Hillcrest High School Sports Board was established in 2015 with the mission of

"To add value to the Sport programme at Hillcrest High School"

In doing this the Board came up with the following key functions:

• Promotion of sport to local Hillcrest Community and beyond
• Fundraising and Infrastructure
• Increasing participation and achievement
• Increasing and recognising community involvement
• Uniform

As a Board, members are working on projects within these key groups. 

In 2016 the Board introduced the extra-curricular hoodies which are sold at NZ Uniforms. These hoodies have replaced all the different individual hoodies that codes have had in the past. This creates consistency in uniform amongst the school.

Some of the current projects that the Sports Board are working on are:     

• Code of Conduct for all players, coaches, managers, parents and spectators involved in sport at Hillcrest High School. Again this will help to create consistency amongst all codes within the school.
• New multi-purpose turf to replace the current turf next to the school gym. This could be used by most sports as well as PE classes but Hockey, Lacrosse, Futsal, Tennis, Basketball and Netball would be key codes that would benefit from the turf.
• Looking at ways in which we can support our volunteers further at Hillcrest High School.

The Board consists of the following members:  
Ryan Cox (Staff member - Chairperson)
Kelvin Whiting (Principal)    
Ryan Overmayer (Sports Director)  
Anne Robertson (Board of Trustees Representative)  
Jo Brooks (Parent)  
Matt Watson (Parent)
Steve Wilson (Parent)    
Brendon Stone (Parent)  
Yvonne Kuys (Parent)    
Matthew Bryant (Staff member)
Ben Kennedy (Staff member)

The School’s extra-curricular programme encourages students to become involved in the full life of the school, irrespective of expertise or experience. The school regularly enters over 100 teams in local sports, across 40 different codes. A significant number of our students and teams gain regional, national and international recognition and ranking for their endeavours. A special feature of our sports programme is the establishment of sports clubs in cricket, football, rugby, netball, rowing, hockey and volleyball with a large amount of parental involvement. These clubs provide support in organising, promoting and fundraising activities for their specific codes. We have a long established inter-sports exchange with Howick College and a recently established exchange with Rosehill College. A summer junior exchange also exists with Pakuranga College.

 

Sports at Hillcrest High School:

 

A range of musical options are provided including the school symphony orchestra, strings (senior and junior), chamber music, jazz band, SCAT Choir and various rock bands. School musical productions have been a highlight of the school year which have included past performances of The Best of Broadway, South Pacific, Spamalot, Godspell, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Guys and Dolls, Seussical the Musical and The Little Mermaid (performed in 2018).

In 2016, two Hillcrest High School concert chamber groups performed in the semifinals and finals of the NZCT Chamber Music Contest.

With a convincing performance in the semifinal round the Yerevan Trio progressed to the final round to win.

This was a historical achievement, as this was the first time in the 50 year history of the Concert Chamber Music Contest that a group from Hamilton had been judged best chamber group in the country.

In 2017 our Raysken Trio competed again in the Northern Region final of the Chamber Music New Zealand Contest in Auckland winning the top prize, gaining direct entry to the national final in Wellington in August. Twelve groups were entered, Raysken the only group from the Waikato. This is the second year in a row they have gained a place in the national final.

Head of Music Department:    Mr Cook  (mcook@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

 

Scat Choir

Yerevan Trio - 2016 National Winners

School Orchestra

                                                              

Drama has a high profile, with Hillcrest High selected as the Waikato representative at the Sheilah Winn Festival of Shakespeare in Schools Competition on numerous occasions, and students regularly awarded at the national level of competitions; we also have students selected to work at The Globe Theatre in Stratford (England). Students are also prominent in Theatresports and regular performances are a component of student assessment programme. Public speaking, debating, Mooting and the Monetary Policy Challenge are all activities in which our students have gained regional and national recognition.

 

Hillcrest High School has always been a strong competitor in the Waikato Secondary School Theatresports Competition. We have junior and senior teams entered and they have been very successful winning the shield on many occasions due to the energy and creativity of the team members.

 

 Head of Drama Department:   Mrs Binks  (sbinks@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

 

The arts have a long and rich tradition at Hillcrest High School with many students going on to have long and successful careers in the creative arts after they leave school. Students have many opportunities to get involved in the performing and visual arts through extra and co-curricular activities.

Students can involve themselves in music, drama and cultural performance through the many clubs and groups at school.

 

2018  -  The Little Mermaid

There are many cultural groups which students can become involved with at Hillcrest High School.

The school’s kapa haka ropu continues to grow from strength to strength as does the Pasifika group.
Some of the key events on the cultural calendar include the annual Autumn Gala and International Concert.

At Hillcrest High school we understand that succeeding as Māori by Māori is important and an integral component of the growth and development of our rangatahi. 

We want our Māori students;
To have a sense of belonging -Turangawaewae,
To be culturally strong, stand with confidence and competence - Kia tu Maia
To be successful and proud to be Maori, representing their whanau and culture - Kia Matau Maori 

We focus on providing a culturally responsive school community and classroom to eliminate barriers to learning, so there are no excuses for not succeeding. Various programmes are provided to encourage, support, mentor and give leadership opportunities for students to participate in.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

These include:

• The Year 9 Tauwhare Marae camp
• A Whanau Form Class
• Manukura Tane and Wahine - these roles are given to a boy and girl in their final year at Hillcrest High school (Year 13) and it is expected that they uphold all things Māori across the school student culture. These are roles respected by all students.
• Māori student committee - The Manukura Tane and Wahine chair this committee.
• Whanau Hui
• Māori Success and Achievement awards evening
• Kapa Haka - Our whanau and kapa haka group regularly showcase their performance abilities in and out of the school through Powhiri, Ngahau (entertainment) festivals and award evenings.

Students with Pasifika heritage are warmly welcomed at Hillcrest High School and although our community comprises only
5% of the school student body, these are represented well in statistics for academic and cultural achievement, in leadership roles and in top sports teams.                                                                                                      

The Talents of the Pacific Academy (TOPA) are actively involved with the teaching and mentoring of cultural competencies throughout the year. Through this, Dance students achieve credits towards Level 1, 2 and 3 and some Music credits as well.

At Tertiary level we facilitate opportunities for students to access scholarships at either Polytechnics or Universities.

Other opportunities for students include a Pasifika Camp, participation in Pasifika by Nature Cultural Festival, ‘Power Up’ (through Kaute Pacific at Wintec) as well as subject specific mentoring.

Our goal is to encourage these young people to make the very best of their education as Pasifika, to ensure they can pursue meaningful careers in the future.              

 

Teacher in Charge of Maaori Department:   Matua Heemi Walker  (hwalker@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

Teacher in Charge of Pacifika Department:  Mrs Sue Radford   (sradford@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

Director of International Students:   Mrs Rae Selby  (rselby@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

 

 

                                                                    Hillcrest High School Kapa Haka Group performing at 2016 Te Tai Ohinga Maro Kapa Haka Festival at Karapiro

 

 

                                                                                                                    Annual International Concert

   

                                                                                                                 

Along with developing leadership skills through education outside the classroom and involvement in extra-curricular activities, there are also a number of opportunities for students to develop their leadership capacity in formalised roles. At the junior level, students can become involved in the junior council and ensure that the views and voices of the junior students are heard.

At the senior level there are elected leadership positions available in the area of Arts, Culture, Environment, Services, Sport and Māori. The leaders in these areas also chair committees which students can join. The student body is led by a Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl. A strong house system is led by House Captains who are overseen by the Deputy Head Boy and Girl.

Hillcrest High School has a strong relationship with local iwi Ngati Haua and this is further strengthened every year through the Year 9 Tauwhare Marae Noho. Groups of Year 9 students get to experience life on a marae through an overnight noho which begins with a Powhiri on the morning of the first day.

Over the course of the two days, Year 12 student leaders and teachers lead the Year 9 students through a variety of activities which culminates with a hakari for parents on the second evening. Attendance of the noho is an important part to the introduction of life at Hillcrest High School and how the school links to the wider community. All students are encouraged to attend the noho as it gives them an opportunity to immerse themselves in high school life and bond with students from their form class.

 

For more information contact Teacher in Charge:  Miss Campbell  (lcampbell@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

 

 

Hillcrest High School is proud to have created the first long term outdoor education course by a state school in New Zealand for Year 10 students. In collaboration with the Hillary Outdoors Education Centre on Great Barrier Island we have shaped a five week course that melds a combination of outdoor activities, community action and studies revolving around the principles of sustainability.

In 2012 we ran two inaugural five week courses, one for girls and the other for boys. After 5 years the programme is still surging ahead with strong support from parents, students and the local community. The course requires students to live independently in double berth cabins with students responsible for their cooking, washing, personal and group requirements. There is no cellphone coverage at the camp and contact is made home once a week.

Students are supervised by a mixture of Hillcrest High School staff and Hillary Outdoors instructors. Under their expert guidance the students undertake 2-3 day expeditions and a range of outdoor activities including coasteering, high ropes course, sailing, sea kayaking, tramping, steep creeking, fishing, snorkelling, gardening and adventure based learning.

They undertake a cross-curricular study of cultural, economic, environmental and social sustainability, interacting during the process with local tangata whenua, business owners, primary school, Glenfern Sanctuary, DOC and the Orama community.

At the end of each course a celebration evening is held during which the students deliver a presentation of their experiences and studies to their parents, along with taking the time to acknowledge their accomplishments and present awards.

 

For more information contact the Teacher in Charge:  Mr Uivel  (huivel@hillcrest-high.school.nz)

 

The real kiwi outdoor experience!

The Year 10 Camp programme is based at Ngatuhoa Lodge in the Kaimai ranges. The students are involved in hiking, abseiling, swimming, kayaking, flying fox, tubing, conquering commando courses together with a multitude of other exciting team building activities. Students get a first-hand nature experience and learn about NZ culture.

Students attend in their form groups and develop relationship and interpersonal skills. They are guided by the Year 13 Outdoor Education student leaders, who have undertaken training to support the younger students.

This is a valuable experience that all Year 10 students should take part in. We are so privileged to live in such a beautiful country that has a strong emphasis on Education Outside the Classroom and allows students to experience trips such as this. It enables students to take safe risks and be open to new, exciting activities. All students should aim to take part in this amazing programme. It encompasses the true essence of being a student in NZ.

International trips have increasingly become part of extending the learning opportunities for students. During 2016 students travelled to Spain on an international languages trip while the 1st XV rugby toured Samoa and the 1st XI cricket team participated in the World Schools Cricket Challenge in Melbourne. Over the past few years trips to Gold Coast, Noumea, Great Barrier Reef, Botswana and Zambia have occurred. In 2017 co-curricular trips were organised to New Caledonia as part of Language studies, Silicon Valley as part of Business Studies, Vietnam as part of Social Studies and trekking the ancient Inca trails in Peru as part of Outdoor Education. In 2018 a languages/music trip took place to mainland China. In 2019 planning is underway for a trips to Vietnam and NASA.

Botswana and Zambia