Tēnā koutou, Tālofa lava, Konnichiwa, Fakaalofa atu, As-salāmu ‘alaykum, Kia orāna, Hola, Mālō e lelei!
13 June 2025
Dear Parents & Whānau,
As we move into the next chapter here at SWIS, I’d like to thank everyone who took part in Toby’s farewells last week. Friday’s poroporoaki was a moving ceremony and a meaningful way to mark this transition. A big thank you to our kaiako and ākonga for their heartfelt performances. We also thoroughly enjoyed Toby’s final dance party on Friday afternoon. Thanks to DJ Greg!
Staffing updates
Following Toby’s departure, we have a few staffing changes to share. Firstly, as you know, I will be stepping into the Principal role during this transition period. I’m incredibly proud of our kura and the amazing things we do here, and I’m looking forward to maintaining the momentum, supporting our team, and continuing to provide the best possible environment for our ākonga to thrive.
Congratulations to Daniel Miller, who will be stepping into the role of Acting Deputy Principal. He’s a welcome addition to our SWIS Leadership Team.
We’re also pleased to welcome back Nadia Abdul Syafieq, who returns to SWIS as the homeroom teacher for Room 18. We’re delighted to have you back on the team!
Finally, just a reminder that we have a few very busy weeks coming up!
Make sure you have your tickets (details below) for the SWIS production “Moments That Made Us“. It really has been a whole school effort and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Important note: Performers involved in the dress rehearsal for the production will meet at the Wellington Indian Hall on Kemp Street at 8.45am and will be dismissed from there at 3pm. Students who catch the 774 School Bus from Island Bay to SWIS can use this bus as it goes to Rongotai College. They will need to stay on it until Kilbirnie. A staff member will meet them at the bus stop – Stop 6224 and help them walk to the venue. We will support students catching the bus at the end of the day by walking them to the nearest bus stop – Kilbirnie Stop C for them to catch the Number 3 or 4 to make their way back into Newtown.
Then immediately following the production are our Matariki events, starting with the dawn ceremony on 19 June at Houghton Bay Beach (details below), and our Matariki Showcase on 26 June.
There’s certainly never a dull moment around here, and we look forward to seeing you all over the next few weeks!
Ngā mihi,
Karl Emson
Tumuaki whakakapi | Acting Principal
Remember to check out the school’s Facebook Page, which has the latest updates about what is going on at school
Term 2 Dates
Also keep an eye on the school google calendar as dates are added and changed from time to time.
- 17 June – School Board meeting, 6pm in the Staffroom
- 17/18 June – “Moments That Made Us” SWIS production at the Indian Centre.
- 19 June – SWIS Matariki celebrations – dawn ceremony, shared kai, games and more.
- 19 June – WISPA Speech Competition @ Wainuiomata Intermediate
- 20 June – Matariki, school closed
- 26 June – SWIS Matariki Showcase
- 27 June – AIMS Games – Non Uniform Day Fundraiser ($2 for non-uniform)
- 27 June – Discovery Day @ Massey for Children’s University students
- 27 June – Last day of Term 2
- 14 July – Term 3 starts
- 29/30 July – SWIS school visit for Y6 students
- 6 Aug – SWIS Open Evening for prospective students
- 15 Aug – Staff Only Day, school closed to students
School Notices
Three-way Student Conferences – bookings now open
You will have received a Hero alert to book a Three-way Student Conference in the first week of Term 3 (16/17 July). These are more of a traditional conference to discuss the reports and have 15 minutes to talk with the teacher one on one. Students are expected to attend with their whānau. The reports will be published to your child’s profile on Hero in the last week of Term 2. It details how your child is doing both academically and socially.
Get your tickets for our production “Moments That Made Us” – 17/18 June!
Buy your ticket online here. Alternatively, students can buy tickets with cash or Eftpos (no credit card) at the school office at the start of lunch next week and the week after. If students buy a ticket at school, they won’t get a physical ticket but will be added to the list. Show starts at 7pm, the doors will be open from 6.30pm.
Feel free to share this with whānau and friends, our production is open to all which is why we have two shows to allow as many whānau to attend as possible.
Please contact hannah.quince@swis.school.nz or roshni.parbhu@swis.school.nz if you can help!
Celebrate Matariki at dawn with your SWIS whānau!
Save the Date: SWIS Matariki Showcase – 26 June
College Open Evenings
The following list includes whānau Open Days/Evenings – some which you have to book directly through the colleges (see below for this info).
- 16–17 June (Mon–Tue)
- Wellington College Open Mornings – 9–11am – see website
- 17 June (Tue)
- Wellington Girls’ College Open Day – 9am, 9:45am, 11:45am (book online)
SWIS Open Days/Evening
At the end of July SWIS will be hosting Y6 students from our contributing schools. They will start their visit in the school hall at 9.20am and then participate in a programme that gives them a taste of what life is like at SWIS. These visits are for students only.
- Tuesday 29 July – Newtown School and Berhampore School
- Wednesday 30 July – Island Bay School, Houghton Valley School and Ōwhiro Bay.
Our Whānau Open Evening is on Wednesday 6 August, 6pm – 7:30pm. If you know of friends, neighbours or family with children that might be interested in enrolling at SWIS in 2026, let them know, all are welcome to come and check us out!
School News
WRISSA Boys’ Basketball
Well done to all the SWIS boys who participated in the basketball tournament at Walter Nash Stadium. You all did the SWIS community proud and gave it your all—100% effort from everyone!
Final placings were:
- Newlands
- Maidstone A
- Wainuiomata
- SWIS
- Masterton
- Naenae
- Hutt
- Tawa
- EBIS
- Maidstone B
- Brandon
- Titahi Bay
- Levin
- Rāroa
- Avalon
- Fergusson
We also received 3rd place for showing the Viliamu values.
WRISSA Regional Cross Country
Congratulations to all our akonga who participated in the WRISSA Interzone Cross Country!
SWIS Kapa Haka visits Village in the Park
This week our Kapa Haka rōpū performed at Arvida The Village in the Park as part of our Matariki celebrations. Ākonga shared waiata, poi, stories of Matariki, and their own pepeha and mihimihi.
Meet the SWIS Dog Squad!
At SWIS, we have five highly skilled, deeply dedicated dogs working hard every week making a real difference!
Our therapy dogs aren’t just visitors, they’re ROCK STARS! Students light up when they arrive. Some students read to them, finding confidence in front of an audience that never interrupts or corrects their pronunciation. Others take them for walks, sharing their life stories. And some just sit with them because sometimes, comfort comes in the form of a furry friend who thinks you’re perfect exactly as you are.
These dogs have their own fan clubs. They boost attendance. They ease anxiety. They turn tough days into manageable ones, and somehow, without saying a single word, they remind our students that they are safe, they are valued, and they belong. Thanks to owners Barbara, Vanessa, Anna, Pip, Deryn, Kerina and Clare for sharing their fur-babies with us, it’s much appreciated!
Here is some student feedback:
“It is so much fun walking the dogs and reading to them. The dogs are cute and playful and I feel so happy around them.”
“Hanging out with the dogs has been really fun. Me and my brother always look forward to it every week. They are fun and playful. Thank you so much for bringing your dogs to our school and allowing us to play with them”
“We had a really good time with the dog and what I loved about them was that they are really soft and cute and I felt comfortable reading to them. I enjoyed being able to take Charlie, Gucci, Pippin, Jetta, Mac and Hadron for walks because it was an exciting experience that also made me feel calm and relaxed.”
