WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.3 | 16 May 2025

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of Week 3.

Earlier this week we held three more of our termly Excellence/Ad Alta assemblies. In total, more than 430 senior students crossed the stage for an Excellence or Ad Alta award, to acknowledge their effort and achievements from term 1. As was noted at the assemblies, there is no limit to how many students can receive these awards, consistent effort is a choice and is largely what we are awarding, particularly with the Ad Alta award. It is great to see so many students living the Wakatipu Way in and out of class and next term, we look forward to bringing our junior students across the stage to acknowledge their work towards achieving the revamped Ākonga Passport award. See below for the full list of Excellence and Ad Alta award recipients from this week’s assemblies and also for more details on the Ākonga Passport. 

Term 2 is always a full and dynamic term. Seniors will have a number of internal assessments and next week marks the start of the first round of the corequisite examinations in Literacy and Numeracy. Almost all Year 10’s and nearly a quarter of Year 11’s will be sitting these exams, which are now a requirement to achieve an NCEA qualification. Our staff have run a series of evenings for parents and regular tutorials have been on offer to students throughout the year as they prepare for these examinations. Please make sure to have a look at the information in the newsletter regarding the corequisites and note the dates below, if you haven’t already done so.

• Friday 23 May - Writing
• Monday 26 May - Numeracy
• Wednesday 28 May - Reading 

This week also marked an opportunity to focus on our key value of inclusion and to celebrate the motto of ‘it’s cool to be kind’. Today was our annual ‘Pink Shirt Day’ to highlight the importance of having a safe and inclusive environment that is free from bullying. We have zero tolerance for bullying behaviour in or out of school and we strongly encourage students to be kind and to be an upstanding member of our school and community. Please see below for more information. The large majority of our students really embrace the school’s 5 key values and live the Wakatipu Way on a regular basis, and I’d like to take a moment to commend the vast majority of students who have not had a detention, have not been referred from class, wear their uniform correctly, give their best effort, and are genuinely great citizens.

Winter sport is starting to kick into high gear, with nearly half of WHS students involved in one or more sports this winter. If you’re not already doing so, be sure to follow the WHS Sports Facebook and WHS Arts Instagram pages to keep up with all the latest action including upcoming events and game times.

This Saturday night is WHS Year 13 Formal, which is a wonderful and important event for students, their whānau, the school and the community,  and we look forward to a great evening.

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to get your tickets to the annual WHSF Winter Gala at The Grille at Eichardt’s on 5th June. A huge thanks to the Queenstown Golf Club for their title sponsorship of this event and of course to The Grille at Eichardt’s. See below for more information as tickets are selling fast.

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. 

Have a great weekend and be sure to have a read through another stellar newsletter.

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

Corequisite Literacy and Numeracy Assessments

The corequisites will take place across Weeks 4 and 5 of Term 2:
Year 10 students - 9 am start 
Year 11, 12 and 13 students - 12:25 pm start

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

Please meet in the foyer 10 minutes before the start of the assessments unless directed otherwise.

NCEA Level 1,2, and 3 Internal Assessment Calendars and WHS Term Calendar

Internal Assessment Calendar
The internal assessment calendar provides the due dates for all internal assessments being sat by students throughout the year for each course in Years 11-13. We highly recommend that students note the dates of their internal assessments on their calendars and plan their term and year accordingly to ensure their academic goals are achieved. Kaiārahi and parents are encouraged to support this.

Students should use the ​assessment and school ​calendar to identify all their assessments - particularly noting pinch​ ​points when several fall due at the same time, and then put this beside their other commitments eg sport, work, family and plan accordingly. 

​These calendars are live and will be updated regularly.
Level 1 NCEA Internal Assessment Calendar
Level 2 NCEA Internal Assessment Calendar
Level 3 NCEA Internal Assessment Calendar

WHS School Calendar

The WHS School calendar is always jam-packed and is a feature of WHS' great all-round education. As such, we want students to be looking at the calendar and understanding when they are going to be away for any school related activity. The calendar linked below can be used with the NCEA Internal Assessment Calendar (above) to assist with planning for the term.

WHS School Calendar

2025 Class Act Announcement

This year we are delighted to announce Siena Mackley and Charlie Manser as our recipients of the prestigious ODT Class Act Awards for 2025. Throughout their time at WHS, both Siena and Charlie have consistently demonstrated outstanding commitment and excellence across a breadth of academic, sporting, artistic, and cultural pursuits. They truly embody our school's vision of a great all-around education. 

We will produce their full citations after the presentation of these awards later in the year. Congratulations to Siena and Charlie on this well-deserved recognition. 

Excellence and Ad Alta Assemblies

The past week marked the significant Ad Alta and Excellence Assemblies, a time dedicated to formally acknowledging the achievements of our senior ākonga across all Houses: Arthur, Duncan, Mackenzie, Fox, and Hay.

The Ad Alta awards honour our Year 11-13 students who consistently demonstrate the Wakatipu Way in their classes, achieving Excellence in at least two-thirds of their Learning Engagement (LE) reports. Bronze is the highest Ad Alta award presented at this time, with Silver and Gold attainable later in the year. The Excellence awards acknowledge students who have earned Excellence in more than 50% of their internally assessed credits.

It is fantastic to see the dedication and effort of so many of our senior students acknowledged across all the House assemblies. Whakamihi nui – congratulations – to all the deserving recipients.

Supporting Your Child’s Ākonga Passport Journey

Developing into great all-round students is a key focus for our school. This term, junior students should be actively working towards completing at least one goal in each aspect of the Ākonga Profile, as well as setting and achieving new goals to further progress in their Ākonga Passport. These goals are set and worked on during Ako, but can be achieved at any time. 

All our junior students are well underway in working towards their personal goals, aligned with our Ākonga Profile. As they achieve these goals, they earn points towards their Ākonga Passport—a recognition of their holistic, all-round development. Next term we will be celebrating the success of junior students who have achieved bronze level and upwards. Ākonga updates will be included in soon be released mid-term reports.

Year 9 students, in particular, should have already completed key digital literacy tasks, such as using email, along with well-being activities from our school-wide focus. Beyond these, students can gain points through various opportunities, including participating in House events, demonstrating our school values, achieving strong Learning Engagement Indicators, and taking part in extracurricular activities.

Each junior student should aim to complete their Ākonga Passport over two years, and should be working towards achieving at least one level up per year:

• Bronze: 30 points
• Silver: 60 points
• Gold: 100 points

For a detailed breakdown of the Ākonga Passport points, please visit the Wakatipu website to learn more about the Ākonga Profile and Passport.

As parents and caregivers, your support is vital. We encourage you to check in with your child regularly to discuss their progress and aspirations. Parents can help set goals with students, which can then be communicated to their Kaiārahi to be entered into the school system. Students should also be recording the specific goals they are working towards in the hard copy of their Ākonga Passport, which parents can check in with and use to support their child’s progress. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s journey to build their personal Ākonga profile through our Ākonga passport system, please reach out directly to your child's Kaiārahi, who can provide guidance and support in this space.

Student Leaders Message

Pink Shirt Day Activities

Kōrero Mai, Kōrero Atu, Mauri Tū, Mauri Ora – Speak Up, Stand Together, Stop Bullying!

It’s about creating a community where all people feel safe, valued and respected. 

This week, Wakatipu High School has been celebrating Pink Shirt Day. Pink Shirt Day symbolises being an upstander and standing up against bullying. To celebrate Pink Shirt Day, WHS students have had the opportunity to give friends a Pinkie with a compliment to spread support and kindness to each other. Students have also had the opportunity to give each other stickers with kind compliments and compliment slips to spread positivity throughout the school. Today we had a pink non-uniform day to further celebrate being an upstanding citizen. It was a great day full of students showing support and respect for one another, regardless of their differences. 

One of the best ways we can do that is by learning how to be an upstander, someone who steps in or supports others when they see bullying happening. You don’t always have to confront the bully. You can distract, speak up, ask a teacher for help, check in with the person afterwards, or you can also report the bullying anonymously through the report bullying form on the WHS website - click here.  

We’ll be putting posters up around the school with tips on how to safely intervene and make a difference. So even if you’re not sure what to say or do, we’ve got your back.

Let’s make WHS a kinder, safer place, not just today, but every day.
Be proud. Be pink. Be an upstander.

House Debating

Following the excitement of House Basketball, where the teachers just managed to take the win! House Debating has sparked fierce arguments and clever rebuttals from all five houses: Arthur, Fox, Mackenzie, Duncan, and Hay.

This year’s moots included “This house believes social media should be banned for people under 16” and “This house believes that fast food should be banned near schools.” These thought provoking topics have allowed students to engage passionately and think critically. From forming teams and researching to editing speeches and fully student-leading their debates, the effort shown was impressive.

Each house participated with energy and excitement, bringing unique perspectives that made House Debating a thrilling event. Whether affirming or negating, students delivered their speeches with pride, confidence, and clarity; demonstrating excellent teamwork and strong argumentation.

A huge congratulations to all who had the courage to speak in front of a large audience, and a big thank you to the teachers who volunteered as judges. Your support helped make House Debating a standout success.

Speaker Series with Victoria Boult

On Thursday, our Year 12 and 13 students had the opportunity to hear from Victoria Boult as part of the Leadership Speaker Series. Victoria, a respected TV Director and Executive Developer, shared her inspiring journey—from her beginnings at Wakatipu High School to her career in the media industry.

Through her engaging presentation, Victoria offered valuable insights on leadership, navigating tough challenges, and the importance of taking risks. She emphasised that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about being intuitive, staying curious, and having the courage to act when it matters most.

Even through a screen, Victoria’s energy and passion were contagious. Students were left motivated and challenged to reflect on their own leadership journeys.

A big thank you to Victoria for sharing her story with honesty and inspiration. We also acknowledge and commend the students who attended, listened thoughtfully, and showed genuine interest.

Our next session in the series will take place on May 29, featuring Mike Rewi, Founder and CEO of Mana Tahuna, Tuia Leadership recipient, and another proud ex-WHS student. Don’t miss it!

Navigating Harmful Digital Communications

Safeguarding Your Teen in the Digital World: Navigating Harmful Digital Communications

The online world offers our teenagers many wonderful ways to connect, learn, and share. To ensure these experiences are positive and safe, it's important to understand how to navigate online interactions responsibly, particularly regarding harmful digital communications. In recent weeks, all Year 9 Health and Physical Education classes have participated in a session on harmful digital communications what to do if they experience this as part of our wider focus on creating a supportive and inclusive environment.

Understanding Harmful Digital Communications:

Harmful digital communications include online behaviours that can cause distress or harm. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 addresses these issues. Sometimes, online interactions between teens can unintentionally cross the line defined by this Act. What might seem like harmless banter to some can have a negative impact on others.

Guiding Responsible Digital Citizenship:

As parents and caregivers, we play a vital role in equipping our young people with the skills to thrive online. Here are some ways you can support your teen:

1. Open Communication: Foster an environment where your teen feels comfortable discussing their online experiences with you. Encourage them to share any concerns or issues they encounter online without fear of judgement.
2. Educate About Online Safety: Teach your teen about the importance of privacy settings,  the importance of online safety when interacting with others, and the lasting nature of their digital footprint.
3. Set Clear Boundaries: Establish rules around screen time, social media usage, and the types of content that are appropriate for your teen to engage with online. Monitoring their online activity with respect for their privacy is key.
   
4. Promote Empathy and Respect: Emphasise the importance of treating others with kindness and respect, both online and offline. Encourage your teen to think critically about the content they share and how it might affect others. Many of the issues we deal with at the high school involve students communicating online using language they would never say in person.
5. Lead by Example: Be a positive role model for responsible digital behaviour. Practise good online habits yourself and demonstrate empathy and respect in your online interactions.

Seeking Help:

If your teen experiences harmful digital communications, prompt action is important. Encourage them to take screenshots, block the sender if possible, and report the incident.

Students and families can access the school's bullying reporting form, click here to report any incidents. If incidents are impacting how a student feels about coming to school and impacts learning, school can get involved (regardless of the time of day the incident occurred). 

Another option is to report via Netsafe. This is a non-profit NZ organisation which provides practical advice, support, and guidance to individuals experiencing harmful digital communications. Their website is a great source of information. 

WHS also has an online safety hub which can be accessed off our website. This has lots of information such as reviews on apps and games, information about online safety, and more information about reporting incidents. 

In conclusion, while the digital world offers countless opportunities for connection and growth, it also presents risks that cannot be ignored. By staying informed, fostering open communication, and teaching our teens to navigate the digital landscape responsibly, we can help them stay safe and thrive online.

What Do I Do If My Child Is Being Bullied?

 At Wakatipu High School, the wellbeing of our students is always our priority. As we acknowledge Pink Shirt Day, we want to ensure all parents and caregivers feel empowered with the knowledge of how to respond if their child is experiencing bullying.

The most common reason students don’t report bullying is fear of making it worse - being labelled as someone that tells. This is a legitimate risk, and means dealing with any instances of bullying needs to be done very carefully.

If you hear your child is being bullied please talk to the school. There are different ways to do this. You can contact your child’s Kaiarahi or Dean, or you can let us know by completing a bullying reporting form from our website (https://www.wakatipu.school.nz/reportbullying.html).

If you complete the bullying reporting form, a dean or senior leader will get in contact - usually within one school day. The first step is to arrange a meeting to talk about what the student is experiencing. The meeting can be just with the student, or with the student and family. Sometimes the student will bring a friend along for support. We can do this out of school hours if there is concern over being seen talking with staff.

Once we have a picture of what is happening, the dean or senior leader will talk through possible options. We will also talk through what to do if anything else occurs. There are many considerations depending on the circumstances. Often the student or family will take some time to think about what they want to do. Sometimes the student will want to take time to see if small changes have an impact, sometimes we head straight into talking with the alleged bully and looking at discipline.

Whatever next steps are agreed, there will be a component for checking in with the student. This can be with one of our guidance team, or another staff member, or sometimes it is via email with the family.

A few things that we need to be really clear about

• We can’t impose consequences for an alleged bully in any way without being specific about what they are accused of, and giving them a chance to put forward their side.
  
• If there is a safety concern, school will intervene even if the victim doesn’t want us to. Ideally we can agree on a path together and recent experience has been that the student and family are in agreement with the school.
  If bullying is occurring on the way to and from school, school can still intervene. It does not need to be within school hours or boundaries.
  
• If there are significant social media posts/messages (in breach of the harmful digital communications act), or there is lower level but continual negative social media interaction, even if it is outside of school time, school can intervene if it is having an impact on a student’s ability to learn at school.  We have stood students down from school for such posts.
  
• School will work with the police if appropriate. This includes putting the family in contact with the police. School action does not stop if the police are involved, both happen simultaneously. This is not common, but does occasionally happen.
  
• There are clear definitions of what bullying is or is not. Sometimes what we are dealing with is not technically bullying, but the student still needs support and some of the behaviours are still not OK.
  
  Good places for more information:
  
• Bully Free NZ (https://www.bullyingfree.nz/)
  
• Netsafe - for online events (https://netsafe.org.nz/
  

We can’t act if we don’t know. It is heartbreaking to hear a student is feeling intimidated or unsafe weeks or months after it began. There are always steps we can take to improve the situation. As much as staff try to look out for any bullying it can be hidden.

From surveying students over the last two years we believe Wakatipu High School doesn’t have a particularly high rate of bullying compared to national data. Any bullying is not acceptable and we are working to get our school bully free.

Please also see the article on harmful digital communications.

Register for ICAS 2025!

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 Monday, 28 July. Please contact Mr Rae (lrae@wakatipu.school.nz) with any questions. 

Environmental Council's Beeswax Wrap Initiative

On Tuesday, the Environmental Council, led by Lucy Boniface and Violet Smillie, held a beeswax wrap making session in preparation for a larger workshop next week involving the student leadership team. The session was supported by Nikki Gray from Enviroschools NZ.

Beeswax wraps are an environmentally friendly alternative to single-use plastic wraps such as glad wrap. Made from natural materials such as cotton coated with beeswax, they are reusable, biodegradable, and help reduce plastic waste which is a major contributor to pollution.

The purpose of this activity is to raise awareness among students about sustainable living practices and to encourage practical steps toward reducing waste. By engaging in this hands-on activity, students learn how simple changes can positively impact the environment.

The Environmental Council looks forward to welcoming the student leadership team next week to continue this important work toward a more sustainable future.

Check out the photos below of the lunchtime session with the council!!

Ngā Reo Languages Learning Area

It’s been an exciting time for language learning at Wakatipu High School!
Students have embraced a wide range of opportunities with great enthusiasm—both in and out of the classroom—at the end of last term and the beginning of this one. Here’s a snapshot of what our Languages students have been up to!

Live meeting with students in Tahiti!

This week, our fantastique Year 11 and 12 French students had the exciting opportunity to connect with students in Tahiti—both online and during class time.
They exchanged questions in both French and English, creating a lively atmosphere filled with laughter, curiosity, and the occasional hilarious “lost in translation” moment. It was a wonderful way to build connections and cultural understanding, all from our classrooms in Queenstown.

We’re now eagerly looking forward to welcoming the Tahitian group in person in just a few weeks!

— Mr Guillaume Charton | Teacher of French, HOLA Languages

English as a Second Language

Our English as a Second Language (ESOL) students have had a fantastic time connecting with other Wakatipu students who’ve joined them to support their conversational skills, play board games, and help with worksheets.
Learning alongside peers has proven to be a powerful way to build friendships and deepen engagement. A special highlight was a visit from Te Reo Māori student Paige Meikle, who taught the group how to use rākau sticks using simple Māori vocabulary—a fun and energetic way to blend language learning with agility!

—  Mrs Charmaine Denney | Teacher of ESOL & French

Japanese Speech Competition

Wakatipu High School has been invited to take part in the Southland Speech Competition for Japanese language students, happening on Tuesday, 24 June (Term 2, Week 9). 
Open to students from Years 9 to 13, the event features a variety of categories—from engaging role plays to prepared speeches.
The competition will run from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Southland Girls’ High School. However, the organisers are happy to adjust the schedule slightly to accommodate our travel time.
Ms Juliette Cooke will share more details with her classes soon, including how to get involved in this exciting opportunity!

— Ms Juliette Cooke | Teacher of Japanese,  Assistant HOLA Languages

Inviting the Francophone Community in the Classroom

Senior and junior French students have been fortunate to welcome French-speaking guests into their classrooms—an inspiring way to practise the language while hearing fascinating real-life stories.

Théo, a biomimicry engineer working with the Lightfoot Initiative, spoke to the Year 11 and 12 French classes. He shared his global journey designing wind turbines and other sustainable technologies inspired by systems found in nature—all delivered in French.

Meanwhile, Estelle, a French nurse, visited the Year 10 students to share her experience living and working in New Zealand, offering both language practice and cultural insight.

These visits were not only linguistically enriching, but also a great source of inspiration for students exploring how French can be a gateway to exciting careers and global experiences.

— Mr Guillaume Charton | Teacher of French, HOLA Languages

At the end of Term 1, Year 10 French students enjoyed a deliciously fun French cooking lesson—en français, of course!

They learned how to make traditional crêpes, practising their language skills while flipping and tasting their culinary creations. A huge thank you to the Food Technology Department for the use of their fantastic kitchen space!

To top it off, students also took a short trip to the local French bakery—an excellent (and tasty) excuse to put their French to use in a real-world setting. Bon appétit!

—  Mrs Charmaine Denney | Teacher of ESOL & French

Sport and Active Recreation News

Alpine Skiing

Congratulations to April Bentley who has just been selected in the New Zealand Junior FIS Squad for Alpine Skiing. This means that April will be part of a select group of Junior FIS athletes representing New Zealand domestically and overseas. Finn McCaw is also a member of the NZ Junior Squad, having been selected in October last year following his successful NZ winter season. Well done to both athletes!

Southland Cross Country Champs

The Southland Cross Country Champs were held in Ivon Wilson Park, Te Anau on Wednesday in fresh but calm conditions. Congratulations to Siena Mackley who won the Over 16 Girls 4000m and James Weber who took out the Over 16 Boys 5000m. Flynn Weber also achieved a top 5 placing in the U16 Boys 4000m. Thank you to Fiordland College for running a great event once again!

WHS Rowers to Represent NZ

Harry Lightfoot and Seb Watson have been selected for the U19 NZ rowing squad after an incredibly successful rowing season over summer, including winning the U18 quad and U18 double at South Island Secondary school champs and at Maadi cup.  

Harry has been selected as a member of the U19 team to travel to the Junior World Championships in Trakai, Lithuania in August and will be racing in the U19 double event.

Seb is part of the U19 development team and is headed for Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA where he will race in multiple boats in July in the Continental Challenge Cup. 

These trips are fully self funded so the boys are looking for your help with funding by way of donations and fundraising events.  If you would like to support these young athletes on this exciting journey please get in touch, support their fundraising events or you can make a donation to their "give-a-little" page  https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/please-support-harry-and-seb Thank you, your support is greatly appreciated!

Rugby

Congratulations to our first 1st XV Rugby capped player for 2025, Aily Joll. Aily was awarded her cap at the Girls first home game of the season on Wednesday 7th, where the team came away with a 51-5 win over Cromwell College. Well done!

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

Save the Date: Big Break – Student Concerts 

Big Break is back on May 24. Please join us for an afternoon showcasing the incredible talent of our students. From powerful vocals to original performances, this is a chance for our students to perform and we’d love for friends, family, and the community to come and enjoy the show

Big Break May 24th 3pm start. Free entry. WHS Theatre 

Wakatipu High School & StageAntics Present: SIX – Teen Edition 

SIX: Teen Edition 

Get ready to remix history with SIX: Teen Edition – the electrifying musical that reimagines the lives of Henry VIII’s six wives as modern pop icons. You don't want to miss the performance of these Queens!

Friday 20 & Saturday 21 June 2025

Tickets still available on Humanitix:   https://events.humanitix.com/six-the-musical-teen-edition 

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  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 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 Māori competition (some element of Māori language must be included. Other languages can also be included alongside te reo Māori). Entries close July 31

Please see Mrs Price for more information.

Guitar Group

Mr McMenamin has restarted 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 in the Music Department.

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

Songwriting Group

Our songwriting sessions on Wednesday morning 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. 

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.

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

Songwriting Group
We will have a mix of student-based workshopping sessions along with visits and workshops from musicians working in the industry. This week we had a great session with ex-student Josh Mehrtens from the band Mild Orange zoomed 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)
29 May - Toi Runway Show
30 May - Entries close - Play It Strange - Peace Song Competition 
09 June - Toi/Showquest
14 June - Rockquest finals
20 & 21 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
14 Sept - Performing Arts Showcase

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.

The WHS Foundation and Queenstown Golf Club Present: The Winter Gala

We’re thrilled to welcome Queenstown Golf Club as the Title Sponsor for this year’s Wakatipu High School Foundation Winter Gala Dinner and Fundraising Night!

A long-standing cornerstone of our community, Queenstown Golf Club is passionate about investing in the future of the Wakatipu. As a place where families connect, play, and grow, the club champions golf as a lifelong activity accessible to all.
“We believe in supporting youth development and community wellbeing. Sport helps shape confident, disciplined young people – and we’re proud to support an event that directly impacts their future.”

With a history dating back to 1914 and a strong focus on junior and community golf initiatives like Futures Wakatipu and tUp Community Golf, Queenstown Golf Club is helping shape a brighter future for our rangatahi.

Thank you, Queenstown Golf Club, for stepping up in support of our school and our community. Together, we’re driving positive change - on and off the course!

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

Support group on Wednesday, 21st May at the Frankton Library from 12.00 pm.

Parent to Parent hosts Parent Support Groups in Queenstown four times a year, to support carers and parents just like you. These groups are a safe space for family and whānau to share their experiences, their challenges, their triumphs, and to learn from each other in an open and 100% judgement-free environment. No topic is too ‘weird’, no question too ‘out there’. We get it, and we are here to help. So if you’d like to share a struggle, celebrate a success, raise a concern, or simply chat with other parents and carers in your area, you are always welcome at our Parent Support Group. Children are welcome too! Drop in for as long or as short a time as you No need to RSVP, feel free to just show up on the day! Contact MaryAnn Hughes for more information
southland@parent2parent.org.nz | 027 808 395

Unforgettable moments incoming! Grab an Entertainment Membership, get up to 50% off, and turn everyday plans into something special, while saving up to 50%.

 PLUS – score a FREE Gift Card (up to $40 value!) when you join this May!
20% of every Membership goes directly to support our fundraiser – win-win

👉Support us today: https://subscribe.entertainmentnz.com/fundraiser/260506v

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