Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa,

Thank you all for supporting the ebbs and flows of term four to accommodate our Ministry of Education-directed teacher-only days. We had an extremely productive day covering key directions set by the Ministry of Education and how we can keep ahead of the curriculum changes to ensure Mount Maunganui College students remain well served in their academic aspirations. The last of these scheduled teacher-only days is Friday, 28 November. Departments will work diligently to ensure that the new curriculum aligns with our school's focus and is ready for implementation in 2026.

NZQA examinations are well underway. It has been encouraging to see the many students attending tutorials at school in the lead-up to exams. There is no substitute for study time and simply putting in the hours. Thank you to all families who have supported and encouraged their children to participate fully in these exams. When the results are released in early 2026, if you have any concerns, please contact us as soon as possible.

Thanks to our wonderful Parent Support Group for coordinating the end-of-year quiz night at Freeport a couple of weeks ago. The PSG do an excellent job of supporting the school and school events, and I remind everyone of the annual second-hand uniform sale scheduled for January 2026. Uniforms in good condition can be donated through the front office.

On Friday, 31 October, we hosted our contributing primary schools to our Kahui Ako annual kapa haka festival Rā Whakangahau. It was a big day for the college, and it was great to see kapa haka in good health across this part of our city. Many of you will be aware that from 2026, Kahui Ako - the formal collaboration of our local schools - will no longer be supported by the government; however, our local schools remain committed to working together for the benefit of our students and the community.

Year 9 activities and Year 10 camps are not too far away. These are great opportunities for students to build their capabilities, an essential part of both the existing New Zealand Curriculum and the future Curriculum. Students will get out what they put in, and we appreciate the families who support their children in making the most of these experiences.

There are updates from Director of Sport - Brett Sorrenson and Head of Music - Tia Beaufort below, but well done to our music students for pulling together another excellent school originals album (our sixth!) and congratulations to our junior volleyball players for the incredible season they are having.

Ngā mihi,

Alastair Sinton
Principal

We are pleased to announce that the MMC Originals Album for 2025 has been recorded and mixed and will be released on 5 December.

There are over 30 students involved in the album this year, and it features a track list of 14 songs.

Tāwhirimātea by Deffex
Gone and Out by Kymira
Runaway by Evie and Julia
6 St John St by Mars Rover
Tell Me by Conor and Zahra
Message To You by Spud
Gums by Three Man Tent
Gold Runnin’ by Sketch
See The Girls by Kenzie
Angel by Asylian
Love Like That by Josh Bisley
Sick by Stella Dixon
Home Run by Brooke
Asunder by Vynl

Album Art by Florence Steer, Cover Design by Brooklyn Taylor, Photography by Lulu Boorman

SunLive did a great write-up about the album. If you would like to read more about it, click here.

We are hosting an album release concert at Mount Maunganui College on Thursday, 11 December at 6pm. This will be a free outdoor BYO picnic event, on the music block grass area. All are welcome to attend.

The album will be released on streaming platforms and also as a limited-edition collectable cassette tape for $20 each. Email music@mmc.school.nz to order a copy.

Congratulations to our MMC Street Band, who won a national award at the Musicworks Ensemble Festival Aotearoa last term. They received the National Spirit of the Festival award, which is a first for the band and our school. Huge congratulations to all of the students involved! If you would like to see them live again, they will be performing at the Art Village Street Party of the Year at the historic village on Saturday, 29 November 2025 from 10.30am.

For further information, see the poster below.

Music Lesson Registration is Coming Soon for 2026!

Spots are limited and will be first-come, first-served.

You must use your Kindo login to apply. Please make sure your Kindo account is created, and watch for our email announcing when registrations are open.

Brett Sorrenson
Director of Sport

Kia ora koutou,

As we countdown to the end of the school year we still have plenty of sporting action happening. This week our junior volleyballers competed at the North Island Champs which has followed their successful Bay of Plenty Champs, whilst our Junior 3x3 Basketballers have been in action at Mercury Arena. To ensure you are keeping up to date with all things sport make sure you follow us on social media, this platform is used to highlight “our people” - Mount Maunganui College Sport and Mount Maunganui College Sport

As we look beyond a successful 2025 and ahead to an exciting 2026, we would love to connect with any potential community minded sponsors to help sport and our student athletes thrive. If this sounds like something you would like to be part of please complete this form and we will be in touch: Mount Maunganui College Sport - Sponsorship Expressions of Interest

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 2025 Contribution to Sport in the School winner Morgan Sinkinson.

Student Sport Profile
Name: Morgan Sinkinson
Year: 13
Sport: Waterpolo and Volleyball (beach and indoor)
Tell us about yourself: I am a 17 year old born and raised in Mount Maunganui. I have always loved sports ever since I was little. But over the years I have found that you can’t always do everything you want to do, so I have stuck with my two sports for now.
Why did you start playing: I grew up watching my family play all their different sports and saw how much hard work and dedication they would pour into their different codes. As a kid I did want to be just like them by playing but as I grew older I found that I wanted to push myself and learn discipline. Sports don’t just keep you active but teach you, whether it be focus, dedication, sacrifice, resilience, and the most important for me time management.
Aspirations: I aspire to be a selfless athlete no matter what and continue to keep giving up my time to those around me because I know how much a good role model can impact you. I also aspire to keep challenging myself and set new goals to accomplish.
What do you enjoy about Mount Maunganui College Sport: The social side of it, I have built a family whilst playing sports here. You spend so much time training and away on tournaments that you end up seeing them more than your actual family. But to see growth in the young ones that are coming up has been very rewarding and it’s going to be hard to leave them next year.

What’s been happening?

Golf
Tyler Ashton has recently competed in the NZ Amateurs Champs in Invercargill. He finished T19 in the qualifiers for matchplay and won his first match (3,2) in the round of 32 and got knocked out in the round of 16 (1 down).

Rugby 7s
Junior Boys - Te Ika A Maui - Our Mount Maunganui College Junior 7’s had a successful weekend in Hautapu for the Te Ika a Maui tournament. The boys recorded four wins from five games and now look forward to the Festival of 7’s at the end of the month.

BOPSS Junior Volleyball Championships
A successful weekend of volleyball over the 8th and 9th of November resulted in the Mount Maunganui College Junior A Boys winning the BOP Champs. The Mount Maunganui College Junior A Girls finished in 5th place, Mount Maunganui College Junior B Boys finished in 17th place and Mount Maunganui College Junior B Girls 24th place.

Beach Volleyball
The BOPSS Beach Volleyball Year 10 Championships were played on the Mount Maunganui Main Beach on Wednesday, 12 November. It was a successful day with the following highlights:
Girls
- 1st Place equal - Belle Ririnui and Courtney Marburg Dreadon
- 3rd Place equal - Kyla Wills and Lara Wright
Boys
- 1st Place equal - Enzo Graham and Will Ferris
- 3rd Place equal - Niko Sowter and Matt Ferris

3x3 Basketball
Mount Maunganui College 3x3 Basketball teams have enjoyed their three day tournament at Mercury Arena. The teams had a week of tough games, winning some, losing some and a few games going into overtime. Mount Maunganui College junior girls team finished in 8th place and Mount Maunganui College boys 3rd place. A week of learning and we look forward to 2026 with exciting plans for 3x3 Basketball.

What’s coming up?
NISS Junior Beach Volleyball Cup - Saturday 22 November
Junior Condor Festival of 7’s - Thursday 27 and Friday 28 November
NZSS Condor Rugby 7’s - Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November
NZSS Athletics Champs - Friday 5 to Sunday 7 December

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

Sports Prospectus: Mount Maunganui College - Sport Prospectus

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 or fill in this form and we will be in touch: Mount Maunganui College Sport - Sponsorship Expressions of Interest

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!

Homestay matching is well underway for our students arriving in January 2026 however, we are still looking for homes for incoming MALE STUDENTS from
Germany (2), Italy (1), Brazil (1), Mexico (1) and Japan (1).

We are looking for warm and welcoming families in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa to offer a home to these boys

✨ Experience another culture
🏡 Share your Kiwi lifestyle
💰 Remuneration of $350 per week, per student
🛏️ Host for one term, six 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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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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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

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ALUMNI

Mount Maunganui College is developing a database of former students who are interested in keeping up to date with the college's past, present and future.

Please click the link below to register your interest and/or share with others. Access to the link can also be found on the college website.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI COLLEGE ALUMNI

Links for social media pages:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582402786664

https://www.instagram.com/mmc_official_alumni_page/

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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.

Host an International Student

CONTACT DETAILS

HEALTH UPDATE

UNIFORM

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

PUNCTUALITY AND UNIFORM EXPECTATIONS

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE

STUDENT ID PHOTOS

HONOURS BOARDS

ALUMNI

KEY DATES