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Hobsonville Point Secondary School Communication26 June 2026 PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGEKia ora e ngā whānau, As we come to the end of another successful term, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our students, staff, whānau, and wider community for your ongoing support and partnership. It has been a term filled with opportunities, outstanding achievements, and moments of celebration. From academic success in our classrooms to impressive sporting performances, our students have continued to demonstrate commitment, resilience, and pride in our school. As we head into our final week of term, we look forward to welcoming our Year 9–11 students and their whānau to our Student-Led Conferences. These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for students to reflect on their learning, celebrate their progress, and share their goals with their families. They are an important part of strengthening the partnership between home and school, and we look forward to seeing many of our whānau joining us. As we then head into the holidays at the end of next week, I hope everyone has the opportunity to rest, recharge, and enjoy quality time with family and friends. Thank you once again for making Term 2 such a positive and rewarding one. Have a safe, relaxing, and well-deserved break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in Term 3, refreshed and ready for another exciting term of learning, growth, and success. Ngā mihi Kirsty Dowding Tumuaki Principal
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KEY NOTIFICATIONS:ATTENDANCE: RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME One of our Board’s key strategic priorities is resilience; ensuring every student has the well-being, confidence, and persistence to thrive through challenge and change. One building block of that resilience is the simple act of showing up and showing up on time. Regular school attendance is vital for students to reach their full educational potential. Arriving on time ensures students don't miss crucial morning connections or class instructions, helps them settle into their day, and builds lifelong habits of reliability. To align with the government's target of 90%+ attendance or fewer than 5 days' absence per term, we encourage whānau to support students in closely monitoring their attendance. We ask our parents and caregivers to partner with us by focusing on three key areas: Presence & Punctuality: Ensure students attend every day they are able, and arrive on time to start the day right. Habits: Reinforce consistent sleep habits and morning routines that make getting to school on time stress-free. Communication: Let us know about any absences. Get in touch with us (whānau coach/community, senior leader/attendance team) if your child is struggling to get to school or a particular class. We are here to help.
By working together - home, students, and staff - we can ensure our young people build the consistency they need to thrive. Thank you for your ongoing support. If you have any questions about attendance, please do contact the team at attendance@hobsonvillepoint.school.nz ————————————————————————————————————— INFORMATION - CO-REQUISITE EXAM RESULTS Results for the Reading Co-Requisite Exam were published on the MyNZQA student portal on 23 June, with Numeracy and Writing results being published on 20 July (Week 1, Term 3). We look forward to seeing the excellent HPSS achievement rates in Literacy and Numeracy continue this year and celebrating our students' success with them. This year, students will also be able to review their examination papers. For Year 10 students, or others who may not have accessed completed examination papers through their MyNZQA student login before, information on how to view and download completed assessments can be found on the NZQA website. Students who have received a not-achieved result in one or more of the co-requisite exams will have the opportunity to re-attempt the relevant exam in Term 3 (7-18 September) with whānau and students notified of their entry by Week 3 of Term 3. —————————————————————————————————————-- OUTSTANDING STUDENT ACTIVITIES FEES We are proud to offer our students a wide range of enriching opportunities, including sports, camps, and other EOTC activities. These experiences are an important part of student life and help create lasting memories and valuable learning opportunities. To ensure these activities can be delivered successfully, we ask families to keep their student SchoolBridge account up to date. Payment of outstanding fees is required before participation in sports seasons, camps, and other activities. If your family has an outstanding balance, we encourage you to make payment as soon as possible. We do our best to keep these costs at a minimum. We understand that financial circumstances can vary. If you are experiencing difficulties or would like to discuss a payment plan, please contact Lisa Taylor (Lisa.Taylor@hobsonvillepoint.school.nz) in confidence. We are committed to working with families wherever possible. Thank you for your support in helping us continue to provide these valuable opportunities for our students. —————————————————————————————————————-- SUPPORTING YEAR 9 AND 10 STUDENTS WITH MATHEMATICS To help students feel confident heading into new topics next term, they have been assigned Recommended Tasks on Education Perfect. These tasks are tailored to individual students and are designed to review and reinforce the learning we covered this term. How you can support your child: Take a look: Ask your child to show you their assignments. Review together: Each task includes explanations and practice problems to help bridge any gaps. Small steps: A bit of review over the holidays and into the beginning of next term will really help ensure they are ready to hit the ground running in Term 2.
Your support in helping them stay on track with their learning is greatly appreciated. —————————————————————————————————————-- Toi ki te Pāka ki Te Onekiritea this year to celebrate Puanga/Matariki To celebrate this event, we would like to invite you to the formal unveiling of the Mahi Toi on Sunday 28th June at 2pm. We invite our community to come and be part of this event and to celebrate several of our talented artists from HPSS who will have their work on display. The event will include a small hikoi to see the art works at their installed site around Te Onekiritea - Bomb Point.
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COLLABORATION: PATHWAYS ALUMNI PANEL AND INTERNSHIP STORYAlumni Panel shares real-world advice with senior students This week our Year 12 and 13 students had the opportunity to hear from six former students during our Life After School: What We Wish We Knew in Year 12/13 Alumni Panel. Representing a diverse range of pathways including university study, software engineering, architecture, sales, local government, trades, entrepreneurship, and creative industries, the panelists shared honest reflections on their journeys since leaving school. They spoke about changing direction, overcoming challenges, making important decisions, and taking opportunities they hadn't originally planned for. A key message throughout the session was that there is no single "right" pathway after school. Whether pursuing tertiary study, apprenticeships, or employment, each panelist highlighted the importance of staying open to opportunities, building transferable skills (communication and networking being key), and being willing to learn along the way. Thank you to our alumni - Gus Clelland, Ayver Teinakore, Selena Wong, Liam James, Chris Kwon and Emma Cockerton, for generously sharing their experiences and insights. Their stories provided valuable reassurance and inspiration for students as they consider their own next steps beyond school. (Photos Top) SAM HOWLETT - INTERNSHIP STORY I've absolutely loved helping out in the classroom at Hobsonville School. During the school day, the kids would go about their learning as usual and I would be there to assist any students who would need help or support. I have really enjoyed getting to know the children and I feel so happy for them when they show me something they are proud of or passionate about. I also have loved seeing all their little personalities develop over the last term or so. The teachers who I work with are amazing and have helped me see what it takes to become a great teacher. I've noticed that, as well as making the kids learn, they also make it fun and make the space feel safe. Something I have learnt throughout my experience at Hobsonville School is that different students' brains learn, comprehend and understand things in so many ways. It has challenged me to find multiple ways to explain things to a variety of students so they understand their learning more purposefully. Next year, I plan to go to Camp America. Then in 2028, I plan to start studying to become a teacher, and this internship at Hobsonville School has really helped me understand what it takes. (Photos Bottom)
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CONNECTEDNESS: BUSINESS STUDIES AND COMMERCE CLASSENTREPRENEURIAL MARKET DAY The school cafeteria was buzzing with entrepreneurial spirit during our recent Market Day. Led mainly by the energetic Q1 Commerce class, with a fantastic guest appearance from our Q3 Business Studies students, the event was an absolute triumph. The market attracted a huge crowd of eager students and supportive teachers, all keen to see what our young entrepreneurs had to offer. And they did not disappoint. The variety and quality of products on sale were incredible, including hand-poured candles, custom coasters, refreshing smoothies, signature perfumes, stunning jewellery, luxurious body creams, and even stylish, hand-sewn bucket hats. It was a phenomenal, high-energy day of real-world learning, and a massive congratulations goes out to all our student vendors who completely smashed their sales goals. (Photo Below) Year 13 Business Spotlight - Kawaklay Natural Clay Masks Kawaklay is a Year 13 student-run business, participating in the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES). We create natural clay face masks with kawakawa, lavender, and kaolin clay, focusing on simple, natural skincare. We have recently launched our website and are now offering online orders, including free local delivery, as well as NZ-wide shipping. Students, staff, and whānau can learn more about Kawaklay or place an order at:
https://kawaklay.company.site/ Instagram: @kawaklay
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COLLABORATION: POLYNESIAN PANTHERSMeeting the Polynesian Panthers provided a powerful sense of hope and brought our English and Social Sciences learning to life this term. While we had explored primary and secondary sources in class, nothing compared to hearing directly from someone who had lived through these events. Dr Melanie Anae encouraged us to "know your leaders from your ethnicity and acknowledge them."
This experience deepened my understanding of the Panthers' work. They were not only resisting injustices such as the Dawn Raids but also advocating for the rights of their communities. Learning how they educated themselves about the law and supported one another showed us that meaningful change often begins with knowledge, courage, and collective action.
The visit also helped shape our understanding of successful protest for our discursive essays. While initiatives such as the Franklin Road protest led to immediate improvements in public safety, the Panthers' wider influence helped shift public attitudes and contributed to the formal government apology in 2021. Their work took many forms, from community advocacy to practical support, such as delivering groceries and helping elderly residents. By refusing to remain silent in the face of racism, the Polynesian Panthers helped create a fairer Aotearoa and demonstrated that leadership is about taking action to improve the lives of future generations. Draniece Neoh, Year 9
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CONNECTEDNESS: DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAIDWe are pleased to share that two of our students Nathaniel Busque (Year 12) and Beatrice Li (Year 10) will be performing in Disney’s The Little Mermaid at the National Youth Theatre at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre Aotea Centre between 26 - 28 June 2026. We wish them all the best in their performances.
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CONNECTEDNESS: Q2 + Q3 OUTDOOR EDUCATIONThis term, our Q2 and Q3 Outdoor Education classes took part in our Indoor Rock Climbing assessment at Vertical Adventures. At the start, a lot of us were nervous and didn't know what to expect, but over the weeks we all got more confident and started pushing ourselves to try harder climbs. One of the best parts was seeing everyone support each other. It didn't matter what level you were climbing at, everyone was cheering each other on and celebrating when someone reached the top of a route they had been working on. A huge highlight was watching Jack Terblanche climb a Grade 23 route, which is five grades above the Excellence requirement. It was pretty awesome to see and showed how much hard work and practice can pay off. Rock climbing taught us a lot more than just how to climb. We learned how to keep trying when things got tough, how to solve problems on the wall, and how important it is to support the people around you. Looking back, it was one of my favourite parts of Outdoor Education this year. I had an awesome time, made some great memories, and it was cool seeing everyone improve and achieve things they didn't think they could do. Jayke Lisowski - Year 13
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SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST SOLO/DUO FINALOn Sunday 25 June Kayla Gorst (Year 11) competed at the Auckland Central Solo/Duo Final of SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST at TAPAC (at Western Springs College). Kayla did an amazing job performing her original song confidently and expressively. The judges commented: "You are a very talented musician and it was great to see you carry yourself confidently. Great consistent performance, you held the performance the whole way through which is hard to do when you are solo. You used repetition in the chorus and an array of compositional elements in the arrangement. You built up the sound and then stripped it away at the end - this was a nice touch. Keep it up." Kayla's performance was captivating, and you can experience this for yourself at the Music Showcase on Wednesday, 2 September - Week 7 in Term 3.
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COLLABORATION: BUSINESS CLUB FOR Y9 AND Y10In Term 2, Week 5, HPSS proudly launched its very first Business Club for Year 9 and 10 students. We were thrilled to see strong interest, with 32 students signing up for this exciting opportunity. Through the Business Club, students will develop their entrepreneurial skills by planning, researching, creating, and marketing a product, culminating in the opportunity to sell their products at the Catalina Bay Farmers Market. The club began with three interactive demo sessions that introduced key entrepreneurial concepts and encouraged creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving. Students then moved on to developing viable products for real customers. After five sessions, groups have finalised their product ideas and begun evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, costs, and customer appeal. We look forward to seeing the innovative ideas our Business Club members develop as they continue working towards launching their products at the Catalina Bay Farmers Market. The Business Club Organisers - Eman Naveed and Ishaanya Sarkar - Year 9
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EXCELLENCE IN SPORTSCongratulations to Penelope Teirney (Year 10) who recently competed in the NZ North Island Artistic Swimming Competition held in Auckland on June 19-21st. They worked hard as a team and Penelope achieved 2nd in the Youth Comb and 3rd in the Youth Free Duet. (Photos Top). INTERNATIONAL KARATE TOURNAMENT NZ/AUCKLAND KARATE LEAGUE 2Congratulations Nethnilu Abeywickrama (Year 12) who participated in two tournaments over the past three weeks and won several medals. The first event was the New Zealand Karate Open, this was an International event held in NZ. Fiji, Tahiti, French Polynesia, Australia, India, and Japan were some of the countries that participated. Nethnilu won a Gold medal in Kata female 16/17 years merged as well as a Silver medal in Kata female 16/17 years premier. The second event was the Auckland League 2, Nethnilu placed first both kata events (two gold medals) in the 14/17 merged division. Another gold medal for team kumite as well as a bronze for kumite. (Photos Middle). VELOCITY SCHOOL DANCE COMPETITIONElla Colligan (Year 11) and Michaella Job (Year 12) won the duet/trio division at the Velocity Dance Competition representing HPSS on 15 June. It was an incredible day where they participated in 4 workshops run by industry professionals then performed their duet with outstanding technical and expressive skill. We are proud of their work which was choreographed, rehearsed and costumed entirely by themselves. A truly excellent achievement. (Photos Bottom).
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COLLABORATION: YEAR 11 SCIENCE AND MATHSOur Year 11 Science & Maths connected module hosted 54 Year 6–7 students from HPPS, stepping up as teachers for an entire block. They introduced Newton's laws of motion through different types of planes, then guided the visiting students through an investigation, collecting data on airtime to draw their own conclusions. We are incredibly proud of how our Year 11s stepped into leadership roles today—they showed fantastic patience and a passion for learning, keeping the kids thoroughly engaged. "The trickiest concept was teaching Newton's third law of forces. We used the example of a plane to help them understand it, instead of just saying words they wouldn't grasp. The vocabulary of the second law, like 'acceleration,' was also difficult, so I used 'fast' and 'speed' as examples instead. Feeling terrified & proud" - Jeremy Smeal (Year 11)
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COLLABORATION: PRIDE WEEK IN SCHOOLSLast week was Pride in Schools Week and we celebrated in fabulous style. On Tuesday, a couple of our students assisted in doing wonderful makeup for any guys, gals and non-binary pals who came along, with a nail polish station. On Thursday, we had a Pride Baking Competition, with a range of delicious and fantastic entries (one even had gold leaf). The picture below is of the winning cake, and once the judging was done, we had a bake sale of the entries and raised funds for Rainbow Youth, a charity that does some amazing mahi for our rainbow young people.
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SLANZA YEAR 9 READERS CUPThis week, seven students (Fae Osborne, Siena Howard, Miles Mallie-Hutchinson, Sidney Noble, Sanna Haiko, Ishaanya Sarkar, and Eman Naveed) represented HPSS at the Year 9 Readers Cup, North and West Auckland Region, competition at Te Manawa. The Readers Cup is a national event, where the winners of the regional competition get to compete at the national level. It is highly competitive. It was a great night, with representation from schools across the North Shore, Hibiscus Coast, and West Auckland. The students represented HPSS to a very high standard. Not only were teamwork and collaboration, HPSS core values, very evident amongst the HPSS teams during the evening, but several HPSS students also voluntarily stayed behind to help pack up - an act of service noted and appreciated by the organisers. The teams really enjoyed the opportunity and experience and are looking towards the Year 10 competition next year.
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EXCELLENCE: BADMINTONSenior Girls Badminton Team The senior girls’ badminton team enjoyed an outstanding season this term. Displaying immense passion and a fierce competitive spirit throughout, they dominated the court and conceded only a single game all season. Their hard work culminated in a well-deserved victory, claiming the North Harbour B Grade Championship title. Congratulations to the girls. HPSS Students Headed to Badminton Nationals Hobsonville Point Secondary School is incredibly proud to announce that four of our talented students have qualified for the Junior National Badminton Championships, being held in Palmerston North during the upcoming July school holidays. Reaching this level is no small feat. These students have shown immense determination, training tirelessly, and dedicating countless weekends to club trials and gruelling competitions to earn their spots. Congratulations and best of luck to our national competitors: Emma Song – U15 Girls Yi Li – U15 Girls Justin Zhao – U15 Boys Melody Hu – U19 Girls
We wish them the absolute best of luck in their matches and hope they have a fantastic, rewarding experience representing our community in Palmerston North.
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NETBALL HOLIDAY PROGRAMMEOn the back of our awesome April programme, Hobsonville Point Secondary School is offering another netball holiday programme in the July school holidays. Designed by our Premier team coach, Nat Pati, and delivered in conjunction with experienced player-coaches from our 2026 Premier Netball squad, it will be a fantastic three days of skills, drills, games and FUN. To register a player, please use this link: https://forms.gle/Qd9CEeNtsS9M3fdN8 Or email sports@hobsonvillepoint.school.nz for more information. Places are limited, so get in quick. *This initiative is also a fundraising activity for our Premier girls as they build towards the Upper North Island Secondary Schools' tournament in Hamilton at the end of August. Thank you in advance for your support.
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KEY DATES 2026All key dates for the year can also be found on the Calendar on our SchoolBridge app, along with Attendance, Daily Notices, Reports, Results, and Payments. Term 1 (10 weeks) - Friday 30 January - Thursday 2 April Term 2 (11 weeks) - Monday 20 April - Friday 3 July Term 3 (10 weeks) - Monday 20 July - Friday 25 September HPSS Open Evening for 2027 new students - Monday 27 July 5.30pm - 7.30pm Staff Only Day (Board) - Friday 4 September IEMS: Yr 12-13 - Wednesday 16 September 2pm - 8pm Derived Grade Exams - Thursday 17 September to Friday 25 September School Ball: Yr 12-13 - Friday 25 September
Term 4 (9 weeks) - Monday 12 October - Thursday 10 December Public Holidays: Labour Day – Monday 26 October Year 12 Prize giving - Wednesday 4 November 2.30pm Year 13 Graduation & Prize giving - Wednesday 4 November 5pm Staff Only Day (MoE: Curriculum) - Friday 6 November NCEA Exams - Tuesday 10 November to Friday 4 December IEMs: Yrs 9,10,11 - Wednesday 2 December 2pm - 7.30pm and Thursday 3 December 3.30pm - 7.30pm
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