Whitby Collegiate News Week 5 Term 2, 2026

Week 5, 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 an incredibly vibrant and busy time at Whitby Collegiate, with a wide range of activities showcasing the energy, commitment, and spirit of our students.

A highlight of the past week was our annual Cross Country event. We were fortunate to enjoy fine weather, which helped create a wonderful festival atmosphere across the course. It was fantastic to see so many parents coming along to support, adding to the sense of community. Congratulations to all students who participated with such positive spirit, and especially to our placegetters in the competitive races who performed exceptionally well. A memorable finish to the day was the ever-popular slip and slide, enjoyed by many. My sincere thanks go to all staff, particularly Mr O'Neill for his organisation and thestudents involved in organising such a successful event.

In the classroom, this is a significant period as a number of assessments reach completion. It has been particularly pleasing to see the depth of learning demonstrated in the Year 10 Social Science Ancestry projects. The quality of work on display reflected both the effort students have invested and their growing understanding of identity and heritage.

The majority of our students also completed the all important CAA Literacy and Numeracy tests this week and a special thanks to Mrs McKinlay in her commitment to ensuring our students were ready for these important exams.

Our student leaders continue to play a vital role in enhancing school life, organising a wide range of activities that encourage participation and connection. This was evident in the recent inter-house netball competition, which was fiercely contested on the turf at lunchtime and enjoyed by both players and spectators alike.

We are thrilled to have both a junior and senior chess team competing in their first tournament this week, marking an exciting milestone for the growth of chess at Whitby Collegiate.

Our debating teams continue to go from strength to strength. The Senior Cert 1 team of Isabela McLean, Adelle Tipper, and Cameron Leitch secured a strong win over Paraparaumu on Thursday night, maintaining their unbeaten run. Likewise, our Junior Premier team of Judah Isaac, Abbey Joostens, Isabella Beach, and Gabriel Anthony remain undefeated as they look to defend their regional title.

Thank you to all parents and caregivers who attended our parent-teacher interviews. It was a valuable opportunity to connect with families, discuss student progress, and celebrate the achievements and growth we are seeing across the school.

Whitby Collegiate continues to be a place of strong participation, positive relationships, and meaningful learning, and it is a pleasure to see our students making the most of the opportunities available to them. Best of luck to all our sports teams competing over the weekend as we head into the mid way point of a very full term.

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,

There was an awesome buzz around the school grounds during lunchtimes this week as our highly anticipated House Netball competition took over the courts. It was great to see students giving it their all on the court or enthusiastically cheering from the sidelines to support their houses - lifting school spirit. Well done to Resolution House for taking out the championship title this time around! We also want to extend a big thank you to our Sports Prefects, Safira Schultz and Beaumia Lemisio as well as our student leaders for their fantastic work organising the event. We now look forward to seeing that same energy when the House Futsal competition kicks off later this term!

We wish the very best of luck to Year 12 students Jonathan Hearn and Toby Shaab as they participate in the prestigious Cullen Strengthening Democracy project. Marking the 30th anniversary of MMP in New Zealand, this year’s task challenges students to review our electoral system. Jonathan and Toby will evaluate whether MMP has met its original goals, examine unintended issues like social media-driven political polarisation, and recommend future constitutional and voting reforms. The boys will deliver a written submission and present to a mock select committee. If shortlisted for the finals, they will earn the opportunity to present directly to a panel of Members of Parliament, attending a prizegiving hosted by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Nicola Willis. Thank you, Jonathan and Toby, for tackling such a rigorous challenge and representing our school with excellence!

Finally, a reminder to all our students about keeping our school a peanut-free zone. We have several students with severe allergies to peanuts. To help keep everyone safe, please ensure that all snacks, lunches, and treats brought to school are completely free of peanuts and peanut products (such as peanut butter and certain muesli bars). Thank you and have a lovely weekend.

Take care, stay safe and God bless.

Fa’afetai lava ma ia manuia.

Ainslie Sauvao
ainslie.sauvao@whitbycollegiate.school.nz

School News

Artist of the week - Safira Schultz

This image was taken by one of our year 13 Photographers, Safira Schultz. She took this image of her family's Korowai and Patu, showcasing the power and beauty inside of Māori Taunga. Through her board she is expressing the importance of kaitiakitanga for our whenua and the beauty of life.

“This theme resonates with me as every piece of land holds a story and has historical significance in its own way - We, as a people, should take pride in honouring that history by recognising the beauty of a simple landscape.”

Student Perspectives

Sports, Culture, and Connection

For our Level 2 Health promotion assessment this term, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Te Kura o Hau Karetu to support the wellbeing of a Year 5/6 class. We organised and ran a cultural sports day, introducing the students to three different cultures and a traditional sport from each.

Through these activities, we promoted cultural values, built meaningful connections, and encouraged physical activity. It was a genuine learning experience that challenged us to develop our leadership skills, connect with a younger age group, and put health promotion into practice.

Bella Coxson - 12 AG

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”.

Parent Teacher Interviews :
Years 11 - Year 13

School finishes early for ALL students at 2:25pm
Buses depart at 2:30pm

Bookings open now via schoolinterviews.co.nz (code wcq2x) or scan the QR code.

Bookings close 10am Tuesday 26 May

Join us for a fun-filled Star Wars movie night supporting the Whitby Collegiate Futsal & Netball Teams on their journey to the AIMS Games! Enjoy The Mandalorian and Grogu at Lighthouse Cinema Pāuatahanui, with raffle prizes, baking, drinks, and lollies available on the night. Bring your friends and family along for a great evening while helping our teams get to Auckland!

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

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