Hillcrest Normal School eNewsletter

Kia ora whānau

This Monday we welcomed six teacher training students from the University of Waikato, who are on their final practicum before they head out to teach full time in schools next year. A special feature of our school is our connection with the University of Waikato and in particular the Faculty of Education in supporting teacher training. We are often asked why we are called a Normal School. This comes from the French concept of "ecole normale" which was to establish schools to model best teaching practices thereby setting a standard or norm for student teachers. We are proud to be one of 29 Normal and Model Schools throughout New Zealand.

There is lots of fabulous learning happening across the school. Production rehearsals are now well underway for half of our senior classes with performances on the 19th and 20th August. Please read on to see what else is happening in each team for our creative HNS learners.

For health and safety reasons the two gate entrances off McCracken Avenue will be locked at 9.10am and unlocked at 2.45pm for you and your tamariki to enter the school. The Cambridge Road front entrance gates will remain unlocked throughout the day for whanau and visitors to come into school. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience that this may cause.

A reminder that there will be two parent evenings to share the new curriculum learning in Literacy and Mathematics. As well as sharing what happens in school in these areas, parents will learn how they can further support their child at home. On Monday 25th August the session will cover the first three years at school (Years 0-3), while Thursday 28th August will target learning for Years 4-6 students. Both sessions will be held in the hall starting at 6.30pm.

Noho ora mai

Marie Bramley

Principal

Junior School

This is our Arts term at HNS, and it is the perfect excuse to get our music maker selves out and playing!!

In Room 20, we have been immersing ourselves in music, listening and exploring how different rhythms and melodies make us feel and what stories they might be describing. We have been trying to imagine a picture that suits the music according to whether it is fast or slow, loud or quiet, and what instrument sounds we hear.

With untuned percussion instruments, we experimented with different playing techniques- striking, shaking and pressing, to recreate sounds we know and new sounds too. We found out that different sounds can make us feel different moods and think of different stories. Room 20 found out that when we were playing in time and on a beat together we created a sensational sound like our own orchestra!

The excitement is building in our class, as we are about to start a music rotation with our Year 2 classes. We are getting ready for an explosion of our creativity as we explore, create and interpret music in new and exciting ways.

We're creating, we're making, and we're having a blast - He waiata ki ō mātou taringa-it’s music to our ears!

Middle School

Room 17 loves books. We particularly love a good novel. Our current novel is 'Danny The Champion of the World' by Roald Dahl. We have been enjoying the many funny characters who populate this story. As part of our reading programme we made 'Wanted' posters that show our understanding of the crazy antics our favourite characters get up to. Danny, the main character, is only 9 years old but ends up driving a car to rescue his Dad! We think he deserved to be on a 'Wanted' poster for this lawless behaviour. Mr Victor Hazell is a villain in the story. He does terrible things like kicking a dog and threatening a small boy. He definitely deserved to be on a 'Wanted' poster. Even Danny's Dad, who is a wonderful father to Danny, goes poaching pheasants at night - more law breaking! Our 'Wanted' posters used lettering and drawings to stand out and grab people's attention.

Senior School

Production: A long time ago, a magical gem helped human and animals live together in peace. But when it broke in two, that connection was lost. Now, only a few remember the story. After hearing the legend from her koro, Piki sets off on an adventure with her friends to find the missing gem pieces hidden across Aotearoa. But they’re not the only ones searching. A villain wants the gem for himself, to control animals and people forever. Will Piki and her friends succeed?

Thursday 31 July - 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Berkley Normal Middle School welcomes all prospective year 7, 8 & 9 students and their whanau to our 2026 Information evening. Come along to experience all that Berkley has to offer your child.

No registration is required, please be seated in the Rec Centre for 6.00pm start.

Please note: Out of Zone Enrolments are welcomed and must be with the school office by Friday 29 August 2025.

Contact school office: 07 856 6537, office@berkley.school.nz or www.berkley.school.nz

My name is Junelle and in the holidays I had the pleasure of going to the speech and drama competitions, held at the Performing Arts Centre in the University. I competed in the character recital and prose. I got very lucky and came first in both. For the character recital we had to memorise it and I acted Wednesday Addams. While competing in the prose section, I read from a part in the book Wonder, by RJ Palacio. All thanks to my amazing teacher Dianne Yates.

Issue 5 closes off tomorrow so you still have time to order if you would like to and have them delivered to school free of charge. If you have ordered already, it will take a couple of weeks for them to collate and send them to us. They will be delivered to your child's class when they arrive.

Sync Calendar

6 Oct	Start of Term 4 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

6 Oct	Cohort 7 starts 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM