St Teresa's School Newsletter

What a fantastic fortnight of learning, leadership, and community spirit we’ve had at St Teresa’s!

Our Year 6 and 7 students took part in their retreat last week, spending dedicated time reflecting on what it means to be positive, faith-filled leaders as they prepare to take on greater responsibilities in 2026. Their maturity, teamwork, and aroha for our school community shone through—we’re excited to see the leaders they will become.

Our Year 8s also had a brilliant time on their Wellington trip, enjoying a full day of fun and celebration to mark the end of their primary school journey. They ice skated at Frosty Spot, visited the Jump Park, refuelled at Burger King, and finished the day at Maidstone Max Park. They represented St Teresa’s with pride, humour, and plenty of excitement—an awesome way to wrap up their time with us.

A huge highlight was today’s Crazy Colour Run, which brought so much joy and laughter to the school. Thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of our whānau, we raised just over $5,000—a tremendous effort that will directly support opportunities for our tamariki. Time to order your prizes—get online today!

We also acknowledge the fantastic efforts of our students across South Wairarapa and Cluster Athletics this term. A special congratulations to those who made it through to Regionals—Andrew, Neo, Stephanie, and Olivia. Thank you to all our whānau who supported, supervised, and helped with transport; your involvement makes these opportunities possible.

Tauwharenīkau and Remutaka students also enjoyed an action-packed day at H²O Xtreme—riding the waves, cruising the lazy river, and taking on the waterslide. It was a day full of fun, laughter, and confidence-building, and it was wonderful to see them supporting each other and making the most of their time together.

This week we have also begun our transition afternoons, where students spend time with their 2026 class and teacher. These sessions are designed to help build confidence, reduce anxiety, and ensure our tamariki start the new year feeling settled, supported, and excited for the year ahead.

As we move into the next couple of weeks, we look forward to even more exciting learning, events, and celebrations with our tamariki.

Ngā manaakitanga,
Lindsey 🌸

Monday 1st December

Year 8 Moving On conference

Year 7 Hauora conference

Tuesday 2nd December

Transition Afternoon

Wednesday 3rd December

Seasons for Growth Celebration 2pm

Thursday 4th December

Tent City Years 4 & 5

Junior Fun Day

Friday 5th December

End of Year Assembly

Monday 8th December

Tākitimu Technology

Tuesday 9th December

Transition Afternoon

Wednesday 10th December

Senior Rec Day

Thursday 11th December

Tākitimu Technology

Junior Pool Party

Leavers Dinner 6pm

Friday 12th December

Hands of Christ Mass 9.30am

Monday 15th December

4pm Year 0-2 Nativity & Prizegiving

5pm Year 3-8 Prizegiving

Tuesday 16th December

Last day of term pick from 1pm

Christmas Dress Ups!!!

As we look ahead to a new year—and as I prepare to farewell St Teresa’s—our Board is currently working through the appointment process for the new principal. In the meantime, we are delighted to share our staffing for 2026.

We warmly welcome Mr Ian Hastie, who will join us in Term 1 as Acting Principal. Ian is a long-time friend of the school and a familiar face to both staff and students. We are grateful for his willingness to step in and steer the ship during this period of transition.

Our 2026 Classroom and Teaching Team

• Natilee Orbell – Waiorongomai (Year 0–1)
  Creating a welcoming, warm space for our newest learners as they begin their St Teresa’s journey.

• Alison Sim – Wairarapa (Year 1–2)
  As Literacy Leader and BSLA facilitator, Alison is looking forward to supporting our younger students and strengthening early literacy foundations.

• Deb Rei – Tauwharenīkau
  An experienced teacher joining us from Douglas Park School. Deb will be with us for transition visits this term and is excited to get to know our tamariki.

• Dana Matthews – Remutaka
  Bringing her steady enthusiasm and passion for supporting students, especially in sport and physical activity. Dana provides consistency and care for our senior learners.

• Liz Lark – Tākitimu
  With her deep expertise in intermediate learning, Liz is always seeking exciting and meaningful experiences to shape our young leaders.

• Chrissy Webb – CRT Release Teacher
  Joining us from Dalefield School and supporting classes across St Teresa’s with her experience, positivity, and enthusiasm.

Farewells and Thanks
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jocelyn Kebbel, who stepped in so beautifully to support us after Mary’s passing earlier this year—her care and professionalism have meant so much to our school. We also say goodbye to Nikki Regnault, who has been teaching Wairarapa class on Fridays this year - thank you so much for being a valuable member of the team. And finally, we farewell Sissy Pickering, who has contributed her creativity and green fingers to our learning spaces this year. We are grateful for her mahi and wish her all the best in her next steps.

Our Support Staff Team
We are delighted that our wonderful support staff will all be returning in 2026:

• Louise, Nic, and Whaea Mills – our dedicated teacher aides, supporting learners across the school with skill, care, and compassion.

• Zoe – our office manager and the welcoming face of St Teresa’s, keeping our kura running smoothly.

• Sam – our cleaner, who does an amazing job caring for our school environment and keeping it looking beautiful every day.

What a fabulous team to lead us into 2026—full of heart, capability, and commitment to our tamariki.

What an epic afternoon — huge energy, big smiles, and very colourful tamariki everywhere!

A massive congratulations to Elsie and Chester, our winners for Best Hair. What a standout effort!

Thank you to everyone who supported the online fundraising — the contributions have been fantastic.

Don’t forget: Prize orders are now open.
🗓️ Ordering closes Wednesday, 3rd December.
Make sure you get your choices in on time!

Over the past few weeks our students have been busy representing St Teresa’s across a range of athletics events at both Cluster and South Wairarapa level. We are incredibly proud of the effort, attitude, and sportsmanship shown by all our competitors.

Cluster Athletics

Our students gave their absolute best at the Featherston Cluster Athletics, competing strongly and demonstrating determination, respect, and teamwork. Their encouragement of one another throughout the day really reflected our school values.

South Wairarapa Athletics

A number of students progressed to the South Wairarapa Athletics meet, where the competition stepped up another level. Once again, our tamariki rose to the challenge—showing grit, focus, and pride in representing St Teresa’s.

Regionals Representation

Regionals have now taken place, and we are thrilled to acknowledge the four students who qualified and competed at this high level:

• Andrew

• Neo

• Stephanie

• Olivia

They each performed incredibly well, and we congratulate them on reaching such an impressive milestone.

Thank You, Whānau

A huge thank you to all the whānau who supported these events through supervising, cheering from the sidelines, and providing transport. Your contribution ensures our students can take part in these opportunities, and we truly appreciate your time, energy, and commitment.

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/