WHS Newsletter | Issue 3.08 | 23 September 2022

Principal's Message

Kia ora and welcome to the Wakatipu High School newsletter at the end of the penultimate week of the term.

Before I get into the week I do wish to acknowledge the passing of Mel Gazzard, whose funeral I attended along with many others this afternoon. There will be parents reading this who remember Mel very fondly as the long-standing principal of Queenstown Primary School. As well as an educator he was a councillor and great local character. Our thoughts are with Sylvia and family and friends.

Dominating the week here has been our school Musical, Footloose, which opened on Wednesday night. Once again it is an amazing show with such great entertainment, and such a great display of our students’ talents and efforts, not only on stage but the band, tech crews, backstage etc. What many people possibly don't realise is just how ‘student-led’ the musical is, as well as how much time and effort goes in from so many to pull off something so remarkable every year. My very big congratulations and thanks go to everyone involved, and particularly Mrs Alison Price and Mr Jake Hansen for their outstanding leadership. Unfortunately, if you were keen to get along it is now sold out - the last two shows will be full houses!

Another significant event this week, for next year, has been the announcement of the 2023 student leaders. For students who put themselves forward this involves a rigorous selection process, and it is always very difficult to choose given how amazing our students are. See below for next year’s Head Students and Lead Prefects, and our congratulations go to everyone who applied and those who have gained these significant positions.

LE Reports are out again this evening - the final one of the year for seniors and the third of the semester for juniors. Please ensure you have a look at them and have any conversations of celebration or correction as necessary.

This week a few of us had a tour of the final piece of Phase 2 - the new gym. It is amazing, and will be a remarkable facility when it opens at the start of next year. With two full courts and bleachers seating for 750 it is going to be a tremendous asset for WHS.

This week we had a new House competition: ‘e-Sports’. A big congratulations to Duncan, Hay and Arthur for taking out the places in the Mario Kart competition :)

Branches Camp - a reminder that the Medical and Permission Form was due today. This Form is a very important part of the Branches Camp process and if you haven't completed it yet please do so as soon as possible.

Another great newsletter below with pieces on the Readers Cup, a great piece on two of our students ski touring from Treble Cone to Coronet peak on an Antarctic Heritage Trust expedition, and lots more.

Just one week to go in the term - which is now only four days with Monday’s QEII Memorial holiday. Hopefully the weather will hold for Year 9 Journey’s on Tuesday and Wednesday. For seniors it will be one final push with internal assessments due as the term ends.

Another very settled weekend of weather ahead, with milder temperature and plenty of sunshine to make the most of the spring skiing and summer sports. Don't forget to put your clocks forward for daylight saving tomorrow night :).

Steve Hall
Principal

2023 Student Leadership

This week we had the pleasure of announcing our Head Students and Lead Prefects. A huge thanks to all students who put themselves forward for a leadership position for 2023. Congratulations to the following successful students.
Head Students: Lachy Boniface and Annika Thornton
Deputy Head Students: Sammy Fookes and Marley King Smith

Mental Health Awareness Week

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is all about reconnecting with the things that bring you joy.

Groov will be hosting daily live lunchtime chats exploring the theme of reconnect and mental health with an incredible line-up of guests from around NZ and Australia, including Dave Letele, Paddy Gower, Sarah Page, Josh Reid Jones, and Jase Te Patu. Find out more and sign up here.

You can also partake in a daily challenge around reconnecting.

There will be helpful content about mental health in the Groov app, including ways to protect your mental health, tips for talking about mental health with loved ones, and ways to get back into your Groov when you’re feeling out of sorts. 

This week was the final week of the Wellbeing Council's 5 weeks of 5 ways, focusing on ‘Be Active’. 

Being physically active is proven to boost our well-being and decrease stress, depression and anxiety.  When was the last time you went for a bike ride, a jog or a walk in the fresh air? Discover a physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. Do what you can, enjoy what you do, and move your mood. Here are some useful examples to help you get motivated to get out there and Be Active!

• Bring activity into the everyday, eg. use the stairs instead of the lift, walk to colleagues to talk with them instead of phoning, and get off the bus one stop earlier than your stop.

• Try a ‘Have A Go day’ with a local sports group. Look out for what’s on offer, as often, free equipment and tuition is provided.

• Take a family walk after dinner, or a longer one on the weekend. Let family members take turns to choose where to go.

• Hold a family dance-off with different members picking the music.

• Organise or participate in walking tours of local places of interest in your community or suburb.

• Participate in a fun run/walk to raise money for charity.

• Encourage senior students to put together a Top Town-style event for the junior school with wacky, fun activities that everyone can participate in.

• Start or join a walking bus for school children.

• Try tai chi classes for strength, balance and mental wellbeing.

• Go swimming or water walking at your local pool.

To get the students in the spirit of our Be Active focus, the Wellbeing council organised a board near our school's library where we showcased some of our student's and teachers' outstanding sporting achievements. Students and teachers could also add other achievements and compliments to those already on the board!

Why the Five Ways?
Research shows there are five simple things you can do as part of your daily life – at work and at home – to build resilience, boost your wellbeing and lower your risk of developing mental health problems. These simple actions are known internationally as the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

Connect
Strengthening relationships with others and feeling close to and valued by others, including at work, is critical to boosting wellbeing.

Be Active
Being physically active, including at work, improves physical health and can improve mood and wellbeing and decrease stress, depression and anxiety.

Give
Carrying out acts of kindness, whether small or large, can increase happiness, life satisfaction and general sense of wellbeing.

Take Notice
Paying more attention to the present moment, to thoughts and feelings and to the world around, boosts our wellbeing.

Keep Learning
Being curious and seeking out new experiences at work and in life more generally positively stimulates the brain.

For ideas and more information, go to https://mentalhealth.org.nz/five-ways-to-wellbeing

NZ Readers' Cup 2022

Congrats to our five Y9 students who competed in the finals held at Dilworth School in Auckland on 20th September 2022. After six rounds of tough Q&A, WHS was placed 9th in the country. Ka pai! And these keen readers sure know a thing or two about unwinding at the end of a very long day! 

Mana Whenua Traverse

Kia Ora,

The Antarctic Heritage Trust's mission is to conserve, share and encourage the spirit of exploration. AHT conserves a global heritage legacy in Antarctica and strives to engage and inspire young people. AHT shares the legacy of exploration through outreach programmes and encourages the spirit of exploration through Inspiring Explorers' Expeditions for young people to challenge themselves and influence and inspire others. A couple of weeks ago, Zoe Crawford and I were fortunate to be chosen to continue this legacy of exploration and be a part of the trust's mission through the Inspiring Explorers program.

The expedition was along the Mahu Whenua Traverse, which runs the backbone of the Harris mountains between Treble Cone and Coronet Peak. We stayed in Turks, which were initially used by the AHT in Antarctica to help with the restoration of Borschgrivink's Hut. The Turks now make up one of New Zealand's only multi-day alpine traverses, with 5 Turks between Treble Cone and Coronet Peak. I stayed in 3 of the Turks along the way, Polnoon Saddle, Mt Hyde and Vanguard making the traverse a 4-day trip.

My group's wealth of experience and knowledge massively influenced my trip. I learned from Atlantic Rowers, Arctic Explorers, and IFMGA guides the intricacies of backcountry travel and how to move safely and efficiently. The expedition has hugely improved my skills in the backcountry and allowed me to do more of these adventures on my own, continuing the trust's mission of exploration.

Zoe Crawford:
My trip started a day after Sam’s. We had the most amazing, sunny weather, stunning views and awesome snow for the first 2 days.. On Day 2 we boot packed up and along the ridge to ski one long run down to the valley floor before we skinned up to Hyde Turk. We started off with nice weather on the morning of Day 3. We had 2 kea follow us for a couple of hours in the morning before we got to Saint Just turk for lunch. After lunch we decided to carry on to Vanguard turk, but as soon as we left the weather came in. The snow was very wet and my skins stopped sticking to my skis and we had a few minor malfunctions, but nothing a bit of duct tape couldn’t fix! Day 4 was flat light but we still had a few patches of nice snow. We then traversed for as long as we could until we had to start boot packing down to the Deep Creek turk. On our last day it rained all day as we hiked up Coronet to meet the other group. It was the most rewarding feeling to make it to the finish line and I enjoyed every moment. This trip really pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to overcome my fears, however, I knew that I was always in safe hands with my guide and the people around me. While the down hill slopes were not much of a problem for me, I hadn’t done a lot of skinning before so I wasn’t super-confident, however I learnt so many different skills all alone the trip, not just from the guide, but from the whole group as well. I am very lucky to have done this with such an awesome group of people, everyone was so friendly and supportive of each other.

At the trip's finish, Zoe and I were announced members of the Antarctic Heritage Trusts Alumni and are now a part of their mission to conserve the legacy of exploration. We plan on having an event sometime in the coming weeks to share our experiences on the trip, so watch this space. I encourage you to check out the check out the Antarctic Heritage Trust and learn about their mission and the legacy they are preserving. Zoe and I are both grateful for this amazing opportunity, Thankyou.

Sam Davis and Zoe Crawford.

Lead Prefect Message

Hey there everyone!

I hope the first few weeks of spring have treated you well, and that you’re enjoying the last few weeks of this term. Term 3, and, for seniors, the year as a whole, is coming to an end, with just four school days left in this term (and only 13 days in the year for seniors). Still, life at school is as busy as ever, with assessments, internals and external preparation alongside many extracurriculars and competitions. 

An absolute highlight of this week has been the school musical, Footloose. The show opened on Wednesday night to a sold-out crowd, and was again sold out on Thursday - to anyone who hasn’t yet had the chance to see it, get in quick because tickets for Friday and Saturday are also selling out quickly. The musical is always an awesome performance, and this year especially so, with over eight months of work from around 100 students having been put into this show. It’s a great display of the student’s talent and their hard work on and off the stage. Everyone involved should be hugely proud of their achievements, and enjoy the last two nights of performances! You all rock.

For Year 13s, the end of the year is coming close, and accordingly, many of us are thinking about what the future holds for us. The next stage of the uni application process is well underway, with scholarship applications and halls of residence offers coming out over the next few weeks. Good luck to all school leavers, and all the best for wherever the next few years take you!

Next week, the final week of Term 4, also looks packed, with the Year 9s heading away on their Journeys Camp, the next instalment of the House Competition in the form of House Gaming, University Liason visits, and of course lots of assessments due. Best of luck to everyone engaging with any of these endeavours - make sure to also set aside some time to look after your own well-being.

Especially at a time as busy as now, taking just ten minutes a day to relax and recover is an excellent idea. Next week’s Mental Health Awareness Week Theme is Reconnect - with the people and places that lift you up. Take a walk, make some tea, chat with a friend, and get some rest - prioritising your own health is not just a good idea, but an absolute necessity.

That’s all from me - I hope you enjoy your long weekend, and make the most of the warmer weather and sunshine :))

Helena Hornbacher
Academic Lead Prefect

Arts News and Information

Footloose: The Musical
The school’s annual musical Footloose is well and truly underway this week, with truly awe-inspiring performances from students on both Wednesday and Thursday nights. The lead up to this has involved a lot of dedication from students and staff with rehearsals running throughout the term, not to mention an action packed week prior to opening night. 

A special audience was at the dress rehearsal held on Tuesday. We had about 150 Year 7 and 8 students of Remarkables Primary School and also the local Alzheimer's Society.

A big thank you goes out to our musical sponsors and the Wakatipu High School Foundation, who we were pleased to host at the Thursday night show.

Our Friday and Saturday performances are now sold out!  

If you have purchased a ticket please note that doors open at 7pm and the show starts approximately at 7.30pm each night. Drinks, snacks and musical programmes will be on sale before the show and during intermission.

Students, staff, and volunteers can be immensely proud of the commitment and effort put in, it is no mean feat to put on a show of this size and calibre.

Venue: Wakatipu High School Theatre
Run Time: Approximately 2 hour plus intermission
Ticket link: https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2022/sep/footloose-wakatipu
Contact: Monica Parker, Arts Coordinator mparker@wakatipu.school.nz

‘SHOWING OFF’ - Senior Visual Art Exhibition
Wednesday 7 September saw the official opening of ‘Showing Off’. This annual event showcases an array of impressive artwork from our senior students, who have delivered work at an excellence level.

For those yet to visit, the exhibition is being held at the LAKES DISTRICT MUSEUM in Arrowtown, running until Sunday, 9 October.

There is a People's Choice Award for each discipline (painting, design, and photography) and one overall winner at the end of the exhibition.

Thank you to Wayne Foley from Trinity Developments, and David Clarke and Jane Peasey from the Lakes District Museum for their continued support as our main sponsors of the event. 

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

Sports and Active Recreation News

Commonwealth Karate Championships - Birmingham
A big congratulations to Year 12 student Mackenzi Jackson who has recently returned from Birmingham where she represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Karate Championships. Mackenzi achieved an awesome result earning a bronze medal in the Junior Female - 59kg grade. Well done Mackenzi on your achievement, it is great to see your hard work, focus and determination pay off!

Get2Go Central Otago Champs
Last Friday our Get2Go team won the Central Otago Champs, qualifying once again for the national Get2Go finals, of which we are the current title holders. This is super exciting for this group of Year 10 students. The WHS team was Elsbeth Purdue, Charlie Manser, McKellar Thornton, Siena Mackley, Seb Watson, Neive McLeod, Emma Andrew and Harry Lightfoot. Throughout the day the team competed in outdoor pursuit activities including a team mountain biking relay with a memory challenge, a team paddling relay and a team orienteering challenge. Well done!

Central Otago Volleyball Champs
A great day out was had by 41 of our students competing in the Central Otago Junior Volleyball competition in Cromwell on Monday. WHS had six teams competing across the two grades and it was an awesome start to the Junior Volleyball season. All our teams did well with Waka 10A winning A grade, Waka 10B finished 2nd and Waka Junior Boys 5th. In the B grade, Waka Blue placed 1st with Waka White and Waka Yellow getting 2nd equal. It was a great day for all involved with a great display of sportsmanship from all teams. A huge thank you to Mrs Panapa, Steve Henderson, Greg Trounce and Miss Bewley.

South Island Ski and Board Champs
Year 13 student Chloe Wild finished first in the Women’s GS races at the South Island Secondary School at Cardrona over the weekend. Well done Chloe.

South Island MotoX Champs
Last weekend three students raced in the 2022 South Island Secondary Schools Motocross Champs, held near Gore. Alex Garland achieved 2nd place in the Senior Open class, while Jake Colvin placed 2nd and Ben Pope 11th in the Novice 4Stroke. Overall WHS placed 14th out of the 35 schools entered, a great effort by all! Alex heads north in a few weeks to compete at the NZ Junior MX nationals in Taranaki, good luck!

Southland Equestrian Interschools ODE
Over the weekend our WHS Equestrian team competed at the Interschools One Day Event at Oreti Sands. The team, consisting of Heidi Green, Kendra Van Leeuwen, Sylvan Lawn and Jenna Shefford with Year 7/8's Zara Hazeldine and Libby Smith. The team came away with an impressive 1st place at the event. Great effort!

Wakatipu Wild Update
A number of our ice hockey players are members of the Wakatipu Wild team which finished as the top team at the end of the regular NZWIHL season. The side are playing the semi and final rounds in Dunedin this weekend. Go well!

Queenstown Ice Skating Club Champs
Congratulations to the following students who competed in the QISC Champs recently.
Georgia Chinn - 1st Intermediate Novice
Sabine Edmonds - 1st Basic Novice
Megan Carr - 3rd Juvenile
Shiloh Thurston - 1st Elementary 

Opportunities to Get Active!

Cricket Registrations
If you are wanting to play cricket this season the registration forms are available for both Queenstown Cricket Club and Wakatipu High School. NZ Cricket has moved to a new system for the upcoming season and all players will need to register with both school and club through separate Play HQ forms. The WHS registration form can be found below. Anyone wishing to play regular, weekly cricket will need to register with the club. School cricket is for school exchanges and secondary school tournaments only.
WHS Cricket Registration Form: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/register/3e80df

Secondary School Athletics
WHS is currently the top school in Southland for Athletics and with the Southland Champs being postponed from Term 1 to Term 4 it would be great to have an awesome turn out at this regional event again. If you are keen to compete for WHS it is time to start thinking about training. Formal school training/support will kick off in Term 4. If you have any questions please email sportscoordinator@wakatipu.school.nz.
Key Dates:
Southland Athletic Champs - Saturday 12th November - Invercargill
NZSS Athletic Champs - Friday 9th to Sunday 11th December - Inglewood
Please complete this expression of interest form for the events you are interested in: https://forms.gle/EMuqAeHsFneCuDEN9

Term 4 Social Touch
It is time to gather your mates and get your touch teams together for another summer of fun or opt to be put into a touch team for the season. Below is a registration form for those wanting to play touch at the Event Centre on Monday evenings in Term 4. Details can be found on the form. There is also a team sheet below for those creating their own teams. Team sheets and expressions of interest are due on Monday 26th September.
Touch Registration Form: https://forms.gle/6xGMEqfCbznggbpy7
Team Sheet (please make a copy):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BB-1SfMz3zSeDTl1cRkH6gtUK8XNeLYzc03piEJv0AE/edit?usp=sharing

WHS Run Club
Everyone is welcome to attend the WHS run club on Thursday mornings, meet at 7:20am at school, ready to depart at 7:30am. Return to school by 8am, followed by breakfast at the breakfast club. Suitable for all ages and abilities.

Queenstown Tennis Club Open Days
The tennis club is holding a series of open days throughout September at the tennis courts in Queenstown Gardens. More details can be found on the flyer below. The tennis club is for anyone interested in being coached and developing their tennis skills. It is also for competitive players.
Junior Open Day - Sunday 25th September 1-4pm
For more details check out: www.queenstowntennisclub.co.nz

New to WHS?
If you have just recently joined Wakatipu High School and keen to find out more information about sport and active recreation opportunities please visit our website to see what is on offer and join the google classrooms of those activities you are keen to participate in: https://www.sporty.co.nz/wakatipu

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

Local scholarships and other opportunities

Margaret Templeton Tertiary Study Scholarship
Valued at $15,000 over 3 years i.e. $5,000 per year - This scholarship is open to students who reside in the Wakatipu Basin and was set up to support those who would find it extremely difficult to meet the financial cost of tertiary study. Evidence of the financial position of the applicant and parents will be required to establish need for support. Applications must be returned to the Careers Hub no later than midday on 29th September, so that we can deliver to Anderson Lloyd. The Household Income Questionnaire should be in a sealed envelope as this information is for the scholarship trustees only.

Tertiary Course Planning Sessions in Term 3
University Liaison Officers visit Wakatipu High School during Term 3 for course planning and to assist students with the transition from school to university. This is a good time to look at individual interests and help students put their first-year course together. Please drop by the Careers Hub to sign-up or email Careers to register your attendance. These visits are scheduled to take place on the following dates:

• University of Canterbury - 27 September - 10:00am -12:30pm
• University of Otago - 27 September - 9:00am
  

Careers - Job Vacancies for Students

Student Job Vacancies can be viewed at the link below. Please join the google classroom with the code: 3spycgk

Key Dates

WHS Foundation

Community Notices

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