Year 13 students, together with the new Year 9's, arrived on Wednesday, 31st January, at the M K Dunning Hall together with family and friends for the Mihi Whakatau.

Welcome back to an exciting 2024 academic year.

This year, we welcome 6 new staff members, 5 teachers and 1 support staff member.

On Thursday, 1st February, we inducted our Student Leaders with an assembly in the hall.

From 18th - 28th March we are hosting Shinwa Girls High School from Japan. They arrive in the afternoon of the 18th and depart at 8.00 am on the 28th. This is the biggest tour group we have ever hosted, with forty-one girls and three staff, and we are still looking for some homestays. The girls are all aged 15/16 and would like double homestays (a shared room is fine), but if you are willing to host and can only take one, that is still fine. Remuneration is paid. All members of the household over 18 are required to be police vetted. This is an amazing cultural opportunity for our school and students and many lifelong friendships are made. Please get in touch with the international director, Sherilyn Hellier, to express your interest or to find out more about what being a homestay family entails. shellier@waitakigirlshigh.school.nz

Bailey MacLeod and Sophie Notman attended this event and were in the Education project group with ten others nationwide. 372 year 12 and year 13 students attended this fabulous program designed to give students a taste of Uni life.

This programme includes two camps, with one week in January and one in July. It is aimed at Year 13 students from smaller, rural and lower decile schools. This year, there were 49 students from all over New Zealand attending the Science Academy. It was great to be able to connect with so many like-minded students. During the week, I attended lectures by different professors at the university and went to the projects and electives that I had chosen to take part in beforehand. Highlights from my week included making hydrophobic (water-resistant) paper using nanoparticles (in Chemistry), genetically modifying bacteria to make them Kanamycin-resistant (in Genetics), and analysing a mock crime scene in the Forensics elective. I was also able to go into town, get to know Dunedin a bit more, and visit some of the museums there. In addition, we all went on a boat trip to Taiaroa Head to see the wildlife there. As part of the Science Academy, every student must take part in a science communication project. I will be working on a science show with a group between the January and July camps so that we are ready to present to a public audience in July. I enjoyed the Science Academy so much and want to thank my family, WGHS, and the Science Academy for supporting me and providing me this amazing opportunity to broaden my horizons

Another successful Expo was held this week, allowing students to learn about the many sports and cultural activities available at school.

Mrs Farmer has selected 2 students' artwork for this week.

Please see the community events that are coming up:

Same location - Willow Park, 666 Georgetown Pukeuri Road, State Highway 83, Oamaru (10 minutes from Oamaru town)

The Oamaru Chinese Association is organising a community potluck event this Chinese New Year to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.