Pirongia School. Photo / Pirongia Heritage and Information Centre
Pirongia School. Photo / Pirongia Heritage and Information Centre
One of the oldest schools in the district is about to turn 150 - so all past students and teachers of Pirongia School are invited to register for a weekend of celebratory events.
The event will take place at the school over Labour weekend, from Friday, October 20 to Sunday, October 22.
The event base is the Jubilee Marquee, which will be erected on the grounds.
The official start is a mihi whakatau at 5.30pm on Friday, followed by registration from 6pm.
The highlight of the evening is an hour-long cabaret from 6.30pm of music, dance and drama performed by students highlighting the various decades.
The two senior teams, of Year 5-8 students, have been putting together the showcase event over the past term, and will continue rehearsing until the event.
From 7.30pm, visitors are welcome to ‘linger longer’ and catch up with old friends.
On Saturday, from 10am until 2pm, all the school learning spaces will be open, with various exhibits on display.
There will be plenty of time to view the displays and reminisce.
Decade photos will also be taken at this time, plus current and past staff members will assemble in the school staffroom for morning tea.
Lunch will be served in the Jubilee Marquee between 11.30am - 1.30pm.
The big event is the Jubilee Dinner on Saturday night from 6pm.
There will be plenty more time for catching up, a cash bar, a buffet dinner, cutting the cake and then music from 8.30pm.
Pirongia School's early classrooms. Photo / Pirongia Heritage and Information Centre
All three bands are local and play a range of styles to cater for all tastes. They are Mint Sauce, The Lingman band and Grey Haired Daddies.
Sunday starts with a Thanksgiving service in the school hall at 9.30am, followed by the planting of a jubilee tree in the school’s native garden.
At 10am, there will be a morning tea and farewells.
School principal Kelly Bicknell says it is an exciting time for the school and students are getting in behind the event, rehearsing for the show and learning about the history of their school.
She says the organising committee has been working hard for well over a year to put all the plans in place and she is confident it will be memorable for everyone who attends.
