24 May 2024

Ngā mihi nui kia koutou katoa,

After a busy start to the term, we have settled back into the academic rhythm of 2024.

Hundreds of students are taking their first shot at the NCEA Common Assessment Activities this week. As we mentioned in the last newsletter, these activities are significant parts of NCEA and provide an additional opportunity for the school, students, and families to assess academic progress. For those students who may not meet the standards of any of the activities, please remember that there will be other opportunities to meet these new targets. The school is dedicated to working with individuals and their families to ensure students have the best chance for success.

Earlier this term, we celebrated our annual Move Well Day, filled with positive energy and success. This event, which aligns with our traditional school cross-country competition, is designed to encourage students to think more proactively about their well-being. We were honoured to have Ritchie Barnett, a former Rugby League international and current broadcaster, as our guest speaker. Ritchie, who works alongside I Am Hope shared positive messages about well-being, and inspired our students with his words. It was a glorious day, and we congratulate those who walked 6 km in gumboots!

I would like to express our huge thanks to Mike Swan, Donal Ganley and the entire Parent Support Group for their organisation and running of the Mount Maunganui College Ambrose Golf fundraiser. It was a wonderful day at the stunning Mount Maunganui Golf Club who again, generously let us use their wonderful course and facilities. Thanks to the fantastic sponsors and community members who supported this event.  

With the sudden change in weather, all families must ensure their children attend school in the correct school uniform. This is not just a matter of appearance but also a part of our school's identity and discipline. Please take a moment to read the part of the newsletter below that provides links and further information on our uniform policy.

As always, please contact us with concerns about your child’s journey through Mount Maunganui College. Here is a list of key contacts that may make a great first port of call for any issues.

Ngā mihi,

Alastair Sinton
Principal

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CONTENTS: 

  • NASA Trip
  • Speech Night
  • Attendance Matters
  • Media Studies Trip
  • Uniform
  • Sports News
  • International Host Families 2024
  • School Bus Service
  • Student ID Photos
  • Travel Safe Community Notice
  • Key Dates / Term Dates

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NASA TRIP

The Mount Maunganui College trip to the USA planted 327 native trees to offset the carbon emissions for the trip.  

Congratulations to Roger Bailey, who won the auction at the quiz night for this planting to occur on his property in Welcome Bay.

Thank you to John Devery for giving up his time again on a weekend for this to occur.

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SPEECH NIGHT

Tuesday, 28 May - 6pm
School Hall

  • Do you love watching TED Talks or listening to speeches? 
  • Do you enjoy a little debate from time to time? 
  • Are you keen to support MMC students and be a part of a brand-new event? 

If this sounds like you, come along to the first-ever Mount Maunganui College Speech Night, tickets are only $1.

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MEDIA STUDIES TRIP

Last week, 22 Year 12 and 13 students went on the Media Studies trip to Wellington.

EscapeMate was our first venture. Tucked away in a little corner, the excitement began as we worked together to escape our assigned ‘room’ and completed a spy challenge. To end the day we grabbed dessert at Kaffee Eis and saw the sights of Cuba Street.

The next day had us touring Weta Workshop and partaking in a Leather Crafting Workshop, creating our own leather key ring. A visit to Youbee Campus allowed us to use their film equipment to develop our technical and creative skills. The treat for us came later that evening with a special tour of Roxy Cinema and a talk with Oscar award winning Jamie Salkirk prior to a screening of the film “The Fall Guy” on their state of the art laser projection.

Finishing up our trip with a special censorship session with the NZ Classifications Office had us learning how to censor streamed media by classifying an episode of “Derry Girls.” Thank you to the teachers for organising such an amazing trip, as the various aspects of our wide Media Industry captivated and inspired us.

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UNIFORM

Thanks to all our families who ensure our students head off to school in the correct school uniform. We know you have high expectations of how our students present themselves, so we appreciate your support.

Occasionally, students present to school in incorrect uniforms, and it can be disappointing for staff to have to start the day by having a negative conversation with a student about uniforms.

Here are some reminders to help ensure your child has a positive start to the day:

  • Uniform guidelines.
  • We would like to remind families that only Mount Maunganui College trousers are to be worn. These can only be purchased from NZ Uniforms.
  • Students can wear a non-regulation waterproof jacket to and from school on wet days.
  • Please ensure your child also adheres to our jewellery standards. No septums or rings are permitted on the face.
  • Discipline and defiance procedures will be used to deal with ongoing uniform issues if not resolved promptly.

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SPORTS NEWSLETTER                                                                                                     Dan Meade
Director of Sport

Off-field Sports Uniforms
Off-field sports uniforms are available online here or in store at 94 Elizabeth Street. It is important to have all our sports players looking the part and we encourage students to buy a long sleeve or short sleeve tee and / or hoodie if they don’t already have an off-field uniform.

Sponsorship
Please reach out on danm@mmc.school.nz if you’re interested in joining our amazing group of sponsors who make a genuine difference to sport at Mount Maunganui College. We have a range of packages and sponsor benefits available and would love to hear from you. 

High Achievers
Congratulations to all our hockey players who have been selected for Tauranga Hockey Rep Teams!

U18 Men
Hekekiah Gould

U18 Men Development
Harrison Lendrum
Corban Wilson

U18 Women
Indra Wongsang
Talia Coffey

U18 Women Development
Rachel Loader

Congratulations to our Tauranga Netball Reps for 2024!
U18 Squad
Bailey Dickson
Georgia Ellis
Janita Sanisa Lawrence
Mia Namok
Mia Price
Paige Kay-Sullivan

U16A Squad
Harvey-Jane Pahuru
Pa’Shence Pokaia

U16B Squad
Chelsey Ericksen
Sienna Latu

U14A Squad
Lucy Newsom

U14B Squad
Manaia-rose Eketone
Courtney Marburg-Dreadon
Kyla Wills
Lara Wright
Pearl Cooney

Congratulations to  Ella Grace, Morgan Sinkinson, Georgia Davoren and McKenzie Crawford who are in the Tauranga Women's Waterpolo Team and played in Round 2 of NZ Women's Div 2 in Tauranga over the weekend. They were second in their pool and are now sitting at number two on the points table. Fingers crossed for round 3!

Congratulations to Grace Richardson, Poppy Richardson, Isla Frazer who competed in the King and Queen of the Harbour and the Kahawai Champs last weekend.

King and Queen of the Harbour Results:
Isla Frazer, 1st U14, 3km
Poppy Richardson, 1st U16, 6km
Grace Richardson, 2nd U18, 20km
Grace also finished 2nd overall in the open Women’s Darcy Price series

Kahawai Champs Results:
Isla Frazer, 1st U14
Poppy Richardson, 2nd U16
Grace Richardson, 1st U18

What’s been happening

Move Well
The school “Move Well” day and cross country was held on the 10th May, led by the PE Department. The day allowed our competitive athletes to compete and put a modern spin on the traditional cross country for the non-competitive runners as they could walk or run in gumboots to gain extra house points, while also raising funds and awareness for the mental health charity, Gumboot Friday.

Yr 9 Girls
1st, Grace Murgatroyd
2nd, Lilly Akagi
3rd, Olive Illingworth

Yr 9 Boys
1st, Jay Eilering
2nd, Tom Crosby
3rd, Toby Boorman

Junior Girls
1st, Lucy Tawharu-Senf
2nd, Pearl Cooney
3rd, Zoe Hannah

Junior Boys
1st, Ryder Matthews
2nd, Pepino Heller
3rd, Triton Dickens

Senior Girls
1st, Sage Fritchley
2nd, Rachel Loader
3rd, Filomena Klug

Senior Boys
1st, Finnley Oliver
2nd, Cole Frazer
3rd, Adisen Mahy

Trident Invitational Junior Basketball Tournament
Congratulations to our Junior A Boys Basketball team who finished 5th at the Trident Invitational Tournament.

Trident Invitational Senior Basketball Tournament
Congratulations to our Senior Prem Boys Basketball team who also finished 5th at the Trident Invitational Tournament.

BOPSS Cross Country Championships
The regional BOPSS Cross Country Champs was held at Waipuna Park on Monday 20th May. We had a strong team of Mount Maunganui College runners compete at the event.

Year 9 Girls
Grace Mugatroyd, 12th
Olive Illingworth, 15th
Lilly Akagi, 16th

Year 9 Boys
Tom Crosby, 13th
Toby Borman, 14th
Mitchell Hill, 17th
Jay Eilering, 18th
Cameron Piermarini, 19th
Te Raiti Hamilton, DNF

Junior Boys
Ryder Matthews, 6th
Pepino Heller, 14th

Senior Girls
Sage Fritchley, 7th
Filomena Klug, 10th
Rachel Loader, 15th
Karolina Paschalisova, 17th

Senior Boys
Finnley Oliver, 1st
Sean Collins, 4th
Jaxon Willows, 26th

What’s coming up?

Let’s Roll Rollerskating Classes
Learn to roller skate with Ivy from Let’s Roll Coaching in school at the Outdoor Basketball courts at Mount Maunganui College. Thursdays 3:15 - 4:15pm from 16th May for 10 weeks.

All skates, protective gear provided and classes are completely free! Teaching beginner skating skills to build balance, agility and confidence while learning how to roller skate and progressing to navigating obstacles & outdoor skating. Coached by one of NZs best roller skaters!

Manihera Memorial Golf Tournament
The Manihera Memorial Golf Tournament has been postponed due to the rain. We will be taking the largest golf team yet. New date will be announced soon.

BOPSS Squash Girls Individual Championships
The individual event is being held at the Devoy Squash Centre on Wednesday 29th May. Register at the Sports Office.

BOPSS Squash Boys Individual Championships
The individual event is being held at the Devoy Squash Centre on Wednesday 5th June. Register at the Sports Office.

Lawn bowls
All students interested in trying Lawn bowls please register your name with Mr Meade in the sports office or via email. Experienced players are welcome too.

BOPSS Rockclimbing Championships
It’s always an awesome day out watching our talented National Title winning rockclimbing team. This event will be held at Rocktopia on Friday 21st June. Listen out for when registrations are open at the Sports Office.

Manawahe Multisport Race
The Manawahe Multisport Race is now being held in Term 3. Date to be announced soon.

WBOP Senior Badminton Qualifier
The badminton qualifier will be held on 26th June at QEYC, Tauranga. See the sports office to register.

NZSS Cyclocross
Have you ever thought of giving Cyclocross a go? This year the North Island CX Championships are taking place on 21st July in Papamoa. Register in the sports office.

Polar Plunge
We are holding our annual Polar Plunge on the morning of Wednesday 19 June. The event is a fundraiser set up in the memory of students Harrison Mundy and Jed Roberts. Students and families are to arrive at the Omanu Surf Club at 7am for short speeches before a mid-winter dip in the ocean. Bring a gold coin to donate to the cause and earn house points.

Lynfield Exchange
The annual sports exchange against Lynfield College is being held at Lynfield College on Thursday 4th July. This is always a highly anticipated event and we wish all our teams the best of luck! All students participating will receive information closer to the day.

Strength and Conditioning 
The Mount Maunganui College Strength and Conditioning Programme, is up and running again in Term 2. It provides a great space and top level strength and conditioning coaching to help your child reach their physical potential for their sport. See Mr Meade in the sports office if you’d like to know more.

Mount Maunganui College Sailing Raffle
Win a Trip to Barcelona for the 37th America’s Cup! Imagine soaking up the sun in Barcelona while watching Emirates Team New Zealand defend the 37th America’s Cup. You can make this dream a reality and support a great cause at the same time.

1. Kiwi Cup Raffle
Purchase a ticket in the Kiwi Cup Raffle for your chance to win a trip of a lifetime to Barcelona for the 37th America’s Cup valued at over $35,000! The Kiwi Cup Raffle is a nationwide initiative supported by Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Emirates Team New Zealand, Live Sail Die, and Yachting New Zealand. Its mission? To help sailing organizations raise essential funds for the sport of sailing.

2. How It Works
Each ticket costs $20.
Select “Mount Maunganui College”: When you purchase your ticket, choose Mount Maunganui College as your sailing club/team/association to support.
Fundraising Impact: $10 from each ticket purchased will directly benefit Mount Maunganui College Sailing and contribute to getting our sailing team to nationals.

3. Secondary Prizes
But wait, there’s more! Alongside the grand prize, there are fantastic secondary prizes waiting to be won.

4. Important Dates
Raffle Tickets go on sale from 1st May.
Ticket sales close on 24th July.
Prizes will be drawn on 29th July 2024.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Visit kiwicup.co.nz to explore the full list of prizes and read the raffle terms and conditions.

Social Media
The Sports Department has updated their Social Media pages. Please follow us on.

Facebook: Mount Maunganui College Sport
Instagram: Mount Maunganui College Sport

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SCHOOL BUS SERVICE

This is a reminder to families that the school has a very efficient bus service. This service will ensure your child arrives at school on time and is ready for period 1 classes.

While students can use the commercial bus service free during school hours provided they have a BEE card they cannot guarantee that they will arrive ready for an 8.45 am start. Many of these services mean that students are missing up to 30 minutes of learning time each day.

Please encourage your child to use the school buses each day. This may mean they need to leave the house earlier, but it guarantees they are ready for the start of school.

Up-to-date information on the school buses is on the school website https://www.mmc.school.nz/key-info/bus-information

The afternoon buses leave the school grounds promptly at 3pm each day. The 712a buses are now arriving at 3 pm and the later one arrives at approximately 3.10pm.

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STUDENT ID PHOTOS

As ID cards are not required for school, students will not receive one this year unless they order it through the Photolife website.

Information on how to order will be sent out from Photolife, and cards will be sent directly to them.

 Parent Queries – Please contact Photolife at:     enquiries@photolife.co.nz

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Destination Skatepark Opening

We know everyone is excited for the new skatepark to open but remember it’s still a closed construction zone for now and the fences are there to protect you.

The skatepark at the corner of Hull Road and Maunganui Road will be officially blessed at an invitation only event on the morning of Wednesday, 29 May. Then by 2pm the fences will come down and the park will be officially open for the community to enjoy, just in time for King’s Birthday weekend!

In June new signalised crossings near New World will be up and running but, in the meantime, please use the crossings in place to access to the park safely.

A new temporary crossing will link to the new shared path from the northern end of Central Parade.  Dismount your bike, scooter, or skateboard and check that no cars are coming before crossing the Central Parade carpark. Then press the button and wait for the green person to flash and ensure all vehicles have stopped before stepping out.

If you’re accessing the skatepark by car, use the parking at the Mount Sports Centre and cross carefully at the Hull Road crossing.

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KEY DATES

2024 Term Dates (click to view)

May 2024
28................. Speech Night – 6pm School Hall
28................. Engagement Report Issued
31................. NCEA Teacher Only Day (School Closed)

June 2024
03................. Monarch’s Birthday
5-21.............. Year 9 Camps
6................... DanceNZMade
19................. Polar Bear Plunge
20................. Engagement Report Issued
25-27............ School Production
28................. Matariki 

July 2024
04................. Lynfield Exchange
05................. Last Day Term 2
22................. First Day Term 3

August 2024
01................. Careers Pathway Evening
07................. Open Evening
14................. Talent Quest
15................. School Interviews (4pm-7pm)
16................. School Interviews (School Closed)
22................. Daffodil Day
22................. Engagement Report Issued