Kia ora e te whānau ō Whangaparāoa
As we rapidly approach the end of Term 3, we are excited to welcome our new Board to Whangaparāoa College. The details of the elections are within this newsletter. Congratulations to those who were successful—I look forward to working alongside you over the next three years to continue strengthening our school and shaping its future direction.
This week, our senior learners have been receiving the results from their Derived Grade Exams. Please ensure, as parents, you ask your learners how they went, what gaps in knowledge they have, and what they intend to put in place between now and the end of the school year to ensure they get their best results possible. As the holidays approach, it is easy for learners to retreat from their learning, but now is the time for them to dig even deeper and continue their studies.
This term has been one of both achievement and growth across all areas of school life. On the sports fields and courts, our learners have represented Whangaparāoa College with pride, with several teams reaching regional and national levels of competition. In the arts, we have celebrated remarkable creativity through RockQuest, the Arts Festival, and our Kapa Haka and Pasifika performances, all of which showcased the depth of talent in our school. Alongside these successes, our Trades Academy continues to gain momentum, supported strongly by our community and industry partners, ensuring learners have access to meaningful vocational pathways. What has stood out most this term is not only the accomplishments themselves, but the way our learners have lived out our school values of Ngātahi, Whakapono, and Tutuki in everything they do.
Term 4 is always a time of focus, celebration, and transition. For our seniors, the term will centre on NCEA examinations and the opportunity to demonstrate the learning and preparation that has gone before. Our Senior Prizegiving will provide a special moment to recognise outstanding achievements, while our Junior Prizegiving will allow us to celebrate the growth and progress of our younger learners. Beyond the classroom, our junior learners will take part in end-of-year activities and education outside the classroom, creating lasting memories and building friendships that strengthen our school community. At the same time, we will continue preparations for the year ahead, including curriculum planning, progress on our Trades Academy house project, and updates to our uniform rollout. Term 4 will be both busy and rewarding, as we look to finish the year strongly while also setting the foundations for 2026 and beyond.
School resumes on Monday 6 October, and we are looking forward to seeing all learners back, in full and correct uniform, ready for the challenges and opportunities of Term 4.
When the time comes, please enjoy a safe and restful break. Thank you for your continued support of Whangaparāoa College—together we are ensuring every learner has the opportunity to succeed.
Ngātahi, Whakapono, Tutuki - Together, Believe, Achieve
Steve McCracken
Tumuaki | Principal |
