Week 4, Term 3 | 2024

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,

What a week it has been for Whitby Collegiate! Our sports teams have delivered outstanding performances, and there’s plenty of academic progress on the horizon.

Congratulations to our Junior A Boys’ Basketball team for their thrilling victory against Wellington College! In a nail-biting match our team emerged victorious with a final score of 62-60. Their resilience and composure was commendable as they came from behind to secure the win. Special recognition goes to Mitchell Collins for his exceptional scoring contribution, and the entire team played with remarkable determination, with great teamwork.

The Senior A Netball team also had a week to remember. Their performance in the Kapi Mana competition final had spectators on the edge of their seats, with the game tied at full time and heading into a sudden death scenario. Demonstrating grit and perseverance, our team clinched the win 32-30, earning promotion to the next grade in the competition. Our netballers also triumphed over Chilton St James in the schools competition and will now face their old rivals, Aotea College, in the final next week.

Thanks also to Mr Leota for taking our dance troupe to the DanceNZ Made schools competition and wonderful to see our students taking up these opportunities to develop their talents. Mr Atksinson was very proud of our Year 9 debaters who reached the semi final of the Wellington inter school competition and were very narrowly defeated competing against Year 10 students. Well done Xiangyi Liang, Iris Chen and Anvi Sankrit.

We were thrilled to host the annual Science Roadshow and welcomed a number of students from around the region to our school. Many thanks to Mr Vowles for his organisation and our Year 8 student “explainers” who did an amazing job. There was certainly a lot to absorb across all the science spectrum.

As we move into next week, our senior students will be focusing intently on their derived grade exams. These important assessments provide a strong indication of their progress and are crucial preparation for the external exams in November. We wish all our students the best of luck as they tackle these exams with dedication and focus.

We are also excited to see our junior Science students represent Whitby Collegiate at the NIWA Science Fair next week. Their participation highlights the school’s commitment to fostering scientific curiosity and excellence.

Additionally, our senior students had the chance to attend the school subject fair, where they received valuable insights from their teachers about specialised subjects. This event was instrumental in helping them make informed decisions about their subject choices for the upcoming academic year.

Finally the most fiercely contested sporting event on the school calendar is always the Staff vs Prefects Volleyball match. Once again the staff met the challenge head on and for the 4th year in a row emerged victorious. There is no substitute for experience!!

Wishing everyone a safe and happy weekend.

Shelley Addison
Executive Principal

Deputies’ Updates

Deputy Principal (Academics)

Kia ora e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

The inaugural Subject Selection Fair, for Y9-12 students, was very successful yesterday. Students were able to hear from subject specialist teachers, and then ask direct questions. Yesterday, all Year 10-12 students, who will be seniors in 2025, received a copy of the Subject Selection booklet and instructions as to how to make their selections. I encourage all students to discuss their 2025 subject choices with their parents / caregivers. Please read over the Subject Selection booklet with your child before working with them to complete their subject selection via the student OR parent KAMAR portal. Remember to include an alternative subject choice. Please note that ALL Year 10-12 students are expected to complete their selection before Tuesday 3 September. 

There is also a lot of interest in the option choices available to 2025’s Year 10 cohort. Option selection for these students will take place later in Term 3, and students will have an opportunity to select their preferred subject options. More information is to follow.

Mock examinations (derived grade exams) for students taking Level 2 and Level 3 subjects, and Level 1 Languages, start next week. These examinations are a great opportunity for students to practise their examination techniques, familiarise themselves with the requirements for the NZQA exams at the end of the year, and complete the exam to get feedback and feedforward from subject teachers. The emphasis for this week of examinations is preparation. In the rare event that a student is unable to sit their end of the year examination (illness or bereavement are possible reasons), then the school can put forward the results from these examinations as a Derived Grade, as part of an application the student prepares for NZQA.

I am pleased to report that the first of the Level 1 Submitted External assessments began smoothly yesterday. I remind all students, and their parents/caregivers, that these assessments adhere to the NCEA Assessment Policy and Procedures that was signed at the beginning of the year, and the specific Authenticity Statement signed this week. This includes extra time being provided only for legitimate reasons, such as illness that is supported by a medical certificate, or a school-based activity such as Tournament Week.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Ngā mihi,

Debbie Mitchell
debbie.mitchell@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Deputy Principal (Pastoral & Wellbeing)

Mālō e lelei Parents, Caregivers, students and staff,

As the term goes on, students are reminded to not only follow our school rules but also embody the values that define our community of Genuine Care, True Connections, Working to Achieve, and Full Awareness. These are the foundation of our school's culture and guide their actions every day. Mr Atkinson and I will be meeting with the junior year groups throughout next week for Deans’ Assemblies to reinforce this.

This week, I have been impressed by the servant leadership displayed by many of our students, particularly during the preparation of our Junior A basketball final. From cleaning & polishing the gym floor to game scoring and moving equipment so our team and supporters could enjoy watching the game. It is crucial that we continue to instil these values in our students, encouraging them to become servant leaders who prioritise the wellbeing of others.

Our Science Roadshow was once again a tremendous success this year. We are incredibly proud of the way our Year 8 student helpers contributed to making the sessions both fun and intriguing. Your enthusiasm and dedication did not go unnoticed and played a crucial role in the event’s success.

Our Prefects did a great job this week promoting the much-anticipated Whitby’s Got Talent Show. Their enthusiasm sparked excitement throughout the school, and we can’t wait to see the final performances in the last week of the term. I strongly encourage all our students to sign up and showcase their talents. This year, we’re adding an extra twist—the staff will be joining in the fun by entering the talent show as well! We’re all eagerly awaiting what promises to be a series of stellar performances. It’s always great to hear from our students, their highlights for the week. Here are some of them:

A highlight for me this week was the Science Roadshow. The Science Roadshow involves a fantastic team of people who visited our school on Tuesday and provided interesting science apparatus for us students to explore. A favourite of mine was ‘George’. George was an experiment based around the working of the digestive system by feeding George bread and turning a lever. It was a very insightful experience! - Chloe Newland 7KL

My highlight for the week was reading Mr Hudson's Teacher Profile in the Student led section of the Newsletter.  It was inspiring to learn about how hard he trained at swimming and also loved his advice for making the most of school and improving your well-being : to step outside our comfort zone and to take on feedback constructively.  I can't wait to read the next Teacher's Profile. My second highlight was the awesome Science Roadshow. It was fun to host all the other schools around Porirua, and to use the skills we learned in science to explain the activities to them. It was also really interesting to learn how we use technology to see things we can't with the naked eye, and to learn about the differences between chemical and physical changes. It was a great experience. - Gabriel Anthony 8SV

There have been lots of really awesome things happening at school this week, but the one that stands out for me is our Dance Workshops we attended at Lower Hutt Town Hall with Mr Leota.This was an amazing experience and impacted me in a really positive way. All the other schools were so supportive and it felt really good to have a room full of people cheering for you. I’m really grateful to Mr Leota and our school because they made sure we were able to have this experience. I'm super grateful for all the students who gave it their all on stage and made themselves, Whitby Collegiate, and myself very proud.- Emma Whyte 9HO

Finally, I would like to remind our students that their behaviour, at school and in public or when using school or public  transport, is a direct reflection of Whitby Collegiate. We have high standards, and it is essential that your conduct is exemplary at all times. Remember, word always gets back to Ms. Sauvao, Mr. Atkinson, and Miss Ting, so let your actions reflect the pride you have in our school.

As part of the Pastoral Team, along with our staff, we are committed to monitoring student  interactions and behaviours to ensure they are always respectful and positive. We are grateful to our parent community for your ongoing support. Your reinforcement of these values at home is vital to maintaining the safe and positive culture we have here at Whitby Collegiate.

Wishing you all a restful and happy weekend.

Ainslie Sauvao
ainslie.sauvao@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Chaplain’s Note

Isaiah 61:10 came to mind yesterday morning as I did a house blessing:

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.

As adults we aren’t always great at delight. It seems perhaps we have forgotten the pure glee of rejoicing. Perhaps we are “too cool” for delight, or have become cynical or hardhearted. Delight needs to be rediscovered. Delight is dangerously attractive, especially in this anxious world.

May God lead you to rediscovering the beauty of delight and rejoicing.

Blessings,
Reverend Chris

Upcoming Events

School News

National Science Roadshow 2024

Helping at the Science Roadshow this year was very rewarding. It was amazing to see the science-based show about chemical and physical changes and exhibits about topics like digestion and forces. As a science explainer it was fun talking to students and making some new friends from different schools that attended the show. This experience helped me learn new skills and develop my social and communication skills. I’m very grateful for being given this opportunity and wish every success for the next Science Roadshow at Whitby Collegiate.Kaavya Badiyani – Year 8 Science Explainer at the 2024 Science Roadshow

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 Notices

The Student’s Perspective

Welcome to week 2 of the student led newsletter. This week has been a busy week as seniors are busy preparing for derived grade examinations. For the teacher profile, we have the wonderful Ms Auckett, who is the tutor teacher of 8NA. It has also been an exciting week in sports at our school as our Senior Girls Netball Team won their game and the Junior A Boys Basketball team made a massive comeback to win the Grand Final of their division. Please see Nikolai’s summary of the game below.

Jade Lin and Liam Cummings
Head Prefects

Recent Events

On Tuesday the Junior A Basketball team had a final against Wellington College C for Division 3 of juniors, the highest place Whitby has gotten in Junior Boys basketball. They were undefeated going into this game, and with a close 62 - 60 point game, managed to win the division with 0 losses. This is an incredible achievement for a small school like ours and the boys should be proud of their efforts.

Art of the week

Every week we will choose an artwork made by a student to include in the Student Newsletter. If you are interested in showing your artwork come along to Art Club on Tuesday lunchtimes led by Lucy and Corry in year 12.

Teacher profile: Ms Aukett