Returning to school and work means something different to everyone. The start of a new year often brings mixed emotions—excitement, apprehension, and everything in between. However, one thing we all share is the opportunity to start fresh, set new goals, and make small, meaningful improvements that can positively shape our lives and future.
At Hillcrest High School, the new year brings the launch of our 2025 Annual Plan, which outlines our key focus areas and actions for improving outcomes for our ākonga. This plan, built on our strategic vision, provides us with a roadmap to success. You can view the full plan on our website, but here are the key priorities for the year:
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Fostering a sense of belonging for students
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Creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students are empowered to reach their full potential
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Implementing the attendance improvement plan for 2025
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Ensuring parents understand their ākonga’s progress
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Improving connections with local communities
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Enhancing outcomes for ākonga Māori
These priorities are backed by measurable actions, and the Senior Leadership Team will continuously review our progress throughout the year. However, achieving these goals is not something we can do alone. Success requires a whole-school approach, where staff, students, and caregivers are all committed to the shared vision of improving outcomes for our ākonga.
At the heart of our journey this year is a simple but powerful idea: high expectations. If everyone in the Hillcrest High School community—students, staff, and families—holds high expectations for themselves and for one another, we will be far better positioned to achieve our goals.
This will be my mantra for 2025, and I hope it will become yours too:
Have high expectations for yourself and for others. By doing so, we can all make small improvements that lead to meaningful, positive change—not just for ourselves but for our entire community.
Together, let’s create a year of growth, belonging, and success for our students. I invite you to join me in this vision as we work to make 2025 a truly remarkable year at Hillcrest High School.
Ngā mihi nui,
Christine Williams
Principal/Tumuaki
