Kia ora koutou

As we head towards the final days of secondary schooling for our senior students, I have been reflecting on the growth and development of our remarkable, strong and capable Year 13 cohort. 

We talked again in assembly this week about our values and why they are so important to us at MGC. Schools have traditionally focused on knowledge and skills, which are important and well measured through tests, exams and qualifications. At MGC our capabilities describe what we value in the long term. Capabilities count, as much as knowledge and skills, but they are not so easily measured. Our goals, alongside building knowledge and gaining meaningful qualifications, are to support our students to develop the superpowers of being a capable learner, understand the strength of their agency and live our values through their actions.

Our MGC capabilities support every young person to be a learner and have agency or self determination. Agency is the sense of control you feel in your life, your capability to influence your own thoughts and behaviour, and have faith in your ability to handle a wide range of tasks and situations, to learn something new. Your sense of agency helps you to be psychologically stable, yet flexible in the face of conflict or change. 

Here at MGC, we have watched over and guided the growth and development of our wonderful Year 13s for the last five years. As they prepare for their last week at secondary school, it is clear to me that we have definitely met our goals. I'm incredibly proud of our strong, capable, determined, joyous, kind, respectful and hard working Year 13 leavers. The future of our community and our country is in very good hands. 

We look forward to celebrating their last week at school with them and wish both the Year 12s and 13s all the very best for their external exams. 

Thank you as always for your support and feedback.

Kia kaha

Mary-Jeanne Lynch

Principal | Tumuaki