WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.04 | 27 May 2022

Associate Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the end of another great week at WHS. 

Early in the week, we were lucky to have a RNZAF NH90 Helicopter and crew landing opposite the school and today was the second of the Level 2 Business Studies Market Days. The annual House Debating competition began on Monday and ran through the week, and on Wednesday evening, we had the privilege of listening to James Scoles speak in the Rotary Speech Competition, where he finished second.  Today, a group of Year 10 students have made their way out to AJ Hackett Bungy, who are excellent supporters of the Bravery & Resilience programme that has been initiated for our students. 

This week, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Heads of Learning Areas (HoLAs) have been doing Learning Walks throughout the school to observe teaching and learning. Without exception, we have witnessed outstanding teaching and learning throughout the school, with very high levels of student engagement. As a reminder, if students are not engaged with their learning, or are not giving their best effort in class, this will be noted in the 3-weekly Learning Engagement (LE) reports that are published to the Portal, with the last report published last Friday. 

Though there continues to be a high number of student absences (approximately 200 per day) due to Covid and now the flu, classes seem very settled and students focused. Assessments are certainly starting to take centre stage for seniors (see the Internal Assessment Calendars below) and juniors have begun preparing for their mid-year exams which are being held in Week 7 (13 - 17 June). With the increased pressure of assessments and the abundance of extra and co-curricular activities, it is really important that students are planned and organised, and we encourage parents and caregivers to support their students accordingly. 

Uniform - a reminder that, with next week being June, from Wednesday until the end of August students are permitted to wear puffer jackets. Please note that they must be plain black and worn over the top (not instead) of the blazer.

Internal Assessment Calendar - 

• Level 1 Internal Assessment Calendar
• Level 2 Internal Assessment Calendar
• Level 3 Internal Assessment Calendar 

Upcoming Events - Duke of Edinburgh tramps for Bronze, Silver and Gold awards are this weekend. Drive to Survive for Year 12 students is next Wednesday 1 June. Big Break is on Thursday 2 June and the Level 3 Geography students head to Mount Cook at the end of the week. 

Teacher Only Day - as per usual before Queen's Birthday weekend, is next Friday 3 June, followed by the public holiday on Monday 6 June. Please note that with TOD there will be no newsletter next Friday.

Lastly, we began the week with a continued focus on kindness and inclusion, to ensure the momentum of last week’s Pink Shirt Day and ‘Bullying-Free NZ’ continues to stay at the forefront of students' minds. These are really important values and we thank students, parents and caregivers for their ongoing support of this important mahi.

Tomorrow is the last night of the ‘School of Rock’ show run by Showbiz Queenstown, which includes a number of WHS students on stage or backstage, as well as our outstanding Drama teacher and Dean, Mr Jake Hansen, as the lead. By all accounts, this is a fantastic show, so if you haven’t yet done so, make sure you get one of those final tickets. 

Some great content again in this week’s newsletter, including an outstanding piece from Academic Lead Prefect, Helena Hornbacher.

Mr Hall will be back on the newsletter on 10 June. Hope you all have a great weekend. 

Ngā mihi,
Oded Nathan
Associate Principal

Market Days

Year 12 Business students have now completed their two sales cycles with today's Market Day and was a roaring success! Thanks to staff and students for supporting the 27 small businesses over the past two weeks. Students enjoyed the opportunity to create, display and market their range of products with the hope of generating a profit and gaining experience in what it means to be in business. The next step for these students is to analyse finances, make their donations to their chosen charity, reflect and evaluate their business activity success. 

Nicola Profitt
Head of Social Sciences

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Airforce NH90 Helicopter Visit

On Tuesday we were lucky to have a RNZAF NH90 Helicopter land near the school. The NH90 was crewed by Airforce pilots and included a crew from the NZ Army. The aircraft circled the school before landing. Four Soldiers from 2/4 Battalion exited the NH90 and secured a perimeter around the aircraft whilst it shut down. Students were then invited to examine the helicopter and speak with the crew. It was very exciting for all our students and an awesome opportunity especially for those involved in trades and interested in careers in defence, to meet the crew and inspect the NH90.

"An insane and memorable fact about the RNAF NH90 Helicopter is that the aircraft costs $80 million dollars …each! There are currently 8 in New Zealand and they are mostly used for transporting troops (20 maximum, including pilot staff), transporting cargo and attending rescue missions across NZ. Another mind-boggling fact is that each NH90 aircraft hold 2 tonnes of fuel at a time and burns 600 liters an hour, think of that gas bill! We were very lucky to witness this incredible and highly advanced aircraft."- Lola Maglaras

"I absolutely enjoyed this opportunity to get so up close to an RNZAF aircraft and In my opinion, the best part was meeting the Staff Sargent and the rest of the Defence force personnel. I loved this because it helped me discuss overlapping interests and career paths in the NZDF."- Venuk Bandara

"It was awesome that they came to see us and showed us their NH90, the landing and talking to the pilots was my favourite part."- Ben Baker

Haerenga ki Ōtākou

Four of our te reo Māori ākonga headed to Ōtākou marae this week for a Ngā Manu kōrero speech competition workshop. The ākonga built whanaungatanga with students from other schools while learning tips and tricks for speech writing and delivery, as well as how to write from a Māori perspective. This was a mīharo opportunity, i tūwhitia te hopo . Me poho kererū koutou! 

Rockburn Valley Tramp

Once again Year 13 Outdoor Rec students headed into the Rockburn valley, Mt Aspiring National Park for a taste of "BackCountry" tramping and camping. It is the thirteenth such tramp into this quite remote and special valley and always includes some groans as there are significant uphills and downhills over rough terrain to reach the idyllic upper valley and Theatre Flat. There is some quite special history associated with the flats as it was previously the site of an old airstrip and existence for a young deer culler called Johnny McIntyre (previously of Glenorchy). It's alway good for the students of today to reflect on how hard a life it was back, living day to day where shelter was basic (a bivy rock) and the amount of money you were paid depended on the weather being good enough for the plane to land and take off with your load of deer carcasses. The airstrip windsock and parts of the meatsafe are still there...A highlight was seeing a pair of Whio - Blue duck nearby in the river. This is such a testament to the work and vision of the Late Barry Lawrence (Barry's wife Pauline was a long serving teacher and Assistant Principal at Wakatipu High School (1980s to 2016) who initiated along with other Department of Conservation a series of trapping lines/boxes to control pests in the valley. This was another great trip for the OREC class of 2022 with many memories made and a strong sense of achievement gained.

Ken McIntyre
Outdoor Education Teacher

Lead Prefect Message

Hey everyone, 

I hope you’re all doing well! It’s difficult to believe that we’re only four weeks into the Term, given how busy everyone seems to be - from assessments to extracurriculars, Term 2 is always hectic. 

Next week marks the half-way point for the academic year for seniors, which can be seen as both a comfort and a concern - but either way is definitely a significant milestone. And for juniors, there are only six more weeks to go before classes switch for the second semester.

Many senior classes (mine included) focused on external preparation in the first term, and so a lot of us came out of Term 1 with a lot of completed work, but not many credits to show for it. That makes these next few weeks all the more important; keeping on top of assignments and internals to the best of your ability, but also making sure to take the time off that you need. If you haven’t done so already, now’s a great time to look at the NCEA Internal Assessment Calendars to see what assessments you might have coming up..

Alongside academics, this week has also marked the start of one of our biggest House competitions - House Debating. Currently the scores in the overall House Competition are very close, so a win in debating could change the fate of a house. There have been some great debates already: discussions on topics ranging from sugar taxes, the justifiability of violence, instating Queenstown as the capital of New Zealand, the Clean Car Rebate and Banning Social Media have been both entertaining and informative. Currently the scores are fairly even and the winners won’t be decided until next week. A massive congratulations to all students involved in the debates - it is a huge commitment and achievement to be a part of these debates and everyone should be proud, regardless of the outcome of their debates. 

As positive as a busy time can be - lots to do makes sure you’ll never be bored - it’s also really important to set aside some time to look after yourself and your wellbeing. Especially when it seems like there’s no end to the pile of work, taking ten minutes off to take a walk, make a cup of tea (or coffee!) or chat with a friend can be hugely important! It’s also worthwhile remembering that you function better when well-rested, so prioritising getting enough sleep, rather than resorting to all-nighters is critical.

That’s all from me - if you’re looking for something to round out the week, be sure to check out Showbiz Queenstown’s School of Rock! Not only is it an amazing show, the cast and crew also feature several of WHS’s own students and staff. It’s been selling out, but there are still some (limited) tickets available for Friday and Saturday nights. Have a great weekend :))

Helena Hornbacher
Academic Lead Prefect

40 Hour Famine

The 40 Hour Famine is fast approaching!
1-3 July 2022

A friendly reminder that the 40 hour famine is running from 8pm on Friday 1st July and ends midday Sunday 3rd July 2022 (if these dates don’t suit you, then you can always choose a time that works for you). 

Money raised by the 40 hour famine participants this year will be going toward people across Africa and Asia who don’t have access to clean, safe water.

Struggling to think of what to do for the 40 hour famine this year? 
There’s so many alternatives to the traditional ‘40 Hour ‘No-Food’ Challenge’. Some popular examples are 40 hours screen-free, 40 hours furniture-free, 40 hours with only 40 litres of water and my personal favourite, 40 acts of kindness.

The 40 Hour Famine Committee is also running a community day on Sunday 3rd July where you can volunteer to help our native fauna and flora by chopping down wilding pines. More details on specifically where and when will be available in the weeks to come. 

How can I take part?
Join the 40 hour famine google classroom with the code zpdmkj7 to find the details on how to register. 

Jacob Stokes and the 40 Hour Famine Committee 

Sport and Active Recreation News

National Climbing Selections
Congratulations to Year 12 students Lucy Sinclair and Azaria Briscoe who have both been selected for the New Zealand Climbing Youth Team to compete in Australia next month. Azaria will represent NZ in lead climbing, while Lucy will compete in the bouldering event. These girls have climbed consistently well over the past three years competing at events all over the country, it is great to see their hard work and focus has paid off with national honours. Well done, Kā Mauka Whakatipu!

Hillary Challenge
A team of seven competed over the weekend in the annual South Island 6 Hour Hillary Challenge adventure race in Christchurch. The team of Neve Bates, Phoebe Cavanagh, Logan Campbell, Olivia Key, Marley King Smith, Zara Mackley and Ashton White ran, biked and navigated their way around the outskirts of Christchurch on a beautiful day. The team finished up 12th and had a blast. A huge thank you to Ms Dixon and Janet Lamond for taking the team away for the weekend and making these opportunities happen for our students!

Southland Open Table Tennis Championships
Congratulations to Year 9 student Hamish McDowell who attended the ILT Southland Open Table Tennis Championships over the weeked. Hamish won the Under 15s Boys Singles and the Under 15 Doubles and also placed 3rd in the Under 17 Boys Singles. An amazing effort! It’s awesome to see students out on the tables after school having a hit around, a huge thank you to Ms Kolsen Ridd for all of her support.

Draws and Results on the WHS Sports Website
Draws and results for rugby, netball, hockey and basketball can be found on the sports website. This is the best place to check to see what is happening in each sport each week. If we have the draw these will be put on our website here: https://www.sporty.co.nz/wakatipu/draws

Opportunities

Rugby League Development Opportunity
The inaugural Otago Rugby League Development Day is being held on Sunday 29th May at Logan Park in Dunedin from 9:00am-3:00pm. This is for  U14s, U16s & U18s Boys and Girls (born from 2004-2009). This also leads on to our rep season, the South Island Rugby League July Youth Tournament and acts as the first open training and a chance for selectors/coaches to have a look at players. There is a $10 registration fee for each player which can be paid into the following bank account: 02 0240 0064759 01. Please put your child's full name in the reference details. The $10 registration fee will cover: a South Island development day t-shirt, lunch and snacks and the best resource coaches from NZRL and the South Island.
Registration link for ORL development day: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/198290 

Dr Craig Harrison - The Developing Athlete Seminar
Queenstown Snow Sports Club (Formerly Remarkables Snow Sports Academy) is proud to announce Dr Craig Harrison, internationally recognised expert in youth athlete development and host of the popular podcast “The Athlete Development Show", is presenting his talk to our community.
About Craig's talk: 
Right now, more kids are dropping out of sport by their 13th birthday than ever before. For the athletes who remain, the youth sport culture is putting their mental and physical health at great risk and limiting their potential. Drawing from the latest research and more than 10 years of experience coaching kids, Craig explains where we’re going wrong, with practical tips to help your child be happy, healthy and achieve more in the sports that they love! A thought-provoking and entertaining evening with Craig, this event is a ‘must see’ for parents/caregivers with kids who love their sport and for coaches working with youth athletes. Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2022/the-developing-athlete/queenstown

Keep Us Informed
The sports department would love to hear from you if you know of any awesome achievements from our students so that we can celebrate these as a school. Please send through details and photos to lnathan@wakatipu.school.nz. 

Support Sport at WHS
Jump on board and support the team by liking or following the Wakatipu High School Sports Facebook page. This is the best way to stay informed and up to date with the successes of our athletes and teams and help celebrate their great achievements. https://www.facebook.com/WakatipuHighSchoolSports/ 

Laura Nathan
Director of Sport

Arts News & Information

Te Atamira Opening
Congratulations to Billie Carey for her first solo gig at Te Atamira last Friday night. The new performance space was full and it was a great evening's entertainment from a talented singer-songwriter. Well done also to Hannah Winter who was there providing vocals harmony on some of the songs.

Big Break
This is underway next Thursday and showcases the Music Dept bands and solo/duo acts at WHS. Parents and friends are welcome with the event kicking off at 6.00pm. 

Rockquest
Information about this year's Rockquest event has gone out to students and parents involved. This is happening in the Memorial Hall on June 18. Students need to read the information carefully and ensure they understand what is required on that evening.

Term 2 Music events:
Things are busy in the Music department this term with the following events scheduled:

Songwriting competitions: 
June 11 Peace Song entries due
July 27  Lion Foundation entries due
Further information can be found on the following link: Play It Strange https://www.playitstrange.org.nz/

Band events
June 2 Big Break (in-school event for bands/ solo-duo)
June 18 Rockquest Regional Final

Jazz bands continue to prepare for the Blenheim trip in August 2-(7)

NCEA Music nIghts
L1 Mon June 13/Tues June 14
L2 Mon June 27/Tues June 27
L3 Wed June 22

School of Rock
It's been wonderful to see our students Indy Hamilton (Summer), Eve Pagan (Shonelle), Ruby Pullar (Marcy), Isabelle Mahoney (Katie), Luke McKinney (Billy) and Drama teacher Mr Jake Hansen (Dewey Finn) on stage at the 'School of Rock' production. There were also a number of WHS students in crew and front of house roles. The production finishes this week after months of rehearsals - congratulations to all on a very successful show and stellar performances! 

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 through details and photos to mparker@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 Monica Parker the Arts Coordinator at mparker@wakatipu.school.nz. 

Instagram Page
Follow our school’s Instagram page for recent successes or news within the school’s Arts Department at @whsartdepartment.

Key Dates

Careers - Part-time Job Vacancies for Students

Joe’s Garage is on the lookout for students interested in working over winter and beyond to join our team. Ideal candidates will be enthusiastic and energetic with a strong willingness to learn new skills and help us continue to deliver the Joe’s experience Queenstown locals know and love. For more information, please contact Ryan - fivemilemanager@joes.co.nz 

Hustl. Café located at Queenstown Central Shopping Centre in Frankton are looking for front of house staff. Duties include: taking orders, running food, doing dishes. There is also an opportunity to learn barista skills. Full time, part time and casual positions available. For more information, please contact Leah halo.hustlnz@gmail.com

Based in our Queenstown depot, New Zealand Couriers are seeking students to fill morning freight handling roles. Hours 6:30am – 8:30am Tuesday to Saturday. Safety shoes, gloves and hi-vis are provided. It’s a hands-on, fast paced environment and the applicants will need to possess the following key attributes:
·        Be reliable
·        Be physically fit as heavy lifting is required
·        Be adaptable to changing work conditions, work additional hours as required (school holidays)
·        Be friendly, reliable and able to work easily with others
For further information contact Fraser.Tenquist@nzcouriers.co.nz or phone 027 582 9153.

Careers Profile of the Week -  If you're interested in a career in hair, take a look at our 'Career of the Week' for an insight into the industry!

WHS Foundation

Lost Property

All 'lost and found' items are kept at Student Services.  Lost property is overflowing again, so if you have lost anything - come and have a look for it there.

Please make sure all belongings are clearly labelled with both first and last name AND check the name on the blazer you are wearing to make sure it is actually yours because students often pick up the wrong blazer. 

Meaz Nathan
Student Services

Community Notices

Support Wakatipu High School
and purchase your Entertainment Membership from us today!!