Week 6, Term 2 | 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,

This week at Whitby Collegiate has been short but bustling with activity. Our final parent-teacher interviews were held on Wednesday, and we are incredibly grateful to see so many parents attending. Your presence and engagement are vital in receiving important feedback from teachers regarding students' academic progress. Thank you for making the time to be involved in your child's education.

Today's choir performance was nothing short of spectacular. We were honoured to have our Proprietor, Mr Fiso, attend the event and witness what was truly an outstanding performance. The choir delivered beautiful harmonies, and we are proud to announce that this was the largest choir we've ever had. This year's performance was extra special due to the invaluable input from one of New Zealand's choral legends, Mrs. Helen Tupai. Her expertise helped elevate the choir to a new level of excellence. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Ting for her tireless efforts in making this happen and to Ms. Keilty for her much-needed support on the day.

Our senior student leaders have been fantastic in igniting house spirit with the inter-house sport competitions kicking off this week, starting with basketball. Their passion and enthusiasm have been infectious, and we look forward to more exciting competitions in the weeks to come.

I wish to congratulate our talented dance students on their outstanding achievements at the recent Velocity Dance competition. Our students represented the school exceptionally well, with our dance troupe winning the group category. Their performance was impressive, and we are incredibly proud of them for bringing home 1st place in their section. Ruby Taylor was first in her solo, Maija Warrington-Redfearn was third in the same section and Emma Whyte placed second in her solo section. Thank you to Mr Michael Leota for taking the lead in this event and enabling our students to participate.

As we look ahead, we have another busy weekend of sports lined up. We encourage everyone to come out and support our teams as they compete. Your presence and encouragement mean a lot to our athletes.

We are thrilled to welcome a very special part of our community to the school next week, our grandparents. We are looking forward to sharing with them all that their grandchildren are involved in here at Whitby Collegiate. A big thank you in advance to Maria Lolo and the Parents’ Association for their commitment to the Parents’ Association Golf Tournament coming up next Saturday. I am sure this will be a day of laughter, community spirit and not to mention some healthy competition. 

Thank you all for your continued support and involvement in the Whitby Collegiate community. Have a wonderful weekend!

Shelley Addison
Executive Principal

DEPUTIES’ UPDATES

From the Deputy Principal (Pastoral & Wellbeing)

Tālofa lava, Ni Hao, Mālō ni, Namaste, Kia orana, Mālō e lelei, and Kia Ora to our Whitby Collegiate whānau,

With our Grandparents Morning approaching, our staff, students, and Chairman of the Proprietor’s Board Mr John Fiso eagerly look forward to hosting our special visitors. This event provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to share their school experiences, highlight what they enjoy about Whitby Collegiate, and showcase some of their musical talents.

We ask that grandparents arrive for a 9.30 am start in our school gym. The morning will include a school tour and will conclude with morning tea provided by our dedicated Parents Association. I would like to take this opportunity to express a special thank you to our Parents’ Association for their ongoing support of our school events. Your contributions mean a lot to our school community and greatly enhance our ability to create memorable and enjoyable experiences for our students and their families.

We look forward to welcoming our grandparents and celebrating their invaluable role in our students' lives.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about next week’s event or any matters relating to pastoral care.

Ma lou fa’aaloalo lava,

Ainslie Sauvao
ainslie.sauvao@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

From the Assistant Principal

Kia ora Students, Parents & Caregivers,

As we approach the end of this year's debating season, we are thrilled to share the outstanding achievements of our three dedicated debating teams. Each team has demonstrated exceptional skill, teamwork, and passion for debating, making us all proud.

Throughout the season, our students have tackled a variety of challenging moots, such as "Should sports be compulsory in school?", "Should the world go vegetarian?" and even “Should we regret Valentine’s Day”. Their ability to craft compelling arguments and engage in thoughtful discussions has been truly impressive.

Our Junior Cert 2 and Junior Prem teams have performed admirably, engaging in thought-provoking debates and consistently displaying their commitment and talent. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, and they have represented our school with distinction.

Our Junior Cert 1 team, consisting of Xiangyi Liang, Anvi Sankrit, and Iris and Cody Chen deserves special recognition for their remarkable performance this season. They have remained undefeated throughout, showcasing their impressive argumentative skills and deep understanding of various topics. Their hard work and dedication have truly paid off, setting a high standard for future debaters.

My appreciation goes out to our staff managers, Nic Aukett, Sonia Visser and Belinda Brown who have made the debating season possible. 

As we cheer on all our teams in the final rounds of the season, let's celebrate their success and look forward to more victories in the future. 

Maurice Atkinson
Debating Convenor

CHAPLAIN’S NOTE

This week's virtue of the week is endurance. The word comes from the same roots as “durability”, reflecting the need to demonstrate some hardness when faced with challenge. I had the privilege of witnessing it on the home straight of the recent cross country, and it's particularly impressive from those for whom running distance doesn't come easily. I have witnessed the benefits of endurance in the efforts of the school choir in preparing for the Big Sing. There are many times when the temptation is to take the easy option; endurance encourages us to keep going. 

Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Pilgrims on the Camino del Santiago greet one another with the word, “Ultreia!”, literally meaning ‘onwards’. May we encourage one another to endure and to move onwards, even in difficult times. 

Blessings,
Reverend Chris

UPCOMING EVENTS

Term 2 Activities/Events (Week 7)

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”.

SCHOOL NEWS

The Get Group Workshop - GET Smart About Money

This Thursday (13 June) we welcome the GET Group to Whitby Collegiate. They will be running a workshop for 18 of our students based around the topic of Money. This financial literacy course will cover important topics such as budgeting for a long term goal, increasing personal income, managing finances, and making informed choices on a major purchase.

We are really proud of the students who are participating in the workshop, and wish them every success in achieving the 12 Level 3 credits.

Teacher Only Day Professional Learning

On Friday 31 May during our Teacher Only Day, teachers were privileged to hear from Educational Psychologist Amelia Volkerling. She specialises in structured literacy, targeted maths interventions, and supporting those with learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyscalculia. The focus for the session at Whitby Collegiate was ADHD and dyslexia; identification and strategies for support.

The consensus from our teachers was that this interactive presentation was invaluable, and will be used to inform current teaching practices.

Student Art of the Week

Summer Bethwaite, Year 9

The Art of Change was a theme explored by Year 9 in Term 1. Summer Bethwaite made a detailed tonal pencil drawing from a glass. She then imaginatively changed it through a series of steps to gradually transform it into a beautiful rose. 

SPORTS UPDATE

McDonald's Monarch Birthday Weekend Netball Tournament Results

Congratulations to our Junior A Netball team, who competed over the weekend and came 2nd overall in their division! Outstanding effort, team! Here's how the matches went:

• Vs. Maidstone Pitoitoi: 14-0 WIN

• Vs. Maidstone Takahe: 22-0 WIN

• Vs. Hutt Intermediate: 13-4 WIN

• FINAL vs. Papakowhai Thunder: 8-2 LOSS

Join the Whitby Collegiate Sport Facebook Group

Keep up to date with all Whitby Collegiate sport news, draws & results, achievements, and LIVE updates at facebook.com/groups/whitbycollegiatesport

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 forward student achievements to communications@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

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