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Turning 55 is a significant milestone and the students, teachers and community of Sunnyhills School are getting excited about its upcoming jubilee activities.
As well as staging 55th anniversary events in early April, pupils of the east Auckland primary school are discovering how its evolved since opening in 1970.
“This term all of the students are learning about different aspects of our rich history and will be contributing to the school-wide displays, jubilee activities and presentations,” says long-time Sunnyhills School teacher and convenor of its jubilee committee, Vanessa Cammell.
She arrived at Sunnyhills in the early 1990s and when the Times visited the school she was with teacher and team leader Caitlin Davis, who has a daughter Ranger attending; and teacher and board member Stephanie Trembath, who said her first involvement with the primary was when her boys went there as students.
They say all the children are getting involved and enjoying the different learning topics for the jubilee.
Year 6 students are studying school camps, Year 1 pupils are visiting the Howick Historical Village to get an understanding of the early days of this east Auckland area in the 1900s, while Year 4s are looking at how playing games has evolved through the decades.
Year 3s are involved in music and dance, while most of the young ones will also learn of how the local area of Sunnyhills and connecting neighbourhoods and suburbs have developed over more than half a century.
Cammell says Sunnyhills Primary is also “reaching out to those who have had a past association with the school and may wish to reconnect – past pupils, parents, staff members and friends of the school”.
There are two main jubilee events, says Cammell: The Mix ’n Mingle on the evening of Thursday, April 3; and the Open Day on Friday, April 4.
The Mix ’n Mingle, from 6-8pm, is a chance to reminisce, an “opportunity to take a trip down memory lane, reconnect with school friends from the past and maybe even some teachers, view multi-media displays, photos and momentos from 55 years of life at Sunnyhills”, she says.
The Open Day, from 10am to 3pm, will provide visitors the chance to “see 21st Century education in action”, says Cammell.
“Pop into the classrooms to see the children at work or better still join one of our student-led guided tours to hear about and experience school life in 2025.”
There’ll also be a morning tea when guests can meet with teachers or be with their children or grandchildren, and at midday there’s a picnic lunch planned.
“Feel free to bring your own lunch and once again enjoy that school lunch eating experience in our vibrant grounds or pick up a pre-ordered picnic lunch,” says Cammell.
The special Celebration Assembly at 1.30pm on Open Day in the school hall will “showcase the students and their learning around our theme for the term – titiro whakamuri, kokiri whakamua – look back and reflect, so you can move forward”.
- For more information about and to register for the Sunnyhills School’s 55th jubilee events, send an email to jubilee@sunnyhills.school.nz or phone 09 576 8031.
- For students thoughts on what their learning for the anniversary, read: https://www.times.co.nz/news/public-opinion-sunnyhills-schools-55th-jubilee/
