We’ve had a busy time lately with two big events on, Swimming Sports and Athletics Day, both giving the chance to win House points. Check out the results here and well done, Pupuke!

We have a fantastic opportunity to participate in an international research project run by Stanford University in California. Stanford is a prestigious research university, and this study is called the Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of Adolescent School Experiences. This survey will help us understand student experience relating to well-being, academic engagement, and belonging. Taking part will also give us access to international data that is specific to girls’ schools. We look forward to sharing the results with our community and using them to inform decisions.

The survey will take place on 27 March. Keep an eye on your inbox for more information soon.

On 28 March, some of our students were lucky enough to work with highly acclaimed motivational speaker Darren Pereira. Darren has inspired more than 500,000 students, staff and parents across seven countries over 20 years. He is passionate about working with teens, and the students loved their sessions with him.

Tuakana Session: Peer Support

In the Tuakana session, Darren equipped the students with practical skills to work effectively with their peers, with a particular focus on the Year 9 and Year 10 cohorts. The session underscored the essence of leadership through service and the power of actions over mere words.

Resilience was a key theme. Darren highlighted the importance of learning to bounce back quickly from adversity and develop mental toughness. Drawing an analogy to the ocean’s waves, he emphasised the importance of being prepared for life’s challenges, likening resilience to having effective shock absorbers and balance.

Year 9:  Step Up to Success

For Year 9 students, the focus was on the need for proactivity in order to succeed. The session encouraged a positive mindset, fostering genuine friendships through interest and smiles, and developing strong time management skills. The incorporation of music and an onsite DJ added an engaging element to the session.

Year 10:  Power to Persist

In addressing the Year 10 cohort, Darren Pereira spoke about tenacity and perseverance. He emphasised the importance of a growth mindset, learning from failures, and establishing positive habits. He also introduced the Habit Formation Tracker, available on the Year 10 Google Classroom, to aid in tracking progress and reinforcing good habits.

These sessions offered more than just insights and strategies. They opened doors for personal growth and development, empowering students to navigate their academic journey with resilience, positivity, and persistence.

Darren will be working with all other Year groups later in the year.

Do you have any inspiring student or staff-related stories/photos you would like to see in the next issue of Te Reo o Te Roto?

We love celebrating our vibrant Westlake Girls’ community. If you have news that could be published in Te Roto o Te Reo, you’re welcome to submit it to Bridget Ellis-Pegler at [email protected].

Below are a few tips you might find helpful, if you are (like me!) – not a professional photographer.

1. Landscape (horizontal) is usually best for wider shots or groups of people. Portrait (vertical) is usually best for individual portraits.
2. Make sure your subject/s do not have strong sunlight or other bright light behind them. They will appear too dark to see properly.
3. Shoot in medium or high resolution.
4. Get your shot in focus (most phone cameras have a small ‘focusing’ spot for this.
5. Get amongst the action. If you are too far away, you won’t be able to see what is going on in the image.

Please note that Westlake Girls High School does not promote products or services from external organisations via our newsletters or other communication platforms.