From the Principal
Nau mai, piki mai, whakatau mai nei
Welcome our new international students and staff.
Hoki mai anoo e te whaanau, welcome back again to another term of Paying Attention – Age Quod Agis!
Term 3, the Season of Becoming – a season in the school year that is not marked by fireworks or fanfare, but by the quiet steadiness of return from a time of rest, holiday or, in my case, bereavement and sabbatical. Thanks again to the staff who stepped up and stepped to lead the school in my absence.
At this time of year, I use the metaphor of blossoming cherry trees – currently getting ready to ‘perform for springtime’ – to remind students that this is the time to get ready to do their thing – prepare and perform – in academic assessments and in the quiet, steady work of growth. It is also a time for character to be tested in daily choices: wake up, show up, listen up, pay attention! So, we can approach this time as humdrum, or we can appreciate the sacredness of routine, the virtue of effort, the quiet formation of heads, hearts and hands and the imminent blossoming of the cherry trees – kia puaawai!
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Nau mai, piki mai, whakatau mai nei
Welcome our new international students and staff.
Hoki mai anoo e te whaanau, welcome back again to another term of Paying Attention – Age Quod Agis!
Term 3, the Season of Becoming – a season in the school year that is not marked by fireworks or fanfare, but by the quiet steadiness of return from a time of rest, holiday or, in my case, bereavement and sabbatical. Thanks again to the staff who stepped up and stepped to lead the school in my absence.
At this time of year, I use the metaphor of blossoming cherry trees – currently getting ready to ‘perform for springtime’ – to remind students that this is the time to get ready to do their thing – prepare and perform – in academic assessments and in the quiet, steady work of growth. It is also a time for character to be tested in daily choices: wake up, show up, listen up, pay attention! So, we can approach this time as humdrum, or we can appreciate the sacredness of routine, the virtue of effort, the quiet formation of heads, hearts and hands and the imminent blossoming of the cherry trees – kia puaawai!
Becoming is just as important as achieving – and it’s never too late to start the process. Age Quod Agis – Pay Attention – Me Aro!
Kia pai te mutunga wiki – have a good weekend.
Biology
A Wild Day Out at Auckland Zoo
On the 24th July, Year 13 Biology students visited Auckland Zoo in preparation for their external assessments – a day many had been looking forward to for weeks.
The morning began with two lectures: one on speciation, led as a hīkoi through the reptile house and bird enclosures (the cheeky keas were keen for a yarn), and one on human evolution, where students lined up early human skulls and weapons in chronological order and debated the merits of bipedalism versus quadrupedalism. Both talks were interactive, informative, and delivered by teachers clearly passionate about their mahi – offering instant Q&A you just don’t get from a textbook.
After lunch, students explored the zoo at their own pace, some with carefully mapped routes, others wandering freely, and a few catching keeper talks. Otters Jingga and Agus were the clear fan favourites – so much so that a few otter toys made their way home as souvenirs of a thoroughly productive class trip.
Trinity Chie
Culinary Fare
Sweet Success: Seniors Shine at the Culinary Fare
Huge congratulations to all our Senior students who competed at the Culinary Fare last term – the first time every entrant has received a medal. It’s easy to see why, with flavours and bakes as accomplished as Year 11 Sofia Cameron’s, who scored the highest mark of 96% for her entry: an ultra-moist red velvet cupcake crowned with a swirl of cream cheese and espresso-infused icing, finished with a dusting of shimmering gold glitter, fine chocolate shavings, and a delicate chocolate design.
| Cupcakes – Gold Medals | Cupcakes – Silver Medals |
|---|
| Sofia Cameron 96% | Ivana Abraham 89% |
| Isabelle White 95% | Tia Cottle 88% |
| Sophia Milicich 94% | Emily Rosser 88% |
| Georgia Cowen 92 % | Boe Franks 88% |
| Api Kanongataa 92% | Laoise Ransley 87% |
| Kora Cameron 91% | Chante Reynolds 86% |
| Aimie Walker 91% | Taylor Vanxay 86% |
| Maddie Ace 91% | Ashlyn Teutenberg 85% |
| Monique McDonald 91% | Ruby McGivern 83% |
| Maria Moya Ceballos 90% | Trelise Brown 81% |
| Cold Desserts – Silver Medal | Cold Desserts – Bronze Medal |
|---|
| Bella Moroney-Pearson 87% | Bella Annear 76% |
| Rima Rijo 86% | Eboni Mihaere 74% |
| Chloe Old 81% | |
| Cafe Cake – Bronze Medal | |
|---|
| Morgan O’Shannessey 71% | |
Duke Of Edinburgh
Bronze Bushcraft Training
Two days of bushcraft skills, one big reason: in a couple of weeks, 19 Duke of Edinburgh Bronze participants head into the Kaimai Ranges – Day One from Dickeys Flat along the Dubbo Track to Karangahake, Day Two on the Waitawheta Tramline (with river safety) to Daley’s Clearing Hut.
That’s exactly why the training at the end of Term 2 mattered so much. With Mrs Cooper and Miss Skudder, students learnt to read a map, use a compass, plan a route, check the weather, and know what to do if they get lost. They cooked afternoon tea on camp cookers under supervision, practised pitching tents, completed a three-hour outdoor First Aid course, and passed a fitness test carrying a 15kg backpack each – all the groundwork for a safe, well-prepared trip ahead.
Learn to Row
Information Evening
Ever thought about giving rowing a go? Come along and hear from Blair Currie, SHGC Head Coach, about rowing at SHGC and what the season ahead looks like. All year levels are welcome – even if you’re a Senior who’s always wondered about trying it, this is the perfect chance to come along, ask questions, and find out what it’s all about.
Sign up here!
International News
This Term, nine new international students from Taiwan, China, Japan, and Thailand joined us. Some will be with us long-term, while others are here for just a few weeks.
All are settling into classes, making friends, and adjusting to the cooler Waikato temperatures!
We have more new students arriving in Term 1, 2027, so we’re still looking for caring homestay families — see the details below.
For more information, contact Lisa Cowen: lcowen@shgcham.school.nz
Retreats
As you may know, the New World Club Card has been replaced by the new Club+ Card. Whether you had your old Club Card registered with us or haven’t registered at all, we’d love your support in getting your Club+ Card linked to Sacred Heart Girls’ College.
Since we started our partnership with New World Rototuna, our community has raised over $2,500 for our Retreat Programmes – funds that go straight back into reducing the cost of running our retreats.
With this partnership, New World Rototuna will deliver 1% of all sales back to our Student Retreat Programmes from registered Club+ Cards. That means our students benefit every single time you shop there!
If you live near Rototuna New World – or have family or friends who do, please register (or re-register) your Club+ Card. Every scan makes a real difference.
Register Here!
Our Vision
Ignite the Passion: inspiring young women to change the world – me aro ki te hā o Hineahuone!