Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa,

Wednesday evening marked the conclusion of the current prizegiving run, celebrating our top academic achievers for 2025. We welcomed the return of former Head Girl Dr Julia Kayes, who spoke about her journey from Mount Maunganui College to graduating from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery. Our Sport Awards hosted Payton Takimoa and Neil Wagner as guest speakers, and our Arts Awards was another incredible evening of entertainment. Congratulations to the following students for earning the top awards at these prizegivings.

Academic Awards
DUX - Eva Dixon
Proxime Accessit - Mia Olsen

Arts Awards
Performing Arts Person of the Year - Sienna Lagerberg
Performing Arts Person of the Year - Florence Steer

Sports Awards
Senior Sports Girl of the Year - Jess Benge
Senior Sports Boy of the Year - Griffin Hunt

With Year 13 Graduation and Junior Prizegiving still to go, there is much more success to celebrate in 2025. Best of luck to all senior students heading into NZQA examinations over the next few weeks.

As we approach the end of our academic year, please maintain open communication with teachers, deans, and school leaders if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s progress.

Ngā mihi,

Alastair Sinton
Principal

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CONGRATULATIONS

Chemistry Olympiad

This is an exam that is sat nationwide by high-achieving chemistry students. The top 10% of students earn a gold award, the next 20% get silver and the next 30% get a bronze award. Participants from Mount Maunganui College were Nathan Appleton, Mani Catenach, Anaya Clark, Evan Stockman and Brooke McLean.

Silver Award - Nathan Appleton
Bronze Award - Mani Catenach, Anaya Clark and Evan Stockman

The students with awards have now been invited to join an online training programme in preparation for another exam in March next year, which will be used to select a training group for the International Olympiad. After a week of learning in Auckland, four students will be chosen to represent NZ from this group.

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HEALTH UPDATE

Information to share with parents, caregivers and your communities

Measles is circulating and is very contagious. There is now measles in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu, Nelson and Wellington, and we expect further cases across New Zealand.
Watch out for symptoms – fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes, and a blotchy rash:

Measles – Health New Zealand

Anyone with measles symptoms must stay at home and should seek urgent advice by ringing their doctor or Healthline on 0800 611 116.
Anyone who is closely exposed to a measles case must stay at home. Heath New Zealand will provide individuals with advice on a case-by-case basis (including when they can leave quarantine at home).
Health New Zealand is actively working with the schools that currently have measles cases.
People are considered immune to measles after having two doses of a measles vaccine from 12 months or older, or if you have had measles before. For more information on measles immunity visit:

Measles immunity – Health New Zealand

Encourage families and whānau to check their own and their child/childrens’ immunisation status through My Health Record:

My Health Record – Health New Zealand

Anyone born between 1969 and 2004 may have only received one vaccine dose and might not be fully protected. It’s safe to get extra doses. A free vaccine can be booked online or via the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26.

Book my vaccine – Health New Zealand

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PPTA STRIKE ACTION

Next week PPTA members covered by the Area and Secondary Teachers' Collective will be taking strike action on Wednesday 5 November.

The strike is for two hours on 5 November, starting at 1.15pm and ending at 3.15pm.

School will finish at 1:15pm for all year levels on Wednesday, 5 November.

We understand that this news may cause some inconvenience and disruption to your daily routine, and we want to provide you with prior notice so that you can make any necessary arrangements. If the industrial action does not eventuate, we will notify families straight away, and it will be school as normal.

We will continue to keep you informed of any updates or changes to this situation.

Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

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SUSTAINABILITY STUDY TOUR

Information Evening

Tuesday 4 November
Mount Maunganui College Library at 7.30pm

Students and their families are warmly invited to an information evening about our proposed Environment Group Study Tour to Stockholm (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark) — two cities internationally recognised as global leaders in sustainability.

During the trip, students will explore how these cities have successfully implemented large-scale environmental initiatives. In Stockholm, students will learn how the city plans to become fossil fuel–free by 2040, ensures that every resident lives within 300 metres of green space, and uses district heating systems that recycle waste heat to warm homes. In Copenhagen, students will discover how the city is striving to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital, supports cycling as the main mode of commuting for over 60% of residents, and operates CopenHill — a world-leading waste-to-energy plant that doubles as a public recreation space.

We also hope to visit a European school that embeds sustainability into its curriculum, giving students a chance to see environmental responsibility in action.

Upon returning to New Zealand, the group will present their findings to the local Council, sharing ideas and recommendations that could strengthen our community’s sustainability journey.

Through this experience, students will gain insight into how other nations are transitioning toward a circular economy — exploring renewable energy, advanced waste systems, sustainable transport, local food initiatives, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action and responsible consumption.

This trip promises to broaden horizons, inspire innovation, and empower students to envision a more sustainable future for Aotearoa.

This event is to see how much interest there is for this trip, and whether it is worth putting the trip before the Board of Trustee’s, for final approval.

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Brett Sorrenson
Director of Sport

Kia ora koutou,

Tuesday 21 October we celebrated the year of 2025. It was a year of New Zealand records, a year of local, regional and national success, a year of participation, a year of connection and a year of memories. Mount Maunganui College Sport celebrated and recognised the achievements across 36 different sports. Congratulations to all winners and we look forward to an even more exciting 2026.

Who are our people
Here at Mount Maunganui College Sport, we're proud of the community that positively contributes to our programmes – our students, staff, volunteers and supporters. This week we spotlight the Premier Boys Basketball captain Harvey Newsom.

Student Sport Profile
Name: Harvey Newsom
Year: 12
Sport: Basketball
Tell us about yourself: A year 12 student at Mount Maunganui College and the captain for the Mount Maunganui College Premier Basketball team. I love playing sport, getting outdoors, chilling with my mates and helping coach the younger generations of basketball players. This is my second year at Mount Maunganui College and I moved here because of all the great things I had heard about the school and the people. The basketball programme that was being built was another major factor in my decision to move here.
Why did you start playing: I started playing basketball because in intermediate my team needed another player to be able to play, from there my love for the game grew instantly and I began to enjoy playing it, I loved the competitiveness around the sport and then working hard behind the scenes, crafting my game, then going out and playing and showing what I have added to my game.
Aspirations: My aspirations for basketball currently would be winning secondary school nationals and 3x3 national next year. I also would love to play professionally, whether that be college, NZ NBL or overseas. I would love to have the opportunity to grow my game in a professional setting.
What do you enjoy Mount Maunganui College Sport: I enjoy how competitive the sport and how great the culture is, specifically in the basketball programme. I think that the connection we have built with players at the school and through the Mount Maunganui College sport programme is truly one of the best in the country.
What am I thankful for: I am extremely thankful for the Mount Maunganui College basketball coaching staff. A massive thank you to David Hopoi, James Aoina, Brook Rapson and Sharon Horne for trusting in me to lead the team this year. The coaches have really made me believe in myself and in my game, they give us their time day in and day out to better ourselves. Their knowledge and guidance through my journey to date is something I can’t thank them enough for.

What’s been happening?

Sports Awards Special Award Winners
Contribution to Sports in the Community: Georgia Davoren and Isobella Davoren
Contribution to Sport in the School: Morgan Sinkinson
Sports Team of the Year: Premier Girls 3x3 Basketball Team
Most Outstanding Junior Sports Achievement of the Year: Mila Piatek
Most Outstanding Male Sporting Achievement of the Year: Finn Van Gisbergen
Most Outstanding Female Sporting Achievement of the Year: Cara Hicks
Junior Sports Boy of the Year: Sol Fritchley
Junior Sports Girls of the Year: Quinn Murdoch
Bayleys Senior Sports Boy of the Year: Griffin Hunt
Bayleys Senior Sports Girl of the Year: Jessica Benge

Link to all winners - Sports Awards Winners

Climbing
Mount Maunganui College climbers continue their success and New Zealand recognition. The following students have been selected in the following development squads.
Bouldering Under 15 Female
- Lucy Ranger
- Marley de Jong
Top rope / Lead Under 15 Female
- Marley de Jong
Bouldering Under 17 Female
- Mila Piatek
Bouldering Under 17 Male
- Rio Piatek

Rollerskating
Te Moana a Toi Rollerskating Club’s Amber Smith recently represented New Zealand at the Figure World Cup held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 28th. Competing in the Junior Ladies Figures event, Amber placed 17th in the world — an achievement reflecting years of dedication and hard work. Leading up to the competition, Amber trained 8–10 hours a week and self-funded her journey. She spent two weeks in Argentina, training with an international coach and embracing an unforgettable experience.

Obstacle Course Racing
Caitlyn Fortescue has recently returned home from Sweden after competing for New Zealand at the World Obstacle Course Racing Championships. Caitlyn competed in the 100m sprint and 3km individual events - she was also chosen to be in the mixed 100m team relay.
- 3km OCR Race: 20th Place
- 100m Individual Race: 21st Place
- 100m Mixed Relay: 10th Place
Caitlyn has reflected well with lots of learnings and is already looking at which events to enter in 2026, she is one to watch moving forward

Surf Lifesaving
Isobella Davoren and Olivia Verryt have been selected in the 2025 SLSNZ Pool Rescue Squads. Isobella has been selected in the Senior Pool Rescue Squad and Olivia has been selected in the Youth Pool Rescue Squad. Both have had a standout year with surf lifesaving and will be looking to take New Zealand Pool Rescue to the next level.

Rugby 7s
We had three teams represent Mount Maunganui College at the BOPSS 7s competition held recently in Arataki.
- Junior Boys: 3rd Place
- Senior Girls: 3rd Place
- Senior Boys: 4th Place

What’s coming up?
Te Ika A Maui Rugby 7’s - Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November
BOPSS Junior Volleyball Championships Day 3 & 4 - Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 November
Manawahe Adventure Run - Monday 3 November
BOPSS Junior Volleyball Championships Day 5 & Finals - Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 November
BOPSS Beach Volleyball Yr 10 Championships - Wednesday 12 November
BOPSS Beach Volleyball Yr 9 Championships - Wednesday 12 November

Physio
Please ensure you look after yourselves off the field. As a Mount Maunganui College student you have free access to an onsite physio during the week. Bookings are available via the Body in Motion website: Body in Motion Bookings

Sponsorship
Want to be part of something meaningful moving forward into 2026 and beyond? We are all about “Our People” and “Our Place” and our sponsors make a genuine difference for all involved with sport at Mount Maunganui College. If this sounds like something you would like to be part of moving forward we would love to connect with you to ensure a positive future for sport for Mount Maunganui College. We have a range of packages and sponsor benefits available and would love to connect with you to ensure a positive future for sport. Please reach out on bretts@mmc.school.nz if you’re interested in joining our sponsorship team.

Fitness Centre
The Mount Maunganui College Strength and Conditioning Programme continues to run before and after school during the week. Students of all abilities wanting to improve their athletic performance are encouraged to sign up and embrace this opportunity to aid in their long term development. For Term 4, the cost is $50.
Sign up:
- To sign up please complete the Strength and Conditioning sign up form: S&C Program Sign Up Form

Off-field Sports Uniforms
Off-field sports uniforms are available online at: Mount Maunganui College Sports Uniform
- These are available in store at NZ Uniforms, 94 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga. When representing Mount Maunganui College in sport it is important to ensure that you have the correct uniform and wear this correctly, 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.

Daily Notices
The best place to get all information regarding key sporting dates is the daily notices. Students, parents and caregivers can access these at: Daily Notices.
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Social Media
Please follow us on;

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

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Host an International Student

🌍 Have You Considered Hosting an International Student?

Bring the world to your doorstep!

We are looking for warm and welcoming families in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa to host international students arriving in January 2026 from Europe, South America, Mexico and Asia.

✨ Experience another culture
🏡 Share your Kiwi lifestyle
💰 Remuneration of $350 per week, per student
🛏️ Host for one term, 6 months, or up to a year

Each student requires their own bedroom and families can host up to two students at a time.

Interested? Get in touch with Kriss, our Homestay Co-ordinator, today

or APPLY HERE NOW
📧homestay@mmc.school.nz
📞07 575 3096 Extn 2246

Open your home — and your heart 💕

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SCHOOL ACCESS AND VISITOR PARKING

We acknowledge that the new school development will mean additional difficulties for some families accessing the school during drop off and pick up times.

The previous ‘main’ school carpark has now only one point of entry and exit, thereby making it inappropriate for drop off and pick ups and is now restricted to visitor parking only. If you do have to use this gate when visiting the school, be mindful of cars entering and exiting. See the map below that designates visitor parking.

The new staff carpark now has barrier arms and is limited to staff parking only. The arms will be down from 7:30 am through to 3:20 pm during weekdays. Outside of these hours the carpark will remain open to all.

If you plan on picking up and dropping off your child before and after school, this needs to happen on the surrounding streets.

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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.
As per the Board approved uniform the school skirt is not to have the length modified (eg shortened).
If sandals are worn they must be black and have a back strap.
If shoes are worn they must be completely black and polishable.
Please ensure your child also adheres to our jewellery standards. No septums or rings are permitted on the face.
Eyelash extensions are not permitted.
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.
Discipline and defiance procedures will be used to deal with ongoing uniform issues if not resolved promptly.

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PUNCTUALITY AND UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS

Punctuality and wearing the correct school uniform are key parts of maintaining high standards at our school. Being on time shows respect for learning and allows students to make the most of their education, while correct uniform fosters a sense of belonging and pride.

If your child is late to school for a legitimate reason and arrives before the end of Period 1, please provide them with a note to give to their Period 1 teacher, who will update the attendance system.

Students arriving after Period 1 must sign in at the front office to ensure their attendance is correctly recorded. Thank you for supporting these expectations.

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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.

Since the beginning of the 2025 academic year, we have seen an increase in the number of students travelling on some school bus services without a Bee Card.

While all school buses remain free to use, certain services require students to tag on and off with a registered Bee Card. This is important for monitoring usage and supporting ongoing planning.

To check whether a student’s school bus service requires a Bee Card, please visit our website: www.baybus.co.nz/plan-your-trip/school-bus-services/

We kindly ask all parents, caregivers, and schools to ensure that students travelling on these services carry and use their registered Bee Card.

Please note that students without a registered Bee Card may be unable to travel.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient school bus system.

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HONOURS BOARDS

Mount Maunganui College is looking to display our past achievements.

If you are a former student or know of someone who represented New Zealand or earned a national title while attending Mount Maunganui College and would like your name displayed, please complete the Google form.

We are also interested in former students who have represented New Zealand or earned a national title as adults.

While all information is appreciated, we are particularly interested in information from the 1960s to 2000.

All submissions must include any verification possible to ensure the information is correct. Achievements can be in Sports, Arts, Culture or Academia.

HONOURS BOARD LINK

MacVille Car Park

There are growing safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists using the area due to unsafe parking behaviour and vehicle movements. Please ensure you park legally. Be prepared to park further away from school or kindy and walk part of the way. The below map highlights available parking for public use and their restriction.

Any other areas in the MacVille car park should not be parked or stopped on eg. footpaths, yellow lines and berms. The area will be visited by the TCC Parking Team and CCTV actively monitored to support a safe environment around the schools and kindy.

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KEY DATES

2025 Term Dates (click to view)

2026 Term Dates (click to view)

November 2025
4          NZQA Exams Start
6          Last Day for Year 11
10         Teacher Only Day (School Closed)
28         Teacher Only Day (School Closed)

December 2025
1          Year 13 Graduation
3          Pasifika Prizegiving
8-10      Year 10 Camps
8-10      Year 9 Activities
11         Deans Prizegiving
12         Junior Prizegiving
12         Last Day Term 4

CONGRATULATIONS

HEALTH UPDATE

PPTA STRIKE ACTION

SUSTAINABILITY STUDY TOUR

Information Evening

Host an International Student

CONTACT DETAILS

SCHOOL ACCESS AND VISITOR PARKING

UNIFORM

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

PUNCTUALITY AND UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE

STUDENT ID PHOTOS

HONOURS BOARDS

ALUMNI

KEY DATES