Important Dates
Term 4
- Monday 13 October – Board meeting 6.00pm
- Thursday 23 October – Whakanuia
- Monday 27 October – Labour Day (public holiday)
- Tuesday 28 October – Year 12 and 13 Celebrations (final day of school (for Years 12 and 13)
- Wednesday 29 – Friday 31 October – Learning Opportunities for years 12 and 13
- Wednesday 5 November – Teacher only day (school closed)
- Monday 24 November – Board meeting 6.00pm
- Friday 28 November – Year 11 Celebrations 9.30-11am
- Monday 1 December – Year 13 Celebration evening
- Friday 5 December – Junior Ball
- Tuesday 9 December – Year 9 Celebration 9.15-10am and Year 10 Celebration 11am-12.15pm
- Tuesday 9 December – End of Term 4
Important Information
Measles
The news has recently reported on cases of Measles in Northland and Queenstown. As cases were active in the community, there is a risk of measles circulating elsewhere in the country.
Measles is very contagious and can make people of any age very sick. Watch out for symptoms – these include fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes and a blotchy rash. If anyone in your whānau has measles symptoms keep them home and contact your GP / Healthline.
You can also find out more about vaccinations here. Anyone who is exposed to measles, and who has not had two MMR vaccinations, will not be permitted to attend school for at least 8 days.
WHS Yearbook 2025
The WHS yearbook for 2025 (also referred to as the magazine) is in production! If you have not already paid for a copy ($20) and would like to secure it, please pay at Student Services or make an online payment referencing ‘Yearbook’ by 7 November.
If you are unsure whether you have paid, please contact Maria Toulis (tsm@whs.school.nz) prior to submitting a payment.
This year, the yearbook will be finalised in December following our end of year Senior and Junior celebrations. It will be distributed by mail in late January.
If you are ordering a yearbook and your address changes after 7 November, please email Student Services so that your student’s school records can be updated, and we can make sure you receive your copy.
What’s Happening
The Shonas
On Monday, we rolled out the red carpet and transformed the foyer for the third annual Shonas, Wellington High School’s answer to the Oscars. Part film festival, part awards ceremony and part launch party for The Flannel, this was a night to celebrate our Media Studies students from across Moving Image Culture and Journalism.
The night was hosted by our very own Bowie Pethig and Livvy O’Rourke and featured a film festival with the best films from years 11, 12 and 13 as well as awards and this year a special guest film featuring our very own Shona Cooley!
The awards were decided by external judges such as investigative journalist and documentary maker David Farrier; documentary producer and film lecturer Gwen Isaac, poet and writer Chris Tse, Massive Designer Luka Maresca and Editor Sammy Carter, film producer Rowena Patterson and senior design lecturer Jo Bailey. Some presented their awards on the night, and others sent videos from as far away as Los Angeles. One was even sent from the set of the horror comedy Black Sheeps. The awards were across a number of categories including: best films and best opinion pieces in years 11-13, best magazine design and best feature article in year 12 and 13. This year we also featured a people’s choice award where the audience got to pick their favourite film of the night.
Click Awards to view the list of award winners.
Congratulations to all our winners and everyone who was nominated or had their film shown. The standard of work was exceptional!
Kapa Haka – Thai Embassy performance
Celebrating Cultural Unity and Friendship with the Thai Community of Aotearoa
In a beautiful celebration of cultural exchange and mutual respect, some of our Kapa Haka students had the honour of performing at the Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington. The event was held to farewell the Thai Ambassador His Excellency Mr. Waravuth Pouapinya and celebrate the strong ties between the Thai and New Zealand communities.
Not every student in the rōpū were able to attend, but we would like to extend a huge mihi to Eru Walker- Love, Willow Dearnley, Rosa Martelletti, Jet White, Maia Hills, Paula Schweizok, Maria Klevtsova, Hawea Austin, Felix Hansen, Coco-Inez Penn and Esme Gordon, who delivered a powerful performance that moved everyone in attendance. Their haka and waiata were met with deep appreciation and admiration from the audience, many of whom were witnessing the beauty of Kapa Haka for the first time.
Check out the photo gallery
Achievements
Junior Young Physicists’ Tournament
The tournament was held at QMC from 28 September to 1 October and brought together teams from various parts of Australia and seven teams from Wellington Schools. Our team included Matthew Isbister and Sophia Khrypko, who were outstanding in the 2024 tournament in Brisbane, and renewed many friendships made there. Maia Fletcher-Walker and Matilda Wauchop also took part in the team who placed 4th out of 12 teams. It was a privilege for Kage Nesbit, Emily Viggers and Murray Chisholm to lead the team and we are very proud of their performance, their contribution to the tournament and the progress they made. The educational benefits of physics fighting are shared by all the teams regardless of their final placing.
Sports
Term 4 highlights another great term of sport at WHS. While many of the standard registrations have closed, it’s not too late to explore and get involved with our alternative sport options Yoga; Pickleball; Lawn bowls and Triathlon.
Check out the fun, social WHS Girls football programme Kickin’ It It will take pace on the Turf after school on Tuesdays during Term 4. Check out the brochure here!
Reminder that the Staff vs Students tournament has been rescheduled to week 1 and 2 with Spirit week taking place in the second week also. Join us on Friday, October 17 for Inter-House Sports and Games on the Turf! It’s House Day, so wear your house colours and head to the Turf at lunchtime for a fun mix of competitions and activities. Contact WHS Sport with any queries: sport@whs.school.nz
Careers
Please read this week’s Pathways Newsletter!
Contact Chuni Bhikha bac@whs.school.nz or drop into S502 if you require further information on the above events.
Check out the Weltec Open Day and opportunities here.
Entrepreneurship course opportunity for year 11, 12 and 13 students.
Information session on Tues 14 Oct at 1.30 in M410.
The Side Hustle programme is for all young people who have an interest in business, or want to develop their business literacy skills. During the programme, all young people will have the opportunity to connect with and hear from experts in their fields as well as receive mentoring.
The programme aims to empower young people to build their self belief and confidence through practical activities, whilst having fun alongside others and developing valuable leadership and teamwork skills.
At the end of the program, young people will be supported to move forward with their business plan by connecting with the King’s Trust for funding, look for employment/voluntary roles, or apply to study.
Location: BGI, 3 MacDonald acres, Te Aro, Wellington
Schedule: This is likely to mostly suit Year 11 students who are at school for the 10-weekly workshops featuring practical activities and prizes, a half day Wānanga, market day and graduation in early Dec.
Community
Neuroscience for parents
Neuroscience expert Kathryn Berkett will run the session. Kathryn has almost twenty years of neuroscience expertise, working with schools, police, sports organisations, and more. Kathryn has a Masters of Educational Psychology and is a certified Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics Practitioner. She has a podcast series called “I’ve Got Questions”; and her book called ‘What’s Going on in There? – Neuroscience of the Adolescent Brain’ will be published next month.
Sound Bridge
Disability support – Wellington IHC meeting
Preparing for your next NASC Assessment
Allies Aotearoa will present a seminar to give step-by-step guidelines on the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination process. Whilst the event has reached capacity you can send a request to be placed on the waitlist. Submit this online form