Kia ora whānau,

It has been another massive few weeks at Mount Maunganui College with three big school events now in the history books.

Firstly, we had an awesome day poolside at our school swimming sports event with a few records broken and a really good vibe. The day culminated in the much-anticipated student vs staff relay. Needless to say, it wasn’t even close. Congratulations to ‘Team Student’, who took both the actual and moral victories. Congratulations to Kōtuku for taking overall house points on the day.

Kōtuku also emerged victorious at our massive school haka competition. This event grows in strength every year, and the performances become increasingly technical. It is great seeing both staff and students challenge themselves to embrace this cultural centrepiece.

Athletics day was held on Wednesday and was the largest in the school’s history. There were some awesome performances, and once again it was great seeing everyone in house colours sharing their spirit. Final results are still pending, but we will share them as soon as they are available.

Each of these annual events requires extensive planning by staff and student leaders. Thanks to everyone who works so hard to make these events special and memorable moments.

With the change of seasons upon us, I want to thank all families who do a wonderful job sending their children to school dressed in the appropriate uniform. With the school's support, there should be no reason for students to wear non-regulation items. To check whether your child’s uniform meets our expectations, please read our policy here.

Amid all the happenings on the school calendar, we remain committed to our students' academic progress. Last week, our first set of reports was issued, and these will be followed up with learning conferences next week. The earlier we can work together on any challenges, the better. Please make the most of the opportunities to engage with teachers about your child’s progress.

This week's newsletter includes important information from our senior leadership team on operational elements of our school. Please take the time to read through to the relevant sections.

Ngā mihi nui,

Alastair Sinton
Principal

Brett Sorrenson
Director of Sport

Kia ora koutou,

It’s been a successful few weeks at Mount Maunganui College and it has been great to see so many involved. We have enjoyed exceptional performances, standout participation and competitive spirit across our school swimming sports and athletics days - congratulations to all those who have participated.

Congratulations to all our Surf Lifesaving athletes who have recently competed and had success at Oceans and the 2026 New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Champs. A special mention to our Climbing athletes who have recently dominated at the national level at the National Speed Climbing Championships and our recent Bay of Plenty Secondary School champion teams of Ultimate Frisbee, 3x3 Basketball and Futsal.

We now look forward to the remaining weeks of this term with summer tournament week being a highlight on our sporting calendar.

Mental Skills Workshop Opportunity
Mount Maunganui College Sport is proud to partner with Kayne Hammington and Project Ember.

What: Mental Skills 101 Workshop
When: Wednesday 18 March, 6:00pm-6:45pm
Where: Mount Maunganui College, School Hall
Who: Students and Parents
Register: via Kindo - Workshop Registration 2026

This session helps young athletes develop greater self-awareness around their thoughts, emotions and behaviours in competition. Drawing on both his own sporting career and background in psychology, Kayne shares honest insights from his own experiences. He combines these real world learnings with practical strategies to improve confidence, concentration and commitment - all in ways that can be applied immediately in games and training.

Read more about Kayne and Project Ember here: Project Ember

This is an opportunity for all interested students and parents - register via Kindo to take up this opportunity to advance your inner game.

Ensure you keep up to date via the Daily Notices for all key details and dates for all sports whilst following social media will keep you up to date with key highlights.

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 Lara Wright.

Name: Lara Wright
Year: 11
Sport: I play mainly Netball and Volleyball, but I usually play any other sport given the opportunity.
Tell us about yourself: I love eating lots of food, I like being with my friends and I love going on sports trips.
Why did you start playing sport: I first started playing sport when my Mum registered me for football when I was 5. I played almost every single sport on offer up until I reached Intermediate where each one required a lot more commitment then just one game and training a week. Around that time was when my dream of becoming a pro rugby player changed to a New Zealand netballer and now also a volleyballer.
Aspirations: My aspirations are to make it to as high of a level as I can in the sport I eventually choose to prioritise. I would like to play netball for New Zealand, and volleyball for the University of Hawaii, or even Japan if I could. Outside of sport, I’m still not sure what I want to do for a living, but I’m sure I’ll always have some involvement with sports.
What do you enjoy about Mount Maunganui Sport: I like Mount Maunganui College sport because it has helped me meet so many new people and make a lot of friends I wouldn’t know otherwise. I also have really liked all the amazing coaches I have had and the opportunities that have come up through playing sport for my school. I also like how I have access to the school gym at lunch to play volleyball with my friends and not just sit around doing nothing.

What’s been happening?

BOPSS Ultimate
Congratulations to the Mount Maunganui College Senior Girls Ultimate Frisbee Team who were recently crowned as the BOPSS Champions following a successful tournament in Whakatane with five wins from five games.

Golf
Eight students proudly represented Mount Maunganui College at the Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools Golf Championships on Tuesday, competing in tough conditions marked by strong westerlies and narrow fairways at Springfield Golf Club in Rotorua. The demanding layout and blustery winds required precision and smart course management throughout the day, testing even the most experienced players.

Bruno Wood delivered a standout performance, shooting a personal best round to claim the Net Championship. Producing a PB in tournament conditions is no small achievement and reflects the hard work he has put into his game.

Tyler Ashton was exceptional, firing a superb 70 to record the best round of the day and secure the Gross Championship. In conditions that exposed any lapse in focus, Tyler played with control and composure from start to finish.

Mount Maunganui College Team 1, comprising Oscar Tutt, Tyler Ashton and Fraser Tustin, were bitterly disappointed not to defend their title, narrowly losing to Rotorua Boys’ High School by just a couple of shots. It was a tight contest throughout, and while the result stings, the team’s performance once again highlighted the strength and depth of golf at Mount Maunganui College.

Climbing
A number of Mount Maunganui College students have recently competed at the National Speed Climbing Championships and impressed across all levels.

Individual results:
Cara Hicks: Oceania 5th Place Open and NZ 1st Place U19 and 5th Place Open
Mila Piatek: NZ 1st Place U17
Caitlyn Fortescue: NZ 2nd Place U19
Autumn Parchomchuk: NZ 2nd Place U17 female
Gwyneth Parchomchuk: NZ 3rd Place U17 female
Marley DeJong: NZ 3rd Place U15 female
Lucy Ranger: NZ 6th Place U15 female
Rio Piatek: NZ 3rd Place U17 male
Cooper Holley: NZ 6th Place U17 male

Swimming Sports
One of the highlights on the school sports calendar is the school swimming sports, this year saw high participation numbers, records set and records broken. Congratulations to all participants and winners across all levels.

Overall champions:
Senior Boys: Ryleigh McEwan (including a new school record in the 200m Freestyle and two inaugural records)
Senior Girls: Olivia Verryt (including four inaugural records)
Intermediate Boys: Charlie Richardson (including two inaugural records)
Intermediate Girls: Kenz Jury (including two inaugural records)
Junior Boys: Rupert Hammond (including two inaugural records)
Junior Girls: Amelia McEwan (including two inaugural records)

NZSS Open Water Swimming
Congratulations to the Mount Maunganui College ocean water swimming team who have returned home as national champions after a dominant display in the water at Lake Tikitapu on Saturday 7 March.

Individual results (1km):
2nd Place: Amelia McEwan (12-13 females)
3rd Place: Paige Aitchison (12-13 females)
5th Place: Sophie Braithwaite (12-13 females)
3rd Place: Sophia Maltai-Spence (16-19 females)

Individual results (500m):
1st Place: Amelia McEwan (12-13 females)
3rd Place: Sophia Maltai-Spence (16-19 females)

Surf Lifesaving
Congratulations to our Mount Maunganui College students who have recently competed at the AON 2026 New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships and returned home with standout results on the national stage.

Individual highlights: U15
U15M Ski - Charlie Richardson (Omanu) 5th, Sam Hawkins (MMLS) 6th
U15M Run Swim Run - Charlie Richardson (Omanu) 6th
U15M Diamond - Charlie Richardson (Omanu) 2nd
U15M Sprints - Sam Hawkins (MMLS) 5th
U15F Surf (swim) Race - Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 1st
U15F Run Swim Run - Emily O’Driscoll 1st, Mackenzie Jury (Omanu) 7th
U15F Board Race - Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 2nd, Quinn Murdoch (Omanu) 4th
U15F Diamond - Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 1st
U15F Ski Race - Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 1st
U15F Sprints - Ellie Walls (MMLS) 4th
U15F 2K Run - Ellie Renwick (MMLS) 3rd

Individual highlights: U17
U17M 2km Beach Run - Sam Cameron (Omanu) 4th
U17M Run Swim Run - Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 6th
U17F 2km Beach Run - Harlow Horn (Omanu) 1st, Sophia Maltai Spence (Papamoa) 2nd
U17F Surf (swim) Race - Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 2nd, Sophie Scott (Omanu) 4th
U17F Ski Race - Harlow Horn (Omanu) 2nd, Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 4th, Ella Grace (MMLS) 5th
U17F Run Swim Run - Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 2nd
U17F Iron - Harlow Horn (Omanu) 2nd, Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 3rd
U17F Board Race - Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 2nd, Harlow Horn (Omanu) 3rd, Ella Grace (MMLS) 6th

Team highlights: U15 & U17
U17M Surf (swim) Teams - Charlie Richardson, Sam Cameron (Omanu) 4th, Bryan Li’Wagener (Papamoa) 6th
U17M Ski Relay - Sam Hawkins (MMLS) 6th
U17M Rescue Tube Rescue - Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 3rd, Lockie Cairns (Papamoa) 4th
U17M Board Rescue - Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 2nd, Sam Cameron (Omanu) 6th
U17M Board Relay - Lochie Cairns (Papamoa) 3rd, Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 4th, Sam Cameron (Omanu) 5th
U17M Beach Relay - Lochie Cairns (Papamoa) 1st, Sam Hawkins, Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 2nd
U17M Taplin Relay - Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 2nd
U17F Taplin Relay - Olivia Verryt, Harlow Horn, Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 1st, Quinn Murdoch, Maia Symes (Omanu) 2nd, Ella Grace (MMLS) 4th
U17F Surf (swim) Teams - Olivia Verryt, Emily O’Driscoll, Sophie Scott (Omanu) 1st, Mackenzie Jury, Maia Symes (Omanu) 3rd, Sophie Bowling (Papamoa) 5th, Ella Grace (MMLS) 6th
U17F Ski Relay - Olivia Verryt, Harlow Horn, Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 1st, Maia Symes, Quinn Murdoch (Omanu) 6th
U17F Rescue Tube Rescue - Harlow Horn (Omanu) 1st, Emily O’Driscoll, Maia Symes, Mackenzie Jury (Omanu) 4th
U17F Board Rescue - Quinn Murdoch (Omanu) 1st, Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 2nd, Harlow Horn, Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 3rd, Sophie Bowling (Papamoa) 4th, Maia Symes (Omanu) 5th
U17F Board Relay - Olivia Verryt, Harlow Horn, Emily O’Driscoll (Omanu) 1st, Maia Symes, Quinn Murdoch (Omanu) 2nd, Ella Grace (MMLS) 6th
U17F Beach Relay - Harlow Horn, Quinn Murdoch (Omanu) 2nd, Ellie Marie Walls, Lily Hammond, Madeline Orchard (MMLS) 3rd

Team highlights: U19
U19M Taplin Relay - Fletcher Cameron (Omanu) 6th
U19M Swim Teams - Fletcher Cameron (Omanu) 1st, Ryleigh McEwan (MMLS) 2nd,
U19M Rescue Tube Rescue - Fletcher Cameron (Omanu) 2nd
U19F Surf Canoe Long Course - Poppy Richardson, Evie Wall, Maddie Tod (Omanu) 3rd
U19F Surf Canoe Short Course - Poppy Richardson, Evie Wall, Maddie Tod (Omanu) 3rd
U19F Rescue Tube Rescue - Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 2nd
U19F Double Ski - Olivia Verryt (Omanu) 1st
U19F Beach Relay - Harlow Horn (Omanu) 2nd, Lilly Hammond (MMLS) 6th

What’s coming up?
WaiBOP Athletics Championships - Wednesday 18 March - Tauranga Domain
BOPSSS Touch Championships - Thursday 19 March - Papamoa
NZSS Kayaking - Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March - Lake Tikitapu
Summer Tournament Week - Monday 23 to Friday 27 March - Various
NISS Mountain Bike Championships - Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 March - Wellington
NZSS Canoe Slalom - Saturday 28 to Wednesday 1 March
NISS Athletics - Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March

2026 Sport Registrations
Kindo - Mount Maunganui College Sport - Once registrations close for your chosen sports, further communication will follow. You can access registrations via the sport page on the school website: Mount Maunganui College Sport Website or directly from your Kindo account Kindo - Mount Maunganui College Sport

Social Media
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

Strength and conditioning
The Mount Maunganui College Strength and Conditioning Programme will continue to run before and after school for 2026. 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 2026, we have two membership options - a year membership which costs $250 and term options which will be $80 a term.

For further information and for the 2026 timetable please visit the Strength and Conditioning page via the Mount Maunganui College website: Mount Maunganui College Strength and Conditioning

Sign up:
- To sign up please complete the Strength and Conditioning registration via Kindo. Term 2 and Whole Year options are available now.

Physio
All Mount Maunganui College students 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 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 - subscribe to have Daily Notices directly to your inbox: Daily Notices - Subscribe

Sports Uniforms
All students who represent the school in sport must wear Mount Maunganui College sports uniform when at sports events. ‘Off Court’ uniforms can be purchased online at NZ Uniform - Mount Maunganui College or at the NZ Uniforms Store at 94 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga.

Mount Maunganui College Sport Website

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Social Media
Please follow us on;

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

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STUDENT SIGNING IN / OUT PROCEDURE

To ensure the safety of our students and maintain accurate records in accordance with Ministry of Education requirements, Mount Maunganui College operates a formal signing in and out process. Following these procedures helps our school run smoothly and ensures every student is accounted for.

SIGNING IN (LATE ARRIVALS)
If a student arrives at school after the bell has rung, the process depends on the time of arrival:

Before the end of Period 1: Students should go straight to their classroom. Please provide your student with a handwritten note to give directly to their classroom teacher. If the student does not have a note, the classroom teacher will issue an interval detention.
After the end of Period 1: Students must report to the Front Office to sign in. A signed note from a parent or caregiver is required at the time of signing in. Office staff will amend your child’s attendance for the periods they missed.

Rationale: When a student signs in without a handwritten note, it creates a significant administrative burden. Our busy office team is obligated to phone home to verify every unexplained arrival. Providing a note immediately saves time and ensures our attendance data remains precise.

SIGNING OUT (EARLY DEPARTURES)
If a student needs to leave the school grounds during the day for an appointment or other personal reasons, please use one of the following methods:

Email: Send the details of the departure (time and reason) to attendance@mmc.school.nz, the day before or before school on the day you intend to sign out.

Handwritten Note: Have the student bring a signed note to the Front Office to receive a sign-out pass. The sign out pass should be carried by the student as proof they’ve followed the correct sign out procedure.

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ATTENDANCE

You may be aware of the nationwide focus on school attendance. As part of this initiative we will advise parents and whanau when students move between the STAR thresholds as outlined below. These emails indicate days out of school and may include justified absences such as medical absences, family holidays, sporting, cultural, and other commitments. For many students these absences are justified and require no further action. If there are absences beyond those considered justified, please contact the school and the attendance team can provide support.

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REUSED CLOTHING EVENT

Part of the curriculum in our Year 13 Earth & Space Science class is learning about fast fashion. So with that in mind, we have decided to host a recycled clothing event for students in Term 1. We are seeking donations of second-hand clothing to support this worthy cause. It is the perfect time to declutter your wardrobe to make room for the colder months ahead.

Please ensure the clothing is clean, tidy, and suitable for students / adults to wear.
Donations can be dropped off at the college office during school hours.

The fashion industry is responsible for the huge consumption of water, energy and natural resources. It also creates large quantities of pollutants, hazardous chemicals, microplastics, textile waste, and greenhouse gas emissions. It is very costly for the environment when no sustainable materials or renewable resources are used. One way to help stop this trend is to source second-hand clothes, which has a significant positive social and environmental impact. They reduce carbon emissions and conserve resources, water, and energy. They also prevent old clothing from ending up in landfills or incinerators.

Thank you for your support.

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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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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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KEY DATES

2026 Term Dates (click to view)

March 2026
5        Engagement Reports Issued
11      Athletics Day
19      Learning Conferences: 4pm – 7pm
20      Learning Conferences (School Closed)
23-27 Summer Tournament Week

April 2026
2        Engagement Reports Issued
2        Last Day Term 1
3        Good Friday (School Closed)
6        Easter Monday (School Closed)
7        Easter Tuesday (School Closed)
20      First Day Term 2
25      Anzac Day
27      Anzac Day Observed (School Closed)
30      Move Well Day

HAKA PHOTOS

STAFF CARPARK

STUDENT SIGNING IN / OUT PROCEDURE

ATTENDANCE

REUSED CLOTHING EVENT

CONTACT DETAILS

UNIFORM

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE

STUDENT ID PHOTOS

HONOURS BOARDS

ALUMNI