Nga mihi nui kia koutou katoa. Welcome to the Westland High School newsletter for December 2021.

Tēnā koutou katoa, warm greetings to you all

As this is the last newsletter for the year, the staff and I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday.

The school year is rapidly coming to an end, senior students are on examination leave and NCEA well underway, we have completed our 2021 senior prizegiving and on Friday the 10th of December finish the year celebrating the Year 7 to 10 final prize giving assembly.

Our students and staff have shown huge resilience this year under some difficult and challenging conditions, lockdown, NCEA date changes, cancelled sporting meets to name but a few, so well done to everyone.

Reminders

A reminder to access the school entry is via Park Street walkway next to the covered courts and a reminder to sign into the school office, scan the QR Covid code on arrival, all visitors need to wear masks.

Staffing

Enrolments for 2022 are again increasing with students enrolling from outside the district along with an increase in Year 7 student enrolments from our contributing schools.

As the school roll continues to grow we are needing to appoint additional staff, to date we can announce we have appointed Holly Lindsay who will be teaching Physics and Science and Janice Sadler as a Year 7 - 8 teacher for a fifth junior school class, welcome to both teachers.

We also farewell Mrs Gail Davies who retires at the end of this year after three decades with Westland High School, thank you Gail for your wonderful service to the Westland community. In addition we also farewell our Senco Dr Thapaliya and Mrs Ikiua drama/dance teacher who are moving onto new beginnings.

Property / Buildings

Last week we took possession of the renovated student support hub, this includes a counsellor office and a large room to cater for careers, STAR and Gateway programmes. The staff have commenced moving into these wonderful new spaces and will have them fully up and running for the start of next year.

The Hall/Admin/Music/Dance facilities are almost completed and we are looking forward to moving into the new facilities in mid to late February 2022. A formal opening will be arranged at a suitable time and the Library will be formally decommissioned as the school office.

Head Students 2021/22

At the final senior assembly of 2021 we said farewell to our year 13 cohort, you will all be missed and are welcome to come back and visit any time, also thank you to our Head students for the awesome leadership you have shown over the year and we welcome and congratulate our incoming Head students for 2022.

2021

• Head Girl - Kaiah Priest                          
• Head Boy - Logan Grainger                    
• Deputy Head Girl - Lelia Nolan               
• Deputy Head Boy - Scott Martini            

2022 

• Head Girl Demi Pearson
• Head Boy Jessie Jones
  
• Deputy Head Girl Cassidy Bradley
  
• Deputy Head Boy Nate Croy
  

Have a wonderful holiday break and enjoy Christmas, we look forward to the start of a new year in 2022.

Ngā mihi nui
Iain Murray
Principal