Whitby Collegiate News, Week 3, Term 3 2026

Week 3, Term 3 | 2026

Executive Principal’s Update

Kia ora, Talofa, Bula vinaka, Malo e lelei, Fakatālofa atu kia te koulua, Kia orana, Hallo, Hola, Ni Hao, Konichiwa, Namaste and Greetings - parents, caregivers and families of Whitby Collegiate,

We have hardly had time to breathe this week, with so much activity taking place both on and around the school. What a wonderful way to end the week with a very warm welcome to a very special Grandparents’ Morning.

It was a pleasure to share our school with this special group of grandparents. Guests enjoyed a tour of the school, listened to performances from our amazing musicians and heard first-hand about the positive impact Whitby Collegiate has had on their families. A special thank you to Mrs Kerry Muller, our Head Girl Evie Haughton’s grandmother, who spoke so warmly about her family’s longstanding association with the school.

Thank you to everyone who attended, including those whose grandchildren were unable to be here today because they were unwell. Your support and connection with our school community are greatly appreciated. As always our Parents Association's contribution to this day is outstanding and we can never thank them enough for their support of our school and days like this.

At this week's assembly our students enjoyed an inspiring visit from Y Shady, a gospel rapper from the United Kingdom. His music and message resonated with our students, who appreciated the opportunity to hear his unique style and perspective. Thank you to Marcia Laurenson the school sacristan for organising this visit.

We also welcomed back our intrepid Physical Education students from their adventure to Queenstown. The trip provided valuable real-life learning experiences for their risk-management assessment, alongside the opportunity to enjoy the fabulous weather and a range of activities in Queenstown and Arrowtown. There were a lot of tired bodies after two days on the mountain, some enjoying their first experience in an alpine environment.

A very big thank you to Mr O’Neill, Ms Ansell and Ms Newlands for the considerable effort that went into making this all possible. We are also extremely grateful to Mr Fiso for arranging for the group to stay at his family’s accommodation in Arrowtown.

Our sports teams have excelled this week. The Senior A Netball team defeated Paraparaumu College in the secondary schools competition and showed incredible fortitude and determination in their Kapi Mana Premier 2 final against Mana College. After trailing by 12 goals, the team fought back strongly to narrowly lose by just one goal. We were very proud of the way that they pulled through to nearly cause an upset and a huge thank you to head coach Frances Solia and manager Izzy Ford who put so much into the team.

Our Junior Girls’ Basketball team won the Division 1 final against Paraparaumu College with another gritty and polished performance winning 54-13.We now look forward to a full weekend of finals across many sporting codes. Best of luck to our Senior Girls and Boys Basketball teams, Football and Netball teams competing this weekend.

Congratulations also to our Junior Badminton players Yiqi Liang, Aylwin Zhou and Peter Jones, who took to the court on Tuesday at the CSW Badminton Junior Singles & Doubles Championships. The trio put in a strong performance and represented the school with skill and determination.

Our debating teams also continue to impress, with three of our teams reaching the semi-finals of the inter-school competition. It will be an exciting week ahead as our Junior Premier teams compete at Victoria University. They are up against the much larger schools of Wellington Girls, Wellington College and St Mary’s College as the other semi- finalists so we are looking forward to this.

Again, what a busy and successful week for our students and staff. We wish all of our teams the very best for their upcoming competitions and everyone for a restful weekend.

Shelley Addison
Executive Principal

Deputies’ Updates

Deputy Principal (Academics)

Kia ora e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

I spent a lovely day at PartsTrader on Wednesday, accompanying Annabel, Sarah, Meredith, and Araliya as part of ShadowTech. By showcasing different careers, ShadowTech offers girls in Years 9-11 an opportunity to discover the world of tech, spark their curiosity and explore career pathways. Please see the testimonial from Sarah, below, as she describes their wonderful day’s experience.

The derived grade examination timetable for students in Level 2 and Level 3 classes has been shared with students. Parents and caregivers can access this timetable on the school’s website. Subject teachers, and tutor teachers, are also working with students to prepare them for the examinations. Students have access to a range of revision templates and activities. I am also pleased to once again facilitate the purchase of AME Workbooks by Learnwell. While these books are available to purchase in stores and direct from the publisher, I can secure a small discount by ordering in bulk. Should you wish to order any Level 2 or Level 3 AME workbooks, please complete this electronic order form. I shall make one order at the beginning of September, for arrival prior to DG examinations, and then another order towards the end of Term 3 as needed. Please note, the charge for your order will be disbursed to your account, and must be paid prior to receipt of the workbooks.

There is a lot of illness around at the moment. Should senior students find themselves in the situation where they need to request an extension for an assessment, I encourage them to reach out to both their subject teacher and me as soon as possible.

Have a lovely and safe weekend,

Ngā mihi,

Debbie Mitchell
debbie.mitchell@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Deputy Principal (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

Kia ora, Tālofa lava, Namaste, Mālō ni, Mālō e lelei, Ni hao, Tālofa kōutou,

What a beautiful day we were blessed with for our annual Grandparents’ Morning! Our visiting grandparents brought such a joyful vibe to our school, and it was wonderful to see their pride as they spent time with their grandchildren.

Our guests were treated to heartfelt speeches and musical performances before being given guided tours of the school by their grandchildren. The morning concluded with a magnificent morning tea hosted by our wonderful Parents’ Association. A special thank you to our dedicated parents who consistently bring that extra touch of community and warmth to our events.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Mrs Kerry Muller (grandmother to Evie Haughton) for her beautiful words, which captured the true essence of Whitby Collegiate as a faith-based community where students develop character and uphold values shared by both home and school. A special thank you also to Year 10 student, Paxton Conroy’s koro, Dr Selwyn Katene, who led our formalities with a mihi. Thank you, Dr Katene, for your inspiring words of encouragement and support for our kura and hapori.

The photos below, taken by student photographer Hudson Swain, beautifully capture this special gathering of grandparents, grandchildren, staff, parents and student helpers. A memorable time for all. Thank you, Hudson, for your leadership behind the lens.

Have a blessed weekend everyone and I look forward to connecting with families in the coming weeks.

God bless.

Ainslie Sauvao
ainslie.sauvao@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Assistant Principal

Kia ora Students, Parents & Caregivers,

It has been an exciting couple of weeks for our Whitby Collegiate debating teams.

Our Junior Cert 1 team composed of Sarah Robertson, Meredith Burton, and Araliya Wickramasinghe, travelled to Paraparaumu College for their quarter-final debate. They passionately negated the motion that environmental activist groups should focus primarily on local issues as opposed to global ones. Despite cleverly emphasising the importance of international cooperation, their arguments were not enough to convince the adjudicator. We are immensely proud of their hard work and achievement in reaching the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, our Senior Cert 1 team, Isabela Mclean, Adelle Tipper, Yug Mundra, and Cameron Leitch, continues to go from strength to strength. They are looking forward to their semi-final debate against St Catherine's College next Thursday.

Our Junior Prem team, Gabriel Anthony, Judah Isaac, Isabella Beach, and Abbey Joostens, is also gearing up for their semi-final matchup against Wellington Girls' College next Tuesday. While the team does not yet know the exact motion, they have been advised it will focus on foreign policy.

Congratulations to all of our debaters for making it so far in the competition, and best of luck to our teams in the semi-finals!

Ngā mihi nui,

Maurice Atkinson
maurice.atkinson@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Student Perspective

School News

Artist of the Week - Ellie Beaumont

We are thrilled to celebrate Year 12 painter Ellie Beaumont! Ellie's portfolio explores her love for marine biology by incorporating intricate cultural buoys, shells, and sea life. Seamlessly weaving patterns with personal connection, she creates work that shines with precision. From detailed pencil studies to skillful paintings, Ellie beautifully captures light and reflections, showcasing remarkable artistic vision and talent. We look forward to seeing her final creative works complete her submission.

Upcoming Events

Key dates are located on the website calendar. Please check for your activities. Subscribe to the Whitby Collegiate calendar from the school website calendar page by clicking the button that reads “subscribe to this calendar”.

Whitby Collegiate Foundation Gala Dinner

Dear Whitby Collegiate Community,

Today is your last chance to secure Early Bird pricing for the Whitby Collegiate Foundation Gala Dinner!

Join us on Friday, 25 September for a special evening bringing our community together to celebrate Whitby Collegiate and support the future of our students.

Funds raised through the Gala Dinner help the Foundation provide scholarships, enhance learning opportunities, and support initiatives that enrich the educational experience of current and future students.

We are honoured to welcome Dame Valerie Adams as our special guest speaker. Dame Valerie will share her inspiring journey of resilience, determination and excellence, making this a truly special evening for our community.

Enjoy an elegant evening of fine dining, live entertainment and inspiring conversation, while making a meaningful contribution to opportunities for Whitby Collegiate students, both now and for generations to come.

Event Details

Location: The Wellington Club, Wellington
Date: Friday, 25 September 2026
Time: 6:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Early Bird Pricing Ends TODAY

Friday, 14 August 2026 is the final day to secure Early Bird pricing.

Individual Ticket: $175 |Table of 10: $1,750

Secure Your Early Bird Tickets Now

From tomorrow, standard pricing will apply.

Don’t miss your chance to join us for this special evening and support the future of Whitby Collegiate.

We look forward to celebrating with you.

Whitby Collegiate Foundation

Sports Update

For all sports information and registrations visit our online sports hub here. Join the Whitby Collegiate Sport Facebook Group to keep up to date with all sport news and achievements.

Student Achievements

We love to celebrate our students’ achievements. For inclusion in the Whitby Collegiate newsletter or on our Facebook page, please submit via the button below or email communications@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Community Notice

School Notice

Friendly Health Reminder: Keeping Our School Community Healthy

Unfortunately, we have had quite a few bugs and viruses doing the rounds at school. Please be considerate of fellow students, families, and staff by keeping your child home if they show any signs of illness—such as a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, or upset stomach.

If your child will be absent, please remember to notify the school office as early as possible.

Thank you for your consideration and ongoing support in keeping our community healthy!

Important: Head Lice Check

We have had a few reports of head lice in our community recently. To help keep them at bay, we are asking all families to please take some time over the school holidays to carefully check their children's hair, and treat if necessary.

Head lice are very common and easily spread, but the holidays provide the perfect opportunity for everyone to check, treat, and break the cycle before returning to school.

For helpful, step-by-step guidance on how to check for head lice and the best ways to treat them, please visit the KidsHealth website here:

KidsHealth Head Lice Guide

Important: How to Reach Us by Email

Please note that emails ending in “school.kiwi” are sent from our student management system, KAMAR. These are used for school communications and absence notifications and have limited functionality, as KAMAR isn’t designed to be a primary email system.

You’re welcome to reply to these emails; however, new emails sent directly to a “school.kiwi” address won’t be received. Forwarded messages and attachments also won’t come through.

To ensure your message reaches us, please use staff email addresses ending in @whitbycollegiate.school.nz

A Reminder About Car Parking

A friendly reminder to all whānau, please ensure you are not parking in the staff car park when dropping off or picking up your children. The staff car park is reserved exclusively for our teachers and staff. Your co-operation helps keep our school running smoothly and ensures our staff can get to their classrooms on time.

Thank you for your understanding and support.