E ngā reo, e ngā mana, rau rangatira mā, ngā matā waka, tēnei te mihi nui atu ki ā koutou katoa. Ko te wawata me te tumanako ka noho ora mai koutou katoa.

Welcome back to school

As everyone will know, this Term has been disrupted by Covid Lockdowns and importantly our work has been around continuing to ensure students are keeping well, learning, making progress and achieving. Being back at school has provided some normality for us all. I would like to thank parents and caregivers for supporting your young people through the lockdown and encouraging them to continue learning as best as you could. I am thankful for our dedicated and committed teachers who led with their hearts, supporting our young people for distance learning.

A reminder that we are at Covid Alert Level 2 and this is the link for the plan: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gz35iroxKHpcuQnINvSyRxdzHrcZsAKudQp4H_5hcX8/edit?usp=sharing

Our response as a school to ensure our students are well and are achieving has meant we have had extended Mentoring time, but also made some changes to Term 3 and 4 for the senior students - a copy of the timetable is below. Importantly, in Mentoring time this week, our senior students are planning and prioritising work for Week 9 catch up week. senior students identified that they wanted the flexibility to catch up and prioritise work. Week 9 (Catch Up Week) is this week. Students can go to their timetabled classes but have the option to complete any work from any of their classes. The Technology and Art department rooms will be available for students to complete projects or folios.

At Alert Level 2 we have decided not to host the scheduled Meet The Teacher Evening that was due to be held in Week 6. As parents of senior students, we would like you to talk with your child around their plan for Catch Up Week, and if you do need to contact a teacher around achievement and learning, please email the teacher. All contact details can be found here: https://www.whakatanehigh.school.nz/our-school-staff-contact-list

Covid Vaccinations

The Board of Trustees has approved vaccinations being held at the school on Wednesday 29 September. Te Puna Ora o Mataatua are facilitating the vaccinations with qualified staff, and these will be available to all students. To ensure your child is vaccinated on the day, the following will need to happen:

• Consent forms will be available to students on Friday 17 September. There will be a limited amount given out at Mentoring, but if anyone misses out, they will be available at our school reception. These will have to be completed in full and returned to the school reception by Monday 27 September.
• Completing the forms means we will allocate a time for your child to be vaccinated on the day. The school is coordinating this. We have the ability to complete up to 500 vaccinations on the day, but this is only dependent on interest.
• After the vaccination, after a 20 minute period in the hall, students are to return to class.
• Second vaccinations are possible on this day for students who have had their first. Te Puna Ora o Mataatua has a national database which has this data recorded.

Here's some information from the Ministry of Health: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P-A5HMyHU0DUhk4l9nZ0VWX6L1Wnwif9/view?usp=sharing

We want to reiterate that the choice to be vaccinated is your choice, but the opportunity to be vaccinated on 29 September is available. The Covid vaccinations are being prioritised over the MMR vaccinations and we will have more information in Term 4.

Enrolments

We are really proud of who we are as a school, and this has been reflected with our continued roll growth and interest in our school from the community. Enrolments are flowing and interviews have begun this week. It's great to meet all these enthusiastic Year 8 students as they plan for the next 5 years of their schooling.

If you have a child in Year 8, here is a link to the Prospectus and enrolment information https://www.whakatanehigh.school.nz/enrolments. To capture the experience of transitioning to Year 9 and the journey through Whakatane High School, please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeBt2lgbi7s

All Year 8 students require an interview, so if you have a Year 8 student please visit www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and use the booking code 'wfene'.

Open Day and Evening

The Open Day and Evening has been changed to Tuesday 19 October. All contributing schools have been sent details of the times they are to visit during the day. If you have a Year 8 student, please liaise with their current school for timing.

The Open Evening will begin at 5.30pm with tours of the school, followed by a presentation in the hall at 6.30pm. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our school.

Nga mihi

Martyn Knapton

Principal

The level 3 Hospitality students are hosting a restaurant evening and fundraising event at Mataatua Te Mānuka Tūtahi on October 30 2021 at 6.00pm.

This is a large degustation dinner event for 100 guests. This event will allow us to showcase the skills that our Level 3 Hospitality students have been gaining this year. They have developed well and are looking forward to putting what they have learnt on display.

Alongside the students who are cooking for this event, we are also enlisting the help of students throughout the whole school to fill some positions such as hosting, entertainment, dishwashing, bartending and serving.

Limited tickets are still available as are fundraising possibilities through silent auctions. If your team or student is interested in raising funds to go towards their school activities, or if you have something to contribute, please get in contact with ngaire.ranapia@staff.whs.co.nz.

• English: B5
• Social Sciences: B7
• PE: G1
• Art: C Block
• Maths: N4
• Languages: A2, A4
• Science: L4/L5
• Technology: Tech block
• Music and drama: M1, M2

Health services provided FREE in school:

• School Nurse: daily except Wednesday morning
• School Doctor: Tuesdays P2
• Nutritionist/Dietitian: Weekly on Wednesday morning

Visit the Student Office to make an appointment.