Porritt School Press

Tālofa lava e te whānau

Greetings as we acknowledge Samoan Language Week 2025. The theme for Samoan Language Week is 'La malu lou sā Folau i lagimā - a well-grounded self, is a successful self'. This theme speaks to those that are well grounded and resilient, being well prepared to navigate some of life's challenges, and be prosperous in the future.

This theme is really resonating at kura right now. We've recently been having some discussions at kura about our vision for the school moving forward as part of our 50th Jubilee celebrations. There will soon be an opportunity for you and your family to have a voice in a process to review and construct that vision as we look ahead to our 50th Jubilee in October.

We have three weeks left this term with plenty happening. This newsletter will map that out a bit. A date of note is our Term 2 teacher-only day. The school will be closed on Thursday 19 June in the lead up to the Matariki public holiday on Friday 20 June.

Please log in to Hero and check in with your child's Rich Record of Learning regarding learning progress in Reading. Our teachers having been working hard to prepare these updates for our whānau and caregivers. This will give you as a parent or a caregiver, some solid information about how your child is progressing in Reading.

Finally, we are very close to the rising of Matariki and the coming of the Māori New Year. Matariki is a time for reflecting, remembering, joining together and celebrating together. That is the theme for Matariki in 2025 - Matariki Mā Puanga - Celebrating Together. It's also a time to look to the future with hope. We look forward to celebrating with you and your family soon.

Fa'afetai lava

Maaka Papuni - Tumuaki

Our 50th Jubilee is coming along very soon. We are celebrating our 50 years with several events between Monday 20 October and Thursday 23 October, in the lead up to Labour Week 2025.

We have formed a Jubilee Committee and will be updating everyone around our planned events as soon as possible.

We have also launched a new section on our website to keep our whānau whanui, our wider school family, updated. Right now, Mr Parker has added a slideshow of

Please notify all old boys, old girls and former staff members of the kura of these dates. We can't wait to celebrate this grand old age!

We really look forward to celebrating together with our families this Māori New Year.

Here are our significant dates as Matariki rises;

We are coming together to plan our Hautapu Dawn Ceremony at 6.00pm on Monday 9 June in our staffroom. Please RSVP Principal Maaka Papuni for catering purposes at principal@porritt.school.nz if you plan on joining us.

Our well established night of kai, kapa haka, togetherness and celebration! Bring an appetite! Join us from 5.30pm - 7.00pm. Our wonderful Home and School group have sausages, drinks and marshmallows for sale. We also have some food trucks and vendors joining us. Bring cash!

This is the second of our Hautapu Dawn Ceremonies, following our first in 2025. This will be a time to acknowledge the rising of Matariki and to connect with the meaning behind ngā whetū o Matariki, remembering loved ones, and looking to the year ahead. Meet at school at 6.30am.

As mentioned in Tumuaki Talk above, our kaiako have been busy constructing Rich Records of Learning about your child and their growth and progress in Reading.

This has involved each learner in some assessment and testing of Reading. These are massively valuable, informative snapshots of where your child currently sits in this core curriculum area.

Many thanks to our teachers for their dedicated mahi bringing these together. Log in and check out your child's Rich Record of Learning in Reading today.

At our Assembly on Friday 30 May, we recognised Jude Robertson for the massive mahi and effort from one of our Porritt School Home and School stalwarts over many many years. The Home and School group gifted Jude some beautiful flowers and sweet treats to mark this mahi and dedication.

Jude has worked tirelessly over the years to support Home and School fundraising efforts and support our school in many ways. Jude has had several grandchildren attend the kura over the past few years. She's a regular face at meetings, sausage sizzles, discos, ice block sale days, leavers dinners and more.

While Jude is stepping back from the various leadership roles she has filled in this special whānau group, she will no doubt be seen pitching in other ways when her time allows.

Known to many at school as Nanny Jude, we wish to recognise and thank you for your immense input over time Jude.

Mā whero, mā pango, kā oti te mahi - with red and with black, the mahi is completed.

Jude here pictured with whānau members Aurora, Shannon, Rhen and Colten after Assembly on Friday 30 May.

The mahi is going in! Each house has now met for two house practices across the past fortnight. All tamariki from across the school will take part in representing their house, singing a couple of beautiful waiata and busting out the school haka. Who will reign supreme???

The Porritt School Board have confirmed the following date for Triennial Board Elections in 2025;

Wednesday 10 September

Nominations will be called for before the Triennial Elections. If you'd like to find out more, head to https://www.schoolboardelections.org.nz/become-a-board-member/

The current policies under review for the Porritt School Board are;

Monday 9 June - Hautapu Ceremony Planning Hui @ 6.00pm in the staffroom

Thursday 12 June - Strike Percussion Performance (Whole School at 10.00am).

Wednesday 18 June - School Matariki Evening @ 5.30pm

Thursday 19 June - Ministry of Education Curriculum Day (School Closed)

Friday 20 June - Matariki Public Holiday (School closed)

Wednesday 25 June - Porritt School Board Meeting @ 5.30pm

Thursday 26 June - Hautapu Dawn Karakia Ceremony @ 6.30am

Friday 27 June - House Haka and Waiata competition! Last day of Term 2

Monday 14 July - First Day of Term 3 and Pōwhiri for new tamariki, whānau and kaimahi

Advance Notice: Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 July - Student and Whānau Learning Conferences

* Bookings will open during Term 2 school holidays.

Tis the season right now as all of our trees shed their leaves as Winter deepens. Recently, Matua Hamish, our Caretaker, was seen with a few keen Team Tahi recruits, tidying up in our outdoor spaces. Ngā mihi Matua Hamish - thank you for this endless task!

Otis, Mitara and Agam helping Matua Hamish with the leaves around Team Tahi - legends boys!