Newsletter
Term 3 Issue 4 2019
In This Issue
From the Principal’s
Desk
ARTrageous
Year 8 Science Fair
Senior Dance
Showcase
Sports
Year 12 Chemistry
Enrolment 2020
BYOD Deals
From the Nurse
Upcoming Events
Community Notices
Sponsorship and
Support
Quick Links
Link to Parent Portal
Link to College
Calendar
Link to NZQA Website
Link to Careers Page
Contact Us Telephone: 09 424 9177
Fax: 09 428 4794
E-mail :
enquiries@wgpcollege.
school.nz
From the Principal’s Desk
School Examinations
It has been great to see how engaged the senior learners are with their school
examinations this week. As we have done in previous years, we are using the
same NZQA Centre Manager and his team to administer these examinations. This
gives our learners the most realistic experience as to what the externals later in
the year will be like. Next week, there will be important feedback about their
examination performance that is an essential part of their preparation. Please
encourage your sons and daughters to visit the NZQA website and study the
previous examinations, assessment schedules, examiner reports, etc.
Email Communication with the School
We welcome communication and want it to be as effective as possible.
There are times that parents email the school, not just to pass on information,
but also seeking a response. Can I please ask that if you are sending an email to
the school that requires a response or action, that you send it to one person only.
If there are two or more people in the “To…” box, the situation loses efficiency.
Either they will all answer your request or they might all assume that someone
else will reply, which means none of them will answer your request. This does
not get you the answer nor action that you need, is not a good use of time and
can lead to frustration. So please, send emails to one person only.
Weekends
Sometimes we are alerted to incidents that occurred on the weekend, that may
have an impact or flow-on effect at school. Thank you for this communication.
The Deans and Kaiarahi appreciate being given a ‘heads up’. If there was an
incident involving two young people on the weekend, eg: a ‘falling out’ of friends,
or social media ‘incidents’; let us know if you wish, but please do not ask for the
school to intervene and sort it out. As a parent, I have had to guide my own
children in many weekend situations. I always saw it as my responsibility.
The school can support the process, but I ask parents to initiate and drive it.
Ka kite ano
James Thomas Principal
Street Address:
8 Stanmore Bay Road
Whangaparaoa
Auckland
New Zealand
Postal Address:
PO Box 775
Whangaparaoa
Auckland 0943
New Zealand
ARTrageous Further to our previous article in Term 3 Issue 3…
Whangaparaoa College received three awards at the ARTrageous North Shore and
Hibiscus Coast Secondary Schools Exhibition hosted by Mairangi Arts Centre.
Congratulations to Madison McFadden, Olivia Riach and Tiana Thorpe, who
all received commendations.
This is a great achievement given that only 12 learners were acknowledged from
all of the schools participating, with over 250 art works on display.
Kathie Boyd
HoD, The Visual Arts
Year 8 Science Fair Have you ever wondered if the colour of your
birthday candle affects how quickly it burns?
Or if your favourite pet is left or right pawed?
These are some of the questions our curious
Year 8’s have been pondering – and
answering – after completing their Science
Fair projects recently. There were many high
quality and interesting projects, and deciding
on the 3 winners was a hard job for the
judges.
The top 10 projects won themselves a spot at
the NIWA North Harbour Science Fair on
Friday 6 September at Massey University.
This was for their well investigated and
presented projects. Well done to all the Year
8 learners who completed projects!
Winners:
1st Prize - Jonny Milne (pictured)
2nd Prize - Jesse Lu
3rd Prize - Zachary Collier
NIWA North Harbour Finalists: Jonny Milne, Jesse Lu, Zachary Collier, Ruby
Teviotdale, Ava Barnard, Oliver Marchant, Lucas Wyeth, Ananda Fox, Katelyn
Winter, April Lodge, Connor Barnett, Finlay Miller and Skylah Thompson.
Teresa Winstone
Head of Junior Science More results to come. For more pics, click here.
Senior Dance Showcase
For more pics,
click here
The Senior Dance Showcase was a fantastic experience
with learners of Year 11, 12 and 13 Dance giving
outstanding performances from Indian dances,
Hip Hop, Solo and Duet pieces, Jazz and much more.
Guest appearances from the Hibiscus Tuakana Group
were amazing as they brought high levels of energy to
the showcase. Special thanks to the host of the
showcase, Che McKenna-Mahon, Lighting and Sound
crew, helping hands, Mrs Watts, Mrs Williams and Ms
Berry, to make the showcase a testament to what's to
come in the future of the Performing Arts Department.
Also special thanks to Kali Dent for the programme
organisation and the people who made this possible, you
know who you are.
Nate Iosefa
Year 13 Dance and Drama Learner.
Sports
We are so proud of our 7/1 Netball Team,
who reached the Year 7 Grade 1
Championship finals, finishing 2nd for the
2019 season.
Well Done girls!
Congratulations to our 1st XV Rugby Boys who
made the finals, playing Westlake Boys and
winning their grade! Great end to the season.
Well done to all the boys who attended
League Zone Day. A special congratulations
to the A Team who made it all the way to
the finals, where they came away with a
5-2 win against Murrays Bay!
A big thanks to the coaches Notana, Taylor,
Epoki and Isaac!
Also a special mention to our 4 boys who
joined the Northcote team in the Open
Weight Grade, you played awesomely!
We had a team of Year 7/8 Waterpolo players enter into the Tim Sonderer
Memorial Tournament played recently.
The team competed in C Grade with a handful of experienced players and others
who were playing their first tournament in big pools.
The team placed 5th overall. An awesome end result for this team.
Our last winter sport, Hockey has finished with
great success.
Wolves Team won the A Grade 6-aside
competition and our Sharks Team finished 2nd,
the Hawkes made 3rd in B Grade.
Hockey success!!!
Sporting Excellence Awards
Wednesday 25 September 6.30 pm Auditorium
Year 12 Chemistry
Enrolment 2020
BYOD Deals
On Tuesday 3 September Year 12 Chemistry went into the Marsden Point Oil
Refinery to see how crude oil is refined into petrol, diesel, airplane fuel,
bitumen for roading, and even carbon dioxide for the fizz in our L&P. Most
visitors to Marsden Point do not get further than the Visitor Centre. However,
we had the privilege of entering the plant, and for Health & Safety reasons we
had to wear orange overalls and hard hats.
Whangaparaoa College have teamed up with Cyclone to offer our
community access to online ordering of devices and accessories.
To access the deals and find out more about Cyclone BYOD please click here and enter the password: wgpcbyod
From the Nurse
Measles
As you are probably aware, Auckland currently has an outbreak of measles
that is showing no signs of slowing down. Whangaparaoa College is being
proactive in preparing ourselves in the event a case of measles spreads to our
community.
The steps we are taking are:
1. Collating a list of the immune status of all of our staff.
We are strongly advising our staff to receive an MMR booster.
2. We are working through our records to find out the immune status of
our learners. All learners who have indicated they are immune but we
have no certification for, will receive a letter requesting certification.
Parents/caregivers, you can start to gather this information from your
family GP practice or Plunket books now and email the information to
3. We are checking the immune status of all our learners, parents and
staff attending sports camps such as AIMS. Unvaccinated learners who
become ill, will be isolated and sent home ASAP. We have included
masks and thermometers in our first aid kits and staff have been
informed about the measles symptoms to be aware of.
4. We have been advertising measles information in the school newsletter
and on the school Facebook page. We are encouraging members of our
community to vaccinate.
Please be aware that vaccination takes 10–14 days to provide immunity, so
please don’t wait for a case of measles to prompt you to get the vaccine.
Please also be aware that there is no treatment for measles.
Learners for whom we have no record of immunisation will also receive a
letter asking parents/caregivers to clarify their child’s immune status. In the
event that we get a case of measles at the college, any staff member or
learner for whom we do not have proof of immunity, may be asked to stay
away from school until a vaccination certificate is supplied or the last case of
measles is resolved.
Please be aware that we have immune-compromised people in our community
(learners and family members). Chemotherapy has affected their immune
system and they are very vulnerable. They are unable to be immunised.
We also have families with young babies who are very vulnerable. As a
community we can protect our vulnerable members, by ensuring the rest of
us are vaccinated.
Kind regards
Alexis Purvis Registered Nurse
Upcoming Events
September 8-13 AIMS
11 Student Trustee Nominations Close at 12.00 pm
International Trip, Maritime Museum
Year 10 Chelsea Sugar Trip
13 Tu Maia Kapa Haka Festival, Silverdale Primary
International Trip, Rangitoto Island
13-15 Senior Maori Wananga, Te Herenga Waka Marae
15-20 Year 7&8 Matamata Sports Camp
17 AAIMS Year 7&8 Rugby League
Year 8 North Harbour Science Fair Prizegiving
18 Student Trustee Election Day
Sustainable Energy for Year 7&8, Auditorium
19 Sports & Cultural Photos (catch-up)
Tu Kotahi Student Survey
19-22 Wananga Tu Kotahi, Silverdale Marae
21 WGP College Car Fair (see ad, Saver Day 22/9)
24 Wellbeing Expo
Leadership Training
25 Junior/Senior Girls 7’s Rugby, North Harbour
Girls Volleyball Zone Day
Sporting Excellence Awards, Auditorium 6.30 pm
26 Boys Volleyball Zone Day
Year 10 Business Market Day
27 International Learners Surfing, Muriwai
End of Term 3
28 Annual Metagenomics Day, Massey University, Albany
October 14 Term 4 begins
For more information from our school calendar please see Quick Links
Community Notices
Sponsorship and Support THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND TRUSTS
FOR THEIR SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT OF OUR COLLEGE LEARNERS.