| Mahurangimatters 1 November 20125244 | Mahurangimatters

NEWSLETTER ISSUE 10: November 2012

Dear Parents and GuardiansTena Koutou Katoa

Thank you to Mr Elder who did an excellent job as acting Principal in Term 3 while I was on sabbatical, to Mr Vaughan who was acting Deputy Principal and Mrs Hollyer who was acting Assistant Principal.During the sabbatical I was fortunate to attend the “Leadership an Evolving Vision” course at Harvard University, along with 130 other experienced secondary principals from around the world. During this intensive we were involved in many leadership training, self-awareness and reflection activities and we had input from some top lecturers from the Harvard faculty of education.While at Harvard I was able to meet up with a past student from our school, Tamsin Jones, who was our Dux in 2004 and is now studying on a full-fees paid Scholarship for her Doctorate in evolutionary biology, looking at genetic influence over embryonic development. She is pictured below outside her laboratory at Harvard.

During the sabbatical I had the opportunity to visit a number of secondary schools in different countries, including four in Finland. Finland is consistently the top country in the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) testing which has been undertaken every 3 years since 2000, across a wide sample of 15 year old students in 62 different developed countries around the world. In Finland there is no national testing until the last year at secondary school. The emphasis is on all students enjoying their learning, working cooperatively in groups and pursuing areas of personal interest in their study.

The report from the Education Review Office (ERO) visit to our school earlier this year is now online, and once again, as expected, we have received a pleasing report:“The school tone is settled and positive. Students are proud of their school. Students

are engaged in their learning and in school life. They enjoy many opportunities to participate in and experience success in academic, sport, culture, the arts and leadership activities. Students benefit from positive relationships with their teachers. Good quality teaching is evident, as are many high quality practices.Students in Years 11 to 13 achieve well above National levels and above levels in similar schools in the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Girls achieve particularly well. School leaders and teachers are working on strategies to ensure that boys achieve the same high levels across the school. Increased numbers of scholarships across many subject areas and improved levels of NCEA merit and excellence endorsements are positive developments.Maori students are well supported by their teachers. As a group, they achieve well and their levels of achievement have continued to rise. Pacific students are engaged in learning. Most Pacific students are new speakers of English and the school provides relevant and useful ESOL programmes to support their English language learning.”Education Review Office 18/09/12The full report can be found on www.ero.govt.nzCongratulations to Thea Henderson (Year 7). During the October school holidays she competed at the national gymnastics championships in Nelson where she won the National Junior Champion of Champions title against 94 competing girls who had each qualified for the Nationals. Her score for the 4 apparatus totalled 56.4 out of 60 with the second placed girl at 55.10. Thea also won the gold medals for the beam and floor, silver for the uneven bars and bronze for the vault. Her North Harbour provincial team won the silver medal out of 24 teams. Rhys Jones (Year 8) also had a great nationals getting a bronze in the team men’s level 4. He was 16th out of 46 boys.

David Macleod, Principal

PHOTO: Tamsin Jones outside her laboratory at Harvard University

from the Principal

David Macleod

important datesThursday November 1•North Harbour Int Touch CompetitionMonday November 5•Senior Art ExhibitionTuesday November 6•Junior School Athletics CompetitionWednesday November 7•Senior Prize Giving - 7.00pm - hall•Last Day Years 11, 12 & 13Thursday November 8•Yr 10 Group Music Performance•L3 Art Design, Photo, Paint due to WellingtonFriday November 9•Orientation Day Year 7 2013 - 10am - 1.10pmMonday November 12 •NCEA Exams beginThursday November 15•Yr 9 & 10 ExamsFriday November 16•Yr 9 & 10 ExamsMonday November 19•Yr 10 Option ExamsTuesday November 20•SLC Aquatic SO Event•North Harbour Int Athletics CompetitionFriday November 23•PTA Revival Fashion ShowMonday November 26•BOT Meeting - 6.00pm startFriday November 30•Yr 9 Prize Giving Assembly•Yr 9-13 Girls Self Protection Course 1.30-6.30pmMonday December 3 Year 13 Graduation DinnerMonday December 3 - 7•Yr 9 Camp WeekMonday December 3•Yr 10 Activity Week•Yr 7 & 8 Top Team DayWednesday December 5•Yr 7 & 8 Wenderholm Trip•Yr 10 Motat Trip•Yr 10 Middle School Graduation Evening 7pm•NCEA Exams - endThursday December 6•NZSS Touch - Hamilton•Final Day for Yr 10 StudentsFriday December 7•Yr 9 Camp returns•NZSS Touch - Hamilton•Yr 7 & 8 Prizegiving. 12 - 1.30 pm•Term 4 ends

PHOTO: Thea Henderson

Mahurangimatters 1 November 2012 | 5345| Mahurangimatters

NEWSLETTER ISSUE 10: November 2012

Dear Parents and GuardiansTena Koutou Katoa

Thank you to Mr Elder who did an excellent job as acting Principal in Term 3 while I was on sabbatical, to Mr Vaughan who was acting Deputy Principal and Mrs Hollyer who was acting Assistant Principal.During the sabbatical I was fortunate to attend the “Leadership an Evolving Vision” course at Harvard University, along with 130 other experienced secondary principals from around the world. During this intensive we were involved in many leadership training, self-awareness and reflection activities and we had input from some top lecturers from the Harvard faculty of education.While at Harvard I was able to meet up with a past student from our school, Tamsin Jones, who was our Dux in 2004 and is now studying on a full-fees paid Scholarship for her Doctorate in evolutionary biology, looking at genetic influence over embryonic development. She is pictured below outside her laboratory at Harvard.

During the sabbatical I had the opportunity to visit a number of secondary schools in different countries, including four in Finland. Finland is consistently the top country in the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) testing which has been undertaken every 3 years since 2000, across a wide sample of 15 year old students in 62 different developed countries around the world. In Finland there is no national testing until the last year at secondary school. The emphasis is on all students enjoying their learning, working cooperatively in groups and pursuing areas of personal interest in their study.

The report from the Education Review Office (ERO) visit to our school earlier this year is now online, and once again, as expected, we have received a pleasing report:“The school tone is settled and positive. Students are proud of their school. Students

are engaged in their learning and in school life. They enjoy many opportunities to participate in and experience success in academic, sport, culture, the arts and leadership activities. Students benefit from positive relationships with their teachers. Good quality teaching is evident, as are many high quality practices.Students in Years 11 to 13 achieve well above National levels and above levels in similar schools in the National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Girls achieve particularly well. School leaders and teachers are working on strategies to ensure that boys achieve the same high levels across the school. Increased numbers of scholarships across many subject areas and improved levels of NCEA merit and excellence endorsements are positive developments.Maori students are well supported by their teachers. As a group, they achieve well and their levels of achievement have continued to rise. Pacific students are engaged in learning. Most Pacific students are new speakers of English and the school provides relevant and useful ESOL programmes to support their English language learning.”Education Review Office 18/09/12The full report can be found on www.ero.govt.nzCongratulations to Thea Henderson (Year 7). During the October school holidays she competed at the national gymnastics championships in Nelson where she won the National Junior Champion of Champions title against 94 competing girls who had each qualified for the Nationals. Her score for the 4 apparatus totalled 56.4 out of 60 with the second placed girl at 55.10. Thea also won the gold medals for the beam and floor, silver for the uneven bars and bronze for the vault. Her North Harbour provincial team won the silver medal out of 24 teams. Rhys Jones (Year 8) also had a great nationals getting a bronze in the team men’s level 4. He was 16th out of 46 boys.

David Macleod, Principal

PHOTO: Tamsin Jones outside her laboratory at Harvard University

from the Principal

David Macleod

important datesThursday November 1•North Harbour Int Touch CompetitionMonday November 5•Senior Art ExhibitionTuesday November 6•Junior School Athletics CompetitionWednesday November 7•Senior Prize Giving - 7.00pm - hall•Last Day Years 11, 12 & 13Thursday November 8•Yr 10 Group Music Performance•L3 Art Design, Photo, Paint due to WellingtonFriday November 9•Orientation Day Year 7 2013 - 10am - 1.10pmMonday November 12 •NCEA Exams beginThursday November 15•Yr 9 & 10 ExamsFriday November 16•Yr 9 & 10 ExamsMonday November 19•Yr 10 Option ExamsTuesday November 20•SLC Aquatic SO Event•North Harbour Int Athletics CompetitionFriday November 23•PTA Revival Fashion ShowMonday November 26•BOT Meeting - 6.00pm startFriday November 30•Yr 9 Prize Giving Assembly•Yr 9-13 Girls Self Protection Course 1.30-6.30pmMonday December 3 Year 13 Graduation DinnerMonday December 3 - 7•Yr 9 Camp WeekMonday December 3•Yr 10 Activity Week•Yr 7 & 8 Top Team DayWednesday December 5•Yr 7 & 8 Wenderholm Trip•Yr 10 Motat Trip•Yr 10 Middle School Graduation Evening 7pm•NCEA Exams - endThursday December 6•NZSS Touch - Hamilton•Final Day for Yr 10 StudentsFriday December 7•Yr 9 Camp returns•NZSS Touch - Hamilton•Yr 7 & 8 Prizegiving. 12 - 1.30 pm•Term 4 ends

PHOTO: Thea Henderson

Mahurangimatters |

Proudly Supporting Mahurangi College

Achiever of the Month: Gabriella Tennant

WARKWORTH Corner Woodcocks Road & Mansel Drive, Phone 425 8119

• Young Lions Ambassador - Zone 4• Academic Blue for Excellence in Level 2 NCEA

• Achieved Excellence in Level 3 Dance Performance• Performing Arts Academy

• Soloist in Choir and Harmony Group

Inspired to help others less fortunate than themselves, three Year 7 students are making a magnificent contribution to the Child Cancer Foundation. Cassie Clark, Sandra Wilcock and Alix Tobin have sold bracelets; baked, decorated and sold cupcakes; solicited items for raffles and spent hours at various venues selling tickets, and accepting donations for soft toy gifts. Their plan is not only to donate the proceeds to the Child Cancer Foundation, but also to buy soft toys to personally give to children at Starship hospital. Already $854.70 has been raised. D.Lawrence, Homeroom Teacher 7C

Three 7C Students Raise Funds for Cancer

Te

Ara Poutam

a Maori Student

Senior Girls Touch Team and Senior Mixed Touch TeamsAfter successfully competing at the Regional Zone Day in April, the Senior Girls Touch team and the Senior Mixed Touch teams have qualified and are going to the Secondary Schools National Touch Tournament in Hamilton from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 December. Both teams are determined to improve on last year’s rankings.

Senior Girls SevensThe Senior Girls Sevens Team have had another successful tournament.On the first Saturday of the school holidays they represented the College at the North Harbour Secondary Schools Sevens Tournament - this being the qualifying tournament for the BNZ National Sevens Condors Tournament to be held in December.On average the girls are a small team in size and numbers! However they don’t let this rattle them and manage to pull some big scores and wins on tournament day. After cleaning up in pool play the girls went on to a semi final with Northcote College, which is a bigger and more aggressive team. While our girls appeared a little nervous at this prospect they still managed - even after a couple of high tackles made on them - they stepped up, played with discipline and saw themselves into the final.After playing and beating Long Bay College in pool play we came up against them in the final. Our girls were feeling quite confident going into this game, and with a little support on the sideline confidence grew - with some fairly spectacular play by all the girls - taking the game convincingly to win the tournament and qualify for Condors!

Senior Art ExhibitionTo celebrate the successful year for your student, we will be holding a Senior Exhibition evening. This is a great opportunity to see the best from our senior students. The exhibition will be held on the evening of 5th November 2012 and will include all folio boards from Year 11, 12 and 13 art students. Further details of time and place will be available Term 4.

Please contact the College on 425 8039 ext 739 or email: uniform@mahurangi.school.nz

Uniform Shop HoursMonday 1:00 - 4:00pmWednesday 1:00 - 6:00pm

Mahurangi CollegeUniform Shop

Just in time for ChristmasLadies, No Plate PleaseA one day seminar covering Leadership, Time Management and Work/Life Balance and Stress Management, is being held on the 17th November at the Mahurangi College Library. We are fortunate to have three presenters who have worked nationally and internationally in these fields.Timed to give women useful, practical knowledge that can be put into place immediately, the day is open to all women in the community. As it is not being organised to make a profit, the cost per person for the whole day, including the expert-lead sessions and the refreshments is just $30. The seminar fits with the New Zealand Curriculum focus on creating life-long learners. Members of PPTA are organising the day as a school and community link.To register, or for further information, please contact: verity@mahurangi.school.nz.

Shock Reading EvidenceStudents who don’t read over the holidays can be learning up to 25% less than those who do. International research shows that students who don’t read over the holidays can lose up to three months of knowledge gained the year before. As a result, those students spend the beginning of the year catching up on what they have lost, before moving ahead again. Meanwhile, the students who have read are able to pick up quickly and move on with the new learning. This is the time to start planning for reading over the summer holidays. Reading should not be seen as a task. Emphasis should be on reading for pleasure.Parents often say they wish their children would read more. Something they can do for their children is to read themselves. If children see their parents read, then they know that the parents mean it when they say it is worth doing. Public library membership is free, just take along evidence that you live locally eg a bill addressed to you.For summer reading, students can talk to our library staff. They have a wide knowledge of our collection and are great at matching students with books they will like reading. Parents are welcome to come in with their children. The school library is open until 4.00pm.

PHOTO: The Senior Mixed Team that won

the regionals early in the year.