Week 8, Term 2 | 2026

Executive Principal’s Update

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

It has been another full week here at Whitby Collegiate, with a wide range of activities showcasing the energy, talent, and commitment of our students and staff. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone involved in making these opportunities possible.

A highlight of the week was our School Swimming Sports. It was fantastic to see such strong participation, with students competing enthusiastically and demonstrating excellent sportsmanship throughout the day. Congratulations to all who took part and gave their best in the pool.

Deputies’ Updates

Deputy Principal (Academics )

Kia ora e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

It was an absolute pleasure to be in charge of the results table at our School Championships Swimming Sports this past Tuesday. Watching our students dive into the competition with such enthusiasm, determination, and House spirit was a true highlight of the week. Tracking the final times and seeing so many personal bests being shattered made for an incredibly rewarding morning poolside. Thank you to all the competitors, staff, and supporters who made the event such a memorable success.

The Year 11 Mid-Year examinations will be taking place next week, running from Monday through to Wednesday. These examinations are part of the Collegiate Diploma, and are a valuable opportunity for our Year 11s to showcase their hard work from the first half of the year and practise vital study habits.

All students have received their examination timetables. We kindly ask parents and caregivers to review these schedules with their teens over the weekend to ensure they are feeling organised and prepared. We hold high standards for our students during this important assessment period, and we appreciate your support in reinforcing these two key expectations:

1. Punctuality is essential: Students are expected to be on time for all of their scheduled examinations, arriving with the necessary equipment and a focused mindset.

2. Routine continues outside of exams: At all other times when they are not sitting a formal exam, students are expected to be in their regular, timetabled classes.

The Kiwi CAM competitions begin next week with Mathematics on Wednesday. If your child is entered, you will have received an email from enrichment@whitbycollegiate.school.nz regarding this assessment. To enter ICAS competitions, please refer to the information at the end of this newsletter.

Have a lovely, safe, and warm weekend.

Ngā mihi,

Debbie Mitchell
debbie.mitchell@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Deputy Principal (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

Tālofa lava, Dàjiā hǎo, Mālō e lelei, Namaste, Kia orāna, Pagbati, Tāloha ni, Privet, Kia Ora e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

During yesterday's assembly, student leader Gabriel Anthony delivered a powerful speech that served as both an inspiration and a poignant reality check as we head into our World Vision 40 Hour Challenge week. Gabriel drew a moving parallel between our own students and Praynia, a young girl in a coastal village in the Solomon Islands. Like many at Whitby Collegiate, Praynia loves Maths, English, and Science, and dreams of becoming a doctor. However, unlike us, Praynia went to bed hungry last night. Climate change, rising sea levels, and unpredictable weather are destroying her family's traditional crops and fishing grounds, leaving her future uncertain. Gabriel reminded us that this is exactly why we challenge ourselves, to support neighbours just like Praynia.

Enrichment Opportunities

ICAS assessments 2026

We know our students are amazing, so we’re giving them the opportunity to once again showcase and celebrate their talents in the world-renowned ICAS competition.

What is ICAS?

ICAS is an online academic competition that gives students the opportunity to challenge their higher order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Spelling Bee, and Digital Technologies.

ICAS results are in-depth and meaningful, and ICAS evaluates student performance against other competition entrants across the state and nation. The data reveals student strengths and weaknesses and can help you recognise and support your child's academic journey.

For further information and to register your child in one or more ICAS assessments, please click here.

School News

Senior Art Students Inspired at Pātaka Art Gallery

On Tuesday, 9 June, our senior art department travelled to Pātaka Art Gallery in Porirua to view Top Art, an annual touring exhibition showcasing a selection of the NCEA Level 3 portfolios that achieved Excellence in Visual Art across New Zealand in 2025. Our creative students had the opportunity to closely study high-caliber work across a range of media.

Viewing the processes and dedication required of top scholars provided our artists with valuable insight. It was a wonderful chance for them to map out what "Excellence at Level 3" truly looks like as they work on developing their own art portfolios.

In addition to the NCEA portfolios, students had the privilege of viewing a powerful exhibition by renowned New Zealand artist Robyn Kahukiwa. The Pātaka education staff guided our students through an art analysis process of Kahukiwa’s vibrant paintings. Unpacking the layers of cultural identity and narrative within the work gave students a deeper understanding of how to weave meaningful stories into their own creative practices.

Armed with fresh ideas and minds bursting with new inspiration, our students returned to the art room ready to tackle their next major projects

Lunch, Language & Culture at Mexico Wellington

On Wednesday, the Year 10 and senior Spanish had lunch at Mexico Wellington on Dixon Street. It was an experience rich in both culture and language; as the camarero (waiter) spoke Spanish, we got to order in Spanish, and had the opportunity for some short conversation with him afterwards. There were murals and decorations all over the restaurant reflecting Mexican culture, and Spanish proverbs painted on the walls that we worked to figure out the translations of. Biggest thanks to Señorita Huertas for organising the excursion, and to Mr Tinney for accompanying us and making the lunch possible. The restaurant provided us with invaluable experience in practicing real-life Spanish interactions in everyday situations, and for that we are extremely grateful.

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”.

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

Community Incident

On Wednesday 10 June, at approximately 5:45pm, an 11-year old girl, walking with her friend on Albatross Close near Endeavour Park, was momentarily grabbed by an unknown man wearing a red shirt and dark shorts. The friend intervened and the offender fled on foot. This is being taken very seriously by Police, who are actively investigating the incident. You can see their media statement here.

In light of this incident, we ask that you please take a moment to speak with your children about general safety awareness.

Stay in Groups: Whenever possible, children should walk to and from school, or visit local parks, with a friend, sibling, or caregiver.

Awareness: Remind children never to speak to, accept gifts from, or go anywhere with someone they do not know.

Report Suspicious Behaviour: Encourage your children to immediately tell a trusted adult, a teacher, or the police if they see anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

We appreciate your partnership in keeping our community safe. If you have any information that may assist with the investigation, please contact the Police directly on the numbers listed in the media statement.

School Notice

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.