A big thank you to Mr Groenewald and team for staging another successful Cross Country event this year. Although Mountains ultimately won the inter-Whanau event, all four Whanau impressed with wonderful levels of spirit and participation. The school drone captured some beautiful footage of students (and staff) on the course, which we hope you enjoy….
All posts by Melanie Kindley
Sharon’s a ‘Brother Design Stars’ Finalist
Congratulations to Sharon Zheng who is one of three finalists in the Senior category of the Brother Design Stars. The overall winner is being announced on The Adam & Eve Show on TVNZ2 today. The judges are shown below trying on Sharon’s headgear…
New Appointments to Our Leadership Team
We are pleased to announce the appointment of three senior leaders with effect from the start of Term 3:
Mr Ian Suckling will replace Mr Neil Penfold as Deputy Principal (Mountains Whanau). Mr Suckling was born in the UK and moved to New Zealand in 1997 where he taught at Auckland Grammar School, Lynfield College and Rodney College. He has a wide range of experience as a Business Economics, Accounting and other subjects such as Outdoor Education, Faculty Leader, Dean, Deputy Principal and Acting Principal. Recently Ian has been working with the Ministry of Education as a Learning with Digital Technologies Facilitator and with Cognition Education as an accredited facilitator. He is relocating into the area from Snells Beach with his wife and two children.
Mrs Raeesa Dada will replace Mr Naidu as Deputy Principal (Coast Whanau). Ms Dada is a foundation staff member who has been teaching at MHJC since 2008. After leaving South Africa in 1997 she was a team leader at Howick Intermediate and Curriculum Leader at BBI. Mrs Dada was awarded a Masters of Educational Leadership and Management from UNITEC and performed various roles at MHJC including most recently Assistant Principal (Water Whanau). Mrs Dada had valuable previous experience in this role having held the position of Deputy Principal on two previous occasions at the school for 3 terms and one year respectively.
Mrs Reshmika Lal will fill the vacancy of Assistant Principal (Water Whanau) vacated by Mrs Dada. Mrs Lal grew up in Fiji and started her teaching career in New Zealand at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate. She is a foundation staff member having joined the MHJC staff in 2008. Mrs Lal is the Special Educational Needs and Literacy coordinator and was Acting Assistant Principal for two years. Mrs Lal has also been awarded a Masters of Educational Leadership and a Graduate Diploma in TESSOL (Teaching English in Schools to Speakers of Other Languages.
We are very fortunate to be able to attract and recognise educators of this talent and experience and we wish them well in their leadership roles at the school.
Matariki Celebration Evening
Congratulations to Mr Jason Tuhaka (supported by Mrs Justine Tuhaka and the Tuhaka Whanau), MHJC’s Māori & Pasifika Council, teachers and families for a wonderful Matariki Event on Wednesday evening.
This event was an authentic opportunity for our students to not only hear about Matariki, but also to participate in it and learn through it. This is ‘Kia Mana Ake’ or ‘Growing Greatness’ in action!
William Pike Challenge Award Trip to Whatipu Beach
Health & PE Teacher, Aly Grant captured some stunning shots from today’s William Pike Challenge Award outdoor education trip to Whatipu Beach. Students were thrilled to be visited by William Pike himself, as they completed rogaining, cave exploration and emergency first aid activities. A big thank you to Tess Connell who also supported MHJC’s contingent of 40 Year 9 students.
Best Wishes to Our Travellers
We extend our best wishes to our MHJC delegation who are travelling back from the 23rd Young Leaders Convention in Singapore today – safe travels.
2017 Careers Expo
Last night careers advisor Mrs Ulika Singh and MHJC students attended the annual ‘Careers Expo’ at Ormiston Senior College. The event was a huge success with many institutions from throughout New Zealand showcasing numerous degree and vocational pathways, scholarship opportunities as well as unique business enterprises.
The key presentations from Auckland University and the Manukau Institute of Technology were particularly useful, as they outlined NCEA subjects and points required for entry into courses offered. It was particularly exciting for MHJC students to interact with OSC students and staff, whom offered advice and support with learning opportunities when they venture into senior college.
Young Leaders Convention, Singapore
Members of MHJC’s Executive Council are truly globally connected learners, having travelled to the Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore to contribute to the 22nd Young Leaders Convention.
Solana Carpenter, Camryn Chetty, Eugene Chua, Chenae Korewha, Duncan Lane and Jamini Patel departed from New Zealand in the early hours of Sunday morning, accompanied by Mr Morrison and Mrs Hewlett. The group have already enjoyed a day at Universal Studios on Sentosa Island and ‘ice-breaker’ challenges with students from a host of other countries. We look forward to sharing additional photos and updates, as they come through…
2017 Festival of Cultural Sharing & Diversity
Year 7 students from Mission Heights Junior College participated in the 2017 ‘3G4G Festival of Cultural Sharing’ hosted by the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple on Friday 19th May.
During this visit students were challenged to “do good deeds, think good thoughts and say kind words” to others through a range of activities and interactive presentations. Once back at school, students reflected upon their temple visit and wrote about the application of 3G4G in their own lives.
On Saturday MHJC students Cathy Shipway, Ishaan Shukla and Mehar Kaur were presented with prizes for first, second and third place, respectively. Also, Chrezylhyn Ortega, Jasmine Strong and Abby McGarva received merit prizes. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to MHJC’s organising teacher, Mrs Rajesh Joshi.
2017 Wearable Arts Show
Congratulations to MHJC students who participated in the ‘2017 Winter Wonderland Wearable Arts Show’ that was held at BDSC on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th May. We would like to acknowledge the remarkable efforts of the designers and models who participated in this event. Our sincere thanks to MHJC’s visual arts teacher Liz Hanna-Latham for helping students to realise their creations, from the page to the stage!
