MENPS News
Te Whare Akoranga o Maungawhau, June 11, 2026
From The Principal
Kia ora koutou
Cultural Week Next Week
Next week brings Cultural Week, acknowledging the rich diversity of our school and local community.
This positive initiative from the PTA builds on the success of last year’s Dragon Boat Festival by encouraging all cultures to participate, affirm and celebrate their unique heritage.
In classes, there will be a range of activities across the week, culminating with the Festival itself on Sunday 21 June, which is an opportunity to invite all our families together for a fun day of celebration.
On Friday, June 19, children are invited to to wear an item of traditional clothing that reflects their culture - this can be modern clothes connected to their cultural identity, a traditional accessory, or even a song, dance or cultural item they may wish to share. Please note that this is completely optional (otherwise, school uniform applies as usual).
It isn’t too late to get involved, so please contact the PTA if you're able to contribute to the event and help make it a memorable one for the children.
I'd like to thank the PTA for making the Festival day possible and the teachers, who have planned a range of engaging activities for the children next week that offer an opportunity for them to share aspects of their cultural heritage with pride.
Zones Cross Country
Parent Conferences
Finally, a reminder that Parent Conferences are approaching, so please make sure you have booked your appointment if you have not already done so. These conferences are aligned with mid-year reports and offer an opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher and also for the children to share examples of what they have been working on so far this year.
The reports this year have been extensively redesigned due to new national reporting benchmarks and requirements. We will be sharing information with you soon about what this means for your child's report, the judgements that teachers have made against new year-level indicators and what similarities/differences you can expect compared with the usual reporting framework that families who have been with us in previous years will be familiar with.
Term 2 Parent Conference Bookings are available to book online. Instructions on how to book can be found on the HERO app. Please also be reminded we have an early pickup on Thursday, 25 June (2pm). SKiDS is available if required.
Ka kite anõ i a koutou
Alan Jackson, Principal
Events & Reminders
Parent Teacher Conference - book via https://www.schoolinterviews.co.nz/code code: 6qwnp
Monday 15th June - Friday 19th June: Cultural Week
Tuesday 16th June:
- Zone Cross Country - Auckland Domain - (save day Thurs 18th)
Wednesday 17th June:
- School Board Meeting - Staffroom - 6:00pm - 9:30pm
Friday 19th June:
- PTA Second Hand Uniform Shop - 8:15am - 9:15am
Sunday 21st June:
- 2026 Cultural Festival - 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Notices
Jammies In June
Early Finish for Parent Teacher Conferences - 25th June
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.
🌏Help us to Celebrate MENPS Matariki, Dragon Boat & Cultural Festival! 🎉
Mount Eden Normal Primary School’s Matariki, Dragon Boat & Cultural Festival is happening on:
📅 Sunday 21st june
⏰ 12:00pm – 3:00pm
📍 73 Valley Road, Mt Eden
This special event celebrates culture, connection, creativity, and community — and we would love your help to make it truly representative of the amazing diversity within our school.
The PTA is inviting families to come forward with ideas, activities, or contributions from any culture, country, or background. We would love to support you in sharing something meaningful from your heritage or traditions.
We are looking for ideas such as:
🍜 Traditional foods or snacks
🎨 Arts, crafts, or cultural activities
🎲 Traditional games or interactive experiences
🎶 Music, dance, singing, storytelling, or performances
👘 Cultural displays, clothing, decorations, or demonstrations
🛍️ Market stall ideas
✨ Anything else that celebrates your culture and helps bring our community together
Whether your idea is big or small, the PTA can help support with planning, resources, setup, or coordination.
This festival is all about celebrating who we are as a community:
“He iwi tahi tātou — We are all one people.”
If you would like to participate, perform, run an activity, or share an idea, please contact the PTA:
We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
🎭 Cultural Performance Showcase – Calling All Performers!
Student Talent Show:
Do you or your family have a performance to share? A dance, A Song or an instrument to play? We would love to see it performed at the festival. Please contact Jane Liu to sign your child up to the student talent show! Whether dance, song, or other we will give your child, and maybe you also ;), an audience. Jiahui.liu@acetcommunity.org.nz
Learn LIon Dance and/ or Kung Fu
Learn to dance Lion Dance or practice Wushu Kungfu? please email for more info. There will be a chance to perform at the festival as well or just try it out on the day. amy.yhp@gmail.com
💛 We need your help!
The MENPS Cultural Festival is growing, and we’re looking for sponsors to help us keep this wonderful community event free and accessible for everyone.
Sponsorship is a great way to support local families while showcasing your business to hundreds of community members.
Interested? Please get in touch at menpspta@gmail.com.
Menps Matariki Dragon Boat Cultural Festival - volunteer signup
The festival will take place at our school June 21st 12-3pm and is an amazing way for us and our kids to learn about other cultures. To make it all happen, we need your help. Please sign up for the time slots you are available to help below. We thank Eden Orthodontics, Skids, Hellers for their support. If you have a business that is interested in sponsoring the event, we would love to hear from you. menpspta@gmail.com
Please keep an eye out for a google form link via hero sign up coming up:
Please Share a piece of your story - SWEET AND SAVORY BAKESALE
A Sweet or Savoury dish that reminds you of home: We kindly ask for small portions for our food stalls that keep well unrefrigerated. (You can just bring it on the day, like for the Fair bake sale - no nuts please, simply add the name and origin of the dish plus whether VG, Halal, Vegetarian, etc )
Collect your Cake Box at the Office on Thursday and Friday the week of the festival.
simply drop it off at the stall on the day! Thank you for your support ❤️
CALL FOR HELP – ELECTRICIAN NEEDED FOR OUR CULTURAL FESTIVAL!
Our Cultural Festival on 21 June is fast approaching, and we are looking for a qualified electrician (or someone with extensive event power setup experience) to help make the day a success.
What we need help with:
Planning the event power layout before the festival
Setting up power on the morning of 21 June
Connecting and managing our three-phase power supply safely
Ensuring power is distributed correctly across the site
Helping prevent overloads and power issues during the event ( ideal but not a necessity)
Assisting with pack-down afterwards if possible
Yummy Fruit/Apple Sticker Collection
The 2026 Yummy Apple Promotion ends on Friday, 4th September. This is the date that all Sticker Collection Sheets must be given to your child's teacher. Keep collecting those Yummy Fruit/Apple Stickers!
Email menpspta@gmail.com I Follow us on Facebook
Refer to the PTA website for information on the various fundraising and community activities
Co-Chairs Svantje Reiber and Sunny Nathu
Secretary Chantal Brunner
Treasurers Minaxi Chandra and Victoria Couto
PTA Advisor Chantal Brunner
Communications Gina Miao
School Representative Hilary Edwards
Community Notices
"MATA KI RUNGA, MATA KI RARO… KIA MATAOHO”
We are pleased to share details of a new Mana Whenua-led Matariki celebration for the Albert-Eden Local Board area. Grounded in the whakapapa of Maungawhau and the kōrero of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, and delivered in collaboration with The Roots, this event offers a rich, place-based cultural experience for whānau.
Ballantyne Square will be transformed into an immersive Matariki activation that reconnects us to the celestial realm above and the whenua below, through the living whakapapa of Maungawhau.
The event features:
o Cultural: Place-based storytelling and mana whenua narratives to deepen the understanding of Matariki
o Creative Activation: showcasing local Māori and community creatives sharing karakia/waiata, raranga, and mahi toi.
o Environment: Sustainable practices and moments of reflection, awareness and connection to the whenua
o Community and Business participation: The Nine Matariki Star Hunt along local shop windows. Find the stars, scan the QR Code, and enter the draw to win a $100 prize.