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From the Principal

Alastair Sinton - Principal —

Ngā mihi ki a koutou, It is great to be back at school and back into teaching and learning. The week has started very positively with both students and staff excited to see each other and relieved to be back in the classroom taking stock of the hard work that has been done and planning for the rest of the year.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Ensuring that our students are not adversely affected academically by lockdown has always been a priority. It was encouraging to be notified last week that NZQA has made some amendments to their calendar and have delayed submission of portfolios for subjects following this type of assessment. They have also delayed the end of year examinations by 10 days to allow more time for teachers and students to prepare. More information can be found here: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/news/ncea-changes-to-address-covid-19-impact

At Mount Maunganui College we have worked hard over the years to have an academic network that supports our excellent NCEA achievement record. We have robust tracking and monitoring systems that help us quickly identify student needs and great staff who work hard to develop solutions with students and families. These systems will be tested to a greater extent this year and we have committed to allocating more time and support into this area as the year progresses to guarantee our students meet their 2020 academic goals.

We will need your support with this and we encourage you to use the tools at your disposal to help keep your child on track. The fortnightly dreamcatcher emails that we have implemented this year provide a quick and easy reference point for families to keep track of key information for senior students. As always if you have any questions or concerns please contact the relevant dean listed below.

Mount Maunganui College 2020 Deans

STUDENT WELL-BEING

Another priority for us is student well-being. Lockdown will have affected children and families differently and we are aware that our students may need extra support as they return to school. Our experienced guidance and learning support teams alongside our on-site nurse are here to help. Please do not hesitate to contact if required.

Guidance/Learning Support/Nurse

SPORT

Included in this newsletter is an update from our Director of Sports - Dan Meade. We know our students are keen to get back into games and training so please read this and if you have any questions or queries contact Dan or Loren Riddall at danm@mmc.school.nz or lorenr@mmc.school.nz

PERFORMING ARTS

Our Arts programme has had to undergo significant amendments as a result of lockdown and social distancing measures. Many of the events and contests we participate in are continuing in a digital format. The Performing Arts department are looking forward to the new possibilities this will provide our students and are planning some interesting opportunities. We are very keen to see the results of our creative and hard-working arts students.

REMINDERS AND THANKS

Thanks to you all for your support this week. Having students prepare their own lunches has taken a lot of pressure off a normally very busy part of the college. It has been really encouraging to move around the school and see students bringing their own devices. This has helped immensely and we would appreciate your continued support for both of these measures.

The value of students having their own device has become particularly apparent in recent times. If you are looking at purchasing a device and you are unsure of where to start please feel free to contact our Associate Principal Tina Yule at tinay@mmc.school.nz for more information.

Noho ora mai,

Alastair Sinton