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Weekly Wrap Up (Week 5, Term 1)

This week’s Wrap Up includes information about the forthcoming WHS Master Planning Consultation, plus an invitation to respond to the the recently announced NCEA changes. We look back at the Waitangi Day parikuihi, follow Outdoor Education into the classroom at Seatoun School and join Level 2 ESS out in the field.

Important Dates

  • Monday 2 – Wednesday 4 March: Year 9 Noho Marae (4)
  • Wednesday 4 – Friday 6 March: Year 9 Noho Marae (5)
  • Friday 27 March: Learning Conversations
  • Monday 6 April: Board of Trustees meeting 6pm
  • Wednesday 8 April: Term ends

Important Information

WHS Master Planning Consultation

In the last 8 years, the school has grown from about 1000 students to nearly 1400 students currently. This brings exciting challenges and we have been talking to the Ministry of Education for some time now about the challenges of space. Just before Christmas last year, a master planner was appointed to start thinking about what our future school may look like.
The planners want to meet with teachers, students and our parents and caregivers in the week commencing Monday 16 March. At this stage we believe there will be 2 workshops that week. Each will be 2 – 3 hours talking about aspirations and vision for a future school. At this stage we are letting you know this will be happening and we are inviting interested students, parents and caregivers. We will let you know next week how you can register your interest.

NCEA changes 

The Government has recently confirmed its final NCEA change package. Schools have been advised that the changes are intended to: strengthen our national qualification; address over-assessment and fragmented learning; promote culturally responsive teaching and learning; and improve accessibility, the support available to teachers, and the information available to students and whānau. 

A copy of the Ministry of Education’s announcement is available here: Ministry website.

There are changes to the subjects that the Ministry proposes to support at NCEA Level 1. This is consistent with the policy objective – for NCEA Level 1 to become a broader, foundational qualification that allows students to keep their pathway options open, while Levels 2 and 3 promote greater specialisation. 

The Ministry has asked me to encourage you all to give feedback. Public engagement on the subject list for NCEA Level 1 has commenced for a period of two months (closing on 20 April 2020).

More information is available on the Ministry’s website along with the provisional subject list for NCEA Level 1: https://consultation.education.govt.nz/ncea/ras-provisional-subject-list. The Cabinet paper and Ministry advice have also been made public (see under the February tab). You can find the list in the engagement questionnaire, or for your ease of reference it is also accessible from this link to the Cabinet paper (go to pages 19 and 20).

What’s happening?

Photo Galleries now online

If you missed photos from the start of year pōwhiri and our recent Athletics Day, you can now view these online.

Click here to see photos from the pōwhiri and click here to see photos from Athletics Day.

You can visit galleries from past events here: https://www.whs.school.nz/photo-galleries/

WHS representation at Waitangi Day parakuihi 

WHS staff Charlene James-Meijer and Suzanne Meijer were accompanied by Kereama Hape and Susan Nicholson at the recent Waitangi Day parakuihi at Te Wharewaka. As part of the breakfast the stone anchor that was brought from Civic Square was blessed by manawhenua. Thank you to Whaea Char for sharing these photos.

         

Earth and Space Science field trip

Our Level 2 Earth and Space students have been out in the field, getting to grips with field techniques at Princess Bay.

Outdoor Education students at Seatoun School

Year 13 Outdoor Education students cover a wide range of disciplines through their course. Last week this included contributing to an environmental art project at Seatoun School.

Thank you for Seatoun School for their permission to share these photos.

Notes from the Music Department

Keep an eye on this link for changes to music lesson timetables: http://hub.whs.school.nz/music/

If you have any questions, please contact Fritz Wollner.

Achievements

International Physics & Astronomy Educator Program success

Murray Chisholm, Assistant Head of Science, has been selected to take part in a week long summer (Northern Hemisphere) school for Physics Educators in USA.  This intensive program geared towards high school educators from around the world, is based at the LIGO Hanford Observatory in Washington State. The Hanford observatory is operated by Caltech and MIT. Murray will be the first teacher from New Zealand to take part. Congratulations on your selection Murray, we will look forward to hearing about the conference later in the year.

Sports

Interested in orienteering?

Orienteering Wellington is running a sprint orientation evening at WHS on 4 March. WHS students are invited to take part and try orienteering around our campus, Massey University and Pukeahu and to get involved.

If your student is interested in finding out more or taking part, please read the attached flyer.

Entertainment book 2020 now available

Get your new entertainment membership today to support WHS. Click on the image below to benefit from up to 4 months’ extra membership – and more!