KORERO

Mana College News

December 2017

2017 has been a hugely successful year for Mana College. No other school could boast acknowledge-ments from three Ministers of Education for the significant progress the school has made; a $9 million announcement for property redesign; 12 regional championship winners throughout the sport seasons; and a huge increase in the school roll for the first time in six years!

Of course, all of this comes with hard work and the strength of our community at all levels, including the Board of Trustees, staff, our awesome students and whanau, hapu and iwi.

We have a significant number of staff retiring or leaving the college at the end of this year and I would like to acknowledge all of them for their hard work and efforts. Thank you to Ms Karen Dravitzki, Ms Joanne Fallon and Ms Rupi Mapusua for their dedication in their roles this year. Ms Chris Edge was employed in 2007 and has been a key driving part of our Te Whare Ako Special Needs unit for ten years. Ms Pauline Thorby was employed as Head of English in 2005 and then was also appointed as Head of Faculty in 2009. Mr Tony Braddock has served this college for 21 years as a Maths teacher, Whanau Head of Pohutukawa and Year level Dean. Mr Rex Parker has served the college for 28 years. Employed as a Special Needs teacher for Te Whare Ako in 1991, he became Head of the department in 1999. When you consider the thousands of young people these staff have taught and indeed shaped, this is a remarkable contribution collectively and individually and which needs to be fully acknowledged.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the teaching staff and the Board of Trustees who have put in the yards this year to support our young people achieve their NCEA goals and provide them with rich oppor-tunity, whether it was paddling down the Wanganui river, performing in the school production, or Year 9 Camp, EVolocity, coaching, managing and transporting to sports games. Everyone remembers great teachers.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your whanau and family a safe and happy festive sea-son. I look forward to the exciting journey we will have together in 2018.

Nga mihi John Murdoch, Principal

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of Mana College, Tena koutou, Talofa Lava, Fakalofa lahi atu,

Kia Orana, Taloha ni, Malo e lelei, Hola, Marhabaan. Greetings to you all.

What a wonderful way to end the year watching the junior production ’A Mana Christmas’. Led by Drama Teacher, Mr Laura Loach, and Music Teacher, Ms Jacqueline Nordon, a troupe of 22 Year 9 and Year 10 students put on a festive show full of song and dance which included the Cook Island group and the senior choir. Thank you to contributing schools, Titahi Bay School and Porirua School who attended the matinee and to everyone involved in this production both students and staff who worked, not only on stage, but in directing and producing, with props, costumes, lighting, make up, marketing.

What the Dickens?!

Maddy Vai Little as Scrooge

Riria Ward, Andrea Madelo, Josue Galola, Ros’e Nguyen, Caleb Mulligan, Logan Kingi, Sarah Ah Kuoi, Trevon Hall-Taputu, Destiny Smith-Osborne

Caleb Mulligan and Andrea Madelo

Maddy Vai Little

Lucia Bresaz-Underhill, Kotiro Gripp and Denise Tekeu

Junior Prizegiving

On Friday 8 December we held our Junior Prizegiving to celebrate the academic achievements of our Year 9 and 10 students for 2017.

Congratulations to our top prize winners:

Top Yr 9 Student—Ruby Paige Pierre Top Yr 10 Student—Harmony Fanueli Rangatahi Award for commitment and leadership in Kapa

Haka—Terrace Hurunui-Green, Rikihana Love Service Award to Marae and Kaupapa Maori—Staycee

Kirk, Rihihana Love, Tyler Mata Service Award for commitment and professionalism in

Junior Production—Maddy Vai Little Year 9 Deans Award—Jireh Pirihi Year 10 Deans Award—Jared Vilsoni Risale Cup for top all round junior student—Rikihana

Love

Ms Amanda Picken & Ruby Paige Pierre

Isaac Risale & Rikihana Love

Mr John Murdoch, Staycee Kirk, Tyler Mata, Rikihana Love, Matua Taku Parai

Mr John Murdoch, Jireh Pirihi, Matua Taku Parai

Ms Pauline Thorby, Harmony Fanueli, Mr Tony Braddock

Trevon Hall-Taputu, Jireh Pirihi

Mr John Murdoch, Maddy Vai Little, Matua Taku Parai

Ms Pauline Thorby, Vini Ah Kuoi, Mr Tony Braddock

Aaria Bennett, Montana Kenning-Bayly, Te Kopurereata Waipara, Maddy Vai Little, Ms Laura Loach

Tyler Mata, Harmony Fanueli, Sose Harold, Rose Palu

Ms Amanda Picken, Karena Waru

Year 10 Camp—Wanganui River

Many thanks to Mr Kent Pollard, Year 10 Dean, and the team of teachers (Whaea Awhi Edwards, Mr Tony Braddock and Mr Andy McMillan) who led 35 of our Year 10 students down the Wanganui river

on a cultural trip during the second to last week of the term. This was an experience that they will hold with them for their lives. The trip was intended to celebrate the end of their junior schooling and prepare them as a group for NCEA in 2018.

Junior Big Day Out

This year our Year 9 and Year 10 students each had a ‘Big Day Out’ on Thursday 7 December.

The Year 9 students got to choose between three different activities—Paint Balling, Adrenalin Forest and Ten Pin Bowling. While the Year 10 students spent their day at Plimmerton beach where they had a chance to get out in the water in kayaks.

Things to Look

Forward to in 2018

Tuesday 23 January—School Office Opens, Uniform Shop open 10am-4pm (all week)

Monday 29 January—Course Confirmation 9am-12pm : Years 12-13 1pm-3pm : Years 10-11

Wednesday 31 January—9am Powhiri for Year 9 and new students.

Thursday 1 February—School starts for all year groups

Tuesday 6 February—Waitangi Day (school closed)

Thursday 22 February—Learning Conferences