News

Julia Parfitt re-elected onto the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board
Julia Parfitt (class of 79) was re-elected onto the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board in the recent local government elections in October 2022. She is a lifelong...
Alumni at Commonwealth Games 2022
Three Westlake alumni competed at this year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – Moira Koster (2007), Anona Pak (2011), and Tiarna Clarke (2016)....
Alice Taylor - 3rd in MasterChef NZ 2022 competition
Congratulations to Alice Taylor (class of 2017) who was one of the contestants on MasterChef NZ. Alice had an amazing run and came 3rd in the competition,...
Sarah Cross LLM BSc General Manager of IP Asset Strategy at Fonterra
Sarah Cross (Class of 2004) was the guest speaker at the Prefects' Graduation held in the Westlake Event Centre in September 2022. She drew on her...
Engaging with Westlake
In Term 3 our visitors to Westlake included former student, MP Naisi Chen, and speakers to Fashion Technology classes, Morgan Klyn (2016), who graduated...
Christine Haeun Lee wins AIMES Music Award
Congratulations to violinist Christine Haeun Lee on being awarded the 2021 AIMES Music Award. The award grant from the North Harbour Club is for $15,000...
Westlake Music Gala Concert - August 2022
This August we were able to host the combined Music Gala Concert in our Event Centre. It was a great occasion with choral and instrumental groups from...
Event Centre Opening Celebration
Originally scheduled for 20 August 2021, plans for the Centre's Grand Opening were snaffled when New Zealand went into lockdown just two days prior....
Tara Vaughan (Class of 2021)
Tara made her international debut in canoe racing in June this year as a member of the NZ K4 boat, alongside Olympic champion Dame Lisa Carrington. The...
Naomi Yacyshen (Class of 2021) secures University Scholarship, USA
Congratulations to Naomi Yacyshen (pictured left, with Dance teacher Ms Giz Visser-Hebdon) on receiving a 4-year scholarship to study in the USA. She is...
WHS Founders 65th Reunion Lunch Celebration
The Westlake High School founders celebrated 65 years since the founding of the co-ed school in 1957. Their luncheon at the Bays Club in Browns Bay in...
In Memory of Alison Gernhoefer
Alison Gernhoefer, principal of Westlake Girls from 1982 – 2011 passed away in April 2022. She is remembered as an inspiring teacher, an outstanding...
Dancing with the Stars 2022 Season
Also appearing on our screens this year was Phoebe Robb (class of 2013), a professional dancer, who teamed up with celebrity, Rhys Mathewson, in the 2022...
National Waterpolo Team 2022
There are 2 Westlakers in the national water polo team 2022 – Emily Nicholson (2016) and Bridget Layburn (2018).

Emily Nicholson was in the...
Makenzee Boucher secures 4-year scholarship to Midwestern University, Texas, USA
Congratulations to Makenzee Boucher (Class of 2021) on being awarded a 4-year scholarship to Midwestern University, Texas, USA.
Makenzee was in the...
Erin Nayler, Class of '09 Football Fern (Goalkeeper), NZ International


Football Fern (Goalkeeper), NZ International Erin Nayler was one of many sporting fans celebrating recently when...
Hana Ellis, Class of '87 District Court Judge
We extend our congratulations to Judge Hana Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou), Westlake Girls Class of 1987.

Judge Ellis has been appointed...
Jessica Satherley, Class of '01 Author, digital media specialist, yoga teacher
Congratulations to Jessica Satherley on the recent publication of her book ‘Two Years in Morocco’, a novella based on the time she spent living...
Tracey Collins, Class of '99 Professional Accordionist
Earlier this year, just before the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, Tracey Collins performed in the Vive La France festival in Milford, entertaining...
Alumni Visits
Thanks to alumni who have visted Westlake in the past two months and given careers presentations in the Engineering and IT fields.

Clare Wood...
Looking back : Winning indoor basketballers 1970


Indoor basketball started at Westlake in 1965, and Westlake teams were regular winners of the North Shore Competition from...
Looking back : 1993


1993 was the year that Westlake won the inaugural NZ Secondary Schools Fleet Sailing Championship, and Dame Catherine Tizard...
Toni Roberts (Clements), Class of '85 B Arch, CKDNZ Director of Kitchen Architecture Ltd
We heard about Westlake alumna Toni Roberts’ interview by ‘Women in Industry’ earlier this year, and how her can-do attitude and desire...
Addition to the Entrance Foyer
Recent alumna Emma Ormsby, Class of '19, was the Top Scholar in Sculpture for the 2019 NCEA examinations. One of her impressive works was recently...
Westlake alumna announced Associate Conductor for New Zealand’s national premier chamber choir
Westlake’s Head of Music, Fiona Wilson (née Milmine), an alumna from the Westlake Class of ’91, has recently been announced as a new...
STEAM Power-ED partnership


Westlake Girls High School has launched STEAM Power-ED - a partnership between Westlake Girls High School and Industry. It...
Westlake's combined Show wins Awards
Westlake has continued its proud history of producing award-winning shows.

The 2019 combined Westlake production of “Les Misérables...
Jolie Hodson (née Hampton), Class of 1989 CEO Spark NZ
Jolie Hodson (née Hampton), Class of 1989
CEO Spark NZ

Jolie Hodson is Chief Executive and a Board member for Spark New Zealand. Her...
Jean Yang, Class of 2010 Emerging ICT Leader of the Year 2019
Jean is Chief Operating Officer of McCarthyFinch, a technology business which is changing the way lawyers work with their legal artificial intelligence...
Westlake winners at the AIMES Awards 2019
Tayla Woolley and Mae Everett
The annual AIMES (Arts, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport, Service to the Community) Awards were recently presented...
Emily Melhuish and Basma Hassan - STEAM Expo judges at Westlake
Two former students returned recently as judges at the Westlake STEAM Showcase.
Emily Melhuish (2012) and Basma Hassan (2013) are pictured below with...
Looking back : Your memories of the hall
Thanks for sharing so many memories of the Westlake Girls school hall. They came flowing through from near and far.

You recalled sitting on...
Long-serving Staff Retirements - Dru Rose, Sue Wood, Pravina Ali
The Maths Department is losing three long-serving staff members to retirement - Dru Rose (29 years), Sue Wood (25 years), and Pravina Ali (23 years). We...
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