Tēnā koutou, Tālofa lava, Konnichiwa, Fakaalofa atu, As-salāmu ‘alaykum, Kia orāna, Hola, Mālō e lelei!
Dear Parents & Whānau,
What an awesome couple of weeks! A huge thank you to all the staff and the parent helpers who made our Term 1 EOTC week such a success. Our ākonga are so lucky to have had such great support. The weather may not have completely been on our side, but judging by the happy faces I witnessed, everyone had a great time! For some, it was a week of firsts – first time in a tent, on a hike, touching live shellfish, playing golf, being more than 3 metres off the ground… the list goes on!
I am so proud of all our ākonga who rose to the challenge of trying new things, sometimes experiences way outside their comfort zone! I’m also really proud of how well they supported each other. It was heart warming to see the kids encouraging each other, and really coming together as a team.
On another note, it is with mixed emotions that I share with you all that I will be leaving my position as Principal of SWIS to begin a new chapter in Australia. This decision hasn’t been taken lightly and is an important one for me, as it will allow my husband Carlos and I to be closer to our whānau. While this brings a sense of excitement, it is not without sadness, as I have truly enjoyed my time here, working alongside such dedicated staff, wonderful students, and supportive whānau.
I want to reassure you that the school is in a strong place, with excellent leadership in place to continue guiding the school towards success. I am confident that our Deputy Principal Karl, the Leadership Team, the School Board and indeed all our staff will continue to support and nurture our students, ensuring the school’s continued growth and success.
Thank you for the trust, support, and partnership you have shown during my time here. I will always cherish the memories and time that I’ve spent with my SWIS whānau. Ngā mihi nui.
Finally, just a reminder that school photos are on Monday next week (7 April). Please make sure your child comes to school in full, correct school uniform. Thanks for your help with this!
Have a great rest of your week,
Ngā mihi,
Toby Stokes
Principal | Tumuaki
Remember to check out the school’s Facebook Page, which has the latest updates about what is going on at school
Term 1 Dates
- Until 16 May – Bee Healthy Dental Van onsite
- 7 April – School Photos
- 11 April – Last day of Term 1
- 28 April – First day of Term 2
School Notices
Term 2 basketball organiser needed
Term 2 Basketball at Ākua Tangi is fast approaching. We need a committed person / persons to help organise our SWIS basketball teams. There are two grades that are on offer – Wednesday Social and Friday IPL for advanced players. Unfortunately if we are unable to find an organiser, SWIS will only enter social teams. If you can help, please contact daniel.miller@swis.school.nz, our school Sports Coordinator.
School payments and donations
School Donations
School donations are voluntary (and tax deductible) and help fund the curriculum, classroom resources including playground and sports equipment, and library facilities. The donation is $270/child (per year).
Other than optional and sporting events, we anticipate no extra in-school costs over and above these costs. School donations can be paid online to the school bank account (Account name : South Wellington Intermediate Account number: 12 3141 0338498 00 please reference the child’s name and what the payment is for), cash or eftpos at the school office or credit card on Hero. Also remember that you can claim a third of your donation back from the IRD. See more information here.
Extracurricular activity costs
Payment for extracurricular activities such as non-curricular sports events, and other optional activities (such as the William Pike Challenge etc) can also be paid as above. Many thanks for your support. As always, we don’t want cost to prevent participation, so please contact Deputy Principal Karl Emson if you have any queries or concerns.
Reminder: Book your child’s Student Led Conference
Bookings are now open for Student Led Conferences on Thursday 8 May (in Term 2). These conferences are an opportunity for your tamaiti to share their learning with you, and a time for you to connect with kaiako as you work together to support your child’s learning and growth. See full details here about Student Led Conferences and how they work. Book a time here or through the School Bookings button on Hero.
Time slots for these conferences are flexible as we know everyone is busy, and we want to make sure there is every opportunity for you to come along. Each session runs for 30 minutes. You do not have to stay that long, you can come at the start and stay part of the time, come later and finish at the end time, or be here for the full time – whatever suits you.
Tamariki run the learning conversations and kaiako are there to support them and kōrero with you. If you have something specific that you wish to speak to kaiako about, please email them and they will connect with you.
Note that there is usually more than one whānau group in the classroom at a time, but the kaiako will make sure to speak with everyone.
School News
Toi visit the Vivienne Westwood exhibition at Te Papa
The Vivienne Westwood exhibition began with us walking between two projections, one with a scene mainly using light colors, and one with dark. We were then taken to a room consisting of pieces of clothing that she had made, from ball gowns to puffer jackets. The exhibition led us through many different rooms, with different designs and messages across the walls. There were many filled with unique and beautiful designs and jewelry, even earrings that David Bowie pierced his ears with, and a necklace that Taylor Swift wore on the Eras tour. All in all, it was a great exhibit of Vivian Westwoods creativity, and the changes she has made.
At the end we were given a chance to make our own creations inspired by Vivienne Westwood. They gave us Ipads encouraging us to explore using different layers over photos to create interesting effects. We were also allowed to use physical materials and create jewellery inspired by Vivienne Westwood. They gave us paper, posca pens, metal wires, glue, tape and anything else we might need to create our art. They said they deliberately didn’t give us hot glue because it seemed like the easy option and they wanted us to get creative with joining our materials. We were allowed to make basically whatever we wanted and everyone was very creative with their designs. It was an excellent way to end the experience and a nice memento of our look into the art of Vivienne Westwood. Written by Gabe, Rm 19
Congratulations to the SWIS Gold Touch Rugby team!
Congratulations to SWIS Gold who came 1st in their Touch division. The Team and Parents send a Big thanks to Bevan Brocklehurst & Jack Doig for coaching the team. Ka Mau te Wehi!
The philosophy behind bravery, courage and respect…
This term in philosophy we have been learning to make distinctions between quite similar concepts. Here you can see Jahvae T, Laurel H, Noa T and Jack K trying to decide whether situations eg. admitting you are wrong and riding on a roller coaster are examples of bravery, courage or something else.
We have also been discussing the concept of respect. Here are students in room 19 voting on which of their questions the class should use to start a community of inquiry. Philosophy is a great conversation starter at home and you might be interested to know what your child thinks respect is, who should be respected and how they would like respect shown to them.
Term 1 EOTC!
Wider Community Notices
Calling All Kids!
Whether you’re a dancer, an active go-getter, or just love to move – Enhance Your Skills at Bigair with Gym and Tumbling Classes! If you haven’t booked your child’s spot for Term 1 Gym Classes at Bigair Gym yet, there’s still time! Classes are almost fully booked, but the great news is we still have spaces left. But that’s not all – these classes build resilience, confidence, determination, and the ability to receive and apply feedback – valuable life skills for school, sports, and all life’s adventures.
Classes to Help Your Child Shine:
- Pocket Rockets Gym Classes (3-4 years) – Start building coordination and confidence early!
- Gravity Busters Gym Classes (5+ years) – Perfect for beginners looking to develop fundamental gym and tumbling skills.
- Team Extreme Gym Classes (Advanced) – For those ready to take their skills to the next level.
- Free Running (5+ years) – Enhance agility and aerial awareness through parkour and flips.
- Trampoline (5+ years) – Boost spatial awareness and acrobatic abilities.
- Recreational Cheerleading (5+ years) – Build strength, flexibility, and performance skills.
- Tumbling (5+ years) – Focused on mastering walkovers, handsprings, aerials, and more – perfect for dancers, mastering fundamental tumble moves like walkovers, aerials, and handsprings which can significantly enhance performance, flexibility, and overall stage presence.
Hurry – Book Now Before Spots Run Out! Don’t miss out on the chance to help your child grow, learn, and have fun at Bigair Gym! Contact us at: Bigair Gym Owhiro Bay: ph.383 8779, e.wgtn@bigairgym.co.nz at 14 Landfill Road, Owhiro Bay.
