Week 6, 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,

Midway through the school year, the activity levels around Whitby Collegiate remain high, with classrooms and co-curricular spaces abuzz with learning and opportunities for our students both in and outside of the classroom. Over the past couple of weeks, it has been a pleasure to welcome families into school to meet with teachers and discuss student progress, strengthening the partnerships that support our young people.

Thank you to Ms Visser for organising and accompanying two teams to the Lit Quiz, where our Year 7 and 8 students competed against peers from across the Wellington region. Our readers represented Whitby Collegiate with enthusiasm and curiosity, showcasing their love of literature on a wider stage.

We are very proud of Year 13 student Tiyamika Banda, who has brought great pride to her family and our school through her academic achievements and recent recognition with the Ministry of Education Ethnic Youth Award. This honour reflects not only Tiyamika’s hard work and talent, but also the support of staff and whānau around her.

It has been wonderful to see all our sports teams in action this week, and a special congratulations goes to our girls’ basketball team, who defeated Scots College in their first CSW Premier Division game last Friday night. In support of our young athletes, we are pleased to partner with Peak Physio who are providing a sports injury clinic here at Whitby Collegiate on a weekly basis.

Alongside sporting success, our choir has been quietly working with dedication over the past few months as they prepare for The Big Sing in a couple of weeks; staff were treated to a preview performance today and are excited to see our singers shine at this prestigious event.

Finally best wishes to our students and staff who will be representing Wellington at the Interprovincial Volleyball Tournament this weekend. We are especially proud to acknowledge Ms Newlands and Ms Kale, who are competing in the women’s team, along with Mr Ryburn, who is leading as Head Coach of the U17 team. We wish you all the very best in your matches.

Wish everyone a restful and safe long weekend.

Shelley Addison
Executive Principal

Deputies’ Updates

Deputy Principal (Academics)

Kia ora e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

Congratulations to the Year 10, 11, and 12 students who completed a Literacy and Numeracy (LitNum) Common Assessment Activity (CAA) over the past two weeks. I am very proud of the respectful and conscientious approach students have had during the assessment process, and it is a testament to The Whitby Way. Students will be able to access their Numeracy and Writing CAA results via their individual NZQA portals on Monday 20 July, during the upcoming school holidays. Reading results will be available on Tuesday 23 June.

For students who were unable to complete their CAAs during this May session, or who do not achieve the required standard, there is another opportunity to enter into the September assessment session. Further information about the next testing round will be provided by our LitNum Coordinator, Mrs Katherine McKinlay, early next term.

Parents and caregivers are reminded that the Kiwi Competitions are scheduled for the final three weeks of this term. All relevant dates are published on the school calendar. Specific email instructions regarding each assessment will be distributed closer to the testing dates. If your child is interested in participating in the ICAS competitions in Term 3, please scroll down to Enrichment Opportunities to find more information.

Our teaching staff have enjoyed a very collaborative and rewarding day digging deeper into the Refreshed Curriculum. I hope this extra-long King’s Birthday weekend is relaxing for you all.

Ngā mihi,

Debbie Mitchell
debbie.mitchell@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

Deputy Principal (Pastoral and Wellbeing)

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

Last Friday evening, it was an absolute honour to attend the annual Ethnic Youth and Academic Awards. Hosted by the Ministry of Education in partnership with regional trusts, these awards celebrate high-achieving and emerging student leaders from diverse ethnic, migrant, and refugee backgrounds across the country. The event recognises outstanding students in two primary areas: Academic Awards (celebrating NCEA excellence, at Level 2 or higher, or top results in Cambridge/IB exams) and Leadership Awards (recognising dedication to school life, community service, and outstanding leadership).

We are very proud to share that Tiyamika Banda was recognised at the ceremony for her academic excellence and leadership within our school. Tiyamika’s gracious, humble, and warm approach to every aspect of school life is nothing short of admirable, as is her constant drive to achieve the highest standards. We congratulate Tiyamika on this well-deserved achievement and appreciate everything she contributes to our school community.

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

Artist of the week - Maddy Riley-Hathaway

Our Senior Painters are independently exploring personal themes as they develop work for their L2 portfolios.

Maddy Riley-Hathaway is currently investigating ideas on portraying significant moments of growing up, from the joyful celebrations of birthdays, achievements and challenges of adolescence. Her work is also submitted to the NZ Art show, this weekend as an Emerging Artist. Her work promises to be a brave and heartfelt view from her individual perspective as a young artist and we wish you luck with the Exhibition.

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

Whitby Collegiate Open Day

Our School Open Day is happening on Sunday 7th June, and we are running a refreshment stall to welcome prospective families.

If you love to bake and have some spare time, we would be incredibly grateful for donations of sweet or savoury treats!

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