A few of our students have written short articles about their first few days back at school this year. Have a read below about their experiences!

Kia ora everyone. My name is Olive and I have the pleasure of being your Manutaki Awatere for 2024! It was so awesome to hear how involved and hyped everyone was last Friday as I was unfortunately not there. I can not wait to kick start this year with our incredible Awatere house spirit and people! I look forward to us rising through the ranks this year and getting participation up, whilst having heaps of fun. Anything for Awatere!!

Olive Paterson - Manutaki Awatere

Kia ora, Mya here, your Manutaki Wairau!! It was awesome to crack into our first house hui on Friday with everyone at school. Unfortunately the rain stopped us from getting out and bonding over house activities, but it was still great to see all the smiling faces! Everyone is pumped to strive for the win in athletics coming up in a few weeks time, followed by house Ki o Rahi later on in the term. Bring it on!!!

Mya Blackmore - Manutaki Wairau

Kia ora everyone! My name is Ayla Shaw and I am Manutaki Ōpaoa, Head of House for 2024. We had an awesome day last Friday at our very first House Hui - it was amazing to see everyone in Ōpaoa get involved in learning our house chants. Despite the weather we did not lose our spirit and managed to get involved in some fun activities. I am super excited to be working alongside the other house Manutaki to make 2024 the best year for house events. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone getting involved, having some fun and making memories together!

Ayla Shaw - Manutaki Ōpaoa

Kia ora Whānau. My name is Hazel Glover, I am beyond stoked to be the Manutaki Kaituna for 2024.

This year is going to be like no other. I am super thrilled to work alongside my three other House Manutaki, to build up and encourage all students to get involved and take that first step into discovering their unknown potential.

One huge fact about me, is I love spending time with my family, the feeling of belonging that I feel within my Whānau is something that I will strive to bring into Kaituna house this year. That way I am ensuring that everyone feels welcomed, supported, and involved in every house event.

This year I want to see every Kaitunian putting in 100% percent effort, as long as you're working hard for the team and each other, that’s all that matters. I hope that by putting in maximum effort, we will get maximum results. As far as winning goes, it's important to do it for the team. Because it truly does take a village.

My biggest piece of advice to you all, is to get out there, give it a go, try something new, and just do it. You have no idea what you can conquer when trying something new. So get amongst it and let's make this year, Kaituna's year. Bring on the year of 2024!

#bettereverday #keepingupwithkaituna #koolkaitunians.

Hazel Glover - Manutaki Kaituna

The energy and enthusiasm that students in whānau class 9LOWA brought to their start at MGC made for an excellent first two days. Together, they brainstormed their intentions for their class. The most common words being voiced were that the class will be a ‘fun, enjoyable and inclusive’ space. What a wonderful place to start!  

Students soon put ideas into action by playing games such as ‘Grandma’s Keys’ as a way of getting to know each other. Despite the rain on Friday afternoon, students enjoyed their first house event, which judging by the gusto with which they threw themselves into it bodes very well for Awatere! Ka pai 9LOWA, a great start to your time at MGC!

Mr Mark Lower
Whānau Teacher of 9LOWA

First Day Back

Wow! 2024 is going to be awesome, I just know it!

At the end of last year, my whānau class got the news that we would be joining other whānau classes. This change made me super nervous to start my Year 10 adventure!

But, MGC proved me wrong. The staff here at MGC are all so welcoming and kind! My new whānau teacher, Mr Jones, welcomed me and some of my other friends, into his class like we had been part of his class the whole time! We played a bunch of fun icebreakers and an awesome game of Scattergories (which got a little too competitive). Mr Jones checked in on us all, making sure all of our classes were okay and knew where to go once classes started. Mr Jones told all of the new students about himself, by what I heard he is a little obsessed with rugby and Rap music!

In the afternoon we all went off and played house games. Awatere and Ōpaoa went to Pollard Park to begin the battle! Our house leaders/house teacher introduced themselves and we had a house chant competition. My whānau class was playing touch rugby against another year 10 whānau class which was fun, especially because it was raining! Sadly the rain got a little too heavy so we had to call it quits and head back to class.

For the last 30 minutes of school we just got to chill and connect with our class. It was a super fun day! I could not have asked for a better start to the year. MGC is living up to all of my expectations and I am looking forward to all of the opportunities thrown my way throughout the year.

Bella Le Compte (Year 10JOOA)

Year 9 Student Voices

"It has been really fun learning a new language. We enjoyed the French class with Ms McNamara and she taught us a lot over the two lessons." 
Nat and Esme 

"I have enjoyed the classes, the experiences, the people, the canteen, the "freeness". We have a lot of choice and opportunities in the classes. There are some really good teachers here.
Amber Greer 

Year 11 Student Voices

"I really enjoyed spending time with my whānau class and getting to know my new whānau teacher. We played games and it was fun."
Emily Glanville 

"I enjoyed meeting all the new Year 9 students. It was nice to see my whānau class and catch up on what everyone got up too in the holidays and bond again." 
Mariana Arthur 

"I really liked Friday. I got to bond with my whānau class and some people who I would not normally speak with. We also had some new students so it was nice to get to know them too." 
Eliza-Anne Tapueleuleu  

Students in Year 10 Money Money Money class made paper bags with sheets of newspaper using a set of specific folds. We looked at specialisation of tasks to improve productivity and the need for quality control. Next they have to market and promote a paper bag as a desirable product people would want to buy.

Loretta Roundhill
Social Sciences Teacher