WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.00 | 26 April 2024

Senior Next Steps - Tuesday 7 May (Week 2 Term 2)

Our Senior Next Steps conferencing (teacher/parent/student) are on Tuesday 7 May from  2:30pm - 7:30pm  at school. 

Next Steps bookings are now open - please click on the link below. Please note that we will be closing bookings at midday on Monday 6 May.

These parent-student-subject teacher meetings are very important for students’ learning, progress and achievement and we strongly encourage all senior students and parents to attend this evening. 

When making your bookings, you’ll need to know your students' subjects and teacher.  If you need to know who the teacher is for each subject, check the WHS Portal.  Please try to leave five minutes between each of your interviews (eg. 5:40, 5:50), as this will give you time to move to the next teacher and will help prevent people running behind schedule.

If you find that a teacher that you would like to see has no more interview times available, please contact them directly via email to arrange an alternative time to discuss your students learning progress and achievement. 

School will finish at 1:50 pm for all students on Tuesday 7 May, with buses running at this time. 

Please use the link below to book your interviews.

Term 1 Reports are now on the Portal

A reminder to all parents and students that the end of Term 1 reports have now been published to the Portal. Please be sure to login to the Portal to view this important information.

• Included in these reports are: 
• Progress and achievement results and comments for all subjects
• NCEA summary and Exam Entries (for seniors)
• Learning Engagement Summary for the Term
• Extracurricular involvement
• Ākonga Passport points (juniors only)
• Pastoral entries including lates, uniform passes, referrals and detentions

NCEA Level 1,2, and 3 Internal Assessment Calendars

The assessment calendars for the year have been set and can be found below.

Level 1 NCEA Assessment Calendar
Level 2 NCEA Assessment Calendar
Level 3 NCEA Assessment Calendar

Cellphones - Away for the Day

Currently student cellphones are to be silent and away in school bags during class unless explicitly permitted by a teacher to support learning. ​

New regulations from the Government require cell phones to be away for the day, including lunchtime and breaks. 

From the first day of Term 2 this means cellphones either do not come with the student to school (recommended), or are switched off or on silent and in student's bags during the full school day.

• It is important to note that if students do make the decision to bring a cellphone to school, they do so at their own risk. The school is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to any cellphone. 
• Students with additional learning needs who use cellphones in class to increase or improve their ability to participate and learn may be granted an exemption. In matters related to these or to a student's immediate health and safety concerns, a parent or caregiver can apply at any time to the Deputy Principal (Ryan Gilbertson) for a period of exemption.  If a student does bring their cellphone for emergency contact or health reasons, these must be switched to silent and kept in bags at all times, unless directed by a teacher.  
• Education outside the classroom (EOTC) and extracurricular activities: Students can take cellphones on day / overnight trips. Usage will be at the discretion of teachers and other adult supervisors. 
• Junior Camps: Cellphones are not to be brought into or used during Junior school camps such as Greenstone and Branches. There will be an exemption mechanism for students requiring them for health and other reasons overseen by the Camp Manager.
• If a parent or caregiver needs to contact their child urgently during the day they should call the office, or if a student does bring their phone to school, be sure to contact them during break time.
• We appreciate that some students need to use the PayWave function on their phone. Students can use cellphones for this purpose at the Foyer cafe and Ōrau (Outdoor) cafe if needed. 

Students are always encouraged to self-regulate and develop healthy in-person relationships. In circumstances where a member of staff considers the device to be a harmful, disruptive, or distracting influence or that usage has breached the school cellphone policy, the result will be confiscation for the rest of the school day. The device will then be retrieved by the student after school and the inappropriate use recorded on our student management system. Students who repeatedly breach this rule are subject to the school’s disciplinary procedures, which includes escalation for repeated transgressions.

Breaches of the cellphone rules include (but not limited to):

•     Using the device when not permitted
•     Any sort of bullying, including online bullying
•     Taking photos or videos of other people without their permission
•     Forwarding inappropriate messages or content

Please note that our website contains a segment dedicated to rules and expectations. Within this link, you can see the updated expectations regarding cellphones at Wakatipu High School. 

Wakatipu High School utilizes the repository format SchoolDocs for its set of policies and procedures; including our cellphone policy. To view our complete set of policies and procedures including cellphones and other personal digital devices, please click this link and sign in using username: 'wakatipu' and password 'Ad Alta' (please note 'Ad Alta' includes a space). 

In order for this phone rule to be effective and to not disrupt our learning programmes we ask parents/caregivers to speak to their child in advance of Term 2 about these rules and reinforce the expectations of the school.

Ngā mihi,

Ryan Gilbertson
Deputy Principal

Uniform Requirements

It has been pleasing to see so many of our students wearing their uniform with pride and making an effort to follow the uniform requirements.  This sets a positive tone around our environment and creates positive interactions with staff who are complimenting rather than sanctioning students' uniform choices.  Unfortunately, there are still a few students who are not wearing their uniform correctly and now is a timely point in the year for them to reset and get organised for the cooler months ahead.

Click here to see the requirements and here for the visuals of the correct uniform.

The Blazer is compulsory
This is the compulsory ‘primary’ garment. It must be worn to and from school and during the school day. Students may remove the blazer whilst in class or when active during break times. The blazer must also be worn to all formal school events, such as assemblies.  If you are wearing the school jersey, this must be worn underneath the blazer.

Non-uniform items
Hoodies, even school insignia hoodies, are not to be worn at school during the day.  They will be confiscated and can be collected by the student at student services at the end of the school week in the first instance but will escalate if these items are continually worn.

Socks
White socks are never OK to be worn with the uniform and should not be worn, even under trousers.  The blue school socks can be purchased at the school uniform shop.

Shoes
Must be: plain; all black (with no coloured logos); be made of polishable material (i.e. not canvas, but may have a rubber toe-cap); have a low or no heel; be shoes, not boots or ‘high tops’ or sandals. They may be lace-up or slip-on, with no buckles.

Boys with shirts untucked
We ask our boys to wear their shirt tucked into their trousers and shorts where practicable.  Being active at break time is of course one place where this would not be enforced.  Consistently ignoring requests to do so may result in them receiving a detention for consistently ignoring instructions.

Girls uniform
It is important to note that the girls’ winter uniform, which is the kilt and tights, must be worn.  If the blue skirt is being worn, this is with blue ankle socks only.  No tights can be worn with the skirt please.

Āwhina support for uniform needs
There is support available for students and families for whom accessing uniform is a financial barrier.  We encourage you to seek support through our Āwhina Support Fund which can be found here. 

Our system for addressing uniform issues has  been clearly and consistently communicated and we really appreciate parents/caregiver support with ensuring students are wearing their uniform consistently well to school. 

We are hoping that students are able to get themselves well organised in the next week and look forward to your support in ensuring your child is clear on the need for wearing their uniform correctly and with pride.

Ngā mihi

Craig Morrison
Deputy Principal

Buses - Pending Timetable Changes

A reminder to all students and parents/caregivers that WHS operates a 'mixed model' of school transport. This means that while a number of students are eligible for Ministry of Education-provided free bus transportation to and from school, we have a growing number of students who must make their own way to each day. If you are unsure, please see our school website to check for eligibility.

Go Bus have advised us that they are putting on an additional bus to Lake Hayes/Shotover for morning and afternoon runs. The additional bus will run concurrently with the existing bus and this will replace the early/late bus timetable that currently exists. Please watch for additional communications from us with regard to timing for this change. The new term will start with the existing arrangement in place.

Adverse Weather

With winter fast approaching this piece is regarding ‘adverse weather’. The most important point to note is that again this winter in the case of adverse weather we will communicate through the following channels: 

• To parents - via the WHS SZApp (see below if you don't have it on your device) and the WHS website
• To students - via normal school email

On a morning with adverse weather (which particularly includes snow and/or ice on the roads) we liaise with QLDC’s roading contractor and the school bus coordinator and make a decision regarding school for that day. If it is not a normal school day, the common options are either a delayed start or school closed, in which case we will communicate through the channels above, endeavouring to do so by 7:15am. 

Please note that if we do get adverse weather during the day we will not normally close the school - this is primarily because school buses are not normally able to run early. However we do monitor adverse weather and conditions very carefully and make decisions and communicate accordingly, through the channels above.

Please also note that we do liaise with the other schools in the basin and decisions are generally coordinated. Although sometimes conditions vary for different schools and some primary schools do not have school buses - which are a key consideration, and ultimately each school will need to make its own decision, which will be communicated by the individual school.

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.