Week 1, Term 3 | 2026

Executive Principal’s Update

Kia ora, Talofa, Bula vinaka, Malo e lelei, Fakatālofa atu kia te koulua, Kia orana, Hallo, Hola, Ni Hao, Konichiwa, Namaste and Greetings - parents, caregivers and families of Whitby Collegiate,

Welcome back to Term 3 at Whitby Collegiate. It is wonderful to have everyone back on site after the holidays, returning to a wintry but fine start to the new term.

Our students were exceptionally busy over the break, particularly those involved in representative sport. A special congratulations to Keira Weepu and Sienna LeToa-Tuala, who were part of the team that won the North Island U16 Netball Championships, and to Sienna again as a member of the Wellington U18 Basketball team who took out the national title. These are outstanding achievements.

It was also a pleasure to attend the Cullen Breakfast, where the team of Isabela McLean, Ellie Beaumont and Adelle Tipper were presented with their 3rd place award for their Strengthening Democracy presentation. Thank you as well to Toby Shaab, a member of the second Whitby team, who was there to support and represent the school, and we were also grateful to the chair of the Proprietors Board, Mr Fiso, for his attendance as well.

Deputies’ Updates

Deputy Principal (Academics)

Kia ora e te whānau o Whitby Collegiate,

The latest Common Assessment Activity (CAA) results are in, and our learners have once again outperformed the national average. The majority of our Year 10 students completed the Numeracy CAA in May last term, with 87% of those who completed the assessment achieving this co-requisite standard, compared to the national average of 51.7%. I am so impressed with the dedication, resilience, and hard work that has been demonstrated by these students. Those students who did not pass this round can access feedback through their NZQA portal, and I strongly recommend this is downloaded and reviewed. Our Literacy and Numeracy Coordinator, Mrs Katherine McKinlay, SENCo Mrs Briony Bradley, and I are all available to support students with this. There is a further opportunity to sit the Numeracy CAA, as well as the Literacy Reading and Literacy Writing CAA, in September. More information will be shared about these events in the next week.

Other than the Senior Ball tomorrow evening, I imagine the next biggest event in the calendar for most of our senior students will will be Derived Grade examinations, Monday 14 - Friday 18 September (Week 8). All Year 12-13 students will be on study leave during this week, and need only come into school for examinations and/or workshops. Derived Grade examinations are important as they give students real-world practice towards their external Achievement Standards under NZQA examination conditions. Additionally, in the rare event that illness, accident, or bereavement results in a student being unable to sit their end-of-year examination, or impairs their performance, students are able to apply to NZQA to use their DG exam result. I will ensure that all students are aware of the process to apply for the use of a DG result closer to NCEA exams starting in November. The timetable for the DG examination week is in the process of being finalised, and should be available to students before the end of Week 4.

I am grateful to Year 12 student Brooke Solomon, and Ms Brown, who have been organising a blood donation drive for senior students. Following an information session yesterday, the donations will take place at the Pātaka Mobile Blood Clinic on Wednesday 19 August. I look forward to supporting these brave and generous students.

I am looking forward to seeing our glammed up seniors tomorrow night at the Ball, for what will undoubtedly be a wonderful evening. Have a lovely, safe, and hopefully warm, weekend.

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,

At the start of every lesson, my class and I kick things off with our ‘Gratitude Roll’ whereby students share a small thing they are grateful for during the roll call. Coming back from the break, my own entry is simple. I am very grateful for three weeks of rest and for returning with a full-ish tank, ready to dive into everything a busy Term 3 brings.

We are pleased to welcome three new students and their families to our school community this term - Kiri Wilson (Year 12), along with Paxton Conroy and Eve Roberts (Year 10). We are looking forward to walking alongside them as they work towards their academic, cultural, and sporting goals. Kiri has already hit the ground running, stepping up to lead our Cultural Group with a karanga at the upcoming Te Kiwa Nui festival. Thank you, Kiri, for stepping into leadership so quickly and embodying the ‘Whitby Way’.

It has been great catching up with students during this first week back and hearing about their break. A special mention must go to Ellie Beaumont, who spent a week in the Waikato at a hands-on environmental science camp hosted by the Blake Foundation. Ellie shared a reflection on her time away:

“Each day was filled with incredible experiences, from exploring the geothermal park at Te Puia in Rotorua and tracking bird conservation at Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain, to studying estuarine science in Raglan alongside NIWA scientists. We also dove into politics through a model parliament for a fictional ocean nation called ‘Marinelandia,’ balancing local environment needs with iwi perspectives. My personal highlight was connecting with a group of equally passionate rangatahi who I know will be friends for life. It was a great experience and I can’t recommend it enough. I’d love to chat with anyone interested in applying in the future!”

School News

Students Rise to the Challenge at First Year 7 and 8 Camp in Teapot Valley, Nelson

As we come to the end of the first week of Term 3, 82 Year 7 and 8 students and 12 adults from Whitby Collegiate are returning from the school's first-ever week-long Year 7 and 8 camp at Teapot Valley Christian Camp in Nelson.

The purpose of this inaugural camp was to provide students with opportunities to make new friends, challenge themselves, and come together as one cohesive Year 7 and 8 community. Through shared experiences, the camp was designed to deepen relationships, foster a strong sense of belonging, and lay the foundations for future leadership opportunities and lasting connections across the cohort.

For many of our students, this was their first time away from home for an extended period. Even before camp began, they demonstrated resilience as they navigated the emotions of leaving their families, balanced with the excitement of travelling together on the Bluebridge Ferry and the anticipation of the adventures that awaited them in Nelson. Taking this first step was, in itself, a significant achievement.

Throughout the week, students embraced every opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, challenge themselves, and strengthen friendships. The camp programme was packed with exciting outdoor adventures, including rock climbing, slug guns, archery, go-karting, team-building challenges, open-fire cooking, the low ropes course, orienteering, and abseiling. Each activity encouraged students to develop resilience, communication, leadership, and collaboration while creating countless memorable moments.

One of the highlights of the week was the unforgettable 14-kilometre walk through the stunning Abel Tasman National Park. Students walked from Mārahau to Anchorage, taking in the breathtaking coastal scenery before enjoying a well-earned boat ride back to Mārahau. For many, this was their longest hike to date and a significant personal achievement that demonstrated perseverance, determination, and the ability to keep going when the challenge became tough.

WC Blood Donations

During Thursday lunchtime we had a visit from some incredible NZ Blood Service representatives. They tested blood types and answered questions regarding the process of giving blood and had plenty of laughs along the way. This is the start of a student initiative and we will continue with our trip to the Pātaka Mobile Blood Clinic to donate blood as a school on the 19th of August. This is just another way our school is working to give back to our community.

Artist of the Week - Faith Bennett’s Creative Journey

Creative Year 12 Art student Faith Bennett is currently hard at work developing her impressive Painting and Photography portfolio submissions. Her expressive paintings are drawn from cherished family photographs, beautifully capturing nostalgic childhood memories of imaginative dress-ups and carefree play where youthful dreams vividly come to life. Meanwhile, Faith’s captivating photography project explores personal identity and self-expression through fashion, showcasing intricately styled dolls that she carefully designed and crafted entirely by hand.

2026 School Magazine

Student Perspective

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”.

Don't miss this special opportunity to enjoy an exceptional evening while making a meaningful difference to the lives of Whitby Collegiate students. We look forward to welcoming you to what promises to be a memorable night of inspiration, generosity, and community.

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

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Community Notice

School Notice

Important: Head Lice Check

We have had a few reports of head lice in our community recently. To help keep them at bay, we are asking all families to please take some time over the school holidays to carefully check their children's hair, and treat if necessary.

Head lice are very common and easily spread, but the holidays provide the perfect opportunity for everyone to check, treat, and break the cycle before returning to school.

For helpful, step-by-step guidance on how to check for head lice and the best ways to treat them, please visit the KidsHealth website here:

KidsHealth Head Lice Guide

Important: How to Reach Us by Email

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

A Reminder About Car Parking

A friendly reminder to all whānau, please ensure you are not parking in the staff car park when dropping off or picking up your children. The staff car park is reserved exclusively for our teachers and staff. Your co-operation helps keep our school running smoothly and ensures our staff can get to their classrooms on time.

Thank you for your understanding and support.