16 December 2025

Another school year drew to a close with our Year 9 Prizegiving on Thursday of last week. A wonderful ceremony attended by a huge number of parents and family members has prompted us to review how it is run next year to ensure that parents have the opportunity to see their child(ren) cross the stage. This is especially important given the expected growth of our Year 9 cohort next year.

Congratulations to all our Year 9 Prizewinners, well done on reaching the heights in your first year at high school. Of particular note are the following recipients:

Deans Award for Excellent Citizenship                                                     

• Hiranga - Reagan Lowry 9HGL
• Karearea - Luis Shyn 9KVS
• Matauranga - Samantha Gabrielle Borja 9MTB
• Turama - Connor Harrison 9TGF

Akina Leaders Award for Academic Progress                                        

• Ashton Mayo 9TCE

Year 9 Speech Competition                                                                             

• Ronav Bhandari 9HSY

The Trusts Award for Diligent Classroom Effort                                    

• Jackson Hawkes 9KNE

Board of Trustee Award for All Round Excellence                                

• Nate Plamer 9TCE 

Runner Up Academic Student in Year 9                                                    

• Ian Dewan 9KVS

Top Academic Student in Year 9                                                                    

• Sarah Enfield 9KVS 

I’d like to thank our staff across the school, regardless of the role they fill – a school this size can’t function without the amazing staff that we have, whether in the classroom, around the grounds, in administration positions, or supporting students/staff, all work together to provide the best possible environment for our students. I’d also like to thank our Board of Trustees for their support and expert governance.

Finally, thanks to our parents/caregivers, wider community, and alumni for the support they provide. It is appreciated by all.

Changes for 2026

As mentioned in the last pānui, there are some significant changes that will affect all students in 2026.

For all, Hui Arotahi which has started the school day for the past 6 years is both changing in nature, and in timing. From the beginning of next year, each school day will commence with Period 1 classes, starting at 8.50am. All students will be expected to be in school and ready to enter their classes at this time.

Replacing Hui Arotahi will be a new twice weekly academic mentoring session, providing a vehicle for academic conversations, whakawhanaungatanga, mentoring from senior students, and pastoral care (e.g. follow up around attendance etc).

Our Year 9 students will each be assigned a class, similar to our current system – this class will be attached to one of our 4 Houses, and they will remain with that House and the teacher assigned to them for the duration of their time at Massey High School. They will spend time with this teacher in the twice-weekly mentoring sessions and also have that teacher for two hours every cycle as part of our new Year 9 programme. This programme will incorporate teaching and learning of skills that will be vital for student success as they progress at Massey High School. The mentoring sessions will allow them to become accustomed to the school, both people and systems – and as Year 9s they will be allocated selected Year 12 students once a week. These senior students will work with them through the year, and then follow them as they progress to Year 10.

Our Year 10 students will operate under a similar model to the Year 9s The difference being they will be joined by selected Year 13 students once a week. The skills they will learn in their Year 10 programme will be targeted at preparing them for their senior qualifications. For our current Year 9 students, your teacher for mentoring will be the teacher they had as a Year 9 Tutor Teacher.

For our senior students – the same applies, the teacher they have for their mentoring session will (in most instances, barring promotions or people leaving) will be the same person that they have had as their Tutor Teacher until now. The major change for our Year 11 and 12 students next year is that that teacher will be joined by another teacher for the mentoring session. Given the increased importance of academic mentoring conversations at NCEA Levels 1 and 2 the move to two teachers for the mentor sessions ensures that each student will have more in-depth mentoring conversations and support on a more regular basis. A number of Year 12 students will spend one session per week in an allocated Year 9 class.

With more than half of our Year 13 students taking up Next Steps as one of their option choices next year, their mentoring sessions will revert to one teacher (most students will receive their mentoring etc. during Next Steps). A number of Year 13 students will spend one session per week in an allocated Year 10 class. These sessions will also allow our student leaders to meet etc. as needed thus not intruding on their classroom time as much as in the past.

Assemblies will no longer be held every week, instead they will be held as needed and be overlaid over the existing timetable. The reduced frequency of assemblies, both House and Level, will ensure that each has greater purpose.

Further information will be provided to each Year level from their new Academic Leaders (replacing the current Akina Leaders) early in the new year. They are as below:

• Year 9                Sadie van der Kraiij
• Year 10              Brendon Wheeler
• Year 11              Caren Brodie
• Year 12              Ursula Cork
• Year 13              Michael Osborne

The first pānui of next year will provide an update on works around the school over the school holidays.

To all of our community, have a safe, enjoyable festive season and Summer break.