Though it’s the final couple of weeks of the year, there’s still so much to look forward to! Thank you all for your patience and understanding as the building work continues. Your support during this time is greatly appreciated, and the results will be well worth it.
As we begin the season of Advent, let us take a moment to reflect on this special time of hope, preparation, and anticipation for the coming of Christ. Advent is a beautiful reminder to slow down amidst the busyness, light the candles of our wreaths, and prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus. Blessings to you all as we journey through this first week of Advent together.
A special thanks to all those who joined the working bee – your efforts have truly made a difference, and the school grounds are looking fantastic.
Earlier this week, we gathered for the Hands of Christ Mass, a celebration of service and faith. Congratulations to the children who received awards for embodying our values of faith, love, humility, and justice. You make us all very proud.
Please read below for important updates on staffing changes for next year. We are excited about the opportunities these changes will bring and will keep you informed every step of the way.
Finally, I look forward to seeing many of you at the Featherston Santa Parade tomorrow. Let’s come together to spread some festive cheer and celebrate the season as a school community.
Ngā mihi nui,
Lindsey
The only constant is change!
As we look ahead to 2025, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of our staff and welcome new faces to our school community.
Farewells:
- Amber Gray: Amber has won the position of Team Leader at Douglas Park School. We thank her for her dedication as our New Entrant Teacher and Director of Religious Studies. We wish her all the best in this exciting new chapter of her career.
- Michelle Rowe: After serving as our release teacher for the last couple of years, Michelle will be moving on to St Patrick's School to take on her own class. We wish her every success in her new role.
- Isaac Burt: Congratulations to Isaac our Hub Club Captain, who has completed college and is embarking on his journey into the workforce. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
Welcomes:
- Natilee Orbell: We are delighted to welcome Natilee as our new reception class teacher. We look forward to the wonderful contributions she will bring to our school.
- Melissa Ngātai: Melissa joins us as a teacher aide and trainee teacher. We are excited to have her on board and hope she finds her time with us both fulfilling and rewarding.
Temporary Changes:
- Mary Sankey: Unfortunately, Mary is unwell and will be on sick leave until the end of Term 1, 2025. We send her our prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
- Jocelyn Kebbell: Jocelyn is a familiar face at St Teresa's and will be covering Wairarapa during Mary’s absence. We are grateful for her support during this time and appreciate her spending time with the class today.
- New appointments: We are currently interviewing for the roles of cleaner, afterschool care supervisor, and holiday club supervisor and will bring you news of those appointments in due course.
Your input matters. Please take just 5 minutes to complete our Health and Physical Education Survey and help shape the future of our students’ learning experience.
👉 CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY
Every two years, we ask for your feedback to ensure our Health and Physical Education programmes reflect your expectations and needs. This is not just a Ministry of Education requirement—it’s a meaningful opportunity for you to directly influence the way we teach vital topics.
The survey covers seven key areas:
- Mental Health
- Sexuality Education (focused on pubertal change for Years 7 and 8)
- Food and Nutrition
- Body Care and Physical Safety
- Physical Activity
- Sport Studies
- Outdoor Education
Your voice helps us understand what’s important to you and your whānau. Let’s work together to create a programme that empowers and inspires every student.
Thank you for taking the time to make a difference!
Last Monday a group of students attended the South Wairarapa Athletics Sports. They all did very well, despite some tough competition, and displayed that excellent St Teresa’s attitude.! A huge thank you to Jess and Louise for supporting us on the day.
After the South Wairarapa event, we had three students qualify for the Wellington Regional Athletics in Wellington. A huge congratulations to Neo, Lockie and Korban for making it through, and to their families who supported them in attending. What excellent results for our small school!
What a beary exciting day we had at the Junior Teddy Bears Picnic! The students arrived with their beloved fluffy friends, but we’re pretty sure there were more teddies than kids—our classrooms looked like a toy shop explosion!
The day was packed with fun activities. We made delicious fruit kebabs (a real hit with both the kids and their bears), and then sat under the trees for a picnic feast. The teddies were on their best behavior, though a few were caught eyeing the kebabs a little too closely!
Afterward, the festivities continued with Christmas crafts, plenty of singing, and oodles of laughter. It was a magical day that left everyone smiling—especially the teddies, who are now insisting on coming to school every day!
On Tuesday we celebrated our final Mass for 2024 which was a wonderful finish to the year. We had many children receive Hands of Christ badges, who had challenged themselves to try new things and to be of service to others.
Pa Dennis blessed our Christmas wreaths and our badges and we lit the candle of ‘hope’ for the first week of Advent. Advent means ‘arrival’ - we are anticipating the arrival of Jesus. Each week a new candle is lit to give us a new focus in this Advent season.
Waiorongomai
We were so fortunate to have some of our Year 8 students join us for Transition on Thursday. We had five students visiting who are starting school next year. The Year 8 students supported our new friends with crafting, playing, and some ball activities. They demonstrated great kindness and leadership. Tino pai tō mahi e hoa ma!
Moving on Conference
On Monday, our Year 8s attended the Year 8 Moving On Conference. There were a range of activities from dance, drama, jewellery making, cooking, science, sport and electronics. They all had a blast - they enjoyed spending time with year 8s from other schools, as well as gaining some new experiences.
Our Road Patrollers had a great day at the Masterton Indoor Recreation Centre last week, alongside around 200 other Road Patrollers from schools all around the Wairarapa. This event was run by the Wairarapa Road Safety Council, and was as a reward for another great year of service these students have given their school. A fun day was had by all.
Congratulations to Brandon for being awarded as our Road Patroller of the Year, and was awarded the most valuable Road Patroller in the Wairarapa.
As the weather heats up please make sure your child has a water bottle, sun hat and sunscreen.
Students who are not wearing a pōtae (hat) will need to stay in the shade during outdoor learning, PE and at break times. Help your tamariki to fully participate in learning and play by providing a sun hat.
Ngā mihi
Due to ongoing building works at the school, our Holiday Hub Club will not be running over the summer break this year. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to your holiday plans and appreciate your understanding. We’re excited to welcome all students back to an improved school environment once the work is completed. In the meantime, we encourage you to explore alternative holiday activity options available in the community. Thank you for your continued support.
Special Wairarapa Parish Christmas Event and Mass
You are warmly welcomed to join our parish for a Christmas celebration.
- Saturday 14th December at 4pm at Carterton Event Centre
- Christmas Carols followed by Mass at 5pm
Then entertainment, including Father Christmas, who will distribute gifts for small children and do lolly scramble for all.
This will be followed by shared meal of savoury and sweet finger food.
Please contact Helen Morgan if you would like to help, in any way, on the day. 027 225 6722
Contact Us
Email: office@teresas.school.nz
Website: https://www.teresas.school.nz/
Location: St Teresa's School Bell Street, Featherston, New Zealand
Phone: 06 308 9064
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/St-Teresas-Featherston/100057033717170/