly translate into their lifeguarding duties. Whether it’s performing a rescue in rough waters or teaching beachgoers about rips and tide patterns, these students exemplify the strength and dedication required to protect our community.


The commitment of these young lifeguards extends beyond their individual efforts. Their families also play a significant role, offering support and encouragement as they balance their lifeguarding duties with school, sports, and other commitments.

To our NGHS student lifeguards: 

Thank you for your many hours of service, your dedication to beach safety, and your passion for protecting our community. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and the impact you make is deeply appreciated by all who enjoy the beauty and serenity of Hawke’s Bay beaches.

The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award

A Fantastic Start to the Year!

The year is off to a busy and exciting start for our Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award participants! 


Our Bronze participants have been hard at work completing their online training courses, with many finishing at school and others putting in the effort at home. A special shout-out to our incredibly patient students who navigated the occasional challenges of online learning and WiFi issues—well done!


Looking ahead, the next step for Bronze participants is their practice tramp. These will take place on 15–16 March or 5–6 April, and many students have already signed up. If you haven’t yet, be sure to secure your spot soon!


Meanwhile, our Silver and Gold participants are gearing up for their training this weekend. Both groups will be heading to Makahika Outdoor Pursuit Centre in the Tararua ranges for an action-packed weekend of adventure and skill-building. A huge thank you to Mrs Raggett, Mr Poulgrain, and Mrs Harrison for giving up their weekend to support our students on this journey.


A reminder to all Duke of Ed participants — keep up with your award sections! Whether it's a service, skill, or physical recreation, make sure you are actively working on them and logging your progress online.


As always, if you have any questions or need guidance, I’m available in the library with Brooke Duncan every Tuesday. We’re here to support you every step of the way. Keep up the great work, and we look forward to seeing all the adventures ahead!

Louise Bassett-Foss, TiC Duke of Edinburgh

Umanga  -  Careers

Career Development Centre

Napier Girls’ High School Career Development Centre provides guidance and career education to enable students to make informed decisions about their future pathways. Our aim is to ensure every student makes an effective transition from the school environment into further training, education or employment. The Career Development Centre is easily accessible in the School Library. Please contact either Caroline Johnson cjohnson@nghs.school.nz or Deb Verhoeven dverhoeven@ngh.school.nz if we can assist your daughter in any way. 


There is also a Careers website which can be found under “Careers Information” on the Napier Girls’ High School website. We encourage you and your daughter to use this. It includes our careers calendar, careers assistance, tertiary information, programmes at NGHS, Scholarship and Studylink information. 

Trades Academy at EIT

This year sees all Trades back at EIT after the cyclone damage has been repaired. It has meant that EIT are running Trades Academy every day of the week - so it has been a busy start to the year. Our ākonga are doing varied Trades - including Building and Construction, Automotive, Hair and Beauty, Animal Care, Electrical, Hauora, Hospitality and Early Childhood. Many thanks must go to EIT for their hard work in getting this up and running and trying to cater to all our students' needs.

Hands-On Otago University Experience

From 12-17 January, 400 Year 12s and 13s attended the Hands-On trip at the University of Otago in Dunedin. Hands-On was a unique opportunity to experience University life and meet a lot of new people. Throughout the trip, we attended morning sessions of the project of our choice, and afternoon taster sessions that allowed us to experience other sides of the university. My project was psychology, where I learned about the human brain and behaviour. There were more than 25 projects on offer. Of the many tasters available, I was allocated to zoology, physiotherapy, and a unique session using printing presses from the 1800s. Other fun activities Hands-On offered were a quiz night, an active afternoon of sports, tours of the residential colleges and a student panel where uni students answer any questions you have. We were given free shirts to wear and a very important lanyard that doubled as a nametag and schedule. Hands-On gave me the valuable experience of testing out my dream, which is a career in psychology. Overall, it was an incredible week and I was able to make so many great friends and learn so much.     - Tayla Baxter, Year 12 student

Waikato University Experience

From 10-12 February a group of Year 12 and 13 students had a wonderful experience at Waikato University. It was a great opportunity to see their awesome facilities, experience what it is like to live in the halls, and hear about their study options. The students rotated around lectures and tutorials they selected and visited different areas of the campus. Subjects they could select included: Law, Forensic Psychology, Teaching, Biomedical Science Engineering, Design, Social Sciences, Psychology, Sport, Computer Science, Marketing and Management. There was also a quiz night, student panel, and movie night. We are grateful to Waikato University for providing this experience for our students. They are now more informed about the options they can study at Waikato University and understand more about University life. Ngā mihi nui to Mrs Johnson and Ms Russell for accompanying the students on the trip.

Mrs Caroline Johnson & Mrs Debra Verhoeven - Careers Advisors

Phone: 06 835 1069   Web: www.nghs.school.nz   Main Office email: nghs@nghs.school.nz   Principal's PA Email: dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz