Kia ora koutou.

Welcome to another exciting year at MHJC and Happy New Year to our Asian community.

I extend a particularly warm welcome on behalf of our staff to whānau of students who are new to the college and trust that you enjoy a positive experience of our kura.

Some important messages follow which will help us to achieve our collective goals:

Government targets – Literacy and numeracy

We are well positioned to achieve the goal of 80% of our students being at or above curriculum level by the end of Year 8 in reading, writing and numeracy. To help us achieve the goal, we have modified the timetable to allow for one session a week for literacy and one for numeracy in Years 7 and 8, and one extra session for literacy in Years 9 and 10. This is over and above our normal subject specific teaching in all year levels of three hours a week in English and Mathematics.

Attendance

While our data is better than average based on MoE reports, we wish to improve particularly in the following areas:

• Many students fall below the 90% attendance target because they are away on, or leave early on Fridays, particularly on the last day of term. Please note that we close early on that day so that whānau can miss the heavy traffic if they are travelling.
• Similarly, overseas holidays during term time affect the data and this is an avoidable factor compared to students being genuinely ill. I repeat that the school may not approve such “leave” and urge whānau to plan holidays outside term time.

ERO

We are expecting a visit from the Education Review Office in Term 2.

Fiji outreach project

More information will be publicised about a new outreach project we have planned for the July holidays to Fiji. This aligns with our cornerstone of leadership through service and our school value of awhinatanga. Senior students will be invited to apply for this exciting activity which will include working to support a local school, orphanage and old age home.

Principal’s sabbatical

As part of our collective agreement with the Ministry of Education, I have been fortunate to have been granted a sabbatical and so will be away from school from Week 6 to the end of term 1. Mr Naidoo will be Acting Principal in my absence.

Board elections

Please start to consider whether you would like to stand for election to the Board as a parent representative (5). This is a long term commitment of three years with elections being held in September.

Thank you for your ongoing support. I look forward to meeting you at some time during the year and wish everyone all the best for a positive and enjoyable year of Growing Greatness.

Kia mana ake!

Ian Morrison

Tumuaki/Principal