Board of Trustees Update April 2025

The Board of Trustees would like to extend our congratulations and appreciation to our Senior Leadership Team and all our staff. The recent ERO (Education Review Office) review, conducted over the past six months, has highlighted the exceptional work being done here at Onehunga Primary.

Having a non biased external review of our school is a great opportunity for reflection and growth.

We know how much hard work went into preparing for and participating in this review, and we are absolutely thrilled with the anecdotal feedback we've received so far. While we wait for the official draft report, we can confidently share that the ERO team's observations have been overwhelmingly positive.

It's particularly pleasing to hear that the ERO team actually raised some of the self-evaluations made by our own staff, recognising the high standards and commitment that are already in place. This speaks volumes about the professionalism and dedication of our team. We truly are fortunate to have such amazing educators shaping the learning experiences of our tamariki.

Thank you to everyone involved for your commitment to ongoing improvement. We are incredibly proud of you all!

Ngā mihi,

Amanda Wellgreen
On behalf of the Onehunga Primary School Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees Update February 2025

Kia ora koutou,

Following our first Board of Trustees meeting for 2025, we're pleased to share some updates with our school community.

Firstly, a huge thank you to everyone involved in bringing our new sports shed to life! The students are thrilled with the space, and it's a fantastic addition to our school. We are grateful for the grants from Blue Waters Community Trust and Akarana Community Trust and contributions from Friends of the School fundraising events and our annual school ‘Fun Run’ sponsorship.

We also want to acknowledge the incredible professional development our teachers engaged in during the January professional learning days before school started for the year. The sessions focused on key areas including ‘structured literacy’, cultural responsiveness, emotional environments as part of our OPS EPIC environments, and staff and student wellbeing. This investment in our teachers directly benefits our students, and we're already seeing the positive impact of their learning.

A special shout-out to our dedicated Learning Leaders and staff for their hard work and passion in driving improvement in literacy, maths, and spelling outcomes for our students. Our BOT heard presentations from each Learning Community about targeted groups of learners. The presentations were inspiring, demonstrating the positive impact of hands-on learning and targeted support. We also reviewed student achievement data from 2024 and look forward to sharing this in our 2024 Highlights and Celebrations document soon.

A key topic discussed at the meeting was the increasing number of students in our school with additional and sometimes complex needs. The Board is committed to Onehunga Primary School being inclusive and advocating for resourcing and support for all students and our staff. A subcommittee has been formed to explore possible solutions and funding options, and we will be actively engaging with the Ministry of Education, as well as other relevant agencies like the Ministry of Health and OT. We will keep you updated on our progress in this area.

Looking ahead, we'd like to draw your attention to the upcoming Board of Trustees election in September. This is a crucial opportunity for you to have your say in the governance of our school. If you're interested in learning more about the Board's role and responsibilities, I'd like to invite you to a Q&A session with me before our next meeting on 2 April at 5:00 pm. More details about this session will be shared closer to the date. We encourage anyone considering standing for the Board to come along and find out more!

We appreciate your ongoing support and engagement in our school community.

Ngā mihi,

Amanda Wellgreen
On behalf of the Onehunga Primary School Board of Trustees