"Together we are lifelong CREST learners"
Principal's Message
Kia Ora koutou 
I hope you and your extended whānau in the Wellington region have not been affected by recent weather conditions. Fortunately, Kapiti seems to have missed the worst of it.
Term 2 is a report writing term, so towards the end of term your child will receive progress updates on their reading, writing and maths achievement. There are changes in this space, as the Minister has increased the progress descriptors from four to five.
To keep parents informed of these changes I have included more information later in this newsletter – so please have a read.
Keep reading this newsletter for information on:
- Reminder of Term 2 Teacher only day
- Ministry reporting changes – what to expect in your child’s mid-year report commentary
- Cellphones and Smartwatches
Upcoming dates of importance:
- Monday, 27 April – ANZAC day – School Closed
- Friday 15 May – PINK SHIRT DAY
- Friday, 29 May – Teacher only day at PBS – School closed for instruction
- Monday, 1 June – King’s Birthday – School Closed
Ngā mihi nui
Jess Ward
Principal – Tumuaki
P.S. Got a suggestion? Let us know through our online suggestion box.
PRINCIPAL’S C.R.E.S.T CORNER:
At PBS we champion our school C.R.E.S.T values in everything we do.
Curiosity. Respect. Excellence. Self Management. Teamwork
The commitment to EXCELLENCE is alive and well at PBS. Over the term break, we were thrilled to hear about a number of outstanding student achievements—be sure to read more about these later in the newsletter.
We also have an incredible staff success to celebrate. At 3am this morning, our very own Caty Spencer crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon—an extraordinary accomplishment. Gaining entry alone requires meeting a highly competitive qualifying standard, so this is a remarkable achievement.
And she’s not done yet! Caty is now on her way to England to compete in the London Marathon this weekend. What an inspiring example of dedication, perseverance, and striving for excellence for our students.
Welcome to Our Recent New Students
Meila, Grayson, Ziggy, Finnley, Myka and Spencer – Rm 12; Fox, Everleigh, Anika, and Fletcher – Rm 26; Hayleigh – Rm 4, and Lizande – Rm 16
Have You Checked Out Our Community Notices Directory?
Do you need to advertise your business, an upcoming event, need child care, or looking for a gift or new club to join? Check out the PBS Community Directory on our website https://kapiti.pbs.school.nz/
Notification of Term 2 Teacher Only Day
With major changes to the English and Mathematics curriculums last year teachers countrywide are still trying to develop a full understanding of all the new content. To address this the Minister of Education has given schools two additional “Curriculum days” (Teacher-only days) to use during the year for our professional learning.
At PBS we will be taking the first of these days on Friday, 29 May (attached to King’s Birthday weekend). As school will be closed for instruction on this date parents will need to make alternative arrangements for childcare.
Our teachers will be using this particular day to focus on new expectations for teaching the writing process and the associated assessments components.
Thank you in advance for your support of my team who are doing their very best to understand and deliver these significant curriculum changes.
2026 Reporting Changes
Last year, our teachers used four progress descriptors aligned with the refreshed curriculum for English and Mathematics. These appeared in your child’s report as: Needs Support, Progressing Towards, Proficient, Exceeding.
For 2026, these descriptors have been updated. You’ll find the new set outlined below.
As always, our goal is to provide clear, meaningful updates about each child’s progress. We continue to align with Ministry reporting requirements, while also taking the time to carefully unpack changes and implement them in a way that maintains the quality and integrity of our reporting.
This term, you will receive progress updates in reading, writing, and mathematics, which will be shared through the HERO app in the final week of term.
2026 Progress Descriptors | Details |
Emerging | Students require support to meet curriculum expectations for their year level and/or goals as described in their personalised learning plan. |
Developing | Students are making some progress towards curriculum expectations for their year level. |
Consolidating | Students are meeting many curriculum expectations for their year level and are steadily strengthening their understanding across learning areas. |
Proficient | Students are meeting curriculum expectations for their year level. |
Exceeding | Students are exceeding curriculum expectations for their year level. |
Cellphones & Smartwatches
If your child brings a cellphone or smartwatch to school please ensure that they are fully aware of these expectations from our school policy. Thank you in advance.
- Student cell phones are handed in to the class teacher on arrival to school. All personal devices must be switched off and placed in the class box, which will be stored from 9-3pm. Students can collect their device at the end of the school day or on departure.
- Smartwatches may be worn at school provided these are switched to flight mode for the duration of the school day.
- If a student is acting outside of these guidelines e.g. using cellphone/smartwatch call functions, then their device will be confiscated and stored until the end of the school day. Additionally, the student may be asked to leave the phone at home if they repeatedly don’t adhere to these guidelines.
- If a cell phone is used for harmful purposes the teacher may ask for the phone to be handed in and it will be held by the teacher/Deputy Principal until collected (at specified time).
Using Māori Language at Home
Learning another language provides many benefits including greater academic achievement, greater cognitive development, and more positive attitudes towards other languages and cultures. So, let’s give it a go and help to revitalise this unique language to Aotearoa for our tamariki. Each week our newsletter will include words or phrases that you might like to try out at your kāinga/home.
Here are some essential kupu that you may hear ia ra (everyday)
Give these phrases a try this week:
Kei te pēhea tō ra? – How’s your day going?
E pokea ana te wiki? – Busy week?
Kei te pēhea ngā mahi i ēnei ra – How’s work been lately?
From the Student Council
Pink Shirt Day is this term, Friday, 15 May. We’re celebrating this kaupapa because Kindness is cool!
Pink Shirt Day for us is all about accepting and including others and being kind and caring. Bullying is not okay but being an Upstander is!
We’ve got some cool things planned for the day – how much pink can you wear?
Kid's Quote
A student returned a borrowed PBS shirt to the office. On asking if the shirt had been washed and dried he replied “It’s drier than my father’s jokes”!!!
Recent Student Achievements
Netball: Congratulations to Ceejay and Jimmy who were selected to play in the U13 Ikaroa Māori netball team over the Easter tournament, and the team went through the entire tournament undefeated – such an amazing achievement! They showed great teamwork, commitment, and sports-manship throughout the tournament, and it was awesome to see them represent both their whānau and their kura so well.
Recent Student Achievements
Basketball: Congratulations to Carter who represented Splash Basketball in the U13s team at the HoopNation Junior showcase during the school holidays.
Future Student Achievements
If your child has an achievement you would like us to share in our newsletter, then please send details (and a picture if you would like) to mbarfoote@pbs.school.nz
