E Nga mana

E nga reo

E nga mataa waka

E te whanau whanui o Mana Kariti

Nau Mai, Haere mai

Tena koutou katoa

Nga mihi ki te hau kainga o Ngati Toa

Tena koutou katoa

Kia Ora tatau, Talofa Lava, Melo le lei, Bulu Vinaka, Kia Orana and greetings.

2018 was a year that the Mana College Board of Trustees and staff consolidated the great work of 2017 and strengthened the school’s position in providing our young men and woman with flexible, dynamic and positive life changing experiences.

A number of highlights included:

• an increase in the school roll to 400 students

• welcoming 15 talented teachers to join our awesome staff

• the introduction of a new curriculum in Year 9 and 10 called PBC as well as the academy structure on Thursdays

• A 19 mIllion dollar upgrade of property. Yes, 19 not 15!

• A strong ERO report.

The ERO or Education review is a good read and describes Mana College as a place where:

“Students learn and participate in a caring and collaborative environment that focussed on wellbeing for success.”

“The school curriculum has been reviewed and developed to better cater for the needs and interests of diverse learners.”

“a collaborative professional culture that promotes learning partnerships between staff, students and the community”

There are many, many other positive comments and I would encourage you to read this on our website.

In addition to these highlights, at the beginning of the year, Mana College was yet again recognised for the significant improvements in NCEA achievements. Mana College students outperform their nz peers on average at Level 1 & 2 by 10% and are 16% Higher that the NZ average rates for NZ Maori at Level 1 and 20% higher than NZ average for NZ Maori at Level 2.

Pasifika students achieve higher than 10% for Pasifika compared to NZ averages for Level 1 and 2.

I share the achievement picture for two reasons.

The first is about legacy. A legacy is ‘something handed down from the past’. For example, the All Blacks have a legacy of high performance.

We have revived the spirit, the mana, the legacy at this school, showing that Mana College students can achieve as highly as any student in Aotearoa. When you walk through our doors, you feel the high expectations that our staff have for you. You feel to mauri, the force, the energy.

The second reason is about what you do with the legacy that is handed to you. Nothing comes from nothing. You have to accept it. Take it, use it, and honour it. This is our collective challenge.

The legacy is the wave, but like the Year 10 surfers in Titahi Bay, you have to work hard to ride that wave and to stay on the board.

Year 10' s you will lead this legacy next year. Understand that each year group for the last three years has performed higher than the average. And who wants to be average? I don’t and neither do your teachers or whanau. We want you to be exceptional.

Year 9's. You are no longer the youngest, the babies, the taina of the school. You must step up to support the mana for next year’s 9's.

It is a privilege and honour to be a part of this thriving, strong and positive community. Looking at what you have all achieved this year, I can’t wait to see you all succeed further in NCEA, on the sports fields and arenas, in productions and in the community in 2019.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

John Murdoch

Principal