St Teresa's School Newsletter

What a fantastic term it’s been! From Booktown to Catholic Schools Day, Pūkaha, and our beautiful Matariki whānau breakfast and school disco — it’s been a term filled with celebration, connection, and pride in our tamariki.

Mid-year reports will be available on Hero this afternoon. These reports reflect the incredible progress and hard work your children have put in, and we couldn’t be prouder. Please see below for more information about the differences in reporting this year.

Thank you for the overwhelming support shown to Mary and our staff this term—it has meant so much to our school community. We are also deeply grateful to all the whānau who have helped out with trips, overnight adventures, and sporting events. Your support makes it possible to offer these enriching experiences.

To our amazing teachers and support staff—thank you for your energy, creativity, and commitment. We are so lucky to have such a dedicated team supporting our children every day.

Ngā mihi nui to FOSTA for another great term of fundraising, and to our Board of Trustees for your steady guidance and support through what has been a busy and, at times, challenging term.

Mark your calendars—Grandparents Day is coming up in Term 3! We look forward to welcoming whānau for a special celebration of time, connection, and shared memories.

Wishing you all a restful and joyful break. Term 3 is just around the corner and already shaping up to be full of exciting opportunities!

Ngā mihi mahana,
Lindsey Dailly
Tumuaki

Monday 14th July

Term 3 Starts

Tuesday 15th July

The Ned Show

Learning Conversations 2pm -8pm

Friday 18th July

Assembly Tākitimu

Monday 21st July

Mihi Whakatau 9am

Battle of the Books

Tuesday 22nd July

Kuranui Roadshow Y8

Wednesday 23rd July

Football Tournament

Miniball Starts

Friday 25th July

Mass Juniors 10am

PP Football Tournament

Sunday 27th July

Grandparents Day Celebration 10.30am - 1.30pm

One of our big goals for 2025 was to fundraise for a school minivan—and we’re thrilled to share that we’ve done it! Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we were able to reach our goal far more quickly than expected.

A huge thank you to Pub Charity, Trust House, and South Wairarapa Rotary for their generous grants. FOSTA has also gone above and beyond with their fundraising efforts to help push us over the line. None of this would be possible without the amazing Conder whānau at Wairarapa Motors, who have sourced the van and are currently busy preparing it with all the bells and whistles—including beautiful signwriting!

We’re also incredibly grateful to Wairarapa Motors, who have pledged to keep our new minivan in top condition in the years ahead. What an incredible act of generosity.

We can’t wait to surprise the kids when we drive it into school—what a moment that will be!

This has truly been a fabulous community effort—one that will ensure our tamariki can be out and about, participating in events, sports, trips and opportunities for many years to come.

From the bottom of my heart—thank you. What an amazing school and community we are part of!

Our Matariki celebrations were a wonderful reflection of the unity, creativity, and spirit that make our school so special.

We began with our very first whānau breakfast—a heartwarming occasion that brought students, staff, and whānau together to share kai and connection. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Throughout the day, our tamariki took part in a variety of hands-on activities celebrating te ao Māori—including craft, poi, tī rākau, and kapa haka. These rich cultural experiences were a powerful way for students to explore and honour the significance of Matariki.

In the evening, the school quad came alive with music and laughter as students danced the night away at our Matariki Disco under the stars—a truly magical way to end the day! Thank you to Fosta for running the coolest store in town!

Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated community volunteers worked through the night to prepare the hāngī pit for the Featherston Matariki Festival. We are so grateful for your time, energy, and support. To end the week, a group of our students performed alongside South Featherston School at the Featherston community celebration, sharing waiata and haka with pride.

Matariki is a time to reflect, connect, and look ahead with hope. We are already looking forward to building on this year’s celebrations in 2026!

We were sad to say goodbye to the Portales family earlier this term as they made the move to Christchurch. Mr O’Reilly, their grandfather, has let us know that they are doing really well and are settling into life at West Rolleston School. It’s wonderful to hear they’re enjoying being part of an exciting new adventure. We wish them all the very best in this next chapter!

Our Junior Poetry Recital was a delightful showcase of talent, confidence, and creativity. From humorous rhymes to thoughtful reflections, the range of poems chosen was impressive—and so was the bravery of our young performers standing up in front of an audience!

It was heartwarming to see students speaking so clearly and expressively, and the audience was thoroughly entertained. We are so proud of our budding poets and speakers—what a wonderful sign of the strong communicators we’re growing here at St Teresa’s.

Ka rawe, tamariki mā!

This term’s mid-year reports reflect the transition to the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. As part of this national shift, schools are beginning to implement new learning content and updated progressions in English and Mathematics.

What you will see in the report:
Each report includes:

• A teacher comment about your child’s progress in English (reading, writing, and oral language)

• A comment on Mathematics, across all strands

• A general comment about your child’s learning behaviours, key competencies, and engagement

Reports will also include information about your child’s progress in relation to the expectations for their year level. This provides a sense of how they are tracking with the learning introduced so far under the refreshed curriculum.

No attainment levels yet:
Because the content and structure of the curriculum have changed significantly, we have decided not to publish individual attainment levels at this time. Children need time to engage with and learn the new material before meaningful judgements can be made. The Ministry of Education has encouraged schools to take a considered and thoughtful approach during this transition period.

No graphs this year:
Graphs showing achievement over time, which were included in previous reports, are not part of this year’s format. This is because data from the previous curriculum does not align with the refreshed content, and comparisons would not be accurate.

We appreciate your understanding as we work through these changes. For more information about the curriculum refresh, please visit the Ministry of Education’s website:
🔗 https://curriculumrefresh.education.govt.nz

If you have any questions about your child’s report, please contact their classroom teacher.

After finishing top 20 at the Wairarapa Cross Country, three of our incredible students made it through to the Regional Cross Country in Upper Hutt. Congratulations to Etienne, Kaylah and Neo. We are so proud of you! A huge thank you to their whānau for making it possible for them to attend.

Congratulations to our talented students who took part in the South Wairarapa Speech Competition. Lachlan represented St Teresa’s with a thought-provoking speech on Why Space Exploration is Not Worth the Investment, while Ryley delivered a compelling argument on Why Everyone Should Have Siblings. Both speakers did an outstanding job representing our school with confidence and clarity.

A big thank you to Tawera and Elsie for being our fabulous comperes on the day—their poise and professionalism helped the event run smoothly. And an extra shout-out to Elsie, who also took on the role of host at the Wairarapa Regional Finals. Ka rawe!

This term an amazing group of Year 7 and 8 students have participated in the South Wairarapa Basketball competition. This is held on Wednesday evenings at Kuranui College. Our team has had a wonderful season with some incredible plays and excellent sportsmanship. After a nail biting last half of the season, our team walked away in 6th place. What an incredible effort from the dedicated team! A huge thank you to their whānau who came along to support the team.

Our goal setting event is on Tuesday 15th July 2.00 pm - 8.00 pm. To book a slot with your child/ren's teacher please download the Hero app and follow the instructions below;

TO MAKE A BOOKING

1. Log into the Hero app

2. Navigate to the School Bookings event and click ADD

This will display a table of all available slots for all your children

3. To add a booking, click a GREEN slot. The booking popup will be displayed. To allow time to travel between meetings you will be unable to book consecutive slots.

4. You will have the option of entering a note for the relevant staff member. Clicking CONFIRM will secure the interview slot.

5. Once a booking is made all other slots will become unavailable to prevent duplicate bookings.

6. If you have more than one child at school you will be unable to choose back to back timeslots with their teacher. This will allow us to stay on track with the timetable.

7. To cancel or change a booking click MANAGE BOOKINGS.

I’m Nicole Robinson – mum to Heath (Year 4) and Walter, who’s starting at St Teresa’s in Term 4. I was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2022 and currently serve as Presiding Member.

I joined the Board to help our school thrive and become a place where our children feel supported, inspired, and proud to belong. Having grown up in a small Catholic primary school myself, I remember the strong family feel and community spirit – something I’ve always wanted for my own children.

Being on the Board has been a privilege. It’s a chance to support the people who make St Teresa’s so special and to help give our tamariki the best start in life. The world is changing fast, and I believe in doing what I can to help grow great people who will lead and contribute to that world. You don’t need to be an expert to be on the Board – just someone who cares and is willing to learn.

It’s been a fantastic year so far – from the Booktown Market and Matariki Disco to sports tournaments, school trips, and FOSTA’s amazing fundraising. We’ve also seen the Junior Classrooms refurbished, with more improvements on the way. And we’re looking forward to the Gala on August 24th and the school production, “What’s the Crime, Mr Wolf?”

A huge thank you to our staff, whānau, and volunteers for everything you do. A special shout-out to the Dailly family – especially Mr Dailly, who’s often at school on weekends with a power tool in hand, helping make our school more inclusive and supporting our wonderful principal, Mrs Dailly. We couldn’t do what we do without you.

Board elections are coming up in September 2025. If you’re curious about getting involved or know someone who’d be great, I’d love to chat. We’re always looking for a diverse, balanced Board that reflects our amazing community.

Ngā mihi nui,

Nicole Robinson

Presiding Member, Board of Trustees

A big shout-out to our tamariki and whānau for making attendance a priority this term. 79% of our students attended regularly (that means over 90% attendance), and 27 amazing students made it into our “100s Club” for not missing a single day of school—ka pai! These students went home with a well-earned chocolate slab to celebrate their commitment!

We know that every day at school counts—more school means more learning, more friendships, and a brighter future. Regular attendance sets strong foundations for success and helps build positive learning habits that last a lifetime.

As we head into the colder months, it’s also the time of year when winter bugs start doing the rounds. Here are a few simple things we can all do to stay well:

• Hydrate – drinking plenty of water keeps our immune systems strong

• Wash hands often – especially before eating and after using the toilet

• Catch coughs and sneezes – into your elbow, not your hands!

• Stay home if you're sick – if your child has a fever, vomiting, or any contagious illness, it’s best they rest and recover at home

Let’s keep working together to support great attendance and healthy habits—every day at school makes a difference!

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/