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,
Week one of external exams has been successfully completed and on touching base with students they have been well prepared and quietly confident in their performances. Despite some glitches from NZQA our students have proven to be calm under fire and any issues arising Mrs Mitchell has dealt with the relevant authorities. Students have been taking full advantage of the tutorials available to them and we look forward to the results in January.
Plans are well underway for the final few weeks of school and our junior students have been very active and relishing the leadership opportunities that are available in the absence of the seniors. This was reflected in the junior student leaders taking responsibility for assembly this week and their plans for celebrating Dewali that they shared with staff this morning.
There has been a large number of sports activities and competitions available at this time with the junior girls coming 3rd at the CSW Ki O Rahi tournament and the junior boys competing for the first time at the CSW Touch tournament. Special congratulations to Olivia Lu in winning the CSW Stableford Golf Championships and we look forward to more students representing the school next week in Softball, Tennis and Athletics.
It is always a real pleasure when students come and proudly show me their projects and work they are completing in class and thank you to Taylor Weepu for sharing her project on the solar system. Such a lot of effort has gone into these projects!
We will also be welcoming parents and students to celebrate the Class of 2023 at the annual Leavers Dinner being held on the 24th of November along with a thank you dinner for the coaches, managers and supporters of the school on the 28th November. We appreciate everything that both the students and their parents have contributed to the school and certainly to those who volunteer their time to ensure the wide range of activities that enable our students to participate.
Wishing everyone a happy and restful weekend.
Warm regards,
Shelley Addison
Executive Principal
Deputies’ Updates
From the Deputy Principal (Pastoral and Wellbeing)
Tālofa lava, Vannakkam, Shalom, Mālō e lelei, Ni Hao, Namaste, Fakalofa lahi atu, Kamusta, Tāloha ni, Kia Ora parents, students and families,
Our pastoral team have been impressed with students who continue to embody our core school values. Students understand that living these faith-based values means treating each other with respect and kindness, serving our school and the wider community, and building positive interactions and relationships with each other. It is an ethos that sets the foundation for a supportive and nurturing learning environment and we are grateful to all our students who demonstrate these values on a daily basis.
On Friday 1 December, we have the opportunity to reinforce these values with our Year 9 students. Our Pastoral team and Year 12 student leaders look forward to this event as it will not only be a time for reflection and personal growth but also a chance to develop and nurture student leadership among our Year 9 students. We anticipate that this retreat will be a significant and transformative experience for our students and of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to play fun activities and enjoy working under the mentorship of our student leaders.
We are delighted to welcome Zoe Hastings (Year 9) and Amelie Summerfield (Year 7) to our school community this term. We look forward to their contributions and experiences. Here’s what they have to say about their first few days:
Zoe Hastings
“I would describe my first couple of days at Whitby as thrilling, fun and enjoyable. I feel I have settled into the Whitby environment well and quickly. I have had good conversations with all my new teachers and met heaps of new people and developed new friendships. This school has been great for me so far and I am really enjoying being part of this community.”
Amelie Summerfield
“I have enjoyed hanging out with my new friend Ruby, playing badminton for PE and also doing embroidery in technology.”
As we prepare for our upcoming Prize Giving event, I would like to remind students about our uniform expectations for the remainder of the year. In particular, we would like to emphasise the guidelines for non-regulation jewellery. Earrings must be silver or gold studs or sleepers, as shown in the photo below:
We greatly appreciate parent support in ensuring that all students wear the correct uniform, as it contributes to the overall sense of unity and pride within our school community.
I am pleased to announce that later this month, our school is celebrating the festival of Diwali. Our student organising committee is brimming with enthusiasm as they prepare to co-ordinate this vibrant and culturally rich event.
At Whitby Collegiate, we believe that celebrating cultural diversity is what makes our school community truly special. Embracing various cultural traditions and festivals is essential to ensuring that all our students feel a strong sense of belonging. These celebrations not only allow our students to strengthen their cultural identity but also provide them with an opportunity to showcase and share their unique cultural heritage with their peers and teachers.
Students and staff can expect an array of performances. Traditional dances, music, and vibrant displays will be part of the cultural showcase and, of course, there will be an array of delectable food to savour, representing the rich culinary traditions associated with Diwali.
Finally, our junior House Captains did a great job of leading school assembly today. I am extremely proud of all our junior leaders who continue to lead by example, and inspire others to lead with a heart of service.
Wishing everyone a safe and restful weekend.
Soifua ma ia manuia le tapua’iga.
Ainslie Sauvao
Upcoming Events
Term 4 Activities/Events (Week 6)
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 here by clicking the button that reads “subscribe to this calendar”.
| ACTIVITY/EVENT | NCEA EXAMS | DATE |
| L1 Economics L3 Chinese Schol Biology L3 Calculus |
Monday 13 November | |
| Parumoana Athletics Parent Teacher Interviews (Year 7 & 8) |
L1 Science L1 Spanish L2 Geography L2 Chemistry L3 Biology Schol English |
Tuesday 14 November |
| CSW Junior Tennis Individual Championships | L2 English L1 History |
Wednesday 15 November |
| CSW Junior Touch Rugby Tournament | L2 History L3 Physics |
Thursday 16 November |
| Friday 17 November |
School News
Year 7 and 8 Beach Education Days
As part of our school curriculum, students will be attending a Beach Education day. This event will be hosted by Surf Lifesaving NZ (SLSNZ) staff at Titahi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club on Wednesday 22 November. The Beach Education course is designed to provide practical water skills in a real beach setting. It teaches young people how to be beach safe, using materials that align with the New Zealand Curriculum and Water Skills for Life.
These trips all contain risks associated with swimming, activity in a beach environment, exposure to the elements, extreme weather conditions, travel in a vehicle and the discomfort and anxiety caused by participation in a challenging activity. If you wish to see the safety plan or have questions about the trip, please contact merita.levave@whitbycollegiate.school.nz.
As part of the safety management plan, SLSNZ requires a minimum of 1 adult to every 5 students throughout the day. We would love for whānau to join us to make this event happen. Adults are expected to participate in both water and beach activities. It is essential that adults bring their togs (wetsuits optional) and are prepared to be in the water up to their waists. If you can help to provide supervision on the day, please indicate this on the form linked below.
Please complete the online trip form by Wednesday 15 November.
Year 7 Form
Year 8 Form
YUMMY Fruit Stickers
Bring in those YUMMY fruit stickers to earn new sports gear for our school. YUMMY fruit stickers help us purchase sports equipment for students to play with at lunch times. Please bring your stickers, or cut out labels from the big bags of apples into the school office!
YUMMY fruit can be purchased from New World, 4 Square, Pak n Save, your local fruit retailer and Fruit World. Apples: Genesis, Lemonade, Granny Smith, Ambrosia, Sweet Tango, Mariri Red, NZ Rose, Red Delicious, Royal Gala, Smitten, Ballarat, Braeburn and Fuji. Stone Fruit: Nectarines and Peaches.
Community Market Day - Saturday 25 November
Whakataukī o te wiki
proverb of the week
He taonga te wareware
Forgetfulness is a treasure
This whakataukī reminds us to let us go of things in the past that are holding us back, or stopping us from growing. In other words, let bygones be bygones. The action of releasing these burdens is freeing, and brings peace.
Sports Update
Term 4 Sports Dates
CSW Junior Girls Regional Ki O Rahi Tournament
Well done to our junior girls Ki O Rahi team. Whitby Collegiate placed 3rd in the College Sport Wellington Junior Girls Regional Ki O Rahi Tournament held at Rongotai College this week. Great work team!
For all sports information, latest draws & results, sport clubs and registrations please visit our online sports hub here.
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
Olivia Lu
Golf
Olivia Lu won the College Sport Wellington Junior Golf Girls Stableford Tournament at Trentham Golf Course yesterday!
Tom Rousell
Golf
Tom Rousell’s team placed 2nd in the Futures Wellington Twilight Golf Tournament last night. Well done Tom
Chloe Mattock
Futsal
Congratulations to Chloe Mattock who has been selected for the U17s Girls Central Futsal squad to compete in the Youth Futsal National Championships held in December this year!
Amber Sceats
Equestrian
Amber competed at the Manawatu A&P show at the weekend with her two ponies. She placed 1st in 60cm on Motutangi Made U Look and 3rd in 90cm on Master High Voltage (Dontà). She also did the 1m class on Dontà, flying over the jumps. Congratulations Amber!
We love to celebrate our students’ achievements. For inclusion in the Whitby Collegiate newsletter or on our Facebook page, please forward student achievements to communications@whitbycollegiate.school.nz
