Whitby Collegiate News, Week 3, Term 2, 2026

Week 3, 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,

As the term continues to gather momentum, it has been pleasing to see students fully engaged in their assessments and project work. Classrooms are vibrant with innovative and engaging teaching and learning, reflecting the strong academic focus across the school.

Our Year 13 Geography students recently returned from a highly successful trip to Queenstown. During their time away, they explored the tourism industry in depth, gaining valuable insights into both its opportunities and the challenges it presents for the region’s infrastructure. The group also experienced a wide range of activities that showcased Queenstown’s appeal as a global destination. We extend our sincere thanks to Mr Tinney for organising such a meaningful and well-structured experience, and to Mrs Mitchell for her support throughout. We are also very grateful to Mr Fiso for his generosity in providing accommodation at his Arrowtown property, which greatly enhanced the trip.

We were delighted to welcome back Max Tai, Yiqi Liang, and Hardy Hilbron following their recent USA experiences. We are incredibly proud of their achievements on the international stage, particularly Max and his team, who placed 4th overall in the Divisional Champions Grand Final, competing against 832 teams from 60 countries. This is an outstanding accomplishment. A special mention also goes to Xiangyi Liang, who not only supported our Whitby Collegiate students but also contributed as a volunteer at the event, gaining valuable international experience.

A large number of our students attended the Porirua Careers Expo this week, where they explored a wide range of future pathways and career opportunities. This was a valuable experience for students as they begin to consider their aspirations beyond school. Thank you to Mrs Visser for her organisation and leadership of this opportunity.

Our pastoral team has also been very active, with the Deans’ workshop series commencing this week. These sessions focus on key wellbeing topics and were well received by students. This initiative supports our ongoing commitment to encouraging students to reflect on their values, attitudes, and personal development. Thank you to Mr Atkinson and Mr Leota for leading the first session.

As we head into another busy weekend of sport, I would like to acknowledge the many volunteer parents and community members who give their time so generously to support our programmes. Your contribution ensures that our students can participate in a wide range of sporting opportunities. Congratulations to all students who have represented the school this past week, and a special acknowledgement to our Senior Girls Basketball team, who have qualified for the Premier Grade for the first time—an excellent achievement. We also recognise the dedication of Mr Ryburn and Ms Newlands, who continue to work tirelessly to support our large number of athletes and teams as the season approaches.

We look forward to another positive and productive week ahead.

Shelley Addison
Executive Principal

Deputies’ Updates

Deputy Principal (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

Talofa lava, Vanakkam, Mālō e lelei, Ni Hao, Tāloha ni, and Tēnā koutou e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

Today, I had the privilege of accompanying a group of our student leaders to the World Vision Youth Conference in Lower Hutt. The World Vision Youth Conference is a premier leadership event for students across New Zealand and is the official launchpad for the annual 40 Hour Challenge.

The conference is also about helping students become better leaders by encouraging them to think more critically and strategically, while also improving their ability to manage community projects and get things done. Today, the conference focused on the urgent issue of food security within the Solomon Islands, highlighting how climate change and economic instability threaten the livelihoods of our Pacific neighbours. The central theme, "Unplug to Connect," encourages students to trade their digital devices for authentic human connection. By challenging themselves to go offline for 40 hours, students raise funds for sustainable agriculture while reflecting on how to lead with purpose in an increasingly tech-driven world.

Our students represented our school extremely well, contributing excellent ideas and working collaboratively with students from other schools. We look forward to seeing our student leaders apply what they've learned to leading 40 hour Challenge events and activities within our school community.

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

Ia manuia.

Ainslie Sauvao
ainslie.sauvao@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Assistant Principal

Kia ora Students, Parents & Caregivers,

Our Senior Cert 2 debaters secured a hard-fought victory this week, tackling a provocative and gritty moot: "That wealthy individuals in corrupted and crime-ridden cities should engage in vigilante justice."

The team took the affirmative side, building a compelling case for taking the law into private hands when the system fails: Gabriel Chionh set a strong foundation for his team’s position by arguing that wealth isn't just a privilege—it carries a moral obligation. He outlined that those with the means to act have a duty to intervene when the government cannot or will not protect its citizens.

Xiangyi Liang delivered a passionate rebuttal to the opposition’s claim that police are better suited for the job. She pointed out the fatal flaw in their logic that in a "corrupted and crime-ridden" city, the police are often part of the problem. She also cleverly clarified that the rich needn’t be enforcers themselves; they can leverage their resources to hire professionals to restore order.

Iris Chen dealt the final blow to the opposition’s fears of rich individuals becoming corrupt. Iris argued that while risk exists, we must look at the reality of the moot—the situation is already dire. She painted a vivid, "colourful" picture of the daily horrors in a lawless city, proving that any action is better than the status quo.

Congratulations to Gabriel, Xiangyi, and Iris on a sophisticated and well-earned win.

Maurice Atkinson
maurice.atkinson@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Chaplain’s Note

The tired chaplain leaned against the pole at the traffic lights, puffing heavily, chest sore, thinking only of the comfortable bed waiting in his hotel room. In the middle of the busy city, he felt alone and disconnected.

Then a stranger wound down the car window and called out, “Buddy, are you ok?”

What a beautiful, simple, profound moment of connection. Somebody had noticed. Somebody cared enough to reach out. When the light turned green, the final steps up the hill came with a little extra energy.

The kindness of human connection can make all the difference in the world. That is why the Bible says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted.” (Eph 4:32)

This chaplain is grateful for those who reach out, and for the kindness that quietly connects us all.

Blessings,
Reverend Chris

School News

Community Support in Action

Our IT and Assembly team would like to acknowledge the Whitby Collegiate Parents Association for the recent purchase of storage cases. These cases will keep our audio and visual equipment safe and secure. In the pictures below are our team proudly holding the storage cases. The parents association has been acknowledged on the cases for their support.

Art of the week

This week's Art students have been exploring printmaking through a personal lens, and the results speak for themselves. From an expressive charcoal study of a horse in bridle, to a striking etching of an anatomical heart held in open hands, baseball tributes rendered in gold and blue line work, and layered abstract monoprints in rich pinks and reds, each piece reflects something genuinely personal to its maker. A wonderful snapshot of the range of ideas and techniques coming out of this unit.

Student Perspective

Circuits, Connections, and Community: A VEX World Championships Experience

For the past two weeks, I have been fortunate to attend the VEX IQ Robotics World Championships, both as a coach for my brother's team and as a volunteer. This experience deepened my appreciation for clear communication and teamwork, as I collaborated with students, referees, and volunteers from around the world. I gained insights from different backgrounds and cultures—so similar, yet so different from my own.

Working toward a common goal had its highs and lows. We met teams with diverse experience levels and approaches to the competition. By practicing with an alliance team whose goals and dedication closely matched our own, we became good friends, cheering each other through their remaining games. It didn't matter that they were a prominent, well-established club from Canada while we were attending Worlds for the first time; together, we attained our highest score. Witnessing each team's unique journey was both inspiring and eye-opening.

Volunteering at the largest robotics competition in the world, hosting over 50,000 people and 2,400 teams, gave me a firsthand look at the scale and dedication of the VEX community. Communication was essential in resolving misunderstandings and keeping the event running smoothly. Working with a small team of student volunteers, I found that humour helped us stay focused and positive. Even small challenges, like completing tasks efficiently, transformed what could have been tedious work into an energising and dynamic experience.

I am sincerely grateful to my parents and robotics family for creating our club and giving me the incredible opportunity to experience the world through robotics, and I look forward to building on this experience as I continue my journey.

Xiangyi Liang - 11K

Upcoming Events

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Student Achievements

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Community Notice

Important: How to Reach Us by Email

Dear families,

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

Thank you.
Whitby Collegiate Office