2019 has been another busy year for Manawatu College.

OUR GRADUATE PROFILE

Over the last two years, we have been focussing on what attributes and skills our students should have when they graduate at the end of year 13 and we have come up with:

• Be literate and numerate (including financial and digital literacy)

• Be independent (able to manage themselves, cook, drivers licence)

• Be good citizens (communication, civic-minded, engage in sports & cultural activities)

• Be aspirational (attain level three NCEA)

• Be work-ready (CV, drivers licence)

• Be trustworthy, honest and dependable

• Be resilient

• Be proud (culture, college and self)

• Be mindful (of others and their own well-being)

• Value cultural diversity – be inclusive of all cultures and backgrounds.

To help our students develop and achieve these attributes and skills, we have continued to fine-tune what and how we do things here.

For example, last year we joined with HLC and the Levin colleges to run a driver licencing programme, with free lessons with a qualified and experienced instructor.

Through the driving programme this year, over 40 students have gained their learner's licences, and those with their learners have completed 171 free lessons, and so far 18 restricted licences have been gained. My thanks go to Whaea Yvonne Seng for co-ordinating the programme so well.

Next year, some will go on to complete their full licence once they have done a defensive driving course.

Another new initiative this year required all seniors to go through a sign-out process, meaning they could not leave for the year until they had achieved their academic goals. For many, Not Achieved became Achieved, Achieved became Merit, and Merit became Excellence! I wish to acknowledge all the extra effort so many of our teachers have put in over recent months helping so many of our seniors get over the line.

We have also introduced more new courses next year that better meet the needs of our students, helping them better align with our graduate profile:

• Functional literacy

• Functional numeracy

• Level 3 Adventure Education

• Police Studies

• Mana Wahine

are some of these new courses.

We are using a more flexible senior timetable structure next year, the brain-child of Mr Richard O’Sullivan, our timetabler, to help with our goal.

Level Coaching groups were also introduced this year, replacing vertical House Groups, to strengthen the mentoring of our students.

STAFF CHANGES

This year, we farewell five staff-members:

• Mrs Monique Gunther, our part-time Special Needs Co-ordinator for the last two years, who has taken a full-time position as a Learning Support Co-ordinator based in Levin.

• Mr Terry Hemmingsen, who has been recently teaching senior Business Studies. Being one of the leaders of Grey Power, he is finding more and more demands are being placed on his time.

I thank Monique and Terry for their positive contributions to our College during their short time with us.

• Ms René Gardiner-Hokianga has been a part-time relief teacher here this year covering for Mr Glenn Mitchell during his time away. We appreciate the outstanding work she has done with her classes, and I wish her well in her future endeavours.

• Ms Lisa Frith, one of our Year 9 Homeroom and junior Food Technology teachers is moving to Manchester School in Feilding to teach next year.

I wish to thank her for all her positive contributions you have made to our College over the last 14 years. Her dedication and expertise as a teacher has been appreciated by her students and parents and admired by her colleagues. May everything go well for you in your new career move, Lisa.

• Mr Gilbert Hokianga, our Deputy Principal, is also moving on after only one year here, which is particularly sad because we feel like we are just starting to get to know you, and you are only just starting to get to know us!!

You are an outstanding person Gilbert, top drawer, and we are going to miss you!  I wish you all the best in your move to QEC.

Mr André Parfitt, a former student of ours who has been relieving for us the last few months, has been appointed to replace Ms Frith.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Nga Mihi

Bruce McIntyre