27 March 2026
Kia ora whānau,
We are nearly at the end of the term and it seems to have gone by pretty quickly! One of the highlights over the past couple of weeks has been the start of our enrichment and semi-specialist programmes. It is great to see the variety of opportunities that students are given here at SWIS. It is also really neat for our teachers to be involved in something a wee bit different and to have the chance to work with students from across the school.
Three-way Conferences (Caregiver, teacher, student) Booking Reminder
Book a Three-Way Conference through Hero for Tuesday 29 April or Wednesday 30 April.
Conferences run from 2:30pm – 7:30pm, with 15-minute sessions available to be booked. These meetings are an opportunity for caregivers, teachers, and ākonga to meet together to discuss learning, progress, and next steps. As this is a three-way conference, ākonga are expected to attend alongside their caregivers.
On both 29 and 30 April, students will be dismissed from school at 2pm to allow time for conferences to begin. If you require your child to remain at school under supervision at this time, please let the classroom teacher know and they will be supervised in the school hall until 3pm. Please log in to Hero to select a suitable time under school bookings.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to gently remind students that, even when dismissed early, they should not visit other schools. This can be disruptive to their learning environments. We appreciate your support in helping students make safe and respectful choices after school.
WhatsApp Use and Online Behaviour
We are increasingly seeing issues arise from student use of WhatsApp, particularly in large group chats created outside of school. Students often add others into chat groups without consent, resulting in very large groups. These spaces can quickly become overwhelming and, at times, lead to unkind or inappropriate communication. In some cases, group chats have developed into environments where behaviour becomes negative, exclusionary, or abusive.
We are also aware that some students are participating in group chats with people they do not know, including students from other schools. This increases the risk of inappropriate interactions and makes issues more difficult to manage.
It is important for families to be aware that WhatsApp has a minimum age requirement of 13 years old. Many of our students are below this age, meaning they should not have accounts without careful parental oversight.
While these chats are created outside of school hours, the impact often carries into the classroom, affecting student wellbeing, friendships, and learning.
We encourage whānau to:
- Talk with your child about how they are using messaging apps
- Remind them not to add others to groups without permission
- Check group chats they are part of and discuss appropriate behaviour
- Reinforce that the same expectations for kindness and respect apply online
We appreciate your support in helping our students navigate online spaces safely and respectfully. See Tips on Managing WhatsApp below.
Finally, just a reminder that we finish the term at 3pm next Thursday 2 April and I hope you and your whānau have a safe and relaxing break over the holidays. We look forward to seeing all our ākonga refreshed and ready for Term 2 on Monday 20 April.
Brendon Henderson
Tumuaki | Principal
Be sure to visit our School Whānau Admin webpage for helpful information about how things work at SWIS. It’s a great first stop for key details and practical guidance. You can also follow our School’s Facebook Page, where we regularly share news, updates, and stories about the wonderful things happening in and around our school.
Term 1 Dates
- 28 March – SWIS Kapa haka performing at Cupa Dupa
- 1 April – Whānau Hui
- 2 April – Last day of Term 1 (Thursday)
Term 2 Dates
- 8 April – Online info session for Children’s University whanau
- 20 April – First day of Term 2
- 27 April – Public Holiday to mark Anzac Day, school closed
- 29 & 30 April – Three-way Conferences – book via HERO
- 8 May – Tough Guy and Gal Challenge
- 1 June – King’s Birthday, school closed
- 3 July – Last day of Term 2
Note: Matariki is in the July School Holidays
School Notices
Student Collection During School Hours – Reminder
We would like to remind all whānau of our expectations regarding students leaving school during the day.
Students are expected to be at school from 8:45am to 3:00pm. For safety reasons, students may only leave the school grounds if they are collected by a parent, caregiver, or an authorised adult. Students are not permitted to sign themselves out or leave the school unsupervised at any time during the school day.
If you need to collect your child early, please come to the school office to sign them out. This ensures we can account for all students at all times and maintain a safe environment for everyone.
We appreciate your support in helping us keep all students safe.
Lost property – collect belongings next Wed/Thurs!
As we approach the end of term, it’s time to clear out our lost property!
Next Wednesday and Thursday, all items will be laid out by the office during morning tea and lunch. After this, any non-uniform items will be donated to charity, and unclaimed uniform items will be added to our second-hand sale collection for the start of next year.
Please remind your child to check for any missing belongings—we’d love to reunite as many items as possible with their owners!
School Donations
School donations are voluntary (and tax deductible) and help fund the curriculum, classroom resources including playground and sports equipment and library facilities.
Donation: $270/child (per year)
Other than optional and sporting events, we anticipate no extra in-school costs over and above these costs. Information regarding payments of these donations is emailed to parents each term. School donations are loaded into your child’s Hero account and can be paid through Hero or via the methods above. Also remember that you can claim a third of your donation back from the IRD. See more information here.
Come along and support our Kapa Haka on Sat 28 March!
📅 Saturday 28 March – CubaDupa
- Performing on the Ngā Toi O Te Aro Stage
- From 12.00pm
We hope to see many of you there supporting them!
Māori whānau hui – 1 April
We are looking forward to our first whānau hui for 2026! The evening will begin at 6pm in the school hall, with a special kapa haka performance followed by the presentation of Māori Club badges. After this, we’ll head to the staff room to share kai and enjoy some whakawhanaungatanga (time to connect). All who whakapapa Māori are especially encouraged to attend, and whānau are very welcome to come along and support their children in the Kapa haka performance.
If you’re able, please bring a plate of kai to share and drop it off at the staff room beforehand.
Online info session for whānau of Children’s University participants – 8 April
There is an online webinar on Wednesday 8 April 7pm – 8pm for whānau of CU ākonga, covering how the programme works and answering frequently asked questions. It will be facilitated by Te Wānanga Nohinohi ki Te Kunenga Children’s University Massey Programme Manager, Janet, and assisted by the wider CU team. Whānau will need to register here to receive a webinar link.
Register for the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge – Friday 8 May
Please Click Here and follow the link to individually register your child online for the event. Event cost is $32.50 which will be paid online as part of registration. If you are having trouble registering please email dan.miller@swis.school.nz
SWIS is booking buses for the event Please indicate via the survey in HERO whether or not your registered child will need transport to and from the event. The bus cost will between $10 and 15 which we will be able to confirm once we have final numbers.
This is not a mandatory event. Students can choose if they would like to participate. If students do participate they will be marked as present at a school event.
Chess boards and spare pieces needed
Chess has become very popular with over 25 students coming along to lunchtime Chess on Thursdays and a further 18 signed up for the Enrichment session! We could do with some more sets and even just the odd spare piece. If you have any going spare, we’d love to have them, please drop off to the office. Many thanks!
Illness in the community
Change of season bugs are doing the rounds! If your child is ill, please keep them home and notify the office of any absences or submit via the HERO app. Many thanks.
Helping Our Students Stay Safe — Online and Offline
As our students become more independent, it’s a great time to have regular, calm conversations about personal safety. You might talk with your child about what to do if someone they don’t know offers them a ride, gifts, or anything for free, and remind them it’s always okay to say no.
Encourage your child to trust their instincts and to let you know if anything unusual or uncomfortable happens, so you can support them together. We encourage parents to inform the school of any incidents and keep us updated, so we can respond appropriately and share relevant information with other local schools if needed.
Tips for managing WhatsApp
1. The “Bystander Effect”
The lesson: Even if you don’t post, being in a group can look like you agree with what is being said.
The talk: Remind your child that “silence sends a message.” If someone is being bullied or inappropriate content is shared, staying in the group—even as a silent observer—can link them to that behaviour.
2. Protect Your Digital Footprint
The lesson: Screenshots can last forever.
The talk: Being associated with “toxic” chats can have long-term consequences. Future schools, coaches, and employers may consider a student’s digital reputation. Don’t let someone else’s poor choices impact future opportunities.
3. The “Exit Button” is a Power Move
The lesson: Leaving a chat is a sign of confidence, not weakness.
The talk: Encourage your child to take control of their digital space. If they feel awkward leaving, they can use a simple “social out,” such as:
“My parents check my phone and I don’t want to get in trouble, so I’m heading out. Catch you later!”
The 60-Second Tech Fix
You can stop people (including “friends of friends”) from adding your child to groups without their permission. Please help your child update this setting today:
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Privacy > Groups
- Change “Everyone” to “My Contacts”
This simple step ensures that only people your child knows can add them to a group.
School news
Science at SWIS
This week in Science, students explored three types of faults: transform, convergent, and divergent. They brought these concepts to life by recreating them using playdough.
Before testing their ideas, students made predictions about how different structures might respond to earthquakes. They then used a shake table—a platform designed to simulate earthquake motion—to put their thinking to the test, building and experimenting with brick structures
Community Events
Check out what’s on in our area!
Click on the links below to visit the South Coast information website with all the local events and activities on offer.
There are also plenty of school holiday activities and programmes advertised here!
