Wairau Valley Special School

24/08/2026

Kia ora whanau

We are currently experiencing a higher-than-usual level of staff absences due to seasonal illness, particularly influenza. Our team is working hard to ensure learning continues with minimal disruption and safety in mind. We need your support to help keep our school community healthy and safe.

How You Can Help

Keep Unwell Children at Home: If your child is showing any signs of illness—such as a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, or unusual fatigue—please keep them at home until they are fully recovered and fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication.

Reinforce Hygiene Habits: A reminder of the importance of frequent handwashing with soap, using hand sanitizer and covering coughs and sneezes with an elbow or tissue.

Report Absences Promptly: If your child is staying home sick, please notify the school office as early as possible and let us know if they have been diagnosed with the flu. This helps us monitor trends across grade levels.

We appreciate your support in maintaining a safe, healthy environment for all of our students and staff.

Warm regards

Natalie

21/08/2026

🌟 Celebrating Our New Facilities! 🌟

What an exciting time at Wairau Valley Special School! Our students have been enjoying our brand-new swimming pool, multi-purpose room and playground. 🏊‍♀️🎨🌳

It has been wonderful to see our students exploring, playing, learning and having fun in these fantastic new spaces. These facilities provide our students with even more opportunities to develop their confidence, independence, communication and physical skills in a safe and supportive environment.

A huge thank you to everyone who has helped make these spaces possible. We are incredibly proud to see them being enjoyed by our students!

He waka eke noa – We are all in this together. 🌿

14/08/2026

✨🕺🏻 TIME WARP DISCO A HUGE SUCCESS! 🕺✨

Last Friday, our Transition Centre came alive for our annual disco, and what an unforgettable night it was! This year’s theme was Time Warp, and our students and staff truly delivered—dressing up in incredible outfits representing their favorite eras, from retro classics to futuristic fits! ☮️🕺🚀

It was an extra special evening as we welcomed back some of our wonderful alumni students. It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces tearing up the dance floor and catching up with everyone! 💖

A massive THANK YOU to: 🌟 All the amazing staff and students who put in so much hard work preparing, decorating, and organizing to make the night run smoothly. 🎧 DJ Jacob, for coming through once again and keeping the dance floor packed with awesome tunes all night long!

Thank you to everyone who came out and made it a night to remember. Check out some of the highlight photos below! 👇📸

30/07/2026

Principal Appreciation Day

He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero.
Translation: What is the food of a leader? It is conversation, it is conversation, it is conversation.
Meaning: True leadership relies on open discussion, active listening, and sharing knowledge with the team.

Natalie's door is always open.
When she arrived today she was greeted with hand made gifts and cards from all our classes, showing our appreciation of her leadership.

30/07/2026

Tomorrow, our school whānau will share in a traditional hāngi—a sacred practice connecting us to the earth (Papatūānuku) and bringing us together to nourish body and spirit.

As the warmth and aroma of the hāngi rise, we hold space to remember those who have passed, give thanks for our present blessings, and welcome new beginnings with hope, unity, and aroha.

23/06/2026

⚽ New Adaptive Futsal Programme This July! ⚽

Hibiscus Coast AFC, with the wonderful support of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, is thrilled to launch a new Adaptive Futsal Programme at the Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre.

This programme is specifically designed for whaikaha rangatahi and young people who will thrive in a more flexible, supportive, and inclusive sporting environment. The focus is entirely on participation, movement, building confidence, making social connections, and—most importantly—having fun!

📅 Session Details
When: Wednesdays, starting 8th July - 29th July (4-week programme)

Time: 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm

Where: Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre

Cost: Only $10 for the full 4-week programme

🌟 What to Expect
Activities tailored and adapted to meet individual needs and abilities.

A safe, welcoming, and low-pressure environment.

Parents, caregivers, and support people are incredibly welcome to be involved and join in on the fun!

📝 How to Register
Spaces are limited, so pre-registration is highly encouraged to secure a spot.

👉 Register for the Adaptive Futsal Programme Here: http://www.hbcafc.org.nz/viewform/517383

For any questions or further information, feel free to reach out to the team at [email protected]. We can't wait to see you on the court!

We are committed to providing the best possible physical and social environment. Whether on the pitch or in the clubrooms, we continually improve the experience

16/06/2026

🎵 ✨ Breaking Barriers Through Music! ✨ 🎵

We are still buzzing after the incredible Chamber Music New Zealand (CMNZ) "The BIG I" Music Workshop held at Glenfield College! 🌟

This wonderful programme encourages students to listen, play, and create their own musical ideas through movement, instruments, and guided improvisation—creating a beautiful space where every single learner can experience the pure joy of live music.

A massive thank you to the outstanding Glenfield College mainstream music students for their incredible support and collaboration, breaking down barriers and showing true mutual respect.

Heartfelt thanks also to the amazing CMNZ tutors—Cathy, Renee, Aleasha, and Mark—and to Tomasz for organizing the space and instruments. We would love to make this a regular event for our students!

Check out some of the wonderful moments from the day below! 👇📸

01/06/2026

Dear parents,

Join us for our free WVSS whanau seminar, Navigating Disability Together, a great opportunity to gain knowledge directly from community disability agencies and learn more about the supports available for tamariki and whānau.

Representatives from Disability Connect, Autism New Zealand, and CCS Disability Action will be there to share information, answer questions, and help families better understand available pathways and services.

This seminar is designed for families with tamariki aged between 6 and 16 years old.

Please register by clicking on the link below or by scanning the QR code. We would love to see you there!😊

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQKv71NbqTdkfQPS0YFLXGprT8JBW8nl3E9HhjqUHhXsIKnw/viewform

15/05/2026

"Support staff are the unsung heroes who turn ordinary school days into extraordinary learning experiences."

This week we have shown our appreciation by presenting our support staff with the thoughtful gifts our Transition students have prepared. Our lovely teachers have hosted morning teas across the school at all the hubs.

Our students have been working on these gifts since Week 7 of last term. They began by creating planting pots from recycled newspaper before planting snow pea seeds. They then took responsibility for caring for the seedlings by watering them regularly and ensuring they received sufficient sunlight to grow. Over the past two weeks, they have also created decorative silver pots to safely transport the plants without water escaping.

The PMLD students carefully prepared the cards by painting the backs themselves. This was a significant achievement for them and took several days of dedicated effort and perseverance.

Thank you for the care, patience, and dedication you show our students every day!

06/05/2026

Term 2 is off to a flying start! 🌟

It’s been so wonderful seeing our students return to campus, bringing their energy and smiles back to Wairau Valley Special School.

We have some heart-warming news to share: our new pool and multi-purpose room are on track for completion this term! 🏊‍♂️✨ These spaces will provide incredible new sensory and learning experiences for our tamariki.

A massive thank you to the Lewis Family Trusts, Northshore Rotary, and the Greenhithe Fishing Club for their generous support in making these facilities a reality. We are so grateful for our community!

Want to see more?

👇 Read the full newsletter below to see photos of our progress and catch up on all the exciting events planned for Term 2!