WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.02 | 10 May 2024

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of a busy, but good week at Wakatipu High School. 

Today we concluded the last of our Excellence, Ad Alta or Ākonga Passport Assemblies in which many students were awarded at least one of these prestigious awards in front of their House peers and parents. All three of these awards are significant and require students to focus and commit to their learning both inside and outside of the class and our congratulations go to all the students who have worked hard to achieve these awards. See below for the photos and a full list of students who received these awards. 

Term 2 is a very important term with regards to learning, progress and achievement and it was great to see students engaged in their learning across all classes these past two weeks. Our Senior Next Steps are an important part of our feedback loop to parents and students, and it was nice to see so many of you here last Tuesday. If you were unable to attend the Next Steps evening, but have questions or concerns about your child’s learning, progress or achievement, please be sure to get in touch with the subject teacher via email. 

Our subject teachers provide regular feedback by way of the weekly LE reports but these are not academic progress grades and so a reminder to parents (and students) to check the Portal regularly for valuable information on students' learning, progress and achievement. Email reports@wakatipu.school.nz if you are unable to access the Portal.

On Thursday, we had the RYDA Road Safety programme for our Year 12 students. The workshop challenged students to change the way they think about road safety and lay the foundation for safe road use throughout their lives. In the next few weeks, our Year 12’s will be completing the Goodspace survey which is focused on students wellbeing. This, and the aforementioned RYDA programme are but a part of our curriculum and endeavours to support students holistic development. Year 12 parents will be emailed more information about the Goodspace survey next week and we expect Year 11 students to complete the Goodspace survey in the latter part of Term 2.

Earlier this week, our annual House Netball competition came to a close with Hay House besting Duncan in the final. Congratulations to all of the Houses and House Leaders on their passion and participation for this growing event. See below for an update on the House Competition and also for some photos from today’s staff vs student game, which ended in a thrilling draw.

We do ‘push messaging’ reminders through the WHS SZ App to parents on a regular basis, so please make sure you have downloaded this App (see below). This is also how we communicate with parents in the case of ‘adverse weather’ (see below).

A great newsletter follows, including more information for Year 10 parents regarding the numeracy and literacy corequisites', an opportunity to attend the WHS Foundation mid-winter feast, which is an important fundraiser for the Foundation (and the school), as well as comprehensive summaries of the week from the arts and sports directors. 

Lastly, invoices have recently been sent out to all parents/caregivers. A huge thanks to those who have paid their school fees and donations, and a reminder to those that are able, you can support another family and student by paying a second school donation through this link. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend, including an enjoyable Mother’s Day on Sunday. A reminder that school finishes at 1:50 pm on Monday 13 May for the nation-wide, Paid Union Meeting (PUM) for all of our teaching staff with buses running at this time. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

Excellence, Ad Alta and Ākonga Passport Assemblies

Over the course of this week, each house has held a formal assembly acknowledging all round effort and achievement in the first term. There were 275 awards presented over the course of these assemblies. This is something for these students to be extremely proud of, having started the year demonstrating a commitment to their learning and development. 

Juniors were awarded their first Ākonga Passport Bronze Badge. These badges are awarded for reaching the threshold of 15 points gained across a range of things such as exemplifying school values, engaging in learning as shown on Learning Engagement Reports, participating in Extra and Co-curricular activities, demonstrating service to the school or community and taking part in school-wide activities. A Silver award requires 30 points, this requires an exceptional effort.

Seniors were acknowledged for both Ad Alta awards and Excellence awards. The Ad Alta awards recognise students in years 11-13 who have exemplified the Wakatipu way in class. They have shown personal excellence in their learning and engagement and have thus got at least two-thirds of their LE reports at the Excellence Level (a mark of 4). Students can achieve a bronze, silver and gold award over the course of the year, but this is the first Ad Alta assembly, the Bronze award is the highest Ad Alta award at this time.

Excellence awards recognise students who have gained more than 50% of their internal assessment results at the Excellence level.

Whakamihi, congratulations, to all the award recipients.

NCEA Numeracy and Literacy Corequisite Exams

Below are the remaining videos for parents and students to support with the upcoming corequisite exams

Corequisite Introduction and Overview
Reading Corequisite Information
Writing Corequisite Information
Connection Between Reading and Writing
Numeracy Corequisite Information

Below is a copy of the presentation for parents that was held on Thursday 2 May, which may be helpful.

Corequisite Information Evening Presentation

Queries related to the corequisites can be directed to the following staff members:

Reading - Katie Tomkins (Literacy Team)
Numeracy - Juliet Jones (Assistant HoLA, Maths)
Writing - Craig Jack (HoLA English)

The corequisites will take place across Weeks 4 and 5 of Term 2 with Year 10s sitting in the morning and Year 11s to 13s in the afternoon:

Friday 24 May - Writing
Monday 27 May - Numeracy
Wednesday 29 May - Reading 

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.

A Winter Feast

Lake Hayes and Shotover Bus Change

As advised previously, the timetable change for the Lake Hayes and Shotover school buses come into effect on Monday 13 May. All eligible students and parents will have received an email on Tuesday of this week advising them of the details of the change and the new bus allocations.

The updated timetable can also be viewed here.

Wellbeing Spotlight - Winter Wellness

The challenges of winter can take a toll on mental health or worsen already existing issues. It's normal to feel and behave a bit differently during the colder, darker months - even in a beautiful place like Queenstown! Most people find that in the cooler months they sleep more, eat more or crave different foods, want to spend more time "hibernating" at home or by themselves, and generally feel less energetic and cheerful. It is part of the natural cycle of the seasons and can be a useful time for resting and slowing down.

However, keep an eye out for signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) this snow season. SAD is a form of depression or low mood that's related to the change of season, usually from summer to winter, and which affects people throughout that season. Like depression, SAD can affect how you feel and behave for weeks or months at a time. When you are depressed, your low mood lasts, affecting your sleep, energy levels, relationships, job, and appetite. The difference between depression and SAD is that if you experience SAD, your symptoms will appear around the end of autumn and continue until the days get longer and sunnier in spring. SAD affects 10% of New Zealanders, and usually, symptoms of SAD build up slowly through late autumn and winter months. Symptoms are usually the same as with other forms of depression and low mood. For a full list of symptoms, see The Mental Health Foundation website.

As the temperature drops, it is important to develop or maintain routines through winter to look after your mental wellbeing. As SAD is thought to be linked to light, spend time outside in daylight each day, particularly in the first half of the day. This could be to exercise outside when you get up in the morning, walk part of the way to work/school, go for a walk at lunchtime, or have lunch outside wherever possible. On the weekend, keep up a regular outdoor activity, such as sport, going for a bike ride with a friend, or games in the park. There are a number of services and resources you can access for support and care - see the link below. Don't forget - purposefully engaging with 'The Five Ways to Wellbeing' can also be a protective factor against the so called 'winter blues'.

Helplines and professional support

• Need to talk? (1737 - free call or text) any time for support from a trained counsellor
• The Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions
• Healthline 0800 611 116
• Youthline 0800 376 633
• The Lowdown Text 5626 for support to help young people recognise and understand depression or anxiety
• Alcohol Drug Helpline 0800 787 797

House Competition Update

The second sport House competition finished up this week, with students battling it out on the netball court. At the end of the round robin it was a washout from Duncan with an undefeated streak! Hay, Arthur and Fox were tied on 8 points, with Hay clinching a spot in the finals on countback. In the final Hay came out strong and led into half time. Duncan fought back but Hay answered, running away with a final score of 10-7. We are looking forward to house basketball in Term 3, always a highlight of the year!

Final Results

• 1st Hay
• 2nd Duncan
• 3rd Arthur
• 4th Fox
• 5th Mackenzie
  

This win has seen Hay jump from 4th equal to 3rd place in the competition overall. Houses don't have long to wait until their next opportunity to knock Duncan from the top spot with house debating commencing on May 20, followed by Matatū training beginning in Week 8. 

Exploring History in Wellington

Last week the Year 12 History classes spent three days in Wellington collecting research for our Term 2 internals. During the trip we visited the National Library, Parliament, the New Zealand Holocaust Centre, and Te Papa Museum, as well as the New Zealand National War Memorial, and at these institutions we had the much-appreciated opportunity to meet experts on our chosen topics and collect sources that would have been difficult, if not impossible, to access remotely. Even exploring Wellington itself was very helpful to our research; the capital city is full of sites of significance that we largely hadn’t heard about, such as the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, the Atatürk Memorial, and the Australian Memorial. Highlights included seeing the original Te Tiriti o Waitangi, He Whakaputanga (Declaration of Independence), and Women’s Suffrage Petition, as well as the Holocaust Centre visit, during which we listened to a very helpful presentation on how to research such a complex and delicate topic. We also visited a synagogue and learned about the Jewish religion. In all, it was three days of sunshine and some great opportunities — lots of thanks to Miss Ashby, Miss Ottley and Mr Rae for making it possible!

Tayah Vivian
Year 12 Student

Gifted Education

Huna Māhirahira - Curious Minds

Hunga Māhirahira Curious Minds is a Google Classroom where teachers from all Learning Areas post about competitions, trips, and other opportunities for any student to get involved with. This includes ICAS and CAM competitions, university trips, Mathematics, Science, and Writing competitions, and local presentations, to name a few. 
To ensure your child has access to all of these exciting opportunities, make sure they are signed up to Google Classroom using this code: cgizhbc.

Computational and Algorithmic Thinking Competition

The Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) competition gives students the opportunity to develop their problem-solving skills through algorithmic thinking. The competition incorporates unique ‘three-stage tasks’ that encourage students to develop informal algorithms and apply them to test data of increasing size or complexity.

Registrations should have now been completed and the payment of $9.50 for the competition is required by Thursday 16 May (via Portal). The online test for the competition will be after school on Thursday 23 May. Sample questions can be found on the Curious Minds Classroom. ,

Visit the website for more information.

University of Canterbury CAM Junior KIWI Competitions

Calling all Year 9 and 10 students looking to flex their academic prowess in Mathematics, Science, and / or English! 

The annual KIWI Mathematics, Science, and English competitions are skills-based and closely aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum. The tests are designed by New Zealand teachers for New Zealand students. Results are provided to schools in Term 3. All participating students will receive a certificate and a prize will be awarded to the top student nationally in each competition. The competition will also provide parents / caregivers with an Individual Pupil Report of the student's performance in that subject. 

Fill out this form to register for the competitions, which must be completed by 10 May. 
Each competition costs $9.90 and this must be paid via the School Portal by 5 July to participate. The competition assessments will be sat at WHS in Week 1 of Term 3 (22 - 26 July)  Click here for more information.

ICAS 2024

ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, and Writing. The competition is open to all WHS students, Year 9 through to 13, with test dates throughout August. Every student who participates is celebrated and recognised with a printed certificate in each subject area, and an online results report to track development each year. Top performers are eligible for one of the highly coveted ICAS medals. 
 
If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:  
1. Read about ICAS subjects and prices here.
2. Read the terms and conditions here. 
3. Go to the Parent Portal to sign up to chosen subject areas here.  
4. Enter our school’s access code – QFN331.  
5. Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate in, then proceed to payment.  
 
After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email. Please keep this for your records. Applications need to be in by Friday, 26 July. 

Logan Rae
Gifted Coordinator

World Challenge 'A Prize a Day for the Month of May'

Congratulations to our first week of winners! If we haven't already been in contact, we will be shortly. 

Wednesday, May 1: BroBikes Merchandise Gift Pack - Kelly Martel

Thursday, May 2: Clutch Reformer 1 month 10 classes Pass - Hailey Jones

Friday May 3: Joe's Garage $50 voucher & Free softserve - Hannah Eade

Saturday, May 4: Glenorchy Hotel 1 Night stay - Phil O'Sallivan

Sunday, May 5: Remarkables Flight for 2 - Hannah Eade

Monday, May 6: Ma Boulangerie $10 voucher - Bryce Irving

Tuesday, May 7: Hydro Shark Free Ride - Spencer

It is not too late to buy tickets. You still have the chance to win over 20 incredible prizes. Just press on the link below and fill out the Google Form, pay by direct transfer and you are in with a chance to win. Once again a massive thank you to our generous sponsors and congratulations to our Week 1 winners!

Ngā Reo Languages Learning Area

Ngā Reo Languages Learning Area Strategic Plan

The team within the Learning Area has dedicated considerable time to crafting our Strategic Plan. This document serves as a foundational tool, enabling us to establish clear priorities and guiding our decision-making processes towards long-term success. Through the identification of key priorities and initiatives, this plan plays a crucial role in directing our efforts and resources towards the most pivotal aspects of our Learning Area. It ensures that our focus remains sharp, empowering students to cultivate a deep passion for languages while reaching their full potential.
Kia kaha Ngā Reo,

Mr Guillaume Charton
Head of Learning Area | Languages

Japanese Students Out on a Treasure Hunt 

Last Friday, our year 11 Japanese students embarked on an engaging scavenger hunt at Renarkables Park. Each student commenced with a clue leading to a distinct location, navigating the path with directions provided in Japanese.
This activity serves as valuable preparation for the upcoming scavenger hunt planned for Tokyo during the anticipated visit to Japan by our year 11s and 12s in September.

Film Production Experience

Two talented WHS students have earned a place in the production "Forgive Us All". The film was recently shot in Queenstown, where the students had the opportunity to work alongside many talented individuals and creative giants Weta Workshop. Ava Weston contributed as a makeup and intern and Felix Nicoll was cast in a role alongside several prominent Kiwi and Aussie actors in the apocalyptic, neo-Western action horror. Congratulations to Ava and Felix! We are eagerly waiting to see your work on the big screen.

A Message from the Environmental Council

Did you know that throwing batteries away can actually be really harmful? Batteries contain hazardous substances that can be harmful to the environment. Lithium-ion batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are toxic and contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills. If batteries are put in kerbside wheelie bins or public litter bins, they also pose a fire risk and could potentially harm staff or members of the public. Therefore you are required not to put batteries in your household bins and need to dispose of them properly by following the councils battery recycling scheme. When you recycle batteries some are recycled and refurbished here in New Zealand but we don’t have the resources for others, which are sent overseas to be processed. To reduce the environmental impact of batteries as much as you can individually, the best option would of course be to use alternative and more sustainable energy sources, but barring that try to ensure you’re always using rechargeable batteries, or at least long-lasting ones to avoid too much waste. 

Most household appliance batteries can be dropped off at the Wakatipu Recycling Centre on Glenda Drive or Wastebusters Recycling Centre in Wanaka and some One, Spark, and 2Degrees retailers will take mobile phones free of charge. but before you do that, make sure to check the relevant website to confirm that the type of battery you have can be processed there.

Isla McGlynn
Environmental Council

RYDA Road Safety Education

RYDA is a Road Safety Education (RSE) programme that Yr 12 students participated in yesterday.  It aims to equip young people with the knowledge to stay safe on our roads.  There were six interactive sessions addressing crucial aspects of travelling safely, such as speeding, alcohol and drugs, fatigue, distraction and wearing seatbelts.  It focuses on lowering personal risks by making better decisions.

It was a valuable day with a lot of useful information, stories and learning for students to remember and use to help them become lower risk drivers and passengers.

RYDA is keen to get feedback to improve the programme when they review it annually and to improve their operational systems.

- Students and parents can complete the survey here.
- There is also a competition for students to enter here for the chance to win a $250 Visa or Mastercard gift card.

Sport and Active Recreation

Hockey - Home Game Today!

The 1st XI Mixed Hockey team have their first home game tonight at the Queenstown Event Centre Turf. Come along at 5.30pm to cheer the team on as they take on Cromwell College.

Basketball - Central Otago Senior Competition

On Monday night the Central Otago Senior Basketball competition started for the term. This year we have 9 teams entered, with games played here at WHS and away at MAC, Cromwell, Dunstan and Roxburgh. It was a strong start to the comp, with WHS winning 7/8 games! All teams played well, with some players never having played basketball before. This coming Monday (13th May) the following games will be held at WHS. Come along to Pouākai (double gym) to support the teams!

• WHS 11A Boys v Senior A Boys 4pm
• WHS Cyclones v WHS Dream Team 4pm
• WHS Junior A Boys v Dunstan 5pm
• WHS Yr 12 Boys v MAC B 5pm

Round 1 Results

• WHS Yr12 Girls v MAC B W 40-26
• WHS Jnr A Girls v Cromwell W 74-19
• WHS 11A Boys v Dunstan L 39-63
• WHS Jnr A Boys v Cromwell W 67-45
• WHS Snr A Boys v MAC A W 90-29
• WHS Waka Dogs v MAC C W 30-24
• WHS Yr12 Boys v Dunstan W 73-32
• WHS Dream Team V Roxburgh W 87-66
• WHS Cyclones BYE
  

Rugby

Girls Round 1 Match Report

Last night the 1st XV Girls Rugby team played against Cromwell at the Queenstown Events Centre and what a match that was. This years squad of 26, with 22 playing, matching up against 13 Cromwellians. Despite the numbers difference we really had a David and Goliath fixture with a big challenge for us to take on and fortunately we started incredibly strongly. 

From the first kick the game was riveting, the roaring howl of a galeforce wind coming in with every hit the girls got up for it and matched where they could. 

Cromwell had a strong first half outscoring us 5 tries to 3 tries + conversion. But wow those 3 tries scored by our Polly Bennetts, who put the ball under her arm and bowled over players in her way like they were mere cardboard cutouts there for effect. Trailing by 8 points at the break we were filled with excitement for another 37.5 minutes of battling the cutting wind that had taken the feeling away from most of the supporters (and some of the players) hands. 

Once the second half started we really found a good rhythm and despite letting in a few tries more than the first half we also scored more. The second half saw 8 tries + 3 conversions to 4 tries, and included some great runs, tackles and unfortunately the inevitable injury or two. The game proved to be the high scoring, electrically charged game that we had prepared and hoped for!

In the end we saw stand out performances from our three-try hero Polly Bennetts, 1st game fullback super star Aoife Orr, Dan Carter look alike on the field Kerys Duffy, Soon to be Black ferns halfback coach Aily Joll, among others such as hard runner Jessie Strain, Kora Frisby (who made up numbers for Cromwell and annoyingly scored against us....), and Bailey Tiananga on the wing.

Final score was Wakatipu 37 vs Cromwell 71. Good performances all around and still plenty to work on before next weeks game against arch enemy but quiet friend Mount Aspiring College.

Home Games This Week

The Junior / U14 team is taking on Dunstan High School at home on Saturday at 11.15am. Would be great to get a good home crowd for the team's first official game in the Wakatipu High School colours!

Netball - Central Lakes Reps

Congratulations to the following students who have been named in Central Lakes Representative Netball Squads!

Under 16s

• Aily Joll
• Eve Pagan
• Honor Gilbert
• Kara Trounce
• Maddy Tulafono
• Zara Small

Under 18s

• Bridget O’Malley
• Elsbeth Purdue
• Esther Hamilton
• Lucy Clark
• Lulu Middleton

Volley South Representative Teams

A number of WHS volleyballers have been selected into Volley South Representative teams. Congratulations to the following students! This is a big commitment for players to travel to Invercargill for trainings, so a shout out to Steve Henderson for all of his mahi and support.

Under 17 Boys

• Micko Rioel Guanzon (Vice Captain)

Under 19 Boys

• Roy Greer (Vice Captain)

U17 Girls

• Ava Rona (Captain)
• Ariza Khan
• Chloe Guyot de La Pommeraye
• Holly Coutts
• Scarlette Henderson
• Sheana Solomon

Keep Us Informed

The Sports Department would love to hear from you if you know of any awesome sporting achievements from our students! Please send through details/results and photos to Sian at shorn@wakatipu.school.nz so we can share and celebrate these as a school.

Support Sport at WHS
Support the team by liking the Wakatipu High School Sports Facebook page. This is the best way to stay up to date with the successes of our athletes and teams and celebrate their great achievements!

https://www.facebook.com/WakatipuHighSchoolSports/ 

Sian Horn
Director of Sport

Arts Department News

Play It Strange

It was great to have a visit from Stephanie Brown, the new CEO of Play It Strange, who run national youth songwriting competitions.  Students from WHS have entered this competition for over 10 years.  In 2023 seven students entered various Play It Strange album competitions with three students having songs featured.  Please see Mrs Price for details about entering these competitions and signing up for the Songwriting Workshop on 23 May.

Play It Strange Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playitstrange/

Upcoming dates for the Play It Strange Competitions are:

24 May -  Entries for Play It Strange Youthtown Competition close (Yrs 9-11)

30 June - Entries for Play It Strange Peace Song Competition close

31 July - Entries for Play It Strange Lion Foundation Competition close

31 August - Entries for Strange Art (album cover art) Competition close

Songwriting Workshop

Solomon Crook is planning a full day workshop with students interested in Songwriting.

The date is planned for THURSDAY MAY 23. 

If you are interested please contact Mrs Price.

Artists of the Week:  Hector Tanner and Jake Berzuela

In junior school music students have been learning about composing music for media including film, tv and video games. Here's an example of Hector Tanner and Jake Berzuela's work rescoring a short section of the Avengers: End Game

Here's a link to a video of their work:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PnJB4lpzriChnP4Fr3rDtOyNTqVcTsnV/view?usp=sharing

Rockquest

Entries for Rockquest 2024 have now closed and we have an encouraging number of students who have entered this year -  2 solo/duo acts and 4 bands.  All acts will compete in the Regional Finals that are being held on Saturday 22 June at the Queenstown Memorial Hall.

May Music Month 

May is NZ Music Month and many of the School Bells will feature songs from ex and current students who are involved in the music industry.  

Featured this week:

Jack Speedy - Louisville - listen here 

Tom Maxwell from Killergrams’s - Make It This Time - listen here

Ryan Connaghan - No One Thinks We’re Cool - listen here

Visiting Performers 

This Term we will kick off our Visiting Performers programme where local musicians will perform in the Foyer during Break 2 sessions. Sam Maxwell will be our first act on May 15.

Extracurricular groups - Groups have restarted for the term and some have been adjusted, but students should be up to date with all updates as they are posted on the Performing Arts Classroom Group.  

• Jazz Combo - Monday 8 am / Wednesday 8 am
• Guitar - Monday Break 2
• Digital Music Production - Wednesday Break 2
• Junior Jazz - Wednesday Break 2
• Jazz Full Band - Wednesday 3.20 pm
• Songwriting - Thursday 8.15 am
• Chamber Music Group - Thursday after school
• Social singing - Friday Break 2

Keep checking each of the  Classroom Groups for more details and updates

Upcoming for the Term - 

24 May -  Entries for Play It Strange Youthtown Competition close (Yrs 9-11)

08 June - WHS Big Break 

15 June - Rockquest Regional Finals

25 June - Showquest / Toi Wearable Arts

30 June - Entries for Play It Strange Peace Song Competition close

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 details and photos to artscoordinator@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 the Mrs Cooper the Arts Coordinator at artscoordinator@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

University of Canterbury / Lincoln University / Ara  Tertiary Trip

This week's visit to the University of Canterbury and its Halls of Residence proved to be an excellent opportunity for 47 students to expand their knowledge and gain valuable insight into the university,  its campus and academic offerings. The itinerary featured guided tours of various halls, breakfast at Tupuānuku, and dinner at Arcady Hall. Students were able to experience campus life firsthand and get a taste of what it’s like to live and study at the university.

Some students also chose to visit Lincoln University and Ara Institute of Canterbury, which further enhanced their learning experience.

As a school, we hope that these experiences inspire and motivate students to pursue their academic goals and help with the decision-making process of where to go beyond school.

For students considering tertiary study options in Wellington or Auckland, we extend an invited to join us on campus for their Open Days in August. Further details about these trips can be found below. 

Wellington Tertiary Trip - Victoria University / Massey University Open Day - Friday 23 August
Start: Thursday 22 August
Return: Friday 23 August
https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/289702

Auckland Tertiary Trip - University of Auckland / AUT Open Day - Saturday 24 August
Start: Friday 23 August
Return: Saturday 24 August
https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/289704

Wellington and Auckland Combined Tertiary Trip
Start: Thursday 22 August
Return: Saturday 24 August
https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/289705

Southland and Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Tour

Ten students from Wakatipu High School recently embarked on an eye-opening journey into the world of engineering, thanks to a collaboration with the Southland and Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC). The tour took them to two distinct yet equally fascinating local engineering companies: Queenstown Engineering and Focal QT.

At our first stop our students delved into the world of structural engineering. The visit not only broadened their understanding of an engineering workspace, but also sparked a keen interest in pursuing a career in structural engineering for some of our students. Following this, we had the privilege of exploring the innovative realm of Focal QT. Here we were able to explore how diverse the opportunities within the engineering industry could be and the diverse range of industries that an engineering career pathway could incorporate.

For these students who harbour aspirations in the trades career pathway, the tour provided them with firsthand insights into the exciting opportunities that await them in the dynamic field of engineering. We extend our sincere gratitude to SOREC, Queenstown Engineering, and Focal QT for their generosity and hospitality. Their commitment to nurturing young talent has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on our students.

If you have the ability to offer students a similar experience within your workplace we would love to hear from you! Please make contact with: Gemma Carter: Gateway Programme -  gcarter@wakatipu.school.nz or Lea Lawniczak: COYEP - llawniczak@wakatipu.school.nz

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

Click here to purchase online.

Childhood trauma –  effects, healing and breaking the pattern of inter-generational violence

Catalyst Kōrero, Sunday, May 26

“When you grow up experiencing the world as a really dangerous place, your subconscious does everything it can to make you feel physically safer, but in ways that are opposite of what you would consciously choose."

Chronic illness, self isolation, overwork and addiction are just some of the brain's common responses to childhood trauma, local woman Trish Johansen says.She has spent the last four years - since giving witness testimony to the Royal Commission of Enquiry into abuse of children in state care - learning how to untangle the resultant brain programming, so she could reclaim her life.

In the May 26 Catalyst Kōrero, Trish will share what she's learned, to help create community understanding and support for others wanting to break the pattern of multigenerational childhood trauma.

Sunday, May 26, 6 to 7:30 pm at The Rees Hotel Queenstown’s conference room. Registration required  HERE to ensure your seat. Please bring cash for your koha.  This will be given to Eradicate Rabies One Village at a Time, to help save vulnerable communities, already traumatised by the Khmer Rouge, from preventable deaths.

We're partnering with Entertainment to offer you the chance to support our cause while enjoying a bonus eGift Card when you purchase a Membership to The Entertainment App.

What's more, by purchasing a Membership, you're not just treating yourself to fantastic savings—you're also directly supporting our cause. With every Membership purchase, our charity receives 20% of the Membership price, ensuring that your contribution goes even further in making a difference.

 With an Entertainment Membership, you'll unlock a world of unforgettable experiences, perfect for sharing cherished moments with your loved ones. Plus, from 8:00pm NZST, Wednesday 1st May to 1:59pm NZST Friday 31st May 2024, you'll also receive a bonus $20 Countdown eGift Card with a Single City Membership purchase, and a bonus $40 Countdown eGift Card with a Multi City Membership purchase.

With new offers added weekly, the Entertainment Membership promises unparalleled value on dining, experiences, shopping, travel, and more, ensuring every moment is brimming with joy and laughter.

Join us today in creating unforgettable memories while making a tangible difference in our community.

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