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Te Reo O Te Roto
The Language of the Lake
Issue 68 | 28 July 2023
From the Principal

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 3 – I hope everyone feels refreshed and ready for a busy term ahead.

Our Open Evening last Tuesday was a great success, with many prospective new students and their parents visiting. We have had lots of positive feedback on the event. A huge thanks to the Year 12 students who acted as guides and made it so welcoming and memorable.

Two wonderful productions have been brightening things up for our community during this dismal weather. ‘Into the Woods’ had a very successful season at Westlake Boys in week one, and now, we invite you to join us for ‘As You Like It,’ running in our Event Centre. Limited tickets are still available for tonight and Saturday, so make sure you get to this extremely funny show.

With the new term, subject selections are right around the corner. Students will receive email instructions on how to make their choices next week. Information is also available on SchoolPoint, at https://westlakegirls.schoolpoint.co.nz/courses/learning_areas. We have organised a Subject Choice Information Afternoon next Thursday to explore subject choices further. This is an excellent opportunity for students in Y10-12 to come in with their parents and interact with the Heads of Departments. It will be an informal drop-in event from 4-6 pm, held in the Event Centre. No appointment is necessary.

We are excited about the upcoming term and look forward to making it a fulfilling and enriching experience for all our students. Let’s make the most of the opportunities ahead and continue to grow as a united and thriving Westlake Girls community.

Ngā mihi nui,
Sarah Hooper
Acting Principal

Academic

Inspirational Day for Y12 Pacific Island Students

On Tuesday, 27 June, five students of Pacific Island heritage attended the annual Year 12 Pacific Island Leaders of Tomorrow (P.I.L.O.T) conference at AUT’s Manukau campus.

P.I.L.O.T is a much-anticipated event, as Pacific Island students from all over Auckland gather to celebrate their heritage and be inspired by high-profile and successful Pacific Island leaders. This year’s year 12 event lived up to expectations.

Keynote speaker Dr Dion Enari gave an energising and inspiring presentation, starting with a Siva (Samoan dance). Dr Enari inspired students to have a purpose, set high goals for themselves, and serve their communities.

The following workshops were very engaging and allowed students to explore more of their Pacific heritage and gain a fresh perspective on education opportunities. Hearing from all the speakers who advised us on approaching education and life opportunities was inspiring.

Communication was a big focus during the workshops. Students learned about the “5 C’s” of communication, which result in a positive and productive mindset and discussion: clear, correct, complete, concise, and compassionate. We were impressed by the dedication of the Pacific team, who organised the event, made it fun for the students, and worked hard to make it an overall success. It was a great day and an excellent showcase of the Auckland University of Technology programme, campus, and the vital work going on to empower young Pacific people.

Academic

Loving Language

During International Languages Week at the end of Term 2, over one hundred Y9 and Y10 Language students created an international languages poster for the “WGHS International Languages Week- Poster competition”. OveJimin Ban 9ANE came first, and Sylvie Waddingham 9OLN and Sarah Daoud 9WHY came second equal.

“The main language that my family and I speak is English, but I started learning French in Intermediate because I thought it was a beautiful language, and I would love to go to France someday! These first two terms, I have been learning Japanese, and I have enjoyed introducing myself to other people and making posters about the culture of Japan”.  – Sylvie Waddingham 9OLN.

“I speak English, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. I learnt English at an early age because I was moving to an English-speaking country. And I have always known Korean because both of my parents speak it. As I grew older, I started to understand the importance of learning new languages, so me and my parents soon came up with the decision to learn Chinese. It was interesting and new at the time. But as I joined Westlake Girls, I also picked Japanese alongside Chinese. I have always wanted to learn Japanese and adored Japanese culture. I really do think that learning and opening yourself to different languages and cultures is a very important step in building your future.” –  Jimin Ban 9ANE.

“I mostly speak English and Arabic in my family, but I also speak Chinese with my grandparents. I chose to learn Japanese because one day I would like to visit Japan. I found it similar to Chinese, which made the journey easier. I enjoyed introducing myself to the teacher in Japanese and my friend in class.” – Sarah Daoud 9WHY.

Notices

Congratulations to Onewa House, our current points leader!

At the end of Term 2, House points were added for student involvement in extra-curricular school groups. It was fantastic to see almost 3500 points added due to student participation in such a wide range of interests.

This term, there will be a chance for students to add to more points to their House by getting involved in a range of fun lunchtime physical activities hosted by the Sports Prefects, by completing the Volunteer Club bingo challenge and when participating in other fun house events. Keep an eye on the school notices to find out when these events are taking place.

Arts & Culture

Do You Love Instrumental Music?

The Instrumental Gala Concert is a celebration of every instrumental ensemble between our 2 schools. There will be a fabulous range of ensembles and musical styles – orchestras, concert bands and jazz bands.

Ensembles will perform programmes prepared for KBB Music Festival in week 4.

Get your tickets online or at the door (cash or Eftpos).

 

Arts & Culture

Showquest Accolades Reflect Tremendous WGHS Talent

On Wednesday, 28 June, 51 of our students attended the Annual Showquest Event at Aotea Centre. Led by Kaley Moir and Issy Mirams, the committee worked tirelessly for an entire year leading up to this event. Showquest is a student-run event where the committee decides a theme/storyline for their performance. The students compose a soundtrack, create choreography, design, source or make costumes and props, design a lighting programme and video wall, and incorporate wearable art and live music into the 10-minute performance.

Their performance, ‘Ka Mau Tonu’, meaning ‘It Carries On’, portrays how war is a cyclical event, from the ‘war to end all wars’, WW1, to WW2 beginning 21 years later, and now the Ukraine war today. This performance shows how violence continues to happen, despite the promises of peace and resolution. It also portrays the hurt and pain inflicted on innocent people and depicts the reality of the trauma and devastation of war for both the soldiers and their families.

The students did an outstanding job, bringing home awards for their live music and video wall. They should all be incredibly proud of themselves.

 

 

 

 

Their perfo

 

 

 

 

 

Their perfo

Academic

School to Skies: A Thrilling Day of Aviation Adventures and STEM Marvels at RNZAF Base Whenuapai!

In the July school holidays, Nicky and I were humbled to be a part of the School to Skies One-day Experience. The School to Skies One-day Experience was an eventful day of STEM events at RNZAF Base Whenuapai. 

Event highlights would most definitely be going inside the Boeing-757 also known as the RNZAF aircraft that is regularly used for the carriage of VIPs as well as ministerial and trade missions around the world. We went inside the flying deck and heard amazing stories along with career highlights from current RNZAF personnel. 

This event was a great way to get some hands-on experience, learn about the technical opportunities available in the RNZAF, and meet other like-minded people. One of the technical projects we took part in was fixing the front landing gear on an ATC training aircraft, as well as creating a phone holder in the RNZAF skin lab, using different tools and machinery. 

We also carried out a Search and Rescue flight planning and through the implementation of physics and maths figured out all necessary information for the essentials of this SAR mission.  Towards the end of the event, we heard about the numerous positions and roles in the RNZAF, along with the opportunities and scholarships the air force has to offer. This allowed us to gain insight into what it is like to be a part of the New Zealand Air Force! 

By Shreeji Patel and Nicky Zaayman (Y12)

Academic

Subject Selections for 2024

From Tuesday, 1 August, all students in Year 9-12 inclusive will be able to make their subject selections for 2024 through the WGHS Schoolpoint website https://westlakegirls.schoolpoint.co.nz/ using their student login. These are due by Wednesday, 9 August, at 3.30 pm.  

We encourage you to spend time looking at subjects for next year using the website provided. If you wish to learn more about any subjects, please drop into our subject selection evening on Thursday, 3 August, in the Westlake Girls High School Events Centre between 4-6 pm. Heads of Departments and Teachers-in-Charge of courses will be available to answer any questions. There are no  appointments, it is a drop-in session for you to speak with whichever department you wish to. 

All students will receive an email early in week 3 with instructions of how to log in to choose their subjects. 

All students in Years 11 and 12 will have individual subject counselling meetings with their House Dean or a senior member of staff at the beginning of Term 4 to discuss their subject choices for 2024. Students in Year 10 will meet with the Careers department later in Term 4 for their subject counselling. Year 9s will discuss their options with their Form Teacher in Term 4. 

Academic

Championing Racial Harmony

The Race Unity Speech Awards began in 2001 as a way for secondary school students nationwide to share their vision of race unity. 

Congratulations to Isabella Drummond Y13, whose speech titled ‘You’re Never Too Young to Make Change’ was the winner, beating contestants from all over Aotearoa.  

On Tuesday, 25 July, Eric Neal (Auckland Regional Coordinator of the Race Unity Speech) and two representatives from NZ Police visited WGHS to present an award to Isabella and another to the school during a special assembly. 

Mr Neal said that those participating in the awards grow spiritually and become very successful. He emphasised the importance of celebrating the diversity of race and culture in society. 

Isabella urged her peers to join Race Unity, saying it was a wonderful experience for her and generated many opportunities. 

This is the first time a Westlake Girls student has won this honour. We are extremely proud of our Head Prefect. 

Notices

GoodSpace School Survey

GoodSpace School is a digital wellbeing platform to identify students needing more support. Westlake Girls implemented this survey with our Year 11 cohort during Term two. In Term three, the Year 10 cohort will receive the survey during their form time.

GoodSpace Schools was designed in collaboration with New Zealand medical professionals with a concern for the wellbeing of our young people. The aim is to ensure students receive the right wellbeing service at the right place at the right time so that students will be in a good space to learn.

Sports

High Flying Westlake Basketballers Scouted in America

After being selected for the NBA Basketball camp in Abu Dhabi at the end of May along with 80 high school hopefuls from across Asia, Westlake Girls students, Rebecca Moors and Amy Pateman were selected to attend the 2023 Women’s NBA Academy Games in Atlanta, Georgia, during the school holidays from 7 – 9 July.  The all-expenses trip, courtesy of the NBA and Nike, was an exclusive opportunity extended to the top high school players from outside America.  Students arrived in Atlanta, 3 days prior to practise before being placed in one of the four select teams to test their skill set and develop their game under the guidance of NBA academy coaches and in front of NCAA coaches and WNBA scouts which is an incredible opportunity for any aspiring basketballer looking to secure a scholarship to an American university.

As members of the Westlake Girls Premier Basketball team, Moors and Pateman are now focused on helping the school to retain their New Zealand Secondary Schools Championship title in Palmerston North in late September

Sports

Michaela Pocock makes the New Zealand Junior Black Fins

Year 13 student, Michaela Pocock, has been selected in the New Zealand Junior Black Fins Surf Lifesaving team to compete against Australia in the Battle of the Tasman on the Gold Coast from 24-27 August.

Earlier this year, Pocock represented Mairangi Bay at the National Championship and competed in a higher grade to win the New Zealand Under 19 Beach Sprint title.

New Zealand’s silver medal finish at the 2022 World Junior Champs in Italy, led to the creation of the Battle of the Tasman, an exciting new collaboration between New Zealand and Australia Surf Lifesaving which is intended to provide valuable experience to assist athlete development and potential selection for next year’s Surf Lifesaving World Championship.

Congratulations to Michaela Pocock

Sports

Amanda Ting makes New Zealand Under 19 Badminton Squad

Westlake Girls top badminton player, Amanda Ting, has cemented her place in the New Zealand Under 19 Badminton Squad after strong performances at the New Zealand Junior Teams Championship and New Zealand Under 19 Championship during the July school holidays.

Competing for North Harbour, Ting’s Under 19 team beat Auckland Taniwha by 16 points to win the National title in Palmerston North.  Not to be out done, Ting’s younger sister, Natalie, a Year 9 student who is on the rise and helped her team to win the Under 15 national team title for Harbour, beating Counties, 10-6.

The following week, Amanda Ting headed to Christchurch for the New Zealand Under 19 Badminton Championship. She beat the number #1 seed in the semi-finals of the Girls Singles but lost to a fellow Harbour player, 2-1 to finish with silver.  In the Doubles final, Ting won another silver with her partner, Berry Ng.

Natalie Ting competes in the New Zealand Under 15 Championship in October. As a member of the New Zealand Under 15 Badminton Squad, she is one of the top doubles and mixed player in her age group.

Sports

Westlake Girls Swimmers Shine at the National Champs

The Westlake Girls medal haul at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Swimming Championship in Wellington last week was nothing short of impressive.

Led by Hauraki House Prefect, Zoe Crawford, the six-student team of Crawford, Savannah-Eve Martin, Mia Stanley-Hunt, Julia Kim, Annebel van Wyk and Brooke Humphries won 9 medals collectively: 4 x gold, 3 x silver and 2 x bronze medals. During the four-day event, a number of students also swan personal best times, and one of the most impressive performances came from Savannah-Eve Martin who “smoked” the field to win the Girls 17/18 year old 50m Backstroke in a personal best time of 28.02.  It is the second fastest time in New Zealand across all open age-groups this year.

2022 Sportswoman of the Year, Zoe Crawford won three individual medals for the school, a silver in the 200m Backstroke, and bronze in the 50m Backstroke and 400m Freestyle.

Not to be out done,  16 year old, Mia Stanley-Hunt has a stellar time in the pool winning three gold medals for Westlake in the 50m, 100m and 200m before joining Crawford, Martin and Julia Kim in the 4 x 50m Freestyle relay where the team won silver.

Team Photo: Left to right
Annebel van Wyk, Brooke Humphries, Zoe Crawford, Julia Kim, Savannah-Eve Martin and Mia Stanley-Hunt

Zoe Crawford – Girls 17/18 Savannah-Eve Martin – Girls 17/18 Mia Stanley-Hunt Girls 16 Julia Kim
Silver 200 Backstroke Gold 50 Backstroke Gold 100 Backstroke Silver 4×50 Medley Relay
Bronze 400 Freestyle Bronze 100 Backstroke Gold 200 Backstroke
Bronze 50 Freestyle Silver 4×50 Freestyle Relay Gold 50 Backstroke
Silver 4×50 Freestyle Relay Silver 4×50 Medley Relay

Left to right: Mia Stanley-Hunt, Zoe Crawford, Savannah-Eve Martin

Arts & Culture

Toi Wearable Art Competition

Congratulations to the Wearable Art students who entered and gained awards in the Show Quest, TOI Wearable Art Competition last term.

Emaraina Watts (Year 11) gained the Storytelling Award with her Te Taiao creation which represents her whakapapa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maya Goren (Year 10) gained an award for Outstanding Stage Presence with her Floating Gold design made from a series of geometric shapes suspended by fine nylon thread.

Community

Flight Club visits North Shore Aeroclub

On Saturday 1 July, we were given the opportunity to visit and have a tour of the North Shore Aero Club, meet many industry professionals as well as taken to fly in a four person plane. It was a very interesting insight into what working in the air force industry would involve, such as the kind of planes we would be able to fly, how they function and what you have to think about while in the air. As potential future pilots all of these things are integral to gaining confidence in our future professions.

by Stella Du, Briony McNeill, Jessica Hoogenboom

Community

Westlake Girls Pasefika Night - Get your tickets!

Don’t miss our awesome Pasefika Night on 17 August! Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased online using this link https://www.westlakegirls.school.nz/payments/pasefika-night-tickets/ or by visiting our payments office.

Food will be available on the night, last date to purchase tickets is Tuesday 15 August.

Arts & Culture

Emily Sullivan competes in the National Brass Competition

During the July holidays, Year 12 student Emily Sullivan competed in the National Brass Competition held in Dunedin. She competed as one of eight competitors in the under 19 junior horn categories, winning the flugelhorn section and placing second overall. Emily went on to compete in the next level of Junior Champion of Champions and although did not place, felt that it was a personal best for her. She says: “I’m pleased that this is the highest level I’ve achieved as a soloist and the end result wasn’t as important, as I was really proud of how cleanly I played in a pressured situation”.

Notices

Update from the School Board

The June WGHS Board meeting commenced with the welcome news that the school environment had settled after the many disruptions due to weather and other events during the first half of the year. We are aware of how frustrating this has been for everyone and were greatly relieved that teaching and learning had returned to normal.

Aside from the usual board business, key aspects covered at our last meeting include the following:

Curriculum review – Music
It is always a highlight to see what’s happening within each curriculum area at our school; with heads of department addressing the board on a triennial rotation. This month Fiona Wilson presented a comprehensive review of the music curriculum and the many extra-curricular music programmes undertaken by her department. We know many of our students enjoy this subject and we are fortunate to have talented and passionate teachers who support their learning

Our students can be proud of WGHS’s outstanding achievements at the recent Big Sing Regionals in Auckland. The Event Centre has provided a real lift for our talented music students in providing a beautiful acoustic space for them to perform.

Professional Development/Staff Wellbeing
Deputy Principal, Nicky Whitham Blackwell, presented her report on the SPANZ Principal’s Conference 2023 that she had attended in New Plymouth on behalf of Jane Stanley (Principal). Nicky also presented an update of the staff wellbeing and professional development portfolio.

Principal Jane Stanley, three Deputy Principals and last year’s staff Gold award recipient attended the Asia Pacific Summit on Girl’s Education in Hobart; and David reported on observations and learnings from this conference.

Grants Applications
Grant applications for sports and music equipment, along with hockey tournament support, were tabled for board approval prior to their submission to the Charitable Trusts.

Māori & Pasifika
We were pleased to see parents and students connecting at the recent Whānau hui and Pasifika Fono nights, sharing in the successes of our Māori and Pasifika students.

Progress continues with the Whāre wānanga project with a small but effective whānau committee, and we invite everyone who’d like to be involved in this project to contact Matua Eddie Hudson.

Other matters
Section 166 of the Education and Training Act 2020 allows the Minister of Education to issue a code of conduct for school board members of all state and state integrated school boards. The code sets out minimum standards of conduct that each board member is required to meet. This Code of Conduct came into effect on 21 June 2023 and was provided to each member at the meeting.

Following our meeting, Board Chair, Joy Bradfield, and Student representative, Jappan Kaur, addressed the support staff at a special morning tea to extend the Board’s thanks for their continued hard work and support. Our non-teaching staff ensure that the school continues to run like a well-oiled machine, and is a great place in which to both work and learn; we are very grateful for their time and talents.

Our next board meeting is to be held on Tuesday 22nd August, contact Marie McKerrow, Board Secretary and Principal’s EA if you would like to attend.

 

Notices

Exciting Speaker coming to WGHS, Save the Date!

On Wednesday, 16 August at 7pm we are offering a presentation for parents and caregivers by Darren Perreira of Success Integrated, a Millenials expert who has worked with over ½ a million students, parents and staff in Australasia over the last 15 years. Darren offers a practical workshop that empowers parents and caregivers with the skills to navigate the complexities of communicating with & supporting your young person as they face some of the biggest challenges of their lives.

Darren will provide you with guidance & specific advice on how to work harmoniously with your teenager to help them achieve social, emotional & academic success. By equipping you with strategies you can put into place immediately, you will feel confident & equipped to tackle issues such as homework, mental & physical health, sleep, social media use, career conversations & much more.

Don’t miss your chance to attend this enlightening, inspiring & practical workshop.

Wednesday 16 August
7pm-8pm
WGHS Event Centre
This is a free event

We look forward to seeing you there.

Community

Westlake Pinoy Night (Filipino Cultural Night)

Westlake Pinoy Night (Filipino Cultural Night) will be held at WGHS Event Centre on 11 August 2023.

Food sales start at 5:00 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm.

Through a display of traditional and modern performances, we will be showcasing Filipino culture. Traditional acts such as Tinikling, Pandaggo sa Ilaw, Carinosa, Sayaw sa Bangko, and Pagapir will be featured, alongside modern acts such as hiphop dance, rap performances and several  musical performances by bands, duets, and soloists all displaying the rich Filipino culture and pride.

Get your tickets now:  https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2023/aug/westlake-pinoy-night

Arts & Culture

As You Like It Production - come and support your talented peers!

Get your tickets to the last few shows of As You Like It!

Check out this great article about it.

RangitotoObserver_21July2023_AYLI_Interview

As well as this great review: Big ups to the cast and crew of ‘As you Like it’ for a wonderful gala performance last night. Nic, myself and a hugely appreciative audience were in awe of the energy, playfulness, hard work and heart the actors brought to the stage, not to mention the unbelievable amount of challenging dialogue that had to be learnt and WAS made sense of. Shakespeare wasn’t meant to be easy, but in many scenes, it looked it! Set and lighting design and costumes were superb. So well done everyone and a big shout out to director MJ and her team!

25-29 July, WGHS Event Centre
https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2023/jul/as-you-like-it

Community

International Welcome

Westlake Girls High School welcomed 34 new International students for Term 3 from Germany, China, Korea, Japan, New Caledonia and Vietnam. The students were involved in a 2-day Orientation Programme before they began their timetabled classes. We have 12 more International students joining us this week.

Community

Westlake Wellness - Incidental Exercise

There are enormous benefits to our physical and mental health that are associated with regular exercise throughout our lifespan. Weight bearing exercise helps to develop strong bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life, high intensity exercise builds lung capacity and exercises the heart. Moving the body through a range of motions helps to maintain and develop muscles which support our skeleton and prevent injury. 

Many students at Westlake Girls High School are involved in exercise activities, such as dance, drama and sports. Exercise that is performed in teams or groups helps to build friendships and a sense of belonging. At WGHS there are many options to choose from both in and outside the classroom.

However, some individuals never progress to planned exercise for a range of reasons such as being time poor, not having the clothing or equipment required, feeling self conscious, having low levels of existing fitness and a lack of commitment. Incidental exercise can be of huge benefit to these individuals as it is not a formal or organised type of exercise but still has a range of health benefits.

Below are a few ways to consciously incorporate incidental exercise into the day:

  • Walk fast – everyone has somewhere to go, so go more quickly and get your heart rate up
  • Join in – if there is a game, don’t just be an observer – try to join in
  • Do more – empty the dishwasher, hang out the washing, clean the floors, clean windows
  • Go further – get off a stop early and walk a little further each day to your destination
  • Use stairs – take them two at a time! This will really work the glutes and get the heart pumping

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