WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.09 | 23 June | 2023

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of the penultimate week of Term 2. 

Over the weekend, a range of talented musicians performed at the Rockquest Regional Final and once again, WHS did very well. Congratulations to Jack Speedy who won the Solo/Duo category and the best lyrics award, Emily Johnston who won the Musicianship award and Mala Januszkiewicz who won the Best Song award and also came second in the Solo/Duo category. You can find full details in the Arts section below. 

On Tuesday night, we held our annual Open Evening, in which we showcased our school and began the enrolment and option selection process for our new entrant students for 2024. We are expecting next year's new entrant cohort to be close to 310 students, which is similar to this year’s cohort. If you missed the evening, all details for enrolment and option selection can be found on our website. The course selection process for all current students (Year 9 - 12) will be launched early in Term 3.

On Wednesday evening, we were very pleased to hear that the MoE and PPTA had agreed to arbitration and that all industrial action, including the rostering home of year levels had been called off. It is great to have all the students back at school for the last week and a bit of this term, which I know is stacked with Internal Assessments for seniors (see below for the Internal Assessment Calendars).

Learning Engagement reports are now available on the Portal and next week, our mid-year reports will be published to the Portal. Junior students will be able to access their marks from their Semester 1 courses, including from their junior exams, and senior students should start to see an increasing number of internal credits, as they strive to achieve the academic goals that were set at the start of the year. Additionally, our mid-year reports include Kaiārahi comments which provide a summary of how students have gone through the first half of the year. 

Please be sure to have a thorough look through the LE reports this weekend and the mid-year reports over the holidays and discuss with students any changes to habits or study that may be required in anticipation of Term 3.  

Early in Term 3, we have an external speaker, Patrick Sherratt, who will be working with our senior students to help them develop their study techniques (see below for more details, including an evening session for students and their parents). The academic council will also be resurrecting the student tutoring programme, so keep an eye out for that early in Term 3.

Last week, we conducted our annual survey on bullying, which is part of our attempt to stamp out bullying. While results from the survey suggest that bullying at WHS is slightly down from 2022, there are still far too many students feeling bullied, this includes through social media. Today was a non-uniform day to celebrate diversity and promote our key value of inclusion, and next term we'll be consulting with students and parents regarding the possibility of banning cellphones from school. It is really important that all students feel safe at WHS and to support that, we really want students to live the ‘Wakatipu Way’ (see graphic below) and to embrace the school’s values of Excellence, Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Inclusion. 

Haka/Waiata training has been a key feature of the past few weeks, as students prepare for the Matatū assembly next Friday. We are once again inviting guests, but all guests must register using the form here prior to Monday 26 June to ensure that we have enough space in the theatre. We will also be livestreaming the event from 1.30pm next Friday and will send the link out through the SZApp on Thursday 29 June.

Lastly, in honour of National Volunteer Week, I would like to acknowledge all the people in the community, who give their time to enable opportunities for students at WHS to participate and grow. We truly value and appreciate your contribution and support. 

A great newsletter follows, including a report back from our Head Girl, Annika Thornton, and Mackenzie House Leader Madi McLean, who attended the Women’s Conference last Friday. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend, as the days start to get longer again.

Ngā mihi,

Oded Nathan
Principal

Key Dates

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

Mid Year Reports

Learning Engagement Reports will be published and available for viewing tonight - we do encourage all parents and caregivers to review the grades for classwork, homework, organisation and behaviour: this is a key way in which subject teachers communicate with home.

Progress and Achievement Summary (PAS) Reports will be published and available for viewing next Friday. These reports mark the end of Semester One for our junior students, and the middle of the year for our senior students. More information will be sent out from the Reporting Team via email, but once again we strongly encourage parents and caregivers to take the time to read over comments and grades as this will give you a sense of how your student is progressing. 

"Break Through To Better Exam Results" - Study Skills Seminar for Parents and Students

Once again we have the pleasure of hosting Patrick Sherratt (MEd Hons, BA Psych), renowned public speaker, on Tuesday 18th July from 6:30 - 8:00 pm in the Wakatipu High School Theatre. He intends to share his strategies and insight into how students can study efficiently in preparation for tests and exams. His session on Tuesday evening will be followed up with targeted one hour programmes for Years 11, 12 and 13 (as well as any students in Y9 or 10 who are accelerated), on Wednesday 19th July.

This has been planned to precede the Senior School Exams which run across weeks 4 and 5 of Term 3.

Please save the date - Patrick's seminars are always very well received and full of useful tips and tricks for our students (and their parents). Register for the event in the link below.

Justine Duncan
Deputy Principal

Bullying Survey Results

Last week we conducted a whole school bullying survey. This is a repeat of a survey we developed last year and part of a strategic commitment from the school to continue to reduce bullying. 

Of those that answered (553 students), 17.5% responded they had experienced bullying this year. This is a slight decrease from the same time last year. Of those that had experienced bullying, 39.6% said at least some of this had been online. The majority of bullying seems to be verbal - name calling, teasing, derogatory comments etc. 

Notably, students that identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community are three times more likely to state they have experienced bullying. 

We live in a culture where young people have access online to content that is unimaginable for older generations. Young people record and post their lives online - including the content that should not be recorded, let alone be made public. Some young people talk to each other online in a way they never would face to face. School follows up on what we know about, however in reality much of this happens outside of school time and the school is not informed. We will need a community approach to improve how our students treat each other. 

Please note that if incidents which happen outside of school are impacting how students perceive their safety at school and are therefore impacting school, WHS can often take action.

There are a lot of online resources for parents and whānau. Netsafe has a page ‘7 STEPS FOR WHĀNAU’ which is worth reading. Bully Free NZ also has a parents and whānau page which has some good content, including what to do in a crisis. The WHS reporting bullying page can be found here.

If you know someone that is experiencing bullying we strongly encourage you to report this online or talk to a Kaiārahi, Dean, or member of Senior Leadership. The hardest thing to hear is when bullying has been going on for a while, and we only just found out about it, especially when there are things we could have done to support the student. Some students may say that ‘school doesn't deal with bullying’, however, they do not realise that bullying which is successfully resolved is resolved quietly and confidentially. Our success stories are never public. Please tell us early so we can work together.

If you would like more information, please contact Lee Hiestand lhiestand@wakatipu.school.nz.

Lee Hiestand
Deputy Principal

Celebrating Pride

The Whanaungatanga Council is so excited to be running pride week this year, WHS wants every student to feel seen and this week is a great opportunity to look for ways to educate yourself and be supportive of your LGBTQ+ friends and whanau. With all the fun of Pride week it's easy to get caught up in the chaos, for anyone wanting a quick reminder on the significance of Pride here's a wee recap :

HISTORY OF STONEWALL

The stonewall riots were a series of protests occurring in June 1969 in New York that acted as a catalyst for a movement of LGBTQ+ activism. These riots took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar that served as a hotspot for gay, lesbian and gender diverse people, unfortunately being a gay bar also made the location a vulnerable target for arrests, at the time homosexual activity was considered a crime in the USA. The riots started as a response to a violent police raid where patrons and employees were being roughly hauled out of the bar by officers and arrested. The stonewall riots led to the creation of multiple gay activism groups both in the US and globally. June is now considered Pride month as a way to honour these riots and the role they played in LGBTQ+ history.

PRIDE IN NZ

Pride here in New Zealand serves as a celebration of the progress made in the LGBTQ+ community over the past decades. Pride is a way of appreciating how far we’ve come, and showing gratitude to those who put in the hard yards in order for the rainbow community to be where we are today. In New Zealand, gay marriage was made legal in 2013, and in 2022 a ban was placed on conversion therapy. Pride serves as an opportunity to celebrate these wins and allows people of the rainbow community and those who support it a place to express themselves safely with others. Pride is both an acknowledgement of progress, a safe space, and an opportunity to express the change we want to see in the future.

PRIDE OUTSIDE NZ

Although we are lucky enough to have Pride be a means of celebrating identity and commemorating progress, in many countries, Pride and other rainbow movements have not yet reached this point of celebration and are instead a cry for change and justice. In over 60 countries there are still laws in place to criminalise homosexuality, and even in countries where homosexuality isn’t punishable by law, many LGBTQ+ people still feel unsafe due to normalised homophobia. Pride is a reminder of the progress we still have left to make and is an opportunity to recognize where change can be made for the better. Over Pride week it is important to remember how lucky we are in our community and to support your friends who may be needing it.

For those of you interested in how you can make a positive impact by being an Ally to the rainbow community, I encourage you to check out these links:

Rainbow Definitions

LGBTIQA+ Inclusive Language Guide

What is an LGBTQIA+ ally, and how can I be a good one?

Tru Russell
Whanaungatanga Council

Westpac Queenstown Women in Business Conference

Last Friday, we were honoured to attend and speak at the Westpac Queenstown Women in Business Conference. This was an amazing opportunity where we listened to some brilliant creators and changemakers speak about their personal journeys as women working in business- a challenging place to be in as it is often a male dominated space. The advice from the speakers and the networking opportunities of the conference provided us both with insight that we will no doubt be utilising for our own future ventures and aspirations. 

One key message that we heard throughout the day, which was touched on by amazing speakers Laura Koot and Simran Kaur, was: “Doing something at 80% is better than doing nothing at 100%”. This means that starting something and learning from your mistakes is better than waiting until it's perfect because perfection paralysis can hold you back from success! This really resonated with us both as we often feel hesitant, always waiting for the right time to pursue goals. Sometimes there is no “right time”, and you just have to go for it! 

At the conference, we were able to share our own insights as to what it is like navigating our changing society as a part of today's youth. This was such an awesome opportunity, and since the attendees of the conference could not have been more supportive and encouraging, it was an experience that we thoroughly enjoyed! We are so grateful for the speakers, the support of the audience, and the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce (shout out to Rachel Clifford!) for contributing to such a wonderful event. We genuinely hope that this annual conference will continue to serve as a platform for celebrating and empowering women everywhere.

Madi McLean & Annika Thornton
Year 13 Student Leaders

After School Mathematics Hub

Mathematics help & study hub is available every Thursday after school

• Where: Brow Learning Common
• When: 3:15 - 4:30 pm
• Levels:  Year 9 - Year 13

Note:  Students who want to access these tutorials should know what it is they want to work on and come prepared to do so.  This usually means bringing previous mathematics classwork they need help with or homework.  In some cases, students can also have access to school textbooks for extension work, but it is helpful for the tutors if the students know what topics they want to work on prior to coming.

U19 World Rowing Champs

Our very own Marley King Smith is in the U19 NZ Junior rowing team and set to compete at the U19 world championship in France. Your support to get him there would be very much appreciated. You can donate here via his Givealittle page. Some words from Marley below.

Kia ora koutou !

It’s been a pretty mean but hard past few weeks up here at Lake Karapiro training with the U19 NZ Junior Team. We train each morning and afternoon for a total of roughly 4-5 hours each day and between that we come here to our primo setup at St Peter’s school which we call the dungeon even though it’s actually pretty flash. It’s been an amazing experience so far getting the opportunity to train and workout alongside the elite rowing New Zealand squads before they head off to their world champs in Europe in the next few days. Looking forward to the next month of training as we start to kick it into gear and getting our crews ready to compete at the U19 world champs in Paris starting on August 2nd!

Ngā mihi nui
Marley King Smith 

Sport and Active Recreation News

National Volunteer Week - Thank you from the Sports Department
This week is National Volunteer Week and we would like to give a massive shout out to the 100+ fantastic humans who volunteer their precious time and energy to help making sport at Wakatipu High School happen. These folks are parents, teachers, students and community members who coach, manage and referee sport and enable so many opportunities for our students. We cannot thank them enough for their belief in the power of sport and all the benefits it has on individuals and communities. THANK YOU! There is so much that goes into this and a lot of it is unseen; from driving vans, washing uniforms and cooking meals etc to being key role models in the lives of our rangitahi. These people are absolute legends!

NZSS Cross Country Results
A number of WHS students competed at the New Zealand Secondary School Cross Country Champs in Palmerston North last weekend. The national champs fields are very competitive and most had well over 100 runners and some at near record entry. Congratulations to the following students who finished up with fantastic results:
Keira Redden - 18th Year 9 Girls 3000m
James Weber - 14th Junior Boys 4000m
Siena Mackley - 15th Senior Girls 4000m
Sammy Fookes - 38th Senior Girls 4000m
Jude Deaker - 47th Senior Boys 6000m
Keira and James were members of the Southland Junior Mixed 2km relay which finished second while Siena and Sammy were members of the Senior Girls Southland relay team that finished third. Well done! A big thank you to coach Neville Britton for his unwavering support and passion for this sport and these students.

Southland Cross Country Results
The final event in a very busy Term 2 Cross Country calendar was the postponed Southland Cross Country Champs that took place at Ivan Wilson Park in Te Anau on Tuesday. It was a great way to cap off a great winter running season for our competitive athletes.
Keira Redden - 1st Year 9 Girls 3000m
Charlotte Greer - 8th Year 9 Girls 3000m
James Weber - 1st Junior Boys 4000m
Siena Mackley - 2nd Senior Girls 4000m
Jude Deaker - 2nd Senior Boys 6000m

Sports Hoody Order
There will be another hoody order placed before the end of Term 2 that will arrive approximately Week 3 of Term 3 in time for anyone going to Winter Tournament Week. If you are yet to get a sports hoody and wish to do so please make the order on the link below by Wednesday 28 June 9am. Hoodies are optional and are $95.00 which needs to be paid for on completion of the form. This will likely be the last order we do for 2023.
Hoody Order Form: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/236505

Opportunities to get Involved

Athletic Development Programme Term 3
ADP will once again run for 8 weeks in Term 3 from Tuesday Week 2 to Thursday Week 9, a total of 16 sessions, 7am-8:15am in the fitness studio at school. This is open to all Year 10-13 students, boys and girls across any sports, who are keen on accessing strength and conditioning training to support their development in sport. The Expression of Interest Form is below for anyone considering being involved. There are 7 spaces available for the Term 3 intake. EOI's close Monday 3rd July - https://forms.gle/yEgSQKg4QRzqoF5p7

Whakatipu Rowing Club Open Day
The Whakatipu Rowing Club are delivering some Learn to Row sessions for any students who are interested in having a go at rowing and/or potentially wanting to row next season. This is a key start to rowing for anyone new to the sport and considering it as a summer sport option for the 2023/2024 season. There will be four sessions from 9:30am-12:30pm on Sundays; 25 June, 2 July, 23 July and 30 July down at the rowing club at Lake Hayes. Check out the flyer below!

I-Fly
Have you thought about getting into skydiving, either just for fun or as a potential career to travel the world after school?  I-Fly are starting a skydiving club at the QT IFLY in Term 3. Learn the skills right here in the tunnel. Email jacob@iflynz.co.nz or go in and see them with a 30% off flight.

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

Artist of the Week - Max Hey - Year 12 Painting

Max is a keen artist who has been focusing on Pop Art and how graphic novels have had an important role in his life.

“The theme of my folio is graphic novels. I chose this as I grew up reading graphic novels of all types. I have based my work on preexisting influential comic characters.”

The artist models that Max has chosen to guide his latest work are Eduardo Recife and  Christine Kim and David Salle. 

Rockquest Regional Final

This event was held in Wānaka last Saturday night with a big lineup of 16 bands and 6 solo/duo acts competing.

Congratulations to the following:

• Jack Speedy won the Solo/Duo section and also took out the Best Lyrics award.
• Mala Januszkiewicz came second in the solo/duo section and also won the Best Song award.
• Attack of the Cyber hippies came second in the Band category (Stefan Hall, Sam Glover, Henry Brown, Sam Riddle).
• All three acts now progress to the national stage where they submit more original music to be judged for the finals stage.

Congratulations also to Emily Johnston who won the Musicianship award!

Open Evening

The Visual Arts Department welcomed visiting Year 8 students last Tuesday by showcasing all that we do in the Visual Arts space. This was a great opportunity for students and parents to see the four different Junior Visual Arts course options. Because course selections are coming up for all students, we decided to share them in this week’s newsletter. 

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.

CLT - Scholarship Applications Open

Central Lakes Trust Scholarships are opening soon for eligible students who will be starting their education in 2024.

If you are a student planning to begin your full-time tertiary education, apprenticeship, or vocational training in 2024, you may be eligible for the Central Lakes Trust scholarships worth $2,500. These scholarships aim to provide financial support to deserving students to help them achieve their educational goals.

To apply for the scholarship, make sure to check your email inbox on Wednesday 28 June, where you will receive detailed information about the eligibility criteria, guidelines, and application form. The application form will also be made available on the careerwise website on the 28th June. The deadline for applications is on Friday 28 July at 3 pm. Don't miss this opportunity!

Careers

Click link below to view latest job listings.

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

The survey can be found here.

Flash sale- EOFY sale - now until Friday 23rd June 2023
$29 off - on all memberships!

Entertainment is the easy-to-use App packed with incredible savings of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers, so you can save on takeaway, dining, shopping, groceries, gift cards, activities and more!

And what’s even better, 20% of every membership purchased goes to support Wakatipu High School!

Your purchase of an Entertainment Membership contributes to our fundraising. Help us achieve our goal by sharing this link with your friends and family. Thanks for your support!

Buy NOW

LEARNER & INTERMEDIATE DRIVING LESSONS

Dan Gerard Driving Instruction has professional male and female driving instructors, and members of the New Zealand Institute of Driver Educators. We offer high quality friendly driver training covering a range of driving lessons.

• Learner lessons for beginners
• Assessment for Learner drivers who have been taught by family and need their skills polished before sitting their Restricted Test
• Refresher lessons to brush up before sitting the Full Test
• Street Talk defensive driving courses

http://www.drivinginstruction.co.nz/ , E: info@drivinginstruction.co.nz

Rach Gerard: 027 273 9610,  Dan Gerard: 027 349 2447