Information from the Principal

Kia ora koutou

The term is quickly progressing and we are over half way through! This week we celebrated our annual book week. An opportunity for students to engage with reading through a number of initiatives, fun activities and of course, an opportunity to dress up as their favourite book characters. Thanks to all those staff and students who have supported those opportunities.

For our senior students, they have been sitting literacy and numeracy assessments across the past two weeks. Rawe ki a koutou! There has been a huge effort to prepare for these assessments and I hope they have gone well for everyone. Unfortunately, we won’t receive the results for these for a while but will let you know when they are available. These assessments are so pivotal in our current curriculum as students can only achieve levels one, two and three if they have the appropriate credits in literacy and numeracy assessments.

I had the opportunity last week to attend Rockquest. A competition where school bands perform their own music and compete against each other. We had three bands performing in the competition and whilst each band performed incredibly well on the night, one of them made it through to the regional finals in June! Congratulations to Fire Tiger who are made up of Sofia Kyle, Ava Palmer, Ben Cumberpatch, Zeta Palmer and Atlantis Woo. The quality of both the composition and performance was simply awesome! Rawe koutou!

Lastly from me this week, I would like to emphasise the importance of the uniform message below. As we move into colder months, it is important that we maintain our high standards with uniform so everyone feels part of our Horomaka community. A significant amount of time and investment has gone into producing and introducing what I think is an outstanding new uniform offer. While we have a large range of items available as part of our offer, we are noticing that some students are wearing non-regulation uniform items as the weather turns colder. If students attend school with non-regulation clothing, this will be confiscated and returned to them at the end of the day. Where possible, we will provide temporary uniform items, such as school jackets. Uniform is something we need to work on together as a community to ensure we maintain our high standards so thank you all for your support.

We do also have a number of uniform vouchers that we can provide if you need to purchase uniform items from NZ Uniforms but financial pressures mean that has become difficult. If you need support, please email admin@hillmorton.school.nz.

Thank you as always for your continued support for our school and I hope you have a restful and enjoyable long weekend.

Ngā mihi

Sam Ainsworth

Principal

Upcoming Events

Monday 1 June

• King’s Birthday (school closed)

Tuesday 2 June

• Spanish Immersion Day – University of Canterbury

Wednesday 3 June

• EPro8 – Senior Comp Heats (Years 11-13) Riccarton HS 3.00 pm – 7.00 pm

• Japanese NCEA Workshop Day (Ms Yea Young Lee / YYL) 9.00am -3.00 pm

Thursday 4 June

• University of Canterbury Discovery Day 8.30 am – 2.30 pm

• EPro8 – Regional Heats (Years 9-10) Riccarton HS 8.45 am – 12.45 pm-7.00 pm

Friday 5 June

• Neurodivergent Whānau Meeting 9.00 am

• Life Education Theatre Periods 2 & 3

Monday 8 June

• SPACPAC Careers Expo (Miss Kelsey Stevenson / KST) Ara 8.40 am – 3.00 pm

Tuesday 9 June

• Middle School Drama Showcase (afternoon/evening)

• Chamber Music Competition (TBC)

Wednesday 10 June

• Food & Nutrition Trip for AS Evidence Gathering (Mr Todd Adams / TAD) – 9.00 am – 11.00 am Westfield Riccarton

Thursday 11 June

• International Cultural Night (Ms Pam Hunt / PHU) from 5.30 pm school hall – see flyer below

• Year 7/8 CAIMS Cross Country (TBC)

• House Assemblies

Uniform

As we head into the cooler months, it is time for a quick refresh to ensure all our students are putting their best foot forward. Recently, we have noticed a bit of a slip in our uniform standards, and we would appreciate your support in getting everyone back on track.

Wearing the Hillmorton High School uniform correctly is a point of pride, a condition of attendance, and a reflection of our school Mana and Tūrangawaewae. A full, correct uniform must be worn to, from, and at school, as well as any time students are in public representing us.

With winter arriving, here is a quick refresher on our core expectations:

Staying Warm & Winter Layers

• Undergarments: White thermals or long-sleeve t-shirts may be worn under the school shirt, blouse, or polo. Thermal leggings are permitted under school trousers and the kilt, provided they are not visible.

• Outerwear & Hats: Non-regulation hoodies, sweatshirts, and puffer jackets are not permitted. Plain navy caps or beanies may be worn outdoors, but must be removed inside school buildings.

• Socks & Sports Gear: Only plain black socks are allowed. PE, Dance, and sports uniforms are strictly for those specific classes or events, not day-to-day wear.

Appearance Standards

• Regulation Black Trousers: Trousers must be the official school item (straight, dress-pant style). Jeans, cargo pants, track pants, and leggings are strictly non-regulation.

• Jewellery & Piercings: A maximum of two small, discreet earrings per ear, one small nose stud, a fine-chain necklace, and a Whānau House wristband are allowed. Approved taonga or items of religious significance are always welcome. No other visible body piercings are permitted.

• Hair & Makeup: Hair must be clean and kept clear of the face. Students in Years 7–11 may not wear makeup or nail polish; students in Years 12 & 13 may wear light, workplace-appropriate makeup.

• Naming Gear: Please ensure all uniform items are clearly named so lost property can be returned swiftly.

Working Together When Things Go Wrong

We understand that sometimes things happen, e.g. uniforms get wet or misplaced. To support our students, the school will loan uniform items on a short-term basis or issue a temporary permit if a suitable replacement isn’t immediately available.

• What to do: If your student cannot wear their full uniform, please send them with a physical note or email their Manutaki before school begins.

• Please note: Non-regulation items will be confiscated. For a first offence, they will be returned to the student at the end of the day.

You can view our full uniform code here.

Thank you to our students, staff, and whānau for working together to ensure our uniform is worn with Mana every day.

Life Education Theatre Year 10/Year 10 Life Skills Education 2026 – Friday 5 June

The Life Education team is visiting our school on Friday 5 June Periods Two and Three to perform two shows for all Year 10 students. Theatre in Education shows are inspirational – they challenge perceptions, attitudes and behaviour, and deliver key messages utilising Social Cognitive Theory (SCT).

SMASHED is designed to equip young people with the information and confidence to make responsible choices around alcohol. The objectives are to help students understand health risks, how alcohol can impact behaviour and decision making and to explore strategies to avoid peer pressure when they find themselves in situations where alcohol is present.

Behind the Scenes will focus on the health risks of vaping and the wider context of how social media influences decision-making and behaviours. It’s a safe way for students to explore behaviour and decisions amongst peers by talking about what the characters did or didn’t do and alternative decisions that might have seen a different outcome

These shows are a fantastic way for young people to engage and explore the actions and behaviour of characters they can relate to. We expect they will learn a lot!

If you would like more whānau information or resources to talk about the issues covered in these shows at home, please contact Mrs Street streetc@hillmorton.school.nz

Neurodivergent Whānau Connect Meeting

When: Friday 5 June

Always the first Friday of the month

Time: 9.00 am

Sign in at the school office

Come, connect, discuss and learn from other parents and caregivers of Neurodivergent children.

Cultural Night -Thursday 11 June

Committee will be hosting a Cultural Night in the Hillmorton High School Hall!

Entry is a gold coin donation, so don’t forget to bring one along!

From 5:30pm, come enjoy food stalls, henna, a photo station, activities, and raffle prizes. Performances will begin at 6:00pm, you won’t want to miss them!

Everyone is welcome, please invite your friends and whānau so we can celebrate together!

Year 12 RYDA – Driver Education

Tuesday 23 June

All Year 12 students – bus to Riccarton Park Racecourse, 165 Racecourse Road

Depart at 8.30 am and return to school at approximately 2.15 pm

(More detailed information in the coming weeks)

Promotional video click here

Written School Reports

Written reports with information about student achievement and progress will be emailed to parents/caregivers at the following times:

Seniors (Years 11-13): Week 10, Term 2

Middle School (Years 7-10): Early Term 3

Contacts

If parents have any concerns regarding their child please direct these to the your child’s manutaki /dean, contact details below: