WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.2 | 09 May 2025

Principal's Message

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

Today we held the first of our Excellence, Ad Alta Assemblies in which many students were awarded at least one of these prestigious awards in their House groups. Each 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.

Last week, 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. Additionally, our Year 12’s have recently completed 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 as per our school vision and Ākonga Profile. 

Earlier this week, our annual House Netball competition came to a close with Fox House winning both the junior and senior 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 yesterday’s staff vs Yr 13’s game, which saw the staff besting the students.

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), and our Parenting in the Basin series, how to purchase tickets for SIX The Musical, as well as comprehensive summaries of the week from the arts and sports directors. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend, including an enjoyable Mother’s Day on Sunday. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

Excellence Ad Alta Assemblies

Our Ad Alta Excellence Assemblies are a special occasion to honour and celebrate the achievements of our senior ākonga. This week, we held assemblies for Arthur and Duncan Houses, and we eagerly anticipate celebrating the success of students in Mackenzie, Fox, and Hay Houses next week.

At these assemblies, we recognised seniors for both Ad Alta and Excellence awards. The Ad Alta awards celebrate students in Years 11-13 who consistently exemplify the Wakatipu Way in their classes. These ākonga demonstrate personal excellence in their learning and engagement, achieving Excellence in at least two-thirds of their Learning Engagement (LE) reports. Students can earn bronze, silver, and gold Ad Alta awards throughout the year, and this week we proudly presented the Bronze award as the highest Ad Alta recognition at this time.

The Excellence awards further acknowledge those students who have achieved Excellence in more than 50% of their internally assessed credits.

It was fantastic to have so many of our students recognised for their dedication and effort. Whakamihi nui - a huge congratulations to all the deserving recipients!

Student Leaders Week in Review

Next Steps meetings
On Tuesday afternoon, senior next steps took place. These meetings act as traditional parent-teacher interviews for students and parents to connect with various subject teachers. This creates an opportunity for parents to meet their children's teachers. In the senior next steps meeting they have an encouraging shared conversation around student progress, strengths and areas for growth. This allows parents to gain a clearer picture of how their child is performing across subjects. Overall next steps meetings create a strong communication between home and school.

House Excellence Assembly
Students who continuously demonstrate the Wakatipu Way in their classes by achieving “Excellent level” or 4 in more than 2/3 of the Learning engagement reports are rewarded with an Ad Alta reward. Those who achieve more than 50% of their internally assessed credits at Excellence level are rewarded with the Excellence award. These House excellence assemblies began taking place with Arthur and Duncan being the first two houses. These continue next week with Fox and Hay on Monday, and then Mackenzie on Wednesday. The assemblies are a great chance to recognise the achievements of your fellow peers and to appreciate all the hard work everyone has put in. 

Market Day 1
Today at break 2, Year 12 students held their annual market day for business studies. Various groups of students developed and advertised products to sell at market day. Through this process, students learned how to carry a product from concept to creation — incorporating market research, branding, and design thinking. Over the start of the year at school, the students had been creating and coming up with ideas to reach their chosen target market by highlighting the unique selling points and crafting interesting products. The final products were diverse and inventive, ranging from custom-made bracelets and eco-friendly bags to stress balls designed to support student wellbeing. This market day not only showcased student creativity, but also taught valuable skills in entrepreneurship, teamwork, and critical thinking.

Charlie Manser and Issy Hudson
Academic Council

Celebrating Upstanders

Next Friday, Wakatipu High School will participate in Pink Shirt Day, a nationwide movement that aligns with our commitment to inclusion and ensuring everyone feels safe, included and respected. This is a wonderful opportunity for our kura to stand together against bullying and celebrate kindness. Guided by the kaupapa, Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora - Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying! - Our Whanaungatanga Council has organised events and activities throughout the week. We encourage all ākonga to wear their brightest pink next Friday to show their support for this important movement, and to bring a gold coin donation to support the valuable work of the Whakatipu Youth Trust in our community.

Literacy and Numeracy Corequisite Support

Year 10 students and their parents/caregivers have been emailed about their corequisite entries. Senior students (Years 11-13) were emailed if they are required to complete any corequisites.

The corequisites will take place across Weeks 4 and 5 of Term 2:

• May 23 - Writing
• May 26 - Numeracy
• May 28 - Reading

We are providing support after school to help students achieve the corequisites. Support for Literacy is available after school every Wednesday, 3:15 - 4 pm in Mātuitui and support for Numeracy after school every Thursday, 3:15 - 4 pm in the Maths Learning Area.

To reinforce the skills required to achieve the corequisites we have created a slide show and supporting video of how you can support at home.

To practice Corequisite assessments, please visit the NZQA link - click here. Once there, you can select from a range of Literacy and Numeracy assessments.

If you are asked for codes, please use:
MSN: View2024
Verification code: Tw3nty/24

House Competition Update

The second sport House competition finished up this week, with students battling it out on the netball court. After some impressive netball victories from both the junior and senior teams Fox house took out the win. This win has seen Fox jump into the top spot in the House competition overall.

Netball Final Results

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

Yesterday's spirited staff vs. students game ended in a staff victory, and they are already preparing for the basketball match next term. The battle for house points continues next week with debating kicking off on Monday, followed by Matatū training in Week 7. 

'Parenting in Partnership' - Parenting in the Basin Series Term 2

Join us for Parenting in Partnership: Practical tips and open conversations with local experts on teen wellbeing, real-world challenges, and parenting tools. This free community event brings together a range of local experts—including a Health Improvement Practitioner, the local police, a Public Health Nurse, and speakers from organisations supporting teens and their whānau in Queenstown.

Whether you're navigating social media, mental health, or everyday parenting struggles, you'll leave feeling more informed, connected, and empowered.

Support for our rangatahi—together, in partnership.

When: Tuesday 27th May, 7.00-8.30pm

Where: Mātuitui, Wakatipu High School

More information and the sign-up form will be included in next week's newsletter. 

Sport and Active Recreation News

Summer Sports Assembly
The Wakatipu High School Summer Sports Assembly was held last Friday. It was a great opportunity to gather as students, coaches, parents and supporters to celebrate an incredible summer sporting season. 131 students were recognised for their achievements at regional, South Island and National events or competitions, or representative team selections. Thank you to the staff, parents and volunteers that coach, manage and organise sport for our students at Wakatipu High School. None of the achievements celebrated would have been possible without the support and time from these incredible people. Winter sport is now underway and we are excited for another busy and successful sporting season!

Adventure Racing
The Hillary Challenge was held in Christchurch on Sunday 4th May. The team of Siena Mackley, Charlie Manser, Lexi McLeod, Caitlyn Purdue, Elsbeth Purdue, Oli Watson, Seb Watson and James Weber put in the work during the 6 hour challenge - running, biking and working together to finish second overall. This qualifies the team for the National Finals in Tongariro in late September (the 25th anniversary of the event!). A huge thank you to Bruce McLeod and Jane McCurdy for supporting the team.

Central Otago Sports Awards

The 2025 Forsyth Barr Central Otago Sports Awards were held on Thursday 8th May at the Lake Wānaka Centre. It was an incredible night with a high calibre of sporting achievements across every category. Congratulations once again to all WHS students past and present who were finalists and celebrated on the night.

Gallaway Cook Allan Junior Sportsman of the Year 
James Weber – Athletics 
Lewis Laird – Mountain Biking 
Charlie Manser – Rowing 
Noa Milburn – Tennis 
Dan Milburn – Tennis 

Health 2000 Wānaka Junior Sportswoman of the Year 
Siena Mackley – Running 
Zara Hazledine – Equestrian 
Rosa Dawson – Gymnastics 

Jennian Homes Team of the Year 
Wakatipu U18 Coxed Quad Scull 
Wakatipu U17 Boys Double Scull 
Wakatipu Boys U18 Double Scull 

Central Otago's Sporting Moment of the Year
Wakatipu Boys U18 Double Scull - Seb Watson & Harry Lightfoot breaking a long-standing course record in the A final at Maadi.

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Wednesday Weekly Sports Post

Want to support our WHS winter sports teams? Check out our Wakatipu High School Sports Facebook page every Wednesday evening to see where our teams are playing for the week ahead. We would love to see you there cheering on our students!

WHS Sport Uniforms

The following sport uniform items can be purchased from the NZ Uniforms Shop at Remarkables Park.

• Rugby shorts
• Sports socks (football, rugby, hockey)
• WHS Sports Hoodie
• Netball skirt

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

Big Break

On Saturday May 24, we are holding an annual Big Break event in the WHS starting at 3pm. This is a performance opportunity for music students at all levels to engage with other musicians and have the stage gear set up ready to go. Bands and solo/duo acts entered in Rockquest will use this as an opportunity leading up to the regional final on June 14. Other groups and solo/duo acts are also encouraged to perform at this event and Mrs Price would be delighted to hear from anyone keen to join in. Please email her at aprice@wakatipu.school.nz. We will also have some younger bands from the primary schools performing as well. 

We welcome people to come and support the musicians and entry is free.

Wakatipu High School & StageAntics  Present: SIX – Teen Edition
The electrifying hit musical SIX is hitting the Wakatipu High School stage for two nights only – June 20 & 21! Featuring a fierce all-female cast bringing history’s most iconic queens to life, this is a show you won’t want to miss.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Seats are limited, and they’re selling fast – don’t stand in line – jump online to Humanitix.com to secure your spot!

With a bold soundtrack, sassy costumes, and sensational talent from Wakatipu’s own students, this Teen Edition of SIX is bursting with attitude, empowerment, and energy.

Book now – or risk missing out on the show everyone will be talking about!

YAMI

Last weekend myself, alongside a group of fellow Wakatipu High School students, attended YAMI (Youth and Adults in the Music Industry) in Wanaka. YAMI is a workshop where people, both young and old who are interested in performing, writing and working in the music industry could come together and learn from New Zealand music industry legends like Gin Wigmore, Bobby Brazuka, Tom Scott and many more. Myself, along with some other WHS students attending the workshop, challenged ourselves to create a song within the 48 hours we had at the workshop. With the help of music legend Laughton Kora and 2 other students from other schools, we completed our challenge by writing a song titled Boy You Know and performed at the conclusion of the workshop. One of my favourite parts of the weekend was getting to talk with people who work in the music industry who do not get as much recognition as musicians. Someone who really inspired me was Karyn Rachtman who is a music supervisor which means she helps select the songs in movies to make sure the movie has the best soundtrack possible. Some of the movies she worked on includes; Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Moulin Rouge, the Minecraft Movie and many more. It was such an incredible experience where we all learnt so much, grew as musicians and got great insight into the New Zealand music industry. 
Bethany Argyle

A huge Ngā mihi to all of those that attended YAMI SOUNZ Summit 2025 in Wānaka.   Maia Quintero Hood, from Year 9, was our youngest attendee and it was fantastic to see her taking full advantage of the myriad opportunities available from some of the New Zealand Music Industry's top experts on all things performing, recording, and music distribution. Here she is on stage at the Wānaka Events Centre for the Sunday evening performance showcase. Mīharo, Maia!                   

Leo McMenamin
Teacher of Music

NZ May Music Month
This month we celebrate NZ Music and we have featured a number of ex-students working in the music industry with their songs as the school bells.

This week we celebrated Jack Bromwich, Holly Arrowsmith, Mild Orange (Josh Mehrtens), Billie Carey, and NZ artist MItch James.

Next week we feature Sarah Foley, Lipstick (Harry Thomas, Dillon Bouchier, Ollie Bailey), Eliott Allemand, Killergrams (Tom Maxwell) and NZ band The Black Seeds

This is a great time to re-engage with Kiwi music and celebrate the range of material that is out there.

Rockquest
There are no regional heats for Rockquest this year so all bands need to work towards the regional final on June 14 in Wanaka.

Play It Strange
We recently had a visit from Evie Dwyer-Leech from Play It Strange who spent time with some of our senior Music students. 

Play it Strange is one of the main national songwriting organisations that runs three songwriting competitions throughout the year.  This was a great opportunity for students to engage with someone who works with Play it Strange but is also a performing musician herself.

The Play it Strange competitions for this term include:

• Peace Song (very loosely based on the theme of peace). Entries close May 30
• Lion Foundation (the main competition for the year). Entries close July 16
• Waiata Maori competition (some element of Maori language must be included. Other languages can also be included alongside the te reo Māori). Entries close July 31

After School Band Sessions

We have an outside tutor who is happy to run band practices if there are any groups wanting more time. This would particularly suit new groups or those at the Y9/10 level.
For any further information on the above please contact Alison Price at aprice@wakatipu.school.nz

Co-curricular Activities:

Wednesday Arts Time - This continues to run from 8am and we would encourage any students keen on songwriting, live sound and lighting events, morning makeup to come along and join in.  The practice rooms are also free at this time for any bands or solo/duos who want to practice.  It's a great opportunity for like minded arty students to be involved.

Guitar Group - Mr McMenamin is restarting the Guitar Group that runs on Mondays at Break 2. This is for anyone keen on playing guitar in a group situation.All comers welcome so just turn up.

Strings Group - Rakuto Kurano runs a string group on Thursdays at 8am. Here's a link to his website: https://rakutokurano.com/

Songwriting Group
This week we started our songwriting sessions for the term on Wednesday morning and these will continue to run throughout the term. We will have a mix of student-based workshopping sessions along with visits and workshops from musicians working in the industry. Next week we look forward to a great session with ex-student Josh Mehrtens from the band Mild Orange who will zoom in from England to talk about his songwriting process.

Extracurricular groups
These will be restarting in the next few weeks  - Social Art, Knitting & Crochet, Junior Jazz Band etc - all updates will be posted on the All Things Arts Classroom Group. If you would like to sign up the code is: sijw2gw

Or you can sign up for the Classroom Group here:  https://classroom.google.com/c/MTMyMjY2Mzg5NjMw?cjc=sijw2gw

Exciting visits in Arts
Being able to access a visiting artist is an incredible opportunity for our students to get first hand input from established artists. We hope to welcome more artists and professionals in the arts space in the future. If you would like to share your experience and knowledge please get in touch with Arts Coordinator Stine Cooper scooper@wakatipu.school.nz.

Upcoming for Term  2 - 

24 May - Big Break (Bands and solo/duo)
30 May - Entries close - Play It Strange - Peace Song Competition 
09 June - Toi/Showquest
14 June - Rockquest finals
20 June  - SIX
16 July - Entries close - Play It Strange - Lion Foundation National Songwriting Competition (Yrs 9-13)
31 July - Entries close - Play It Strange - Waiata Māori Competition

Te Atamira - is a multi-purpose arts and cultural space at Remarkables Park Town Centre - check out what is happening at Te Atamira here

Te Wahi Toi - Nau mai, haere mai, Te Wāhi Toi is the meeting place and online directory for Queenstown and Wānaka’s creative community.  Find them here

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 scooper@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 Mrs Cooper the Arts Coordinator at scooper@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

Year 13 Dunedin Tertiary Trip – A Memorable and Inspiring Experience

Last Sunday, 69 of our Year 13 students embarked on an exciting two-day trip to Dunedin to explore the university halls and colleges, supported by our dedicated Careers Team. Travelling in two coaches, the group made the most of a beautifully warm and sunny autumn day, which set the perfect tone for the visit.

During the trip, students toured nine different residential halls, each offering a unique glimpse into life as a university student in Dunedin. From the traditional, almost English charm of Knox College to the vibrant and character-rich atmosphere of Cumberland with its stained-glass windows and wooden doors, students experienced the diverse cultures and communities that make each hall special.

Hospitality was in abundance throughout the trip. Students enjoyed breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea at various halls – all plentiful, varied, and a great way to experience daily life in student accommodation.

Guided by friendly current students and residential staff, our students were able to ask questions and get a true feel for each environment. There was also a special moment when some of our students ran into former classmates now studying in Dunedin a great opportunity to reconnect and gain personal insights into university life.

The trip coincided with the Dunedin Tertiary Open Day, allowing students to attend lectures, visit expo stalls, and explore a wide range of courses on offer. These interactions provided valuable information, helpful tips, and a broader understanding of what studying in Dunedin could offer.

It was a successful and inspiring trip that gave our Year 13s a real sense of what lies ahead and helped many take important steps in planning their futures. We're proud of the way our students represented the school.

A big thanks goes out to Mr James Field-Mitchell for accompanying the group with the Careers Team.

We look forward to the next University visit in Christchurch for more Halls and college options, in a few weeks time. 

Stay tuned for our upcoming university visits to the North Island!
Details for the Wellington and Auckland tertiary trips will be available soon on our CareersWise website. 

Otago Tertiary Visit

WHS SZ App

All parents, caregivers, and students should download the SZapp to receive timely urgent and important alerts. SZapp also provides convenient access to our absence form, the weekly newsletter, school calendar, and a collection of handy links. Find download instructions for the WHS SZapp below.

 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.

The WHS Foundation Presents: The Annual Winter Gala Fundraising Dinner & Live Auction

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the newly re-designed The Grille by Eichardt’s, where sleek, modern elegance meets the charm of Queenstown’s lakefront. This stunning venue provides the perfect setting for our Annual Winter Gala Fundraising Dinner and Live Auction - a night dedicated to celebrating community, connection, and the successes of Wakatipu High School.

Come together with friends and fellow supporters to enjoy fine food, fantastic company, and exciting fundraising moments - including both a live auction and a silent auction.

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

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