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Te Reo O Te Roto
The Language of the Lake
Issue 97 | 7 March 2025
From the Principal

Kia ora, everyone,

As always, the past couple of weeks have been busy and exciting as our students have embraced a fantastic range of activities.

Our tabloid sports day is a fun highlight for our Year 9 students, and it’s been wonderful to see them getting into the spirit of things.

Students have been out enjoying the opportunities outside of the classroom including Outdoor Ed trips to Goat Island, bouldering at Northern Rocks, and taking part in events such as the Auckland Secondary Schools Waka Ama Regatta and North Harbour Athletics. Year 11 Phys Ed students are off on camp next week and our music and drama groups are also away on camps over this and coming weekends, which gives them an opportunity to focus on rehearsals and get to know each other a little better. We are extremely grateful to the staff who volunteer their time to offer these experiences.

Thank you to those whānau who were able to attend this week’s Whānau and Fono evenings. It was fantastic to meet with you and welcome new families into the school.

Staff and students held our annual Clubs Expo earlier this week, during which they had the chance to explore the wide range of groups and activities on offer — whether their interests lie in sport, culture, the arts, or something completely new. This event attracted the largest number of students we have ever had! Please continue the great work of encouraging students to get involved. It is never too late, and the research tells us that those connected through these activities tend to learn more effectively.

We were privileged to be asked to host global education leaders from the OECD’s TALIS initiative recently, allowing us to showcase our teaching, leadership opportunities and innovative approach to AI in learning. You can read more about their visit in this issue.

It’s been a vibrant and rewarding start to the year, and with so much happening, I hope students will continue to embrace school life and discover what inspires them.

Ngā manaakitanga,

Jane Stanley
Principal

Uncategorized

Westlake Wellness: speak up!

Speaking up does not mean being the loudest person in the room. It is about being supportive when you notice something is unfair or unkind. It can be uncomfortable, as you may fear the judgement of your peers, but think about how you would feel in the same situation if nobody spoke up for you.

Speak up for someone getting excluded.

If you are aware of someone being left out, you can alert others to this and invite the person to join in. Imagine what it would be like to be left out and how you would want people to react to make you feel included and valued.

Encourage your peers to speak up.

Sometimes, people are silent or avoid getting involved because they fear speaking out alone. It only takes one person in a group to speak up, and it can encourage others to be supportive and change the situation for the better.

Speak up when you see unkind behaviour.

Don’t stand by and watch another student suffer teasing, name-calling, or hurtful jokes. You can speak up by saying, “That’s not okay,” or “Let’s be kind to each other.” This helps create a more respectful school environment.

Speak up to a peer in a disagreement.

If you notice a friend being unfairly blamed or criticised, pause, take a breath and suggest discussing the issue calmly. You can offer the facts as you understand them to support the person without blaming anyone or escalating the situation. This helps ensure fairness and truth in conflicts.

If you see someone being bullied or mistreated, speak to a teacher or trusted adult. Reporting incidents ensures that steps are taken to keep everyone safe.

Image: Unsplash credit Yuan Yong Gong

Arts & Culture

International Department Cultural Day

On 21 February, Westlake Girls International Department hosted a cultural event at the Event Centre. The event featured performances, games, and a selection of snacks from different countries. We had the opportunity to experience and appreciate diverse cultures while enjoying the lively atmosphere. Everyone had a great time, making the event a memorable and enjoyable experience.”

By International Prefects Vivian, Joy and Nana.

Community

Westlake Girls Recognised for World-Class Education by TALIS Leaders

Leading with Excellence

Westlake Girls is proud to be part of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024, an OECD-led initiative that gathers insights from educators worldwide to enhance teaching and learning environments. New Zealand has taken a leading role by expanding its participation to include teachers and principals across various education levels, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of professional development, teaching practices, and leadership in our schools. TALIS provides valuable data that informs national and international policies, helping shape strategies to support educators and improve student outcomes.

On Thursday, 27 February, Westlake Girls welcomed education delegates from the TALIS initiative, representing countries such as Australia, France, Serbia, Singapore, and Japan, including officials from their Ministries of Education and the OECD. These experts, specialising in areas such as school data, curriculum development, assessment, and teacher training, are dedicated to driving educational leadership and transformation.

During their visit, they had the opportunity to observe lessons, engage with students and teachers, and gain first-hand insight into the dynamic learning environment at Westlake Girls. They were highly impressed by the exceptional quality of education offered at Westlake Girls as a free, public school and particularly commended the strong leadership opportunities available to students. The visitors noted how these initiatives empower students to take ownership of their learning and contribute meaningfully to the school community.

One visitor from the Ministry of Education in Singapore remarked, “It is evident that this is a highly functional school,” and posed a thought-provoking question: “How do you set targets to continue improving when you are already working at an excellent level?” Our principal, Jane Stanley, highlighted the ongoing work with our growth profile and pedagogy framework, which drive continuous improvement in teaching and learning.

The delegation was also particularly curious about our AI strategy, recognising Westlake Girls’ proactive approach. They praised our commitment to preparing students and teachers for the future, acknowledging the school’s efforts in building AI literacy and embedding responsible AI use within education. The visit reinforced Westlake Girls’ reputation as a leader in education, demonstrating our commitment to excellence, innovation, and future-focused learning on the global stage.

Sports

Bronze medal finish for softball

Westlake Girls enjoyed a beautiful day at the Auckland Secondary Schools Senior One Day Softball Championship on Tuesday, 25 February, at Rosedale Park, and given the team’s short time together, they work extremely well together, showing great resilience, athleticism, and determination, particularly against the defending Champions, One Tree Hill College.

The young Westlake Girls team began the tournament strongly with a 12-1 win against Mt Albert Grammar before a hard-fought draw with One Tree Hill, 10-all, in pool play. Their next game was decisive; the 12-3 win over Epsom Girls secured them a semifinal spot. However, in the playoff, they met a fiery One Tree Hill College who was unrelenting in their quest for victory.  Westlake lost 3-12 but collected the bronze medal for their great effort.

This result was remarkable considering that just three weeks earlier, they were struggling to field a team for the tournament. However, with just one training session, they won bronze.

A special mention to outstanding pitcher Neve Cadness-Aspinall, for her performance throughout the tournament. Neve and Rori Seymour were recently named in the New Zealand Under 15 Developing Softball Sox Squad.

Well done to the team – What an achievement!

 

Photo: Neve Cadness-Aspinall

Arts & Culture

Westlake choirs on the big screen!

Choralation singers from 2023-24 Westlake choirs were centre stage performing at the premiere of the Tinā film by Samoan writer and director Miki Magasiva.

The film was inspired by a Choralation performance of a Samoan pese + siva melody at The Big Sing Finale in 2013. Ten years later, Choralation was invited to be part of the film by recording a hymn ‘Nearer Thy God to Thee’, which features throughout the storyline. The singers can also be spotted on screen as ‘extras’ in the Big Sing Finale and high school scenes, which was an added bonus and a fun experience to work on a film set. Choralation and its director, Fiona Wilson, entertained the audience at the premiere as they entered the Auckland Civic Theatre on Queen Street, singing from the lobby balcony.

Later, they began the formalities of the evening with a performance on stage of a Kiwi classic ‘Slice of Heaven’ by Dave Dobbyn, to the delight of the 2,200-strong audience. Two Westlake choir directors had the privilege of being involved in the film’s production – Mr Squire (WBHS) selected the singers for the acting choir and conducted the audio tracks before filming. Mrs Wilson (WGHS) conducted Choralation’s recording and worked behind the camera to support the leading actress, Anapela Polataivao, by conducting and playing in the choir rehearsal scenes.

The film showcases the power of choral singing to connect and heal – the story is full of tragedy, humour and heart. It opened nationwide on 27 February and is screening at Event Cinemas. Our Westlake premiere choirs held a fundraiser movie night on Wednesday this week to assist with travel costs to The Big Sing Finale in Dunedin, should they be invited to compete in August. Thank you so much to everyone who attended.

Notices

School diaries available

2025 School Diaries are available at the payments office -only $10.00!

Community

Your story, our story!

Students, staff, friends and families of Westlake Girls – Got a great story to share? We’d love to hear it.

Whether it’s an achievement, event, or special moment — help us celebrate our fantastic school community  by sharing your stories here in our school newsletter, Te Reo o Te Roto.

Send your stories and up to six images if you have them, to [email protected].

Sports

WGHS surf lifesaver shines

Westlake Girls Year 10 student Inez Fulton shone after winning gold at the Oceans ’25 Surf Lifesaving Festival at Mount Maunganui last month in the Under 14 Female Board Race. Originally from Mangawhai Heads, Inez is in her first year at Westlake Girls. This also marks her final year competing in the Under-14 category.

The competition was fierce, and her gold medal-winning performance in the Under 14 Female Board Race at the season’s largest Junior Surf Lifesaving carnival was extremely impressive. Inez’s focus, determination, talent and hard work highlighted precisely what makes her a rising star.

Medals at Oceans nationals are not easy to come by, especially for clubs outside of the Eastern region (Bay of Plenty). Her family and her school are very proud of Inez!

 

Westlake Girls has been fortunate to claim top junior surf lifesavers in the past, like Zoe Crawford and Michaela Pocock, who have both represented New Zealand in the sport. The success of young athletes like Inez Fulton encapsulates the strength of the next generation of surf lifesavers arriving at the school.

Congratulations to Inez, and we wish her a bright future in the surf lifesaving world.

Community

Successful Rotary fundraiser

Hot Mustard was the aptly named venue for the first of hopefully many garage sales run by Jerry Norman, Nickie Miles and the fabulous team at Rotary North Harbour.

After an exceptionally early start to the day, our Year 12 volunteers, Kayla Gallagher and Sivani Kalamraju, joined Rotary’s Liz Cain to fire up the BBQ. They produced plenty of sausages and onions, pairing them with bread and finishing them off with lashings of sauce and hot mustard.

The sausage sizzle was a hit and helped us sell other items by giving away a sausage with every big sale.

Rotary volunteers worked tirelessly moving furniture and selling everything from clothing, gardening equipment, foot spas, and crockery to freshly picked organic avocados.

Six hours of sales and just as many to prepare and clean up highlighted that the folks at Rotary are a dedicated bunch who love fundraising for great causes that benefit our community.

Many thanks must go to those who donated goods and selflessly gave of their time to fundraise for Youth community projects on the Shore.

Our Westlake Girls Rotary Club loves working with Rotary to aid our wider community.

Photo: L-R. TIC Ms Wilson, Liz Cain (Rotary) Kayla Gallagher and Sivanai Kalamraju (Year 12).

 

Notices

Upcoming dates to note

Stay up to date with key events on our ‘Important Dates’ page — your go-to guide for what’s coming up in the next couple of weeks.

Click here or access it via the quick links on our website’s home page.

 

Sports

North Harbour Athletics Zone Day

Westlake dominated the track and field with several first and second placings on a very hot track yesterday afternoon at AUT Millennium in the North Harbour Athletics Zone Day.

We had some great performances by Sadie Bishop, who won all three of her events, including the 100m, 200m and 400m.  Emma Schroeder leapt to a win in the senior high jump, and Emma Davies won the intermediate 800m. Bella Whyte also had two wins in the discus and threw a great shot put win of over 11m in the junior girls, with McKenzie Te Awa leaping to a solid win in the long jump. Other first placings included Sasha Bosch and Nicole Bowen.

The relay girls also dominated in both the junior and intermediate teams, anchored by McKenzie Te Awa and Sadie Bishop, who brought home the baton in first and second place in the same race, mixed with seniors, intermediates, and juniors.

Our young middle-distance group had great depth, taking several 1st, 2nd and third placings, racking up the points. The junior sprinters also had several 2nd and third placings.

Career Bites

Career Bites - dentistry and orthodontics

This week, we had a big audience for our two speakers, Dr Suzannah Miller and Dr Mo Dujaili. They put smiles on our dials by sharing their career journeys in dentistry and orthodontics. Their pathways were very different, which showed our students that not everyone takes an identical route into these professions.

Graduating in 2000, Suzannah took a gap year and then decided to follow her strength in science subjects. She enrolled in the highly competitive Health Science First Year (HSFY) at the University of Otago. She was offered a place (after a brief stint on the wait list) in the Dentistry programme the following year. This was a fantastic achievement; in her cohort, only about 60 from around 2,000 HSFY students were accepted into Dentistry.

Mo took a less direct route, changing degrees before entering HSFY (which he said was the hardest year of the ten he spent at university) and stumbling at the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) – an important step in securing a place at Otago’s Dentistry school. Changing direction, he spent two years studying Physiotherapy in Australia before trying Dentistry again, this time passing the UCAT, deferring Physio, and finally embarking on his Bachelor of Dental Surgery. He then chose to specialise in orthodontics and now shares a practice with his wife in Smales Farm. His message for students: “Be persistent – Year 13 isn’t the end mark. There are multiple ways of getting there if you are resilient and determined.”

Suzannah took pains to emphasise what an excellent career dentistry can be for a woman. It pays well, meaning you can earn a good income without working exorbitant hours and have time for your family and friends. She has remained on part-time hours since having her children and loves the work-life balance.

However, she also reminded students that it can be a high-stress job – you are literally “wielding power tools in someone’s mouth” – and you have to be kind and empathetic, as patients often come in with a lot of anxiety. Suzannah is studying further to become a paediatric dentist, often working with high-needs children who need special care and careful communication. Strong interpersonal skills are vital.

There are many workplaces and pathways within dentistry: you can work in a private practice or a hospital, and prisons and the defence forces also employ dentists. You can hone your surgical skills in a hospital placement, do more training to specialise, or go overseas to practice. Specialisations include orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics. No matter what you specialise in, your skills will be in demand, as there is a shortage of New Zealand-trained dentists.

While Dentistry is a challenging and competitive academic pathway (currently, around 90 students get Dentistry places out of 2,800 HSFY students), it offers a fulfilling, flexible and stimulating career. Both our guests were enthusiastic spokespeople for their profession and gave our students plenty of information to chew over.

 

 

Sports

A Kaleidoscope of Athleticism

The 2025 Westlake Girls Athletics Day was a breathtaking sea of colour and athletic prowess that left an indelible impression on all who attended. With a vibrant display of colour permeating throughout the AUT Millennium Track and Field Stadium, the celebration of speed and strength in an atmosphere brimming with positivity was a testament to the power of sport’s ability to unite and inspire.

 

Brightly decorated banners, costumes, House colours, and passionate students created a vibrant backdrop for the House Chant Contest. All Sports Prefects and House Captains rose to the fore as they rallied the five School Houses of 400 students each in rapturous choir to win the House Chant Competition. Objectively judged by principal, Mrs Jane Stanley and Associates David Burdon and Nicky Whitham-Blackwell, it was impressively won by the yellow House, Hauraki.

Athletics Day was made even more remarkable by the setting of four new school records, three of which were achieved in spectacular track performances and the fourth in a stunning leap during the High Jump event. Intermediate speedster Dom Maltby set a new 100 metre record of 12.40 seconds then impressed with another new record in the 200 metres (25.37 secs) to help her become the new Intermediate Athletics Champion. Middle distance runner Emma Davies took more than a second off the old Intermediate 800 metre record with a run of 2.26 minutes, while senior athlete Emma Schroeder (main image) continued her stunning form by setting her fifth high jump record in five years with a leap of 1.6 metres.

The day generated new Athletic Champions, with McKenzie Te Awa racing home ahead of Siara Rama and April Peita to win the Junior Champion Title. New Year 12 student Sahara Katene secured the Senior Champion title ahead of Karmen Maritz and Cayleigh Blackburn.

The most lasting impression of the day was the overwhelming support and positivity that infused the entire event. Whether a runner was crossing the finish line in first place or last, they were met with robust encouragement, egging them onto the finish, creating an environment where every participant felt valued and celebrated.

The 2025 Athletics Day was more than a series of individual performances. It was a living kaleidoscope of athleticism, where speed, strength, and spirit all came together in perfect harmony.

Congratulations Pupuke House, who won the Athletics Day Cup for the 7th consecutive year.

House Points:

1st Pupuke – 502 points

2nd Akoranga – 483 points

3rd Wairau – 263 points

4th Hauraki – 254 points

5th Onewa – 221 points

Junior Athletics Champion

1st Mckenzie Te Awa – Akoranga – 26 points

2= Siara Rama – Akoranga – 16 points

2= April Peita – Pupuke – 16 points

Intermediate Athletics Champion

1st Dom Maltby – Pupuke – 32 points

2= Sadie Bishop – Akoranga – 21 points

2= Elizabeth Plaistowe – Wairau– 21 points

Senior Athletics Champion

1st Sahara Katene – Wairau – 24 points

2= Karmen Maritz – Pupuke – 21 points

2= Cayleigh Blackburn – Pupuke – 21 points

New School Records

Dom Maltby – Intermediate 100m Record (12.50s)

New 12.40 seconds

Dom Maltby – Intermediate 200m Record (26.43s)

New 25.37 seconds

Emma Davies – Intermediate 800m Record (2.34 mins)

New 2.26 minutes

Emma Schroder – Senior High Jump Record (1.51m)

New 1.6m

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