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Western Heights School
Our Vision We are … Caring, Curious, Creative, Critical, Confident, Connecting, Contributing. Our Mission Our children love to learn to lead as they dream, grow, shine and reflect. Love - ourselves - others - our world Learn about - ourselves - others - our world Lead - ourselves - others - in our world
We Love to Learn so we can Learn to Lead so we can Lead with Love |
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Calendar of Events
Whanau Time is every second Friday in our hall, starting at 9:45 am sharp. Everyone is warmly welcomed to join us for these special WHS family occasions. Next Whanau Time - Friday 23 June - rooms 1 and 23 hosting.
WHS Calendar
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Thursday 15/6
Rooms 24 and 25 visit Maritime Museum |
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Friday 16/6
Rooms 22 and 23 visit Maritime Museum
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Wednesday 21/6
WIG Wednesday - get your Wig On for Child Cancer - bring a gold coin if you can.
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Wednesday 21/6
Board of Trustees Meeting - Ash’s Office from 7pm. Visitors welcome.
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Maritime Museum Visits:
 All of the middle school and senior school classes are visiting the Maritime Museum this term.
Children who have already visited have experienced sailing on the Waka ‘Aotearoa One’. Children sailed for an hour out on the Waitemata Harbour while learning about traditional Maori and Polynesian culture and sailing methods. Aotearoa One is a modern take on a traditional waka and was launched in 2003 for Te Wananga o Aotearoa at their Mangere Campus in Auckland. For some of us it was the first time that we had been out sailing. There was also the opportunity to explore the museum and find out more about different aspects of New Zealand history. This included, for example, the modern America’s Cup through to traditional Maori fishing techniques. Another exciting aspect was when children were able to lay down on the wharf and observe the fish. |
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Farewell Book for Jo-Ann Yukich:
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, Jo-Ann will be leaving us as of July 23 - the end of the next school holidays. Deputy Principal AdeleNummy has set up a Farewell Book in our office for parents to leave messages in for Jo-Ann. Mrs Yukich has given a great deal to our school over the past 17 years and we hope to show our appreciation suitably. Your contributions to her Farewell Book will be an important part of this. |
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Education Review Office Visit - Parent Responses:
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Recently the Education Review Office met with a group of parents from our school. We had mums and dads of many ethnicities present, and they had quite a bit to say in response to the reviewers’ questions.Everything they said was very positive and the ERO team recommended we share their responses with our whole parent community.
What Is Special About Our School? - The Heart of it
- Whanaungatanga
- Relationships
- Teachers and Management relationships with children
- Teachers and Management relationships with parents
- The Values being taught
- Pay It Forward
- Bucket Filling
- Love to Learn to Lead
- Bucket Filling values are being carried into the home by the children and out from the home by the parents
- The Open Door Policy
- All parents have the principal’s personal mobile number
- Our school oozes with love and affection
- The connectivity between teachers and parents
- This place is like a huge family all together
- All family members are happy together
- Very strong connections exist for everyone
- The principal’s message that we are family, that he is the dad to all the children has been born out in practice. We see it for ourselves
- This used to be a Good school, now it is a GREAT school
- Whanau, whanau, whanau - celebration of family and family values
- The school keeps going up and up and up
- The technology we have and use is awesome
- Seesaw is just awesome
- Our school cares for our children as much as we do as parents
- When you walk around the school all the teachers greet you
- Our principal farewells all the children almost every day
- Our principal is always giving out High Fives
- Our teachers encourage our children all the time
- We all receive encouragement
- Our school teaches Resilience - we emphasise GRIT in the Pit
- Before I started I was worried this school would be too big but it’s not - it feels like a small school because of the great connections and care
- our school really does take care of all the different communities
- I know children from different ethnic backgrounds have not had the same positive experience at other schools that my children have had here
- Love the Values messages and the principal using Kid President and the Muppets to get important messages across in ways that make the message fun and memorable
- Learning is made fun at our school
Are Parents Part of the Partnership at Western Heights? - Absolutely. Diwali and all the other cultural celebrations make us feel part of this school
- I was really impressed when I was brought in regarding my child’s behaviour. The principal dealt brilliantly with the problem.
- We have an amazing principal - easy to talk to, so helpful, so friendly. There are no barriers here.
- I am so happy to be part of this school - first as a parent, now as an employee. It is an honour to work in this school.
- Our principal has been so helpful - his help with our boy has been ongoing, and ongoing, and ongoing.
Would You Recommend this School to New Parents - Why? - The strength and importance of engagement, relationships and inclusiveness here beats any other school I know.
- The focus is on so much more than just National Standards here - the values and social skills are so valuable to our child now and in the future.
- Our principal’s team resonate these values right on down through all the teachers and into the parent community.
- I can talk to any parent because we all feel the same way about this school, we all feel part of the family.
- I would tell those parents this would be the best decision you could ever make.
- I would assure those parents this school will get their children off to the perfect start.
- Positive, caring leadership is the key to our school’s success
- Our school has a “No Apologies For High Standards” approach that is to be commended
- Leadership again - our principal and his team are at the heart of all this school has achieved
- They make sure every child has the opportunity to experience success - the shine and share.
How Well Prepared Are Children When They Leave Western Heights? - Very well prepared
- Our school caters for all abilities and needs
- Our teachers make time for parents to help
- I just wish this school included the Intermediate years
- My children just want to learn
- Our principal and teachers go out of their way to help you and to ensure children are well prepared - they recognise each child’s individual needs and strengths
- I have a friend who is a Teacher Aide at another school - she cannot believe how good our school is and what we have here
- Teachers will do anything to engage children - even if that means dressing up as a fairy.
- Our school insists on including challenging children in all activities and opportunities - parents of those children have seen this as a point of difference from other schools
- This school persists and persists with challenging children - until they bring about change in those children
One reviewer stated he had been in countless schools all across New Zealand in his role as a principal but mainly as an Education Review Office reviewer. Of these there are a few he will never forget - ours was one of these. He said he counted it a great privilege to spend a week with us. |
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Love Our People
 
Above - our Kapa Haka ropu (group) and at right room 22 share their ‘sea turtle’ art at Whanau Time on Friday. |
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Love Our Place
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We Teach...
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Thoughtful Thursday
LECTURE: An art of transmitting Information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either |
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Welcome to our Newest Western Heights Whanau
The warmest of warm Western Heights welcomes to Heidi Goffin, Lewis Yang and Nachath Saychonpituck. We are delighted to have you join our Western Heights whanau and hope and trust you all feel right at home here, are happy, and Loving, Learning and Leading.
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Western Heights School126 Sturges Road Henderson Auckland 0612 P - 09 8361213 M - 021 779 009
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