4 November 2024

We completed a week of celebration for our senior students with our Year 13 Graduation ceremony on Friday. This was the first time we have had to split the ceremony, and some sound issues aside, the split worked well – the BRPAC was filled to capacity for both sessions but the split did allow family groups to see their child crossing the stage at Massey High School for the last time. For those families, it was great to see them demonstrate how important the moment was to them given the support they have provided for their children. Our 2024 Deputy Head Prefects Rafi Grocott and Amelia Watt hosted the morning, and addressed their cohort for the last time. Both spoke beautifully about their time here and what leaving means and capped an emotional ceremony perfectly.

Our House Leaders did a superb job of announcing the graduates, enabling all to have their moment in the sun.

Daniel Crawford (Academic Leader 2020) gave a great speech, outlining his journey since leaving Massey (currently completing a conjoint BCom/LLB) and passing on words of wisdom to our departing cohort.

Final thanks for the morning to our Year 13 Ākina Leaders Ursula Cork and Michale Osborne for their organisation of the event.

Thursday was the annual Year 13 lunch, with food provided by our community and prepared and served by our staff. Thanks to all involved, it is a huge undertaking and everything ran like clockwork. Our Year 13 students had an enjoyable morning, celebrated with each other. Of course, amongst the joy and celebration there was the occasional glimpse of that sudden realisation that their time at school had come to an end.

I’d like to thank our Year 13 students for their time here, and for finishing the year so well. Each year we are humbled by the way they acknowledge the end of their time here, and the way they do it with respect for the school, community, and their families. This particular cohort have had 5 years like no other – they were Year 9 students when we went into the first of the COVID lockdowns, they had subsequent disruptions due to COVID, Industrial action, floods, and fire.

Senior Prizegiving

Our Senior Prizegiving on Wednesday celebrated the success of our Year 12 and 13 students, we also acknowledged the 45 years service at Massey High School of Liz van Westrene. She has announced that she is retiring at the end of this year.

Our top academic awards were announced at the end of the evening including the announcement of the top award – Dux Litterarum.

• The Clem Campton Award for School Dux(the top Academic Student at Massey High School)
  • Ryan Fairweather (Waitakere School)
• The Peel Award for Proxime Accessit(Runner up Year 13 student)
  • Charlotte Murdoch (Rangeview Intermediate)
• Naddy Naidoo Award(Top Academic Student in Year 12)
  • Simeon Kim (Massey Primary School)
• Seek the Heights for Outstanding Academic Achievement(Runner up Year 12 Student)
  • Ada Kim (Colwill School)

Our House Leaders for 2025 were named – this year they were also awarded Gold Ties in acknowledgement of the importance of their role in the school.

• Hiranga House – Jordan McDonald (Riverhead School) and Kayleigh Kabondo (Royal Road School)
• Kārearea House – Isaac Wales (Huapai District School) and Melinda Toe (Massey Primary School)
• Mātauranga House – Tom Apanui-Drewet (Massey Primary School) and Lorenzo Graydon-Tolua (Massey Primary School)
• Tūrama House – Amber Honey (Taupaki School) and Joshua Richardson (Royal Road School)

As were our Gold Badge Prefects for 2025:

• Academy Leaders – Sam Paauwe and Abi Deans (Huapai District School)
• Arts Leaders – Pri Htoo Kay (Massey Primary School) and Malachi Mohenoa (Huapai District School)
• Community Leaders – Mayling Rouselle (Marina View School) and Princess Florielle Collada
• Cultural Leaders – William Tufui and Israel Gomes (West Harbour School)
• Sports Leaders – Lucy Ward (Taupaki School) and Madison Williams (Don Buck Primary School)
• Academic Leaders – Ava Garratt (Huapai District School) and Simeon Kim (Massey Primary School)

Our growing International Student population meant the return of the position of International Leaders, for 2025 they will be:

• Penny Pan and Nanon Praditsang

Our Deputy Head Prefects for 2025 are:

• Munroe Fusitua and Tiotiana Tito

And our Head Prefects for 2025 are:

• Ada Kim (Colwill School) and Tiki Iti Atkinson (Waimauku School)

Our 2024 Head Prefects Harriet Barter and Henry Fisher gave emotionally charged final addresses, both of which accurately reflected their time (and that of their cohort) at Massey High School – both have been outstanding ambassadors for our school and exemplary Head Prefects.

Our prizegiving requires an enormous amount of planning and behind the scenes work – I’d like to thank Deputy Principal Haley Garratt and our superb team of Elaine Curtis, Karen Bentley, Anna North, and Sharon Head. 

NCEA Examinations commence on Tuesday 5th November. Our teachers have done all they can up to this point to best prepare students for these exams. The onus is now on students themselves – we ask that all students participating in exams make sure that they give their all, be on-time, be prepared, and leave each exam being able to say to their parents/caregivers that they did the best they possibly could.