In term one staff and students of Year 9 participated in a shared learning experience titled “Our Place”.

All Year 9 students participated in this shared learning experience throughout all faculties and the school. Students studied various aspects of “Our Place” from "understanding how people pass on and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons and that this has consequences for the people, to reclaiming or recycling materials that can be sourced and discarded within our community".

During this time, form classes worked as a group to collect and display a wide sample of the various works from all curriculum areas. At the end of the term they made display boards which reflected their learning journey as a class. They had to prepare a booklet and presentation for the judges as well. The judges, (Ms O'Sullivan and the Arts Captains), listened to each presentation from the Year 9 form classes. Based on a set of criteria, a winning form class was announced at a whole school assembly - Congratulations to 9 MID. They won the Subway lunch class party!

This experience was a great way for the students to experience cross curricular connected learning and be able to make links in their learning even though they are now learning from many different teachers and subject areas.

As a continuation of “Our Place”, the Year 9s will participate in a shared experience called the 9 - 9 Challenge. This will help to build relationships with our community and within our year group and to model manaakitanga within “Our Place”. This is a chance for each form class to give back to the community. We would like for each form class to raise money or donate time or food or supplies to a chosen charity that is involved in our surrounding community. Each form class will invite their chosen charity or organisation to the challenge day. This will likely take place in Term 4 and more information will be provided to whānau in Term 3.

The “Our Place” boards are on display in the College foyer. Congratulations to all the Year 9 form classes for a superb job with their shared unit and for producing such outstanding and creative units of work.