24 April 2026

Kia ora whānau,

As we finally settle back into school life after a tumultuous start with the nasty weather event, I am continually amazed by the positivity and resilience shown by our young people and slightly older people (staff!) at our school. If your child has been affected by this week’s events, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are here to support you. Thank you for the trust you place in us; it’s a privilege to work with such a fantastic group of young people. We’ve reset and are back into our learning.

School Developments

At our recent Board meeting, several exciting improvements were approved. The hall will be repainted (our much-loved murals will remain), a new purpose-built Year 7–8 playground will be installed (Ministry-funded), and additional cabinetry will be added to Rooms 13–16 (our new classrooms). We will also be purchasing new sports uniforms in the coming months.

Alongside our new technology block currently under construction, these developments mark a significant step forward for our school environment. Our school is great but sometimes it is hard to look past parts that have not been treated well for reasons out of the school’s control. Our students, community and teachers have and do deserve better. The Board should be commended for their commitment to the enhancement of our environment.

Attendance Matters

Regular attendance at school is important to your child’s success and there is a clear connection between going to school regularly and doing well.  Regular school attendance supports not just academic performance, but also develops social connection, self-discipline, independence and responsibility – essential life skills.

In April 2024, the Government announced a regular attendance target of 80% of students to be present for more than 90% of the term by 2030.

Supporting regular attendance is a shared responsibility. Please ensure your child attends school each day and let us know promptly if they are absent by messaging through the app or contacting the school. We acknowledge that there are genuine reasons students may occasionally be absent. However, without regular attendance, your child will struggle to make progress. If a term-time holiday is unavoidable, please notify me and your child’s homeroom teacher at least two weeks in advance. These absences are recorded as unjustified. See here for more information on justified and unjustified absences.

We are here to support your child’s attendance and wellbeing. If you are experiencing challenges getting your child to school, please reach out, whether that’s speaking with your child’s homeroom teacher, emailing me, or arranging a meeting. We are happy to work with you to develop a support plan that addresses any barriers to regular attendance. That is important to us. More information on attendance, including your rights and responsibilities as parents or caregivers, is available on the Ministry of Education’s webpage: Attendance and Attendance Guidance.

Public holiday reminder!

Finally, just a reminder that Monday 27 April is a public holiday (ANZAC Day, Mondayised), and the school will be closed.

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Term 2 Dates

• 25 April – Wellington South Anzac Commemoration at Island Bay School
• 27 April – Public Holiday to mark Anzac Day, school closed
• 29 & 30 April – Three-way Conferences – book via HERO
• 4 May – Term 2 Pōwhiri for new starters
• 6 May – Kapa haka & PolyClub Cultural exchange at The Park, 11am – 12pm
• 6 May – “Left to their own Devices” with Jo Robertson, 7pm in the school hall. See details below
• 8 May – Tough Guy and Gal Challenge
• 20 May – Kapa haka group visit: Māori Performing Arts Programme at Wellington High School
• 1 June – King’s Birthday, school closed
• 4 June – National Young Leaders Day (NYLD) trip
• 3 July – Last day of Term 2

Note: Matariki is in the July School Holidays

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School Notices

Three-way Conferences on next week! 29/30 April

Next week we have our three-way Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences — an excellent opportunity to hear about your child’s learning, progress, and wellbeing. If you haven’t already, please log into Hero to book a time for Tuesday 29 April or Wednesday 30 April.

Conferences run from 2:30pm–7:30pm, with 15-minute sessions available. These meetings bring together caregivers, teachers, and ākonga, and students are expected to attend.

Please note that on both days, students will be dismissed at 2:00pm. If your child needs to remain at school, they can be supervised in the hall until 3:00pm—just let their classroom teacher know.

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.

Construction reminder

We have ongoing construction at school, so please remind your child to take care around these areas.

Save the Date: Staff Only Day – 17 August

A Staff Only Day for professional development has been confirmed and will be held on 17 August — the school will be closed to students.

Term 2 Pōwhiri for new starters – 4 May

All students must be at school by 8:45am, wearing the correct green school uniform. The day will begin with a pōwhiri in the Hall. After the pōwhiri, new starters are invited to the staffroom to whakanoa (lift tapu) with kai.

“Left to their own Devices” with Jo Robertson, 7pm on 6 May

Jo will be sharing practical strategies and key insights to help parents navigate the digital world. Her expertise is highly sought-after, and we believe this will be incredibly valuable for our parent communities. 7pm on 6 May in the school hall

Link for booking is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/left-to-their-own-devices-tickets-1987286790286?aff=oddtdtcreator

2026 World of Wearable Art Preview Show opportunity – 16 September

Once again we are lucky enough to be able to offer a maximum of 50 students the opportunity to attend the preview show of WOW 2026 Glo on Wednesday 16 September. The cost per student is $50 and places for this amazing experience will be allocated on a first-in, first-served basis via the poll on HERO (go into the Feed Tab at the bottom of the app), with first priority given to students from the ShowQuest Toi group. Miss Sangster and Greg will be accompanying the students and waiting with them afterward until they have been collected. You will be notified if your child is one of the 50 to attend and the cost will be added to your child’s Hero account. PLEASE NOTE: THIS EVENT IS FOR STUDENTS ONLY, NOT FOR PARENTS! SORRY!

College Open Evenings/Days for Year 8s

As our Year 8 students begin to think about secondary school, a number of local colleges are holding open days and evenings. These are a great opportunity for students and whānau to visit schools, meet staff, and learn more about what each college offers.

Rongotai College (RC) will hold its Open Evening on Tuesday 10 June at 6pm (no booking required). In addition, all Year 8 boys will visit Rongotai College during school time on Friday 5 June from 9–11:30am, with transport provided from SWIS.

Wellington High School (WHS) has its Open Evening on Monday 8 June.

Wellington East Girls’ College (WEGC) is holding Open Evenings on Thursday 11 June, with two sessions available: 3–4:30pm and 6–8pm. Booking is required via their website.

Wellington College (WBC) will host Open Mornings on Monday 15 June and Tuesday 16 June from 9–11am. No booking is required.

Wellington Girls’ College (WGC) has Open Day sessions on Thursday 18 June at 9am, 9:45am, and 11:45am. Bookings are required through their website.

St Catherine’s College (SCC) will hold its Open Evening on Wednesday 10 June from 6–7:30pm (booking required). They will also be visiting SWIS to speak with students on Wednesday 6 June at 9am in the school hall.

St Patrick’s College (SPC) is offering Open Days on Tuesday 23 June and Thursday 25 June, with sessions available from 10–11:30am or 12:30pm–2:00pm. Bookings are required via their website.

We encourage families to attend these events to help support students in making informed decisions about their next steps.

Are you interested in becoming a Homestay Family for an International Student?

Hosting an international student can be a rewarding experience for your family. It is a great opportunity to share your culture, learn about another, and see the world from a different perspective.

Our students usually stay for 2 – 6 weeks. We are looking for caring and supportive families who will welcome a student into their home and enjoy the experience they bring.

As a homestay family, you will need to provide:

• three meals each day
• a private bedroom (with a heater)
• access to a bathroom and laundry facilities.

Host families receive a contribution of $80 per day ($400 per week).

For more information, please see our Homestay Family Information Booklet. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, see more info and apply here.

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Community Events

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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.