WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.05 | 26 May | 2023

Principal's Message

Kia ora, 

It’s been another busy and eventful week at WHS. On Monday, we held our Summer Sports Assembly to recap and celebrate students achievements from the summer sport season - there was lots to celebrate, including multiple national championships and New Zealand reps across a wide range of summer sports. Congratulations to all the athletes, including their coaches, parents and supporters. Be sure to read the sports section below for more details.

We also said Ia Orana (Kia ora in Tahitian) to a group of students and teachers from Tahiti. They joined our Kapa Haka ropu on Monday afternoon and did a stunning performance for students and staff at Break 2 on Wednesday. 

This week, all junior students and their parents/caregivers were emailed details of the upcoming junior exams. With these mid-year exams running in Week 7, now is the time for students to begin their study plans. See below for details of the exams and also for some tips to support students with their studies. There is a session for students on Monday morning, where they can learn to ‘study like a boss’. Be sure to have a conversation with your student about how they can prepare for the upcoming exams. Also, a reminder that most Year 10 students will be sitting the literacy and numeracy corequisite exams in Week 8. Students should be using Reading Plus (or Power Up) and Education Perfect at home to practise and further develop their literacy and numeracy skills.

Last Friday, a large number of students went down to Invercargill for the annual Showquest and Toi Wearable Arts competition. Our Showquest students came home with some awards and they won the Wearable Arts competition - ka pai tō mahi! Next Thursday at 6 pm at the Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown is the launch of the annual ‘Showing Off’ art exhibition. The exhibition runs for a month, so be sure to drop in and check out the outstanding works of art produced by WHS students. 

As we reach the end of Week 5 and halfway point of Term 2, a reminder that we have a Teacher Only Day next Friday 2 June, which falls at the front of the long weekend, and provides students with a bit of a break before the junior exams and a large number of internal assessments for seniors.  

A rich and colourful newsletter follows, be sure to have a read. Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. 

Noho ora mai,

Oded Nathan
Principal

Junior Exams - Week 7

As we approach the end of Semester One, it is now time for our Y9 and Y10 students to turn their attention to preparing for their upcoming Junior Exams.

Year 9 Students will sit:

• Maths Exam (90 mins)
• English Exam (90 mins - digital)
• Social Studies Exam (90 mins - digital)
• Science Exam  - If it has been studied in Semester One (45 mins - digital)

Y10 Students will sit:

• Maths Exam (90 mins)
• English Exam (90 mins - digital)
• Science Exam (45 mins - digital)
• Social Studies Exam  - If it has been studied in Semester One (90 mins - digital)

Other subjects may be carrying out assessments during class time, and students need to ensure that they know when, where and what will be examined.

Please see the link below for access to the Exam Timetable, including information regarding what will be assessed, and general expectations.

Reminder: NCEA Literacy and Numeracy Corequisite Exams Coming Up

Internal Assessment Calendar

The 2023 internal assessment calendar provides the due dates for all internal assessments that students undertake throughout the year for each course in Years 11-13.  This calendar, when copied, enables students to create a calendar with just their internal assessments.  We highly recommend that parents ask their children to create their individual assessment calendar to better enable them to organise and plan so that they may ultimately achieve their academic goals. (NB. Students will also have external practice exams that can be added to the calendar. Ask to see the ‘Course Outline’ for each of their subjects).

• Level 1 Internal Assessment Calendar
• Level 2 Internal Assessment Calendar
• Level 3 Internal Assessment Calendar

Empowering Bystanders: Uniting Against Bullying

Last Friday was Pink Shirt Day. This is an annual event in New Zealand that aims to raise awareness about the importance of preventing bullying and promoting kindness, empathy, and inclusion. 

The Whanaungatanga Council, alongside senior Health classes, made a significant impact in raising awareness throughout the week regarding the appropriate actions to take when encountering or witnessing bullying. Meanwhile, junior Health and Physical Education classes have been actively engaged in a comprehensive unit on bullying, with a specific emphasis on addressing the issue of harmful digital communications, which encompasses online bullying

Bullying is an issue that deeply impacts our school community, and as we strive to foster a safe and inclusive environment, it is vital to recognise the crucial role that bystanders play in preventing and addressing bullying incidents. 

There are four key actions that bystanders can take:

1. Notice: Bystanders are encouraged to be vigilant and attentive to signs of bullying. By being observant and recognizing the occurrence of bullying incidents, they become the eyes and ears of our school community.
2. Speak Up: Bystanders have the power to make their voices heard. By speaking up against bullying behaviour, they send a clear message that such actions are not acceptable. Whether it is offering words of support to the target or expressing disapproval of the bullying, their voice can initiate positive change.
3. Support: Bystanders can provide vital support to both the target and those involved in bullying. Acts of kindness, empathy, and friendship go a long way in creating a supportive environment. By extending a helping hand, lending an ear, or offering comfort, bystanders can make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by bullying.
4. Report: Reporting incidents is crucial in addressing and preventing bullying. Bystanders are encouraged to report any witnessed or known bullying to a trusted adult, teacher, or via the bullying reporting form on our school website. This ensures that appropriate actions are taken to protect the wellbeing of all students involved.

We aim to foster a strong sense of unity and responsibility among bystanders. Together, we can create an environment where bullying is not tolerated, and everyone feels safe and supported.

At WHS, we believe in the power of each individual to make a positive impact. We encourage all members of our community to actively engage as bystanders. Let us stand together against bullying, cultivate empathy, and build a school environment that thrives on respect and inclusivity.

If you need support or would just like a conversation regarding bullying, please reach out. 

Lee Hiestand
Deputy Principal

United For Pink Shirt Day

Last week, Wakatipu High School participated in Pink Shirt Week. Pink Shirt Day is an anti-bullying campaign that promotes diversity and fosters a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone. 

Throughout the week, Junior student assemblies were held which marked the significance of kindness and the prevention of bullying. Ako teachers were also advised on how to deal with bullying effectively. Additionally, Pink posters were spread in the school with QR codes for WHS bullying forms and  Pink Shirt decorated SLT member photos were distributed around the school, they contained a QR code on the back leading to the HPE Instagram profile which is posting content about being an upstander.

On Friday, 19 May, the students and staff members of our school celebrated diversity by wearing pink to mark the anti-bullying day. Students also participated in stamping their pink thumbprints on the shirt to signify that they will be an upstander if they saw bullying happen. Furthermore, many activities took place, pink cupcakes and sausages were sold as a fundraiser for Pink Shirt Foundation. And laptop stickers with QR codes for bullying report forms were distributed to students as part of acknowledging the importance of anti-bullying.

Pink Shirt Day has been a great occasion for our school to unite, advocate for kindness and respect, and increase awareness regarding bullying and mental health. Thanks to everyone who participated in this significant event regarding WHS wellbeing.

Remember, It's cool to be kind!

Retaj Alshinawi
Year 12 Student

Multi-Cultural Council Update

We are excited to share that we, the Multi-Cultural Council, have developed a user-friendly Google website to provide valuable resources for students and parents, particularly those whose English may not be their first language. The website includes a Google slide of an explanation of the NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) system, which has been translated into multiple languages to ensure accessibility and understanding for all. Additionally, we are proud to feature the Buddy System program on the website, which specifically supports new students whose first language is not English. This program allows them to sign up and be paired with other students who speak the same language, providing a comfortable and supportive environment to navigate through Wakatipu High School. Alternatively, students and parents can find emails of students who speak the same language as them and send emails with their questions or concerns. We believe in fostering inclusivity and facilitating communication across diverse backgrounds, and this website serves as a helpful tool to achieve these goals.

Uniform 

We are thrilled to announce an update to our uniform policy, which can now be found on our website. We encourage and welcome students to embrace their cultural identities by wearing items such as pounamu, hijab, and le Faitaga as part of their uniform. Māori students are allowed to wear treasured taonga, including tā moko, pounamu, or hei tiki, visibly alongside traditional uniform items, such as wearing a hei tiki over a tie. Students of all cultural and religious backgrounds are also permitted to wear items of significance, such as hijab, tā moko, or le Faitaga, with uniform items. We kindly request that students opting to wear hijab or le Faitaga choose darker colours like navy blue or black. We celebrate diversity and aim to create an inclusive environment where students can express their cultural heritage proudly.

Eanna Tanghal and Marité Balzarini
Multi-Cultural Council Lead Prefects 

Vaiaso O Le Gagana Samoa - Samoa Language Week 2023

Tālofa lava Aiga, the third most spoken language in Aotearoa is being celebrated next week - le vaiaso o le gagana Samoa (Samoan language week). This provides a great opportunity for us to promote and practice Samoan, and learn about Samoan culture. This year's theme for the week is, ‘Mitamita i lau gagana, maua’a lou fa’asinomaga’ which means ‘Be proud of your language and grounded in your identity’. This year's theme focuses on the importance of the Samoan language and identity. It impresses on us the need not only to understand the Samoan language, but to also use it as much as possible no matter where you are on your language journey.

Over the past couple of weeks a few of our Māori and Pasifika student council and some amazing Samoan students have been working hard behind the scenes planning content for Samoan language week. I am super proud of the work they have put in and hope you enjoy what they have planned. See the poster attached to this post for more details. Be sure to join us for our Aiga Quiz Night over at Te Hoeroa on Tuesday!

Here’s some useful phrases you can try out during the course of the week:

• Hello (informal) - Talofa (tah-law-fah)
• How are you? - O ā mai 'oe?  (oh-ah-my-oy)
• Thank you - Fa'afetai (far-ah-feh-tie)
• Goodbye - Tofa soifua (Tore-fah / soy-fooah)
• Have a nice day - Manuia le aso (Ma-noo-ear / leh (like the E in egg) / ah-saw)

Tahitian Students School Visit

Monday and Wednesday Wakatipu High School students have been spoiled with a visit from a group of 28 students from Tahiti. The Tahitian students brought with them their culture, language and also their amazing positive attitude.

Monday - Māori / Tahitian Performing Arts
Tahitian students spent Monday afternoon with the Kapa Haka students and each group shared with each other Tahitian and Māori performing arts. Students had a blast and realised how their cultures and languages were so similar. Students taught each other traditional dances and within an hour students bonded and even exchanged contact details to stay in touch in the future.

Wednesday Morning - Tahitian & French language class
Wednesday saw the group of Tahitian students joining the Year 12 and Year 9 French classes. Wakatipu High School students were tasked with asking questions in French to get to know their Tahitian visitors. A jeopardy game was played in French to spice up the lesson and students showed their knowledge of French Arts, History and culture.

Wednesday Lunch Time - Tahitian dance performance
Wednesday Break 2 Tahitian threw an amazing dance performance in the foyer. Hundreds of Wakatipu High School students were mesmerised with the traditional Tahitian dances. The most well-known is the o'tea, a very fast, hip-shaking dance performed by women. Another is the aparima, which features slower, more graceful body movements.

Guillaume Charton
Head of Languages

Homestay Families Required

Triple Star Sponsorship for the Spirit of Adventure

This year, once again Triple Star Management Limited (TSML) have generously offered to sponsor one student from Wakatipu High School on a Spirit of Adventure 10-Day Development Voyage. You may remember hearing Lachy talk about this amazing experience earlier in the year. Students can find out more about this amazing opportunity from the website.

https://www.spiritofadventure.org.nz/voyages/voyage/10-day-development

There are criteria that the student would need to fit as follows:

General Criteria for coming on board:

• Be aged between 16 - 18 years (must not have had 19th birthday)
• Meet the medical criteria of the voyage (we need to know if there is any history of heart condition, epilepsy, seizures, mental/physical impairments, anxiety, depression or anti-social behaviour)
• Agree to the code of conduct /terms and conditions of the voyage

Sponsors Criteria:

• Need to be a New Zealand citizen or resident (permanent residents will need to supply proof of residency with their application)
• Would like to recognise students who show leadership potential and initiative and who without this sponsorship, would be unable to attend a Spirit of Adventure voyage. 
• The students would also need to provide some details after the voyage, ie photos and a letter outlining what they have learned about themselves or otherwise.

Application Process:

1. Interested students would need to complete the 'About Me' application of themselves (no more than two pages), and could include a photo of themselves doing something they enjoy.

2.  A reference letter from someone outside of their family should also be provided. This could be a teacher, coach, manager, mentor, nominator etc.

Applications need to be submitted to Mrs Boel - gboel@wakatipu.school.nz by 30 June (end of term) and Triple Star will make the final selection.  

After Selection:

Once selected, the student would need to make their booking online and attend a voyage before 31 March 2024. The voyage departs from Auckland so the student would theoretically need to pay their own way to Auckland, though again Spirit of Adventure may be able to support if required. 

On completion of Voyage, the student would need to fill in a Participant Report and also share their experience with the community (e.g. speak at assembly, at a meeting at Triple Star Management Limited).

A Memorable Night at Year 13 Formal

Last Sunday, the current Year 13 students had the pleasure of attending the annual School Formal. It was such an amazing night and so special as we have been able to experience two totally different Formals. Last year, we were hosted at Skyline Queenstown with the previous Year 13 cohort. This year, we were at the Millennium Hotel with just our year group. 

The night was full of fun and provided the opportunity to take photos in large groups or have Photo Booth photos printed. Dinner and dessert were enjoyed throughout the night. As I’m sure many other students will tell you, the final dances led by the prize winners were a highlight of the night. This was one of the last chances for our entire year group to come together as one and was a really special night. 

The venue looked spectacular, thanks to all the hard work of our committee members who spent the past few weeks planning, shopping, and putting together decorations. None of this would have been possible without Ms. Green and her support. Also, a major thank you to all other staff who helped out along the way, including pack-up.

Mila Lanuel
Year 13 Student

Year 13 Outdoor Recreation Trip To Rockburn

For the 15th time, Year 13 Outdoor Recreation students headed into that special valley - the Rockburn, up in Mt Aspiring National Park, to test themselves and examine safety management issues while tramping and camping over 3 days earlier in the week. It is no easy tramp, heading up and over Sugarloaf Pass and then descending into the valley and establishing a tent camp in the lower flats. The second day is always a highlight as students walk further up the valley to Theatre Flat and examine some history from the 'deer culling' days when a real character Johnny MacIntyre fashioned an airstrip on the flats and a life of shooting deer and living in the mountains. A superb three days up in the mountains for this year's classes including sightings and hearing Whio, Kaka, Kea, Mohua, Robins... And an interesting visitor in the valley in the form of Lisa Milliken - an ex-pupil who graduated in 2014 and now is part of the biodiversity programme with the Department of Conservation!

Ken McIntyre
Physical Education and Outdoor Education

8GEO Mount Cook Field Trip

Four hours was all it took to experience a completely new reality for three days. Through experiences centralising on snow, hiking, data collection and constellations the 8GEO class was able to gather accurate and authentic data for our upcoming internal. This field trip allowed us the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge into our external world, opening a window to alpine life outside of Queenstown and showing us first hand how social and climate factors change our natural environment, culture and history. 

In addition, this trip allowed us the opportunity to develop and further enhance our geographical data collection skills, such as observation, critical thinking and problem solving; overcoming challenges and restrictions we faced during the day's activities. By engaging with our surroundings as well as each other we were able to identify patterns and make connections between different concepts as well as enhance our communication skills between peers, everything working together to help us answer our main question we sought data for. The data collection process was not lengthy, but incredibly effective- beginning on day one with a walk through red tarns, followed by movie night at the Hermitage Hotel where we watched “Our Living Climate” centralising on the changes our world faces constantly, and what's to come. The second day brought with it a much longer hike, talk with DOC regarding future careers and a run down of the local environment, Sir Edmund Hillary museum tour and stargazing at the Hermitage dome, which was arguably one of the most memorable parts of the trip. Finally wrapping up with a village tour on day three where we gathered information regarding how the town works, both environmentally and socially before making the drive home. 

Overall the geography field trip to Mount Cook was filled with valuable educational experiences that helped us develop a deeper understanding of both geographical concepts and each other. By providing us with this amazing opportunity to explore different climates and cultures the 8GEO class came out of this trip with immense amounts of knowledge. Field trips in general can foster a sense of curiosity, this was no different. Sparking wonder and interest in the world just four hours away from us - helping us become more informed and engaged as geography students and global citizens. 

Zali Vaivars. 

Sport and Active Recreation News

WHS Sport Strategic Plan Development
The WHS Sports Department is in the process of developing a strategic plan for the medium to long term future that will help to shape priorities and goals for the delivery and growth of sport. It is important to us that all of our valued stakeholders have an opportunity to provide their thoughts and feedback as part of this process. Below are the details for the community session next week as well as a form in which you can provide your feedback if you are unable to attend this. We strongly encourage you to participate in these opportunities so that we can build and shape WHS Sport together. 
Community Session: Wednesday 31 May 7-8 pm in Matuitui
Form: https://forms.gle/JPYxpubz4tS39UH18

Division 2 National Swimming Champs
Two Wakatipu High School students competed at the Division II Swimming Champs in Wellington last week. Congratulations to Finn Henderson and Sydney Alva who competed alongside 500 other swimmers and achieved some great results.
Sydney Alva: 10th - 50 Back and 18th - 50 Free
Finn Henderson: 2nd - 50 Fly (achieving National Age Group & NZ Short Course qualifying times), 6th - 100 Fly, 9th - 200 Back, 11th - 100 Back, 17th - 50 Back, 18th - 50 Free and 24th - 100 Free

South Island Hillary Challenge
Wakatipu High School had two teams compete in the South Island Hillary Challenge 6 hour adventure race in Geraldine on Sunday. Conditions were muddy as the teams of eight ran, biked and navigated their way around checkpoints in the mid-Canterbury countryside. A huge congratulations to the WHS 1 team of Pete Davis, Jude Deaker, Siena Mackley, Abby Fookes, Tom Schenk, Jess Hudson, Seb Watson and Elsbeth Purdue who finished second overall and have qualified for the national finals at Tongariro in the October holidays! The WHS 2 team finished 7th in the same category, big ups to them! A big thank you to Ms Dixon, Richard Mackley and Andrew Davis for an awesome weekend of action!

Rock Climbing Results
Congratulations to Year 13 student Lucy Sinclair who competed in the Australian National Youth Bouldering Champs last Friday in Sydney. Lucy won the Female Youth A competition (under 18) which is an awesome achievement! Lucy also won the New Zealand National Female Youth A competition for bouldering as well. Great stuff Lucy!

Central Otago U18 Hockey Reps
Congratulations to Pete Davis, Pearce Summerfield, Samuel Robertson-Muir and Alex Campbell who have been selected into the Central Otago U18 Men's Hockey team to compete at the national tournament in Dunedin in the July holidays. Well done boys!

Summer Sports Assembly
On Monday we celebrated a fantastic season of summer sports at our annual Summer Sports Assembly. We recognised the accomplishments of 118 students across regional, South Island and national tournaments and competitions. Most impressive were the 12 national representatives across four sports and 10 national title holders we currently have at WHS. A huge congratulations to all these students for their achievements and to the 300+ students who participated in summer sports at WHS this year.

MotoX Results
A handful of WHS students have recently competed in some local MotoX events. Well done to these folks!
King of Central - 21st May
Alex Garland - 1st - 12-16 years old 125cc class
Paige Meikle - 8th - Ladie's Open class
Jack Forbes - 12th - 12-16years 85cc class
Dylan Grubb - 20th - 12-16years 85cc class
Hasler Memorial - Balclutha 14th May
Alex Garland - 3rd - 12-16years 125cc class 
Jack Forbes - 16th - 12-16years 85cc class
Paige Meikle - 24th - 12-16years 125cc class 

NZSKI Passes - Secondary School Student Passes
NZSKI passes for secondary students are now available and can be purchased online up until 31 May. NZSki will manage the eligibility audit directly with our eligible local schools, this is the easiest option for you. From June 1 purchasing can only be done in town at the Snowcentre (corner Camp and Shotover St) or by phone 0800 697 547. Please purchase a secondary school pass by clicking this link.
Any questions please reach out via info@nzski.com or call 0800 697 547

Keep Us Informed
The sports department would love to hear from you if you know of any awesome achievements from our students so that we can celebrate these as a school. Please send through details and photos to lnathan@wakatipu.school.nz.

Support Sport at WHS
Jump on board and support the team by liking or following the Wakatipu High School Sports Facebook page. This is the best way to stay informed and up to date with the successes of our athletes and teams and help celebrate their great achievements. https://www.facebook.com/WakatipuHighSchoolSports/ 

Laura Nathan
Director of Sport

Arts Department News

Term 2 Events

• 27 - 28 May - Jazz Workshops
• June - NCEA Music Nights 
• 01 June - Opening of Showing Off Art Exhibition
• 11 June - Big Break 
• 16 June - Play It Strange Songwriting Peace Song Competition
• 17 June - Rockquest Regional Final
• Term 2 Holidays - Jazz Practices

Arts Student of the Week - Lily Kay

Lily is a Year 13 Photography student. Her high level of skill has made her the main WHS Musical Photographer for the last several years. She will be missed dearly in 2024. 

Below, Lily explains her theme and photographs for Panel 1 or her Senior Folio: 

“My photography theme this year explores the idea of the harmonization between humanity and nature, whether it be the positive connection and impact that nature has on humans and their emotions or the negative side of disease and decay. For my first panel, I have begun with the connection and similarities that we share with flowers and nature using alike textures and patterns by using artist models like Brandy Kraft (artist) and Ziqian Liu (photographer), to start off my theme. Moving forward, I want to incorporate the effects of nature on our society and how our lives are affected by it.”

Forsyth Barr Stadium Singing  Performance - Bethany Graf

This opportunity really came out of nowhere, but it was such an experience!  I have never sung in such a large arena before, it was a weird feeling singing through speakers great musicians such as Elton John, Fleetwood Mac and Ed Sheeran have shared.  The Crowd was full of local Highlander fans so the energy was so much fun to perform around.  It was a freaky experience watching myself on the big screens - it felt so unreal.  I am so grateful to have been able to perform at such a huge event, supporting our Otago boys in yellow and blue.  The Highlanders winning was a great end to the night (I take all the credit for their win).

Bethany Graf

Showquest 

Last Friday, 40 students went down to Invercargill to attend Showquest and Toi. We had some amazing results and everyone who participated can be very proud of themselves. I had the honour of being one of the Showquest leaders this year and it was such an amazing experience! Everyone worked extremely hard and it was so good to see our performance come together on the night. 

This year we had a live audience after having the show live-streamed last year, so it was nice to perform to an almost sold-out crowd. Our theme for this year was the family and legacy of performing arts as it is something the leaders wanted to celebrate. The Wakatipu High School Showquest team was awarded “Best Live Music” and “Best Costume and Enhancement" which is such a great result. 

A big thank you to Ms Foster, Ms Hubbard, and Mrs Parker for helping this day happen and supporting the leaders tackle this challenge. I’d also like to say a huge thanks to parents who came and supported us on the night, those who picked their children up very late at night, or those who gave us support along the way. It is massively appreciated. Until next year!

Hannah Eade
Showquest Leader

Toi Wearable Arts Experience 

We started the project in March, and it took us around two months to make our two dresses. We used materials such as tarpaulin, old clothing, and zip ties to create our visions of a Victorian dress and an ocean-themed dress. Around 12 of us participated in creating the outfits and six went down to Invercargill to showcase what we had made. We won the award for the “Best use of Material” for our ocean dress, and we won “Best Structure” and “1st Place Overall” for our fast fashion Victorian style dress. We had so much fun and are already coming up with ideas for next year!  

Indiarose Berryman and Greta Summerfield

Jazz Band Workshops

Jazz workshops are this weekend. Details have been sent to everyone involved.

Music Student Assessments

Music NIghts for 5MUS2 and NCEA L1/2/3 are coming up in the next few weeks. Dates as follows:

• Year 11: June 06/08
• Year 13: June 13/14
• Year 12: June 21/22
• 5MUS2: June 27

All nights will be held upstairs in the Music area. The Year 11 Year 12 nights are the NCEA Solo Performance mock exams. The Year 13 night is the first part of their final Solo assessment. The 5MUS2 Music Night is the final performance opportunity for that class.

Further details TBC.

Showing Off Art Exhibition Opening 

Showing Off is an exhibition that features a collection of Paintings, Designs, and Photographic work. The work has been selected based on last year’s external folio exam grades and all the students in this exhibition received Excellence for their final submissions in 2022.  The exhibition will run from 2 June until 1 July at the Lakes District Museum, Arrowtown so please tell all your family and friends to come and enjoy the work on display.

All artworks will be eligible for prizes with one for each discipline, and one overall winner. These are “People’s Choice” awards so the winners will be contacted after the exhibition ends. Trinity is our continued sponsorship of this event, and we thank them for their continued support of our students’ artistic talent.

The Opening of Showing Off is on Thursday, 1 June beginning at 6pm at the Lake District Museum. Drinks and nibbles will be served. All friends and family are invited to attend this opening to celebrate this wonderful collection of artworks by our students.

Big Break

This event takes place on Sunday, June 11 in the WHS theatre and is an opportunity for bands and solo/duos performers at all levels to play to an audience. Depending on interest, there may be workshops prior to the final performance. Details TBC.

May Music Month

The school bells continue to feature students and ex-students' music compositions and this week we have music from The Goose Pies (current students), Cherry Moon, (featuring Miss Coombe from 2018), and ex-students Alex Fraser and David Bell.

We also had ex-student Alex performing in the foyer last Thursday playing a mix of covers. Fantastic to hear his skills. 

Let Us Know

The Arts department would like to know about any artistic achievements that students have attained outside of school be it in Drama, Dance, Music or Visual Arts. Please send through details and photos to mparker@wakatipu.school.nz.

Support the Arts

We are always looking for local professional performing and visual artists to visit our school and run workshops for our students. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Monica Parker the Arts Coordinator at  mparker@wakatipu.school.nz.

Instagram Page

Follow our school’s Instagram page for recent successes or news within the school’s Arts Department at whsartdepartment.

Careers

Click link below to view latest job listings.

Otago University / Otago Polytechnic Information evening for parents and students

Do you want to know what it's like to study at Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago? Do you want to know the process for how to apply? 

This evening, for parents of senior students looking at tertiary study in Dunedin, will be held at WHS on Thursday 8th June at 6:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to hear about various courses, scholarships, and accommodation options, as well as student support services. Information about admission and costs will also be covered. There will be plenty of time to talk to the Polytechnic and University representatives to have all your questions answered. 

Branches Trust AGM

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

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