From the Acting Principal
Kia ora e te whānau,
As we head into one of the most vibrant times of the school year, I am filled with immense pride for our Sacred Heart Girls’ College community. Next week, our kura will come alive with energy, creativity, and friendly rivalry for our annual Spirit Week. From the highly anticipated House dance competition to themed dress-up days, this week is a beautiful expression of our school culture, unity, and joy.
While Spirit Week is a time for unforgettable memories and fun, it also serves as a timely reminder of the profound importance of daily school attendance. Every day at school matters. Being present ensures that our young people do not miss crucial learning milestones, peer collaborations, and teacher guidance. Moreover, the magic of community events like Spirit Week relies entirely on full participation. When students are absent, their unique voices and energy are missed in the classroom and across the wider school.
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Kia ora e te whānau,
As we head into one of the most vibrant times of the school year, I am filled with immense pride for our Sacred Heart Girls’ College community. Next week, our kura will come alive with energy, creativity, and friendly rivalry for our annual Spirit Week. From the highly anticipated House dance competition to themed dress-up days, this week is a beautiful expression of our school culture, unity, and joy.
While Spirit Week is a time for unforgettable memories and fun, it also serves as a timely reminder of the profound importance of daily school attendance. Every day at school matters. Being present ensures that our young people do not miss crucial learning milestones, peer collaborations, and teacher guidance. Moreover, the magic of community events like Spirit Week relies entirely on full participation. When students are absent, their unique voices and energy are missed in the classroom and across the wider school.
We know that strong attendance is directly linked to academic success and a deeper sense of belonging. I encourage all our students to show up fully next week – not just physically, but with the enthusiasm and heart that defines a Sacred Heart student. Let’s make this Spirit Week a spectacular success by committing to being present, supporting one another, and celebrating the wonderful sisterhood we share (even if the acting principal is male)!
Thank you for your ongoing partnership in supporting your daughter’s education and attendance.
Ngā mihi nui,
Dean
Mission Projects
Warming Hearts This Winter
As we prepare to celebrate Sacred Heart Day, our student leaders have launched a Winter Clothes Drive in partnership with the St Vincent de Paul Society – a beautiful way to live out our school’s mission of caring for others.
We’re calling on our school community to donate warm winter items (in good condition) that will make a real difference to local families doing it tough this season. Think PJs, socks, jumpers, blankets – anything that brings a little warmth and comfort to someone who needs it most.
Collection runs from Monday, 8th June to the end of Spirit Week, 12th June, so there’s plenty of time to have a dig through the wardrobe at home!
What could you give to help someone stay warm this winter?
The Arts
Senior Drama Students Enjoy the Full Experience
Late last month, our Senior Drama students headed out for two inspiring trips that brought their classroom learning to life.
First up, they attended the Get Learnt Workshop Series at Meteor, where they worked alongside industry professionals, gaining hands-on insights and skills that will directly support their upcoming internal and external assessments.
They also had the wonderful opportunity to watch Alisha Jacob shine in Balloon Dog – and for our students, this one was extra special. Alisha is a proud Sacred Heart alumna (2016 – 2020), and seeing one of our own on stage was a powerful reminder of where talent, hard work, and a Sacred Heart education can take you.
Both experiences are part of our commitment to giving Drama students real-world connections to their craft as they prepare for upcoming assessments.
Gateway Students
Our Students Are Going Places
Sacred Heart’s Gateway Programme gives our Year 12 and 13 students a genuine taste of the working world – combining careers education with real placements in fields they’re passionate about. This term has been a busy one!
A number of students completed the Elevate and SEEDS Programme with Woolworths, building skills in teamwork, customer service, self-management, and communication, while four others explored Early Childhood Education across a variety of ECE centres – gaining hands-on insight into child development, play, and working alongside tamariki and staff.
Vesper and Katelyn completed their placement at Equi-Potential, discovering how equine-assisted support builds confidence, independence, and transferable life skills for people experiencing disability, mental health challenges, and social-emotional challenges.
Lily explored veterinary technology, working across all aspects of the vet industry and coming away with her career goals well and truly cemented. And Samantha had a memorable placement with professional show jumper Meg Stephens, getting a real behind-the-scenes look at elite equestrian sport and equine care.
A heartfelt thank you to all our wonderful employers who open their doors to our students. Your generosity makes all the difference.
PE News
Our annual Ti Uru Tournament brought some brilliant energy to the gym over the past 2 weeks! As part of their PE curriculum, Year 9 students honed their invasion games skills, while Year 10s took on net games with a focus on social responsibility — competing with integrity as much as flair. A huge congratulations to the Net Ninjas, who claimed the Year 10 Volleyball title, and to the Auraful 7s, who powered their way to victory in Te Uru, a traditional Māori ball game. Well done!
Sports
Mission Cup Te Toa Tournament
Mission Cup
The 2026 Mission Cup was one to remember!
Over the King’s Birthday weekend, our Premier Netball team travelled to New Plymouth to compete against fellow RNDM mission colleges – Sacred Heart Girls’ Colleges from New Plymouth, Napier and Lower Hutt, and St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College.
We started with a draw against Sacred Heart Napier – first game nerves, perhaps, but we were destined to meet them again … in the finals! The games were competitive and really challenged our ability to persevere with pure guts and determination.
In the final, we fought hard after losing key shooter Brillee Davies to injury in the second quarter. With a shuffle of players, we dug deep, trusted each other, and did what we do best. For the first time since 2018, Sacred Heart Hamilton won back the Mission Cup trophy!
A special highlight was having Sr Anne pray with us before the final – her presence and encouragement on the sidelines was truly uplifting.
Thank you to our incredible village: Manager Ihapera Kaihe, ‘Mumager’ Ange Mark, Assistant Coach Wendy Tane, and our Coach Miha Brown, whose vision and dedication, stretching back to when I was in Year 10, finally came to life. And to our whānau who travelled to New Plymouth or cheered from home, It is only with the unconditional love and care we receive from our families that we are able to do what we love.
Fa'afetai tele lava
Henaka Tusa Soagia
Netball Captain
Te Toa Shield
The Te Toa Hockey Tournament is an annual event bringing together Sacred Heart schools from across the North Island to compete and celebrate school spirit – and this year, we made the trip down to New Plymouth to take part.
From the first whistle, our girls brought determination and heart to every game, finishing in a hard-fought third place just behind Sacred Heart Napier. It was a close competition against some strong teams, and the standard of play pushed us to grow and improve with every match.
But the tournament was about more than results. Whether on the turf or off it, there were so many moments that brought our team together – and none of that would have happened without the guidance of our Coach, Nathan and Manager, Teresa, who supported us every step of the way.
While third place wasn’t the result we were chasing, we left New Plymouth with sharper skills, great memories, and a deeper connection with the wider Sacred Heart whānau. We’ll be back!
Lily Johnson
Hockey Captain
Keep warm on the sidelines this winter!
Now that winter sports are in full swing, make sure your daughter is prepared for whatever the weather throws at her! Our newly released wet-weather gear is now available at NZ Uniform – perfect for keeping warm and dry on the sidelines and on the field.
Zones Schools Cross Country 2026
Congratulations to the following students who attended the Central, King Country, Northwest and South Waikato Zones Schools Cross Country at Tauhara Park, Hamilton yesterday! Well done on the following results.
Nicole Ladur – 27th in Year 9 Girls 3000m
Emily Vowles – 3rd in Junior Girls/U16 3000m
Emma Butler – 13th Senior Girls/U20 4000m
Josephine Mumby – 14th Senior Girls/U20 4000m
International Students
We are searching for caring host couples and families in Waikato to welcome our international students into their homes in 2025. Hosting an international student can be such a rewarding experience!
- You and your family will get to know a different culture, its traditions, and perspectives firsthand.
- You’ll get to rediscover our region, taking a student to your favourite places
- As a host family, you will earn extra income.
For more information, contact Lisa Cowen: lcowen@shgcham.school.nz
Our Vision
Ignite the Passion: inspiring young women to change the world – me aro ki te hā o Hineahuone!