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This term we have acknowledged two significant achievements recognising the quality of education and leadership across our kura.
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Our recent Education Review Office (ERO) report affirmed Wairarapa College as a school where care, inclusion and high expectations are at the heart of learning. The report highlighted our strong relationships, positive school culture, high levels of student engagement, and a responsive curriculum supported by effective teaching.
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Adding to this success, Wairarapa College was shortlisted as one of only ten secondary schools nationwide in the inaugural New Zealand Education Excellence Awards for excellence in educational leadership. This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our staff, students and whānau, and our commitment to ensuring every learner is known, valued, supported and challenged to succeed.
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Our recent Open Evening was a great success, with many prospective families visiting the college and experiencing firsthand what makes Wairarapa College special. We are proud of our students, staff and the opportunities we provide, and it was wonderful to showcase our vibrant learning community.
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If interested friends or whānau were unable to attend, we encourage them to get in touch. We would be delighted to arrange a visit.
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We wish Ms Greta Montgomerie all the very best as she begins maternity leave at the start of Term 3. Mrs Suzanne Oliver will cover her classes for the remainder of the year. We also thank Mrs Sarah Patterson from our canteen team, who is moving on to a new role. Sarah has made a valued contribution to our school community, and we wish her every success for the future. Mr Patrick O’Sullivan will cover Mr James Lainchbury’s classes at the start of the term while Mr Lainchbury recovers. Mrs Sheelum Satya will continue to cover Mrs Pratiksha Peter’s maternity position. We wish Mrs Cindy Veitch all the best as she recovers from surgery. She will be away for the remainder of the year.
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Ministry of Education Parent Portal
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A reminder that the Ministry of Education's Parent Portal provides practical information and resources to help support your child's learning journey.
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Thank you for your continued support throughout another busy and successful term. We wish all students, staff and whānau a safe and enjoyable break.
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With wisdom and courage. Kia mātau, māia.
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Matt White
Tumuaki | Principal
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Student success
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Congratulations to the following students and groups on their outstanding achievements:
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Lana Kerehi received a fully funded REACH Scholarship from the University of Otago for Year 13 Māori students interested in health careers.
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Dashie Bond winner of the Student Council quiz competition.
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Joseph Campbell, Elin Minchin, and Eliza Price were the winners of the Wairarapa College Speech Competition.
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Tiara Milligan and Carter-James Whitehead helped lead their teams to victory at the MWDI Te Aupiki Pākihi workshop.
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Rampage won the Regional Rockquest, while Olivia Leach won both the Solo/Duo Award and the Technical Achievement Award.
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The Shingdigs won the People's Choice Award at the Talent Wairarapa finals.
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Brooke Miller won the Wellington Boxing Championships.
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Cantate Choir was selected for Cadenza, placing it among the top secondary school choirs in the North Island.
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Duncan Weir, Liam Dennes, William Corlett-Galyer, Lachie Newland, and William Holmes represented Wairarapa College at the Central & Lower North Island Secondary Schools Clay Bird Shooting Competition. Lachie won the Senior Sporting round, while William Holmes placed third in the Junior Sporting division.
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At the College Sport Wellington Cross Country Championships, Amelia Troke won the AWD Girls event, while Connor Lenton-Wills placed third in the AWD Boys. In the Year 9 Girls race, Molly McGillicuddy-Hall finished 19th and Hannah Chu 30th. In the Year 9 Boys race, Jack Gard'ner placed 29th. In the Intermediate Boys race, Hunter Rankin finished 35th and Tommy Yee 38th.
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The Senior A Boys Basketball team finished the season unbeaten, claimed the Senior 1 Boys minor premiership, and defeated Kuranui 60–45 in the final.
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LEAD values rewards
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"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." — Robert Collier
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Students are recognised for demonstrating our LEAD values through LEAD rewards on our school app, SchoolBridge. These recognitions celebrate the positive choices and behaviours that help make Wairarapa College a great place to learn and belong.
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Congratulations to the following students who received the highest number of LEAD Point recognitions in Term 2 for their respective year levels:
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Year 13 - Jaimee Mobberley
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Read All About It!
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The library has had a bit of a glow-up this term. The library annex, which had been used as a temporary office during renovations, has been re-claimed as a light and bright, multi-purpose learning space. A reshuffle of the fiction and non-fiction collections, along with new signage, is making finding good reads easier for students. And several boxes of great new young adult fiction have made their way onto the shelves thanks to a generous donation from Masterton Library.
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After winning the Readers’ Cup last year, Wairarapa College returned with a new team eager to build on that success. Congratulations to Ella Strang, Elin Minchin, Jana Minchin, and Edward Odell, who represented WaiCol with pride and determination. The team spent weeks preparing, reading, and mastering six challenging books before competing against schools from across the region at St Matthew’s College. In an exceptionally strong field, the team achieved an outstanding 5th place.
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A special thank you to mentors Sophie Creech and Vivian Maguire for their guidance and support throughout the team’s preparation.
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Out on the Shelves for Pride Month
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To celebrate the diversity of our college, our student librarians have created a colourful display of books featuring diverse characters or written by LGBTQI+ authors. We’ve joined with other school and public libraries for Out on the Shelves, an initiative to uplift and celebrate rainbow stories and storytelling.
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Junior Leaders: Leading in Action
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Our Junior Leaders have made a strong and positive start to the year, embracing our LEAD values as the foundation for what it means to lead with purpose, care, and responsibility.
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A key focus for the group has been learning that leadership is far more than a title. Students have been encouraged to reflect on the kind of leaders they want to become, how they can positively influence those around them, and how small actions can make a meaningful difference to the life of the school. Through activities focused on whakawhanaungatanga, communication, teamwork, and leadership in real situations, they have explored how effective leaders notice what is needed, encourage others, create space for different voices, and step up when it matters.
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It has been especially pleasing to see our Junior Leaders put this learning into action through opportunities to serve the school community. They provided invaluable support at our successful Open Evening, welcoming visitors, assisting with the smooth running of the evening, and representing the junior school with pride. They also contributed to school events such as “Day on the Farm,” supporting Year 8 students to experience the Wairarapa College Farm.
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As the year continues, we look forward to seeing our Junior Leaders grow in confidence and continue making a positive contribution to the life of Wairarapa College.
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Photos - training day and Cole Le Roux assisting Year 7 and 8 students from contributing schools.
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Careers and Pathways – End of Term 2 Update
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This term has been a busy and rewarding time for all those involved in the Careers and Pathways space. Students have engaged in range of learning experiences, events and courses focused on exploring their future careers and further study pathways.
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We have had nearly 50 students go out on work experience this term and are lining up more students to head out next term. Work experience, as always, is a great opportunity for students to develop their work ethic, communication and employability skills.
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Students have been going strong with their UCOL courses, and most are expected to finish at the end of Term 3. These courses have been a great asset to our school and students for many years, and we are continuously in awe of the students’ work and commitment, and UCOL staffs’ dedication to helping our students succeed.
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- MWDI Te Aupiki Pakihi Trip
- Youth Learner Licence Course
- Comprehensive First Aid Course
- UCOL Wairarapa Open Day
- College Open Evening
- Police College and Museum Trip
- Quick Fire Connections Event
- University of Waikato Scholarship and Accommodation Session
- Rival Wealth in-class visit
- Lincoln University 2027 Course Planning Session – Monday 27th July
- Year 13 What’s Next Day – Thursday 30th July
- REAP Quick Fire Connections Event – Trades Industry – Thursday 13th August
- Wairarapa Whanaungatanga Careers Expo – Tuesday 18th/Wednesday 19th August
- Wellington Tertiary Open Day Trip – Friday 21st August
- Youth Learner Licence Course – Monday 24th to Wednesday 26th August
- Victoria University of Wellington 2027 Course Planning Session – Wednesday 26th August
- Course Selection Evening – Wednesday 26th August
- University of Canterbury 2027 Course Planning Session – Tuesday 8th September
- University of Otago 2027 Course Planning Session – Monday 21st September
- University of Auckland 2027 Course Planning Session - TBC
- University of Waikato 2027 Course Planning Session - TBC
- Massey University 2027 Course Planning Session – TBC
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The number of students competing in the Waicol Speech Competition continues to grow, with several senior and junior students entering this year.
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Speakers choose their own topics, and this year many focused on helping their peers not only learn more, but also navigate life-changing events, the complexities of growing up in the 21st century, and how to think critically when reflecting on history. The quality of speeches was very high, and we appreciate the time taken by all entrants to research, write, and practise their speeches, as well as the courage it takes to present to an audience. This year, the audience for the senior competition also included students from Masterton Intermediate.
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- Joseph Campbell won the senior competition with his thoughtful exposition on the Irish Republican Army.
- Elin Minchin spoke about the challenges of living with hearing loss, as well as possible solutions, and won the Year 9 competition.
- The Year 10 competition was won by Eliza Price, who spoke about the pressure of conformity.
These three students will represent Waicol at the regional Intercollegiate Speech Competition in Pahiatua next term.
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Congratulations to all entrants who showed what it means to dare to succeed!
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Speech Competition winners (left to right): Joseph Campbell, Eliza Price and Elin Minchin.
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Year 9 Product Design & Engineering
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Year 9 Product Design and Engineering students have been designing and constructing custom wooden toys. Pictured are Noah Clingan (left) and Eben Myburgh proudly displaying their creative and well-crafted projects.
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Liberty Jones: Representing New Zealand on the World Stage
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Wairarapa College is incredibly proud to congratulate Liberty Jones, who has been selected for the New Zealand Under 19 Junior World Championship Team travelling to Canada. At just 15 years of age, Liberty is the youngest member of the national team, an outstanding achievement and a powerful reflection of her talent, commitment, and future potential.
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Liberty’s squash journey continues to go from strength to strength:
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· 2023: Won the North Island Junior Age Group Championships and the AIMS Games Under 13 title.
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· 2024: Selected for the New Zealand High Performance National Development Squad.
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· 2024: Represented Squash Wellington in the Under 19 Junior Representative Team, competing against older players.
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· 2024 and 2025: Represented New Zealand in the Secondary Schools Trans-Tasman Team.
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· 2025: Achieved the number one ranking in New Zealand for the Under 15 age group.
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· 2025: Crowned New Zealand Under 15 National Champion.
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· 2025: Represented New Zealand as the number one player in the Under 15 Trans-Tasman Team.
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· 2025: Achieved third place in the Under 15 division at the Oceania Junior Championships.
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· 2026: Represented New Zealand as the number one player in the Under 17 Trans-Tasman Team competing in Melbourne.
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· 2026: Competed up in the Under 19 division at the Oceania Junior Championships and finished ninth overall.
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Following the Junior World Championships in Canada, Liberty will continue her international development by travelling to Birmingham in the United Kingdom with the New Zealand High Performance Squad. There, she will compete in the British Junior Open and train under renowned coach Rob Owen, who also coaches New Zealand squash star Paul Coll.
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At just 15, Liberty has already built an exceptional sporting record. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and wish her every success as she continues to represent New Zealand on the world stage.
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Year 10 Toi Whenua Art students are creating individual artistic responses to their school houses, exploring the theme of Toi Whenua (Art of the Land). Pictured are Amy Oneg (left) and Kai Yuan Kang with their work.
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Maggie Shields: Representing New Zealand on the World Stage
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Wairarapa College netballer Maggie Shields has achieved another impressive milestone in her sporting career, being selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball team.
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At a special assembly presentation, Maggie was presented with her New Zealand Netball pin by former Wairarapa College student and New Zealand Secondary Schools player Sovaia Sabutu (pictured below with Maggie).
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After a challenging selection process, which included two training camps and a final trial, Maggie earned her place in the national side. The team will travel to Canberra during the school holidays to compete in a tournament against the Australian U17 team and a team from the Australian Institute of Sport.
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This selection adds to Maggie’s impressive list of sporting achievements. She has previously represented New Zealand in softball at both U15 and U19 level, has been named in the Central Manawa Netball training squad, and has also represented regional age-group netball teams.
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Maggie’s achievements reflect her talent, commitment and determination across multiple sporting codes. They also speak to the hard work she puts in behind the scenes, travelling to Wellington and Palmerston North at least three times each week to train and play. We are incredibly proud of Maggie and wish her all the very best for her games in Australia.
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A Stellar Term in the Arts
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Congratulations to all the talented student actors, musicians, backstage and tech crew involved in this year’s School musical, Sister Act. Almost 100 Wairarapa College students from across the junior and senior school worked with commitment and passion to bring this joyful show to life. Onstage and offstage, the show was professional and students had an incredible time working in collaborative and creative ways. Thanks to the staff involved - we can’t wait to see what next year brings to our school stage!
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On Friday the 22nd of May Cantate and Armonia Dolce performed in the region’s annual Vocal Spectacular. This year the concert was held at Wairarapa College, and our students' vocal skills and stage presence were exemplary. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our passionate student vocalists, and share in their love for music with students from schools across the Wairarapa.
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On Thursday the 11th of June, Cantate travelled to Wellington to compete in the regional Big Sing competition. Led by conductor Andrea Thomson and accompanist Ruth Eckford. They performed a demanding repertoire that included a number of foreign languages, four part harmonies and have been chosen for the prestigious Cadenza final as one of the top North Island choirs of 2026. Thanks also to percussionist Kyus Sanders who accompanied the choir on the djembe for one of their songs. Congratulations Cantate!
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A number of our fantastic performers took part in what has become a fantastic regional competition, Talent Wairarapa. With heats and finals spread across a number of weeks, Wairarapa College had a number of bands and solo performers enter. The Shin Digs (made up of junior students, Emme Billman, Freya Yule, Owen Scott, Nathanial McGhie and Oban Ferguson) won the People’s Choice in the Final on Saturday the 13th of June. We would also like to acknowledge the success of Olivia Leach and Ruby Edwards, who both performed in the over 14s finals. It’s always great to see our exceptional Performing Arts students sharing their talents with audiences around the region and daring to succeed outside of school grounds.
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We had a huge number of talented Arts students share performances for the 40Hour concert which took place on Thursday the 18th of June with bands, and duets and soloists grace the stage in support of the marginalized global communities. Once again, our Arts students showed LEAD values as they engaged with pride and Dared to succeed on stage.
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On Friday the 19th of June Wairarapa College band Rampage (members Lucas Stoneley, Kyus Sanders, Connor McEwen, Stephen Price and Liam MacArthur) and soloist Olivia Leach (pictured below) competed in the Smokefree Rockquest Regional Finals. Wairarapa College took out the two main awards of the evening, coming FIRST in both the Band section (Rampage) and the solo/duo section (Olivia Leach). Olivia Leach also won the Technical Assist Award. Both acts are now eligible to submit for the national finals so watch this space!
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Earlier this month nearly 50 students and 2 teachers completed the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge. Challenges included 40 hours 40km walking/running/biking, 40 hours no talking, 40 hours no technology or 40 hours no furniture. They did it all to raise money to help those in the Solomon Islands facing the devastating impacts of climate change.
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The annual 40 Hour Challenge concert was held to raise funds. Big thanks to Mr Wiramanaden, Miss Fauvel, Andrew and the tech crew and all the amazing performers for making it such a great night and helping raise over $900 towards the cause. The 40 Hour Challenge team also ran a successful bake sale, as well as holding a casual clothes day to boost the fundraising total.
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While the 40 Hour Challenge is now completed, we still have time to reach our fundraising goal. Wairarapa College set the goal to raise $7,500 for the 40 Hour Challenge and we are almost there! Currently, we are sitting at $7,443. You can sponsor Wairarapa College via
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Thank you to all the students and staff for their hard work to make this possible!
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Term 2 was another busy and exciting month for Wairarapa College sport, with our students representing the school with pride across several major fixtures and exchanges.
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A group of 110 students, along with their coaches and managers, travelled over the hill to Tawa College for the annual Redpath Trophy sports exchange.
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Across seven keenly contested games, the exchange finished with three wins each and one draw. As the current holders, Wairarapa College retained the Pam and Ross Redpath Trophy for another year.
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Results from the exchange were:
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- Boys 1st XI Football: 5–0 loss
- Girls 1st XI Football: 1–1 draw
- Boys 1st XI Hockey: 3–2 loss
- Girls 1st XI Hockey: 7–0 win
- Senior A Netball: 49–21 win
- Senior B Netball: 25–18 loss
- Boys Basketball: 107–81 win
A special mention also goes to our Girls 1st XI Football and Senior A Boys Basketball teams, who backed up after the exchange by travelling on to Paraparaumu and Palmerston North for their regular competition games.
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Napier Boys’ High School Exchange
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We were proud to host the traditional winter sports exchange with Napier Boys’ High School, now in its 74th year.
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It was wonderful to see so much support out on the Oval. While the results were challenging, our teams benefitted from playing against a larger sporting school:
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- 1st XI Hockey: 4–0 loss
- Senior A Basketball: 121–64 loss
- 1st XI Football: 3–0 loss
- 1st XV Rugby: 19–19 draw against NBHS 2nd XV
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N R Stuart Trophy Rugby Match on SKY Sport
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Another highlight of the term was hosting the annual N R Stuart Trophy 1st XV rugby match against Rathkeale College. The match was broadcast live on SKY Sport, adding to the excitement of the occasion, and a strong crowd of former students from both schools came along to support and cheer on their old school.
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Rathkeale claimed the trophy this year, with a late try sealing a 17–7 victory. We look forward to next year’s match at Rathkeale, where our 1st XV will have the opportunity to challenge for the trophy again.
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Thank you to all students, coaches, managers, staff and supporters who contribute to sport at the college. Your commitment helps make sport such an important and valued part of life at Wairarapa College.
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1st XI Hockey with Napier Boys'
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International Programme Update
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China Cultural Exchange Trip
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For eighteen students and two staff members excitement is building as we look forward to our inaugural cultural trip to China in September.
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Wairarapa College hosted three different Chinese secondary schools last year and it is now our turn to visit them.
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Toward the end of September, we will fly to Shanghai where we will spend two days sightseeing before catching a high-speed train south along the coast to Linhai in the province of Zhejiang. There we will be billeted with local families and visit two of our sister schools.
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The students have been practising a repertoire of waiata and haka which they will perform for each of the schools.
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Toward the end of our trip, we will visit a new school to sign a sister school agreement after which we will return to Shanghai for another day of sightseeing before flying home to New Zealand.
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In the second week of next term a group from Togane High School, Japan, will arrive for an eleven-day visit. This is Togane’s fourth visit to Wairarapa College and we are looking forward to hosting and showing them our school the Wairarapa region.
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We are hoping that there will be new lambs on our school farm as feeding them has been a real highlight of previous visits.
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A group of senior students will be asked to act as buddies for the Togane students. Being a buddy has been very popular and some current students are still in contact with Japanese students they buddied two or even three years ago.
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New International Students
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In addition to the Togane High School group we will welcome four new international students in term three. Three Japanese students, who will spend about three weeks each in the college, are interested in agriculture and are keen to visit New Zealand farms and to see our school farm in operation.
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The fourth student is from China and she is planning to study with us for at least the next three years.
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Student Support: Looking After Yourself These Holidays
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The school holidays are a great opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend time doing the things that make you feel happy and connected. While it's important to enjoy a break from school, it's also important to look after your wellbeing.
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Top Tips for a Positive and Restful Holiday
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Try to maintain regular sleep and wake times. Good sleep helps your body and brain recover and keeps your mood positive.
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Get outside, go for a walk, play sport, ride your bike, or spend time in nature. Physical activity is one of the best ways to boost wellbeing.
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Catch up with friends and whānau. Positive relationships help us feel supported and connected.
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- Take a break from screens
While it can be tempting to spend all day online, make time for offline activities such as reading, hobbies, sports, or helping around the house.
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Whether it's baking, drawing, gaming, music, fishing, or learning a new skill, make time for activities that bring you joy.
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It's okay to have good days and challenging days. Take things one step at a time and remember that asking for help is a sign of strength.
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- Look forward to next term
Think about a goal you'd like to achieve next term. It could be trying something new, improving attendance, joining a club, or setting a learning goal.
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1737 – Free call or text any time, day or night
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School Counsellors – Contact Paul, Kylie, or Olivia via Teams (or by text if you already have their numbers)
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Ngā manaakitanga,
The Student Support Team
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Term 3 continues to provide opportunities for students and whānau, spanning culture, pathways, assessment and community connection.
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- Start of Term 3 - 20 July
- Togane High School - 27 July - 31 July
- Year 13 What’s Next Day – 30 July
- Matharapa Maths Week – 11–13 August
- Careers Expo – 18–19 August
- School Ball – 22 August
- Course Selection Evening – 26 August
- Teacher Only Day - 28 August
- Winter Tournament Week – 31 August–4 September
- NCEA Corequisite Assessment #2 – 7–11 September
- Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori – 14–18 September
- Derived Grade Exam Week – 14–18 September
- Interhouse Haka Competition – 25 September
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We look forward to continuing this positive momentum as we move through the year and thank our community for their ongoing support of Wairarapa College.
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