Road works are taking place on Forest Hill Road in Waiatarua from Wednesday 15 April to Friday 24 July affecting Route S056. The route S056 morning trip will detour through Holdens Road, Parrs Cross Road and West Coast Road. The afternoon trip for S056 will detour through Mobil Oratia, West Coast Road and Forest Hill Road. Buses will not stop at: • Stop 5313 - 276 Forest Hill Road • Stop 5316 - Kellys Road • Stop 5318 - 198 Forest Hill Road • Stop 5320 - 170 Forest Hill Road • Stop 5322 - Holdens Road • Stop 5324 - 126 Forest Hill Road • Stop 5890 - Opp 235 Forest Hill Road For these stops, the nearest alternative stop is Stop 5326 - Pine Avenue. Buses will not stop at: Stop 5314 - 324 Forest Hill Road Stop 5443 - Shaw Road Stop 5447 - Carter Road Stop 5449 - Parker Road Stop 5451 - Kellys Road Stop 5459 - Bendalls Lane Stop 5461 - Rimu Road Stop 5463 - Raroa Terrace Stop 5465 - Tui Crescent Stop 5940 - West Coast Road Stop 5453 - Kauri Loop Road Stop 5457 - Kauri Loop Road Stop 5455 - 757 West Coast Road Stop 5989 - 715 West Coast Road For these stops, the nearest alternative stop is Stop 5441 - 515 West Coast Road. Use Journey Planner to find other alternative stops. (https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/journey-planner/)

Our Careers department is holding two informational events to inspire Year 9–13 Māori and Pasifika learners, giving them the opportunity to explore a range of tertiary education options. Students and whānau will be able to visit expo stands, gather information, and ask questions about courses, pathways, and support services. Māori Tertiary Pathways Evening Tuesday 28 April | 6-8pm | School Whare   Pasifika Tertiary Pathways Evening Tuesday 5 May | 6-8pm | School Atrium All welcome!

In this Issue From the Principal Avcol strikes gold (again) at national jazz comp Showcamp: Fine tuning, fun, and unforgettable memories Behind the Bee: Galvin Alquetra Banzai! Students immersed in Japanese life Walking the whenua, learning about pepeha Inter-Home Room Whānau Sports Day Waipapa Ōhanga Rau Wider access to period products across school Sports Results Notices

Seven Avondale College tauira have spent the last few weeks immersed in a Toi Māori drawing and design course at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Henderson. Across two assessments, they've accrued eight NCEA credits, but their tutor, Whaea Maia Keane, says the real impact is the cultural knowledge and confidence they’ve gained. "Most of the students arrived with little experience drawing these patterns," she says, "but they’re leaving with strong foundations and a sense of pride. I think Avondale made a great decision sending them here!" She believes the knowledge will shape their futures, from understanding marae traditions to one day receiving their very own moko. TK Eru‑Philips (Year 11) has enjoyed the hands‑on learning, and thinks the skills he's learnt will translate well into whakairo (carving) in the future. He’s particularly drawn to the pūhoro design, which mirrors the flow of water beside a waka, and hopes to gift a carving to his parents one day. Ryder Ah‑Wong, also Year 11, signed up to the course to deepen his connection to his whakapapa. He's proud of the collaborative canvas his group has created using a blue base and central wheku design and tuktuku panel, and hopes it will one day adorn the walls of the College whare. "I see that they're passionate and capable, so I give them that validation that they can do it,” says Whaia Maia. “This could be the beginning of a legacy.”

Eighty‑seven students from Years 9–13 were up before sunrise on Sunday, boarding the bus to Kristin School for a full day at the Auckland Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ Victoria University of Wellington Shakespeare Festival. After a brisk tech rehearsal, the festival opened to a sell‑out audience. This year’s festival featured back-to-back scenes from Avcol, Kristin, Western Springs, Waitākere, AGC Sunderland, and North West College. Avondale alone contributed 12 scenes, each performed with exceptional skill and energy. With such a high calibre of work across all schools, judges reported that choosing winners was particularly challenging. Even so, Avondale’s talent shone through, earning recognition across multiple categories and securing a place at Nationals for the fourth consecutive year, for Milo Wilson-Macleod's version of Julius Caesar. This is the first time in several years that Avondale’s qualifying scene has been student‑directed. "Directing this piece was the most rewarding experience of my life," says Milo. "To be able to work with everyone to really create our scene from the ground up taught me so much. Everyone contributed to our success. We had put everything we had into it and really made it something that we were proud of." Julius Caesar (directed by Milo Wilson-Macleod) Top Honour: winner of Best 15-Minute Scene – Heading to Wellington Directed by Year 11 student Milo Wilson-Macleod, Avondale College’s 15-minute scene from Julius Caesar  earned the festival’s top accolade and will now represent the region in Wellington. This achievement reflects the strength and dedication of the entire cast: Milo Wilson-Macleod Nikau Keefe Eliza Gleeson Leila Eketone Luka Kenny Luc Stairmand Tristan Moss Abi Houghton Arlo Skinner Joffy Haughton Tuan Mai Antony Cleopatra Henry V Winner - Best Ensemble Y10 Drama Academy Julius Caesar (directed by Ava Phipps) Winner - Best Student Director - Ava Phipps A Midsummer's Night Dream Winner - Best Costume Design Y9 Drama Academy Taming of the Shrew Winner - Most Promising Actor - Maggie Marquardt Winner - Best Connection Between Actors - Chloe Moussier & Kenzee Byrne Hamlet Winner - Most Original Concept - Director Zephyr Geenty

Te Kapa Pātiki proudly represented our kura at ASB Polyfest 2026, delivering a powerful and heartfelt performance that reflected the strength, unity, and mana of our rōpū. After a term of dedicated preparation, it was inspiring to see our tauira take the stage with confidence. A special acknowledgement goes to our kaitātaki tāne, Monaco Sikuvea, who achieved an outstanding 3rd place in the Male Leader category. “I’m so proud to have received third place for kaitātaki tāne" he shared. "Getting up on the Polyfest stage, I was nervous at first but when I got going it just felt like another practice. Big thanks to Matua Hita and Matua Lance for all their encouragement and support.” We also recognise Isla ‘Uhila and Teariki Cork for the rangatiratanga they displayed throughout the Polyfest journey. Their leadership uplifted the entire kapa and set a strong example for others to follow. This success would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our kaiako, tutoring team, and whānau, who worked tirelessly throughout the term to prepare our students for this moment. Your time, energy, and aroha are deeply appreciated! E mihi ana ki a koutou katoa – we are incredibly proud of Te Kapa Pātiki and all that you have achieved. Mr P Hita

In this Issue: From the Principal Kapa Haka group steals the spotlight at Polyfest Friends, Romans, victors: Avcol conquers Shakespeare Festival From curiosity to confidence: Tauira embrace Māori art course Māori & Pasifika Tertiary Pathways Evenings Revealing Rubbish: Enviro Group conducts waste audit Behind the Bee: Maddie Paeia Sports Notices Notices

On Monday, we recognised the incredible achievements of our students throughout Term at Honours Assembly. From sporting triumphs to cultural excellence, alongside leadership, service, and academic awards, these students have showcased our HEART values and plenty of dedication, talent, and hard work. Congratulations to all who were celebrated at this week’s Honours Assembly.

The week so many of our cultural groups have been waiting for is upon us! If you haven't grabbed your tickets for Polyfest yet, make sure to purchase them here first. It's a big festival so knowing when to show up for the right performance is essential! Take note of when our Avcol groups are performing below: Thursday 19 March (Manukau Sports Bowl) Samoan Stage 11:00am : Samoan group  Friday 20 March (Manukau Sports Bowl) Diversity Stage 10:05am:  Chinese   10:15am:  Filipino   10:35am:  Latin America   10:45am:  German   11:10am:  Indian   1:35pm:  Japanese   2:10pm:  Sri Lankan  2:40pm:  Vietnamese    Tongan Stage 12:00pm:  Ma’ulu’ulu  3:40pm:  Soke    Cook Island   Stage 10:15am: Cook Island Saturday 21 March (Manukau Sports Bowl) 11:30am: Niuean  Tuesday 31 March (Due Drop Event Centre) 3:30pm: Kapa haka

In this Issue From the Principal Upcoming Events Avondale College Shines at ASB Polyfest 2026 Science class in action Taikaka  - Hot off the Press! Finding Our Voice: Spoken Word Workshop Family Connection (FACTS) - new interface in online portal Sports News Noticeboard

Former student Lex Revell‑Lewis continues to make waves on the international athletics stage, shaving one‑hundredth of a second off his own New Zealand 400m record at the Adelaide Invitational. Running from lane six, Lex delivered an impressive 45.87s, finishing second behind Australian Luke van Ratingen. This performance builds on his historic achievement last year, when he became the first Kiwi man to run under 46 seconds for the distance. Just a week earlier, he defended his national title in Auckland with another sub‑46 run (45.97s), securing qualification for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Poland. Congratulations, Lex, we love seeing you go from strength to strength!

On Wednesday 11 March, the Year 11 and 12 Drama classes went to see Waiora - te Ūkaipō - The Homeland  at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Presented by the Auckland Arts festival with Auckland Theatre Company and Kawata Productions, this was a revival production of Hone Kouka's classic work first performed in 1996, and set in 1965. It tells the story of a Māori family who have recently moved from Waiora in Tairāwhiti to urban Christchurch. Their sense of displacement raised questions around the impact of colonisation, and the urban drift of tangata whenua. As Kouka himself explains, '“Ultimately, it’s an immigrant story. We as tangata whenua were immigrants in our own country.” The production was a moving experience for our ākonga, who were also given the incredible opportunity of a Q&A session after the show, and then a special moment of meeting one of the actors, Te Mihi Potae, who played "Boyboy". Reflecting on the production, Year 12 Drama student Floyd Benfell says, "I have some Māori heritage, so Waiora really resonated with me. I've never seen something so unique yet so touching before. It was truly an outstanding performance!" Year 11 students Izzabelle Chong adds, "This performance of Waiora truly opened my eyes into this world how these matters not only existed just in the 60's, but until now still do!" Students will now take their learning back to Avcol where they will critically reflect on how theatre communicates social issues and informs creative practice in the classroom.