Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School

 
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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
2019
            Parents’ Guide

Key dates
for 2019
Our School
Structure
Getting ready
for high school
Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
Contents
                      Key dates							                           3

                      Before school starts						                 4

                      First Day and beyond					                  5

                      About the school system					               6

                      Keeping in touch with what’s happening		   12

                      Key contacts							                        12

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
Key Dates
   Term Dates 2019
   Term 1:
   Tuesday 29 January - Friday 12 April
   Monday 28 January        Auckland Anniversary Day (school closed)
   Wednesday 6 February     Waitangi Day (school closed)
   Friday 19 April		        Good Friday (in the school holidays)
   Monday 22 April		        Easter Monday (in the school holidays)
   Thursday 25 April		      Anzac Day (in the school holidays)

   Term 2:
   Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July
   Monday 3 June		          Queen’s Birthday (school closed)

   Term 3:
   Monday 22 July - Friday 27 September

   Term 4:
   Monday 14 October - Friday 6 December
   Monday 28 October       Labour Day (school is closed)

   Important Dates in Term 1
   Monday 14 January        School Office opens
   Tuesday 29 January       Years 10, 11, 12, 13 at school
   Wednesday 30 January     Year 9 students Orientation Day
   Thursday 31 January      First day of teaching (full school)
   Wednesday 6 February     Waitangi Day (school closed)
   Tuesday 12 February      ID and class photos
   Wednesday 13 February    ID and class photos
   Wednesday 13 February    New parents information evening
   Friday 15 February       Swimming Sports
   Friday 22 February       Athletics Day
   Tuesday 26 February      Athletics Saver Day
   Friday 22 March		        Senior progress reports issued (Years 11,12,13)
   Wednesday 27 March       Junior progress reports issued (Years 9,10)
   Wednesday 3 April        Report evening 1: 4-7pm
   Tuesday 9 April		        Report evening 2: 4-7pm
   Friday 12 April		        Term ends

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
Before school starts
   Stationery
   Before your daughter starts, we recommend you purchase stationery only for her core subjects - English, Maths, Science,
   Social Studies and PE/Health. You’ll find a list of items on our website under “Curriculum/2019”. On your daughter’s first
   day she will receive her timetable and have her option subject choices confirmed. Stationery for these subjects can then be
   purchased.

   Special deals available on BYO devices are available by clicking the ICT/E-Learning button Under “Student Services” on the
   homepage, www.westlakegirls.school.nz.

   Uniform
   Only a small amount of the Westlake Uniform items available are compulsory:

      •    Skirt
      •    Blouse
      •    Blazer
      •    Black winter jacket
      •    Footwear (either shoes and socks, or sandals)
      •    PE shorts
      •    House t-shirt
      •    CYGNET t-shirt if part of the CYGNET Programme.

   All other items including hats, scarves, jerseys, ties and track pants are optional. You can purchase uniform items online
   from our website under “About Us/School Uniform Webshop”, or you can go into the Uniform Group’s store at Unit 10, 54
   View Road, Wairau Valley. Refer to the Uniform Group’s store website (wghs.uniformgroup.co.nz/page/contact-us.aspx) for
   opening hours.

   In January 2019 opening hours are:
   Wednesday 16 - Friday 18 January:		         10am - 4pm
   Saturday 19 January:			                     10am - 2pm
   Monday 21 January - Thursday 24 January:    10am - 4pm
   Friday 25 January:			                       10am - 2pm

   During term time, the Parents Forum also run a second-hand uniform shop where you can purchase uniform items. You will
   receive an email when school begins with opening hours and location for Term 1.

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
First Day and beyond
   Getting to and from school on the first day
                                                                    Lockers
   School buses will be running from Tuesday 29 January.
   You can find a list of bus routes on our website under           Once your daughter has her timetable, she will be able to
   “Quicklinks” on the Homepage (2019 School buses).                go to the Payments Office and purchase the use of a locker
                                                                    for the year ($60). Please note that a locker near her Form
   If you are dropping your daughter at school by car, we           Class may not be the best option if her classes are mostly in
   recommend using one of the surrounding streets as a drop-        another part of the school. Staff in the Payments Office, will
   off point. Smales Farm does not allow parking for school         be able to assign her the most appropriate locker choice
   drop off/collection and issue infringement tickets.              based on her timetable. She should place her lock on the
                                                                    locker as soon as practicable. Either combination or key
   There are bike racks between B and C Blocks for cycling to       locks are suitable. Your daugther will also require a padlock
   school. Please ensure your daughter has a lock for her bike.     for her PE locker during PE class.

   The school gates are closed from 3 - 3.30pm each day for         What to wear
   the safety of our students, so you will be unable to enter the   Students should be in correct uniform, including skirt or
   school grounds to collect your daughter. We recommend            culottes, blouse, and sandals or shoes/socks. See “Uniform”
   arranging a drop-off and collection point in one of the          in this guide for more information.
   surrounding streets.
                                                                    What to bring
   Year 9 students - First Day                                      Students will not need to bring their full range of stationery
   When                                                             for their first day at high school. However, they should bring:
   Year 9 students in 2019 start on Wednesday 30 January. It
   will be a full day from 8.45am to 3.15pm, and an orientation      •    School bag
   day for the Year 9s only.                                         •    Refill paper
                                                                     •    Pen
   Where                                                             •    BYO device
                                                                     •    A lock (for the locker)
   Covered Courts at 8.45am for a Powhiri. Once in the gates,
                                                                     •    Lunch/morning tea
   Year 13 Prefects will direct Year 9 students to the Covered       •    Water
   Courts. You will find a school map in this guide.
                                                                    The canteen will be open for lunch purchases and there are
   What                                                             water fountains throughout the school. Your daughter will
   After the welcome, students will be taken to Gym 3. There        not be permitted to leave the school grounds until the day
   they will be divided into Form Classes, and will then go to      finishes at 3.15pm.
   their classroom with their Form Teacher and classmates.
   There they will receive their school diary (if purchased),       Second Day
   timetable, be guided to connect their device to the school
   system, be given their student email address (which is a         Thursday 31 January will be a Timetable Day 1 (see the Day
   key way we contact our students) and be provided with            Timetable in this booklet) and the first day of classes. All
   the school rules and regulations. There will also be an          Year 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 students go to their Form Class at
   opportunity for students to get to know each other in their      8.45am.
   class, and they will be taken on a guided tour for bathrooms,
   lockers, cafeteria, Library, Office, Health Centre, places to    Bell Times
   eat lunch, and classroom blocks. They will also be shown         8.45am		          Form Time warning bell
   how to use the Library, including topping up printing cards.     8.50am		          Start of Form Time
                                                                    9.15am		          End of Form Time, Start of Period 1
                                                                    10.05am		         End of Period 1, Start of Period 2
                                                                    11.05am		         End of Period 2, Start of Interval
                                                                    11.30am		         End of Interval, Start of Period 3
                                                                    12.25pm		         End of Period 3, Start of Lunch
                                                                    1.15pm		          End of Lunch warning bell
                                                                    1.20pm		          End of Lunch, Start of Period 4
                                                                    2.15pm		          End of Period 4, Start of Period 5
                                                                    3.15pm		          End of Period 5.

    You can find this timetable near the back of this guide.

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
About the school system
                          Here are a few helpful things to know about how our school runs.

                          Student ID Cards
                          All students are required to have an ID card, which will be issued after Form and ID
                          photos are taken on 12 and 13 February. Cards cost $6. Photos and payment will be
                          taken on the day of Form photos. New students joining after 13 February will have their
                          photo taken at the School Office. The ID card allows access to the school library, and
                          printers and is a means of identification for students travelling on buses. If a card is lost
                          or stolen, it should be reported to the School Office.

                          Attendance
                          Absence: It is a Ministry requirement to have a written or emailed explanation of a
                          student’s absence in order for the correct attendance code to be assigned. Parents or
                          caregivers should contact the school in the morning either by emailing attendance@
                          westlakegirls.school.nz AND your daughter’s Form Teacher, remembering to give the
                          reason for the absence.

                          Alternatively you can call 489 4169 to talk to the Attendance Officer or press 1 to leave
                          a message. A message must be followed up with an email or note to your daughter’s
                          Form Teacher within three days of returning to school. For parents or caregivers
                          unable to email, a written note on the student’s return to school is expected. Medical
                          certificates are required for extended periods of absence, or if a student is unable to sit
                          an NCEA internal assessment or examination.

                          Lateness: Students must bring an explanatory note and give it to the Attendance
                          Officer upon arrival in the School Office at the Gernhoefer Admin Centre. Alternatively
                          email the Attendance Officer and Form Teacher.

                          Exiting during the day: Students needing to leave school for appointments need to
                          collect a form from the Attendance Officer at reception before signing out.

                          Going away on holiday: If there is a planned family holiday or your daughter needs to
                          take time off school, she must see her House Dean with a letter from a parent/caregiver
                          to get a Leave Form. That Form must then be filled out by all her teachers, signed by a
                          parent/caregiver and then returned to her Dean before the leave date.

                          Sickness: If your daughter becomes sick at school, she will be sent to the School Health
                          Centre and you will be notified if she needs to be sent home. It’s important your
                          daughter sees the Nurse at the Health Centre before she calls you for collection.

                          Uniform
                          Uniform items can be purchased online or in person through the Uniform Group, which
                          has a store at Unit 10, 54 View Road, Wairau Valley. There is also a parent-run Second-
                          Hand Uniform Shop at the school. For more information please visit our website and
                          click “About us/School uniform”. Please ensure all uniform items are named.

                          PE Uniform includes your specific House shirt, PE shorts and PE sport socks (Sports
                          tracksuit is optional).

                          Robust black lace-up shoes must be worn in Terms 2 and 3 and must be of a similar style
                          to those sold through the Uniform Shop. Jandals and fabric shoes are not permitted.
                          Sandals may be worn in Terms 1 and 4. These must have a back strap which must be
                          worn done up. Safety at school is an important issue, particularly in Technology and
                          Science classes. Only regulation closed-in shoes can be worn during these classes.

                          Students who have pierced ears may wear up to two sets of solid/plain gold or silver
                          studs (two in each ear) lower lobe only. Diamante and dress earrings of any design are
                          not acceptable. No other jewellery is permitted, except a watch. Permission to wear
                          necklaces of cultural significance may only be given with written permission from the
                          Principal. No make-up or nail polish is permitted, and hair must be well groomed and
                          off the face. Ribbons or ties must be black. Only hair colours in the natural human hair
                          range are acceptable.
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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
Supplementary Curriculum Resources
    Blazers                                                         Along with stationery and uniform costs, there are also
    Blazers are compulsory on your daughter’s House assembly        Supplementary Curriculum Resources costs associated with
    day. However, the wearing of blazers is optional in February    your daughter’s study.
    (except for class and ID photo day) due to the warmer
    temperatures. At other times blazers should be worn as the      A list of Supplementary Curriculum Resources can be found
    first choice of an extra layer. Jerseys may be worn under the   on our website under “Curriculum/2019”. The list includes
    blazer. House Assembly days are:                                a student diary, textbook bond and Auckland Secondary
                                                                    School Heads Association Levy. You can pay online through
     •    Monday 		            - Akoranga/Hauraki                   the website by clicking the Online Payments button.
     •    Wednesday            - Onewa
     •    Friday		             - Pupuke/Wairau                      If you have concerns over the payment, please contact one
                                                                    of our Learning Enhancement team (see “Support”).
    Westlake Network
    Every student has an individual account on the Westlake
    Network. Here students can create and save files, print         School donation
    documents, and access email and the internet for school         School donations are a voluntary contribution from our
    use. Access is given once parents/caregivers have signed        parents to help us provide a quality education for our
    the IT Cybersafety Agreement, which you will receive during     students. Donations supplement locally raised funds,
    your daughter’s first week at school.                           including money raised by our Board of Trustees and are
                                                                    used for:
    Her personal username is her school ID number, and her
    Form Teacher will give her a password in the first week of
                                                                     •    Resources to support learning beyond those supplied
    school. She should immediately change the password to her
    own personal password. To change a password, log into the             by Government grants
    school network. Press “Ctrl + Alt + Delete” and from the         •    Additional staff beyone Ministry entitlemnet to
    menu choose > Change Password.                                        continue to offer a wide range of subject choices
                                                                     •    Subsidising curriculum trips to the community,
    Who’s Who                                                             including teacher relief costs. These are an important
    You’ll find a list of the Senior Leadership Team, Deans,              way for students to connect their classroom learning
    Teachers and support staff on the website under Contact/              to industry, and create opportunities for future career
    Staff Contacts or Contact/House Contacts (for the Deans). If          paths
    you need to email someone at WGHS, use the first initial of      •    Updating and maintaining IT equipment, such as
    their Christian name followed by their surname                        audio visual gear, projectors and state-of-the-art
    @westlakegirls.school.nz. IE, John Smith would be                     computers
    jsmith@westlakegirls.school.nz.
                                                                     •    Technology equipment for specialist subjects such as
    Board of Trustees                                                     STEAM and robotics
    Our School is run by a Board of Trustees comprising (as of       •    Specialist equipment for areas such as music, sports
    January 2019)                                                         and performing arts
    Board Chairperson Joy Bradfield                                  •    Extra coaching and tuition costs for groups such as
    Deputy Chair Michelle Alexander                                       sports and music
    Principal Jane Stanley
    Trustee Mark Robinson                                           The school donation for 2019 is $535 (single), family is $720.
    Trustee Joanna Hopkins                                          You can pay online through the website by clicking the
    Parent Trustee Mandy Curry                                      School Donation button or Online Payments button on the
    Staff Trustee Jez Scull
                                                                    homepage.
    Student Trustee Sania Mohammadi Jafarian

    The Board is the governing body of our school and is            Things to note:
    responsible for setting policies by which our school is
    controlled and managed. Meetings are held in February,           •    Your annual donation can be a one-off payment, or
    April, May, July, August, September, November and                     you can utilise one of our four instalment options
    December. For a list of dates see our website under “About       •    Your full or partial donation is tax deductible through
    Us/Board of Trustees”. You’ll also find our Annual Reports            IRD - so keep your receipt and claim back a third of
    there.                                                                the donation
                                                                     •    A donation of more than $100 enables your daughter
    Parents Forum
                                                                          to receive a free Year Book at the end of the year
    Our Parents Forum is a group of parents who volunteer
    their time at Westlake Girls, and is led by Barbara Scholten.    •    Value option of $720 for families with two students or
    Primarily the group runs the Second-Hand Uniform Shop                 more at WGHS.
    and organizes events. If you are keen to get involved, email     •    While a full donation provides us with greater scope
    Barbara at barbara@durello.co.nz.                                     for equipping our school, we appreciate a partial
                                                                          donation if there are financial constraints within your
                                                                          family.

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
The classroom system                                            To make an appointment, contact one of the counsellors:
   Your daughter will remain in the same Form Class and
                                                                   Linda Clouston    lclouston@westlakegirls.school.nz
   House for her entire time at Westlake Girls High School.
                                                                   Siew Lee Foo      sfoo@westlakegirls.school.nz
   Her subject classes, however, will have a mix of students
                                                                   Barbara MacKay    bmackay@westlakegirls.school.nz
   from across the same Year level. This is a great way for her
                                                                   Fleur Piper       fpiper@westlakegirls.school.nz
   to meet new people and make friends across a wide section
   of the school.
                                                                   Students can book an appointment by:
   Homework, assessment and exams                                   •    Using the Request Counselling form in the sidebar
   At Year 9 and 10, students will receive an average 1-11/2             menu of the Westlake Girls School App
   hours homework each week night. Your daughter will have          •    Emailing our counsellors directly
   units of work that are assessed by tests and assignments         •    Completing a counselling request form in the
   during the year, and end-of-year exams in mid November                counselling offices area in the administration building
   that will be marked by her subject teacher, based on a strict    •    Visiting counsellors before school, at interval or at
   set of criteria standards determined by the school.                   lunchtime to book an appointment

   At the end of the year your daughter will receive either        Our Health Centre is located in the Gernhoefer Admin
   Achieve, Merit or Excellence for each subject - similar to      Centre and is staffed every day from 8.30am to 3.30pm by
   our Senior School assessments, however she will not receive     a registered nurse. If your daughter has a chronic illness,
   NCEA credits. If you have concerns over assessment or           condition or injury, contact one of the nurses so we ensure
   testing, please contact your daughter’s House Dean or           the right people know.
   subject teacher.
                                                                   Ashia Ismail-Singer (Senior Nurse)
   Parent Teacher Interviews                                       Sally McGhee
   There will be two parent teacher interview evenings in Term
   1 on 3 and 9 April. You will be able to book appointments       Both can be reached by emailing
   through the Parent Portal, and details will be provided         hnurse@westlakegirls.school.nz or by calling
   with your daughter’s report, which you will receive through     489 4169 Ext 759
   the Portal on Wednesday 27 March. Teachers will be in
   classrooms right across the school, so please allow time to     When your daughter is getting close to leaving high school,
   walk between buildings when making your bookings.               our Careers Department will be able to guide her to take
                                                                   her next steps.
   Support
   We understand the jump from intermediate to high school
   can be a big one, and we have a dedicated team to support
   our students during their studies. First point of contact for
   any small issues will be your daughter’s Form Teacher, and
   there are also two Deans who oversee her House.

   Our Learning Enhancement Department consists of a team
   of four trained counsellors who students can talk to, and
   there is also a Learning Support team if they need a little
   more assistance to achieve their academic goals. Parents
   are also able to make appointments with our counsellors to
   discuss their daughter.

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
What is STEAM?
                                                                      Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM)
                                                                      are subjects we believe help students to widen their career
                                                                      options, and remove gender stereotyping when it comes to
                                                                      technical and non-traditional jobs. We want our students to
                                                                      feel passionate about STEAM subjects from an early age, so
                                                                      we introduced the STEAM Year 9 Enrichment Programme.

                                                                      How it works:
                                                                      This Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and
                                                                      Mathematics programme will provide a pathway that
                                                                      strengthens links between subjects and will involve some
                                                                      project-based learning opportunities. Integrated into
                                                                      STEAM are coding, robotics, design technology with
                                                                      projects that link into several learning areas. Students will be
                                                                      encouraged to be innovative and creative as they attempt
                                                                      to solve real-world problems. Science and Mathematics will
                                                                      be enriched with projects linking the two disciplines whilst
                                                                      English and Social Studies will strengthen written and oral
                                                                      communication skills and global appreciation.
    Tutoring
    Departments offer free tutoring in all of our core subjects       Integrated into STEAM are three six-month courses that
    during lunchtimes throughout the year. The times and dates        involve robotics, coding, electronics and design, with
    for these will be notified in the Daily Notices (see Keeping in   projects that link into several learning areas. Students will be
    Touch) and through Departments. There is no need to book.         encouraged to be innovative and creative as they attempt
                                                                      to solve real-world problems. Please note that these courses
    We also offer the Smart Swans tutoring programme. Year 12         become part of her option subject choices.
    and 13 students who have a high academic record volunteer
    their time to tutor younger students. It can be in any subject    Year 9 students are then able to apply for STEAM in Year 10.
    and usually kicks in around the middle of the first term. In      While STEAM does not exist in Years 11-13, the programme
    the Daily Notices, students will be asked to sign up if they      prepares students for advanced science and maths subjects
    would like tutoring. They are then buddied up with an             in those final three years.
    appropriate Smart Swan, and the pair arranges to meet –
    usually after school or at lunchtime. When and how long the
    tutoring continues is up the students.

    Streaming
    We do not have a streamed system for Year 9 students.
    Students who perform at a high level in Year 9 may be
    invited to enter an enrichment or extension class in Year 10.

    English, Maths, Science (Extension Class)
    Socials Studies (Enrichment Class)

    If your daughter is being considered for one or more of
    these classes, you will receive a letter before Subject Choice
    selection takes place (see below). If you’re interested to
    know what sort of level your daughter needs to achieve in
    Year 9 to be considered for an Extension/Enrichment class
    in Year 10, talk to her subject teacher at our Teacher Parent
    Interview Evening in April.

    Subject choices for Year 10
    You will receive an email during Term 4 notifying you of when
    Subject Choices will be available, including instructions on
    how to make selections. Your daughter will find out on her
    first day in Year 10 which subject choices she has received.
    Generally most students receive their first choice. Subject
    choices for 2020 can only be changed until early December
    2019.

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Parents' Guide 2019 - Key dates for 2019 Our School Structure Getting ready for high school - Westlake Girls High School
How does NCEA work?
    NCEA is recognised by universities and employers both nationally and internationally
    as an academic pathway designed to challenge and extend students of all abilities
    and in all learning areas.

    There are three levels of NCEA which are usually attained by students in specific year
    levels, starting with Level 1 in Year 11, Level 2 in Year 12 and finishing with Level
    3 in Year 13. University Entrance is also attained in Year 13 via an NCEA pathway.
    Students are assessed by a combination of assignments which are internally marked
    to strict guidelines by the school’s teachers, and by portfolios and examinations
    which are externally marked.

    Each level can simply be Achieved, or endorsed with either Merit or Excellence
    which denotes a higher quality of work In addition to the overall level endorsement,
    individual courses can also be endorsed with Merit or Excellence, acknowledging
    students who have performed exceptionally well in that subject.

    High-achieving students can elect to sit Scholarship exams, which provide
    recognition and monetary rewards for top performing students in the country.
    Students wishing to continue their studies at university in New Zealand must meet
    the minimum requirements for University Entrance (UE):

     •    NCEA Level 3
     •    Approved subjects: 14 credits in each of three approved subjects at Level 3
     •    Literacy requirement: 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of 5 credits in
          reading and 5 credits in writing
     •    Numeracy requirement: 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of
          achievement standards in a range of subjects; or all three numeracy unit
          standards 26623, 26626 and 26627

    For more information on University Entrance, please see NZQA’s website
    www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea

    More information will be available at our NCEA Parent Information Evening for Year
    11 parents at the beginning of each year.

    Cell phones
    Cell phones are specifically included in the Westlake Girls High School “Cybersafety
    Use Agreement for Students” as Privately-Owned ICT and thus all provisions of the
    agreement apply to the appropriate use of cell phones at our school. If students
    use their phones during class time without the permission of the teacher, they will
    be asked to put the phone away and given a warning that if they infringe again
    during the lesson they will be given an after-school detention. Students who
    repeatedly offend will be referred to the Deans. This protocol will also apply to the
    inappropriate use of ipods, cameras and any other similar technologies.

    Bullying
    If your daughter is being bullied, she should approach her Form Teacher, House
    Dean, Learning Enhancement Team or any staff member. Bullying is not tolerated
    at WGHS. If you have concerns about your daughter’s welfare – for any reason
    – you can contact her Form Teacher, House Dean, or a member of the Learning
    Enhancement Team who offer free and confidential counselling (under contacts on
    our website).

    Detention
    Detentions are given for a range of reasons, including uniform violations, and are
    held either over a lunchtime, or after school for the more serious offences. Lunchtime
    detentions are to be completed on the day given. After school detentions are held
    Tuesday to Thursday between 3.30 - 4.15pm. Your daughter will be given at least
    24 hours’ notice of an after school detention and it takes precedence over other
    activities, including after-school employment. Our detention policy is on our website
    under “About us/policies”.

WGHS 2019 Parents Guide                                                                      10
Lost property
    All property that is labelled will be returned. Any unlabeled items will be held in the Admin Building and students should
    check in with the School Office.

    Clubs and making friends
    A great way to get connected and make friends at high school is to join a club. We have more than 30 on offer including
    philosophy, robotics, writing, kapa haka, debating, astronomy and dance.

    If your daughter isn’t sure what sort of club to join, we have Mello, where students can just hang out and play board games
    and get to know other students in a relaxed environment. If your daughter enjoys sports, she can join Stay and Play – an
    after-school opportunity to give new sports a try.

    Keep an eye on the Daily Notices at the start of the year for a list of clubs and sign-up days.

    What happens at lunchtime?
    Lunchtime can be a little daunting at the start, but there are lots of places around school to meet friends. Our school canteen
    is open at morning tea and lunchtimes, offering a range of food items that can be paid for by cash or Eftpos. You can also
    order your daughter’s lunch by clicking Student Services/School lunches on our homepage.

WGHS 2019 Parents Guide                                                                                                               11
Keeping in touch with
    what’s happening
   We love communicating with the parents and caregivers of        FACEBOOK
   our students. There’s so much that happens in the life of our
   school, and we want to make sure you have your finger on        We have several Facebook pages officially associated with
   the pulse!                                                      the school, including some student-run pages. These are
                                                                   where we post photos, celebrate success, publicise events
   The Voice                                                       and activities, and share some of the interesting things that
                                                                   are happening around our school. You’ll find our latest school
   You’ll receive our newsletter by email every second Friday      video there, for example. Our primary Westlake Girls page is
   during term time, starting on 8 February 2019.                  designed to be interactive – we want you to Like us!
   Emails                                                          www.facebook.com/Westlakegirls
   From time to time you’ll receive emails from the school over    www.facebook.com/WestlakeGirlsHighSchoolAlumni
   various matters. It will come from westlake@westlakegirls.      www.facebook.com/WGHSLibrary
   school.nz. Please do not hit reply as the address is for
   outgoing email and not checked regularly. If you have a         Parent Portal
   general query, email office@westlakegirls.school.nz or          www.westlakegirls.school.nz/Portal. Daily notices are
   contact a Dean or teacher.                                      available here and it is where you will receive your daughter’s
                                                                   reports.
   APP
   The Westlake Girls app is the best way to find out what’s       Student email
   happening in the Daily Notices. That is where we announce       Your daughter will be assigned a school email address at the
   sports trials, club sign-ups, mufti days and other upcoming     beginning of the year. This is the main way the school will
   information. It’s your portal for:                              contact her, so it’s a good idea to get in the habit of checking
                                                                   emails first thing in the morning.
     •   Key school contacts and absentee link
     •   The Parent Portal, Daily Notices, the school calendar     Key contacts
         and The Voice
     •   Term dates, maps and important school updates             Website: www.westlakegirls.school.nz
     •   Sports information and other useful links                 Attendance: attendance@westlakegirls.school.nz
                                                                   Nurse: hnurse@westlakegirls.school.nz
   You’ll find it in the App Store under Westlake Girls High       General Enquiries: office@westlakegirls.school.nz
   School                                                          Staff contacts: www.westlakegirls.school.nz/staff-contacts

   WEBSITE                                                         House Deans
                                                                   Akoranga: Christine Casey / Will Anderton
   Our school website is updated regularly and is a great
                                                                   Hauraki: Louise Clouston / Soo Lee
   source of news and information including our curriculum,
                                                                   Onewa: Pamela Meyer / Maggie Cogger-Orr
   extra-curricular activities, examination timetables, upcoming
                                                                   Pupuke: Gillian Crowe /Nicola Ov
   events and contact details. www.westlakegirls.school.nz
                                                                   Wairau: Ella Wilson / Claire Guy

WGHS 2019 Parents Guide                                                                                                               12
Departments and other Important Places
       Building                                  Departments
                        Principal, Main Office, SLT, Deans, Attendance Officer, Nurse,
    Administration      International Department, Conference Room, Staffroom,
                        Accounts, Payroll, Property Manger

 Extension of M Block   Reprographics

                        Art Department, Social Studies Department,
    A Block (New)       Science Department

    A Block (Old)       Business Studies Department, ESOL Department

                        Gold Swans Cafe and Hospitality facilities, Media Studies,
       B Block          Tech Support

       C Block          Mathematics

                        Mathematics Department, Fabric Technology, Graphic Design
       D Block          and Hard Materials Departments

       G Block          Physical Education and Health Department, Gyms

       H Block          English Department, Drama

        Library         Library, Reading Room

       M Block          Music Department, Careers

       S Block          Science Deparment, Languages Department- Japanese, Spanish,
                        Chinese
                        Māori Studies Department, Health/PE, Sports Department
   P Block (prefabs)
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