Information from the Principal

Mauri ora ki a koutou, Warm Greetings to you all,

In May our senior robotics team heads to the World Vex 5 World Championships in Dallas, Texas. The team gained entry into this, winning the top ‘excellence’ award in our recent National Award. This places them as the top number one team in New Zealand. To help these students raise some funds in a very short period of time we want the school to help! We will have three non-uniform days and ask for a gold coin from each student on each of these days. Participation is of course not compulsory but its a way for all students and staff to help get our team to Texas, and I thank you all in advance These non-uniform days will be held each Friday from 28th March until the end of term.

From Monday 7th April until Friday 27th June, I am on Principals’ Sabbatical leave. During that time I will be interviewing principals who are in their first five years of principalship, in order to establish what their development and support needs are. Many new principals leave after a few years in their positions and we want to understand how we can better support them.

In my absence:

• Mr Sam Ainsworth will be Acting Principal – ainsworths@hillmorton.school.nz

• Mr Sam Forward will be Acting Associate Principal – forwards@hillmorton.school.nz

• Mrs Kat Jordan-McGrath will be Acting Deputy Principal (Pastoral Care & Wellbeing) – jordank@hillmorton.school.nz

I wish you all the best for the upcoming holidays and indeed for Term 2.

Ngā Mihi

Ann Brokenshire

Tumuaki | Principal

Upcoming Events / General Information

• School Volleyball Nationals all next week

• Futsal Senior Girls South Island Tournament

• L2 OED Surf & Water Safety Camp Tuesday 25 March

• Debating – Thursday 27 March – Inter-school round for Junior Teams

• Robotics School Quiz Thursday 27 March 6.30 pm – 10.00 pm

• Dramatality Performance Tuesday/Wednesday  1 & 2  April, 6.30 pm – 7.30 pm

• Year 11 Market Day Friday 4 April

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Year 11

The conferences will take place on the following day:

Thursday 3 April, 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm.

To book, please click on this link

Please check your emails for the most recent report which will have all the details you need. We really value the opportunity to meet and talk with whānau at these events.

Year 12 & 13 Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place on Tuesday 8 April, from 3:30 – 7:30pm. Information on how to book will be out next week.

Non-Uniform Days to support our Robotics Team

Non-uniform days will be held on the following dates:

• Friday 28 March

• Friday 4 April

• Friday 11 April

Please bring a gold coin donation for these days. This will all go to support our Robotics Team who qualified for the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas in May.

Change to end-of-Year date

Please note that there has been a slight change to our staff only days and the end-of-year date. The final date for 2025 is Wednesday 10 December, 2025. 

Term 1 – 2025

• Last day of Term 1 – Friday 11 April

Term 2 – 2025

• Staff Only Day – Monday 28 April

• Students’ first day of Term 2 – Tuesday 29 April

• King’s Birthday – Monday, 2 June

• Matariki – Friday, 20 June

Term 3 – 2025

• Whānau Connect Conferences (no timetabled lessons) – Monday 14 July

• Student’s first day of timetabled lessons in Term 3 – Tuesday 15 July

• Mid-term Break – Monday 18 August

Term 4 – 2025

• Student’s first day of Term 4 – Monday 6 October

• Labour Day – Monday, 27 October

• Show Day – Friday, 14 November

• Last day of the year – Wednesday 10 December

Polyfest Canterbury

Please come along and support our students in Hagley Park Special Events Area from 9:00am Saturday. Our students will be performing in the morning. We had a wonderful Fiafia night last night and we’re really proud of our students and all the work they have put in. Good luck for Saturday!

Preferred ‘DROP OFF ZONE’ for students on Mathers Road from Monday 10 March 2025

Tankerville Road at the intersection with Halswell Road will be closed from Monday 10 March for six weeks.

There will be a “drop off zone” on Mathers Road during the time that Tankerville Road at the intersection with Halswell Road is closed.

It is our preference that students are dropped off on Mathers Road avoiding potential accidents with cars doing U-turns on Tankerville Road.

Attendance

If your child is absent, late or needs to leave early for any reason, please notify us in one of the following ways:

• SchoolBridge App (download the app on to your mobile device via App stores) please ensure you accept third party on first sign in.

• Email: absentee@hillmorton.school.nz

• Phone: 03 338 5119 (our preferred options for reporting an absence is via SchoolBridge or Email)

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