Embedded Files
Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community
Message from our Tumuaki
Message from our Tumuaki
Tēnā koutou katoa.
I continue to be grateful for our ākonga, kaiako, and our wider NGHS whānau for ensuring our ākonga have a full and vibrant education.
We hosted the NGHS & NBHS Arts Exchange last week. Congratulations to both schools on a successful day.
You will read of some of the great sports results in this pānui and will no doubt witness some exciting games ahead as we reach the end of our winter sports season. All the best to our sports teams who are competing in the upcoming secondary school's Winter Tournament week.
As if that's not busy enough, our senior ākonga have been busy this week studying and demonstrating their knowledge and skills through sitting their derived grade examinations, which started yesterday and continue into next week. We hope that they are going well for them and that they attain the results that they are pleased with, rewarding their efforts. Please note that the derived grade examinations are crucial in determining a grade should a student not be able to sit their end of year examinations due to the following exceptional approved reasons: misadventure (an event beyond the student's control or an exceptional circumstance), trauma, a temporary acute non-recurring illness, or a sudden significant change to a long-term illness occurring at the time of examinations.
Victorian Association of State Secondary Principal's Conference – Leadership, Belonging, and Excellence
I recently had the privilege of attending the VASSP Conference in Melbourne, where school leaders came together to explore how we can build strong cultures, navigate complexity, and create the conditions in which both students and staff can thrive.
The conference began with visits to three distinctive educational settings: Melbourne Girls’ College, the Centre for Higher Education Studies, and Footscray High School. Melbourne Girls’ College, similar to NGHS, offered an affirming example of public girls’ education, with its strong focus on empowering young women to participate fully, take intellectual risks and see themselves as leaders. The visit reinforced the important role schools such as ours play in developing confident and capable wāhine.
The keynote speakers provided plenty of inspiration and challenge. Two that stood out for me were:
Professor Arnold Dix, who led the extraordinary rescue of 41 workers trapped in India’s Silkyara Tunnel, and spoke about leadership during times of crisis. His message was that leaders do not need to have all the answers. Instead, they must remain calm, bring together the right expertise, communicate hope honestly, and keep people at the centre of every decision.
New Zealand-born chef Ben Shewry, founder of Melbourne’s internationally renowned Attica restaurant, spoke about building sustainable excellence through culture, community, creativity, and commitment. A particularly powerful message was that high expectations and kindness are not opposites. Excellence grows when people experience clear standards alongside trust, care, and psychological safety.
Across the conference, one message stood out: excellent leadership is not about doing more or projecting authority. It is about creating a culture of belonging, maintaining high expectations with kindness, and enabling others to contribute and succeed. These are ideas that strongly align with our aspirations and values at Napier Girls’ High School.
All the best for the rest of the term. Ngā mihi nui.
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
AUGUST 2026:
Thursday 20 - Friday 28: Derived Grade Examinations
From 21 August until 3 September: CAN Art Exhibition
Wednesday 26 - 31: Big Sing Finale, Christchurch Town Hall
Monday 31 - Friday 4 September: Winter Tournament Week
SEPTEMBER 2026:
Thursday 3: NZSS Athletics & Road Race Relay Festival
Monday 7: Curriculum Day - School closed. Hostel closes 6pm Friday 4 September, reopens 3pm Monday.
Tuesday 8: Sports & Cultural Photos
Wednesday 9: 'Rewind' Dance Concert, 7.30 - 9.00pm, Hall
Thursday 10: ECNI Road Race
Friday 11 - Sunday 13: DoE Silver Qualifying/Gold Practice Tramp
Tuesday 15: Literacy CAAs
Wednesday 16: Numeracy CAAs
Wednesday 16: Level 3 & Scholarship Music Performance Evening
Thursday 17: Junior Social, 7 - 9pm, NGHS Gym
Friday 18: Literacy & Numeracy CAAs Catch-up day
Friday 18 - Sunday 20: DanceNZMade Nationals
Monday 21: Level 2 Music Performance Evening
Tuesday 22: NCEA Level 2 & 3 Dance Derived Grade Examinations
Wednesday 23: Flute Recital, 3.30pm
Wednesday 23: NGHS Cross Country Champs
Thursday 24: Board Meeting, 5.30pm, H7
Friday 25: House Choir, P5. Last day of Term 3
Kia Manawaroa & Matavai e-newsletters
Kia Manawaroa & Matavai e-newsletters
New issues of Kia Manawaroa and Matavai have been published:
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Cultural Exchange: Celebrating the Best of Our Ākonga
On Friday 14 August, we were thrilled to host the Annual Napier Girls’ High School and Napier Boys’ High School Cultural Exchange, a fantastic day celebrating the extraordinary talent, creativity, and cultural diversity of our ākonga.
Introduced just last year, this initiative was created to bring our two schools together and celebrate the incredible range of talent across our wider school communities. From individual musicians, drama, debating, and dance, to Pacifica, rock bands, chamber music, choirs and kapa haka, the day was a wonderful showcase of the many ways our young people express themselves, connect with others, and contribute to the cultural life of our schools.
The day opened with a moving pōwhiri, beautifully organised by our senior Te Reo Māori and Manaaki classes, setting a wonderful tone for what was to be an energetic and inspiring day. From there, the programme unfolded seamlessly, with performances, collaborations, and plenty of friendly rivalry throughout.
One of the highlights and certainly one of the most entertaining moments was the inaugural Toilet Seat Challenge between the two schools’ Prefect teams! The teams battled it out for musical glory, with Napier Boys’ High School taking the honours this year. Congratulations to our NBHS counterparts, we look forward to reclaiming the title next year!
A huge amount of mahi has gone into making this exchange such a success. We are incredibly proud of our Cultural and Performing Arts Prefects, Lily Harrington, Anabelle McGregor, Mattie Geange, Morgan Anderson and Aria Taurima who, alongside the NBHS Cultural Prefects, have worked tirelessly over the past two terms to organise and bring this special day to life.
With only two years under its belt, the Cultural Exchange is already becoming a highly anticipated and much-loved event in our school calendar. It is a wonderful reflection of what can happen when two schools come together with a shared passion for culture, creativity, collaboration, and celebration.
A massive ngā mihi nui to all of our staff, students, and whānau who supported the day. Your commitment and willingness to get behind our young people made this event truly special.
We are already looking forward to Cultural Exchange 2027!
Big Sing Finale Christchurch
We are officially on the home stretch! With less than a week to go, the excitement is really starting to build as Ad Lucem prepares to head to Christchurch for the 2026 Big Sing Finale. The choir and staff will fly out from Napier on Wednesday 26 August, returning home on Sunday 30 August.
What an incredible few days lie ahead! The programme is packed from start to finish, with Ad Lucem competing alongside some of the very best secondary school choirs from across Aotearoa, as well as having opportunities to watch, listen, learn, and collaborate with other outstanding young musicians. It will be a wonderful celebration of choral music, friendship, and the incredible talent of our young people.
The choir and Mr Atkinson have been working incredibly hard to prepare for this moment. Extra rehearsals, performances, fundraising events, and countless hours of mahi have all gone into getting Ad Lucem ready. Their dedication, energy and determination have been absolutely inspiring, and we could not be prouder of the commitment they have shown.
A huge thank you to everyone who supported the film fundraiser at MTG Theatre on Thursday 13 August. The evening was a fantastic success, and the incredible support from our community has made a genuine difference to the choir’s journey. The accompanying raffle will be drawn under supervision on Friday 21 August, with winners notified and published across our various school platforms.
Another wonderful highlight was Ad Lucem’s performance at St Luke’s Church in Havelock North on Sunday 16 August, alongside the Octavius Choir. It was a beautiful afternoon of choral music and another opportunity for our girls to share their music with the wider community. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Anthony Tassell and the Octavius Choir for their incredibly generous donation towards Ad Lucem’s Christchurch trip. Your generosity and encouragement mean so much to our choir.
It is also timely to acknowledge our wonderful school community and the incredible support you have shown Ad Lucem throughout this journey. From fundraising and donations to attending performances and simply cheering the girls on, your support has been phenomenal. Without the generosity of our families, staff, whānau and wider community, this trip would have presented a significant financial challenge for many families. You have helped make this very special opportunity possible, and we are incredibly grateful.
We know that Ad Lucem and Mr Atkinson will represent our kura with pride, passion, and mana. They have worked incredibly hard to reach this point, and now the time has come to enjoy every moment, sing their hearts out, and make some very special memories together. Reaching the Big Sing Finale is an extraordinary achievement and one that our whole school can celebrate.
ALL THE VERY BEST, AD LUCEM!
Sing proudly. Compete brilliantly. Represent our kura with pride. Enjoy every moment and travel safely!
We are all behind you! Go well, Ad Lucem!
Mr Atkinson: Celebrating the Best of Choral Music
What an extraordinary few weeks it is for Mr Chris Atkinson, as he has the incredible privilege of attending the World Symposium on Choral Music in Macau, China, from Friday 21 August to Wednesday 26 August.
This wonderful opportunity has been made possible through the generosity of our Napier Girls’ High School Board Staff Scholarship opportunity, and we are incredibly grateful that Mr Atkinson has been able to take up this very special professional learning opportunity.
The World Symposium is a truly exciting celebration of choral music from around the globe. Mr Atkinson will have the opportunity to participate in workshops, learn from world-leading choral directors and practitioners, experience outstanding performances and sing alongside some of the finest choral singers from around the world.
As if that wasn't enough, he will then head straight home - well, to Christchurch! - to meet our girls and lead Ad Lucem into the Big Sing Finale. Talk about a busy few days!
We are incredibly proud of the commitment Mr Atkinson gives to our students and to the development of choral music within our kura. The knowledge, inspiration and experiences he brings back from this symposium will undoubtedly enrich both his teaching and the musical experiences of our young people.
We would like to wish Mr Atkinson a wonderful, inspiring and safe journey. Enjoy every moment, soak up the incredible choral experiences, sing loudly and proudly and then get yourself to Christchurch to lead our girls!
All the very best, Mr Atkinson… what an incredible opportunity, and what an incredible few weeks ahead!
Solo Singing Cup Competition
Wednesday 9 September… not far away.
It's that time of the year again… the annual Solo Singing Competition is just around the corner! Whether you're an experienced performer or simply love to sing, we encourage everyone to get involved and represent your House.
The competition will be held during the day on September 9 and follow the same format as the past two years:
Online Entry: Earn a valuable House point by submitting a recording from your own space. You can perform a cappella, self accompanied or with a backing track.
Face-to-Face Performance: If you're aiming to take home one of our prestigious Solo Singing Cups, this is the category to enter!
There are three competition categories:
Junior Cup – Year 9
Intermediate Cup – Year 10
Senior Cup – Years 11–13
More information about entries and deadlines will be coming soon, so keep an eye on the daily notices. If you have any questions or would like some encouragement to give it a go, please see Ms Tobin or Liv. We can't wait to hear the incredible talent our students have to share!
Hawke’s Bay Youth Orchestra
An Exciting Opportunity for Young Musicians
Calling all young budding performers! Hawke’s Bay Youth Orchestra is offering an exciting opportunity for young musicians to develop their skills, perform alongside other talented students, and be part of an inspiring musical community.
If you love making music and are keen to take your performance to the next level, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn, grow, perform and connect with other young musicians from across Hawke’s Bay.
I highly encourage our aspiring instrumentalists to check out this wonderful opportunity offered by Hawke’s Bay Youth Orchestra and consider getting involved!
Who knows where your musical journey might take you?
Flute Recital
Wednesday 23 September, 3.30pm - 4.30pm, Nixon Block
Come along and enjoy an afternoon of beautiful music as 10 talented flute students showcase their musical journey with our wonderful new flute tutor, Mrs Naomi Fenwick.
The students have been working hard and are excited to present a delightful selection of woodwind melodies, ranging from beautiful traditional classical works, through to toe-tapping modern favourites.
Whānau and friends are warmly invited to attend. There is nothing quite like a supportive audience to lift a performer and bring music to life, and the girls would absolutely love to see you there cheering them on! We look forward to sharing this special afternoon with you!
NGHS Drama Shines at Youthfest
On Saturday 15 August, Napier Girls’ High School’s talented drama students took to the stage at the Youthfest competition, hosted at Woodford House in Havelock North — and what a day it was!
NGHS was proudly represented by two senior scripted comedy productions, involving 16 fantastic students. The first, Enter the Villain, was directed by Year 13 Tori Gibbs, while Freefall was directed by Anabelle McGregor. Both groups performed exceptionally well and were rewarded with some fantastic results:
Enter the Villain received Excellence in Technology Award, a Special Acting Moment Award and Isabel Redpath received a Merit in Acting Award.
Freefall received Outstanding Performance of a Scripted Piece. This talented cast now has the exciting opportunity to take their production through to the Youthfest Finals in Palmerston North next month.
It is particularly special to see Youthfest growing from strength to strength. The festival was founded last year by our very own Amy Edwards, and it is already gaining momentum across regions throughout the country, providing young performers with a wonderful platform to develop, perform and celebrate their craft.
A huge congratulations to all 16 students, Tori, Anabelle, and everyone who supported these productions. Your creativity, commitment, courage and sheer enthusiasm for drama continue to make us incredibly proud.
Well done, NGHS and best of luck to Freefall as you head to the finals! We’ll be cheering you on all the way!
DanceNZMade
Our NGHS Dance teams took to the stage on Monday with confidence, creativity, and plenty of energy, delivering some fantastic performances. A huge effort from our 65 dancers and choreographers across 12 teams. The day was packed with fun workshops and stage rehearsals before the evening performance, with a really high standard of dance across the Hawke’s Bay schools.
We were thrilled with the results for our teams, with some great placings across the different divisions.
🥇1st Place Open Division ‘Resurge’
🥈2nd Place Overall Team ‘Resurge’
🥈2nd Place Junior Division ‘Wuthering Heights’
🥈2nd Place Senior Division ‘Bollywood Ignite’
🥉3rd Place Junior Division ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’
⭐4th Place Open Division ‘Winter’
⭐4th Place Junior Division ‘Vybes’
⭐4th Place Senior Division ‘I am a Woman’
🌟Directors Award for embracing culture ‘Bollywood Ignite’
🌟Golden Ticket Award Recipients - Mattie Geange, Kasaiah Hazel, Isabella Christodoulou.
An extra congratulations to our six teams who will represent NGHS at DNZM Nationals from 18 - 20 September at Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North.
✨Resurge
✨Bollywood Ignite
✨Wuthering Heights
✨Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
✨Winter
✨One Life: Our Tahi Story
NGHS also had some incredible competitors in the solo/duo/trio section on Sunday. Congratulations to the following who placed in their categories:
🏆Bella Adams and Riley Caves ‘Overall Duo/Trio Champion’
🏆1st Place Bella Adams and Riley Caves Year 9/Year 10 duo
⭐Year 10 Solo 3rd Place - Bella Adams (National Nomination)
⭐Year 11 Solo 2nd Place - Charlie Kinney (National Nomination)
⭐Year 11 Solo 3rd Place - Amelie Sanders
⭐Year 12 Solo 4th Place - Bella Papp (National Nomination)
⭐Year 13 Solo 1st Place - Mansi Giri (National Nomination)
Ka mau te wehi!
If you would like to share any of our students' successes with us, we’d love to hear about it! Please email music@nghs.school.nz.
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
End of Winter Season Dates:
Netball - Saturday Secondary Schools - Saturday 22 August
Hockey, division 3 & 4 - Monday 24 August
ALL THE BEST to all teams who are competing at regional/national tournaments during winter tournament week - 29 August - 5 September
Netball Senior A - Lower Norths in Wellington
Basketball Senior A - Regionals in Palmerston North
Hockey 1st XI - Federation Cup in Whangarei
Hockey 2nd XI - Chris Arthur Tournament in Stratford
Football 1st XI - Premier Tournament in Taupō
Equestrian - North Island Interschool in Taupō
Players have been training hard in preparation for their respective tournaments. Thank you to all those involved in helping to prepare our akongā.
Also to our community sponsorship for their support:
Netball - TH Painting
Hockey 2nds - J&S Heli
Basketball - CHB Automotive
Get2Go Challenge
On Wednesday, seven girls from NGHS competed at the Get2Go adventure race challenge based in Haumoana and the Sports Park. This adventure race was split into three parts - orienteering, water, and mountain biking. Although it was a cold day, the team got heavily involved and placed 6th, which was a great achievement as they raced against some very competitive all boys’ teams! A highlight from this amazing experience was the orienteering at the start of the adventure race and a low being how cold we got after the water activities. All in all, everyone thoroughly enjoyed this experience and were very grateful for all the help and support they received from Shelley (Addison’s Mum) and Esther on the day.
End of Winter Sports
As we head into the final week of the sports season, I want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible effort, dedication, and school spirit shown by our teams this year. Whether you are competing in a playoff match or playing your final regular game — go well. Approach this final round with enjoyment, pride, and the excellent sportsmanship that defines our school.
Importantly, no team makes it through a season alone. On behalf of the entire school community, I want to extend our gratitude to our dedicated coaches, umpires, managers, and teachers who volunteered their time and grew alongside you over the season. A special thank you must also go to whānau for their unwavering support.
Teams should be proud of how far they have come and the connections made or strengthened.
WINTER SPORTS RESULTS
Basketball
NGHS had a successful finals night in the 2026 Senior Secondary School Girls’ Basketball finals this week.
Senior A won over Karamu Senior A 50 – 20
Junior A won over CHB Gold 52 – 24
Ka mau te wehi!
A big thanks to Senior A coach Clifton Bush Jr and manager Mrs Petera. Shout out our students coaches for Junior A coaches Ella Paku, Kendal Waenga and manager Mrs Taylor. Also to Junior B coach Te Ramahana Pomare-Tocker.
1st XV Rugby
PTS Cup 2026
What a competition! A huge congratulations to all the teams who competed in this year’s PTS Cup.
1st — Feilding High School
2nd — Napier Girls' High School
3rd — New Plymouth Girls' High School 4️
4th — Hastings Girls' High School
5th — Taupō-nui-a-Tia
Thank you to coaches Briar Hales, Kaya Whaitiri Dee, and Simon Lord and to rugby whānau for supporting the campaign over the season.
A massive thank you to PTS for sponsoring the competition and helping make it possible.
Rugby League
Congratulations to our ākonga, who have been named in the Unicorns U16 Rugby League team. They are preparing for their national tournament in the first week of the Term 3 holidays. Dakota, Midnight, Leyah, Syvannah, Poppy, and Paige.
Chess
On Friday 7 August, NGHS was proud to send a group of five students to participate in the HB Intermediate and Secondary Schools Chess Tournament. This was a fantastic all-day event competing against students from other schools in a friendly competition. We competed in six 30 minute rounds and got to meet and learn from other players in a friendly environment. We experienced real competition environments against players with similar skill-levels. Our students represented themselves and the school well, with a special congratulations to Tiaki Dacker who won 4 out of 6 games. A huge thank you to MJ who took the day to transport and chaperone us - this amazing day wouldn’t have been possible without her support.
Netball
Congratulations to our Senior A who won the HB Secondary School Girls' Championship game this week 33-18 against Iona. Shout out to Senior B for making the semi finals of the same division last week also!
Ngā mihi nui to coaches Miss Parsons, Jewels Falcon, and manager Ms Russell - our Senior A crew, and to Charissa Barham, Graecyn Parahi, Parris Petera, and manager Mrs Spackman - our Senior B crew, for their dedication and support of the players throughout the season. 🙌👏
HB Netball SUPER CLUB Playoffs
Super proud of our Senior A netballers who had a good battle with Otane in their semi final game in the HB Super Club competition Congratulations to Otane eventual winners of this competition. This team included ex NGHS students: Parris Petera, Jade Poi, Katie Beal, Aspen Petera and Valentine Kahukura.
HB Netball Age Group Rep Prizegiving 2026
Congratulations to our NGHS students for their awards received from their representative campaigns.
U16A Most Valuable Player - Kendal Waenga
U16 Development Most Promising Player - Emersen Bentin
U16 Development Sportsmanship Award - Lily Darby
U18A Most Promising Player - Arna Paewai
U18A Most Valuable Player - Emily Crowther
U18 Development Sportsmanship Award - Maia McKenzie
Canoe Polo
On Tuesday, we were fortunate to have Grace Henricksen and Tristan Theron run a Give it a Go session for our Juniors wanting to try Canoe Polo and potentially continue to play in the Term 4 season.
As we look to develop players and grow numbers in this sport, two more sessions will take place on Tuesday 25 August and 1 September 6 - 7pm at Flaxmere Pool. Students can book spots through MyKindo shop (limited spots available).
Grace will be representing NZ at the Canoe Polo World Championships in Germany from 24 August to 22 September. We wish Grace all the best.
Volleyball
Manea Robin was fortunate enough to be selected for the top volleyball team for her age group in Hawke’s Bay. This gave her the opportunity to travel to Wellington to compete in the IPC Under 17s volleyball tournament. It was a great experience for Manea to compete against other strong teams within New Zealand and to represent Hawke’s Bay at a high level of sport. The tournament has allowed her to develop her volleyball skills further, teamwork, communication and confidence while gaining valuable experience playing in a competitive environment.
HB Basketball have recently launched the Her Time Hoops Pathway, a free development programme designed for U16, U18 and U20 female athletes who are committed to taking their game to the next level and preparing for the 2027 representative basketball season.
The programme will run every Wednesday from 5:00pm – 6:30pm at Havelock North High School and is completely free of charge.
Her Time Hoops.pdfTerm 3 Give it a Go 2026.docxWe 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
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
Tertiary Course Planning Sessions
The universities opened their accommodation portals on the 1st August. We encourage our Year 13 students to apply early. Most scholarship websites are open and it is important that students are proactive and organised in order to reap the rewards. We encourage our Year 13 students to attend the following course planning sessions if they are attending to go to these tertiary institutions in 2027:
Thursday 9 September: Lincoln University Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
Tuesday 15 September: Victoria University Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
Wednesday 16 September: Massey University Course Planning (Library at 10.35am)
EIT Enrolment and Scholarship Support Session
Tuesday 3 September at 1.20pm in the Careers office
StudyLink Information Session
Thursday 17 September at 10.35am in the Library
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:
28 August - Canterbury University
29 August - Auckland University
29 August - AUT
Medical School talk
On Monday 17 August, NGHS old girl and dux from 2021, Ella Philp, came to speak to senior students about what she’s learnt from her time in Med School and how to best prepare for this study pathway. She gave insight about the differences between Otago and Auckland Medical Schools, information into what a day in the life of a medical student is like, and offered excellent study tips and strategies for how to approach the final years of school and how to be best prepared for this career path. Students were able to ask Ella questions and get valuable knowledge that will support them, should they choose this career.
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
Primary Industries Visit to Pan Pac
Primary Industries Visit to Pan Pac
On Friday 14 August, our Level 1 Primary Industries class braved some terrible winter weather for a fascinating field trip to Pan Pac. The weather certainly didn’t deter anyone from attending, and we were rewarded with a fantastic day learning about one of Hawke’s Bay’s most significant industries.
We began with an informative presentation on the history of Pan Pac and the basic operation of Hawke’s Bay’s top exporter. The opportunity to discuss forestry as one of New Zealand’s major primary industries was particularly valuable, reinforcing the work students have been doing in the classroom around New Zealand’s primary sectors and industries.
It was also fascinating to learn about the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle and the massive rebuild of the mill following the devastation caused by this natural disaster. Before heading into the mill, we received an extensive health and safety briefing, an important reminder of the safety expectations that are such a significant part of working in the primary industries.
Then it was on to the mill! It was very noisy, highly mechanised, and incredibly interesting. Students were able to see massive computer controlled machinery in action, transforming logs into highly demanded products. From there, we moved through to the pulp plant, gaining another insight into the technology involved in producing the huge volumes of pulp and paper that are exported from Hawke’s Bay.
Our final stop was a forestry block, where we got to see where the whole process begins. Dan also talked to us about some of the environmental work being undertaken by Pan Pac and the importance of sustainable forestry practices. Unfortunately, the weather eventually got the better of us, with the track becoming extremely muddy and a little too risky to continue.
Thankfully, we have been promised a return visit in Term 4, when hopefully the weather will be a little kinder to us!
A huge thank you to Kimberly and the entire Pan Pac team for organising such a fantastic day and for taking time out of an incredibly busy week to show us around. We really appreciate the generosity and knowledge they shared with our students.
Having a genuine understanding of forestry, its technology, environmental responsibilities and its importance to the New Zealand economy is incredibly valuable as our students begin to consider their own futures and the many career opportunities within the primary industries.
Kenmei High School
Kenmei High School
Earlier this month, our Year 10 Japanese classes welcomed a group of students from Kenmei High School in Japan. Our visitors shared presentations about their hometown and school before the students enjoyed small-group language exchange conversations, putting their Japanese and English skills into practice. There were plenty of smiles, laughter, and new connections!
9 Matai also joined our visitors for a range of Japanese games and cultural activities, including kendama, origami, chopstick challenges, and the traditional string game ayatori. It was a wonderful opportunity to share language and culture while having lots of fun together.
SchoolDocs
SchoolDocs
To Parents/Caregivers
Reviewing Board Policies, Term 3, 2026
This term we are reviewing policies in the School Community Engagement Policy section, and we are inviting input from parents/caregivers.
Key policies:
· School Community Engagement Policy
· Inclusive School Culture
· Enrolment
· Student Attendance
· Student Uniform/Student Dress Expectations
· Concerns and Complaints Policy
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 21 September 2026.
Kindo Update
Kindo Update
Kindo recently added a new function called 'Autopay'. Autopay automatically allocates funds from your Kindo wallet to your school's payment requests — so you don't have to log in and do it yourself each time. Setting it up takes just a few minutes, and you can pause or adjust it at any time.
Click here for more information about Autopay
Now is the time to pre-order your 2026 copy of the NGHS annual school magazine - "Torchbearer". Order via the Kindo Shop for $20. The magazines will be distributed in the last week of school to those who have purchased.
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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