Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas, relaxing holiday and safe return for 2021!
Holidays!
2020 Graduation Photos
Congratulations to all of our 2020 Year 10 graduates. You can download photos from the event using the link below; https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Z3djah6rkvXpjR7g3CkAGMqGgm3f28vC?usp=sharing
Happy Diwali!
This month on SchoolTV – Raising Boys
Many parents will attest to the fact that many boys are active, loud, rambunctious and prone to rough play, but this should not affect how a parent acts towards their son. Be careful not to pigeon-hole your son into gender specific behaviours or gender roles. The male brain is distinctly differently in its development. A boy’s physical maturity is often at odds with his mental and brain development.
Societal beliefs about how to raise boys can sometimes influence their adult carers. Although we are not determined by our biology, it is a factor. It is important to support boys in their natural tendencies and nurture their strengths and abilities. Teach them the skills they need for their future and to develop a healthy identity. It is important for boys to have a role model they can connect with and acknowledge who they are. One of the most important determinants for a boy’s development is how secure they feel growing up.
In this edition of SchoolTV, adult carers will gain a better understanding into some of the more complex issues relating to raising boys. We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this month’s edition, and we always welcome your feedback.
If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to this month’s edition https://mhjc.nz.schooltv.me/
The Social Dilemma
There’s a recently released Netflix documentary called “The Social Dilemma” that’s been going somewhat viral and has made its way into Netflix’s list of trending videos.
The documentary is more or less an attack on social media platforms (mostly Facebook) and how they’ve steadily been contributing to tearing apart society for the better part of the last decade. There’s interviews with a number of former top executives from Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest (to name a few) and they explain how sites have used algorithms and AI to increase users’ engagement, screen time, and addiction (and therefore profits), while leading to unintended negative consequences (the rise of confirmation bias, fake news, cyber bullying, etc). There’s a lot of great information presented, none of which is that surprising for data scientists or those who have done even a little bit of research on social media.
In a way, it painted the practice of data science in a negative light, or at least how social media is unregulated (which I do agree it should be). In spite of that, I think it did an awesome job of distilling this crisis for non-tech folks and illustrating how the ‘models’ and profiling works. Even then, most people have a knee-jerk reaction to the insinuation that they could possibly be vulnerable to these exploitative designs that are explored in this documentary.
There’s no magic bullet here. Healing the damage would require a dramatic education overhaul of some sort; more universal literacy in computer history and science, more care for mental wellbeing and attention to emotional intelligence and more literacy in the methods of persuasion and product design. A large portion of the Mission Heights’ digital passport is dedicated to some of these areas, but of course, more can always be done.
I highly encourage everyone to watch it. One of the guys featured, Tristan Harris, heads the Centre for Humane Technology and runs a popular podcast called “Your Undivided Attention“. In this podcast, he discusses more in-depth potential solutions to the challenges presented in the movie.
Welcome to term 4.
We have a lot of exciting events this term which will be even more enjoyable now we have returned to Level 1. Despite this relaxation of restrictions, we still need to remain vigilant about our health and hygiene. The experience of other countries who are experiencing a second wave of infections after appearing to have “flattened the curve” is a sobering reminder to us all.
We look forward to seeing you at the school’s eagerly awaited musical – “All shook up” in week 2 (19-24 October). Fans of rock and roll will particularly enjoy this wonderful display of our students’ singing, dancing and acting talent.
This week we celebrate Kindness Week with a number of activities which promote on of our core values – awhinatanga/compassion. This culminates in Pink Shirt Day on Friday which is an international movement to say no to bullying or simply “be kind!”
Our mantra is for all of us to be “upstanders” not bystanders. Research shows that it is the people who witness bullying behaviours who can have the greatest impact by showing their disapproval. This requires strength of character and reinforcement of another of our core values integrity/pono which can mean “to do the right thing”.
Let us encourage each other to be kind and do the right thing and so make the world a better place.
Kia mana ake/growing greatness.
Māori Language Week – Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori
Kia ora koutou
Following our annual cultural dress day when students and staff wear traditional costumes of their country of origin, Pacific Language Week when we celebrate the language and culture of Oceania it is appropriate that this week we join the nation while celebrating Māori language week. Staff and students will place a special emphasis on using the language as often as appropriate. Every Whānau has a plan for students to show their proficiency in the language and earn a cultural e-badge in the process supported by the Māori Student Council.
We are all on a learning journey. Many teachers have joined an inquiry group which helps us to understand the Māori world view and how it can be integrated into our curriculum and what we do. Recent advertisements and interviews of new teachers have focused on this important aspect of our strategic plan.
We will also participate in the Māori Language Moment at 12 p.m. on Monday which remembers the date and time that a petition was presented to parliament in 1972 for Te Reo Māori to be taught in schools. Our year 10s will be our first graduates who have had this opportunity, starting four years ago.
Have a go – hoe te waka!
https://www.tewikiotereomaori.co.nz/
Update: 24 August.
Following the PM announcement today we are in preparation for a lifting to Level 2 and thus staff and students returning to school on Monday 31 August.
I expect further guidelines to be sent to me from the MoE which will ensure the safety of our community while we continue with as normal a programme as possible and these will be emailed ASAP.
Update Friday 21 August
Kia ora koutou
As mentioned before we await the PM’s announcement on Monday on whether we stay at lockdown alert level 3 or move up or down. The school is planning on a return on Thursday 27th as initially indicated however we will let you now ASAP the official guidelines.
If we do move to level 2 we will minimise contact as much as possible by students being taught in their home room classes and restricting movement around the school, staying in whānau as much as possible and not sharing equipment or surfaces.
In order to promote wellbeing of staff and students we are also reviewing our assessment programme to take into account the time lost owing to the two lockdown periods as well as our calendar where some events will have to be cancelled as we will not have time to reschedule.
Thank you, as always for your wonderful support of the school and our wonderful students.
Stay safe, stay well and be kind to yourselves and others.
Update 14 August, 6 p.m.
Following the PM announcement of the extension of Level 3 in Auckland an email will be sent to you tomorrow detailing what learning will look like.
If your child/ren cannot be supervised at home, please contact your child’s Whānau Leader as soon as possible so suitable arrangements can be made.
Otherwise the school will be closed except for the students who require supervision who must report directly to the venue specified, be prepared to work independently, have water and food for the day, a device and charger and be picked up at 3 p.m.
More information will follow.