31 October 2025
Kia ora whānau,
It’s great to see the sunshine today after the stormy weather we’ve had lately! We’re nearly halfway through the term already and as per usual, our kura has been hive of activity – see below for some great photos of what we’ve been up to!
Congratulations to all our ākonga who participated in Toa Whakaihuwaka in Palmerston North – the Intermediate Schools Sports Festival. We are very proud of the way you represented SWIS and showed our values with your positivity, politeness and good sportsmanship. Ka rawe!
Measles information
- Measles is circulating and is very contagious. There is now measles in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu, Nelson and Wellington, and we expect further cases across New Zealand.
- Watch out for symptoms – fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes, and a blotchy rash:
- Anyone with measles symptoms must stay at home and should seek urgent advice by ringing their doctor or Healthline on 0800 611 116.
- Anyone who is closely exposed to a measles case must stay at home. Heath New Zealand will provide individuals with advice on a case-by-case basis (including when they can leave quarantine at home).
- Health New Zealand is actively working with the schools that currently have measles cases.
- People are considered immune to measles after having two doses of a measles vaccine from 12 months or older, or if you have had measles before. For more information on measles immunity visit:
Measles immunity – Health New Zealand
- Encourage families and whānau to check their own and their child/childrens’ immunisation status through My Health Record:
My Health Record – Health New Zealand
- Anyone born between 1969 and 2004 may have only received one vaccine dose and might not be fully protected. It’s safe to get extra doses. A free vaccine can be booked online or via the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26.
Book my vaccine – Health New Zealand
EOTC Week reminder
Finally, just a reminder about our EOTC week coming up in December. You will have been sent permission and health forms via Hero for a number of the activities. Thank you to those of you who have filled them our already. If you haven’t already done so, please return your child’s form as soon as possible.
Thank you also to the caregivers who have volunteered their time to come along, we appreciate you!
Have a great weekend,
Ngā mihi nui,
Karl Emson
Tumuaki whakakapi | Acting Principal
Remember to check out the school’s Facebook Page, which has great news stories about what’s happening at school.
Term 4 Dates
Also keep an eye on the school google calendar as dates are added and changed from time to time.
- 1 Nov – Future Problem Solving National Finals weekend
- 4-5 Nov – William Pike tramp
- 5 Nov – WRISSA Baseball
- 11 Nov – Children’s University graduation evening, tbc
- 14 Nov – Rongotai Orientation Day – details below
- 18 Nov – Science Roadshow in the Hall
- 18 Nov – School Board meeting
- 19 Nov – WRISSA Athletics at Newtown Park (SWIS is hosting)
- 19 Nov – Year 7 HPV 2 Immunisation
- 20 Nov – Wellington East Orientation Day – details below
- 20 Nov – St Pat’s Orientation Day – details below
- 3 Dec – Wellington Boys’ College Orientation Day – details below
- 3 Dec – Wellington High School Orientation Day – details below
- 5 Dec – Staff Only Day
- 8-12 Dec – EOTC Week
- 16 Dec – Leavers’ Dinner
- 17 Dec – Prize Giving Assembly
- 18 Dec – Last day of Term 4
School Notices
College Orientation Days for ENROLLED STUDENTS ONLY
You will have received this information from the college if your child is enrolled. Any inquiries ask them directly. Here’s the information we have received so far:
Rongotai – Thursday 14 November – full day. Students get themselves to the college for a 9am start (don’t come to SWIS first!) they wear non-uniform. PLEASE USE HERO APP TO LET US KNOW YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO THIS!
Wellington East – Thursday 20 November – half day. Students get themselves to the college for a 9am start (don’t come to SWIS first!) They wear SWIS uniform. PLEASE USE HERO APP TO LET US KNOW YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO THIS! A bus will be bringing your child back to SWIS for lunch time. Please do not pick your child up from Wellington East, or have your child leave Wellington East instead of catching the bus back.
St Pat’s College – Thursday 20 November – full day. Students get themselves to the college for a 9am start (don’t come to SWIS first!). They wear non-uniform. PLEASE USE HERO APP TO LET US KNOW YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO THIS!
Wellington High School – Wednesday 3 December, 8.45 – 11.30am – Students get themselves to and from the college (don’t come to SWIS first!). They wear SWIS uniform and return to SWIS afterwards. PLEASE USE HERO APP TO LET US KNOW YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO THIS!
Wellington Boys’ College – Wednesday 3 December – Students get themselves to and from the college (don’t come to SWIS first!) PLEASE USE HERO APP TO LET US KNOW YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO THIS!
SWIS is taking enrolments for Year 7 and Year 8 students in 2026!
If you or someone you know is looking to join our awesome school next year, please encourage them to go online and complete the form at www.swis.school.nz/enrolment.
Y8 Leavers’ Dinner – Tues 16 Dec @ Grand Century
The annual Leavers’ Dinner is an opportunity for us to celebrate our Year 8s and all the wonderful things they have done during their time at SWIS. Teachers provide supervision during the dinner; parents drop off their child/ren before 6pm, when the dinner starts, and collect them at the end.
- When: Tuesday 16 December, from 5.30pm until 7.30pm. The dinner starts at 6pm.
- Where: Grand Century Restaurant, Tory St (opposite Moore Wilsons and Harvey Norman). This is a Chinese restaurant. If your child has specific dietary needs, please let Christine Sangster know as soon as possible.
- Cost: $45, which covers food. This can be paid through Hero, or by cash/EFT-POS at the office. We would love all the Year 8 students to be able to come, but if this is a problem, please contact Karl Emson or Christine Sangster. If any family would like to make a donation to help students who might not otherwise be able to attend the dinner, that would be wonderful! Please let me know if you can do this.
- Dress code: Smart/tidy casual, as it is a formal occasion – no ripped jeans, track pants, hoodies, t-shirts, or jandals/crocs. Lavalavas, kilts, or cultural dress are all welcome! Clean shoes, sandals, or open-toed shoes are all acceptable, but no bare feet, thank you. If you have any difficulties with this, please contact me.
- Very important!! Please rsvp by Friday, 5 December, so we can confirm numbers with the restaurant. Please fill out the survey on Hero as soon as possible. More information will be forthcoming shortly.
Enter the Weetbix Tryathalon and join the SWIS team!
If your child is interested in participating, you can search for SWIS in the registration form and help us when prizes for the school!
School News
Incoming! 2025 Yearbook is in production!
We are busy typing and working away on the year book – stay tuned to see our results!
Toa Whakaihuwaka Intermediate Schools Sports Festival
Congrats to our football and basketball teams at Toa Whakaihuwaka Intermediate Schools Sports Festival! More to come!
PE Paddleboarders!
We caught some amazing snaps of the PE team working hard on paddleboard – and this amazing image of Mr Arca (CRT Relief) and Ana (TA) true backbones of our school!
Philosophy: Exists vs Real?!
Over the past couple of weeks we have been exploring what makes us classify something as real. This is quite easy with things like a hammer or a tree, but less so when we think about fictional characters, historical events or the number 5. These discussions have been encouraging students to look at the evidence they trust and give reasons why they believe things are real. In some classes we have also applied this thinking to websites, AI and the term ‘6/7’.
Photos show a visual record of thinking from lessons with room 12 and room 1.
Wellington Regional Intermediate’s Pasifika Celebration
Congratulations to all the ākonga in our Bollywood and Polyfest groups who performed at the Wellington Regional Intermediate Pasifika Celebration at Porirua Elim Church last week. The groups dedicated their performance to our late Deputy Principal, Aloma Barry, who was a much-loved and inspiring part of our Pasifika and cultural groups. Her energy, warmth, and passion for bringing people together through performance continue to be deeply felt.
A special thank you to Kevin Malagamaalii for his work as MC, and to Major Silone Collins for providing the blessing.
You can watch SWIS perform at this link here (from about 3.18) for the next 20 days.
Community Events
Capital Gymnastics Club
Capital Gymnastics Club offers exciting opportunities for children to excel in gymnastics! Our programmes cater to all skill levels, from preschoolers to national-level athletes, covering gymnastics and tumbling. Led by experienced coaches, our structured approach fosters skill development and confidence in a fun, supportive environment.
Book online for classes, birthday parties, or school groups at www.capitalgymsport.org.nz or contact us at 027 239 9139 or office@capitalgymnastics.nz.
Jump, Flip, Thrive!
Ready to flip, tumble, and soar? Bigair Gym is the ultimate destination for kids who want to learn cool skills, achieve and build unstoppable confidence! Whether it’s cartwheels, flips, tramp tricks, or parkour, Bigair Gyms action packed classes combine fun, fitness, and focus, in a safe, supportive space.
Classes to Help Your Child Shine:
Crashmat Kids Sessions (walking-4 years) – Great for little ones to become familiar with the gym.
Pocket Rockets Gym Classes (3-4 years) – Start building coordination and confidence early!
Gravity Busters Gym Classes (5+ years) – Learn the fundamentals of gymnastics and tumbling.
Team Extreme Gym Classes (Advanced) – Take your skills to the next level!
Free Running (5+ years) – Parkour + flips = epic agility and body control.
Trampoline (5+ years) – Boost spatial awareness and acrobatic abilities.
Recreational Cheerleading (5+ years) – Strength, flexibility, performance—Cheer style!
Tumbling (5+ years) – Learn walkovers, handsprings & aerials—perfect for Cheerleaders and Dancers wanting to boost flexibility and stage skills.
Hurry – Book Online for at www.bigairgym.co.nz! Don’t miss out on the chance to help your child grow, achieve, learn, and have fun at Bigair Gym! Contact us at: Bigair Gym Wellington: ph. 383 8779, e. wgtn@bigairgym.co.nz at 14 Landfill Road, Owhiro Bay.
