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Welcome, nau mai, afio mai, namaste, konnichiwa, nĭ hăo, talofa, komosta, vanakkam, auybowan, ഹലോ
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Newsletter
28 July 2026
Term 3
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Welcome back to Term 3! We have had a wonderful start to the new term.
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School Improvements
During the school holidays, we were busy working on several projects to improve our school environment: Rooms 10 and 11 have been painted inside; Room 8 has a new roof, our school now has a new electrical switchboard, and our security system has been upgraded; We have new asphalt behind the hall to make it easier to reach the field, and our trees have been professionally trimmed; Great progress is being made on the major refurbishment of Rooms 6 and 7. This project will deliver two amazing classrooms, each with a breakout room, wet area, and ample storage. Currently, Room 6 is operating from the hall and Room 7 from Room 2, but we look forward to them relocating as soon as the block reopens!
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Due to recent electrical work, we have also replaced the heat pumps in Rooms 10 and 11. We want to say a huge thank you to Mrs Angela Law and Miss Rosie Hopkins for adapting their teaching, and to our students for showing such flexibility and resilience while they worked in the library and the STEAM room last week.
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Celebrating 65 Years and Our Recent Success
As we celebrate our school’s 65th birthday this year, we have explored the decades that have shaped our history. Each class journeyed through a particular decade, discovering the stories, music, and events from that time, which culminated in our brilliant school production last term.
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We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and the way they brought our history to life. A special thank you to the amazing team who coordinated every part of the show, and to everyone who came to watch and celebrate with us. We have received so much heartwarming feedback, which truly reflects the spirit of our community. Thank you for your ongoing support.
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Welcoming New Families
Last Thursday, we held a mihi whakatau to welcome our new students and their families. It was a lovely, warm welcome. This term, we welcome: Amelia, Adalyn, Ivy-Mae, Ezekiel, Ted, Ryan, Olivia, Lindy and Kaison to Room 3A, and Cadence to Room 4. We invite all members of our community to join us at our termly mihi whakatau to help us welcome newcomers.
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Celebrating Matariki
On Friday, the whole school celebrated Matariki together. We began our day in our House groups for prayers and a shared breakfast. During the rest of the day, students continued their learning and celebrations in their teams and classes. The three key principles for Matariki are:
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- Matariki Hunga Nui - Remembrance
Honouring those we have lost since the last rising of Matariki.
- Matariki Ahunga Nui - Celebrating the Present
Gathering together to give thanks for what we have.
- Matariki Manako Nui - Looking to the Future
Looking forward to the promise of a new year.
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This year’s theme of Matariki herenga waka is all about inclusion and encouraging all people to celebrate Matariki together. Everyone had a day of learning and fun celebrating together at St Brendan’s.
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Looking Ahead: Term 3
Last week, you received team newsletters and our Term 3 Community Calendar. We have an exciting term ahead with many learning opportunities and inter-school events for our students. Please mark your calendars for these upcoming dates:
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- Friday, 7 August: Grandparents Day We invite you to join us for a student-led liturgy at Our Lady of Grace at 10am. Afterwards, please join us in the school hall for morning tea, followed by a chance to visit your child in their classroom.
- Sunday, 9 August: First Holy Communion We invite our community to join us for Mass at 10:30am at Our Lady of Grace. We have many students who have prepared for their First Eucharist, and we encourage you to come along and support the candidates and their families.
- Friday, 15 August: Feast of the Assumption This is the patronal feast day of Aotearoa New Zealand. We hope you can join us for Mass at 9:30am at Our Lady of Grace (weather permitting).
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Staffing Update
We are currently working through the appointment process for a new Assistant Principal. While this is underway, we are grateful to our staff for their continued leadership:
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- Adventurer Team: Mrs Angela Law is the Acting Team Leader, with support from our Deputy Principal, Mrs Kerstin Wagner.
- Navigator Team: We are delighted to welcome Mrs Vanessa Smith-Graham back as she continues her recovery. Mrs Smith-Graham and Mrs Sarah Chard are co-leading the Navigator Team during this transition.
- Room 3: Miss Teresa Millar has joined Mrs Heather Campbell in Room 3, where they are enjoying welcoming our newest students to St Brendan’s.
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65th Anniversary Logo Refresh
We are creating a new logo for St Brendan’s to mark our anniversary. We want a design that is contemporary and reflects our special character while honouring our unique identity as the only school in Aotearoa named after St Brendan. Please email your thoughts or feedback to office@stbrendans.school.nz.
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Upper Hutt Cluster Board of Trustees Hui
Last Wednesday the Upper Hutt Principals' Association hosted a hui for all of our collective school boards to provide a chance to share, connect and discuss any key issues. We provided dedicated discussion areas for topics identified through a recent survey sent to our boards.
These topics were:
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- Student Achievement
- Being a Good Employer
- Connecting with Community
- Enrolment Zones
- Curriculum
- Te tiriti, Partnering with Iwi
It was an awesome opportunity to hear what's on top for the school boards of Upper Hutt and a great way to engage with those currently responsible for the governance of our collective kura.
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The presence and input from those who attended was greatly appreciated. Our heartfelt thanks goes to Tino and Aletia from the Ministry of Education, Matua Mike from Ōrongomai, Paul Thompson and the team from Kickstart, Heretaunga Branch of NZEI (who provided the kai), Aaron, Mandy and Jane from Awhi Attendance Services, Sarah Campbell from NZSBA, the wonderful team at UH Cossie Club, and of course the school staff and school boards of Upper Hutt.
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Mā tō rourou, mā taku rourou, ka ora te iwi.
With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.
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Every School Day is a Big Day - Part of "Kia Kotahi te Ū ki te Ako"
Punctuality is key to your child’s success at school. Arriving on time gives students the opportunity to settle in, unpack their bags, review the day’s schedule, and connect with their teachers and classmates, setting a positive and productive tone for the entire day. We welcome students from 8.30am, and day of learning begins with the bell at 8.55am. Equally important is staying at school until 2:55pm, as leaving early can disrupt both your child’s learning and the classroom environment. Our afternoon session is only 65 minutes long, but every minute is valuable and contributes to your child’s educational journey.
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TE WAKA WHAKAPONO - NAVIGATING WITH CHRIST
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THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
We are mindful of the various ways life touches our families. At this time, we hold close those in our community facing grief or health challenges. Please know that our collective thoughts and prayers are with you as you journey toward healing. You are not alone, and we are here to support you.
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SCHOOL NEWS - NGĀ MAHI O TE KURA
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ST BRENDAN’S UNIFORM GUIDELINES
Families must ensure these uniform guidelines are observed.
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- All students must be in full school uniform every day.
- Plain black school shoes are required for winter (no canvas or ballet shoes).
- Plain black sandals or plain black school shoes can be worn in summer.
- Year 7-8 students are required to wear covered shoes for health and safety at Technicraft.
- Students must wear wide brimmed school hats outside during Terms 1 and 4.
- Hair longer than the shoulders must be tied back. Permitted hair accessories must be plain navy, black, or bottle green hair ties, clips, or headbands. No fashion accessories are to be worn (e.g. oversized bows).
- Coloured hair and extreme hairstyles are not permitted.
- Only plain, small stud earrings may be worn with our school uniform.
- Necklaces of religious or cultural significance such as crosses, bone carvings, or greenstones may only be worn under uniform clothing, and must be removed for PE.
- Make-up and nail polish is not permitted.
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School staff will make contact with families if the uniform is not being worn appropriately.
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- During Term 3 students need to wear long sleeved shirts and long socks.
- Year 4 and above students need their PE uniform daily.
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SCHOOL POLICIES: SCHOOLDOCS
SchoolDocs is a website for our policies and procedures. We invite you to visit the site at https://stbrendans.schooldocs.co.nz (note that there's no "www."). Our username is "stbrendans" and password "navigators" to participate in the Term 3 reviews: Enrolment and Student Uniform.
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- Visit the website https://stbrendans.schooldocs.co.nz/1893.htm
- Enter the username (stbrendans) and password (navigators).
- Follow the link to the relevant policy as listed.
- Read the policy.
- Click the Policy Review button at the top right-hand corner of the page.
- Select the reviewer type "Parent".
- Enter your name (optional).
- Submit your ratings and comments.
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Over the school holiday break Helena G, from Room 11, won the Step 2 Individual Overall title at the Wellington Gymnastics Championships 2026! She competes for Rimutaka Gymsports. Congratulations Helena!
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HUTT VALLEY RUGBY LEAGUE REPS
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Congratulations to the following girls who have been selected for Hutt Valley Rugby League Rep teams: Journey from Room 10 in the U11's and in the U13's Cadence from Room 4, Fotu and Sasha from Room 5.
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Rayne, Room 11, participated in the Hutt Valley Performing Arts Competition during the first week of the school holiday's and achieved some wonderful results. He was awarded the HVPAC Yin Music Cup for his performance in the 20th/21st Century Composer category. He also received a silver badge for New Zealand Composer Under 10years; a bronze badge for Romantic Composer Under 10years; a bronze badge for Bach/Baroque Composer Under 10years.
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GRACE AND GRATITUDE - HE KŌRERO AROHA
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- Thank you to the Heretaunga Catholic Women's League for the recent donation which supports the pastoral care of our community.
- Thank you to Rosa Stewart and Charlie Law who took photos at the school production.
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- We extend our sincere thanks to our amazing teachers, support staff team, and tutors for their dedicated work in coordinating our recent school production. We are grateful to our community for your continued support and the positive feedback we have received following the show.
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TE ARA O NGĀ UARA - LIVING OUR VALUES THROUGH PB4L
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Over the next few weeks, our PB4L focus is Respect, with a special emphasis on positive relationships and friendship skills. Students will be learning what respectful friendships look like by listening to others, including everyone, encouraging classmates, being honest, showing forgiveness and helping others. Our key message is "Be the friend you'd love to have".
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Families can support this learning at home by talking about what makes a good friend, encouraging children to include others, and celebrating moments when they show respect, kindness and empathy. Together, we can help our young people build strong friendships and a school community where everyone feels welcomed, valued and connected.
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NGĀ WHAKAARO A TE POARI - BOARD NEWS
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As we begin another exciting term, the school board would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank the incredible staff at St Brendan's School. A heartfelt thank you to Veronica, our dedicated teaching team, and all our wonderful support staff for the truly outstanding school production at the end of Term 2. What a spectacular way to celebrate 65 wonderful years of St Brendan's School. It was a joy to journey through the history of our school alongside our tamariki and to witness their confidence, enthusiasm, and talent shine on stage.
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Productions like these don't just happen overnight. They require countless hours of planning, rehearsing, creating costumes, organising props, and supporting every tamaiti to feel successful. Thank you for giving our tamariki the gift of performance and creating memories that will stay with them for many years to come. We are incredibly grateful for everything that happened behind the scenes to make this celebration such a success.
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A friendly reminder that the new 30 km/h speed limit around the school is now in effect. Please help keep our tamariki, whānau, and wider community safe by observing the new speed limit at all times. We also ask that whānau avoid stopping on the yellow lines during drop-off and pick-up times. Keeping these areas clear ensures our road patrol students and supervisors have full visibility of the road, helping everyone arrive and leave school safely. Thank you for supporting us in keeping our community safe.
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There is still time to share your thoughts, ideas, and feedback as we work towards developing our new St Brendan's School logo. We would love to hear from you. Please email your feedback to office@stbrendans.school.nz.
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On behalf of the Board, thank you for your continued support of our wonderful school. We look forward to another fantastic term filled with learning, faith, connection, and community.
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l.marshall@stbrendans.school.nz
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COMMUNITY NEWS - NGĀ PITO KŌRERO O TE HAPORI
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THE NOEL LEEMING FRIENDS & FAMILY DEALS ARE HERE!
Unlock exclusive savings from 24 July to 6 August 2026, the sale features incredible offers on popular tech, appliances, and more, available both online and in-store. It's the perfect excuse for a little mid-year shopping.
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What are the deals?
Cost + 5%* storewide (exclusions apply^)
15% off^ tech solutions services offers
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How do I access this deal?
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ONLINE - Use the online code FFEDU at checkout at Noel Leeming
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INSTORE - Head to any Noel Leeming store and scan the below barcode:
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As we navigate the colder months, the health and wellbeing of our students remain a top priority. We understand that parents and caregivers often face the difficult decision of whether to send a child to school when they are feeling under the weather.
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The Ministry of Education has released a helpful guide, Knowing if your child is well enough to go to school, to assist you in making this decision. This resource provides practical advice on recognising symptoms and supporting your child's return to learning as soon as they are recovered.
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We encourage you to review this guidance to ensure we are all working together to keep our school community healthy. As always, please continue to make decisions based on each student’s individual situation and medical advice.
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VANUATU BISLAMA LANGUAGE WEEK
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26 July - 1 August 2026
The 2026 theme for Vanuatu Bislama Language Week is "Tokbaot klaemet jenis – Hemi tru samting mo yumi mas lukaotem gud laef" - Talk about climate change – it is real, and we must look after life.
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COOK ISLANDS MĀORI LANGUAGE WEEK
2 - 8 August 2026
The 2026 theme for Cook Islands Māori Language Week is “Me kite koe i te tuatua i to’ou reo tupuna, e turanga rangatira tena nō’ou no te uki amuri atu" - With our language as our foundation, we will embrace the future.
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56 Palmer Crescent, Heretaunga, Upper Hutt 5019
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office@stbrendans.school.nz
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