WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.04 | 23 May 2025

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of a dynamic and good week at WHS. 

Today marked the first day of the 2025 corequisite assessments in which most Year 10’s and a handful of seniors sat their writing assessment which forms part of the literacy requirements that are now a part of achieving an NCEA qualification. On Monday, the numeracy assessment will be held and on Wednesday, the reading assessment will be held. A huge congratulations to all the students who are working hard to achieve these necessary requirements, including being focused in class, attending tutorials and practising at home. A reminder to both students and parents that there are further opportunities to pass these assessments in September and also next year. 

Also, a reminder to all Year 9 and 10 parents that junior mid-year examinations will commence in the week of 9 June, and students should be receiving information from their teachers about the content that will be covered and what they can do and study for in preparation. 

Seniors will also have many internal assessments to work through this term, and the NCEA Level 1, 2 and 3 internal assessment calendars (links below) can be very helpful in supporting students with their organisation and can in turn, help reduce stress, improve wellbeing and support students to achieve to the best of their ability. 

Our great all-round education is certainly in full swing with a range of co-curricular activities having recently occurred or on the horizon. The Year 11 Commerce classes held their Market Day on Wednesday, the Year 12 Outdoor Ed classes have been on tramps up the Routeburn valley, our Year 13 Geographers recently went to Mt Cook, and many Year 13s have spent the last 48 hours in Canterbury at the University Open Day. Additionally, our vibrant house competition has been running at break times with students debating the merits of social media, free university education and AI. We look forward to next week’s finals, after which Matatū - our annual Haka/Waiata competition will commence. 

In the extracurricular space, Big Break is happening tomorrow, Saturday, May 24th. We invite you to join us for an afternoon showcasing the musical talent of our students, with a range of performances at 3:00 pm in the school theatre. Additionally, a group of artists and dancers are preparing for the annual Toi Wearable Arts and Showquest performance next Thursday evening (details below), and our actors and playwrights are working on the next school musical - Six (teen version), with tickets available now (click here). In sport, we have nearly 1000 students participating in a range of winter sports, and if you’re not already accessing the Sports Facebook page, be sure to click here to keep in touch with all the upcoming action and results from the week that’s been. 

Last Saturday, we held the Year 13 Formal at the Millennium Hotel. It was a wonderful event and the students were fabulous in every sense of the word. A massive thank you to everyone who supported this important event, including teachers, students, parents, businesses and the wider community. A huge thank you to the parents, caregivers and businesses who supported the after-Formal too. 

As we have been doing now for a number of years, on Monday a Drug Detection Dog came through the school to ensure we are doing what we can to keep the school free from drugs. While every situation is dealt with on a case-by-case basis, any students who are under the influence of drugs (or alcohol) and/or bring drugs or drug paraphernalia to school at any time put themselves (and possibly others) at risk of not being able to attend Wakatipu High School. We take these matters very seriously, including engaging with the Police if required, so please make sure that you have a conversation with your student to ensure they understand the potential implications of their actions.

As we start to move to winter, make sure you are aware of our winter uniform rules which are included below - the key change being that a black puffer jacket can be worn over the blazer when coming to school. Be sure to download the SZApp to ensure you’re getting up-to-date messages from the school regarding any adverse weather that may impact the normal operations of the school.

Also, a reminder that we will be having a Teacher Only Day next Friday, 30 May and hence there will not be a newsletter next week. See below for other key dates in the term. You will note that there is lots happening and students will certainly need to be organised and supported in these last five weeks of term to ensure they are appropriately balancing their school work with the range of other activities they are involved in. 

Another great newsletter follows, including information about our Parenting in the Basin evening (Tues 27 May), the Winter Gala Fundraiser on Thur 5 June (click here for more details), photos from the Formal, and much, much more, so be sure to have a read. 

Take care and have a great weekend. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

Key Dates

Corequisite Literacy and Numeracy Assessments

Corequisite assessments will be held as follows:

• May 26: Numeracy
• May 28: Reading
  

Year 10 students: 9:00 am start
Years 11, 12, and 13 students: 12:25 pm start

Please meet in the foyer 10 minutes prior to your assessment's start time, 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

Uniform Expectations in the Winter Months

As we move into the colder months of the year it is natural for our students to want to put on more layers and ensure they are warm and comfortable both at school and coming to and leaving school.  We are supportive of this and want to share with you our guidelines and expectations on what can be worn and when.

To and from school

We want our students to be warm and safe.  Black puffer jackets (sleeveless are OK) or raincoats are the expected item to be worn over their school uniform when coming to school or leaving at the end of the day.  Beanies, gloves and scarves are OK to be worn, but if these are non-uniform they need to be removed once students enter the building and can be worn again at the end of the school day when leaving.  Similarly, non-black puffer jackets should not be seen at school during the day.

At school

The school environment is regulated for temperature and is warm and dry.  Students are not to wear puffer jackets while in class, as jerseys and blazers are their first option for being warm.  

As is normal throughout the whole year, non-uniform items such as hoodies, beanies, scarves, and puffer jackets (that are not black) are not to be worn at any time in the school day and may be confiscated.

All other uniform requirements remain the same and can be found on the school website - click here. 

We welcome your support in balancing the need for our students to be warm and dry with wearing their school uniform correctly and with pride.

Ngā mihi nui

Craig Morrison
Deputy Principal

A Hollywood Premiere: Year 13 Formal

The Year 13 students were greeted at The Millennium Hotel by a giant golden Oscar and a star-covered red carpet that reflected the theme of the Wakatipu High School 2025 Formal - ‘A Hollywood Premiere’. The Galaxy Ballroom was adorned with golden Oscar statues, director's boards, and the odd bag of popcorn. The Formal dazzled with the glamour and excitement of 'A Hollywood Premiere', transforming the evening into a red-carpet affair to remember. Students arrived in style, dressed to impress in classic suits and elegant gowns, walking beneath sparkling lights that captured the magic of the moment. The venue echoed the golden age of cinema, with luxurious décor, dramatic spotlights, and a backdrop fit for the stars. From grand entrances to unforgettable dance floor moments, the night offered a true taste of Hollywood glitz, celebrating friendship, style, and the unforgettable memories of high school in pure cinematic fashion.

Seamlessly blending crowd favourites with fresh remixes, the DJ’s expert mixing and infectious energy set the perfect tone for the evening. From high-energy anthems to smooth slow jams, every track hit just the right note, creating a soundtrack that matched the glamour and excitement of the night. With flawless transitions and a keen sense for reading the room, DJ Tom ensured the vibes never dropped, delivering a performance worthy of a true Hollywood premiere.

As the evening drew to a close, the hugely anticipated award session drew gasps and sighs of excitement for the crowd. Significant award winners on the evening were:

Couple of the Premiere - Hugo Bogue and Neive McLeod
Distinguished Attired Staff Member - Mr Alistair Ford
Dance Floor Inspirator - Cooper Deaker 
Queen of the Formal - Scarlette Henderson
King of the Formal - George Newhouse

Thank you to all the Ball Committee, Mrs Box, Mrs Bell, The Millennium Hotel, the significant number of award providers and the parents, for making this evening incredibly special. 

What will 2026 bring?

Mr D Lowe
Teacher in charge of Formal

House Debating

House Debating 2025 is well underway -- now in its second week of the round-robin competition -- with passionate speeches, clever rebuttals, and impressive teamwork on display. Students from all year levels have been tackling a diverse range of moots, from banning fast food near schools to allowing teenagers to vote in national elections from age 16. So far, the competition has been tightly contested, with all five houses securing wins. The lunchtime debates in the Theatre have drawn keen audiences and showcased the depth of talent and critical thinking across the school. A big thank you to the Academic and Arts Councils for organising the competition, as well as the many staff members who have helped out with judging the debates - your time and effort are what make this event such a success. The grand final will take place next week, and with the leaderboard still wide open, the title is still anyone's to claim. 

Business Students' Market Days Success

Another successful year here in the Social Sciences Business Department, with both Year 11 and 12 Business students working hard, conducting market research, creating their products, and selling them at their respective Market Days. Year 11 Commerce focused on added-value products that served to fulfil a gap in their target market's lives with awesome items such as recyclable teacup candles, handmade figurines, and kilt charms, just to name a few. Year 12 Business Studies continued with their social enterprise ventures, working towards fundraising for local communities around Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Not only did students and staff enjoy delectable homemade treats, but charities received 50% of all profits. We look forward to what 2026 holds for our young entrepreneurs!  

Year 12 Outdoor Education Adventures

Across our Year 12 Outdoor Education classes this week, students undertook some incredible experiences. Mr. Regan's group tackled the challenging two-day, one-night trek to Earnslaw Burn, even adding an extra morning walk near its glacier. Meanwhile, Mr. Mac's class enjoyed another excellent journey up Scotts Creek, and Mr. Mosley's group trekked up the North Routeburn, rewarded with stunning vistas of Mount Somnus.

A fantastic effort by these student's which showed that good preparation and resilience can make for some awesome adventures.

Mt. Cook Fieldwork Camp for Geography Students

 Fieldwork occurs at all year levels in Geography. In Year 13 the students get to take much more control over the process by putting forward their own areas of focus and research questions to investigate. They also must design a program to identify, collect and analyse all of the data needed to answer these questions.

With this in mind, a group of 20 students headed to the stunning landscape of Aoraki - Mt. Cook to conduct this fieldwork. We were fortunate to be dealt a primarily good forecast for this time of year and enjoyed sunshine and clear roads for our journey up and down the Southern Alps. For two nights the students enjoyed the comforts of Unwin Lodge and the endless vistas visible from the decks and surroundings. The students were in charge of their own cooking and interesting and varied menus were produced and all seemed to eat heartily. Successful research was conducted on several topics including sustainability, vegetation management,  and water quality in and around the National Park and Mt. Cook Village. Bookending the research was the chance to stretch our legs and take in the scenery on several of the trails and scenic viewpoints of the lakes and the glacial environment. The highlight was getting on the water and seeing close up the glacier ice and processes in action on Tasman Lake. An informative planetarium presentation also provided context and additional knowledge to our experience. 

Thanks and appreciation are extended to Mr. Jack and Mrs. Sefo for their valuable assistance and driving expertise. I would also like to acknowledge Unwin Lodge for and the Hermitage for their hospitality and Ray Bellringer of DOC for his widespread insight and background information offered to our students.

Celebrating World Bee Day with Beeswax Wraps

On the 20th of May, Wakatipu High School joined the global celebration of World Bee Day with a fun, hands-on, and eco-friendly activity: making beeswax wraps. Hosted by the Environmental Council, this special event aimed to raise awareness about the vital role bees play in our ecosystems while promoting sustainable living practices among students.

With guidance from Nicky Gray from Enviroschools, WHS student leaders learned how to create reusable food wraps using natural beeswax and cotton fabric, an environmentally conscious alternative to plastic wrap. The activity not only honoured the importance of pollinators but also empowered students to take meaningful action toward protecting our stunning environment. 

Did you know? New Zealand is home to 28 species of native bees! Unlike honeybees, our native bees don’t create hives, but they are still essential pollinators, especially for native plants like mānuka and kānuka.

Overall, the day was a buzzing success, inspiring our future leaders to become active guardians of the planet! 

Lucy Boniface
Environmental Council Lead Prefect

Sport and Active Recreation News

Orienteering

The Southland Orienteering Champs were held on Sunday 18th May down in Fosbender Park, Oreti Beach. It was a great day of competition for 6 Wakatipu High School athletes. Congratulations to Victoria Underwood who won the Intermediate Girls Championship class, with Audrey Austin finishing 3rd. Stanley Boyens also competed in the Championship class, winning the Junior Boys event. In the Standard class (aimed at those newer to the sport) Olivia Carter placed 1st in the Intermediate Girls, with Aria Ashby and Zoe Thompson also competing as a pair. Thank you to everyone who supported our students down south and to the Southland Orienteering Club for an awesome event.

Artistic Swimming

The Wakatipu Artistic Swimming Club had a very successful weekend at the South Island Artistic Swimming Championships in Christchurch. The Aqua Combo team, comprising of 4 WHS students - Anja Dayman, Cate Scott, Emily Messingham, and Evie Tamariki - secured a gold medal in their event. In the Aquanaut Duet, Emily Messingham teamed up with Kuratea Huck from Liger Leadership Academy to also claim a gold medal. Emily Messingham further distinguished herself by winning a third gold in the Aquanaut Figures competition. Other WHS members also performed well in this event, with Anja Dayman placing 4th, Evie Tamariki 5th, and Cate Scott 6th. Thank you to the Wakatipu Artistic Swimming Club for all of their work and support of our students.

Cross Country

The Central Otago Cross Country Champs were held for the second year over in Cromwell on Thursday 15th May, with 4 WHS students competing. Congratulations to Rilee Young who won the U15 Girls event and Izzy Carr the U16 event, with Emily Messingham and Fletcher McLellan also racing. It’s great to see this event growing in popularity. Well done all!

Sports Hoodie

WHS offers a sport hoodie for all students to purchase. This is generic, as opposed to code-specific, which creates alignment of sports uniform items and allows students to use the hoodie for multiple sports, saving money for families. Hoodies can be personalised with a student's surname on the back. These can be purchased from the WHS NZ Uniform retail outlet at Remarkables Park (Hawthorne Drive). The hoodies are $95.00 and personalisation $10.00. We encourage students in tournament teams to purchase these to take away to events.

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 directorofsport@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 this Saturday

Big Break is back this Saturday - 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.  Doors open 2.30pm  for a 3.00pm start.

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 

We are very excited to invite our WHS community to our first ever TOI Wearable Runway Show & Showquest Performance at Wakatipu High School Theatre on Thursday, May 29, 6.30 - 7.30 pm.  This is a free event.

This show is a chance for our TOI Wearable Arts groups and Showquest team to do a run-through of their shows ahead of the competition in Invercargill on June 9, and a chance for families and friends to see the fruit of all the hard work that our students have put into this project.

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 First Reserve, Mala Januszkiewicz, Alex Fraser, 4BLU and Six60.

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

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.

Foyer Performances

This week we had local musician and ex-student David Bell in to entertain us in the foyer. It was great to have him back with us and to hear his considerable musical skills.

He was joined by our saxophone tutor Chris Mason-Battley for the last ten minutes which added another dimension and was much appreciated by those listening.

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

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.

Songwriting Group

Our songwriting sessions on Wednesday morning continue to run throughout the term. Next week ex student Molly Devine will be joining the group from Auckland where she is currently working in the Music Industry as a Songwriting Tutor. 

We will have a mix of student-based workshopping sessions along with visits and workshops from musicians working in the industry during Term 2.

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

Extracurricular groups
These groups are up and running for Term 2  - Guitar,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.

Careers Information

University Trips to Wellington & Auckland – Term 3
We’re excited to announce our upcoming university trips to Wellington and Auckland, scheduled for Term 3. These trips offer students a valuable opportunity to explore tertiary education options and campus life. You can register on this link 

Click here for Wellington https://wakatipu.careerwise.school/post/583

Click here for Auckland https://wakatipu.careerwise.school/post/123  

 Spaces are limited, so we encourage early registration.

Upcoming Event – Otago University and Otago Polytechnic  Information Evening
Mark your calendars! We invite students and their families to an informative evening focused on Otago University, and Otago Polytechnic including insights into academic programs and accommodation life.
Date: 18th June 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Matuitui, Wakatipu High School. 
All students and parents are welcome to attend. You can register for the event https://wakatipu.careerwise.school/post/1001

Branches Trust AGM

The Branches Trust are holding its AGM. The Trust fundraises to keep the Branches Camp affordable for all Wakatipu youth, supporting their development by ensuring the camp's continuity. Their long-term goal is to become self-sustaining in providing this financial support.

🗓️ June 17, 6:30 pm
📍Joes Garage - Five Mile

All are welcome to attend.

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

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

*Terms & Conditions Apply. Please visit www.entertainmentnz.com/promotions to view