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Te Reo O Te Roto
The Language of the Lake
Issue 2 | 21 February 2020
From the Principal

From the Principal

Kia ora Parents and Caregivers, 

It has been a difficult couple of weeks for our school community as we mourn the passing of two students in different circumstances. The girls, in Year 12 and Year 13, were an important part of our Westlake whānau and their loss has impacted staff and students alike.

We’ve been appreciative of the support we’ve received from other schools, and proud of the way our students have come together during this very sad time. If you have concerns about your daughter and her ability to cope with one or both of these losses, please contact our counselling team – their details are on our website.

As this newsletter goes out, our students are enjoying Athletics Day with some competitive – and not so competitive – events. The entire-school warm-up was once again a highlight this morning, and House Spirit was strong! It’s definitely an important day on the school calendar, and I hope your daughter comes home having enjoyed her time at the event.

It was lovely to see our gym packed with parents for both the Year 9 and NCEA Level 1 Information Evenings last week, and it was great to meet the whānau of our Māori students at our very successful hui this past Wednesday. We look forward to meeting the parents and caregivers of our Pasifika students at our fono next week.

During difficult times, such as we have experienced these past two weeks, the importance of our parent community is particularly evident. We greatly appreciate your support of our school and the vital role you play.

Kindest regards

Jane Stanley
Principal

Arts & Culture

Fancy a night out to remember?

It’s not long now until our fabulous Cantare Choir travels to the USA and Canada for its two-week tour – including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform in Carnegie Hall.

If you are looking for an excellent excuse for a date night, then this is perfect – enjoy a musical feast and support our choir’s tour at the same time.

All the information you need is above but here’s a link to the email to make it super easy to order your tickets. Get in quick! [email protected]

Community

Some great advice on parenting teens

Greater Good magazine has realeased an article on parenting teens that our counselling team thinks is well worth a read! There are some interesting facts on what teenagers think and feel, and how to best steer them through this stage of life.

You can find it here.

Community

Supporting your daughter in Year 13

Year 13 is a big year for students – their final year at high school before they decide on the next step of their life journey.

Studies show there is a clear link between students taking care of their health, and their overall productivity during the final year of school. Understanding how best to support your daughter’s health and wellbeing during this time will help her perform at her best.

The student brain has a lot going on, so understanding how it works will help them get the most out of their brain power. Acknowledge that not all stress is bad. The art is in finding the right balance. Having the right amount of stress can encourage students to be at their optimal level of alertness, and improve behavioural and cognitive performance. It helps tune their brain and focus.

In this Special Report, SchoolTV offers a number of strategies on how best to support your daughter during this important transitional year. Read it here.

Community

Westlake Wellness - Food for Fuel

By Elizabeth Beaumont
Food Technology Department

Food is delicious, eating food is one of our most common social activities and essential for our survival.

Adolescents have some very specific food requirements to enable them to get the nutrients to grow and develop into healthy adults. Nutrients are not only required for fuel but also muscle development, blood formation, formation of strong bones and teeth, as well as making all those adolescent hormones.

Identifying, purchasing, preparing and consuming foods which meet these requirements is an important skill for adolescents to learn, and can benefit long-term health, potentially preventing some illnesses and diseases later in life.

Below is a fairly basic table showing some of the foods and nutrients they provide:

The following provide excellent tips for eating and recipes for fuelling your teen:

https://www.healthyfood.co.nz
https://nutritionfoundation.org.nz

Community

Can you open up your home?

Achieve 2B is currently searching for host families who are willing to open their hearts and homes to a young person with a disability in 2021.  This is a short-term exchange hosting situation of no more than four weeks.

To find out more, come along to one of the hosting sessions listed in the poster above. Alternatively contact Julia Hartshorne at [email protected] or phone 0800 223 822.

If you are part of our Westlake community and have a daughter with a disability who could benefit from an exchange, please email Julie Mulcahy at [email protected] for more information.

Community

It's not too late to fufill that New Year's resolution!

If your goal to get more exercise this year feels like a distant, unsalvageable memory, fear not! We have a brilliant, affordable solution – Westlake holds six fitness sessions a week for everyone from the super fit to the super keen to get fit.

All sessions are one hour in our Dance Studio and cost only $5 or $2 for students.

Monday: Cardio 7pm
Wednesday: Yoga 6pm
Wednesday : Toning 7pm
Thursday: Zumba Dance Fitness 7pm
Sunday: Abs, glutes and thighs 8.30am
Sunday: Zumba Dance Fitness 9.15am

Remember our Zumba Fundraiser Class for Queensland’s Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, advertised in our last newsletter? Well, we had a brilliant response and raised $900. Thank you to everyone who came along for a great morning of fun, and donated so generously.

 

Community

Club Expo brings like-minds together

An important part of the high school experience is finding friends who have similar interests, and contributing to a cause or activity that you enjoy. The perfect way to do that is to join a club.

Westlake Girls held its annual Clubs Expo recently, showcasing some of the 30+ clubs the school has on offer. From languages, philosophy, chess and reading, to sports, cultural, spiritual and social justice – there really is something for everyone. The aim of the expo is to highlight the choices available and to encourage students to stretch themselves and try something new.

Many of the clubs are student-led, providing leadership and learning opportunities – all while having fun and making friends.

Sports

Westlake students dominate top team

The Touch North Habour U-16 Touch Team recently won Gold at the National Under-16 Championships. Remarkably, 10 members of the team are from Westlake Girls High School! The Westlake students are:

Holly Williams
Mackenzie Chatfield
Zara Hooks
Luciana Wilton
Dileesia Henare
Madisyn Yee-Joy
Jaelah Clayton
Rikiana Hawkins
Ariana Hebden
Karla Stevenson

Congratulations to all of our talented players.

Academic

Envirogroup reaches into the community

Enviro Warriors

With the start of a new decade, the Envirogroup is looking to truly take steps forward towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly Westlake.

From collection of bread tags and pens to be upcycled to a week dedicated to cutting our carbon footprint – we are making changes! We are also looking to establish an effective bin system in the school, with each classroom having a dedicated recycling, paper and rubbish bin.

Not only are we focusing on the environmental well-being of Westlake Girls High School, but we are also taking action to assist the wider community. On 6 March we will be holding a beach clean up at Milford and the local area. Alongside all of this, we are introducing a Westlake Gardening Group in which we aim to give back to the community by growing fresh produce to donate to the less fortunate.

Through all of these projects and initiatives, we aim to improve the environment throughout Westlake Girls High School and our local community.

By Abigail Tsang and Isabella Lawrey

Sports

Athletics Day is underway!

It’s a hot one but our students are having a blast at Athletics Day today.  Along with the serious competition, there’s also lots of frivolity and fun.

 

Sports

Sports Shorts

Athletics

Talia van Rooyen (pictured left), one of our new Year 9 students, recently competed in the Auckland Athletics Championships.

The sister of talented Year 11 swimmer Mea van Rooyen, Talia won three Gold medals in the 80m Hurdles, 200m and 100m, along with a Silver medal for long jump.

Talia broke the Auckland, Residents and North Harbour Bays Club record for the 100m.

Is your daughter talented in sport?

If your daughter has achieved outstanding results in a sport outside of school, we’d love to hear about it! Email us at [email protected] with details and a photo if possible.
Academic

Student achievement celebrated by whole school

Our first full-school assembly was held in mid February, celebrating our 2019 academic success, and welcoming our 2020 Prefects.

“Our provisional 2019 NCEA results are excellent,” says Principal Jane Stanley. “In Year 11, 89.6% of our students gained NCEA Level 1, 94.6% gained Level 2, and 91.7% gained Level 3. A total of 81.0% achieved University Entrance. Once again, we are very pleased with these results.”

A total of 128 students (25.5%) achieved Level 1 Academic Excellence Endorsements and 95 students (21.7%) achieved Level 2 Academic Excellence Endorsements.

The Anna Buchly Cup for Academic Excellence in Level 1 went to Grace Chen, the 2020 Student Trustee on our Board of Trustees. Grace achieved Level 1 with Excellence Endorsement. She gained Excellence course endorsements for Science, Spanish, Mathematics, Digital Technology and English, and Merit course endorsement for History. She obtained 102 Level 1 Excellence credits across those subjects.

The Cup for Academic Excellence in Level 2 went to Quennie Chen, our 2020 Onewa House Academic Prefect. Quennie achieved Level 2 with Excellence Endorsement for all six of her subjects – Biology, English, Chemistry, Calculus, Physics and Music. This follows her Level 1 NCEA Excellence Endorsement from 2018, when she achieved 166 Excellence credits.

As reported in the last newsletter, we also had 52 students awarded scholarship.

Pictured below is Wairau House Cultural Prefect Maia Edmonds performing the karanga. 

Arts & Culture

China Study Trip proves highlight of 2019

By Paris Shen

Year 13 Onewa Junior House Prefect

If I am ever asked what the highlight of my 2019 was, my answer will always and forever be the 2019 China Study Camp, hosted by the Confucius Institute of Auckland.

The camp was a 17-day long, fully-funded trip visiting three cities of China, two well-known (Shenzhen and Shanghai) and the other, not so much (Guiyang). I have to admit, I was less excited for this trip than I should’ve been, especially since I was the only student from Westlake Girls to participate in the camp, and how I had not been overseas in over nine years, which definitely gave me nerves. Fortunately, the trip quickly proved my low expectations wrong.

Every day of the trip was a rich, immersive experience into the culture of China. The trip struck a good balance between study and sightseeing, with us taking Chinese classes on certain days at Fudan University of Shanghai, one of the top universities in China, and visiting landmarks on others.

Rather than being typical Chinese lessons, the lessons consisted of practical activities and vocabulary that we could put to use during our trip, like how to bargain, order food and ask for directions. The skills we learnt were later put to the test. For example, we went to a huge bazaar to test our bargaining skills, and were given free time at a shopping mall to order food for dinner ourselves.

Our tour guide regularly gave us informative talks on our bus rides regarding the history and cultures of the cities we were in, surprising us, yet also allowing us to gain a greater understanding of the differences between China and New Zealand. Every day was a learning experience, and I’m extremely glad I was persuaded to take up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The memories I’ve made and friendships I’ve formed are truly precious to me. I even shed tears after landing back in NZ!

A special thank you goes to Miss Song, my Chinese teacher, and Confucius Institute for providing an unforgettable experience for all of us.

 

 

 

Academic

Ex-Bachelor opens his heart on mental health

Zac Franich, from The Bachelor NZ and Dancing with the Stars, spoke to our Year 12 Health cohort yesterday, on his battle with mental health issues.

Zac’s mental health battle began in 2015 after he was selected as part of a two-person team to compete in the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Milan. He was elated, but his racing partner wasn’t happy with the selection and appealed it in the high court.

During the session with us, Zac shared his difficult journey, provided some advice, and answered questions from the floor.

Sports

Wairau takes out the swim win

Our annual Swimming Sports Day was held on 14 February, with 240 students participating. Wairau House was victorious with 232 points, continuing their dominance in the pool.

A mix of competitive and non-competitive events were held, catering to a wide range of swimming ability. The event also included our annual mass in-pool Zumba session.

Congratulations to our overall Swimming Champs:

Junior Champion – Millie Middleton (Year 9)
Intermediate Champion – Zoe Crawford (Year 10) and Mea van Rooyen (Year 11)
Senior Champion – Chloé Seaman (Year 12)

 

Arts & Culture

Cast list for The Winter's Tale released

Congratulations to the following students who have been successful in securing a role in the 2020 combined Westlake Schools production of The Winter’s Tale. There was so much talent, the show has been double-cast!

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale will be performed in July after the school holidays. Watch this space for more detail.

Cast 1 Cast 2
Leontes, King of Sicilia Max Crean Michael Wassell
Hermione, Queen of Sicilia, and wife to Leontes Kayla Du Plessis Annie Reed
Mamillius, their young son Madoc Bradley Grace Blackwell
Perdita, daughter to Leontes and Hermione Charlize Espagnet India Charlesworth
Camillo, a lord of Sicilia Sarah Penny Cyrus Wadsworth
Antigonus, a lord of Sicilia Darcy Frank Max Forbes
Cleomenes, a lord of Sicilia Brooklyn Treavish Aine Maloney
Dion, a lord of Sicilia Ronnie Readings Tony Zhang
Paulina, wife to Antigonus Cayla Kritzinger Olivia Brendel
Emilia, a lady attending on Hermione Sheeta Mo Amelia Stace
Polixenes, King of Bohemia Jay Alexander Cameron Brownsey
Florizel, prince of Bohemia and son of Polixenes Grant Zent Kees Gitmans
Archidamus, a lord of Bohemia Izzy Newton-Cross Henry Bishop
Old Shepherd, reputed father of Perdita Jordyn Norman Te-Maro Cameron Fox
Clown, the shepherd’s son Cody Stott James Cain
Autolycus, a rogue, thief, and conman Calum Harvey Bryn Jeffries
Mopsa, a shepherdess Gabrielle Galao Madi Jagger
Dorcas, a shepherdess Isobella Glover Eunice Banta
Three Gentlemen of Sicilia Adam Ross, Xanthe Price, Merryn Plowman Amelia Pollard-Brown, Liberty Te Koea, Sarah Strawbridge
Ensemble
Adam Ross, Aimee Laurent, Amber Stevenson, Amelia Pollard-Brown, Annah Mathew, Anthony Prajoge, Arlo Feeney, Bailey Todd, Caitlin Smith, Eva Lawrence, Ivy Mitchell, Katie Brown, Ken Hu, Lauren O’Loughlin, Liberty Te Koea, Matilda Klein, Matthew Vett, Merryn Plowman, Connor Knight, Parmida Jafarian, Sachin Subramaniam, Sarah Strawbridge, Shuyan Kiu, Romeo Meyer, Willem Gitmans, Xanthe Price, Zakiy Kahn.

 

 

Academic

Big ideas presented at STEAM Showcase

Our STEAM Showcase at B:Hive earlier this month was a great success. Some brilliant initiatives were professionally explained by our students to members of the public, and good connections made with industry. Well done to all our students who presented.

Academic

Career Bites offer tasting platter of choice

Deciding on a career path can be tricky. What’s it really going to be like in a certain profession or trade? To help students make a more informed choice, our Careers Department has launched an initiative called Career Bites.

Every Wednesday during lunchtime, speakers from the industry will share their career stories and provide insight into the work they do. February is focusing on the health industry, with a large group of students turning out to hear a midwife last week, and physiotherapist this week.

March will provide students with the opportunity to hear from professionals in the Engineering disciplines.

Pictured above: Physiotherapist Grace Hall shares some insights into her profession, including how important it is to like people and how being kind and caring can help with getting better patient outcomes.

 

Academic

Making your school donation

Our parents help provide a quality education for our students by giving a voluntary contribution. The donations are used to give your daughter opportunities beyond what is funded by the government, because we know they make a real difference to her success:
  • Employing more than 20 additional teachers so we can offer a wide range of subject choices and smaller classes in some cases.
  • Resources to support learning, such as:
    • updating and maintaining IT equipment, including audio-visual gear, projectors and state-of-the-art computers
    • technology equipment for specialist subjects such as STEAM and robotics
    • specialist equipment for areas such as music, sports and performing arts
  • Subsidising curriculum trips to the community, including teacher relief costs. These are an important way for students to connect their classroom learning to the workplace, and create opportunities for future career paths.
  • Extra coaching and tuition costs for groups such as sports and music.
The school donation for 2020 is $540 per student, or $725 for families with two or more students at WGHS. The quickest method of payment is through the parent portal which can be accessed from the school website, and you will receive a receipt immediately. Payments can also be made directly into the school bank account 02-0272-0471113-000 or at the Payments Office which is open from 8am to 3.15pm.

Things to note:
• Your annual donation can be a one-off payment, or you can pay installments weekly ($10.38 single student/$13.94 two or more students), fortnightly ($20.77/$27.88), monthly ($45/$60.41) or per term ($135/$181.25) via internet banking.
• While a full donation provides more opportunities for our students, we appreciate a partial donation if there are financial constraints within your family. Every bit helps.
• You can claim one third of your full or partial donation as a tax credit – so for the $540 donation you can receive $180 which means your donation costs you $360 (receive $242 for the $725 donation which makes it $483). Send your receipt with the IR526 form to Inland Revenue.
• A donation of more than $100 enables your daughter to receive a free Year Book at the end of the year.
• Value option of $725 for families with two or more students at WGHS.
• If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email [email protected].

Your daughter benefits from the contributions of current parents and those of previous parents. Each generation ‘pays it forward’ to support the high standard of teaching and facilities that benefit every student. We invite you to join us in continuing to create a culture and a school where every student can thrive.

Thank you.
Academic

Full-school assembly

We had a wonderful time at our full-school assembly this morning – celebrating our 2019 academic success and welcoming our 2020 Prefects. Maia Edmonds did a brilliant job performing the karanga. Congratulations to Grace Chen who received the Anna Buchly Cup for Academic Excellence in Level 1, and to Quennie Chen who won the Cup for Academic Excellence in Level 2 NCEA.

 

 

 

Academic

Making your school donation

Our parents help provide a quality education for our students by giving a voluntary contribution. The donations are used to give your daughter opportunities beyond what is funded by the government, because we know they make a real difference to her success:
  • Employing more than 20 additional teachers so we can offer a wide range of subject choices and smaller classes in some cases.
  • Resources to support learning, such as:
    • updating and maintaining IT equipment, including audio-visual gear, projectors and state-of-the-art computers
    • technology equipment for specialist subjects such as STEAM and robotics
    • specialist equipment for areas such as music, sports and performing arts
  • Subsidising curriculum trips to the community, including teacher relief costs. These are an important way for students to connect their classroom learning to the workplace, and create opportunities for future career paths.
  • Extra coaching and tuition costs for groups such as sports and music.
The school donation for 2020 is $540 per student, or $725 for families with two or more students at WGHS. The quickest method of payment is through the parent portal which can be accessed from the school website, and you will receive a receipt immediately. Payments can also be made directly into the school bank account 02-0272-0471113-000 or at the Payments Office which is open from 8am to 3.15pm.

Things to note:
• Your annual donation can be a one-off payment, or you can pay installments weekly ($10.38 single student/$13.94 two or more students), fortnightly ($20.77/$27.88), monthly ($45/$60.41) or per term ($135/$181.25) via internet banking.
• While a full donation provides more opportunities for our students, we appreciate a partial donation if there are financial constraints within your family. Every bit helps.
• You can claim one third of your full or partial donation as a tax credit – so for the $540 donation you can receive $180 which means your donation costs you $360 (receive $242 for the $725 donation which makes it $483). Send your receipt with the IR526 form to Inland Revenue.
• A donation of more than $100 enables your daughter to receive a free Year Book at the end of the year.
• Value option of $725 for families with two or more students at WGHS.
• If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email [email protected].

Your daughter benefits from the contributions of current parents and those of previous parents. Each generation ‘pays it forward’ to support the high standard of teaching and facilities that benefit every student. We invite you to join us in continuing to create a culture and a school where every student can thrive. Thank you.

 

 

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