MENPS News

Kia ora koutou

Our goals this year were simple. To reconnect, re-engage and restore following the disruptions of 2020/2021.

On reflection, we've achieved considerable success in each of these. While the pandemic may still be an ongoing concern, we have not only learned to manage it, but also to mitigate it’s effects. In addition, we have been able to re-introduce key events, including sports, productions, cultural days and a range of trips and activities.

Our most recent standardised tests have shown that our tamariki continue to perform at levels as high as (and in most cases higher) than results from 2018/2019. This has been confirmed by teacher judgements against curriculum levels in the classroom.

Despite everything, our students continue to out-perform not only national norms, but are also higher in comparison to other similar ‘high decile’ schools.

How have we achieved this? The answer is simple. Our team of teachers and support staff are outstanding. They have shown dedication, professionalism and commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes for our learners, and we're lucky to have them.

Our talented, supportive Board have remained united - staying the course, keeping their nerve with a focus on our strategic goals. This has enabled us to be responsive to changing, challenging times while avoiding knee-jerk reactions.

As always, we have such supportive parents and families, including our exceptional PTA, who have navigated busy challenging times to support fundraising and community building here at MENPS. As a school, we serve our community, and we're fortunate to be part of one that always puts the wellbeing of our tamariki first.

Finally, I'd like to acknowledge my exceptional Senior Leadership Team and Team Leader colleagues for making sure we continue to deliver the best possible outcomes for our school.

Ultimately, none of this would happen if it weren’t for the effort, hard work and attitudes of the children themselves. It's always rewarding seeing their many successes, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.

With that, I sign off on a year that has been undeniably somewhat tiring for all concerned, with sincere best wishes to all of our families for a well-deserved Christmas break and the New Year.

For those staff members, families and children who leave MENPS today, I would like to pass on best wishes on behalf of the whole team, with our appreciation for being part of our whanau and community.

To everyone else, I look forward to seeing you in 2023!

Ngā manaakitanga

Alan

Click on the link below to get started and pre-book your time for the start of next year:

https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code/x7kpm

Thursday, 2nd February: 2023 Meet the teacher and welcome day for students and parents

Friday, 3rd February: Classes open

1pm Thursday 15th December
Top courts - $1 cash

Many thanks to Anjana Rele and team for helping run a much loved end of term tradition.
Unless there are heavy showers ice block sales will go ahead 🌧.

As the end of term nears the second hand uniform shop invite all Year 6 students to please donate your uniforms - these can be dropped off to the office.

The box will be outside the office on Friday until 3pm.

Please stop by the lost property tomorrow - there are unnamed fleeces, hats and drink bottles left.

The PTA are proud to be making our end of year donation.

From the funds raised this year the PTA will be donate $80,000 to MENPS in 2022

The funds are allocated to the following costs:

1. Basketball hoop and tower
2. LED stage lighting in the hall
   
3. Playground rope bridge
4. Playground spider net
   
5. Canopy project contribution - a further $65k bringing the PTAs contribution to a total of $145k
   

We want you to join our team! We need help filling a few roles - please email us at menpspta@gmail.com to nominate yourself for any of the following:

• Secretary - we are reducing this role to be responsible for all correspondence the comes to the PTA gmail inbox. The secretary must have an excellent knowledge of Google tools, able to attend every PTA meeting, and have sufficient time to deal with a very busy inbox.
  
  Many thanks to Jane for her time in the secretarial role alongside her immense fair duties. In 2023 Jane will be helping with the second hand uniform shop so we need a hero with a flair for admin to take on this role.
  
  Pam will be picking up the duties of setting meeting agendas, setting up meeting requests and keeping the official records of meetings through the minutes.
  
  
• Class coordinators - thanks to all of our coordinators in 2022. Looking ahead to 2023 lots are signed up to help us again but we have some vacancies
  
  The Class Coordinator is a voluntary parent/caregiver role. The main job is to keep families updated with information (usually emails) from the school, the PTA and the class teacher. The Class Coordinator also helps organise support for the class teacher (such as emailing parents to organise parent helpers for class trips or letting them know about upcoming class events).
  
  It's great way to be involved in the school with minimum effort and all from your inbox.
  

In 2023 we will be running some new community/fundraising events - a fun list of fundraising ideas has been collated. If the above roles don't sound like a good fit for you - but you would like to help with a one off event instead, let us know.

The first PTA meeting of the year will also be our AGM - Tuesday February 7th

AGM activities include: approving accounts, share a report summarising 2022, and fundraising goals are confirmed for 2023.

We will also officially vote in our new committee members.

Save the date!

Use the code MTEDEN when purchasing your Blues membership for 10% of your purchase to go to our school. See details below.

The PTA community would like to thank the following for their contributions of time, effort and energy as they step down from their roles at the end of this year.

Sally Collins & Emma Pickles

Sally took over the second hand uniform shop with the previous volunteers exiting at the end of 2019. Both Sally and Emma have been crucial to the continued success of the shop - an important service for both new and existing families of the school. With a team of volunteers to help every month the shop has seen an increase in sales to hit the 10k mark this year.

Bronwyn Williams

Bronwyn, a MENPS teacher, has been helping us for the past eight years with the campaign to collect (and count) Yummy apple stickers - an initiative that sees us receiving and enjoying free sports equipment annually.

Renata Latimer & Marina Borodatova

Renata and Marina exited PTA officer roles at the end of 2021 but helped us with major fair roles in 2022. Renata led the food coordinators and helped with set up logistics over the Fair weekend. Marina moved to Wellington and welcomed a new baby boy to her family this year - remotely she generously helped us with the fun coordinators and fun logistics.

Diem Vo

Diem came on board as our new treasurer at the start of 2022 and has been an amazing help through our various fundraising events and instrumental in coordinating the finance side of the fair alongside Linda Waddington-Miller, our co-Treasurer.

Chairperson ~~ vacant ~~

Deputy Chairperson Pam Clifford

Secretary ~~ vacant ~~
Communications Sarah Eason

Treasurer Linda Waddington-Miller

Class Coordinator Leader Chantal Brunner
Advisor/Coordinator Melanie Woollard
PTA Advisor Scott Optican

Full team of amazing parents/caregivers listed here

Email menpspta@gmail.com | Refer to the PTA website for information on the various fundraising and community activities.

Follow us on Facebook and keep up to date with the PTA on Mount Eden Normal Primary School PTA page.

Mike Robson from Ray White Mt Eden is a leading agent in Mt Eden and surrounding areas and is proud to support MENPS in the school's fundraising activities including the annual Food & Fun Fair.

Are you thinking about buying or selling?
As part of their sponsorship of MENPS, Team Mike Robson donates $1,000 back to the school for any property sold within the school zone for MENPS families. Feel free to call Mike (021484288) any time you’ve got a real estate query - he’s always happy to have a chat and answer your questions.

Find out more about Team Mike Robson and why they love living and working in Mt Eden.
Website - www.mikerobson.co.nz

Support our school by eating a delicious Roast at The Bridgman.

Seems too easy but $10 of every kids meal goes directly to our school funds. All you need to do is book your table and put MENPS into the ‘requests’ box and they will donate the profits of your kids meals back to the school.

Easy right?
Just book here - The Bridgman | Corner of Dominion & Valley Roads | Carefully curated food, drinks & cocktails.

The Bridgman are also generously running a food stall at the upcoming Food & Fun Fair.