WHS Newsletter | Issue 3.04 | 08 August 2025

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of Week 4,

Our senior exams had a good start yesterday, with students eager and ready to achieve to the best of their ability. School exams provide students with the opportunity to consolidate their learning, develop their self-management, and practice performing under pressure. These are all skills that can be learned and developed and it is great to see students giving their best effort. A reminder that exams continue on Monday and Tuesday of next week and with lots of exams on Monday 11th August, including for Year 11’s, there is no school for Year 9 and 10 students. 

Earlier in the week, we held an ‘overseas university’ information evening focused on sporting scholarships to US universities. It was an honour to welcome back Connor McIsaac and Marley King Smith (Class of 2023) and to hear about Connor’s experience playing rugby in Arizona and Marley’s experience rowing at the University of Washington, as well as their journey navigating the recruitment process.

As you would have seen, the government has proposed changes to the NCEA system from 2028, with next year's Year 9 students the first cohort to experience any change. We believe that NCEA is currently serving our students and community well and we are committed to ensuring that this will continue to be the case for all students at WHS. While there is lots of detail yet to come, the proposed focus on lifting Literacy and Numeracy thresholds and having greater emphasis on external examinations align with our school’s strategic direction, and as such, would not signify a significant change to the great all-round education we are currently delivering. As a school, we will look into the proposed changes, seek clarification regarding pathway development, and provide feedback as required to ensure that any new qualification system will meet the needs of our students and our community. 

Finally, with the triennial Board Nominations now closed, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the existing board members, who have worked tirelessly and strategically in support of the school over the past three years. Their guidance and governance has played a significant role in the academic and all-round success of students and the school. Voting forms for Board elections will be electronically distributed by ‘Schooled - Election Pilot’ next week, voting closes at 4pm on Wednesday, 10 September 2025. 

It has been another fantastic week of sport, art, music, academics and more, much of which is highlighted in the newsletter that follows, so be sure to have a read. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Ngā mihi,
Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

SAT 2025/2026 Test Dates

WHS is one of the New Zealand testing centres for students taking the SATs, the standardised test for college admission in the United States.  If you wish to take the test please register online at https://www.collegeboard.org/ and the test will be delivered here at the school.

2025 SAT dates are as follows:
September 13
December 06

2026 SAT dates are as follows
March 14
May 02

If you need any further information, please contact Oded Nathan: onathan@wakatipu.school.nz

Senior School Exams

The Senior School Exams are concluding next week. Monday and Tuesday are the final two exam days. These exams, while not directly contributing to NCEA credits, are a very important opportunity for students to have revised and tested their understanding of course work covered to date. Additionally, in the event of a student missing any of their final NCEA external examinations, these 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. 

It may be useful to discuss with your student how they feel their exam preparation has gone and to help them make a plan for how to manage their time for these last two exam days.

Year 12 and 13 students are on study leave for the exam period. 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. If they are not in an exam, they are expected to be in class and this will be closely monitored. Year 11 students will be in normal school 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.

Parenting in the Basin Invitation - Left to Their Own Devices: Parenting in the Digital Era

Year 10 Branches Parent Information Evening

Branches 2025 – Parent Info Evening

Parents of Year 10 students, please join us for the Branches 2025 Parent Information Evening on Wednesday, September 3rd at 7 PM in the WHS Theatre.

Over seven days at Branches, Year 10 students take part in a range of outdoor activities that support holistic development, promoting personal, social, and active growth. The camp provides the opportunity to build relationships, strengthen resilience, self-management, and teamwork, qualities at the heart of our ākonga profile.

It is the wish of the school for every Year 10 student to attend and experience the benefits of the unique environment that is Branches.

Student Leaders Message

Last week a spot draw was held for the recipients of the Ākonga passport award. Year 9 and 10 students earn points from their LEI and extracurricular activities which contribute to Bronze, Silver, and Gold. In the past term over 190 Junior students achieved their Bronze Ākonga Passport and were in the draw for a spot prize, what a great effort! A special congratulations to Jaydn Thomas and Fathima Nimthas, who were the lucky winners of the draw and received a free AJ Hackett bungy each! What an exciting reward for all their hard work!

This week, senior students, years 11/12/13 have been sitting their mock exams, running from the 9th-12th of August. These exams are a great opportunity to practice under exam conditions and can also be used for derived grades at the end of the year if you're sick or unable to sit your externals, so make them count! As seniors will be sitting their mock exams during school hours, we ask all Juniors to be mindful and respectful around the school. Please help create a quiet and calm environment by keeping noise levels down, and remember that the foyer will be off limits during this time. Your support means a lot and helps everyone do their best. Good luck to everyone sitting exams, you've got this!

Our Wakatipu jazz band “Best Served Chilled” is up in Blenheim this week to compete in the yearly Southern Jam Jazz Festival. After putting on an amazing performance in the foyer for our students and in the Village Green for the community, we are sure they will do incredibly well. If you missed these performances, check out the school website and Wakatipu High School Instagram page for a great video! A big good luck to all the talented musicians and singers. Your hard work will pay off! 

Multicultural Week is coming up in Week 7, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for both Junior and Senior students to get involved!  Cultural Got Talent a relaxed and friendly event hosted by the Multicultural Council is taking place and students can sign up here. It’s an especially great chance for Juniors to take part in school-wide events and experience the diversity that makes Wakatipu High School so unique. Make sure you come celebrate the cultures that shape our school community!

In the coming week the annual Mount Aspiring College Exchange and this year Wakatipu High School is proud to host. On Thursday the 14th, teams from our sister school in Wānaka will be travelling over for a day of friendly competition. This sports exchange includes a wide range of events, from netball and rugby to football, basketball, and volleyball. We encourage you to come and support during your breaks, as classes will continue as usual. Go wakatipu!

Zia Dixon, Jack Kemp and Cleo Exell
Junior Council

Environmental Council Update

Sustainability in Action | Sustainable Queenstown

Sustainability is crucial—especially in our time of year—more than ever. With about 960 tonnes of waste being sent to Victoria Flats Landfill every week in 2024. That’s like 139 elephants, every week! The worst part is, much of this waste is avoidable. About 67% of our current landfill waste is able to be redirected by performing the 3Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle, and the addition of composting. With a lot of these wastes’ top sources being construction and commercial wastes, and this is due to multiple factors such as population growth and tourism economy. 

This is why there are multiple organisations in Queenstown who are working on making a change, including transforming Queenstown's visitor industry into a carbon-zero economy by 2030.

Last Monday, the Environmental Council was happy to have a chat with Sustainable Queenstown’s operations manager, Ella Peacock. Ella spoke with the members of the Environmental Council about the use and the importance of a reusable cup. Alongside this, she also spoke to the team about Sustainable Queenstown’s initiative Single Use Cups Free Whakatipu, and the harm single use cups pose in the environment. 

Around 500 million TA cups are away every year in New Zealand. It might seem like single-use cups are not that big of a deal, but the problem with them is they take ages to break down. While breaking down, they produce harmful gases such as methane, and carbon dioxide which has the ability to harm the environment, and also the climate. Places in New Zealand, such as Queenstown, most of these cups end up in landfills where they take a myriad of years to break down—30 years. This is enough time for the microplastics and chemicals to anchor into the soil and waterways, affecting Queenstown's ecosystem and wildlife.  

Most single use cups, or better known as take away cups are lined with polyethylene to prevent leaking. These linings make it harder for them to be recycled. For them to be composted, they require ‘industrial composting’. However, this will be difficult as the closest station is in Timaru. With no proper collection and compostation, these cups often end in landfills. 

What is Sustainable Queenstown?

“Sustainable Queenstown is an independent charitable trust in Queenstown.” Sustainable Queenstown was established back in 2018 as a non-profit organisation whose target is addressing environmental issues in Queenstown. 

Sustainable Queenstown has various initiatives dealing with all things sustainability.

DISHrupt
An initiative where disposable dishes, cups, and cutleries are prevented from entering landfills. DISHrupt’s goal is to “disrupt our dependency on disposables”. They achieve this by providing onsite reusable cups and dishes. Especially in community events such as LUMA, Arrowtown Autumn Festival, and Lake Hayes A&P Show. 

Green Drinks
A monthly event organised by Sustainable Queenstown where sustainability is the topic, and the environment is the subject. A social event perfect for people interested in environmental innovation and sustainability.

Single Use Cup Free Queenstown
Finally, Single Use Cup Free Queenstown is a campaign organised by Sustainable Queenstown. SUC Free Queenstown is a local campaign encouraging the people of Queenstown to switch from single-use cups (takeaway cups) to reusable cups. They promote the idea of BYO, Bring Your Own cups. 

How WE can help create an impact

• Simple acts such as following the BYO cups and drinking bottles every day can make an impact. 
• Through acts such as encouraging your friends, families and peers can make a difference. It takes a village to make a change.
• Through actions like educating people around you about the environment and the harm take take-away cups pose, you will be surprised with the amount of people that will follow your lead!
• Lastly, volunteering in clean-up events, and sustainability events not only allow you to be educated about the environment, but also you will be assisting in bettering the situation of our environment!

These are some simple ways you can help your peers and people around you better their environment. Small actions like this can lead and become bigger things. It is the small things that matter after all!

Bloom Beduya
Environmental Council member

Get up and Go!

13 -18 August

There is no doubt that participating in physical activities is good for your overall wellbeing (hauora). The benefits of being physically active throughout your lifespan are numerous. Physical activity or exercise can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Most importantly, regular activity can improve your quality of life.

While many young people are involved in sport or recreation activities, the number of young people involved in physical activities is certainly decreasing at an alarming rate.

The Get Up and Go Week is a programme that aims to encourage people to get up, get active, and give things a go. This year, the Year 12 Physical Education students are embarking on an intervention programme whereby they work as part of a group to choose, plan, and implement a physical activity event/opportunity as part of Wakatipu High School’s Get Up and Go Week.

Let's go!  See you all NEXT WEEK!

Kate Moetaua Foundation Scholarship

Kate Moetaua was a much loved drama and arts teacher, and Dean of Mackenzie house at Wakatipu High School who sadly passed away in 2018 when she was only 45. Kate was passionate about arts, drama and sports. She directed the school musicals and set up the drama academy known as the Kate Moetaua Collective in Queenstown.

Kate inspired so many people and one of her final wishes was for a foundation that supported young talented people in the sporting, arts, cultural, and education arenas, especially where families may be experiencing financial hardship. Now in its sixth year, over 30 students have received funding from the foundation to help them pursue their dreams.

Kate's family are the trustees of the Kate Moetaua Foundation assisted by the 45South Community Foundation, who work together to realise Kate's legacy. Up to $3,500 will be granted in scholarships to students currently in years 9-13 in 2025 by the Kate Moetaua Foundation. 

To find out more about the Kate Moetaua Foundation, read about the past recipients or to apply for the 2025 scholarship, visit www.katemoetauafoundation.org

Applications are now open and will close at 5 pm September 5, 2025.

Explore Scholarship Opportunities for WHS Students!

We are excited to let you know that there are some fantastic local scholarship opportunities available to WHS students.

Cosgroves Scholarship
We are thrilled to announce that Cosgroves is now accepting applications from Year 13 students at Wakatipu High School for their incredible scholarship programme. This scholarship, valued at $2,500, is specifically designed to support students planning to pursue a degree in Civil, Electrical, Fire or Mechanical Design Engineering at a university in New Zealand.

This is a fantastic opportunity to receive financial assistance and support as you embark on your academic journey.

Applications open: Friday 18 July 2025
Applications close: Friday 15 August 2025

Please email your completed handwritten application to Careers@cosgroves.com by Friday 16th August. In addition, a hard copy needs to be posted. We will be sending a courier to Cosgroves on Friday 16th August so if you want your application included, please ensure it is at the Careers desk by 12:00 noon.

Unlock Your Engineering Future with the Meyer Cruden Scholarship
The Meyer Cruden Engineering Scholarship is an exciting opportunity for enthusiastic Year 13 students who aspire to build a career in Structural or Civil Engineering. They offer a one-year scholarship worth $4,000 to students planning to study Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury, with the possibility of extending the scholarship to subsequent years based on certain criteria. Meyer Cruden Engineering Limited, a dynamic consultancy with offices in Cromwell and Wanaka, specializes in a wide range of engineering services, including structural design for residential, commercial, and industrial projects, overhead line design, geotechnical engineering, civil engineering, and pavement design. If you are passionate about this region and eager to dive into the structural, civil, or geotechnical engineering fields, this scholarship is perfect for you.

Value of Scholarship: $4,000

Applications open: 1st August

Applications close: 31st August

 David Geddes RSA Memorial Scholarship

We are pleased to announce that the David Geddes Memorial Scholarship is now open for applications! This scholarship, is now valued at $1,500, was established by David’s family and the Queenstown RSA to honor his commitment to community service. It’s a lasting tribute to the impact he made in our community. We encourage students who share his passion for service to apply.

Please email your completed application to oallington@wakatipu.school.nz by 1:00 pm on Friday 26 September 2025.

Archives Project

Thanks to those who responded to this notice last week. 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. 

Sport and Recreation News

MAC Exchange

On Thursday, we're excited to host Mount Aspiring College from Wānaka for our annual sports exchange, a fantastic warm-up for our teams heading to Winter Tournament Week. We always look forward to the "Battle of the Crown Range."

Check out the draw below:

Parents and caregivers are welcome to attend. Here are a few important reminders:

• We support the 'Good Sports' initiative which aligns well with our school value of respect. Please help us keep the atmosphere positive and respectful, allowing our rangatahi to enjoy the game which should be everyone's top priority.

• Onsite parking is extremely limited. Please use the parking facilities in the wider Remarkables Park area and sign in at the main Reception when you arrive.

• Student Attendance: All participating students must remain at school for the full day to either support their peers or attend classes before or after their match.

Let's show our support, karawhiua WHS!

Badminton

On Thursday we had 3 teams (12 students) attend the Southland Badminton Champs in Invercargill. It was a great day of badminton with the students showing great dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day.A big thank you to Mr McIntyre and Mrs Hollyer for helping out on the day!

Ice Hockey

Congratulations to Harry Carian, Conor Graham and Moby Haysmith who have been named into the 2025 New Zealand U16 Men's travelling team. The team will compete in the inaugural Youth Pan-Pacific tournament in Melbourne, Australia from October 10 - 13 2025. This is a tri nations series between New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong.

Rowing

Harry Lightfoot is rowing in a double with Nathan Strachan from Macleans College in Auckland as part of the NZ U19 rowing team competing at the U19 world champs. Harry has been training hard at Lake Karapiro, in Cambridge for 6 weeks before he left for Lithuania late last month.

This year there are 24 entries in the double sculls. In their heat Harry and Nathan secured a 3rd place finish, earning them a spot in the semi-finals.

The boys are proudly representing New Zealand against the best in the world from Greece, Australia, Ireland, Egypt, Italy, Germany and many other countries. The semi-finals are scheduled for Friday night, where they will once again race for a spot in the finals.

You can follow their journey and watch all the races live or on replay at www.worldrowing.com

Motocross

Congratulations to the following students who have been competing throughout the season

Recent Results:
Canterbury Cross Country Champs 
 Paige Meikle - 1st Overall – Junior Ladies 12–16 yrs

South Island Cross Country Championship Series
 Paige Meikle  - 3rd Overall – South Island Title – Junior Ladies 12–16 yrs

Southern Dirt Bike Riders Club (51 Riders Total):
 Hunter Stratford – 6th
 Paige Meikle – 7th (1st Girl)
 Hunter Meikle – 11th
 Hunter McLeod – 20th (missed rounds due to injury)

Students will also be competing in the South Island Secondary Schools X-Country champs on the 17th August, good luck!

Netball

A huge congratulations to both WHS C and WHS Māwhero for their grand final qualifying wins. In the Senior A grade, WHS C won a thrilling match against Fusion, 27-21, while WHS Māwhero took a close 27-24 victory over WHS Gold in the Senior B grade. Both teams have earned their spot in the grand finals this coming Saturday, August 16th, at the events centre. Come out and show your support!

Rugby

It's an exciting time for Wakatipu High School rugby, with several teams in the mix for semi-finals. The support of our community is invaluable, so read on for the latest news and details on how you can cheer on our teams.

Our 1st XV team unfortunately lost a tough semi-final match to Mount Aspiring College. However, they have a chance for a comeback next Thursday in our annual sports exchange against the same team. Meanwhile, our Under 15s will be keeping a close eye on the other semi-final after receiving a default win from Kings’ High School and hope to progress to the big dance next weekend. In the meantime, they’re focused on preparing for Winter Tournament Week, where they'll compete in the South Island Secondary School Rural Livestock Tournament in Oamaru.

This weekend is packed with crucial semi-final matches. Our two teams in the Senior Grade, Senior Gold and Senior Blue, are both playing for a spot in the final:

• Senior Gold vs. Blue Mountain College / West Otago, Saturday at 12:45 p.m. in Tapanui.
• Senior Blue vs. Taieri College, Saturday at 12:45 p.m. in Mosgiel.

In the Junior Grade, our two teams are also heading into semi-finals:

• Junior Blue vs. Cromwell Juniors, Saturday at 12:45 p.m. (away).
• Junior Gold vs. South Otago High School, Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at the Queenstown Rec Ground.

This weekend, if you’re looking to catch some rugby, come and support our Junior Gold team right here in Queenstown at the Rec Ground at 12:45 p.m this Saturday. 

Last Weeks Results

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

Jazz Band

Last Sunday the jazz band performed on the Village Green to an enthusiastic crowd. This was their first public performance for the year and it was great to have the support from everyone there (see the below clip for more). Thanks to Rockformation and Connor Williams for the set up and gear which made life much easier for us. Thanks also to Alistair Monteath and Chris Mason-Battley for all their work with the groups.

From there, the band travelled to Blenheim for Southern Jam, the South Island jazz festival and competition. As of today (Friday), they have completed their first two gigs in Picton and participated in the competition and masterclass. We look forward to welcoming them back next week.

Eliott Allemand

Eliott was in WHS on Monday, giving some tips to our jazz combo before their trip to Blenheim. Eliott is a WHS alum and a remarkable musician, composer and arranger who has worked with top artists internationally. It was great to have his input and we look forward to working more with him in the future.

A link to his music can  be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@EliottAllemand

Showing Off - Senior Art Exhibition

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support the opening of Showing Off - Senior Exhibition 2025! The arts community in the Wakatipu Basin is thriving, and your enthusiasm on the night is a testament to that.

The exhibition features a stunning collection of Photography, Design, and Painting panels, all of which have achieved an Excellence grade. It's a fantastic opportunity to see the incredible talent and hard work of our students on display.

If you weren't able to make the opening, don't worry—the exhibition runs all through August at the Lakes District Museum & Gallery in Arrowtown. We invite you to come and see the amazing work for yourself and, most importantly, vote for your favourite panel!

Your vote counts toward the People's Choice Award, and the winners in each category will be celebrated at the end of the exhibition.

A special thanks to our generous sponsors and supporters, Trinity Construction & Projects and the Lakes District Museum & Gallery, for helping to make this event possible. Their support is invaluable in celebrating our students' success.

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 Junior Drama 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.

 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

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.

Community Notices

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