Important Dates
- Monday 26 June – Paid Union Meeting – school closes at 12.00pm
- Friday 30 June – End of Term 2 – school closes at 3.20pm (school buses run at normal time)
Term Three
- Monday 17 July – Start of Term 3
Important Information
PPTA industrial action ceases
An email was sent out earlier this week, informing whānau of the cessation of industrial action. Part of the email has been included below:
The PPTA have approved a terms of reference agreement for arbitration and have agreed to immediately withdraw strike action as a gesture of their commitment to this process.
This means that all rostering home actions will cease immediately and we expect to have all students on site for the rest of the term. However, the Paid Union Meeting planned for next Monday will still proceed and school will be closed from 12pm next Monday, as planned.
I’m sure you will welcome this decision and we look forward to, hopefully, no further disruptions this year.
What’s happening?
Kapa Haka dress rehearsal
Whānau and staff were invited to the dress rehearsal on Saturday 17 June. Our students have worked so hard to get to this stage and we are proud of them and their achievements.
Te Whānau a Taraika ki Tarikākā were first on stage at the Whakataetae Kapa Haka Kura Tuarua o Te Whanganui a Tara ki Ōtaki at 9am this morning at Te Rauparaha Arena Porirua.
Science Enrichment
A group of year 10 students spend most of Tuesday learning from the educators at Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne about New Zealand’s biodiversity. They learned about the origins of native and introduced species present in our environment, and the consequences of human migration and activities. Many links were drawn between modern conservation techniques and traditional Māori knowledge and practices.
He Kākano
Ākonga made potato fritters in cooking class, practising peeling, grating and how to fry safely. They added this recipe to their cookbooks that will be taken home at the end of the year. A senior ākonga has been attending Trades Academy this year, learning digital design on Photoshop. Music class provides junior ākonga with the opportunity to learn guitar.
Former student in Nat Geo
Former student Cadence Chung has had an article written about her in the latest New Zealand Geographic magazine, which you can read here: “In her last years of high school, Cadence Chung wrote a book of poems, a musical, and a high-profile complaint to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Two years on, she’s also told the backstory.”
Cadence was also a panelist during the Auckland Writer’s Festival for the event ‘Mythbusters’, celebrating the subversive power of POC and queer joy through lively discussion and readings with a panel of acclaimed emerging poets, chaired by New Zealand Poet Laureate Chris Tse. Together, they will challenge and defy the expectations and cliches perpetuated by the Model Minority Myth and other stereotypes.
Achievements
Rockquest
The regional Rockquest finals were on last weekend and our students represented Wellington High amazingly! In addition to playing some great music, we took away a few awards. Congratulations to Noah Bernhardt and Kindekel Banda-Moyes for sharing the musicianship award, Leo Cattell of the Side Charaters for winning the best song award, Ambrose Tiso for getting the APRA lyric award, and Bleeding Star (Jude Savage, Carlos Bellamy, Otis Hill and Kindekel Banda-Moyes), for taking out first place! Bleeding Star will now be putting together a video submission of three songs to be considered for the national finals.
Cross Country
Ava Laing (Y9) represented both WHS and the Wellington region at the New Zealand Secondary School Cross Country championships in Palmerston North on 17/18 June. Ava’s relay team took first place in the mixed relay. Congratulations Ava!
Year 9 Reader’s Cup
The Reader’s Cup is an interschool book quiz hosted every year by libraries around the country. It’s open to year 9 students only. This year our team name is: Nos consumat libros (essentially “We eat books” in Latin). On Wednesday our wonderful Reader’s Cup team of Rosa McCutcheon, Caitlin Garrett, Elsie Dunn and Lizzy Nicholson, participated in the Wellington regional round held at Wellington College Library. They came 5th in a very close competition, and first in the round on the book I am not Esther by Fleur Beale, which is a Welly High favourite. They’re all looking forward to the year ten challenge Battle of the Bibliophiles, while we at the Library are looking forward to seeing what books they eat next.
Careers
Careers Expo
Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June (10.00 – 3.00pm) – TSB Arena Queens Wharf
This is the biggest Careers Expo in the country with many and varied providers present to meet and chat with students and families. See here for more information.
WHS will also be having a school based Careers Expo on Monday 7 August. This will see all the NZ Universities present as well as a whole range of Wellington course providers.
IT/Tech careers opportunity for young women
A fantastic opportunity for our young women interested in IT/Technology careers and pathways. All female students are welcome and we are particularly encouraged to promote this to young Māori and Pasifika women.
When: Thursday 29th June | 9:30-12:30
Location: Level 4 | Wellington E2E Centre | 76 Manners Street, Grand Central Tower
Who: All female students
Sisters in Tech is a partnership between Microsoft and Ministry of Social Development that aims to increase the number of women generally (Māori and Pasifika women especially) in the tech industry in NZ.
There will be rotating tech talks, virtual reality experiences and a number of big names in the NZ tech industry who have come to showcase their companies and show our young women that they CAN excel in a tech career.
Students can register their interest ASAP by emailing bac@whs.school.nz (Chuni Bhikha – Careers Advisor)