🌟 Thrive Speech and Drama at MHJC – Term 2 Enrolments Now Open! 🌟

Help your child build confidence and real world communication skills with Thrive Speech and Drama, right here at Mission Heights Junior College.

Thrive is a small group confidence and communication programme designed to help students become clear, capable speakers. Through engaging speaking activities, students learn to express their ideas clearly, organise their thoughts, and speak with confidence in front of others.

Our programme focuses on practical life skills that help students in the classroom and beyond, including presenting ideas, speaking with clarity, thinking on their feet, and communicating confidently with others.

Each lesson includes a mix of:
• 🗣️ public speaking and presentation skills
• 🎭 speech and drama activities to build expression and confidence
• 💡 improvisation and critical thinking
• 🤝 communication, listening and teamwork skills

Students also have the option to work towards nationally recognised Speech and Communication Skills exams, which provide excellent goals to work towards and help develop confidence, structured speaking and presentation skills that benefit students throughout high school and into the future.

Our classes are:
👥 small groups of 4 to 6 students
⏱️ 30 minute sessions during the school day
💰 $220 for an eight week term
✨ Free trial lesson available

⚠️ Spaces are limited and classes fill quickly.

📝 Enrolment form:
https://wkf.ms/3AZWDEx

Maunga Whānau also had a great start to their adventure at Camp Adair.

Here are some photos from their Day 1 adventures, which included big group activities, rope courses, and cooking.

This week Takutai and Maunga Whānau are out on Year 7 camps.

Both groups arrived safely at Camp Adair earlier today and dove straight into activities.

Here are a few photos from Takutai’s morning, including the bus journey, high ropes, and confidence course! They are very much looking forward to Day 2 and some more fantastic weather.

On March 12th, students in 8M1 and 8M2 went to the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
This trip connected to their context “Discovering Tāmaki Makaurua” in which students have been looking at the volcanic history of Auckland. They participated in interactive learning, such as the volcanic eruption house, as well as an informative talk from one of the museum’s educators. It was a great adventure!

Ngahere Whānau had a great first day at Camp Adair too!
Lots of activities and adventures were had, including wishing their wonderful Dean (Mr Bartlett) a very happy birthday.
They are looking forward to a great day tomorrow.

Today, our Wai and Ngahere Whānau Year 7 Camps travelled out to Camp Adair.

These photos show Year 7s and Year 10 leaders from Wai Whānau enjoying activities on Day 1, which included raft building, the confidence course, orienteering, and the mud slide!

More photos and updates will be shared as the week progresses.

𝟏. 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥.

Firstly thanks to the majority of parents whose children walk to school or drop and pick up their children safely and on time.

I would like to remind everyone that drop off/pick up times are very busy with over 1500 young people at risk of dangerous driving. This includes motorists stopping on the yellow lines or in the bus stop outside the school or allowing students to get into or out of cars while they are on the road. These are scenes witnessed daily and while the police may do a random blitz, it is up to our community to maintain a safe culture which is respectful of our road laws.

Some helpful advice:
The map below shows areas where it takes a maximum of 15 minutes to walk safely to and from school. Based on recent data, this covers the majority of students who are enrolled at MHJC.
However, if you wish to drop your child/ren, remember a little exercise is good for young people so don’t make things too easy for them – leave a little earlier so they can still get to school by 8:15am. Please check the map to see where you might drop or pick up your child/ren to avoid congestion at the gate.
A very useful pick up and drop zone is the car park behind the shops on Jeffs Road.
We ask our parents as well as our students to show pono/integrity – do the right thing and follow road rules to make our community safe!

𝟐. 𝐄-𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

There have been a rising number of e-scooters being used by students and we are concerned about the safety of students who ride to school without helmets and at speeds which would cause significant injury should there be an accident.
If your child is riding an e-scooter please remind them of the need to ride safely and with consideration for pedestrians, including wearing a helmet.

Failoa Famili Trust is bringing our families five free Talanoa Ako Workshops. These workshops are designed to foster positive relationships between school and home and to help parents better understand and connect with our school systems.
This is a parent program.

The sessions will run on Tuesdays. Each week covers a different topic related to your child’s schooling. Schedule is below.

When:
𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏 – 10/03/26 – Introduction to Talanoa Ako / Subject Choice & Goal Setting
𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟐 – 17/03/26 – NCEA / Career & Vocational Pathways
𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟑 – 24/03/26 – Literacy & Numeracy
𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟒 – 31/03/26 – Parent and Community Choice / Wellbeing / Financial Support
𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟓 – 21/04/26 – Study Skills & Time Management / School Reporting & Parent Interviews

Time: 6 – 8.30pm
Venue: Mission Heights Junior College – Coast Whānau
Dinner is provided.

Please email Abbi Faircloth to secure a spot. afaircloth@mhjc.school.nz

A reminder to our community about our Whānau Evening tomorrow – Thursday 5th March from 3-5pm.

Please come and meet your ākonga’s teachers and see their learning spaces. There will also be an NCEA information session from 3pm in the theatre for Year 10 whānau.

We look forward to welcoming you into our school!

We would like to wish our community at Happy Holi and Hola Mohalla. We wish everyone celebrating a joyous occasion!