St Thomas’s School is a state, full primary school which caters for students from Year 1 to Year 8 (aged 5 years to 13 years) that is located in the heart of Kohimarama. Established in the early 1950’s the school serves families in Kohimarama plus surrounding suburbs and currently has a roll of 790 which principal, Michael Maher has told Peter Best and John Halstead of Ray White Kohimarama / St Heliers, will be extended to 830 in 2016. The school is currently undergoing a substantial building programme with a new intermediate block opening at the start of the year, and work is well advanced on a new administration block. Further new developments are currently in the pipeline.
The local Ray White office at Kohimarama has had a long sponsorship association with the school and on Saturday evening the annual PTA fundraiser, a Quiz Night, was the tenth successive event that Ray White Kohimarama had sponsored at St Thomas’s. Peter Best estimates over the ten years these events have raised in excess of $300,000 with the proceeds going to amenities and equipment for the school. This year the proceeds will go towards a vehicle for transporting children to sporting, cultural and other school events, and also a new junior playground.
This years event had a musical theme with parents, teachers and friends at each table dressed as a song, group or musical theme. It was a highly charged atmosphere, and Ray White Kohimarama / St Heliers team were decked out as a jazz band. Auctioneer Neil Newman did a sterling job auctioning off an array of items from pamper packs, orthodontic treatment, weekends away and even a vasectomy. The company got great publicity throughout the evening and a competition for attendees to receive market updates and win a Ray White bicycle attracted a high level of interest.
Ashleigh Cripps of the Ray White team also donated time, designing the “Musical Notes” logo, the signboard that was located outside the school plus the tickets and promotional material for the event.
The Ray White Kohimarama and St Heliers offices get great mileage from the school and participate in other events during the school year and advertise in the school newsletter. Peter Best says his association with the school is very close having had grandchildren at St Thomas’s and his Kohimarama home adjoins the school grounds, so he is frequently returning balls, frisbees and hats that come over the fence.