News Flash(es)!

Film Theory Expert visits WHS

The Faculty of English and Foreign Languages staff and students were delighted to welcome Waiheke personality, Shirin Brown, to chat to us about the misrepresentation of Maori in NZ films. Shirin is part-time lecturer in film theory and project/story development for film, game and animation in the school of Art and Desing at AUT. She is also a member of the Waiheke Local Board and keenly interested in the history of our island and its people.

Shirin asked very engaging questions and offered some challenging insights regarding Maori culture as depicted in NZ films. She also provided some insider information on the NZ film industry and the somewhat unexamined relationship between the tourism industry and our film industry. Her visit was marked by rich discussion and left us with much to think about.

Thanks so much, Shirin, for sharing your wealth of knowledge!

Nga mihi nui

Mariette Dodd (FL: English and Foreign Languages)

A Poet in Our Midst...

Brent Simpson, teacher of English, digital learning and coding, has just taken out the first prize in the Waiheke Island Poetry competion!

The judge had the following remarks:

"Brent Simpson’s poem, 'Muriwai and Me', stands out because it works on many levels. It has an instant impact, offering the pleasures of carefully chosen phrases and imagery. I love the way it is set here and now – it uses ordinary, New Zealand language to talk about issues many of us are concerned about. It foregrounds New Zealand birds and uses their behaviour to reflect on Kiwi culture in 2017. The sudden shift from poetry to prose that describes a scientific study works beautifully – the contrast lends both writing styles greater strength. Best of all, the poem had enough substance to make me think and keep thinking."

We are thrilled for Brent, and looking forward to his first published anthology of poems!

Junior Speech Competitions, 2017:

On Thursday, 31 August, students from year 7 through to year 10 were entertained by the high skill levels of the junior school's very best orators during the 2017 Junior Speech Comp Finals. Fourteen young people stood up in front of the crowd and delivered their speeches with conviction. Year 13 students, Jemilah Ross-Hayes and Anabelle Ross, our judges for this event, were faced with the daunting task of deciding on winners at each year level, as well as overall winners.

Thank you so much to our judges, and to our wonderful MC, Ms Becky Chamley!

Results were as follows:

First in year 7: Daniel Bim

First in year 8: Oliver Worker

First in year 9: Niila Marshal

First in year 10: Jean Fraser-Hoult

Overall:

First: Jean Fraser-Hoult

Second: Ben Hessell

Third: Oliver Worker

Congratulations to our winners!

Mariette Dodd (Faculty Leader)

Benjamin Hessel (left) and Oliver Worker (middle) respectively placed second and third overall.

Jean Fraser-Hoult (right) was placed first overall, with her powerful speech on Islamophophia.

TEACHERS WITH PRIDE: 2018

For the first time, early childhood, primary and secondary teachers marched together in the Auckland Pride Parade on Saturday night, 17 February, 2018.

While teachers have marched in the Pride Parade in the past, this was the first time that they marched together to express collective pride in diversity. Teachers marched under the PPTA's "Teachers with Pride" banner.

Marching in the Parade is just one of the ways teachers are coming together to make schools safe and affirming environments for young people and adults alike. In New Zealand we celebrate the right of the individual's unique identity to be recognized, respected and celebrated.

Tens of thousands of people were packed onto Ponsonby Road in Auckland to watch the event, which celebrates New Zealand's Rainbow community (LGBTQIA). In 2018 Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, became the first NZ PM to march in the Parade, setting the tone for an evening of celebration and kindness.

Photo: WHS PPTA co-chair and member of ARMC of the PPTA, Mariette Dodd, with Shawn Cooper, Avondale teacher and convenor of the PPTA Rainbow Taskforce at the start of the Parade.

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