Term 3, Week 5, 2025 

FROM THE PRESIDING MEMBER 2025 Board Elections - Your Vote Matters Tēnā koutou, e te whānau o Howick College. Having encouraged members of our community to put themselves forward for the upcoming elections, I am delighted to share that 17 people have done so. I would like to sincerely thank all those who have been nominated. I have read the candidate statements and had the pleasure of inter-acting with several of the nominees. The calibre is outstanding, with a diverse group of people stepping up to serve – a wonderful reflection of the make-up of our community. The core values of the College – Courtesy, Curiosity, Commitment and Courage – are clearly evident in those willing to serve on the Board. I urge all eligible members of our community to take the time to read the candidate statements and, most importantly, to cast your vote. Voting will close on Wednesday 10 September at 4:00pm. I also encourage you to cast your vote early rather than delaying, so you don’t risk forgetting. Since Dale Burden’s appointment as Principal, the College has placed strong emphasis on raising expectations. Over my 12 years of involvement with school boards, I have observed a steady decline in voter turnout for Board elections. This year provides an excellent opportunity for our community to demonstrate support for the College’s direction. Casting your vote is a meaningful way to back those who are willing to invest their time and energy into supporting this work.  I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome Mr Zubin Irani as the new staff representative replacing Ms Sharon King, who served for two terms as a diligent, engaged voice for staff on the Board. We look forward to the energy, perspectives, and commitment Mr Irani will bring to the Board. Thank you in advance for making the effort to participate in this important process. Miles Stratford Howick College Presiding Board Member

KEY DATES Monday 18 August TEACHER ONLY DAY Wednesday 20 August PPTA FULL STRIKE Students to stay home Thursday 21 - Friday 22 August NIWA Science Fair Sunday 23 - Friday 29 August Winter Tournament Week Wednesday 27 August Y9 2026 Out-of-Zone Enrolments Close Monday 1 - Friday 5 September Literacy & Numeracy Exams Wednesday 3 September Y9 2026 Out-of-Zone Ballot Drawn Full Board Meeting, 5:00 - 8:00pm Monday 8 - Friday 12 September Derived Grade Exams (Seniors) Wednesday 10 September Howick College Board Elections: Parent Representative Voting Closes Monday 15 - Friday 19 September Te Wiki o te Reo Maori Monday 15 September - Friday 10 October Dental Planet On Site Thursday 18 September Distinguished Alumni Awards Monday 6 October Term 4 Begins Thursday 10 October Creative Arts & Culture Awards Tuesday 14 October Y11 - 13 NCEA Drama Performances Wednesday 15 & Thursday 16 October NCEA Music Concert, 6:00 - 8:00pm Friday 17 October  Sports Awards Evening Thursday 23 October  Senior Honours & Last Day Y13 Friday 24 October Y12 & Y13 Study Leave Begins

PPTA INDUSTRIAL ACTION & TEACHER ONLY DAY

The Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) has announced the following industrial action:

FULL STRIKE ACTION - WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST
PPTA members will not work from 8:30am to 4:30pm. All students should stay at home. Families requiring supervision for children under 14 years old can register their child by emailing [email protected].

PARTIAL STRIKE ACTION
From 9:00am to 3:15pm on the following days, teachers will not teach, instruct, or supervise students in the specified year levels. These students should remain at home:

All students will have access to their Google Classrooms and are encouraged to continue learning from home.
Senior students should use this time to prepare for the Derived Grade Exams in Week 9. Junior students can focus on completing outstanding work or improving their scores on the Read Theory Programme. Year 10 students who have not yet passed the Literacy and Numeracy Co-requisites should prepare for the next round of testing in Week 8.

TEACHER ONLY DAY - MONDAY 18 AUGUST
In light of the PPTA announcement, our Senior Leadership Team has reviewed the upcoming Teacher Only Day scheduled at the beginning of the year. After careful consideration, we have decided to go ahead with the day as planned because:

• many families have already made alternative arrangements.
• school buses have been cancelled for this date.
• cancelling at this late stage would be highly disruptive given the planning that has already occurred.

We thank our comminty for their understanding.

INGHAM WINS BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2025

Congratulations to the Ingham House band (top left) on being declared the winners of the 2025 Battle of the Bands competition with their fabulous mash-up of songs from the early 2000s including: This love - Maroon 5, Are you gonna be my girl - Jet, and Let's get it started - Black Eyed Peas. The bands were critiqued on the night by a panel of judges who ranked them based on stage presence, musicianship, and audience engagement.

COMPULSORY DERIVED GRADE EXAMS 

Senior students (Years 11–13) will sit their Derived Grade Exams from Monday 8 to Friday 12 September. These important assessments are compulsory and provide evidence for final grades should students be unable to sit their NCEA exams at the end of the year.

Important Information:

• Students must attend all their exams and be in full school uniform. 
• Study leave for all Year 11–13 students runs from Monday 8 to Friday 12 September.
  Exceptions:  Only students sitting the Scholarship MAC (Calculus) exam will have study leave on Friday 5 September. Only students sitting the Scholarship DRA (Drama) exam will have study leave on Monday 15 September.
• Exam times and expectations will follow the NZQA Exam rules and Conditions.
  
• Rooming details will be shared closer to the exam week
• Any students with exam clashes with be notified about what to do in the next 2 weeks.
• If a student is unwell and cannot attend, parents/caregivers must notify the school.
• Buses will run at normal times. Students finishing earlier or later than the regular schedule will need to arrange their own transport.

Please click here to download the derived grade exam timetable. We encourage all students to take these exams seriously and make the most of their study leave to prepare thoroughly. NZQA Exam rules and conditions apply.

YOUNG DESIGNERS SHINE ON NATIONAL STAGE

Congratulations to our talented Howick College designers whose wearable art designs have earned national honours at the 2025 TOI competition. This is the competition's biggest year yet, with 540 entries from across New Zealand. Our finalists impressed the expert judging panel from the World of WearableArt, standing out among 695 garments for their originality, skill, and storytelling.

Garment: Re-cycle (left) 
Designers: Arna Vincent and Olivia Gu 
Awards: 2nd Place and National Finalist (Top 10) 
Prize:1x sewing machine (per garment/design team) from‬‭ Bernina and a WOW prize pack.
Judges' comment: “A striking sculptural form, turning discarded bike tyres into a bold, wearable statement. Circular motifs and layered construction echo the motion and purpose of cycling.”

Garment: Interface (right)
Designers: Casey Ferguson, Natania Walsh and Sophie Hunapo
Awards: National Finalist (Top 10) and Best Interpretation of Design - Open
Prize:1x sewing machine (per garment/design team) from‬‭ Bernina and a WOW prize pack.
Judges’ comment: “Layered symbolism and vivid textures explore digital disconnection, with intricately crafted striped hands adding a surreal three-dimensional effect.”

A fantastic achievement for our young designers, who have brought their creativity and skill to the national stage.
Special thanks to Ms Nikki Metcalfe, HoD Textiles, for her guidance and support of their creative talent.

SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS HOLD MOCK REFERENDUM

As part of their commitment to social action and civics education, a group of Sociology students recently organised a mock referendum to engage the school community in an important democratic discussion.

Year 13 Sociology students Minka Klopper, Susannah Chamley, Maddie Averis, and Stella Donaldson held a realistic voting simulation in the library, asking: “Should 16-year-olds have the right to vote in local and general elections?” Over 200 students and staff participated, using an electoral roll, voting booths, ballot boxes, and materials outlining arguments for and against lowering the voting age. The vote was closely contested—57% against, 43% in favour - sparking thoughtful discussions across the school.

This followed inspiring presentations from Damian Light (Local Board Chair), Lawrence Xu-Nan (Green Party List MP), and Stevie Hoesel (Youth Law Civics Education Coordinator), highlighted the importance of voting and addressed common misconceptions and barriers to political engagement, broadening students’ understanding ahead of the mock referendum.

Well done to all involved! This rewarding experience highlights Howick College’s dedication to fostering informed, active citizenship.

EASTERN ZONE SPEECH COMPETITION

Ava receives her award from judge, Hannah Gough.

Last week, Howick College welcomed students from seven East Auckland high schools for the Eastern Zone Speech Competition. The evening showcased a wide range of engaging topics and the impressive talent of young speakers. Congratulations to Ava Knoesen (Year 10), who earned 2nd place with her speech on “The Issue of the Vaping Industry Targeting Children.” We are also proud of Aziana Adriano (Year 9) for her inspiring speech “The World We Could Be” and Nikita Keeling (Year 11) for her thought-provoking take on Fast Fashion. All three represented Howick College with confidence and skill. We were honoured to have Bo Burns (Howick Councillor and local businesswoman), Charles Miller (Director of HBH Senior Living), and Hannah Gough (primary school teacher) as judges. Thanks also to visiting schools, our English department, and Paper Plus Howick for supporting the event and providing gift vouchers for the winners.

EPRO 8 TEAMS THROUGH TO GRAND FINAL

Our EPro8 teams competed in the semifinal round this week, showing creativity, teamwork, and determination. Both teams performed strongly, finishing second and third, and have now secured a place in the grand final on 20 August in Henderson.

The second-place team included Olivia Hargreaves Judd (Y10), Jaydn Arkinstall (Y11), Nathaniel Smith (Y10), and Devin Marshall (Y10). The third-place team was made up of Courage Chang (Y11), Josh Powell (Y9), Rhys Dinnis (Y11), and Jacob Powell (Y11).

Thanks to physics and maths teacher, Mrs Manjot Kaur, for supporting and guiding the teams throughout the competition. We wish them all the very best as they prepare for the grand final next week and look forward to seeing the skill and determination they have demonstrated continue to shine.

NIWA SOUTH & EAST AUCKLAND SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY FAIR

Get ready to be inspired by the incredible work of young scientists and innovators at the 2025 NIWA South and East Science and Technology Fair, hosted by Howick College! This exciting event will showcase a wide range of projects from students across Years 7 to 13, highlighting their creativity, research skills, and technological expertise. From innovative technology solutions to insightful scientific investigations, the fair promises to be a fascinating display of talent. Categories on display will include Environmental Science, Engineering, Physical Sciences, and more. We warmly invite you to come and explore these impressive entries on Friday, 22 August, from 3:40 - 6:00 pm in the Bill Dimery Performing Arts Centre. This is a fantastic opportunity to support our students and gain insight into the future of science and technology. Don’t miss out on this chance to witness the next generation of thinkers and problem-solvers in action!

BOOKS FOR STARSHIP CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Left: Mannat Kumar, Manas Suryadevara, Nathan Chong, Aarkarsh Nair. Right: Presenting the books to Starship Hospital

The Academic Council, lead by Manas Suryadevara and Nathan Chong, recently partnered with the Community Council, lead by Mannat Kumar and Aarkarsh Nair, to run a book drive, collecting donations from the local community to benefit Starship Childrens' Hospital. Thanks to the generosity of students, families, and local supporters, hundreds of children's books were collected and delivered to Starship bringing comfort and joy to young patients.

A huge thank you to all the students involved especially the Academic and Community council leaders, Harnain Dhaliwal, Benjamin Chong, Nicole de Jesus, Giya Narayan, Gabriel Samuel, Charlie Pruvost, Helena Vaha'akolo, Sebastian Ngai, Armin Kaur and Theodore Florea, whose dedication made this initiative possible.

FONO BUILDS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Last week’s Pasifika Parent and Student Fono was an extremely successful evening of connection, collaboration, and celebration. Families and students came together over food and fellowship, with the Tongan boys' dance group representing their culture with an impressive performance. Mrs Fapiano presented awards recognising Pasifika student excellence from the past term, and Mrs Tomlinson gave an informative talk on NCEA, outlining the steps to achieve all three levels and the support available at Howick College.

Student voices were central to the evening. Sachi Siope-Taniue, our student Board representative, and Isabella Meleisea discussed Pasifika academic statistics at Howick College, highlighted values that can be upheld at home and school, encouraged engagement in the upcoming Board of Trustees elections, and shared insights from their own educational journeys. The evening provided parents with the opportunity to ask questions, make recommendations, and connect with other families. Looking ahead, we will be hosting an end-of-term Fono so please watch this space if you would like to participate.

Thank you to all who attended.

CO-REQUISITE EXAM PREPARATION

The next round of co-requisite exams will take place in Week 8. These exams are only for students who still need to achieve their Literacy and/or Numeracy credits. To support preparation, lunchtime workshops are available, and all students are welcome to attend — no booking required:

Literacy - Monday in A1
Numeracy - Tuesday in A1

In addition, Tutor Time workshops will run daily for students who require more targeted support. Bookings are essential for these sessions and can be made by students, caregivers, deans, or teachers. If you would like to recommend your child for a Tutor Time workshop, please contact:

Literacy – [email protected]
Numeracy – [email protected]

It is important that students understand the need to take ownership of their preparation. This includes completing tasks at home and attending their booked workshops. All Tutor Time workshops will be held in A Block.

INTER-HOUSE COMPETITION UPDATE

Huge congratulations to Ingham House, victorious in the Battle of the Bands, and to Irvine House for their win in the Senior Netball Competition! Last week, Ingham held a razor-thin 1-point lead over Minerva — but the gap has widened and Ingham now stretches their lead to 51 points, with Minerva 5 points behind on 46.

The race between the houses is fiercer than ever, and every point counts. Well done to all students for their incredible energy, skill, and school spirit — the competition is far from over!

CAREERS DEPARTMENT 

Upcoming University Visits 

Universities will be returning from next week to support Year 13 students with course planning and provide guidance on the transition from school to university.

Thursday 28 August - Waikato University, 10.50am, H3

Howick College Careers Month

The Careers Department continues its month of events and activities designed to inspire and inform students across all year levels. From alumni talks to CV workshops and fun challenges, there’s something for everyone.

Week 6 – Careers Fun Week
Join in the fun with daily activities and great prizes up for grabs!

Stay tuned for daily updates via the Howick College Careers Instagram and Google Classroom.

CELEBRATING OUR INTERNATIONAL "BUDDIES"

Student buddies from left: Risa Miyata, Freyer Johnson, Deborah Quinlan, Jessica Tian, and Bella Hargreaves-Judd

This week, we presented certificates of appreciation to the students who have served as ‘Buddies’ for our newly arrived international students. In this role, they have have embodied our 4C values, showing kindness, leadership, and support, helping new students feel welcome as they settle into life at Howick College.

We are very grateful to all 26 students who took part in the Buddy programme this year, and we appreciate the positive difference they have made in our school community.

SPORTS NEWS

Girls 15s Claim Back-to-Back Titles

Congratulations to our Girls’ Rugby 15s team who have made history by winning back-to-back Auckland Girls 1st XV Rugby titles, an incredible achievement in only their second year competing in the competition. After defeating Auckland Girls’ Grammar School to claim the crown last year, this year’s final against the same team ended in a thrilling 36–36 draw, earning Howick College co-champion status.

Our girls showed resilience and skill, with their determination evident throughout the match. Special mention goes to Lavoneh Motuliki and Asha Taumoepeau-Williams, who gave it their all despite playing a full 80 minutes for the Auckland NPC Storm Women’s team just two days prior. Advancing ahead of AGGS on countback after a previous season win, the team has earned a place in the Top 4 National Tournament representing the Blues region, where they will compete for the title of National Champions and the prestigious Hine Pounamu Trophy. Last year, the team finished a strong second — this year, they are determined to go one better.

Congratulations also to Auckland Girls’ Grammar School on a strong season and a hard-fought final. A huge thank you to all the supporters who travelled to back our girls — your energy made a real difference.

Premier 1 Netball Girls Through to Finals

Congratulations to our Premier 1 Netball Girls, who earned their place in next week’s Premier 1 Grade final with a 47–30 victory over Epsom Girls Grammar School on Wednesday night. This season, they have grown stronger with every game, combining teamwork, physical strength and fitness, a positive mindset and discipline to deliver consistent quality netball. They have represented Howick College and their whānau with pride.

Well done also to our Premier 2 Girls, who narrowly lost to Diocesan School for Girls 29–33 in their semi-final. With most of the squad new to the premier grade, making it through to the top four is a remarkable achievement. They have shown rapid growth, resilience, and determination, proving they can match more experienced teams in intensity and skill. This season has built a strong foundation for future success.

We wish our Premier 1 Girls the very best as they prepare for the final.

Avah Sila Named in Top 18 Athletes Under 18 

Congratulations to Avah Sila, who has been named one of The New Zealand Herald’s top 18 up-and-coming athletes under 18 years old. Avah has excelled across netball, sevens, and athletics, from playing for the Northern Comets and being a reserve in the New Zealand U21 squad for the World Youth Championship, to winning gold in the hurdles and high jump at Auckland and Counties Manukau secondary school athletics competitions. Currently co-captain of our Premier Netball squad, she led her 2024 team to an historic trifecta, winning the Auckland Secondary Schools Competition, UNISS, and the NZSS National Netball titles all in the same year. Avah was also part of the 2024 Howick College Rugby Sevens team crowned Auckland Secondary Schools Champions and Condors Rugby Sevens national champions. Well done, Avah — you are an exceptional athlete with a very bright future ahead.

Could You Be Our New Coxswain?

Could you be our new coxswain? Being a coxswain is more than just steering the boat - it’s about leading the team, making smart decisions, and keeping everyone in sync during races. You’ll be the voice guiding your crew, setting the pace, and helping the team perform at their best.

It’s a great way to build leadership and communication skills while being right in the action. Plus, you’ll be part of a supportive, passionate team who love rowing and having fun together. For more information contact the Sports Office or email [email protected]

Premier Teams Sports Draw - Week 6

WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST
Premier 1 Netball vs Mt Albert Grammar School, Venue: ANC Start: 7:30pm - FINAL

THURSDAY 21 AUGUST
1st XI Girls' Hockey vs Westlake Girls' High School, Venue: North Harbour Stadium, Start: 5:15pm

KINDO PAYMENTS   Kindo is now our preferred payment system for donations, course and sports fees, school trips, fundraisers, and more. What this means: Payments can no longer be made via the Kamar Financial tab or direct bank deposits. Families are encouraged to set up a Kindo account, remembering to use the email address on file with the school. If you already have a myKindo or ezlunch account, simply update your details—no need to create a new account. If your account has been inactive for over 15 months, contact the Kindo Helpdesk to reactivate it. For full sign-up instructions, click here to download the flyer or visit our website. If you need assistance, please visit the Kindo online support pages. Need more help? Kindo Helpdesk: 8:00am – 4:00pm (weekdays) Freephone: 0508 4 KINDO (0508 454 636) Email: [email protected]