Start of Term 3, 2026 Pānui

Kia ora parents and whānau,

Welcome back to Term 3. I hope you all had the opportunity to enjoy some time together over the holiday break and are feeling refreshed for the term ahead. It has been fantastic to see students return this week with enthusiasm and energy, ready to reconnect with their learning and make the most of the opportunities ahead.

As always, Term 3 promises to be a busy and productive term, with plenty happening both inside and outside the classroom.

Staffing Updates

We are pleased to welcome several staff members to Hurunui College this term.

Gert van der Merwe has joined us in a part-time capacity and will be supporting our Technology programme. Gert brings extensive experience from the construction industry, including project management and drafting, and we are excited to have him sharing his practical expertise with our students.

Michael Loretz has also joined our staff on a part-time basis through to the end of the year. Michael brings a wealth of experience in secondary education, particularly in Mathematics and Science. Throughout his career he has held a range of leadership positions, including Head of Mathematics and Deputy Principal. Michael will be teaching across both Mathematics and Science and will be a valuable addition to our team.

There are also some internal staffing changes this term, with Kate Boyd moving into a small teaching role within Matariki Class.

Later in the term, we will be farewelling Georgia Garbutt as she begins her maternity leave. We wish Georgia all the very best for this exciting new chapter and thank her for her ongoing contribution to our school community. We are fortunate to be able to extend Mel Janssen’s employment and have her move into Georgia’s position during this time. Sarah Hendrikx will then join us to teach Hiwa I Te Rangi class on Fridays while Mel is covering Georgia’s leave. Michaela Scanlan will also step up into Georgia’s leadership responsibilities.

At the beginning of this term, we also farewelled Stuart McNaughton after close to a decade of teaching at Hurunui College. We thank Stuart for the positive contributions he has made to our school community over his time here. On behalf of the Board and staff, I wish him all the very best for the future.

Stationery Changes

This term we are making some changes to the way stationery is purchased and distributed.

To align with common practice across schools and to simplify processes for families and staff, most stationery purchases will now be made directly through OfficeMax MySchool via our school website.

What is changing?

Online Ordering: Families can purchase stationery packs and larger stationery items directly through OfficeMax MySchool.
School Office Sales: The office will only be able to issue stationery where there are sufficient funds available on a student’s account. If you would like to make payment to the school account, our bank details are as follows; Hurunui College Board of Trustees 03-1582-0017586-00 Reference – Student Name Stationery
School Stock: We will continue to hold a limited supply of stationery items at school for urgent one-off purchases.
Existing Credit Balances: Students with funds already available on their school account can continue to use these funds for stationery purchases, as well as school hats and ties.

These changes will streamline our processes, reduce administrative workload, and ensure greater consistency in how stationery is managed across the school.

For more information, or to access online stationery ordering, please visit: https://www.hurunuicollege.school.nz/stationery/

If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Teacher Only Day

A reminder that the school will be closed for instruction on Monday 24 August for a Ministry of Education Teacher Only Day.

The focus of the day will be on understanding and implementing curriculum changes, including assessment and reporting requirements.

International Visitors

Next Wednesday we are excited to host a delegation of students and staff from three schools in Beijing’s Changping District:

Beijing National Day School – Future Science City
Changping District Machikou Middle School
The Fifth School of Changping District, Beijing

The group includes approximately 30 students aged 12–14 years and 3 teachers.

During their visit, students will spend time in classrooms alongside our learners, providing valuable opportunities for cultural exchange and connection. In the afternoon, the delegation will visit the Cassidy family’s sheep farm to experience a little of rural New Zealand life.

We look forward to welcoming our visitors and showcasing the warmth and hospitality of our school community.

Every Day Matters – Attendance

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping students attend school regularly. The Ministry of Education’s Every Day Matters Report for Term 2 highlights some encouraging progress for Hurunui College, while also showing areas where we can continue to improve.

In Term 2, 60% of our students attended school regularly, meaning they were present for more than 90% of the term. This is an improvement from 57% in Term 2, 2025 and continues the positive trend we have seen over the year.

The report also shows that:

21% of students fell into the irregular absence category (attendance between 80% and 90%).
5% of students were in the moderate absence category (attendance between 70% and 80%), an improvement from 9% at the same time last year.
14% of students were in the chronic absence category (attendance below 70%).

When looking at reasons for absence, almost half (47%) were due to illness or medical reasons. We absolutely encourage families to keep students at home when they are genuinely unwell. However, the report also shows that a significant proportion of absences were for reasons that could potentially be avoided, including unexplained absences (18%) and holidays during term time (17%).

Regular attendance remains one of the strongest predictors of student success. Every day at school provides opportunities for learning, building relationships, participating in school life, and developing positive habits and routines. We appreciate the support of our families in making school attendance a priority whenever possible.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Hurunui College. We are looking forward to another busy and successful term and all the opportunities it will bring for our students.

Ngā mihi,

Stephen Beck
Principal – Tumuaki
Hurunui College