MENPS News

Kia ora koutou

Another group who have been hard at work as always are our amazing PTA, who put together an equally colourful Quiz Night last weekend. These are unique opportunities not only for fundraising, but also for connecting with a diverse group of parents from across the school at a fun event held in a good cause. Our thanks as always to our PTA volunteers for making this event a great success.

Information on the upcoming strike day from the Board will be sent home via HERO. The key points to be aware of are that School will remain open, but with a significantly reduced staff. For this reasosn, parents have been asked to keep their children at home on the day if possible. If this is not an option, school will remain open, but for supervision only (not our usual classroom programmes).

You may have read recent headlines relating to a significant boost in reading results from students, which is very encouraging. As with any data making significant claims, it's always useful to dig a little deeper and share a little perspective.

In this case, the data is actually very narrow, and certainly not as dramatic or conclusive as seems to have been portrayed in the media.

What we know with certainty from research is that teaching of phonics is one (of a number of) key components in enabling children to develop as readers. Any progress in this area is unquestionably positive, and to be celebrated. It's fair to say, however, that it would be much more of a surprise if children had not made progress in their knowledge of letter sounds after 20-30 weeks of school. To be clear, that's not new, but what we have always expected.

What the data cited this week does show is that children in a sample of schools made progress in the number of letter sounds they were able to recognise (which is the aim of the new programmes and, therefore, a success). The data is a little opaque, however, as the children tested were not the same children at each point, and the sample size was statistically relatively small. Nonetheless, it is one clear measure of progress.

It may well be that this is one data point in a transformational shift in NZ literacy rates, which would be of huge significance. Nonetheless, that isn't what this data actually shows. While it measure letter/sound recognition, that's all it measures. Encourging as it might be, it tells us nothing about reading as it would be defined more broadly (fluency, accuracy, comprehension).

Headlines aside, what will be particularly interesting moving forward is to see a broader picture develop to support the literacy outcomes that everyone would like to see, which is ultimately for the kind of capable and motivated readers we work hard to achieve here at MENPS!

Ka kite anõ i a koutou

Alan Jackson, Principal

Wednesday 22nd October:

• Board Meeting - 6:00pm - 9:30pm

Friday 24th October:

• Teacher Only Day

Saturday 25th October:

• Chess Power Nationals Finals - Alfriston College

Monday 27th October:

• Labour Day (Holiday)

We are in the final week of our online auction fundraising activity - don't miss out on some awesome items up for grabs for as little as $10 !!!

Start bidding now! app.galabid.com/menps25

Two items you don't want to miss.

🍦Ice-cream shout for your child's entire class 🍦

There are 6 ice cream parties up for grabs - one for each year group!

Value: Priceless

Your child could be the class hero and shout their entire class ice-cream! Ice-blocks available as dairy free option.

Click here to bid now

Afternoon tea / high-tea with the MENPS Senior Leadership Team

Brought to you by our fabulous senior leadership team - Mr Jackson, Miss Laufili, Mrs Matene and Miss Edwards!

You can bid on the chance for your child to have a very special afternoon tea / high-tea with the senior leadership team! The afternoon tea or high-tea will be during school hours on a date agreed with the SLT and it will be delicious!

Click here to bid now

Thank you to the many businesses and families that have donated to our auctions and those that have bid on items already, including:

• Books Gift Pack from Chapter Book & Tea Shop

• $50 Xoong Voucher

• Trent Bray - Holiday Swim Week Vouchers

• OOH-FA Voucher $100

• 5 weeks Kenpo karate classes for a child or teenager which includes a gi/uniform

• Thread Room $100 gift voucher

• Strong Pilates - 10 Class Pass

• Mendieta Tennis - 1 day tennis holiday programme

• Bricks 4 Kidz Mt Eden $50 Voucher

• 1 Term of Lunchtime Dance Club with Helen A. Dance Tuition

• 1 Week Holiday Programme at Auckland United Football Club

• Emergency Food Rations (ER bar) from Bunker Box

🎃 Junior disco 5.00-6.00pm 🦸

🧛🏻‍♂️ Senior disco 6.30-7.30pm 🧙🏻‍♂️

Prizes given out for Best Dressed, Best Dancing and Best Colouring Contest during the Disco.

1) Tickets On Sale on now on mykindo.co.nz - $5 per child.

Please order a ticket for EACH of your children under their own name and room number. Please select the type of pizza your child would like from Cheese or Gluten free Cheese. Each ticket includes pizza, snacks and water. Email menpspta@gmail.com if you require any help with ordering tickets.

2) Drop and leave event

Unless you are a parent helper, this is a drop and leave event. Why not bring a chair, and something to eat and join other parents for a picnic or chat!

3) Ice blocks, Drinks and Treats for sale

A selection of ice blocks, drinks and treats will be available for purchase so send your child in with some money if you wish.

4) Colouring Contest

Competition forms to be distributed in classes to all students in the coming week. Please submit your colouring entry into the Halloween Colouring Comp Submission Letter Box. The submission box will be located in front of the hall.

Submit your work by Thursday 6th Nov. And don’t forget your name and room number - one entry per person

Be in to win a Westfield Voucher!

5) Year 0/1 Quiet Space

Our annual Halloween disco is one of our most popular and much anticipated event for the kids! However, we’ve observed in the past that it can be slightly overwhelming for some new entrances who have never attended before, especially as it is a child only event. So, at this year’s Halloween disco we would like to offer caregivers of year 0/1 the option of purchasing an adult ticket to stay in our newly designated “quiet space”. This will essentially be an area with access to the hall that parents can hang out in and if your child needs some time out from the disco, they can come in to find you for some reassurance. Note that you will not be able to see your child in the hall from the quiet space and with this option, caregivers will not be allowed to enter the hall (with exception of parent helpers) but your child can freely come in and out of the quiet space directly from the hall!

Capacity is limited so please only purchase a ticket if needed and only 1 caregiver can purchase per family. We have only opened this up for year 0/1 parents - however if you have a child in an older year level that may require some support, please email menpspta@gmail.com.

🎉 Calling All MENPS Parent Volunteers for the Halloween disco! 🎉

Volunteer Roles Needed:

SIGN UP HERE

1. Event coordinator
We need someone to put their hand up to lead this event. We already have a group of keen volunteers in a WhatsApp group, we always get plenty of helpers with this event and we’ve run it lots of times so there isn’t much to this job. We need someone who can make a few decisions, direct helpers for the decorating/pack down and make any improvements they see fit from previous years. This role is perfect for a Year 3 or 4 caregiver and your kid(s) will think you’re a legend for being in charge of this fan favourite!

2. Decorators 👻
Time: At least 1 hour between 1 and 3 pm
Can you lend a hand to decorate the hall? You’ll have the chance to go through our boxes of decorations and set up the space. Your creativity will help create a spooky yet fun atmosphere for the kids!

3. Between Disco Clean Up 🎃
Time: Between 6:00 to 6:30 pm
Can you stay a bit after the Junior Disco and help clean up? This involves sweeping the floor, removing rubbish and recycling pizza boxes to get the hall ready for the Seniors.

4. After Disco Pack Up / Clean Up 🧛
Time: Between 7:30 to 8 pm
Can you stick around after the Senior Disco to help pack up and clean? If you’re picking up your Year 4-6 child(ren), consider bringing them and their friends along to help out! Tasks will include taking down decorations, general cleanup and returning items to the PTA room.

Interested in Helping?
Please fill in your details at the following link: Parent Help Roster Halloween Disco 2025.

We will also call for volunteers to help inside the hall at the disco - as these roles always fill up fast we will provide early access to those volunteers who sign up to one of the above roles first. Just make sure to sign up to one of the above roles by the end of Wednesday, October 22nd!

Your support is essential for this event’s success, and we appreciate any time you can contribute. This event can't happen without the collective effort of our wonderful parents. Thank you for being a vital part of the MENPS community!

Thank you to those who attended the PTA meeting on Tuesday this week. Minutes from the meeting will be available next week.

Yummy Apple Stickers – Thank You everyone who helped collect Yummy Apple stickers this year — we’re excited to share that MENPS has collected a total of 9791 points! What an amazing effort!

Every sticker has made a difference, and we truly appreciate your support. The collection sheets have now been sent to Yummy Apples, and we’re currently waiting to find out how much Yummy Apple sports gear funding we’ll receive and share this when we find out.

Even though this year’s stickers have already been submitted, please keep collecting Yummy Fruit stickers for next year.

It’s not just apples – nectarines, peaches, and plums from the YUMMY Fruit Company has stickers tat counts,

If the sticker says YUMMY, you can use it!

If Stickers can be collected on a blank piece of paper or a Yummy apple collection sheet which can be downloaded here. https://www.yummyfruit.co.nz/schools/

Well done, and once again — a huge thank you for your ongoing support!

A huge thank you to Ms Davies and the incredible students in Rūma 33 who carefully counted all the Yummy Apple Sticker Sheets!

It’s wonderful to see students getting involved, helping their school, and showing off their amazing Maths superpowers!

Ka pai, Rūma 33 – you’re superstars!

• We currently have a vacancy for a co-chairperson role - if you would be interested or have any questions about what the role involves, please get in touch. This is role is perfect for a Year 3 or 4 parent who is keen to be more involved in the fundraising and community building goals of the MENPS PTA.
  

• Pam Clifford, one of our current co-chairs is stepping down for the role after over 3 years in leadership roles on the MENPS PTA.

  
  

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 Pam Clifford & Svantje Reiber

Secretary April Alsari

Treasurers Paula Tran & Minaxi Chandra

PTA Advisor Chantal Brunner

Communications Gina Miao

School Representative Hilary Edwards

Full team of amazing parents/caregivers listed here

DR Janet E Mansfield Dip Tchg, , BA, MA (1st Class Honours), PHD The arts in Education Music and philosophy of the arts in Curriculum

Experienced music teacher for children in primary, secondary and adult beginners and more advanced adults.

Email address: jmansfield912@gmail.com

Home address: 307B Mount Eden Road (up right of way)

Landline : 09-623-6668

Cellphone : 027-723-6668

Please contact by email initially

Thank you

Support your students with our after-school learning sessions in English, Maths and Science and more!

• Led by a trained academic lead and screened volunteers (safeguarding & NZ Police checked)
• Includes free Wi-Fi, worksheets, and 1-2-1 support
  Every Wednesday, 4:00–5:30pm (during term time)
  Timohina Room, Wesley Community Centre

Join our calm and welcoming community class with resident teacher Kanchi.
Perfect for beginners or anyone wanting to improve flexibility, breathing and balance.
Every Saturday, 10:45–11:45am (during term time)
Sandringham Community Centre

For updates, follow us on:
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Instagram: @dreamcatchersworldwide
Visit us online: http://www.dreamcatchersww.com/