WHS Newsletter | Issue 3.01 | 18 July 2025

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome back to Term 3,

As well as welcoming back all of our returning students and families, this week, we have welcomed 15 International Students from all over the world and 20 new Domestic students. A very warm welcome to all the new students and their families, we hope that your transition to WHS, the basin and New Zealand in some cases, has been smooth and that students are feeling settled and happy. 

Term 3 is always a busy time for students, with a combination of teaching, learning and assessment as well as extracurricular activities. Juniors need to be focused on starting their new courses well and seniors in particular need to be organised and disciplined, with school exams starting on the 7th of August and running through to Tuesday 12th.

The school exam timetable and other resources to support students with their exam preparation will be sent out next week. It should be noted, that while school exams are being held for Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13 classes, Year 11’s will not have study leave and are expected to be in their normal classes when they are not doing their school exam. The exception is Monday 11th August, where exams are running but there are no classes running - for juniors or seniors.  

Our 2026 course option selection process has commenced, which sees students choose their subjects for next year. This is a very important process for the school (in terms of staffing and the timetable) but also for each and every student. Please see below for more info on this - including Option Afternoon next Tuesday 22 July, from 3:20 pm, which we invite all parents to attend. There is also a parent information session in the theatre commencing at 3:00 pm, which outlines the process and the timeline for the 2026 option selection.

Next Monday 21 July, we have our Junior Mid-Year Prizegivings, with Year 9 Prizegiving at 10:15 am and Year 10 Prizegiving at 12:25 pm. Prizewinners and their families have been emailed directly, and please note, that this is separate from the Principal’s Recognition awards, which will be presented at another time. Our Senior Excellence/Ad Alta Assemblies will be held on Monday 28 July, with more details being sent to parents/caregivers and students next week. A reminder that all Prizewinners must be wearing their correct uniform to cross the stage, which includes Blazer and Tie. 

At the end of last term, our mid-year reports were made available on the Portal. These provide comprehensive feedback and feed-forward for students, as well as a Kaiārahi summary comment, and we strongly recommend that parents/caregivers review these reports with their students to assist with making a plan for this term. To assist with that, our Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings (formerly Next Steps meetings) are being held for all students and their parents/caregivers on Tuesday 29 July. Detailed information has been emailed to all students and parents/caregivers and we really want all students to attend these important meetings. 

The Board of Trustees (BOT) plays a very important governance role in shaping the direction and strategy of our school, to positively impact your child’s education and wellbeing. We have been very fortunate to have such a knowledgeable, strategic and effective Board over the past 2.5 years. With the triennial Board elections about to commence we encourage you to consider whether this is a position you would be interested in and nominate yourself or another parent who you think would be an effective Board Member for the school. Please see below for further information but note that nominations are now open and close at noon on Wednesday, 6 August.

We were saddened by the passing of Uncle Jack over the school holidays. Uncle Jack McPherson was 99 years old and throughout his life he had a real passion for the outdoors, and was a strong believer in the impact that outdoor education could have on the lives of young people. Over the past 5 years, he has donated significant funds to the WHS Foundation to support outdoor education and our junior camps ensuring barrier-free access for students to these amazing opportunities. We truly appreciate his generosity and care for our students and our community and our thoughts are with his family at this time. 

A full newsletter follows, including key upcoming dates, an important message from our SASH group,  information regarding scholarships, the start of our House Basketball Competition, as well as a fantastic sport and arts section with a wrap-up of all the action from the holidays— be sure to check it out. 

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

WHS Board Election

Every three years all public schools in Aotearoa New Zealand hold elections for their School Boards, a board is responsible for the governance of the school.

The board:

• sets the strategic direction and targets for the school or kura
• develops policies and procedures
• consults with the community to make decisions
• oversees curriculum, finance, property, and health and safety
• employs staff at the school.

The board must comply with the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act) and all other legislative requirements.

The Act sets out 4 key objectives for boards. These cover:

• educational achievement
• student safety
• being inclusive of, and catering for, students with differing needs
• giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The principal oversees the day-to-day management of the school and follows the direction of the board to make sure the school’s goals are met.

Objectives of boards in governing schools: Education and Training Act 2020 – New Zealand Legislation

Our board is made up of 6 parent representatives, the Principal, a staff representative who is elected by the staff, a student representative who is elected by the students and a whanāu representative, often co-opted, who represents the interests of the Māori community within the school.

This year Wakatipu High School has appointed Schooled Election Pilot as the Returning Officer for our election, and for the election to be provided online. (Schooled Election Pilot have been assisting schools with elections for over 20 years and have been the only election provider accredited by the Ministry of Education to provide online election services since online elections started in 2022). 

Important things like the nomination and voting forms will be sent to you by email. If we don’t have an email address for you, Schooled Election Pilot will send these out to you by post so you don’t miss out.

There are a lot of rules around School Board elections that need to be followed and the main ones are the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (Board Elections) Regulations 2022. Your name and contact details have been provided to Schooled Election Pilot to enable them to deliver elections services for our school as required by legislation. They will use your contact details for the provision of election services for Wakatipu High School only and your details will be deleted 60 days after the election date, as required by legislation.

Below is the timeline for the 2025 WHS Board elections:

If you have any questions about the election process, then the best people to talk to are the team at Schooled Election Pilot. You can contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or election@electionpilot.nz. Alternatively, feel free to email the Principal’s PA, Lauren Bocatios at lbocatios@wakatipu.school.nz.

We will continue to keep you updated through the various stages of the election process through the school newsletter.

Junior Mid-Year Prizegiving

On Monday 21 July we will be holding our Junior Prizegiving Assembly to celebrate the success of students from Semester 1. Prizewinners and their parents have been informed by email. Please see the outline for the day below. These are formal assemblies and so all students must be in full school uniform including blazer and tie. 

Option Selection Afternoon Tuesday 22 July

The process for selecting course options for 2026 began this week, with students attending assemblies to gain a comprehensive overview of the process.

To further support this important process, we invite all students and parents to our annual Options Afternoon on Tuesday, July 22, from 3:20 PM to 5:00 PM. This event is designed to support students in making well informed choices that align with their individual pathways and passions, while also leaving as many doors open as possible for their future. Parents and students will have the opportunity to engage directly with key teaching staff and explore the wide range of courses available.

Parents are also invited to an optional 20 minute presentation in the theatre at 3:00 PM, which will detail the principles and process for option selection.

Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings Tuesday 29 July

Tuesday, 29 July - 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

These meetings will run onsite and in person.  This is a pupil-free day and there will be no classes on this day. However, students are expected to attend their 15-minute meeting along with their parents/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
• What lies ahead and what can be done
• Any concerns/issues
• Finalisation of 2026 Course Option Selection

Use this link to book your interview times: https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/uu6bt

If you need to get time off work to attend, the letter below can be provided to your employer.

Employer release letter

Craig Morrison
Deputy Principal - Curriculum

SASH Week - A Message from SASH 2025

This past week we celebrated SASH week (Students Against Sexual Harm) and it was an awesome week of awareness and support. Our on-going goal is to build a better school community where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered. We've tried to do this through advocacy and education. We hope that spreading our awareness has furthered our goal! 
Sexual harm is a serious issue that’s sometimes minimised or dismissed. At SASH, we believe everyone has the right to feel safe, and that we all have a role to play. Whether it was calling out inappropriate comments, supporting a friend, or learning more about consent, there is always a chance to make a difference.

If you’ve experienced sexual harm, please remember you are not alone. Whether in or out of school there are always places you can go to seek help. In Wakatipu High School we're lucky enough to have the Guidance team if you're interested in a confidential conversation and a safe space.  

Email: guidance@wakatipu.school.nz. 

If you witness any sexual harm, don’t stay silent. Be an upstander, your words can help somebody so much more than you think.

SASH Week (14–18 July):

We had something happening every day throughout the week, and it was incredible to see so many of you getting involved.

 SASH Booth (Mon–Fri, Break 2)
Each day, the SASH Booth was set up in the foyer during Break 2, offering resources, conversations, and free SASH pins. It was awesome to see so many students stopping by to learn more and show their support.

 Tuesday 15 July
Cupcake Day brought colour and connection to the booth, with vanilla cupcakes topped with yellow and purple icing, and some great conversations, too.

 Wednesday 16 July
We hosted our Photo Booth Day, where students took photos and shared why they stand with SASH — a powerful reminder of our collective commitment. Also, thanks to those who attended the Girls’ Self-Defence Session in gym 1 after school (these will now be on-going sessions each week).

 Thursday 17 July
A huge thank you to everyone who attended the Consent Workshop with the Guidance Team at break 2.

 Friday 18 July
We wrapped up with the SASH Pledge Wall — filled with handwritten commitments from students choosing to take a stand and support a culture of respect and safety.

Whether you wore a pin, signed the pledge wall, shared a photo, or simply took time to reflect, everybody can make a difference.

Thank you for all your support
– The SASH Team 

Representing Southland at Youth Parliament 2025

As Joseph Mooney’s Youth MP, I had the incredible opportunity to represent the Southland electorate at Youth Parliament 2025. This involved travelling to Wellington and spending three days in Parliament and following the same similar schedule to actual Ministers, which gave me a whole new respect for how intense and tiring the job really is. During the event, I sat in the debating chamber and spoke on a range of important issues affecting young people, not just in Southland but across the country. I was part of a parliamentary working group focused on gambling harm and reduction, where we researched, developed proposals, and presented our findings directly to officials from the Ministry of Health.

Outside of the Youth Parliament week, the last few months I’ve been engaging in conversations with the Ministry of Education and Otago Regional Council around improving access to public and school bus services and even had the opportunity to sit in on a meeting discussing the redevelopment of the BP roundabout and the new bus hub, gaining insight into how local infrastructure decisions are made and how they affect the community. One of the most rewarding parts of this whole journey was meeting other inspiring Youth MPs from around the country, we built strong friendships and shared a commitment to making real change. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a voice for young people and to contribute to something on a national level!

Ankita Pilo
Year 12 Student and Youth MP for Southland

Maths University Results for Semester One

The Mathematics and Statistics Learning Area has been accelerating students for many years, and eight students completed Stage 1 University Maths (Math102) through the University of Canterbury.
The grades for Semester One have just been released.

The students are: 
Oscar McCartney (A+ with 98%)
Oscar Childs (A+ with 96%)
Tayah Vivian (A+ with 94%)
Ellana Badenhop (A with 85%)
Oliver Anderson (A- with 83%)
Alisha Messingham (B+ with 79%)
Grace Kunath (B+ with 76%)
Kieran Leftley (B- with 69%)

Congratulations to all the students for these results.

Dax Richards
Mathematics Teacher

A Day of Adrenaline and Connection for Regional Alternative Education Students

At the end of Term 3, Wakatipu High School organised a big day out for all Alternative Education Students across the region. There were 12 students in total who came to experience some of what Queenstown has to offer, from as far away as Maniototo as well as from Alexandra, Cromwell and Wanaka. We were very lucky to be supported by Shotover Jet, who let us have an adrenaline-filled and very cold jet boat ride! The students and staff really enjoyed this as many had not had the opportunity to come to Queenstown before or to have a jet boat ride. We followed this up with food, bowling and some time on the arcades at Kingpin.  It was a great opportunity for the students to meet and connect with other students in the area.

Get Ready for Corequisites: Literacy Support Every Wednesday

Corequisite Literacy Support sessions are available every Wednesday from 3.15 pm to 4.30 pm in Matuītuī. These sessions will help you prepare for the next round of corequisites in September.

Open to all year levels.

Sign up now using this Google Form Link 

Katie Tomkins
Literacy Leader

Embark on an Unforgettable Adventure: World Challenge Nepal January 2027

Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? World Challenge is thrilled to again offer an incredible 3-week expedition to Nepal in January 2027, open to current Year 10, 11, and 12 students. This is a unique opportunity to explore a new culture, challenge yourself, and create memories that will last long after graduation!

Imagine immersing yourselves in the vibrant chaos of Thamel in Kathmandu before embarking on an exhilarating 8-day trek through the breathtaking Langtang Valley. You'll stay in authentic tea houses, surrounded by stunning Himalayan vistas, and conquer the summit of Kyanjin Ri at 4773m!

Beyond the trek, you'll engage in a meaningful community initiative in a rural Himalayan village, truly experiencing local culture and language firsthand. The adventure continues as you explore the picturesque city of Pokhara, with the possibility of an adrenaline-pumping white-water rafting experience down the Trisuli River.

This isn't just a trip; it's a student-led journey that fosters independence, resilience, and teamwork. As one past participant shared from the 2024/25 trip, "I liked the student led aspect of it. In our free time we got to explore by ourselves learning about how to travel." Parents praised the "High level risk management and planning" and the "combination of personal challenge, immersion in another culture and fun." Another parent described it as an "Amazing opportunity to embrace and experience such a different culture and to push themselves."

Spaces are limited for this incredible expedition. We invite you all along to a 45 - minute presentation by Troy from World Challenge. This will be held on the 31st July @ 6.00pm at Wakatipu High School to go through the itinerary and answer all your questions. Please register on the link above if you are interested in attending the information session or just show up on the evening.

In the meantime, for any questions, please contact Miss Noni Gabb at ngabb@wakatipu.school.nz (Teacher in Charge of trip at WHS) or Troy Greenem – tgreenem@worldchallenge.com.au (World Challenge Contact). You can also chat with students around campus who were part of last year's Nepal trip to hear about their amazing experiences!

Extracurricular - Photos and Arts Expo

A reminder that Extracurricular Photos are taking place on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th August. All students involved in any sports, arts, or other extracurricular groups will need to check their weekly Sunday student email for all the details regarding specific timings and what to bring.

Mini Art Expo

On Wednesday, July 23rd the Arts Dept will be running a mini-expo to showcase the different activities that are happening this term. It is a great opportunity for new semester students in the Arts subjects to come and see what's on offer and sign up for the various groups. This will be happening in the Performing Arts area upstairs and we look forward to seeing you there.

House Basketball

The highly anticipated House basketball competition officially tipped off this week, with the junior boys setting the courts ablaze! What a finish it was in the junior boys final yesterday, as Mackenzie House took the win against Duncan House! This win truly highlights Mackenzie's increasing momentum and effort in the House competition, especially following their strong performance at Matatū.

The basketball fever continues! Next week, prepare for some fierce competition as the girls take to the court, followed by the senior boys' battles the week after. Then there is the legendary staff vs. students grudge match – bragging rights are on the line!

With the overall House points incredibly close, the tension is building. Will Duncan House maintain its position on top, or could a strong performance from Mackenzie next week flip the leaderboard?

2025 Scholarship Scoop

Sport and Recreation News

Tennis

Justin-Li Moroney recently travelled across the Tasman to compete in three challenging tennis tournaments and returned with an impressive two tournament titles under his belt.

1. 2025 J250 CBC Green Rod Laver Lead-In Junior Championship - Singles Winner
2. 2025 J500 CBC Green Rod Laver Junior Qld State Championship - Singles and Doubles Winner

What an incredible achievement, Justin-Li, well done!

Orienteering

Congratulations are also in order for Victoria Underwood, who has earned a coveted spot on the 2025 New Zealand Secondary School Orienteering squad. In September, Victoria will represent New Zealand as she travels to Brisbane, Australia, to compete in the prestigious Southern Cross Junior Challenge. There, the New Zealand team will go head-to-head with the Australian Schools team and also compete in the Australian Championships. We wish her the very best of luck.

Basketball

Our Junior A basketball team had an incredibly successful trip to the Mainland Tournament in Christchurch during the recent school holidays. This was a representative tournament for the South Island, and impressively, our team was the only school team competing against top club and representative sides.

Despite the stiff competition, the team demonstrated remarkable resilience, achieving a strong three-win, two-loss record. They even pushed the eventual tournament winners, Nelson, to their closest game! This outstanding performance was supported by fantastic parent involvement, making it a great experience for everyone. The team is now looking forward to the semifinals of the Southland Basketball Competition in August and their trip away to Nelson for the Junior South Island competition during Winter Tournament week. Keep up the great work, team!

Football

A massive congratulations to Xavier Horand Barnett who showcased his exceptional talent on the field at the CIC football tournament in Christchurch last week. He was deservedly awarded the Golden Boot as the top goal scorer in the Under-14 league. A fantastic achievement, Xavier!

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

Artist of the week Rudy Goss

Year 10 student, Rudy Goss, produced some outstanding artwork throughout semester one in the 5ART Still-Life course. Rudy’s still-life drawing, completed during an hour exam, demonstrates excellent observational drawing skills. His work shows consideration of composition, line, and texture with appropriate and controlled pencil work. A clever and talented young artist!  

Creatives 360 session.

Next Monday July 21 we are running our second Creatives 360 session where we have three speakers talking about life in the creative industries. This is an extension of a previous session from last term which was extremely well received. The aim is to give students a better understanding of the skills and attributes needed when working in these industries. Parents are encouraged to join us and there will be a Q/A at the end of the session.

More information can be found here and this link also includes a sign up form for students: https://wakatipu.careerwise.school/post/1025

Jazz Band

The jazz bands are in their final preparation for the Blenheim Jazzfest trip which is happening August 5-10. They will be having a final performance on Aug 3 and we would love people to come and support the musicians before they depart. More details to come.

TheatreFest – Local Youth Performances Next Sunday!

Wakatipu High School is proud to host the 2025 Queenstown Local TheatreFest next Sunday 27th July at our school theatre.

Join us from 1:00pm for an afternoon celebrating youth theatre from across the region, featuring performances from:

• Mount Aspiring College – Enoughness

• Lakes Theatre Arts – The Spy Next Door

• Wakatipu High School – Taking the Plunge

Tickets are available on the door: $10 for adults / $5 for students – with cash and Eftpos accepted.

We’re also thrilled to welcome Nick Meissel as our adjudicator for the day, whose insights and support help make this event such a valuable learning opportunity for our young performers.

With three short shows, we expect to finish up by around 2:30pm – perfect for a Sunday outing. We hope to see you there supporting our talented rangatahi!

Play it Strange competitions for this term include:

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.

Y9 Music

Emails have been sent to parents/caregivers of all new Y9 Music students with information on how the Music department operates. Please contact Alison Price on aprice@wakatipu.school.nz if you have any further questions.

Extracurricular groups 

Stay on top of what's happening in the arts and sign up to All Things Arts Classroom:
https://classroom.google.com/c/MTMyMjY2Mzg5NjMw?cjc=sijw2gw

Sign up code is: sijw2gw

Wednesday Morning Arts Time - hang out with the Arts

Happening every Wednesday morning from 8 am in the Music area. It’s a great way to get involved with different aspects ofthe  arts in a social setting. Come along and see if this might be for you.

• Songwriting
• Live sound and lighting events 
• Stage Make Up 
• The practice rooms are available at this time for any bands or solo/duos who want to practice

We invite you to share your skills in the arts

We love it when artists want to share their skills and experience with our students. 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 Term 3

21 July - Creatives 360 Career Night for students and parents
23 July - Mini Arts Expo Break 2
31 July - Entries close - Play It Strange - Waiata Māori Competition
31 July - Opening of SHOWING OFF Senior Art Exhibition at Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown. The exhibition runs until end of August
3 August - WHS Jazz Band and Jazz Combo concert 
4- 10 August - Southern Jam Blenheim Jazz Festival 
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.

WHS Foundation

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