Term 1, Week 3, 2025

FROM THE PRINCIPAL Tēnā  koutou, e te whānau o Howick College, It was wonderful to celebrate our academic tall poppies this week at the Excellence Evening, recognising the 2024 NCEA Excellence endorsement recipients and the NZ Scholarship recipients. The evening began with a mix and mingle, followed by a presentation and keynote speech from alumnus Amol Kumar. Amol was a top academic at Howick College, earning Excellence endorsements across NCEA Levels 1–3 and Top Scholar awards in English, Physics, and Technology. As Ingham House Leader, he was a role model to his peers. He received the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Auckland and is now a successful Mechatronics Engineer. Amol's speech was both inspiring and insightful, reminding students that academic excellence is not just about intelligence, it is a testament to character. Those who achieve at the highest level are "disciplined, resilient, motivated, and lifelong learners—key traits of the world's most successful people." The students in attendance had all achieved 50 or more Excellence credits in the 2024 NCEA results. Although many of the 2024 cohort have already begun their studies at universities across New Zealand, it was great to welcome back those who could attend, particularly the scholarship recipients. These students embody the best of Howick College—their drive to excel is both infectious and inspiring. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them. I have also enjoyed watching the Boys’ First XI Cricket Team recently. This group has played together for at least three years, developing a fantastic team culture—complete with music and a team-building game known as "the lemon." Their camaraderie is evident, and their results reflect this. I look forward to seeing their continued progress throughout the year and hope they achieve their goal of promotion to the premier grade. They will now face Mt Roskill Grammar in the coming week, with matches scheduled for Saturday and again on Tuesday in the T20 at Mt Roskill Grammar School. Have a great weekend. Dale Burden Principal/Tumuaki

KEY DATES Wednesday 26 February Y9 Meet the Tutors Evening Monday 3 March Student ID Photo Catch Up Day Wednesday 5 March NCEA Parent Information Evening 6:00pm - 8:00pm Thursday 20 - Friday 21 March Summer Sports Teams, Cultural Groups & Y13 Photos Monday 24 - Friday 28 March Summer Tournament Week Friday 28 March Teacher Only Day Tuesday 8 April - Friday May 2 Dental Planet on Site Friday 4 April  NZ Blood Collection Monday 7 - Friday 11 April Senior Drama Production Spirit Week Friday 11 April  Term 1 Ends Friday18 April Good Friday Monday 21 April Easter Monday Thursday 25 April ANZAC Day Monday 28 April Term 2 Begins

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

Amol Kumar - pictured top left with Mr Burden and senior staff members.

This week, we recognised the outstanding achievements of our 2024 NCEA Excellence and NZ Scholarship recipients. This event was a celebration of academic success, acknowledging the dedication and perseverance of our students. These students set high expectations for themselves, consistently striving for excellence and refusing to settle for anything less than their best. We extend our congratulations to all recipients and acknowledge the families and teachers who have supported and guided them throughout their journey. It was a pleasure to have so many parents, grandparents, and whānau join us for this special occasion.

We were also delighted to welcome back alumnus and former Ingham House Leader, Amol Kumar (2017), as our guest speaker. Amol holds two degrees from the University of Auckland (BE(Hons) & BCom), where he served as Student Association Treasurer, championing students' rights and welfare while helping to raise $50,000 to support those in need. Now an Operations Engineer at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, he delivered a humorous and motivational address, encouraging students to strive for excellence in all aspects of life, not just academics, get involved, and make the most of every opportunity that presents itself.

Well done to Head Students Nathan Cox and Yoshini Anantharangan, Deputy Head Students Lucy O'Hanlon and Callum Edwards, and Academic Council Leaders Jack Harrison and Manas Suryadevara, who did an excellent job as MCs for the evening. We also appreciate the efforts of Arts Council Leader Kate Donnell for capturing the event through her photography (more photos can be viewed the 2025 Excellence Evening album on the Howick College Facebook page).

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the evening a memorable celebration of academic excellence.

 EXTRA-CURRICULAR ARTS & CULTUAL MUSTER

The 2025 Extracurricular Arts and Cultural Muster was a fantastic success, bringing together large numbers of students with shared interests. Held on Wednesday, 19 February, the event saw an incredible turnout, with students signing up for a wide range of clubs and activities, from performance and visual arts to leadership, community service, chess, debating and many more.

A huge thank you to Acting Arts Council TiC Mrs Dryden, Arts Council Leaders Kate Donnell and Blake Ingram, and the returning Arts Council members for creating such a welcoming and upbeat atmosphere. It was great to see so many students getting involved and signing up - over 700 so far and still counting!

Those who missed out on the day can still join by contacting the Arts Council or the teachers in charge of the various clubs and groups.

MEET THE Y9 TUTORS & DEANS EVENING

We warmly invite all Y9 parents and caregivers to meet the Y9 tutor teachers and Deans on Wednesday 26 February from 6:00pm - 8:00pm.

The evening will commence in the Bill Dimery Performing Arts Centre with a formal welcome by our principal, Mr Dale Burden. This will be followed by a question and answer breakout session with the Year 9 tutor teachers, Deans and House leaders. There will also be a chance to meet with members of our Senior Leadership Team.

Your support is greatly valued, and we encourage you to take this opportunity to begin a conversation with your child’s tutor teacher, Dean, and key staff members within the school.

We look forward to seeing you there.

ARRIVING AT SCHOOL ON TIME

Arriving at school on time is crucial for your child's educational experience. Being punctual helps them to develop self-discipline, start the day smoothly, and fully engage with their lessons. It also maintains a focused classroom environment for all students.

As outlined in our attendance procedure on the "Our Expectations" page of our website, students who arrive after 8:50am must provide an explanation from their parent or caregiver, either as a written note or an email to [email protected]. They must also report to the Student Office for a late pass. If a student accumulates 3 unjustified late arrivals, a reflection will be issued. A reflection will then be issued for every 3 unjustified late arrivals after that.

We appreciate your support in helping your child to arrive on time, setting them up for a successful day.

KINDO PAYMENTS

As most of our community will now be aware, we have introduced Kindo as 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]

CAREERWISE INFORMATION HUB

CareerWise is a central hub for students and parents to access career-related information and opportunities. Available via the the Careers Page of our website, CareerWise provides up-to-date details on school career events and brings essential tools and resources together in one place including:

Tertiary Study – Explore university courses, accommodation, and halls of residence.
Scholarships – Find funding opportunities for tertiary education.
Events – Stay informed about career events, guest speakers, and industry visits.
Resources – Access study tips, career advice, and tertiary preparation tools.
Job Opportunities – Browse part-time and holiday job listings.
Industry Experience – Learn about Gateway, MIT Trades Academy, and STAR programmes.

We encourage students and parents to explore CareerWise and take advantage of these opportunities.

LITERACY & NUMERACY CO-REQUISITE SUPPORT

To support students preparing for the co-requisite digital exams in Weeks 4 and 5 of Term 2, Mrs Nairn and Mrs Henkin have created Google Classrooms with resources. All Year 10 students and senior students who have yet to sit or need to re-sit these exams must join using the codes below.

STUDY CENTRE OPEN FOR 2025 Where: A4 When: Interval & Lunchtime The Study Centre provides a quiet space for students to work independently on their classwork and homework. Student tutors are not yet confirmed, but we will update you once they are available for bookings. STUDENT ID PHOTOS - CATCH UP DAY Photolife will be on site Monday 3 March to take student ID photos of all those students who missed last week's photos. Please make sure you are neatly groomed (e.g. boys clean shaven) and in the correct Howick College uniform as outlined in the Uniform and Grooming Policy on our website. JEWELLERY REMINDER We would like to remind students that jewellery is to be kept to a minimum. As outlined below and on our website, students may wear a selection of the following items: One ring per hand, one necklace, two small gold/silver studs or sleeper earrings per ear, one nose stud or clear retainer.   Please Note: nose rings, septum rings, facial piercings and tongue piercings are NOT permitted and students will be required to remove them. SPORTS NEWS Cricket Goes From Strength to Strength BOYS 1st XI  Congratulations to our Boys' 1st XI on another convincing win against Macleans College in last Tuesday's T20 match! Our bowlers maintained the pressure to bowl Macleans out for 100, and our batters delivered a strong performance, confidently chasing down the total to finish 101/4 in 18 overs. The team now prepares to face Mount Roskill Grammar on Saturday 22 February and again on Tuesday 25 February at the T20 match - good luck lads! GIRLS 1st XI Meanwhile, our Girls’ 1st XI put in an impressive performance against St Cuthbert’s on Thursday, coming away with an eight-wicket victory. Bowling first, the team restricted St Cuthbert’s to 105/8 from their 20 overs. Poppy van Rensburg was the standout with 4/18, while Nitya Choudhary provided strong support, taking 2/18. A well-organised effort in the field kept the pressure on throughout the innings. In reply, Howick College chased down the target in 10 overs, led by a 99-run opening partnership between Alyssa Reid and Zamera Maeva. Zamera played an excellent innings, finishing unbeaten on 65 from 35 balls. Congratulations to all on a strong all-round team effort! 2025 Athletics Day Athletics Day, one of our biggest House events of the year, brought plenty of enthusiasm, competition, and colour to Howick College on Thursday, 19 February. The event was compulsory for Year 9 students, who competed in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, high jump, long jump, shot put, and discus, while Year 10–13 students had the option to sign up for a minimum of three events. The whole school turned out after lunch to cheer on the finalists, the House mascots' race, relays, and the ever-popular staff vs. students race. Whether students were serious athletes pushing their limits or simply giving it their best while supporting their House, everyone played a part in making the day a memorable one. It was also great to see students cheering on their peers, regardless of House. A huge thank you to everyone who took part and helped make the day happen. Special thanks go to our Student Leaders, who showed initiative, responsibility, and unwavering support for their teams, and to the Sports Council for their help in setting up and packing away. We also acknowledge the hard work of the Sports Department and thank the teachers and volunteers, who marshalled events, organised students, and recorded results throughout the day. Without them, an event of this size would not be possible. Confirmed results will be published in next week's newsletter. Sports Notices HOCKEY TRIALS Trials for the girls and boys team will be held in the next few weeks, for both the 1st and 2nd XI teams. Please fill in the following form if you are interested in attending: https://forms.gle/RaRWdijc7YDYNdcm6 OR email:[email protected] Boys: Weds 26 February from 4:00pm until 5:15pm. Girls: Thurs 27 February from 4:00pm until 5:15pm. Location: Lloyd Elsmore Park hockey turf. Transport is not provided. If you need any hockey equipment, please let Ms Richards know and she will arrange loan gear for you. FOOTBALL GIRLS TRIALS All girls interested in playing football this year should meet on Wednesday 26 February at 3:30pm on HC Football Field 1. RUGBY Senior boys and girls who are potential 1st and 2nd XV players must attend training session. Please see Mr Sotutu in the Sports Office for more information.   JUDO/BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU If you are interested in learning Judo/Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at school this year, please get in touch with Mr Uy. Either email [email protected], or come to the Languages Resource Room (i.e. the G Block Office) during interval or lunch time for more information. BADMINTON  We are still finalising the times for the club sessions, but there will be 1-2 lunchtime sessions and 1 after school session each week. The lunchtime sessions are for people of all skill levels, with rackets provided. If you are interested, keep a lookout for the sign up information in the daily notices. If you have not played previously for a competitive team, but you think you have what it takes, then please email Mr Hills at [email protected]. Competitive teams will start in Term 2. Last year's club website can be found here: https://sites.google.com/howick.school.nz/hcbc/home Underwater Hockey Have a Go Days Ever wondered what playing hockey in a pool is like? The come along and try it! Howick College Underwater Hockey invites you to come along to the "Have a Go" days which will take place on Sunday 23 February and Sunday 2 March from 2.30-4.00pm at the Manurewa Pool, Sykes Road. It's FREE to try and gear is supplied. Any queries, please contact [email protected]   Sports Draw for Week 4 Get involved in Howick College Sport We are looking for coaches, managers, and helpers for both our summer and upcoming winter sports teams. This is a fantastic opportunity to support our students in doing what they love while encourage them to take on new challenges. At Howick College, we challenge our students—and we challenge you to be part of our team! Volleyball, Touch, and Tag are getting underway soon, with winter sports on the horizon. If you have a passion for sport and want to make a difference, we would love to hear from you. For more information or to get involved, please email [email protected] HOWICK COLLEGE LIBRARY BOOK OF THE WEEK James by Percival Everett  In this book, the author takes the well-known characters from Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and rewrites their story from the point of view of Jim, the slave on the run for his freedom. The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson's Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town. Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, toward the elusive promise of free states and beyond. As James and Huck begin to navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise. With rumours of a brewing war, James must face the burden he carries: the family he is desperate to protect and the constant lie he must live…   Library hours are from 8:30am - 3:30pm, Monday to Friday.