MENPS News

Kia ora koutou

Welcome to Term 2!

I hope everyone enjoyed the break and has settled in well to the new term. We have plenty of exciting events lined up ahead, which you should have information about in the Key Dates emailed to you.

This includes the Year 6 Camp, the PTA Cultural Festival (Sunday, 21 June), Matariki and our Term 2 Parent Conferences, which align with our written progress reports for parents.

We have a number of fun sporting opportunities to look forward to, including Ki O Rahi, ‘Hungerball’ and Zones Football later in the term. Training for Cross-country is also underway, which is a good time to talk to children about setting themselves a challenge and persevering to reach their goals.

Parents are welcome to attend the event (May 11) if they wish to.

Kapa Kahui Festival

Huge congratulations to all our performers at the Kapa Kahui Festival last year, and sincere thanks to Lucy Matene for coordinating this special event. The pride of the children was evident, and they carried the mana of the school community beautifully. Thanks to all those who were able to come along, and particularly to our PTA volunteers for running catering on the day.

Ka pai koutou katoa!

ANZAC

As we approach ANZAC Day, our school community takes time to reflect on the importance of remembrance, service, and peace, which has a particular resonance in times of global conflict.

Observed annually, ANZAC Day commemorates the bravery and sacrifice of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs), who served at Gallipoli during World War I, as well as all those who have served our country in times of conflict and peacekeeping, including so many connected to the Mt Eden Community.

As you will be aware, school is closed for the ANZAC public holiday on Monday - we look forward to seeing everyone back after the long weekend.

Ka kite anõ i a koutou

Alan Jackson, Principal

Friday 24th April:

Year 4 Boat Trip - Room 33
PTA Second Hand Uniform Shop - 8:15am - 9:15am

Monday 27th April: Holiday Anzac Day

Tuesday 28th April:

PTA Meeting - 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Staffroom - all welcome!

Friday 1st May:

Chess Power - Jnr Regionals - Epsom Normal Primary

MENPS Walking School Bus

We are getting our MENPS Walking School Bus back up and running and in light of recent petrol prices think this is the right time for it. We have 2 routes that we will be launching. The ‘Henley Route’ and ‘Prospect Route’. Please click on the link below to find out more information about them and to sign your child/ren up for them. Initially they will run in the mornings but we are hoping to extend to the afternoon buses if we can have more parent volunteers.

If you are able to help be a parent supervisor for either of these routes or would like to start one around your area, please email aonel@mteden.school.nz We are looking to expand the routes we have but it all depends on the parent volunteers we can get. Thank you to those who have helped get these walking buses up and running.

Walking School Bus sign up

Mount Eden Normal Primary School is excited to announce our Cultural Festival 2026 — a vibrant celebration of the diverse cultures that make up our school community.

📅 Sunday, 21 June 2026

This special event is all about sharing, celebrating, and learning from one another. We warmly invite whānau to get involved and help bring the festival to life by showcasing your culture in any way that feels meaningful to you.

Whether it’s:

* 🍲 Traditional food or treats

* 🎨 Art, crafts, or cultural displays

* 🎶 Music, dance, or performances

* 🎲 Games, activities, or storytelling

— we want to hear your ideas!

The PTA is here to support you and will do its best to help make your contribution happen, whether big or small. This is a fantastic opportunity for our tamariki to experience the richness of cultures from around the world, right here at MENPS.

📩 Keen to be involved or have an idea?

Please get in touch with us at menpspta@gmail.com

More details on how to get involved will be shared soon — but for now, save the date and start thinking about how you might like to be part of this exciting day.

Let’s make 2026 our most colourful and inclusive celebration yet! 🌈

Annual Menps Cultural Festival& Matariki Celebration

Our annual festival has become a community staple, whether you’d like to perform, dance, sing, share a craft or food from your country, let us know and we will weave it in to the fabric of the

festival.

When: Sunday 21st June 2026

Where: Mount Eden Normal Primary School

Time: TBC

Interested in volunteering your time in any capacity or showcase your culture? Please email the

team on menpspta@gmail.com

The MENPS PTA warmly invites all parents, caregivers, and whānau to join us for our Term 2 PTA Meeting. Whether you’re a long-time supporter or just curious about what we do, this is a great opportunity to connect, share ideas, and be part of our school community.

🗓 Tuesday, 28 April 2026

⏰ 7:00pm – 8:30pm

📍 MENPS Staff Room

Come along to:

- Hear what’s coming up this term

- Share your ideas and feedback

- Get involved in upcoming events (including the Cultural Festival!)

- Meet other parents and the PTA team

Here is the link to next week’s pta meeting agenda https://docs.google.com/document/d/1opU1tvAPQYYuHc7PLJ_vqKeg0us94v0A/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103132425214364039259&rtpof=true&sd=true

No commitment needed — just bring yourself and your thoughts. Everyone is welcome!

📩 Questions or can’t make it but want to be involved?

Get in touch at menpspta@gmail.com

We’d love to see some new faces and hear your voice.

Did you know the MENPS students use Sports Gear from the Yummy Apples collection every day? The Yummy Apples Sports gear is used in PE lessons and can be picked up by students from the PE Shed during lunch times! Collect stickers from Yummy Apples and stick them to the Yummy Apple collection sheets or cut out labels (or bar codes) from Yummy Apple bags and glue them on a blank sheet of paper.