GUMBOOT DAY

<p><strong>Helping connect young people with counsellors or therapists. All donations made to the Gumboot Friday Fund directly support kids in need.</strong></p> <p>Thursday 21st September was a great day for raising awareness of Mental Health issues, as well as raising money to support those who work with our rangatahi in this area. Several individuals and groups of students did a great job walking throughout the day. By 3pm, Jayden McDonald had covered 37km, while the group of Eva Williams, Ashley Luxford and Jas Singh had gone past the 30km milestone at the same stage.</p> <p> </p> <p>TALK TO SOMEONE NOW</p> <p>Text or call 1737 any time, 24 hours a day. You’ll get to talk to (or text with) a trained counsellor, completely free of charge.</p>

Welcome to our new teachers

<p>Kia ora koutou katoa,</p> <p>Ko Mika Hancock tōku ingoa. I am happy to be joining the Science Department here at Matamata College.</p> <p>I grew up in Waihi and then moved to Matamata when I was 10. I went from Firth Primary to the Intermediate and then on to the College. So, it is very nice to be back in a familiar area (and hearing a lot a familiar surnames) after being away for many years. I have previously taught at Kristin School in Auckland, and then Okaihau College and Kerikeri High School in the Far North.</p> <p>I look forward to being able to excite and engage students about learning and make them aware of the abundance of opportunities that await them if they work hard during their time at Matamata College.</p> <p>Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei. Seek the treasure that you value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be only to a lofty mountain.</p>

<p>22 September 2023</p> <p>Kia ora koutou,<br /> Now that we are near the end of the 3rd term of the 2023 school year, we thought it might be timely to provide a<br /> reminder to families of our school expectations as we see out what has been another busy term.</p> <p>Uniform<br /> We have seen a significant improvement in students wearing the correct uniform, which is encouraging. While<br /> some students still have work to do in this space, please don’t let our standards slip. This process starts at<br /> home so for parents, whānau and caregivers, please support your child by sending them to school in the right<br /> uniform in the first place. Our website includes a page outlining the correct uniform if you want to double check<br /> what this should look like. If you are struggling to pay for a uniform, please let the school know and we will assist where we can.</p> <p>Attendance<br /> Attendance is another area where we do not want to see standards drop, particularly for junior students. Better<br /> attendance leads directly to better academic performance so, put simply, students have to attend class to get<br /> better results in school. Matamata College will let parents and caregivers know when their child has not been in<br /> class or is late. Whānau can also track attendance on the Kamar App. If regular attendance is a challenge, our<br /> school needs our assistance at home. There are limits on what teachers and management can do for students<br /> who don’t turn up or come late. If home is contacted by the school, can whānau please help change this behaviour. As well as poor academic outcomes, not attending class increases the risk of other anti-social behaviour that can lead to further consequences at school.</p> <p>Looking after our staff<br /> If you have any concerns and want to contact the school, we ask that you do this in a timely and appropriate<br /> manner. Our principal, senior leadership team and teachers plan their diaries weeks in advance and are regularly unavailable if you call unexpectedly so please make an appointment to see them. Also, respect the outcome of the response, even if it’s not what you wanted to hear. All our staff, just like our students, deserve respect in person, over the phone and even by email. Our teachers are incredibly obliging with their time but they also need to prioritise their mahi so please respect their time, especially after hours and during the weekend,<br /> even when they’re at school sports. Please contact the school office in the first instance for general enquiries.</p> <p>Planning for 2024<br /> The board are working alongside Julie and her team to plan for 2024. We have some exciting initiatives on the<br /> horizon that we’re eager to share with our school community, especially new whānau enrolling here. Matamata<br /> College is a good school with high quality teachers and management working to ensure your child achieves to<br /> their academic potential.</p> <p>There are also opportunities outside the classroom that challenge and grow our students. For our families, they<br /> can directly assist our school by becoming a member of our PTA or Sports Club. Our board meetings are also<br /> held in public, so you are welcome to attend. If you would like to contribute, please contact Craig Alexander<br /> (Presiding Member) in the first instance and if the agenda allows, you can have speaking rights.</p> <p>We know that the more we all put into our school, the more our students get out of it. The more we as parents<br /> are involved with the school, the better we get to know the staff and can be more collaborative with our child’s<br /> learning journey.</p> <p>We want to wish our students and their families, who are departing Matamata College, well. All the best for your<br /> futures but please do not be strangers! We love to hear what past students have been up to. Also, just because<br /> you child has left Matamata College, this does not mean you have to. If you think you can contribute in any way,<br /> then please keep in touch.</p> <p>Craig Alexander (Presiding Member) – [email protected]<br /> Dave Keenan – [email protected]<br /> Paul Donderwinkel – [email protected]<br /> Nathan Murray – [email protected]<br /> Hinerangi Vaimoso – [email protected]<br /> Chris Henderson – [email protected]<br /> Jacqui Owen – [email protected]<br /> Kym Bolton-Hampton (Staff Representative) – [email protected]</p>