WHS Newsletter | Issue 1.00 | 27 January 2023

Principal's Message

Kia ora - Happy New Year, and a very warm welcome to new and existing Wakatipu High School parents and students! Today is not a normal newsletter but a ‘pre-newsletter’ with some key information particularly regarding the start of the school year. Next week will be a normal newsletter, which will include lots more information, including our 2022 Results (which are excellent :).

Year Start - please see the table below for key dates. Please also ensure you see the email sent to students and caregivers by myself (Mr Nathan) or Mrs Hiestand last week, which includes 2023 subjects. Included were also some start of year details for senior students wishing or needing to change their classes. 

Year 9s - start school at 9 am on Tuesday 31 January with students going to the theatre. There will be staff on-hand guiding students in the right direction. This is for students only and students are expected to be in full school uniform, including blazer and tie. Parents are invited to a presentation from our Principal, Oded Nathan, in the theatre starting at 2:10pm. This will be followed by an opportunity to meet your student's Dean and Kaiārahi. We strongly encourage parents and caregivers to come along from 2:10 pm on Tuesday 31 January.

Students in Year 10 - 13  who are new to WHS will have an orientation on Tuesday 31 January and will receive an email from Mrs Duncan with further details regarding this day.  

Uniform - all students must be in the correct uniform from the start of the year. Please click here for uniform requirements and Uniform Shop hours. 

Attendance - If your child is going to be away from school you should let the school know as soon as possible. To report a student absence, you can complete this form, call the school office at ​03 442 7370 or email attendance@wakatipu.school.nz. The WHS SZ app also features an absence form (see below for information on how to download the WHS SZ app).

Stationery - 2023 Stationery requirements are available for ordering online via the stationery link on our website. This is a quick, easy and affordable way of ordering your student's stationery with convenient delivery to your home.

School Buses - are operated by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and will be running from Monday 30 January with the exception of the Kingston and Glenorchy routes. The full school bus service will be in operation from Tuesday 31 January.

As always, at the start of the year it does take some time to determine demand for the various buses. We thank parents and students for their patience while final allocations of students to bus routes are made. The website has the most up to date information regarding Ministry of Education (MOE) provided bus routes, which can be accessed here.

Public Buses - due to driver shortages, a reduced bus timetable is still in effect, at this stage until mid-year. While we are in talks with the Otago Regional Council to establish what can be done to support our students to arrive at school on time, it is strongly suggested that all students who make use of the Orbus service have an alternative transportation plan in case of sudden cancellations. We also strongly recommend that all students monitor changes to services by accessing the Orbus website here.

Awhi Fund - we are aware that starting and setting up for the school year can be expensive, and we are able to support families financially through our ‘Awhi’ (Support) Fund. If you would like to discuss this please click here or contact one of our Guidance Counsellors by email guidance@wakatipu.school.nz.

Lockers - There are still lockers available for hire. Students can fill out this form 2023 locker request to book a locker.

We look forward to getting the 2023 year underway. Parents and caregivers can look out for a more normal  and comprehensive newsletter next Friday. 

Ngā mihi nui,
Oded Nathan
Principal

Helpful Information for the Start of 2023

We look forward to welcoming our students to WHS in 2023.  Please read the information below to prepare for the start of the school year.

Key Dates

WHS SZ App

All parents, caregivers and students should download the SZapp to your device as this is how we will communicate urgent and important school alerts and our weekly newsletter. The app also features an absence form, the online school cafe, a calendar and some handy links! See below information on how to download the WHS SZ app. 

 Apple Devices

1. On your device, open the App Store.
2. Search the App Store for SZapp.
3. Download and install SZapp.

 Android Devices

1. On your device, open the Play Store.
2. Search the Play Store for SZapp.
3. Download and install SZapp.