Website: www.waitarahs.school.nz Email: admin.office@waitarahs.school.nz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WaitaraHighSchool

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Strive and go forward — Kia Kaha ki te ora tonu - Ulterius Tende

Newsletter 25 February 2016

Welcome to Waitara High School 2016

Leading the Way in 2016 (left to right)

Head Boy - Eli Hill Head Girl - Iyarna Schuler

Deputy Head Girl - Telina Barrett Deputy Head Boy - Sam Parker

A massive WHS THANK YOU!! must go to

Variety – The Children’s Charity and The Warehouse for the donation of 20 iPads to use in school.

The programme “Laptops for Learning” has gifted a large number of devices over the past 4 years and we

are extremely fortunate to be recipient of the programme earlier this month.

After the presentation of these devices at assembly,

the group from Variety and The Warehouse were shown around the school, to see how some classes

and students use technology to support their learning.

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A Word From Our Principal

Nau mai haere mai Ki ngā Kaumātua, Kuia, Rangitira, Pākeke, tamariki, mokopuna o waitara whānui.

Welcome to all our students and whānau starting, or returning, to Waitara High School in 2016. I would also like to welcome Matua Reece Harrison who moved, from Auckland with his whānau, to join our team as the new Te Reo Māori Teacher. As a school we are very proud of all students who achieved success with their national NCEA examinations recently. We strive for students to be successful at every level of learning. Working to give them every opportunity to leave school, with the skills and qualifications, that they will need to reach their future goals and aspirations. During form time, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, your child’s Form Teacher takes the time to ensure studies, as well as school life in general, is going well for each student. This is an important time for teachers to really get to know students, as that enables them to support each child at school every day. We have recently introduced a school hat – a blue bucket hat that, from Term 2, will be the only hat, cap or beanie that can be worn at school. We will have stock of these hats, at school ready for the start of Term 2, that students and parents can purchase for less than $10. Earlier this month the school had a very successful evening meeting with our Year 9 whānau. My sincere thanks to everyone who gave up their evening to be part of this conversation. Over the Christmas break significant building work happened around the school. The computer rooms were updated with furnishings and carpet, as was the school library. Much needed new floor coverings are put into many corridors, two new graphics rooms were added, along with a new student café. The café was opened last week by New Plymouth Mayor, Andrew Judd and blessed by the school’s Kaumātua, Hone Niwa.

Graeme Hood Principal

New Plymouth Mayor, Andrew Judd, opens the new school café.

Tuesday 16th February 2016

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Class of 2016

Our new Year 13s at Icon Sports

(Monday 1st February 2016)

C’mon! you going to hit that ball or

what???...... I’ve got a list of people waiting!

We’re on top of the WORLD!!!

(well maybe just a really small hill)

Some hush please folks for Tiger “Tokawhakaea” Woods!

Meet the cast of The Waitara Hunger Games!

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Sunday 28th February TSSSA Touch

Monday 29th February WHS Triple Jump

Tuesday 1st March Canterbury University Afternoon WHS Athletics

Wednesday 2nd March TSSSA Lawn Bowls

Thursday 3rd March Year 13 English Trip

Friday 4th March Relay For Life Mufti Day Year 13 English Trip

Saturday 5th March Year 13 English Trip TSSSA 7’s Rugby

Tuesday 8th March TSSSA Surf Lifesaving

Thursday 10th March Progress and Pathway Interviews

Friday 11th March Progress and Pathway Interviews Gateway Course

TERM PLANNER

Can you help us

solve a bit of a

mystery?? …..

An automatic payment ($5.00 a week) has been showing up in the school bank account

and the only ID on it is the word “Dad” hmmm??

Anyway….A big thanks to “Dad” for making this payment so regularly….but we need to

know who’s “Dad” you actually are! So if anyone knows who this is can you please

contact the school office ASAP. (06 754 7514)

ZUMBA’S BACK!!

Come along and shake your thang for FREE!!

Every Wednesday

lunchtime from 1.35pm in the school hall with

Mrs Warren.

From the Science Department Science Workbooks Mrs Laurence would like to remind parents that the following science classes need to have workbooks and is asking that students buy them (from the school office) ASAP please: 9L; 10L; Year12 Science; Year 12 & 13 Biology; Year12 & 13 Chemistry.

If there are any issue at all about buying any of these books please contact Mrs Laurence via the school office (06 754 7514).

Science Fair This is held in Term 3. Any students

interested in doing investigations, taking

photos or doing drawings needs to have a chat

with your science teacher or

Mrs Laurence.

A Word (Or Two!) From The School Office…….

If you have changed your address, home or cell phone number lately PLEASE let the school office know so that we can update our records. Because if your child is sick, or there is an emergency, we need to be able to contact you.

FREE Public Health Nurse clinics are held at school on Mondays and Thursdays . Appointments can be made at the school office.

HEALTH ASSESSMENTS

The Public Health Nurse is carrying out health assessments at school on all Year 9 students. It is a voluntary assessment and continuance of the initiative that was rolled out by the Ministry of Health in 2010. Consent is asked of the student on the day. If you would like more information, please contact our Public Health Nurse, Lisa Willets on (06) 7537790 ext 8471 or lisa.willets@tdhb.org.nz. Alternately, you can google HEaDSSS assessment on the internet.

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Calling All Artists!!

Do you have a creative skill you would be willing to share with a group of students from WHS? Weaving, carving, tattooing, drawing, watercolour, stencilling, mural design, pottery, printmaking, photography??

If you do then I would love to hear from you. We have

a group of keen and willing students in the Creative Futures program who would love to invite you to come and share your techniques with them. If you can help please contact Amber McFadyen through the school

office (754 7514).

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Showing ‘em how it’s done! Some of this years Year 13s helped to settle in a group of the new Year 9s with a friendly game of

touch at the start of the term.

A big Waitara High School

WELCOME to all our new

Year 9 students this year!

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At the end of Term 4 2015, the WHS First XI gave

Inglewood High School, a run for their money in the cricket final. Jesse Sheehy and Ryan Wills starred with the

bat and Josh Woodward was recognised for an outstanding season. Josh scored over 200 runs and took

an impressive amount of wickets, including a haul of 7 wickets for 8 runs against Stratford High. Mean!!

Our team just missed out on the taking the title this time

so congratulations to Inglewood High on the win.

Waitara High School Website and Facebook Sites

Students and parents/caregivers are reminded that the school has an official Waitara High School

Facebook site which has up to date information about upcoming events, and activities. It is important to check this site regularly, as it is our quickest method of getting information out to

students and their families. It also has a link to the school website, which has more detailed information and photo albums, etc.

The website also has a link to the KAMAR Parent Portal. Parents and students can log into this portal to check timetables, absences, students notices and more. Instructions on how to access this portal should have come home, in a letter, via your child, if you did not receive a letter, please contact the school office

and we can post you one out.

Breaking News!....Yet Another WHS Success Story!......

Jessica Duncan, who came top in Year 13 Tourism in 2015, has been awarded a $500 scholarship from the

New Zealand School of Tourism. This is in recognition for her achievement at school in

2015 and can be used towards any full-time course offered by NZST in 2016.

Congratulations Jessica!

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Community Notices

Tae Kwon Do

At the Waitara War Memorial Hall Mondays & Wednesdays

from 5pm-6pm

Contact: Lorna 021 209 6436

Head along and have a go!