School news

Otamatea High School Cross Country (Year 7-13) 5 June 2025

H Block renovations

Our H Block renovations are coming along nicely with the contractor making good progress. This first stage of the project is to convert what were two temporary classrooms into a commercial quality kitchen teaching space.

Pink Shirt Day

School Ball 16 August 2025

Ōtamatea Ball 2025, set to take place at Matakana Stables on Saturday, August 16th, presents an unforgettable opportunity for our senior students to engage in a memorable night.
This year's theme, ‘Hidden In Hollywood’ promises a glamorous atmosphere reflecting Old Hollywood fused with Masquerade. With an estimated cost of approximately $120 per ticket, the ball offers an incredible experience with Year 12 and 13's having first claim on tickets - outside partners are welcome for both year levels with an additional fee of $10, we will announce when forms are available for this. Tickets will be up for purchase from Week 7 until the end of term for these students. Be sure to keep an eye out for information to come! 
Any questions, please enquire to adrian.cooling@otamatea.school.nz

A big thank you to the amazing Ball Committee and leader O’Shana Crane for the fantastic māhi. We're excited and cannot wait for this extraordinary night! 

Rural Designs Trip 2025

On Tuesday 1st April,  the Level 1 Primary Industries class went to Rural Design in Kaiwaka to learn about their native plant nursery. Blake Worsfold, himself an ex student of Otamatea High School, was our principal guide for the tour. Students learned about the sustainable vision of the company and the work that goes into producing native trees. They undertook some tree planting as well as propagating plants from cuttings. We would like to thank Blake and the Rural Design team for taking the time to give us an informative and entertaining experience.

AC Farm-Ease Services

On Easter Monday Aaron Westlake and Connor Alcock met Mr Troost at OHS bringing the Westlake tractor to put in a couple of lines of fence posts. One line was for a fence that the L2 Primary Industries class will wire up at the end of K Block. The other line is for L2 Primary Industries classes this year and into the future to use to practice their fencing skills. The two boys did this free of charge as part of their L3 Business Studies project in creating a business plan and giving back to OHS. Aaron and Connor proved themselves to be exceptional and skillful operators of both the tractor and the post rammer. On behalf of OHS, Mr Troost would like to thank Aaron and Connor for donating their time and expertise as well as Richard and Justine Westlake for donating the use of the tractor.

Our Student Leaders attended Anzac Service in Maungaturoto, Matakohe, Waipu and Hakaru

Year 9 Discovering the Pacific

9E Social Studies had a busy end of term 1, creating board games to teach and entertain their class peers on their knowledge of the pacific. 
Students had 3 weeks come up with an original idea, plan the game out and build all of the components for them. We then spent a lesson playing each other's games and reviewing their quality. 
This was a fun way to demonstrate and solidify our learning for the term, and I was incredibly impressed with all the students creativeness during this time. 

Kapa Haka

On Friday 16 May, our Kapa Haka rōpu- Te Tini o Kaipara performed for us all with a powerful performance. The synchronization, emotion, choreography  and the most beautiful harmonies that this group has is unmatched. Their discipline in the performance really shows the long hours and dedication they have all put in. 
This was their first performance of the day before they travelled to other local kura to perform. 

Writers Festival trip

The Auckland Writers Festival is one of the opportunities that any aspiring writer can’t pass up. A highlight of this year was hearing Neal Shusterman speak about his experience as an author. He’s published about fifty three books and to have someone who has accomplished that much in their life tell you that you can change the world one reader at a time, is really inspiring. Dame Harriet Walter spoke about her take on the women of Shakespeare - it was incredible how much fun she had with her published work. And it proved to everyone how there should be fun in our own individual projects. Lee Murray informed us about speculative fiction, a genre I’d never heard of before which had us learning more and more about fiction as a whole. The way she incorporated Aotearoa into her storylines proved that an author's own lives and experiences have a place in written work. And lastly Scotty Cotter who advised us to ‘say yes and figure the rest out later.’ The way he turned Matariki into an interactive audio experience truly opened eyes to the possibilities writing in many different forms can offer. I believe every student who walked away from the trip will have more knowledge in their tool kit. And  more confidence to put an idea on paper. It was truly a rewarding day and I know everyone’s ready for next year already!
Mollie Cato

DOE Gold qualifier Volcanic Plateau

On Friday 27th April four gold level DOE students travelled to the Volcanic Plateau so Jaime could complete her practice and qualifying adventurous journey around Mt Ruapehu and the Tongariro Northern Circuit.
The group tramped via the silica rapids to the Whakapapaiti Hut (1250m).
The next morning we woke up to rain. Today was to be a five to six hour tramp over exposed terrain with several streams and one major river to cross before the Mangaturuturu Hut. The first stream we came to was flowing fast, discoloured and had risen significantly. The group stopped and evaluated the situation with the shadow party. A decision was made to re route to the Bruce Road and hike back to Whakapapa to do a van relocation to the Ohakune side of the mountain. The weather was settled on that side, so we hiked up to Blyth Hut (1380m) for the night.
The next day saw two shadow party members do a van relocation while the group hiked on to Rangipo Hut (1556m). The weather was lovely and the terrain was rugged in places as we crossed the Rangipo desert and numerous steep gullies.
A front came in again during the night with strong mountain winds and rain.
The next morning the weather had subsided enough for us to hike across the Whangaehu Lahar area and to set a compass bearing up a spur for Tukino Lodge. This was so much fun and was a highlight for the group.
We felt like we were on Mars as we passed some university scientific experiments near the lodge. We were soaked ! Our compass/gps took us right to the door of the lodge where we got a fire going, dried clothing out and enjoyed hot soup. Jaime did lots of map/navigation work and we read the interesting information boards around the lodge. That afternoon/evening there was a terrific mountain storm which had us thinking of alternative plans for tomorrow if necessary.
By morning, the storm had passed and we could see our surroundings. It had been amazing to be at 1700m!  We hiked down the Tukino Road and rejoined the Round the Mountain track. It wasn't long before we came to the Ohinepango Springs. Here we saw a pair of whio enjoying the fast flowing river. We ate our lunch at Waihohonu Hut and tramped through exhilarating strong winds and light rain to reach Oturere Hut (1360m) for the night.
The next morning the group set off to go over the Tongariro Crossing. The Emerald Lakes could be seen, but the Red Crater (1868m) was hidden in thick cloud.
Mangatepopo Hut (1190m) was reached mid morning and a fire was managed successfully to be lit after 2 hours (wet wood from DOC). A ridge at the back of the hut was explored and we had fun building a cairn.
The last day saw us hike across the "ditch" via the Taranaki Falls to Whakapapa. We had an amazing adventure over such varied, rugged terrain. We were entertained at night with Jaime's Belgium adventure stories and of course the DOE game of Five Crowns.
A HUGE thanks goes out to our shadow party: Sheryl Cullen, Sharlene McCormick, Anna Van Harlingen and Robyn Bruce. This tramp ends  Sharlene and Anna's involvement with the Otamatea High School DOE programme. After years of amazing adventures ,shadowing lots of groups at all levels, we thank you so very much for volunteering your time to help make this extra curricular activity so successful!

Level 2 Primary Industries: Project Pest Control

On Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th May the L2 Primary Industries class attended a pest control course at Kai Iwi Lakes. This course was run by the Northland Regional Council and involved students learning about health and safety associated with pest control, how to use various traps, machine and hand pluck a possum and skin a possum. In early July the students will return for an assessment day during which they will gain Level 2 and 3 credits.

Music Month

In Aotearoa, May is all about music. Whether it’s hip hop, indie rock, country, there’s something for everyone, that’s what makes music magical. This year, New Zealand Music Month celebrated its 25th birthday.
Nationwide, people tuned into the rhythm, supporting local acts, releasing original kiwi sounds, grooving and sharing with friends and whānau, and jamming to kiwi classics - like us at Ōtamatea! Many of our insanely talented students are gearing up, getting pumped for Rockquest on June 27th. It’s epic to see the burning passion and excitement for music radiate around the school each day - a big thank you to Mr Blake and our stellar itinerant music teachers for keeping that buzz alive. Our senior music class nailed a cover of Benee’s iconic hit ‘Glitter’ and we rocked our own mini NZ music concert this Friday to wrap up the wicked month. 

Ngā mihi nui to the NZ Music Commission for sending us some awesome music merch and posters to brighten up our wharekura - you guys rock! 

We’ll have some pics+vids of our fantastic musicians on our Facebook next week, so keep an ear out! Be sure to check out a few of these legendary kiwi musos below - including our very own Tony Baker’s band SOJØURN!
-Maggie J Burke 

Lorde, Marlon Williams, Supergroove, Tiki Taane, The Beths, Ladyhawke, OMC, Elemeno P, SOJØURN, Bic, Runga, Split Enz, Balu Brigada, L.A.B, Headless Chickens, Jessica Leigh.

Boys Basketball

Our team had a great season, winning every game leading up to the finals. We worked well together, stayed focused, and built a strong rhythm throughout. All thanks to our new coach Kalem Tana, we Made it all the way to the finals. This was a proud moment, but unfortunately, we couldn’t pull off the win in the final game. It was a tough ending, but overall, it was a season to be proud of. We learned a lot and are already looking ahead to what’s next. Thanks to our coach Kalem Tana and the parent helpers/supporters each week.

Golf

We headed to Waipu Golf course on Monday 19th. Nathan Allen, Jaedeah Paikea and Oscar Longdon played 18 holes in the championships and Percy McLeod, Lachie Maher and James Ford played 9 hole ambrose. It was a beautiful but windy day. All the students did really well and had fun.

Squash

Connor Alcock, Felix Le Mesurier-Cowbourne and Aaron Westlake headed to Whangarei for the squash individual tournament where they had some tough opponents. Felix placed 2nd in the cup grade and Connor placed 4th in the championships division 2. Congratulations.

Turbo Touch

Turbo Touch has been busy with our year 7 - 8’s who played on the 13th May, the year 9-10’s who played on 20th May and the year 11-13’s who played on the 15th May. Everyone had a great time and represented our school with pride.

Northland Swimming Champs

Northland Swimming Champs was held at Whangarei.
Our students did so well and represented our school with pride. The results are:

Championship 
Mason Forsyth-Hall 2nd 100m Breaststroke, 2nd 50m Breaststroke and 2nd 50m Freestyle. 

Non-Champs
Sari Radd 1st 100m Freestyle, 2nd 50m freestyle.
Iraia Luke 4th 100m Freestyle, 9th 50m Freestyle.
Jaya Radd 50m Freestyle
Madi Radd 1st 100m Freestyle, 2nd 50m Breaststroke, 2nd 50m Freestyle.
Caitlin Ewen 7th 50m Breaststroke.
Alex Ball 1st 50m Breaststroke, 1st 50m Freestyle.

Great results and a huge congratulations to all our students.

Surfing Series
This is usually run over 3 series in different locations. But unfortunately the last series was cancelled due to bad weather. The 2 series that did happen were at Sandy Bay and Ahipara. The overall results were U16 James Ford placed 11th and Lachie Maher placed 5th. U14’s Kyle Stretton-Silvera placed 3rd and Ollie Clark placed 4th. Outstanding achievements from them congratulations.

Girls Basketball
This term the girls North Harbour basketball competitions started where they travel down to Auckland every Thursday night and compete against teams from the shore. The girls started their season with a tough 5 point loss against Kristen girls but the last three weeks they have come away with 20 point wins and their most recent game they beat Westlake girls u17 by 50 points. Thanks to our Coach Blake Worsfold and Manager Toni Phillips and the wonderful parent helpers/supporters.

Volleyball
The senior mixed social volleyball team played in a competitive mixed volleyball competition that had 20 teams entered. The team played with enthusiasm, but with a lack of practice our cohesion was lacking. The team won 1 - lost 3.

Hockey - Collegiate
We have had an interesting start to the season with losing 2 games and winning 1. We have a few new players who haven't played in a while or played at all. But everyone is still giving it there all and holding the games to be quite even. We have a way to go, but the team is highly motivated and full of enthusiasm so I believe once we have a few more games together people will start to get into the groove and we'll start scoring more points. Thanks to our coach, Michael Jarvis and our manager Imogen McLeod.

From the IT Dept

Chromebook Care and Repairs

We've noticed an increase in damaged Chromebooks, mostly due to smashed screens. This often happens because of carelessness, either by the student or their friends. Sometimes, the damage is deliberate, and these cases are handled by our deans.

How to Help Prevent Damage:

Get a sturdy case: Does your child have a good hardshell case for their Chromebook? We have a few used ones available to buy if you need one. Keep in mind, though, even a case won't protect against severe impacts, like someone falling on a bag with a Chromebook inside!
Talk about device care: Please remind your child to take care of their Chromebook. Throwing bags, kicking them, and roughhousing while wearing bags have all led to damaged devices.
Respect other people's property: In some cases, friends accidentally cause damage by being silly or not respecting others' property. We've told students to never interfere with anyone else's device, even as a joke.
 
If Your Chromebook Needs Repair:
Here are your options if your child's Chromebook needs fixing (remember, accidental or intentional damage usually isn't covered by warranty):

Check your warranty: If the device is faulty (not damaged), contact where you bought it. Your serial number is linked to the warranty, so any authorized repairer for your brand should be able to help.
Repairs not covered by warranty:Contact the place you bought it for assistance.
Tech13 in Whangapbtech.co.nzrei: Email paul.r@tech13.co.nz
PB Tech: Visit pbtech.co.nz, go to 'book a service job,' and fill out the online form. They'll provide a quote (there might be a diagnosis fee).
For school-supplied Chromebooks: We can only repair certain faults if they happen soon after the Chromebook was given out. We can't repair damaged school-supplied Chromebooks.

Student safety 

Student safety is of paramount importance. Schools are responsible for regularly reminding caregivers and students on how to keep students safe before, during and after using a school bus. 
We’ve put together some information that you may like to use in a newsletter to parents: 

Reminders for parents and caregivers: 

·         Caregivers are responsible for safely transporting their children to and from their school bus stop and as such are best placed to decide the safest way to do this. 
.         Stick to the speed limit: it’s 20kph when passing a stopped school bus (on either side of the road). 
.         Drop your tamariki off on the same side of the road as the bus stop.
.         Teach your tamariki to always get out of the car on the side closest to the curb.  
.         Always take your tamariki to and from the bus-stop. 
.         Teach your tamariki not to run across the road. 
.         Remind your tamariki on how to keep safe boarding and disembarking the bus:  

o    While waiting at the bus stop, keep well back from the road.
o    Wait until the bus has completely stopped and the door opens before getting on. 
o    After getting off the bus, stand well back from the road and wait until the bus has gone and you can see clearly before moving. 

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has safety advice that on their website that you may find useful: Safety on buses | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. 

Report an absence

You can notify the school of an absence using the school parent portal, by phone at 0800 682 628, option 1, or by emailing attendance@otamatea.school.nz
If you need help with accessing the parent portal please email Mrs Cadman alison.cadman@otamatea.school.nz