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Tālofa lava Parents, Whānau, and Caregivers,
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This week, we are proud to celebrate Samoan Language Week across our school. It is always a wonderful opportunity for us to acknowledge and celebrate the rich culture and language of our Samoan community, and it has been fantastic to see our students engaging with this learning.
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It has been a highly productive time across the school lately. It is always rewarding to see our students participating in the various trips and outside-of-the-classroom experiences that form such an important part of their learning journey.
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We would also like to extend a warm welcome to the new families who have joined us recently. We are very glad to have you with us and look forward to building strong relationships with you all.
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Kea Team Cross Country
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Our Kea students have been preparing well for their upcoming Cross Country, which will take place at the end of the term. I have been thoroughly impressed with their enthusiasm and the supportive attitude they have shown toward one another during practices. A big thank you to the Kea Team staff for reviewing the course this year to add some fresh challenges for the students.
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Community Notices & Events
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Please keep an eye out for upcoming events over the next few weeks. In particular, we have a bake sale scheduled for the 23rd of June. Hannah and Zeena are currently looking for bakers and helpers to support the day; if you are able to assist, please get in touch with them.
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School Donations & Kindo
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If you are in a position to do so, we ask that you please consider paying the school donation via Kindo. These contributions go directly toward funding key initiatives that greatly benefit our students, including subsidising or paying the Writer's Toolbox platform, Life Education Visit and our Garden to Table programme. We appreciate your support.
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Exceptional Attendance
Lastly, a sincere congratulations to our families on our current attendance data. Our school is sitting at 88% of students attending 90% of the time. This is a metric that continues to improve each year, and we thank you for your ongoing commitment to getting your children to school every day.
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Thank you for your continued support of our school.
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Fa'afetai lava and warm regards,
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Key Dates
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Every Friday: Kapa Haka, 11:30 am in the school hall.
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Monday - Life Education Begins at Howick Primary School 8 - 17 June
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Monday, 8 June - Board of Trustees Meeting
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- Tuesday, 9 June - Enviro Yr 5/6 Tree Planting Trip
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Friday, 12 June - School Assembly
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- Tuesday, 16 June - Enviro Yr 2/3 Tree Planting
- Tuesday, 23 June - Friends of Howick Primary School Bakesale
- Friday, 29 June - School Assembly
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Regular Attendance Reporting
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As part of our mandatory Ministry requirements, you will have seen that we are sending out regular attendance reports to parents and caregivers. These updates are designed to keep you informed of your child's current attendance percentage and support our shared goal of keeping student engagement high. You do not need to take any action when you receive these, but we appreciate your continued partnership in ensuring our tamariki are at school ready to learn.
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Moth Plant Competition Success
A massive congratulations to Ms Long and her team for placing second in this year's Moth Plant Competition!
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Alongside other schools, Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres, and various family and community groups, their hard work contributed to some truly incredible environmental results for our wider community. Together, participants in this year's competition achieved:
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206,452 moth plant pods and seedlings collected.
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An estimated 5.45 billion moth plant seeds prevented from spreading.
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2,560kg of invasive green waste successfully diverted to hot compost.
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A grand total of 877,791 pods and seedlings removed since the competition began nine years ago.
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Thank you to Ms Long, her team, and everyone who pitched in to protect our local environment from this invasive weed. A stellar effort!
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Uniform Shop Reminder
Just a quick heads-up for our community: the Uniform Shop is open each Monday.
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• Morning: 8:30am – 9:30am
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• Afternoon: 2:30pm – 3:30pm
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Whether you need a spare polo or a winter jumper, feel free to drop by during these times!
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Please stop by during these times for any uniform requirements.
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Kelly Club Holiday Programme: Bookings Open
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With the end of the term approaching, bookings are now officially open for the upcoming Kelly Club Holiday Programme. They have an exciting line-up of sports, cooking, arts and crafts, and fun day trips planned to keep the kids entertained and active. Spaces fill up quickly, so we highly recommend securing your child's place now to avoid missing out. You can find more details and book directly through the Kelly Club website.
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Call for Cultural Volunteers: Dance, Art & Language
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To celebrate the diverse cultures at Howick Primary, we are seeking volunteers to help train our students in traditional dance, arts, and language. We aim to showcase these talents through performances at our school assemblies, providing our students with a platform to take pride in their heritage.
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We Need Your Expertise
We are looking for families who can lead small groups of students during school hours in:
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Traditional Dance & Movement: For example, the Samoan Sasa, Cook Islands Ura, or Indian Bhangra.
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The Arts: Teaching traditional crafts like Māori Raranga (weaving) or Fijian Masi (tapa) patterns.
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Language: Helping students learn basic phrases, such as "Mālō e lelei" (Tongan) or "Bula Vinaka" (Fijian).
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Upcoming Cultural Focus Dates
We want to align our learning with significant dates celebrated across Aotearoa. Here are some of the upcoming opportunities where your help would be invaluable:
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Samoa Language Week: (31 May – 6 June) – e.g., Slap dances or Siapo patterns.
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Matariki: (10 July) – e.g., Kapa Haka, Waiata, or flax weaving.
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Cook Islands Māori Language Week: (2 – 8 August) – e.g., Drum dances or Tivaivai.
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Tonga Language Week: (16 – 22 August) – e.g., Lakalaka or Tongan greetings.
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Fijian Language Week: (4 – 10 October) – e.g., Meke or traditional weaving.
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Diwali: (8 November) – e.g., Rangoli art or Bollywood dance.
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We also welcome support for Kiribati, Vanuatu, PNG, Tuvalu, Niue, Tokelau, and Solomon Islands language weeks, or any other significant cultural dates your family observes.
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How to Get Involved: If you can share your skills and heritage with our learners during school hours, please email us at m.earl@howickprimary.school.nz.
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Thank you for helping us make our cultural diversity a vibrant, living part of Howick Primary School.
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