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Hobsonville Point Secondary School Communication4 April 2025 PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGEKia ora e ngā whānau, We have had a fantastic Term 1, and the students have stayed focused and engaged throughout the eleven weeks. Next week, we have our Individual Education Meetings (IEMs) for Years 9 - 13. We are excited for our students to share their learning with you. We value our IEMs, and this process enables young people to reach their potential. This will be our last newsletter for this term and I hope that students have a safe and well-deserved break. Ngā mihi Kirsty Dowding Tumuaki Principal
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GENERAL INFORMATIONSports Department: Review and strategic planning HPSS Sports Department is undergoing a review and developing our strategic plan. We are seeking expressions of interest from parents and caregivers of current students who would like to participate in a focus group to give their feedback and be part of the discussion that will shape our sports plans. Expression of interest form The review will be led by Garry Carnachan. Garry has a background in education as a school principal and then moved into sport 25 years ago as a Professional Player Development Manager for NZ Rugby Union and then as team manager for both the Hurricanes and Junior All Blacks. Garry served as the CEO of School Sport NZ and his industry experience and insight has been utilised by many schools, regional and national sports organisations. In 2021 Garry was appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to school sport. We are privileged to have him working with our Sports Department and Senior Leadership Team on this review. End of Year EOTC for Year 9 and 10 Students At HPSS, we believe in the importance of providing opportunities for Education Outside the Classroom. At the end of Term 4, we will be offering a range of activities for students to experience learning beyond the classroom. Further information will be provided, and we will ensure that a range of activities will be offered at different price ranges.
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CONNECTEDNESS - WHĀNAU EVENINGOur kura recently held a Whānau Evening, bringing together Māori students, their families, and staff for a night of connection, sharing, and kai. The event was all about whanaungatanga, strengthening relationships and celebrating our Māori community. The evening started with our Māori teachers sharing their pepeha, giving whānau a chance to learn more about them and their connections. We then celebrated the achievements of past and present Māori students, recognising their hard work and successes, as well as sharing two videos—one capturing our student leaders' experience at Waitangi and another showcasing our recent Amazing Race expedition to learn more about our kura’s new pepeha. Next, our Kapa Haka group took the stage, delivering a powerful performance that filled the room with pride and energy. After that, it was time for kai, which was prepared and served by the Māori and Pasifika rōpū. The students put in a huge amount of effort to prepare a traditional hāngī, cooking it in the ground using heated stones. From digging the pit to carefully laying out the food and monitoring the process, the preparation took time, skill, and teamwork. Their hard work paid off, and everyone enjoyed a meal that truly reflected the spirit of manaakitanga. A key moment of the night was the announcement of our new Māori leadership group, recognising the students who will help guide Māori kaupapa at our school. The Whānau Evening was a great chance to come together, strengthen connections, and celebrate our Māori students and their whānau. A big thank you to everyone who helped make it happen – we look forward to more events like this in the future! Ngā mihi nui, Waimāria Weavers, Year 13
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ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BREAKFASTOn Wednesday, 26 March, the HPSS Senior Leadership Team had the privilege of hosting the first ever Academic Excellence Breakfast. The breakfast was an opportunity to celebrate students who had gained Merit or Excellence Endorsement in NCEA Level 2 in 2024, and to recognise our highest performing Level 1 students. Thank you to all the parents who gave up their time to attend, and to the students from the Kāwhe project who worked under stressful conditions to provide whānau with coffee. We look forward to this becoming an annual tradition at HPSS.
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INFORMATION - LEARNING OBJECTIVE REPORTSNext Wednesday parents will be sent Term 1 Learning Objective Reports for their children via email. These will also be published on the Schoolbridge Parent Portal. Student progress towards these Learning Objectives are reported upon at the end of each term by classroom teachers in Learning Objective Reports. In the report, the student’s progress is measured against curriculum level rubrics and they will also be given a sub-level to signal their level of understanding. Further information will be contained in the front page of the report. The reports will be emailed on Wednesday afternoon and can be used to guide conversations in Individual Education Meetings (IEMs).
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INQUIRY - EPRO8 CHALLENGEAs part of our STEM project, we have been taking art in the Epro8 challenge. Epro8 is a problem-solving challenge which stands for Engineer, Problem Solve, and Innovate. In this project, we have been learning how to engineer using the resources we have been provided (resources like square aluminium rods, red joiners, and gears). Each day we are given a set of instructions of what we are making, how big it should be, and how much weight it should hold. After receiving the instructions, we start building it while also problem-solving along the way. After we finish or after the time is up, we take a photo of what we have accomplished on the day, then write about our thoughts on how we did on our structure and our electronics.
By Zowie, Aanika and Haasini
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INQUIRY - YEAR 11 ART EXPLORATIONOn the 21st of March, both the Year 11 Visual Arts classes went on a trip to the Arataki Visitor Centre in the Waitākere Ranges. We gathered images using photography in different contexts, capturing intricate details in the macro photographs, dramatic contrasts of images in a silhouette form, and the vast view of landscapes in wide-angle shots. We also had a chance to draw everything we saw into our visual diaries. The images and sketches will contribute to our first assessment, allowing us to explore different artistic techniques while taking inspiration and creating artworks with nature. Using the photographs we took, we are also making collages inspired by Kenneth Josephson. Seeing the beauty of the Waitākere Ranges gave us a deeper understanding of how nature and art can overlap so well together. By Vani Batra & Nethnilu Abeywickrama, Year 11
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CONNECTEDNESS - COMMUNITY IFTARThis year, during the month of Ramadan, Nabira (Cultural Leader 2025) organised a community iftar, a special meal where Muslims break their fast each evening during the holy month. Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, prayer, and reflection observed by Muslims to strengthen their faith, practice self-discipline, and foster gratitude and compassion. The student leaders came together to help prepare and serve iftar and dinner for students at HPSS, as well as members of the Hobsonville community. We were thrilled to welcome around 50 attendees, who had the opportunity to experience the Azan (call to prayer), enjoy a traditional iftar meal, and the cultural significance of Ramadan. The event was a great success, filled with delicious food, warm conversations, and a strong sense of community. This feels like the start of a tradition that will possibly continue to bring more cultural diversity to our school. A huge thank you to everyone who helped and attended! Nabira Saeed
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COLLABORATION - INTER-COMMUNITY LEARNLETICSOver the last two weeks, hubs have been competing in a school wide Learnletics. Learnletics is a relay competition where students get to test their knowledge in all the different learning areas. They had to work together as a hub to answer as many questions as possible. There was such a great turn out. Well done to everyone who participated. Congratulations Rahkee's, Edd's, Gabby's, and Whaea Jurnee's hubs for coming out as the top hub of each community. Most recently on Monday of this week, these top hubs competed against each other for the Learnletics finals, to determine the top hub of the school. The competition was equally fierce. Congratulations to Rahkee's hub for taking away the win for Waiarohia. Yolanda Zhou-Wang, Year 13
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INQUIRY - WRITER’S FESTIVALKia ora. This is a reminder that we have a trip heading to the Writer's Festival this year. We still have some spots left, so get in quick - the cost will be $30 per person. This will be happening on Wednesday 14th May and is always an incredibly valuable experience. Email Petra at petra.kennedy@hobsonvillepoint.school.nz with your name to be put on the list.
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CONNECTEDNESS - BIG FAN VISITS HPSSOn Thursday the 3rd of April the Year 12 and 13 music students were lucky enough to have a visit from Savina Fountain (Big Fan manager) and Aubrey Mitchell (Big Fan studio manager). It was wonderful to hear Aubrey Mitchell talk; she is a past student of Hobsonville Point Secondary School. She spoke about her time at the school and showed us spaces in the school that were special to her in her development as a songwriter and musician. Aubrey is now the studio manager of the three professional Recording Studios at Big Fan, she is one of a very small number of women who work in live audio and sound engineering in Aotearoa. BIG FAN is a not-for-profit, multi-purpose music space located in Morningside, Aotearoa New Zealand. They offer three world-class recording studios and a live music venue all under one roof. Big Fan was established two years ago by Grammy Award winning Joel Little (Lorde’s producer and co-songwriter with) to meet the needs of youth wanting to make music and learn more about music industry skills. Big Fan has partnered with Ignite to make courses available in event management, production, and songwriting development- these courses are free for 15-18 yr olds. The goal at BIG FAN is to bring people together, to support the role of music in the betterment of people’s lives, and to foster the talents of musicians, songwriters and those behind the scenes, regardless of experience level. Details about these opportunities can be found on this link: https://www.bigfan.co.nz/community/ignite
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SPORTING EXCELLENCE - NZ KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPSCongratulations to Nethnilu Abeywickrama for her recent success in the New Zealand Cup Karate Championships that was held in Hamilton. Nethnilu competed in the Female 16-17 year old Kumite (under 64kg) event and won a Silver medal in the age category, despite being 1-2 years younger and 14kg lighter than most competitors. Nethnilu should be immensely proud of her achievement and the effort and mindset which led to her achievement.
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INTER-HUB LAWN BOWL CHALLENGEOn Wednesday, 19th of March, Katie and Adam’s hubs walked down to the Hobsonville Bowling Club for a morning of lawn bowls. While some students had previous experience with the sport, for many of us, it was our first time playing. Everyone quickly picked up the basics and had a great time learning. The staff and volunteers at the club were amazing at teaching us the rules and techniques of the game. The hubs were split into eight teams, each made up of three players to play. Everyone got involved and enjoyed the friendly competition. It was a great opportunity for us all to learn the fundamentals of lawn bowls while spending time with each other. Our visit to the Bowling Club was a very enjoyable and memorable experience. Thank you to the club for being so welcoming. Madi Tucker, Year 13
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HOLIDAY BASKETBALL CAMPThis is a fantastic opportunity to take your skills to the next level. Whether you're just starting or looking to sharpen your game, this is the perfect chance to train with an experienced coach and get better during the holidays.
Spots are limited, don’t miss out. Email: nash.biggs@hobsonvillepoint.school.nz for all information and registration details.
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KEY DATES 2025Term 1 - Monday 3 February - Friday 11 April IEMs Year 9-13 (Individual Education Meetings with parent, student & hub coach) - Thursday 10 April & Friday 11 April. To make a booking, login to the SchoolBridge app or head to https://login.bridge.school.nz/ and login with the email address we use to contact you. Click on the IEMs icon on SchoolBridge which will take you to "My Conferences"
Term 2 - Monday 28 April - Friday 27 June Public Holidays: King’s Birthday – Monday 2 June Tuesday, 3 June - Staff Only Day Matariki – Friday 20 June
Term 3 - Monday 14 July - Friday 19 September Term 4 - Monday 6 October - Friday 12 December 24 October - Staff Only Day Public Holidays: Labour Day – Monday 27 October 12 December - Staff Only Day
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