Kia ora whānau,

I’d like to start by thanking our head students, Ava and Fletcher, for organising the biggest Year 13 quiz night we have ever had. It is always a fiercely competitive event with a fair amount of staff pride on the line.

Term 4 is a significant time of the school year. It is a time when we celebrate the many achievements of our students in the arts, sports and academic realms and when we farewell our Year 13 cohort. We could never do justice to everything our school community achieves over the year; however, we aim to acknowledge as many students as we can with the time and resources we have. I want to acknowledge every student who has given their all so far this year and encourage them to do the same for the remainder of 2026.

While warmer weather and longer days signal summer is on the horizon, our students must stay focused on their 2026 academic goals. For our seniors, that means using the next few weeks to finish as many internals as they can and keep working with their teachers to ensure they are prepared for the NCEA examinations. If they haven’t already, they need to develop a regular, yet manageable study regime. For our junior students, each subject area will be working toward their final assessments and end-of-year standardised testing. Junior students also need to make sure they have space in their schedules for revision and the extra work that comes in term 4.

Families play a huge role in ensuring their children's success and can support them by building robust study habits, checking attendance and academic progress through our portal, and talking with them about the challenges and opportunities they might be facing. If you have any concerns regarding their progress, please reach out to their teachers or their dean as soon as possible.

Year 9 Dean
Sam Oldham samo@mmc.school.nz

Year 10 Dean
Tori Duytshoff victoriad@mmc.school.nz

Year 11 Dean
Amy Mc Fall amym@mmc.school.nz

Year 12 Dean
Su Marsden sum@mmc.school.nz

Year 13 Dean
Sam Wallace-Boyd samw@mmc.school.nz

Pastoral Co-ordinator
Jenny Harray jennyh@mmc.school.nz

Here's to a strong finish in 2026.

Ngā mihi nui,

Alastair Sinton
Principal

Brett Sorrenson
Director of Sport

Kia ora koutou,

Over the holidays a number of students competed across the country and it is pleasing to see so many involved competing in different sports. Firstly, congratulations to all involved in the Mount Maunganui College Basketball programme over the years. Mount Maunganui College Premier Boys and Girls on the national stage at the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools Nationals did our whole community proud and is an achievement which has been built up over a number of years. Our two teams made history for Mount Maunganui College and we couldn’t be prouder of all involved on and off the court. It was an incredible week of competition and it will be long remembered. A special mention to the coaching staff and parent support who have shown up day in, day out for our students to bring this all to life.

Mount Maunganui College surfers and surf lifesavers continued their impressive year in and on the water. The Bay of Plenty Scholastics team won the National Scholastics Surfing Championship for a second year in a row and the team included a number of Mount Maunganui College students. A number of surf lifesavers competed at the 2026 Aon New Zealand Pool Rescue Championships in Auckland and Amelia McEwan continued her standout year with two New Zealand records along with a number of podium finishes.

On Wednesday 28 October, we have our School Sports Awards and we look forward to celebrating the year that was with our community.

Basketball
Mount Maunganui College Premier Girls bring home silver at the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools Nationals. A standout week for this talented group. Charis Broughton was named in the ‘AA’ Girls All-Star 5 after her incredible week on the court with 293 points at an average of 36.62 points per game. 2026 is one for the history books for this young group and we can’t wait to see this team return in 2027.
Results
Pool Play:
Vs Epson Girls’ Grammar School - 86-47
Vs New Plymouth Girls’ High School - 91-48
Vs Takapuna Grammar School - 110-67
Vs Avonside Girls’ High School - 92-67
Vs Cashmere High School - 99-87
Quarter Final:
Vs St Kentigern College - 86-65
Semi Final:
Vs Hamilton Girls’ High School - 67-66
Grand Final:
Vs St Andrew’s College - 100-75

Mount Maunganui College Premier Boys bring home bronze at the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools Nationals. Cole Hopoi was named in the ‘AA’ Boys All-Star 5 and is a nice way for Cole to sign off his time at school before departing for Utah Prep. A shoutout to the special group of Year 13s who have now played their last game in the Mount Maunganui College singlet and adding this to the legacy. This team has made history for Mount Maunganui College and we couldn’t be prouder of all involved on and off the court.
Results
Pool Play:
Vs St Patrick’s College, Wellington - 85-71
Vs St Peter’s College, Auckland - 90-67
Vs St Kentigern College - 99-57
Vs Shirley Boys’ High School - 117-68
Vs St Andrew’s College - 72-65
Quarter Final:
Vs Dilworth School - 86-78
Semi Final:
Vs Auckland Grammar School - 73-79
3rd / 4th Playoff:
Vs Napier Boys’ High School - 78-75

Surfing
The Bay of Plenty team has been crowned champions at the 2026 National Scholastics Surfing Championships in Gisborne and have gone back to back following their 2025 success. Mount Maunganui College representatives were Sol Fritchley, Maddie Tod, Charlie Hartstone, Remy Sale, Zen Mouldey, Zade Pitkeathly and Izzy Evans. It was a fantastic team effort and continues an impressive year for our surfers.
Podium Highlights
U16 Boys
- Sol Fritchley: 1st Place
- Haru Marsden: 3rd Place
Girls U18 Longboard
- Izzy Evans: 3rd Place
Read more here: Scholastics 2026

Golf
Tommy McKinley was selected to represent the Bay of Plenty at the 2026 Eagles Golfing Society of New Zealand Boys’ and Girls’ Championship, held at Windross Farm Golf Club in Auckland during the second week of the school holidays.

The competition involved teams of three representing 15 regions from across the North and South Islands. Alongside the team event, there was also an individual competition based on net and gross scores. Over the 54-hole team competition, the Bay of Plenty team finished first overall. It was a fantastic result and a great achievement for Tommy and his teammates.

Surf Lifesaving Pool Rescue National Championships
Congratulations to our surf lifesavers who competed at the 2026 Aon New Zealand Pool Rescue Championships in Auckland. This event is New Zealand’s pinnacle Pool Rescue event.
Individual Highlights
Amelia McEwan
Gold (NZ Record) - U15F 100m Obstacles
Gold (NZ Record) - U15F 50m Mannequin Carry
Bronze - U15F 100m Mannequin Tow
Silver - U19 Mixed 4x25m Mannequin Relay
Bronze - U19 Mixed 4x50 Medley Relay
Olivia Verryt
Gold - U19F 200m Obstacles
Gold - U19F 50m Manikin Carry
Gold - U19 Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
Silver - U19 Mixed 4x50m Obstacles Relay
Silver - U19 100m Rescue Medley
Rylee Jury
Gold - U14F 4x25m Brick Relay
Silver - U14 Mixed 4x50m Obstacles Relay
Silver - U14F 50m Rescue Medley
Bronze - U14F 100m Obstacles
Lockie Cairns
Gold - U19M Line Throw
Silver - Open Mixed 4x50m Obstacles Relay
Bronze - Open Male 4x50m Medley Relay
Bronze - Open Mixed 4x25m Manikin Relay
Charlie McCartney
Gold - U14F 4x50m Medley Relay
Silver - U14F 4x25m Brick Relay
Sophie Scott
Gold - U17F 100m Manikin Carry with Fins
Gold - U17 Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
Gold - U17 Mixed 4x50m Obstacles relay
Silver - U17 Mixed 4x25m Manikin relay
Sam Cameron
Gold - U17 Mixed 4x50m Obstacles Relay
Gold - U17 Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
Silver - 4x25m Manikin Relay
Charlie Richardson
Silver - U17M Line throw
Emily O'Driscoll
Silver - U17 Mixed 4x25m Manikin Relay
Ryleigh McEwan
Silver - U19 Mixed 4x25m Manikin Relay
Silver - U19M 50m Manikin Carry
Bronze - U19 Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
Eli O'Fee
Silver - U19 Mixed 4x25m Manikin Relay
Bronze - U19 Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay
Charlie Burgess
Gold - U14M 4x50m Medley Relay Final
Silver - U14M Brick 4x25m Relay Final

Swimming
Kenz and Rylee Jury both had a busy holiday break with both heading away to compete at numerous events and continued their impressive year in the water.
Kenz Jury Highlights
New Zealand Short Course Champs
- 200m Breaststroke – Silver
- Made the open B final – ranked 17th in the Country
- 200m Butterfly – Silver
- Made the open B final – ranked 14th in the Country
- 400 Individual Medley – 5th
- Made the open B final – ranked 13th in the Country
- 100m Breaststroke – 6th
- 200m Individual Medley – 9th
Kenz then headed straight into the Swim NZ National Youth Programme (Olympic Pathway) camp, where she had the opportunity to train with other top swimmers from around the Country. The programme covered everything from technical skills and training strategies from nutrition to recovery, providing Kenz with some fabulous insights into what it takes to perform at the next level.
Rylee Jury Highlights
New Zealand Short Course Champs
- 100m Backstroke – 10th
- 100m Individual Medley – 16th
- 200m Backstroke – 9th
- 50m Backstroke – 15th
- 200m Freestyle – 15th
- 200m Individual Medley – 11th
* Surf Lifesaving Pool Rescue National Championships results in above section

Nutrition Workshop Opportunity
Mount Maunganui College Sport along with Medina Athletic Systems is proud to partner with Seed Nutrition for a workshop designed to follow up on our Term 3 evening with Dr. Stacy Sims and Loretta Hogg. Sarah joins us following a recommendation from Loretta.

What: Fuelling Active Teens - Seed Nutrition
When: Wednesday 18 November, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Where: Mount Maunganui College
Who: Students and Parents
Register: Seed Nutrition Workshop - Register Here

Register and come along for an evening with Seed Nutrition. Donation entry, pay what you like with all proceeds going to Mount Maunganui College Sport.

Sarah is a Registered Nutritionist (BSc) based locally in Mt Maunganui. With a background in competitive swimming herself, from competing in the pool as a teenager to later competing in ocean swimming. Sarah has a particular interest in working with young athletes and helping them understand how nutrition can support both performance and overall wellbeing. Sarah is particularly passionate about helping young athletes build a positive and sustainable relationship with food while meeting the increased demands of training, growth, and development. She believes good nutrition is about much more than performance - it is also about giving young people the foundations they need to feel energised, recover well and support their health as they grow.

Her approach is centred around real, wholefoods and practical, achievable changes, keeping things simple while recognising that everyone’s training, lifestyle and nutritional needs are different. She currently works with a number of competitive swimmers and Rugby sevens players, and regularly runs nutrition workshops for sports teams and groups, helping athletes understand how to fuel training, support recovery and build strong foundations for performance.

What’s coming up?
BOPSS Junior Volleyball Champs - Friday 16 October - Saturday 17 October - Friday 6 November - Saturday 7 November
Takapuna Grammar School Golf Exchange - Tuesday 20 October - Wednesday 21 October
BOPSS Rugby 7’s - Wednesday 28 October
Mount Maunganui College Sports Awards - Wednesday 28 October
Te Ika a Maui Rugby 7’s - Saturday 31 October - Sunday 1 November

Mount Maunganui College Sport Sponsorship
At Mount Maunganui College Sport, we believe that investing in young people is investing in the future of our community. Our sports programme provides an environment for our students to grow, connect, and become their best selves. We are currently supported by a number of incredible community businesses and would love more to jump on board as official Mount Maunganui College Sport Sponsors.

If you or your business would be interested to discuss further, please visit our Sponsorship Handbook and get in touch to discuss how we can champion our community together.

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

Wellbeing Opportunity
Mount Maunganui College Sport partners with P3 Recovery to aid with holistic support. 20% off memberships for students and teachers are available and 10% off memberships for extended family.
The P3 Essential Membership includes the following:
- Unlimited Ice Bath
- Unlimited Contrast Therapy
- Unlimited Infrared Sauna
- Unlimited Compression Therapy
To sign up:
- Download the app (P3 Recovery)
- Create account
- Sign up to essential membership and use PROMO code: MOUNTCOLLEGE20 (students / teachers) or MOUNTCOLLEGE10 (extended family)

Strength and conditioning
The Mount Maunganui College Strength and Conditioning Programme continues to run before and after school. 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. We have the Term 4 membership open which costs $80.

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.

Physio
Mount Maunganui College partners with Body in Motion. All Mount Maunganui College students have free access to an onsite physio during the week. Please ring 07 927 3330 to make a booking.

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.

2026 Sport Registrations
Kindo - Mount Maunganui College Sport

Mount Maunganui College Sports Website
Mount Maunganui College Sport Website

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Social Media
Please follow us on;

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

______________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________

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 be modified in length (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.

______________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________

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

______________________________________________________________

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/

______________________________________________________________

KEY DATES

2026 Term Dates (click to view)
2027 Term Dates (click to view)

October 2026
20         Arts Awards - 6:30pm (Baycourt)
22         Year 11 RYDA Programme
26         Labour Day (School Closed)
28         Sports Awards - 7pm
31         Pasifika Festival in the Bay

November 2026
5          Senior Prizegiving - 7pm
9          Teacher Only Day (School Closed)
10         NZQA Exams Start
10-11    Year 12 Leadership Camp
30         Year 13 Graduation - 3pm (Trinity Church)

December 2026
4          NZQA Exams Finish
4          Year 9 / Year 10 Dean's Prizegiving
7-9        Year 10 Camps
7-9        Year 9 Activities
10         Junior Prizegiving
11         Teacher Only Day (School Closed)

STAFF CARPARK

STUDENT SIGNING IN / OUT PROCEDURE

ATTENDANCE

CONTACT DETAILS

UNIFORM

SCHOOL BUS SERVICE

STUDENT ID PHOTOS

HONOURS BOARDS

ALUMNI

KEY DATES