Joy Bradfield
Presiding Member
My message today comes with a reminder that this is your last chance to exercise your vote for the people who will best represent your views on our school board for the next 3 year term. Voting closes on Wednesday 7 September. The new board will take office on 14 September and will attend their first introduction/induction meeting on Tuesday 20 September.
Here are two items from our last Board meeting on 16 August.
Interim Report on the 2022 Annual Plan
Deputy Principal Sarah Hooper and Principal Jane Stanley presented the Interim Report on the 2022 Annual Plan, i.e. using achievement data and effective measurement systems to determine how well our students are progressing towards the Board’s targets and goals for 2022. This data also informs teaching practices and supports students’ growth during the year.
You can find our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan HERE. This informs the goals and targets in the Annual Plan.
The data showed that this year’s Y11, Y12 and Y13s are tracking well towards the Board’s 2022 academic targets, with Level 1 tracking almost on target, and Level 2 and 3 currently tracking above target; University Entrance is also tracking slightly above target; so we hope that these trends will continue through to the end of the year. The Board is aware that for the first time ever, our year Y13 cohort has not yet had the opportunity to sit a full year of NCEA as a result of the Covid lockdowns of the past two years.
Our school offers 60 extra-curricular groups and clubs, over and above the 45 Sports codes and the ‘Just Play’ initiatives; providing over 100 extra-curricular activities for our students. On average 65% of students are currently involved in extracurricular activities at WGHS, a figure the Board is hoping will grow with continued efforts to increase student engagement.
Attendance figures, health centre visits and Covid absences, special assessment conditions and counselling uptake, all showed increased requirements for support, largely from the effects of the lockdowns. However, overall the data showed that the majority of students have coped well over the past 2+ years, largely as a result of the huge efforts of our whole school community: staff, parents and students alike.
The school is also introducing ‘Good Space’, an MOE initiative (funded for the first year), providing a direct line from students to the school counsellors, and with another new counsellor having started, there is good support for our students in this department.
Board Cultural Responsiveness Report
The board’s audit committee reviewed our Cultural Responsiveness using the MOE’s Hautū Tool, to provide an overview of actions that are currently being integrated to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and “Māori enjoying and achieving education success as Māori”; along with proposed next steps to continue on this journey.
- In alignment with our Strategic Plan to “empower our wāhine and in providing opportunities for personal growth”, the board accepted the committee’s recommendation that a holistic tikanga framework be developed for the whole school.
- Prioritise Board and staff professional development to upskill in te reo me ona tikanga
- Build strategic and authentic relationships with mana whenua, kaumātua, whānau and the wider community
- Continue to progress the planning and development of the Whare Wānanga.
- To continue to make instruction available to all students in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori
I’m sure we all had our fair share of technical difficulties, and thanks to the Media Studies teachers and Dan, we overcame them without having heart attacks! After viewing all nominations, there was an awards ceremony where the winners of different categories were handed certificates.
Most definitely a Herculean feat, Year 13 students Ray Carr, Christina Stewart, and Emily Zhu represented Westlake’s only team for the annual Auckland Interschool Classics Quiz. 
Year 9 student Athena Li is certainly someone to watch on the New Zealand gymnastics scene. The 13-year-old has only been involved in rhythmic gymnastics for five years, but has already won three national titles – in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
Lacrosse
Hockey
Westlake Girls was invited by North Harbour Rotary to participate in another fundraising celebrity debate this year. Two of our Year 12 students, Sydney Brandolino and Isabella Drummond, and Year 11 student Shivani Arivuchelvan took up the challenge of debating against Carmel College.
The showcase was held at the beautiful new Event Centre with over a hundred parents, teachers, friends and family who came to support our dancers.
Students from Years 9 to 13 also shared their choreography for different assessment briefs including Kowhaiwhai patterns, Waka/Journey, Conflict in relationships, Whakatauki and issues facing youth. I (Haley), showcased my Dance scholarship choreography which portrayed the heartbeat of a person with anxiety.
Congratulations to Cigno Voce choir which was awarded a Korimako (Distinction) at the Upper North Island Cadenza 2022 at the Gala concert on Monday 22 August, after performing in the festival over that weekend.
Congratulations to Leah Richmond (pictured left) who has been selected for the New Zealand All Girls Cheerleading Team and the New Zealand Co-ed Team. Both of these teams will compete in the World Champs later this year.
As part of the 2.9 Achievement Standard, the Year 12 Outdoor Education students planned and implemented a class trip to the Pinnacles Summit, Coromandel in late August.
With a successful press in the 3rd quarter, Westlake Girls extended their lead to 28 points (73-45). And blessed with a bounty of talent including NZ Under 18 representative Mackenzie Chatfield, NZ Under 17 representative Amy Pateman, and NZ Under 15 newby Emma-Kaye Schroeder, the league leaders won the championship, 87-54.