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Nestled on the hill in the rural township of Browns, just 9 kilometres from Winton in Southland, Hillside Primary School enjoys a stunning outlook across farmland towards Otapiri Gorge and the Hokonui Hills. Our unique setting provides a peaceful and spacious environment where children can learn, grow and thrive, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Southland landscape.
Hillside is a full primary school catering for students from Years 1 to 8. Our two classrooms provide focused learning environments for Years 1–4 and Years 5–8, supported by a well-resourced library in our third learning space. As a small rural school, we are proud of our strong family atmosphere, where every child is known and valued. Our small class sizes allow us to personalise learning, respond to individual needs, and nurture each student’s pathway.
We are committed to preparing our learners for life in a global and ever-changing world. We hold high expectations for our students and work closely with whānau and our wider community to ensure learning reflects shared values, priorities and aspirations. Our students are also fortunate to have access to 1:1 devices, supporting digital fluency and enhancing learning opportunities.
At Hillside Primary School, community connection, personalised learning and high expectations combine to create a place where children truly thrive.
We warmly welcome visitors to come and experience the Hillside difference for themselves. We welcome your questions and look forward to having you become part of our Hillside whānau.
Sarah Wilson
Principal
15 Jun 2026 - 19 Jun 2026
16 Jun 2026
19 Jun 2026
Kia ora whānau,
Well, our weather seems to have taken a turn! We've been lucky with some beautiful days lately, but don't worry, our Book Fair will be nice and cosy in the warmth of the library this week, and we'd love to see you there.
Please share the Book Fair information with your friends and family. I've attached the poster with the public opening times. Hillside whānau also have an additional opportunity to visit on Friday from 2:00–3:15pm. Feel free to come along to assembly and browse the Book Fair afterwards.
Week 9 Happenings:
Monday 15 June
• Book Fair opens
Tuesday 16 June
• Board Meeting in Room 1 at 6:00pm – all welcome
Wednesday 17 June
• Mrs Horrell in Room 1
Thursday 18 June
• Mrs Horrell in Room 3
Friday 19 June
• Book Week Dress-Up Day – come dressed as your favourite nursery rhyme, folktale, or fairytale character!
• Preschool Afternoon: 1:20pm–2:00pm - come dressed up too and join in the fun.
• Book Fair open for Hillside whānau: 2:00pm–3:15pm
Throughout the week, we will have some awesome activities for your child/children to take part in. One of these will require your help! We are running a "Reading in Unusual Places" Challenge and would love students to take a photo of themselves reading somewhere unique and interesting.
Photos can be sent to me via:
📱 027 339 0332
📧 principal@hillside.school.nz
We can't wait to see the creative places our students choose!
Looking Ahead to Week 10:
Swim and Skate Trip
The Swim and Skate Trip notice has been attached. Please return permission slips as soon as possible so we can confirm numbers and organise transportation.
Shared School Kai and Early Matariki Celebration
On the last Thursday of term, we will be holding a shared school potluck kai. Throughout the term, students have been exploring the cultures represented within our school, our local community, and wider Aotearoa New Zealand.
We invite each family to contribute a dish to share that reflects their culture, heritage, or a favourite family recipe. On the day, student work will be on display and students will have opportunities to share their learning with others.
This will also serve as our early Matariki celebration, bringing our school community together to reflect, celebrate, and connect.
Apologies for the long notice, but as you can see, our term is certainly becoming a busy one!
Thank you, as always, for your support. I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday and have a wonderful week ahead.
Ngā mihi,
Sarah Wilson
Please note the Home and School meeting scheduled for tomorrow (9th June) has been postponed.
Sorry for any inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding.
We’ll let everyone know as soon as a new date has been confirmed.
Thank you
The Home and School Committee.
Kia ora,
The weekends seem to be flying by and it was nice to have some mild weather.
You will have noted in our newsletter a 'Ski and Skate Trip', Wednesday of the last week of term. There will be a notice about this coming out towards the end of the week, when our Year 7 and 8s are back in class with us.
Week 8 Happenings:
Monday 8th June:
Tuesday 9th June:
Wednesday 10th June:
Friday 12th June:
If you have a Year 7 and/or 8 student, just a reminder that they need their vests, lunch, and drink bottles for Tech. They will also need to be on site by 8:55am for those mornings, as the bus will leave at 9am to take them to Tech.
Looking forward to Week 9:
Book Week - Dress up as your favourite Nursery Rhyme - Friday
Pre School afternoon 1:20 - 2pm
Enjoy you evening,
Ngā mihi,
Ms Wilson
Kia ora,
I hope you're all enjoying the long weekend.
Week 7 Happenings:
Monday 1st June:
Thursday 4th June:
Friday 5th June:
Looking forward to Week 8:
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Ngā mihi,
Ms Wilson
Kia ora,
What a great weekend weather-wise, whether you were busy working, tramping around sports fields, or simply relaxing and enjoying the sunshine.
This week is a big one for our school, as we are excited to have a special guest on site for the first half of the week. It is always wonderful to welcome visitors into our kura and share what makes our school such a special place.
On Thursday afternoon, we also had a visit from a former principal who commented that there is just something different about small rural schools, they truly are special. I have to say, I completely agree. There is a real sense of community, connection, and care in rural schools that makes them unique, and it is exactly what makes Hillside such a great place to be.
Week 6 Happenings:
Monday 25th May:
Tuesday 26th May:
Wednesday 27th May:
Thursday 28th May:
Friday 29th May:
Looking forward to Week 7:
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Ngā mihi,
Ms Wilson
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