Embedded Files
Empowering ākonga to achieve success and fulfilment, for themselves, whānau and community
Message from our Acting Tumuaki
Message from our Acting Tumuaki
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Welcome to Term 2.
I trust you had a good break over the holiday period. The weather was challenging to begin with, but in the last week we were blessed with still, sunny autumn days - a simple reminder of what a beautiful part of the world we live in!
It is my privilege to be Acting Principal this term as our Tumuaki, Dawn Ackroyd, enjoys a well earned chance to learn, reflect, and refresh. She will return in term 3 with new ideas about harnessing the potential of AI in schools, and bring her unwavering energy and commitment back into our school community.
Welcome to Lee Andrews, teacher of science, who joins our kura this term. Linda Milton also joins us as a teacher-aide, and Hayley Berriman has started in the hostel as evening supervisor.
What an incredible experience 14 students had in Tokyo, Japan over the holidays. You can read about their highlights later in this pānui. Ngā mihi nui to Mr Winchester and Mrs Raggett who accompanied the students.
Last week staff and students represented our school at the ANZAC Day services held in Napier, Taradale, New Plymouth, and other towns closer to home. This was an opportunity to respectfully remember the men and women who served our country, and reflect on 110 years since the landings at Gallipoli and the celebration of the ANZAC spirit. It was also a chance for our young people to reflect on the power of a peaceful and just society, and ask themselves what small actions they can do to support this on a daily basis. This starts with their actions every day at our kura - ensuring they demonstrate our school values of manaakitanga, kairangi whaiaro, and whanaungatanga.
Audrey Anna Robin delivered her moving speech to the school at assembly this week, which embodied the themes of acceptance of diversity and understanding of cultural differences. Her words were powerful and her delivery captivating. She will proudly represent herself, her whānau and our school community at the Race Unity Speech Nationals in Auckland this week. Ka rawe Audrey Anna.
This term we look forward to the start of the winter sporting codes, Kapa Haka Regionals, Showquest, Chamber Music Contest, Big Sing, two school sports exchanges - to name but a few! I would also like to highlight to parents and caregivers that as previously indicated in our school calendar, we will be closed on Tuesday 3 June following King’s birthday, as staff undertake professional development on-site as one of the two government approved curriculum days for 2025.
Ngā mihi nui
Mrs Megan Mannering
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
MAY 2025
Monday 5: PTA Meeting, 7.00pm in staffroom - all welcome
Saturday 10 & Sunday 11: Duke of Edinburgh Silver Practice Tramp
Wednesday 14: On-site school finishes for all students at 12.15pm. Buses leave at 12.30pm.
Wednesday 14: Junior Parent-Teacher Interviews:
1.00 - 3.00pm online interviews, 3.30 - 6.35pm face-to-face interviews
Friday 16: Pink Shirt Day - Non-uniform day for all ākonga
Monday 19: ECNI Relay Champs, Havelock North
Monday 19: Showquest, 6.30pm at Toitoi, Hastings
Tuesday 20: Tauranga Girls' College Exchange, Taupō
Tuesday 20, Wednesday 21: Literacy and Numeracy CAAs
Wednesday 21: Road Education Safety Day for all Year 12 ākonga
Friday 23: Kapa Haka Regionals, Napier Municipal Theatre
Saturday 24: Smokefree Rockquest/Tangata Beats Regional Heats
Tuesday 27: Careers Expo for all Year 12 ākonga (optional for Year 13)
Wednesday 28: Literacy and Numeracy CAAs catch-up day
Thursday 29: YES Pitch Presentations, all day
a4-upstander-poster-2025.pdfToi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Toi Whakaari - Performing Arts
Cathy Irons
I would like to formally welcome Juliana Kerr, our new Personal Assistant to the Performing Arts Department.
Juliana arrived at NGHS in Week 10, Term 1. She is proving to be an absolute gem and no task is too big for her. Juliana has slotted into the very busy daily routines of the department, and one would think she has been here for a lot longer than she has. I hope Juliana has a very positive experience as a member of our staff and I wish her all the best in her new appointment.
NZ Chamber Music Contest
On Monday 5 and Tuesday 6 May, ten of our 16 Chamber Music groups will be coached by versatile violinist Cathy Irons to prepare them for the Chamber Music contest later this year. Cathy’s violin studies were with Jurgen Schwietering, the concertmaster of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra at the University of Natal, South Africa, where she graduated with a distinction for her Bachelor of Music in Orchestral Performance. In her final year of study she received an internship with the KZNPO, which she joined subsequently, before immigrating to Christchurch where she now plays with the ChCh Symphony Orchestra.
Each group will have 45 minutes of tuition with Cathy, working on developing their performance skills and group dynamics. Cathy will also focus on instrument techniques and the accuracy of their music delivery. We are very grateful to have been offered this opportunity from NZ Community Trust and we are sure the girls will gain an immense amount of knowledge from this experience.
Jazzy Painted Instruments
When an instrument is damaged and too expensive to repair, often they are sadly sent off to the skip or somewhere similar. Here at NGHS, our very talented Head of Visual Arts, Sarah Raggett had her equally talented students set to and painted the broken instruments (that have been accumulating over the years).
We were given them in the last week of Term 1 and the plan now is for our very capable caretaker, Mike O'Dwyer to mount them in N6, the music room. The jazzy instruments will be a very welcome visual addition to our lovely room. Thank you to all who helped this happen. We love them!
Congratulations Zilin Zhao
During the school holidays, Zilin (Year 10) competed in the Hawke's Bay Easter Music festival on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 April, in Napier. The adjudicator this year was Susan Melville from Christchurch.
Zilin competed in the instrumentalist section on the piano. The instrumentalist section is held for pianists, string players, baroque instrumentalists and orchestral instrumentalists. Zilin won six 1st places and two 2nd. Her average score was well above 90/100 and she also received the following awards:
Championship award
Mayor of Napier award
Most promising player
Highest mark over all instrumental classes
Highest average score
Highest accumulated points in class 120 & 119 (test piece and own selection)
Jan Beck scholarship
We congratulate Zilin on her amazing results and commend her on the tireless hours she spent preparing for the competition. Well done!
Ad Lucem Choir Camp
We have a very busy term ahead of us. We begin with the Ad Lucem 2-day Choir Camp, (Friday and Saturday) this weekend as they prepare for the Big Sing Competition. We are excited that Mr Chris Atkinson has secured Elisha Fa'i-So'oialo (M.Mus with Hons., PGradDip.Mus., BMus., Dip.Tchng) to workshop with the girls on Saturday. She is the arranger of the Pasifika piece Sina Oe / Manu o le Vaveao which is part of the choir’s programme. Elisha will focus on pronunciation of the language, bringing the style of the music to forefront and teaching the girls the very important dance movements that support the music. The camp will close on Saturday 3 May with a performance from the choir from 3.30pm - 4pm in the school hall. You are welcome to attend.
Smokefree Rock Quest
NGHS have 6 bands entered into the competition this year. Presently they are busy preparing for this event which takes place in June. There are no regional heats this year so the girls automatically move onto the semi-finals. You can hear their wicked tunes every Wednesday morning before school as they work together with tutor Jason Alexander, composing their original songs for the competition. We wish them all the best in their preparation.
Showquest - ‘Salem - A Dance of Fear’
Our Showquest team has been working hard since Week 3, Term 1 and the theme based on the Salem Witch Trials is coming together. We have a cast and crew of almost 80 students involved so it’s a big entry for us and we look forward to seeing the final product come together. The students rehearse every Wednesday after school and in the two weeks leading up with extra rehearsals as props, costumes are incorporated. We are at the stage where we are adding in some drama and live singing to our piece as this particular event is about telling a story through dance, drama, music and visual design. The date is Monday 19 May and the students rehearse at Toitoi Theatre during the day with the evening performance at 6.30pm. Tickets can be purchased using the following link:
https://www.toitoivenues.co.nz/whats-on/event/883690/showquest-hawkes-bay-2025
Year 10 Drama
Year 10 Drama spent the second half of Term 1 preparing their Children’s Theatre production. This unit required them to bring a childhood story to life, using theatre skills and technologies to enhance their performance.
On Thursday 8 May, Ms Edwards, Juliana Kerr, and three Year 10 groups will take their productions to Napier Central Primary School where they will delight the young audiences there. We wish them all the best… what fun!
Shakespeare Festival 2025
Last term, NGHS attended the University of Wellington Shakespeare Festival. We had five teams entered and all pieces were student directed.
Our student directors were:
Stella Edwards and Lola Brown who directed a 5 min junior entry from A Midsummer Night's Dream
Marcia Eagle directed a 5 min entry from Macbeth
Lucy Simpson and Tori Gibbs directed a 5 min scene from King Lear
Edie Croad, who directed two pieces, a 5min scene from Macbeth and a 15min scene from The Merry Wives of Windsor
We had 24 students involved on the night and they performed outstandingly well. Unfortunately, we didn't get selected to go to Nationals this year - it was tough competition as there were 6 other schools involved and 15 entries on the night.
However, we did receive a few awards for our efforts:
Excellence in Comedy and Audience Choice award - King Lear, as the Kardashians
Excellence in Tragedy - Edie Croad directing Macbeth
Best Audience Interaction - The Merry Wives of Windsor
Excellence in Acting - Edie Croad in The Merry Wives of Windsor
Excellence in Directing - Edie Croad for The Merry Wives of Windor and Macbeth
Well done to all involved, you did yourselves and the school proud.
Ms Tess Tobin - HoLA Performing Arts
Hākinakina - Sports
Hākinakina - Sports
Important Date Coming Up
Tuesday 20 May: Sports Exchange with Tauranga Girls' College in Taupō.
Winter Sports Start Dates
Week 1
Tuesday 29 April - Super Secondary - Senior A & B round 1
Saturday 3 May - Saturday Netball (grading day 1)
Week 2
Monday 5 May - Social Hockey
Wednesday 7 May - Football
Thursday 8 May - Hockey 1st, 2nd, 3rd XI, Colts
Week 3
Monday 12 May - Senior and Junior Basketball
Tuesday 13 May - Pistol Shooting
Week 4
Tuesday 20 May - Table Tennis
Futsal
⚽️ Futsal Champions! ⚽️
Congratulations to our Senior A Futsal team who won the HB Senior Women's competition after winning the final against Havelock 4-1.
Volleyball
Congratulations to our NGHS Volleyball teams who placed in the HB Secondary School Girls Volleyball competition in Term 1. Ngā mihi nui to our wonderful volleyball sports co-ordinators Esther Thornton and Tracy Bedford, and to staff and parents (in brackets), for their commitment and support of this very popular and growing programme.
Senior A - 3rd in Div 1 (Mrs Moffitt & Jo McLachlan)
Senior B - 3rd in Div 2 (Peet & Mrs Moffitt)
Senior Blue - 1st in Div 3B (Ms Chandler & Justine Carr)
Senior White - 2nd in Div 4B (Tracy Bedford)
Junior A - 1st in Div 3A (Natasha Hema)
Junior Blue - 2nd in Div 4A (Jo Hitchcock)
Junior White - 2nd in Div 4B (Ms Reismann)
Links to the Community - well done to all our students who have helped at the following events:
Basketball Referees
Year 10 students supported the Basketball Special Olympic event through refereeing games last term.
Football Referees
Girls Only Primary School Football Festival; 7-a-side tournament for girls in Years 4-6.
Gala Day
Netball umpires and rippa rugby referees HB netball and HB rugby at the McCain Gala Day:
Gussy Dalton
Ali Edwards
Georgia Edwards
Ava Munro
Greer Nicholson
Britta Oliver
Leah White
Georgie Wilson
Haide Wilson
Madi Hunt
Ashla Holt
Premier Team Workshop Sessions
Our top netball, football, hockey and basketball teams got a taste of what high performance sport is all about 🏋️♀️🏃♀️💪🏾
The day included sessions on nutrition, fitness testing, team culture and mental skills. These gave our athletes a real insight into what it takes to compete at the next level.
Huge thanks to Chris McIvor and his team for creating such an awesome opportunity for our students.🙌🏾🔥
Events over the Holidays:
NZ and Oceania Canoe Sprint Championships - Karapiro
Congratulations to Greer Hambleton and Kaia Hohaia-Hall, who jointly came away with some awesome results and National titles including:
Gold in 16&U Women's K4 500m
Gold in 16&U Women's K4 200m
Bronze in 16&U Women's K2 500m
Bronze in 16&U Women's K2 200m
Greer also received:
Gold in 14&U Women's K1 200m
Gold in 14&U Women's K1 500m
Gold in 14&U Women's K1 2.5 km
Silver in Club Relay 100m
Bronze in 18&U Women's K1 200m
Bronze in 18&U Mixed K4 200m
NZSS Canoe Slalom Championships - Tekapo
Well done to Greer Hambleton, who also competed at these event with great results:
K1 Junior Women - Gold & Junior K1 trophy recipient
Freestyle Junior Women - Gold
C1 Junior Women - Bronze
C2 Intermediate Mixed with Kalan Wedd (NBHS) - Silver
C2 Senior Mixed Teams - Gold
NZ Canoe Slalom Nationals
K1 U14 Women - Silver
K1 U23 Women Teams - Bronze
Sailing Nationals
⛵ After a week of light to moderate breezes and great conditions at the New Plymouth Yacht Club, our sailing team has come away with an incredible result at the NZSS Team Sailing Nationals! 🌊☀️
Over 270 races were completed across 4.5 days, with 29 teams competing in three round robins. It was a huge week, with long days on the water and fierce competition. Despite a challenging start, our sailors showed real grit—finishing strongly in the final round robin to place 3rd in the competitive Bronze fleet, making them the 3rd-placed Girls’ team overall! 🥉👏
Thanks to this outstanding performance, the team has earned the right to represent NGHS — and Aotearoa — in the Inter Dominion Championship in Goolwa, South Australia this September, competing against the top Australian teams.
A massive thank you to Helena Chan for her incredible mahi as camp mum and to coach/manager Philipp Otto for guiding the team so skillfully. 🙌
Big days, beautiful weather, and stunning views of Taranaki Maunga made this a week to remember.
Hamilton Pre-season Tournaments
Both our 1st XI Hockey squad and Senior A Netball team travelled to Hamilton last week for their respective pre-season tournaments. It was a valuable opportunity to connect as a team, build confidence, and develop combinations and strategies ahead of the season.
Ngā mihi nui to our kaiako Mrs Roberts, Kaitlin Cotter, Miss Parsons, and parents Kate Field and Shannel Ranui for your support in making this possible. 🙏
2025 ICF Canoe Polo Oceania Championships - Gold Coast
Congratulations to Meg Ronberg who was part of the NZ U21 A team that won bronze in the U21 division, and to Ophelia Booth who was part of the U18 A team that won gold in the U18 division.
U21 Women
🥉 NZ U21 A Women
U18 Women
🥇 NZ U18 A Women
Tennis
During the holidays Gemma Johnson (Year 11), travelled to Hamilton to compete in the 4-day National Junior Teams Event. Gemma was playing as number one girl in the Waikato Bays team which consists of the top four girls and boys from Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Western Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay. They were competing against the top players from the five other regions which are Northland, Auckland, Central, Canterbury and Southland.
Gemma also competed in the 2025 Tier 2 Technifibre Tennis Central Open in Wellington before the National tournament as a warm up. She was beaten in the semifinals by the number 1 seed and came 3rd after beating the number 2 seed in the playoff for 3rd and 4th.
Football
Congratulations to Isabelle Dunning, who played for the NZ Secondary School Girls' U18 Football Team in USA (Dallas) over the holidays.
Isabelle says “Dallas was an amazing experience and I will be forever thankful for it. The coaching I got was next level and the way our team came together was amazing. I have made friends that will last me a lifetime. The football over there was next level and we were lucky enough to have made it to the semi-finals which was the best New Zealand has ever done. I also have made another family over there with my home stay and will forever be thankful.”
Briana Stephenson Session
Ngā mihi nui to Briana Stephenson for giving back to our kura with an engaging session on performance reframing and presence training tools 🧠💪 — especially in the context of sport. Our students found it both informative and inspiring, and the Q&A at the end was a real highlight 🙌.
Rugby
Are you aged 12-18 and want to give rugby a go? Well here is your chance to get Contact Ready!
Contact Ready is an introductory programme made especially for girls aged 12 to 17 years old to enhance player safety and confidence when transitioning into contact versions of rugby.
When: Monday and Wednesday at 4pm starting Monday 5 May
Where: HBRU - 3 Orutu Drive, Tamatea
To register, use the link below:
Let Us Know Your Sports News!
We love to acknowledge our students’ sporting achievements outside of school. 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
Japan Tour - Tokyo, 2025
Japan Tour - Tokyo, 2025
Over the April holidays, a group of Napier Girls’ High School students embarked on an unforgettable cultural and educational tour of Japan, filled with adventure and new friendships.
We began in the mountain town of Kinugawa Onsen, where students embraced Japanese traditions, wearing yukata, soaking in the onsen, and sampling local cuisine. Back in Tokyo, we tried making fake food samples (Ella M. won “Best Lettuce”), explored Sensō-ji Temple and Asakusa, and dined with a robot cat waitress.
We visited the TeamLabs Digital Art Museum in Azabudai, climbed Tokyo Tower, strolled through Yoyogi Park to Meiji Shrine (catching a traditional wedding), and explored Harajuku, Shibuya, and Azabudai.
A highlight of the trip was the homestay experience with our sister school, Kōsei Gakuen. Students attended classes, shared bento lunches, dressed in yukata, and took part in a tea ceremony. Jade represented NGHS with a speech at the welcome assembly, Eleanor a farewell address, and Ella C. led the group in a waiata. Many special moments were shared with new friends.
We capped off the trip with a day at DisneySea and a surprise visit to a Tokyo Dome baseball game, cheering for the Giants alongside passionate local fans.
Our final morning was spent reflecting, sharing cake, and celebrating standout moments before heading home to Napier.
Thank you to Kōsei Gakuen, parents, students, and everyone who made this trip possible. The memories and connections made will stay with our students for years to come.
Mr Strahan Winchester - HoLA Languages, TiC Japanese
Young Navigators
Young Navigators
During the school holidays, I had the incredible opportunity to take part in the Young Navigators programme, run by Young Enterprise New Zealand. This hands-on programme is designed to empower young Māori and Pasifika students by developing entrepreneurial thinking through real-world business challenges.
Our task was to create a business, whether a product, service, or system, that helps reduce litter and waste in Aotearoa. Through this challenge, I was able to grow my problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and leadership skills while collaborating with students from across the country who share a passion for business and innovation.
The experience has not only deepened my interest in entrepreneurship but has also inspired me to pursue further study in business at university. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a meaningful, fun, collaborative program. It was the highlight of my holidays.
- Aroha Workman, Year 13 Business Studies Student
Free Dental Care
Free Dental Care
Napier Girls’ High School is excited to inform you that your child is eligible for free dental care provided by the Ministry of Health. As part of this initiative, Dental Planet Mobile Dental Units will be visiting our school from 14 - 25 July 2025 to offer comprehensive dental check-ups and treatment, funded by Health NZ / Te Whatu Ora at absolutely no cost to whānau.
This service aims to ensure your child’s oral health is in excellent condition and to address any dental issues early on.
Dental Planet’s qualified dental professionals will provide services such as:
• Dental examinations
• Cleaning and polishing
• Necessary dental treatments (fluoride treatment, fillings, sealants, etc)
We will send all parents and caregivers a consent form next week, so that you can opt into this service.
NPA-252-NPA_Behind_the_hype_Energy_Drinks-v1699332346005.pdfEnergy Drinks and Their Impact on our Students
Energy Drinks and Their Impact on our Students
Recently, our school has seen a noticeable increase in the number of students arriving in the morning with energy drinks in hand. While these beverages are marketed as quick boosters for energy and focus, they come with a range of negative health effects, particularly concerning for teenagers.
Energy drinks typically contain high levels of caffeine and sugar and additional stimulants. For teens, this can lead to serious issues such as sleep disturbances, increased anxiety, mood swings, and even heart palpitations. Many students may not realise that the short-term burst of energy often comes with a long-term crash, leaving them feeling more tired and less focused during the day. This could have a direct impact on their learning. We have also seen an increase in students visiting the sick bay complaining of headaches and/or stomach upsets and the school is collecting data to determine if there is a link between energy drink consumption and visits to the sick bay. Anecdotal evidence from our students has indicated that some students are consuming energy drinks on an empty stomach in the mornings and multiple energy drinks per day.
Our school community is growing increasingly concerned about this trend. Teachers and staff have noticed that students relying on energy drinks often struggle with concentration, irritability, and inconsistent energy levels throughout the day.
We encourage students to make healthier choices by staying hydrated with water, getting enough sleep at night, and fuelling their bodies with nutritious breakfasts.
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Hillary Award
Duke of Edinburgh Update
It continues to be a busy and exciting time for students involved in the Duke of Edinburgh programme. Our Silver participants are gearing up for their practice tramp from 9 – 11 May. They’ll be heading into the beautiful Kaweka Forest Park for two nights — fingers crossed that this warm weather holds for their adventure!
A huge thank you goes to Mrs Raggett and Mr Mather for their support and leadership of this tramp. We couldn't run these important experiences without the dedication of staff like them.
For all students working towards their awards, this is an excellent time to focus on the other sections: Physical Recreation, Service, and Skill. Please remember to log your hours as you go — keeping accurate records is essential for progressing through your award.
We would also like to extend our gratitude to both our school staff and the wider community members who volunteer as assessors for the programme. Your contribution is highly valued and deeply appreciated. If you have any questions or concerns about being an assessor, please feel free to contact me directly at school or visit the Duke of Edinburgh website for more information.
Best of luck to all our participants — we are proud of your commitment and achievements!
Mrs Louise Bassett-Foss
Umanga - Careers
Umanga - Careers
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:
4-5 May: Otago University and Otago Polytechnic
23 May: Waikato University (Hamilton Campus) register here
12 June: EIT Information Day from 9am to 6pm.
18 July: Lincoln University
6 August: Massey University (Manawatu Campus)
15 August: Massey University (Auckland Campus)
22 August: Victoria University
22 August: Massey University (Wellington Campus)
30 August: Auckland University
30 August: AUT
5 September: Canterbury University
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 listed below are being held at the Napier War Memorial Centre.
21 May (6pm - 8pm): Victoria University - Register here
28 May (5.30pm start): Lincoln University - Register here
3 June (6pm start): University of Canterbury - Register here
10 June (6pm)*: Auckland University - Register here *This is an online session
11 June (6pm start): Waikato University - Register here
25 June (6pm start): Auckland University - Register here
Year 12 Road Education Safety Day
On Wednesday 21 May all of our Year 12 students will be participating in the Road Safety Education Programme (RYDA) at McLean Park, Napier from 8.40am - 2.30pm. This is compulsory for our Year 12 students and there is no cost for this programme.
RYDA is the leading and only national road safety education programme for youth in New Zealand. The programme features highly engaging practical demonstrations which have been designed to provide young people with the skills and strategies they need to stay safe on the roads. It gives students a unique opportunity to set road safety goals and build strategies alongside their friends they will most likely be riding with, as drivers or passengers.
Drive Coach - Free Workshop for Parents
If you are teaching a young person to drive there is a free workshop running in Napier at McLean Park on Wednesday 21 May from 5.30pm - 7.00pm. Drive Coach is a practical workshop which updates parents on the latest research and road safety approaches as well as giving parents an opportunity to ask questions and get advice from experts. Complimentary refreshments will be provided by Toyota.
You can book your place in the workshop here.
New Careers Website
Tahatū is Aotearoa New Zealand’s new career website. It has been designed to give your rangatahi an easier way to explore careers, advice, and information.
Here is an information leaflet to help parents, caregivers and whānau learn more about Tahatū and support rangatahi using the website: https://tahatu.govt.nz/api/documents/serve/134/Wh%C4%81nau_information_leaflet.pdf
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 2026. 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
Mrs Caroline Johnson & Mrs Debra Verhoeven - Careers Advisors
Reporting Absences / Exit Pass Requests
Reporting Absences / Exit Pass Requests
When requesting an Exit Pass or Reporting an Absence via SchoolBridge, please note that this system is not live. We export these requests and import into KAMAR.
In the case of Exit Pass requests, the school office cannot see them until this is submitted.
For Reported Absences, our Attendance Officer needs to manually enter all the absences reported via phone call, email and txt (which takes at least an hour every morning) and then upload the absences from SchoolBridge, to allow us to capture those reported after school begins. This means absences will not be visible on the student's attendance immediately. All are in the system by approximately 9.30am each morning.
If you're requesting an Exit Pass after 9.15am, please ensure you are requesting at least half an hour in advance of when the student needs to sign out. If you have forgotten to do this in time, please call the school office to let them know when and why the student is signing out instead of requesting an Exit Pass.
To report an absence you can either:
click "Report Absence" on the SchoolBridge dashboard (this is the quickest and easiest way to report an absence);
email absentee@nghs.school.nz;
send a text to 021 477 550; OR
call the school number on 835 1069 - please ensure you speak clearly and give the student's name, year and form class (if known) and reason for the absence.
A friendly reminder that the school has over 1,000 students. To help keep things running smoothly, please avoid calling the office to remind students about appointments. If needed, you’re welcome to email your student during the day to remind them to sign out.
In the case of Planned Leave requests, please ensure you apply for this in advance through the "Planned Leave Request" button (not the Report Absence button).
One-night-only Screening of SEEN, featuring Nathan Wallis
One-night-only Screening of SEEN, featuring Nathan Wallis
Rockmybaby is proud to invite you to a special one-night-only screening of the powerful documentary SEEN — a moving and thought-provoking film that explores how our childhood experiences shape the way we parent, and how healing ourselves can transform future generations.
Created by ParentTV founder Sam Jockel and directed by award-winning filmmaker Hailey Bartholomew, SEEN features internationally renowned experts including:
Nathan Wallis – Neuroscience educator
Maggie Dent – Parenting author and educator
Dr Billy Garvey – Developmental paediatrician
Lael Stone – Parenting educator and speaker
Professor Selena Bartlett – Neuroscience researcher
Blending science, raw personal stories, and expert insights, SEEN uncovers the lasting impact of childhood experiences — and offers a hopeful message of connection, compassion, and healing. Seats are limited, so we encourage you to book early.
To reserve your ticket, simply email: info@rockmybaby.co.nz
Date: Wednesday 7 May
Time: 6.30pm
Location: Focal Point Cinema, Havelock North
Tickets: $28 per person
Watch the trailer: Watch Here
Learn more about the film: SeenTheFilm.com
Phone: 06 835 1069 Web: www.nghs.school.nz Main Office email: nghs@nghs.school.nz Principal's PA Email: dmcpherson@nghs.school.nz
Page updated
Report abuse