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Weekly Wrap Up (Week 8, Term 1)

This week’s Wrap Up includes information for reporting student absences via our School App and an update on COVID-19. In an exceptional week, you might expect that we would not have much else to report, however, this week the Wrap Up features success in both rowing and Waka Ama plus insight into our first Dance with Me workshop, our property planning consultation, Unity Picnic plus visits to VUW and Space Place.

Important Dates

  • Monday 6 April: Board of Trustees meeting (5pm)
  • Thursday 8 April: Term ends

Please note:

  • Friday 27 March: Learning Conversations have been cancelled. This will now be a normal school day.
  • Thursday 9 April: This day reverts to being a Teacher Only day.
  • To track changes to our calendar, please visit: https://www.whs.school.nz/whs-calendar/

Important Information

Use SchoolAppsNZ to report absences

  • This is the quickest way to ensure that your student’s rōpū teacher is aware of their absence.
  • SchoolAppsNZ is available for both Apple and Android devices.
  • When you open the app for the first time, type in our school’s name.
  • Use the absentee button to enter your student’s name and details.

 

COVID-19

The following information may be useful in keeping track of the current situation.

What’s happening?

Unity Picnic

One year on from the Christchurch mosque attacks, WHS students took the opportunity to  remember events in Christchurch and to come together as a community that promotes diversity and unity. During a sunny lunch break, students took the opportunity to get together, playing guitar, frisbee and enjoying each others’ company.

         

Property Planning workshop

Thank you to the parents and caregivers, staff and students who attended the two property planning workshops this week. The two consultation workshops gave the community the opportunity to discuss aspirations for the WHS of the future focusing on the school’s physical environment and infrastructure, teaching and learning, and culture.

Year 12 visit to VUW

This Wednesday, Year 12 English with Religion students visited Victoria University, and were fortunate to listen to Pádraig Ó Tuama – visiting poet, theologian, and conflict mediator. He was one of several speakers on a day organised by the Victoria University Religious Studies department. Pádraig spoke about the difficulty and importance of peace, and the need to aim for something greater than just tolerance. Our students made up one fifth of the audience and asked two thirds of the questions, and were a credit to to our school. 

 

 

Dance with Me

Monday was the first day of the dance lunchtime classes at WHS. A big bunch of  students enjoyed an energetic workout of dance moves instructed by dancer Chloe Bishop from the RNZB. There are still a few places available if students still want to join.

 

 

 

Science Enrichment trip 

On Wednesday the first science enrichment event of the year was a trip to space place for the Year 9 group. The students spent the afternoon with one of Space Place’s educators, learning to program robots. Afterwards they had a chance to explore the galleries and enjoy a planetarium show.

Achievements

Rowing

Congratulations to our rowers: Jessie Davidson, Indiana Ford, Georgia Savage, Lola Crocker and Emma Thirkell. This group made it to the C Final of the women’s under 18 novice squad at the NZ Secondary Rowing Championships last weekend, a phenomenal achievement for a group at the end of their first season.

      

Waka Ama

Congratulations to our four fabulous Waka Ama teams who competed last weekend for CSW Waka Ama championships in Porirua. All four crews competed exceptionally, with phenomenal results as shown below. Our teams were up against crews who will represent NZ at the world championships and really held their own.

Whatonga (J16 Boys) Hineakau (J16 Girls)
Long, Daniel 2nd – Plate Final 250m sprint Murdoch, Maddy 5th – Plate Final 250m sprint
Gray, Wharo 1st – Plate Final 500m turn Hillyer Magoffin, Lillian 4th – Plate Final 500m turn
Maher, Rory Wiertsema, Janne
Wairau-Timu, Anaru Henry, Ruby
McDonald, James Mitra Pattavi, Eshika
Bellamy, David Beaglehole, Vidthia
Legge, Polly
Hata, Honey-Jayde
Taraika (J19 Boys) Pukeahu (J19 Boys)
Broughton, Jonah 1st – Plate Final 250m sprint Rillstone, Riley 2nd – Plate Final 250m Sprint
Newton, Noah 4th – Championship Final 500m turn Henningsen, Thies 1st – Plate Final 500m turn
Calderon, Diego Hape, Kereama
Bellamy, Ben Abdust, Orlando
McCormack, Thomas Lewise, Leo
Shanks, Bryn Coppard, Perran
Keizer, Jelle