St Teresa's School Newsletter
Wednesday 24th June
As we have moved into the winter months, the colder mornings and shorter days have certainly arrived. Yet, even with the change in weather, there continues to be a wonderful warmth and sense of community across our school and parish.
Last week, we were privileged to witness the Baptisms of Lachlan, Darcey, Heath and Walter during our whole school Mass. It was a very special celebration as we welcomed these tamariki into God’s family and supported them as they continue their journey of faith within our Catholic community.
On Sunday, many of us had the opportunity to celebrate a significant milestone in the history of our wider Catholic community at the 150th Anniversary Mass for the Catholic Parishes of the Wairarapa. It was a beautiful celebration with Archbishop Paul Martin officiating. The Mass began with a procession honouring the Catholic churches and schools that have been established in the Wairarapa since the arrival of Father Halbwachs, celebrating the rich history, faith and dedication of those who have helped build our Catholic community over the past 150 years.
As we approach the end of another busy and rewarding term, our tamariki and staff are continuing to work hard, while also beginning to look forward to the well-deserved holiday break that is fast approaching. There is still much to celebrate and achieve before we reach the end of term, and we thank our whānau for their continued support, encouragement and partnership in the learning and faith journeys of our children.
Wishing everyone a safe and restful week ahead as we continue to journey together through the final weeks of the term.
Ngā manaakitanga.
Liz Lark
Tumuaki Principal
Last week, two of our Year 7 and 8 students, Elsie and Ryley, represented our school at the South Wairarapa Schools’ Speech Competition. Public speaking takes courage, preparation, and confidence, and we are incredibly proud of both students for stepping up to share their ideas and talents.
Both Elsie and Ryley represented our school with pride, demonstrating our school values through their commitment, perseverance, and respectful participation. Elsie progressed through to the Wairarapa finals, where she achieved an impressive third place.
Congratulations Elsie and Ryley on your wonderful achievements. We are very proud of the way you represented our school community!
Please note, we have scheduled two Curriculum Days - one in Term 3 and one in Term 4.
This means that on Friday 25th September (the last day of Term 3) and Friday 23rd October (the day before Labour Weekend), school will be closed for instruction.
These days will be used to support teachers to strengthen their knowledge around the new assessments ahead of their mandatory implementation in 2027, and to assist kaiako in using assessments and classroom learning to make fair and consistent judgements on progress against the new curriculum.
If you have any questions about these two Curriculum Days, please feel free to send me an email, or make an appointment to chat.
The following information is an update regarding the 2026 changes to curriculum and reporting.
Over the past year, the New Zealand educational landscape has undergone significant shifts due to national directives regarding the NZ curriculum, particularly in English and Mathematics. Alongside these curriculum changes, the Minister of Education has introduced new requirements for how we must assess your child's progress.
What is Changing?
1. Year-by-Year Learning: In the new curriculum, learning is set out in a fixed year-by-year format, with specific requirements for achievement at each year level. This is a significant philosophical shift from our previous model which acknowledged that children progress at different rates from different starting points.
2. New Progress Descriptors: The Ministry has replaced broad curriculum bands with five specific progress stages: Emerging, Developing, Consolidating, Proficient, and Exceeding. These are the specific terms we are now directed to use to assess your child’s journey. Since we are required to assess using these terms we have chosen to use them within our reporting.
3. Increased expectations for achievement: The new curriculum significantly raises the expectations for achievement at each age. The Minister has lifted the floor, meaning the milestones for being "Proficient" or at the expected level are higher than they have been previously.
For example, in Year 2 mathematics, students are now expected to:Fluently solve addition and subtraction problems within 100 (previously, the focus was often on mastery within 20, moving toward 100 by Year 3);
Recall basic addition and subtraction facts to 20 with automaticity (e.g., 8 + 7 = 15 or 14 - 6 = 8 without counting on fingers).
Understand and work with fractions like thirds and quarters of a whole and of a set, a significant jump in abstract thinking for seven-year-olds.
Expectations for Year 4 Writing have shifted toward formalised structure much earlier than previously. An 8 or 9-year-old is now expected to:
Write multi-paragraph texts: Independently construct texts ensuring every paragraph contains a distinct topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion.
Master advanced mechanics: Consistently apply speech marks, possessive apostrophes (e.g., the dog's bowl), and correctly spell tricky homophones like their/there/they're.
Use complex linking language: Deliberately use transitional phrases (e.g., together with, this means that) to connect abstract opinions with concrete reasons.
Writing requires immense cognitive load. If your child is an imaginative storyteller still untangling homophones, the new framework may categorise them as "Developing." Please look past the label. We are dedicated to helping them meet these targets without stripping away their confidence or love for writing.
4. Standardised Assessment Tools: In line with national requirements, students in Years 3–8 must now be assessed twice yearly using one of 3 assessment tools. We are also using Phonics Checks for younger learners.
While we fulfill these obligations, our teachers will continue to use and value holistic evidence -classwork, observations, and kōrero - that we know truly capture a child's growth and progress.
Reporting
You will notice changes in your child’s report at the end of Term 2. It is important to note that we are still awaiting clarity on how data feeds into these new formats. We are essentially navigating these new tools in real-time.
Reports will once again be recorded on Hero. If you require a printed copy of your child's report, please contact Zoë in the office, or your child's teacher. The report format will look a little different then previous years, as we will be using Hero's new reporting template.
We are happy to talk through all of these changes with you, as well as your child's progress towards the new expectations. We can do this in our upcoming Learning Conversations scheduled for the beginning of Term 3, or feel free to make an appointment with Liz or your child's classroom teacher.
We appreciate your support and understanding as we continue to navigate the rapidly changing landscape in education.
HOW CAN YOU HELP YOUR SCHOOL? SEE THE FOLLOWING ODD JOBS:
🧰 We have lots of jobs in the process. Thank you to all who have volunteered to help. The holidays are coming up and are a great time to get some extra bits and pieces done around the place.
One job that continues to pleague us on a daily basis is keeping our grounds tidy. This involves sweeping the leaves from the paths outside the Hub and the quad. If you have 5 minutes at any end of the day and don't mind picking up a broom, we would appreciate your help.
Contact Us
Email: office@teresas.school.nz
Website: https://www.teresas.school.nz/
Location: St Teresa's School Bell Street, Featherston, New Zealand
Phone: 027 733 1636
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/St-Teresas-Featherston/100057033717170/