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Hobsonville Point Secondary School Communication
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6 December 2024 PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE Kia ora e ngā whānau, This is our last newsletter for 2024. What a fantastic year it has been. I would like to thank our staff for all their work and effort this year; they have ensured all students reach their potential. I am incredibly proud of our school and all the opportunities we provide to our students. This was exemplified by the experiences we offered our students during the Year 9-10 EOTC week. I appreciate all our staff and student leaders who gave up their time to make this week possible. Today, we paid tribute to Tom, Brendon, and Keith. These three men were tragically taken whilst building our kura 12 years ago. We remember and acknowledge their whānau, and we share their grief. The plaque at the front of the school reminds us daily of these men, who will forever hold an important place in our hearts. I would like to welcome the whānau of our new Year 8 students to our fortnightly newsletter. This newsletter will be sent out every second Friday next year, and aims to capture and celebrate the successes, experiences and learning of our exceptional students. At the end of January, we will send a newsletter with all the required information for the start of the year, including the IEM dates and staff-only days for 2025. Lastly, we look forward to hosting our alumni on Tuesday, 10 December, during the launch of our first alumni launch event. We hope this to be the first of many alumni events that will help deepen the connections between our alumni and HPSS and result in increased professional and social networking between our alumni. We hope you all have a wonderful summer holiday and I look forward to seeing you all next year. Ngā mihi Kirsty Dowding Tumuaki Principal
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ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION:Next Friday, 13 December, will be the last day of school for 2025. All Year 9 and 10 students will need to be at school at 9.00am in hubs. From 9.30am - 10.30am, there will be a prize-giving for all Year 9 students. This will be followed from 11.00am - 12.00pm with our Year 10 prize-giving. The day will finish at 12.00pm. Parents of prizewinners have been contacted by email to invite them to attend. Academic Progress Reports for all Year 9-11 students will be sent to parents by email on Friday, 13 December, and will be available to view on our parent portal. For key dates for the start of the year, please see the section at the end of this newsletter.
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PERSONAL EXCELLENCE - YEAR 11 PRIZE-GIVINGThe 2024 Year 11 Prize-giving took place on Friday, 22 November. The prize-giving celebration was a celebration of our Year 11 students’ exceptional achievements in academics, arts, culture, sports, and leadership. The hall was filled with whānau, friends and staff who attended to honour the dedication, talent and growth of our Year 11 students. We are immensely proud of our Year 11 prize-winners and are grateful for the unwavering support of their parents, caergivers and whānau. Congratulations in particular to our Overall Habit Awards winners, Aaron Ang, Monique Magdadaro, Jade Kennedy-Clark and Devika Manoj, our Values Awards winners, Andrea de Billot, Christine Phung, Aryan Kumar, Monique Magdadaro, Emma Lynch, Nicole Lombard and Nikita Naidu. Special recognition went to those who received the highest awards. Jade Dowding received the Te Herenga Waka Award for consistently exhibiting the Hobsonville Habits, Ray Forbes received the HPSS Personal Excellence award for consistently setting and achieving high standards, Megan Wiggill received the HPSS Academic Excellence award for achieving at the highest level of academic achievement and Yolanda Zhou-Wang received the our highest award, the Overall Excellence award. Official photos from all our prize-giving celebrations can now be viewed by clicking on this link and providing your name and email. Photos from the Year 9-10 prize-givings celebrations will be added at a later date. Thank you to Geoff Salisbury for capturing the celebrations.
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RESILIENCE AND CONNECTIONS- YEAR 9-10 CAMPCamp was an experience! There wasn’t any emotion that we didn’t feel during the week. Happiness, sadness, stress, excitement - it seemed like every moment adrenaline was rushing through our bodies. Whether it was the hydroslide, which shot us down a slope into a lake, the half-day hike up 4,000 steps, or the climbing wall where we challenged ourselves to climb to our potential, we were constantly pushing ourselves beyond our comfort levels and developing confidence in who we were and what we can achieve. While camp was a fun, individual experience, we also had the opportunity to bond with our hublings as well as to form new friendships and connections with people we didn’t know. We developed these connections through team building activities in organised groups, like ‘animal survival’, the trust fall and the raft building. I’m looking forward to starting next year with the relationships with students and teachers that I have developed at camp. Overall, we couldn’t have grown the skills and dispositions, such as resilience, cooperation, patience, self-management and adventurousness, if it wasn’t for the help of teachers and fellow student leaders. Issa Angelo
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SERVICE AND INQUIRY - SAMOA TRIPTalofa from the islands of Samoa 🇼🇸 During our time in Samoa we’ve had the pleasure to experience and integrate ourselves within the culture of Upolu and Savaii. When we first arrived I think we all had similar first thoughts - it’s very hot! The first three nights were spent in Fasito’outa village where they welcomed us with a traditional ʻava ceremony, and we returned the greeting by singing a waiata. A highlight for the whole group is definitely swimming. The beautiful beaches and the refreshing waterfalls were amazing, especially since it’s so humid and hot. Going swimming at least once everyday just makes sense here. We have had the privilege to coach the local primary schools in the area, Fasito’outa and Sapapaliʻi primary schools. Their hospitality and energy has made the experience fulfilling and enjoyable. The coaching we’ve been doing as part of our project at HPPS to prepare for this trip was very different from Samoa mainly because the kids in NZ could understand what we were saying! In NZ we can use mostly instructions and only a small amount of demonstration. But in Samoa we have to think carefully about what we can do to help them understand; we used a mix of hand signals, simple words in English and the Samoan they taught us, and mostly we used demonstration of the games. Another highlight from coaching was getting to teach Sapapaliʻi primary school the traditional Māori game tapu ae. It was really cool to see how well they understood the idea, then played it and they all joined in enthusiastically - so happy to learn a new game (they told us the main games they play are rugby and volleyball). After exhausting and exciting days spent coaching the local primary schools around the area we have been lucky enough to be provided delicious food made from the hearts of the Samoan people who have welcomed us. We have experienced two umu including learning how they are prepared. We worked hard all year to be here with all our fundraising and coaching practice. Thank you to our sponsors and to everyone who has made this trip possible. If you want to follow our trip on instagram, check out @hpssontour. By Lucia Suluape & the Year 11 Samoa Project
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RESILIENCE AND CONNECTIONS- EOTC WEEKThis week the students who did not attend camp took part in a range of activities intended to challenge and develop our survival skills. On Monday, we learnt how to survive in the bush. In the morning, we travelled down to the Rifle Range where we learnt how to make a ‘solar still’ to purify water in a way that replicates the way nature makes rain. In a solar still, the sun’s rays evaporates the pure water vapour which then condenses on the cool inside surface. After creating our own solar stills, we travelled into the bush where we were tasked with creating our own bush shelters, utilising resources like tarp, scrub, sticks and strings. On Tuesday, we grew our understanding of ‘bush kai’. In the morning we were taught how to identify resources we can use and eat to survive in the wilderness, such as kawakawa berries and the use of plantain weeds for medicinal purposes. In the afternoon, we learnt about rongoā (Māori medicines), and made kawakawa bombs to unleash their healing powers. On Wednesday, we mapped out Hobsonville’s coastal waterways and learnt about the tidal systems in the harbour and water quality. In the afternoon, the focus was on whakapapa, making family crests that represent our ancestry and connections. Today I am looking about first aid, particularly in emergency situations. We have been taught about the DRS ABC (action response plan) and applied our knowledge in emergency response scenarios. Overall, the week was a great experience and I’ve enjoyed the connections I’ve made. Sean Aguas, Year 9
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CONNECTEDNESS & INQUIRY - PROJECT SHOWCASEThe Year 9, 10, and 11 Project Showcase was a vibrant celebration of creativity and hard work, where students proudly displayed the projects they had been developing throughout the semester. The event buzzed with energy as students interacted with diverse exhibits ranging from innovative science experiments to creative arts and design pieces. To add a layer of engagement, students filled out a "questionnaire passport" as they explored the displays, sparking meaningful conversations and active participation. The showcase was a resounding success, with students immersed in sharing ideas, exchanging feedback, and celebrating their achievements.
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CONNECTEDNESS - NATHAN WALLIS SEMINAR UNDERSTANDING THE TEEN BRAINThis is a final reminder that on Wednesday, 11 December, renowned neuroscience educator, Nathan Wallis, will be coming to speak to our community about the ‘Teen Brain’. From 7.30pm - 9.00pm Nathan Wallis will share his insights into the workings of the teenage brain and provide clear tips and practices from research to help your teen’s ability (and yours) to cope with this tricky time and navigate these formative years. To book a ticket, please click on the link below. https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2024/nathan-wallis-the-teen-brain/auckland/hobsonville
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KEY DATES 2024Term 4: Monday 14 October - Friday 13 December
KEY DATES 2025
Term 1 - Monday 3 February - Friday 11 April Friday 31 January - IEMs for all Year 9s and new students All Year 9s and new students to HPSS start Monday 3 February 10am All students start Tuesday 4 February 9am Public Holidays: Waitangi Day – Thursday 6 February
Term 2 - Monday 28 April - Friday 27 June Term 3 - Monday 14 July - Friday 19 September Term 4 - Monday 6 October - Friday 12 December
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