Stratford High Times

Kia ora koutou,

As the cooler weather arrives, it certainly feels like winter. Our winter sports programme is about to get underway. Winning is important, but never at the expense of sportsmanship. Thank you to all those coaches, managers and supports who role model how we want our students to conduct themselves in sport.

We do, however, have a responsibility to address behaviour that does not meet this expectation. We want all participants to come away having enjoyed their sporting experience, because that is what keeps people in the game. We look forward to another successful season.

Our Hockey teams had a wonderful time on the Gold Coast. It was an amazing experience; one the students will remember for life. Thank you to all those who supported this trip, and a special thank you to Nicola Walsh for her work as tour manager.

Recently in assembly, I spoke with students about the importance of respect, listening, and the small behaviours that shape the culture of our school. Learning happens best in calm, focused classrooms where students feel safe to contribute and teachers are able to teach without interruption. The choices students make every day, how they speak, listen, and respond - have a real impact on others. Creating a positive learning environment is a shared responsibility, and every student plays a part in building a culture where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

This message connects closely to what we know about learning.

John Hattie, an influential New Zealand education researcher, once wrote that students account for around 50% of the variance in achievement. What students bring to the table predicts success more than any other factor. It’s a subtle but powerful shift, it encourages us to see students as active participants in their learning journey, not just recipients of knowledge.

We must value education, and we must show our students that we value it. School represents a small, yet significant, part of our lives, but when done right, it can set young people up to excel in the world. Setting our children up for success every day matters. If students are ready to learn, higher achievement follows.

We are also continuing to work through curriculum and reporting changes this year, in line with national developments. These changes are designed to provide clearer information about student progress and achievement, and to better support learning pathways over time. As these changes take effect over time, we will continue to communicate with families and ensure reporting remains clear, meaningful, and focused on supporting student growth. Our upcoming Teacher Only Day on the 29th of May will be another opportunity for our teachers to learn more about these changes.

We are at a crucial stage in the school year. Students need to ensure they are demonstrating excellence in all that they do, academically, behaviourally, and in how they contribute to our school community.

I would like to acknowledge Mackenzie Caskey, who has been with us teaching Mathematics this year. Mackenzie joined us at short notice while we recruited, and she has been outstanding. She was Head Girl in 2024 and currently studying to be a teacher, Mackenzie has made a fantastic contribution - thank you.

We also warmly welcome new staff joining our team. Kim Henry (Mathematics) joins us from Christchurch and is a former Stratford High School student, returning home. Adriana Thomas (Across Curriculum) joins us from Huirangi Primary School and brings a wide range of skills to our school, with a particular strength in leading culture and wellbeing.

Thank you for being a wonderful community.

Ngā mihi nui,

Cam Stone

Principal

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Firearms Safety consultation. The feedback showed strong overall support for students accessing firearms safety education, particularly within our rural context, alongside a clear message from some that practical components should not occur on school grounds. Taking this feedback into account, we will proceed with offering the course, with all practical components delivered offsite at an approved external facility, ensuring student safety and addressing community concerns while continuing to provide valuable learning opportunities.

Cam Stone

As enrolment numbers in Te Rangimārie continue to grow, we have recognised the need to expand the space to better support teaching and learning. We were delighted to officially open a new multipurpose building alongside the Te Rangimārie classrooms. This modern and flexible space will further enhance the exceptional learning environment already in place, supporting our students as they learn, grow, and thrive.

From 2026, all schools across Aotearoa New Zealand are teaching the refreshed Years 0–10 English and Mathematics & Statistics curriculum. As a result, reporting in these subjects has changed and now includes new national progress descriptors.

Year 9 and 10 students are assessed against Phase 4 of the new curriculum.

At Stratford High School:

• English and Mathematics will report using the new Ministry reporting requirements

• All other learning areas will continue to report using existing curriculum levels this year

As a result, students will receive:

• An end of semester report for all other subjects

• A separate mid‑year and end‑of‑year report outlining progress in English and Mathematics

Please read the attached information and watch the accompanying video to learn more.

An information evening will be held Thursday 7 May 2026 at 5.15pm in the School Library for any parents or whānau who would like to learn more about these changes.

For questions, contact your child’s English or Maths teacher, or Sam Harris (Deputy Principal – Curriculum).

Students and staff gathered at dawn to remember and honour the courage, service, and sacrifice of our ANZACs.

For demonstrating one of our HEART values in an exceptional way, these students were proud recipients of the Mana Award. They consistently uphold the values that define Stratford High School through their actions and attitude, showing integrity, respect, and a genuine commitment to doing the right thing. Their behaviour serves as an outstanding example to others within our school community, and we commend them for the positive impact they have made.

Back L- R: Maia Benson-Canwell, Taylor Abraham, Azaria Malacrida, Sophie Marsh, Ostyn Marriner, Julius Kumeroa-Ruri

Fron L- R: Te Ngaikiha Pouwhare-Timoti, Sam Campny, Shay Jordan, Noah Simmons, Kaelen Martin-Young, Thomas Geater

Absent: Faith Katene, Nathan Perrett-Mullin, Taurus Gerrard, Mitchell Walsh, Jess Bielski-Jones

We’d like to acknowledge Sophie Linn, who recently took part in an Outward Bound adventure. Sophie embraced the challenges of the programme with resilience and a positive attitude, gaining valuable experiences in teamwork, self‑confidence, and personal growth.

We’re pleased to hear she did very well throughout her time away and we look forward to seeing her bring these skills back into school life. Well done, Sophie, on making the most of this outstanding opportunity!

Last year, the Stratford Art Society generously gifted awards to our art students. These included a voucher for art supplies and complimentary membership to the Society for one year, allowing recipients to exhibit free of charge in two exhibitions during 2026.

The Society was delighted that Danni Boon took up this opportunity and currently has her work on display at the Percy Thomson Gallery. Well done, Danni – a fantastic achievement and wonderful recognition of your talent.

Recently, two hockey teams ventured to the Gold Coast for eight nights. They had some amazing experiences and the opportunity to further develop their hockey skills while also playing games. A huge thank you to Nicola Walsh, Tour Manager, and all of the staff and parents who supported the students. Another big thank you to everyone who sponsored or supported the teams in getting to Australia. We are incredibly lucky to have such a supportive community.

These are experiences the students (and the adults) will remember for a lifetime.

Now that Term 1 is under our belts, we have hit the ground running into Term 2. Our Year 9 students are already just over halfway through their current modules, and it has been fantastic to see how settled and focused they are in their classes.

It has been a real highlight visiting classrooms and seeing students engaged, working hard, and building confidence in their learning. One standout moment for me was being invited into a Commerce class at the end of last term to hear their Shark Tank pitches. We definitely have some talented young entrepreneurs in our midst!

There are also plenty of opportunities coming up for students to get involved beyond the classroom, with a range of TSSSA events on the calendar including football, orienteering, e-sports, and indoor bowls. It has been awesome to see so many Year 9 students putting their names forward and making the most of everything Stratford High School has to offer.

I have included some photos from one of our year 9 Art classes, where students have been learning about shading techniques and creating some very impressive foil balloon artworks.

We are really proud of the way this group is growing, both in and out of the classroom, and we are excited to see what the rest of the year brings.

Kelly Rawcliffe

Year 9 Dean

A key part of Fabric Technology is stakeholder involvement. Students don’t just make something they like — they design for real people with real needs.

This term, students have been:

• interviewing users

• gathering feedback

• adjusting designs based on stakeholder needs

• learning that good design is about listening and responding

These are valuable skills that transfer into many careers where collaboration, empathy, and problem-solving are essential.

Our senior students have now completed their conceptual designs and are beginning the exciting stage of developing their prototypes, bringing their ideas to life.

Our Year 10 students have successfully completed their first project and are now moving into a passion project. We’re already seeing a great range of ideas, including bucket hats, shorts, hot water bottle covers, and even a couple of raggy quilts. I can’t wait to see these creations come alive.

We also have a new group of Year 9 students this term, who have been focusing on building their basic sewing skills and are now working on their pencil cases. It’s great to see their confidence growing as they get started.

Fabric Technology develops communication skills, empathy, and professional decision-making — not just technical ability.

Kelly Rawcliffe

Fabric Technology Teacher

Stratford High School sent a team of 4 riders and their horses to compete in the Pegasus Cup Secondary Schools Team Showjumping Competition held on March 16th and 17th at the beautiful Takapoto Estate near Cambridge. Ella Roberts, Olivia Carter, Milla Dent and Zara Roberts all represented our school very well, competing and showing great sportsmanship and resilience. It was a great team atmosphere with all of the riders' points accumulating to give an overall team score with points down to 10th place. There were 3 different jumping classes that they competed in. Olivia ended the show well with a placing in the Accumulator event on the second day.

Whilst we weren't always at the winning end of the classes this was a great experience for the girls and their horses who do not get the opportunity to compete in events of this calibre in Taranaki. This is a very well run event.

Thanks to our parents Caleb Dent and Philippa Richmond who assisted with travel and camping while we were there and also a big thank you to all of the people and businesses who helped to sponsor the girls for this trip and make it possible for them to attend.

Congratulations to McKenzie Reed who competed in the Colgate Games and Taranaki Championships for Athletics. Below are a summary of some outstanding results!

Colgate Games- 2000m Racewalk - Gold, time 11.11.29 mins

Taranaki 5km Racewalk Championships U18 Women's-

1st breaking the record in a time of 30.48.74mins

Taranaki Senior Champs

Women's Under 16 3000m Racewalk

1st breaking the record in a time of 17.22.26 mins

Taranaki Children Champs

G14 2000m Racewalk

1st breaking the record in a time of 10.46 mins

A huge congratulations to Caleb White, who recently placed third at the National BMX Championships. Jacob White also competed in the 15 Boys category, finishing a commendable 20th overall.

These are outstanding achievements and fantastic results at a national level.

Caleb now sets his sights on the World Championships in July — we wish him all the very best for this exciting next challenge!

Calen and Coltan Parsons made the Taranaki Age Groups Development Golf Squad and recently played in the Lower North Island Quadrangular tournament vs Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Wellington, where they finished second overall. Calen won both his matches, and Coltan won one and lost the other.

They also played in the Hawkes Bay Age Group Champs, where Calen finished 2nd in the Nett U16 competition. Then they competed in the Manawatu/Whanganui age group champs, where Calen finished 8th gross and 15th Nett, and Coltan finished 28th Gross and 8th Nett. Well done boys.

Congratulations to Jacob Robinson and Georgia Stevens, who have been selected for the Taranaki men’s and women’s darts teams. They will represent the region at the NZ Darts Nationals, being held from 28 June to 3 July.

This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to their skill, commitment, and hard work. We wish Jacob and Georgia all the very best as they compete at national level and proudly represent Taranaki.

A huge congratulations to Boston Joblin, who has been crowned the 2026 Taranaki Youth Ministock Champion. This is an outstanding achievement and a testament to Boston’s hard work and dedication. Well done, Boston – we are incredibly proud of you!

Congratulations to Camryn Austin (Under 18) and Mikayla Johnston (Under 14 Development) on their selections into their respective Taranaki Netball teams. This is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of their hard work and commitment. Well done, girls!

A huge congratulations to Rylee McClung, McKenzie Reed, Henry Oakes and Reid Macdonald for their amazing performances at the New Zealand Division 2 Swimming Champs in Dunedin!

They achieved numerous top 10 placings and set personal best times—an outstanding effort all around. We are incredibly proud of your dedication, hard work, and success in the pool.

Congratulations to Madison Smith, Elise Jansma, Daniel Salisbury and Ben Sextus, who proudly represented Taranaki at the recent Easter Basketball Tournament in Tauranga. This is a fantastic achievement, and we commend them for their commitment and effort. Well done to you all!

Madison has also been selected in the Basketball Taranaki Girls Under 16 Black squad for the upcoming Regional Qualifiers/Development Tournament to be held over the King's Birthday weekend in Palmerston North. Good luck Madi.

We are currently organising our Year 8 open evening and are looking for sponsors for our advertisement in the Stratford Press as well as items for the door prizes and scavenger hunt prizes. Last year we were very well supported by our community with over 10 prize packs given out as well as a small gift for every year 8 student that attended.

If you would like to contribute, please contact Joe Mack at the school or email joe.mack@stratfordhigh.school.nz. Items can be left at the main school office as well.

We are pleased to let you know that we now have a text messaging service for staff to use when contacting you about school matters. You may have recently received a message advising that this new system is now active.

To view the full message, please click on the link included in the text. You won’t be able to reply until you’ve opened the link, so please make sure to follow it through if you need to respond.

If you have any issues accessing the message or using the service, please phone the school office and we will be happy to guide you through the process.

Download our school app to keep up to date with school information.

Please be mindful and refrain from parking in the disability parking spaces unless you have a valid disability card. These spaces are reserved for those who need them most, ensuring accessibility for people with mobility challenges. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

The Kamar portal has been updated and can be accessed at https://stratfordhigh.school.kiwi/ This will be further developed this term and will eventually include features such as payments, course selection etc. More details will follow about this in due course.

Please inform the school office of any student achievements so that we can join in celebrating with them.

If your student has changed a subject please let Mrs Terry know via email so the statement can be adjusted to reflect the changes STerry@stratfordhigh.school.nz

There are a variety of ways that you can make payments to cover school costs. The main office receives cash and EFTPOS payments and you can also pay online via direct credit. Parents can also set up an automatic payment to cover schooling costs. When setting up the automatic payment, consider a minimum payment of $15.00 per week, which is sufficient to pay for all school, curriculum and sport costs for a student during the year.

Payments will be automatically applied to “required payments”. Subsequent payments will sit as a credit on the student’s account. If you would like to have payments allocated to the “voluntary payments”, please email STerry@stratfordhigh.school.nz with the details.

You can set this up by either using your bank’s online banking services or downloading the Automatic Payment Authority form and taking this to your bank. Please remember to use the students’ name for any payments.

Have you moved recently? Have you changed your phone number or email address recently? Please fill out the following form to advise us of your new details. Also fill out this form if you have not been receiving emails from the school. There are a number of families who we don't currently have an email address for.

It is very important we have the correct information for your child in case there is an emergency and we need to contact you immediately. If any contact details change throughout the year please let the school office know.

See below for instructions to provide feedback on the Health and Safety Management policy.

1. Visit the website Stratford HS Policies and Procedures (schooldocs.co.nz)
2. Enter the username (stratfordhigh) and password (swansearoad4332)
3. Click on the tab for current review and it should show you the latest policies for review.
4. Read the policy.
5. Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
6. Select the reviewer type "Parent".
7. Enter your name (optional).
8. Submit your ratings and comments.
9. If you don't have internet access, school office staff can provide you with printed copies of the policy and a review form.

As we progress through the year, remember to check your son's or daughter's results on the Kamar app or portal: https://stratfordhigh.school.kiwi/ If you have any questions, please contact the subject teacher in the first instance.

- Sam Harris

Deputy Principal (Curriculum)

Our Charter is now available to view on our website. The charter sets the direction for our school and identifies our priorities as a school community.

The Stratford High School Policies and Procedures are managed online, through School Docs. To visit our School Docs, click here.

Our school username is: stratfordhigh

Our parent password is: swansearoad4332

You will find policies for review and more information about the review process under the "Current Review" tab. We welcome your feedback via this review process.

The Public Health Nurse will be at school one day every week for any health needs. Clinic is confidential and free.

• Health and hauora (wellbeing checks)
• General health concerns
• Contraception
• Condoms and pregnancy tests
• STI checks and the morning after pill

To book an appointment, see the school office reception or contact the Public Health Nurse, Anne Jonas on 027 204 1134 or email anne.jonas@tdhb.org.nz

Please see the office staff if a hearing or vision test is required.

Please find below key contacts for staff at school.

Senior Leadership Team

Principal: Mr Cameron Stone

Deputy Principal Curriculum: Mr Sam Harris

Deputy Principal Pastoral: Miss Abbey Yule

Assistant Principal/Academic Achievement: Ms Allana George

Assistant Principal/School Organisation & Culture: Mr Jamie Farquhar

Principal's Nominee: Mr Dirk Vermeulen - For all enquiries regarding NZQA or Te Kura

Principal's PA & School Board Secretary: Mrs Joe Mack

Deans for 2026

Year 9: Ms Kelly Rawcliffe

Year 10: Mrs Alison Wright

Year 11: Mrs Lucy Gibbon

Year 13: Mr Bill McGeoch

Guidance Counsellor: Ms. Tash Allerby

Learning Support Coordinator: Mrs. Lisa Dent

For all other enquires please contact the school office 06 765 6039

Email: mail@stratfordhigh.school.nz
Website: www.stratfordhigh.school.nz
Location: Stratford High School Swansea Road, Stratford, New Zealand
Phone: 06-7656039
Facebook: facebook.com/SHSTaranaki

Instagram: @shstaranaki @heart_SHS @shs_SADD_team

May 7 - Changes to Reporting - Information Evening

May 15 - Mufti Day - Pink Shirt Day; Cross Country

May 29 - Teacher Only Day

June 1 - King's Birthday - School Closed

June 19 - Mufti Day - Pride Week

July 2 - Year 8 Open Evening

July 3 - Term 2 Ends

Our uniquely designed sponsorship programme has provided over $2 million of resources to more than 700 rural schools in the last fifteen years.

We are pleased to advise that Stratford High School has reached Ferns' Fuel for School programme's threshold for redemption.

The current total is $1609.30.

Just a reminder of how SHS has received this donation - SHS has been nominated by a local business/farm that receives bulk fuel deliveries from Fern, meaning that for every 100 litres of bulk fuel they purchase, 50 cents is donated to SHS. We would like to take the time to mention who those members of the community are that have contributed to SHS. They are listed as follows:

• Amberhay Limited - Finnerty Road
• Western Heights Partnership
• G & M Collins Family Trust
• Makino Deer Limited
• Palmerdell Trust 91 Only
  
• Palmerdell Trust AGO only
• Palmerdell Trust
• Cornwall Park Farms Limited
• WE & JJ Craig
• GN & RL Smith Trusts Partnership
  

Rural communities and schools everywhere can enjoy the benefits of the Fuel for Schools programme. For more information about the programme, call 0800 99 99 89 or visit their website fernenergy.co.nz/community/fuel-for-schools