WHS Newsletter | Issue 3.03 | 01 August 2025

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of Week 3,

We began the week with our senior Excellence and Ad Alta assemblies to recognise students academic achievement and effort from Term 2. It was fantastic to be able to bring nearly 300 students across the stage and great to have so many parents in attendance. Congratulations to all the prizewinners, with the full list further down in the newsletter. 

The Progress and Option Selection meetings with Kaiārahi were very well attended on Tuesday, which was great to see. These important meetings support great outcomes for students, so if you weren’t able to attend, be sure to get in touch with your students Kaiārahi with urgency. A reminder that 2026 Course Option Selection must be completed by next Monday, 4 August. Again, the timely submission of students' subject choices enables us to construct a timetable that can meet the individual needs of students and also enables us to staff our course accordingly. 

Today, we had 29 businesses and business leaders from the community (including many alumni) for our annual Inspiring The Futures Year 10 Careers Expo. All other students were able to attend the expo at break time and with so many opportunities and options available to students, it was good to see the expo so well attended. A massive thank you to all those who came to support this incredible event. See below for more details. 

Looking to the future, we are running an event next Tuesday at 7 pm in the theatre for students who may be looking to study at an overseas university. Connor McIsaac and Marley King Smith, alumni who are currently studying and playing sport in the US, will be in attendance to outline their experience and answer any questions students or parents may have. See below for further details. 

In the academic space, school exams commence next Thursday for Year 11, 12 and 13 students. You can see the exam timetable below and a reminder that Year 11 students do not have any study leave (i.e. their classes run throughout the exam period). Also on Monday, 11 August, junior classes will not run and only students sitting their Level 1, 2 or 3 exam need to be in attendance. 

Earlier today, an optional study session entitled ‘Study Like a Boss: Supporting your Wellbeing’, was presented to students. If your student missed it, you can see the slides and some study tips below. With respect to wellbeing, recent results from our GoodSpace survey suggest that students need assistance with managing their screentime. On Thursday, 21 August, we are hosting the next rendition in our ‘Parenting in the Basin’ series, with Holly Jean Booker speaking about parenting in the digital age. See below for more details and please make sure you RSVP as spaces are limited.

Thursday was also an epic day at WHS. In the morning, our Year 12 students were fortunate to hear from the legendary Dame Sophie Pascoe and later that evening, there was a World Challenge information evening as well as the launch of the ‘Showing Off’ exhibition. During the break time, our amazing Jazz Band performed in anticipation of their annual trip to Blenheim for the Jazz Fest (be sure to get to their performance on the Green this Sunday) and meanwhile the Year 13’s earned a hard fought victory over the teachers on the basketball court, to take the lead 2-1 in the overall series. Also today, the Class of 2026 voted on their Year 13 tie - congratulations to Harper Fa’Amelepe on his outstanding design that will be worn by next year’s Year 13 students. 

It's been another fantastic and dynamic week at WHS, so be sure to read on for more highlights, photos, and key information. As always, if you have any thoughts or feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us. Have a wonderful weekend.

Ngā mihi,
Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

2026 Course Option Selection

A reminder, 2026 Course Option Selections are due by 10 am Monday, August 4, 2025.

Our school offers over 150 diverse courses across all year levels and learning areas, from Technologies and the Arts to Languages, Sciences, and more. There are opportunities for every ākonga to explore their interests, discover their passions and achieve their best possible qualification.

Information regarding the option selection process, including detailed information on the range of course options on offer, is available through our website. The instructions on how to log in and submit the option selections can be found here.

If you know your Year 9 - 12 student is not returning in 2026, please complete the leaving form here: Leaving Form  (Year 13 students do not need to complete this).

Senior School Exams (Thursday 7 August - Tuesday 12 August)

The Senior School Exams are coming up in weeks 4 and 5 of this term. While they don't directly contribute to NCEA credits, they are a very important opportunity for students to revise and then test their understanding of course work covered to date. Additionally, in the event of a student missing any of their final NCEA external examinations, the school exams are used to determine derived grades.

Here is the link to the Term 3 Senior School Exam Timetable, as well as a presentation on achieving "High Performance" in examinations that could be discussed at home. 

Students will also discuss how to study effectively during Ako Time over the coming weeks using these resources: Study Skills & Exam preparation and Study Like a Boss as a guide.  It may be useful to discuss these with further with your student and helo them make a plan for how to manage their time leading up to, and during, the exam period.  Practising this now, will make it a habit for the end-of-year exams.

Year 12 and 13 have study leave for the four days of the examinations.  Besides their exams and studying, they are not expected to be at school.  Year 12 and 13s can sit their exams in non-uniform clothing that is comfortable but appropriate.

Year 11 students do not have study leave due to the small numbers scheduled for each exam session.  If they are not in exam, they are expected to be in class and this will be closely monitored.  Year 11 students will be in normal school uniform except for Monday 11 August which is a pupil free day.  If they have an exam that day, then they can come to school in non-uniform.

As Monday 11 August is a pupil free day, there are no classes running that day and students will be studying at home if they have no exam.  If your student does require supervision on this day, please email cmorrison@wakatipu.school.nz.

Buses will continue to run as normal.

Also, here is the link to the end of year NCEA exams for your reference.

Senior Prizegiving and Excellence & Ad Alta Assemblies

This week, we held our Senior Prizegiving and Excellence & Ad Alta Assemblies, honouring the remarkable academic excellence, dedication, engagement, and consistent effort shown by our senior students. A massive whakamihi — congratulations to all our deserving prize winners!

The full list of all of prize winners can be found below.

2025 Board Election - Nominations Reminder

There is still time for you to get your nomination in to join our School Board. We need 6 parent representatives to join the Wakatipu High School Board. Schooled Election Pilot has been appointed as the Returning Officer for this election.
We have already sent out nomination forms by email or by post however, if you need additional nomination forms, or want a copy in Te Reo Māori or another language, just contact the Returning Officer directly on 0800 VOTENZ (0800 868 369) or election@electionpilot.nz.

Nominations close at noon on Wednesday, 06 August. You can email in your nomination, complete it online at www.boardelections.nz or fill it in and drop it off to the school office. We recommend that you send in a candidate statement and photo with your nomination as well.

A copy of the electoral roll is kept at the school office and is available to be checked during usual school hours.
Voting closes at 4pm on Wednesday, 10 September 2025. 

Winning Design for 2026 Year 13 Tie

Our Year 12 students recently had the chance to design the tie that next year's Year 13 students will wear. We're thrilled to announce that the winning design, chosen by their fellow students, was created by the incredibly talented Harper Fa'Amalepe.

This tie design is a meaningful and well-considered representation of our final year at Wakatipu High School. It features some of the Whakatipu Basin’s most iconic maunga, Walter Peak, Ben Lomond, Mount Earnslaw, Coronet Peak, and of course, The Remarkables, forming a bespoke mountain range that symbolises strength, resilience, and the challenges we’ve overcome, while also appreciating the beautiful taiao that we are blessed with. Beneath the peaks lies Lake Whakatipu, depicted in one of the most well-known photos of life in Queenstown. Its flowing, wavy design reflects freedom and echoes the lake’s natural form. Above it all is Te Waka o Tamarereti, specifically, Te Tauihu, the waka’s prow, representing our shared journey at Wakatipu High School and its meaningful conclusion.

Student Leaders Message

Exam Week
Exam week is starting next week. The exam timetable and all extra key information has been emailed out to all students. It is encouraged that everyone looks at the timetable and prepares as best as possible for the upcoming exams. Some study tips are below. The slides from the session in the library can be found here, which help with how to prepare and to support wellbeing over this time. 

Study Tips

Year 11, 12 and 13 Excellence Assemblies
On Monday, senior students had the Excellence assemblies. Students who achieve more than 50% of their internally assessed credits so far at Excellence level receive an Excellence award, as this is the second round of Excellence assemblies this year, students who are receiving the award for the second time received the Silver Excellence award. Students who receive 4’s in more than 2/3 of the learning engagement reports are rewarded with the Ad Alta award, students receiving this for the second time this year received Ad Alta Blue. The assemblies are a great chance to recognise the achievements of students' fellow peers and to appreciate all the hard work everyone has put in. 

Next Steps Meetings
On Tuesday, next steps meetings were held. This is the chance for students, whānau and kaiārahi to connect and discuss student progress, strengths and areas for improvement. Parents are able to gain a clearer picture of their child's performance across various subjects. The meetings help build the connection and communication between home and school. 

House Basketball
Over the past few weeks the house basketball competition has been taking place. Mackenzie won the junior competition and Duncan won the girls competition. Fox won the boys competition. The staff vs students match took place on Thursday, it was a very close and tense competition but the students took the win! The competition has been exciting leaving everyone eager to know the winners for each match. It is great to see students supporting their peers at break times. 

Issy Hudson and Charlie Manser
Academic Council Lead Prefects

Meeting Richie McCaw

On Wednesday 30th Mr Matamua, Charlie Manser and myself were blessed with the opportunity to attend a Chamber of Commerce event hosted by Westpac with rugby legend Richie McCaw. Richie spoke about his experiences on and off the field and how he adapted to life after retirement. Richie covered how he uses his leadership skills he's taken from the paddock and translates them into the ever changing business world. All of us took away valuable knowledge such as - thrive to achieve your goals and make sure to make things a priority rather than excuses. 

Deputy Head Student - Lukas McChlery

Cultural Got Talent!
Got a cultural dance, song, or tradition to share, even if you’ve never performed before? Join Cultural Got Talent! a relaxed and friendly event hosted by the Multicultural Council, open to all students and teachers! This showcase of culture is one of the many activities happening during this year’s Multicultural Week (Week 7). We're sending this out early to give everyone plenty of time to prepare and feel confident, whether you’re performing solo, with a group, or trying something new. Awesome prizes include vouchers for Franks, Bungee, and Skyline Luge!

Click here for the registration link, read and answer carefully to take part! Registrations are now open and close by the end of week 5, and slots are limited, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this awesome celebration of diversity! 

Emanuel Cardeno
Multicultural Council

Red Nose Day at WHS 

This year, the Community & Service Council got behind Red Nose Day to raise funds for Cure Kids and support children across Aotearoa. We ran fun activities all week in the foyer — from Guess How Many Jaffas in the Jar to kahoots. We also gave students the chance to win prizes by answering quick questions about the cause. Thanks to everyone who supported us and helped make a difference! Prizes will be drawn on monday so be on the lookout if you entered any of our competitions. 

Alice Davis
Community and Service Council

Year 10 Inspiring the Future Event: A Resounding Success!

Ākonga Passport Prize Winners

We held an exciting random spot prize draw this week for over 160 Year 9 and 10 students who've achieved their ākonga passport bronze threshold. We're thrilled to announce that two students, Jaydn Thomas and Fathima Nimthas, were the lucky recipients of a free bungy jump voucher for AJ Hackett's Kawarau Bungy Centre! 

Whakamihi – congratulations to all the students who have reached their ākonga passport bronze this year. Your hard work and dedication are truly commendable. A huge thank you to AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand for their incredible and ongoing support of our kura. We look forward to celebrating and rewarding even more students in the future as they achieve the various levels of the ākonga passport!

Click here for more information on supporting your child’s Ākonga Passport journey.

Dame Sophie Pascoe Visits WHS

It was a special day here at Wakatipu High School as we welcomed a true New Zealand icon. Paralympic champion, and fierce advocate for resilience and wellbeing, and someone who continues to inspire people of all ages across the country Dame Sophie Pascoe. Sophie shared her journey to success with us this morning, the highs and the lows and the key strategies she used to ask for and access help. Additional learning was around not only her success in the pool but her adaptations of life during covid, and into her newest role of motherhood and the body and mental health changes that accompany these times.

Wrapping Up House Basketball

A massive congrats to Fox for their hard-fought victory over Duncan in the Senior Boys' final this week!  The highly anticipated Staff vs. Students showdown delivered all the laughs and excitement we hoped for. The staff put up a valiant effort, even holding the lead before running out of steam when the students, fueled by some incredible three-pointers, ultimately took the win 40-32. So much talent and sportsmanship on display!

Remarkable Expeditions for Outdoor Recreation

Year 13 Outdoor Rec have been hitting the snow this week up the Remarkables at Lake Alta, learning and experiencing mountain expeditioning and snow camping. The nights are long, and the temperatures plummet, but it remains a uniquely Wakatipu High iconic experience.

New Zealand Physics and Mathematics Competition (NZPMC)

On Saturday, 26 July, two WHS students travelled to Dunedin to compete in the New Zealand Physics and Mathematics Competition Finals. Brian Yang and Leo Devlin, both Year 11 students, achieved outstanding results in the Junior Division (Years 9–11), winning the Silver Medal (2nd place) and the Gold Medal (1st place) respectively among all students from Otago. After the second round, a professor from the University of Otago gave a fascinating presentation on cryptography. Thank you to the parents who helped with transport and the staff who supported the event.

Expressions of interest for Aspen School Exchange 2027

Aspen Colorado and Queenstown have been sister cities for over 30 years.   We are excited to begin planning our next sister city student exchange programme with Aspen, Colorado for January 2027.

This opportunity is being offered to students who will be entering Year 12 or Year 13 in 2027, so for students currently in Year 10 and Year 11 at Wakatipu High.  Students will have the opportunity to experience Aspen like a true local, stay with host families, attend the local highschool, and ski at the world famous Aspen ski resort. Other opportunities may include attending sporting events, learning about Native American Culture, visiting the local council, volunteering and giving back to the community.  Each student will be expected to participate in these four areas:

• Global Citizenship (including civics)

• Environment & Sustainability 

• Personal Development

• Service/giving back

We are looking to hear from students who may be interested in taking part in this exchange programme.  Some key responsibilities will include hosting students from Aspen during their time in Queenstown (June/July 2026), working or fundraising to raise money for their trip, and joining in the educational and local government opportunities prior to travel.  Please contact mkoslenridd@wakatipu.school.nz or vrichard@wakatipu.school.nz to put your name forward for this amazing opportunity and why you are interested by 15th of August.  Students can expect an interview process, a check of previous behaviour and conduct while on school activities and a willingness for the students to engage in a presentation upon their return.  We will contact people after that time once we have gauged interest.  Nga Mihi!

Below is an account from a Katie Battrick, who came on the last exchange:

Support for Bruce Grant Youth Trust

Last month the Bruce Grant Youth Trust celebrated an important milestone here at WHS, marking 30 years for an incredible local organisation that empowers young people from our community in sport, arts, and adventure. 

As the Trust enters a new chapter with a fresh look and renewed commitment, they're actively seeking to grow their community. Whether you're a past recipient, a supporter, or simply someone who believes in nurturing local talent, they invite you to connect and be part of their ongoing story. Click here for recent updates from the trust and how to get involved.

Archives Project

We are currently gathering up, photographing and cataloguing items for our newly established archives. If you have any old photographs, copies of WHS school magazines, musical programmes, items of out-dated uniform, trophies or other memorabilia that you would like to donate, please contact the librarian, Paula Bell, either at school or by email - pbell@wakatipu.school.nz. 

Arts Department News

Artist of the Week:  Eva Lamercerie  Year 10 

This week we celebrate one of our talented junior Art students, Eva, who has recently begun her Landscape course.
Although she’s only just started, Eva is already creating some truly eye-catching experimental work. She has been exploring a variety of new drawing materials and learning how to apply tone effectively — an essential skill in capturing depth and atmosphere in landscape art.

Eva approaches each task with enthusiasm and creativity, and her early progress is a great indication of the exciting work to come. We look forward to updating you later in the term as she continues to grow and develop her ideas throughout the semester

Ivy McKenzie

A huge Congratulations to Ivy McKenzie who designed and created this stunning dress for the Hokuni Fashion awards held in Gore last Friday evening Ivy was the winner of the Regional Ford ‘School Gala Award’ .

Māori Music Makers

The Music Department has been honoured by a series of workshops on traditional Māori instruments - Taonga Pūoro - presented by Tāhuna (Queenstown) local Pania. Pania has presented workshops on this topic all around the world, and has been interviewed for a number of university Masters level thesis projects. She talked to the Year 11's about the fundamental relationship between the Atua (Gods) and the instrument families of the taonga pūoro. Pania also talked to us about the various uses of the instruments, both historically and in contemporary music contexts. A big ngā mihi to Pania for her generosity in sharing her maturanga with our young people, in preparation for their upcoming Level 1 Assessment. Mīharo! 

TheatreFest Success for WHS!

A huge congratulations to all students involved in last weekend’s Queenstown Local TheatreFest, hosted at Wakatipu High School. While we didn’t progress to the next round, our students delivered a heartfelt and polished performance that truly did WHS proud.

A special shout-out to Joe Leyden, who stepped into the role of director with creativity, focus, and leadership beyond his years—an outstanding achievement!

We’d also like to acknowledge the incredible mahi of our tech students, whose work behind the scenes ensured everything ran seamlessly—from lighting and sound to backstage support.

The event itself ran smoothly thanks to the effort, energy, and professionalism of our wider student crew. It was a real team effort and a fantastic showcase of WHS talent, both on and off the stage.

Ka rawe team—bring on the next one!

Jazz Band

Our amazing jazz musicians brought the foyer to life this week with a fantastic performance during break. All their hard work has paid off, and now they're ready to compete at the Southern Jam Jazz Festival in Blenheim.

Before they hit the road, come cheer them on! Join us this Sunday at 1:30pm on the Village Green in Queenstown for a special farewell performance of their festival set. Let's wish the whole group safe travels and the very best of luck!

Showing Off - Senior Art Exhibition

Showing Off is an exhibition that features a collection of Paintings, Designs and Photographic work. The work has been selected based on last year’s external folio exam grades and all the students in this exhibition received Excellence for their final submissions in 2024. The exhibition will run from 1 August until 31 August at the Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown, so please tell all your family and friends to come and enjoy the work on display.

All artworks will be eligible for prizes with one for each discipline. These are “People’s Choice” awards so the winners will be contacted after the exhibition ends. Trinity Construction has been generously sponsoring the prizes for this event for many years and we thank them for their support. 

The Lakes District Museum also continues to support us with providing a professional space for our students to exhibit their work. We thank them for the curation of this event and their continued appreciation for the arts at Wakatipu High School.

Into the Woods Jr: 

Into the Woods Jr CAST ANNOUNCEMENT!
We’re thrilled to reveal the talented cast of Wakatipu High School’s first-ever Junior Musical Production – Into the Woods Jr.

Our outstanding 5DAR3 students bring Cinderella, the Witch, the Baker, Little Red, and more to life in this enchanting one-act fairytale mash‑up, directed by Jake Hansen with musical direction by Natasha Wilson.

 🎟️Tickets are ON SALE now!
 📆Show dates: Thursday 18 & Friday 19 September 2025 (Week 10, Term 3)
 📍WHS Theatre
🎫Book here: https://events.humanitix.com/whs-into-the-woods-jr

Come see the magic unfold with support from our Year 12–13 crew (7&8 PAT), who are working behind the scenes to bring this production to life!

Don’t miss out—grab your tickets today and help us fill the house for these special performances.

 Screen Teens: back this Sunday - Acting & Filmmaking classes 

Sundays 2-4pm at Te Atamira, $40/class.

Screen Teens is back and pivoting from just acting into filmmaking!

After last term's students had a blast acting all together in a short film that Amalia wrote, planned and edited, she's decided to do more of that - but have the students come up with and make it themselves.  They'll learn to write scripts, plan a shoot, rehearse and perform, and all the basics of cinematography, lighting, sound, camera operating, and editing.

Students can specialise in their preferred area, and don't need to act if they'd prefer not to, but those that do will step-up their acting skills to meet the challenging reality of an actual little set!

Amalia is not only an actor and acting teacher, she has a degree in Screen Production and has made her own short films and has lots of insights from story building to the tech side to share!

Get in touch if you'd like to know more: amaliaremuscreative@gmail.com & check out the Screen Teens Facebook page & Book in here: https://forms.gle/jCPeVsexyLN3Q2qaA

 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 8am in the Music area. It’s a great way to get involved with different aspects of 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

3 August - WHS Jazz Band and Jazz Combo concert 
5 - 10 August - Southern Jam Blenheim Jazz Festival 
6 September  - Performing Arts Showcase
18-19 - September - Into The Woods Jr

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.

Sports and Recreation News

Hockey

Congratulations to the WHS 1st XI Girls hockey team on their recent success, including a 1-1 draw against Southland and a 2-0 win against James Hargest.

What's on this Weekend

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

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

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

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