Tarawera High School Newsletter # 9

As Term 3 comes to a close, I want to acknowledge the incredible energy, resilience, and achievements of our ākonga, kaiako, and wider whānau. It’s been a term full of learning, connection, and celebration across all areas of our kura.

The Senior Ball, themed Once Upon a Time, was a magical evening of elegance and celebration. Our senior students shone, and it was heartwarming to see them enjoy a night that marked a special milestone in their journey.

Our Parent-Teacher Interviews provided valuable opportunities to strengthen partnerships between home and school, and we appreciate the time whānau took to connect with us.

Academically, our senior students have been working hard through their Common Assessment Activities (CAAs), with many showing strong progress toward their NCEA goals.

We also came together to support Daffodil Day, raising awareness and funds for cancer research—a beautiful example of our school values in action.

Our students represented Tarawera High School with pride at the AIMS Games, showing grit and determination on the national stage. Our Volleyball teams also had a strong season, building teamwork and confidence with every game. Our students also competed in Golf tournaments, demonstrating focus and skill on the green.

We celebrated mātauranga Māori through our Living off the Land Hāngī, a beautiful event that brought together kai, tikanga, and whānau. It was a powerful reminder of the richness of our local knowledge and the strength of our community.

We welcomed future students and whānau to our Open Evening and Open Day, showcasing the vibrant learning opportunities at Tarawera High School. Thank you to all staff and students who helped make these events so engaging and welcoming.

Our Movie Evening fundraiser was a great success, helping raise funds for the upcoming Year 7 & 8 camp. Thank you to everyone who supported this initiative—your generosity helps create lasting memories for our younger students.

Finally, our Te Aranui Kapa Haka group gave a stunning performance at the Tūwharetoa Taiopenga in Taupō, representing our kura with pride and mana.

We finish the term by celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, honouring te reo as a taonga and reaffirming our commitment to its revitalisation. It’s been inspiring to see our kura embrace the language and culture with such pride.

As we head into the break, I encourage everyone to take time to rest, recharge, and reconnect. We look forward to welcoming you all back for a strong and purposeful Term 4.

Taiopenga

If you missed the live stream you can watch it again here. He mihi nui anō ki to mātou rōpu kapahaka, Te Aranui.

Year 7 & 8 Camp Fundraiser – Movie Night

Our recent movie night fundraiser was a huge success! Students enjoyed a screening of K-Pop Demon Hunters, while our senior prefects did an outstanding job running the event and selling snacks. The money raised will help ensure that all Year 7 and 8 students are able to attend camp.

Year 9 - Rocktopia Trip

Our Year 9s had an awesome day out at Rocktopia in Tauranga! The trip was a chance to celebrate the amazing mahi they’ve put in over the term, while also building stronger connections with each other outside of the classroom.

The rock climbing proved to be both fun and challenging, some tamariki were naturals on the walls, while others needed a bit more support and encouragement from their peers. It was fantastic to see everyone giving it a go, cheering each other on, and showing great teamwork throughout the day.

After climbing, the students enjoyed a well-earned pizza lunch together, which was a perfect way to finish off a day full of fun, laughter, and shared achievements

Open Day

Tarawera High School was excited to welcome our Year 6 students for a day full of fun, learning, and discovery. Students had the chance to explore what our kura has to offer through a variety of activities, including biking on the purpose-built track, music, rock climbing, science experiments, sports, digital technology, and robotics.

Lunchtime was just as lively, with karaoke and handball keeping the energy high. It was a fantastic day showcasing the opportunities, friendships, and experiences that await our future students.

Senior Performing Arts Production 2025 - Peter Pan

Our senior performing arts class worked incredibly hard in preparation for their production of Peter Pan. After many dedicated rehearsals, they recently held two matinée performances for invited schools and special guests from Mountain View Retirement Village. The cast also delivered two spectacular evening shows to enthusiastic crowds, showcasing their talent and commitment on stage.

Term 4 Events

AIMs Games 2025

Netball

A big shout out the amazing group of Netballers who represented our kura this year at AIMS Games.

They upheld our school values and did themselves, their whānau and our kura proud. We asked two things of the girls - great attitudes and great effort and they absolutely exceeded them both.

Results were not our only pillar of success this week, the learnings, efforts and energy that the girls all put in for each other and the smiles on their faces right until the end demonstrated the great young humans these girls all are, not just netball players. They went out and met some new mates from all around Aotearoa and have memories to hold on to forever.

We had some tough games against some quality teams but so proud of the resilience and efforts the girls all put in over the 6 days. Was cool to learn heaps more about Netball as well and it only took until day 3 to stop calling the court a field and the umpires "refs" 😂

Awakeri School were outstanding with their support for our girls, at almost every game cheering us on! It was really cool to have another EBOP team outside of WIS to connect with.

Big mihi to the RIP team as well, was great to get over to watch a few of their games!!

Thanks so much Whaea Eden for all of your mahi behind the scenes getting us organised and ready for the week. It is never unnoticed and we are really grateful for the opportunities you continue to provide for our tamariki.

A great week overall, couldn't be prouder.

Matua Matt Brown

RIP Rugby

It was a milestone moment for our Tarawera High School AIMS RIP students as they proudly represented our kura and community on the national stage. The Zespri AIMS Games was an incredible experience, with over 80+ teams from across Aotearoa taking part, and our tamariki rose to the challenge with courage and determination.

Across 13 hard-fought games, they secured an outstanding 9 wins and only 4 narrow losses – each decided by just a 1–2 point margin. Beyond the results, they displayed extraordinary skillset, strong work ethic, and teamwork, while embracing every opportunity to learn, grow, and represent their kura with pride.

We are immensely proud of our tamariki for carrying our MANA values with them throughout the tournament. Their resilience, positivity, and gratitude shone through every step of the way.

Ngā mihi nui to our dedicated coaches and the whānau who stood alongside them – your support uplifted our students and helped make this journey unforgettable.

He rawe koutou! Together we celebrate this success as a kura and as a community.

Whaea Mo Rangiaho

Year 7 & 8 Volleyball Tournament

On Thursday 11th September, our Year 7/8 volleyball players had an incredible day at the Volleyball Festival held at the War Memorial in Whakatāne. Our 10 Year 7/8 attending players showcased not only their skill but also their dedication, having committed to three months of grueling after-school training—2.5 hours every Friday—to prepare for this event.

We also want to acknowledge the other 8 volleyball players who were unable to attend due to representing THS at Taiopenga on the same day. Every member of our Year 7/8 volleyball teams should be commended for their commitment, effort, and teamwork.

The festival was an awesome experience where our students embodied the school’s MANA values at the highest level. They won all their games, demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship, and learned the art of humility—ensuring that their end-of-game cheer always included the opposing team, linking arms in celebration.

A huge mihi to our Deputy Head Girl, Raiha Blackett-Peri, for helping support each training session alongside Whaea Stacey.

Our players should be incredibly proud of themselves; we certainly are.