MENPS News

Kia ora koutou

As you’ll be aware, there have been strong signals that alert levels are on the cusp of significant change, perhaps as early as next week, so I wanted to signal what you can expect here at school when an announcement is made.

Basically, our approach will be to continue to be cautious and follow health advice, but the reality is that you can expect little practical change in our settings.

Facemasks are currently optional, which we expect will continue. I encourage you to talk to your child about your expectations around mask use at school. If you prefer them to wear one in class, we will continue to support this, although we are also aware that while case numbers remain low (we currently have a single student case, for example), views on this are changing over time.

As a general rule, being mindful of the ‘3c’s’ (spaces that are contained, crowded and close-contact) may be helpful in making facemask decisions you are personally comfortable with. With low class sizes, adequate ventilation and low case numbers in MENPS classrooms, our experience has clearly been that learning at school has not been a higher risk environment (even for Junior classes where mask use has never been particularly high).

When alert levels do change, it is likely that many of us will make choices about if and when a facemask is appropriate (for example, many may decide to wear one in a crowded elevator, but not in a well-ventilated shopping mall).

Similarly, it seems likely that mask use in school will eventually only be used as and when it seems prudent to do so. For our part, we will continue to follow the evidence, Public Health advice and keep our practices under ongoing review while COVID continues to be a challenge in our community.

We will send a further update when we have advice from the Ministries of Health and Education, hopefully some time next week.

Ka kite anō i a koutou

Alan Jackson

Principal

Monday, 12 September: Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori - Maori Language Week

We need help with a few key roles - this is to help with stalls on the day and in the lead up to the event on November 13th.

We are still looking for help – without you we can’t do it!

Fun coordinator
Our exiting Fun coordinator is still helping us from Wellington! We really need someone to step in and be a central contact for all of the Fun coordinators.

All coordinators will be connected with ones from previous years so this role is to ensure people are connected and have the right information. You might not have all the answers but you will be connected with everyone who does. - Not required but if you've been to the fair before this role will be very easy.

Help running the fun activities

On the day we will have lots of help to run all of the stalls in shifts, but in the lead up to the event we need to ensure each stall has everything ready to go. Fortunately we have run almost all of these activities before - so we have lots of experience to share from fair helpers that have moved on.

1. Bouncy Castle
   This castle is only for small kids so will be popular with the new entrants. You will only need to manage the queue at the entrance and display the price. This is an easy activity to run and you will have several helpers during the day to collect money/supervise.
   
   
2. Mission Impossible - inflatable obstacle course
   The most popular activity at the fair - you will only need to manage the queue at the entrance and display the price. You will have several helpers during the day to collect money/supervise.
   
   
3. Giant Slide
   You will only need to manage the queue at the entrance and display the price. You will have several helpers during the day to collect money/supervise.
   
   
4. Jousting bouncy castle
   A new inflatable that will definitely prove popular. You will only need to manage the queue at the entrance and display the price. You will have several helpers during the day to collect money.
   
   
5. Face Painting
   Coordinate the helpers before the fair, setting up the stall with equipment. You will be connected with experience coordinators that have run this fun stall in previous years and have learnt some tips for a successful and popular stall.
   
   
6. Performance tent - various acts
   The new and improved performance tent this year needs someone to schedule performance times with various dance/sport companies that have expressed interest in performing on the day.

Please email us at menpspta@gmail.com for more information.

Following on from the success of March's collection, we will be running another collection in the lead up to Novembers Food & Fun Fair. We welcome all quality items! Simply drive in the MENPS staff car park and onto the Top Courts to drop off any of the following:

• 📚 Books
  

• 🪀 Toys - no soft toys accepted
• 👗Clothing - washed, no underwear or men's clothing/shoes accepted.
• 🐘 Jumble Sale - anything else! - No plugged in electrical items accepted thanks
• 🎁 Sandpit dig prizes - please hunt through your present cupboard, we would gratefully receive any new, unopened, unwanted gifts to give away as prizes in the sandpit dig stall at the fair!
  

Please consider whether you would be happy to pay about $5 for it, and use the clothing bin etc for anything ripped, stained, or broken.

Many thanks in advance for your incredibly generous support of our school community,
The PTA Second-hand Stall teams.

Also, we'd also like to invite you, our community, and all your friends, family, and favourite local business, to get in touch with us if you'd like to be involved in the Food and Fun Fair in any way. We'd love to offer advertising, or support you in any way that we can in exchange for ideas, goods, services, help on the day etc! Please pass this message on to anyone you think may benefit, and email us at menpspta@gmail.com. Many thanks!

We are looking for donated goods or services that can be included in our online auction - a key part of our 2022 Food & Fun Fair.

Please use this form to submit your auction item.

Last year over 16,000 stickers were collected! The current submissions total is 7,530 - so please remember to save your apple stickers as we are only half way to meet last years number!

If you buy your Yummy apples by the bag please note there are sometimes square cut-out labels that say 'Cut out Label' and these count as 10 stickers, or you can cut out the barcode and stick that on, or both! There is a separate sheet for cut-out labels but a blank piece of paper will work just as well.

The last day to collect stickers is September 27th so we have only few more weeks to collect.

For more information this sports equipment promotion is available on the PTA website.

Thanks to the school representatives and parents/caregivers that attended Septembers PTA meeting. Full minutes are available here.

A large portion of the meeting was focused on the challenge we are facing finding helpers from the current student body's parents/caregivers so the fair can go ahead this year.

Chairperson Aimee Chikunda

Deputy Chairperson Pam Clifford

Secretary Jane Cunningham

Treasurer Diem Vo

Class Coordinator Leader Chantal Brunner

PTA Advisor Scott Optican

Full team listed here

Email menpspta@gmail.com | PTA website

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

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.

Mike Robson from Ray White Mt Eden is a leading agent in Mt Eden and surrounding areas . In 2021 Team Mike Robson became the Principal Sponsor of MENPS, supporting the school in its 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