From the Principal

Kia ora, Westlake Community,

As always, our school is bustling with activity.

Westlake musicians shone at the KBB Music Festival, earning multiple accolades across various categories. We are very proud of their outstanding performances and conduct throughout the week. You can read more about their achievements in this newsletter.

As we head into the upcoming national Winter sports Tournament – we wish everyone participating the best of luck. We appreciate your hard work and your family’s commitment, too!

The end of next week brings the opening of our much-awaited symposium on Educating Girls. We have the honour of hosting this for the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools, and it will be fantastic.

On a more sombre note, I was deeply saddened this week to learn of the death of the husband of our former Associate Principal, Julie Saikkonen. We extend our deepest condolences to Julie and her family during this difficult time.

Ngā manaakitanga,

Jane Stanley

Principal

Notices

Teacher-only day 6 September

Westlake Girls Teacher Only Day Friday 6 September

WGHS has a Teacher Only Day on Friday, 6 September, as we are hosting the ‘Educating Girls’ Symposium. There are no classes for WGHS students on 6 September.

Y11, Y12 & Y13 students have school examinations starting Monday, 9 September, and should use this day to prepare for them.

Y10 has the NZQA Reading, Writing and Numeracy corequisite assessments starting on 18 September and should also use this day to prepare for those assessments.

Arts & Culture

School productions 2025

After the glorious success of Crazy for You and The Three Musketeers in 2024, the 2025 Productions will be  Mamma Mia! (the 2025 musical) and Three Birds Alighting on a Field (the 2025 play). See here for more information.

 

 

Community

Win a $100 Westfield voucher!

Open to all current students of WGHS

Kia ora, students,

Want your artwork to be the face of the 2024 yearbook? Here’s your chance! We’re thrilled to announce the Yearbook Cover Art Competition, and it’s open to ALL students—yes, even if you’re not in an art class!

Whether you’re into painting, photography, digital design, sculpture, or any other visual art, we want to see your talent on display.

The top two entries will be featured on the front and back covers of the yearbook, plus each cover winner will score a $100 Westfield voucher!

But that’s not all. Selected pieces will also be showcased inside the yearbook.

How to Enter:

  1. Create your artwork—any style, any medium. (Aimee can photograph it for you if needed).
  2. Email Aimee at [email protected] for technical specs and submission details.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to make your mark on the 2024 yearbook. We can’t wait to see your artistic brilliance!

Good luck!

Community

Our symposium is next week!!!

Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to attend our symposium on 6 September, where you’ll learn from international experts in girls’ education.

We’ve got superb speakers and break-out sessions. Learn more and secure your spot here.

Community

Father-Daughter breakfast

Don’t miss out on tickets for our delicious Father-Daughter breakfast, a special opportunity to create lasting memories with your daughter.

Whether you’re Dad, Grandpa, Uncle, or another loved relative, you’re welcome to share in this heartwarming morning together. Get your tickets here.

Arts & Culture

Wearable Art success

Congratulations to Maya Goren, Hannah McKenzie and Sophia Maude, who won Senior National Finalists for their Wearable Art garment (Light in the Darkness), which they created for the Toi Wearable Art Show Quest competition. The World of Wearable Art (WOW) judges stated it was difficult to complete the nationwide judging as there were hundreds of spectacular garments. They said, “It was quite a challenge to narrow down the list and pick award winners.” WOW commented that,Light in the Darkness is a unique sculptural form that feels contemporary and avant-garde. The contrast of the fabrics and the balance in the form is striking.”

Maya, Hannah and Sophia have won a WOW prize pack and a Bernina sewing machine.

Arts & Culture

Theatresports

Our competitive Theatresports players have been busy this term – hosting and competing in a Player Night on 14 August and winning a Festival Night at Rangitoto College on 20 August! Our team entertained the audience with their energy, storytelling, and the bold choices they made in each scene.

Our team for the Festival Night consisted of Elliana Tait, Layla Whiteside, Theo Teasdale, and Julia Wilkins, with Lexie McMillian, Alastor Spear, and Charlotte Murphy in reserve.  

“The Player Nights were an incredible opportunity to improvise in a more competitive setting and interact with the other amazing teams. I particularly enjoyed learning the new game ‘Switch Left’, in which players revolve between scenes, which definitely helped us win each night! Everyone is so encouraging and supportive, so the atmosphere is very uplifting. You never know where a scene is going next with improvisation, which makes it very enjoyable both to watch and participate in. They often end in hilarity, too, which makes the evenings comedic entertainment. The other teams made me laugh so much!”

Julia Wilkins

A big thank you to everyone who supported us, including teachers, parents, and fans. The judges summed up the night well in their feedback:

“A thoroughly entertaining evening and some stellar energized performances. What a fabulous night of Theatresports!”

This victory is a proud moment for us, and we’re excited to see what’s next for our talented performers.

Academic

ShadowTech Day

ShadowTech Day aims to engage female secondary students with technology career opportunities. On Thursday, 8 of August Year 10 students visited RocketWerkz Studios to experience what it is like working in the tech industry.

ShadowTech Day was a great, fun experience and taught me a lot about careers in digital technology. The people working there were kind and explained their jobs clearly and in detail. We got to look at the different jobs of people in RocketWerkz, world-builders, coders, concept artists, assistants, testers, and more, taking us through the whole creation process of a video game. We also got to get a taste of the experience by creating our own concept for a game. My favourite part was touring the game studio and getting to ask questions and see what they’re doing.

Emily Cronwright, Year 10.

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip; it was incredibly fun and truly one of the best experiences of my life. It provided me with valuable insights into the digital field beyond just coding, and it heightened my interest in this area. The individuals exhibited exceptional kindness and assistance throughout the entire experience. The activities were fantastic, especially the tour of the game studio. I loved seeing their work and asking questions. Additionally, the food was delicious.                                               

Aiza Batool, Year 10

The ShadowTech trip was a really new insight into careers in the digital field. I learnt lots of interesting information about the different jobs and what they involved, and saw the really amazing work the people were putting into it. Looking at the creation of the audio, world, characters and more was something that really makes you think about the different and complicated aspects there are in a simple video game. It was really fun and rewarding, and the highlight of the trip was collaborating with my friends to create a pitch for our own video game. It was a special experience that gave me a better understanding of digital technology careers.

Kristin Kim, Year 10

 

 

Arts & Culture

Westlake student success at 'Play it Strange'

Our students have achieved remarkable success this year in the ‘Play it Strange National Secondary School Songwriting Competition’. This is New Zealand’s premier songwriting event for Years 9-13 students. This prestigious competition invites young musicians from all over the country to submit their original songs, with multiple contests held throughout the year, each offering a variety of exciting prizes.

We are proud to announce that five of our students—Caelin Thompson, Shaine Bondad, Emma Little, Caini Wang, and Kinda Kassibawi—made the finalist list in the main competition. Their outstanding achievement has earned them a one-day session in a professional recording studio, valued at approximately $800, where they will record their songs for the annual digital album. Each finalist will also receive a certificate and a $50 Rockshop voucher.

In addition to this incredible achievement, we are thrilled to report that Year 12 Contemporary Music Student Joy Feng was named the first-place winner in the ‘Peace Song’ category with her song, “Be There With You.” This category challenged students to write lyrics focused on peace and non-violence, and Joy’s composition truly stood out among the entries.

Joy’s prize for this achievement is very exciting:

She will receive a $1000 Rockshop voucher

She will also receive a mentoring session with Jordan Luck, the lead singer of the iconic New Zealand band The Exponents and the only musician to be inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame twice.

Moreover, Joy’s song will be professionally recorded, and she will have the unique opportunity to work with orchestral musicians from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s ‘Aspiring Musicians’ programme, along with a composer to create an accompaniment for her piece.

Additionally, Joy will have the opportunity to perform her song live at the Annual Play it Strange Awards in October.

Due to the number of winners from our school that have made this year’s finalist list, Westlake Girls has been named ‘School of the Year for the year 9-13 competition!

We couldn’t be prouder of the high level of talent, hard work, and creativity our students have shown in their songwriting abilities.

Congratulations to all our participants, especially our finalists and 1st place winner.

 

 

Community

Peace Week

From 5-9 August, WGHS celebrated Peace Week. Ten student leaders, together with the teacher-in-charge, Ms Sarah Woodward, organised a week of events to commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Nearly 200 students participated in events such as a daily challenge, paper crane folding, a quiz, making peace bracelets, painting peace rocks, learning about peace icons, and designing a peace-inspired outfit made only from newspaper and tape.

Students who attended two or more events earned a Peace Week badge for their blazer.

We were excited to welcome senior students from Rosmini College again this year – it has become an annual tradition to have their support at our events.

On Friday, 16 August, some of the student leaders attended a Peace Symposium organised by the Peace Foundation. We listened to panellists such as Cam Calkoen – Inspirational Speaker, Vira Paky from Save the Children, Caeden Tipler from Make it 16, and Soumya Puri from Soka Gakkai International.  We also worked collaboratively with students from other schools to design our own peace icon and presented what we did during Peace Week at WGHS.

It was an amazing day, and we got A LOT of ideas for next year!

Thank you to everyone who participated in Peace Week 2024.

 

Academic

Incredible accolade for STEAM

Below is a very exciting update from Susana Tomaz, TIC STEAM.

I’m incredibly proud to share that the STEAM programme at Westlake Girls High School has been internationally recognised as a leading example of innovation in future-focused education and curriculum design. The success of our programme is driven by educators who embrace collaboration and lifelong learning, having shifted from being holders of knowledge to facilitators of learning.

Our programme is designed to cultivate well-rounded global citizens by blending academic learning with real-world experiences that develop application of knowledge and skills for the future. Through project-based learning and integration of emerging technologies, we empower our students to become true agents of their learning and drivers of change in their communities. They emerge as agile, adaptive learners—fully equipped with the skills they need for the future.

Being recognised alongside other innovative programmes from across five countries is both humbling and inspiring, positioning our programme as a potential blueprint for future-focused education. This study also provides an opportunity to learn from the other case studies showcased in the study, serving as a compass to guide us in adapting education for a rapidly digitalising world and ensuring our students are equipped for the unknown challenges and opportunities of the future.

I would like to acknowledge Dr Paul Herdman for leading this research on behalf of the OECD and extend my gratitude to Shaun Gear for supporting this study and his guidance in helping us strengthen connections with industry alongside Patrick McKibbin and Megan Jowsey.

A big thank to all industries/ industry leaders that have created opportunities for our students. Genesis, Microsoft, HP, Deloitte The Warehouse AIG, Eke Panuku Development Auckland, CX Collective, Sarah Clearwater, Vanessa Sorenson,Victoria Mahan, Carrie George, Megan Darby, Emily Strang, Axel Wohlfarth, Maru Nihoniho (MNZM), Vanya Walker, Laura Fayerman Baruk Jacob, Zoe Chamel.

I am deeply committed to transforming education to ensure our school leavers are future-ready. I’m currently on study leave, exploring the potential and challenges of AI integration into future-focused curricula.

You can find the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dFPVVSD3

You can listen to the student interview facilitated by Dr Paul Herdman here  https://lnkd.in/dW4CwZW2

 

This article was originally published on Susana’s LinkedIn page.

 

Community

Tree planting trip

On Thursday, 22 August, the Kaitiaki team trekked to Smith’s Bush with ranger Anna from the Auckland Council. We aimed to introduce more plants to the diversity of Smith’s Bush by planting some native trees and adding to the population of trees in the park.

We planted about 40 trees, including manuka, pūriri and other common trees. The benefits of planting trees include habitats for native bird and bug species, shade for animals and humans, increased oxygen emissions, and the reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which we all know is a significant threat to our planet. The Kaitiaki team would love to challenge you all to plant even just one tree or insect-pollinated plant sometime soon!

We also placed rat traps to prevent pests from eating the seeds of trees that grow in the bush and to ensure that the forest stays thriving. These traps are made by putting bait (peanut butter, usually the most expensive kind!) inside a T-Rex trap and leaving it in the bush.

The visit to Smith’s Bush lasted for around two very fulfilling hours and the club members left with a feeling of satisfaction. Westlake Kaitiaki wants to thank the Auckland Council for sending Anna to help us plant the trees and provide us with shovels, gloves, and young plants.

Written by Polina Bogaeva, a Kaitiaki Club Member.

Arts & Culture

KBB Music Festival

A highlight on the music calendar is the annual KBB Music Festival, held in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell. KBB is a celebration of instrumental music by approximately 4,500 secondary school musicians from more than 50 schools. The festival runs for a full week, with 145 groups performing in four categories: Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band and Jazz bands.

We are proud of all our Westlake musicians for their memorable performances, excellent conduct, and the accolades they have achieved throughout the festival.
Congratulations to our students and directors!

Results:

  • Westlake Symphony Orchestra (combined with Westlake Boys): Gold Award
    Special Award for the Best Performance of a Classical Work (Barber of Seville Overture, Rossini)
    Special Award for the Best Performance of an ‘Other Styles’ Work (Festive Overture, Shostakovich).
  • Westlake Concert Band (combined with Westlake Boys): Gold Award; Special Award for a Pre-1950s Work (Gum Sucker’s
    March, Grainger)
    Special Award for an Original Concert Band Work (Angels in the Architecture, Ticheli).
  • Westlake Chamber Orchestra (combined with Westlake Boys): Silver Award.
  • Westlake Big Band (combined with Westlake Boys): Silver Award.
  • Taharoto Orchestra (combined with Westlake Boys): Bronze Award
  • Westlake Girls Symphonic Band: Bronze Award.
  • Westlake Girls Jazz Band: Commended Award.

 

Community

Amnesty International Freedom Challenge

During Week 5 of Term 3, the Amnesty International Leaders at Westlake Girls held the annual Freedom Challenge for 2024. The Freedom Challenge is a chance for students to apply their vision for social justice by standing collectively as one to advocate for a specific issue. This special week aimed to educate students on world problems such as the Ukraine – Russia war and to inspire the next generation of world leaders and activists.

During the week, there were four activities, one for every lunchtime from Tuesday to Friday. On Tuesday, a slideshow presentation was displayed in each year-level Amnesty classroom, where students were educated on the injustice of the Russia – Ukraine war. A Kahoot was played after this, where the lucky top three won a small prize.

On Wednesday, there was a fun poster-making competition to promote knowledge on this subject, and the winner was announced a week later. All of the posters made were colourful and informative. Keep an eye out for them in the upstairs A-block corridor!

During lunchtime on Thursday, we were lucky enough to have Margaret Taylor, a long-serving activist from Amnesty, speak about her experience working for a humanitarian organisation and how she has been able to make a positive impact. She was such an inspirational speaker, and we were so grateful to have her speak to us!

Finally, on Friday, we held a fun scavenger hunt where participants hunted in A block to find the answers to social justice questions.

Freedom Challenge week was a smashing success. A huge thank you to all of the Amnesty Leaders and the hard-working Ms Wilson, who did an amazing job organising this event.

Remember to keep an eye out for the next Freedom Challenge in 2025 and to keep fighting for social justice!

By Laura Mackenzie.

Notices

School gates LOCKED daily

Kia ora,

This is just a friendly reminder that the school gates are locked between 3.00 -3.30 pm daily, to enable students to exit the school grounds safely.

If you are parked on the school grounds you will be unable to leave until after 3.30 pm.

Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe.

Community

Successful clothes swap

On Friday, 23 August, we held the 2024 annual Westlake Girls clothes swap!

The event allows students to donate clothes they no longer wear and refresh their wardrobes with new-to-them items. This year, we were lucky enough to be sponsored by a local thrift store brand, &Again! The swap took place in the Events Centre, where two rows of tables, which were ‘aisles’, made up our shop. We were really impressed by how many people got involved and donated this year!

The day was a huge success – the Event Centre was packed with students of all year levels looking through piles of donated clothes to find a new favourite. We were so lucky to have some great volunteers helping from the Enviro Committee as well. They were instrumental in the success of the event.

In the end, we raised over $70, which was a great achievement – with every item priced at $1. Many other clothes were purchased with tokens that were gained in return for donations – it meant we gave a new life to many more than 70 different items!

Upcycling does not end here! We are excited that the remaining clothes will go to the fabric tech department for students to upcycle. The remainder will be donated locally.

Written by the 2024 Enviro Prefects.

Academic

Junior Mathematics Competition 2024

This iconic  Mathematics competition organised by the University of Otago has been running for around 40 years. This competition, designed for Year 9, 10 and 11 students, is divided into two parts. The first part is online and a mixture of multiple-choice and short-answer questions emphasising problem-solving. This year, just over 5200 students from 146 schools attempted the first part of the competition.

Around 1200 students were invited to participate in the second part of the competition (approximately 400 students per year level).

Merit and Distinction awards are based on nationwide performance and can come from Part One or Part Two. 24 students from WGHS received Merit certificates (approximately the top 50% of students at each level) with a further three students receiving Certificates of Distinction (approximately the top 15% of students at each level).

Congratulations to Quinn Dong (Y10), Cindy Jiang (Y10) and Chloe Yang (Y10) who received Awards of Distinction. 

Year 9 students – Merit Award

Inaaya Hussain

Arin Jeon  

Amber Liu

Afia Naushad  

Soo A Park 

Kathy Shen

Vruti Soma

Rebecca Xie 

Hazel Fox   

Ekam Nijjar

Year 10 students – Merit Award

Ria Ahn 

Grace Cameron

Shvein Hewage 

Laana Jomet

Kristin Kim 

Amy Ko

Claire Lin

Audrey Malloy

Alice Rapley Nakagawa

Millie Rotherham

Yuetong Sun

Elise Zhang

Cindy Tang

Year 10 – Distinction Award

Quinn Dong

Cindy Jiang

Chloe Yang

Year 11 – Merit Award

Christine Park

Well done, everyone!

Community

Share your news with us / Partner with us

We love hearing from our community and it is a buzz to share happy news stories about staff and students outside of school. If you have a story that you’d like us to include in our newsletter, get in touch with Marketing & Communications Officer, Bridget Ellis-Pegler.

Please note: NO ADVERTISING. 

If you are interested in discussing the possibility of a meaningful, long-term partnership between your organisation and Westlake Girls’, see  the ‘Our Partners’ Page on the website, or email our Community Relationship Manager, Dean Flyger for more information.