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WHAKATANE HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
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Issue 14 - 4 September 2025
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PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
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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.
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Appointment of our new Principal
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It is my pleasure to let you know that, after a rigorous interview process involving five candidates, the Board of Trustees have appointed Mr. Peter Barsdell as our new Principal from 2026. As many of you will be aware, Pete is currently one of our Deputy Principals for pastoral care. He will take up his new role in January next year. Pete was a former Head Boy at our school and was Head of Department for Physical Education before becoming Deputy Principal. I wish to congratulate him and wish him well for his new position.
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Board of Trustees Elections
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The appointment of a new Principal was one of the last acts of our current Board of Trustees as many of them will relinquish their roles by not standing for re-election in the current round of voting. I want to take this opportunity to thank Paul Julian, Stephen Lamb, Raewyn Iremonger, Keith Hamill and Harry Martin for their service to the school. I also thank Tammy Rika, Hannah Simmonds and Paul Goodman for their contribution and wish them well in the coming elections. The relationship between the Board, the Principal and school community is crucial to ensuring the school continues to move forward and maintains a focus on positive student outcomes and success. We have been extremely lucky to have benefitted from their expertise and their genuine concern and commitment to providing our school with the resources and direction to make us as successful as possible.
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Senior students will sit derived grade exams (mock exams) next week through to Wednesday of Week 10. These exams are important as a practice for the real thing in November and also to give an indication of a grade. There are many tutorials and workshops happening for both students sitting exams and for those who wish to complete any internal standards. Timetables are below.
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As many of you will already know, we will farewell our ‘Koro’, Te Kapua at the end of this term. The staff and students will have the opportunity to say goodbye on the last day of this term. There will be a community farewell in Term Four which we will advertise for people to come along to. The contribution Koro has made to our kura is immeasurable. He has represented us at many important events, he advises us on tikanga, he helps us connect to our community, he shows unwavering support to our students and staff and he will leave a massive hole in our kura. He Manawa tītī (this whakatauki celebrates a person with great endurance in the local community that has contributed greatly.)
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I wish to acknowledge the sudden passing of Rarua Boyd, a Year 9 student at our school. Our love and support go out to her whānau, friends and teachers who have deeply felt this loss. We have put in place some clear processes which are helping us to support our students, staff and wider community and we wish to acknowledge the support we have received. If you are concerned about your child with regards to this event, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
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Come along to the Senior Business Studies Market Day tomorrow, between 10am and 2pm. Students have designed and developed products which they will be showcasing and selling.
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Grab that last minute Father's Day gift!
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WHS Mural Club News!
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The Whakatāne High School Mural Club is taking on their biggest project yet! Later this year, they’ll be bringing a bold new mural to Kopeopeo. Stay tuned, this one’s going to be awesome!
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Derived Grade Exams and Exam Leave
The Senior Derived Grade Exams will be held from 10–17 September.
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Important: Senior students are on exam leave from 9-17 September, and are to study at home during this time. Students are only required at school for exams or scheduled tutorials. Students must wear full school uniform when attending.
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Shave for a Cure Mufti Day
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This week we held our annual Shave for a Cure event and mufti day. We’re so proud of the students who bravely shaved their heads in support of this important cause. Thank you to everyone who donated, and well done to the Prefects for leading the day and organising the event.
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Winter Tournament Week
Huge congratulations to all those students, coaches and managers who went away on tournament week this year. We achieved some great results that everyone can be extremely proud of. Below is a summary of the achievements. See our Sports at WHS Facebook page for more in depth results.
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BASKETBALL AA Premierships Zone 2 - Tauranga
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- Girls - 10th in Division 2
- Boys - 28th in Division 2
HOCKEY GIRLS 1st XI Federation Cup & Marie Fry Trophy - Wellington
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HOCKEY GIRLS 2nd XI Eveline Hankers Memorial - Palmerston North
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HOCKEY BOYS 1st XI Lower North Island - Taupo
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FOOTBALL Boys 1st XI Malcolm Cowie Tournament - Auckland
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FOOTBALL GIRLS 1st XI Grant Jarvis Tournament - Hamilton
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RUGBY U15 Boys Rugby Festival - Whangarei
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EQUESTRIAN North Island Equestrian Championships - Taupo
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- Whakatane Gold placed 18th overall and Whakatane Black 28th out of 78 teams
- Sophia Hall 4th and 8th in Dressage in her chosen class and 2nd in Show Hunter
- Daisy Hindmarch 1st in Showhunter and 5th in the Accumulator showjumping in her chosen classes
- Charli Robinson 7th in 2 phase showjumping
- Abby Hindmarch - 1st in Accumulator showjumping and 2nd in 2 phase show jumping and 6th in Arena Eventing
- Liv Brownlee 4th in showhunter
- Bonnie Brownlee 8th in showhunter
- Aleyria Domino 9th in Dressage and 9th showjumping accummulator
- Ella Woodley 12th in Dressage and 11th in showjumping accummulator
- Bailey Paling 13th in showhunter
- Maddie Baker 10th in dressage
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Eastern Region Surf Life Saving Pool Champs
Last weekend, Nikau Deane and Araikura Moses-McRoberts competed at the Eastern Region Surf Life Saving Pool Champs at the Kiwa Pools in Gisborne. They both had some great top 10 results individually and Nikau also teamed up with other Whakatane Surf Life Saving clubbies and was part of the U17 Relay teams that medalled in the obstacle relay and the Medley Relay.
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These events involved picking up manikins (Approximately 50kg: is a comparable weight to a submerged victim that lifeguards and competitors might rescue), towing the manikins and swimming under obstacles.
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Araikura Moses-McRoberts came 5th in both the 50m and 100m Manikin Carry, 7th in the Swim with Fins and 9th in the Obstacle Swim. Nikau Deane came 4th in the Rescue Medley, 5th in the 50m and 100m Manikin Carry, 6th in the Swim with Fins, 7th in the Manikin Tow and 9th in the Obstacle Swim. Nikau also got a Bronze Medal in the U17 Obstacle Relay and Medley Relay. The team just missed out on a medal in the Manikin Relay finishing 4th and came 7th in the Line Throw.
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Congratulations to both these athletes and you'll see them patrolling Ohope Beach this summer.
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