Onehunga High School News

Tēnā koutou, ki te whānau o Onehunga High School

Congratulations to our Girls 10s team, who have been crowned Auckland Rugby Union Girls 10s Champions for 2024! Out of the 16 Auckland schools that participated, our team had only one loss this season. In the final, a last-minute try secured the victory. The girls exemplified our school values of resilience and excellence as they continued to improve throughout the season, stepping up despite the adversity of injuries. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and determination.

As we approach Tournament Week next week, I want to extend my best wishes to all our sports teams. This event is a significant opportunity to showcase your skills, competitiveness, and resolve. Sports not only foster teamwork and perseverance but also offer a chance for our students to excel and achieve success. Whether on the field or off, the challenges and opportunities that come with sports help our students grow, build connections, and support one another. I encourage everyone to prioritise both their physical and mental health, and to approach each game with resolve and pride as they represent Onehunga High School.

There have been many notable highlights over the past fortnight:

Tongan Language Week was a vibrant celebration of culture. Students embraced the opportunity to learn the Tongan language and express their heritage through traditional food, dress, and dance.
The school community enjoyed a successful canapés evening, where our Hospitality students served high-quality food to our committed supporters. This event showcased the impressive skills of our students and highlighted the strong community spirit at Onehunga High School.
Anna Lightbody 9HY, competed in the Auckland Secondary School Diving Championships last week and won the Junior Girls title!
Twenty Year 12 and 13 Pasifika students attended the Sisters United, Dream Girl Conference.
They returned to school inspired, believing anything is possible and ready to chase their dreams.
Congratulations to Kara Belk 12MG, Dennis Mailangi 12Bu, Taylah Stewart 12Ga, Nafisa Bulale 12Gi and Asher McCarten 12Gi, who performed last week at the Aotea Centre in the semi-finals of ‘Word the Front Line’.
Level 3 Travel and Tourism students became tourists for the day. They visited two historical sites, Tuakau’s Alexandra Redoubt, and Rangiriri Pā.
Our senior students with an interest in law visited the law firm Meredith Connell where several lawyers shared their experiences of their journey into the profession.

We are now four weeks away from the end-of-year practice examinations for our senior students in Years 11, 12, and 13. This year, changes to NCEA have shifted the goalposts for Year 11 students aiming to obtain NCEA Level 1. Under the new requirements, students must achieve literacy and numeracy through the Common Assessment Activities (CAA) or specific Achievement Standards. These adjustments have made it more challenging to meet the qualification criteria. We ask families to support the school by closely monitoring academic progress and encouraging students to strive for their best results.

Have a great weekend.

Shameen Hayat
PRINCIPAL

Key Dates

2-6 September - Sport Winter Tournament Week
6 September - Lalaga event by Kahui Ako 5pm school hall
12 September - Year 13 Music - 6pm
13 September - Theatresports final (details to follow at a later date)
16-20 September - Te Wiki o te Reo Māori
17-19 September - NZQA Common Assessments (CAA exams for Years 10 & 11)
20 - 26 September - Senior End of Year Exams (Years 11, 12 & 13)
26 September - Last day of Term 3
27 September - Teacher Only Day

Sporting News

School Sport NZ Winter Tournament Week is fast approaching, with over 100 students involved in eight teams competing in tournaments from Auckland down to Nelson. We wish all our students, staff, community helpers, and supporters safe travels and the best of luck.

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

● Girls 10s Rugby:
The Girls 10s team have been crowned ARU Girls 10’s Champions for 2024. It was a close game, played in less-than-ideal conditions, but OHS secured the victory with a late try. Thank you to coach Willie Marsters for his commitment this year, not only with the girls' team but also with the U15 Boys team.

● Boys 1st XV Rugby:
The First XV narrowly missed out in a thrilling 1B Plate Final against Avondale, with a final score of 19-15. Despite scoring 2 tries to Avondale’s 1, their goal kicker managed to keep our team just out of reach. A big thank you to the coaching staff, Jim Kuresa-Moore and James Haimotu, for their dedication throughout the season.

● Badminton:
Our Badminton squads have started well in their Term 3 competitions. The Boys Advanced and Girls Advanced teams are currently 3rd in their competitions, while the Boys Junior Premier Reserve are 8th.

● Girls Football:
The Girls Premier 1st XI claimed 5th spot in the APC Division 2 Cup with a dominant win over St Cuthbert’s College. The team has a couple of strong outings left to finish their Auckland Premier campaign as they prepare to tackle the NZSS National Championships in Nelson during Tournament Week.

● Boys Football:
The Junior A XI were crowned 14A2 Central East champions after a 2-0 win against Pakuranga College Academy. The win seals an undefeated season for the George Woodward-coached side and is a great way to head into the Hillsdene Junior Football Tournament in Tauranga during Tournament Week.

● Mixed 8 Hockey:
Our Mixed 8s team finished 3rd in their Auckland competition after a tough play-off loss to Sancta Maria College last Friday evening. Despite illness and work commitments limiting the team to only 7 players for the last two weeks, they put in their best effort to stay competitive in both games and can be proud of their achievements this season.

Spoken Word at Aotea Centre.

Congratulations to Kara Belk 12MG, Dennis Mailangi 12Bu, Taylah Stewart 12Ga, Nafisa Bulale 12Gi and Asher McCarten 12Gi, who performed last week at the Aotea Centre in the semi-finals of ‘Word the Front Line’.

Convivial Canape Evening Enjoyed By All.

It was a pleasure to welcome guests to the school last night to show in a small way our appreciation for their support of our school.

End of Season for OHS Ist XV.

The OHS Ist XV may have lost the Plate Final against Avondale College 19-15 on Saturday, but they are to be recognised for consistently upholding OHS values, throughout the season.

Anna Dives Into First Place!

Year 9 student Anna Lightbody has a promising future as a diver.

Tongan Language Week Concludes.

We have enjoyed celebrating Tongan Language Week this week. The Tongan students' have brought energy and enthusiasm to the school in all of the activities they have organised.

Willie Marsters: The Quiet Achiever.

Mr Steve Frear has been the teacher in charge of rugby at OHS for many years. He reflects on the humble role Willie Marsters has played in OHS rugby success.

Students Visit Law Firm Meredith Connell.

Our senior students with an interest in Law enjoyed a visit to law firm Meredith Connell.

OHS Rugby 10s Champions For 2024!

The OHS Girls Rugby 10s played in the final on Monday against a powerful Otahuhu team and won 20-19!

Doodle and Chat for Anyone?

The Arts Council Initiative, ‘Doodle and a Chat’, held today, proved very successful.

Tourists For A Day.

In preparation for completing their coursework, Level 3 Travel and Tourism students became tourists for the day. Perhaps not their usual choice of tourist activity, students visited two historical sites, Tuakau’s Alexandra Redoubt, and Rangiriri Pā.

Students enjoy Kava Ceremony.

A kava ceremony, attended by many of our Tongan students marked the beginning of Uike Kātoanga'i 'o e Lea Faka-Tonga, at OHS.

Sisters United- Dream Girl Conference.

Twenty Year 12 and 13 Pasifika students were fortunate to attend the Sisters United, Dream Girl Conference. The conference aims to build self-confidence and develop life skills to empower students to chase their dreams.

Welcome to Tongan Language Week.

Tongan Language Week, Uike Kātoanga'i 'o e Lea Faka-Tonga was officially opened at a ceremony at the Lesieli Tonga auditorium in Mangere on Sunday.

Careers

Over the past two weeks, our seniors have been busy exploring their future pathways. They have participated in seminars on Nursing, Veterinary and Animal Sciences, hosted by experts from MIT and Massey Universities, while others attended workshops with Otago and Victoria University liaison staff to map out their tertiary studies. Year 12 and 13 students gained valuable insights into the legal field through a visit to a city law firm, while others explored opportunities in the sports industry with a visit to Prosport. Sione Matale from the Defence Forces held personalised sessions, offering guidance on careers in the Army, Navy, and Airforce. It’s truly inspiring to see our students so proactive in shaping their futures!