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Wakatipu High School

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47-49 Red Oaks Drive
Frankton QUEENSTOWN 9300
Subscribe: https://wakatipuhs.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email: office@wakatipu.school.nz
Phone: 03 442 7370

Wakatipu High School

47-49 Red Oaks Drive
Frankton QUEENSTOWN 9300

Phone: 03 442 7370

  • WHS Website
  • WHS International Website
  • Student Notices
  • School Calendar
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Contact Us

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Upcoming Events

14 Jul
Start of Term Three

All day

21 Jul
Year 9 & 10 Semester 1 Prizegivings

All day

22 Jul
Course Option Afternoon - After School

3:20 PM - 5:00 PM

24 Jul
Extracurricular Photos (Day 1/2)

All day

25 Jul
Extracurricular Photos Day 2/2 (9 - 11:15am)

All day

28 Jul
Year Level Excellence / Ad Alta Assemblies

All day

29 Jul
Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings (no timetabled classes on this day)

All day

2025 Term Dates

Term 1: Monday 27 January to Friday 11 April
Term 2: ​Monday 28 April to Friday 27 June
Term 3: Monday 14 July to Friday 19 September
Term 4: Monday 06 October to Tuesday 09 December

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WHS Newsletter | Issue 2.09 | 27 June 2025

  • Principal's Message
  • Key Dates
  • Progress and Achievement Reports available this weekend
  • 2026 Course Option Selection
  • Junior Prizegiving
  • Senior School Exams (Thursday 7 August - Tuesday 12 August)
  • WHS Board Election
  • Matatū
  • Student Leaders Message
  • IGCSE Pilot for Year 10 in 2026
  • Gifted Education
  • Ngā Reo Languages Learning Area News
  • Sport and Active Recreation News
  • Arts Department News
  • WHS Foundation
  • Community Notices

Principal's Message

Welcome to the end of an action-packed Term 2. While there have been many things to celebrate at WHS over the past few weeks and term, our annual Matatū Assembly is always a great way to wrap it all up, and today was no exception. This important event, which is also part of our hotly contested House Competition, sees our students learn and perform our school’s haka and waiata, and brings the school community together to showcase our school’s values of Inclusion/Kotahitanga, Resilience/Te manawanui me te ū and Excellence/Panekiretanga. Matatū means to stand firm, to show endurance and to be proud and the Matatū assembly is an important part of our school culture and all-round education. 

A huge thanks to the student leaders and staff, who have supported with the preparation, and congratulations to all of the students who participated. A special thanks to our kaiwhakawā (judges) and kaiwhakaako (tutors) - Ata, Marley, and Te Tuhi and to Matua Ryan Gilbertson for his organisation and MCing of this great event. 

Once again this year, all of the performances were outstanding - reflecting the effort that has been put in over the last few weeks. If you missed it, you can view the livestream recording here. 

At the start of the week, we held our Board Meeting where the 2028 Strategic Plan was finalised and approved (see below). A massive thank you to the parents, students and staff who provided feedback throughout the process. As you’ll see below, the 2028 Strategic Plan represents an iteration on our 2025 Strategic Plan, as opposed to a massive change of direction. Our next step is to generate our 2026 Annual Priorities and work through the preparation of the 2026 Budget. 

In the classroom, our students and staff have worked hard to the last day of term, with many senior students wrapping up their internal assessments and our junior students finishing off their Semester One courses. Our mid-year reports for 2025 are in the process of being published to the Portal and should be available for all to see by Sunday evening. Teachers spend a lot of time reporting and giving feedback to students and we hope that the information in the reports is useful for students and parents, and that parents take the time to go through them and to be informed about students’ learning, progress and achievement. 

A letter detailing these reports will be emailed out and this will include information about the Progress and Option Selection Kaiārahi Meetings (Next Steps) that are being held on Tuesday 29 July. We hope and expect that all students and their parents/caregivers will be in attendance for these important meetings. 

Term 3 begins on Monday 14 July and is always an exciting and dynamic term. Please mark the key dates below in your calendar, as there are some important events in the first few weeks of term, including a parent/student information evening regarding the IGCSE pilot for 2026. A reminder that junior students will move to their Semester Two options, and that will include a change to their timetable, details of which can be found on the Portal. 

Details of some of the other term 3 events are also included in the newsletter, not to mention a recap of some of the successes from the past week, including SIX the musical, the Bruce Grant Youth Trust evening held at the school, and ex-student Mason Clarke’s contract with the Otago Volts - so please be sure to have a read through.

I hope that everyone has a restful and relaxing break and that students have an opportunity to reflect on the first half of the school year before the start of next term.

Ngā mihi nui,

Oded Nathan
Principal/Tumuaki

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Key Dates

Term Three:

Monday July 14

Term 3 begins

Monday July  21

Junior Mid-year Prizegiving

Tuesday July  22

Option Afternoon from 3.20 - 5:00 pm

Monday July  28

Year 11, 12, 13  Excellence / Ad Alta Assemblies

Tuesday July 29

Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings

 7 - 12  August

Year 11/12/13  Exams

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Progress and Achievement Reports available this weekend

Parents and caregivers will receive an email notification by the end of this weekend, letting them know that their student's Mid-Year Report is available to view via the Portal. For Junior students, these reports summarise learning, progress and achievement over Semester 1. For Senior students, these reports provide a summary of current progress towards NCEA, including credits gained to date and grades awarded for specific Achievement Standards. There are also formative grades for work that is still in process, including learning for externally assessed standards. All reports will also include comments from Kaiārahi.

As always, we strongly encourage parents to review these reports with their student: celebrate their success and also discuss any areas for improvement.  Any immediate questions can be directed to the subject teacher, Kaiārahi, or Dean in the first instance.

The next opportunity to discuss your student's progress is the Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings on Tuesday, 29 July.  This day is an important opportunity for you and your student to meet with their Kaiārahi to gain a clear, shared understanding of how they are progressing towards their goals and their next steps towards achieving to the best of their ability.   You can book your 15-minute interview time using this link https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/uu6bt

A reminder that this is a pupil-free day, although we expect the student to also be present at the conference to discuss their progress.

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2026 Course Option Selection

The start of Term 3 will signal the beginning of our course selection process for Year 9 to Year 12 students. On the first Monday of term, students in Years 9 - 12 will begin the day with year level assemblies outlining the process. 

The key dates that you will need to consider are:

Monday 14 July - Year level assemblies focusing on course option selection
Tuesday 22 July - 3:20 pm to 5:00 pm Option selection afternoon. This is an opportunity for parents and students to ask questions of key staff in learning areas about courses for the future
Tuesday 29 July - Kaiārahi Progress & Option Selection Meetings are an opportunity to discuss course options with students Kaiārahi.
Monday 04 August
 - Subject selection due for years 9 - 12 

The Senior Leadership team will also be available for appointments to assist with selection, there will be further information about this next term.

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Junior Prizegiving

Save the date - Monday 21 July

Students receiving an award (and their parents/caregivers) will be emailed in the first week of Term 3. 

  • Year 9 - 10:15 am
  • Year 10 - 12:25 pm
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Senior School Exams (Thursday 7 August - Tuesday 12 August)

The Year 11, 12 and 13 School Exams are coming up in weeks 4 and 5 of next 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.

Early in Term 3 there will be an exam timetable published, as well as guidance from subject areas on what standards are being examined and what study leave is allowed.  Students will also be provided with access to further information around how to study effectively during Ako Time over the weeks before the exams and what the expectations are over the exam period.

Not all NCEA Level 1 exams will be held in this time period. There will be a further window for those remaining Level 1 exams in week 9 of the term, and subject teachers will communicate this to their classes at the beginning of the term.

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WHS Board Election

Every three years all public schools in Aotearoa New Zealand hold elections for their School Boards, and this is scheduled to commence at WHS early next term.

A board is responsible for the governance of the school. The board:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Below is the timeline for the 2025 WHS Board elections:

Close Main Roll

Wednesday, 16 July 

Call for Nominations by

Friday, 18 July 

Close Supplementary Roll

Monday, 04 August 

Nominations Close (at 12pm)

Wednesday, 06 August 

Voting Papers Issued

Wednesday, 13 August 

Election day

Wednesday, 10 September 

Close Poll

4pm on election day

Accept postal votes

Monday, 15 September

Count votes

Tuesday, 16 September

Board Takes Office

Wednesday, 17 September

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

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

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Matatū

Today marked a memorable close to the first half of the school year, as our entire school came together for Matatū. Our students showcased incredible school spirit, bringing our values of Inclusion, Resilience, and Excellence to life through their powerful haka and waiata. A huge congratulations to Mackenzie House for their outstanding haka and waiata, which earned them the win!

Click here for a replay of the live screen from the event.

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Student Leaders Message

Matatū

On the last day of term we held Matatū here at the kura. Matatū is the inter-house haka and waiata competition, it is one of the most special days on the calendar. The name Matatū, or Aoraki Matatū means to stand strong, alert, and steadfast like Aoraki our Kāi Tahu ancestor. It was gifted to us by the iwi Kāi Tahu, it is a name we must uphold. Matatū is an opportunity for everyone to celebrate and engage with the Māori culture. This would not have been possible without the hard work and determination of the student leaders and everyone who participated. Aoraki Matatū!!

Bruce Grant Youth Trust 

This week, in conjunction with the 45 South Community Foundation we hosted the annual Bruce Grant Youth Trust Evening. It was great to hear from other scholarship recipients and past students like Ben McLauchlan and Tim Cafe about the impact these scholarships have had on their professional sporting careers.

Bruce Grant was a former WHS student, an Olympic skier, mountaineer, extreme adventurer, and an extraordinary individual. Sadly, Bruce passed away at age 31 on August 13, 1995, during a violent storm while descending from the summit of K2 in Pakistan. As we approach the 30th anniversary of his passing, it's a poignant reminder of his incredible legacy and the enduring impact of the Trust established in his name.

The Bruce Grant Youth Trust awards grants to local youth under the age of 25 who are looking to further themselves in the Arts, Cultural, and Sporting fields. Since 1995, nearly $450,000 has been distributed to young people in the Wakatipu area.

A big thank you to the Bruce Grant Youth Trust and all our senior students who helped host and serve the invited guests.

Sports round-up

We spoke to Siena Mackley, a skilled athlete from our school who performed incredibly well at the recent New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Whangārei. Siena placed first in the senior girls’ event which is a huge achievement. Congratulations Siena!

What does it feel like to be competing on a national level?

Siena: I think it’s super surreal to have gone from primary school cross country, where the biggest stage is the Central Otago champs, to competing against athletes from all around the country. I love the racing itself, but for me the highlight of competing at a national level is the incredible community. Instead of being nervous for the race, I get to look forward to seeing my friends and pushing each other to be our best. 

What was your first thought when you crossed the finish line?

Siena: I was so glad to be finished racing! After crossing the line, I wasn’t able to think about much except lying on the ground, but it started to set in later once I was able to celebrate with friends and family. I was just super excited to see my training pay off and achieve a goal which I’ve been working towards since the start of high school. 

What kept you believing in yourself even when it was difficult?

Siena: I think it’s important to put things into perspective and remind myself that this is my choice, and I’m super lucky to have the opportunity to pursue my passion around the country, and even the world. I really try to trust the process and not get too caught up in things that don’t go the way I planned.

What are you working towards now?

Siena: My race at Nationals automatically qualified me for the NZ team heading to the Australian All Schools Cross Country Champs in September, so that’s the main race I’m working towards right now. It’s such an awesome event, since you get to travel with the NZ team and get a glimpse of what it would feel like to live as a professional athlete! In the meantime, I’m also focusing on college recruiting since I want to run for a university in the US next year.

SIX the musical 

If you were fortunate enough to attend SIX last weekend, there is no doubt you would have been blown away by the talent on the stage! We spoke to Mala Januszkiewicz, Indy Hamilton, and Eve Pagan, who were all fantastic in the musical. This was such a special production filled with so much talent. 

What does it feel like to represent Wakatipu High School in such a popular production?
Indy: It's a great opportunity that we get, especially as it’s such a popular production, we are very grateful to have been able to do three shows to showcase our hard work. 

What is your next goal/thing you would like to achieve or accomplish in this area?
Mala: I’d love to pursue my music career for next year as it’s something I’m very passionate about. 
Indy: Hopefully we can do another show like this next year, maybe even get Emma down again next year!
Eve: Queenstown has limited opportunities for musical theatre in comparison to big places such as Auckland so to have another show like this next year would be great.

You obviously had incredible costumes, what can you tell us about those?
Mala: Lots of work went into my costume, there are so many takeaways and learnings that we made throughout the whole production process of my costume. 
Indy: We had to make them as a part of our PAT (performing arts technology) class. I made my own costume which was hard as Emma had very high standards for us to live up to.  
Eve: We all had black shoes (boots) and we all bedazzled them ourselves in order to add our own personal touch to our costumes. 

What have you found interesting about the cultural or historical aspects of this musical?
Mala: We’ve learnt so much about the different queens and their individual stories. So much more knowledge about the 1500’s which we wouldn’t have really paid much attention to outside of Six. 
Indy: For our individual characters we had to do a lot of behind the scenes work and learn about their personalities and lives in order to fully embody their spirit. 
Eve: This part of history, especially focusing on the stories of each wife is so important, this story moves away from the generalisation that these queens have had to face and gives them each a voice in a really unique way. 

How much have you learned through this journey?
Mala: It was definitely an adjustment getting to know different people’s directing styles, through that it meant that we are able to listen and understand different ways of acting and singing which is great. 
Indy: Using the work we did in Six for Drama and PAT internals was super cool and I’m so grateful that I had that option. 
Eve: Juggling Six and all of our school work definitely helped us learn how to better schedule our time and the fact that Six in itself was predominantly student led was definitely an eye opening experience. We had to learn heaps about working with each other, which wasn't too hard as we went into this show all being super close with each other. 

Jentie Newell and Lani Thomas, 
Lead and Deputy Prefects of the Māori and Pasifika Student Council

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IGCSE Pilot for Year 10 in 2026

Parent Information Evening

Date: Wednesday, 16 July
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: WHS Theatre

WHS Vision is for Aotearoa New Zealand’s best all-round education. As we grow as a school, we need to consider the different learning needs and aspirations of our students. As part of a range of programmes on offer for our students, next year, we will be piloting the IGCSE (Cambridge) programme of learning with a group of students in Year 10 in 2026.

Students entering Year 10, will have the opportunity to engage with the IGCSE curriculum in up to three core subjects - English, Mathematics and Science.  This may serve the interests and capabilities of a group of students who are looking for greater challenge and growth in their subjects of passion and who thrive in examination type assessments.

Students can apply for one, two or all three of these IGCSE courses, which they will take alongside their other course options in 2026 (as a Year 10) and their NCEA Level 1 subjects in 2027.

Entry into the IGCSE classes will be by application.  Like many other specialist courses, the Learning Area will consider applications.

We encourage all interested students and their parents to attend an information evening where we will provide further details and answer your questions.

Please complete this short form to register your interest in finding out more about IGCSE, even if you are not intending to come to the parent evening.

For additional information about the IGCSE qualification, please visit: Cambridge IGCSE

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Gifted Education

Farewell and Welcome - Gifted Coordinator Role

As I finish my time as the Wakatipu High School Gifted Coordinator at the end of this week, I am pleased to announce that Ms Sahar Lin will be stepping into the role. Sahar will be overseeing our provision for gifted and accelerated learners, including the ongoing review and monitoring of students in accelerated courses. She brings a deep commitment to supporting students with their diverse learning enrichment needs, and I know she will continue to ensure they are both challenged and supported in their learning journeys. Ms Lin can be contacted at slin@wakatipu.school.nz.

Ngā mihi,
Mr L Rae

Register for ICAS 2025

ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, and Writing. The competition is open to all WHS students, Year 9 through to 13, with test dates throughout August. Every student who participates is celebrated and recognised with a printed certificate in each subject area, and an online results report to track development each year. Top performers are eligible for one of the highly coveted ICAS medals. 
 
If you wish for your child to participate in ICAS this year, please:  
1. Read about ICAS subjects and prices here.
2. Read the terms and conditions here. 
3. Go to the Parent Portal to sign up to chosen subject areas here.  
4. Enter our school’s access code – QFN331.  
5. Enter your child’s details, select the subject areas your child would like to participate in, then proceed to payment.  
 
After payment is made via the Parent Payment System, you will receive an order confirmation email. Please keep this for your records. Applications need to be in by Monday, 28 July. Please contact Ms Lin (slin@wakatipu.school.nz) with any questions. 

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Ngā Reo Languages Learning Area News

French Trip to Akaroa & Canterbury University

This Matariki weekend, a group  of intrepid Year 12 students set off on a magnifique French expedition to Akaroa.
New Zealand’s own slice of France (with slightly more seagulls). Armed with clues they embarked on a treasure hunt through the charming streets of Akaroa, unearthing French heritage and culture. 

But the adventure didn’t end there! From baguettes to books, the students then travelled to Canterbury University for a French immersion day—or as some may call it, a day of joyful linguistic confusion. They joined forces with students from over a dozen schools across Canterbury and Otago, diving headfirst into workshops, games, and activities, all celebrating this year’s theme: Remarkable Women (inspired by the Paris Olympics). 

Between navigating campus, mingling en français, and finding out that French verbs are not for the faint-hearted, our students truly embraced this French  immersion weekend—new beginnings, connection, and learning.

Mr Guillaume Charton - HOLA Languages

Southland Interschool Japanese Speech Competition

Yesterday, the 24th of June, seven students ranging from Year 9 to 12 participated in the Japanese Speech Competition at Southland Girls' High School. This is the first time Wakatipu High School has attended and students were excited to attend. We are very proud of Gus Evans, Alec Peysner, Gage Buehler, Rowan Leftley, Hannah Parkin, Anna Argyle and Keira Sinclair for stepping out of their comfort zone and presenting in front of a crowd of 50!

Afterwards, we treated ourselves to a Japanese lunch at Koji restaurant. This was a great opportunity to use their knowledge and speaking skills and most plan to attend next year as well. 

Juliette Cooke - Teacher of Japanese

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Sport and Active Recreation News

Basketball
The final games of the Central Otago Senior Basketball competition were played on Monday. WHS had 12 teams entered across the Boys and Girls A and B grades.

Congratulations to our Senior A Boys who took the win against MAC Senior A last night in Wanaka. The team came away with a convincing 84-50 win in the Senior Boys A grade final.

Congratulations also to the WHS Defenders who went back to back, winning the Senior B grade for the second year in a row! The WHS Stars won a well fought battle against Maniototo to come away with the Girls B grade trophy.

The Senior A Girls made the final in the Girls A grade and came away with a 2nd place.

Well done to all 12 teams for competing each week.

 Climbing Team

Term 2 saw Wakatipu High School climbers, from Year 9 through to Year 13, reaching new heights, quite literally.
This term’s focus was on developing students’ skills in rope climbing, bouldering, and building a solid understanding of climbing safety and lead techniques. A huge thank you to Mr. Obermeier for his unwavering support and guidance throughout the sessions, your help was invaluable.

To all the climbers: I’m truly looking forward to taking you even further next term as we continue exploring safe climbing practices, refining techniques, and building even more skills. Let’s keep climbing!
A quick selection of a few pictures and some of the students showing off their great climbing skills!

Mr Guillaume Charton | Teacher in Charge of Climbing

Cricket

Fantastic news from Mason Clarke, who was our head student last year. Mason has earned a full domestic contract with the Otago Volts cricket team for the upcoming 2025/26 season! After a strong debut last summer, Mason's dedication has paid off in a big way, and he'll be living his dream from September. This significant achievement with the Volts places Mason firmly on the pathway towards his dream of representing New Zealand in the future

Mason expressed his gratitude to Wakatipu High School, particularly our sports department, for the role we played in his journey – thank you, Mason, that means a lot! With 15 players contracted and an exciting mix of talent, the Volts are set for a strong season, and we know Mason will be a key part of it. Huge congratulations again, Mason, we're so proud of your dedication and can't wait to follow your journey!

Hockey

A massive congratulations to Katie Battrick, Eve Burer, Jessie Glover, Milla Leemborg and Chelsea Wood for being selected into the Central Otago Hockey U18 Team. Well done!!!

Netball Sponsorship

Our Senior competitive teams would like to say a massive thank you to Gasco for sponsoring our netball training tops. The Senior A’s wore them at the James Hargest exchange while the A’s and B’s wore them to the Southland Champs. 

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

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Arts Department News

Final Curtain Call – SIX: Teen Edition

As the lights dim on SIX: Teen Edition, we want to take a moment to celebrate what has been a truly electrifying production. Our talented cast of wāhine toa have wowed audiences with their powerful performances, showcasing not only their vocal and acting prowess but also the strength and mana they bring to our performing arts community. Behind the scenes, our hardworking Performing Arts Technology (PAT) students have been the heartbeat of the show—running lights, sound, costumes, makeup, front of house, and everything in between with professionalism and pride.

This show would not have been possible without the incredible support of our local sponsors. Your generosity directly contributes to opportunities like this for our students, and we are deeply grateful for your backing.

A special thanks must go to Emma Bishop from Stageantics. Her expert direction, passion, and time have been instrumental in bringing this production to life. Thank you, Emma, for inspiring and guiding our students every step of the way.

Ngā mihi nui to everyone who supported SIX—on stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience.

Artist of the Week 

Amelia Rix, year 12.  Level 2 Photography.

These 3 photos are from a series of Amelia's Photography panel, exploring the theme "Running out of Time."  These will be on her final Level 2 Photography panel, which is still being developed.

Students Earn Spot on Play It Strange Peace Album

Congratulations to Mala Januszkiewicz and Ruby Pullar. Their song “The Scars You Left” has made it onto the 2025 Play It Strange Peace album. This is a significant achievement as they were one of only four South Island acts to make the album. They now get to record their song at a professional studio. Have a listen to part of the song below:

Your browser does not support the audio element. Please try Google Chrome.

Play it Strange competitions for this term include:

Lion Foundation (the year's main competition). Entries close July 16.
Waiata Māori Competition (Some Māori language must be included. Other languages can also be included alongside te reo Māori). Entries close July 31.

Please see Mrs. Price for more information.

Mini Art Expo

On July 23 the Arts department are running a mini Arts Expo to highlight the range of Arts activities on offer here at WHS and see what events are happening through the remainder of the year. It is an opportunity for the new semester 2 students to see what's happening and join groups that are of interest for them. This is happening at break 2 and we look forward to seeing you there.

Extracurricular groups 

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

Sign up code is: sijw2gw

Wednesday Morning Arts Time - hang out with the Arts

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

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

We invite you to share your skills in the arts

We love it when artists want to share their skills and experience with our students. If you would like to share your experience and knowledge, please get in touch with Arts Coordinator Stine Cooper scooper@wakatipu.school.nz. 

Upcoming in Terms  2 & 3 - 

July 16 – Entries close: Play It Strange – Lion Foundation National Songwriting Competition (Years 9-13)
21 July - Creatives 360 Career Night for students and parents
23 July - Mini Arts Expo Break 2
31 July - Entries close - Play It Strange - Waiata Māori Competition
31 July - Opening of SHOWING OFF Senior Art Exhibition at Lakes District Museum in Arrowtown. The exhibition runs until end of August
3 August - WHS Jazz Band and Jazz Combo concert 
4- 10 August - Southern Jam Blenheim Jazz Festival 
September 6 – Performing Arts Showcase at Te Atamira

    Te Atamira - is a multi-purpose arts and cultural space at Remarkables Park Town Centre - check out what is happening at Te Atamira here

    Te Wahi Toi - Nau mai, haere mai, Te Wāhi Toi is the meeting place and online directory for Queenstown and Wānaka’s creative community.  Find them here

    Let us Know
    The Arts department would like to know about any artistic achievements that students have attained outside of school be it in Drama, Dance, Music or Visual Arts. Please send details and photos to scooper@wakatipu.school.nz

    Support the Arts
    We are always looking for local professional performing and visual artists to visit our school and run workshops for our students. If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Mrs Cooper the Arts Coordinator at scooper@wakatipu.school.nz

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

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    WHS Foundation

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