WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.08 | 19 June 2025

Principal's Message

Welcome to the end of a short but extraordinarily vibrant week at WHS, filled with outstanding success from a wide range of students across a range of disciplines! 

This past Saturday, Siena Mackley won the senior girls’ title at the NZ secondary school cross-country championships in Whangarei with a time of 14min 34 seconds, and James Weber finished 5th in the senior boys race. Meanwhile, our musicians were competing at the regional Rockquest: George Newhouse won the Solo/Duo category, Mala Januszkiewicz was the runner-up, and the band ‘Little’s Road’ was awarded Best Song. Both solo artists will now move on to the next round as they pursue National Rockquest fame.

On Monday, our two Readers Cup teams came back from Invercargill with 1st and 2nd place, with our 1st place team also qualifying for Nationals. Congratulations to all the participants, see below for more details.

And today, our students really began to refine their skills in haka and waiata under the guidance of kapa haka tutors, as they prepare for our Matatū Assembly and the hotly contested manaia trophy, which is a big part of our House Competition. 

Also on Tuesday, we held our annual Open and Enrolment evening, where we welcomed more than 350 new entrant students and their parents through WHS. In my speech to the incoming parents, I explained WHS vision for a great all-round education and emphasised the importance of achieving great academic outcomes AND engaging with the extra and co-curricular opportunities that the school has on offer and also commented on the consistent success of students and the school in both aspects. 

Next Monday, our academic tracking and monitoring letters will be sent out to all senior (Year 11 - 13) students and parents. While WHS’ education is holistic in nature (more on that below), academic achievement is fundamental to any school, and we want to do everything we can to support students to achieve their best possible qualification. As per the letter, please have a conversation with your student around how they are tracking academically (and in general) and if you have any questions, please reach out to the Dean, in the first instance. Early next term (July 29), we are holding our Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings throughout the school-day. This is a really important opportunity for all students and parents to talk with their Kaiārahi about how they are tracking academically, developing holistically and to discuss options and subjects for 2026 and it is our expectation that all students and parents are in attendance for these individualised meetings. More info will be available in the coming weeks.

With only one more week to go until the end of the term,  be sure to note the key dates below for Term 3. 

We anticipate a bumper edition of next week’s newsletter with results from our Matatū assembly and more information regarding our Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings scheduled for July 29. Parents and students will also have their mid-year reports, including Kaiārahi comments, published on the Portal shortly after the end of term.

I do hope that everyone has a great long weekend and takes some time to celebrate Matariki with friends and family. A great newsletter follows, be sure to have a read.

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

Key Dates

Junior Prizegiving

Save the date - Monday 21 July

Students receiving an award (and their parents/caregivers) will be emailed in the first week of Term 3. 

• Year 9 - 10:15 am
• Year 10 - 12:25 pm

2026 Course Option Selection

The start of Term 3 will signal the beginning of our course selection process for Year 9 to Year 12 students. On the first Monday of term, students in Years 9 - 12 will begin the day with year level assemblies outlining the process. 

The key dates that you will need to consider are:

Monday 14 July - Year level assemblies focusing on course option selection
Tuesday 22 July - 3:20 pm to 5:00 pm Option selection afternoon. This is an opportunity for parents and students to ask questions of key staff in learning areas about courses for the future
Tuesday 29 July - Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings are an opportunity to discuss course options with students Kaiārahi.
Monday 04 August - Subject selection due for years 9 - 12 

The Senior Leadership team will also be available for appointments to assist with selection, there will be further information about this next term.

Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings

Tuesday, July 29 - 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

These meetings will run onsite and in person.  This is a pupil-free day and normal classes will not run this day. However, students are expected to attend their 15-minute meeting along with their parents or caregivers.  

These meetings are an important opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet with their respective kaiārahi to discuss the holistic and academic progress of their student. Topics of discussion will include:

- How the year has gone so far and what is ahead
- Any concerns/issues
- Course selection finalisation for 2026

Look out for the booking link and information which will be emailed along with the Progress and Achievement Summary (PAS) report to caregivers at the end of term.

Matatū: Expression of Interest for Whānau

A reminder that our annual Matatū (haka and waiata house competition) will take place on Friday 27th June from 1.30 pm. 

Matatū is an important part of our school culture as well as one of the most special days on the calendar so all students should be participating and in attendance at school that day. It is an important school day with several periods of class time in the morning so whānau shouldn’t be allowing their students to finish a day early or leave school early that day in advance of the holidays.

This year, we will be hosting it in Pouākai (our large gym space) with all students performing able to watch the whole event. Those students not performing will be in the Theatre watching the livestream.  We have limited capacity for whānau to attend. So, if you would like to attend please fill out the Google Form linked below by close of business on Monday 23rd June. Please note that this is on a first come first served basis, you will be emailed in the days prior to confirm that seats are available for you.

We will also have a livestream available for whānau to watch so keep an eye on our Wakatipu High School Facebook page and the Schoolzine app in particular to access the livestream in due course.

Kaua e whakamā, kia kaha! | Don't be shy, give it a try!

Kaupapa Māori

Whānau Hui - Thursday 26th June

Kia hiwa rā! 

Nau mau, haere mai - A warm welcome to our whānau Māori hui for Term 2. This will take place on Thursday 26th June at 7.00pm in Mātuitui here at Wakatipu High School. Mātua (parents) of our Māori students, students studying Te Reo Māori, and involved with kapa haka are more than welcome to attend. In particular we will focus on:

• Key updates
• Developing a shared vision for a proposed 'Whare' space here at WHS
• An opportunity for rangatahi and whānau to feedback on our strengths, challenges, opportunities, and areas for development.

It will be very casual in nature and will provide us with a good chance to connect, kōrero, and share kai. 

We look forward to seeing many of you there - tamariki and rangatahi are more than welcome to attend with their mātua. Please let me know if you plan to attend for catering purposes as we will supply light refreshments. Please enter through the main Reception on the day of the event. 

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa!

Ryan Gilbertson
Kaihāpai Māori

Celebrating Kapa Haka

Whakamihi, congratulations to Te Iti ō Tāhuna, our amazing kapa haka group for their beautful performance at the local Haka Tū Haka Ora event on Friday. Additionally, a select few members demonstrated resilience and excellence to perform at the Te Hautoka regional kapa haka competition today in Dunedin as a part of the Ngā Ara Wai combined Central Otago Secondary Schools kapa haka.

This event celebrates kapa haka, bringing together kura from Ōtākou and Murihiku. We're incredibly proud of this group, bringing together talented students from Mount Aspiring College, Cromwell College, Dunstan High School, and Roxburgh Area School. Their performance showcased the strength of working together and was a fantastic opportunity for students to connect with peers who share their passion for kapa haka.

Huge thanks to tutors Candace Carroll, Raihania Chadwick, and Karen Neill! The rōpū's mix of original and traditional pieces shared unique Central Otago stories. A special acknowledgment goes to Quinn Jolley, Alisha Messingham, and Emily Messingham for proudly representing Wakatipu High School. This wonderful kaupapa wouldn't have been possible without the invaluable support from parents and community groups, who generously assisted with kai, transport, and funding. We extend a special thank you to Uruuruwhenua Health for their significant contribution. It's fantastic to see our community come together in such a meaningful way.

 Kei te tino poho kererū mātou kia koutou, we're very proud of you rangatahi mā!

Inspiring Women in Business

Last Friday, Manuella Sanches Pedrosa and I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 Westpac Women in Business conference at the QT Hotel. Throughout the day, we got to talk to and hear stories from some of New Zealand's most inspirational women in business. Listening to the keynote speakers, who shared their business and personal journeys, the challenges they faced and overcame, the lessons they learned, and what drives their success, was super inspiring and motivating. We heard from a wide range of women, from CEOs to national managers, authors, and chairs, each with a unique perspective and strong passion for women in the workplace.

One of the most inspirational parts of the day for me was a panel discussion based on leadership and innovation in the workplace. They emphasised how important it was for women to have resilience and authenticity, while backing themselves in every decision made, even when it feels like everything is stacked against them.

Attending the conference gave us the opportunity to network and talk to a range of professionals from different parts of the business world. We got to ask heaps of questions and gain advice and insight on career development, not being scared to take risks, and balancing life and work. It was a super empowering day for women and motivated us to pursue our own goals in the workforce.

Just another thank you to Westpac and the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce for hosting and inviting us to such a powerful and important event. It was such a privilege to represent Wakatipu High School and be surrounded by such strong and successful wāhine.

Ava Weston
Deputy Head Girl

Success at Southland Readers' Cup

The Readers’ Cup is a reading competition designed for Year 9 students. Competing in teams of four, students work collaboratively to read and study six novels, then face off against other schools in a literary quiz based on the content of the books.

On Monday 16 June, two Year 9 teams represented Wakatipu High School at the Southland Regional Competition, held at the Ascot Park Hotel in Waihōpai Invercargill. The WHS Blue team — Stanley Boyens, Luiza Cardoso, Saskia Marriott, and Isabella Thomson — won the competition, with the WHS Gold team — Gwyn Baldwin, Charlotte Galavazi, Saige Galloway, and Elise McDonald — placing second.

This was an outstanding result and marks the second consecutive year that WHS has won the Southland title. We’re incredibly proud of both teams and their commitment to reading and preparing for the competition.

WHS Blue will now represent Southland at the Readers’ Cup National Final, which will take place at Dilworth School in Auckland on 16 September. The team will study a new set of novels in preparation, and we wish them all the very best for the challenge ahead!

Mr Logan Rae
Gifted Coordinator | Assistant Head of English

Sport and Active Recreation News

Ice Hockey: A Winning Weekend

Last weekend was a big ice hockey weekend at the Queenstown Ice Arena. The Wakatipu Wild, or locally based women’s ice hockey team played two games against the Canterbury Inferno. They won both games 1-0 and 7-5 on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively. It was great to see WHS year 13 students Jessie Strain, Lucy Boniface, Manuela Pedrosa and Aoife Orr playing great hockey. Jessie Strain was the team MVP on Friday night in a game where she battled for the puck every shift. 

Our U16 Junior Stampede representative team played a local round of games against the Southern Knights and Dunedin Thunder on Saturday morning. They won both games 7-2 and 2-1, respectively. The team was made up of WHS players. 

We have many other WHS students playing ice hockey through the Queenstown Ice Hockey Club at both local and national level. It is a very strong sport for our school. Make sure to come along and watch or try it out! 

Gigi Hollyer 
TIC Ice Hockey

Making Waves in Dunedin! 

Our Swimming Team dove into competition this weekend at the Otago Secondary Schools Champs in Dunedin — and achieved some great results! 

Gold Alert! Huge congratulations to Billie Druett, Finn Henderson, Mark Lauko, and James Taylor for storming to GOLD in the 4x50m Mixed Freestyle Relay and backing it up with a SILVER in the 4x50m Medley Relay. Incredible team effort!

And that was just the start...

Individual Highlights:

Billie Druett (15 & Over Female):
4th – 400m Free
4th – 200m Free
4th – 50m Free

Finn Henderson (15 & Over Male):
1st – 100m Back
2nd – 100m Fly
3rd – 200m Back

Henry Huse (14 & Under Male):
2nd – 100m IM, 50m Breast
3rd – 100m Breast, 50m Fly
4th – 50m Free

Zebe Jarvis   (15 & Over Male):
7th – 100m Breast
10th – 50m Breast

Mark Lauko (14 & Under Male):
1st – 200m Back
2nd – 100m Breast, 100m Fly, 200m IM
3rd – 400m Free
4th – 50m Fly

Liam Major (15 & Over Male):
3rd – 200m Breast
5th – 100m Breast
7th – 50m Breast

James Taylor (14 & Under Male):
2nd – 100m Free
6th – 50m Free

A massive shout-out to all swimmers who represented Wakatipu High with great sportsmanship and determination - we couldn’t be prouder!

NZ Secondary Schools Cross Country Champs

Results

4k Senior Girls - 1st Siena Mackley

6k Senior Boys - 5th James Weber

Wakatipu High School enjoyed its most successful XC Championships to date last weekend. 

Siena Mackley pulled off an absolute cracker run to win the Senior Girls 4km Race in her last year at High School. She controlled the race from the front and covered every move over the fast and undulating course in balmy conditions for the Southerners. After just missing the podium last year she was on a mission of retribution this year. Her consistent and persistent training year round delivered the results she so deserved, with a masterful display of patience and aerobic power.  And with less than a kilometer to go Siena found another gear the others didn't have, to accelerate away over the energy sapping ascend to the finish line.

James Weber earned his first Black Singlet by storming around the 6km course chasing the King of Cross Country Caleb Wagener from Auckland Grammar and World U16 Mile Record holder Sam Ruthe of Tauranga Boys College. Billed as the Secondary Schools race of the decade, the humble Queenstowner forgot about their reputation for a few minutes to experience Life in the Fast Lane. Hanging on for dear life James managed to stave off late challengers to clinch 5th place and a plane seat to the Australian Champs with his training buddy Siena.

Southland Sports Awards - Rowing

We’re over the moon for Harry Lightfoot and Seb Watson, who won Team of the Year at the Southland Sports Awards! These two broke a long standing New Zealand record in the Under 18 Double at Maadi Cup this year and have earned New Zealand representative honors for their dedication and hard work.

Karate

Congratulations to Nicole Carey on the incredible success at the Canterbury Karate Westland Champs! These were held on June 15th and Nicole demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication, earning a remarkable three first-place finishes:

1st - Kata Female Open
1st - Kata Female 16-17 years Premier
1st - Kumite 16-17 years Open

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 Bruce at bhunter@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/ 

Bruce Hunter
Director of Sport

Arts Department News

Wakatipu High School & StageAntics Present: SIX – Teen Edition 

We're excited for the first performance of SIX - Teen Edition Musical this weekend! If you haven’t purchased your ticket yet, there are still some left for the Saturday Matinee performance at 2 pm.

Performance times :
Friday, June 20 - 7 pm
Saturday, June 21- 2 pm 
Saturday, June 21 - 7 pm

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

Rockquest

Last Saturday night, the Regional Rockquest event was held in Wānaka, featuring nine acts from WHS. Well done to George Newhouse, who won the Solo/Duo category, and Mala Januszkiewicz, who was the Runner-up. Both students now prepare for the next phase of the competition, which consists of a 15-minute video recording of original music..

Congratulations to ten:37, who placed third in the Band Category – a great effort for a Year 11 band!

Congratulations also to Littles Road (Sasha Winter, Neve Cruikshank, Tallulah Penetito) who won the Best Song award – a very impressive feat given the almost 40 songs performed on the night.

Aro Music wrap-up

Last Thursday we had the privilege of Aro Music who worked with our Year 11 Music classes. They are an incredible duo who weave waiata  into a range of genres. For this workshop they worked with the students to create a waiata in that session and it was wonderful to see the student engagement. 

Billie Carey Visit to Music

On Tuesday, we were fortunate to have ex-student Billie Carey in school to talk to our Year 12 and 13 classes about life at University studying Music. She is currently in her second year of study at Victoria University, majoring in film composition, and it was great to see and hear examples of her work. Billie shared some valuable suggestions for any students interested in studying Music after high school and it was an excellent opportunity to engage with someone who is fully involved in the creative film music space.

Primary Schools Music Visit

Last Friday, a few of our musicians performed at Arrowtown Primary and Shotover Primary Schools. This was an opportunity to give younger students a taste of what's happening in the music department at WHS. The Jazz Combo and George Newhouse entertained with a mix of jazz and contemporary music, and it was well-received by the students at both schools. We will repeat this later in the year with visits to three other schools.

Play it Strange competitions for this term include:

Lion Foundation (the year's main competition). Entries close July 16.
Waiata Māori Competition (Some 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.

Co-curricular Activities:

Wednesday Arts Time continues to run from 8am, and we encourage any students keen on songwriting, live sound and lighting operations, or morning make-up to come along and join in. The practice rooms are also free at this time for any bands or solo/duo artists who want to practise. It's a great opportunity for like-minded, artistically inclined students to be involved.

Songwriting Group: We will have a mix of student-led workshops along with visits and workshops from musicians working in the industry during Term 2.

SOUND/LIGHTING: Continuing with Baxter/Hunter

MAKE-UP WITH AVA WESTON: Continuing this week at Arts Time.

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

Extracurricular groups

 All updates will be posted on the All Things Arts Classroom Group.  Sign up 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 to 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 in Terms  2 & 3 - 

June 20 & 21 – SIX
June 24 & 26 – Year 13 Music Nights
July 16 – Entries close: Play It Strange – Lion Foundation National Songwriting Competition (Years 9-13)
July 31 – Entries close: Play It Strange – Waiata Māori Competition
September 6 – Performing Arts Showcase at Te Atamira

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

On Thursday, 17 of our Technology and Design students attended the Creative Innovation Showcase—a dynamic one-day event celebrating creativity, design, and technology in the Queenstown Lakes region.

Held at The Workshop, in Glenda Drive, Queenstown, the event was presented by The Workshop, WildTech, and the Three Lakes Cultural Trust as part of the Creative Hui. Students had the opportunity to engage with real-life innovators and makers, exploring interactive displays, working prototypes, and hands-on demonstrations.

From cutting-edge tech solutions to imaginative outdoor products, students got a close-up look at how local businesses are shaping the future with creativity and design. The experience offered invaluable insight into how classroom concepts translate into real-world applications—sparking ideas, questions, and future ambitions.

A huge thank you to the Ryan from Pivot innovation for opening their doors to our students and inspiring the next generation of Kiwi innovators.

The Workshop -Pivot Innovation

Last week, our students participated in the "Girls with High Vis" event at Manapouri Dam. This initiative introduced our young women, to dynamic careers in technical, trade, and engineering fields.

Students engaged in hands-on activities, gaining a practical taste of these roles. A highlight was the direct conversations with Meridian professionals, sharing their journeys, job insights, and encouragement.

The event also featured a site tour of Manapouri Dam and information on Meridian's apprenticeship programmes. Students learned about various industry roles and pathways like Gateway, Cadetships, work experience, and apprenticeships.

This event offered a unique opportunity for our students to envision themselves in vital future roles, breaking stereotypes and opening doors to innovative possibilities.  Thanks to Meridian and Connexus for making this opportunity happen!

WHS Foundation

A Huge Thank You to Our Winter Gala Sponsors! 
The WHS Foundation Winter Gala & Auction was a sparkling success - and it wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our sponsors.

A heartfelt thank you to our Title Sponsor, Queenstown Golf Club, and to The Grille by Eichardt’s for hosting us in such a stunning setting with exceptional food and service.

We’re also so grateful to the many amazing local businesses who donated food, wine, and auction items - your generosity helped us raise $61,000 in support of Wakatipu High School students!

Your support means the world to us and makes a real difference in the lives of our young people.

Community Notices

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https://www.coronetpeak.co.nz/events/june/locals-d/

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