|
|
|
|
|
Welcome, nau mai, afio mai, namaste, konnichiwa, nĭ hăo, talofa, komosta, vanakkam, auybowan, ഹലോ
|
|
Newsletter
25 August 2026
Term 3
|
|
|
It is wonderful to see so much happening in our school. We have a lot to celebrate as we work together to support our students’ learning and growth. Our weekly timetables are carefully balanced to ensure we cover the curriculum while providing plenty of extra opportunities for our students.
|
Last week, we celebrated New Zealand Children's Book Week with a fantastic author visit. We thank our librarian, Sandra Keane, for coordinating the visit with author Gillian Candler. Gillian presented three times to each area of our school, sharing her passion for writing and stories. On Tuesday, we enjoyed our annual Book Character Day. While the weather prevented us from gathering as a whole school to admire our book costumes, the level of creativity on display was wonderful and a joy to see, highlighting our shared love of literacy. This week, Book Week continues at St Brendan’s with our schoolwide reading rotation where daily a different teacher reads to each class.
|
|
Supporting Student Teachers
|
|
We are pleased to welcome two student teachers to our team on placement through until the end of October. Amber Rainey is working with Room 10, and Erin Gardiner is with Room 6. It is a privilege for us to support them on their learning journey as they train to become teachers.
|
|
|
|
|
Upper Hutt Cultural Festival
|
|
We are very proud of our students who represented us at the Upper Hutt Cultural Festival, which marked a significant 50th anniversary. Our Kapa Haka group, Kaikawe o te Kupu o Rongopai (Messenger of the Good News), performed with pride, bearing a name gifted to us by Whaea Brioney Fiso, a legacy of Orongomai Marae and esteemed kaihaka. Our Pasifika group also shone with a stick fire dance and a Samoan gospel dance. A heartfelt thank you to all the tutors and staff members who led and coordinated these groups.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank You to All Volunteers - You are Appreciated
|
We acknowledge our sports volunteers; the people who manage, coach, umpire, and coordinate our St Brendan’s teams. Our sports programme would not be possible without your time and talents. A big congratulations to our netball teams on a successful end to their season. We look forward to the ongoing basketball and floorball games, as well as the return of touch rugby next term.
|
|
Break Times at St Brendan’s
|
|
Exciting opportunities are available during break times at St Brendan's! Our Year 7-8 Navigator students are leading a variety of engaging clubs, and our dedicated learning support team is also offering different activities. There's so much on offer, so come and check one or more out – students are sure to find something fun to do and new things to try! Our Library is currently also open daily during morning tea time - a great place to enjoy a book or a game of chess!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Regular conversations at home help to minimise the harm if things go wrong online. Research shows that parents are key to the success of children and young people becoming safe, confident and capable in their use of digital technology. Most social media platforms have a minimum age requirement before rangatahi can open an account. Get ready for those teenage years and check out Netsafe’s introduction to online safety on social media platforms. Need advice about safer internet use? Contact the Netsafe helpline for free confidential advice: 0508638723.
|
|
Attendance Notifications: A Quick Note
|
At St Brendan’s, we are committed to supporting every student’s learning, well-being, and success. Since the beginning of Term 1, 2026, all state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand have been required to have an Attendance Management Plan in place. These plans help us ensure that every child is safely accounted for and that we can identify and remove barriers to attendance early. As part of our commitment to this plan, and in line with Ministry of Education guidance regarding the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR), you may occasionally receive a notification regarding your child’s absence.
|
|
Why you may receive a notification
|
We know that families often notify the office or classroom teacher of a child's absence, and we appreciate you doing so. However, our attendance management process requires us to send notifications at different levels of absence. If you receive a notice after you have already communicated the reason for your child’s absence, please know this is a routine procedural step to ensure our records are 100% accurate and to keep our community safe.
|
These notifications are not intended to be a worry; they are a helpful way to keep lines of communication open so we can partner with you to support your child’s consistent attendance and ongoing learning. Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep our school community safe and thriving.
|
|
We extend a warm welcome to Jezebel and Charlize, who have recently joined our Room 3A learning team.
|
|
|
|
SCHOOL NEWS - NGĀ MAHI O TE KURA
|
|
|
|
|
Gillian Candler visits St Brendan's School
|
|
We were thrilled to welcome author, teacher, publisher, and conservationist Gillian Candler to St Brendan's during Book Week! Her wonderful books encourage us to explore, discover, and appreciate the natural world around us.
|
|
|
|
|
Room 3 talks about Gillian's visit
|
We all loved seeing the pictures on the big screen! We had to look for glow worms, owls, a mouse, possums and a giant snail!
|
|
"It was cool that Gillian came to St Brendan's."
|
|
"I liked Gillian's books."
|
|
"I liked the owl statue, we all pretended to be owls."
|
|
Finn and Raphael liked the kiwi statue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Book Character Day! It was wonderful to see everyone’s creative and fun costumes while raising funds for our PTF to support the school library. Here is what some of our tamariki said about the day:
|
|
"I liked that someone in my class was dressed as a Star Wars character like me! I was Baby Yoda, and they were the Mandalorian."
|
"We got to dress up as a book character that we liked. I liked seeing everyone's costumes." Clara
|
|
"I liked looking at everyone's costumes when they were standing up in our classroom."
|
|
|
|
Our Explorer Teachers as the Lorax
|
|
|
|
Room 3, Room 3a, Rooms 4 and 5 and Room 9
|
|
|
|
Room 10 and Room 12. Navara (UP THE WAHS!!) and Mana spying on us as Sherlock Holmes!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Before school: 8.30am - 10am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please send in any Yummy Apple stickers to Mrs Heather Campbell or drop them to the office by September 1st. Thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
Please remember that the area directly outside school on Palmer Crescent is a 5-minute loading zone. This is to help move traffic through smoothly when caregivers are collecting their children.
|
|
|
|
|
|
GRACE AND GRATITUDE - HE KŌRERO AROHA
|
|
|
- Thank you to Staglands for the Dad's go Free vouchers for the 5-6th of September. You will need to take the voucher with you on the day.
|
|
|
|
- Thank you to our community for supporting our PTFs Non-Uniform Book Character day, raising funds for our library.
- Thank you to our PTF for the spot prizes for Book Character Day for each classroom!
|
|
|
CELEBRATING STUDENTS SUCCESS
|
|
And just like that, the 2026 Netball season is over!
|
This year, five St Brendan’s teams proudly represented our school every Saturday throughout the winter season – Year 3 Taimana, Year 4 Tapawhā, Year 6 Tapatoru, Year 6,7 and 8 Rua and Year 7 & 8 Tahi. Every team competed with pride, showed our GRACE values, and represented St Brendan’s beautifully.
|
At Hutt Valley Netball, netball is graded, and over 80 teams spread over 13 divisions of Hutt Valley Intermediate teams play to win their grades.
|
|
A huge congratulations to Tahi, who finished 3rd in Division 2 for Round 2, and finished 2nd first round 1 and to our young Rua team, mostly made up of Year 6 players competing at Intermediate level, who had an incredible unbeaten season – taking out Division 8 in Round 1 and Division 4 in Round 2! What an achievement!
|
St Brendan’s Netball continues to go from strength to strength, and none of it would be possible without our amazing village. A massive thank you to our coaches, managers, umpires and whānau who turn up week after week, rain or shine, and support our players and this kaupapa. We have loved celebrating the growth and development together as one big Netball whānau. We are incredibly proud of all our players and the way they represent our kura.
|
We will celebrate the season on September 4th, at 6pm at the St Brendan's Netball Prizegiving.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Team Rua, with their Division 8 trophy and their Division 4 trophy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I enjoyed playing netball when we won, I loved dressing up on dress up day and liked playing with my team and getting better every game.
|
I like how my team was trying and cant wait to play again next year. By Zaria
|
|
Well done, our littlest netballers! We are so proud of you!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This past weekend, Eva-Rose competed in her final gymnastics competition of the season in Levin, wrapping it up with her highest score yet!
|
Competing with the Rimutaka Gym Club, she took 1st place on the beam, 1st on bars, and 3rd on floor. While helping her team secure 1st place overall!
|
|
Incredible work, Eva-Rose! You are a star!
|
|
|
|
|
|
NGĀ WHAKAARO A TE POARI - BOARD NEWS
|
|
|
As I write this, it’s a beautiful sunny day, and daffodils and blossoms are starting to bloom. Spring is approaching, a season that symbolises new life and rebirth, an important part of our Catholic faith. We are also excited to see the rebirth of rooms 6 and 7 nearing completion.
|
|
It was wonderful to see all the imaginative costumes for Book Day last week. Thank you students, staff, parents, and families, for the effort you put in. I was lucky to watch all the Explorer classes parade together in the hall.
|
Wishing you well for the second half of Term 3.
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMMUNITY NEWS - NGĀ PITO KŌRERO O TE HAPORI
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56 Palmer Crescent, Heretaunga, Upper Hutt 5019
|
|
office@stbrendans.school.nz
|
|
|
|
|
