Stratford High Times

As another busy term comes to a close, I look back on experiences that we will not forget. The School Ball, Mamma Mia production, Taita Exchange, Tournament Week, and the Lions Music Awards have all been highlights to remember. Mamma Mia was something else, the talent among our students, and the staff who directed them, was outstanding. We really appreciate the support from our community.

The School Ball was a wonderful event. The staff and students who went above and beyond to make the evening so special deserve our sincere thanks.

The completion of the Derived Grade Exams signals that the pointy end of the year is here. Senior students have only five weeks of school left. It is critical that they care, give effort, and seek support where needed. Summer School will run again this year (more information to come in due course), and we ask for your support in ensuring your child attends the opportunities provided during Summer School to support their NCEA achievement.

Tournament Week was a great success again this year, with seven teams participating across various parts of the North Island. Our students were a credit to our school, setting a great example and giving 100% in their efforts. Thank you to the coaches, managers, and parents who supported throughout the week.

This past week at assembly, I addressed our student body on the importance of learning to resolve disagreements independently and with respect. I spoke from a teacher’s perspective, explaining that while we are always here to support students when matters become personal, physical, or involve bullying, it is equally important for students to be empowered to work through everyday challenges on their own.

When students navigate conflict themselves, they develop resilience, communication skills, and a deeper sense of responsibility, qualities that lay the foundation for their success both inside and beyond the classroom.

I also emphasized a key principle: respect must remain central, even during disagreements. Using conflict as an opportunity to bring others in against someone, through gossip, exclusion, or online drama, is harmful and erodes the trust and unity that make our school community strong.

As parents and caregivers, your encouragement of independent, yet respectful conflict resolution is invaluable. When you reinforce these conversations at home by asking open-ended questions, listening without judgment, and guiding your child to articulate their feelings, you help strengthen the emotional intelligence and ethical maturity we are nurturing here at school.

Together, we can support our young people to grow into thoughtful, resilient, and respectful individuals, ready to face life’s challenges with confidence and kindness.

Senior Prizegiving is on Wednesday, 29 October, beginning at 12.30pm. We look forward to seeing you there.

Ngā mihi,

Cameron Stone

Principal

Congratulations to all of our students who crossed the stage on Monday to be acknowledged for excellence in one or more Internal Assessments so far this year. Well done!

We presented our first round of Junior House Badges to students in Years 9 and 10. These badges acknowledge students who have performed well in sporting, cultural, or academic endeavours throughout the year. In addition to these three areas, there is also a Distinction Badge, which recognises students who have excelled across all three areas.

The House Badges are presented twice a year: at the halfway point and again at the Junior Prizegiving at the end of the year.

Congratulations to all those who received a badge.

Stratford High School’s recent production of Mamma Mia was a spectacular showcase of student talent, energy, and dedication. From the vibrant musical numbers to the heartfelt performances, every show was a testament to the hard work and passion of our cast and crew. The audience was treated to a lively and entertaining experience, filled with laughter, emotion, and the timeless music of ABBA. A huge congratulations to all involved—your efforts made this production a resounding success!

The Stratford High School Ball, themed A Night Under the Western Moonlight, was a truly magical evening filled with sparkle, music, and celebration. Students arrived dressed to impress, stepping into a beautifully decorated venue that shimmered with glittering lights and western charm. The dance floor was alive all night with laughter and movement, as everyone enjoyed the rhythm and energy of the occasion. It was a joyful and memorable night, where friendships were celebrated and fun was had by all.

Our Street Art classes have been hard at work creating some incredible pieces! Inspired by the bold style of Banksy, students are experimenting with new techniques and skills that will soon come together in stunning artworks.

Each piece will be influenced by Sofia Minson’s style and will tell a story from Māori mythology, blending contemporary street art with traditional narratives.

Once completed, the artworks will be proudly displayed in the school office area, accompanied by student artist statements. They will also feature as part of the Arts and Technology Showcase in Term 4. We can’t wait to share their creativity with the wider school community!

Congratulations to Bradley Hill, who recently competed in the North Island Secondary Schools Motocross Country event.

Bradley placed 2nd in his class, Novice 85cc–150cc.

A fantastic effort, Bradley - well done!

Congratulations to Lillie Belau, Zeta Barber and Ava Stone. Great reward for a strong season.

Congratulations to Macy Whitikia and Madison Smith for their selection in the Taranaki Under 14 Basketball team. Well done!

Congratulations Kiahna Smith, McKenzie Reed and Miss Kay on your Netball Umpire Badges!

The Senior A Netball Team have taken out the Stratford Senior Section 1 competition. Their victory means they've now qualified for the Taranaki Champs, happening on September 20th at the TET Stadium in Stratford. Let’s rally behind them as they take on the region’s best!

Congratulations to our Girls’ Hockey team who won the Taranaki Championship against Opunake High School. A brilliant team performance.

Our mixed team finished second in their competition as well – another outstanding achievement.

After a six-year hiatus, SHS Boys’ 1st XI was back in the premier boys’ high school competition, finishing third after a tight win over FDMC 1st XI. An outstanding achievement from a dedicated group of players - well done!

Our Stratford High School Dance Team - Mamma Mia- competed in the Whanganui Open Team Championship and took out the whole competition. Amazing effort from a committed group of students. Proud!

Huge congratulations to our Central 1st XV Rugby Team, who won the Taranaki Secondary Schools competition. It was a brilliant game – well done!

Congratulations to Eliza Agent, Madison Asi, Gaby Haami, Arnika Warren, Leah Smith, Liam Powell, and Taurus Gerrard on their selection for their respective Taranaki age-group rugby teams. Well done to you all!

Congratulations to Wiki Taingahue, Rio Russ and Kylen Booker for making the Taranaki Under 14 Rugby League team. Well done boys.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Kenzie Reed, who has brought home two gold medals from major race walking events!

2025 TET Athletics Taranaki Road Championships – U16 Girls 5km Walk

2025 NZ 10km Road Championships – U16 Girls 5km Walk.

What a massive achievement—well done, Kenzie!

Congratulations to Dominic Robinson, who last weekend was away representing the Taranaki RC Speedway Club, competing in the New Zealand Under 16 RC Street Stock and Stock Car National Title held in Auckland.

Dominic was crowned the new New Zealand 1NZJR Under 16 RC stock car driver and the 2NZJR in street stocks.

An outstanding achievement, Dominic!

Do you have any spare quilt cotton fabric tucked away in your cupboards? Our Fabric Room would love to give it a new life!
We’re on the lookout for clean, good-quality quilt cotton that our students can use in their sewing projects. Bright colours, fun prints, or even classic patterns – all are welcome and very much appreciated.

If you’re able to help, please drop any donations into the school office or directly to the Fabric Room.

Thank you for supporting creativity at SHS – our students (and their sewing machines!) will be very grateful.

We are currently looking to expand and improve the resources available in our metal department, and we would greatly appreciate your support. If you have any old or unused tools at home—especially metalworking tools—you would be willing to donate, they could be put to excellent use by our students.

In particular, we are also on the lookout for a welding table, if anyone happens to have one they no longer need.

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 ts@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.

- Dr. Michael Taylor

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: Dr Michael Taylor

Assistant Principal/Academic achievement: Ms Allana George

Principal's PA: Mrs Joe Mack

School Board Secretary: Mrs Amanda Hill

Principal's Nominee

For all enquiries regarding NZQA or Te Kura

Mr Dirk Vermeulen: extension 707 or email

Deans for 2025

Year 9: Mrs Alison Wright

Year 10: Ms Kelly Rawcliffe

Year 12: Mr Bill McGeoch

Year 13: Mrs Lucy Gibbon

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

September 19th - Term 3 finishes
October 6th - Term 4 starts

October 27th - Labour Day

October 29th - Senior Prize Giving

November 4th - December 2nd - NZQA Exams

December 1st - End of Year Prize Giving

December 2nd-5th - Activities Week

December 5th - Term 4 finishes

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