Avondale College

02/09/2026

A fantastic fortnight of success for our dance students! 💃✨

Our Contemporary Dance Group achieved an outstanding result at the DanceNZMade Troupes Competition, placing 5th overall out of 68 groups and 4th in their division.

A special congratulations to Summer Warhaft (pictured in red), who was awarded a prestigious Golden Ticket, earning a $1,000 dance education scholarship and a two-week scholarship to the New Zealand School of Dance.

At the Auckland Interschool Solos, Duos & Trios Regional Competition last Friday, our dancers continued to shine:
🥉 Naren Shen – 3rd Place, Year 11 Solo
🥈 Summer Warhaft – 2nd Place, Year 11 Solo. She was also nominated for the DanceNZMade and She Shines On Solo Competition Final.

Congratulations to all our dancers and staff on these incredible achievements and for representing the school with excellence. 👏

🎭 Come and watch these talented performers at our upcoming dance showcase, Illuminate. Tickets available via the link in the comments.

02/09/2026

Five of our students entered the 2026 Earth Sciences NZ Science and Technology Fair with four outstanding research projects, dedicating Terms 1 to 3 to developing their ideas and carrying out independent investigations.

We are incredibly proud to share that two projects received top honours in the Planet Earth and Beyond category:

🥇 Harper Spurway (Year 10): 1st place for 'Shifting Sands', exploring the impact of iron extraction on local ecosystems at west coast beaches.

🥈 Annika and Avika Singh (Year 13) earned 2nd place for 'AI's Drinking Problem', investigating the environmental costs of AI and data centre water use.

Well done also to Daanish Khan (Year 13) for his project on the Urban Heat Island Effect, and Abigail Deng (Year 13) for her investigation into the most effective breaks for restoring student attention and focus.

02/09/2026

Mālō 'aupito to all the students, staff, and whānau who helped make our celebration of Tongan Language Week last week such a memorable occasion!

This year's theme, “Ko 'etau hiva, ko e fe'unu mahu'inga ia ki he mo'ui 'a e Tonga” / “Our music is a vital strand of our Tongan identity" was reflected throughout the week with a number of activities and performances.

02/09/2026

✨ILLUMINATE ✨ - it's our 2026 Dance Showcase, shining a light on the very best of Avcol Dance!

Two nights only (9 & 10 September) at the Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre.

Adults just $10 and Children/Students: $5 from https://www.trybooking.com/nz/event/20970

Bring all your friends and whānau!

02/09/2026

In our Heartbeat newsletter this week: Heartbeat: A Fellowship for Mrs Watkinson; Tongan Language Week; Student Rep nominations open; and more!

The weekly newsletter of Avondale College 3 September 2026 | Term 3, Week 6

02/09/2026

Congratulations to Amadeia D'Souza (Year 11) who has been selected as a finalist in the Arts House Trust National Secondary School Art Awards!

Chosen from entries from 100 secondary schools across New Zealand, Amadeia's artwork Selective Attention is one of only 75 works selected for the national exhibition at Pah Homestead from 10 September to 18 October.

Through her powerful painting, Amadeia explores how society can become desensitised to issues such as war, environmental destruction, and inequality, encouraging viewers to reflect on the importance of awareness and action.

We are incredibly proud of this outstanding achievement and wish Amadeia the very best in the awards. 👏🎨

01/09/2026

📢 2027 Gateway Programme applications close this Friday!

If you've picked up an application form, make sure you return your completed application to the Careers Department by Friday.

Haven't got a form yet? There's still time to collect one and apply, as long as the form is in by Friday.

✨ Don't miss this great opportunity to get hands-on industry experience!

01/09/2026

Avcol student leaders Fahima Azizi and Marco Li were recognised at the Ministry of Education’s Emerging Leaders Breakfast recently.

The event brought together leaders from across Auckland to hear inspiring stories about leadership, identity and community. A key message of the morning was the importance of being authentic, embracing your culture and creating space for diverse perspectives.

Fahima was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the Afghan community both within and beyond our school, while Marco was acknowledged for his exceptional leadership as our 2026 Head Prefect and his service to the wider school community.

We are incredibly proud of both students and the positive impact they continue to make. 👏

31/08/2026

If you're applying from out of zone for your child to attend Avondale College next year, please make sure your application is submitted before the 4.00pm deadline tomorrow (Wednesday 2 September).

31/08/2026

Nominations are now open for the 2026/2027 Student Board Representative election!

The elected student will:
✅ Represent their peers' perspectives
✅ Help shape school decisions
✅ Gain valuable leadership and governance experience
✅ Build skills that look great on their CV

Interested students can pick up a nomination form from the Library from this Wednesday, ensuring it is submitted by midday the following Wednesday (8 September).