Tēnā koutou katoa,

Term Two has seen a large amount of student and staff absence through covid and illness. While this has been a challenging time, Waiheke High School was still able to hold its 15th Matariki celebration which has by far been the highlight of the year.

We were also able to host Nathan Wallis who spoke to our senior students about the teenage brain and mental health issues. Thank you to Te Ārai Roa Manaaki for organising Nathan to come in. The first group of year 9’s are away at the well established Mountain Trip. I know many alumni remember the trip fondly.

We are already halfway through the school year and for our students this is the longest continuous period of school without a lockdown since 2019. It has been great to meet many of you through the whānau meet and greet, online zoom hui and parent interviews.

There is a Matariki whakatauki which is often used.

“Ka kitea a Matariki, ka rere te korokoro. When Matariki is seen, the korokoro migrates.”

The korokoro is an eel type fish. It starts life in freshwater streams before migrating to the sea to live. They then migrate back up stream, often at night to breed. This is a long arduous journey.

As we continue to acknowledge Matariki, let's help our students reflect and refocus, dream and plan what their goals are for the second half of the school year. Like the korokoro, we are all on an arduous journey. You are navigating an ever changing world, with many interruptions in 2022. Be resilient, bold and tough like the korokoro. Use Matariki to reset and reconnect.

Ngā mihi nui,

Mikaere October

Principal

• 8 July - LAST DAY OF TERM 2
  
• 25 July - FIRST DAY OF TERM 3
• 30 July - Senior Ball
• 15 - 19 August - Mobile Dental Clinic
• 21 August - Open (2023 Enrollment) Day
• 26 August - TEACHER ONLY DAY
• 29 August - MID WINTER BREAK
• 15 - 21 Sept - Senior Derived Grade Exams
• 26 - 30 September - Second Year 9 Mountain Trip
• 31 September - LAST DAY OF TERM 3
• 17 October - FIRST DAY OF TERM 4

1. Student laptops – Waiheke High School is a compulsory Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school for years 7-10 and all students from the beginning of 2023. Seniors are also strongly encouraged to bring their own devices to manage their own learning in school and at home. Please ensure student devices are in good working order for the start of Term 3. The school holidays are a good time to sort out any technical issues.

2. Uniform – We are now in the winter terms. Please ensure you name your uniform items so if an item is misplaced we can get these back to the students quickly. Any uniform items that are handed in without a name will be held on our lost property rack in reception. We have second hand uniforms available in the uniform shop. The uniform shop is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays during interval between 10.40am – 11.10am. Thank you for your support with supplying and encouraging correct uniform.

3. School Bus – Students need to wear a mask on the school bus and to have an AT hop card with sufficient money loaded for the fare. The driver can refuse transport of students if they do not have the fare for the ride.

4. Cell phones – Year 7 and 8 students are not allowed phones whilst at school. Phones should be kept at home, however, can be handed to reception for safekeeping during the day.

5. Student subject and activity fees – Statements are sent out through the year. Please make payments promptly. Activity fees need to be paid before any trips can go ahead. As many trips involve ferry costs, we can only provide tickets when the trip fee has been paid.

6. Attendance - There will be a new strategy starting in Term 3 to drive up school attendance. Students will get a summary of their attendance for the previous week. There is an expectation that they follow up on any gaps. Whānau teachers will then follow up on any unjustified absence. Please let the school know of any absences by ringing 09-371-9000 or emailing enquiries@waihekehigh.school.nz.

We acknowledge that winter is an expensive time of year and remind you that our accounts department and pastoral team can help you with setting up payment plans or support accessing sponsorship funding to assist families in hardship. Please reach out to the school if you need assistance.

Well done everyone in continuing to navigate our way through this Covid Pandemic and Flu Season. I think the students and staff have all earnt this 2-week break. Be safe and enjoy having some leisure time over the holidays. Here are some resources below if you need any help. See you all in Term 3.

USEFUL NUMBERS AND WEBSITES

• Your GP
• Oneroa (09) 372 3111
• Ostend (09) 372 5005
• Piritahi Hau Ora (09) 372 0022
• Emergency 111
• Crisis team (24/7) 0800 800 717 - mental health emergency number
• Kari Mental Health (9-5) (09) 623 4646 –Youth mental health support office hours
• Need to Talk (text or call 24/7) 1737 – you will talk to a qualified counsellor
• Whatsup 08009428787 www.whatsup.co.nz - Barnardos helpline/webchatfor children & teens
• Youthline 0800 376 633 free txt 234 or Youthline.co.nz - focus on young people
• The Low Down Thelowdown.co.nz or free txt 5626 – phone/call or chat online ifanxious/down or depressed
• Aunty Dee https://www.auntydee.co.nz/ - Aunty Dee is a free onlinetool for anyone who needs some help working through a problem. Itdoesn't matter what the problem is, you can use Aunty Dee to help you
• Rainbow Youth, phone 09 376 4155 www.ry.org.nz
• Outline: Rainbow community mental health support 6-9pm 7days 0800 688 5463

Maggie Lethwaite

Waiheke High School / Tel 09 371 9000 ext 215

Mobile 027 618 9225

Nominations are invited for the election of five board members to the Waiheke High School Board. Nominations can be made online at any time, or forms are available from the school office. Go to www.myschoolelection.nz. Anyone can be nominated to stand as a candidate and you can also nominate yourself.

Nominations close at noon on Wednesday 3rd August 2022.

The electoral role will be open for inspection at the school office from 25th July during normal school hours. The names of candidates will also be displayed as they come to hand.

This is an online ballot and you will be sent an invitation to vote via email after nominations close. If you wish, you can request a postal vote to be sent to you.

Voting will close at 4:00pm on Wednesday 7th September 2022

Alan Curtis - Returning Officer

Help the Waiheke High School Sustainability group achieve their goal of building an on-site composting system by purchasing a rat trap box or kitset. Made up boxes are $30 and or make your own with a $20 kitset (all you need is a hammer to put them together) and half the proceeds will go directly to the sustainability group.

Purchases can be made from the Waiheke High School front office between 8.30am - 3.10pm with cash or eftpos*. If you have any questions at all please contact the Waiheke HIgh School Sustainability group at whs.sustainabilitygroup@gmail.com

Congratulations to the Year 12 and 13 students who visited education providers and companies to explore their career ideas last week

Despite some challenging weather conditions, our Trades Academy continues to thrive at Nourish Gardens.

Our seniors participated in a range of activities that developed their understanding of their strengths, interests, and transferable skills. Guest speakers and graduates shared their experience of the world beyond school. Students were able to develop their personal career ideas.

Boys Basketball

Write-up to come in next newsletter.

Netball

Our Year 7 AIMS Netball team has been training hard every Monday lunch time to prepare themselves for the week long AIMS Tournament in September. These talented young players also play for the Waiheke Dolphins Netball Club and travel to the North Harbour courts every Tuesday afternoon to compete against other Auckland schools.

We also have a Year 8 team travelling to North Harbour every Thursday night for games. This team is a mix of students from Waiheke High School and Waiheke Primary School.

We have five students who were selected to represent North Harbour in the Y7/8 grades.

Year 7 North Harbour Representatives

- Madison Upchurch (WHS)

- Hanife Atamer (WHS)

- Melody Akaoula (WHS)

Year 8 North Harbour Representatives

- Monty Bailey (WHS)

- Harper Wood (WPS)

Well done to all these players, especially those who made representative teams!

Our wonderful talented Year 9 team travel over to North Harbour on Monday evenings for their competition. These young girls have had a tough season plagued with illnesses, so have had to default a few games. However they did win their first competition game against Takapuna 19-16. The girls are playing in Grade 4 out of 9 Grades, so its top level Netball these girls are competing at. Well done girls.

A big thank you to our Head girl Bonnie Cormack who travels with this team every Monday night, as well as the awesome families behind this team, we couldn't do it without you all.

AIMS Games 2022

We have five teams representing us at AIMS games in Tauranga this year, this tournament is a week-long tournament. It's like a mini Olympics with 23 different sports being played.

The Waiheke High School teams are:

- Boys Basketball

- Netball 7's

- Cross Country

- Mixed Rip Rugby

- Swimming

These young sporting stars will be training hard and fundraising just as hard to get there! Please, please encourage them, and support them by buying a raffle ticket or a sausage sizzle.

Good luck to all these players, I'm super proud of all the commitment they are giving to training and I know they are going to represent our school and our community the very best they can.

Central Zone Y7/8 Table Tennis

I was lucky enough to travel with our Intermediate Table Tennis team to the Central Zone Champs this term. We were joined by students from Waiheke Primary School so it was an awesome community feel. Our students once again made us so very proud, not only with the way they played Table Tennis but their amazing behaviour. When they weren't playing their own games they were cheering each other on, and even umpiring some matches. Max Himdmarsh and Lockie Spence umpired the boys singles semi final match where young Rafael Mavre from Waiheke Primary won and then went through to the final.

So well done team on some awesome Table Tennis, as well as amazing commitment to fair sports. Our top competitor for the day was Max Hindmarsh who ranked in the top 30 out of 98 competitors. When I asked him how did you get so good at this game he replied by saying, "all my family and I did through lock down was play table tennis!"

Girls Football

The girl's 1st XI football team has had a challenging season which has been interrupted by sickness on both players and competitors. We had our final home game of the season on Wednesday against St. Mary's who won the game the 6-0. We will will finish the season off next term with play-offs.

Well done to all of our sporting team's and clubs. I know this term has been a tough one filled with illnesses, but Term 3 will be better! All take care of yourselves please.

Remember the effort and commitment you show and put in at training with all your amazing coaches will reflect on what happens during your games, whether its on the football pitch, rugby field, basketball or netball court, swimming pool or just how quickly you run up that hill during cross country training! So keep training as hard as you all are.

Have a happy and safe holiday. See you all fighting fit in Term 3.

Shelley Foster and the Sports Department

Ph: 0210664840

We have had a really good start to Term 2 here in the Library.

Our new Student Librarians have been very active organising displays and events for our school Pride Week and our Matariki celebrations. A new book club has been set up and is being run by Waiheke High School ex-Head Student, Molly Davidson, which is proving to be a great hit with our students. There is definite buzz about the Library! Watch this space; more to follow! Oh and by the way, don’t forget to pick up a book and take some down time, chill out and read.

Kia ora whanau,

The Dental Planet mobile dental unit is coming to your school soon! Dental care is free for NZ residents under 18 years old and we provide government-funded dental care on-site at many high schools in Auckland and Waikato. Working in partnership with the DHB on behalf of the Ministry of Health, our aim is to improve the number of high school students accessing quality dental care. Our mobile dental unit is scheduled to visit Waiheke 15th August to the 19th August. This will be for Year 9 to Year 13 students.

See the School Nurse for any questions email: nurse@waihekehigh.school.nz or mobile 027 618 9225

To enrol your child with Dental Planet with us, simply click on the link and follow the prompts.

Enrol your child now

Is your Waiheke High School student interested in entering ICAS this year?

Enrolments are now open. Visit https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps

Use the access code: VEV048

Plunket Education in Schools’ Babysitting Course is available for teenagers all over Aotearoa.

This course is designed to give high school students the knowledge and skills to babysit children of all ages. It's written for first time babysitters; students don't need to have previous experience to enrol.

The course is ideal for students aged 14 and above and takes around 2-3 hours to complete.This course is presented using videos, quizzes and activities which are fun as well as informative. Click here for more information.