Onehunga High School News

Tēnā koutou, e te whānau o Onehunga High School

Term 2 has been a busy and productive term, with a range of events that brought our school community together and provided valuable opportunities for students to lead and excel. Our senior drama students delivered three exceptional productions: Too Much Punch for Judy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Crucible. These performances were thoughtful, technically impressive, and reflected the dedication of both students and staff.

We also celebrated Matariki as a school, sharing kai, reflecting on the year to date and setting intentions for the term ahead. Our kapa haka group had the privilege of performing in the local community, visiting nearby primary and intermediate schools. Their performances were powerful and well received, showcasing the strength of our cultural leadership. A further highlight was the Fakatoukatea Tongan Leadership Evening, where student leaders welcomed their aiga, shared their aspirations, and demonstrated pride in their culture and identity.

Early next term, several key events will support students in their academic planning and progress. Senior students have continued to receive updated academic summaries every three weeks to monitor progress. Formal school reports will be issued early in the term to support course selection and goal setting. On Thursday 17 July we will hold our Careers Expo Evening, an opportunity for students and families to explore future learning and career pathways. This will be followed by the Three Way Conferences on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 July. All students are expected to attend their conference and we strongly encourage families to attend alongside them. These conferences are a critical part of our academic mentoring programme. They provide an opportunity to meet with the kaitiaki teacher, the key adult who supports both wellbeing and learning. The conversations focus on progress, goals and next steps and play an essential role in supporting a successful outcome for each student by the end of the year. Bookings are now open.

It has been a great term across the school and I am proud of the way our students have engaged, contributed and represented Onehunga High School. I wish everyone a safe and restful break and we look forward to welcoming students back for the start of Term 3 on Monday 14 July.

Ngā manaakitanga

Shameen Hayat
PRINCIPAL

Upcoming Key dates

27 June - Last day of Term 2
14 July - Start of Term 3
17 July - Careers EXPO evening & Business School Market night 3.30-6.30pm. Day ends 2.30pm
17 July - Course selection opens
18 July - Parent Elections - call for nominations begins
22 July - Community Education Term starts
23 July - Year 13 Fakatoukatea Trip to Wellington
24 July - Three Way Conference 2.30-6.30pm. Day end at 1.30pm.
25 July - Three Way Conference 9.00-3.05pm (school closed for 3WC)
1 August - Diversity Day
4 August - Course selection closes

Dr. Colin Chan Chui Returns to OHS.

Alumnus Colin Chan Chui returned to OHS today to speak with students considering a career in medicine.

MOUNTAIN BIKE SUCCESS: OLIVIA TAKES 1ST IN U20 GIRLS

Olivia Clark claimed 1st place in the U20 Girls division at Round 3 of the Auckland Schools Mountain Bike Champs, leading a strong performance from the OHS team. All four riders showed determination in challenging, muddy conditions at South Head.

🌟 Michaela Mitchell – Year 12 Shooting Star 🌟

Michaela Mitchell is a high achieving Year 12 student and inspiring role model with a passion for science and academic excellence.

🌟 WEEK 9 SHOOTING STAR: EXCELLENCE IN ACTION – LIAM RIHIA 🌟

Liam Rihia (Year 13) is a talented leader, writer, and musician who exemplifies excellence, courage, and pride in succeeding as Māori.

Too Much Punch for Judy.

Fantastic effort from our Level 1 Drama students, who presented excerpts from' Too Much Punch for Judy' by Mark Wheeler.

Maths Students Up For the Challenge.

Onehunga High School offers a range of extension opportunities for students passionate about mathematics.

A Lifetime of History, Now Preserving Ours – Welcome Back, John Pipe!

John Pipe, a respected school leader and published history author, has been appointed as Onehunga High School’s new Archivist. A former student, teacher, and Deputy Principal at OHS, he brings a lifetime of educational leadership and historical expertise to this role.

Students Shine In Crucible Scenes.

Level 3 Drama students performed 3 scenes from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible last Thursday.

Fakatoukatea Student Leadership Dinner.

The Year 9 Fakatoukatea Tongan Leadership group hosted their families at a dinner at school on Thursday night.

Junior Boys Football: Strong Start to the Season.

The Junior Boys Football teams have enjoyed a highly successful first half of the season.

Matariki at Onehunga: Celebrating Together with a Boil Up

A schoolwide boil up brought students and staff together to share kai and reflect.

Lisa and Sarah Hellyer Shine at NZ Cross Country Champs

Lisa and Sarah Hellyer delivered outstanding performances at the NZ Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships in Whangarei.

In Memory of Professor Vivienne Gray (née Forbes): OHS Dux, Scholar, and Distinguished Alumna

We are saddened by the passing of Professor Vivienne Gray (née Forbes), OHS Dux of 1964 and Distinguished Alumna. A renowned scholar of Classics, she gained international recognition for her work on Xenophon.

Kapa Haka Group Gives Stunning Performances.

The OHS Kapa Haka group delivered absolutely magnificent performances at the full school assembly yesterday, leaving the audience in awe.

Star Gazing Takes On A New Meaning.

A group of our senior science students had the incredible opportunity to attend a talk by Dr Michelle Thaller, a renowned astrophysicist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Pūhoro Students Enjoy Workshops.

Recently, 28 of our senior Māori students attended workshops at AUT South Campus for Pūhoro students.

Year 10 Volleyball Competition.

This week’s Year 10 volleyball competition, held in the gym during Break 2, proved very entertaining.

LIAM HERBERT SELECTED FOR NATIONAL U16 ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE

Congratulations Liam Herbert – selected for Auckland Blue in the national U16 Ice Hockey League

Board of Trustees Elections - 2025

As communicated in our previous newsletter dated 2 May, Onehunga High School will be holding elections for the Board of Trustees. Nominations will open on Friday 18 July and close at 12.00pm on Wednesday 6 August. Election day is scheduled for 10 September. The Board is made up of six parent representatives, the Principal, a staff representative elected by staff, and a student representative elected by students.

The current Board has appointed Election Pilot as the Returning Officer for our parent elections, which will be conducted online. Nomination and voting forms will be emailed to all eligible voters directly by Election Pilot. If we do not have an email address for you, nomination and voting papers will be sent by post to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate. Please check that the school has your correct contact details, which can be updated via the SchoolBridge app.

School Board elections must be held in accordance with the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (Board Elections) Regulations 2022. Your name and contact details have been provided to Election Pilot to enable them to provide election services on behalf of the school, as required by legislation. Your information will only be used for election purposes and will be deleted 60 days after the election date, as required.

If you have any questions about the election process, please contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or at [email protected].

We will continue to keep you informed.

Sports News

Junior Boys Football
The Junior Boys Football Teams have enjoyed a very successful first half of the season. Both the A and B team squads are unbeaten and sit on top of their respective league tables. The only defeat of the season came in the quarter finals of the Year 9 Cup.

The Football Academy train twice a week and the efforts of this hard work and commitment has been evident in their performances and results. The majority of the squads also play football for the local clubs of Onehunga Sports and Onehunga Mangere. The short and long-term future for football is looking great and the school wishes to thank all the parents for their support and encouragement.

In Term 3 Onehunga High School aim to have the services of former OHS 1st XI centurion Max Frear in a strength and conditioning capacity. Max is currently finishing his studies in Auckland after transferring back from Otago University. He brings a wealth of experience in football including being one of the youngest coaches in Otago Football to win the Men's Southern Premier League in 2024 with Mosgiel.

Rugby Representative Programme
Auckland Rugby Union have released the trialists for their regional representative programmes and we are pleased to announce the following students have been selected to attend development days in the school holidays.

Central West Under 16 Girls:

Stevie-Grace Piggot Rawiri
Cherish-May Maliko
Kierah Stevens

Central West Under 18 Girls:

Welele Loti-Rapana
Daiana Radrole
Charlotte Lilo
Tonga Fakatava
Grace Matakaiongo
Havila Suaalii
Opiesi Taufa

The Girls Development Day will be held on Thursday 3rd July at Carlton Juniors Rugby Club (Cornwall Park) from 9:00am – 12:30pm.

Central Under 16 Boys:

Mathew Keil-Annandale (OHS U15)
Salesi Takai (OHS U15)
Jeremy Tavake (OHS U15)
Edwin Laeli (OHS U15)
Neami Teulilo (OHS 1^st XV)
Willie Loti-Rapana (OHS 1^st XV)
Maximus Kuresa-Moore (OHS 1^st XV)
Daniel Grange (OHS 1^st XV)
Uluaki Paea (OHS 1^st XV)
Lee Funaki (OHS 1^st XV)

The Boys Development Day will be held on Wednesday 9th July at Carlton Juniors Rugby Club (Cornwall Park) from 9:00am – 12:30pm.

As the term comes to an end, our winter sports seasons will be going on hiatus for the school holiday break. We have a few students in action nationally and on the international stage over the break.

NZSS National Championships

Archer Linke - NZ Karate Open & NZSS Karate Championships: Christchurch
Shea Mendis, Louie Gould, Ren Sugahara (all Jnr Boys) & Maya Mendis (Jnr Girls) - NZSS Orienteering Championships: Auckland

International Competitions

Xavier White – European Youth Orienteering Championships: Brno, Czechia
Onehunga High School will also be hosting a round of the Auckland Orienteering Clubs Sprint Series on Saturday 28th June. The school returned to hosting events in Term 1 in the College Sport School sprint series. The unique layout of the school, with its hillside location, provides a great challenge for competitors.

Careers

Full Houses at Lunchtime Careers Seminars!
It’s been a busy fortnight with daily Careers Insights seminars. A popular session on Electrical, Plumbing, Drainlaying, and Electrotechnology careers gave students a roadmap to becoming qualified in these trades. Workshops from MIT, the University of Otago and the University of Auckland provided information about study options and student life, along with tips for navigating applications and scholarships. In another seminar, students connected with staff from the New Zealand Defence Force to learn about the diverse roles within the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Those interested in Medicine were inspired by Dr Colin Chan Chui’s presentation, where he shared his journey from OHS head boy to becoming a doctor at Middlemore Hospital. The Pacific Health Careers workshop offered targeted guidance for Pacific student - covering preparation, applications, and securing scholarships for clinical health careers.

Whānau and caregivers are invited to our OHS Careers Expo and Market Day on Thursday, 17 July, 3–6pm — a great opportunity to explore study, training, and job pathways.
Please see ohs.careerwise.school for more information about this event and the Careers Insights seminars on offer in Term 3.

International Dept

Another Busy Week in the International Department
These past few weeks we’ve been delighted to host two more international study tour groups.
Our first group of 13 students joined us from Taiwan and spent the week immersed in school life. They joined their Kiwi buddies in regular lessons, and enjoyed getting a taste of New Zealand education and culture.
To finish off the term, we are welcoming another group – this time from Hong Kong – who will be with us for the final two days and will also join their Kiwi buddies in classes.

Looking ahead to Term 3, we are excited to be welcoming several more study tour groups as well as over 25 individual international students, many of whom will be staying with us for multiple terms.
A big thank you to our staff and student buddies who continue to make these visits so welcoming and memorable!

School TV - Parent Resource

Understanding Adolescence

Adolescence is a key stage in human development, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is characterised by an emerging sense of identity, exploration of personal interests, beliefs and values, increased independence, and changing relationships with family and peers. This stage often includes greater responsibility, stronger peer influence, the intensification of social expectations, and shifts in how adolescents relate to parents and caregivers. As young people seek more autonomy, this often requires ongoing negotiation and compromise within the parent-child relationship.

The Understanding Adolescence article on SchoolTV explores these changes in more detail and explains how ongoing brain development can affect emotional responses, decision-making and behaviour. It encourages families to maintain supportive, consistent relationships, set clear expectations, and create space for open and respectful conversations. The resource also provides guidance on recognising when a young person may be experiencing difficulty, and when additional support might be needed.

You can read the full article here:
https://ohs.nz.schooltv.me/newsletter/understanding-adolescence

SCHOOL TV

Community Education

Whether you're looking to learn a new skill, explore a passion, or upskill for work, there's something for everyone. Our classes are practical, welcoming, and run right here at OHS.

Come along, meet new people, and learn something new in a supportive environment!

The following discounts are available for our Government Funded courses:
- OHS parents/legal guardians – 20% discount
- Seniors (65 and over) – 10% discount

We look forward to seeing you or your whānau involved in one of our upcoming classes.

Recent OHS Adult Learning Term 3 Newsletter and Workshops Flyer: rhttps://onehungahigh.ibcdn.nz/media/2025_06_27_ohs-newsletter-term-3-2025.pdf

Alumni Registration / Update details

We are currently working on building a comprehensive register of Onehunga High School alumni. Our goal is to reconnect with past students, celebrate their achievements, and strengthen the bonds within our school community. Whether you graduated recently or many years ago, we’d love to hear from you and keep you informed about what's happening at OHS today.

By joining our alumni register, you'll have the opportunity to stay connected with former classmates, attend special events, and support the next generation of students. We believe our alumni are an important part of the Onehunga High School story, and we’re excited to celebrate the lasting impact you’ve made. If you're an OHS graduate or know someone who is, please get in touch and help us spread the word!

https://www.ohs.school.nz/history/alumni