Walytja Academy

Walytja Academy is one of the Oceania region's wizarding schools, located in the Auckland Islands. It takes boarding and day students primarily from the Oceania region, but offers correspondence courses to any interested student around the world. It is a state-integrated school, funded partially by the region's various magical governments.

The precise location of the school can never be uncovered because it was rendered Unplottable. Therefore, to Muggles, the school looks like part of the cliffs surrounding it.

The physical location was established sometime during the 18th century, though Walytja existed through roaming tutors, meetinghouses and treaders for centuries beforehand. It is considered a fine magical institution, on par with schools such as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Great Britain, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France, the Durmstrang Institute in Scandinavia, and Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the United States. The lack of certification from the International Confederation of Wizards is a mark of pride for the academy, with the staff constantly refusing the repeated attempts.

Children with magical abilities are enrolled at birth, and acceptance is confirmed by owl post at age eleven. However, if the child in question is a Muggle-born, a staff member from the school visits with the child and his or her family in order to inform them.

The school's motto is "Kaua e mate wheke mate ururoa," which, translated from Maori, means "Don't die like an octopus, die like a hammerhead shark." It is this mission that drives Walytja: "Do not give up so easily, instead fight until the bitter end."

Description
Walytja Academy, located somewhere on the Auckland Islands, consists of the massive Walytja Castle and grounds that surround it. These include mountains, lakes (many of which contain Mercaw arenas and Merfolk communities), a forest known as the Jolric Wilds, several greenhouses, gardens and orchards, an underground Quidditch Pitch that doubles as the Taka Field, various Slidan courses and the port of Walytja Landing.

One of the castle's towers holds an owlery, which houses all the mail owls, while another contains a more diverse aviary, which houses various other birds such as phoenixes, valazios, albatrosses and any other avian friend that may find its way to the academy.

Early History
Walytja was founded around 1790 A.D. by five of the most innovative and proactive magical beings of the time: Auberon Alura, Elizabeth Ewamin, Meena Magura, Robin Rembar and Tibbir Targar. Their main goal was to protect all young magical beings from an ever-changing world and show that despite personality differences, this was possible. As a result of this, Walytja was revolutionary in being the first and only school to teach Gobbledegook and Mermish as part of its mandatory curriculum.

The families and relatives of the Architects can still be seen working and attending the academy to this day.

Middle History
About a century after the school's founding, the Quadrathlos was established as a friendly international sports competition between various magical schools. The first schools to quickly agree were Wu Xueyuan (China), Mak Hussistak (USA), El Sosneado (Andes Mountains) and Zalmora (Cape Verde). This competition, held every five years, is an excellent way for students of different nationalities to meet and socialize, and other schools such as Tona Sansthaan (India), Débarrer (Canada) and Castelobruxo (Brazil) have joined in, causing it to be a truly international event.

Recent History
Presently, Walytja is the first school to look into the new Magitab to assist in its mission of education. Some are firmly against the new technology, feeling it too much like the Muggle world to be allowed, while others are embracing it.

Houses
Main article: Walytja Houses

Administration
The highest position of staff at Walytja is Director. There is also an Assistant Director, who will take over responsibilities of the Director should the circumstances demand it.

Directors of Walytja
The Director is the chief administrator of the academy. They make all major decisions regarding the safety and the day-to-day functioning of the school, and have the power to override any decision made by any other authoritative facilitator at the school, with the exceptions of the Council of Heads of House and the School Board.

Assistant Director
The Assistant Director aids the Director in his/her duties.In the event of a director's incapacitation, the assistant director serves as temporary director until the School Board can elect a new, permanent one.

Heads of House
Main article: Head of House